Tomato… Do Yeonjae barely held back his laughter and said.
“You said you don’t believe in horoscopes.”
“I don’t believe them. But I already saw it. What am I supposed to do about it being bothersome?”
Grumbling Kwon Isoo was in a fully styled state, as if he’d had a schedule in the morning. It seemed like the first time seeing him with shop makeup since the challenge filming, and perhaps because he’d gone through a professional’s touch, his face was even more,
“What.”
So if only he didn’t frown, it would be much better. Do Yeonjae answered with an odd expression to Kwon Isoo, who raised one eyebrow crookedly as if asking what he was staring at so intently.
“You look like a celebrity on TV.”
“…What are you talking about.”
Kwon Isoo, who slightly opened his mouth as if his answer was absurd, got angry telling him not to say weird things when he’s a celebrity too. Seeing how consistently full of irritation he was, today’s ‘unexpected good fortune’ must not have happened yet…
He hesitated while trying to subtly probe. It was because he felt vibration in his pocket.
“Ah, just a moment.”
It’s Ihyun hyung. He was supposed to help with driving practice this afternoon since he had time. He planned to borrow a company vehicle, so he’d already received the car keys in advance.
“Yes, hyung.”
– Oh, Yeonjae. What should I do? Today a sunbae suddenly organized a meal gathering for the cast. He said only people with time should come comfortably, but honestly if you have any awareness, how can you not go…
“Ah… You have to go, hyung. You’re a rookie to begin with.”
– Right… I need to make an impression. Thanks for understanding. Anyway, so I asked Yeongmin hyung. I think you can get driving lessons from that hyung.
“Yeongmin hyung?”
Yeongmin hyung was one of RAYEON’s managers. But that hyung has today off, wouldn’t it be too sorry to come out because of me?
It seemed better to just practice alone instead.
“Hyung, I’m fin—”
“I’ll help you.”
At that moment, a low voice suddenly cut in. Do Yeonjae quietly rolled his eyes. …Help with what? Perhaps the voice was heard through the call too, as Kang Ihyun hyung asked in confusion.
– Who’s next to you?
“Uh… Hyung, just a moment.”
He slightly moved the phone away from his face and asked.
“With what?”
From context it seemed like he was saying he’d help with driving, but it was confusing since there was no way Kwon Isoo would extend such goodwill to him. Kwon Isoo, who had been silently staring at the tomato juice in his hands, raised his gaze and said bluntly.
“You have to drive me on filming day, but if you don’t learn properly, it’s my loss.”
“Ah…”
Rather than watch frustrating driving from the side, he’ll teach directly himself?
Come to think of it. On the preliminary interview day, he’d made a troubled expression at the PD-nim’s question about whether he drove well. It would be unsettling to ride in a car driven by someone like that.
Thinking of Kwon Isoo’s fiery personality, it wasn’t incomprehensible.
“But is your time okay?”
“Yeah.”
Looking at the manager’s expression next to him, it doesn’t seem like it… Still, when Kwon Isoo said a few words about coming again tomorrow morning, seeing how he quickly nodded, it didn’t seem to be an urgent matter.
For me, well, it’s something to be grateful for. He said to Ihyun hyung in a bright voice.
“Hyung, I got a teacher.”
– Oh… Okay, that’s fortunate. Drive carefully.
“Yes.”
Hyung seemed to have roughly figured out who the teacher was.
When the call ended, the coffee came out with good timing. After telling Kwon Isoo to meet at the parking lot in 10 minutes, he returned to the practice room and delivered the coffee to Sian hyung.
And he got in the Carnival with Kwon Isoo, whom he met at the parking lot. Learning to drive from Kwon Isoo… Will I be able to do well? He was secretly nervous when Kwon Isoo, who fastened his seatbelt in the passenger seat, asked indifferently.
“Do you know how to start the engine?”
“…Am I an idiot?”
When he adjusted the side mirrors and rearview mirror and smoothly started the engine, Kwon Isoo raised his eyebrows as if surprised. It seemed like he was being looked down on too much, so he said something.
“I’ve driven a few times.”
Though it was a very quiet main road.
He was at beginner level but not a complete beginner. The trembling part was Sian hyung’s exaggeration too, and to be precise, what he found annoying and disliked was having to ceaselessly rack his brain checking front and back while driving.
It wasn’t just about him being careful; there was also anxiety about unexpected variables interfering.
…It was bravado. Actually, it seems a bit scary.
“Uwah.”
As soon as he came out of the parking lot exit and tried to enter the road, a car suddenly cut in from somewhere. Squeak-! The sound of tires sliding rang out. When he hit the emergency brake, his body lurched forward sharply.
“Ah, that fucking bastard…”
Kwon Isoo, who swayed along, grabbed his nape and spat out a vicious curse. Do Yeonjae kept his head deeply bowed toward the steering wheel and quietly trembled.
“…”
He wasn’t surprised, he was embarrassed.
Ah, how embarrassing. Why couldn’t I see the side properly? I’m too ashamed to raise my head. I should have just said I’m really bad at it… Why did I act tough saying I’ve driven a few times? Thinking that Kwon Isoo would mock him, he felt the urge to bang his head on the steering wheel and faint right away.
But Kwon Isoo’s reaction looking at him was unexpected.
“…Hey, Do Yeonjae.”
“…”
“Were you really scared? Raise your head, fuck. Why are you trembling?”
…Huh? At the somehow anxious-sounding voice, Do Yeonjae silently blinked. The large hand that had been hovering around his body carefully touched his shoulder.
Wait, carefully? It was definitely strange. So from what Do Yeonjae could feel, right now Kwon Isoo was… somehow restless. Kwon Isoo, who had been trying hard to check Do Yeonjae’s expression by lowering his head this way and that, soon said in an ominous voice.
“Should I kill that fucking bastard for you?”
How are you going to kill them, they already went far away…
Still, the embarrassment subsided a bit because Kwon Isoo made a fuss instead. Do Yeonjae quietly turned his face, which had been buried in the steering wheel, to the side. His gaze met Kwon Isoo’s, who had been lowering his head fully to examine his expression.
At that moment, he thought the expression on Kwon Isoo’s face he encountered was fascinating.
“…”
At the closer distance than expected, Kwon Isoo’s pupils wavered for a moment. As jet-black glass bead-like eyes stared intently, Kwon Isoo, who had unconsciously moved his Adam’s apple, soon realized. That Do Yeonjae’s expression he faced was far too peaceful and calm, unlike his imagination.
“…What the hell, fuck.”
The eyes that had been full of worry scrunched up sharply as if they’d never been like that. Fuck. Realizing he’d overreacted, Kwon Isoo, who ground his molars distantly, roughly removed the hand he’d placed on his shoulder.
“How long are you going to stay stopped? Did you forget you’re holding the steering wheel?”
“Ah, sorry.”
Do Yeonjae, who had been silently looking at the tips of Kwon Isoo’s ears dyed red with embarrassment, quickly moved the car.
After smoothly entering the road, Kwon Isoo immediately transformed into tiger mode.
“Turn wider. Don’t turn so frustratingly.”
“The back wheel just touched the sidewalk. You should’ve gone out more before turning.”
“Are your eyes crooked? Fuck, stay in the lane properly.”
“You have to turn right at the end, so stick to the right. When changing lanes, don’t jerk the handle… Why can’t you merge properly?”
“Fuck… Step on it a bit, Do Yeonjae. Right now you’re slower than that person jogging over there.”
Though his tone was cold, it stuck right in his ears so he understood precisely. He suddenly became curious whether he used this sensitive tone when producing too, but he quickly forgot because he was concentrating on driving.
Somehow he arrived at the park, which was the destination. Haah… After parking and turning off the engine, Do Yeonjae muttered while dry-washing his face.
“Should I just say I can’t drive?”
“Then what does that make me for teaching you?”
…That was true. He postponed today’s work and helped. Kwon Isoo said he just didn’t want to lose out by riding in a car with someone who can’t drive, but either way, the fact that he helped him was true. Only after arriving did he scratch the back of his head and say to Kwon Isoo, who was sliding his seat back.
“Thank you.”
I’m supposed to hear ‘thank you’ from Kwon Isoo, but it became the opposite instead. Kwon Isoo, who frowned as if his legs that had been cramped during the entire drive were uncomfortable, clicked his tongue quietly and reclined the backrest. Leaning his body against the sharply tilted backrest, he put one hand behind his head and muttered indifferently.
“Thankful my ass, fuck… Then were you going to be alone with that Yeongmin or whatever bastard in this cramped place?”
“He’s not a bastard, he’s Yeongmin hyung…”
And cramped? Do Yeonjae glanced at the back seat of the 7-seater Carnival. It’s not cramped at all.
Taking out the iced americano stuck in the cup holder, he casually asked back.
“Then being with you in this cramped place is okay?”
