Yeonrok recalled the moment in his life when he had received the most attention. It was when he had unluckily stepped on a banana peel like in a cartoon and fell ridiculously in front of everyone at work. However, after meeting his Name Partners, that record kept getting broken.
‘Pretending to collapse to help President Yeom Cheonho wasn’t even getting attention…’
Even acting in front of famous people in politics and business had been burdensome, let alone a broadcast! Above all, he wasn’t sure if this would even be good for Choi Hwan, so he hesitated greatly. When Yeonrok seemed very reluctant, Choi Hwan began explaining the broadcast program in detail.
“Do you know a program called ‘Yoo Eunha’s Happy Radio’?”
Yeonrok flinched. It was a radio broadcast he knew. No, beyond knowing it, he was a regular listener. From 6 PM to 8 PM—perfect commuting time, good to listen to on the way home. Usually so clueless, but now sensing that reaction, Choi Hwan continued speaking.
“You might have seen it, but you’re getting quite a lot of hate. The articles are saying such absurd things.”
That was true. Trashy third-rate media outlets were portraying Yeonrok like some lowlife thug extorting Choi Hwan. It was because of Choi Hwan’s parents’ malicious interview. For all he knew, Choi Hwan’s fan cafe was probably in a mood to practically burn Yeonrok at the stake.
“If we speak clearly on the radio broadcast, public opinion will recover. You don’t have to reveal your name. I’ll do most of the talking, you just need to help out a bit from the side. There’s a script too.”
As he listened, Yeonrok gradually became persuaded and pondered. Even though it was only a voice appearance, it was somewhat burdensome. However, as a regular listener, he knew well how much Yoo Eunha considered her guests and skillfully led them, so on one hand, he was also somewhat tempted. But then Choi Hwan…
“Yeonrok-ah.”
Speaking in an extremely wheedling voice, wasn’t he acting cute or coquettish, whatever you’d call it? His face with eyebrows and eye corners lowered looked so much like a handsome puppy that his heart naturally moved. Before he knew it, facing those moist eyes, Yeonrok inadvertently answered.
“Ah, fine…”
“Gasp. Really. You said okay, definitely!”
How could this be. Is this… is this how people who fell for honey traps felt?
Though Yeonrok regretted it, he didn’t take back his answer. What Choi Hwan said also made sense. If saying a few words would reduce the hate, it was worth doing. Still, finding it annoying, he glanced at Choi Hwan’s proud nose bridge and said.
“So when’s the broadcast date?”
Strangely, Choi Hwan just stared at his face and gave no answer.
“…Choi Hwan?”
The moment he leaned forward puzzled, Choi Hwan stood up from where he’d been sitting at Yeonrok’s feet. Then he suddenly kissed him. Despite having filmed kiss scenes several times in his works, it was an extremely clumsy and impulsive kiss.
Not content with just pressing his lips to his mouth, Choi Hwan slipped his tongue in, causing the frozen Yeonrok to reflexively throw a punch like a wildcat. He quickly reduced the speed with an “oh no,” but he’d already struck near Choi Hwan’s cheek and jaw. Thwack!
Choi Hwan fell to the floor clutching his cheek. Then he looked up at Yeonrok with an extremely shocked face, gasping at being hit by his own doing. Though lying sideways in a pitiful pose as if acting, his protruding voice was loud.
“Hey! How can you hit an actor’s face!”
“…Gasp. Did it bruise? Let me see.”
Though he could have avoided his hand since he’d just been hit, he offered his face quite obediently. Thanks to the reduced speed, though there was redness near his cheek and jaw, it didn’t seem like it would bruise. Yeonrok let out a sigh of relief. Choi Hwan whined.
“If my body is worth 10 million won, my face alone is 9.99 million won!”
“Sorry…?”
As he spoke, it was so absurd that Yeonrok’s eyes narrowed. He sharply removed his hand that had been caressing Choi Hwan’s face like a sacred object and crossed his arms.
“Now that I think about it, only a little sorry.”
“Hey!”
“Well, who told you to kiss me without permission?! Why’d you stick your tongue in, you crazy bastard!”
As if there was anything to be proud of, Choi Hwan’s lips jutted out about five feet. But it wasn’t just his lips that were jutting out. There was something bothering him at the edge of his vision, so Yeonrok’s gaze unconsciously headed between Choi Hwan’s legs. He saw it. That is, the outline. Noticing where Yeonrok’s eyes were directed, Choi Hwan’s face turned bright red.
“Wh-what are you looking at?”
“No, I just saw it without meaning to…”
Though his opponent was the one who got hard, somehow Yeonrok’s face also turned bright red. Choi Hwan quickly brought his legs together and turned his body. Then his ears, which had turned bright red, became all too visible. For a moment, there were no words between the two.
Having become a bit less embarrassed, Choi Hwan slyly turned his body back. It was obvious he was glancing between his own legs, so Yeonrok scowled fiercely. When he glared, as if terribly wronged, he appealed to Yeonrok.
“Don’t curse…”
“I’m not cursing.”
“You’re cursing with your eyes! You’re saying really harsh things!”
Choi Hwan clenched his fists indignantly, but Yeonrok snorted. While pouting with lips handsome enough to be called sensual, he argued.
“And speaking of which, I, I said I like you.”
“So?”
“We’re Name Partners, and practically dating, so it’s not like I said something out of nowhere…”
This bastard, is he even reflecting? No wonder he apologized and obediently knelt to beg—so this is what he was thinking inside?
“Saying you like someone and dating are separate things. And so what if we’re Name Partners. You’re not the only one.”
Choi Hwan seemed shocked again and trembled. He seemed to be belatedly having thoughts Yeonrok had once had. Namely, thoughts like why there were three Name Partners. Though probably in a somewhat different context from Yeonrok’s in winter.
Choi Hwan became gloomy and dejected. Bothered by him lying down pitifully like a mermaid again, perhaps to hide between his legs, Yeonrok pulled him up and sat him on the sofa.
As if that simple gesture brightened his face immediately, Choi Hwan fiddled with his lips. Then with an inwardly satisfied face, he asked.
“I’m first, right?”
“What?”
“The first one to kiss you among the three…”
Saying that, Choi Hwan was quite shy. It was a face that believed without doubt he was the first person to kiss Yeonrok. Sorry, but—actually, not even sorry—he wasn’t the first kiss partner. Yeonrok shook his head left and right.
“You’re not first.”
“Wh-what are you saying. Not first.”
“You’re not the first Name Partner to kiss me.”
When told precisely, Choi Hwan’s expression completely crumbled. Unable to even hide his devastated feelings, he demanded.
“Who the hell is it!”
“President Yeom Cheonho.”
Yeonrok recalled when he first kissed Yeom Cheonho. At midnight, when fevered, it was a kiss that had come to him like a cold wind. Choi Hwan bit his lips harshly like a tragic male lead and asked.
“Th-then. But at least I’m second?”
This time too, Yeonrok shook his head left and right. Though it was like artificial respiration when Moon Gyeonwoo nearly got kidnapped, a kiss was still a kiss. Choi Hwan despaired at the fact he was last place. Then he suddenly accused Yeonrok.
“Why are you so promiscuous! You haven’t even dated anyone, so how!”
Promiscuous—what an absurd thing to say all of a sudden. Yeonrok replied indifferently.
“The first time was when I collapsed from lack of contact, and the second was during the kidnapping incident when Moon Gyeonwoo looked like he was in really bad condition. If you think about it, they didn’t really mean anything.”
…Though he said that, Yeonrok properly remembered the second kiss he’d truly shared with Yeom Cheonho. It was even a kiss he’d initiated first, like recklessness without any reason. And yet it was a kiss that meant nothing to Yeonrok.
‘Now that I think about it, it wasn’t really without any reason.’
Despite hearing valid reasons, Choi Hwan couldn’t escape his despair and blamed him pointlessly.
“That’s too much… You always discriminate against only me…”
Really, what is he saying every time, seriously. Yeonrok listened with one ear and let it out the other while snorting.
* * *
Anyway, after Yeonrok decided to appear on the radio broadcast, the schedule was quickly set. It was this week’s broadcast. As Choi Hwan had said, a script was delivered to Yeonrok in advance. It was ordinary questions like where they first met and how he felt when he learned Choi Hwan was his Name Partner.
He consulted with Choi Hwan and diligently wrote answers, sending them through Kim Jeongseong. Then the script revised by the broadcast writer came back. It was a story packaged more plausibly and persuasively. Seeing it, Yeonrok felt much more at ease. Still, wanting to confirm with Choi Hwan beforehand, he waited in the indoor garden.
“…I’m really going on a radio broadcast.”
He read the script over and over until worn out, waiting for Choi Hwan. But he showed no signs of coming back. He’d definitely heard there was no schedule today, but there was no way to know where he was or what he was doing. Should I call him? Just as he was fiddling with his phone, the front door opened and Choi Hwan returned. Yeonrok brightened and stood up from his seat.
“Why are you so late…”
Yeonrok’s words faltered. It was because Choi Hwan was strangely flustered and stepped back. His appearance wearing a pressed-down cap and even a mask was strangely bothersome. Though Yeonrok had seen Choi Hwan dressed like this countless times when going out to avoid having his face recognized, he felt a sense of incongruity.
