While sneaking glances at the other guys like that, Jiwon’s attention was soon captured by the rich butter aroma and bread smell vibrating through the cafeteria. Saliva pooled in his mouth and his stomach made loud noises.
The other crew members who’d been chatting also peeked into the cafeteria and checked the food, curious about the menu.
Like yesterday’s dinner, it was hotel buffet style, and the menu centered mainly on simple Western foods commonly seen at hotel breakfasts.
Since the crew could only move with their team leader’s permission, everyone just gulped down their saliva and waited for their respective team leaders to arrive.
Then a beep sounded and the cafeteria door closed. No, it locked.
It was exactly 7:30 AM. Not a single person had failed to arrive on time.
Shortly after, the team leaders appeared in different outfits and entered the cafeteria in a line, moving to where their team members had gathered.
The other team leaders who’d worn navy uniforms like the Captain just yesterday had changed into outfits similar to their assigned teams. Fortunately, the team leader of the “dog bastards” was wearing proper leather pants. Just having normal pants made him look quite decent.
Jiwon’s team leader, the Captain, still wore sunglasses and was cheerful and friendly, no different from yesterday.
“You’re hungry, right? What are you all doing? Let’s eat.”
With just those words, everyone excitedly moved toward where the buffet tables were lined up.
Crew Zero claimed the food first. Jiwon put sausages, bacon, and scrambled eggs on his plate, then chuckled remembering the second interview. Next, he put bread and croissants in the toaster.
Before he knew it, Sailor 5 had approached and said, “Hyung, let’s eat together.” The two stood side by side waiting for the bread to toast, then filled a small bowl with soup and went to their seats.
Though it was buffet style, team members could only eat at tables marked with their team name. Each table for twelve had a flag with the team name stuck in it, so there was no worry of confusion.
They gathered at the table one by one, and the Captain took the head seat.
Everyone chewed their food in silence. The other team members were equally quiet. In the spacious cafeteria, only the clinking of dishes and sounds of swallowing and chewing food could be heard.
But since it was a gathering of vigorous men in their twenties, the silence gradually broke. Those who’d been exchanging names while watching their team leader’s reactions soon raised their voices, and quickly becoming friendly, acted casually calling each other hyung and dongsaeng.
In an instant, the cafeteria became noisy.
Of course, not everyone was like that. About half still maintained silence and tried to read the atmosphere.
One person stuck to Jiwon, who’d been quietly observing. Sailor 5, who closely resembled Han Seoho. When Jiwon got up to fill his plate, Sailor 5 followed along. Just like Han did, this guy seemed to like Jiwon.
“I’m Lee Woojoo. What about you, hyung?”
Around when the meal was almost over, Sailor 5 told him his real name.
“I’m Kim Jiwon.”
“Aw, hyung. Speak casually.”
“Well, later…”
When Jiwon hesitated, Lee Woojoo pouted his lips.
This time he overlapped not with Han Seoho but with that kid.
It was a habit that had disappeared after being severely scolded by Father for pouting his lips like a girl despite being a boy. He only learned after becoming an adult that it hadn’t disappeared but rather been suppressed.
That kid probably always lived hiding his true self, suppressing it, pretending otherwise.
“Hyung, hyung.”
Lee Woojoo’s voice brought him back to reality.
“This is super delicious.”
He pointed at the mango cake and raised his thumb.
After finishing breakfast in this atmosphere where silence and noisiness coexisted, Crew Zero followed the Captain to the unmanned cafe, each getting drinks like coffee, and rested in the lobby.
The lobby looked like a hotel coffee shop had been relocated; there was a large, tall picture window facing the garden that let in plenty of sunlight.
The sofas and tables placed throughout the spacious lobby were both stylish and comfortable, and the coffee was delicious enough to be unbelievable for something brewed at an unmanned cafe.
Jiwon was still with Sailor 5, Lee Woojoo.
“Hyung, you’re really shy. You hear that a lot, right?”
“No. It’s not that I’m shy…”
“Then what? Am I making you uncomfortable?”
He asked with wide eyes.
“No. It’s not that. My personality is just like this.”
Jiwon waved his hands as he spoke.
Then Lee Woojoo grinned broadly.
“Cool.”
He muttered to himself openly, then sucked his iced coffee through a straw.
After saying it, he wondered, What was my original personality like?
They say personality is fate—after trying to imitate not just Kim Jiwon’s life but even his personality for over eight months, he’d really become more worried and disheartened. The inadequate food, clothing, and shelter, along with the tension of not being caught, must have played a part too.
But what really changed Jiwon was the accident being the biggest cause.
Before the accident, Jiwon was simple about everything. Even when he had worries, he wasn’t the type to hold onto them long. Since worrying wouldn’t change anything, he’d shake it off and do what he could.
‘How can the kid be so simple and dull?’
He used to hear this reproach from Mother often.
Father always took his side, saying he wasn’t dull but easygoing, but now that was impossible.
My father.
Jiwon shook off the gloomy thoughts and pretended to listen attentively to Lee Woojoo.
Lee Woojoo was gay and aspired to be a model. He recited a typical story about how he’d been working part-time at host bars and gay bars due to difficult family circumstances, and luckily got accepted to this project.
‘Hyung, all the kids here use family circumstances as an excuse, but that’s all bullshit. Believe only a tiny bit, like the dirt under a fingernail. Honestly, kids with really difficult family circumstances don’t go to places like host bars. They’d work construction instead. Look at you, hyung. It’s obvious.’
It was as if he could hear Han’s voice in his ear.
“But why is only our team here? Haven’t they finished eating yet?”
Lee Woojoo stretched his head toward the cafeteria and muttered. Then he looked at Jiwon with sparkling eyes.
“What about you, hyung? Do you have someone you’re eyeing?”
He asked openly, naturally thinking Jiwon was the same type.
“Well… I’ve been too distracted… And they all look similar.”
He had no intention of revealing he was heterosexual after coming all the way here.
What’s the point of distinguishing that when I came here to suck dick anyway?
“Ah, that’s true. Honestly, I got confused too. I definitely picked two people yesterday, but I don’t know who they are, you know? What’s with making the hairstyles exactly the same? We’re like that too. Right?”
Lee Woojoo spread two fingers and wrinkled his nose, then smiled. It was a smile that made the other person feel good too.
“May I join you?”
That’s when Sailor 7, holding a coffee cup, asked.
Empty seats were everywhere, yet coming specifically to this spot to join them—it seemed to be because of Lee Woojoo.
“Of course! Please sit.”
Lee Woojoo half-stood to welcome Sailor 7 warmly.
Jiwon exchanged light eye greetings with him.
“Everyone else is sitting alone, but you two were together here.”
He was a man whose voice resonance was good enough to rival a voice actor.
“I’m Park Geonwu. I’m twenty-nine.”
He introduced himself first without being asked.
Inevitably, Jiwon also gave his name and age, and Lee Woojoo excitedly spilled all his personal information.
“I’ll be in your care, hyungnims.”
Lee Woojoo playfully bowed at the waist.
“I can speak casually, right?”
Park Geonwu asked deliberately, already speaking informally.
Jiwon had no aversion to older people speaking informally, so he told him to go ahead.
“But you’re older than I thought.”
Park Geonwu said, looking at Jiwon.
“Well, yeah. These days it’d be weirder if I looked my age. I look like I’m twenty-three or twenty-four wherever I go too.”
He added.
But in fact, that didn’t apply to Park Geonwu. He looked exactly his age.
It wasn’t just Jiwon’s thought—Lee Woojoo, who was usually quick to chime in, also smiled awkwardly and kept his mouth shut.
“What were you doing before coming here?”
Park Geonwu asked in a light tone.
When Jiwon just stared without answering, Park Geonwu made a fuss and raised his hands.
“Ah, sorry sorry. I’ll talk first. I’m unemployed. Bisexual. Immigrated to LA with my parents in high school, failed, came back to Korea alone, and have been living alone ever since. I fucking suck at English, did business with my parents’ money but totally failed, and now I’m resting.”
Like Lee Woojoo had, Park Geonwu also recited his story as if he’d prepared an introduction.
Jiwon responded half-heartedly and introduced himself similarly to when he first met Han. Saying his hyung ruined the family, there were hundreds of millions in debt alone, and he’d been doing all kinds of construction work when he passed the interview.
Then Park Geonwu raised his eyebrows and looked Jiwon over.
“You don’t look like you’ve had it rough? Looking at your dark circles, though, seems you haven’t slept.”
He added in a displeased tone.
“Hey, hyung. You can tell just by looking at his hands.”
Lee Woojoo subtly switched to informal speech while refuting Park Geonwu’s words.
Everyone’s gaze turned to Jiwon’s thin, long hands. Jiwon also looked down at his hands.
Despite the humid midsummer weather, the back of his hand was dry and cracked, and surgical scars from the accident continued to near his right pinky finger, so to anyone they looked like hands that had suffered.
“Ah… sorry. There are just so many lying bastards.”
Park Geonwu apologized perfunctorily.
He was a man whose actions and speech were both light, not matching his deep voice. Somehow he felt more immature than Lee Woojoo, who was six years younger. Since he’d said he lived comfortably playing around with his parents’ money, maybe it was natural.
He wasn’t exactly the type Jiwon wanted to get close to, but there was no need to make enemies, so he casually went along with the atmosphere.
“You’re really boring.”
Park Geonwu openly sneered at Jiwon.
Since becoming “Kim Jiwon,” it was something Jiwon heard often, so it didn’t bother him, but Lee Woojoo looked serious.
“Hyung, you’re talking too harshly. Why are you like that to our Jiwon hyung? I only like him because he’s taciturn and manly.”
He stood up for Jiwon.
Park Geonwu looked at Lee Woojoo with a displeased expression.
“Did you two already hook up?”
He said something like that.
“Trashy.”
Lee Woojoo pouted his lips.
At words that could be seen as aegyo, Park Geonwu’s cheek twitched. He seemed upset.
The atmosphere turned cold in an instant.
