“Still, the yuzu syrup I make tastes the best. You might think it’s overconfidence, but I proudly received 19 votes in a blind vote by the village elders. As for how many village elders there are…”
It was definitely something he didn’t want to hear at first, but as he listened, it became quite an interesting story. Seonwoo was quietly listening to Yoonjo’s story when he suddenly realized something. Everyone Seonwoo met was curious about Seonwoo, but not Yoonjo. For the most part, he talked about himself and his surroundings, and didn’t mention things related to Seonwoo’s filmography, acting skills, or background.
Since coming down to the countryside, with the unfamiliar changes that came to him from time to time, Seonwoo thought he’d become like Alice who fell alone into a strange land.
After finishing their meal, the two stood at the counter to pay. Still, since he owed him a debt, Seonwoo said he’d buy the meal and searched his pockets, then thought ‘oh no.’ What wallet would he have when he’d collapsed?
“Ah, I knew it. I’ll pay. It’s not like it’s that expensive.”
It wasn’t expensive, but it didn’t look good to mooch off a little chick who’d just barely become a college student. As proof, wasn’t even the lady at the register glancing at Seonwoo, expressing with her face what an incompetent guy he was to shamelessly mooch a meal off a young kid?
“I’ll buy the meal next time.”
“Okay!”
Yoonjo, who smiled broadly, gathered up the change and left the restaurant. Walking through the quiet market street with few people, Yoonjo suddenly stood in front of a hat shop and bought a wide-brimmed straw hat.
“Why that?”
It was a hat with a large black ribbon tied on it, the kind you’d see at a resort. Yoonjo naturally handed the hat to Seonwoo. Thinking he was supposed to wear it, Seonwoo reflexively refused.
“No, it’s fine.”
“Uh… but then it’ll really be tough. There’s not much shade on the way. It’s all rice paddies and fields. They said it’s 38 degrees today. Wouldn’t it be better to wear it?”
Despite the words full of concern, Seonwoo refused again. Yoonjo said “well then…” and layered it on top of the hat he was already wearing. He didn’t seem to have any intention of getting a refund.
Walking with Yoonjo, Seonwoo lost his words seeing the huge thing parked outside the clinic. Whether he didn’t see that expression or not, Yoonjo was just looking at Seonwoo with sparkling eyes. Seonwoo glanced at Yoonjo and looked again at the intense color combination that would put the Taegeuk mark to shame, then asked.
“…Do I really have to go back riding that?”
“You rode it here too! The sun’s set a bit now, so it won’t be hot even if you ride in the back. I was worried you might get burned when we came, but fortunately that didn’t happen… Ah! Its safety has been proven. I’ve been riding this for twenty years of my life and haven’t gotten hurt. I’m a total best driver. Even if I can’t drive a car, I’m really good with the cultivator. Not a single! accident… uh… I did do a bit of Superman-ing… no, anyway, there’s never been one.”
Seonwoo looked at Yoonjo and dry-washed his face. What Yoonjo had brought was a cultivator. A red steering wheel, a seat wrapped in black rubber, and even a blue trailer attached to the back with all its paint peeled off.
You even had to skillfully pull the cord attached to the motor to turn on the power. Seonwoo seriously thought that such an old cultivator should have been found in a museum.
“Neighbor ajussi. So would you like to sit in the trailer, or sit with me in the driver’s seat?”
“Ajus…”
He didn’t even feel like correcting the unfamiliar form of address. At a glance, Ji Yoonjo looked young, and he was a baby chick who’d just entered college. However, he really didn’t feel like going back riding that cultivator. Seonwoo looked at the trailer hanging behind the cultivator with a complicated gaze.
There were scattered pieces of grass left from whatever was frequently loaded on it, and silver mats were stacked on top. Probably they’d laid collapsed Seonwoo on top of that. There was even a black umbrella to keep the sunlight from beating down. Next to it, several bags filled with water were rolling around. It seemed to be the best effort to block the sunlight in its own way. After examining the trailer for a moment, Seonwoo spoke resolutely as if he’d made up his mind.
“I’ll ride together in the driver’s seat.”
“Will you? Ah! And just speak comfortably. You look older than me too.”
Muttering, Yoonjo grabbed the engine cord with practiced hands and pulled it—vroom, vroom. After doing it skillfully a few times, a rattling roar was heard. Yoonjo, who immediately jumped up and sat in the driver’s seat wrapped in rubber, moved slightly to the side and grinned. His white teeth were fully visible.
“Get on! I’ll drive safely!”
Seonwoo climbed on with a displeased expression. He didn’t believe it, but Yoonjo was the only thing he could rely on.
As soon as he sat down, Yoonjo started the cultivator. It rattled and shook as if the engine would explode and cause an accident at any moment, but fortunately nothing special happened until they entered the road.
Had it been about ten minutes? Now his butt was sore and squirming, and even his head was hot. The wind did blow, but the stuffy wind full of moisture didn’t help at all. Seonwoo looked longingly at the two hats layered on top of Yoonjo’s head, then gently rubbed his crown with his palm. It was hot. Hadn’t they said he’d collapsed from heatstroke at the clinic? Then shouldn’t he avoid the heat? With that thought, he was unnecessarily feeling around his head when Yoonjo suddenly asked.
“The hat?”
“…Yes.”
“Take it. I can’t take my hands off right now.”
Tilting his head slightly toward Seonwoo, Yoonjo glanced slightly and saw the beads of sweat forming on Seonwoo’s forehead. Because of that, his bangs stuck to his skin, but even that suited him well, as if painted. Seriously, how can a person look like that? He’s freaking handsome. Muttering to himself, Yoonjo turned his eyes back to the straight road.
Seonwoo sneakily took the hat that had been placed on top. Seeing this out of the corner of his eye, Yoonjo grinned unnecessarily. It was because the hat with the large ribbon suited Seonwoo well.
“Ajussi.”
“Yoonjo-ssi… about that form of address…”
“What, you knew my name?”
They hadn’t exchanged names, but it would be strange not to know. Surely the name Ji Yoonjo, heard through the police officer’s mouth on the first day, came along with an intense moment that was hard to forget even if he tried.
“I heard it when you reported me on the first day. Anyway, rather than that form of address… call me comfortably. Hyung is fine, or my name is fine.”
“Can I call you hyung?”
“Don’t I look much older? Yoonjo-ssi looks too young for me to call you hyung.”
“Then hyung.”
At the firm voice as if he’d readily agree, Seonwoo looked at Yoonjo’s profile for a moment, then faced forward again. As Yoonjo said, there was no notable shade on the road. Perhaps because of the rice paddies and fields spread out on both sides, there didn’t seem to be a single landscape tree commonly seen in Seoul.
“Hyung, you’ve been indebted to me a lot today.”
“…That’s right.”
“Can you do me just one favor?”
Of course. In modern society where give and take is clear, not demanding anything after giving something would be something that would only happen in dreams. Seonwoo tried to gauge what price Yoonjo would ask for. Money, or an autograph from a fellow celebrity? Or a lousy exclusive interview, things like that.
“Help me pick melons tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
“Did you just accept? You really have to wake up early tomorrow, is that okay? You need to wake up around 4 a.m. and get ready.”
“…What?”
Seonwoo, who had accepted thinking he’d give money or whatever and be done with it, widened his eyes at the unexpected talk of a field. Seeing this out of the corner of his eye, Yoonjo burst into loud laughter.
“I have to pick melons today but I came out in the middle of it. I can’t make Grandma and Grandpa suffer. Still, with two young people, it should help. Ah! I’ll give you a free meal. The mid-morning snack is really delicious. Tomorrow is the day the village chief’s wife makes it, and it’s really freaking delicious. You can look forward to it.”
Wait, didn’t they say he collapsed from severe heatstroke? Is it okay to make such a person do farm work? Seonwoo opened his mouth with an absurd expression, but it didn’t seem like such a thought was in Yoonjo’s head at all. Yoonjo pulled up the corners of his mouth fully and grinned. It was a mischievous smile that showed his white teeth and even seemed to show his gums.
As the rattling cultivator entered the village, Yoonjo changed directions this way and that with a practiced posture, then skillfully stopped in front of Seonwoo’s house.
“Hyung, get off here. I have to put this away inside.”
“…Yoonjo-ssi.”
At the words that seemed to ask with an expression ‘why,’ Seonwoo suddenly brought his face close to Yoonjo’s nose. It was a distance so close it was as if they might kiss. Yoonjo inwardly admired looking at Seonwoo’s skin without a single pore.
Wow, his skin is really clean. It’s not like he holed up for 5 years but only received skin care or something. If you sprinkle water on it, it seems like it would just roll right off. Isn’t it porcelain? Why is this person so white? Looking closely, not only is it white but there’s not a single blemish…
Thinking of the pimple on his temple he saw in the mirror this morning, Yoonjo scanned Seonwoo’s skin with his eyes. White and clean. Anyway, it was the epitome of a celebrity that Yoonjo knew. Of course, Ki Seonwoo was indeed a celebrity, but still.
As he stared blankly, Seonwoo obediently moved away. Even from a slight distance, he observed Yoonjo who had a bewildered expression, then chuckled and got off the cultivator. The hat was still placed on top of his head. Yoonjo, who belatedly noticed, crumpled his face and opened his mouth.
“What, what was that just now? Why? Were you looking at my pimple? There’s a really big pimple here…”
“No, well… I was looking at something else.”
“Something else what?”
I wondered if he likes men. Or if he’s my fan.
Swallowing the words he couldn’t say beyond his throat, Seonwoo waved his hand as if it was nothing.
“Just. It’s nothing.”
“I can’t stand being curious about things like this! I won’t be able to sleep tonight! What is it? What? What?”
