The sunlight visible through the car window was dazzling enough to hurt his eyes. Even while blinking several times at the strongly beating light, Muyoung couldn’t stop looking outside.
“Is it this hot as the days go on? At this rate, we’ll burn to death before autumn even comes.”
“But it feels like summer when it’s this hot.”
After lightly laughing at Section Manager Kim’s grumbling voice, Muyoung nodded and replied, then turned his gaze back to the window.
It had been quite a while since Dowon visited his house. Whether the words he’d said mentioning a deal were sincere, they did meet briefly the next day but… Should he say it was fortunate that he kept his promise by saying he made time for writing a contract, or should he say he was dumbfounded that he’d really write a contract?
‘Is it necessary to go this far?’
‘I don’t need to, but Muyoung-ssi probably should. For later too.’
‘Later…’
Recalling how the tone that naturally talked about later was very strong and firm, somehow a hollow laugh came out again. The face that became slightly sulky saying not to deduct even the meeting for writing the contract came to mind.
Han Dowon’s sulky face. It was an awkward description even as he recalled it. He was a person who looked strong and sharp just to look at, someone who seemed like he wouldn’t easily get hurt by ordinary things. Han Dowon was the one who had all the points he himself could never have, yet at that time in particular, it felt like he was acting spoiled toward him.
The contract was more perfect than he’d thought. The process that took place with a lawyer present, saying they’d actually get it notarized, was smoother than when he contracted with the company. Dowon’s kind and polite attitude remained the same. Of course, only when with the related person did a somewhat cold side show, but he didn’t act that way even toward Muyoung.
He’d thought the lawyer brought in when writing the contract would look at them strangely, but just as unconcerned as Dowon, they arranged the details of the contract and even explained it in an easy-to-understand way. Among such people, only Muyoung, who was rather ‘Party A’ in the contract, was flustered. Muyoung was the only one embarrassed by the fact that they were putting into writing just a promise of a few dates.
The content was concise. As Dowon suggested, they would proceed with a total of 10 meetings, after which they would redefine their relationship according to both sides’ intentions. While maintaining the meetings, they would freely date in a situation where they mutually agreed not to impose any physical or mental restraint or harm. Unless there were special circumstances, they would not infringe on each other’s schedules. Even recalling it now, there were no clauses that deviated from common sense except for the strange condition of a limited number of dates.
Then what exactly was he hoping for after the contract ended? Would Dowon give up cleanly when the contract ended? Did he think he’d catch or be caught by some loophole using the contract as leverage? Actually, since he was the one who was reluctant about the contract, it seemed Dowon had organized it for a clean situation, but it was hard to know all of that person’s thoughts.
Just how long was the “later” that Dowon spoke of? Three months? Four months? Would he be in a sound state and as calm as now after that? He didn’t know.
If it were before, he would have thought vaguely about an uncertain future that was naturally unknown and that achieving things one by one would be a dream, but now having a dream itself felt meaningless since he didn’t know how broken his body would be even tomorrow. Yet it didn’t matter. It felt like becoming an excited child doing something bad for the first time.
But he wasn’t naive enough to just be excited, and that at least held onto his reason. Only the pain that came quietly once in a while reminded Muyoung not to forget that reality was breaking down.
Han Dowon
The weather is a bit hot. You said today’s filming is outdoors, right?
Don’t overwork yourself just because it’s work, rest cleverly.
Around the time they almost arrived at the filming location, the phone vibrated. Messages with kind and warm tones had arrived consecutively.
It was Dowon who, in yesterday’s phone call, had boldly said he’d give him trust, then apologized in a voice mixed with awkwardness saying he couldn’t give it even if he tried because they couldn’t meet right away. He’d laughed frivolously at the voice that grumbled there was a lot of work saying the situation was different even though he said it was okay since his filming was also at its final stage anyway. It was because he thought that even though he held the title of CEO of a large company, he was like any other office worker.
The laughter that burst out during the call was a mistake. He got carried away by the repeated asking of why he was laughing and told him straight. That was the mistake. At his words, Dowon’s whining actually intensified even more. Saying a CEO is also a person and just a mere office worker, Muyoung really broke into a cold sweat trying to appease him while listening to the groan that he really didn’t want to work.
─ Then this weekend, you must spend the day with me.
‘We were going to meet anyway, why are you asking?’
─ There’s a difference between Muyoung-ssi asking to meet or not.
‘…What difference is there?’
Saying the context was different, he started sighing again saying he’d have to point out each thing when they met, so he ended up saying he understood.
Ten times.
The meetings ahead of deduction hadn’t even started yet. Still, it wasn’t bad that he came to ask permission each time before meeting. Actually, he’d had frivolous thoughts that to quickly settle the relationship, shouldn’t he be the one who should beg to be met? The time was limited, but the meetings hadn’t even started yet, and Muyoung felt that the unexpectedly warm side Dowon was showing was softening him.
After staring at the message window for a while, feeling he should reply, he started making sentences.
Yes, I’m on my way to filming. Have you eaten?
If he sent this now when he was about to arrive and enter filming soon, he felt like he’d send a reply to his text. He couldn’t judge whether it was okay to leave it unanswered for several hours without even checking.
He deleted all the entered text and agonized again. Unlike his urgent heart, he barely completed a sentence and pressed the button.
CEO-nim must be busy too, hang in there.
After just checking the sent text, he hurriedly turned off the phone screen. Because they’d just arrived at the filming location, comforting himself, he immediately opened the door and got out. The dazzling sunlight heated his neck warmly.
Because it was a hot day, even the staff couldn’t hide their exhausted looks. Not just people but equipment often broke down in the heat, so the filming and waiting time repeatedly took quite long contrary to expectations. Although it was an inconvenience that always came with outdoor filming, Muyoung’s body felt especially exhausted today.
Thinking about it, he’d been inwardly relieved because there had been no signs for a while. There had been filming where he endured all day with energy drinks in his aching insides with headaches that came at every turn before meeting Dowon, but seeing how he’d forgotten as soon as his body was briefly comfortable, he wondered if he really hadn’t been in his right mind.
“Looks like we’re going to call it quits today?”
Section Manager Kim approached Muyoung who was waiting for the last filming scheduled for today and spoke while flapping his clothes.
“You don’t think we’ll film more?”
“Yeah, there seems to be a problem with the equipment that needs to be set up now. The director looks pretty tired too. Who’s going to film more in this weather?”
“Wouldn’t it be harder if it gets pushed back?”
“There’s always additional filming. It’s just annoying that we’re the ones getting pushed back.”
“Well, that’s…”
Section Manager Kim was right. In any drama, the filming schedule changed flexibly whether due to weather or other reasons, and to the extent that they had to endure their own schedule being pushed back to deal with what needed to be filmed first. It was also a difference between main and supporting roles, but solo scenes that were in the script being deleted was common. Although he understood with his head that it was a part chosen out of necessity when making a work, when it actually happened, he couldn’t help feeling bitter inside.
“I’ll ask one more time and come back, so go to the car.”
“It’s okay. Go ahead.”
“Your face is completely pale right now. It’ll be big trouble if you collapse like this, so hurry and listen.”
“…Is it that bad?”
“Should I bring you a mirror to show you?”
At Section Manager Kim’s urging, patting his shoulders and turning him around, Muyoung reluctantly moved his steps toward where the van was.
Having been standing outside for a while, even after entering the van and sitting down, he felt like heat was seeping out of his body. He didn’t want to turn on the air conditioner, and since they were in a corner of the filming location anyway, he left the car door open to let the wind through. He was about to recline the chair to rest when someone knocked on the side of the car.
“Who…”
“Hello, Lee Muyoung-ssi.”
“Ah, hello, sunbae-nim.”
It was Seo Kyungju, a lead actor appearing in the same drama. He was quite experienced in the industry and famous enough to mainly take lead roles, so there was no reason to get close unless it was a company dinner, and they’d never had an intimate conversation. Even though they exchanged greetings when they ran into each other at the filming location, there was nothing that would warrant him coming directly to his vehicle like this, so the sudden visit was puzzling. Muyoung, who had been sprawled out on the seat, hurriedly straightened up and went outside.
“It’s nothing much, but sorry to bother you while you’re resting.”
“Not at all. But what is this about…”
“Well, it’s nothing else, but could you possibly tell me which coffee truck came last time?”
“Coffee truck?”
It seemed he was looking for the company Dowon had sent a few days ago. Seeing him ask with a troubled expression, it seemed he couldn’t find out on his own. But he didn’t remember the company name either. At the time too, he’d just known that Dowon sent it and forgot about it, not asking or hearing separately from the staff member he talked to.
“Even if not right away… I’d like you to look into it and contact me.”
“Ah, yes. I can’t tell you right away either… I’ll check and contact you.”
“Please do. Thank you. I really need it, but I need someone who knows.”
He didn’t ask for the reason separately at the face that smiled affably with a truly relieved expression. Even if he asked, he wasn’t someone who would tell him honestly anyway. He knew that Seo Kyungju acted kind to everyone with a smiling face, but when he became sensitive about acting or when something happened that didn’t please him, he was someone who harshly attacked anyone. Setting everything else aside, because he was one of the actors who revealed and worked as an Alpha, he didn’t want to get deeply involved.
