# Chapter 9
“What, what are you doing?!”
He shouted, but Han Sijin paid no attention at all.
“Hey. Are your brains not working at all? I got eliminated from there, right? So I’m neither a celebrity nor a public figure, so why would I need to manage my image? Who are you to run your mouth like that? Just because you ordered an Americano each. If you’d spent about 50,000 won, I might have put up with it. You want to die?”
The people around didn’t seem surprised to see this behavior, as if it wasn’t the first time.
“Sijin. We’re short on time. Just wrap it up and come take orders.”
“Exactly. Are people like that rare?”
The customers were on Han Sijin’s side too.
Han Sijin turned back with an irritated face.
Then the people at the scene hurled insults at those who had been mocking Han Sijin.
“Do they think they’re something special? Do they think Sijin got eliminated because he wasn’t good enough? He had the foresight to get eliminated for this moment. If he had made it, he would have had to put up with jerks like them showing off because he’d be a public figure.”
“Right, right. Sijin is actually a strategic guy, but people don’t know that.”
The people there seemed to have known Han Sijin for a long time.
Han Sijin shook his head saying it was really annoying.
“I don’t understand why they keep talking about it when my screen time was so short. I shouldn’t have gone on the show. I shouldn’t have gone. From now on, if anyone says they’re going on an audition program, I’ll pack a lunchbox and follow them around to stop them.”
“You have that kind of dedication?”
“Of course not. I’m just saying that.”
“But it’s good you got eliminated. I heard the trainees who were confirmed to debut there are already having issues. There are rumors of conflict with the agency and talks about disbanding. It seems like they might disband before even debuting. I have an acquaintance there.”
“What? That shouldn’t happen. It would be nice if they succeed, since they persevered and made it to the end.”
Han Sijin looked concerned, as if he felt sorry for those who had participated together.
From what I observed sitting there for three hours, Han Sijin had a rough mouth but seemed like a warm-hearted kid.
He would directly confront anyone who picked a fight with him, but he didn’t harass others without reason.
That made his behavior pretty predictable.
I waited until Han Sijin finished his work, then stood up when he was preparing to leave.
My table was filled with juice glasses and cake plates that I had consumed in the meantime.
To be honest, everything was below average.
So I couldn’t empty the plates or glasses completely.
I really tried to finish them all, but it was beyond my ability.
It’s difficult for juice to taste bad, but…
It was truly remarkable.
Yet, the place being crowded seemed purely due to Han Sijin’s popularity.
Still, thinking I had contributed enough to sales, I followed him out, and Han Sijin looked at me strangely.
He must have recognized me after sitting there for hours while many people came and went.
“Hello, Han Sijin-ssi.”
“Do you know me? Did you watch ‘Tomorrow’s Perfect All-kill’?”
He asked as if he had somewhat anticipated it.
“Yes.”
“You could have just had one drink. Still, I’m grateful. Thank you for remembering and coming all the way here. But it didn’t taste good, right?”
“Pardon?”
“The juice. It looked like you couldn’t finish it. We don’t add syrup separately. So it would taste different from the familiar taste you usually drink. Other places make it sweet by adding syrup, but we don’t do that.”
“Ah, I see.”
“If it was really hard to drink, you could have said something. I would have added some for you. Anyway, thank you in many ways. It’s been a long time.”
Han Sijin seemed to think I had watched the program and came because of that.
He probably thought I came out of simple fan devotion.
“After I was eliminated, many people came to visit, but these days there are fewer. It seemed like no one was watching while the show was airing, so it’s surprising that people remember. Did you support me?”
“Of course.”
“Wow… I’m really touched. You supported me, and even though I was eliminated, you came all the way here. I should be the one buying you coffee.”
“Not at all. And more importantly, I have something I want to talk to you about. Could you spare some time?”
“For me? What is it?”
Han Sijin, looking at me with curious eyes, exuded a completely different atmosphere than what I had seen on the monitor.
What I had seen so far were images of him in the same outfit as other trainees and in stage costumes, but casual clothes suited him much better.
I knew he was tall, but standing face to face, I had to look up to see him.
If we stood side by side, the top of my head would probably reach his ears.
When he acted fierce, his eyes were extremely cold, but now he looked so gentle that I couldn’t tell which was his true self.
A straight forehead, large eyes, a sharp jawline, and a prominent nose bridge.
All of them formed a perfect harmony.
Having been consistently described as overwhelmingly number one in visuals throughout the competition, there seemed no need to add any new expressions.
His eyes, which quietly looked into mine, had a grayish tint that gave an exotic impression.
‘Even his eyelashes are handsome.’
I could understand why he was often mistakenly thought to be wearing mascara due to his long, particularly black eyelashes.
Now I needed to talk about work, but my gaze kept going to his face, and my mind was starting to get fuzzy.
‘So this is why they say handsome guys are bad for the heart.’
Thinking that if even a man felt this way, female fans must go crazy, I organized my thoughts.
Just then, I got a message from my brother, which made me a bit distracted.
Questions followed about whether I had met Han Sijin, if the conversation was going well, and if it would be better to send someone to help if I couldn’t handle it alone.
I replied that the conversation was going well, but my brother continued sending several more messages.
Since I needed to talk with Han Sijin, I answered briefly.
“I’m sorry. The company keeps contacting me. Could you look at this for a moment?”
As I handed over my business card, he reached out his hand.
However, instead of taking the business card, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards him.
“Hey, you eighteen-colored crayon! Watch where you’re going!”
Simultaneously, I heard the loud sound of a motorcycle passing behind me.
Judging from how close the sound was, I must have been in danger.
Even after that, Han Sijin continued cursing at the already distant motorcycle for quite some time.
If he was going to do that, he should have let go of my hand first, but he was shouting while tightly gripping my hand, and my eardrums felt like they were going to burst.
“Han Sijin-ssi. I get it, so please let go of this now.”
“Are you okay?”
He said as he released me.
While still angry.
“No! You should be careful. Don’t you know what kind of world this is, to be spacing out like that?”
What?
Is this how this phrase is normally used?
Why is he lashing out at me?
“Han Sijin-ssi? You’re crossing the line. It’s obvious that I’m older than you, and it doesn’t seem like I did anything wrong.”
“Why bring up age in a place like this? You almost got into big trouble.”
“I understand I almost got into big trouble, and I appreciate your help, but I’m telling you not to cross the line.”
I thought he just spoke recklessly, but he had no logic either.
If he was getting angry at someone who deserved his anger, it would be understandable, but this was attacking anyone, which made him no different from a mad dog.
How could I have predicted that a silently appearing motorcycle would pass by dangerously, nearly hitting me?
He was fortunate to be standing in a position where he could see the motorcycle coming; otherwise, he would have missed it just like me.
I thought that no matter how handsome his face was, he would be unredeemable.
As I tried to retrieve the business card he was holding, Han Sijin seemed to notice first and quickly moved his hand behind his back.
“…Give it back. I can’t work with someone like this.”
“How can you be like this? Do you think I’m really okay just because I’m pretending to be? I’m also enduring and bearing it. How can you come to find someone who’s enduring well, shake them up, and then try to take back your business card?”
Is he a child or what?
As I sighed deeply, he spoke in a more subdued voice.
“I’m sorry, hyung. I was angry and worried, but I shouldn’t have done that. I’ll be careful. And you look so delicate and as if you could be blown away by the wind, so I was worried. That’s why I did it, please understand.”
“You won’t do it again next time?”
I didn’t like being called delicate or being told I looked like I could be blown away by the wind, but I let it go for now.
“Yes!”
Han Sijin seemed relieved, thinking I had forgiven him.
When he smiled brightly with that face, it seemed like it would take a long time to build up immunity.
In the meantime, my brother couldn’t wait and sent another message, and in my confusion, I quickly checked it.
So many messages came at once that I couldn’t read them properly and just replied “Yes” to the last one.
I thought I’d read the rest after finishing the conversation with Han Sijin and answer them carefully then.
