“Hey.”
“Stop eating ramen. You’re going to get a swollen face and throw a tantrum again.”
“I’m not talking about ramen!”
The bristling Choi Hwan blocked Yeonrok’s way, who had been about to pass by casually. Wondering why on earth he was doing this, Yeonrok sent him a suspicious look when Choi Hwan fell silent for a moment then opened his mouth.
“You’re free tomorrow, right?”
“No, I’m not.”
“What busy thing does an unemployed person who does nothing at home have?”
Yeonrok flinched, stabbed right in his sore spot. However, when he crossed his arms with an attitude of “so what if I’m unemployed,” Choi Hwan groaned again and hesitated.
“Ah, why! If you have business, say it quickly!”
Yeonrok, whose condition wasn’t very good lately, got irritated. Since his contact with Name Partners had been only holding hands with Yeom Cheonho two weeks ago and brushing hands with Choi Hwan a week ago, he had no energy in his body. He had a nosebleed again this morning. On the other hand, Choi Hwan’s face was shiny and glowing. He must have made plenty of contact with Yeom Cheonho.
“I’m going on a date with Cheonho hyung tomorrow.”
So what? The two’s date schedule was none of Yeonrok’s business at all, so when he looked at him with a gaze that seemed to say so, Choi Hwan dropped it on him.
“You come along tomorrow too.”
“……What?”
Thinking this was complete bullshit, when Yeonrok ignored it and tried to pass by, Choi Hwan blocked his way again. Then he threw a tantrum.
“Ah, it’s awkward and hard to be alone with just the two of us! That hyung is too difficult!”
Separately from Choi Hwan’s proposal being absurd, Yeonrok deeply empathized with this statement. No matter how affectionate and gentle an attitude he took, he was truly a difficult person to deal with. Especially since Yeonrok recently had suspicious doubts, it was even more so.
“The President is a bit difficult to deal with.”
“Yeah! Right!”
Choi Hwan brightened at the other’s empathy. However, Yeonrok soon replied coldly.
“But that’s that, and why should I go along?”
What benefit was there to suffer pain by being stuck between a couple? Yeonrok’s mood had already not been very good for the past few days.
Most Name Partners became lovers, so much so that there was a saying they were fated partners. However, with three Name Partners and one having a separate lover, and the situation where Yeom Cheonho, who he’d been somewhat attracted to, started dating Choi Hwan, Yeonrok had completely given up on the possibility of romance.
To put it simply, the family he’d so longed to become with his Name Partner was nowhere to be found, and instead he had three roommates who were worse than acquaintances.
In the midst of this, there were also two couples. It wasn’t for nothing that he wrote “couple hell” in his diary. Setting aside Moon Gyeonwoo, since Choi Hwan and Yeom Cheonho lived in the same house, Yeonrok unintentionally witnessed the two dating several times. His honest impression after seeing that was as follows.
‘They suit each other well.’
Choi Hwan, an actor counted as the overwhelming top among actors of his generation. No matter how much Yeonrok called him an idiot or stupid, he had that much natural presence. Sometimes when he stared expressionlessly, it was enough to make one’s blood run cold.
On the other hand, Yeom Cheonho also had an aura that never lost to Choi Hwan. A solid, large build that naturally intimidated viewers, inherently born ease, an atmosphere wearing power and wealth like clothes. Different from the glamorous Choi Hwan, he was handsome in a different vein, and just one intent gaze from him was enough to make one naturally demure.
So when these two were together, they suited each other so well it would be no different from a scene in a drama or movie, or a photoshoot. Every time he encountered the sight of the two sitting side by side on the sofa to watch a movie together, or one leaning their body against the other, he was envious.
So he naturally felt deflated. Of course, he also felt alienated. They seemed like people from a different world, so he didn’t even feel jealous.
A secret romance between a chaebol third generation and a famous actor. With even the three elements of first love, first romance, and first kiss included, it became a story that could almost be called the world’s protagonists.
Since his heart was unsettled and disturbed lately from watching such an accomplished couple, would he go along on their date like crazy? But to the indifferent Yeonrok, Choi Hwan shouted.
“One million won!”
Yeonrok, who had been about to leave the exercise room pushing Choi Hwan away, faltered. When he slowly turned around, Choi Hwan started throwing money around.
“If you come along, I’ll give you one million won.”
……One million won for a day? It was a daily wage Yeonrok had never earned before. When the enticed Yeonrok frowned, perhaps understanding it as refusal, Choi Hwan raised the amount.
“Two million won?”
Yeonrok kept his mouth tightly shut and crossed his arms. Then Choi Hwan advanced the negotiation on his own.
“Ah! I made a big decision! Three million!”
He really didn’t want to be stuck between the two, but? Wouldn’t it be crazier not to go when he’s giving three million won for a day? His condition wasn’t good lately, so he might be able to hold hands with Yeom Cheonho once?
Until now, when Choi Hwan had given him tens of thousands of won for miscellaneous tasks like bringing water or making ramen, he’d been excited, but three million won made his heart pound with joy. However, without showing it, Yeonrok nodded as if reluctantly agreeing. When the negotiation was concluded, Choi Hwan threatened.
“But if there’s dead air, you have to intervene right away.”
“What do you mean by dead air?”
“It means there can’t be a blank of several seconds or more in the conversation.”
Must be some broadcasting term. At the instruction to make it as least awkward as possible, Yeonrok nodded, but the conditions Choi Hwan presented didn’t end there. He pointed at Yeonrok’s shabby t-shirt and headband and shouted.
“And come out dressed like a person!”
* * *
“I told you to dress like a person.”
The next morning, Choi Hwan glared at Yeonrok and said. Yeonrok retorted in disbelief.
“I’m dressed well enough like this!”
He’d made an effort, so he didn’t even look at the clothes he’d worn before entering this house.
……Of course, when Yeom Cheonho bought him clothes, the personal shoppers seemed to have said something about how to match this and that, but he couldn’t remember, so he just randomly picked up cotton pants and a sweatshirt. And he tried to fix his hair like Yeom Cheonho had done for him, but when it didn’t work well, he wore a cap, but he could be confident that he’d dressed decently enough. But somehow dissatisfied, Choi Hwan grumbled.
“Why did you dress like a manager? It looks like you’re going to work.”
“Managers are people too, you know?”
“People? Look at what Junho hyung does. He’s just a company slave.”
“Where on earth did you sell your manners?”
When Yeom Cheonho came out of the study, Choi Hwan smiled brightly as if he’d never bickered with Yeonrok. Yeom Cheonho apologized with an apologetic expression.
“I’m sorry, finishing work took longer than expected. Have you two been waiting long?”
Today, unlike usual, Yeom Cheonho was dressed in comfortable casual clothes. With a dark blue coat falling straight down, classic denim pants, a shirt, and a knit, he was the very model of a classical handsome man.
“We didn’t wait that long!”
Looking quite pleased with the other’s outfit, Choi Hwan acted slightly affected. Yeonrok looked at Yeom Cheonho with fresh eyes. Even though he would dislike an uninvited guest intruding on his first date with his lover, he showed no sign of disliking Yeonrok’s accompaniment at all. He didn’t know if he was being generous or if it was okay because he was a Name Partner.
Yeonrok was inwardly concerned about what Yeom Cheonho was thinking. He wanted to escape this place even now, but instead he thought of the three million won. He’d already received half as advance payment…….
When they boarded the sedan waiting in front of the house, the driver greeted them. The voice was familiar, so when he looked to see who it was, it was Secretary Kim Jeongseong. When Yeonrok tactfully sat in the passenger seat, he asked with his eyes.
‘Yeonrok-nim, why are you going along……?’
Yeonrok pretended not to see and fiddled with various parts of the passenger seat. It was warm and nice. He was already sleepy, but thinking of the 1.5 million won he hadn’t received yet, he endured. The sound of the two’s conversation came from behind.
“Hyung, you’re dressed really magnificently today. If you go to a club, everyone will try to hit on you.”
The first part was okay, but the latter part made the compliment cheap. After a brief silence, Yeom Cheonho continued with praise.
“Mm, today Hwan-ssi also looks much more stylish than usual.”
“Haha! Of course I have to dress well when hanging out with hyung. I put a lot of effort in today. I went to the shop from this morning. But when you keep calling me Hwan-ssi, it feels really distant. Call me comfortably!”
“Once I get a bit more comfortable, I’ll gradually speak informally.”
Listening to such meaningless conversation, Yeonrok’s eyes flickered shut. It’s warm on my back, so nice……. At that moment, as if someone kicked him, there was suddenly a shock to his back and his eyes snapped open. He’d just dozed off for a moment, but silence must have arrived in the meantime. Glancing at the rearview mirror, Choi Hwan was glaring at him to earn his money’s worth. Thinking of the remaining 1.5 million won, Yeonrok forcibly lifted his heavy eyelids and said.
“Could I play some music?”
“Of course. There’s music I usually listen to…….”
Quick-wittedly, Kim Jeongseong swiftly played music even before he finished speaking. In Yeonrok’s opinion, a chaebol third generation like Yeom Cheonho would listen to elegant classical music, but unexpectedly, a fairly familiar pop song flowed out. But then Choi Hwan said this.
“Wow, it’s totally old pop songs. These are nostalgic tracks, aren’t they?”
Listening to the conversation quietly, Kim Jeongseong and Yeonrok were taken aback and unconsciously glanced at the rearview mirror.
