And so that child began to follow him. Besides Huijae, there was now another child who called him hyung, another child who waited for him. Someone new had entered Moon Heesung’s small world, which had only ever held his brother. The Heesung of that time — pretending to be an adult — didn’t find that unwelcome. It was the period when at least a light drizzle fell on his dry, barren life.
“…Who are you.”
Around the time the childhood memories faded, the sleeping Yoo Sinju woke up. His drowsy face visibly hardened the moment it met Moon Heesung’s. Meeting that face, stiffened to an almost frightening degree, Moon Heesung offered a proper greeting for the first time.
“It’s been a while.”
The image of young Yoo Sinju as he last remembered him was layered over the Yoo Sinju in front of him now. That memory he had completely forgotten, and that sin he had completely forgotten.
“I’m a bit late.”
To repay that sin, Moon Heesung had set his final plan in motion.
**
“Why are you here…?”
At first he had wondered if Sinju might not remember. But that expectation was laughable — the moment Yoo Sinju saw Moon Heesung, even in a half-asleep state, he recognized him. Moon Heesung found that fact quietly pleasing.
“Seems like you remember.”
“What…?”
“It’s been quite a long time.”
That was roughly when it had been. When they had parted from young Yoo Sinju. “Parted” wasn’t quite the right word, but it had been ten years and five more on top of that — well over fifteen years.
“…Fuck, is this a joke?”
Yoo Sinju couldn’t hide the color draining from his face and let out a hollow, incredulous breath. It was clearly a reaction full of hostility, but Moon Heesung, either having expected it or simply not caring, opened his mouth with no particular reaction, perfectly composed.
“How’s your stomach.”
At that completely off-topic response, Yoo Sinju burst out in a loud laugh of disbelief. “Ha. Haha…!” Even at the laugh that was chilling in its absurdity, Moon Heesung paid no mind.
“The manager said to make sure you had this first when you woke up.”
From the many types of tea prepared in the kitchen, Moon Heesung selected one known for its strong effect in clearing the head, heated it until it was hot, and held it out.
“Apparently it clears your head.”
“…Ha……, what kind of new bullshit is this.”
Still unable to make sense of it all, he muttered to himself and pressed his hands against his throbbing head.
“Drink it.”
Even at Yoo Sinju’s reaction, Moon Heesung maintained his quiet, consistent manner. At the sight of Moon Heesung being so utterly calm in contrast to his own turmoil, Yoo Sinju’s eyes shot up with sharp hostility.
“Get out.”
Yoo Sinju’s cheek twitched. He had hurled the words at him, but the man in front of him didn’t so much as blink.
“Drink it.”
At that absurd attitude, Yoo Sinju screwed up his face with all the force he had.
“Are you not going to get out?!”
The moment he shouted and swung his arm, the steaming cup toppled. More precisely, it spilled over the back of Moon Heesung’s hand as he was setting it down, the skin instantly reddening from the heat. Yoo Sinju, who had been worked up, faltered at the sight — but Moon Heesung, by contrast, showed not a single change of expression even with scalding hot tea spilled on him. He shook off his hand, pulled a tissue from the shelf, and wiped up the spilled tea.
“I’ll make you another.”
And again, that same composed response. Moon Heesung turned away without a word and headed to the kitchen to brew another cup. Yoo Sinju, who had been propping himself up awkwardly on the bed, followed his retreating figure with a blank expression. His face said he couldn’t understand this situation, no matter how hard he thought about it — not at all.
That person.
That hyung.
The person he had resented for all that time.
**
“What are you trying to pull?”
Yoo Sinju called the manager and went straight at him without preamble. The manager seemed to have expected that reaction and came right back at him shamelessly.
— What.
“What do you mean, what. Who is that man.”
— Heesung?
“Heesung……, that’s his name?”
— Huh? You don’t know? He seemed to know you.
“……Fuck……, Heesung or whatever — who decided on their own that he’s my manager?”
— Finding your manager is my job.
“Then why are you making that decision unilaterally?!”
— I’ve been making it unilaterally up until now. You didn’t care, did you. Whether someone quit or got fired or someone new came in.
So the manager had expected this reaction, and at the same time was puzzled by it. He had anticipated Yoo Sinju losing his temper because Moon Heesung’s bold approach didn’t sit right with him — not a reaction like this. Literally, Yoo Sinju had shown zero interest. He hadn’t cared at all whether the people around him got fed up and left or someone new came in.
“When did I — I care now. Pick someone else.”
— No.
“Hey!”
— Oh, hey? Hey, damn it, I’m twenty years older than you?!
“Fuck, I’m telling the representative.”
— Go ahead. Tell them. But if you do and Heesung gets fired because of it? You’re on your own.
“What?”
— Nobody left will take you on, no matter how hard you look, no matter how high the salary.
“…….”
— Even if they do, it’s over in a week. A week? That’s generous. Three days is doing well!
It was a childish response, but there was no other way when dealing with Yoo Sinju. The only way to get through to that spoiled, immature brat was to give as good as you got. This too had been a strategy painstakingly worked out after trying every other approach.
“…I’m not going to my schedule. I told you. If you don’t change it, I’m boycotting. Take note.”
Yoo Sinju declared war, trembling with anger. The manager was startled for a moment, but picturing Moon Heesung walking in with Yoo Sinju slung over his back yesterday, he pushed down his unease and answered boldly.
— Sure, go ahead and try.
The schedule had already been handed over to Moon Heesung. And just in case, he had kept one of the existing road managers on too, and had a few bodyguards quietly assigned to follow along. For now, the manager had taken care of everything he could — what remained was one thing. Moon Heesung. Trusting that person.
At the manager’s confident declaration followed by an abrupt hang-up, Yoo Sinju let out one incredulous breath after another.
Have these people lost their minds?
By now, the manager should have been crawling to him slowly, coaxing and soothing him.
“Let’s get going.”
Moon Heesung walked out of the dressing room carrying a casually chosen outfit for him and stepped into the bedroom.
“Who do you think you are walking in here — get out?!”
Yoo Sinju acted out even more viciously than usual. Normally that would have made someone flinch and leave the bedroom or tread carefully, but Moon Heesung approached as if he hadn’t heard a word and held out the clothes matter-of-factly.
“The stylists or whatever they’re called had a week’s worth of outfits all laid out.”
“…Can you not hear me telling you to get out?”
“We need to leave now if you’re not going to be late.”
“So what. Late or not.”
“Being late isn’t good, is it.”
“Ha…. So you’ve been living such an upstanding life, have you?”
Yoo Sinju spat it out sharply, as if going for Moon Heesung’s blind spot. Because he knew Moon Heesung’s rough past better than anyone. He had lived hard, yes — but Moon Heesung was a raw, unpolished person who had been close to violence.
“Wash up and get dressed.”
But Moon Heesung remained equally unmoved by the aggressive words. Yoo Sinju’s blood boiled more and more. The sight of that shameless face suddenly turning up out of nowhere and playing manager was making him absolutely furious.
“I told you to get out.”
“Wash up first.”
“Get out, get out. Get OUT!”
Yoo Sinju screamed like he was fighting for his life, but Moon Heesung calmly responded again.
“Wash up.”
“Get out, you bastard.”
“Want me to wash you?”
“…This crazy…….”
“I was the one who washed you when you were a complete wreck yesterday.”
“……Ins…… insane…….”
“Whether you like it or not, I’m going to wash you, dress you, and get you to work.”
At those composed responses, Yoo Sinju’s face went more and more pale with disbelief.
“Or just go like that.”
Yoo Sinju was dressed in something very private right now. Showing up to the filming set in what was obviously underwear would obviously set tongues wagging. Lately Yoo Sinju acted like he didn’t care about any of that, but he still hadn’t done something as foolish as showing up to work in pajamas.
The riled-up Yoo Sinju took a long, deep breath and steadied himself. He still hadn’t sorted through his thoughts. He didn’t yet know properly why Moon Heesung was standing in front of him or why he had become his manager — but for now he worked through his breathing one step at a time. Getting too worked up would feel like admitting defeat.
“…Fine. Fine for now, so get out.”
“Just change here.”
“Are you insane? Why would I!”
“What does it matter, we’re both men. If I go out you’re just going to lock the door.”
……This person, that hyung — was he always like this?
The memory was too old, but this was the first he’d learned that the man in his memory was this calculating and utterly unabashed.
“I said get out….”
“If you want to keep bickering, I’ll change you myself.”
Moon Heesung seemed to find it a waste of time spending it on this pointless argument, and he strode over and grabbed the hem of Yoo Sinju’s top.
“Aaah!”
At that, a startled Yoo Sinju clutched his shirt like someone being assaulted and stared up at Moon Heesung with wide eyes.
Moon Heesung — who had never been flustered or caught off guard — paused for the first time. The strange atmosphere, as if he had become some kind of molester, made his eye twitch.
“…Why are you so startled?”
“Wh, wh, why wouldn’t I be startled.”
“……I told you, I was the one who washed you yesterday.”
“Fuck…… you crazy pervert.”
At those words, Yoo Sinju began fuming with a face gone bright red. And he screamed at the top of his lungs again — that he would change, so get out. Moon Heesung, unable to fathom why two grown men needed such modesty with each other, let out a short, tired sigh and stepped back.
After shoving Moon Heesung out the door and slamming it shut with a bang, Yoo Sinju finally pressed a hand over his heart and slumped against the door as if collapsing. His heart was pounding so hard the thumping was practically audible, and Yoo Sinju’s expression looked like he was on the verge of a panic attack as he grabbed and squeezed at the area around his chest mercilessly.
It was that person. He had simply opened his eyes as usual, and Moon Heesung was there in front of him. He couldn’t believe it, still felt dazed, and his breathing was uneven. He had forced himself to act like it was nothing, but he couldn’t pull himself together at all. That hyung, of all people. So…
So….
Yoo Sinju slid down the door at his back and sank to the floor. He had come face to face with someone he had hated so deeply.
Someone he had missed so deeply. Someone he hadn’t seen in so long, and yet he had recognized him in an instant.
Even though a full fifteen years had passed.
