“It’s already 1 o’clock. Secretary Han is here too. Both you and Seo Hanryul came…. Well, do you want to eat before you go?”
I suggested eating together to observe the subtle relationship between the two.
“Young Master, you’re not feeling well, so you shouldn’t overdo it. I’ll make the meal.”
I was heading to the kitchen to open the refrigerator when Han Woojin blocked my way. At his urgent behavior, I wanted to retort asking if a rice ghost had attached itself to my body.
“I think Secretary Han-nim is right though? If you want to get better, don’t run around everywhere and come rest.”
When did they stop fighting—even Seo Hanryul sided with Secretary Han.
‘Did these two really team up or something?’
I desperately wanted to grab either of the two and ask what the hell was going on, but I had no choice but to send Han Woojin to the kitchen and return to the living room with Seo Hanryul.
“Did you come to see a face you hate on your day off? I don’t understand….”
“Shut your mouth. And I can’t stand watching you constantly whine about being sick.”
Unlike his grumbling words, Seo Hanryul surprised me by doing something strange. He placed his hand on my forehead. Remembering Han Woojin’s unexpected skinship on the plane last time, my whole body stiffened. There were more than one or two suspicious things about these continuously occurring abnormal situations.
“….”
“Hey, are you broken or something?”
When I didn’t react at all, Seo Hanryul dragged me over and sat me on the sofa. Does Cha Jaehyun’s forehead have some kind of magnet that attracts other people’s hands? Otherwise, it was hard to explain this series of absurd situations. Both bastards kept suddenly touching the forehead of someone they supposedly hated.
I felt uncomfortable with Seo Hanryul’s strangely changed attitude. What was his intention in acting like this? And what connection does Seo Hanryul have with Han Woojin? I couldn’t ask anything, so I was just burning up inside.
“Did you put a lock on your mouth?”
When I continued to stay silent, Seo Hanryul tapped my body. He kept touching me, seeming intent on tormenting me until I spoke.
Right. The public audition. I thought this was an appropriate topic to bring up at this timing.
“Seo Hanryul, you’re going to participate in the Youth public audition, right?”
“…How do you know that?”
When I brought up the audition, Seo Hanryul’s expression twisted slightly. When I mentioned something he hadn’t told me about first, he blatantly showed his displeasure.
“Isn’t this a famous audition? Of course I know. Your contract is expiring soon too… You should go to a better place, shouldn’t you? You even said in that interview last time that Woo Juhan was your role model. Woo Juhan belongs there too.”
I rattled off various excuses to smooth over the situation. But Seo Hanryul still looked at me with eyes full of suspicion.
“Why do you keep glaring at me so embarrassingly? So you’re doing it, right?”
“….”
“Then of course I’ll assume you’re doing it. I’ll help you on the day of the audition too, so let me know when you decide on a plan.”
Seo Hanryul continued to look at me without saying anything. He comes to other people’s houses suddenly without notice, but gets that upset over me mentioning this one thing? Ridiculous bastard, the epitome of double standards.
“Earlier you were making a fuss for me to talk, and now you’re blatantly ignoring me? Just because a manager asked about one audition, why are you making that face like you ate something bad….”
“…The way you’re acting, people would think you’re really my manager.”
What he finally says is, again, picking a fight.
“I was dragged to Korea and am suffering like a dog because of who, and what kind of nonsense is that? Even an elementary schooler would be more consistent than you.”
“Young Master, the meal is ready.”
Just as I was about to start a tiresome argument with Seo Hanryul, Han Woojin appeared at just the right time. I almost got annoyed because of Seo Hanryul, but for once Han Woojin did something nice.
“Alright, good work. Then shall we go?”
* * *
A neat meal was laid out on the table. Freshly made vegetable porridge and stir-fried meat giving off a savory smell. It seemed like only a short time had passed, but as expected of Han Woojin, he’s quite impressive.
“Secretary Han, good work.”
“Well, it’s nothing much.”
I was admiring the meal Han Woojin had prepared when Seo Hanryul muttered something quietly from behind. What the hell is his problem that he views everything in a twisted way? I really wish he would just keep his mouth shut.
“Then shall we eat?”
I picked up my spoon first, and as expected, the food was delicious. Honestly, if only my relationship with Han Woojin wasn’t this uncomfortable, I think I would have kept him at home every day just to cook.
‘He really is damn good at cooking.’
“Hey, if you keep picking at your food like that, your body—”
“Young Master, please have some more side dishes—”
‘….’
I was quietly eating my meal alone when a bizarre thing happened where both bastards simultaneously put meat side dishes on my plate. These guys must have decided to torment me in pairs.
“Aren’t all three of us grown adults? I think it’s better if we each eat our own food.”
“Such a temper…. Last time you were showing off about being a man of steel or whatever, and look at you now.”
I was about to eat again when Seo Hanryul made another comment that ruined things.
“Hah…. Can’t you just eat quietly when eating?”
When Seo Hanryul opened his mouth, Han Woojin also seemed to glare at Seo Hanryul strangely. So he can make that kind of look. I didn’t know why he was glaring, but I felt secretly pleased.
“Secretary Han-nim, is there some problem?”
Seo Hanryul should have just stayed still, but he couldn’t tolerate that one look and asked Han Woojin. With the tense atmosphere circulating, I was starting to lose my appetite.
“I’m done eating, so I’m getting up.”
In the end, I couldn’t finish my meal and left my seat first. It seemed that instead of filling my stomach, the attitudes of these two—whether allies or enemies, I couldn’t tell—only filled me with fatigue.
I slept a lot so I didn’t want to sleep anymore, so should I watch some TV? Thinking about it, I hadn’t watched TV since falling into this world.
‘Right. I should watch TV.’
I went to the living room, turned on the TV, and stopped on what looked like an interesting variety show channel while flipping through channels. A familiar variety show that you’d see in reality, in this world inside a book. Quite some time had passed since falling into this world, but it was still fascinating.
“Pfft….”
The variety show was definitely entertaining. Laughing alone in front of the TV after so long reminded me of before and brought a bitter smile along with it.
‘I should watch it often from now on….’
“Hey, what are you cracking up about?”
Having finished eating, Seo Hanryul came out leisurely toward the living room.
“Talk nicely. You can watch it together too.”
He sat down next to me without a care.
“Hey, do you find this kind of thing fun?”
After watching for about 5 minutes, he sneered at me as if asking whether I found something so childish entertaining. I really can’t tell if this bastard came today to check on my health or to pick fights out of boredom.
“If it’s not fun, just leave. Don’t bother someone who’s watching well.”
I was bickering with Seo Hanryul for a while when Han Woojin quietly came to the living room and settled into a seat. Why is Han Woojin acting like that again? Today really must be some kind of special day.
“Secretary Han worked hard today, so you can leave now.”
Hoping at least one bastard would disappear from my house, I said to Han Woojin.
“Yes, Young Master. I’ll be going then.”
For once, it seems he’s listening to me right away. Yeah, at least you get out.
“Young Master. Morning, lunch, dinner—please take one pill three times a day. If you want to get better quickly, you need to eat well and take your medicine on time.”
I felt something was off because he was listening too obediently…. My hunch was right. Though he said he was leaving, Han Woojin brought medicine and a cup of water—I don’t know when he prepared them—in front of me.
“I’ll leave right after watching you take your medicine, Young Master.”
“Ha, the way you’re acting, people would think you’re Cha Jaehyun’s guardian.”
It was true that Han Woojin’s clingy behavior was severely annoying. But Seo Hanryul’s attitude of picking a fight with Han Woojin was also absurd. Now he’s picking fights with innocent Secretary Han beyond just me.
‘Is he just a fighting cock?’
There was nothing anywhere in the novel about Seo Hanryul being a fighting cock. Rather, there were times when I even felt frustrated that he didn’t get angry enough when he should. Where did that personality go for him to become such an irritable person?
“Hanryul-ssi, you seem to have many discomforts since earlier, but I have no idea why. Didn’t you also stop by because you wanted Young Master to get better?”
I escaped to the living room without eating properly because I didn’t want to see the two bickering. Watching them follow me to the living room and growl at each other in front of me was driving me crazy.
No matter how I thought about it, there should have been almost no chance for these two to meet directly, so why this chaos? When I heard the word ‘ally’ come out of Seo Hanryul’s mouth earlier, I was shocked thinking the two had teamed up, but watching what the two were doing all along, they seemed more like bitter enemies than allies. Why the two became bitter enemies was also a question, but my headache got worse and I didn’t want to think about it anymore.
“The atmosphere has been a bit strange since earlier—is it just my imagination? If you two have a misunderstanding, resolve it yourselves, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t create uncomfortable situations in front of me. I’m going to my room, so you two leave on your own.”
In the end, I issued an eviction order due to the two’s strange behavior and returned to my room. While thinking that I should absolutely never let those two bastards, Seo Hanryul and Han Woojin, be together.
