“What’s the problem? You said you wanted to eat. I said I’d get you something separately.”
What good would it do if the three of us didn’t eat together? He was making an angelic smile, but to me it was repulsiveness itself, so I got irritated.
“Ha… Forget it. I’m not eating.”
“Don’t be like that, let’s eat.”
“Who was it that said food wouldn’t go down from this morning?”
“I’m not going to eat. Since it’s sad to eat alone, I’ll just be here in front of you.”
“There are so many things to be sad about. Forget it. Someone ruined my appetite.”
“Jaehyun-ah. What’s wrong. Did you get upset?”
‘…?’
The guy didn’t know when to stop and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. Moreover, he did the strange act of dropping my surname and calling me affectionately by my first name.
‘This is another first.’
Seeing the guy cling to me without hesitation, my brain circuits stopped and my whole body tensed up.
“Why is this bastard acting like this from the morning? Are you crazy?”
“Ha~ You’re really playing hard to get. But that makes it more fun.”
“You really are crazy.”
Far from stopping, the crazy bastard even lightly smacked my butt. Did he take the wrong medicine yesterday? He’s always weird, but he wasn’t as weird as today. I guess today is some kind of special day.
‘Huh?’
I suddenly discovered an incredible fact. Seo Hanryul’s eyes were directed toward Lee Dojun. Is he trying to use me in a jealousy scheme right now? I guess the fight yesterday really was a lovers’ quarrel after all.
Thinking it was a jealousy scheme, I understood the guy’s unnatural behavior. Even if it’s a scheme, touching someone else’s butt seems to cross the line a bit, but I thought I should endure this much since the protagonists want to have a romance.
“So you’re not eating?”
“How many times do I have to tell you. I’m not eating.”
The guy continued his act to the end, and I had to play along with his ridiculous tune. I have that much sense at least.
“Jiwon-ah, sit here.”
Once we boarded the plane, the guy’s skinship became even bolder. The touch of his hand pushing me to the innermost seat was no joke. Lee Dojun didn’t say anything particular about Seo Hanryul’s behavior.
What would Lee Dojun be thinking right now? That Seo Hanryul is cute? Or he wouldn’t be harboring pointless jealousy toward me and tormenting me, right? That would really be the worst.
Even after taking our seats, Seo Hanryul kept subtly touching me and calling my name. No matter how much it was a jealousy scheme, it was becoming difficult to endure anymore.
“Ease up a bit, will you?”
I finally gritted my teeth and spoke quietly toward his ear.
“Jaehyun-ah, stop being so difficult.”
The guy paid no mind and whispered back the same way. I thought he was just a fighting cock who picked trivial fights every day. This bastard is a player. Seo Hanryul’s appearance as a fox in front of Lee Dojun was unfamiliar yet entertaining.
‘Right. Let’s just endure today.’
Let’s just endure the guy’s strange behavior a little. If he can play the fox this well, once I leave, he’ll connect with the CEO right away.
* * *
“CEO-nim, please go in safely. See you soon!”
After arriving in Korea, Seo Hanryul’s manager gave Dojun a spirited greeting before disappearing with Seo Hanryul. Watching him disappear from his sight, Dojun felt an inexplicable thirst.
A large build far from cute, a sharp impression contrasting with Seo Hanryul. But despite his appearance, he was a curious guy who always grinned foolishly.
There was one reason Dojun accompanied Hanryul’s overseas schedule. Because a person called Seo Jiwon was interesting. There were other schedules during that period, but he didn’t want to miss out on entertainment he’d found after a long time.
As expected, Jiwon brought enough fun to Dojun. Every expression he made on set was interesting. His appearance of suddenly grinning with laughter even while concentrating expressionlessly, wondering what was funny, constantly appealed to Dojun.
‘More annoying than I thought.’
Also, Hanryul’s existence was very irritating. Watching Hanryul show no signs of leaving his side for all three days, he could tell Hanryul’s inner thoughts. That the guy was in the same state as himself. The guy who wasn’t even qualified was trying to compete with him, and that attitude didn’t sit well with him at all.
So on the last night, after the stupid manager who seemed completely oblivious to the entire situation left, he told Hanryul first. That he had become interested in Seo Jiwon. It was a simple statement that he had become interested, but it was also a silent pressure telling the other party to back off since he had taken an interest.
But Hanryul didn’t back down obediently. He blocked him with a calm attitude and boldly revealed that he had no intention of backing down.
To think a guy who doesn’t know his place this much rolled into our company. No wait. If the guy hadn’t joined, he wouldn’t have encountered that stupid manager in the first place. No matter what Hanryul said in front of him, it only seemed like a dog barking.
Even at the airport, the guy’s bold behavior didn’t stop. He was staring at him while touching the manager as if to show him. Dojun was so dumbfounded by his provocation that he just quietly watched the entire situation. The manager also seemed flustered by the guy’s behavior, as his ears turned red. Seeing the ears that had been only white turn red, Dojun felt great exhilaration without realizing it.
‘Yes, that’s it.’
And soon he smiled.
It would be quite fun to play with that. And he didn’t have the hobby of sharing toys with others.
He wanted to get rid of the bothersome Hanryul right away, but he thought it was more urgent to figure out more about this person called Seo Jiwon. Since guys like Seo Hanryul could be blown away anytime he felt like it, there was no need to rush.
“Look into a person named Seo Jiwon. I’ll send you the photo and information soon.”
After returning home, Dojun picked up the phone and gave an order to someone.
* * *
After entering through Incheon Airport, I took a car with Seo Hanryul and returned to Seoul.
“The articles are really fast.”
It hadn’t even been long since we set foot in Korea, but the entertainment news section was already announcing Seo Hanryul’s return to the country.
[Seo Hanryul Returns to Korea, “I look pretty cool, don’t I?”]
ㄴ That’s the BM commercial, right?
ㄴ Yeah
ㄴ First time I’m looking forward to a commercial
ㄴ But who’s in the back?
ㄴ Looks like his manager?
ㄴ What are we supposed to do if even the manager is handsome;;;
In the comments, mentions of Cha Jaehyun appeared too. Because the photo also captured Cha Jaehyun’s appearance behind Seo Hanryul, people started reacting.
Objectively, Cha Jaehyun was also an incredible handsome man, so the reaction wasn’t new. It’s not even really my face, but seeing compliments about the appearance, the corners of my mouth lifted without me knowing.
“Hey, look at this. They say I’m handsome too.”
“…You’re handsome. Don’t annoyingly pretend you don’t know.”
Normally he would’ve said an ugly guy is just talking nonsense, but suddenly throwing a compliment left me speechless. I said it to mess with the guy who thinks he’s the only handsome person in the world.
“Why? Now that I actually said you’re handsome, you have nothing to say?”
The guy laughed and lightly hit my shoulder. Why is he doing this when Lee Dojun isn’t even here?
“Cha Jaehyun.”
“What.”
“When the manager work ends, are you going back to America?”
As the guy suddenly brought up something related to the contract, all my nerves focused on that story.
“Of course. I flew here in 3 days without even finishing my studies to do this. …Honestly, I did too well, even if I say so myself. If you have any conscience, keep your promise.”
“…”
‘What?’
The guy unsettlingly didn’t give any answer. I thought it would naturally end cleanly, but it would really be a disaster if he says something different.
“Hey, why no answer? You clearly said. After 6 months it ends cleanly. You think I did enough too, right?”
“…When are you coming back if you return to America?”
When am I coming back? Of course I’ll stay in America until I return to the original world. Whether the original Cha Jaehyun will stay longer in America or immediately return to Korea after coming back to his body is something even I don’t know.
“Is that important? When it’s ending anyway. I don’t really know either?”
“Ha…”
The guy suddenly let out a sigh. I guess his insides are burning at the fact that he has to just let me go without any incidents or accidents.
“Even you think I did well without any problems. Isn’t this really doing a great job? …Is there any early termination of the contract? It’s not good for you to keep seeing me either.”
I threw out a joke subtly, finding his sullen appearance satisfying. Though it was a joke half-mixed with sincerity. Didn’t I do this well, so can’t he end it a bit early?
“…Are you calling that words right now?”
It was a lightly thrown remark. But as soon as he heard those words, Seo Hanryul’s eyes began to burn fiercely to a frightening degree. It seems I made a big slip of the tongue.
“Hey… It’s a joke, a joke. I have to faithfully complete the promised period before going. But after 6 months, we part ways cleanly, right?”
“Let’s talk about that then. …What are you doing today?”
The guy kept avoiding answering the question. His attitude of not giving a definite answer and giving an ambiguous response made me very anxious.
“Why do you keep avoiding the question? …You’re really dead if you change your words after 3 weeks.”
“Ha… Stubborn bastard. I got it, so let’s go home and eat. …Don’t you miss Korean food?”
Although it was an ambiguous answer, he did say he got it, so anyway that answer must mean he’ll let me go. And as he said, I did miss Korean food. Since the guy’s cooking skills are no joke, I thought there was nothing bad about eating.
“Alright. Make it delicious.”
“Good.”
When I asked about early termination of the contract, he was firm as bamboo, but now he’s smiling brightly to a ticklish degree. As expected, he’s a guy whose insides go back and forth.
