“Aren’t you going in?”
Siwoo looked around the yard where cleanup had finished and spoke to Evan, who was still holding a beer can.
“I’m going to drink a bit more.”
At his words about drinking more, Siwoo grabbed a beer can and sat down next to him. Evan’s hand reached over, popped open the beer can, then withdrew. Siwoo burst out laughing. He really is a pro at swooping right in.
“Ah! Seriously, this 3-second man is a problem.”
Siwoo took a sip of the cool beer and looked in the same direction as Evan. The slightly clouded sky wasn’t different from that night a few days ago. Since it was still early enough that everyone hadn’t gone to sleep yet, the soft lighting illuminating spots throughout the garden was beautiful.
“What do you mean ‘3-second man’ all of a sudden?”
Perhaps infected by Siwoo’s laughter, Evan also chuckled as he replied.
“The way you suddenly swoop right in. I wonder if you even practice that kind of thing, and I think your fans must be so happy.”
“I’m a Coco fan though. Won’t you give me fan service?”
“You do it for me.”
When a cold breeze blew, Siwoo said while slightly hunching his shoulders.
“What are you saying. You’re not my fan.”
Contrary to his curt words, Evan’s jacket was draped over Siwoo’s shoulders.
“This is driving me crazy, Evan. This is what fan service is. This kind of thing! Everyone falls for this kind of thing. It’s completely ingrained in you. Charming people.”
Siwoo laughed softly and didn’t refuse the jacket he’d taken off, pulling it a bit more to wrap himself. He must have taken it off because he was fine. The alcohol that had risen just enough was taking hold of Siwoo, leaving no room to even think about being considerate of him.
“So did you fall for it?”
Since he said it while drinking beer, Evan’s pronunciation was slurred.
“Fall for what.”
Siwoo shook his head side to side and brought the beer can to his lips. However his feelings were flowing, that kind of thing wasn’t a problem. If such a handsome, well-mannered man treated someone this way, anyone would be charmed.
It couldn’t even be divided into things like man, woman, beta, omega, alpha. Those eyes and voice that made people easily mistaken were certain to evoke the same feelings in everyone. So this wasn’t a problem with his own feelings, but rather a natural phenomenon that occurred because Evan was so exceptional.
“That’s not fan service.”
“Ah! Yes, yes. I understand.”
As a gust of wind blew, Siwoo’s hair flew up. Evan looked at Siwoo, who was responding halfheartedly to his words.
He could see his profile, looking ahead instead of at him.
As his hair kept flying in the continuing wind, perhaps annoyed, his eyes squinted slightly and his small hands moved to flip up his hood. Thanks to that, it covered his profile. All that was visible was his cute nose tip.
“What would make you believe me?”
“What?”
Since he’d already drunk more than half, Siwoo tilted his head back slightly and drank the remaining beer. It was gradually getting cold, and he felt bad about continuing to borrow Evan’s clothes, so he planned to drink quickly and go inside.
“Whatever it is.”
“Are you talking about something like your sincere words or a secret? That kind of thing?”
At Evan’s hesitant behavior from a moment ago, Siwoo spoke first. That’s what alcohol is like. Even knowing that no one would believe him, when Siwoo got drunk, he always wanted to talk. Things like the reason his choreography learning was so fast, which everyone had seen and been amazed by earlier.
He didn’t count how many times he’d regressed anymore. Even in the middle of drinking like this, he was anxious that he might go back again. People with whom he’d built friendships like this became strangers in an instant who didn’t know him at all. So this feeling too, and Evan sitting next to him, were no different from illusions to Siwoo.
The moment he went back, it would all become as if it never happened.
Something with substance but nonexistent. Everything would be buried in his own heart, becoming a story only he knew.
“Probably.”
Evan’s voice in response was small, but it rang clearly in Siwoo’s ears.
“Then don’t do it. If you do, you’ll regret it. I’m going in first.”
Siwoo got up from his seat and took off the jacket draped over his shoulders, putting it down where he’d been sitting. And without hearing his answer, without looking back, he went straight inside.
Other people’s feelings. He didn’t have the emotional capacity to embrace even the feelings of one man who had charmed him, above all else.
In Evan’s hand, left alone, the empty beer can crumpled weakly.
He picked up the jacket Siwoo had taken off and put it back on. In the short time it had been draped over his shoulders, the jacket had absorbed Siwoo’s scent.
* * *
Siwoo held the guitar in his arms and lightly plucked the strings. He never knew he’d get to do something he’d always wanted to try here like this.
“Are you ready?”
“No.”
He shook his head with a sheepish laugh. It was the last day of their 8-night, 10-day trip. Until this morning, they had schedules together, but the afternoon was personal time.
Everyone chose rest that suited them.
Hyunsu chose to rest at the lodging alone while working on music.
Ian and Louis went shopping and on a food tour. Luca and Yechan went to see a village festival being held in a place a bit further away.
Evan said he was going on a photo shoot to a hill famous for its beautiful sunsets.
And Siwoo was in the town square.
“What do you mean you’re not ready? After the front team’s current song and the next one finish, it’s your turn.”
“I should have tried busking in Korea if I knew this would happen.”
“You can feel pressured or not, just do it like you normally do. There’s no one who knows you here, so there’s no pressure either.”
At the writer’s words, Siwoo made a fist in a fighting gesture. As she said, there wasn’t a single person who knew him here. The members who drew people’s attention were each enjoying their own time.
Among the Europeans, he was just an ordinary Asian person. Since it was a place where busking was always happening, there were quite a few people. In front of the small fountain in the middle of the town. At the outdoor seats in front of the surrounding cafes and restaurants, many people were enjoying dinner.
The street where darkness had already descended was filled with soft orange-tinted light. There weren’t any flashy lights either. It wasn’t an atmosphere where people focused on the person busking.
Right now next to him were only the youngest camera director and writer who’d come out together. Seeing the camera director a bit away who’d already set up the camera and was waiting for him, tension suddenly rushed over him.
“What if I make a mistake?”
“What’s wrong with making a mistake? Even if you get the notes a bit wrong or mess up the lyrics, there’s no one here who’ll care.”
When the front team vacated the spot, Siwoo entered the busking location with awkward steps, holding the guitar. He sat on a small portable chair and held the guitar in his arms. As the writer said, there was no one focusing on him. People gathered in small groups were talking with those next to them, and some were eating food they’d gotten to go.
Siwoo, who even saw a couple not minding the people around them lightly kissing, lightly flicked his fingertips. It seemed like it had been 3 years since he’d touched a guitar, but as expected with something learned through the body, the sound he wanted flowed out.
Siwoo, who loosened his hands by lightly pressing chords, bent his upper body forward slightly and adjusted the microphone.
“Hello.”
When he greeted them to remove the awkwardness, several people looked at Siwoo. There was no prepared MR or anything. All that existed now was the guitar and his own voice.
When a cool breeze blew, his hair flew and the hem of his clothes fluttered, but Siwoo had no leisure to care about such things.
What Siwoo chose for his first song was a gentle pop song containing the story of lovers who had just started their love. Between the sound of water flowing from the fountain and people’s low voices, Siwoo’s voice spread out.
Around the time the first verse was ending, the surrounding situation entered Siwoo’s eyes. He smiled naturally toward the camera filming him. When his eyes met the writer’s right in front, she waved her hand slightly.
Along with the sweet lyrics, Siwoo’s two eyes became pretty half-moons.
The gazes of people who’d been talking gradually reached Siwoo. There were also people taking out their phones to film.
Is this a dream? Is this really something happening to me?
His heart pounded. It felt like laughter would burst out. He was happy.
At one time he’d lived with his back to all of this, but because of this feeling, because of this mood, it was something he couldn’t give up.
Even if not a top star with tremendous popularity, if he could just sing like this anywhere.
When the first song ended, Siwoo grinned and lightly waved one hand toward the people applauding. He picked up the water bottle he’d placed beside him and drank some water.
Around the time the first verse of the second song was ending, murmuring was heard among the people. At the slightly changed atmosphere, Siwoo’s eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, but he didn’t stop singing. And the moment he saw a man sitting next to the writer, he clearly realized the reason for the small commotion.
Evan, holding a camera in one hand, sat comfortably on the ground and waved at him. It seemed he’d stopped by on his way back from the photo shoot. Siwoo winked at Evan in acknowledgment and then continued singing comfortably again.
When Evan, recognizing his wink, shook his head slightly and then raised his camera to film him, Siwoo sang the rest of the song looking at his camera.
“Evan. Come here.”
When the second song ended, Siwoo called out Evan who was sitting in front.
“Me?”
“Yeah, you. Hurry up.”
Siwoo gestured toward Evan, who was pointing at himself with his fingertip asking if he really meant him. Since it had come to this anyway, he wanted to make memories that would disappear like bubbles, that he’d have to cherish alone.
When Evan went to Siwoo’s side, the murmuring grew louder. From somewhere, the sound of someone calling Evan’s name and girls squealing could be heard.
“Hi.”
When Evan, who’d come forward, greeted them, a small cheer was heard.
“As expected, a global star is different. The last song is ‘Everyday,’ you know it, right?”
