“Evan is the last one remaining, and the only person left is Siwoo. So naturally, Siwoo! But this was really so blatant that there’s no way anyone didn’t know.”
“That’s right. He plastered SNS with photos of Siwoo hyung. And he didn’t even upload the selfies he took with me!”
At Hyunsu’s clean progression, Ian grumbled and added his words.
“Since this is Siwoo’s first reality program like this, Evan really took care of him.”
As everyone chimed in one by one, Siwoo’s ears turned red. Why had he never once thought that he was Evan’s Manitto? As expected, the 3-second man was excellent at acting too, and in the end, he’d fallen into a swamp of delusion.
“Always only taking care of Siwoo! Everyone, when you watch the broadcast, you’ll know how much Evan revealed that Siwoo was his Manitto.”
“So what did Evan-ssi prepare for Siwoo-ssi?”
Ignoring the members who were getting out everything they wanted to say, Hyunsu threw the question to Evan.
“Since it’s not something I can give right now. I’ll give this to Siwoo.”
Siwoo couldn’t hide his bewildered expression as he received what Evan, who’d gotten up from sitting far away, handed to him. What he held out was none other than the camera he’d been carrying around every day until now.
“Huh?”
“A camera?”
Even Hyunsu, who always progressed things skillfully, couldn’t find the right words and a moment of silence continued.
The camera body engraved with Evan’s name, along with the expensive lens, had been completely passed into Siwoo’s hands. Siwoo, who’d suddenly received an item worth hundreds of millions, gripped the camera tightly with both hands in case he might drop it.
“Wait a moment. I know that camera isn’t just an ordinary camera. Evan-ssi, are you seriously giving this to Siwoo-ssi?”
“Yes. If it’s something I can give a bit late, I want to make something like a mini album with photos I took during this filming. Since I can’t prepare that right now, I’m giving him the camera for now.”
“Hey! Then what does that make me, who bought that bag for Louis?”
Hyunsu yelled loudly, and Luca lamented about why he wasn’t Evan’s Manitto.
“This is uh. I mean, I can’t accept this.”
Siwoo, who’d been holding the camera awkwardly, tried to hand it back to Evan, but he waved his hands dismissively and went back to sit in his original spot. Siwoo went to the back while holding the camera as if embracing it and went to Evan’s side.
“I can’t accept this. Even holding it is burdensome.”
Siwoo, who’d been whispering in his ear from beside Evan, sat down next to him at the hand that pulled his wrist.
“Take it quickly.”
Whether the others were laughing, chatting, or progressing things beside them, Siwoo whispered to him once more, wanting to escape from this burdensome camera.
“Why? I gave it because I wanted to.”
“How can I accept this?”
“Why can’t you accept it?”
Siwoo looked at Evan, who was seriously looking at him, and stiffened his expression slightly. What a rare good person in the world. How much does this cost? He knew Evan was financially comfortable, but this wasn’t proper behavior. A pushover, even among pushovers.
“Evan. Giving away such an expensive item like this, moreover something you treasure, to just anyone isn’t good behavior.”
Siwoo held his index finger in front of Evan’s eyes and said while shaking it slightly.
“Are you just anyone?”
“Phew. Then you could just print out the photos inside.”
“I want to show you now.”
“Fine. Then I’ll just look at the photos.”
At Evan’s firm answer, which seemed like he wouldn’t back down even a step, Siwoo presented a compromise first. Then Evan immediately overlapped his hand over Siwoo’s hand and operated the camera.
“Huh? When did you take this?”
At his own photo that appeared first, Siwoo turned his head to look at Evan.
“Excuse me. You two over there, don’t create a mood and please listen to the progression.”
Siwoo’s head, who’d forgotten they were filming and had been talking with Evan, snapped up with a crack. Unlike Siwoo, who looked at the camera with anxiously trembling pupils because he’d really forgotten everything, Evan lifted his head slightly with an expressionless face.
“First, handle the matter of the item after filming ends, and what did I just say?”
“Huh?”
Hyunsu hyung, what did you say? A dazed answer came from Siwoo’s mouth, who’d been losing his mind because of Evan, who’d thoughtlessly given him such an expensive item.
“Didn’t I say we’d take a group photo and end today’s filming? Please listen, please!”
As soon as they took the group photo, the same photo was simultaneously updated on all seven people’s SNS.
Although official news hadn’t appeared yet, among fans they were certain that these seven people were the members.
Below it, the comment “Journey” was identically posted.
“Siwoo hyung, you were really my Manitto?”
After the commemorative photo and after updating the group SNS, at Yechan’s words as he approached while holding the giraffe doll upside down and swinging it around, Siwoo lightly nodded his head. In truth, he hadn’t had the time to do any particular actions for Yechan, who went around with a friendly smile. They said Manitto, but everyone had spent time without caring about such things. When Yechan happened to play around with pheromones at the amusement park, he’d heard Ian talking on the phone with someone next to him.
‘Manitto. It’s Luca hyung. I’m with him right now.’
Rather than being a Manitto, it was something he’d ended after getting a rough answer because his nature wasn’t harsh. Other than that, there was nothing he’d particularly helped Yechan with, but at the other members’ words, it had vaguely passed as if he’d worked hard as a Manitto.
“I really didn’t know. Hyung. So is that why you just let the pheromone thing go?”
“Not exactly that, but anyway, you didn’t do it after that day.”
“Of course. I almost got beaten to death by Evan hyung. And Evan hyung also stopped doing it.”
While talking with Siwoo, Yechan occasionally turned his gaze to check on Evan, who was talking with the PD.
“Really? You’re sure Evan also doesn’t do it?”
Siwoo put his sleeve to his nose tip and sniffed. He knew he could absolutely never smell it, but still, when talk of pheromones came up, he ended up trying to smell it without realizing it.
“Yes. Not at all. All the alphas and omegas here don’t do it, so don’t worry.”
“Kim Siwoo. Come here for a moment.”
Siwoo, who’d been talking with Yechan, headed that way at the PD’s call.
“I just finished talking with Evan, you two go to the airport right now and enter the country. We’ll start promoting on entertainment news from now and there will definitely be a lot of people crowding the airport tomorrow.”
“Right now? Just the two of us?”
“They’ll think you’re all entering together, they won’t think only you two are coming in first.”
“Still, going together would be…”
“Coco. If you don’t want to be crushed to death at the airport tomorrow, that would be better.”
When Evan said the same following the PD, Siwoo closed his mouth that he’d opened slightly. Honestly, Siwoo couldn’t believe this current situation. Even while receiving contact from close acquaintances and seeing the tremendous comments on SNS, he wondered what all this was about. On top of that, since he had no interest in searching or such things, he hadn’t bothered to look. Although he’d suddenly become popular, since he was filming leisurely like this abroad, Siwoo’s life had no particular changes until now.
Even when busking on the street just now, there was no one who recognized him. But Evan stirred up the surroundings the moment he appeared. So this situation seemed like it was for Evan’s sake, not his own. Then he could just go alone, so why specifically with me?
“Prepare and leave right now. The ticket has been changed, so go through departure procedures right away. A camera director or writer won’t be attached either. We’ll give you a self-cam, so you two film appropriately.”
Siwoo, pushed along by the PD and main writer, had to go into his room and pack right then. As if he’d heard all this information, there was even a text from agency CEO Taehoon.
He’ll send a van to match the arrival time? What kind of van does our company have? Until now I’ve been driving around in my SUV, and I parked it in the Incheon Airport parking lot! It’s long-term parking for a full 8 nights and 10 days, so I have to pay a huge parking fee too.
* * *
“You’re going to get off like that?”
Since even the camera director wasn’t accompanying them, Siwoo chose the most comfortable outfit. He wore loose training pants with a hoodie, and had on the yellow jumper he’d bought together with Evan.
“Why?”
After arriving at the airport, Siwoo, who’d been about to get out of the car, looked at his outfit again at Evan’s action of stopping him. There wasn’t particularly anything wrong.
“What about a hat? A mask?”
“Why would I need those?”
Siwoo had walked through the middle of Gangnam without those things and nothing had happened. Moreover, it was late now. That flight they were taking was probably definitely the last flight leaving today.
“Kim Siwoo. You still seem to lack awareness, but the freedom you’ve enjoyed until now won’t exist. There’s nothing bad about being careful in advance.”
Even when a hood was put over his head and he put on the black mask Evan handed him and got out of the car, Siwoo had no thoughts.
“Hello. The schedule changed a bit, so right now Siwoo and I are at the airport. We’re going to take a night flight.”
Since boarding time was tight, Evan started a short recording while walking quickly, holding the self-cam. Since he was also in the cam, Siwoo raised his hand and greeted by waving just his fingertips slightly.
“The airport is empty so it’s quiet and nice.”
“There’s not often a reason to come to the airport at this time.”
“It’s been really long since I’ve been at the airport like this with someone.”
At Siwoo’s honest words, Evan asked back with “What?”
“I’m used to traveling alone. When I was a minor, I traveled with family, but after becoming an adult, I’ve been going alone the whole time.”
What’s the big deal about that, Siwoo answered halfheartedly and took out the ticket he’d put in his pocket to check the gate once more. And saying it was to the right, he turned his body that way first.
“Let’s do it together.”
“Huh? Hurry up. We don’t have time.”
When Evan, who’d been right next to him, wasn’t there, Siwoo looked back. Why are you stopping like that? You suddenly stopped yesterday too.
“Let’s do everything together.”
“Got it. We’ll do it together, so please hurry. Evan-nim.”
Siwoo answered while gesturing for him to come quickly and walked ahead.
