Tap tap. Tap.
Haesung, who had been tapping the armrest, sighed repeatedly. Propping his chin up, he glared at his phone for a long while, then rubbed his face again and ran his fingers through his hair.
He didn’t know how many times he’d repeated that action. Seonghyeok, who sat beside him organizing the schedule, had been watching him for just as long.
“What are you doing?”
At Seonghyeok’s question, Haesung slowly lifted his head. The moment their eyes met, his mouth twitched.
“Don’t tell me.”
“Hyung.”
“I said don’t.”
He was anxious. Because he couldn’t tell at all what kind of absurd thing he might be plotting, what ridiculous thoughts he might be continuing to worry over.
But Haesung wasn’t someone who would yield to a single firm word. He adjusted his posture again and looked quietly at Seonghyeok.
“When you want to do something but you shouldn’t. But you still feel like you absolutely must do it, what do you do?”
Seonghyeok’s mouth clamped shut. Was Jung Haesung the type of person to have such worries? That’s what he thought.
Seonghyeok, who had been facing Haesung with a bewildered expression, added briefly “Uh, well,” and turned over his thoughts.
“…In those cases, don’t people usually say to do what you want? If you really want to do it, that’s why you’re having those worries, right?”
Even after throwing out those words, he felt this wasn’t right. Because his words now might become the ignition point that triggers his impulsive actions.
Jung Haesung had changed. He was doing things he wouldn’t have done before, and occasionally expressions that hadn’t been visible would flash by.
For instance, he might be seriously thinking about something and then suddenly scrunch up his face.
Or even while sighing heavily, he would faintly smile to himself.
And sometimes he would suddenly call and ask absurd questions like how should he interpret that something kept coming to mind.
‘Why are you really being like this? What, is life boring these days?’
That can’t be it.
Recently, Jung Haesung had been handling an unprecedented schedule. After the news of his appearance in <Glass Holding Stars>, various CF and interview requests had poured in.
What was stranger was that the usual Jung Haesung would have appropriately moderated and rejected what should be rejected. But the current him was accepting all schedules without rejecting a single thing. It was very strange.
Like someone with multiple bodies, most days started early in the morning and ended late at night.
Eventually, Seonghyeok, unable to hold back, added a word.
‘Why are you working so hard like that, you fool?’
‘Because it makes my head a bit lighter. And I don’t feel so frustrated inside.’
The answer that came back was meaningful. The past was better. Back then, he couldn’t see what kind of worries he was having, so he would often just pass it off thinking it’s Jung Haesung.
But what about now? These were worries and thoughts that were plainly visible.
Haesung became strange precisely from after he encountered Dohyeong.
And he seemed to take the wrong path even more from that day he met with Director Na.
After that, Haesung paid an unusually large amount of attention to Dohyeong. What Seonghyeok couldn’t understand even more was his action of going all the way to his house even while knowing that Dohyeong was in his heat cycle.
And even attempting a dangerous adventure just to protect Dohyeong’s position.
He really didn’t seem like the Haesung he knew.
“…Hey, Haesung-ah.”
“Thanks, hyung. I’m getting the hang of it now.”
“No, what is it exactly? Why are you being like this?”
Seonghyeok asked in an irritated voice, frustrated just from watching, but Haesung remained silent as always.
He just tapped on his phone doing something, then soon smiled brightly.
What was displayed on the screen he was looking down at was a conversation window with someone.
He felt like something that had been building up layer by layer inside was melting away at once.
“Jung Haesung.”
“I contacted Dohyeong.”
Soon Seonghyeok’s eyes widened. He heard the sound of the scheduler he was holding drop to the floor with a thud.
“What?”
“I said I contacted him. Kim Dohyeong.”
Did he eat something wrong this morning? Because otherwise, there’s no way Jung Haesung would be like this.
Seonghyeok got up from his seat and approached Haesung.
“…What?”
“Just a moment.”
Then he touched Haesung’s forehead, and touched his own forehead with his other hand. His expression was quite serious.
“That’s strange. There’s no fever….”
“I’m fine. Manager Do is the strange one.”
What came back to Seonghyeok, who spoke as if puzzled, was Haesung’s action of sharply swatting his hand away.
Tsk, clicking his tongue, Haesung smoothed down his hair and looked down at his phone again.
“What, now you’re even waiting for a reply?”
Even at Seonghyeok’s deflated question, Haesung was calm. Looking at the screen without any expression, he slightly turned his head and looked up at him.
“Does it look that way?”
“Yeah. It looks that way and more. Please just give me that phone!”
Seonghyeok reached out to snatch the phone, but Haesung pointedly dodged his hand.
And he slipped to the side and looked down at his phone again.
He himself couldn’t understand why he was being like this. He didn’t even hope to redefine their relationship, and even less did he want to try something with Dohyeong.
He kept being bothered by Dohyeong. It wasn’t even the first time doing a script reading together, but before he knew it, he found himself excited.
Even though if they faced each other anyway, he wouldn’t be able to say anything easily.
“Hey, let me ask just one thing.”
Seonghyeok, who had approached Haesung’s side, sighed loudly and said.
“Just one thing.”
“What do you want to do with Dohyeong?”
And at the question that came back, he felt like he’d been hit on the head again.
“What kind of question is that?”
“Then what kind of behavior is that? You right now, taking care of Dohyeong, it’s really… really excessive. You know.”
He had nothing to say. Does he look particularly strange for thinking about Dohyeong and the actions he shows him? He worried about that for a moment, but it didn’t bring him enlightenment.
“So?”
“If I were in Dohyeong’s position, your behavior would be extremely, tremendously awkward.”
“Awkward? Why?”
“Are you really not self-aware, or are you the center of the world?”
Ugh, Seonghyeok, who sighed loudly, ran his fingers through his hair. And after thinking for a moment, he slowly spoke.
“You remember when you two broke up. Even what you said.”
“……”
Haesung was silent. Because he knew better than anyone, and was only now slowly ruminating on the regret he hadn’t felt back then.
“You, back then, you didn’t care about Kim Dohyeong at all. Except during rut.”
“I was such trash.”
“At least to the Dohyeong of the past, yes.”
His heart stung.
Hearing through another person’s mouth what kind of person he was, he could never get used to it. Especially if it was a negative story.
It must be because it was Seonghyeok that he could speak to him without reservation, but regardless of who it was, there wouldn’t be many people who could accept such stories with a smile.
“And you, now. After several years since breaking up, only now you’re caring about Dohyeong. Honestly, you, it’s completely obvious you’re worried about Yuchan-ssi. You know? The production presentation, sure. You also hate your name being thrown around so you could do that. But at the after-party? Does it make sense to flip out over just one of Dohyeong’s heat cycles and go to his house?”
“I went there because I was worried.”
“Whether it’s that or this, you flipped out, that’s right. Right?”
Seonghyeok, who had been biting his lower lip hard and putting strength in his eyes, let out a big sigh.
This is being ignorant of other people’s feelings. Living in a world so centered on himself, he must have become someone who couldn’t look at his surroundings.
“So. All your actions are incredibly awkward for Dohyeong. How do you want him to act?”
“…Not particularly.”
“Then, is it okay if he ignores you?”
“……”
Haesung thought for a moment. Dohyeong ignores him. If he saw him treating him as if he didn’t exist while smiling and talking with Yuchan and getting closer….
“I don’t like it.”
That was all. He couldn’t feel any emotion other than dislike.
“Ha, okay. Let’s say you don’t like it.”
“It’s not ‘let’s say,’ I don’t like it.”
“Fine, you don’t like it. Jung Haesung doesn’t like Kim Dohyeong ignoring him. Then, would you like Dohyeong to just naturally accept your goodwill and treat you like it’s nothing? Forgetting everything that happened before?”
At Seonghyeok’s words, Haesung continued his thoughts again. Silently looking at the floor and worrying for a long time, he lifted his head and shook it.
“…That would be difficult. Probably.”
“Then why are you doing this when you know?”
Haesung clenched his fist tightly.
It’s not that he doesn’t understand Seonghyeok’s words. The reason why Dohyeong would be awkward, and this situation telling him that even contacting him like this is foolish behavior.
Haesung, who had been sighing deeply, ran his fingers through his hair.
“What do you want to do?”
“I…”
His lips clamped shut once more. They didn’t open, just building up layers of hot heat inside his mouth.
“I…”
And at that moment, his eyes met with Yuchan entering the building’s backyard.
When did he arrive? Clearly when he arrived here, he didn’t see anyone.
As if discovering such Haesung, Yuchan also stopped walking abruptly. The gazes of the two people facing each other from a distance that was neither close nor far were quite fierce.
The moment he saw Yuchan’s face, one answer stood straight in Haesung’s head.
“I want to start from the beginning.”
If there’s a chance for him too.
“Of course, it’s not special feelings. Just, as hyung and dongsaeng.”
If he could even that way reclaim his position that was a bit higher than Yuchan’s.
“To Kim Dohyeong, Jung Haesung being that much is enough.”
Though he couldn’t understand why he should think like this while regarding Choi Yuchan like a rival.
Haesung spoke calmly and raised one corner of his mouth. Since he spoke deliberately loudly, he must have heard.
“Then keep it moderate.”
At Seonghyeok’s following words, he turned his head again. The gaze facing him was revealing a somewhat displeased feeling.
“Dohyeong isn’t a kid whose heart will open even if you act friendly and make all kinds of efforts to treat him well.”
“Why?”
“Because you made him that way.”
In an instant, all thoughts stopped. It felt like he might be swept away somewhere by the blowing wind, or might melt away in the warm sunlight.
“It’s because of you, Jung Haesung. That Kim Dohyeong shut his door.”
Because of me. Haesung, who had been ruminating on Seonghyeok’s words, let out an empty laugh.
“…Your words are a bit sharp today. Manager Do.”
Before he knew it, Yuchan’s existence wasn’t even in his consideration. Whatever story he heard, whatever he thought. It wasn’t important to Haesung.
“Anyway….”
It was when Seonghyeok was about to say something.
Someone approached from behind Seonghyeok’s back and passed by quickly, then sat across from Haesung.
As if they had made a promise from the beginning, as if they were the kind of relationship that would do so, it was a very natural action.
“How long do you have to grab onto and shake Kim Dohyeong before you’re satisfied?”
At his appearance speaking with a smile, Haesung showed no sign of wavering at all.
This was a place with many actors and staff. If so, he should also properly respond to Choi Yuchan’s acting that wasn’t acting.
Haesung likewise smiled softly and placed both arms on the armrests of the chair.
If someone who didn’t know saw them, it would certainly look like they were having a conversation with smiles.
“Are you hoping that Kim Dohyeong will never escape from your shadow?”
There were thorns embedded in the following words. He scoffed at the sneering voice, but his eyes remained sharp.
Haa, exhaling a long sigh and nodding his head, Haesung shot back with a quite relaxed voice.
“You seem to be mistaken. Choi Yuchan-ssi.”
“I didn’t know there would be a worse option than this….”
“It won’t be Kim Dohyeong who enters the shadow.”
At that moment, Yuchan’s face hardened solidly. These were words he remembered hearing somewhere.
Cold and resolute, but he couldn’t forget that moment when a reaction he hadn’t expected from Jung Haesung was confirmed.
“I should have told you last time. In the presence of Choi Yuchan-ssi.”
Isn’t that right? As Jung Haesung asked back with a subtle smile, Yuchan unconsciously straightened his back.
He was smiling, but it wasn’t a smile.
He was asking him back, but this was nothing less than a declaration of war toward Choi Yuchan.
“That Jung Haesung is entering into Kim Dohyeong’s shadow. So… being swayed by a single word, being overly happy or sad. It’s not Kim Dohyeong.”
