After Hakyung left, no one came to find Dohyeong or was heard looking for him.
Neither Yuchan nor Haesung. Of course, he thought it was natural. Because it was rare for him to get that angry.
Especially, wasn’t it the first time toward Haesung?
Dohyeong closed his eyes for a moment, organizing his complicated mind.
It was Wootae who informed him that the break time was ending.
Ji Woode
Where are you?
It looks like they’re about to start soon
By the way, what happened
Tell me later
Dohyeong swallowed a bitter smile.
What would Wootae say? Would he praise him saying he did well? Or would he scold him saying that even so, Haesung was a senior so he shouldn’t do that in a working environment?
Either way, his insides felt refreshed so he decided to be satisfied with that.
As he walked slowly, he saw Haesung’s figure ahead. He, who had been looking at the sky with his hands deeply thrust into his pockets, slowly turned his head.
He didn’t want to face him. The first thought was scattered to pieces by the blowing wind.
“Kim Dohyeong-ssi.”
With his single word.
“…They say it’s about to start soon, but you haven’t gone in.”
Even at the blunt voice, Haesung didn’t distort his expression at all. He just nodded, then faced Dohyeong again.
“I’m sorry.”
An apology that continued once more.
He didn’t know why one corner of his chest was tingling like this. Unnecessary resentment rose up through his throat.
If only you had shown this side earlier. If only you were someone who could say sorry.
Even while knowing he should live in the present and move toward the future, he couldn’t help but feel bitter toward Haesung’s words.
“It’s okay. Don’t do it from next time. Just don’t do it.”
Dohyeong tried to pull up the corners of his lips slightly.
“…That’s what hyung used to say every day.”
And without realizing it, he called him ‘hyung.’ Startled at the word that popped out of his mouth, he covered his mouth with one hand.
When he glanced up, his eyes met with Haesung, who looked a bit more surprised than him.
He could make that expression too?
“I’m sorry. The word sunbae still doesn’t stick well in my mouth.”
“……”
“I’ll be careful from next time. Sunbae-nim.”
“No.”
Haesung, who cut off Dohyeong’s words decisively, approached gently.
There was none of the approaching with large strides to block his view or sticking close to him like before.
It was very careful behavior. He, who had been hesitating, slowly inhaled and exhaled and said.
“…It’s okay. You can call me hyung.”
At those subtle eyes, his insides churned once again.
Don’t do this, briefly pulling himself together while forcing a smile.
“No. Because we’re not in that kind of relationship.”
But it’s okay, the words he thought would naturally follow seemed to only remain inside his mouth.
Haesung, who had been looking down for a moment, slowly nodded his head.
“Anyway, that’s what sunbae used to say every time. That it’s okay if you don’t do it from next time.”
Do you remember? The words he didn’t add were conveyed through his eyes.
“I remember. That I… used to add such words every time.”
As if he understood, Haesung also responded to Dohyeong’s words.
The two smiled silently without exchanging any words. They both lowered their gazes the same way.
“And about earlier… I did make a mistake.”
At Haesung’s following words, Dohyeong lifted his head again. And he quietly looked at him who wasn’t making eye contact with him.
Jung Haesung couldn’t face Kim Dohyeong. The way he kept avoiding eye contact was very awkward. Even this moment when he admitted his mistake and chose the next words.
Should he say it was fascinating, or should he end it by saying it was unfamiliar? He couldn’t tell.
“That I want to become close with Kim Dohyeong-ssi, that’s not a lie.”
Though he was answering calmly, what he felt through his eyes was the opposite emotion. His appearance looking impatient was a bit unexpected.
Poker face Jung Haesung. It was the moment when those words that applied to him too were finely shattered.
“Then I’ll ask just one thing too.”
Was that why? The original Kim Dohyeong brought out words he couldn’t have asked.
“What is it?”
“Why now… I’m curious why you’re doing this.”
Though a spoonful of courage without reason was added, anyway it was certainly a difficult thing to say.
Having barely uttered it, Haesung rolled his gaze downward as if worrying about something. Dohyeong didn’t miss even that moment. After watching him for a while, he moved his gaze to his phone ringing again.
Choi Sunshine
Dohyeong-ah, are you still angry…?
I’m sorry
I’ll apologize again later
I’ll kneel
So hurry and come
People are coming in one by one
It was Yuchan. Just as he lifted his head to say they should move since there seemed to be no more time to delay.
“It might sound ridiculous to Kim Dohyeong-ssi, but….”
As if noticing Yuchan’s contact and Dohyeong’s heart, Haesung blurted out a word.
“Because I regret it, if I say…”
Regret. Such a bitter-tasting word. At his word choice, which made him wonder if the aftershock was only coming now, Dohyeong clenched his hands tightly without saying anything.
What would he say? To a relationship that had already ended, torn to shreds to the point they could no longer continue.
His feelings toward Haesung hadn’t changed positively. Just a slightly pitiful and disappointed heart. That was all.
“…You’ve become human.”
This was also a word he uttered without realizing it. At Haesung’s appearance, more surprised than himself, Dohyeong’s eyes widened.
“…Let’s pretend you didn’t hear that.”
Before he could finish saying please, Haesung burst out laughing. At his appearance laughing while even turning his head, Dohyeong stared at him blankly.
It was the first time seeing Haesung laugh this much. Not feeling awkward or difficult while conversing with him was also a first for him.
Dohyeong also burst out laughing without realizing it. Pushing the wind flowing between him and Haesung into his lungs, he was savoring this moment.
***
The script reading ended smoothly.
Haesung also didn’t show any special behavior for the remaining days. Yuchan also showed his focus on the script.
That night when the incident happened, the sight of Yuchan who came to find him and really tried to kneel also became an unforgettable memory.
But even at this moment when everything ended, Dohyeong couldn’t calm his noisy heart.
‘That I want to become close with Kim Dohyeong-ssi, that’s not a lie.’
It was still incomprehensible words.
Why? The desire to ask back continued even until the moment he returned home after the script reading ended.
But the question toward Haesung remained unresolved, and the long-awaited first filming day approached.
Dohyeong, who arrived at the filming site first and finished makeup, was sitting side by side with Wootae looking at the script.
Wootae, who had been rummaging through the script and schedule for a while, looked at Dohyeong with a bright smile.
“Today’s first scene is… let’s see, Yehyun and Onyoung’s first meeting scene in Korea?”
At the sparkling eyes, Dohyeong made a bewildered expression.
Why was he so excited? It was just acting as Yehyun and Onyoung, was it something to react this much to?
“…Why are you more excited, hyung?”
“Me? When was I?”
“Your mouth corners are hooked to your ears. Lower them and talk.”
“Me? I always have a smiling face. Didn’t you know?”
“…As if.”
At Wootae’s joking appearance, Dohyeong laughed and shook his head.
And he looked at the script again. It was a scene where the two people who parted in Iceland meet again in Korea.
Perhaps that’s why, the filming location was an observatory located on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province.
Dohyeong looked around, scanning from the clear blue sky to the dry tree branches.
“I think it’s my first time at an observatory….”
It was before the muttering voice even dispersed.
“Really? Then am I the first?”
Yuchan, who suddenly approached from behind, was looking down at Dohyeong with a cheeky smile.
“What, Kim Dohyeong’s first. That’s a bit exciting.”
Yuchan, who couldn’t erase his beaming smile, sat next to Dohyeong before he knew it and opened the script together.
“The nuance is a bit strange, try changing it to different words.”
“Then… that Choi Yuchan is Kim Dohyeong’s partner for his first observatory date?”
“That’s also strange. It’s not a date, we came to work.”
“We came to work, but we can work like it’s a date.”
At Yuchan’s appearance joking with pursed lips, Dohyeong burst out laughing as if absurd.
“We’re probably not in a dating relationship.”
“Even friends use the word date, you know?”
“That’s the first time I’ve heard that. Actor Choi Yuchan.”
“I think you’re too behind the times. Actor Kim Dohyeong.”
At the appearance of the two people laughing while exchanging words back and forth, Wootae smiled warmly.
Hmm, clearing his throat briefly, he stood up from his seat.
“Then I’ll look around the filming site and come back. You two have fun.”
Then he made eye contact with Yuchan and winked. Didn’t I do well? At his inner thoughts showing through his expression, Dohyeong ended up laughing as if absurd.
Though Wootae disappeared into the distance, the two didn’t have any particular conversation.
Time continued with no small talk at all, just looking down at the script.
“Dohyeong-ah, here. In this part, I quietly stare at you.”
“Where?”
“Here, the part where you come out at the observatory.”
“Where is that….”
It seemed like the part he read a little while ago, but when he tried to find it, it wasn’t visible.
It would be nice if he told him by scene number. Eventually, Dohyeong leaned toward Yuchan.
He lowered his head toward where his fingertip was pointing and read the stage directions and lines for a while.
As if he understood, the moment he nodded and looked up at him.
“…Uh, why here?”
A subtle gap appeared in his voice.
He was very close to Yuchan. At the breath brushing past his nose, strength entered his fingertips holding the script.
“No, well… in the stage directions it says surprised. But I, a little… what if I add being moved?”
Dohyeong looked at Yuchan’s appearance reflected in his eyes for quite a while.
He didn’t miss even his two cheeks turning red in an instant from his single gaze.
Only then did embarrassment wash over him like a wave. Dohyeong, who pulled his body back, nodded while withdrawing his gaze from Yuchan.
“Yeah, I think it’ll be okay. Because it won’t end with just surprised feelings. Even when parting in Iceland, he was very regretful. Onyoung also ended while showing curiosity… I think it would be good to add an interpretation that the situation is interesting.”
It was awkward. Even though it wasn’t the first time making eye contact and being close.
Even while rambling on with unnecessary words, he couldn’t take his eyes off the script.
“…Right.”
“If you add more emotion with ad-lib, I’ll respond too. How about that? Should I consult with Director Na?”
When he turned his head while speaking as nonchalantly as possible, Dohyeong’s mouth closed tight again.
Because not only was Yuchan’s face flushed red unlike usual, but even his eyes were sparkling brightly.
It was an expression that wouldn’t be strange to ask if he was practicing Onyoung being moved.
Without any answer, he closed his mouth in a straight line and looked down at the script again. Hmm, just as Dohyeong, who had been clearing his throat briefly, was forcibly cramming each letter into his head.
Yuchan turned the script with a faint smile. Rustle, the sound of the paper turning touched Dohyeong’s ear.
“I’m so happy right now.”
About what? Just as he was about to throw out the question, words that made him close his mouth tight followed.
“Because I can finally properly act with you, Dohyeong. Because I can show you… my coolest appearance, I’m so happy.”
Would it have been better if he could respond?
Dohyeong, who had been ruminating on the heart that became bitter for no reason, smiled and nodded. Yeah, I’m happy too. Following the inner thoughts thrown out small, a sigh venting frustration continued.
Yuchan, who had been looking at such Dohyeong, spoke as if resolving something. Not forgetting to smile brightly at Dohyeong’s gaze returning to him.
“Watch me. Because I’ll be cooler than Jung Haesung. Definitely.”
