After filming with Yuchan, Haesung suffered from insomnia of unknown cause.
“When it comes to self-care, it’s Jung Haesung. When it comes to Jung Haesung, it’s self-care. Wow, that rule is breaking this time.”
Even at Seonghyeok’s nagging, which sounded both teasing and worried, Haesung said nothing.
It wasn’t that he didn’t know the cause of his insomnia. He was just denying it and avoiding it.
It was the day of filming with Dohyeong after a long time. To be precise, the scene where he goes to Dohyeong’s lab, which is working closely with Yujin’s company, and proposes a job transfer to him.
Perhaps that’s why he was in a good mood from the morning. That’s why he arrived at the filming site earlier than other actors and had been looking at the script for a while.
As he was turning pages of the script and examining the parts he had checked in advance, someone suddenly approached in front of Haesung.
“I’m counting on you, sunbae-nim.”
When he slightly raised his head, what he saw was Im Hakyung, who played the role of his close friend.
A slender physique with a rather sharp impression. He had a body as small as Dohyeong’s for a man.
“…Ah, yes. I’m counting on you too.”
As usual, Haesung threw out a word as a greeting and moved his gaze back to the script.
It was proof that he was in a good mood.
Normally, he would have been annoyed and roughly passed it off with a nod. Of course, because such prickliness and sensitivity were also famous, no one raised objections.
Because it was Jung Haesung. The undisputed popular actor of South Korea, Jung Haesung.
Thinking that just leaving a greeting was enough, he was scanning the script again when this time Hakyung sat down next to him.
“You seem to be in a good mood today?”
At the question asked with a bright smile, Haesung, who had been looking at him sideways, nodded.
“Yes, well.”
“I’ve been worried because I heard rumors the past few days that sunbae-nim’s condition hasn’t been good.”
“I’m fine.”
It was a somewhat blunt tone, but Hakyung stuck close to him regardless.
He, who had been looking at Haesung’s face for a while, made a fuss as if surprised.
“By the way, where do you get your skincare, sunbae-nim? Your skin is so good.”
Then he came closer and put his fingertips on Haesung’s cheek.
A strange touch that suddenly made contact. It was the moment he hated most in the world. Haesung blocked his touch with the script he was holding.
“Sunbae, sunbae. Who taught you to touch people carelessly while saying such things?”
“What? No, I…”
“You seem to have thought I’d like it if you fawned over me and clung to me, but it’s the behavior I hate most in the world.”
When Haesung’s sharp gaze also met his subsequently, Hakyung flinched and pulled his hand back toward himself.
“I’m sorry. I just…”
“Let’s be careful.”
He was about to say that even if not him, other actors would be the same, but he closed his mouth.
Because there would surely be people who thought of Hakyung’s behavior as a sign of friendliness.
He didn’t want to generalize and talk about their tastes or thoughts. Tastes should be respected.
“…I’m sorry if I offended you.”
“Are you done with your business?”
Even while asking the question, Haesung’s gaze wasn’t on Hakyung.
After opening the script that had been covering one side of his face, he was just slowly looking for the page he had been reading.
“If you’re done, I think it would be good to go and memorize even one more line.”
“……”
“I don’t want to work with someone who isn’t serious about acting.”
And how much time had passed? Hakyung, who had been sitting beside him, slowly got up.
With his hands behind his back, he moved a couple steps away from Haesung, then smiled at him.
“But why did you do that in the old days?”
In an instant, Haesung’s eyes, which had been examining the script, froze. Strength went into his fingertips holding the script.
“No, to be a little more precise… why did you do it this time?”
The laughter mixed in his voice was quite hateful. He slowly raised his head and faced him.
“Someone you don’t want to work with. Isn’t that how sunbae-nim looked a few days ago? Ah, this might be rude to say too.”
Hakyung, who had been spouting words in succession, smiled brightly and stepped back a couple more steps.
“I’ll see you during filming later. Good work.”
Before Haesung could add any words, Hakyung quickly walked away from his view.
Why did he even come? He, who had been sighing deeply, shook his head.
But there was no way the script would come into view now. He leaned back against the chair and chewed over the conversation with Hakyung.
Jung Haesung, who doesn’t want to work with someone who isn’t serious about acting.
And a few days ago, his own appearance when he couldn’t be serious about acting.
Was it enough that even a rookie actor noticed? He let out an empty laugh and swept down his face with one hand.
‘Dohyeong, you too must find this version of me ridiculous…’
But in the end, the words circling inside couldn’t come out of his mouth.
Would there come a day when he could ask? If he asked, would Kim Dohyeong laugh? Various thoughts were creating a large stone called a sigh in one corner of his heart.
***
He thought he had arrived earlier than expected, but the filming site was already bustling.
After exchanging greetings with staff members moving here and there, Dohyeong sat in his seat prepared near Director Na.
Then, after talking with Director Na for a while about Yehyun’s emotional line and appearance that should be shown in today’s filming, he focused on the script again.
The protagonists of *Glass Holding Stars* were clearly four people, but every time they filmed, he realized anew.
In the end, the real protagonist of this story was Yehyun, who was creating his own story.
He was the only character who pioneered his own path, sought it out, and ultimately gave his heart to someone who faced him completely.
Because he knew this, the pressure grew even more. The fact that he had to do well seemed to be moving him.
“Dohyeong sunbae.”
While he was immersed in the script, a familiar voice was heard from beside him. When he turned his head, there was Hakyung smiling brightly at him.
“Hello. You came early.”
“Well, I’m not a lead role but… if I work hard, won’t my future path be smooth too?”
“Moving early means you’re that diligent. I should come a little earlier next time too.”
Dohyeong responded good-naturedly and smiled. Then he moved his gaze to the script.
Just as he was about to focus again, this time Hakyung sat down next to Dohyeong.
“Sunbae. Want to take a selfie with me?”
“A selfie?”
“I recently started SNS again. But I have no pictures to upload. Fans know I’m filming, but it’s hard to take and upload all the updates from here. And Dohyeong sunbae is the only one I’ve had a few conversations with like this. Is it not okay?”
Was he originally such a warm person? Surely at the group reading…
After thinking for a moment, Dohyeong shook his head slightly and smiled at Hakyung.
“Yes. Sure. It’s not a difficult thing.”
Right. A selfie isn’t such a difficult thing.
“Thank you. As expected, I thought Dohyeong sunbae would do it.”
Hakyung, who was taking out his phone at Dohyeong’s permission, looked across. He met eyes with Haesung, who was staring intently this way, but he didn’t care.
“Oh right. I’m curious about something.”
Hakyung’s gaze was still toward Haesung. He, who had been smiling, slowly turned to Dohyeong.
“What is it?”
“Haesung sunbae-nim, does he normally just stay still no matter who touches him?”
“…What?”
“No, his skin was so good. Without realizing it, as if possessed, I touched his face like this.”
Hakyung lightly touched one of Dohyeong’s cheeks. Looking at him who was startled but didn’t stop him even once, this time he caressed his face as if cupping it with his palm.
“He had no reaction like sunbae. He just looked at me quietly.”
“…I see.”
He should have stopped him from touching carelessly like at the group reading, but he kept being conscious of the surrounding gazes. No, more than that, he was flustered so words didn’t come out well.
There were various reasons, but the biggest one among them was Haesung’s story.
Even though his face was touched, he didn’t impose any restraint. He just watched quietly.
Long ago, he was someone who didn’t particularly like him touching his face either. His expression would stiffen or he would avoid his hand all the time.
He couldn’t smile. It was a story that could be passed off as a joke saying people change a lot, but he couldn’t quite manage his expression.
The image of him throwing meaningful words at him sometime had been erased long ago.
Soon Hakyung’s face came clearly into his eyes.
A sharp nose bridge and cat-like eyes. Snow-white skin and pupils that always sparkled brightly as if overflowing with confidence.
‘Haesung hyung… likes this type.’
That could be. No, that has to be.
Hakyung’s appearance, which seemed overflowing with confidence in everything, reminded him of the things Haesung had wanted from him.
Knowingly or unknowingly, a seductive tone and gestures, a way of speaking that seemed to dig into people.
Since it was the complete opposite of him, who dug into his own cave alone and repeated thoughts, he might have felt favorable.
While he was deep in thought, click. The sound of taking a picture was heard. When he raised his head in surprise, Hakyung had already taken a selfie.
“Oh? Hakyung-ssi.”
And once more, click. This time, Dohyeong’s surprised face was captured.
“Ah, that was cute. This picture came out really cute.”
“…You should have given a signal.”
“Sunbae comes out better naturally like this than posed. Didn’t you know?”
At Hakyung’s appearance, asking with his eyes wide open as if really surprised, Dohyeong smiled awkwardly.
“…Is that so.”
“They say so! I want to send it to sunbae too. Can you give me your number?”
It was the most awkward moment.
He should just say to send it through his manager, but he hesitated for no reason.
“Ah, right. I’m too unknown to receive a number. Right?”
At Hakyung’s awkward smile, Dohyeong shook his head as if very surprised.
“No, no! It wasn’t for that reason. I’ll give you my number. Give me your phone.”
“You don’t have to push yourself too much.”
“It’s not pushing myself. It’s okay.”
“Thank you.”
Hakyung smiled slightly and handed over his phone.
While Dohyeong was entering the number, Hakyung quietly watched toward where Haesung was.
As expected, those eyes glaring at him were fierce. What’s the reason for that gaze? After thinking for a while, he smiles brightly.
“Hakyung-ssi, here.”
And receiving the phone Dohyeong handed over, he lightly gripped his wrist.
The gaze that had been toward Haesung slowly turned to Dohyeong.
“Thank you.”
Hakyung caressed Dohyeong’s wrist and met his eyes. At that moment, low footsteps approached the two of them.
“Kim Dohyeong-ssi.”
A familiar voice was heard from above his head. When he raised his head, there was Haesung with a firmly hardened expression.
“Yes, sunbae-nim.”
“Let’s go over our lines.”
At the voice that seemed to scratch his throat, Dohyeong put strength into the hand holding the script.
“Me?”
Out of confusion, he ended up asking a stupid question about whether those words were meant for him, but Haesung nodded without caring.
“Yes. Who else is there besides Kim Dohyeong-ssi?”
Why on earth was Haesung so angry? Did he really like Hakyung?
It was a moment when idle thoughts quickly crossed his mind.
