It was a different day from usual. After filming ended, his body would become heavy like a water-soaked sponge.
But today, the way home was enjoyable. No, to be more accurate, it should be called “the way home from work these days.”
“Are you that happy?”
Wootae, who had been glancing at Dohyeong through the rearview mirror, asked in a voice tinged with laughter.
Dohyeong had brightened up a lot recently. He smiled more often than before, didn’t waver at small things, and brooded deeply less often.
He came to express his thoughts more clearly, and gained the leisure to occasionally toss out jokes.
Although it was a bit unpleasant that all of this was thanks to Jung Haesung, so what?
Beyond getting better than before, he was returning to the Kim Dohyeong of the past.
“Yeah. I didn’t know going home could be this good.”
“By the way, you two are lucky not to get caught. The routes are always similar, so I was really worried about what would happen if you got caught.”
“They say luck is also a skill, hyung.”
“Well now. You two are both very skilled indeed.”
“Of course. Who do you think we are?”
Who do you think you are?
Wootae, who was about to retort, snorted as if dumbfounded and continued driving.
Being able to answer cheekily was also because Dohyeong had changed.
Just being satisfied that he could face the Kim Dohyeong he had first seen again, Wootae concentrated on driving.
“Oh right, hyung. Before we go, I…”
The moment he was about to say he needed to stop by home.
His phone vibrated. It was a call from Yuchan.
“Huh?”
“No, hyung. Let me take this call.”
Sorry, sorry. Dohyeong, who had been gesturing with one hand open, answered the phone.
“Yeah, Yuchan.”
[Dohyeong. Are you alone right now?]
“No, I’m on my way home. Why?”
[Then just listen.]
When he heard words like this, he felt like all the blood in his body was draining away.
He would become anxious as if some big trouble he couldn’t do anything about was about to come.
There were also moments when he became trapped, unable to move at all, by past thoughts that suddenly arose.
“Yeah. Got it.”
But the Kim Dohyeong of now was different.
He was learning ways to escape, and he also had confidence to overcome whatever came his way with composure.
And perhaps even this might just be his needless worry.
[Just now… I heard some rumors from this side.]
“You have wide connections too. Where do you even hear such things?”
[Anyway, about that photo.]
“Ah… yeah.”
[That, they say it wasn’t leaked by the directing team or staff… but from the actor’s side. I heard from someone connected to Endpatch.]
“What?”
Dohyeong’s gaze, which had been looking out the window, slowly turned and reached Wootae’s back.
And he stared for a while at his two eyes reflected in the rearview mirror.
No way. The voice that briefly murmured had long been swallowed inside his lips.
[Actor, manager, stylist, makeup team… Of course, it’s not certain, but.]
“Yeah.”
[I thought you should know.]
Even stronger force was applied to the fingertips tightly gripping the phone.
Dohyeong, who took a short breath, nodded. His gaze was still directed at Wootae sitting in the driver’s seat.
“Got it. I’ll call you.”
[Don’t worry too much about it. Ah… no. You can’t help but worry about it.]
“No, that kind of thing…”
[Okay. I’ll hang up for now. Contact me later.]
He hung up the phone, leaving Yuchan’s brief goodbye behind.
And he hastily withdrew his gaze from Wootae.
Of all people, Ji Wootae.
He absolutely wasn’t that kind of person, and there was no reason for him to do that.
He shook his head, but Soyeon’s words floated around in his mind.
‘So don’t trust anyone.’
Why had it become a situation where he couldn’t trust anyone?
A deep sigh was leaking out soundlessly.
***
Even after arriving home, he kept mulling over Yuchan’s words.
He was sitting blankly on the sofa watching TV when Haesung sat beside him and leaned his head on Dohyeong’s shoulder.
For a moment, Dohyeong, startled by even the slight weight applied, turned his gaze.
“Ah, right.”
And he nodded as if he had realized something.
“It was the house I’m in with hyung.”
He had completely forgotten.
Whether it was because of all the thoughts Yuchan’s words brought.
He had been lost in thought, forgetting everything around him.
“…I think I need to hear what that means, Kim Dohyeong-ssi.”
Haesung hugged Dohyeong’s waist tightly with a sulky expression.
Then he pulled him close to his side and brought his face near.
“What were you thinking about so much?”
“No, hyung.”
“You could completely forget you’re with me?”
Huh? Haesung, who had been asking back, rolled his eyes.
He had clearly been serious just moments ago, but seeing such a Haesung made him naturally laugh.
“Please give me an answer, Kim Dohyeong-ssi.”
Haesung with a sulking voice was quite cute.
That a person could change this much.
And that he too could be saved by Haesung in a fleeting moment.
“Mm…”
Dohyeong hesitated for a moment, then sneakily glanced at Haesung.
And quickly climbed onto his lap.
As he sat facing him and grasped his shoulders, Haesung’s gaze swept over Dohyeong from top to bottom.
“…Here?”
Haesung, who seemed to be pondering for a moment, firmly grabbed Dohyeong’s waist.
“I’m good with it, but really?”
What on earth is he talking about, Dohyeong, who was thinking, glared at Haesung and smacked his hand.
“No, it’s not that.”
“…That would have been nice.”
Haesung, who had made a disappointed expression while deflated, smiled faintly.
Then this time he hugged Dohyeong’s waist tightly and pulled him close to his side.
As always, he met his eyes.
I’m listening to your story. It was a small whisper that could be felt even through his gaze.
“So, what’s the worry? Tell me.”
He had to tell the story, and he did open his mouth with determination.
But now that it came to this, he contemplated whether it was right for him to speak.
Wouldn’t bringing up unnecessary talk make Haesung uncomfortable too?
Wouldn’t he be dragging even Haesung into the cycle of worries he didn’t have to have?
“Dohyeong.”
But with just that one call, it all came crumbling down.
How should I say it, the brief hesitation was swept down below like a collapsing dam.
“It’s okay. Tell me.”
His words saying it’s okay always made Dohyeong’s heart stable.
He felt like his blocked insides were opening up.
“The very first time, when my heat cycle hit. The day we had the poster shoot and company dinner.”
“Ah, that day.”
At Dohyeong’s words, Haesung also nodded.
Perhaps it started around then.
When his feelings toward Dohyeong began to lose their bearings.
“From then until now, I thought it was a bit strange that things kept breaking out without rest. It was just like someone was deliberately causing it.”
Haesung agreed as well.
In the first place, things that wouldn’t be known unless it was someone close by, or someone watching them, were written in articles.
It was a situation where they couldn’t help but suspect.
“But today, I heard such a story.”
“What story?”
“All the incidents that broke out until now… they say they were all spread not through the directing team or staff, but through people from the cast.”
A brief silence flowed.
The two of them met eyes without saying anything.
“You mean people on the actor’s side?”
“Yes. Actor, manager, stylist, makeup team…”
It wouldn’t be the makeup team or stylists. Those who make their living by word-of-mouth among celebrities have no reason to do such things while bearing the risk.
It might be possible if they received money from Endpatch.
But wasn’t it a drama where prominent actors gathered in the first place? The connections gained here would also play a part.
It wouldn’t compare to money that wasn’t even much.
‘Then, who…’
What narrowed down were the managers.
Manager Do, or Manager Ji?
Yuchan’s manager or Soyeon’s manager also couldn’t be excluded.
But what followed was another doubt. If even a small rumor spread far and wide enough to shake an actor’s position, wouldn’t the managers’ livelihoods be cut off as well?
Really, were it them?
“I don’t want to suspect anyone.”
“…The world won’t let us be like that.”
Right?
Haesung smiled with effort and brushed back Dohyeong’s hair.
Dohyeong, who was nodding while smiling faintly, sighed deeply and nestled into Haesung’s embrace.
“But it’s not like anyone was particularly strange, or there were circumstances to suspect either.”
“If there had been such things, there wouldn’t have been any need to rack your brain worrying about it.”
No, even while saying that, the two of them vaguely felt it.
The center of all events was always Dohyeong.
Just one, only Haesung’s article had gone astray.
But that day, hadn’t Dohyeong also gone to that department store?
The likely person narrowed down to just one, but their thoughts stopped there.
Because they absolutely didn’t want to suspect. Because they wanted to believe that Ji Wootae, at least that person, wouldn’t.
“Let’s watch for now. We have no choice but to focus on filming as much as possible.”
“Yeah. For the time being, I don’t have any schedule besides this.”
“Me too. Since it’s the final stretch, I want to focus only on this. And…”
And?
Dohyeong slightly raised his head and looked at him.
As if waiting, Haesung hugged Dohyeong and laid him down on the sofa. Supporting himself with one arm on the backrest while caressing his face with the other hand.
“I’m thinking of focusing on this a bit too.”
A soft laugh came out.
Because even in such moments, Haesung trying to give him certainty was endlessly lovely.
Dohyeong stretched out both arms and firmly hugged his neck.
The distance between the two gradually narrowed. Finally, when their lips got close enough to almost touch.
Dohyeong’s phone started ringing loudly.
The two, startled, turned their heads toward the table.
Somehow an ominous premonition that he shouldn’t answer the phone struck him.
“Should I not answer?”
“What if it’s an important call?”
Right, since his stock was rising these days, he couldn’t just ignore it.
Haesung raised both hands as if giving up and sat up, and Dohyeong also raised his upper body.
[Im Hakyung]
The name displayed on the screen was unwelcome.
He pondered what to do, but rather, it seemed like avoiding it would be poisonous.
Haesung also nodded with a look. And he stuck close to Dohyeong and listened.
“Yes. This is Kim Dohyeong.”
Whew, he heard a long sigh.
Dohyeong gripped the phone tightly, trying hard to calm his nervous heart.
“Hakyung-ssi?”
[Sunbae.]
The stiff tone that followed.
No, should it be called cold?
“Yes. I’m listening. What is it?”
[It’s not really anything, but I’m wondering what I should commit right now.]
Commit?
Dohyeong and Haesung met eyes with somewhat anxious looks.
“What do you mean commit?”
[So, whether I’ll commit it or not. It depends on sunbae’s choice. There’s still a chance… What do you say, want to hear it once?]
