“When I went to that competition show, I really wanted to die. If I got eliminated there, all the practice I’d done up until then would’ve been for nothing. Competing was hard, keeping up with practice was overwhelming. I wanted to throw away my whole trainee life, not knowing whether I’d debut or not.”
“…….”
“I endured it by thinking about that stuck-up Kim Wooseok. Because I wanted revenge. When I thought about how they ruined my life and were probably living well, it really pissed me off. I didn’t even have money to go to a psychiatrist, so I endured it alone. I hope he gets a mental illness too. No, I at least want to leave even a small scar on him.”
Eunchan could glimpse Choi Hanul’s vicious heart. He wasn’t someone who would listen if told to stop, and now that things had come to this, the only answer was to stay by his side so he could vent it all out. Eunchan, who had shoved his mouth full of ice, waited for Kim Wooseok.
Not long after, a man sat down in the chair in front of them. When he turned his head, he saw a neat face with quite a clean appearance.
“Hanul?”
“Hey, Wooseok-ah.”
“Hello.”
Choi Hanul took off his mask and extended his hand to Kim Wooseok. Kim Wooseok smiled refreshingly and clasped hands with him, shaking hands. Eunchan just nodded his head briefly in greeting.
“Long time no see. Who’s this?”
“A hyung I’m close with. I ran into him while passing by. Is that okay?”
“Well, yeah.”
Just as Choi Hanul had done, Kim Wooseok also looked Eunchan up and down. Eunchan crunched on the ice while meeting that gaze.
“You haven’t had lunch yet, right? Should we eat together?”
“I’m fine with it. Hyung, you’re okay with it too, right?”
“Yes.”
He wouldn’t tell me to leave, would he? Eunchan worried about his wallet for a moment while observing the two young men.
Unexpectedly, the atmosphere between the two was friendly and harmonious. He couldn’t imagine at all that this guy had bullied Choi Hanul. Kim Wooseok warmly asked about Choi Hanul’s well-being, and Choi Hanul also happily welcomed Kim Wooseok.
Lunch took place at a pasta restaurant. Had Miro eaten? While thinking of Miro and wiping his hands with a wet tissue, Kim Wooseok, sitting across from him, threw out a question.
“What do you do for work, hyung?”
Since he was in a position of deceiving them, he couldn’t honestly say he was an errand center employee. Moreover, Choi Hanul had said that Kim Wooseok was someone who judged people by their status. He had to lie to give as good an impression as possible.
Glancing sideways to gauge Choi Hanul’s reaction, Eunchan tried to think of wealthy people around him.
“……I just, well, hang out.”
The richest person Eunchan knew, Miro, spent his days playing with Eunchan every day.
“Ah, I see.”
At the mention of unemployment, Kim Wooseok nodded and smiled. Wooseok seemed to have many questions he wanted to ask this wealthy-looking unemployed person, like whether he owned any buildings or what his parents did, but when Eunchan kept making blank expressions, he gave up on making conversation.
When the food came out, Hanul and Wooseok quickly reminisced about their school days’ subject teachers and bloomed into stories only the two of them knew. Eunchan busily filled his stomach while checking messages from Miro here and there.
[Are you two together? Is the client young? ^^.]
Since even Hyungsik hated it so much, it didn’t seem right to honestly say the client was a handsome idol, so Eunchan replied that it was an older man, then checked the time. It felt like he hadn’t been at work long, but it was already afternoon. If he’d known it would be like this, he should’ve just brought Hyungsik along too.
“I was so surprised when I saw you debut. You always had that spark, even back then.”
“Ah, you watched the program?”
“Yeah. I even did text voting for you.”
“Thanks. I’m a bit embarrassed.”
When evening came, he’d send the two off to drink and he could just clock out. Eunchan scraped clean even the remaining plates and patted his full stomach.
“It’s a shame to part ways after just lunch.”
“Should we go to a cafe or something?”
When Choi Hanul spoke with regretful eyes, Kim Wooseok suggested dessert.
“Don’t you want to drink?”
“There won’t be any bars open during the day.”
Eunchan sucked on his cider through a straw while looking at the scenery outside. Whether the two went to a cafe or a bar, all he wanted was to go home quickly.
“I looked it up and this place is open even during the day.”
Choi Hanul introduced a bar, saying he’d looked it up. Kim Wooseok checked the location and asked with a stiff face.
“This place……. Do you know what kind of place this is?”
“I know. I’ve wanted to try going there for a while anyway. Is it okay?”
“Are *you* okay with it?”
“I just need to keep wearing my hat and mask. Hyung, you’ll come too, right?”
While Eunchan was spacing out with his chin propped up, Choi Hanul poked his arm.
“Where?”
“To the bar.”
“I’m…….”
Say you’ll go quickly. Eunchan read Choi Hanul’s eyes. He didn’t want to go, but as the client, he had no choice. Eunchan reluctantly nodded his head. Choi Hanul’s face filled with a smile as he stood up, saying he’d pay for lunch.
[When are you coming? ^^.]
Eunchan postponed replying to Miro’s message and cleared the table. He didn’t forget to pledge that he’d clock out before 6 PM no matter what.
The small bar Choi Hanul introduced was located on a deserted alley. It was strange that there wasn’t even a common sign hanging. Was this really trying to do business, or what? Eunchan clicked his tongue, saying they probably weren’t even making enough for rent. When they entered the shop, acrid smoke and loud music mixed and flowed under the dim lighting. Despite it being afternoon in broad daylight, it wasn’t empty—there were surprisingly several customers.
“Let’s sit here.”
Kim Wooseok, who sat on a stool in front of the bar, also offered seats to Eunchan and Hanul. After seating Choi Hanul next to Kim Wooseok, Eunchan took a seat next to him.
“Long time no see. Who’s this?”
As if it was a bar Kim Wooseok regularly frequented, the bartender smiled and acted familiar. The bartender made a curious face while gesturing at Choi Hanul, bundled up in a hat and mask, and Eunchan, whom he was seeing for the first time.
“This is my friend, and this is a hyung my friend knows.”
“Oh~ The hyung my friend knows is my type. You’re handsome, hyung.”
At the bartender’s cloying voice, Eunchan made a sour face and nodded his head.
“What do you want to drink?”
“You recommend something.”
“I’ll recommend something for you, hyung. Can you hold your liquor?”
Choi Hanul requested a recommendation from Kim Wooseok, and the bartender held out a menu to Eunchan while leaning his body close. Eunchan pulled his upper body back and ordered the most basic mojito. Even without him butting in, the atmosphere between the two seemed friendly and harmonious. When the bartender smiled and stroked his arm, Eunchan hurriedly pulled it back and placed his hands on his lap.
[When are you coming? ^^.]
When there was no reply, he could feel Miro rushing him. Eunchan sent a message saying he’d be a bit late, then tapped Choi Hanul’s shoulder to call him.
“I’ll leave after one drink.”
“What are you talking about, hyung. You have to stay until night. They said more people come in the evening.”
“Look, Choi Han…….”
It seemed like he’d be held captive until night, so Eunchan sighed while trying to call his name, but Choi Hanul hurriedly covered Eunchan’s mouth.
“You can’t call me by my real name here. You know that, right?”
“Why?”
Even if it was a bar, Choi Hanul wasn’t a minor, and couldn’t friends have a drink together? When Eunchan asked for a reason out of bewilderment, Choi Hanul whispered softly in Eunchan’s ear.
“Why? Because this is a gay bar.”
Was he insane? Goosebumps rose on his back. You came here because you had nowhere else to go? When Eunchan abruptly stood up from his seat, Kim Wooseok and the bartender simultaneously looked at Eunchan.
“We’re going to the bathroom for a bit.”
Choi Hanul stood up, making an excuse about the bathroom. And he sent Eunchan a signal to follow. Eunchan furrowed his brow sharply and followed behind Choi Hanul.
Eunchan, who locked the bathroom door, crossed his arms and leaned his back against the wall.
“I’d say I’ve done my part.”
“You haven’t even done anything.”
“You only asked me to just be there with you.”
And strictly speaking, this job was Hyungsik’s responsibility, and Eunchan had only been supplemented to help Hyungsik.
“I came here because Kim Wooseok comes here often.”
“Do well. You two had a good atmosphere going.”
Eunchan joked that it looked like they might start dating soon.
“You think so too, hyung? Do you think he’d fall for it if I seduce him?”
“I don’t know. I’m leaving after one drink, so know that.”
He wasn’t interested. When Eunchan tried to leave the bathroom, Choi Hanul hurriedly grabbed Eunchan’s waist.
“Actually, I’m still scared to be alone with him……. Right now I’ve confirmed my debut and gained a lot of fans, but standing in front of him makes me feel like that pathetic middle schooler again.”
When a kid around Hyungsik’s age drooped his eyebrows and whined, it made him uncomfortable. He also thought about how much he must have wanted revenge to do such an absurd thing. Eunchan pressed his forehead and endured a throbbing headache.
“And I deposited more money too.”
“What money?”
At the out-of-the-blue statement, Eunchan asked back.
“While paying for the food, the boss called. Asking if I was doing the job well. He said he wanted me to keep doing it, so he’d deposit more.”
Was he really blinded by money? Eunchan cursed the rotten boss and patted Choi Hanul’s shoulder.
“I’ll just be next to you. I’m definitely leaving before 6.”
“Yes, yes.”
Choi Hanul’s head nodded repeatedly. Now that things had come to this, he should at least drink a ton before leaving. Eunchan told Choi Hanul to straighten his shoulders more, then opened the bathroom door.
