“They’re going to ask in the interview. Where we usually meet, what we do when we hang out, stuff like that.”
The preliminary interviews would be conducted separately, but either way, it would be strange if their stories differed. He explained calmly, but somehow Kwon Isoo went silent again. No, he was quiet for a moment then started muttering harsh curses to himself. What? He was surprised for a moment, but listening carefully, it was closer to just talking to himself.
— Hey.
Soon after, his irritated voice was heard.
— Figure it out yourself. I’m hanging up.
“…Wait! Kwon Isoo.”
Do Yeonjae gripped his phone tightly and urgently persuaded him.
“Don’t be like that, let’s match up at least briefly. Just a few things. Huh?”
He didn’t know what he was thinking when he accepted, but since he’d decided to proceed, shouldn’t he at least not ruin the filming? Don’t you have any sense of responsibility…… he didn’t say. Because he was anxious that the call might cut off at any moment.
Fortunately, what came back as an answer wasn’t a click but a sullen voice.
— Then you come here.
“Huh?”
— Calls are annoying. I’ll send you the address, so come right away.
This time, a click sound was really heard. Shortly after, a notification appeared on the screen. It was a message with an address written in it.
Is he really telling me to come? Looking at it being a studio apartment, it seems like where he lives.
At first he was flustered, but thinking about it, it seemed better to meet in person and talk rather than over the phone. He happened to have no schedule today so the timing was fine, and he could also find out what this guy was thinking while he was at it….
Do Yeonjae, pressing down his cap, grabbed a mask and left the room.
Hayun had already joined Baek Sian, who was watching TV in the same position as before. Hayun, who didn’t seem particularly interested in the TV program, asked Do Yeonjae who was heading to the entrance.
“Yeonjae, where are you going?”
“I’m meeting a friend for a bit and I’ll be back before dinner.”
Friend…. He paused on his own at the word he’d spoken. The moment his hand tying his shoelaces slowed down slightly, Baek Sian’s cheerful voice pierced his ears.
“Oh, then chicken together for dinner?”
“Sounds good.”
He smiled slightly and got up. After leaving through the front door, while waiting for the elevator, he entered the address in a taxi app.
Taking a taxi, he could arrive without it taking long.
He showed his ID to the front desk on the first floor of the building. The staff compared the name on the ID with a list, then gave a fresh smile.
“Ah, Do Yeonjae-nim. Confirmed. You may go up.”
Kwon Isoo must have registered him. The security is thorough, probably because it’s a luxury studio apartment.
He took the elevator and got off on the 15th floor and pressed the bell. Do Yeonjae unnecessarily took off his cap then put it back on properly.
“……”
But there was no response. Thinking this might not be it, he checked the unit number again. This is the right place…. The moment he was about to press again, he felt a presence beyond the front door.
Soon the door opened.
A subtle body wash scent greeted Do Yeonjae before the homeowner. Kwon Isoo, who soon appeared, was wearing a bathrobe draped somewhat loosely. Humid air…. Looking at his damply wet hair, it seemed he’d hurriedly come out while showering.
Whether he’d tied the waist belt loosely, his sternocleidomastoid muscles down to his deeply carved clavicle were exposed. Even though his flat chest was slightly visible, Kwon Isoo didn’t care and just scanned Do Yeonjae with an expressionless face. Then he raised an eyebrow.
“You’re alive. Thought you died.”
Do Yeonjae frowned. What is he saying?
Kwon Isoo didn’t even listen to an answer and turned his body sharply.
Since he couldn’t keep standing in front of the door, he followed him inside for now. The interior of the studio apartment was neat. The spacious and bright space finished with white-toned marble interior gave a sophisticated impression, but it also felt empty enough to be unbelievable as a place where a person lived.
The only part where a sense of living could be felt in this place was the living room table scattered with all kinds of cigarettes. At a glance, it seemed like a cigarette buffet. One that tasted like chocolate, one that smelled like coffee, one that looked terribly bitter, one with an ice drawing on it…. The peculiar thing was that all of them had their packaging torn open, and exactly one or two cigarettes were missing from each.
“Sit for a bit. I ordered delivery, so if the bell rings, get it.”
Do Yeonjae, who’d been looking down at the table curiously, raised his face. Delivery? Hasn’t he eaten lunch yet?
He nodded and sat awkwardly on the sofa in front of the table. He put down a drink carrier and macaron set next to the cigarette buffet. He’d bought them right in front since it felt weird to come empty-handed.
Kwon Isoo’s was a chocolate chip frappuccino piled high with whipped cream (he saw it on Namuwiki). Do Yeonjae’s was an iced Americano with two extra shots.
Kwon Isoo glanced at what Do Yeonjae had brought, then went into the room while drying his hair with a towel.
He hadn’t expected a great reaction, but he felt slightly awkward. He fiddled with the back of his neck for no reason while looking around the house. That place he just went into seems to be the bedroom. The room on the opposite side… is it a studio?
Living room, kitchen. Two rooms and one bathroom. The interior was splendid, but it was just the right size for living alone. And the terrace outside the living room extended long in a straight line, then the space widened considerably on the bedroom side—it was a private embedded-structure terrace with only one side open to the outside.
After finishing looking at everything there was to see, his gaze returned to the table. It was fascinating even looking at it twice. Is this guy trying to sell cigarettes? Or, don’t tell me, was he annoyed by what I said about smoking when we met last time? So if he bought all these out of a rebellious spirit…… there’s nothing to say but that it’s very much like Kwon Isoo.
He was scrunching up his face and quietly looking at the phrase ‘Smoking causes lung cancer! Will you still smoke?’ on the cigarette pack when the bell rang. The delivery must be here. He went to the entrance, opened the door, and received a plastic bag.
“Thank you.”
The door closed with a ding.
Do Yeonjae roughly organized the cigarettes on the table and put down the food. What Kwon Isoo had ordered was pizza. But…… Do Yeonjae’s expression became strange after slightly opening the box.
It’s Hawaiian pizza.
Not long ago, he’d appeared on a YouTube variety show and mentioned that he’d become addicted to eating Hawaiian pizza with hot sauce these days. And on Kwon Isoo’s Namuwiki, it was written like this:
[Food he hates most in the world: Hawaiian pizza]
Do Yeonjae sat like The Thinker sculpture and pondered deeply. Would Kwon Isoo really have watched the obscure variety show with 60,000 views that he appeared on? The answer was firmly NO….
Then.
Do Yeonjae took out his phone with a somewhat serious face. Coincidentally, among RAYEON members, there was a hyung who extremely hated Hawaiian pizza. He boldly skipped the introduction and sent straight to the point.
Sian-hyung
A person who hates Hawaiian pizza most in the world bought Hawaiian pizza, what could be the reason?
For reference, we’re not on good terms
The reply arrived quickly.
It means you’re as shitty as Hawaiian pizza
“Ah……”
I knew it.
He wasn’t even surprised. Hadn’t he already felt several times that Kwon Isoo disliked him? Last time they met, he was even called a selfish bastard.
Just one thing—the variable of him unexpectedly accepting the program happened, so he came here now.
What on earth is he thinking? He muttered while looking down at the pizza with an uncomfortable face.
“But why isn’t this guy coming out?”
The pizza’s getting cold. Even if it’s the food he hates most in the world, he wouldn’t have ordered it if he wasn’t going to eat even one bite. He must want to try a great challenge today or something. Actually, whether what was in front of him was Hawaiian pizza or chocolate pizza, he was concerned about the food getting cold.
Even if he wanted to take out plates or cups in advance, it felt wrong to freely enter someone else’s kitchen.
More than 10 minutes passed while he quietly waited, sipping his iced Americano. Do Yeonjae shot up from his seat. He lingered in front of the room Kwon Isoo had entered earlier, then called him.
“Kwon Isoo. What are you doing? The food came.”
No answer. Kwon Isoo? Even after knocking a couple times, it was the same. What the hell is he doing? After briefly pondering, he opened the bedroom door.
And came face to face with massive full nudity.
“……”
It was flustering. That was truly full nudity in the literal sense. Do Yeonjae’s calm gaze, frozen while gripping the doorknob, moved slowly along the angular body lines. From the broad shoulder frame to the prominent arm muscles and wide chest… solid thighs… and between them…….
This is crazy.
It was the moment his gaze unconsciously focused on that imposing place.
“No, fuck, are you crazy?”
For a moment, Do Yeonjae was confused whether he’d unknowingly spoken the thoughts in his head out loud. However, the speaker was not him but Kwon Isoo. Kwon Isoo frozen stiff.
His gaze was shaking as if flustered. His thick Adam’s apple gulped. …Ah. Do Yeonjae’s inner social awareness let him know this was the timing to apologize.
“Sorry. You didn’t answer…. The pizza came.”
But why… are you completely naked? He was about to ask but didn’t because it seemed rude.
It wasn’t even just shirtless, and even between guys, suddenly showing the full body seemed a bit embarrassing, so he showed the courtesy of slightly turning his gaze out of politeness. However, no matter how much he turned his eyes away, the afterimage that remained intensely didn’t leave. His body looked incredibly big and solid… Which gym does he go to?
Looking at the clothes messily spread out on the bed, he was probably pondering what to wear. He must have been pondering so seriously that he couldn’t hear the knocking. I just came wearing a sweatshirt though….
As he was scanning his own appearance, sharp criticism pierced his ears.
“You’re not even a pervert. Coming in without knocking when someone’s getting dressed?”
I knocked twice…. Do Yeonjae unconsciously turned his head. He also called his name and knocked twice, so that statement felt a bit unfair.
In the meantime, he’d put on bottoms but his upper body was still raw as is. The moment Do Yeonjae’s gaze landed, Kwon Isoo’s face hardened sharply again.
“…Fuck, what are you looking at? Enjoying the view?”
