The photoshoot wrapped up smoothly, and the members who had been struggling with the heat were finally freed from the filming location and could head to their dorm.
The air conditioner breeze in the car was as cold as winter wind, but it was far from enough to blow away the members’ heat.
Yeomin tried to enjoy the coolness, at least in spirit, by playing all kinds of summer songs on his phone.
“Hey. What’s with that song selection? Hurry up and play something else.”
At the suddenly played song by girl idol group ‘Atlantis,’ Raulie made a fuss and scolded Yeomin. Raulie had been in a secret relationship with Atlantis’s leader Lavender for two years starting from two years ago, and had broken up with her earlier this year.
“No. Why is this even in the playlist……”
Yeomin was noticeably flustered and hurriedly played the next song. The song that played next was Ahn Jia’s hit from two years ago, ‘To My Boy.’ It was a song that singer-songwriter Ahn Jia released right after breaking up with Inhan.
“What’s with today’s song selection, a medley of members’ ex-girlfriends?”
The person in question, Inhan, actually showed an indifferent reaction.
“Our Yeomin, you’re not doing this on purpose, are you?”
Jueon pursued Yeomin with reasonable suspicion. Yeomin waved his hands and insisted on his innocence.
“As if. What kind of guy is Inhan?”
The meaning implied behind that didn’t need to be said for everyone to guess. The tenacious maknae who pays back tenfold when wronged once. That was Jung Inhan. Of course, Yuho was always an exception.
“I don’t mind, so keep listening. The song’s good.”
Inhan said so, but the lyrics were too to. Jung Inhan, to just leave it playing.
‘I regret our love that I couldn’t even start.
I sometimes wonder if you think of me too.
I I I I am grateful to be on one page of your twenties.
I I I I it was a brief moment, but you were dazzlingly beautiful.’
In Ahn Jia’s lyrics, written as if representing Yuho’s feelings, Inhan’s nickname ‘Nan’ repeatedly appeared.
You hear as much as you know, and for the members who knew that Jia and Inhan were lovers, it was truly a difficult song to listen to.
But so what, it’s all in the past.
Not long after breaking up with Inhan, Ahn Jia started a public relationship with another male idol singer. And she had continued that relationship until now.
“Woohoo. Cold, so cold. Very Hollywood.”
Raulie praised Inhan’s reaction, and Inhan didn’t let Raulie’s attack pass.
“While we’re at it, let’s play the Atlantis song again too. Their new song was good.”
“Hey. I really broke up badly. Inhan. I was wrong. Let’s have a clean truce.”
Raulie obediently raised the white flag, and thus the ex-girlfriend medley incident seemed to end smoothly.
“But Yuho hyung, you really don’t have anyone you’re seeing?”
But why did I become the next target? Yuho had to respond defensively to Raulie’s suddenly thrown question.
“Me? I don’t.”
“Are you really still ‘no romance, no sex’ at twenty-four?”
“I’m not ‘no romance, no sex.'”
“If you’re talking about that one month you dated in high school, I’m really going to be disappointed.”
“Why is that?”
“You said you didn’t even kiss.”
“I held hands.”
“You hold hands with Inhan all the time too.”
This isn’t even a hearing or something. At Raulie’s barrage of questions, Yuho could only be helplessly beaten. So what if I’ve only held a girl’s hand until twenty-four? Yuho felt wronged yet embarrassed. During the time it took for Inhan to become indifferent even after listening to his ex-girlfriend’s song, all Yuho had done was struggle with a tedious one-sided love. That fact felt both wrongful and embarrassing.
“Right. You’ve even kissed me.”
Meanwhile, Inhan was eagerly agreeing with Raulie’s words. Inhan had been milking that one variety show cheek kiss forever. You did that kiss with Yeomin too, you know? In a situation where speaking up would only be disadvantageous, Yuho chose to keep his mouth shut.
“Are you really nothing with actress Im Soi?”
Now even Yeomin joined in, cornering Yuho. But wait, why is Soi coming up here? Yuho urgently denied Yeomin’s words.
“I said no.”
“I saw you contact her all the time though.”
“I contacted her because of filming. It’s not just her, I do it with all the other actors too.”
“The guy has no drive.”
Raulie added another comment, and Yuho’s patience ran out.
“Want to get hit with some drive today?”
“Wow. Yuho hyung. You know how to hit people too?”
“I can curse too. Want to hear?”
Yuho said while glaring at Raulie, who was subtly provoking him. He didn’t forget to glare at Yeomin giggling in the back seat as well.
“Who? Soi? That Im Soi who’s filming a web drama with hyung?”
The one who suddenly asked the question was Inhan. Yuho turned around in surprise. Inhan, with his smile erased, asked Yuho once more.
“Hyung. Do you contact that actress separately?”
Is it just my imagination? That he looks strangely displeased. Yuho thought it was a misunderstanding and asked Inhan.
“How do you know Soi?”
“I don’t know. I just know because she’s filming a drama with you. So? Do you contact her, that person?”
“I do. She’s my co-star.”
“I see.”
Inhan showed an indifferent reaction and leaned back against the seat. At Inhan’s attitude that seemed to have no more curiosity, Yuho felt hurt. Maybe that’s why. He deliberately brought up Inhan’s scandal partner.
“You do too. With Eunseol noona.”
“Whoa. Yuho hyung. Your attack power really has increased.”
Raulie cheered excitedly, supporting Yuho. Inhan answered with an indifferent face.
“Right. I do.”
“But you’re not dating Eunseol noona either, right?”
At Yuho’s words delivered with some confidence, Inhan didn’t answer. He smiled awkwardly as if troubled, choosing his words.
“What. Jung Inhan. Why aren’t you answering?”
“Hey. What. Was your scandal real?”
Instead of Yuho, Raulie and Yeomin made a fuss and took turns interrogating Inhan. Yuho kept his mouth shut.
“It’s not like that.”
Fortunately, Inhan gave a negative answer. It would have been good if the situation ended there, but Yeomin and Raulie, who didn’t know how to give up, began to keep pressing Inhan.
“If it’s not, then it’s not, why are you smiling so meaningfully?”
“It is true but you’re not saying it, right? You did that when you were seeing Jia noona too.”
“I never said no when it was true though.”
“Ah. Then a fling?”
“I said no.”
“Then what is it?”
At Raulie’s question, Inhan hesitated to answer and glanced at Yuho once. Then he scratched the back of his head and said sheepishly.
“I’m just in the middle of rejecting her.”
Yuho turned around in surprise. He happened to make eye contact with Inhan, and Inhan’s attention turned to Yuho again.
“Why? Did you want us to date?”
“Why are you rejecting her? You’ve become very full.”
Before Yuho could answer anything, Raulie’s mouth opened first. Yuho also chimed in with Raulie’s words.
“Right. You’ve become full. Jung Inhan.”
“Can’t we stop talking about this? It feels like it’s not polite to noona.”
“Don’t you have any intention of trying with her?”
As if he knew something, Yeomin asked Inhan with a serious attitude. Inhan hesitated for a moment before speaking in a troubled tone.
“I’m not sure.”
Thinking he shouldn’t listen any further, Yuho took out his Bluetooth earphones from his pocket. And as he was about to put them in his ears, Inhan spoke to Yuho.
“Hyo hyung. Going to sleep?”
“Ah. Yeah. Suddenly sleepy.”
“Ah why? Listen more before sleeping.”
Raulie in the seat next to him stopped Yuho’s action, wanting to hear more of Inhan’s story.
“You’ll tell us anyway when you start dating.”
Yuho said while looking back at Inhan. Inhan seemed to ponder for a moment, then answered Yuho.
“Yeah. Of course.”
“Then that’s fine. Tell me later.”
Saying that, Yuho closed his eyes with the earphones plugged in. He turned the volume up to maximum.
* * *
It was two days after the photoshoot.
They say only fools catch summer colds. Matching the air conditioner breeze set for the hot younger member line, Yuho ended up catching a cold.
“I heard you caught a cold.”
Inhan entered Yuho’s room and threw out a worried comment.
“I know. I told you to dress warmly and wear your outerwear properly.”
While he was at it, he didn’t forget to add nagging after the worry.
Yuho had nothing to say since the person who chased after him during group schedules to make him put on his jacket was none other than Inhan.
No. But if I keep wearing it, it’s hot, and if I carry it around, it’s bothersome, what am I supposed to do? Yuho had his own reasons, but he kept his mouth shut since it was an excuse that wouldn’t work at all.
“Your fever went up to 38 degrees, right?”
“I’m fine now. It went down a lot after taking fever reducers.”
“The hospital? Are you sure you don’t need to go?”
“Yeah. I don’t even have the strength to get up. I’ll just lie down.”
Haa. With a deep sigh, Inhan reached out and cupped one of Yuho’s cheeks. A slight fever was felt, but the symptoms didn’t seem severe. Inhan pulled over the desk chair from behind and settled down in front of the bed.
“Don’t stay here. You’ll catch my cold.”
“They say if you pass it to someone else, you get better.”
“So you want me to pass it to you?”
“If it means you’ll get better, I’ll gladly be sick for you.”
Yuho had a children’s fever cooling sheet stuck to his forehead. The chick characters all over the sheet suited Yuho so well that Inhan barely held back his laughter. Inhan carefully pushed back Yuho’s sweat-soaked hair with a gentle touch. Yuho spoke as if it was out of the question.
“Forget it. You have a schedule tomorrow too.”
“It’d be nice to rest with a cold as an excuse.”
“Do you think they’d let you rest over a cold? It’ll just be harder.”
“I’ll exaggerate. I’m surprisingly good at that.”
“No. You can’t do that. It shows.”
“Ah. Really? I didn’t know.”
Inhan showed a surprised reaction and lay down with one cheek resting against Yuho’s chest.
“But you’ll worry about me anyway, right, hyung?”
And he said to Yuho with a confident voice.
