Yuho lay in bed, continuously trying to fall asleep. He repeated the cycle of sleeping and waking, and when sleep absolutely wouldn’t come, he continued his thoughts with his eyes closed. Thoughts about where and how things had gone wrong. Once started, these thoughts continued in an endless chain, tormenting Yuho until the next afternoon.
His mom came into his room intermittently to check on his condition, but each time Yuho pretended to be asleep and avoided conversation.
Right now, Yuho didn’t want to face anyone.
Suhyung – [I brought Inhan to the dorm. He says he’ll go out for schedules starting tomorrow]
Fortunately, Inhan’s runaway came to an end after just two days. Given yesterday’s momentum, he had thought he should prepare for a long battle, but it was indeed like the responsibility-driven Jung Inhan.
To think that his so-called rebellion amounted to going to a close hyung’s house and getting drunk. While he was relieved it didn’t lead to a bigger incident, on the other hand, he felt sorry for him.
Suhyung – [Yuho’s coming back too, right?]
Upon receiving Suhyung’s message, Yuho’s worry came first.
Could he go back? Could he face Inhan when he returned? No matter how many times he tried to steel himself, he had no confidence.
Inhan’s face looking at him with resentful eyes kept floating around in his head.
Yuho – [That’s a relief]
In the end, he couldn’t give an answer about returning.
After sending a reply to Suhyung, Yuho put his phone down by his pillow. He closed his eyes as if to try sleeping again, but immediately opened them again at the vibration of his phone ringing.
Thinking it might be Suhyung, he checked the screen to find a call from an unexpected person.
The caller was none other than Seonchan, the actor he had filmed the web drama with. Yuho answered the phone right away.
– Yuho. Got a moment to talk?
“Yeah. Seonchan. It’s fine. Go ahead.”
– Are you free next Wednesday by any chance?
“Next Wednesday? I don’t have much that day. Why?”
– Could you come to my movie premiere?
“Premiere? You mean the work you’re releasing this time?”
– Yeah. The VIP premiere is on Wednesday. I thought it would be great if you could come too.
“Me?”
Yuho asked back in genuine bewilderment. While attending as an acquaintance to a VIP premiere wasn’t difficult, the processes he’d experience there were no joke, making it hard to readily accept.
Yuho had only participated in a movie VIP premiere once before. It was the premiere of a movie Yeomin appeared in as a supporting actor, and fortunately, the members were together then so there were no problems.
Thanks to Inhan, he wasn’t afraid to walk the red carpet and stand at the photo zone, and even in the VIP waiting room, being huddled together with the members was reassuring.
Back then, Inhan was busy alone greeting directors and actors he was acquainted with, while the rest of the members including Yuho had grabbed seats in the corner and were busy sneaking glances at the actors. But to go there alone? Yuho’s head was already spinning.
– Yeah. Among the people I know, you’re the most famous, Yuho.
“I’m not really on the side of having that much recognition though.”
– You have more than me at least. You can refuse if it’s difficult, but I don’t really have connections and I really hope you can come. Would it be hard?
At Seonchan’s earnest request, Yuho became more troubled.
He was already afraid of how terrible that moment of awkwardly entering the photo line alone would be, and he could already picture that situation of being left alone in the VIP waiting room without knowing anyone. That said, he couldn’t bring the members along in the current situation either. More than anything, he wasn’t in the mood to go to a place crowded with people with a smiling face.
“Got it. I’ll make time on Wednesday.”
That said, he couldn’t ignore his friend’s pitiful situation either. Yuho eventually accepted Seonchan’s proposal.
– Really? Wow. As expected, Yuho. Thank you so much.
“But I think I’ll have to go alone without the members.”
– Of course. I just need you to come. I’ll buy you something delicious after it’s over.
“Okay. Got it. Then send me the time and place via message. I need to tell my manager hyung in advance too.”
– Okay. Thank you so much. I’ll repay you properly later.
“No. It’s nothing. See you that day then.”
– Yeah. Yuho. Let’s meet that day. Make sure to eat your meals properly.
“Okay. Bye.”
The call with Seonchan wrapped up quickly, and Yuho let out a deep sigh with a troubled heart.
This isn’t the time for me to be casually going to movie premieres.
Still, going once for a change of pace didn’t seem too bad either.
* * *
It was the day of the VIP premiere for ‘The Worker,’ Seonchan’s debut film.
Though it was questionable to even call it a personal schedule, thanks to Suhyung’s influence, Yuho stopped by a makeup shop from the morning under Juseung’s care before arriving at the movie theater building where the premiere was being held.
“Sorry I can’t take you all the way inside.”
“No, hyung. You’re not even getting to rest because of me.”
“It’s fine, I said. Just give me a call when your appointment is over.”
“Yes, hyung. Thank you so much for bringing me.”
Inhan politely greeted Juseung and got out of the vehicle.
Juseung headed straight to the drama filming site due to Yeomin’s schedule, and Yuho headed alone to the premiere venue by elevator.
Perhaps because it was a work by a famous director with a fairly glamorous cast, the premiere venue was crowded with all kinds of people. Yuho could barely reach the VIP waiting room after crossing through that multitude of people.
Naturally, there wasn’t a single familiar face in the waiting room. Yuho kept his gaze down as he sat in the most corner seat at the most corner table and took out his phone. He saw a few people sitting alone like Yuho, and thanks to that, it wasn’t as embarrassing as he’d worried.
Yuho – [I’ve arrived]
Seonchan – [Good work. Was it hard getting here?]
Yuho – [No, my manager hyung brought me so I came comfortably]
Seonchan – [That’s a relief. Enjoy the movie and see you later]
Yuho – [Okay, fighting at today’s premiere]
Seonchan – [Yeah, thanks]
There were about 20 minutes left until the premiere start time. Since he was waiting for his turn to enter the photo zone, he couldn’t put in earphones. Yuho tried to kill time by roughly fiddling with his phone.
“Didn’t expect to see you in a place like this.”
A familiar voice was heard nearby, but Yuho didn’t raise his head, thinking it was a mistake. Since a voice he’d encountered through broadcasts might sound familiar, he wanted to avoid embarrassing situations as much as possible.
“We meet again. Yuho hyung.”
Only after his name was finally called did Yuho raise his head in surprise. At the same time, his eyes met with a handsome man sitting diagonally from him.
The other person was none other than Seo Domyeong. Yuho immediately stood up from his seat and gave a polite greeting.
“Ah. Hello, sunbae-nim.”
“Alone?”
“Yes. I’m alone…”
“You should have brought Inhan too.”
“No. There’s no particular need to…”
Yuho closed his mouth, thinking “oops.” There was no need to reveal to Domyeong that things were completely over between him and Inhan. Yuho hurriedly added an excuse.
“I mean, Inhan is in the middle of a pictorial shoot right now.”
“That already ended though.”
“What? When?”
“An hour ago.”
“He said it wouldn’t end until night though?”
Yuho thought he was screwed. Far from explaining, he’d even let Domyeong catch him secretly knowing Inhan’s schedule.
“Yeah. So…”
“Looks like you two haven’t made up yet.”
“It’s not that we fought…”
Yuho trailed off and sat back down. Fortunately, Domyeong didn’t probe further. Yuho hurriedly changed the subject, hoping Domyeong’s lips would be tight.
“Who did you come to see today, sunbae-nim?”
“Several people.”
“Well, that makes sense.”
“What about you, Yuho hyung?”
Domyeong asked Yuho in a languid voice with his chin resting on the sofa armrest. Domyeong’s appearance, dressed in all black, legs even crossed, sitting at an angle, was reminiscent of a scene from an advertisement.
Thanks to that, people’s gazes that hadn’t paid any attention when Yuho was alone were gradually turning toward Yuho. Some even began scanning Yuho’s face with curious eyes.
“Ah. I came to see a friend.”
“Who’s your friend?”
“Joo Seonchan, a rookie actor. He’s appearing in today’s movie as the youngest detective.”
“It’s a name I’m hearing for the first time.”
“This work is his debut apparently.”
“Are you close?”
“Not very… a little?”
“A little?”
“Well, he’s a friend I met while filming a web drama, but it’s the first time seeing him outside the filming site.”
At Domyeong’s continuing questions, Yuho was inadvertently spilling out answers smoothly. He even felt somewhat like he was being interrogated.
“Then you are a little close.”
“I suppose so.”
The conversation between the two, which they were having for once, ended with a strange conclusion.
At the same time, Yuho felt puzzled.
Why was Domyeong having a conversation with him, who seemed the least close, leaving aside the acquaintances overflowing in the waiting room?
More than anything, Domyeong’s expressionless face, consistently maintained while throwing out questions one after another, bothered him the most.
Naturally, there was only one reason Yuho could think of. Yuho carefully broached the subject.
“Sunbae-nim. But you know…”
“Why?”
Come to think of it, it was obvious who everything Domyeong saw and heard would be delivered to. Yuho made as pitiful a face as possible and pleaded with Domyeong.
“Could you not tell Inhan that you met me today?”
“There’ll be articles though.”
“Ah.”
“Videos will be taken too.”
“You’re right.”
“I wasn’t planning to tell Inhan anyway.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Looking at Yuho apologizing with a dejected face, Domyeong let out a soft laugh. As expected, the smile occasionally given by a cold handsome man who was even blunt in personality was cheating. So this is why everyone takes Domyeong’s side even when he plays a villain. Yuho understood and reflected on misunderstanding Domyeong.
