‘[Exclusive] Jung Inhan • Yoo Jua, late-night date spotted… Love blossomed on variety show’
What exactly is love?
Yuho couldn’t erase his disturbed feelings as he looked at the article about Inhan’s dating rumors occupying the main page of the portal site.
He said they weren’t flirting.
The photo of the two attached to the article looked like lovers to anyone.
The photo of them linking arms in front of a store and smiling at each other looked like a scene from a movie, making him even want to press the ‘like’ button. Unlike their appearance on the variety show which was awkward as hell, they looked familiar as if they’d known each other for a long time.
Because Inhan likes women. Because he’s been like that from the start.
Even though it was a fact confirmed several times with the person himself, Yuho couldn’t hide his bitter feelings.
Things like Inhan saying he’d date him were just venting anger.
He also knew that once even the hateful feelings disappeared, this strange relationship would end too.
Yuho closed his laptop screen, thinking that even jealousy required qualifications.
The dorm was strangely quiet. Above all, it was strange that Raulie was quiet.
– Six Dot Boys Room 6 –
Raulie – [What’s with the article]
Inhan – [What do you mean what]
Raulie – [Won’t let you off]
Inhan – [ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
——————–
The group chat conversation had ended blandly too.
Why do I feel like I’m the only one who doesn’t know anything?
Yuho headed to the kitchen to eat a late breakfast, unable to shake off the uncomfortable feeling.
“Eating breakfast now?”
Taylor, dressed to go out, came out of his room and spoke to Yuho who was eating cereal at the table.
“Yes. I’m not very hungry.”
“Why? Is something wrong?”
“No. Just.”
Taylor, who had put down the bag he was carrying on his shoulder on the living room floor, went to the kitchen and picked up a protein shaker. Yuho followed that action with both eyes.
“Going to work out?”
“Yeah. After that I’m going to the studio. I might not come back today.”
Taylor was busy beyond measure these days, in the middle of working on a duet song for Inhan and Yeomin. Jueon was also often away from the dorm, having been cast as the lead in a small theater musical.
“Where did Raul go?”
“He went to a program meeting. I heard he’s joining a new audition program?”
While everyone was busy finding ways to survive, only Yuho still couldn’t get his bearings.
“Do you have something to say?”
Yuho’s gaze was unconsciously following Taylor around. Taylor asked first, seeing Yuho’s face that seemed to have a lot to say.
“Ah. No.”
“If you do, say it quickly? I might not be reachable from now on.”
Taylor went back to the living room and picked up his bag. At his momentum to leave any moment, Yuho finally opened his mouth.
“Inhan’s scandal broke out but everyone doesn’t seem to care.”
“Ah, that.”
Taylor’s reaction was unexpectedly lukewarm. The fan community went crazy though. It was a reaction unlike Taylor, who always prioritized fans.
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
“Huh? ONESPOTs must have gone crazy, so how…”
“Ah. That’s not actually true. A correction article will come out soon.”
Taylor seemed to have already heard the full story of the scandal from Inhan. Yuho felt hurt by his quiet phone and asked Taylor.
“Inhan said so?”
“I was there too at that place though?”
“Ah.”
“There were a few other people too. They just cleverly photographed only the two of them.”
I see. Even as he understood, Yuho couldn’t erase the uncomfortable feeling. So he gathered courage once more and said.
“Still… they were linking arms.”
“They were, right?”
“It was 2 AM.”
“So?”
“But it’s strange to say they’re not dating.”
“It’s not like they held hands, hugged, or slept in one bed?”
At Taylor’s blunt statement, Yuho was momentarily speechless.
“No. Th-that’s something we don’t know.”
I didn’t want to know such details. Yuho’s face turned red with embarrassment. Besides, do you have to do all those things to be dating? Yuho’s head was full of confusion.
“From what I saw, they didn’t seem like that kind of relationship. Anything beyond that is the actress’s private life so I can’t say more.”
“Ah. Is that so? …I see.”
“Just ask Inhan directly. Isn’t that all you need to do? He wouldn’t lie to you anyway.”
Yuho couldn’t readily agree with Taylor’s words.
Jung Inhan wouldn’t lie to me. That was a fact Yuho knew best. But he thought even that couldn’t be guaranteed now.
“He holds hands with you, hugs you, and sleeps in one bed with you.”
“What?”
“Just saying. Then I’m going. I’ll be late for my workout time.”
Yuho thought he had misheard Taylor’s words. Otherwise, it was too strange for such words to come out at this timing. Taylor left the dorm and Yuho chewed it over for a long time, but the more he mulled it over, the stranger it became.
No way. Yuho’s head was filled with one worry.
Yuho left the half-remaining cereal as it was and hurried to his room.
– What’s this? You calling me first?
Yuho immediately called Inhan. The call connected right away, perhaps during filming standby time.
“What did you say to Taylor hyung?”
– What are you talking about? Suddenly?
At Yuho’s out-of-the-blue question, Inhan seemed flustered. But Yuho wasn’t in a state to care about such trivial matters right now.
“Did you tell Taylor hyung that we’re dating?”
– Why would I talk about that? What’s wrong?
“But why would hyung say such things to me?”
– What things?
“Why would he tell me about you and me holding hands, hugging, and sleeping in one bed?”
– What are you talking about? Explain so I can understand.
“I said it was strange about your scandal not being true. Because you were linking arms at 2 AM looking affectionate. Then hyung said…”
– Did hyung say what’s strange when we sleep in one bed?
At Inhan’s words, Yuho felt his head cooling down. By the time he thought ‘oh no’, the water had already been spilled. Yuho reluctantly answered.
“…Similar.”
– You must have heard worse than that from Raul hyung hundreds of times.
It was true. They were words Yuho heard several times a day when he and Inhan were stuck together being lovey-dovey. Be sure to invite me when you get married. Taylor’s face throwing jokes without changing expression was vivid. At that time, Yuho hadn’t even listened to Taylor’s words.
– You must have heard countless times whether you two were dating.
“Can I hang up?”
– No.
“I want to hang up.”
– No.
At Inhan’s firm tone, Yuho felt like he had reached a dead end. He wanted to run away right now but there was no way.
– And I think I already said I’m not flirting with Jua noona.
Inhan’s tone had changed sharply. Yuho was vividly realizing what worst results his impulsive actions could bring.
“I know. I remember.”
– But?
“Even if it wasn’t then, it could be different now. Human emotions are originally…”
– I’m dating hyung right now though?
Yuho was at a loss for words. He knew it was just dating in words only. And as if proving that fact, Inhan kept driving Yuho to the edge of a cliff.
– Did we break up or something? Or am I trash who’s cheating?
“Shouldn’t you explain to me first?”
Yuho eventually couldn’t hold back his anger and demanded from Inhan. He couldn’t understand why Inhan was acting so brazenly when the scandal was his fault.
“It was your fault that the scandal broke out in the first place. But is it right for you to act like this to me?”
There was no answer to Yuho’s angry question. Yuho thought the call had been disconnected. But soon Inhan’s low voice was heard from beyond the phone.
– I waited for a call.
In Inhan’s words spoken with a faint sigh, there was still blame toward Yuho.
– I kept waiting. You know what? Hyung has never contacted me first even once.
At Inhan’s following words, Yuho was at a loss for words. Thinking about it, Yuho had never contacted Inhan first even once. Even when he was curious about news, while he hesitated to contact him readily, contact always came from Inhan first.
Inhan asked morning and evening whether Yuho ate well, slept well, if anything happened, wondering and talking freely about his daily routine even though Yuho didn’t ask. He did that for 300 out of 365 days.
Of course, not now.
“…Are we really dating?”
Yuho eventually threw the question he’d been holding back at Inhan. If it’s going to be this messed up, isn’t it right to just quit everything? He was handing Inhan a question that was clearly heading toward an ending again.
He did it recklessly, knowing how cruel the answer that would come back from Inhan would be.
– Then aren’t we? What exactly is dating in hyung’s mind?
Inhan was directly asking Yuho and demanding an answer to a problem even preschool children would know. Yuho reluctantly answered.
“Loving each other.”
– Do you even love me?
Inhan coldly cut off Yuho’s words spoken with difficulty. Yuho realized for the first time that an answer to words hoping for love could be this cruel.
– Have you ever even once wanted my love?
As if everything until now had been a joke, Inhan was wielding even sharper words at Yuho.
– Tell me, hyung. What do you want me to do now? Do you know? Maybe I’ll do everything hyung wants this time too.
How can love obtained through begging be love? Yuho answered by keeping his mouth quietly shut instead. But Inhan kept demanding an answer from Yuho.
– Don’t avoid it and say it properly. Unless you’re still getting revenge on me now.
“That’s not it.”
– Then explain exactly what hyung wants. So I can understand.
Inhan’s voice had changed to be calm. Though it was still a stiff tone, Yuho felt like Inhan was pleading with him.
But contrary to Inhan’s thoughts, the one thing Yuho wanted most was just one thing.
