After that, Yuho sat next to Yeomin and kept him company the whole time, then monitored the Yeomin & Inhan unit’s camera rehearsal and watched until the live broadcast stage.
The two’s stage that Yuho witnessed directly was incomparably more magnificent than the video.
Unlike the Seven Spot stage that was always filled with only six people, more than ten male and female dancers were mobilized, and the lighting and sets were ridiculously splendid, as if the CEO had made up his mind.
Above all, Inhan and Yeomin’s presence shone brilliantly.
Watching that from below the stage, Yuho desperately wished he could stand on stage with them once more.
“Yuho, go now.”
As soon as the two’s stage ended, Suhyung spoke firmly to Yuho. Yeomin reacted in surprise.
“Why?”
“Yuho has to prepare for his drama audition. You guys have to go to your next schedule right away too.”
“Huh. No way.”
“Yeomin. Let’s stop tormenting Yuho.”
Suhyung scolded Yeomin who was being stubborn, and Yuho also thought he had no choice but to leave the waiting room.
“Yuho hyung. Take care. See you later at the dorm.”
Yeomin hugged Yuho with regret, and Yuho patted Yeomin’s back and greeted him.
“Yeah. Our Yeomin, do well on your schedule.”
Next, Yuho turned his gaze toward Inhan. Inhan was looking at Yuho with a face full of regret. Yuho also approached Inhan and spread both arms.
He thought it was natural behavior since affection for younger siblings should be fair.
Inhan stared intently at Yuho like that, then slowly approached and hugged him.
“Our Inhan, do well on your schedule too.”
Because of the difference in the two’s physiques, instead of Yuho hugging Inhan, he ended up being held, but Yuho didn’t mind and patted Inhan’s back.
“What? Why are you hugging Inhan too?”
At that action, Yeomin immediately expressed his dissatisfaction, but Yuho smiled and joked.
“Our Inhan is a baby.”
Yuho created a playful atmosphere by executing Jueon’s absurd remark that had once become a catchphrase among the members.
At those words, the strength in Inhan’s arms that had been wrapping around Yuho loosened. Yeomin continued to protest.
“Where is there a baby this big?”
“Right here. Our youngest, don’t overdo it too much.”
As Inhan’s arms withdrew, Yuho stood on tiptoe and reached out to pat Inhan’s head. Inhan responded to Yuho’s greeting with a smiling face.
“Yes. You get back safely too, hyung.”
“Yeah. I will.”
After finishing his goodbyes, Yuho immediately left the waiting room. Inhan watched that retreating figure with a bitter expression.
Only then did Inhan realize that Yuho was drawing a line by making him aware that he was his hyung.
Of course, that fact wasn’t very important to Inhan.
Seonchan – [Yuho how’s your schedule on December 5th? Do you have plans that day?]
Seonchan’s message arrived while Yuho was memorizing lines in the company practice room. Yuho thought for a moment and sent a reply.
Yuho – [On the 5th?] [I don’t have much going on]
Inhan’s birthday was December 6th, and the 5th was the day before, so he concluded it wouldn’t matter.
Seonchan – [Let’s go to the beach]
Yuho – [Beach?]
Seonchan – [ㅇㅇ I got the day off]
Yuho – [But I have work on the 6th so it’ll be hard to stay out too late]
Seonchan – [ㅇㅇ it’s okay we can go early in the morning and come back right away] [I’ll make sure to bring you back on time]
Yuho – [Okay] [What time are we leaving?]
Seonchan – [9 o’clock]
Yuho – [Then I’ll get ready at that time that day]
Seonchan – [Okay I’ll contact you again later]
Yuho – [Yeah]
After finishing his conversation with Seonchan, Yuho focused on his line practice again. He had already auditioned for three works and passed the first round audition for one of them. And there were still seven more auditions left.
That’s when his phone vibrated once more. Checking the screen, a call was coming from none other than Inhan. Yuho immediately pressed the call button.
“Yeah. Inhan.”
– Hyung. Did you arrive safely?
“Yeah. I’m at the company practice room now.”
– You worked hard coming all the way for two days.
“I probably can’t go tomorrow, so only Jueon hyung will go.”
– That’s okay. I’m not hoping you’ll come for all 3 days.
“What about meals? Did you eat well?”
– Yes. I cleaned out everything that was left.
“Eating too much all at once isn’t good either.”
– It’s okay. I’m sturdy.
Despite the awkward period they had, the two’s conversation flowed as naturally as water. Yuho thought he hoped this peace wouldn’t be broken.
– Hyung.
“Yeah?”
– Do you want to come to my house on the night of the 5th? Let’s have a birthday party together.
“What time?”
– Around 11?
“Okay. I think I can make it at that time.”
– Yes. Then let’s see each other that day.
“Yeah. It’ll be hard for us to even see each other’s faces until then.”
– I’ll call you often.
“Okay. Call me when you have time.”
– Yes. Do well preparing for your audition.
“Yeah. Contact me again.”
– Yes.
Like that, the call ended.
After finishing the call with Inhan, Yuho tried to look at his lines again but the letters didn’t enter his eyes well.
Yuho pointlessly looked at his phone once more, then left the practice room thinking he might as well get some fresh air.
After that day, Inhan and Yuho spent their busy days separately.
Inhan was so busy digesting five music broadcasts in one week that he had no time to spare, and Yuho was also frantic going around to drama auditions here and there.
Instead, the two had phone calls once a day and only exchanged everyday conversation.
Like that, Inhan’s birthday was gradually approaching.
* * *
It was the morning of the 5th.
Even before the sun rose, Yuho thought that day had been buttoned wrong from the first button.
As luck would have it, the date of the drama’s second audition was moved to that day, and Yuho could only meet Seonchan after 11 o’clock.
“Sorry. I’m too late, right?”
Yuho first conveyed words of apology as he got into Seonchan’s car that had come to pick him up at the audition site. Seonchan didn’t mind at all.
“No. The audition is more important.”
“Won’t we be too late even if we go now?”
“We’re just going to take quick pictures and come back.”
“Should we just go next time?”
“Then let’s go today and also go again next time.”
Seonchan spoke with a playful smile. Yuho thought Seonchan’s scheme was too obvious, but still obediently nodded.
“Okay.”
“Then I’ll start driving.”
The two’s car soon entered the highway, and for lunch they stopped at a rest area and thoroughly ate udon, sotteok sotteok, and even tornado potato. Until then, Yuho was excited and in high spirits with the mood of going on a trip.
The problem started after leaving the rest area.
“Maybe because it’s Sunday, the traffic is a bit heavy.”
Seonchan looked at the situation of the completely jammed road and spoke in a worried voice.
Unlike the two’s expectation that it would be a smooth journey, the road gradually began to get congested. The date the two had chosen happened to be a weekend at year-end, which was a big factor.
“Right. Next time it would be better to go on a weekday.”
Yuho agreed with Seonchan’s words while not thinking much of it.
“Exactly. Next time let’s try setting it for around Tuesday or Wednesday.”
Seonchan didn’t miss the opportunity and made the next appointment concrete. He also thought it would be good to make it a 2-day, 1-night trip if possible.
In the end, the time the two arrived at their destination was 2 PM.
Seonchan parked the car right in front of the harbor and immediately headed to the beach with Yuho.
The problem was that the winter beach in December wasn’t as romantic as they thought.
The wind blew so fiercely that they couldn’t move forward at all, and screams burst out from time to time among the couples around them.
Seonchan and Yuho, healthy young men in their twenties, tried to somehow endure the cold, but that spirit didn’t last 10 minutes before ending.
“It would be better to go to a cafe, right?”
It was Seonchan who declared surrender first. He couldn’t bear to watch Yuho’s pitiful figure trembling with his face bright red.
“Sh-should we?”
Yuho readily accepted Seonchan’s suggestion.
Instead of walking along the beach, the two hastily changed their plan to appreciate the sea only with their eyes from a cafe with a good view.
“Still, since we came all this way, let’s take at least one photo.”
“Okay.”
At Seonchan’s following suggestion, Yuho nodded even while trembling. The selfie photo taken with difficulty felt so realistic that you couldn’t recognize the identity of the people in it.
“Ugh. Let’s go now.”
In the end, Seonchan gave up on taking the best shot and moved away from the sea while wrapping his arm around Yuho’s shoulder.
A short while later, Seonchan sat by the window on the 3rd floor of a cafe with the heater blasting and soothed the cold throughout his body by drinking a cup of hot Americano.
[seonchan_joo ⓥ Joo Seonchan · 0 seconds ago
Even strong winds can’t stop our youth
#ActuallyItsTooFuckingCold #DontGoToWinterBeach
#StillIfImWithYuho #WhereeverItIsThere]
He didn’t forget to use SNS like a lovegram. They say love and colds can’t be hidden, and Seonchan’s SNS was overflowing with affection for Yuho even if you looked at it with blurry eyes.
[Oppas have a beautiful love]
[Seonchan oppa your lovegram is showing]
[I’m jealous but I don’t know which of the two I’m jealous of]
[Where is that can I join you without tact]
The fans were also familiar with it and were now accepting it as a joke material. A smile naturally formed on Seonchan’s lips.
Yuho, sitting across from Seonchan, was still huddled up sipping yuzu tea. Seonchan was worried about Yuho like that and asked.
“Still cold? Should I take off my outer clothing for you?”
“No. I’m okay now.”
“I’m worried you’ll catch a cold.”
“I’m really fine. You don’t have to worry.”
Yuho waved his hands and appealed that he was perfectly fine. But he didn’t want to have the same experience once more, so he revealed that feeling to Seonchan.
“Next time it would be better to come when the weather warms up.”
“Why? I like the winter beach too.”
“Even after getting hit by such cold wind earlier?”
“Still, I’m with you, Yuho.”
At Seonchan’s comment that came straight at him, Yuho was at a loss for words for a moment. Only then did he realize that he hadn’t simply come out to hang out with a friend. So this is like, something romantic? Yuho became pointlessly embarrassed.
