By Zephyria Sung Se-han, who was returning to his seat, turned around and looked at me. When I pointed to the mat with my chin, I could see the light flashing in his eyes very well.
Yeah. You must be having fun, you bad bastard.
As someone who not only became a laughingstock in the first filming but also reserved the production of a million anti-fans, I had nothing more to lose and nothing to fear.
I’m going to show you today how petty a person can become when they lose their reason.
“Today’s big fun! Big match! Sung Se-han and Tae-kyung’s Ssireum match! Now, everyone, pay attention!”
By the time the staff came and put on the Satba, I had regained some composure and was able to smile.
“Sung Se-han, have you ever done Ssireum?”
“No.”
Sung Se-han, who also smiled, shook his head.
Haha. That rude bastard keeps talking down to me.
“I’ve never done Ssireum either, so it’s fair.”
Damn it. Even though he says he’s never done Ssireum, the posture he’s taking to grab the Satba is unusual. When his rough hand grabbed my waist, my posture became so unstable that my toes almost lifted.
But I didn’t lose my composure. I already knew that the pressure would be enormous if I faced off against this rock-like body.
But… I didn’t expect that grabbing each other’s Satba would be such an embarrassing thing. I didn’t expect to be in a position where I was hugging Sung Se-han tightly, with my cheek against his solid shoulder.
T, this isn’t good…?
The Cologne scent mixed with his body odor instantly made my mind dizzy.
“Now, are you two ready? Start!”
At the same time as I heard the whistle, I clenched my teeth tightly. As expected, Sung Se-han was not in a hurry to end it in one go and was being leisurely without putting in much effort.
Sung Se-han, it’s all your fault that I’ve come to do this.
“Heut!”
I pretended to push hard with a shout. Then, I subtly tickled his waist area with my fingers.
Bastard, I’m sorry, but I know your weakness well.
“Eugh.”
The effect was immediate. Not missing the gap when the large body flinched, I quickly tickled his side.
“Ahahaha!”
The moment he couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter, a large hand grabbed my neck tightly. I didn’t even realize what was happening, and my body leaned forward.
Thud. It wasn’t because I fell to the floor, but my body froze from the shock of falling on top of Sung Se-han’s body.
“Hahaha! Ah, I’m going crazy.”
No, before that. My head was already blank from the moment I heard Sung Se-han’s laughter.
“An upset has occurred! Finally! Finally, Sung Se-han has fallen! Sky Blue’s Tae-kyung has succeeded in his revenge! Even in Ssireum…!”
The boisterous cheers buzzed in my ears like the flapping of wasps, but all my nerves were focused on Sung Se-han’s strong heartbeat.
The pounding heart and the vibrations of his heaving chest were vividly transmitted throughout my body.
I think I can believe it for sure now. I can definitely feel it.
Sung Se-han is alive and well like this.
He is living happily, laughing loudly. Everything I have wanted so far was here.
“Hoo…!”
Once again, my eyes became hot, so I bit my lower lip tightly and regained my composure.
“Tae-kyung? Are you perhaps hurt from overdoing it? Can you get up?”
Without seeming to be conscious of the large hand that was still pressing down on my neck, I brushed it off and jumped up from my seat.
“Yes! There’s no problem.”
“Ah ah! That’s really amazing. To be honest, I didn’t expect Tae-kyung to win in Ssireum. Oh! Sung Se-han? Are you okay? Ah, perhaps? Are you unable to get up from the shock of defeat? Are you really okay?”
As I was heading towards the host, I was startled by the words that Sung Se-han couldn’t get up and turned around. Sung Se-han, who had been sprawled on the floor, raised his upper body and swept back his disheveled hair.
“I’m okay.”
I could only feel relieved after confirming that Sung Se-han was getting up lightly.
“How is it? Sung Se-han! You probably didn’t expect to fall so easily in Ssireum, what is the reason for the defeat?”
As I was shaking off the soles of my feet, I reflexively looked at Sung Se-han at the announcer Nam Sang-jin’s question. Because of that, I made eye contact with Sung Se-han, who was walking towards the host’s seat.
“I think I was careless.”
Sung Se-han, who raised one corner of his mouth, looked at me with narrowly opened eyes. I quickly lowered my gaze and shook my feet again.
“Oh! So you were careless. Tae-kyung! What do you think about this statement?”
“That’s all skill.”
“Ohoh! Carelessness or whatever, your skills were only that much, so you lost to me? Don’t evaluate me with something like arm wrestling?”
Huh? What on earth is that…? I was flustered by the announcer Nam Sang-jin’s progress, who was arbitrarily distorting other people’s statements.
“No, that’s not what I meant….”
“Tae-kyung! I don’t know if it’s okay to say this on our first meeting, but it seems like Sung Se-han has really met a strong opponent! Yes!”
Hahaha…! It seems like announcer Nam Sang-jin has decided to bury me completely on our first meeting.
“Now! Please come out, the players who will face off for the second time!”
I didn’t get a chance to correct my statement and walked back to our team. Because I was completely drained, I didn’t even bother to grab my slippers.
“Tae-kyung Hyungnim! Put them on quickly.”
Even as Soo-in put on the slippers that he had hurriedly brought, I stared at the ceiling with unfocused eyes. Hateful comments from various communities spread out in front of my eyes. At the same time, the back of my head tingled.
“Tae-kyung Hyung, let’s cut off the internet for a while!”
“Yeah, Tae-kyung. You’ve been looking at communities too much anyway. Let’s get enough sleep instead of doing that.”
The members surrounding me had determined faces, but I couldn’t answer so easily.
If I cut off the internet, where am I supposed to collect Sung Se-han’s data? That’s the joy of my life…?
While our team was planning for the future, the Ssireum final began. Perhaps because the match was more intense than expected, Liv Sunbae, whom I met in the final, was in tatters.
“Sunbae, are you okay?”
Liv Sunbae, who was still breathing heavily, waved his hand and smiled.
“I’m, I’m okay! Hahat, I should have exercised harder usually. Hoo…! It’s hard!”
Without giving Liv Sunbae time to regain his strength, the whistle for the start of the final match rang. It was a pity that Sunbae was holding on with trembling legs, but there was no choice in order for our team to take a victory in even one match.
“Euheok!”
When I hooked his inner leg and pushed him mercilessly, Liv Sunbae’s body fell backward powerlessly. Soon, boisterous cheers and applause followed.
“Yes! Finally! Sky Blue is taking 1 point! Tae-kyung is amazing!”
“Waaah!”
I quickly got up and grabbed Sunbae’s hand to help him up.
“Sunbae, are you okay?”
“Hua, it’s hard. I was going to hold on a little longer, but.”
Liv Sunbae, who took my hand and got up, naturally put his arm around my shoulder. Sunbae’s soft hand patted my stiff back.
“Congratulations, Tae-kyung.”
“Yes, thank you.”
I also patted Sunbae’s back and got out of his embrace as naturally as possible. And when I turned my gaze absentmindedly, I found Sung Se-han standing at the front of Perfect Puzzle’s formation.
His brown eyes looking at me with a crooked posture were so cold. I stopped walking with a start. My body was stiff and I couldn’t move.
I think I’ve taken quite a hit from the chillingly cold eyes that I’ve never seen before. I forgot that I was filming and clutched my chest, which was pounding uneasily.
The gaze that had passed me, who couldn’t move, turned to the back of Liv Sunbae, who was returning to the team. In the short moment when Sung Se-han’s eyes narrowed, an absurd thought came to my mind.
Sung Se-han shouldn’t misunderstand.
“Ah, what…!”
I couldn’t even laugh because it was so absurd even when I thought about it myself. I dragged my trembling legs and quickly returned to the team.
*
Only after the long physical test was over was a 1-hour break given.
“Hey guys! Good job. You guys did great! It’ll look good on TV!”
Doo-hyun Hyung, who had been watching us the whole shoot without leaving his spot, ruffled the members’ hair and encouraged them.
“Really? Hyung, did we do well?”
“Yeah. Our team stood out the most in my eyes.”
“Wow, that’s great!”
“Hehe! That’s a relief.”
I couldn’t even join in on my younger brothers’ conversation and just followed behind the members, feeling completely drained. I didn’t even want food; I just wanted to go to the waiting room and rest. But suddenly, someone blocked my path.
“Lee Tae-kyung-ssi?”
“Ah, yes.”
I reflexively bowed my head and saw a strange man in a suit looking down at me.
“Please come with me for a moment.”
“Yes? Where to….”
“Where are you taking Tae-kyung?”
As Doo-hyun Hyung approached, the man held up his staff identification.
“PD Bae Dong-yeon asked me to bring him for a moment.”