By Zephyria 
“The next stop is Cheongdam-dong Community Center, Cheongdam-dong Community Center.”
I got up at the announcement of the stop. I had to get off at the last stop before entering Yeongdong Bridge.
Pushing through the strong wind that hit my face head-on, I began walking, following the navigation app’s guidance. I had to turn off the main road towards the Han River and walk for more than 10 minutes to reach my destination.
Where are they asking me to come? It must be some villa or apartment. Are they asking me to do wallpapering? Or is it a moving company? I had no idea what kind of part-time job Yoon Joo-ho was going to introduce. I felt uneasy. But I had no choice but to go, if only out of curiosity.
“…”
Whether it was a villa or a detached house, the alleyway, lined with imposing buildings on both sides, already made me feel intimidated. The destination indicated by the navigation was a newly built building boasting the most magnificent presence even within the alley.
Stopping at the entrance, Song Hyun-soo looked down at his own attire. He had dressed up with care, and his outfit had even been confirmed via video call with Jung-ho. Still, he felt like he might look like someone who had come to fix something in this building.
Did he look suspicious for lingering too long near the entrance of the driveway? A man emerged from the security booth and approached Song Hyun-soo.
“Excuse me, are you perhaps…”
Song Hyun-soo instinctively took a step back, though he had done nothing wrong. But the man was smiling kindly at Song Hyun-soo.
“Are you perhaps a guest of actor Yoon Joo-ho?”
“Yes?… Yes, I am.”
“We were informed of your visit and have been waiting. This way.”
The man who expertly guided Song Hyun-soo didn’t seem like a security guard but rather like a well-trained employee of a luxury hotel. He was young, tall, and handsome enough.
The man in front led the way, warning Song Hyun-soo to be careful on the stairs, opening doors for him, and occasionally looking back to ensure Song Hyun-soo was following, offering a short bow each time.
The well-decorated lobby had soft lounge music playing, not classical. Comfortable-looking, expensive sofas were placed here and there, but no one was sitting on them. No, apart from the staff at the desk, no one else was visible. Even the silence and the excessive emptiness felt burdensome.
The elevator was almost hidden. Moreover, you could only call the elevator with a card key.
“It’s the 17th-floor penthouse.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
The man bowed politely until the door closed. Even though the man wasn’t looking, Song Hyun-soo awkwardly bowed his head too. It’s like they say, you only know how to eat what you’ve tasted, and you only know how to be treated well if you’ve been treated well. It was burdensome, but better than being ignored.
Looking around the elevator interior, which felt like it was from the future, Song Hyun-soo noticed something strange. The pad next to the door only had open and close buttons. There were no buttons to select floors.
“What is this? How are you supposed to go to other floors?”
It seemed that using the card key, you could only call the elevator to go to your own residence floor. Choi Hong-seo had mentioned that even the luxury villas where other ‘Layered’ members had moved had separate elevators for each unit. He thought that even those who had everything lived quite inconveniently.
On the 17th floor, a small lounge area was set up in front of the elevator. It was equipped with a sofa, table, and lighting, making it feel like part of a home. Looking around, Song Hyun-soo spotted a simple but large door. Is this it? Since it’s the only door, it must be. When he rang the bell, someone opened the door from inside after a long while, without even asking who it was. It was Yoon Joo-ho’s manager.
“Hyun-soo! You’re early!”
“Hello, Director Bang. Am I too early?”
Glancing at his phone, he was actually 20 minutes earlier than the scheduled time.
“Being early is not a problem. Come in, you must have had a hard time in the cold.”
“Excuse me.”
Hesitantly, he stepped inside, feeling awkward. The entrance hall was so long it could have had a red carpet laid out. After changing into slippers as Director Bang suggested, he entered the living space. A large piece of artwork hung directly opposite the entrance, but otherwise, there were no striking features or signs of daily life. The long storage unit to the right of the entrance clearly looked like a shoe cabinet, yet not a single pair of shoes was left out in the entrance hall. What kind of place was this?
Sniff, sniff.
The only clue Song Hyun-soo could pick up was the smell.
It smelled similar to a new fragrance he had recently discovered. Was this Yoon Joo-ho’s personal studio, or something like that?
Turning from the long entrance hall, another long corridor led to a glimpse of a spacious living room with a remarkably high ceiling. Director Bang, walking ahead, turned back and smiled slightly.
“Joo-ho went to take a shower. He’ll be here soon.”
“Ah, yes.”
Song Hyun-soo bit his lower lip. A smile threatened to escape. Yoon Joo-ho would be here too… Good thing I dressed up.
On one side of the long corridor leading to the living room, a cabinet stretched from floor to ceiling. It was neatly finished with dark glass, so he hadn’t noticed at first, but upon closer inspection, trophies and medals were displayed inside the glass.
Yoon Joo-ho, Acting Award
Yoon Joo-ho, Actor of the Year
Yoon Joo-ho, Asian Star Award
Yoon Joo-ho, Grand Prize for Korean Wave Actor
Even for a popular actor with 30 years in the industry, to have won enough awards to fill a cabinet this size. Right. He was this great of a person. When he picks a fight with me, talking nonsense, he just looks like a handsome thug.
“Over there, please sit comfortably on the sofa.”
“Yes, thank you… Wow…”
As Song Hyun-soo followed Director Bang into the living room, an exclamation escaped his lips. He had no time to consider his composure or anything else. It was a similar phenomenon to being unable to help but marvel at an overwhelming natural landscape.
One wall of the living room, with a ceiling easily seven or eight meters high, was filled with windows facing the Han River. It was a wall so large that a single pane of glass couldn’t possibly cover it. Even divided into four windows, the sense of openness was immense. A generous amount of sunlight poured in through the windows, making it feel like being outdoors.
It was the middle of winter. A cold snap not seen in 20 years, yet the room was so warm that the padding he was wearing immediately felt too hot.
“It’s really amazing here.”
“Haha. When you see it every day, you don’t think about it like that. Seeing your reaction makes me excited.”
Really? You get used to a house like this even if you see it every day? I don’t think I ever could.
As Song Hyun-soo awkwardly perched on the edge of the sofa, his gaze fell on a corner of the living room. Unopened shopping bags were piled up in a heap. It was such a large pile that it was impossible not to notice.
“Ah, Joo-ho just went shopping for a bit.”
Director Bang said it casually, as if it were a common occurrence, but the amount didn’t suggest a quick trip. If he had gone shopping with purpose, he would have bought out an entire department store.
“What would you like to drink? We have coffee, tea, and various types of alcohol.”
“I just had coffee. Just water, Director Bang.”
“You’re a guest. I should at least get you juice. Make yourself comfortable.”
After Director Bang left, Song Hyun-soo looked around and took off his padding. Then, as if drawn by something, he slowly stood up and walked towards the window. It was the same Han River, but it felt like a completely different world, a different landscape from the one he saw from his rooftop room in Bogwang-dong. To exaggerate slightly, it even evoked a sense of awe.
It felt like a house rented by a production company for filming a drama or movie. No, he hadn’t seen a house this grand even in dramas or movies. A house like this actually existed, and a person actually lived in it.
Wait. Lived? Lives? Here? Who?
“Why are you 20 minutes early?”
A man grumbling as if to say, “Why are you 20 minutes late?” It had to be Yoon Joo-ho.
Startled by the voice from behind him without warning, Song Hyun-soo spun around. And without realizing it, he stepped back and covered his mouth. He felt like he was going to let out a scream. Khh, kkh. Yet, he couldn’t completely stifle the strange sound escaping.
A half-naked Yoon Joo-ho was crossing the living room, right in front of him.
He was only wearing a long towel around his lower body, with nothing on his upper half. Only a few water droplets clung to his body, fresh from the shower.