By Zephyria ■
Go Ji-woon lived at the western edge of Seoul. The five-story studio apartment building, which looked over 20 years old, was located deep inside a corner of the studio apartment complex, far from the main road.
Choi Hong-seo and Lee Hae-sung got out of the car and slowly looked around the dilapidated building and its surroundings. As if neglected by the owner, paint was peeling or flaking off like scales in various places on the building, and clear streaks of red rust ran down the old facade. Unlike the surrounding buildings, the common entrance on the first floor had no door lock, and dust was piled high in front of it.
The Go Ji-woon Choi Hong-seo knew wouldn’t live in a studio apartment in such a backwater, even if he had to borrow money. The fact that Go Ji-woon lived here was unbelievable.
Back when Choi Hong-seo was still himself. Go Ji-woon had been invited to the housewarming party for ‘Layered’. Go Ji-woon was a friend of another ‘Layered’ member, but strangely, he seemed to follow Choi Hong-seo closely. Even then, given his rather prickly personality, it was only to the extent that he didn’t actively provoke anyone.
While Go Ji-woon was away that day, someone brought up his new sponsor. Go Ji-woon had received an apartment in Gangnam from his sponsor. If that sponsor was Chairman Jo, it seemed the apartment wasn’t bought in Go Ji-woon’s name.
Go Ji-woon lived on the fourth floor of the five-story building. With no elevator, Lee Hae-sung and Choi Hong-seo climbed the stairs with the gifts they had prepared.
The windows on each landing were so dirty, with layers of dust hardened and blurred, that they hadn’t been cleaned in a long time. Because of this, a darker and more somber atmosphere than reality pervaded. Regardless of what privacy he had, or what kind of person he was morally, the feeling of facing the downfall of someone he had once known was not pleasant. Choi Hong-seo’s steps slowed as he climbed the stairs.
As if sensing his feelings, Lee Hae-sung, who had arrived at the fourth floor first, looked down at him with a complicated expression.
As he reached the last step, he stretched out his arm and wrapped his hand around the back of Choi Hong-seo’s neck. Slowly taking in Choi Hong-seo, who was wearing a neat shirt and coat instead of the oversized hoodies and padding jackets he usually favored, Lee Hae-sung’s warm hand gently massaged his neck.
“You’re dressed up like this, why do you look even younger?”
Choi Hong-seo looked down at his attire.
“You said I looked like a new graduate recruit earlier.”
“Hmm… Did I say that?”
Suddenly, he raised an eyebrow and feigned ignorance. Then, with the hand that had been supporting his neck, he slowly traced down the shoulders and sleeves of the coat.
“The clothes fit your body perfectly. The shoulder line seems to come down this much, and the sleeves look longer than your arms. It looks loose, as if… you’re wearing my clothes. Why?”
“It’s because you keep seeing me as younger, Darling.”
“Yes, in my eyes, you look like a child wearing his dad’s suit. Just cute, makes me smile to look at you, and I wish you wouldn’t have to go through hardship anymore.”
“……”
“So, how about you go wait in the car for now? I’ll go in alone.”
Choi Hong-seo shook his head a couple of times. He had been asked the same question about twice in the car on the way here, which only made him more determined.
“I’m not just a cute child in reality, so don’t worry, my heart is really strong. And… aren’t you the one who gets anxious when we’re apart? Why do you keep telling me to go to the car?”
“Seeing you joke around like that, you really do seem okay.”
Only then did his expression soften slightly, and something resembling a smile appeared. Hmm… He let out a long breath through his nose, then once again wrapped his hand around the back of Choi Hong-seo’s neck and pulled gently. And, unlike his usual style with his bangs down, he pressed his lips firmly onto his forehead, which was neatly exposed. His dry lips were parched but warm.
“Don’t be disappointed if you don’t find anything from Go Ji-woon. Manager Kang is also investigating in various ways. There are always ways. Okay?”
Choi Hong-seo looked up at Lee Hae-sung and nodded.
At the ‘Layered’ dorm housewarming, Go Ji-woon had mostly stayed on the sidelines, not mingling much with people. When Choi Hong-seo found Go Ji-woon sitting alone in the living room, having left the dining area where everyone else was gathered. He had looked quite unstable. The moment he found the photos with ‘Goliath’ on SNS, the conversation from that day vividly returned.
“People with money and power. Is there any way people like us can get leverage over them?”
Go Ji-woon, who had sought Choi Hong-seo’s advice that day, sitting in the darkness, had seemed desperate.
“If I could just create one reason why this person couldn’t easily abandon me… then I wouldn’t have to worry about anything for real from now on.”
He seemed like someone who would do anything to ensure his sponsor wouldn’t abandon him. Go Ji-woon was different from Park Dong-ha. Go Ji-woon back then would surely have obtained something.
The doorbell was broken. When Lee Hae-sung knocked twice, the door opened without anyone asking who it was. Choi Hong-seo was greatly surprised by Go Ji-woon’s appearance visible through the gap in the door, but he didn’t show it. Go Ji-woon glanced back and forth at the visitors’ faces and stepped back to let them in.
“Come in.”
The studio apartment, about 7-8 pyeong, had been hastily and clumsily tidied. Yet, even at its best, it wasn’t a cleanly swept house. It was different from just being messy due to being busy for a few days. Evidence of the room’s owner having lost the will to live was scattered everywhere.
“Living like this, I have nothing to offer you. I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright. Let’s not worry about formalities.”
Lee Hae-sung replied concisely to Go Ji-woon, who mumbled with a blank expression. The three then sat down in the cramped space next to the bed.
The Go Ji-woon of the past would never have considered living in a place like this, but even if he was forced to, he wouldn’t have invited people over. Yet, Go Ji-woon had chosen his own home as the meeting place, saying he didn’t want to go out. This must mean he was mentally exhausted…
“I apologize for surprising you with this sudden contact. Here’s a gift. Please accept it.”
Lee Hae-sung pushed a large shopping bag towards Go Ji-woon. It was a shopping bag from a very high-end brand, considered the luxury of luxury brands, but Go Ji-woon merely nodded and showed no particular interest in the gift. He seemed completely different from the Go Ji-woon Choi Hong-seo knew. A person with no hope, no solace, not even an obsession in life.
“But why did you want to see someone like me…”
Go Ji-woon, who had been living in seclusion, almost retired from the entertainment industry after his suicide attempt, had shown no interest when he heard that Yoon Hye-an, whom he had no connection with, wanted to meet him. If ARA Lee Hae-sung hadn’t secretly proposed something and insisted they absolutely had to meet and talk, this meeting wouldn’t have happened today.
“I believe this won’t be bad news for you either, Go Ji-woon. You know Chairman Jo Seong-hyeon, right?”
Lee Hae-sung went straight to the point without any preamble. Upon hearing Chairman Jo’s name, Go Ji-woon’s expression visibly changed. He looked back and forth at the two people sitting in front of him with anxious eyes, shuffling backward in his seat.
“Wh-why that? No matter what that bastard said, I… I haven’t done anything wrong!”
“No, that’s not it. We came to see if perhaps you might know of any weaknesses Jo Seong-hyeon has.”
“Weaknesses…?”
“We’re having some trouble because of Chairman Jo. We’re looking for a way to quietly make him shut up. We were hoping you might be able to help us in that regard.”
Lee Hae-sung’s voice carried no urgency or anxiety, making it sound as if they were discussing a trivial everyday problem. He didn’t rush his response, so as not to scare the other person.
Go Ji-woon swallowed dryly several times. His eyes, which darted glances at Lee Hae-sung while biting his lower lip, now held a spark of light compared to before.
“There is… a video, yes.”
Choi Hong-seo unconsciously took a deep breath. Lee Hae-sung reached out and firmly grasped Choi Hong-seo’s hand, and Choi Hong-seo tightly held onto Lee Hae-sung’s fingertips. Go Ji-woon’s gaze flickered to their intertwined hands.
Time passed in heavy silence.
Go Ji-woon, who had been sitting with his head down, silently chewing his lips, suddenly stood up. He opened the small refrigerator, took out a bottle of soju, and poured it generously into a mug, then drank it down while standing.
Turning his back to the two men, Go Ji-woon stood by the sink, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and for a while, his shoulders heaved as he breathed deeply.
“I secretly filmed it, thinking I’d use it to blackmail him later if he tried to abandon me…”
After a self-deprecating chuckle, Go Ji-woon returned to his seat with the mug.
“But when he actually tried to abandon me, I couldn’t even bring up the video.”
After taking a few more sips of soju, his voice turned bitter.
“If you think about it, what I have is more of a nuclear bomb… But I was still scared.”
“Scared of what?”
“His money and power.”
Answering with a cynical smile as if asking something obvious, Go Ji-woon reached for the soju again.
“I’m a B-list, C-list actor who can only get a role if he gives me money, and he has enough money, power, and connections to bury someone like me, even if he’s not a conglomerate heir. That kind of video is useless in the hands of someone like me… it’s just trash…”
“Yes. I understand you thinking that way.”
Lee Hae-sung nodded with a dry voice. He added,
“But if that video were in Lee Hae-sung’s hands, then the story would be different, wouldn’t it?”
“……”
This time, Go Ji-woon’s expression changed. His slumped posture gradually straightened, and his eyes showed interest.