By Zephyria 
“Let me see your face.””
Jung Ji-in released his arms from around Song Hyun-soo and cupped his face.
“Wow, our Song Hyun-soo, you’ve become an actor.”
“Hehe, right? I look better, don’t I?”
The two put their arms around each other and walked to the table.
Jung Ji-in looked at Song Hyun-soo across the table with admiring eyes.
“You were handsome before, but now…”
“I look a bit like a celebrity, right?”
At Song Hyun-soo’s playful words, he nodded and smiled.
“You look so much better. You look relaxed… you’re glowing.”
Even after the waiter brought the menus, the two were so engrossed in conversation that they didn’t even think about looking at them for more than five minutes.
Even though they talked on the phone at least once a week to update each other, it felt like they had a mountain of stories to tell.
After ordering a simple three-course lunch and white wine, they were soon smiling at each other again.
“Hyung, but this place is so nice?”
“You like it?”
Song Hyun-soo looked around again at the matching dark green awnings and exterior materials, and the outdoor tables covered with white tablecloths.
“This is the kind of place I wanted to go!”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“It’s my first time in Paris. I wanted to go to a place that felt exactly like Paris.”
After the photoshoot was confirmed, Jung Ji-in had asked him what kind of place he wanted to go. And he had found a place that exactly matched what Song Hyun-soo wanted.
“This alley is quiet, and there aren’t many tourists. It’s so nice. I can talk to hyung comfortably.”
The waiter came and served the wine first and then left. The white wine they drank after a cheerful toast was refreshing and cool.
“Hyung, do a lot of people still recognize you?”
Jung Ji-in had been working as an actor in Korea for several years. He had completely switched to being a theater actor for about a year before leaving the country, but his last work,
“No. It’s decreased a lot now.”
Jung Ji-in said modestly, but Song Hyun-soo knew better. Among his fans, it was still a must-do to watch Jung Ji-in’s play and take a proof shot during their trip to Paris. There were only heartwarming stories on the internet about how he was grateful and willingly took pictures with them without showing any signs of annoyance.
Moreover, Jung Ji-in was actively expanding his position in the European performing arts industry. He was actively invited to perform not only in Paris but also in other cities in Europe, and his interviews were published in magazines several times.
“Do you come here often, hyung?”
“I’ve been here a few times.”
“With him?”
“……”
Jung Ji-in was usually like a deep, calm lake that rarely caused ripples. But when his lover was mentioned, his gaze momentarily wandered around. It was an interesting sight to see.
“Hyung, are you nervous?”
“Nervous?”
“I thought you seemed nervous about introducing your boyfriend to me.”
“Ah…”
After taking a sip of wine, Jung Ji-in said with a smile that was clearly nervous.
“You know I don’t have that many friends. It’s not often that I introduce Lee Han to a friend.”
“So, hyung gets nervous too.”
“Lee Han will be here soon.”
“I want to meet him soon. You said he’s the same age as me, right?”
“Yeah, but… he’s a working professional, so he seems very mature.”
“Wow, he’s a completely different style from me? I’m curious.”
A message arrived while they were eating the appetizer made of cucumbers, ricotta cheese, green apples, and celery. It was from Yoon Joo-ho.
It was a text message to check if he had arrived safely.
He took pictures of the food and the restaurant and sent them back as a reply.
“Yoon Joo-ho?”
“Ah… yes. He was wondering if I arrived safely.”
So, I also get shy when my lover’s name comes up.
“Haha. I didn’t know he could send texts like that.”
Jung Ji-in smiled lightly, picking at a green apple with his fork as if talking about an old friend. Song Hyun-soo smiled back.
Just as they finished the appetizer and the waiter cleared the plates, a heavy sedan entered the alley. A man emerged from the back seat of the car, which slowed down as it approached.
Wow, he’s tall.
Is he about 2-3cm taller than my Dad?
Song Hyun-soo was sure.
That’s him. That’s Jung Ji-in hyung’s ‘Lee Han’!
Despite his considerable height, Yoon Joo-ho had a sleek figure that made him feel more slender than imposing. On the other hand, Jung Ji-in’s man was much more of a physical type. If Yoon Joo-ho had the physique of a model, Lee Han had more of the atmosphere of an athlete, and they had completely different personalities.
As Jung Ji-in said, he was quite, very mature.
Song Hyun-soo couldn’t believe that he was the same age as him. It wasn’t the appearance, but the atmosphere that was different. Jung Ji-in said he was a working professional, but he didn’t look like a twenty-eight-year-old working professional who had just entered the position of assistant manager.
Approaching Jung Ji-in from behind, he couldn’t help but make eye contact with Song Hyun-soo first. He smiled gently to ease the imposing feeling that came from his sturdy physique. Song Hyun-soo also nodded slightly to him.
“Am I a little late?”
He slipped his hand over Jung Ji-in’s shoulder, bent down, and met his eyes.
“Oh, you’re here? Introduce yourself. This is Hyun-soo. Song Hyun-soo.”
Song Hyun-soo awkwardly got up from his seat and shook hands with him.
“Hello. I’m Lee Han, Ji-in hyung’s partner. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Hello. I’m Song Hyun-soo. I haven’t heard much about you, but… I wanted to meet you.”
Even while exchanging greetings, and even after sitting down again, Song Hyun-soo stared intently at the man’s face. Tilting his head.
Jung Ji-in asked.
“Why? Does he look familiar?”
“I don’t think I’ve ever met him… but he strangely looks familiar. But if I had seen him somewhere, I would have remembered it for sure.”
Jung Ji-in smiled awkwardly.
“Hyun-soo, do you happen to know Hanseo Group?”
“Hanseo? I’m Korean, of course I kno… oh? Oh oh? Oh?”
Song Hyun-soo forcibly lowered his rising voice. As if he were someone who had to hide from someone, he even leaned his upper body over the table.
“I know. I know him! Hanseo Group! Knox Hotel!”
Lee Han smiled brightly.
“I’m grateful that you recognized me.”
And he added a joke.
“My recognition is far behind Ji-in hyung’s. Thanks to Hyun-soo, I’ve saved some face.”
Only then did Song Hyun-soo understand what Jung Ji-in had said.
“You said he’s a person whose face and name are known, but he’s not a celebrity. I couldn’t figure it out at all. So… so that’s what hyung meant.”
The ravioli and noodle dishes that Song Hyun-soo and Jung Ji-in had chosen as their mains were served. Song Hyun-soo asked Lee Han, who only had a glass of wine in front of him.
“Lee Han-ssi, aren’t you having lunch?”
“I just stopped by today to say hello to Hyun-soo-ssi. Please eat comfortably.”
Jung Ji-in, who was looking at the two of them alternately with a satisfied expression, laughed as if he was amused.
“Aren’t you being too polite when you’re the same age?”
Song Hyun-soo swallowed the ravioli, dabbed his mouth with the end of a napkin, and said, stroking the back of his neck.
“Seeing you in person, you’re really more mature than me…”
“Haha. Do I look old?”
“No, no! That’s definitely not it!”
Song Hyun-soo shook his hand and strongly denied it, then wet his lips with a sip of wine and continued.
“How should I put it, do you have force? Charisma? Things that I don’t have at all…”
Jung Ji-in and Lee Han burst into laughter at Song Hyun-soo’s honest impressions. Thanks to that, Song Hyun-soo also relaxed and chuckled.
“Anyway, you match Ji-in hyung so well.”
When Jung Ji-in said that his lover was younger than him, the same age as Song Hyun-soo, Song Hyun-soo was somewhat puzzled. He couldn’t imagine Jung Ji-in dating a younger man. But with this kind of younger man, it was a different story.
“But how did you two meet? Hyung didn’t tell me much about Lee Han-ssi.”
Song Hyun-soo, who had picked up his fork, looked up into the air and shouted.
“Ah! I think I know!”
“You think you know?”
Jung Ji-in asked with a smiling face.
“Hyung, you filmed a Knox Resort commercial before, right? Did you meet then?”
Lee Han nodded his head largely and slowly and looked at Jung Ji-in next to him.
“Ah… the Knox Resort commercial. I miss it. Don’t you, hyung?”
It seemed like there was some kind of memory between the two. Unlike Lee Han, who was subtly behaving with a relaxed attitude, Jung Ji-in couldn’t quite make eye contact with him. He only gave Song Hyun-soo an awkward smile.
“We didn’t meet while working. It’s a bit of a… long story.”
Lee Han stepped in.
“Next time Hyun-soo-ssi comes to Paris personally, you must stay at our house. We’ll take about three or four days to slowly tell you how we met then.”
Th-th-three nights and four days…?
Jung Ji-in chuckled and nudged Lee Han with his elbow after checking Song Hyun-soo’s expression.
“Hyun-soo’s getting scared.”