By Zephyria 
But Choi Hong-seo thought differently. He believed that if this scandal broke, Lee Hae-sung would be in very, very deep trouble. The stock prices of ARA Group’s subsidiaries would plummet one after another, shareholder meetings would be convened to hold Lee Hae-sung accountable… Choi Hong-seo feared such a scenario. He wasn’t trembling out of fear that he might lose the career he had built as Hyeon-seo.
And Lee Hae-sung liked that Choi Hong-seo was worrying about him.
The famous American film director, who served as this year’s jury president, arrived, and Lee Hae-sung exchanged greetings with him. Once again, his eyes met with Choi Hong-seo, who was being introduced to someone else just three to four meters away.
If you’re trying not to get caught, it would be better not to look this way.
Amused by the heart that tried to hide yet couldn’t, Lee Hae-sung lightly pressed his mouth with his fist to hide a smile.
Even though you’ll be the one to face it more bravely and boldly than I would if a scandal actually broke.
Because he didn’t want to hear strangers arbitrarily define and defile this relationship. It was Choi Hong-seo’s resolute struggle to protect Lee Hae-sung, and the love Lee Hae-sung gave him. Because Lee Hae-sung already knew all too well that he was a boy who would do anything—literally anything—to protect that.
Without realizing it, Lee Hae-sung lowered his gaze slightly.
It seemed that this appeared as a somewhat dark mood to others.
“Mr. Lee, you look tired. Are you alright?”
The jury president, who had been praising the aesthetics of <Cream Mansion> until his mouth ran dry, asked Lee Hae-sung with concern.
“Did I look that way? I suppose I’m just feeling a bit dazed because the award hasn’t quite sunk in yet.”
“You must be busy with business alone; it must be tiring to devote energy to film investment as well.”
The reason he looked lost in other thoughts was that he was thinking of Choi Hong-seo, but there was no need to tell the truth.
Just then, an event staff member dispatched by a Korean company approached and informed him that it was time to go on stage. After asking for understanding from the people he was socializing with, Lee Hae-sung followed the staff member’s guidance to the area directly behind the stage. The actors were already waiting.
In the event of a scandal, Lee Hae-sung was prepared to push through it head-on. In fact, there was a part of him that secretly hoped it would happen.
However, he had no intention of ever crossing the line.
Because he didn’t want to make Choi Hong-seo’s efforts go to waste.
If that boy wanted to protect him, he was more than willing to play the role of the princess.
“Now, please come up one by one! It’s dark, so please watch your step!”
Lee Hae-sung, who was standing with Director Kang Woo-hyun, suddenly looked up at the staff member’s shout. His eyes met with Choi Hong-seo, who was blended into the crowd. He had a slightly grumpy expression. Lee Hae-sung knew that look. It was a stage closer to a cute pout than genuine anger. If the intensity of anger were measured from 1 to 10, this was about level 2. Lee Hae-sung loved teasing Choi Hong-seo at this stage. Although there were many instances where he failed to gauge the limit and it instantly spiked to level 7 or 8.
Choi Hong-seo, who continued to glance at Lee Hae-sung from the corner of his eye, mouthed words silently.
Idiot. Stop looking this way.
Lee Hae-sung could only shake his head and smile.
If I’m an idiot, you’re an idiot too. You’re looking this way too, which is why we keep making eye contact.
■
Director Kang was the first to deliver his acceptance speech in front of the attendees. He led the atmosphere with a more relaxed and humorous demeanor than he had at the awards ceremony. After that, it was the turn of the lead investor, Lee Hae-sung. Lee Hae-sung first offered congratulations and gratitude to the director and actors, and expressed how honorable the moment was for him as well. Since it was an unofficial event, he added a few jokes.
“I remember when I first received the proposal to invest in this film. Everyone tried to stop me, saying the budget would keep increasing as filming progressed. And their concerns became a reality.”
The hundreds of party guests looking up at the stage burst into laughter. After waiting for a moment, Lee Hae-sung let out a light sigh and continued.
“But strangely, I felt drawn to it. I think I felt a sense of destiny from the very first meeting.”
Lee Hae-sung cleverly omitted the object of the sentence.
The first meeting for the investment in <Cream Mansion>. The first meeting with Choi Hong-seo, which took place in the second-floor drawing room of Director Kang Woo-hyun’s residence.
Pretending to look around the room evenly, his gaze finally landed on Choi Hong-seo. Where Lee Hae-sung’s gaze lingered, Choi Hong-seo was also looking at him. Fiddling with the silk bowtie Choi Hong-seo had gifted him, Lee Hae-sung lifted a champagne bottle to shoulder height with his other hand.
“My choice was correct. I want to celebrate that tonight.”
Lee Hae-sung popped the champagne like a firework, and the crowd went wild. He personally filled the glasses of Director Kang and the actors standing with him on stage. He didn’t forget to exchange a meaningful look while pouring wine into Choi Hong-seo’s glass.
“I’ll be waiting at the bar, Hyeon-seo.”
After the toast, Lee Hae-sung stepped off the stage first and headed not to the VIP tables, but to the bar in the corner. After ordering a glass of champagne, he leaned against the bar table and watched the stage. This time, the actors began to share their thoughts one by one. Inevitably, the response was more enthusiastic during the turns of the younger actors.
Among them, the crowd was even more fervent for those from K-pop idol backgrounds, Hyeon-seo and Park Dong-ha—especially Hyeon-seo, who had been showing active promotions recently. At least, that’s how it seemed to Lee Hae-sung.
When the microphone passed to Hyeon-seo after actress Oh In-kyung, a cheer bordering on a scream erupted from the floor. Hyeon-seo had to wait a moment before he could speak.
Leaning loosely against the bar table, Lee Hae-sung swallowed his champagne while keeping his eyes fixed on Choi Hong-seo on stage. An expression of being happy yet shy at the unexpected cheers. It was one of those characteristic expressions he had known well since the days when he was Choi Hong-seo of ‘Layered’.
The complex emotion of watching him on stage while blended among the people cheering for him was also something that had been with Lee Hae-sung since the past. It simply didn’t get any easier, no matter how many times it repeated.
To the point where someone watching might mistake it for a glare, Lee Hae-sung’s gaze, fixed on Choi Hong-seo on stage, did not move for a single moment and was hot enough to burn the target.
Only after the commotion in the hall subsided did Choi Hong-seo lift the microphone.
“Uh… if I hadn’t met this role, my life would probably have been completely different. I don’t even want to imagine such a life.”
If I hadn’t met you, my life would probably have been completely different. — It felt as if it was translated that way in Lee Hae-sung’s ears.
Continuing to speak slowly with a voice that held a slight tremor, Choi Hong-seo looked around below the stage as if searching for someone. And he fixed his gaze in the direction of the bar where Lee Hae-sung had previously mentioned he would be.
“The role of Hwang Ji-woo saved me. I have been completely reborn.”
Lee Hae-sung slowly set his champagne glass down on the table. The stage was brightly lit by the spotlights, while the bar was relatively dark. He couldn’t be certain if Choi Hong-seo was actually looking at him. But that didn’t even matter.
“I will never give up the life he has newly granted me. Not this time.”
Are you really someone who doesn’t want to be caught? Anyone listening would think that’s a love confession.
No, maybe I’m the only one who can understand it?
The displeased expression Lee Hae-sung had worn while watching people cheer and blow hand-kisses toward his lover crumbled in an instant. Just as Lee Hae-sung had spoken of destiny while omitting the object, Choi Hong-seo was also delivering a double-meaning message using the pronoun ‘he’.
At Choi Hong-seo’s firm declaration that he would never give up this life, Lee Hae-sung clenched his fist. Feeling a thirst in his throat, he asked for another glass of champagne. In the meantime, the microphone passed to actress Kim Yi-jung. Lee Hae-sung turned his back to the stage and repeatedly tapped his fingers on the bar table. He was so anxious that he wanted to be alone with him. He wanted to sneak away from this noisy party and start a party for just the two of them in the guest room.
“You’re the ‘Ahjussi’ who is Lee Hae-sung, right?”
Just as he was about to reach for the newly prepared champagne, he heard Korean from a close distance. It was Korean spoken with a clumsy pronunciation and a strong foreign accent.
As he turned his head while picking up the glass, a young-looking man and woman were looking up at Lee Hae-sung. Were they barely twenty? They were a pair, but a strange duo that didn’t look like a couple.
The one who spoke to Lee Hae-sung in Korean was the man. A well-maintained, sleek physique, clothing that appealed to sex, and eyes that were strangely upturned. The man was not hiding the fact that he was gay. And before Lee Hae-sung could say anything, the blonde woman asked in an excited tone with wide eyes.
“My friend said ARA is yours. Is that true?”
“I told you it’s true! Starting from his grandfather, his family is a super famous chaebol family in Korea. In France, he’d be like a celebrity like Arnault or Betancourt.”
“In Korea? European kids use ARA phones way more, and my mom is a huge fan of Nox Hotel and resorts!”
Again, the two of them didn’t give Lee Hae-sung a chance to speak, shouting and chatting excitedly to each other.
Are they children who are fascinated to see a chaebol in person?
Leaving the two alone, Lee Hae-sung brought the new champagne to his lips while checking the stage. The actors, including Park Dong-ha, had all finished their speeches and were about to step off the stage. The DJing, which had been briefly paused, started again. The volume was such that they would have to scream to have a conversation. Because of this, the strange duo closed the distance, approaching Lee Hae-sung from both sides.
“I heard you’re the investor for <Cream Mansion>. You’re the one who threw this party today, right? Doesn’t it cost a ton of money to throw a party like this? They’re just spraying champagne everywhere. Did you come from Korea to Cannes on a private jet?”
After the man spoke in Korean, it was the woman’s turn.
“Where are you staying? The top suite here? Can’t you let us have a look?”