By Zephyria The shopping bag seemed too small to fit the bulky rabbit slippers. As Song Hyun-soo was about to unfold another shopping bag, his phone vibrated in his coat pocket. Without much thought, he pulled out his phone, checked the caller ID, and unconsciously glanced at Yoon Joo-ho.
Should I just not answer and call back later?
But from now on, they would be living in the same house. They couldn’t do this every time a call came in or he had to make one. Right, I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m being honest.
“Excuse me, I’m just going to… take this call for a moment.”
Even while thinking he was being honest, his voice calling out to Yoon Joo-ho lacked confidence.
“Why are you going out to take it?”
“Well…”
“Are you cheating already?”
The moment he heard the word “dating” from Yoon Joo-ho’s mouth, his face reflexively flushed.
“Ah, what are you talking about! I’m dating Yoon Joo-ho, why would I cheat…?”
Realizing belatedly that he had spoken too frankly, Song Hyun-soo quickly lowered his voice, and Yoon Joo-ho chuckled, either in disbelief or amusement.
“Then why can’t you take it here?”
Sigh. He ran his hand through his hair with a sigh and strode towards Yoon Joo-ho, holding out his phone screen.
Ji-in hyung, French number
Yoon Joo-ho’s eyebrows twitched upon seeing the caller ID.
“Satisfied? Not cheating, right?”
As he turned to leave with his phone, Yoon Joo-ho firmly grasped his upper arm.
“Take it here.”
Song Hyun-soo narrowed his eyes, observing Yoon Joo-ho’s expression.
“I’ll take it outside. I’ll hang up quickly…”
“There’s no need to.”
“Promise you won’t be prickly?”
“I promise. So just… do it here.”
His eyes seemed sincere. He’s getting all tense just hearing Ji-in hyung’s name, and he wants me to take the call here? Is he that worried about me taking calls in the cold?
“Ah, alright. Then loosen your grip. It hurts like hell.”
Yoon Joo-ho, who had been gripping Song Hyun-soo’s upper arm tightly over his coat sleeve, let go as if he had been burned. He seemed unaware of how hard he had been squeezing.
Glancing at Yoon Joo-ho, who looked somewhat strange, Song Hyun-soo turned towards the desk, his back to him, and connected the call.
“Hyung. It’s me.”
[I was about to hang up since you weren’t answering. Is it okay to talk?]
“Yes, of course. I’m home.”
[It was the day of the script reading, right? I thought the company dinner ran late.]
“Today, we just did the first round and came home. How about you? It’s around 5 PM there now, right?”
The familiar and missed sound of Jung Ji-in’s laughter came from the other end of the line.
[You know Paris time now. I just finished working out and am having a cup of coffee alone.]
“Pilates?”
[Yeah. Today’s theater practice was canceled, so I have some free time for the first time in a while.]
“A cup of coffee at a Paris cafe. Just hearing about it sounds wonderful. Ah, I want to go too!”
[You’ll be here soon.]
“Right. I have to go… Once the movie wraps up well, I’ll definitely come. I’ll return triumphantly after achieving success. Ah, Paris isn’t my hometown, so is it not a triumphant return?”
Song Hyun-soo, resting one hand on the edge of the desk, scratched his cheek with his index finger and gave an awkward laugh.
[I’ll clean the guest room well and wait for you, so come anytime. There are many places I want to go with you when you’re here… and people I want to introduce you to.]
Before Jung Ji-in left, Song Hyun-soo had boasted about having saved a lot of money, making it sound like he would be meeting him in Paris soon. But the reality was different. The movie advance and the advance he received from Yoon Joo-ho had all gone towards moving expenses for his family home, and Song Hyun-soo’s actual financial situation hadn’t improved. However, he didn’t want to tell Jung Ji-in that. He wanted to hold onto the hope of meeting him soon, and more than anything, he didn’t want to worry him.
[Ah, Hyun-soo, I didn’t call because of that.]
“What is it? Is something wrong?”
[You passed 3,000 followers on SNS.]
Jung Ji-in’s voice was excited as he delivered the news.
Song Hyun-soo, who had been unconsciously lowering his voice due to Yoon Joo-ho’s presence, couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.
“Hyung, did you call just for that?”
[I was looking at your account while drinking coffee and saw you had exactly 3,003 followers. It was quite fast from 2,000 to 3,000, right?]
Jung Ji-in also used to have an SNS account when he was active as an actor in Korea. It was, after all, an officially managed account. Currently, his account was locked for following only, with no posts uploaded.
Yet, he was someone who always checked my account and rejoiced when I reached 3,000 followers. How many people would do that?
[It will get even faster to 10,000, 100,000, and 1,000,000 followers.]
A million… a distant number that felt impossible to grasp. But Jung Ji-in said it with a soft yet confident voice.
If Jung Ji-in said so, it felt like it would truly come true.
Hyung is smart, well-educated, and cool, unlike me. Hyung never speaks empty words or platitudes.
If it weren’t for Jung Ji-in, who encouraged and supported him, telling him he was doing well, that he could do it, and that the path he was taking was the right one, Song Hyun-soo didn’t know what would have become of him after ‘that incident.’
He missed Jung Ji-in.
He felt even more regret that the relationship between Yoon Joo-ho and Jung Ji-in had become strained. If not for that, they could have made new memories together.
Besides family, they were the two people Song Hyun-soo loved most in the world.
The fact that these two, who were once best friends, had fallen out felt particularly regrettable today.
Song Hyun-soo glanced over his shoulder. His eyes met Yoon Joo-ho’s, who was sitting on the mattress, looking at him. Feeling guilty for no reason, he averted his gaze and brought up another topic.
“Ah, hyung! Our crank-in date has been confirmed.”
[Really? When is it?]
“It’s not long now. It’s at the end of this month.”
[That’s good to hear it’s progressing well. How about finding a place? Your contract ends at the end of this month too. You’ll feel more at ease if the housing situation is sorted before crank-in.]
“Ah… that’s…”
Song Hyun-soo glanced at Yoon Joo-ho again.
This time, Yoon Joo-ho was looking at his phone, but it was easy to tell he was aware of the conversation.
To be honest, Song Hyun-soo had a personality that could spin lies effortlessly depending on the person. But when it came to someone he truly liked, it was difficult. He had to live his life showing his likes and dislikes immediately, so having to hide something from them was a torment.
He ran his hands through his hair and squeezed out a lie, a lie as close to the truth as possible.
“I think I’ll be able to find a decent place soon…”
[Is it around Wangsimni?]
“That’s… not exactly, but… I’ll tell you when it’s finalized later.”
[Okay, let’s talk again when you have more time. You must have a lot to worry about without a company, so always take care of your health.]
“Yes, hyung, don’t overdo it either. It’s even more lonely to be sick in a foreign place.”
[Yeah, you punk.]
“I’ll call again.”
Now that I’ve signed a contract with Yoon Joo-ho and even have a manager, albeit temporary, I even get to ride in a large RV like a real actor. If I told him that, hyung would definitely be happy…
After finishing the call, Song Hyun-soo stood still for a moment, looking down at the phone in his hand. He sat down next to Yoon Joo-ho and then flopped back.
He could see Yoon Joo-ho’s back nearby.
“Do you talk often?”
“Ji-in hyung?”
He nodded.
“About once a week? Maybe twice if it’s a lot?”
“Are you going to Paris?”
“I want to go. I want to see where hyung lives. But… I don’t have money yet. I’ll go when the movie does well and I get a lot of work.”
“Leaving me behind?”
“…”
Yoon Joo-ho looked back at Song Hyun-soo over his shoulder. His gaze, looking down from beneath his eyelashes, made Song Hyun-soo tense his lower abdomen.
“It’s not even a definite plan yet, but you’re already feeling lonely because I said I’m going?”
Looking up at him from his lying position, he smirked provocatively.
“Yes, I’m lonely. So don’t go.”
The reaction was different from what he expected. Song Hyun-soo hesitated and sat up.
“It definitely feels different now that we’re officially dating.”
“I’m trying my best to be a boyfriend.”
While sitting side-by-side, Yoon Joo-ho clasped his hands together. Even though they had intensely intertwined their bodies on this very mattress, this was the first time they had held hands like this, fingers interlaced. Couples who only had sex don’t usually interlace their fingers. It was a skinship only a boyfriend could share, perhaps more intimate than sex.
Staring down at their two hands, firmly locked together, Song Hyun-soo glanced at Yoon Joo-ho’s expression.
“But. Can’t I just tell Ji-in hyung now?”
Yoon Joo-ho’s facial muscles, which had been looking at him tenderly, immediately stiffened.
“Tell him what.”
“Well, that is… now that we’re officially dating, isn’t it okay to tell him? We’re being open about it.”
“Since we’re being open, should we hold a press conference? Hold hands and announce our first day together?”
Yoon Joo-ho raised their clasped hands to shoulder height and glared.
“I don’t mind. Are you scared, Sunbae?”
“Becoming the first gay actor couple in Korea wouldn’t be so bad.”
“Ah, stop joking! Did you hear my call earlier? You’re telling me not to tell so many people, so I keep having to lie. I don’t want to lie to hyung.”
“Was that a joke? Is that your resolve?”