By Zephyria 
《Hyun-soo-ssi, it was nice seeing you at the bar yesterday.》
《I kept waiting, but you didn’t contact me, so I had resigned myself to thinking you’d lost my business card.》
《Then, to meet you in such an unexpected place》
《I felt it was even more like fate》
A sweating, smiling emoji was attached after the word ‘fate’.
《However, what happened with Joo-ho Sunbae has been bothering me.》
《Seeing him treat you so coercively made me so angry…》
《I know, it’s none of my business, right?》
It is none of your business.
Song Hyun-soo exhaled a thin stream of smoke and replied inwardly.
Since their reunion at Seohae’s bar, Jeong Seong-won had started sending messages occasionally.
He wasn’t overtly rude, and he was a senior, so Song Hyun-soo had replied in a way that wasn’t impolite, but the real reason he continued to accept his messages was different.
《It’s causing a stir that Joo-ho Sunbae followed you.》
《It is quite something, being the only person Yoon Joo-ho follows.》
《I am worried that this might lead to you being attacked by Joo-ho Sunbae’s fans, though.》
Considering Jeong Seong-won’s busy schedule, he contacted Song Hyun-soo quite regularly. And most of those contacts ‘coincidentally’ led to discussions about Yoon Joo-ho.
Song Hyun-soo’s own reply followed below.
《Thank you for your concern, Senior.》
《Fortunately, nothing like that has really happened yet…》
《But it is scary to receive so much attention so suddenly.》
And Jeong Seong-won’s reply.
《Anyone would feel that way.》
《Contact me when you need someone to talk to or just want to chat.》
《I may not be in as great a position as Joo-ho Sunbae, but I am still your senior.》
《Actually, there’s a project by Writer Moon Soo Jin starting next year.》
《There’s a role in it that I think would suit you perfectly, so I’d like to recommend you to the writer.》
《Next year,
《Think of me as an overly meddling senior, and》
《Let’s find some time sometime.》
Hmm…
The last message had arrived two days ago.
Jeong Seong-won never crossed any lines. Considering his popularity and position, he was even a very polite and kind senior.
People who are gay, or bisexual, or curious about new experiences, even if they haven’t had them with men, exist everywhere. Song Hyun-soo had lived a life where he was quite popular, with both men and women. So, the kindness shown to him by others was not unfamiliar or rare.
Maybe I could really be Jeong Seong-won’s type. But he couldn’t shake off a feeling of unease. There was no harm in being careful.
Clomp, clomp. Behind the approaching footsteps in the backyard, a familiar voice was heard.
“What are you looking at so seriously?”
It was Yoon Joo-ho.
“Ah… Nothing much.”
Moving the cigarette from his lips to his fingers, Song Hyun-soo shoved his phone into his pocket.
Encountering someone covered in blood wasn’t just scary on a dark moonlit night. Even in the bright afternoon sun, Yoon Joo-ho’s made-up face was startling. No, contrasted with the bright sunlight, it was even more alien and shocking.
Perhaps that was why Director Jeong had set Baek Kang’s murder time for midday.
Yoon Joo-ho, with fake blood splattered on his face and clothes, stopped a few steps away from where Song Hyun-soo was sitting.
He was still wearing his shooting costume, a padded jumper. It was a sponsored product, a black down jacket with nothing particularly eye-catching. It was long enough to cover his hips and had a stand collar that zipped up to his chin. The only distinguishing feature was a gray logo on the upper left side.
Compared to the jumpers and coats he usually wore, which cost millions of won or more, it couldn’t be considered an expensive product. Even as a costume for filming, it was an outfit his mother would disapprove of. But to Song Hyun-soo, it was Baek Kang himself.
A man who had lived his whole life in a small seaside village, sailing, mending nets, and helping the village elders without complaint; not sophisticated, but a quietly warm man. Just, with a very beautiful face.
“Do you have any plans after the shoot today?”
The narrow backyard stretched out like a corridor. Opposite Song Hyun-soo diagonally, Yoon Joo-ho leaned against the wall.
“Not really. It’s always the same when I come down for filming.”
“Then, meet me around midnight in the hotel’s underground parking lot.”
“Parking lot?”
Not asking him to come to his room, but to the parking lot, Song Hyun-soo looked up at him.
He couldn’t meet Song Hyun-soo’s eyes. He spoke while plucking at the stray weeds that had grown between the wall stones.
“Make some time for me. There’s a place I want to go with you.”
“…Alright.”
Yoon Joo-ho’s shyness made Song Hyun-soo’s face flush too.
They had already been lovers. They had seen each other’s naked bodies multiple times, and enjoyed each other in unspeakable positions. Hugging, clinging, kissing… They had done all the mushy things ordinary couples do.
Yet, their current awkwardness, like two boys who hadn’t even had their first kiss yet, struck him as comical.
What should I do? He’s totally going to confess today?? ― He felt like he had returned to his school days, feeling that flutter of excitement. And with Yoon Joo-ho, no less.
Yoon Joo-ho’s gaze, which had been wandering, suddenly lingered on Song Hyun-soo’s face. Realizing he was looking at the swollen and bruised special effects makeup, Song Hyun-soo smiled and touched his swollen cheek and eye.
“This is amazing, right? It looks so real. I even took a selfie!”
Yoon Joo-ho furrowed his brow and cautiously reached out his hand.
“It doesn’t hurt, right?”
“……”
He had the same thought as me.
Seeing the blood on Senior’s hands and face, even knowing it was fake, my heart had fluttered.
As if realizing his words were too foolish, Yoon Joo-ho belatedly chuckled and shook his head.
“Never mind. Don’t worry about it.”
Then, he looked at Baek Kang’s sports watch, indicating it was time to return to the set.
“Ah.”
He suddenly turned back as he walked a few steps ahead. Song Hyun-soo, who was following, stopped in surprise.
“That scene earlier. I felt something was lacking too. I didn’t know what it was, though.”
“……”
“Just throw out whatever you think Lee San is.”
“……”
“I’ll accept anything.”
Song Hyun-soo nodded with a smile, and Yoon Joo-ho also grinned. Then he reached out and fiddled with Song Hyun-soo’s earlobe. Rolling the soft earlobe in his palm, he suddenly pulled his hand away as if burned. Was it because he thought he had touched without permission?
“Let’s go. We’ll be late.”
Turning and walking ahead, Yoon Joo-ho rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
He’s so good at seducing, yet so clumsy at dating. Song Hyun-soo smiled silently, finding it both cute and a little bit satisfying, and left the backyard.
■■■
“Camera roll.”
The camera began recording first.
“Speed.”
The audio recording started.
“Scene number 47, cut 1, take 1.”
After the slate was clapped, the assistant director called.
“Action.”
Lee San entered, opening the back kitchen door with a clatter. He winced, lightly touching his left cheek where the pain was felt.
“Ah! Aish… That hurts. That old man, he hadn’t hit my face in a while…”
Lee San’s face brightened upon spotting Baek Kang in the kitchen.
“Huh? Hyung!”
However, Baek Kang’s face, as he turned towards them, was somehow different from his usual self that Lee San knew well. Within the transparency, something was pooling and swaying precariously.
Red stains splattered on his beautiful face, the knife in his hand, and the dark, almost black liquid dripping from it.
Thud.
Lee San, who had dropped his bag, gasped for breath. He immediately rushed to Baek Kang and examined him all over.
“Hyung! What is all this? This is blood, blood! Are you… hurt somewhere?”
“It’s… quite swollen.”
Baek Kang’s voice trembled slightly. His gaze, scanning Lee San’s disheveled face, also trembled.
“You got hit again yesterday, didn’t you?”
Even after committing murder, Baek Kang looked at Lee San’s swollen face with more pity.
Although these were lines and actions not in the script, Song Hyun-soo didn’t need to ponder how to interpret them. He had already experienced it. When he met Yoon Joo-ho at Seohae’s house, the two of them had only worried about each other’s wounds.
“Getting hit is nothing new, is it? There’s blood all over your hands right now!”
As if his own injuries were nothing, Lee San grabbed a towel and began wiping Baek Kang’s hands and face. His hands trembled.