By Zephyria 
Enduring the cold and heat was manageable. A young body could endure anything. For Song Hyun-soo, even spending the summer in a dilapidated rooftop room without air conditioning, enduring the heatwave and tropical nights with a basin of ice water, was a cherished memory.
Nearby were the stylish cafes, restaurants, and wine bars of Hannam-dong and Itaewon, but the atmosphere of this neighborhood was far from a hot spot. As the sun set, the alleys became eerily dark and deserted, making even a healthy young man like Song Hyun-soo glance back frequently.
Using public transportation was also inconvenient.
However, if he went to Hannam Five-way Intersection and took a bus, he could get anywhere in Seoul without much difficulty. He also liked that the neighborhood still retained the charm of a multi-family housing area. Just like their old dorm in Gyeongnidan-gil, where they all lived together.
The landlord insisted on a one-year contract, so he agreed, but he couldn’t afford to spend money moving every year. Without a second thought, he intended to renew the contract this time.
“No matter how I think about it, you measured it crookedly earlier, hyung. You even cut it crookedly.”
Jung-ho sighed. The bubble wrap cut by Song Hyun-soo was unmistakably rhomboid.
“Let’s just stick it on roughly, Jung-ho. We’re putting it up for warmth, not for looks.”
“What if you bring someone over then? I should have listened to you… It’ll be too late to regret it then.”
“There won’t be anyone coming over for the foreseeable future.”
Song Hyun-soo said firmly as he dragged the cut bubble wrap towards the window.
“How can you be so sure?”
“Now is not the time for dating. Success comes first.”
“You think saying that makes you sound cool, hyung.”
Jung-ho scoffed and added firmly.
“It’s just a typical excuse for people without girlfriends.”
Whether Jung-ho believed it or not, Song Hyun-soo had no intention of dating. Although he had had a few flings since moving to Seoul, none had developed into a proper relationship. Besides, it wasn’t a situation where he could have a proper relationship.
“Why are you starting to stick it on from the middle!”
Jung-ho rushed over, horrified, seeing Song Hyun-soo place the bubble wrap in the middle of the window.
“Get out of the way. I’ll do it.”
Without Song Hyun-soo’s help, Jung-ho worked cleanly. To Song Hyun-soo, whose fingertips were not nimble, he looked like a professional.
“Aren’t I doing too much work when you’re just going to cook ramen for me anyway?”
Song Hyun-soo chuckled at Jung-ho’s protest.
“Didn’t you say yourself that you could do this by yourself?”
“Ah, I said that thinking we were just putting up this one window. You said you were going to put it up everywhere.”
“Alright, then I’ll order jjajangmyeon. The deluxe kind.”
Song Hyun-soo looked around for his phone to order through the delivery app. When it was actually offered, Jung-ho shook his head again.
“It’s okay, I was just saying. I know your situation well.”
“I can afford to buy you jjajangmyeon, you brat.”
“You treated me and Chae-young to meat last week because you got your movie advance. I think treating us twice a month is too much.”
Jung-ho, who had finished two large windows in no time, pointed to a shopping bag placed in the corner in front of the clothes rack.
“Hyung, why don’t you take out what’s in that shopping bag and iron it? It’s probably all wrinkled.”
“What is that?”
“You have a script reading today. I brought a few outfits.”
Jung-ho had good sense in various ways. Not only interior design, but his photography skills were also decent. He seemed to understand current trends and aesthetics.
Jung-ho sometimes directed the photos Song Hyun-soo uploaded to his SNS. “Wear this,” “Stand here,” “Pose like this,” “Look over there…” The photos taken and uploaded according to Jung-ho’s instructions always received a good response.
He also had excellent fashion sense. If he didn’t know what to get, Jung-ho was the one who recommended good online shopping malls. Before adding items to his cart and checking out, Song Hyun-soo always got Jung-ho’s approval. However, Song Hyun-soo didn’t have the luxury of spending a lot of money on clothes or shoes. Fortunately, they had similar body types, so Jung-ho often lent him clothes.
Song Hyun-soo looked inside the shopping bag. Pants, a top, and a coat. Several outfits were neatly stacked. They were winter clothes, so they were heavy. It must have been heavy carrying them all the way here on the bus.
“You’re really going to be an actor now, hyung.”
“…”
“They’re not expensive clothes, but it’s good to dress nicely.”
Putting down the shopping bag, Song Hyun-soo suddenly pounced on Jung-ho, who was crouching in front of the bubble wrap.
“Thank you, Jung-ho! I’ve prepared your favorite sesame ramen!”
The two of them boiled four packs of ramen in the largest pot and sat facing each other at the dining table.
“As expected, sesame ramen. The smell is amazing.”
“Thanks, Jung-ho. I didn’t mean to, but you did almost all of it.”
Song Hyun-soo first scooped out Jung-ho’s portion of ramen into a large bowl.
“It’s nothing… You always treat me well, hyung. Wow, chonggak kimchi! Is this from your grandmother, right?”
“Yeah, eat plenty.”
Jung-ho’s expression as he opened the kimchi lid and smelled it was as if he were smelling a bouquet of flowers.
“Your movie is starting, is two packs of ramen okay?”
“I always eat about this much?”
“Right. You have a body that doesn’t gain weight.”
“Hmm… That’s part of it, but I don’t have time to gain weight.”
“From now on, you’ll be even more popular and have even less time to gain weight.”
They smiled at each other and started eating.
“But why are you drinking so much water lately?”
Jung-ho, who wouldn’t let Song Hyun-soo’s repeated sips of water after a bite or two of ramen go unnoticed, asked. Song Hyun-soo, as if he had been waiting to be asked, stroked his throat with a proud expression.
“An actor has to protect his throat, you know.”
“To protect your throat, shouldn’t you quit smoking first?”
“…”
This kid Jung-ho. He’s sharper than he looks.
Clearing his throat a couple of times, Song Hyun-soo put down his water cup and picked up his chopsticks.
“A person shouldn’t overdo it. It’s important to practice what you can do.”
“What is that?”
“It’s better to smoke while drinking water than not to quit smoking and not drink water.”
“It doesn’t make sense, but it kind of does…”
“Jung-ho, the ramen is getting cold.”
Jung-ho tucked his hair behind his ear, bowed his head over his bowl, and began slurping the ramen. After a few slurping sounds, half the bowl was empty. No matter how well he dressed up or talked about aesthetics in photos, Jung-ho, when eating, was just a normal young man with a hearty appetite.
However, even his beloved sesame ramen didn’t keep him from eating for more than a minute.
“But, will Crown Prince be okay?”
“…Why Yoon Joo-ho?”
Song Hyun-soo flinched at the sudden mention of Yoon Joo-ho’s name. It wasn’t like they were secretly dating. Why was he reacting like this? He was puzzled, but he didn’t have the persistence to dwell on it.
“There were constant rumors about him not getting along with his parents. But apparently, Yoon Joo-ho sent a certified letter to his parents.”
“…”
Song Hyun-soo paused for a moment, then resumed moving his chopsticks, pushing noodles into his mouth.
“That was news from yesterday or the day before.”
“But Yoon Joo-ho’s parents gave an interview to the press.”
“An interview?”
Song Hyun-soo lifted his head, which had been bowed, and looked up at Jung-ho. This was news to him.
“They said Yoon Joo-ho seemed to be greatly misunderstanding things. They said it was because they spoiled him.”
“Spoiled him? What a joke.”
“It doesn’t seem like it, does it? Yoon Joo-ho has worked like a dog… like an ox, without a proper break since he was very young. But are the rumors true?”
“What rumors?”
“That Yoon Joo-ho’s parents practically abused him since he was little. They say he hasn’t been able to film a single movie until now because of his parents, even though Yoon Joo-ho wanted to.”