HLC 29

“A boyfriend who lets you live in a super-luxury villa with a Han River view. I’m so envious I can’t sleep.”

Despite Song Hyun-soo’s teasing, Choi Hong-seo just smiled ambiguously.

Although he was worried, Song Hyun-soo was one hundred percent in favor of Choi Hong-seo dating that man. One hundred percent. Because that man had moved Choi Hong-seo out of this cramped dorm and into a super-luxury villa in UN Village.

That, at least, meant the man cared for Choi Hong-seo. It seemed certain that he didn’t just see him as a toy to play with and discard. If things went well, he might even become that person’s second wife.

He didn’t have a wife, so technically not a second wife, but still. What did it matter if he was a second wife or something else? Anything was better than being held captive like Myung Do-hoon’s dog.

“He treats you well, right? Still?”

“What?”

“That older man. Does he treat you well?”

“Yes, he treats me well.”

Choi Hong-seo nodded.

“How well? How does he treat you?”

“How?”

“Like, what does he buy you?”

Unlike Choi Hong-seo, who believed in words like ‘sincerity,’ Song Hyun-soo was calculating. At least, that’s what he believed about himself.

If a third-generation chaebol were to date an idol, sweet whispers or verbal promises would be utterly useless, in Song Hyun-soo’s opinion. He wanted to know how much money that man could concretely spend on Choi Hong-seo.

“This time, he changed our car to a Sprinter.”

“A Mercedes? A Mercedes Sprinter?”

Choi Hong-seo nodded. Song Hyun-soo felt a little relieved. He lowered his voice subtly, as if no one else could hear, and leaned his upper body towards Choi Hong-seo.

“When you get a chance, talk to him properly.”

“About what.”

“Tell him you want to live only looking at him! Tell him to get you out from under Myung Do-hoon.”

Song Hyun-soo urged him, sounding frustrated. Seeing Choi Hong-seo only smile faintly made him even more agitated.

“You idiot. Do you really think you can escape Myung Do-hoon by working as an idol?”

“…”

“Someone like that man is the only one who can pull you out of this hell.”

“I can’t say that.”

“Why can’t you say it? I bet that man knows everything. He must know that he needs to pay some money to completely get you away from Myung Do-hoon.”

Choi Hong-seo shook his head. Fiddling with the beer can in his hand, he shook his head several times.

“It’s not about money.”

“Then what is it about? Love?”

“Anyway, that man isn’t like that.”

“What do you know about chaebols?”

“Don’t you?”

“…Still, I know more than you do.”

They looked at each other and then burst out laughing. They felt like fools, each trying to claim they were smarter than the other, and let out a hollow laugh.

“Hyun-soo, let’s have a drink sometime.”

Choi Hong-seo tried to change the subject. Song Hyun-soo gulped down the beer, which was as lukewarm as plain water, and replied perfunctorily.

“What drink? We’re drinking now.”

“Not like this. A proper one. I want to drink alone with you for the first time in a while. We used to drink sometimes before our debut, remember?”

“Back then, we only had time.”

Choi Hong-seo smiled faintly at Song Hyun-soo’s words. Looking closely, hidden by his flashy hairstyle and layers of makeup, his under-eyes were hollow, his skin was dry, and his lips were pale.

“You’re too busy to even sleep, so what kind of drinking? You can’t even drink that well. If you have time to drink with me, get more sleep. If you get ugly, that man will dislike you.”

“I told you, he’s not like that.”

“Alright, alright. Your man is such a rare chaebol, he’s truly sincere towards you and truly loves you, not caring if your appearance changes, I get it.”

“It’s not ‘I get it,’ it’s the truth. He’s really like that.”

“I know. If he’s such a true love, tell him to kill that bastard Myung Do-hoon first.”

Seeing Choi Hong-seo’s expression darken drastically, Song Hyun-soo regretted his last words a little. But his conviction that Myung Do-hoon was a bastard who deserved to die was firm. If Choi Hong-seo couldn’t say it, Song Hyun-soo himself wanted to step forward and ask that man to deal with Myung Do-hoon.

“You haven’t seen our new dorm yet. If you come to our dorm and we have a drink…”

“I’m not going there.”

“Why?”

Song Hyun-soo finished the remaining beer and crushed the can in his hand.

“You know. Your other members, I don’t like any of them. Even if they don’t know the situation, I don’t want to see them living well by leeching off you.”

“Then I’ll come here. It would be fun to stay here together for the first time in a while.”

He knew Choi Hong-seo was too busy to have that kind of time. ‘Layered’ was finally doing well, and on top of that, he was dating on the side.

“How many hours do you sleep a day these days?”

“I sleep during the gaps when I’m traveling.”

“I mean, sleeping properly in bed. Do you sleep two hours a day?”

“Being busy is good. Think about the times when you wanted to work but had no jobs.”

“When your single activities wrap up and you can rest. Let’s set a proper date and drink then. You said you wanted to drink first, but if you get tipsy after two glasses of soju, I won’t let you off.”

“Okay, next time… let’s definitely have a drink.”

Saying so with a pale smile, Choi Hong-seo got up from the table.

“I’ll get going. My manager must be waiting.”

“Okay.”

They just casually raised their hands to each other through the gap in the door. That was all.

Left alone, Song Hyun-soo picked up the can Choi Hong-seo had been drinking from to throw it away. Almost all the beer remained. This guy, suddenly wanting to drink so much… He chuckled and took a few sips of the beer Choi Hong-seo left behind, standing.

Should I have packed some fried chili peppers for him? He could eat them in the car…

He slipped on his sneakers and hurried after him. From the landing, he stretched his body out and looked down the alley, but the figure was already gone. He ran down the stairs and out the front gate. Even after turning the corner of the alley, he couldn’t find Choi Hong-seo. Strange. He couldn’t have gone that far down already.

The empty alley was flooded with an eerily bright sunlight. It was so bleached white it looked like artificial lighting rather than sunlight. Song Hyun-soo clenched his fist without realizing it and muttered.

“Hey, chili peppers… eat them on your way…”

Suddenly, tears welled up.

This is strange.

Neither I, nor Choi Hong-seo, nor anyone else lives in the dorm anymore. Everyone has left.

Tears welled up uncontrollably.

It felt like he was the only one left, not just in this alley, but in the entire world.

It was as if there was no air; no sound could be heard, and not even the faintest breeze could be felt on his cheek. Looking up at the unmoving white clouds, he realized. This was a dream, and the day he could have a drink with Choi Hong-seo would never come again.

■■■

When he woke up, Song Hyun-soo was covered in cold sweat.

My whole body was drenched, yet my mouth was bone dry, and I gasped for breath like someone who had been crying bitterly.

Calming my breathing, I felt my cheeks with my hands. My face was wet. I raised my arm and wiped my eyes and cheeks. Swallowing dryly, I slowly sat up.

It had been a long time since I had that dream.

After having that dream, I always felt worse than if I had been sleep-paralyzed. My whole body ached as if someone had beaten me up while I slept.

What time did I fall asleep yesterday… 5? 6?

The cool air hit my sweat-soaked bare upper body, making me feel twice as cold. I pulled the blanket up and draped it over my shoulders, checking the time first.

10 AM.

So I had slept for about four or five hours, but I felt worse than if I had slept for only one or two.

I thought I had been sleeping well for the past few days. I was busy preparing for script readings after getting cast in a movie, and all that. I was also very nervous.

But that dream had found Song Hyun-soo once again. As if telling me I could never escape it.

“What brings someone who detests dirty places all the way here?”

At the familiar voice, I turned my head. Yoon Joo-ho was acting on the TV that was on. I had been binge-watching “Eternal Night” from episode 1 before bed, and episod 7 was now playing. Which episode did I watch before sleeping yesterday? Episode 3? 4?

I usually set the auto-off timer, but it seemed I had fallen asleep before it could activate.

“To stay away from him. I clearly advised you last time.”

The camera now focused on Jung Ji-in.