By Zephyria “Because I’m also having unrequited love with Tae-kyung.”
I froze with my hand suspended in the air, about to put the glass on the table.
“Hey, don’t just suddenly…”
Gun-woo Hyung, flustered, jumped up from his seat.
“I told you to take it slow! Tae-kyung was surprised.”
“Tae-kyung knows everything anyway, right?”
Liv Sunbae was a person as soft as cotton candy in appearance, singing, and speech. So I never expected her to make such a bold confession.
“I…”
I really shouldn’t have come to this place today.
“I’m so overwhelmed with my own feelings that I don’t have the capacity to look at how other people feel.””
If it were the usual me, I wouldn’t have used such an impudent tone with a senior I respected. But right now, I was in a situation where I had no leeway, as if I was cornered.
Even though dawn had arrived, the cell phone in my pocket didn’t even think about ringing.
What is Sung Se-han doing now, having abandoned me? To cut off the phone like that and still not contact me, does that mean he doesn’t care about my feelings at all?
My head, filled with about a hundred questions directed at Sung Se-han alone, felt like it was about to explode.
“I’m sorry for bringing up burdensome things before we’ve even gotten close, Tae-kyung.”
I raised my head and looked at Liv Sunbae at her quiet voice.
“I’m not a bad person, so don’t push me away.”
“No, it’s not that I’m pushing you away, it’s just…”
At that moment, the cell phone in my slacks pocket began to ring loudly. I fumbled several times, repeating the missed grabs, trying to take out the phone in a hurry.
My heart was beating so fast that I had trouble breathing the moment I saw the name on the screen.
“I, I need to take this call…”
I hurriedly left the living room, looking around, and first opened the inner door and came out. I was so anxious that the ringtone would stop in the meantime that I ended up accepting the call first.
“……”
I put the phone to my ear, but no words came out. I bit my lip tightly, afraid that the sound of my increasingly loud heartbeat would travel over the phone.
―Lee Tae-kyung.
Sung Se-han called my name. I had to answer, but no words came out as if my lips were stuck together.
―Get out of there right now.
Huh…? I couldn’t understand Sung Se-han’s words and only moved my lips, and then a cold laugh followed.
―You’re not coming out?
It felt like Sung Se-han was nearby, so I hurriedly looked around. This place, where the door connecting to the living room was closed, was just a narrow space in front of the entrance.
“I’ll go out.”
I answered quickly because I couldn’t guarantee what Sung Se-han would do. It felt like he knew everything about this situation, coming to Liv Sunbae’s house with Gun-woo Hyung and even receiving a confession, so my heart shrank even though I hadn’t done anything wrong.
―Okay. Come out right now.
His tone, as if he were bestowing mercy, was annoying, but I couldn’t afford to dwell on that right now. After staring at the phone for a moment after the call ended, I opened the door and walked into the living room. No, I almost ran back and bowed my head first.
“I’m sorry, Sunbae. Something came up, so I think I have to go.”
“What?”
Gun-woo Hyung, who was sitting on the sofa, stood up in surprise.
“Tae-kyung, if you do this suddenly…”
“If something came up, it can’t be helped.”
Liv Sunbae stopped Gun-woo Hyung and smiled gently.
“Let’s meet with more leeway next time, Tae-kyung.””
“Yes, I’m sorry. Gun-woo Hyung, I’ll go first.”
I heard Gun-woo Hyung trying to stop me, but I quickly left Liv Sunbae’s house. Fortunately, there was an elevator that arrived just in time, so I was able to get on right away.
During the long time it took to come down from the 15th floor and walk to the entrance of the apartment, surprisingly, I couldn’t think of anything.
Sung Se-han came to see me before this night was over.
That fact swept away all the miscellaneous thoughts in my head.
I left the apartment and walked aimlessly towards the road, then suddenly stopped. There was no promised place to come out to, so I suddenly felt lost in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
“Lee Tae-kyung.”
The moment I heard the low voice, a tingling sensation ran through my fingertips. I moved my creaking legs and turned around, but the reflected light obstructed my vision.
The sound of footsteps walking came first, and then I began to see the figure approaching me.
“Tae-kyung-ah.”
When Sung Se-han called my name once more, it felt like the quiet dawn street was filled with his low voice.
I couldn’t move another step and just stood there without saying anything.
“I’m sorry I’m late.”
Sung Se-han, wearing Black Jeans and Black Shirt, stopped in front of me, and I must have had a stupid look on my face.
I had been thinking about this face that was tilted and looking down at me, these beautiful eyes with the light of the night flickering in them, all day long.
“The filming took longer than expected.”
The fluttering shirt collar fluttered in the dawn breeze that blew at that moment.
When Sung Se-han dresses like this, I sometimes feel like I’ve met a stranger. It became difficult to make eye contact due to the awkward atmosphere. It was hard to express the strange feeling that tickled my stomach in words.
“I’m sorry for upsetting you today.”
I just kept blinking at the kind and gentle voice, just like his eyes.
“I should have been able to catch the point that would upset you, but.”
Long fingers swept up the hair on his forehead. The sensation of his skin touching mine and the Cologne scent mixed with the wind felt unreal.
“I’m sorry for just getting angry without doing that.”
“I’m… sorry for getting angry too…”
I hadn’t expected to receive such a kind apology at all, so I felt dazed. I had been in pain all day because of Sung Se-han, but we were reconciling so easily…
“Then this issue is over.”
His tone was as cold as the fingers leaving my forehead. I widened my eyes and looked at Sung Se-han, who was stepping away from me.
“Tae-kyung-ah.”
Sung Se-han, with one hand in his pocket, was slowly stroking the back of his neck. My mouth was dry again, so I couldn’t answer quickly.
“Huh…?”
“Why did you go to that bastard’s, no… Liv Sunbae’s house?”
I must have been mistaken because of the lighting. Sung Se-han’s eyes weren’t kind, but rather gleaming as if he was slightly out of his mind.
“No… I was just going to have a beer… Gun-woo Hyung said it was comfortable here…”
I ended up making excuses even though I hadn’t done anything wrong. It was because I wanted to avoid any more conflict.
“I really… didn’t even know Liv Sunbae lived here…”
My affection for Sung Se-han was making me a timid weakling. I was too tired to fight anymore today, and I didn’t want to see his cold eyes either.
But still, something kept welling up inside my chest, and I tensed my eyes.
“But, Sung Se-han.”
This bastard, he didn’t contact me all day and then suddenly shows up in the early morning, how can he be so confident? Am I just a pushover now because I keep giving in?
“How did you know I was here? Did you install something like a location tracker on my phone?”
When my voice became sharp, Sung Se-han, who was standing crookedly, raised one eyebrow.
“I use something more accurate than a location tracker.”
“What?”
I don’t know what Sung Se-han is talking about right now. I roughly washed my face with my dry hands and then looked up again.
“What does that mean? Are you saying someone was following me? No, really, I know I’m saying something ridiculous, but…”
“Tae-kyung-ah.”
I’m clearly the one who’s dumbfounded by the situation right now. But it was Sung Se-han who was glaring with eyes as if anger was boiling over.
“Just answer my question. Don’t go off on a tangent.”
“What? Hey, you… you’re really! Such a shameless…!”
There are so many things I want to pour out, but I don’t know why I’m at a loss for words.
Sung Se-han suddenly strode closer, and I reflexively stepped back. He didn’t care and stepped closer as much as I stepped back.
“Lee Tae-kyung.”
His eyes, tilting his face and looking at me, were fierce.
“Are you interested in Liv Sunbae?”
I was really at a loss for words this time. During the short time my head was blank, I looked back on myself. Had I done anything that would make Sung Se-han say something like this? Had I given Liv Sunbae even a little bit of room?
“Sung Se-han, are you asking me that seriously?”
“Tae-kyung-ah, I want to ask you seriously.”
Sung Se-han’s left hand grabbed my right shoulder.
“Knowing full well that that bastard was looking at you with dirty eyes, what were you thinking, going to meet him at this early hour?”
The pressure on my shoulder wasn’t easy because of his ignorant strength, but I didn’t show it.
“I told you, I didn’t even know this was Liv Sunbae’s house.”
“Then Park Gun-woo dragged you here by force or something?”
“Who said that?”
I tried to push Sung Se-han’s hand away, but it was grabbed even more forcefully. I groaned because of the pressure, and then anger surged.
“Let go! It hurts! Damn….”
I felt like an idiot for being depressed all day because of this bastard, and then becoming happy again as soon as I saw his face.
“I don’t care about Liv Sunbae or anything! I’m not interested!”
I tried to push his thick shoulder away with all my might and turn around, but my shoulder was grabbed again.
“Let go of this!”
“Tae-kyung-ah.”
I was going to hit Sung Se-han and push him away, but the moment our eyes met, I froze again.
“I’m not kidding.”