By Zephyria “Gun-woo Hyung, I’m just going to go see Se-han for a bit. It’s a 2-hour round trip to Baek-nyun Entertainment, and it’ll take 10 minutes to meet Se-han and get the album. I can be back in 2 hours and 10 minutes.”
“What do you mean, a 2-hour round trip? We don’t know what will happen if the traffic is bad.”
My head lowered automatically at Gun-woo Hyung’s rebuttal.
“Still… it’s not rush hour right now….”
“Don’t rush too much, and have lunch with Se-han. He’ll have time to eat lunch, too.”
My eyes widened at Gun-woo Hyung’s generous permission.
“Lunch? No, I’m just going to meet him, get the album, and come right back….”
“It’s okay. We don’t have any external schedules today, and you’ve been working hard without going home once, so go and support Se-han’s solo stage.”
Wow, wow. Gun-woo Hyung had never looked so reliable and trustworthy before. But… what’s with that mischievous smile…?
“Se-han will be energized if he gets your support.”
I was unfamiliar with Gun-woo Hyung, who had a satisfied look on his face as he allowed me to go out when it wasn’t planned. But, without questioning anything, I hurriedly left the practice room.
“Then, I’ll be back!”
“Have a good trip, Tae-kyung Hyung!”
“Hyung! Tell Se-han Hyung that I’m cheering him on too!”
*
I got out of the taxi and walked busily toward the entrance of Baek-nyun Entertainment.
Then, I took out my phone from my hoodie pocket and pressed the speed dial. Suddenly, the surroundings became noisy, and I unconsciously raised my gaze, only to be startled.
People were rushing toward me, and I was caught off guard and couldn’t avoid them, so I was surrounded in an instant.
“Really, it’s really him? It’s Lee Tae-kyung?”
“You’re Sky Blue’s Tae-kyung, right?”
“Kya! He’s so handsome! What should I do!”
It seemed like they were fans who had been camping out in front of Baek-nyun Entertainment. I didn’t know what to do in this unexpected situation, so I just kept stepping back.
“Ah, just a moment….”
“Tae-kyung-ah! Look over here!”
Suddenly, someone pulled on my hood, and I was so startled that my body froze.
“Lee Tae-kyung! Look at me! I’ll be a Sky Blue fan! I even left a comment on your video!”
I couldn’t do anything even though they were touching me all over, so I just cowered. I couldn’t push away someone who said they were a fan because I didn’t want to make them feel bad.
“T, thank you. But can you please let go of my hand….”
Just then, the signal tone stopped on the phone I was holding onto like a lifeline.
―Yeah, Tae-kyung-ah’
“Se…!”
I couldn’t even say Se-han-ah, so I hesitated, and the silence grew longer.
“Are you talking to Se-han? Kya! I don’t know!”
“Se-han-ah! I love you!”
Someone tried to snatch my phone, so I gripped it tightly with both hands, afraid of dropping it.
“Just a moment, you can’t do this…!”
―Lee Tae-kyung, what’s going on? Where are you?
Sung Se-han’s words, which had hardened, became faster. I held the phone close to my ear and answered.
“I’ll call you back.”
I ended the call right away, but the phone started ringing immediately. I held my hand up high like I was being punished because of the people who kept trying to take my phone, and I asked for their understanding.
“I’m sorry, but can you please move aside? I need to get through.”
“Tae-kyung-ah. Just a moment, take a picture with me!”
“Lee Tae-kyung! Look over here!”
I was overwhelmed by the situation where more than ten people were surrounding me and wouldn’t let me through. I looked around with a troubled face, and then I saw someone running toward me.
“Vice Manager!”
Could I ever be this happy? I called out to the manager in a loud voice, like someone who had met a separated family member.
“What is this? Please come out.”
As the Vice Manager with a expressionless face approached, the fans who had been surrounding me hesitated and stepped back. I was amazed by the miraculous situation that was resolved in an instant just by the appearance of the manager.
“Vice Manager….”
The gaze that looked at me with a pitiful look while I stared at him with respectful eyes was stinging.
“Tsk tsk. What is this place in the middle of the day.”
The Vice Manager left behind a soliloquy that was definitely meant for me to hear and walked ahead. I stuck close behind the Vice Manager so as not to fall behind.
“Well… our company doesn’t have this many fans gathered in front of it… and I didn’t think there would be anyone who would recognize me….”
I kept making excuses until I entered the company building, but the Vice Manager didn’t respond.
In fact, I was ashamed even while making excuses. It was true that I had come running without discretion, filled with the thought of meeting Se-han and getting the album today.
And… I really wanted to meet him in person and cheer him on for his first solo stage.
I wanted to tell him not to feel pressured and to do well with the pre-recording, that he would definitely do well.
But it seems like I only caused an accident. At this rate, even if I meet Se-han, I’ll only give him worries instead of cheering him on.
“Lee Tae-kyung-ssi, what would have happened if I hadn’t answered Se-han’s call and come out? Have some awareness that you’re a celebrity. Please be more careful from now on.”
I needed to have the awareness that my friend was Perfect Puzzle’s Sung Se-han. I stopped walking when I saw the elevator in the distance.
“Manager, I’m just going to go back.”
Only then did the Vice Manager turn to look at me.
“What are you talking about? After coming all the way here.”
“I’ll call Se-han and explain….”
At that moment, the door of the left elevator opened and Sung Se-han popped out. At the same time, he stopped abruptly when he found me.
“Lee Tae-kyung.”
“Se-han-ah…!”
Sung Se-han stared at me silently.
Perhaps because he was wearing a black tracksuit, his face, which had turned serious, felt even colder. I was absurdly intimidated and my shoulders shrank.
Ah. Seriously, what were you thinking coming all the way here, Lee Tae-kyung….
“Come here.”
Se-han grabbed my wrist and got back on the elevator. I had a guilty conscience, so I quietly took a seat in the corner of the elevator without complaint.
The elevator doors closed, leaving the Vice Manager behind, and Se-han turned to look at me.
“Tae-kyung-ah, if you were going to come to the company, you should have contacted me.”
My mood also sank at his tone, which had lowered as if he was holding back his anger.
“Sorry. I should have thought beforehand that fans would have come to cheer you on… I didn’t think of that….”
“This is really annoying.”
I was surprised and raised my head because Se-han spat out the words as if he was chewing them. Se-han, with a fierce expression, grabbed my shoulder and turned my body around.
“Look in the mirror. See what condition you’re in.”
Gasp. I gasped as soon as I looked in the mirror. The sight reflected in the mirror was truly a sight to behold.
My hair was a mess as if it had been pulled out, the hood was turned inside out, and the t-shirt I was wearing underneath was sticking out here and there from outside the hoodie.
“Wow… what a mess.”
Se-han’s expression began to soften only when he saw that I was flustered.
When the elevator doors opened after arriving on the first basement floor, Se-han grabbed my hand again and pulled me along. I looked around but followed quietly.
He walked down a narrow hallway and opened a door with a glass window, letting me inside.
“There’s no one here.”
Se-han closed the door and immediately began to fix my hair.
“Ah, I’ll do it….”
“Stay still.”
I didn’t know where to put my eyes because he was fixing my hair so carefully, so I was troubled.
“Brown hair suits Lee Tae-kyung well too.”
A quiet voice was heard from above my head.
I had dyed my hair a light brown to kill the cold image, and I was relieved that it seemed to look good in his eyes too.
“……!”
Se-han, who had been fixing my hair, began to touch my ear like last time. I don’t know why I get so flustered that my body freezes every time this happens. I want to hide that I’m agitated, but I have no idea what to do in these situations.
“Why do you keep touching my ear?”
I met Se-han’s eyes and asked lightly, as if throwing a stone.
“Because I want to.”
There was no question in his brown eyes.
Just because he wanted to. It was a clear and concise answer, but I tilted my head to the side to avoid his fingers.
“Seriously, that’s ridiculous. Why do you keep touching people like that….”
I tried to avoid his touch, but his large hand grabbed the back of my neck. I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t really protest because he was neatly tucking in the turned-over hood.
“I could do it myself….”
It didn’t seem to work to say it indirectly, and Se-han’s hand, which had moved to my waist, began to smooth out my t-shirt.
“Heup.”
I was startled and twisted my waist because his cold fingers touched my bare skin. Even though his hand, which was fixing my t-shirt, kept touching my waist, I couldn’t move as if I was under a spell.
“Stop it! I’ll do it….”
“Tae-kyung-ah.”
Se-han’s face, with his eyes lowered, was right in front of me. I couldn’t move a muscle, as if I was under a spell, even though his hand, which was fixing my t-shirt, kept touching my waist.
“Don’t let just anyone touch you from now on.”
His brown eyes scolded me. I licked my lips as I looked into those cold eyes. Why is this guy so angry?