By Zephyria When I tried to shake off the hand holding my shoulder, Sung Se-han readily let go.
“I’m the one who’s really suffering, so why should I worry about being shameless?”
“Huh?”
You’re… suffering?
Suddenly anxious, I bit my lip. As far as I could remember, this was the first time the word “suffering” had come out of Sung Se-han’s mouth.
“Se-han, what are you trying to say?”
Sung Se-han rubbed his chin with his finger, then looked down at me again. Still with his brown eyes full of light.
“Tae-kyung, originally, I was only going to release one digital single, ‘I’ll Wait From 2 PM,’ not an album.”
That was a fact I knew.
What I wanted to know now was new information. I was anxious that Sung Se-han wouldn’t change his mind and tell me why he was suffering.
Even so, I couldn’t urge him, so I just nodded quickly.
“Originally, I wasn’t planning on releasing Grandmother’s song. I was just going to let that song lie dormant on my hard drive.”
I was so taken aback by the story that I couldn’t make a sound and just stood there quietly. In case I would interfere with the story….
“But you came to find me.”
Sung Se-han, with one hand in his pants pocket, swept back his hair. And then he looked at me. Still with his brown eyes full of light.
“I thought it would take about 10 years. But you came so easily, as if you had forgiven me for everything.”
I couldn’t look at the eyes directed at me and lowered my gaze.
On the day I came back from the death accident, I had run frantically to confirm that this guy was alive….
Sung Se-han.
You bad guy. Do you know what happened to you? You were in a drunk driving accident in the rain…!
“That day, when Tae-kyung, you said you wanted to see me, I suddenly had that thought.”
I clenched my fist tightly and looked up at Sung Se-han.
Sung Se-han very naturally straightened my disheveled hair. Every time he did this, I would always look at Se-han’s face through my fingers.
“Now is the time. I decided that I had to release Grandmother’s song to the world. That’s what I resolved.”
Only then did I take a deep breath that I had been holding back. It was only after repeating it several times that I could breathe evenly.
“So, you released the album because of me?”
“It’s thanks to you.”
Se-han raised one corner of his mouth and smiled coolly.
“Thanks to you, I was able to bring the song I wanted Grandmother to hear out into the world.”
Se-han’s warm gaze made me feel shy for some reason, and I lowered my head again.
It was just something the Status Window told me to do.
So, I should tell him the truth that it’s not thanks to me, but my lips were stuck together and wouldn’t come apart.
How pathetic.
I just wanted to let Se-han continue to misunderstand that it was thanks to me.
I wanted Se-han’s eyes to keep looking only at me.
“But, Lee Tae-kyung.”
At Se-han’s call, I reflexively raised my head. Se-han, whose eyes had turned crooked in a short moment, was looking down at me.
“Why should I postpone the album because of Sky Blue?”
The complicated thoughts that had been confusing me until just now flew away at once.
What a way to talk.
This guy doesn’t give people any time to sort out their feelings.
“Hey, Sung Se-han. Can’t you say the same thing in a way that doesn’t offend me?”
“Then, should I say, ‘I’m sorry for releasing the album at the same time, I hope you understand’? Would that be better?”
Se-han tapped my cheek with his palm. At that action, my eyebrows shot up sharply.
“Hey, are you going to take your hand away or what?”
“Tae-kyung. If you’re thinking that I might go easy on you on ‘Star Light,’ wake up. I don’t go easy on anyone.”
Star Light.
Suddenly, I came to my senses. When this promotion is over, an article will be released saying that ‘Sky Blue’ will be joining the survival program ‘Star Light.’
I couldn’t believe that something I had been hoping for was about to come true.
“Se-han.”
But more than those things, what was making me anxious right now was Se-han in front of me.
“Tell me why you’re suffering.”
It would be difficult to know everything Se-han was hiding right now.
But I couldn’t just let the words that came out of his mouth a moment ago pass by.
For me, and no one else, I had to hear the truth from Se-han’s mouth.
“The reason I’m suffering.”
With his hands in his pockets, Se-han took two steps back. And I just watched Se-han walk another step back.
He had only walked a few steps back, but a considerable distance had already formed between us. Thanks to that, I could see Se-han’s whole body, but I couldn’t read his expression accurately.
“Do you have to ask? It’s because of Lee Tae-kyung.”
The moment Se-han smiled, the bright lights of the surrounding streetlights became a blurry background. I clenched my fists tightly and gritted my teeth.
“Please…! Can’t you be serious even for a moment?”
Se-han, I want to know you.
Don’t tell me that it’s just my greed and that you’re satisfied with your place, please.
Se-han kept moving away from me, but I couldn’t move at all.
I felt relieved by this distance where I couldn’t see his dry eyes.
“Hmm.”
Se-han stopped walking and let out a small sigh. The wind that was blowing at that moment ruffled his shirt, revealing his firm upper chest.
“I’m always serious, I wonder why our Tae-kyung doesn’t know that.”
His deep voice, which suited the night, was tinged with laughter. A hollow laugh escaped from my lips as well.
“Okay. I understand.”
Se-han will push me away and make me feel disappointed, but he has no intention of letting me into his line.
Before feelings like emptiness, hatred, anger, and resentment, a deep sense of loss washed over my entire body.
“I’m going to go in.”
The moment I turned my body towards the dorm, Se-han blocked me.
“Tae-kyung.”
“I’m tired.”
My gaze lingered near Se-han’s shoulder.
“I want to go to the dorm and rest quickly.”
It was definitely not intentional, but a twisted way of speaking came out. As if I was showing that I was in a bad mood right now.
Then Se-han will pick a fight again….
“Okay. Get a good rest today.”
For once, he willingly stepped aside and cleared the way. I hesitated for a moment as if I had encountered an unexpected situation.
“I’m going.”
I brushed past Se-han and walked towards the dorm.
On the quiet road, only cars entering the apartment complex occasionally passed by.
I laughed at myself because I felt so pathetic.
What am I expecting?
The sound of footsteps following me. Or that Se-han would try to cheer me up, or something like that.
Se-han is not at fault.
It’s my fault for having other feelings for him and becoming unable to be satisfied with just being friends.
It’s just me who can’t let go of expectations even though I get confirmation every time.
Suddenly, my chest felt like it was going to burst, so I started running. The frustrating feeling still showed no signs of being resolved.
*
Tap. Tap. Tap. Se-han stood there until the sound of footsteps faded away and the running figure disappeared from sight.
Soon after, as he turned his feet, a black sedan smoothly approached him. Se-han opened the passenger seat door and got into the sedan.
“Se-han, Sunbae-nim was worried because you weren’t answering your phone.”
The person sitting in the driver’s seat was Nam Joong-seop, who held the title of Vice Manager. Se-han kept his eyes on the window as if he hadn’t heard Nam Joong-seop’s words.
“Did you fight with your friend again?”
As the sedan began to pick up speed and a specific apartment building disappeared from view, Se-han opened his mouth.
“Hyung, do you know anything about Director Park Jin-seok?”
“Director Park Jin-seok?”
Nam Joong-seop, who was turning the steering wheel, let out a light sigh.
“Se-han, don’t expect that much from me. I don’t know much about the entertainment industry.”
Se-han, who had been stroking his chin for a moment, took out his cell phone from his jacket. He skipped over the missed calls that had accumulated in the meantime and found the number he wanted.
While the ringing tone was going, he swept back his hair, feeling anxious for no reason.
―Hey, Sung Se-han.
After several rings, Kang Robin’s somewhat gruff voice came through.
―I told you to wait, why did you leave without saying anything?
“I clearly said I was going first….”
―But why aren’t you answering your phone?
Kang Robin’s tone was somewhat angry, but Se-han was not in the mood to listen to nagging right now.
“Hyung, you know KCS Director Park Jin-seok, right?”
―Director Park Jin-seok…?
Kang Robin, who had been repeating it to himself, suddenly took a deep breath. It was a rough breathing sound that could be heard clearly even through the phone.
―Why would Sung Se-han be curious about that son of a bitch?
At Kang Robin’s rough voice, he clenched his fist without realizing it.
“From what I’ve heard, Director Park Jin-seok’s reputation isn’t bad. It seems like Robin Hyung thinks differently.”
Se-han had to do his best to exercise patience. Because there was still information he needed to hear from Kang Robin.
―Reputation? Se-han, that bastard is a pimp who climbed to that position by doing that. If he has kids that his clients want, he’ll use any means necessary….’
“Stop the car.”
With the phone in his hand, Se-han reached for the car’s steering wheel.
“What? Hey! Se-han, wait, just wait a minute!”
Nam Joong-seop, who was flustered by the sudden situation, raised his voice unusually.
“I’ll pull over over there, so just wait a minute!”
Nam Joong-seop hurriedly pulled the car over to the side of the road, fearing that he would open the car door at any moment.
“Se-han, if you do this….”
Se-han jumped out of the sedan before it had even come to a complete stop. It would be accurate to say that he literally jumped out. Nam Joong-seop shook his head as he watched Se-han’s back as he ran as if he were flying.
“They really do look alike.”