By Zephyria After entering the empty conference room, I moved to the window.
“Se-han, thanks for the article today.”
I didn’t even get a call after confirming the text that our last schedule had been canceled, but he was preparing such an article.
“Thanks to you, the team atmosphere has completely improved.”
How can I express this overwhelming feeling? I leaned my forehead against the window and looked down at the road, but I couldn’t see anything.
Only the thought of wanting to see Sung Se-han right now….
―If you’re thankful, pay me back with your body.
I lifted my head sharply from the window, causing my upper body to stagger for a moment.
“What…?”
I widened my eyes to make sure I didn’t mishear anything. Sung Se-han immediately followed up.
―The only thing I lack is Lee Tae-kyung.
“Hey! You crazy…!”
I got angry first, but my head was a mess. Even though he said he liked me, this kind of conversation was a bit uncomfortable.
“Sung Se-han, are you doing this on purpose?”
―There’s that too.
Huff. I calmed myself down by pacing around the conference room.
“Se-han, you….”
I barely managed to stop the words that were coming out. I almost blurted out my hidden feelings.
Se-han, you may be used to dating, but I’m not.
So, don’t go ahead on your own like that.
Is this feeling of being uncontrollably depressed also due to inferiority? This time, is it inferiority about the people Sung Se-han has dated…?
―Lee Tae-kyung, I can hear you thinking useless things.
Sung Se-han’s voice was shaking, so it seemed like he was moving.
―Let’s meet for a bit. I’m going there now.
The pacing feet stopped abruptly.
“Huh…? You’re coming now?”
―I’ll call you when I get there.
“Se-han, wait a minute.”
I gripped my phone tightly and took a moment to catch my breath.
“We’re in an important meeting right now, so I can’t make time until six o’clock. So, even if you come, we can’t meet.”
―Not even 5 minutes?
My heart was still pounding when I thought about the fans I met in the morning, but seeing him coming to our company again without even looking at me made my head ache.
“Se-han, you’re at your company’s studio now, right? I’ll go there when the meeting is over, so just wait there. Listen to me today.”
―Hmm… then we’re eating dinner together?
“Yeah. Let’s do that.”
It couldn’t be easy for Sung Se-han to go around unnoticed, but I’ve been too naive until now. If we have to meet in the future, it would be better for me, who can move easily, to be a bit busy.
Ding-dong.
Just as I was about to end the call and leave the conference room, Status Window’s signal rang.
[How to Prevent the Death of Genius Idol Sung Se-han.]
It was a familiar thing, but for some reason, the back of my head felt cold.
[The penalty created because of the private conversation with Status Window will now be activated!]
That’s right. There was still a penalty to be received.
“I have to receive the penalty.”
I closed the conference room door that I had half-opened and turned to Status Window.
[…….]
I was waiting for the penalty with a ready-to-accept attitude, but for some reason, Status Window was quiet.
“Um… Status Window-nim?”
[Lee Tae-kyung can choose one of two penalties!]
“Ah, yes!”
Noticing Status Window’s emotions is definitely not a good thing. I was already uneasy, but Status Window was agitated, so it was a bit scary….
[Sung Se-han’s January 8th / Sung Se-han’s Romance]
[Please choose carefully!]
Sung Se-han’s January 8th…?
My vision went dark as if a fuse had blown. No matter how many times I blinked, I couldn’t see anything.
January 8th is the day Sung Se-han had a drunk driving accident.
I returned to one year before that day and met Sung Se-han. I confirmed that he was alive in front of me and also….
[If you have difficulty choosing, Status Window will do it for you!]
[Dugudugudugudugu……]
“Wait a minute.”
I raised my hand to stop Status Window’s intervention.
“I will choose myself.”
[It’s not good if the choice takes too long! It’s a good idea to leave the choice to Status Window, so Lee Tae-kyung don’t worry….]
“Why are you in such a hurry?”
The stranger Status Window acted, the colder my fingertips became.
“I’ll tell you my intention once again. I will choose myself.”
[There’s no need to do that! Judgment can be clouded when you’re confused, so….]
“I’m not confused.”
The flickering thoughts in Tae-kyung’s head, like a dying light, had already become clear.
There must be a reason why ‘Sung Se-han’s January 8th’ came up as a penalty. If he avoided it now, he might miss something important. His gut was telling him so.
Sung Se-han was right here, healthy, by his side. There was no need to fear something that had already passed.
He wouldn’t be afraid of anything.
[Suggesting with the authority of the Status Window!]
[To properly receive the penalty, choosing Se-han’s romance is reasonable in many ways!]
There must be a reason why the Status Window was even resorting to tricks to stop him.
“Sung Se-han’s January 8th. I choose it.”
So, he had to confirm that day even more.
[…….]
[There’s no turning back now.]
He never had any intention of turning back in the first place.
[Lee Tae-kyung, confirm Sung Se-han’s January 8th.]
Blink. He only closed and opened his eyes, but everything around him had turned dark.
“Uh…? I can’t see anything?”
Even though he couldn’t see, he couldn’t just stay still, so he groped forward little by little. He waved his hands, wanting to lean on a wall, but there was nothing to touch.
“Um, could you at least tell me where this is….”
Suddenly, he heard a voice and his head snapped around.
“Uh…?”
He stared intently at the place that was starting to become faintly visible in the distance, and it was definitely a familiar place.
“Kang Robin….”
Kang Robin was having a meal at the dining table in the penthouse he had visited just yesterday. He felt relieved and happy for some reason, so he ran towards him without thinking.
‘Joong-seop, go tell Se-han to come eat dinner.’
‘I’ve already called him twice to eat dinner, Sunbae.’
The person sitting across from Kang Robin at the table, drinking beer, was the Vice Manager. Having run to the table, Tae-kyung looked around the living room and then turned his gaze towards the hallway. The lights turned on one by one, as if illuminating each place he looked.
‘The soup will get cold.’
‘I’ll go call him again.’
‘No. Leave him alone. He’ll come soon.’
The voices of the two men were calm, and fierce winter rain was falling outside the already darkened window. The kitchen and living room, lit with moderate lighting, were filled with a warm atmosphere, but Tae-kyung was pale and trembling.
Se-han, Se-han is still at home! He’s still safe…!
Even though he knew that Sung Se-han’s room was down the left hallway, he couldn’t run there.
He was suffocating and couldn’t breathe properly.
To end up confirming Se-han’s last moments before the accident. Why did he choose this penalty?
He must have been temporarily insane. There was no way he would have made this choice in his right mind…!
So, he had to turn back now.
He moved his stiff legs and took a step back. But no matter how far back he moved, the table didn’t get any further away.
He grabbed his neck, feeling like a scream was about to burst from his constricted chest.
‘Robin Hyung!’
The moment he heard Sung Se-han’s voice, he couldn’t help but turn around.
Sung Se-han, holding a jumper in one hand, was running into the kitchen. He was so busy that he was putting on a Ball Cap with one hand.
‘Robin Hyung, I have to go out for a bit.’
As a result of making a foolish and stupid choice, he had to see Sung Se-han smiling brightly.
‘What? Where are you going when it’s raining like this?’
‘Se-han, I drank too much beer to drive….’
‘It’s okay. I can go alone.’
Tae-kyung approached Sung Se-han, who was hurriedly putting on his jumper.
“Se-han, you can’t go out today!”
Sung Se-han’s brown eyes didn’t look at him. He was just busily taking out a black mask from his jumper pocket.
‘Do you have to go? Can’t you postpone the appointment?’
Tae-kyung shouted as if seeing hope in Kang Robin’s stern tone.
“Please don’t let Se-han go! He can’t go out now!”
He ran and grabbed Kang Robin’s arm, but there was nothing to grab. Still, he desperately clung on.
“Don’t let Se-han go! Please!?”
‘No way. There are too many competitors, so I have to make the deal quickly.’
Deal. The moment he heard that word, his body froze.
‘What deal? Another figure? Joong-seop should go for that. Why are you going yourself….’
‘Hyung, I’ll borrow the keys.’
‘Sung Se-han, wait.’
Kang Robin, who had gotten up from the table, slowly put his hands on his waist. Tae-kyung couldn’t understand what was happening in front of him.
‘If it’s that kind of deal, you can do it tomorrow. Why do you have to go on a night like this when it’s raining?’
‘I already promised to make the deal in an hour.’
‘You’re doing great! Sung Se-han showed up to trade figures, it’s going to be a big deal, right? Huh?’
Sung Se-han smiled with his eyes as he put on the black mask.
‘No one will recognize me like this.’
‘Like hell they won’t!’
Tae-kyung’s frozen body flinched at Kang Robin’s roar.
But Sung Se-han didn’t erase his smile. No, his excited brown eyes, as if he was in an even better mood, began to shine even brighter.
‘Hyung, I’m very lucky today. I’m going to buy a really hard-to-find 12-inch limited edition. If I get this and complete the collection, Lee Tae-kyung will be really surprised.’