By Zephyria Issue | Ji Hyeon spotted causing a ruckus yesterday.fwt
Anonymous https:https://www.todayspring.com/jihyeon/2394400091
Just captured the whole thread
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Today Spring @5Today_spring · 1 day ago
Real-time bar situation
Ji Hyeon pours beer on Park Tae-soo’s head
(Ji Hyeon vaguely captured across the table.jpg)
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Chaen @chaen777 · 1 day ago
Replying to @5Today_spring
….????? Spring-nim, did you see it???
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Today Spring @5Today_spring · 1 day ago
Replying to @chaen777
Yep… I went to drink with my friends and saw it
I took the picture too
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Chaen @chaen777 · 1 day ago
Replying to @5Today_spring
Crazy… what is this….
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Today Spring @5Today_spring · 1 day ago
Replying to @chaen777
I don’t knowㅠ Yi-chan was at the bar, so I was happy to have hit the jackpot, but suddenly Ji Hyeon ordered beer and poured it on Park Tae-soo’s head… Then he laughed and said something, but I couldn’t hear it
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Chaen @chaen777 · 23 hours ago
Replying to @5Today_spring
Did they fight…?
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Today Spring @5Today_spring · 22 hours ago
Replying to @chaen777
It didn’t seem like it either, the atmosphere at the table was good; They even bought ice cream and ate it
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Today Spring @5Today_spring · 22 hours ago
Replying to @chaen777
Ah! There was a bit of a loud noise before they went to buy ice cream, but it didn’t seem like anything serious?
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Chaen @chaen777 · 22 hours ago
Replying to @5Today_spring
Are they filming something…?
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Today Spring @5Today_spring · 21 hours ago
Replying to @chaen777
Maybe…!
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Filming vs Not filming
Fake vs Not fake
It’s even trending and they’re fighting like crazy
What do you guys think?
Comments 1,509
1 What the fuck?
2 Wow… Did they get into a fight while drinking?
3 ??Poured beer on his head and laughed?
4 Could that be fake…?
└ No way…
5 It must be filming
└ 22
└ 333
└ 4444
6 How could it not be filming??
7 Of course, they’re filming a drama, right?
8 There are a lot of these these daysㅋㅋㅋㅋ Filming reality shows secretly without the fans knowing and revealing them later
└ Yeah, it’s noise marketing
9 But Won-ik also liked it
└ Ahㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋThat’s true
10 An article came out, it’s not filming [Ji Hyeon’s beer incident… Is his hidden true nature revealed? | https:https://www.baekje.co.kr/view/2130005]
└ What’s the article title?
└ …???
└ ??
└ Yeah, trust and ignore Baekje Ilbo~
└ It looks malicious at first glanceㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└ They didn’t fact-check at all, did they?
└ When will those trash reporters die
11 Why is that person trying to promote their account while riding the hype so annoying damn it ↓https:https://fwitter.com/5Today_spring/status/1610062681884753920
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Today Spring @5Today_spring · 5 minutes ago
Oh… While I’m at it, I’ll promote! Please watch a lot of Sunset’s cute maknae Shin Yi-chan!♡
(Yi-chan bowing on stage.gif)
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└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋAre they crazyㅋㅋㅋ
└ They post something like that and say they’re promoting while riding the hype
└ All the people on Fwitter are mentally ill
└ Isn’t he the one in Witness too?
└ Yeah, he’s said to be Actor Ji’s Hubae
└ If this happens, the drama he’s in will also flop, it’s not even intelligent anti-fan behaviorㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
12 Why is Shin Yi-chan being censored but not Ji Hyeon?
13 But isn’t the picture taken secretly?? Is it okay to post it like that?
└ 222 Actors also have privacy
└ Actors don’t have privacy ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
14 ㅋㅋ…Tae-soo must have done something wrong
└ Tae-soo must have done something wrong22
└ ㅋㅋ…
└ That’s right
└ Hahahahahaha
└ That’s right haha
15 ??… I’m a Ji Hyeon fan, but why is it Park Tae-soo’s fault…?
└ 22 What makes you say it’s Park Tae-soo’s fault?
└ Park Tae-soo’s personality is originally famous; He’s said to be in the terminal stage of celebrity disease, looks at fans like bugs, and abuses staff. If he’s acting like that openly at a bar, they must have fought, so Park Tae-soo must have done something wrong.
└ Wow,,
└ Looks at fans like bugs. Does he even have fans?
└ Ji Hyeon’s personality is also famous, isn’t it
└ What are you talking about in the comment above? What’s famous about Actor Ji’s personality?
└ That’s a bit,,, Even the fans know that Ji Hyeon has a bad personality
└ Actor Ji at least doesn’t act like that to fansㅋㅋ
16 Why do you guys hate Park Tae-soo so much…?
└ You can’t help but hate him if you think about Park’s early concept…
└ What was his early concept like?
└ It’s well summarized here [This newbie seems to be copying Jizel, doesn’t he? | https:https://www.todayspring.com/jihyeon/1981298777]
└ Huhㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Park’s image is completely different from now
└ Of course, he only got hate for being cheesy while maintaining that image
└ Ji Hyeon isn’t just anyoneㅋ
17 It’s funny that there’s only one Ji Hyeon at that table, but there are two actors copying Ji Hyeon
└ One of them isn’t an actor
└ Actor Ji, who even idols copy!
└ Our Yi-chan is doing it because his agency told him toㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋAre you a Sunshine by any chance?
└ ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
└ What’s Sunshine
└ Sunset’s fandom name
18 Sorry for not understanding the atmosphere… Does anyone know where that store is?
└ Who would know that haha
└ Cheongdam-dong Gallery B << It's next to a huge Izakaya called Ssangpi oo
└ ..You know this
└ You know this22
└ Wow, I know this place, their fries are so good
└ Gallery B's store design is also really pretty haha It's decorated with neon signs, but the problem is that the phrase is now >Let’s meet alive<
└ Ah, fuck hahahaha A phrase that makes you want to eat until you die
19 Don't take sides without knowing the situation, that's why fans get hate... If you only look at that Fweet, Ji Hyeon is the one who did wrong. Celebrities shouldn't do that in bars. Who's going to clean up the beer after that?
└ Yeah, the part-timer is the only one who's pitiful.
└ That's right, you have to be careful in times like this
└ ㅋㅋYou're the one taking sides without knowing the situation;;
└ That's how it looks;;
20 Ji Hyeon actor.You shouldn't.do that to people.I'm disappointed.Please.regain.your manners.and come back!
└ Ah, please leave, old man~
└ Wrong X Right O
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150 I had a bad feeling about Ji Hyeon from the beginning
└ Actually, me too..ㅋ
└ Me too...
└ (This comment has been censored.)
└ That's a forbidden word
└ ????? A kid showed their true nature by saying one thing when they were young
└ Ah ㅡㅡ Why are other users being so annoying? Read the bulletin board rules before writing a comment
└ They weren't even interested in the first place, but they're saying they had a bad feeling from the beginning
└ Another Ssaemmelierㅋㅋ
└ Do you even know who Ji Hyeon is?^^
151 Ji Hyeon's face has been terrible since he was young, it's a face that shows a bad personality.
└ No, what the heck, you're looking at his face since he was young haha.
└ Ah, the face reader has appeared, and now we have a face reader lol.
└ If you can read faces, spread a mat damn it.
└ I want to see your face lol. You probably have a face that writes hate comments since you were young haha.
152 (This comment has been censored.)
└ ...?
└ ??Are you crazy???
└ That's acting, you idiot
└ (This comment has been censored.)
└ (This comment has been censored.)
└ (This comment has been censored.)
└ (This comment has been censored.)
└ Fuck, all sorts of trolls are attracted to the best bulletin boardㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└ (This comment has been deleted.)
└ It's a mess, really
└ Just report it without commenting
└ --------Ignore--------
153 Hmm... Let's stay neutral for now
└ People who stay neutral) side with the perpetrator
└ Then I should side with Ji Hyeon on the Ji Hyeon bulletin board
154 Why are the comments like this here???
└ It became the best. So many other users are flowing in.
└ I know. It's so stressful~!!
155 The only article is from Baekje, which is like a trash can, but those awful people are attracted to it and making a fuss.
└ Calm down and try to space it out.
└ How can I be calmㅡㅡ It's so frustrating.
156 Another eyewitness account https:https://fwitter.com/inkdream1/status/1592723209736327170↓↓↓
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Kkumingkeu @inkdream1 · 47 minutes
Hmm ㅋㅋ I was at that barㅋㅋ In the middle, Park made his Manager do an errand, so the atmosphere got really cold. I don't know what it was, but it must have been worth it?
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└ ㅋㅋ?
└ Tae-soo again?
└ Tae-soo againㅋ
└ Crazy, an errand???
└ What kind of errand did he make him do...?
└ Wow, so that's why Actor Ji got angry?
└ Noㅋㅋ You can ask your Manager to do an errand, but you pour beer over him for that?
└ What; Why would you ask someone else's Manager to do an errand?
└ Your thinking is so funnyㅋㅋㅋ Is the Manager someone who does errands for you?
157 People at the table: Ji Hyeon/Ji Hyeon's Manager/Park Tae-soo/Shin Yi-chan/Lee Soo-ah/Yubo Young, presumed to be Witness cast members
└ ???Soo-ah Unni is in Witness????
└ Wow, Lee Soo-ah?
└ Why are you all hung up on Lee Soo-ahㅠ
└ Yubo Young and Lee Soo-ah are best friends, so they probably just went to the bar together
158 Butㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Why is Ji Hyeon's Manager included in the actors' group...?
└ Isn't it because he's Actor Ji's friend??
└ Yeah, there's no reason why the Manager can't be thereX
└ Honestly, it's so natural that I didn't even know he was the Manager
└ At least his face is better looking than Park'sㅋ
└ His recognition is also better than Tae-soo's
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582 The official statement is finally out... My opinion changed after reading this, so I hope everyone will read it and judge [Ji Hyeon, I have no intention of making excuses... "I would do it again if I went back." | https:https://www.hotstar.co.kr/view/1440198]
"Are you crazy!"
A thunderous voice echoed through the President's office. Eun-ho stood with his hands behind his back, but Ji Hyeon didn't care at all and sat on the sofa. Seeing him casually cross his legs, CEO Byun, with a flushed face, let out a fierce roar.
"Are you in your right mind! Are you desperate to retire? Huh?"
The day after Ji Hyeon caused a huge accident. They were both summoned by CEO Byun. Eun-ho, who had found Ji Hyeon early in the morning, picked him up, and as soon as they entered the President's office, the reaction was exactly as expected. CEO Byun, who had already heard all the news, was furious and burst out in anger.
"If you're going to cause an accident, do it quietly! Are you going to quit being an actor? What are you going to do if you cause an accident that can't be cleaned up!"
It was inevitable. Ji Hyeon, who was always causing private incidents, had finally pulled off a major one this time. In a bar where everyone was watching, he poured beer over a fellow actor's head.
"How many times have I told you to behave yourself! Is it so difficult that you have to cause this kind of trouble?"
Eyewitness accounts kept pouring in, and eventually, a malicious article was published. It was from a place known for its yellow journalism, but it was enough to grab the public's attention. A dispute arose between Ji Hyeon's fans and those who weren't, and all sorts of real-time search terms were filled with Ji Hyeon.
"Do you think I'm the one who cleans up after you?"
"Well, isn't that what the company is for? Why else would I use an agency?"
Ji Hyeon, of course, didn't reflect at all. He wasn't even worried, which made Eun-ho next to him feel carefree. Even CEO Byun, who was furious, seemed momentarily drained.
"You, you're a grown adult... A sensible adult... How could you do something like that there?"
"What? I barely managed to stop myself from smashing his head with a beer glass."
"Hey!"
CEO Byun, who finally shouted, staggered and slumped onto the sofa. He muttered to himself that he wouldn't live to his full potential and that this was why his hair was falling out. Just as Eun-ho was seriously worried about his blood pressure, the arrow turned to Eun-ho.
"Manager Kwak... What were you doing while that guy was causing trouble?"
"...I'm sorry."
Eun-ho readily apologized instead of making excuses. He was there, and he failed to stop Ji Hyeon. He was also caught up in the moment and realized too late what he was about to do.
"Hey, why are you yelling at him for what I did?"
At the same time, Ji Hyeon, who had been calm until then, interjected with an angry face. He frowned irritably and even made excuses that he hadn't made before.
"That bastard was talking trash. I was holding back, you know?"
"I know, it must have been. No matter how bad your personality is, you wouldn't just pour beer on someone who didn't do anything."
He didn't go into detail (he wasn't even asked), but CEO Byun seemed to have figured out the general situation. After all, he knew Park Tae-soo's usual reputation and Ji Hyeon's personality well.
"But there's no evidence, no evidence."
So, this was the part that CEO Byun was angry about. He understood that it was an accident worth causing, but if he was going to do it, he should have thought about the aftermath a little.
"Everyone there saw you pour beer on Park Tae-soo. But what about Park Tae-soo's trash talk? At most, only six, no, five people at that table heard it. Of those, you two will only be dismissed as making excuses, so it's meaningless. Do you think the other three will take your side?"
"......"
This time, Ji Hyeon couldn't say anything either. He just raised his eyebrows and looked at CEO Byun. CEO Byun clicked his tongue and shook his head.
"He's probably racking his brain too. Especially that idol Shin Yi-chan, he's going to be in trouble."
Image management was a must for celebrities, but the public was more lenient to actors than idols. So, in Yi-chan's case, especially as a rookie, he would be in a more difficult position than others.
"Everyone will want to avoid getting involved as much as possible, so how are you going to explain it? Maybe if you give them some money and ask them to help... No, that'll get you caught for bribery."
He couldn't say they were bad. If he were in a similar situation, Eun-ho would have told Ji Hyeon to do nothing and stay still. From a celebrity's point of view, there was nothing more troublesome than getting caught up in unnecessary controversy.
"Do you even know how many calls PD Lee has made to me? I have no face to face the drama team because of you..."
'PD Lee' was the main PD in charge of
“Oh, so what are we going to do?”
Ji Hyeon frowned and retorted in a nonchalant tone. There was no sign of remorse, but rather a feeling of being fed up. Ji Hyeon, who openly raised his chin, spoke in an arrogant tone.
“Is the director telling me to drop out?”
“……”
There was no way he could answer ‘yes’ to that. That’s because the
“President, do you think I’m such a stupid bastard that I can’t even calculate that much before causing an accident?”
Well, he did look like the kind of guy who wouldn’t care even if he did calculate it. CEO Byun seemed to have the same thought, as he was looking at Ji Hyeon with a constipated expression. Of course, Ji Hyeon curled up the corners of his mouth with an excessively relaxed face.
“It’s not like I committed murder or drove under the influence, so what’s the problem? Even criminals take vacations as a form of self-reflection and come out just fine in this world.”
It wasn’t something an actor should say, but it was a clear fact. In reality, there were many celebrities who were actively working even after being punished by the law. Eun-ho didn’t see it very positively, but Ji Hyeon’s message was clearly conveyed.
“And it’s obvious who will lose out even if there’s a feud.”
Ji Hyeon, the main character, and Park Tae-soo, whose face isn’t even shown properly. It was obvious which one was more important. You never know until you try, but there are some things you can know without trying.
“Just put out an article saying that Park Tae-soo was talking nonsense. That I was holding back and then I exploded. What does it matter if there’s no evidence? Everyone knows this is a dogfight anyway.”
The words that followed in a gentle voice were unrestrained and even scathing. CEO Byun, who had been silent, even sighed in resignation.
“You’ll get hate too, you know.”
“What’s so bad about getting hate?”
Ji Hyeon scoffed as if he didn’t care. He didn’t even listen to CEO Byun’s worries. Of course, it wasn’t like he had no plan at all.
“They’ll probably like it too. Saying it’s a chance to raise their tiny profile.”
That was also true. What was more important than image making was topicality. You need recognition to create an image, and there was nothing more uncertain than a buried actor’s future. In that sense, Park Tae-soo’s side would try to turn this crisis into an opportunity.
“He can’t sue because of what he said, and he’ll just keep fighting pointless public opinion battles. If he keeps being annoying like that, it’ll all be buried by the time
Ji Hyeon nonchalantly said things that would get him beaten up, saying that the media was like a pot. He’d been in this industry for a long time, so he didn’t even bat an eye at this kind of issue. Well, he had bigger problems when he was younger.
“You’ve been in business for more than a day or two. Can’t you handle this, President?”
“……Haa.”
It was an arrogant tone, but when you looked at it point by point, it was all true. It wasn’t the end of the world, and there was no accident in the world that couldn’t be handled. No, at least not among the ones Ji Hyeon caused.
“President, we should release a statement first.”
At this timing, Eun-ho cautiously added. He had been quiet just to let him vent his anger, but it was necessary to be calm in times like this. CEO Byun was also a pro in this field, so as soon as he heard Eun-ho’s words, he sighed and rubbed his face.
“I know, yeah. I have to fix it. I have to make a living.”
He probably had solutions in mind in many ways. He’d been in this business for years, so there was no way he couldn’t handle this much.
“I’ll schedule an interview with Hot Star News, so stay put today. It’s a good thing you don’t have any schedules…”
CEO Byun waved his hand and took out his phone. He didn’t forget to check for new articles on the tablet PC he had placed on the table.
“Then I’ll go in first.”
Eun-ho bowed politely and gave Ji Hyeon a slight wink. It meant not to provoke him further and to leave quickly when he told him to. Ji Hyeon didn’t want to argue any further either, so he got up and silently followed Eun-ho out.
They took the car Eun-ho was driving to Ji Hyeon’s apartment. It was still before noon because they had headed to the company early in the morning. Ji Hyeon was looking at the script in the back seat as usual, and Eun-ho didn’t say anything to him.
When they arrived at the apartment’s underground parking lot, Eun-ho turned off the engine and unbuckled his seatbelt. He was about to get out of the car together, but Ji Hyeon hesitated and asked.
“…Are you coming up with me?”
He would have grabbed him if he had tried to leave, but it seemed strange that Eun-ho was willingly getting out. He narrowed his brows with a puzzled look, and he even looked somewhat anxious.
“You haven’t eaten anything.”
Eun-ho replied in a nonchalant tone and opened the back door of the car by pressing a button. He had gone straight to CEO Byun as soon as he woke up in the morning, so there was no way he had eaten anything. Not only Ji Hyeon but also Eun-ho had been hungry all along.
“I’ll eat and go, I guess.”
He didn’t have any schedules, but he didn’t know what might come up in the afternoon. He might have an interview with Hot Star News today, or he might be contacting other reporters. It would be troublesome to go home and then get a call from CEO Byun.
What kind of side dishes are in the fridge? Eun-ho got out of the car first, thinking about that. He had the basics, so if he made a soup and steamed egg, he would eat it well. He was picky about his food, but he wasn’t picky about the food Eun-ho made. Well, it was also thanks to the fact that he knew his tastes inside and out.
“……”
Ji Hyeon quietly followed Eun-ho as if it were strange. He was quiet when he took the elevator up, and he was quiet when he opened the door and entered the house. He even quietly hovered around while Eun-ho washed his hands and prepared the meal.
“Hey, sit down and stop making me nervous.”
Why is he acting like a puppy that needs to pee? Ji Hyeon sat down at the island table when he said that. He still didn’t say anything, but it was much better than fidgeting and looking around.
Unfortunately, Ji Hyeon showed a strange attitude even while eating. He would take a spoonful of rice and look at Eun-ho, stop while scooping steamed eggs, or get up to drink water and then sit back down.
Was it so strange that he was eating and leaving? He had been a little distant lately, but it didn’t seem like something to be so puzzled about.
“Ji Hyeon-ah.”
Eventually, Eun-ho had no choice but to call him after finishing his meal. He was about to clear the table and have a cup of coffee, but Ji Hyeon was still looking around. He had been quiet while he was eating in case he got indigestion, but it was too awkward to pretend not to notice.
“If you have something to say, say it.”
Ji Hyeon didn’t answer even though he blurted out the words. He just moved his lips as if he was going to say something and then slowly averted his gaze.
A cautious voice flowed from his slowly opened lips.
“…I was wrong.”
“What?”
Eun-ho frowned at the sudden, out-of-context words. He didn’t understand what he was suddenly wrong about. When Eun-ho looked at him intently, Ji Hyeon finally added in a subdued voice.
“About Park Tae-soo.”
Blink, their eyes met. Eun-ho, who had been narrowing his brows until then, belatedly understood his words and quickly relaxed his expression.
“…The beer?”
He wondered what he was apologizing for, but it seemed to be the part that CEO Byun had scolded him about. Maybe he thought that the reason he was eating and leaving was to address that issue.
“Why all of a sudden…”
“I know I was wrong.”
“……”
“I also know I shouldn’t have done that.”
His lowered eyes were docile. He had been defiant in front of CEO Byun, but now he was just looking around cautiously. It was like Ji Hyeon to avert his gaze with a dejected face and then open his mouth with a choked-up voice.
“No, but that bastard…”
“Who said anything?”
Eun-ho replied in a nonchalant voice and put a mug in front of him. It was the coffee that Ji Hyeon had advertised, and he had a lot of it in the cupboard because he received it as a sponsorship. Fortunately, it suited Ji Hyeon’s taste, so he would make him a cup after a proper meal.
“If you cause an accident, you can fix it. Like you said, that’s what the company is for.”
CEO Byun would be furious if he heard that, but this time, Eun-ho wanted to take Ji Hyeon’s side. He didn’t want to blame someone who knew he was wrong, and more than anything, he wasn’t sure if he had done anything so wrong.
Wasn’t it too much to ask him to endure such insults? An actor is also a person, and Ji Hyeon also has feelings. That kind of endurance wasn’t included in the actions he told him not to do.
“You did well, don’t put up with that kind of thing.”
He knows that he’s the type to endure as much as he can, even though he seems to act according to his personality. He also knows that the reason is mostly to avoid making Eun-ho uncomfortable. The reason why Eun-ho puts up with all the nagging he throws at him is because he knows that he’s the only one he can be spoiled with.
“If you hadn’t done it, I would have said something. And…”
He hesitated for a moment whether to say this. He was worried that he might be stirring up the already wounded area again if he brought it up. But since he had already opened his mouth, he thought he should say everything he wanted to say.
“You don’t have to worry about what that person said.”
“……”
Ji Hyeon looked up at Eun-ho with a subtle look. His clear, transparent eyes were somehow very excited. He felt like he was expecting something, but Eun-ho was puzzled and continued calmly.
“Obsessive-compulsive disorder isn’t a flaw.”
“……What?”
But the reaction that came back was strange. The guy who had been making a dreamy expression as if he was dreaming frowned for a moment. He tilted his head and made a reluctant voice.
“Obsessive-compulsive disorder?”
Eun-ho, who was sitting in the diagonal chair, glanced at Ji Hyeon. He was worried that he might be upset, but Ji Hyeon was silent for a long time and then let out a hollow laugh.
“Who cares? I wasn’t even angry about that.”
It was a nonchalant tone. As if he really didn’t care about Tae-soo’s words. He even seemed to have completely forgotten about it until Eun-ho mentioned it.
“It’s true that I go to the hospital regularly and that my head hurts, but what’s the problem?”
“…Then what were you so upset about?”
This time, Eun-ho was the one who was puzzled. Wasn’t he angry at Park Tae-soo’s words and caused that accident? If he didn’t feel any particular humiliation at the time, then what was the reason why Ji Hyeon was so angry?
“He…”
Ji Hyeon opened his mouth but couldn’t say the reason right away. He slowly rolled his eyes and took a long time to choose the right words. He was hesitating whether to say it or not, and that look was similar to the one Eun-ho had shown a little while ago.
“He was talking trash… Saying things like I’m mentally ill.”
The last words were so small that they were barely audible. Did you just say you weren’t angry about that? Before Eun-ho could ask, Ji Hyeon clicked his tongue and sighed.
“He said you’re gay. But you’d be upset if you heard that kind of thing, right?”
“……”
Wait, he was speechless. He didn’t understand what Ji Hyeon was saying for a moment. What was the connection between the fact that he was gay and Park Tae-soo’s words? While he was thinking that, he suddenly remembered what Park Tae-soo had said right before that.
‘Why would a normal man like a man? Isn’t that a mental illness?’
“No…”
So, he was saying that he got angry at those words and poured beer on him. He didn’t care about the insults he had made to him, but because of those words that he had blurted out without knowing who was gay.
“He’s the one with the dirty mouth…”
Ji Hyeon’s muttering words pierced Eun-ho’s ears with an odd intensity. Without realizing it, Eun-ho’s face turned awkward, and he moved his lips. Not to reprimand, but simply because he felt genuinely bewildered.
“You said those words too.”
Hadn’t Ji Hyeon said something like that once? That liking men wasn’t something to be proud of, and not to get involved with a shitty gay bastard. The image of him getting annoyed, saying it was disgusting just thinking about it, was still vivid, so why would he point out Park Tae-soo’s way of speaking now?
“Why are you getting angry about that?”
Just because of that? No, it was harsh to say “just,” but anyway, it wasn’t Ji Hyeon who was insulted, but himself (or, more deeply, Shin Yi-chan). And even that was said by Park Tae-soo without knowing he was gay.
“You’re not gay…”
So, strictly speaking, Ji Hyeon getting angry was nothing short of overstepping. Since when was he so righteous? He wasn’t offended or unpleasant, but he genuinely didn’t understand. Ji Hyeon, who had been a long-time friend, had more influence on him than Park Tae-soo, who was a complete stranger.
“It’s weird for you to act like that.”
“…”
As soon as Ji Hyeon heard Eun-ho’s words, his expression hardened. He blankly fluttered his eyelids, then pursed his lips and lowered his head. Just as he was about to add that he wasn’t blaming him, Ji Hyeon slowly opened his mouth.
“…I never thought it was disgusting.”
His voice was subdued, and that made it sound more sincere. Without even making eye contact, Ji Hyeon told Eun-ho something he already knew.
“I just got worked up and said whatever.”
Eun-ho knew it too. That what he said wasn’t sincere and was just a simple outburst. He just didn’t understand why Ji Hyeon got angry in that situation.
“That’s the problem, you getting worked up there…”
Eun-ho muttered quietly and let out a shallow sigh. Ji Hyeon had already raised his head and was looking at Eun-ho. Eun-ho met Ji Hyeon’s gaze and moved his lips calmly.
“I said it before.”
“…”
“You look like you’re jealous when you do that.”
He didn’t know how many times he’d said this. And why the guy who’d heard the same thing so many times was making such a surprised expression. Was it that he belatedly realized his actions were wrong? Ji Hyeon looked like he’d received a new shock.
“If that’s the reason, just hold back next time.”
Telling him not to hold back was when they were insulting Ji Hyeon. He could handle his own affairs. In the first place, he didn’t even get angry at that level of banter.
“Don’t get worked up in that situation either.”
He wondered if he was being a little confusing, but he thought he’d understand the gist. The day Eun-ho quit being a Manager and just yesterday when Ji Hyeon caused an accident. Both times, it was true that he wanted Ji Hyeon to hold back and let it pass.
“…I don’t think I can hold back.”
But instead of being docile, Ji Hyeon gave an unwanted answer. When Eun-ho looked at him with a displeased expression, he muttered with a hardened face.
“Now… I don’t think I can hold back anymore.”
He couldn’t argue with that because it wasn’t an answer but closer to a soliloquy. Why is he suddenly like this? While he was thinking that, Ji Hyeon asked with seriously sunken eyes.
“…Then what should I do?”
“…”
Is this a declaration of war? Or is he asking for permission? What answer could Eun-ho possibly give to the question of what to do if he couldn’t hold back?
“Just don’t smash their heads with a beer glass.”
He felt like the atmosphere was going to get weird, so Eun-ho replied half-jokingly. Fortunately, or perhaps not, Ji Hyeon’s expression became subtle as soon as he heard that answer. The guy who had been blankly spaced out as if he’d lost his energy soon sighed and grabbed his mug.
“Seriously, Kwak Eun-ho is really…”
Various emotions were contained in his quietly lowered eyes. Normally, he would have been able to read his inner thoughts, but lately, those emotions were not visible. He just got the message that what he was trying to say was, “He’s a really weird guy.”
“So, why are you and Park Tae-soo not on good terms?”
Eun-ho asked Ji Hyeon casually, fiddling with his mug. He’d glossed over it last time, but judging from the atmosphere at the drinking party, it seemed like something had definitely happened.
This time, he didn’t seem to have any intention of making excuses, and Ji Hyeon, who had been smelling the coffee, also replied indifferently.
“It’s nothing. I just gave him shit at the company dinner, and he’s acting like that.”
“How did you give him shit that he’s acting like that?”
When he repeated Ji Hyeon’s expression verbatim, he made a sound like air escaping. His handsome eyes curved as if something was so funny that they were almost visible.
“Just, well…”
Before answering, he took a sip of coffee. Maybe it was because it was a product he advertised, but even that trivial action seemed like a scene from a CF. He really is an actor. Just as Eun-ho was admiring that, Ji Hyeon spoke in his usual sweet voice.
“He kept calling me ‘Ji Hyeon-ssi’ and subtly scratching at me, so I asked him if someone who liked hierarchy so much shouldn’t get the honorifics right. I asked if they didn’t teach him that in the proud Marine Corps. Then his expression suddenly hardened.”
It was a briefly summarized story, but it was enough to understand the situation at the time. He didn’t know how Tae-soo had been scratching at him, but he could clearly picture Ji Hyeon feeding him softly.
“I was just annoyed at the time, but now that I think about it, it’s funny. A guy who absolutely draws a line with his Manager…”
Ji Hyeon wasn’t someone who cared about hierarchy or anything like that. More often than not, he didn’t even care what others called him. So how annoying must Park Tae-soo have been to make him do that? Well, considering what happened at the bar, it was understandable.
“It was the same yesterday. If he wants to look good to a woman, he should run around himself. Why is he making you do it?”
As he spoke, he seemed to feel bad, and Ji Hyeon suddenly hardened his expression. Why did you buy her ice cream there? He scolded Eun-ho irritably. Eun-ho had to clear his throat for a different reason the moment he heard the word “ice cream.”
“…I guess it’s because I’m the Manager.”
Eun-ho, who had tried hard to clear his throat, barely maintained a straight face. It would be ridiculous for him to apologize if Ji Hyeon didn’t care.
“That’s how it is for all Managers.”
“Where is that all Managers are like that? I’m not like that.”
Ji Hyeon seemed to not understand Tae-soo’s attitude at all. In fact, those kinds of errands are commonly asked for. Well, Ji Hyeon is such a senior actor that other actors haven’t been able to do that to him until now.
“A Manager’s seniority also depends on the actor’s years of experience. But how can they ask my Manager to do those kinds of errands?”
Depending on how you listened to it, it was a very strange thing to say. The part that was strange was the part that said “my Manager.” Ji Hyeon must have said it without thinking, but as soon as he heard those words, one corner of his chest felt stuffy.
So, Eun-ho averted his gaze without realizing it and finished the conversation.
“Anyway, if it’s because of me, hold back next time. It’s harder to clean up after you cause an accident.”
“…”
While making a dissatisfied expression, Ji Hyeon couldn’t refute anything. Eun-ho got up from his seat at the same time as those words and turned his back as if he wouldn’t talk anymore. Of course, Eun-ho didn’t get an “okay” answer from him either.
In the afternoon, CEO Byun called. He had made an appointment with Hot Star News, so he told him to take Ji Hyeon and go do an interview. CEO Byun, who added about three times to make sure he didn’t say anything nonsense, even showed a hint of apology at the end, saying that Eun-ho was suffering a lot.
The meeting place was a cafe on the first floor of the NB Entertainment building. Since there was no photo shoot scheduled, Eun-ho just put a hat on Ji Hyeon and took him to the company. He came to the same place in the afternoon that he had come to in the morning, but Ji Hyeon followed Eun-ho without any complaints.
“…Reporter?”
When he arrived at the company, Eun-ho spoke to a person who was presumed to be a reporter as soon as he entered the cafe. The woman, who was wearing an external access card around her neck and sitting upright, turned her head sharply at the sound of someone calling her.
“Ah, Manager.”
The reporter, who stood up from her seat, smiled brightly. It was definitely the first time they had met, but she seemed to know Eun-ho. She extended one hand to shake hands and politely introduced herself.
“I’m Reporter Son Hana.”
Ah, One Hand. Eun-ho thought to himself and shook the hand that was extended to him. It was because he immediately remembered who she was as soon as he heard her name. Aside from the fact that her email address started with ‘One_hand,’ she was the one who always exclusively published articles related to Ji Hyeon.
“I’m Manager Kwak Eun-ho. As you already know, this is our actor, Ji Hyeon. Please take good care of us today.”
There is a kind of collusion between NB Entertainment and Hot Star News. If you say it like this, it sounds like an illegal route, but it was more accurately a win-win situation. If NB gave Hot Star News news material, Hot Star would publish the exclusive article first, but would not include negative phrases.
Reporter Son Hana was the exclusive reporter in charge of Ji Hyeon among them. Originally, her senior was in charge, but starting this year, Reporter Son Hana took over. Since the company mainly handles the news material, it was the first time Eun-ho had seen her face in person.
“I’m the one who should be asking you to take good care of me. Please sit over here, both of you.”
Instead of asking to shake hands with Ji Hyeon, the reporter immediately suggested that he sit in a chair. It wasn’t rude behavior, and rather, that consideration was welcome. As someone who always hears Ji Hyeon’s news, she clearly knew that he didn’t like contact.
“Wait a minute. I’ll get you something to drink.”
After seating Ji Hyeon on the inside, Eun-ho turned his body towards the counter instead of sitting down. Since the interview was the reporter’s and the actor’s job anyway, his only job was to support Ji Hyeon. He should tell him to drink tea since he drank coffee at lunch. With that thought, Eun-ho received a drink from the employee and returned to the table.
The materials prepared by Reporter Son Hana were placed on the table. Originally, the interview contents should have been shared in advance, but this time, there wasn’t enough time to do so. She probably summarized the general contents and made them like a script out of regret.
“…Do you have one for me too?”
Eun-ho, who had no intention of sitting at the same table from the beginning, sat next to Ji Hyeon only after realizing that there were a total of three prepared materials. Ji Hyeon was already flipping through the paper and looking at the contents. Eun-ho, who brought the paper after him, asked the reporter who was taking out a notebook.
“I heard that the company is supposed to review the article before it’s released, is that right?”
“Of course, if you confirm it after writing the article, we plan to post it as the final revised version.”
The interview was, after all, a rigged game. Rather, the Q&A he had during the “My MaeSo” filming was closer to reality. An interview that asked about the simple situation and Ji Hyeon’s feelings was nothing more than giving him a chance to make excuses.
‘I heard that the company’s statement will also be uploaded today.’
Eun-ho recalled the contact he had with CEO Byun earlier and carefully examined the questions. As expected, CEO Byun, who wasn’t doing business for just a day or two, had set up a plan that was moderately humane and moderately conscientious. To summarize roughly, it would be packaged as “Ji Hyeon, who was angry at Park Tae-soo’s abusive language, made a mistake after holding back.”
“And if it’s okay, I’d like to interview the Manager briefly.”
“…Are you talking about me?”
“Yes, I thought it would increase the credibility since you were there. Of course, you can feel free to refuse.”
She just made a light suggestion, and the reporter added that he shouldn’t feel pressured. Ji Hyeon, who had been silent about that, frowned and intervened.
“Up to the Manager’s interview…”
“No, I’ll do it.”
“Hey.”
Ji Hyeon’s expression hardened at Eun-ho’s answer. Eun-ho glanced at Ji Hyeon and then spoke to the reporter.
“It’s good to do it if it’s helpful.”
Unless it was maliciously edited, it was an article that would be written entirely to Ji Hyeon’s benefit. Anyway, he was Ji Hyeon’s Manager, so it was the same thing, but if even one more person was persuaded, it wasn’t difficult to open his mouth.
“Why is a civilian getting involved here?”
But Ji Hyeon looked straight at Eun-ho and retorted. He had said not to draw a line between ranks, but the voice he said that in sounded quite serious. Eun-ho chuckled softly and countered Ji Hyeon’s words.
“Am I a civilian? I’m Ji Hyeon’s Manager.”
He knew what he meant by saying that. He was probably worried that the sparks would fly on him. He clearly didn’t know how to express it in pretty words, so he blurted it out in a way that said not to interfere.
“As the reporter said, I can do the interview, but I’m not good at talking, so it might not be helpful. Please cut it out appropriately.”
“Um… then I’ll ask you briefly after Ji Hyeon-ssi’s interview is over.”
The reporter glanced at them for a moment and then nodded as if it didn’t matter. She probably didn’t expect Ji Hyeon to object. Whether Ji Hyeon sighed or not, Eun-ho just nodded to signal the start.
“I will now record the conversation.”
The reporter, who placed her cell phone on the table, pressed the record button. She scribbled something in her notebook and then looked at Eun-ho and Ji Hyeon once each. And she asked the first question in a light tone.
“First of all… are you aware of the beer incident that was recently controversial on SNS?”
The interview that started like that was, as expected, a good composition for Ji Hyeon to make excuses. At first, she asked about the overall situation, then she asked about his feelings at the time, and then she checked one by one what he felt about the public’s reaction and what he was doing in response to the interview.
“Well, there are many parts that I can’t explain in words…”
Ji Hyeon responded to the interview with a relaxed and calm tone throughout. He felt good when he went to the drinking party, but Park Tae-soo, who had been drinking, started making increasingly offensive remarks. He didn’t go into detail on this part, but he definitely added that towards the end, there were even remarks that denigrated homosexuality and mental illness.
‘I was worried for nothing.’
He really is an actor. He was worried because he was so expressionless, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he slowly became relieved. Compared to CEO Byun’s repeated requests not to say anything nonsense, Ji Hyeon was fortunately calmly listing only facts.
“His usual attitude, well… I don’t talk to Park Tae-soo much on set. If I don’t greet him or talk to him first, he doesn’t approach me first. I think it’s because I’m not popular with men.”
The words he said with a friendly smile would probably be marked with something like “(laughs).” The same was true for the words, “Ji Hyeon-ssi also often said that he couldn’t communicate because he hadn’t served in the military.”
“Well… then now for the last question.”
The reporter, who had been looking over the entire contents, looked at Ji Hyeon with a pen in her hand. He maintained a poker face from beginning to end and maintained a businesslike attitude. The fact that he only listened calmly instead of taking sides with anyone actually increased his credibility.
“Do you perhaps regret your actions at the time?”
The desirable answer to that was, “I regret expressing my anger in that way. I am aware of my mistake and will become a more mature person in the future.” If Eun-ho could think of it right away, Ji Hyeon would know it too, so there was no need to worry this time either.
Yeah, that’s what I thought, but.
“No, I don’t regret it.”
“That’s right, you wouldn’t… huh?”
The reporter, who had been about to agree without thinking, suddenly raised her head. Eun-ho also turned to look at Ji Hyeon with eyes that said, “Is this bastard crazy?” a beat late. Despite the two people’s gazes being focused on him, Ji Hyeon added calmly without batting an eye.
“Because I’ll do it again even if I go back.”
“…”
The reporter’s gaze turned to Eun-ho. In eyes that seemed to be asking, “Is it really okay to write it like this?” Eun-ho couldn’t bring himself to say anything and pursed his lips.
CEO Byun told him not to say anything nonsense. It seemed like it was hopeless.
One day after Ji Hyeon’s beer incident broke out on SNS. While all sorts of communities were buzzing, NB Entertainment released a statement. The company respected the opinions of its affiliated actors and would not take any action until the actor opened his mouth, which was a neutral statement. There was also a clause that they would take strong action against unfounded slander and rumors, so the posts that had been uploaded to the community were subtly deleted.
It was a bland and decent statement, but it was far from enough to quell the controversy. It didn’t explain the situation that day at all, and Ji Hyeon’s position wasn’t included at all either. Some were busy cursing the company for being insincere, while others expressed endless questions about what had happened.
In the midst of this, Hot Star News released an exclusive interview with Ji Hyeon. 「Ji Hyeon, No Excuses…“I’d Do It Again If I Went Back.”」 The article, posted with a provocative title, boasted a huge number of views and spread everywhere as soon as it was published.
Eun-ho, who was nervous after reading the title for the first time, was able to feel much more relieved after skimming through the general content. Ji Hyeon’s interview was included intact, but it had been transformed into something reasonably acceptable through the hands of an expert.
The relationship with Park Tae-soo, the atmosphere of that day, what Park Tae-soo said, and even the reason why Ji Hyeon took such action. Among them, the part that Eun-ho admired while sticking out his tongue was as follows.
「Q. Do you regret your actions at that time?
A. I don’t regret it. I don’t think violence is just about throwing a fist, but also about speaking. I also used violence, so I won’t make excuses about it. However, because I don’t want to remain a silent person, I will do it again if I go back.」
There was no better writer, I couldn’t help but think. When I heard Ji Hyeon’s answer, I was in the dark, but thanks to NB Entertainment’s skills or the reporter’s skills, it was transformed into a plausible story. It may seem a bit hot-tempered, but it seems to have succeeded to some extent because his beliefs seem firm.
On the other hand, Eun-ho’s interview was posted exactly as Eun-ho said it, without changing a single word. It was a conscienceless answer mixed with a little lie and embellishment, saying that Ji Hyeon was not usually hot-tempered. Unlike Park Tae-soo, who was drunk, Ji Hyeon didn’t drink a drop of alcohol, and there was also a biased story that he wanted people to focus on the cause rather than the result.
‘And… Actor Park Tae-soo asked me to run errands a few times. Since I’m a Manager, there are many people who treat me comfortably, but Ji Hyeon really hates that. So, Ji Hyeon warned him a few times, and the actor’s expression got worse and worse.’
He put it nicely, but in the end, it meant that Park Tae-soo was a pathetic guy who was abusing his power. Since there were people who would tear apart every word like catching a rat, they would have fully understood the hidden meaning of what Eun-ho said. Ji Hyeon didn’t like Eun-ho’s involvement, but Eun-ho didn’t care.
That’s how the so-called ‘dog fight’ began. People who said how much nonsense he must have said to have endured it and people who said that pouring beer on him was unacceptable engaged in an endless debate. They cursed Ji Hyeon once and Park Tae-soo once, and after cursing Park Tae-soo twice, posts saying that Ji Hyeon was the same were posted one after another.
The media was busy fueling the fire by spreading the public’s reaction as it was. There were also people who contacted him to get an interview, but CEO Byun firmly cut off all those calls. When the number of articles derived from Hot Star News was close to three, an item called ‘7.5. Beer Incident’ was also registered in the ‘7. Controversy’ section of Ji Hyeon’s Sea Wiki.
However, as they say, there is a hole to escape even if the sky falls. The dog fight, which seemed like it would never end, began to show signs of ending exactly one week later.
It was thanks to another person who opened his mouth like salvation.
“…Lee Soo-ah released an article?”
Early in the morning, Eun-ho, who was summoned to the President’s office with Ji Hyeon, heard an unbelievable story from CEO Byun. It was that Lee Soo-ah’s side suddenly released an article accusing Park Tae-soo. The content was completely unrelated to the drinking party, and it was a provocative gossip that didn’t need to be revealed at this timing.
“Yeah, that guy was hitting on Lee Soo-ah like crazy.”
「Park Tae-soo’s Endless Advances…Lee Soo-ah “Feels Fear”」
The article, which was posted as soon as the date changed, contained content that Eun-ho had never expected. After the drinking party that day, Park Tae-soo had been constantly sending messages to Lee Soo-ah. Lee Soo-ah said that Park Tae-soo had been showing interest from the beginning, but the level of interest had gradually increased, leading her to feel fear and conduct the interview.
“But she’s something else too… Take a look at this.”
CEO Byun clicked his tongue and handed Eun-ho the tablet PC. Eun-ho held the tablet at an angle so that Ji Hyeon, who was sitting next to him, could see the screen well. As he scrolled down, a capture of a message from ‘Park Tae-soo Sunbae’ appeared.
[Did you get home safe?]
[I showed you something you shouldn’t have seen today…ㅠㅠ]
[Don’t misunderstand what I said earlier]
[Soo-ah knows since you’re a woman, right?I know that women like men haha J is very jealous of me]
[It’s a man’s instinct to keep a good man in check..^^]
[I understand Mr. J haha]
“…Could this J be me?”
Ji Hyeon asked in an unbelievable tone. Judging from the initials and the circumstances, it must be Ji Hyeon, but he couldn’t understand who was jealous of whom. While Eun-ho was also letting out a hollow laugh, the capture also included Soo-ah’s reply. Most of them were just awkward laughter consonants and words like ‘yes’ and ‘no’.
“He must have had nothing to say.”
“Hmm…”
Eun-ho hummed in agreement. That’s because their conversation was so one-sided that it made the person watching embarrassed. If he hadn’t been a Sunbae, she probably would have blocked him immediately without even replying.
Soo-ah, who had at least been responding roughly at first, clearly drew a line, saying that she was uncomfortable with these kinds of stories when Park Tae-soo started listing J’s faults. It was a polite but firm expression of her intention, but Park Tae-soo’s reply this time was also a sight to behold.
[^^Don’t worry, I won’t tell J]
[But our titles are too formal ㅠㅠ]
[Call me Oppa]
[I’ll scold you if you call me Sunbae ㅎ]
“Ah…”
A low sigh came from both Ji Hyeon and Eun-ho. CEO Byun, who glanced at the screen, nodded as if he understood. He probably had the same reaction while looking at the article.
“That’s right, there’s also a story about you there, Eun-ho.”
“About me?”
Eun-ho, who asked back with a constipated face, scrolled down. Soo-ah’s message saying that she couldn’t call Sunbae Oppa and Park Tae-soo’s message saying it was okay and being clueless continued for a while. Then, at the end, Soo-ah carefully brought up Eun-ho’s story, saying, ‘What you did to the Manager earlier was too much.[Hmm]
[Oppa made a mistake there^^;;]
[Oppa’s Manager takes care of all that]
[But J’s Manager is too arrogant]
[He’s been taught bad habits ㅎ]
“Is he fucking crazy…”
Ji Hyeon, who frowned, chewed on swear words that could be heard. Eun-ho, who was the person involved, wasn’t very angry, but it seemed that Ji Hyeon didn’t see it that way. In fact, even if you only looked at that short message, you could easily tell how Park Tae-soo usually treated his Manager.
“Everything below that is just nonsense.”
[You worked hard on the kissing scene today~^^]
[Does J like our Soo-ah?I wouldn’t have made a mistake if I were Oppa haha. No, maybe I would have done more on purpose..?Just kidding~ Oppa is a professional even if I look like this^^
Don’t trust men too much ㅎ
Men are all wolves^^
Soo-ah is also good at using her body ㅎㅎ
Oppa is looking forward to the future^^~
Contact me anytime if you’re having a hard time.]
[Even late at night..ㅋㅋ]
“Ah, fuck. Why do I have to be embarrassed.”
Eun-ho also agreed. Why is the embarrassment the responsibility of the viewers? There were times when I had to take a deep breath because I couldn’t even bring myself to scroll down in the middle. It seemed that Soo-ah had finally said she was going to sleep, but Park Tae-soo even said goodbye, saying, ‘As expected, baby skin is different,’ telling her to sleep well.
“I almost died of embarrassment while watching it. But you know what… There’s more below that.”
“…It’s not the end?”
Surprisingly, the messages they saw and were shocked by were only for one day. The crazy bastard who didn’t know shame couldn’t come to his senses even after taking a refreshing beer shower and kept hitting on Soo-ah. The next day, the day after that, and even on the day Ji Hyeon released his statement, Park Tae-soo sent messages every day, sickeningly.
“I was so disgusted just watching it. There are also recordings below that, and they’re even worse. No matter how many times you chop down a tree that won’t fall…”
CEO Byun shook his head with a disgusted face. The recordings he mentioned contained even more content than the messages. It was briefly summarized, but even though many parts were omitted, it was full of language that made people frown.
“Am I too old to understand now… Is that kind of approach popular among young people these days?”
“What nonsense are you talking about? If you chop down a tree ten times and it doesn’t fall, you’ll get sued.”
Ji Hyeon, who was also frowning, retorted cynically. He also asked if there was any content about actually suing, saying that he would be stalking if he did a little more. It seemed that he wanted her to sue, but unfortunately, there was no such content in the text.
“I think the purpose is just to make it public. It’s difficult to sue with this alone in the first place.”
After listening to CEO Byun’s words, Eun-ho read all the articles to the end and turned off the tablet screen. The article concluded by saying that Lee Soo-ah was suffering damage as a result and hoped that Park Tae-soo would show an attitude befitting a public figure. It really seemed that the purpose was simply to make it public.
“Anyway, it’s good for us. If Park Tae-soo’s image gets worse, more people will side with Hyeon-ah. There are already many people saying that Actor Ji has achieved justice.”
“Well… it’s a good thing.”
Eun-ho, who replied slowly, inadvertently looked at Ji Hyeon. It was definitely a good thing, but he kept feeling uneasy. What was uneasy was the fact that the article was released at this timing (and for the simple purpose of exposing it).
“Lee Soo-ah must have really hated Park Tae-soo. Looking at the article, I think I would be disgusted too…”
Eun-ho couldn’t easily agree with the words that came out this time. The risk that Soo-ah had to bear was too great to conclude that it was simply because she hated Park Tae-soo. Lee Soo-ah was a rising actress, and there was no reason to create such a controversy.
So, just as he was about to refute, Ji Hyeon, who had been silent, suddenly opened his mouth.
“Lee Soo-ah isn’t stupid, so why would she release an article for that reason? There’s nothing that would help her.”
The gentle and soft voice was not very loud, but it was accurately heard in his ears. Not only Eun-ho, who had been silently closing his mouth, but also CEO Byun, who was about to check the article again, looked at Ji Hyeon. Ji Hyeon tapped the tablet with his index finger and continued.
“If an article like this comes out, Lee Soo-ah’s image will also be bad, not just Park Tae-soo’s. She knows that Korea is harsh on actresses…”
Even if she didn’t do anything wrong, articles involving male actors tended to carry some risk. Especially in cases like this where the other person is expressing ‘affection’. Perhaps a dirty issue would follow like a tag in some way.
“Do you think people won’t say that she should have behaved properly in the first place? There will definitely be people who say that Lee Soo-ah seduced him first, even if she replies so businesslike.”
Ji Hyeon openly laughed, saying that even if she only sent two ‘hieut’ characters, they would think she was laughing. In fact, there were many idiots who created non-existent loopholes in ridiculous places. Ji Hyeon, who had been rolling around in the entertainment industry for a long time, knew very well how narrow-minded the public’s perspective could be.
“This isn’t an exposure, it’s eating your own flesh. The filming of
Ji Hyeon, who was saying those words, had a somehow stuffy expression. He seemed annoyed, or perhaps a little hurt in his pride. The way he looked at Eun-ho and then avoided his gaze seemed like he was feeling guilty even though it wasn’t that kind of situation.
“…Anyway, it’s probably not just because she hates Park Tae-soo. When I saw her then, she seemed timid.”
“How do you know she’s timid?”
“Can’t you tell just by looking at her?”
Then, Ji Hyeon glanced at Eun-ho again. “That’s why you couldn’t get her number…” Eun-ho closed his mouth tightly at the voice that muttered that. Eun-ho roughly guessed what Ji Hyeon was trying to say.
“…I guess so. But why did she release the article?”
Only then did CEO Byun tilt his head with a puzzled face. Yes, this was also the part that Eun-ho was uneasy about from the beginning. As Ji Hyeon said, in a situation where there was nothing to gain, why did Lee Soo-ah make this choice?
‘Unless she’s trying to help me openly…’
The assumption that came to mind in an instant must have crossed the minds of everyone in that place. So, CEO Byun must have hesitated and said this.
“Maybe she’s a fan of Hyeon-ah?”
“I’d rather she be a fan of mine.”
Even though it wasn’t a funny situation at all, Ji Hyeon let out a thin laugh. Even though he hadn’t done anything wrong, Eun-ho lowered his head without realizing it and fiddled with the back of his neck. It was an unconscious habit that came out when he was embarrassed, and Ji Hyeon clicked his tongue while staring at him.
“Contact Lee Soo-ah’s side. Ask them to make a meeting.”
“What? You’re going to meet Lee Soo-ah?”
Seeing that he asked if she was a fan of his, CEO Byun must have known who the biggest beneficiary of this situation was. However, he showed a reluctant reaction to the words that Ji Hyeon suddenly spat out. He probably wanted to get through it as quietly as possible, but unfortunately, Ji Hyeon didn’t seem to have any intention of doing as he wanted.
“I can’t live with owing someone a debt.”
Ji Hyeon tapped the tablet again and quietly lowered his eyes. He said he owed a debt, but it was hard to tell whether it was in a positive or negative direction.
Soon, Ji Hyeon opened his mouth with a somehow complicated face.
“I have to say thank you.”
The meeting with Soo-ah was arranged much faster than expected. Since both sides were self-reflecting anyway, it seemed that they judged that there was no need to drag it out. The date was set the day after, and the location was Soo-ah’s agency building. It would have been nice to treat her to a simple meal, but since both of them had jobs, they needed to be conscious of the people around them.
In the car going to meet Soo-ah, Ji Hyeon kept his mouth shut and didn’t say anything. To be exact, he had been maintaining a subtly static attitude since Soo-ah released the article. The sunken face, lost in thought, was completely different from when he was protesting after fighting with Eun-ho.
“Ji Hyeon-ah, we’re here. Get out.”
Eun-ho, who parked the car in the company parking lot, opened the back seat door and got out of the car himself. Soo-ah’s agency was a famous place that anyone would know just by hearing the name, so the company building was much bigger than NB Entertainment.
Ji Hyeon, who got out of the car and looked around, put a mask on his ear and spoke to himself.
“I don’t have to worry about getting sued.”
Certainly, if it was a company with this much power, there would be no problems with legal issues. He didn’t know how the agency would accept the article that Soo-ah released, but it was much better to be on the side with power than on the side without power.
The two received passes at the entrance and went up to the 13th floor. Since Ji Hyeon’s face was his ID, no special procedures were required. The employee handed over the pass as if he had been waiting and even kindly guided the two to the promised conference room.
Soo-ah, as well as her Manager, were there at the place they arrived. Eun-ho, who opened the door familiarly, let Ji Hyeon in first and then followed him into the conference room. Soo-ah, who was standing up from her seat, greeted him politely.
“Hello, Sunbae.”
While Ji Hyeon was greeting Soo-ah, Eun-ho greeted the Manager inside with his eyes. The big and gentle-looking man greeted him quickly and left the conference room, saying that they should talk. Eun-ho was also thinking of leaving the conference room with him, but Soo-ah pointed to the opposite side and said.
“Please sit down comfortably, both of you.”
“Ah, I’m…”
Is there any need for a Manager to be involved in the actors’ conversation? There was a need to monitor Ji Hyeon so that he wouldn’t say nonsense, but he would probably take care of himself in this situation as well. However, whether that was only Eun-ho’s thought, Ji Hyeon, who sat down, pulled out the chair next to him.
“Kwak Eun-ho, you sit down too. Why are you waiting outside?”
“That’s right. Our Manager went to take care of some work for a while. Please sit down comfortably.”
Eun-ho had no choice but to take a seat next to Ji Hyeon. Soo-ah also sat across from them, and an inexplicable tension filled the air between the three.
Ji Hyeon was the first to speak.
“The reason I asked to meet today is…”
“You’re here because of the article, right?”
Soo-ah snatched the words before he could finish. Ji Hyeon’s words were abruptly cut off, but he nodded without showing any displeasure. Soo-ah was probably just overly nervous and didn’t mean anything bad by it.
“Actually… I feel a little guilty to hear words of gratitude from Sunbae.”
It was a line she seemed to have memorized, as if she had prepared it in advance. Ji Hyeon seemed to think so too, as he was looking at Soo-ah with a questioning gaze. Soo-ah gave an awkward smile and slowly continued.
“It’s not like I was trying to help Sunbae. It’s also true that Park Tae-soo Sunbae was really overbearing…”
She seemed awkward rather than humble, and she even showed a hint of apology rather than simply declining. Ji Hyeon and Eun-ho, maybe, but Soo-ah didn’t need to be like that. As if the two of them coming here was quite embarrassing.
“…I just didn’t want to remain someone who stayed silent.”
It was a phrase that had been in Ji Hyeon’s interview. It was still unclear whether it was the reporter’s work or the company’s.
That’s not what she said. The moment Eun-ho thought that, the same words came out of Ji Hyeon’s mouth.
“Those aren’t my words.”
His tone was calm, and he didn’t seem particularly embarrassed. The same was true of the words that followed.
“The reporter wrote them, so don’t think I inspired you with my words. I can’t say such great things.”
“…Ah.”
Soo-ah let out a short exclamation. Others probably wouldn’t know, but Eun-ho knew that it was Ji Hyeon’s own confession. He was talking in a stiff voice on purpose because his conscience hurt if he stayed still.
“Does it matter who said it?”
Fortunately, Soo-ah diffused the atmosphere with a nonchalant tone. She probably expected that the interview had been somewhat embellished as well. After all, she had been in this industry for several years already.
“Park Tae-soo Sunbae was the only one who actively stepped up when he made the Manager run errands at the drinking party. And then the beer incident… To be honest, it was kind of refreshing.”
Soo-ah, who had spoken hesitantly, asked Eun-ho for his agreement, saying that everyone there must have felt the same way. When Eun-ho nodded absentmindedly, she smiled brightly with a relieved expression.
“And it wasn’t like I blurted it out without thinking. I’ve thought about how to handle the aftermath.”
“May I ask what you’re going to do?”
“Yes? Ah…”
Soo-ah paused for a moment when Eun-ho spoke. She apparently didn’t expect him to join the conversation. Soo-ah, who was blinking and looking at Eun-ho, clenched her fist, covered her mouth, and cleared her throat briefly.
“I have friends who have agreed to help me. Usually, those kinds of people don’t just do that to one person.”
“Are there more victims besides Soo-ah?”
“Well, I can’t go into detail, but… I think a series of incidents will break out soon. Please check the articles later.”
Park Tae-soo must have had a lot of debts here and there. As Soo-ah said, those kinds of guys never treated only one person that way.
“So you don’t have to worry about the article. That’s what I wanted to tell you when I asked to meet you.”
Soo-ah, who had been speaking cautiously until now, insisted quite firmly on that last point. He had felt it even after seeing the messages exchanged with Park Tae-soo, but unlike her gentle personality, she was a person with her own convictions.
“…I’ve said everything I wanted to say.”
Ji Hyeon chuckled and lowered his eyes quietly. He had a thoughtful look on his face, and Eun-ho thought that he seemed a little discouraged for some reason. Like when he first saw the article Soo-ah had published, he had a somewhat complicated expression.
‘Why is he being like this?’
He didn’t do anything wrong, so why is he making that face? He had been prickly at times, but he had never been this cautious except when Eun-ho got angry. He was trying hard to hide it, but Eun-ho could clearly see that his mood had sunk.
“Let me know if you need anything later.”
After a long time, Ji Hyeon slowly opened his mouth. He still couldn’t raise his gaze, but his voice wasn’t much different from usual. His gentle and sweet voice sounded perfectly mild at first glance.
“I’ll do anything I can.”
Ironically, Eun-ho was convinced once again as soon as he heard those words. Something must have gotten into him. Of course, the words that followed were similar to the Ji Hyeon that Eun-ho knew.
“There’s someone I’ll keep worrying about if I wipe my mouth clean here.”
Even if he spoke vaguely, it was obvious who he was talking about. He must be talking about himself, who was sitting next to Ji Hyeon and staring at him intently. It was true that he would continue to feel uneasy if he just let it go, but Ji Hyeon didn’t necessarily need to take care of it.
“Ah, well, then maybe…”
But there was one more surprising thing. As soon as Ji Hyeon finished speaking, Soo-ah cautiously opened her mouth. He didn’t expect her to say what she wanted right away, but she must have had something to say.
“It’s not exactly a substitute, but…”
“Tell me.”
Ji Hyeon nodded. He couldn’t say empty words even a little bit, so it wasn’t a lie that he would do anything he could do.
Eun-ho also focused on Soo-ah, and Soo-ah smiled awkwardly and said.
“Can I talk to the Manager alone for a moment?”
Eun-ho was going to move places with Soo-ah, but surprisingly, it was Ji Hyeon who avoided the seat. As soon as he heard Soo-ah’s words, he frowned, then got up from his seat with a small sigh. Soo-ah said with a flustered face that she would leave, but Ji Hyeon only glanced at Eun-ho and said this.
‘It’s easier for me to leave.’
Because he left at the same time as those words, the two had no choice but to remain awkwardly in the conference room. Where would he be if he went outside? Eun-ho, who had gotten up with that thought, ended up sitting back down because Soo-ah was restless.
“…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make it difficult for you.”
“No, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”
It must have been true that it was easier for him to leave. In fact, Eun-ho was much more comfortable talking while sitting in the conference room. He was a little worried about Ji Hyeon, but he was probably just going to the bathroom to wash his hands at most.
“More than that, what did you want to say…”
“Ah.”
Soo-ah finally came to her senses after Eun-ho cautiously brought it up. The resolute attitude from before was gone, and as Ji Hyeon said, she was a person with timid aspects.
“It’s nothing special…”
Even after saying that, Soo-ah couldn’t say anything for a long time. She just rolled her big eyes around, blushed slightly on her cheeks, and lowered her head. Then, as if she had made a decision, she met Eun-ho’s eyes with a somewhat determined face.
“I just… I always wanted to thank the Manager.”
“To me?”
“Yes, to the Manager.”
Soo-ah swallowed hard and took a long, deep breath. Eun-ho was still looking at him with an indifferent face. As expected, the actor was an actor, and Soo-ah soon composed her expression and smiled, winking.
“Why, when I was filming the same movie with Sunbae before, the Manager took good care of me.”
“…”
This was the first time he had heard about this. When was it? It was like that time when Ji Hyeon on TV said that he had run into Eun-ho about five times even before they were in the same class.
“Didn’t I only give you a Hot pack?”
“Yes? No!”
So when he asked again, Soo-ah was startled and waved her hands. Soo-ah, who even shook her head, folded her fingers and savored each one.
“The Manager gave me a lot of things. Drinks and snacks… And once, you gave me a bandage and ointment…”
“…I did?”
“Yes!”
Ah, déjà vu. If Ji Hyeon was there, he would have looked at him with certain eyes. As if he knew, he would have clicked his tongue, saying that he was a really strange guy.
“O, of course… It’s not like you only took care of me.”
Soo-ah belatedly added hastily with an embarrassed face. She wanted to say that she didn’t misunderstand Eun-ho’s kindness, timidly lowering her eyes.
“…Actually, I remember the words you said more than the things you gave me.”
The story that started then was about trivial conversations that had been buried in the depths of Eun-ho’s memory. Saying that he had worked hard after the filming was over, telling Soo-ah, who was nervous, to just do as he usually did, or comforting him by saying that it was a difficult scene anyway when he was feeling down after making an NG.
“The entertainment industry isn’t a place where you can do well just by working hard. At that time, I was a little tired, like I was burned out, but the words the Manager said were strangely comforting.”
Soo-ah said that the words, ‘Next time, I’ll see you as Actor Ji’s co-star,’ were the most memorable. Ji Hyeon was such a great actor to her that she was happy just to be able to imagine being his co-star.
“At that time, I told Bo-young a lot about the Manager. What he gave me today, what it was like… I was also impressed, saying that the great actor’s Manager was different in the way he took care of things… It’s funny to think about it now. It wasn’t that the great actor’s Manager was different, but that the Manager was just different.”
Eun-ho couldn’t say anything in response to the words that were said like a joke. Perhaps Bo-young had been friendly from the first meeting because she had heard Soo-ah’s story.
“I endured that time, so… I was always grateful to the Manager.”
“…I’m glad if I was helpful.”
“Very much.”
All the kindness Eun-ho had shown was ultimately for Ji Hyeon. He had cheered for Soo-ah so that Ji Hyeon’s filming wouldn’t be disrupted, and that had become a great hope for him. He felt embarrassed on the one hand, and also felt sorry for some reason.
“Do you know that usually, when someone tells you to use honorifics comfortably, they tell the other person to use them comfortably as well? But the Manager didn’t do that, so I thought to myself, ‘Wow, this person really isn’t interested in me.'”
“No, it’s not like that…”
It wasn’t that he was trying to be that cold, he just realized too late that it was an expression of wanting to get closer. Eun-ho wasn’t used to social life either, so he didn’t have much talent for that kind of interaction.
“I didn’t mean it in a bad way either.”
Soo-ah smiled thinly, perhaps because she had shown that she was flustered without realizing it. Soo-ah, who had been so nervous that she couldn’t even say a word properly, now had a comfortable face.
“And it’s already been a few years…”
Soo-ah made a sound like air escaping and trailed off, lowering her eyes. She seemed to be hesitating whether to say these words or not, pausing for a moment. Of course, she chose to take them out instead of swallowing them.
“Later, when I heard that Ji Hyeon Sunbae was coming out on ‘My MaeSo’, I couldn’t help but wait for that day. I was wondering if the Manager would come out.”
As he said, it had already been a few years. He must have thought of Eun-ho just by hearing the news about Ji Hyeon. Even if the Manager had changed, it would have been time for him to change already, but he hadn’t forgotten the person named Kwak Eun-ho during that long time.
“And I thought while watching the show.”
Eun-ho was captured in the slowly raised gaze. Soo-ah had a faint smile, as if recalling that time.
“Ah, you’re still kind.”
“…”
“But… It wasn’t the kindness you showed only to me.”
The expression he was showing wasn’t unfamiliar. The end of that emotion, which contained a bit of emptiness and resignation, and in some ways even looked refreshing.
“I like the Manager.”
To be honest, he had fully expected it. When Soo-ah said he wanted to talk alone. No, when he said that the article wasn’t for Ji Hyeon. Even before that, from the time he felt a sense of discomfort in the President’s office.
“I think I liked you from the first time you gave me a Hot pack…”
Soo-ah, who was saying that, had a really shy expression, so Eun-ho couldn’t say anything. It wasn’t the first time he had received a confession, but he didn’t know what to say in these situations. It would have been nice if he had a little more eloquence, but unfortunately, he didn’t have a very sociable personality.
“Don’t misunderstand. It’s not like I’m trying to burden you…”
“Yes, I know.”
Eun-ho, who had replied bluntly, was fiddling with the back of his neck. As he said, it might be more rude to be burdened for no reason. Should he say thank you? As he was worrying about that, Soo-ah opened her mouth again first.
“Why, it’s natural that you don’t want to make the person you like uncomfortable. Especially someone who has really been a source of strength in my acting career.”
He didn’t remember doing anything that great. Who would have known that the kindness he had given unintentionally would become a great heart? No, he himself had harbored feelings for Ji Hyeon for that reason in the first place.
“That’s why I wrote the article. I wanted to help you.”
Soo-ah smiled brightly after finishing speaking. She was probably trying to be funny so that Eun-ho wouldn’t feel awkward, winking her eyes.
So Eun-ho just calmly conveyed his thanks.
“Thank you for helping me. Ji Hyeon is also very grateful.”
“Ah… I was surprised anyway. I didn’t expect Sunbae to come in person.”
Soo-ah let out a sigh of relief, saying that she was actually a little nervous. Even if they had worked together, he was a distant Sunbae to her, so the sudden call must have been embarrassing.
“I couldn’t sleep because I was worried that I would get scolded for no reason knowing that you were coming because of the article.”
“…He’s not the type to pick fights for no reason.”
Blood is thicker than water, so he ended up taking Ji Hyeon’s side for no reason. Especially since he was the one who witnessed him pouring beer on Park Tae-soo head-on.
But perhaps he felt something while looking at Eun-ho like that, Soo-ah blurted out.
“Manager, you like Sunbae, right.”
“…”
Eun-ho’s mouth snapped shut. The moment he heard Soo-ah’s words, his mind turned blank. Soo-ah added with an awkward face to Eun-ho, who couldn’t say anything.
“It’s a bit much for me to say this, but… I don’t have any prejudices in that direction.”
Her tone was cautious, and her expression as she looked at Eun-ho was the same. Her voice was also very calm, as if trying to emphasize that she had no bad intentions.
“Maybe other people don’t know. It’s not like it’s obvious…”
Nevertheless, Eun-ho could only look at Soo-ah without showing any reaction. It had already been several years since he had liked Ji Hyeon, and Soo-ah was the first person to notice that fact. He was wondering what kind of answer he should give, and while he was standing still, he smiled brightly while meeting Eun-ho’s eyes.
“I think it’s because I like the Manager.”
“…?”
Eun-ho blinked and opened his eyes. Soo-ah softened her expression and shrugged her shoulders.
“I just saw it. That you like him.”
“…Ah.”
Did he show too much that he was flustered? He should have denied it, but it seemed too late to do that already. As Eun-ho awkwardly avoided his gaze, Soo-ah also quietly lowered her eyes and said.
“The kindness that is shown to everyone is different from the kindness that is shown only to me.”
He wondered when she was thinking about it, but Soo-ah immediately continued. The scene he saw at the drinking party that day, when Ji Hyeon poured beer on Park Tae-soo.
“Buying ice cream can be done for anyone, but buying the flavor that person likes is a different story.”
“…”
He showed it in such trivial parts. Eun-ho hadn’t expected it at all because it was just a habit he had. When he was picking up ice cream with Yi-chan next to him, when he handed the ice cream to the guy who was sitting there sullenly, and when Soo-ah was staring at that scene.
“…Don’t you do that much for your friends?”
But if that’s the case, can’t you do that because you’re close? Even if he didn’t like him, Eun-ho would have definitely taken care of Ji Hyeon’s ice cream separately.
“Um… That’s true. Bo-young knows everything I like too.”
Soo-ah didn’t necessarily deny Eun-ho’s words. She just nodded and winked her eyes. He couldn’t explain it any further, but there must have been something that only he could see.
“Anyway, I really don’t think anyone else knows. Manager, you’re so good at hiding your expressions……”
Soo-ah naturally joked that he would have done well as an actor. Ji Hyeon would occasionally say it as a joke. Kwak Eun-ho, you’re so good at controlling your expressions, you’d be great as an actor, although there would be controversy over your acting skills, he added.
“So don’t worry.”
“……Yes, I’m not worried.”
He was a little surprised, but not greatly shocked. He wasn’t upset, and he knew that Soo-ah didn’t think he was weird. It was a sudden topic, but it wasn’t as awkward as he thought it would be.
“I know you won’t tell anyone else.”
Soo-ah smiled slightly, as if agreeing with Eun-ho’s words. For a while, silence lingered between the two. Soo-ah needed time to sort out her thoughts, and so did Eun-ho.
After a long silence, Soo-ah asked Eun-ho in a more cautious tone than before.
“Are you dating?”
“No.”
Eun-ho answered without a moment’s hesitation, lest she misunderstand. There was no need to be flustered or hesitant this time.
“I like him on my own.”
“……”
Soo-ah stared at Eun-ho with wide eyes. Eun-ho’s answer seemed unexpected, but Eun-ho found Soo-ah’s reaction even more unexpected.
“He doesn’t like men.”
He didn’t like women either, but he answered that way for now. If he were to meet someone, it would probably be a woman rather than a man. He might not have any prejudice, but he would have some aversion to liking the same man.
“Hmm……”
But even after hearing Eun-ho’s answer, Soo-ah remained silent, rolling her eyes. She seemed to have something to say, but it took quite a while for her lips to open.
“I didn’t like Manager because he was a man.”
It was a strangely meaningful statement. Eun-ho frowned, and Soo-ah leaned closer and asked cautiously.
“How did you come to like him?”
She had the expression of a teenage high school student. It was as light a question as asking her homeroom teacher to tell her about her first love. It seemed so innocent that Eun-ho slowly opened his mouth instead of trying to avoid it.
“Just……”
What should he say? It was a very cliché question, but when he opened his mouth, he couldn’t think of a good answer. He had occasionally pondered it alone, but it was the first time Eun-ho had ever talked about it to anyone.
“Because he’s a friend who helped me when I was having a hard time.”
The words that came out slowly were unintentionally mixed with a bit of laughter. The days that were so hard back then now seemed like a distant memory from a past life. Looking back, it was nothing, and even considering it nothing would have been impossible without Ji Hyeon.
“I’ve received a lot from him too.”
Even after Grandmother passed away, Ji Hyeon gave Eun-ho countless things. The mattress in his house, the hat he barely wore, the wallet he always carried, and the hoodie he occasionally wore. All the valuable items were bought by Ji Hyeon. Sometimes it was for his birthday, sometimes for no reason at all, and it took years just to stop the barrage of random gifts.
Well, it wasn’t just about material things. Eun-ho received invaluable comfort during the most difficult time, comfort that couldn’t be measured in money. Just like Soo-ah, who said that Eun-ho’s words were the most comforting, Eun-ho also found Ji Hyeon’s existence itself comforting many times.
“That’s how it started…… I don’t know why.”
But that was a long time ago. So much time has passed now. But why do I still like him so much?
They say there’s no reason to like someone, and every time I see Ji Hyeon, I find myself agreeing with that statement. To be precise, countless reasons couldn’t properly explain why I like him.
Because he’s handsome, because he’s a good actor, because he looks cool when he’s working, and sometimes even admirable. Because he has a bad personality but is polite in strange ways, or because he’s surprisingly kind and timid, or because he’s sometimes too honest and too fragile.
The things I’ve pondered one by one are just the reasons Eun-ho has created. It’s not that I like Ji Hyeon because of those things, but that I like those things because I like Ji Hyeon as a person.
“I’m curious too. Sometimes I don’t know why I like him.”
Even to Eun-ho, the last words sounded quite self-deprecating. Who knew that the feelings he thought would fade away would last this long? Even though it wasn’t burning passionately, the gently flowing emotions showed no signs of stopping.
“……”
Even though he didn’t seem to have answered very seriously, Soo-ah couldn’t answer for a long time. Her usual round eyes were filled with various complex emotions.
Soon, Soo-ah, who had been gradually distorting her expression, covered her face with both hands.
“Ah…… I’m so jealous.”
He sighed deeply with his head bowed. She was saying things like Sunbae is really lucky, why is he so good at everything, even acting, while laughing like a joke, but I could feel her voice getting more and more wet.
“I’m jealous, really……”
“……”
I wish I could say something better. Unfortunately, I have no talent in that area. Eun-ho, who had received a few confessions when he was a student, would coldly reject them with similar words. ‘Sorry, I have to study.’ When I answered that way, the friends who confessed would leave, leaving behind an apology.
But this time, I couldn’t even bring myself to say sorry. I had a feeling that if I offered a meaningless apology, Soo-ah would be even more upset. All Eun-ho could offer to someone who was calmly gathering her thoughts was silence.
“I…… probably won’t contact you.”
Fortunately, Soo-ah managed to sort out her feelings without taking too long. When she took her hands off her face, there was no trace of sadness on her clear face. Her eyes were slightly wet, but that too was completely hidden by a faint smile.
“I’ll see you on set next time.”
She was saying that she would only contact him in public places from now on, since she would end her private contact here. Eun-ho understood the meaning of those words well enough, so he replied calmly instead of asking anything.
“I guess I’ll see you as the lead role then.”
The actor who had been waiting endlessly without even holding a Hot pack had now grown into a full-fledged lead. Maybe next time I see her, she’ll be Ji Hyeon’s co-star, or maybe a colleague. Of course, it would take several years for their schedules to match.
“I’ll be cheering you on from afar.”
Soo-ah smiled with a truly refreshed face at Eun-ho’s words. She must have understood all the meanings contained in them. That he hoped everything would go well, including the feelings she was abandoning today, her work with Park Tae-soo, and her future acting career.
That was the end of his conversation with her.
Ji Hyeon was sitting in the next conference room with Soo-ah’s Manager. The Manager must have guided Ji Hyeon, who had nowhere to go, but there was a cup of coffee on the table that he hadn’t even touched. The sight of Ji Hyeon with his arms crossed and the Manager fidgeting in front of him was enough to know how awkward the atmosphere in the conference room had been.
“Sorry, did you wait long?”
Eun-ho said that and greeted the plain-looking Manager with his eyes. The Manager breathed a sigh of relief, as if he was finally relieved. They say that Managers follow actors, and that person also seemed to have a pure and kind feeling, like Soo-ah.
“Let’s go. We’re done talking.”
“……”
Ji Hyeon, who glanced back at Eun-ho, got up from his seat. He didn’t ask where Soo-ah had gone, nor did he sarcastically ask what had taken him so long. Eun-ho frowned and looked at Ji Hyeon, who was just silently moving his feet.
‘……What’s wrong with him?’
He had been acting strange since earlier, but he was becoming more and more uncomfortable because he was being so docile. He should have been glaring at me with a sullen face. It wasn’t like Ji Hyeon to give up his seat so easily, and it wasn’t like Ji Hyeon to wait patiently until the conversation was over.
“Are you hungry?”
“Uh, I’m not hungry.”
But when I asked him naturally, I got an indifferent answer again. His voice was so calm that even Eun-ho almost thought, ‘Am I imagining things?’
“……”
“……”
But even while driving home side by side, Ji Hyeon maintained a subtly strange attitude. He was just silently staring out the window with his mouth tightly shut. He wasn’t looking at the script, or at Eun-ho, or sleeping. It was completely different from what he had been doing until now, which was one of the three.
What’s with him being so quiet for once? I thought he would ask me in detail what I talked about with Lee Soo-ah.
After wondering, I started to worry if he was sick. That was always the part I was worried about when Ji Hyeon showed strange behavior. It would be a problem if he was needlessly trying to act like nothing was wrong while being aware of my feelings.
“Open the window if you get motion sickness.”
So Eun-ho said, looking at Ji Hyeon through the rearview mirror. He seemed to have a good complexion…… I thought so, narrowing my eyes.
But the answer that came back was completely unrelated to Eun-ho’s words.
“I heard what you were talking about with Lee Soo-ah.”
Eun-ho’s eyes twitched at the sudden words. Ji Hyeon was still looking out the window and quietly added.
“The soundproofing wasn’t very good there.”
Squeak! The car stopped abruptly. It was because Eun-ho, surprised, had unknowingly stepped on the brakes. Fortunately, there was no accident, but somewhere, a tearing horn sounded!
“……What, suddenly.”
Ji Hyeon reflexively grabbed the passenger handle and spoke in a dazed voice. Eun-ho, who had come to his senses, grabbed the steering wheel again.
“Ah…… sorry.”
Eun-ho calmly turned on the hazard lights first. It was fortunate that there weren’t many cars, or there could have been a big accident. When I looked in the rearview mirror again as I started the car, Ji Hyeon didn’t seem to be hurt either, fortunately.
“Did you hit anything?”
“No, you…….”
Ji Hyeon frowned and scanned Eun-ho up and down. Eun-ho, who had always driven safely since he got his license, must have thought it was strange that he suddenly stopped so abruptly. After confirming that Eun-ho was also fine, he asked a plain question as if nothing had happened.
“Did something pop out?”
“……”
Eun-ho was the one who was embarrassed by his voice being so calm. He had thrown a bombshell at someone who was driving well, but it seemed like he didn’t think the reason Eun-ho was surprised was because of him.
“No……”
Could I have misheard? But he had said so clearly, ‘I heard what you were talking about with Lee Soo-ah.’ I wish I could pretend I didn’t know, but I couldn’t this time.
“You heard me talking to Lee Soo-ah?”
So Eun-ho asked Ji Hyeon, trying to act as nonchalant as possible. However, he couldn’t help but show a hint of impatience. Ji Hyeon frowned as soon as he heard those words, as if it wasn’t important now. But he still answered obediently.
“Yeah, I could hear you because I was in front of the door.”
“……Really?”
Shouldn’t you not be able to hear unless you’re putting your ear to the door? I answered slowly, but my heart started beating faster and faster. No matter what other conversations were like, Ji Hyeon should never hear the topic that came up at the end. About my feelings that came out of Soo-ah’s mouth, which I hadn’t even been able to affirm.
‘Manager, you like Sunbae, right.’
“……”
What should I say? So many years have passed since I liked him, but I had never thought about this situation even once. In the first place, I had no intention of confessing, and I was sure that Ji Hyeon would never notice, no matter how long he lived.
“What, did you step on the brakes because of that?”
I couldn’t hear what Ji Hyeon was saying properly. Should I say you misheard, or that’s not what I meant, or should I just admit it? No matter what situation I imagined, I had no words to properly excuse myself.
“……How much did you hear?”
This time, when I asked again, I got a strange look. Eun-ho cleared his throat lightly and tried to calm his expression. Fortunately, Ji Hyeon replied in a tone that wasn’t very emotional.
“I didn’t hear much.”
“……”
So how much is ‘not much’? Who knew I would be so anxious about that simple answer? When Eun-ho stared at him silently, Ji Hyeon opened his mouth with a look on his face as if he had been caught doing something wrong.
“I listened for a bit and then went to the next room…….”
But the words that came out urgently were not finished. Ji Hyeon, who was saying those words, frowned for a moment and closed his mouth. And even the corners of his mouth curled up in a sneer.
“……No, but it’s been strange since earlier.”
Eun-ho’s eyes twitched at the low, sunken voice. His heart was still beating irregularly. Ji Hyeon sneered openly.
“Why, did you say something I shouldn’t have heard?”
“……”
Is he testing me? But it really feels like he’s being mean. Come to think of it, he’s been calm since earlier, unlike Eun-ho, who was very flustered.
Eun-ho stopped and organized his thoughts instead of answering right away. I was scared and surprised, but I needed to be more calm in times like this.
“It’s all things you shouldn’t hear. I’m sure we wanted to talk in private because we didn’t want anyone to hear.”
Ji Hyeon narrowed his eyes at the words he said, trying to be as calm as possible. There was still a smile on his face, similar to a sneer. Ji Hyeon, who was leaning back in his seat and looking out the window again, muttered as if to himself.
“You’re being so considerate. Since when have you been so close?”
This time, it wasn’t much different from usual. He was muttering and speaking softly, and he was avoiding eye contact and glancing at me.
“……So how did you reject her?”
Our eyes met through the rearview mirror. Eun-ho quickly looked straight ahead, but he knew that his gaze was still fixed on his face.
“You must have rejected her somehow since she confessed.”
“……”
He didn’t hear the end. Eun-ho, who was finally convinced, secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Judging from what Ji Hyeon was saying, I guess he only heard up to the part where Soo-ah confessed. If so, there was no need to be flustered or make excuses.
“Reject what? It’s not like she asked me to date her in the first place.”
It was a confession that didn’t expect anything from the beginning, so Eun-ho didn’t need to reject her feelings. Soo-ah must have blurted it out with the intention of sorting things out now. Maybe she’ll give up on her feelings for Eun-ho cleanly soon.
“I just thanked her for writing the article.”
Thinking about it now, it was a really strange thing. It’s been several years already, but the kindness I showed without much thought back then became a liking. If that’s the reason why people start to like each other, Ji Hyeon should have fallen for me first.
“……Won’t she contact you?”
“Would you if you were her?”
Well, there wasn’t really any way to contact her. Eun-ho hadn’t even exchanged numbers with Soo-ah, and the only connection was Ji Hyeon, who was the same actor. If the two didn’t film the same work, Eun-ho was in a position where he couldn’t meet her even by chance.
“I’d be lucky if she didn’t hate me.”
She might not want to see me again because she’s uncomfortable and awkward. Just a little while ago, Eun-ho felt like he was sitting on pins and needles because he thought Ji Hyeon had realized his feelings. Even if he wasn’t dumped badly, he couldn’t go back to the way he was before once his feelings were revealed.
“……If you like someone, shouldn’t you be happy just seeing them?”
Ji Hyeon opened his mouth in a slow tone, a beat late. The words sounded so sweet that I thought he might be reciting a drama line.
When Eun-ho glanced in the rearview mirror, he asked, looking at him quietly.
“But why would you not want to see them?”
He really didn’t seem to know. His light brown eyes contained a bit of bewilderment and an inexplicable dissatisfaction. Eun-ho looked away from him and replied calmly.
“I’m only happy if the other person likes me too. What’s the point of liking them on my own?”
The period of being happy just by seeing them ends right after realizing your feelings. Even then, if you have to give up at the same time as realizing your feelings, you can’t do that. A pure heart that you might call puppy love is quite difficult than you think.
“It’s much better not to see them if that’s the case.”
That came out a bit self-deprecatingly. To be honest, even Eun-ho himself wasn’t confident he could live without seeing Ji Hyeon. Unless he remained a friend while hiding his feelings forever.
“Judging by what you’re saying, it sounds like a personal experience.”
Eun-ho gripped the steering wheel tightly at the words from behind. It wasn’t that loud, but he kept hesitating since earlier.
He’s being sharp today. While thinking that, a question was thrown at him.
“Are you confident you can live without seeing that bastard?”
“…….”
If I could, would I be doing this with that bastard? If he was confident, he wouldn’t have returned as a Manager. Or rather, would he have treated him well without any ulterior motives, just professionally?
“……How do you know who it is to call them a bastard so carelessly?”
“I call them a bastard because I don’t know.”
Would he even know that he suddenly became that bastard? Ji Hyeon answered with a very brazen face. He leaned his head back against the headrest and slowly added.
“If you like someone, you want to see them, right? How do you endure that?”
It was an innocent question, like a curious four-year-old. It was similar to when he asked why he would start to hate seeing him earlier. He’s usually not interested in romance. They’re not even filming a romance right now, so why is he being like this today?
Of course, despite that, Eun-ho answered with a sighing voice.
“You become indifferent if you like someone for a long time.”
“…….”
Ji Hyeon narrowed his eyes. As if he didn’t like Eun-ho saying that. He didn’t know what upset him again, but Eun-ho had a set answer.
“You’ll get used to that longing too.”
He hadn’t experienced it yet, but he thought that’s probably how it would be. At first, it would be painful and empty, but in the end, humans adapt even to that emptiness. He knew that it wouldn’t be as hard as dying, but he wouldn’t die in the end either.
“……You haven’t even been in a relationship.”
“I’m giving you advice, and this is how you respond…….”
Eun-ho chuckled in disbelief, and Ji Hyeon turned his gaze out the window. The smoothly connected bridge of his nose caught Eun-ho’s attention for a moment. It meant he had nothing more to say, so Eun-ho also silently focused on driving.
Anyway, Park Tae-soo’s matter would be completely resolved, so it was safe to say he was relieved. Park Tae-soo might step down, but the filming of
“……You must have been troubled because I caused an accident.”
Ji Hyeon opened his mouth when they were nearing Ji Hyeon’s apartment far in the distance. His voice was a little subdued, wondering what he had been thinking while the car was moving.
“Kwak Eun-ho, you’re My MaeSo…… so you must have been the most troubled.”
CEO Byun would have been the most troubled. Strictly speaking, Ji Hyeon, the person involved, should have been the most troubled. Of course, Eun-ho wasn’t much different, so Eun-ho just replied in an indifferent tone.
“Is it the first time you’ve caused an accident?”
It meant not to worry about it. This wasn’t even that difficult. Whether it was with money or time, if it was a problem that could be solved, it didn’t really matter.
“If you know, behave yourself from now on.”
He said it lightly on purpose, but Ji Hyeon didn’t answer. The guy he glanced at in the rearview mirror was staring out the car window, just like before.
For some reason, he had a deeply troubled look on his face.
Time flew by, and the filming of ‘My MaeSo’ was approaching again. Ji Hyeon appeared once every three weeks, so his filming schedule was relatively relaxed. Moreover, this time, the broadcast was slightly delayed due to the beer incident.
In the meantime, as Soo-ah had said, articles related to Park Tae-soo broke out. The so-called ‘Park Tae-soo exposé’ had begun. Not only the female celebrities Park Tae-soo had harassed, but also the staff who claimed to have been abused by him and the former Manager who had unfair contracts. There wasn’t a day when Park Tae-soo’s name was missing from the endless stream of exposé posts.
Judging by the situation, not everyone was Soo-ah’s acquaintance. They were just people who had been emboldened by others starting to speak out. They had just stepped on shit and moved on, but someone had opened the floodgates, allowing them to vent their frustrations.
As controversies cover up controversies, Ji Hyeon’s beer incident naturally began to fade away. Some people even started to praise Ji Hyeon, saying he had achieved justice. Of course, there were still reactions criticizing Ji Hyeon, but one post that was uploaded one day silenced all those reactions.
‘I’m the employee at that bar’ The post that started like that described the conversation that took place at the table that day in considerable detail. Especially Park Tae-soo making Eun-ho run errands, Ji Hyeon getting angry but holding back once, and the many abusive words that came out of Park Tae-soo’s mouth at the end.
「I thought that Park guy was crazy at the time; He suddenly said, ‘I shouldn’t be disparaging mental illness in front of a sick person’ and laughed, he seemed genuinely insane」
Eun-ho thought it was fortunate that Ji Hyeon didn’t swear that day after seeing the above part. The customers were far away, but why had he forgotten that the employee was closer than anyone else? Knowing that each and every one of them was an ear listening, he had also been complacent.
Fortunately, he had belatedly apologized to the employees at the store and cleaned up the mess. And that even that content was included in the post.
「And to the people who say the employee is pitiful ㅠ The Manager helped Actor Ji wipe up the beer he spilled that day… (In case you’re wondering what Actor Ji was doing, the Manager forced him out to clear his head. Actor Ji also apologized.)
Eun-ho only thought to himself how grateful he was to whoever that person was. He vaguely remembered that it was probably the employee who brought the beer at the end.
Anyway, the
Yes, he thought everything was going well.
“…….”
“…….”
A blank gaze was directed at the air. Each time he blinked, his long eyelashes moved like a painting. His hazel eyes were unfocused, and his tightly closed lips showed no sign of opening.
‘……He’s doing that again.’
Eun-ho quietly watched Ji Hyeon from a step away. Filming would start soon, but he was sitting on a chair, not even looking at the script, and spacing out for a long time. And that was in an outdoor filming location swarming with people, not an indoor shoot.
“Please be quiet!”
“You can’t come inside the line!”
Ji Hyeon didn’t react to the bustling noise. He seemed to be lost in thought, or he seemed to have something to worry about. His face, full of worries, was neither Min-hyuk in the play, nor Jun-hyuk, nor even Ji Hyeon’s usual face.
He had been acting strange since after his meeting with Soo-ah. From the day Soo-ah released the article until now, he had been exuding a calm and static atmosphere for some reason. The already small number of words he spoke had drastically decreased, and he showed a sunken face whenever he had a moment.
And decisively,
“…….”
“…….”
When their eyes met like this, he would avoid eye contact like a guilty person.
‘What did he do…….’
Based on Eun-ho’s experience, there were only a few assumptions he could make. He did something terribly wrong, but he couldn’t tell me, so he was suppressing it alone. Or he did something he was sorry for, but he didn’t have the courage to say why.
His appearance was so strange that even the stylist, Yeonju, said, ‘Actor Ji’s atmosphere has changed a bit these days.’ She even asked if he was getting autumn blues, even though autumn was still far away. Of course, Eun-ho just laughed at the comment that he had become more handsome because of it.
“We’ll start filming!”
One of the staff shouted loudly, probably because they had managed to clear the surroundings. Ji Hyeon put the script down on the folding chair and got up from his seat. The scene they were filming today was Min-hyuk, who had entered Jun-hyuk’s body, surveying the scene, so he was wearing a neat suit and shoes.
“Have a good shoot.”
“……Uh.”
Even while answering, Ji Hyeon didn’t look at Eun-ho. He just stared straight ahead and slowly walked towards the camera. Eun-ho, standing in place, watched his receding back with his arms crossed.
When Ji Hyeon stood in front of the camera, the stylist carefully adjusted his clothes. After fixing the tie so that it was in the center, he turned the Court badge that had become crooked in the right direction. After arranging the hem of his pants and shoes, he delicately smoothed out even a strand of hair that had fallen over his eyes.
“Standby!”
Still, he’s acting well as usual, so should I say it’s a relief? Perhaps because it was something he had been doing since he was a child, Ji Hyeon would transform into a different person when the camera turned on. It was like a habit and behavior ingrained in his body, and Eun-ho was reminded of his own days when he was mechanically devoted to his part-time job.
‘He’s probably working even harder on purpose.’
What on earth did he do wrong? No, what worries does he have?
The filming of ‘My MaeSo’ would be coming up soon, but he couldn’t just space out like that. If his spacing out was broadcast, people would speculate that something was wrong with Ji Hyeon these days. Then, the buried incident might resurface, wondering if it was because of Park Tae-soo.
“Action!”
“…….”
Ji Hyeon changed his expression at the PD’s signal. As if the tie that was fastened to his neck was uncomfortable, he swept his hand over his tie and looked around. The way he leaned on one leg and turned his shoulder gave off a swaggering feeling, even though he was wearing a suit.
“Ugh…… Where am I supposed to find the evidence?”
Same face, same clothes, same voice. But he seemed like a different person from the one who had read the prosecutor’s oath before. As if the soul of Min-hyuk, who had lived as a street thug for a long time, had entered the body of Jun-hyuk, a perfectionist prosecutor.
Leaving Ji Hyeon, who was grumbling, Eun-ho came out from among the staff. He was scratching his neck and saying his lines, so he would have to get him some water after the filming was over. There was ice water in the icebox prepared on set, but it was better to give him lukewarm water first.
Eun-ho took a bottle of water and a portable fan from the car he had parked in the nearby public parking lot. He would have prepared them before filming started, but he had forgotten because he was worried about Ji Hyeon, who was spacing out.
I can’t lose my mind too……. Thinking that, a loud voice was heard from somewhere as he entered the filming set.
“Ji Hyeon’s Manager!”
“……?”
It was a reflexive action. Eun-ho inadvertently turned his head towards the voice. But at that moment, something that flew quickly collided with the side of his eye with a thud!
“Kyaaak!” Someone screamed. A dull pain and a sticky liquid flowed down his eyes and cheeks. Eun-ho, staggering and bowing his head, pressed the side of his eye with the hand holding the water bottle.
“What is this…….”
“Catch that person!”
As soon as someone shouted, the security guards who were waiting nearby rushed to the culprit. The man, who was trying to run away while pushing people, was soon caught by several burly men. Only then did Eun-ho squint and check the liquid on his palm.
‘……Egg?’
The familiar fishy smell was definitely that of a raw egg. The yellow and transparent liquid dripped to the floor with the broken shell. What on earth is going on? The moment he blinked, thinking that, someone grabbed Eun-ho’s wrist.
“……Ah.”
Crunch, the eggshell crumbled under the shoe. The shiny, expensive leather shoes were being worn by someone Eun-ho knew well. Before Eun-ho could even lift his head, the other person roughly took off Eun-ho’s hat.
“…….”
“…….”
Ji Hyeon was looking at Eun-ho with sunken eyes, wondering when he had gotten so close. Holding Eun-ho’s hat in one hand and Eun-ho’s wrist in the other. He doesn’t even blink and stares at his messed up face.
Why is the guy who should be in front of the camera here? Filming would have been suspended because of this commotion, but he shouldn’t have left the set.
“……Hey, this…….”
He tried to pull out his grabbed wrist, but Ji Hyeon didn’t let go of Eun-ho. He just trembled his lips thinly and hardened his expression. After being still like that for a while, Ji Hyeon muttered in a fierce voice.
“That bastard…….”
As is, Ji Hyeon let go of Eun-ho’s wrist and moved his steps. Eun-ho belatedly came to his senses at the sight of his receding back and quickly moved his body.
“Hey!”
The guy who walked through the crowd approached the culprit who was being held by the security guard. People were screaming around him, but it was as if he couldn’t hear anything. Ji Hyeon, who grabbed the culprit’s collar without hesitation, raised his fist as if he was about to swing it at any moment.
“Ji Hyeon-ah!”
He paused, he stopped moving. Eun-ho didn’t miss that short gap and grabbed Ji Hyeon’s arm with his hand that wasn’t covered in egg. Ji Hyeon, who had grabbed the culprit’s collar, as well as the security guards who were holding the culprit, watched them without reacting.
“Don’t.”
“…….”
“Don’t do anything.”
If he hit him here, it was clear that he wouldn’t be able to fix it this time. No matter how much I was hit with an egg, it was a completely different story for an actor to use his fists. How many eyes are on us right now, what would he do by making things bigger?
“You’ll really be in trouble if you do this.”
“…….”
Ji Hyeon flinched at the quietly delivered words and shook his fist. The gaze that had been glaring at the culprit seemed to waver greatly. Ji Hyeon, who slowly closed his eyes, exhaled a suppressed breath.
“……Ha.”
The hand that had been grabbing the collar lost its strength. As the culprit staggered back, the security guards hurriedly grabbed him and widened the distance.
“Fuck, really…….”
He could only hope that the small words he chewed on wouldn’t be heard by the onlookers. Of course, it was a small voice that could only be heard by Eun-ho, who was nearby. Ji Hyeon, who had been catching his breath for a while, shook off Eun-ho’s hand this time and instructed the security guard.
“Call the police and hand him over.”
That was the end of it. This time, Ji Hyeon grabbed Eun-ho and moved towards the parking lot. It was a hand covered in eggs, but Eun-ho couldn’t bring himself to pull his hand away from Ji Hyeon.
After the controversy, the filming of
One thing that could be said to be fortunate was that he finished all the filming with amazing concentration after taking a short break. It was because of Eun-ho’s answer when he told Ji Hyeon, who had finished washing his face, to go to the hospital.
‘How can I go to the hospital when you’re here.’
Ji Hyeon, who had frowned as if he was about to say something, seemed to be contemplating for a long time with his head bowed. He was going to answer that he didn’t need to go alone, but unexpectedly, Ji Hyeon obediently concentrated on filming without saying anything else.
“Anyway, there are a lot of crazy people in the world.”
So now, they were in the President’s office after going to the hospital and being summoned. The culprit was transferred to the police station, and CEO Byun had taken care of it so that Eun-ho didn’t have to attend in person.
“Manager Kwak’s handsome face is all bruised. What did the hospital say?”
“They said there’s nothing wrong.”
Just getting hit with a raw egg wouldn’t cause any major problems. He had a few bruises, but they would naturally heal over time. Yes, so there was no need to go to the emergency room at this time.
“So why did that bastard do that?”
Ji Hyeon, who had driven all the way to do that unnecessary thing, cut to the chase and asked CEO Byun that first. CEO Byun sorted out the documents he had put down on the table and handed them to the two of them.
“Just some ridiculous reasons.”
The documents he handed over contained the culprit’s personal information. The culprit was a man in his early 20s and a student at a relatively well-known university.
“He said he was jealous because someone who wasn’t even a celebrity became famous by appearing on TV. He wrote a lot of bad things about Manager Kwak on some weird online community. Oh, and there were posts defending Park Tae-soo, too.”
As he turned the page, the posts that person had uploaded to the community were printed there. “Actors and managers are all the same bastards…” There were more than five posts that started like that.
“It seems like he was originally a Hyeon-ah anti-fan. There’s even a record of him joining Ji Hyeon’s anti-fan cafe, too?”
“……Do those kinds of cafes still exist these days?”
“I know, right? They do. I was surprised too, Eun-ho.”
CEO Byun clicked his tongue, wearing a look of disapproval. As much as Ji Hyeon was an actor, he had seen all sorts of people filled with inferiority complexes, but he could never understand this kind of person, no matter how many times he saw them.
“Fucking hell, he should be harassing me, so why is he doing that to Kwak Eun-ho?”
“The Manager was probably the easiest target. After all, he’s just a regular person, and he probably saw him as being in a similar position to himself.”
“Those crazy bastards,” CEO Byun repeated what he had said once again. As Eun-ho silently flipped through the documents, he looked at the injury around Eun-ho’s eye with a pitiful expression. His cool, monolid eyes were slightly swollen and bruised purple.
“What do you want to do? Do you want to sue? If you do, the company will help you.”
NB Entertainment had a legal team, and Eun-ho, as an employee, could naturally receive their help. As much as he had handled many lawsuits related to Ji Hyeon in various ways, CEO Byun was an expert in this area.
“No, well……”
However, Eun-ho couldn’t answer right away and trailed off. He was inwardly thinking that it would be a bit much if it became a big fuss. He also had the feeling that he was experiencing all sorts of things in life, but compared to being beaten while working part-time, it wasn’t a big deal.
“There’s no need to go that far……”
“We should sue.”
A firm voice cut off Eun-ho’s words. It was Ji Hyeon, who was sitting next to him with an angry expression. Ji Hyeon had been like this the whole time, even after the filming ended, when he heard the doctor’s words at the hospital, and after arriving at the CEO’s office.
“We need to make an example out of one of them so they won’t do it again.”
His voice was gentle, but his expression was not. Eun-ho couldn’t help but know that it was advice that came from experience.
Ji Hyeon pursed his lips and asked Eun-ho, who still couldn’t answer.
“Don’t tell me you’re just going to let it go?”
It was as if he was saying, ‘Surely not.’ If he answered that way, it felt like harsh words would pour out at any moment.
“……Um.”
Eun-ho first made a short humming sound and looked through the documents again. He was also human, so it would be stranger if he wasn’t angry. He also had the urge to wonder what the hell that bastard was doing, but after the anger subsided, the only emotion left was embarrassment.
“If I sue, it’ll only make things bigger. It hasn’t been that long since Park Tae-soo’s case was resolved, so we can’t give them another news story.”
“Fucking hell, what does that……”
He thought it was a reasonable reason, but Ji Hyeon opened his mouth with a burst of annoyance. He thought that sarcastic words like that time would come out, but unexpectedly, he didn’t say the words until the end and closed his mouth.
After being silent for a long time, Ji Hyeon took a deep breath and tightly closed his eyes before opening them.
“……What if it wasn’t an Egg, but a Stone?”
His sunken gaze turned to Eun-ho. To be exact, he looked at Eun-ho’s eyes and then moved to the bruise next to them.
“What if it hit your eye instead of your temple?”
“……”
He was speechless for a moment. It was an unusually calm and reasonable question for him. However, Eun-ho had few answers he could give.
“It’s okay because it didn’t.”
“Would you say that if I got hit?”
“Hey, you’re talking……”
Eun-ho, who was about to speak out of anger, shut his mouth tightly. Ji Hyeon was calm, so he couldn’t be the first to get angry. Eun-ho, who had briefly put himself in Ji Hyeon’s shoes, spoke in a more serious voice than before.
“If you got hit, I’d sue.”
Ji Hyeon’s lips twitched. But why, he was clearly about to say that. However, Eun-ho added the rest of the words before that.
“You’re a celebrity.”
“……”
“I’m just your Manager.”
If a celebrity was a public figure, then a manager was just an ordinary person. It was the manager’s job to protect the person who was exposed to the media, and it was also the manager’s job not to harm him. Besides, if Ji Hyeon had been the victim, Eun-ho wasn’t confident that he would have responded calmly like today.
“That’s different from this.”
“Ah…… Is that so?”
Ji Hyeon let out a low, hollow laugh and curled up the corners of his lips. It was a clear sneer, but the target was by no means Eun-ho. It was just a sense of skepticism about the situation itself, if anything.
“That damn Manager……”
Ji Hyeon, who had muttered lowly, jumped up from his seat. Eun-ho didn’t have time to grab him, and he didn’t have time to say anything. Ji Hyeon, who had moved his steps nervously, opened the door and went outside without looking back.
“……”
Bang! Silence lingered in the office where the door had been slammed shut roughly. Eun-ho narrowed his brows and glared at the door that Ji Hyeon had left through. Should he follow him? While he was worrying about that, he heard a clearing of his throat from across the room.
“Ahem.”
“……”
Surprised, Eun-ho looked at CEO Byun. He had completely forgotten about CEO Byun’s existence while talking to Ji Hyeon.
“Eun-ho, I know how you feel……”
Fortunately, CEO Byun didn’t blame them for having a conversation without him. He just hesitated and started to speak, then slowly rolled his eyes. Soon, an unusually serious voice flowed from his reopened lips.
“I also hope you sue.”
It was a completely different atmosphere from when he had asked if he would sue earlier. If that was a question he had asked as a CEO, then this time it was like he was speaking as an adult.
“A manager isn’t a job where you have to put up with things like that.”
He didn’t know why that seemingly insignificant word remained in his mind so much. Eun-ho quietly lowered his eyes and clenched his fists tightly. Swallowing something that had risen to his throat, Eun-ho slowly opened his mouth.
“……Yes, I’ll think about it.”
It had already been seven years since he started working as a manager, but he had never once thought that the job itself was difficult. First of all, it suited his aptitude, and Ji Hyeon tended to listen to what he said. And above all, the intensity of labor was significantly lower compared to the jobs he had done so far.
PC cafe, convenience store, sometimes restaurants and billiard halls, and after becoming an adult, even construction sites. Eun-ho, who had worked countless part-time jobs, quite liked the job of a manager. First of all, he didn’t have to worry about money, he didn’t have to get slapped by anyone, and there were no dangerous situations where he could get seriously injured.
There was a time when he couldn’t even express himself even if something unfair happened. When the boss was acting up, he was more afraid of not getting paid than of being hit by him. When he hurt his leg while carrying cement, he was more anxious about not being able to work tomorrow than about the pain.
You could say he had developed a habit of enduring. Eun-ho was confident that he could endure most things without much trouble. It wasn’t because he was really okay, but because he was getting paid, so he was somehow enduring it. But compared to those days, the things he experienced as a manager weren’t a big deal at all.
“……”
“……”
Ji Hyeon, who had left the CEO’s office as if he was angry, was unexpectedly sitting quietly in the back seat of the car, waiting for Eun-ho. Eun-ho finished his conversation with CEO Byun and returned to the car, and after picking up Ji Hyeon, he took him to his apartment. As if he was very angry, Ji Hyeon didn’t even acknowledge Eun-ho.
“Go up. I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”
Eun-ho, who had parked the car in the underground parking lot, turned off the engine and spoke to Ji Hyeon. Today’s schedule was already over, and there was no reason to go home together. Ji Hyeon didn’t seem like he would hold him back, so he was just thinking of going home like this.
“I’ll think about suing……”
Eun-ho opened his mouth cautiously, looking at Ji Hyeon, who was still not moving. Only then did Ji Hyeon look at Eun-ho through the rearview mirror. He could make eye contact directly if he turned his head, but for some reason, he didn’t have the courage to do so.
“So, cheer up. I’m the one who got hit with the Egg, so why are you angry?”
“……You’re really.”
He said it as half a joke, but it seemed to have made Ji Hyeon even angrier. Ji Hyeon frowned and twitched his lips. However, the rest of the words didn’t follow, and after a long time, his sunken voice spoke seriously.
“You’re enduring it because you’re the Manager.”
“……What?”
Eun-ho asked again because he couldn’t tell if it was a question or a certainty. The soft voice without ups and downs was the same as usual, but subtly different.
“You’re enduring it because you’re the Manager. Because you’re worried it’ll interfere with your work.”
Ah, it seemed like it was a certainty, not a question. As Eun-ho blinked silently, Ji Hyeon continued to speak slowly.
“You’re enduring it because I’m the one who gives you money.”
The CEO is the one who gives you money, not you. Even while thinking that, Eun-ho didn’t bother to open his mouth. He wasn’t so clueless as to say such a thing in this situation.
But Ji Hyeon, who had stopped talking for a moment, laughed and opened his mouth.
“Eun-ho.”
A sense of unknown tension crept in. Just a normal call sounded strangely sweet. That way of calling him was really strange. His unnecessarily sweet voice suggested softly.
“Quit being a Manager.”
“……”
What was he suddenly saying? He was momentarily unable to grasp the situation as if he had been hit in the back of the head. As Eun-ho blankly stared at Ji Hyeon, the gaze in the mirror sank heavily. The moment he saw his light brown eyes, he felt like his heart was sinking.
“I……”
“……”
“I like you.”
Eun-ho couldn’t say anything to the sudden confession. He just couldn’t even breathe and froze for a moment. Ji Hyeon didn’t take his eyes off him and slowly continued the rest of his words.
“So I don’t want to make things difficult for you.”
< To be Continued in Volume 4 >