By Zephyria 
“Eat.”
As soon as the bowl was set down, Lee A-gon quickly picked up a spoon, opened his mouth wide, and happily scooped up some rice. He evenly sampled the side dishes consisting of rolled omelet and various greens. After watching him for a moment, Park Hae-jun also picked up his chopsticks. For a while, there was only the quiet sound of utensils gently clinking together.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah, what is it?”
“I have an audition today.”
At those words, the hand moving toward the soup hesitated. Park Hae-jun asked again, “An audition?”
“Yes.”
“What kind of audition?”
“I think it’s for a drama.”
“I see.”
Park Hae-jun sipped some soup. Lee A-gon quietly observed him eating rice, drinking soup, and picking up side dishes.
“Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
“Like what?”
“Like ‘do well at the audition’ or something.”
“Right. Do well.”
“……”
“Why that expression?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Lee A-gon resumed eating with a gloomy face. Park Hae-jun bit his inner lip. Only an awkward silence hung between them.
Three days had passed since the overnight incident. Things had been like this between Park Hae-jun and Lee A-gon ever since. Their conversations kept breaking off, and an inexplicable awkwardness lingered.
“I did wrong.” Lee A-gon suddenly spoke while they were silently continuing their meal.
Park Hae-jun put down his spoon with a sigh. Since that day, Lee A-gon would abruptly apologize like this.
“What did you do wrong?”
“Everything.”
“What’s ‘everything’?”
“Destroying the house when you weren’t here, and not finding the lighter for you even though you said you were afraid of the dark.”
“Haah.”
Park Hae-jun pressed between his eyebrows. The conversation was exhausting. They had already repeated this dialogue several times.
“Like I said, this is your house, and you don’t need my permission to break your own things. And you did end up finding the lighter for me.”
“……”
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“Then, if I didn’t do anything wrong…” Lee A-gon looked at Park Hae-jun with sad eyes. “Why do you hate me, hyung?”
Park Hae-jun immediately denied Lee A-gon’s words, “What are you talking about? Me hating you?”
“Don’t lie.”
“What lie?”
“You don’t like me. You resent me.”
Lee A-gon got down from his chair and knelt at Park Hae-jun’s feet.
“Don’t do this.”
Park Hae-jun grew more tired.
“What do I need to do for you to treat me like before?”
“Lee A-gon-ah.”
“I did wrong. I won’t do it again. I won’t break things anymore, and I’ll find whatever you ask me to find right away. So…”
Tears had welled up in Lee A-gon’s eyes as he looked up at him.
“Hyung, can’t you stop hating me?”
“……”
“Can’t you… forgive me now?”
“Huu.”
Park Hae-jun exhaled deeply. He truly didn’t dislike Lee A-gon. He didn’t think the boy had done anything wrong.
The problem was that Park Hae-jun himself didn’t know what the issue was.
Was it because they had been together in pitch-black darkness where he couldn’t see an inch ahead? Had his fear of the dark somehow transferred to Lee A-gon? Park Hae-jun couldn’t understand the reason. He just wanted to step back from Lee A-gon and keep his distance.
“…You said you have an audition today?”
“Yes.”
“Work hard at it. I hope you get good results.”
Park Hae-jun forced a smile. Lee A-gon moved closer on his knees.
“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely get the part. My mother set it up.”
“Who’s your mother?”
“She’s the CEO of Woomyung Entertainment.”
“Ah,” Park Hae-jun let out a low sound. It was as he had expected—Lee A-gon was Woo Eum-young’s son.
“Secretary Yang is okay with you auditioning?”
“Yes. She said it’s time for me to be tested and told me to try. So, hyung…”
Lee A-gon grabbed Park Hae-jun’s hand. Park Hae-jun flinched unconsciously.
“Please wait just a little longer until I can take responsibility for you.”
“……”
There was much Park Hae-jun wanted to say, but he kept his mouth shut. He didn’t say “Who are you to take responsibility for me?” or “If you succeed in this, we’ll end up separating.” He swallowed those words and just smiled.
“Sure. I’ll look forward to it.”
Perhaps this was appropriate timing. If Lee A-gon went out into society and their contract ended, there would be no reason to repair this awkward relationship.
Park Hae-jun sincerely wished for Lee A-gon to do well at his audition.
∞ ∞ ∞
When Park Hae-jun arrived at the meeting place, Jin A-reum waved her hand. Next to her, who was shouting “Over here,” sat a woman with a dark impression.
“Hello. How have you been?”
“Yes, have you been well too? Say hello. This is my friend Yu Min-ju. Min-ju, this is the person I told you about.”
Park Hae-jun bowed to Yu Min-ju. Yu Min-ju also pretended to bow in greeting. After that, a slightly awkward silence followed.
“Um, I already ordered something for you to drink. When I saw you during the shoot, you seemed to like sweet things, is that right?”
“Yes, thank you, senior.”
“I told you to call me noona.”
Jin A-reum gave an eye smile. Park Hae-jun gratefully drank the chocolate latte that Jin A-reum had prepared.
“Min-ju. Don’t you have anything to say?”
Jin A-reum nudged Yu Min-ju’s arm in the awkward silence.
Yu Min-ju was a petite woman who gave the impression of poor health. Her loose black hair covered half of her face, and her back and shoulders were hunched forward, making her already small frame appear even smaller.
“You said you wanted to meet Park Hae-jun because of Professor Seok. You said you had something to say.”
“……”
“Oh come on. I can’t stay long. Talk to each other a bit.”
“Um.”
Jin A-reum had a straightforward personality. She seemed frustrated with her friend who wasn’t willing to speak despite being given the opportunity. Park Hae-jun carefully stopped Jin A-reum from pushing further.
“It’s okay with me. Senior Yu can speak when she’s ready.”
“Is that alright?”
“Yes, I have plenty of time.”
Jin A-reum leaned back against her chair. Park Hae-jun also relaxed his posture.
“Are you in touch with Senior Jo?”
“Jo Min-gyu? You still call him senior?”
“Yes.”
“Did he tell you to? Just call him hyung from now on.”
“Haha, I’m more comfortable calling him senior now.”
The two chatted casually while drinking coffee. Meanwhile, Yu Min-ju sat still like a painting, her head bowed.
After about an hour, Jin A-reum checked her phone. A troubled expression appeared on her face.
“Do you need to go?”
“Yes. My call time changed. I think I need to leave now.”
Jin A-reum glanced at Yu Min-ju.
“Min-ju. Will you be okay without me? Should we reschedule instead?”
Yu Min-ju shook her head slightly. Jin A-reum looked at her friend with a concerned face, then checked her phone again before pulling her chair back.
“I’ll be going then.” Jin A-reum left the cafe.
Park Hae-jun was left alone with Yu Min-ju. In the weekday afternoon cafe, quiet music was playing, and there were only five customers in the spacious establishment.
“Um.”
When Park Hae-jun tapped the table with his fingertips, Yu Min-ju flinched. Park Hae-jun hesitated, saying “hmm,” as he chose his words.
“Please don’t worry about me and call me when you feel like talking. I’ll be reading this.”
Park Hae-jun took out a screenplay writing collection from his bag. It was this semester’s textbook. Although he wasn’t attending classes, Park Hae-jun continued to study.
“…you…”
After reading about five pages, Yu Min-ju finally spoke in a thin voice. Park Hae-jun closed his book and leaned forward.
“Pardon?”
“I want to see it.”
“See what?”
“Professor Seok’s downfall.”
Yu Min-ju said as she raised her head that had been bowed the whole time.
“I really want to see it.”
“……”
Then Yu Min-ju took out a bundle of papers from her bag. Park Hae-jun carefully received the papers from her outstretched hand, trying not to startle her. It was a synopsis. The title was written largely on the first page, and turning to the next pages revealed an outline, character introductions, and plot.
The second file was a screenplay. It was an incomplete version with some scenes missing and red pen edits added here and there.
“It’s the draft of ‘Adolescence.'”
Park Hae-jun flinched. “Adolescence” was Professor Seok’s last film. It was one of Professor Seok’s later representative works, dealing with divorce due to a father’s affair, a mother’s obsession with depending on her daughter, and subtle conflicts and bullying among peer groups.
“I went to Professor Seok with the overall framework and a half-completed screenplay. The professor praised it, saying it was so well written that he wanted to steal it. When he said he would look it over and asked for the original file, I happily gave him the USB I had with me right then and there.”
“Ah.” Park Hae-jun sighed softly. It was familiar. He too had heard similar words and received similar offers.
“And then my laptop disappeared.”
That too was familiar.
“The following year, Professor Seok’s film was produced under the title ‘Adolescence.'”
Park Hae-jun held his forehead. It was painful to listen to. If it weren’t for Woomyung , this would have been what he would experience in the future.
“I…, I…”
Yu Min-ju stuttered as she began to speak. Her clasped hands trembled.
“I went to Professor Seok and confronted him. When I got angry asking how he could do this, that person laughed. He said what could I do about it. He asked if I had any evidence.”
Tears welled up in her wide-open eyes. Long-harbored anger rippled across her face.