PIA 148

“Yes, I understand, noona. I’m really fine. I don’t mind even if someone comes to sing instead of a celebrity. I gave up when I saw the list of grandmother’s friends. It means I’ve given up on it being modest. What can we do about grandmother’s grand scale? I’m absolutely not saying I dislike it. Yes, yes, really…”

Ji-an was smiling as he continued his phone call with Jeong Hee-young. It wasn’t a fake smile put on out of necessity. Jeong Hee-young knew that Ji-an was feeling burdened by the wedding’s growing scale. Hence, there was an apologetic tone in her voice.

On the other hand, Ji-an was truly okay with it. He had become okay with it. Rather, he was now curious to see how big it could get.

As he returned to his seat after ending the long call in the corner of the cafe, Woo-seok, who had been shaking a rattle for Hae-yi, looked up.

“Wedding?”

“Yeah.”

Woo-seok seemed to have guessed the content of the call, having seen Ji-an busy with wedding preparations lately. He nodded in understanding.

“I know, I know. Wedding preparations are intense.”

Hae-yi, lying in a haughty posture in the stroller, stretched both arms upward. He was more interested in the gold bracelet dangling from Woo-seok’s wrist than the plastic toy he was shaking.

The strength in his small hands was so great, it seemed he might tear off the bracelet. Still finding it cute, Woo-seok took off his bracelet and played tug-of-war with Hae-yi.

Watching this scene quietly, Ji-an looked at Woo-seok with a strange expression.

“Were you divorced?”

“…What?”

At this sudden question, Woo-seok clenched his fist. The bracelet jangled roughly, making Hae-yi burst into laughter. Woo-seok gulped down his drink to the bottom in one go and shook his fist at Ji-an.

“I’m holding back because Hae-yi is watching, Seo Ji-an.”

“No, how do you know about wedding preparations?”

“I learned by secretly watching my ex-girlfriend marry another guy. Happy now?”

“Secretly watched?”

“She keeps posting on SNS.”

Ah… Ji-an’s eyebrows drooped downward. Poor guy. He let out a heavy sigh. Regardless of what expression Ji-an made, Woo-seok was busy taking pictures and playing with Hae-yi.

Ji-an leaned deeply into the backrest and looked at the large clock on the cafe wall. There was still some time before Jeong Hee-seo’s work time was over.

Summer had passed while they were breathlessly rushing with wedding preparations. Having missed spring, Jeong Hee-seo was determined to definitely have it this fall. Ji-an had now given up his resistance.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t tired. Although he said he was fine, there was too much to prepare. Especially, why were there so many outfits to fit and so many decisions to make? There were so many tasks that every day felt breathless.

As the wedding itself was being prepared as a grand party of unimaginable scale, Ji-an was needed in many aspects. Yesterday, he even went to create a standing signboard for the photo booth for commemorative photos.

They had been doing studio photoshoots so frequently that it became routine, but the day they took Hae-yi’s photos was particularly exhausting. On such evenings, he would be completely drained.

For some reason, Jeong Hee-young was making a fuss about turning Ji-an into a celebrity. There was even a time when filming staff visited their home to shoot their daily life for a video to be revealed as an event at the wedding. Ji-an couldn’t understand her project at all, but he also questioned Jeong Hee-seo’s approach of just letting it be.

Anyway, Ji-an’s daily life these days was focused on neatly packaging his private life. With Hae-yi’s 200-day photo shoot overlapping, there were days when he felt it was unbearable. Still, it might be better than secretly watching an ex-lover’s wedding preparations…

As Ji-an quietly observed, Woo-seok raised his eyes.

“Don’t pity me, Seo Ji-an. This hyung used to be…”

As Woo-seok was drawing up his fighting spirit from his core, Hae-yi tugged at his sleeve. At the sound of “Am-mam-ma—”, Woo-seok was immediately disarmed.

“You’re wearing the clothes uncle bought you? Oh, so cute, oh-goo oh-goo.”

It was quite a sight to see him sparring with two fingers against the fluttering small hands. While Ji-an was thinking that Woo-seok was good with babies, though not as much as Jeong Hee-seo, Woo-seok, perhaps feeling the gaze, smiled and said,

“Weddings, they’re all for show. It’s to tell the world ‘Look how well we’re living’. Just go along with whatever hyung-nim says. Without complaint.”

“Eh, why? We can just live well by ourselves.”

“People are quite interested in others’ lives.”

Though it didn’t quite resonate, Ji-an could somewhat relate to what he was saying. As the two continued their conversation, Hae-yi kept doing cute things. Woo-seok was constantly moved, saying he was cute just by existing, and even cuter when moving.

It was a rare leisurely atmosphere with no photoshoots. Sleepiness was creeping in, and Ji-an’s posture was gradually slumping. Just then, Woo-seok, who seemed completely absorbed with Hae-yi, suddenly stood up.

Rising abruptly without warning, his silhouette growing so suddenly made him look like a man turning into a bear. As Ji-an looked up blankly, now wide awake, Woo-seok turned and dashed out of the cafe.

“Woo-seok?”

“Mum-mum-ma!”

While soothing Hae-yi, who had also opened his eyes wide, Ji-an followed Woo-seok’s movements through the glass window. He ran like the wind, crossed the street, and grabbed someone who had been behind a fence. Sensing the ominous atmosphere, Ji-an took Hae-yi out of the stroller and headed towards Woo-seok.

Crossing the street, he could feel a dangerous aura emanating from the two men in confrontation. Ji-an was shocked to see Woo-seok gripping the man’s collar.

“Jang Woo-seok, what on earth is going on—”

“Seo Ji-an-ssi. Nice to meet you. I’ll explain everything, so please ask your companion to let go of me.”

As soon as Ji-an and Hae-yi appeared, the man held by Woo-seok greeted them familiarly. Ji-an quickly grasped the situation, looking alternately at the large telephoto lens camera in the man’s hand and Woo-seok’s grim expression.

“I’m Kim Jong-woo from Sports Q. Here’s my business card.”

“A reporter?”

“Yes. If there’s anything you want to say, or if you have any troubles, I’d like to tell you that an interview is possible. If you’re dissatisfied with your current situation, we can help…”

The muscles in Woo-seok’s arm, gripping the man’s clothes, bulged visibly.

“You sure like interviews. What reporter? You’re just a bastard caught taking secret photos!”

The black camera shattered in an instant. Despite the strap around his neck, it was helplessly snatched away by Woo-seok’s strength. Without hesitation, Woo-seok threw the expensive camera to the ground and stomped on it repeatedly. Crack! Crack! The breaking sound was terrible.

Ji-an, hugging Hae-yi, unconsciously took a few steps back. After completely destroying the camera, Woo-seok was still gripping the collar, and the man who introduced himself as a reporter irritably shook off his hand. Yet, as if this wasn’t his first time experiencing such a situation, he wore a smile and seemed quite composed.

“How long do you think you can keep hiding this? Living off sponsorships isn’t all that great, and it would be better to give an interview before the news breaks and you end up on the chopping block. Come on, think about the child too.”

“What, what are you saying, you crazy bastard?”

Ji-an held back Woo-seok, who was about to lash out.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. You seem to have the wrong person, so please just leave.”

“No, I’m saying we should try to have a positive conversation. Mr. Seo Ji-an.”

“If you don’t want to see an ugly scene, leave when I ask you to. My friend here can be quite violent. I’ll pay for your camera.”

Even as the reporter backed away, threatened by the growling Woo-seok blocking Ji-an’s path, he couldn’t hide his disappointment.

“Don’t regret it later when you’re trying to protect your insignificant pride. I’ll be waiting for your call.”

The sarcastic tone and low content momentarily took her breath away. It was also a struggle to hold back Woo-seok, who was trying to lunge out like an enraged beast. Ji-an physically blocked Woo-seok’s path and said,

“Leave it. It’s quicker to tell hyung. Just give me his business card.”

Ji-an was surprised at his own composure. Holding Hae-yi seemed to cool his head. And the thought that Jeong Hee-seo was invincible made her feel neither flustered nor angry.

Ji-an soothed the still-seething Woo-seok and took the business card from him. He stuffed it into his pocket, intending to give it to Jeong Hee-seo, and hurried Woo-seok away.

* * *

As Ji-an rode the elevator holding Hae-yi, he turned bright red like a tomato.

In front of Woo-seok, he had acted tough, saying Jeong Hee-seo would solve everything. But now, barging in during work hours proved he was actually scared, which was embarrassing.

It also felt like he had become a child tattling to his older brother. And also…

“Oh, hello.”

“Gasp! A baby…”

“If you don’t know, keep quiet. Assistant Park.”

“Wow, so cute. How old? No, I should ask how many months, right?”

In the elevator, news traveled fast. Some employees recognized Ji-an and Hae-yi and greeted them, while others were caught off guard. Their reactions were opposite, but their surprise was the same.

Only then did he realize how extremely incompatible a baby’s presence was with the company environment. And what he had done. Coming to the company in a rush with Hae-yi in his arms was a mistake.