LS Ch 17

Last night, he had managed to dodge the subject and brush it off, but now he wondered how he should face Kang Yiwon today. The comment about not getting too close to others still lingered in his mind. Jewoo was naturally friendly with everyone on set. It had never been an issue before, but now he wasn’t sure where the line was—what level of interaction would Yiwon find bothersome?

But so what if he found it bothersome? Why should Jewoo have to worry about his feelings?

No, but still—at least during filming, they were supposed to be a couple. There was no need to do something the other disliked on purpose, right?

The thoughts that had kept him from falling asleep last night resurfaced, making his mind a mess. He had never overthought things this much while filming a drama or a movie before.

Kang Yiwon really was an unexpected variable. Who would’ve thought he’d be thrown off balance like this by just one guy?

Jewoo had never found it difficult to socialize or build relationships, but Kang Yiwon felt like an unpredictable factor that kept him second-guessing himself.

“Maybe it’s because I haven’t dated in a while.”

He mumbled to himself, and Jiho, who was driving, glanced at him in confusion. Jewoo quickly waved his hand dismissively, saying it was nothing.

If this drama wasn’t a BL… If Geonhwon and Haeyul were just comrades bound by life-and-death circumstances… would interacting with Yiwon be simpler?

Even if he imagined it, he couldn’t be sure. The fact was, he was filming a BL drama, and his relationship with Yiwon had already moved beyond the simple labels of “friend” or “colleague.”

🎞️✮⋆˙

“Ugh, it’s so hot.”

Sihyeon approached with a handheld fan, then draped an arm over Jewoo’s shoulder, leaning against him.

“If it’s hot, don’t cling to me.”

Jewoo was just as hot. Now that summer was approaching, the multiple layers of period drama costumes were becoming unbearable. Even with the fan, his scalp felt like it was burning under the wig. The layers of clothing underneath were even worse.

“You’ve got it better than me,” Sihyeon grumbled, gesturing at his outfit. Since his role was that of a general, he even had armor on. In contrast, Jewoo played a captive prince, so his outfit was relatively light and simple.

“Better? It’s still hot all the same,” Jewoo shot back. He was also wearing long sleeves and multiple layers.

As they bickered, Jewoo suddenly felt a sharp gaze on him. Instinctively, he turned his head toward the source—and found Yiwon standing a few steps away. The moment their eyes met, Yiwon’s gaze dropped slightly. Curious about what he was looking at, Jewoo followed his line of sight and stopped at Sihyeon’s arm, which was still draped over his shoulder.

No way…

Even as he doubted it, he couldn’t shake the suspicion. Was Yiwon seriously bothered by this? Wasn’t this kind of casual touch normal between friends? He didn’t get it, but one thing was clear—Yiwon didn’t like Sihyeon’s arm on him.

“It’s hot.”

Using that as an excuse, Jewoo casually removed Sihyeon’s arm and stepped away. Luckily, Sihyeon didn’t seem to notice anything, staying focused on his handheld fan.

Happy now?

He glanced at Yiwon and shrugged. Seeing this, Yiwon’s lips curled into a satisfied smile. The sight made Jewoo let out an amused scoff. It was ridiculous that Yiwon was jealous over something so trivial—but at the same time, seeing him grin like that was kind of… cute.

Honestly, when someone as stunning as Yiwon smiled like that, the effect was overwhelming. It wasn’t just Jewoo who noticed—other staff members and even the managers of other actors nearby were all stealing glances at him.

Seriously, his parents deserve a thank-you for that face.

Realizing how weak he was to Yiwon’s looks, Jewoo shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. Just then, Yiwon walked closer.

“What were you two talking about?”

He asked naturally, stepping beside Jewoo and casually resting an arm on his shoulder—mirroring exactly what Sihyeon had done earlier. Jewoo turned to stare at him in disbelief.

Are you serious?

He shot Yiwon a look, but the guy just flashed an innocent smile.

Wow. How childish.

Jewoo sighed, unable to put his thoughts into words.

“We were just talking about how it’s getting hotter. It feels like we’re gonna melt,” Sihyeon answered for him.

“Yeah, it really feels like summer already,” Yiwon replied casually.

Sihyeon narrowed his eyes at Yiwon, as if something didn’t sit right with him. Yiwon, noticing the look, met his gaze.

“Why are you playing favorites?” Sihyeon asked.

“Favorites?” Yiwon repeated.

Jewoo looked back and forth between them, confused.

“You only use informal speech with Jewoo. But he and I are the same age.”

“Oh.”

Yiwon brushed it off with a light chuckle.

“Wait… Do I look older than I am? Is that why?” Sihyeon asked, suddenly serious. Since his role required heavier, more mature-looking makeup, he did appear a bit older than his actual age.

“No, that’s not it,” Yiwon replied with a grin, still speaking formally.

“I just don’t drop honorifics easily. I got into the habit when I was a trainee.”

“Are idol trainees that strict about hierarchy?”

“I can’t say no to that.”

“But why are you speaking casually to him?”

Sihyeon pointed at Jewoo and asked. Yiwon chuckled and casually slung an arm around Jewoo’s neck, pulling him closer.

“Because Jewoo hyung is mine.”

At Yiwon’s calm response, a huge question mark appeared on Sihyeon’s face. Jewoo, too, was baffled by what Yiwon was saying.

“Isn’t it weirder for lovers to speak formally to each other?”

“Lovers… Oh.”

Sihyeon blinked a few times before letting out a hollow laugh, seemingly understanding it as the relationship between ‘Haeyul’ and ‘Geonhwon’ in the drama.

“What are you going to do after filming ends?”

Sihyeon teased. Even if they were lovers in the drama, what would they do when they met privately after filming?

“Who knows.”

Yiwon didn’t give a clear answer and just smiled mysteriously.

“Whether it’s formal or casual, I don’t care, so let go of me. It’s so hot.”

Jewoo, who had been listening in the middle, pried Yiwon’s arm off his neck. It was already hot just standing there, but with Yiwon clinging to him, it felt even hotter.

“What do you want me to do? After filming ends.”

Yiwon turned the question back to Jewoo.

“About what?”

Jewoo asked back, but Yiwon just stared at him silently. Sihyeon chimed in from the side, “About speaking formally,” clarifying that it was a continuation of their earlier conversation.

But looking into Yiwon’s eyes, it didn’t seem like that was all. For some reason, it felt like the question included something more, making it hard for Jewoo to answer carelessly.

“Why are you making a big deal out of this…? Wouldn’t it be weirder to go back to formal speech after filming ends? And I’ve never liked formal speech anyway—it feels distant and uncomfortable. I don’t mind using it myself, but hearing it from others just feels off.”

Jewoo steadied his mind, which was starting to get flustered, and gave a neutral answer. He could feel Yiwon staring intently at him, as if he wasn’t satisfied with the response, but Jewoo ignored it and turned to talk to Sihyeon.

“Jewoo hyung.”

While exchanging trivial jokes with Sihyeon, Yiwon called out to him. When Jewoo turned around, Yiwon was smiling sweetly.

“If you two get too close, I might get jealous.”

At the sudden remark, it wasn’t Jewoo but Sihyeon who looked utterly baffled, her mouth hanging open.

“What’s he talking about?”

Sihyeon muttered, clearly dumbfounded. Jewoo, unsure how to react, kept his gaze fixed on Yiwon and stayed silent.

“I told you last night. If you get too close to someone else…”

“Okay! I get it!”

Jewoo quickly cut Yiwon off, but Sihyeon was already squinting her eyes, looking back and forth between the two.

“Didn’t you say Kang Yiwon came back late last night? And you two met again? When?”

Jewoo had expected this.

“Around 11 p.m.”

Why was Kang Yiwon answering so straightforwardly?

“You met at that time? Where?”

“In Jewoo hyung’s room.”

The more Yiwon answered, the more awkward it sounded. Sure enough, Sihyeon looked suspiciously at Jewoo.

“Why were you in his room at that hour?”

Even if they were both guys, it was late to be visiting someone’s room. Besides, Kang Yiwon hadn’t even been at the filming site yesterday due to other commitments, so there was no reason for him to visit Jewoo at that hour.

“He just stopped by to ask me something.”

Jewoo stepped in to explain, but Sihyeon’s narrowed eyes showed no sign of returning to normal.

“That doesn’t sound like the whole story…”

“He comes over to hang out sometimes.”

Trying to cover up last night’s events, Jewoo realized he’d said something he shouldn’t have. It was too late to take it back. Sihyeon looked even more suspicious, her eyes darting between the two.

“What’s going on with you two? Are you actually dating?”

“It’s not like that…”

“We are.”

Yiwon’s answer came without a hint of hesitation, leaving both Sihyeon and Jewoo wide-eyed as they turned to look at him.

“Hey, you…”

Jewoo opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words. Was this some kind of joke? But he was the one who had agreed to Yiwon’s proposal of dating, even if it was just for the sake of the drama. So, technically, weren’t they dating? He couldn’t tell Sihyeon that Yiwon was wrong, that they weren’t together.

As Jewoo stood there, mouth agape, Yiwon’s smile deepened as he watched him silently.