LS Ch 30

Bzzz. The vibration of a phone placed on the table rang out. Sihyeon glanced down at the screen. It was a message from Yejun.

— Do you have a moment? Can I come to your room?

Yejun’s room was right next to Sihyeon’s. He could have just come over, so it seemed a bit overly polite to ask like this. Sihyeon replied telling him to come, and within less than a minute, there was a knock on the door.

“Am I bothering you while you’re resting?”

Even though he had asked beforehand, Yejun still seemed cautious.

“I’ve been resting all day.”

Sihyeon reassured him that there had been no filming today, so he had just been lounging around. Only then did Yejun seem a little relieved.

“What’s with that expression? Did something happen?”

Noticing Yejun’s serious face, Sihyeon asked. Since Yejun was the youngest actor on set, both Sihyeon and Jewoo often looked after him like a younger brother.

“Well…”

Yejun opened his mouth as if to speak but hesitated, furrowing his brows before shutting it again. He wasn’t the type to drop by for no reason, but Sihyeon wondered what could be troubling him so much.

“Want a beer?”

Sihyeon offered, remembering he had some in the fridge. But Yejun shook his head, declining. Sihyeon thought alcohol might loosen him up, but it seemed he wasn’t interested.

“What’s making you hesitate so much?”

Growing impatient, Sihyeon prompted him again. Yejun bit his lip anxiously. Even getting a single word out seemed difficult.

“I saw something… and I was wondering what you would do if you were in my shoes.”

After a long pause, he finally spoke, but his words were still vague and unclear.

“What did you see?”

“Well…”

He hesitated again, repeating the same thing.

“If you’re that conflicted, maybe it’s better not to say anything. Sometimes, keeping quiet is the best option.”

Sihyeon wasn’t trying to ignore Yejun’s concerns, but if it was something hard to talk about, it might be better to wait until he had sorted out his own thoughts first. However, Yejun’s face only grew more serious.

“It’s just… I want to be careful. But I’m also confused and unsure of what to do…”

He seemed unable to handle it alone. It looked like he wanted to confide in someone and get advice. Sihyeon waited patiently.

“Jewoo-hyung and Yiwon-hyung.”

After another long silence, Yejun finally spoke, his words coming out with difficulty. The names that came out were unexpected, making Sihyeon tilt his head in confusion.

“I think they’re really dating.”

“Huh?”

“I saw them.”

As soon as Yejun said that, his ears turned bright red.

Saw them doing what? Sihyeon blinked, waiting for clarification, and Yejun, in a voice barely above a whisper, answered, “Kissing.”

Jewoo and Kang Yiwon kissed?

So what? There had been multiple kiss scenes in the drama. Though there were fewer than in the original script, Sihyeon could still recall at least three.

“They weren’t filming—they were hiding.”

Yejun hesitated before continuing. That made Sihyeon let out a soft “Ahh.”

“Those guys should be more careful.”

Sihyeon’s calm response made Yejun’s eyes widen in surprise.

“You knew?”

Yejun truly seemed oblivious, but Sihyeon had already sensed something. The way they acted was unusual from the start—especially Kang Yiwon, who didn’t even seem to be trying to hide it. Jewoo had attempted to keep a certain distance, but even his gaze toward Yiwon had noticeably changed.

The real turning point that made Sihyeon suspect they were dating was when they started sharing a room. After that, the unspoken barrier between them had noticeably broken down.

“It was obvious.”

“I guess… but most people thought they were just messing around. Because of their roles.”

Hearing Yejun’s innocent remark, Sihyeon let out a weak laugh.

Yejun was surprisingly naive—he probably had no dating experience at all.

“I don’t know how to act around them now.”

Yejun honestly expressed his thoughts.

“Until now, I just thought Yiwon hyung was joking when he openly said he liked Jewoo hyung or made suggestive jokes. But now that I realize he was serious, I don’t know what kind of expression to make.”

“Is there anything to think about? Just act the same as always.”

At the overly simple answer, Yejun blinked.

“They’ve been like that from the start. Whether they’re really dating or not, it has nothing to do with us.”

“But what if a scandal breaks out?”

“Then it’ll be good for promoting the drama.”

“Hyung….”

Yejun frowned. Like Yiwon, he was also a former idol, and for him, scandals weren’t something to take lightly. And a same-sex scandal, at that—he worried it would seriously damage their image.

“Most people will just think they’re acting close because of the drama. Look at how the staff are reacting.”

Just as they had always brushed it off, others would do the same. Hearing that, Yejun mumbled as if contemplating.

“Actually, some of the staff probably already noticed. But so what? As long as they’re happy. It would only be a problem if Kang Yiwon was forcing something on Jewoo against his will.”

Hearing Sihyeon’s words, Yejun, who had been agonizing over the matter, looked up at him with eyes like a lost lamb.

“Still, it’s best to pretend not to notice, right?”

Perhaps this was the first time Yejun had encountered people dating within the entertainment industry.

“We’re all human. There’s no difference. Just think of it normally. If they’re trying to hide it, then yeah, pretending not to notice is the right thing to do. But judging by Kang Yiwon’s behavior, doesn’t it seem like he has no intention of hiding it? Ah, but of course, that doesn’t mean you should go blabbering about it elsewhere.”

“I’m confused.”

Even after Sihyeon’s explanation, Yejun still looked bewildered.

“Honestly, I just thought they were acting like that because their characters in the drama are lovers.”

At his naive remark, Sihyeon let out a small chuckle.

“Did you forget? In the drama, you and I also have a subtle romance going on.”

As Sihyeon reminded him of the script, Yejun let out a short groan.

“If we go by that logic, then every co-star in the drama should be dating.”

Clearly, the problem wasn’t the roles. In Sihyeon’s eyes, Yiwon had been interested in Jewoo from the very beginning—whether that was romantic attraction or admiration toward a senior actor, he had definitely been fixated on Jewoo. The fact that Jewoo reciprocated was unexpected, but considering it was Kang Yiwon, it made sense.

When Sihyeon brought up their own on-screen relationship, Yejun, who had been spacing out, muttered, “Oh, right.”

“Does it make you uncomfortable that they’re dating as two men?”

Just in case, Sihyeon asked, but Yejun shook his head without hesitation.

“If I had any prejudice, I wouldn’t have taken this drama in the first place.”

At that answer, Sihyeon smiled.

“Probably everyone on our team thinks the same. That’s why even those who have noticed are pretending not to. I get the feeling that one day, Kang Yiwon will just openly announce it. Until then, just treat them the same way you always have.”

Explaining that it was no big deal, that it was just like when any other friend started dating, Sihyeon watched as Yejun nodded in understanding.

Seeing how seriously he had been worrying about this and even coming to talk about it, Sihyeon found it cute. He reached out and ruffled Yejun’s hair, making Yejun look up at him with wide, round eyes.

Thinking a guy was cute… Had he been influenced too?

At the sudden thought, Sihyeon let out a bitter smile and shook his head. The age gap between him and Yejun was big enough that it was only natural to find him endearing. Suspecting it to be something else was just a sign that the drama had gotten to him.

No, it wasn’t even the drama’s fault—it was because he had been watching Han Jewoo and Kang Yiwon up close.

🎞️✮⋆˙

Haa… A deep breath mixed with the bathroom’s humidity, making it feel even heavier. The lips pressing against the back of his neck were hot. The breath that accompanied them was even hotter.

“Wait, slow down.”

As Jewoo moved his body to escape Yiwon’s grasp, the water in the bathtub sloshed violently.

“Ugh, Kang Yiwon. Seriously!”

Yiwon paid no heed, his hands continuing to knead below. A dull ache throbbed in Jewoo’s head. The bathroom’s already limited air made him lightheaded. As he tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling, his vision seemed to spin.

Reflexively, Jewoo tightly gripped Yiwon’s shoulders. He hadn’t realized he was digging his nails in until Yiwon let out a sharp breath and winced. Jewoo tried to push away Yiwon’s hand, which was tormenting him underwater, but instead, his wrist was caught.

“No.”

Yiwon whispered against Jewoo’s ear, his teeth grazing lightly. Jewoo wanted to question what exactly he was refusing, but before he could, a wet tongue slid along the rim of his ear, leaving him speechless. At the same time, the pressure below intensified.

He felt himself reaching his limit but clenched his teeth, unwilling to dirty the water. However, as Yiwon’s hand quickened to the point where the water rippled, he neared his breaking point.

“Wait, not here. Mmngh.”

A moan escaped as pleasure clouded his thoughts. Yiwon trailed kisses from Jewoo’s earlobe down his cheek before biting his chin. The mix of a sharp sting and overwhelming sensation caused Jewoo’s vision to flicker.

Yiwon licked up from his chin before capturing his lips. The moment Yiwon’s tongue invaded his mouth, Jewoo clenched onto his shoulders and stiffened.

“You act stubborn, but you’re about to give in.”

Yiwon’s teasing voice reached his ears, but he had no energy to respond. Slumping against Yiwon’s shoulder, he only managed to let out shallow breaths.

“Getting cockier by the day.”

At moments like this, Yiwon treated him like a child more than ever. Even though he was three years older, it bruised his pride just a little.

“I’m too used to this. It feels unfair.”

“Jealous?”

Seeing Yiwon smirk despite his complaint, Jewoo realized there was no point in arguing further.

“I’m serious—you’re my first.”

“If that lie were true, you’d either have amazing learning ability or incredible adaptability.”

“I’m not lying. You really are my first.”

While Jewoo sounded frustrated, Yiwon simply grinned in amusement.