LS Ch 45

“What if I had refused?”

The proposal for the drama probably came around the same time for both of them. When the role came to him, it was mentioned that the co-star would be ‘Kang Yiwon.’ However, it wasn’t set in stone; the production was considering Han Jewoo and Kang Yiwon, but if one of them refused, they would have offered the role to another actor.

“I put a condition on it. I’d do it if Han Jewoo did it.”

“Wow.”

Jewoo hadn’t known he went that far. After receiving the offer, he had hesitated because he didn’t want to be involved with Kang Yiwon, but after reading the script, he accepted the role without dragging it out.

“Well, I did wonder why you would choose a BL drama.”

Jewoo didn’t mind the role as long as he liked the character, whether it was a supporting role or a special appearance, and he didn’t care about the genre. However, Yiwon had already starred in several romance dramas. Whether there was controversy about his acting or not, there was still demand for him, and he wondered why he would specifically choose to do a BL drama.

“So, I’ve been completely caught?”

Yiwon was worried Jewoo might think he was creepy, but Jewoo didn’t feel that way. Rather, he found it admirable that someone could be so dedicated to something. That it was directed at him was surprising, but the effort was commendable.

“You’re quite the schemer, Kang Yiwon.”

Jewoo chuckled and poked Yiwon’s forehead with his finger. Yiwon grabbed Jewoo’s hand and brought his face close.

“I’m not scheming.”

Jewoo flinched at the serious, earnest response.

“This is really my first time in a relationship.”

They had once had a similar conversation, so Jewoo let out an awkward ‘ha ha’ and tried to pull back, but Yiwon wrapped his arm around Jewoo’s waist, preventing him from escaping.

“Okay, okay, could you let go now?”

Feeling the distance closing uncomfortably, Jewoo pushed against Yiwon’s chest with his forearm to keep him at bay.

“Take full responsibility till the end.”

Why does he like using the word ‘responsibility’ so much? Jewoo was about to say that ’till the end’ was too heavy a promise when their eyes met, and he swallowed all his words. Yiwon was too serious to be taken lightly.

“You might change, not me.”

Jewoo finally showed a bit of his inner thoughts. Yiwon tilted his head, frowning as if to ask what he meant.

“The majority of people break up after dating. Even those who get married often end up divorcing. No one can guarantee ’till the end.’ That’s something someone who’s never dated would say.”

Jewoo was usually easygoing and seemed harmless, but in reality, he had a low level of trust in others, especially since he dealt with actors who he couldn’t take at face value. He had seen people who would smile and talk to your face, then turn around and curse you out.

Given the nature of the entertainment industry, meeting someone from outside was not easy, so many actors dated each other. Public relationships that led to marriage were rare; most would date quietly for a few months and then break up without anyone knowing when.

Would Kang Yiwon be any different? Especially since it was his first relationship, it was even harder to believe. Right now, his emotions might be intense, causing him to act this way, but feelings could change over time. He was only twenty-four. Who knew how many more relationships he might go through in the future?

“That could happen.”

Yiwon admitted it readily. Then he tightened his grip on Jewoo’s wrist. Feeling the pressure on his wrist, Jewoo looked down at where he was being held and then back at Yiwon’s face.

“It hurts…”

“But I’ve never gotten tired of something I’ve liked once.”

“Huh?”

At this statement, Jewoo blinked. Yiwon’s eyes were fixed on him earnestly.

“When I was in elementary school, my father bought me a model kit. It was from the Gundam series. I still do it. Every time something new comes out, I buy it and collect them.”

What was he talking about? Yiwon gestured towards the door behind Jewoo.

“Have you not been in there?”

“I can’t just go around freely when the owner isn’t here.”

He had stayed only in the living room while Yiwon was away. The only other place he had been was the bathroom.

“Go have a look later. The room is full of model kits.”

“Ah…”

Could that room be entirely dedicated to displaying model kits? Jewoo nodded awkwardly, wondering just how much Yiwon liked them to say such a thing.

“Do you know what these are?”

This time, Yiwon gestured towards the display cabinet next to the TV. Inside were neatly arranged DVDs or CDs.

“What are they?”

When he was alone, he had glanced at them, thinking they might be movies. Some had titles written on the cases, but others didn’t.

“They’re the works you’ve appeared in. Even the ones where you made a special appearance.”

“Huh…?”

In surprise, Jewoo’s mouth dropped open. He had skimmed through them and noticed some of his works mixed in, but he hadn’t thought much of it. The realization that even the ones without titles were his appearances was astonishing.

“Even from your child actor days…?” 

He glanced at the section where the untitled items were collected as he asked.

“It was tough to find the old ones.”

Many of the works from his child actor days were even missing from Jewoo’s collection. The fact that Kang Yiwon had found them all made Jewoo marvel at his persistence.

Wow… This is kind of scary. The phrase ’till the end’ didn’t seem empty now.

“What does it mean to get tired of something?”

Yiwon asked with a smirk.

“If you change first, I won’t let you go easily.”

“Ha ha…”

After an awkward laugh, Jewoo tried to look away, but Yiwon grabbed his chin to make him look back.

“If you’re already caught, stay like that forever.”

Whether it was a threat or a plea, Jewoo wasn’t sure. The slightly lowered voice could feel too intense, almost chilling, but Yiwon’s eyes, looking at Jewoo, were filled with desperation. He seemed anxious that Jewoo might say no.

Words might lie, but eyes don’t. That was one of the things Jewoo had learned from dealing with many people.

“Ah, I don’t know.”

Jewoo wrapped his arms around Yiwon’s neck, hugging him tightly. He honestly didn’t know about ‘forever.’ He had never had a relationship that lasted that long; three months was the best he had done. So, he had no confidence in how long his relationship with Yiwon would last.

But Kang Yiwon was the first to express his liking so intensely with his whole being. And Jewoo couldn’t ignore him. It wasn’t scary; the earnestness was touching, making him feel both pitiful and cute.

I guess I’ve been caught, indeed.

“Do your best not to get tired of me, and to keep my feelings from changing.”

Even with the less than beautiful response, Yiwon sighed in relief and hugged Jewoo back around the waist.

“You should prepare yourself. I’m really persistent.”

Yiwon said this while nuzzling into Jewoo’s neck.

He was already prepared. The process of separating from ‘Haeyul’ and confirming his true feelings while traveling through Europe was all preparation for being with Yiwon.

As Jewoo patted the back of his head, Yiwon looked up and kissed him. Their lips touched and parted repeatedly, making a soft smacking sound. Feeling a bit embarrassed by the sound, Jewoo tried to pull back, but Yiwon grabbed the back of his head and pulled him in close. As their lips parted slightly, Yiwon’s tongue slipped in without hesitation.

Their tongues tangled, mixing saliva, creating wet sounds. Yiwon pressed their lips together so tightly that it was hard to breathe, not allowing even the slightest gap. The heat that had invaded Jewoo’s mouth explored every corner, entwining with his tongue. When the sucking became too intense, Jewoo tapped Yiwon’s shoulder with a moan, and only then did he reluctantly pull back.

“Can we do more?”

Breathing heavily, Yiwon asked with his forehead resting against Jewoo’s. They had already crossed some lines, but since they had just officially started dating, it felt awkward somehow. Jewoo’s eyes drifted to the clock in the living room.

7:30, they had passed dinner time.

“What about dinner…?”

“Food can wait.”

At Yiwon’s murmur, Jewoo almost laughed. It was understandable at his age, full of vigor. However, when Jewoo felt the bones of Yiwon’s back through his arms, he couldn’t just brush it off; Yiwon seemed to have lost some weight since the end of filming.

“You said you’d stay over.”

“…?”

It seemed like a non-sequitur because Yiwon pulled back to look at Jewoo’s face.

“We have plenty of time. Let’s eat first. I’m hungry.”

At the mention of hunger, Yiwon frowned. He might not care if he was hungry, but it was different if Jewoo was.

“It’s too much hassle, let’s order in. You go take a shower while I handle it.”

In fact, Jewoo had scouted local restaurants to go out for dinner during the wait, but seeing Yiwon now, that seemed unlikely.

Promising to order something suitable, Jewoo pushed Yiwon into the bathroom. Only then did he take a deep breath. Yiwon’s feelings were heavier and hotter than he had anticipated, making it hard to keep his rationality in check. If he let his guard down for even a moment, he felt like he’d be swept away.