LS Ch 61

“Ugh…”

Jewoo frowned, looking at his bandaged forearm. He’d scraped it on a protruding nail while getting off the wire rigging during rehearsal, resulting in a long gash. Jiho had fussed over the possibility of a scar, insisting on a visit to a scar specialist, which took longer than expected.

Looking at the missed calls filling his phone screen, Jewoo sighed. He hadn’t seen Yiwon in a while, and now he’d broken their promise to meet today. Yiwon must be frantic. He’d called Jiho to explain, but he wasn’t sure if Jiho had managed to convey the situation properly. He’d considered calling Yiwon again after the treatment, but by then the concert would have started, so he decided against it.

Arriving at the concert venue, Jewoo hesitated again. Yiwon had told him to come to the dressing room, but was that really okay? Wouldn’t he be incredibly busy?

“Just in case, wear this.”

Jiho handed him a black baseball cap.

“What’s the big deal if someone sees me?”

“With your arm looking like that? It’s better to avoid anything that might cause gossip.”

Jiho clicked his tongue, pointing at Jewoo’s injury. News of an actor getting injured during rehearsals wouldn’t be good publicity, so Jewoo silently put on the cap.

“Will you pick me up later?”

Jewoo chuckled and shook his head at Jiho’s question, reminding him that he was technically injured. He had promised to attend the after-party with Yiwon. Since it had been a while since they’d seen each other, he doubted they would part ways easily after the after-party. Taking all of this into consideration, he had cleared his schedule for rehearsals the following day.

Instead of heading towards the audience seating area, Jewoo walked towards the corridor leading to the dressing rooms. A staff member stopped him at the entrance. After Jewoo introduced himself and explained that he was there to see Yiwon, the staff member, seemingly already informed, handed him a staff pass. They even kindly escorted him to Yiwon’s dressing room.

Standing in front of the door, Jewoo hesitated to knock. The staff member had just told him that Yiwon’s group hadn’t performed yet. Wouldn’t it be disruptive to interrupt him now? Or would it be better to at least show his face briefly?

“Jewoo-hyung!”

Turning towards the familiar voice, Jewoo saw Yiwon walking toward him from the opposite end of the hallway.

“What are you doing out here?”

Instead of answering, Yiwon strode towards him, grabbed his arm, and led him into a different dressing room, not the one for his own group.

“Uh…?!”

Before Jewoo could say anything, Yiwon pushed him against the wall and kissed him. He couldn’t even breathe properly from the intensity of the kiss. Their tongues tangled, and wet sounds echoed as their lips parted and reconnected with every shift of their heads. Like a parched beast, Yiwon devoured Jewoo, finally breaking the kiss after a long moment, but their foreheads remained touching.

“I’m going crazy.”

At Yiwon’s murmured words, Jewoo tried to look up at his face, but they were too close for him to see clearly.

“Let me see your face properly. Hmm?”

Jewoo gently pushed Yiwon away, cupping his face in his hands. Yiwon looked up, meeting his gaze. Jewoo smiled brightly, while Yiwon, in contrast, frowned.

“You’re always trying to drive me crazy.”

“No way. You can’t die on me.”

With a playful grin, Jewoo pecked Yiwon’s lips and pulled back. Yiwon tried to pull him back by the hair, but this time Jewoo resisted.

“Later. You have to go on stage soon.”

He didn’t know the exact schedule, but given his late arrival, he knew they didn’t have much time.

“Besides, I’m injured. Give me a break, just for now.”

He held up his bandaged arm, and Yiwon’s face hardened.

“It’s nothing. Just a scrape.”

It was actually a tear that had required stitches, but he didn’t want Yiwon to insist on examining the wound right then. He downplayed the injury. Yiwon took a deep, exasperated breath but didn’t say anything further.

“Have a good performance.”

He added that he was looking forward to seeing him shine on stage, and Yiwon, seemingly resigned, stepped back.

“But are you allowed to just come in here like this?”

He hadn’t noticed before, but looking around, he realized this was another group’s dressing room. Bags, presumably belonging to someone else, were scattered around.

“This is also one of our dressing rooms.”

Yiwon explained that because their group was large, they had two dressing rooms, and this one was used for changing clothes and storing belongings. Jewoo felt relieved. Then he heard a rustling sound from inside the room. Startled, he turned around, thinking they were alone. One of Yiwon’s group members, who had been lying on the sofa inside, waved awkwardly.

“I didn’t see anything. Really. I heard something, but…”

As the member spoke with an embarrassed laugh, Jewoo covered his face with his hands. He had promised Jiho he’d be discreet, but thanks to Yiwon, he wasn’t sure he could keep that promise.

🎞️✮⋆˙

Jewoo watched the concert from the audience. Yiwon’s group’s turn came near the end. While other members had participated in special stages with members from other groups, Yiwon hadn’t appeared yet.

After all the members performed their most recent song together, the stage lights went out. The atmosphere hinted at something special, and the fans held their breath in anticipation. Soon, a soft melody began to play.

“What song is this?”

“I don’t think I’ve heard it before. Is it a new song?”

Fans around Jewoo murmured. The song was unfamiliar to them, but Jewoo recognized it. It was Geonhwon’s theme song from the drama.

A single spotlight illuminated a spot on the stage, revealing Yiwon. As his voice filled the venue, screams erupted from all directions.

“Oh my god, his voice is so amazing.”

“Yiwon oppa!!”

A smile touched Jewoo’s lips as he listened to the cheers. The Yiwon on stage was different from the Yiwon he knew. More dazzling, more dynamic. It felt unfamiliar and created a strange sense of distance. Yet, the song he was singing was the one Jewoo had heard first, a song filled with their memories.

When the song ended, the venue exploded in cheers. The roar of the crowd was so loud that Yiwon couldn’t speak into his microphone. The cheering continued until the other members joined him on stage.

“Good song, right?”

Haewoo shouted into his microphone, and the fans responded with a resounding “Yes!”

“Our Yiwon recently filmed a drama. This is the OST from that drama.”

Rawoon added an explanation. Jewoo had heard that the drama’s promotions would be starting soon, and the release of the OST at the concert seemed to be part of it.

“What’s the drama’s title?”

“What role does Yiwon oppa play?”

“Oppa, I love you!”

Shouts erupted from every direction, creating a chaotic cacophony. Jewoo, who had never been to an idol concert before, was overwhelmed by the fervent energy. He was both amazed and fascinated, observing the fans’ reactions. Then someone yelled, “Say just one line!” The voice was particularly loud and clear.

Yiwon seemed to have heard it as he turned towards the source of the sound. Haewoo whispered something to him, and Yiwon nodded. He then brought the microphone close. The audience fell silent, all eyes on him.

“I cherish you… who are always deep in thought.”

Fans gasped at his low, gentle voice. Some speculated that the drama must be a historical one, judging by Yiwon’s tone.

Yiwon’s gaze settled on a specific point in the audience, and excited squeals erupted from that section.

“I adore how your face flushes red when I say these words.”

Jewoo, too, was looking at Yiwon. Their eyes met. A soft smile spread across Yiwon’s face. His tone and words belonged to Geonhwon, but the smile he wore was distinctly Kang Yiwon’s.

“I yearn for your lips. I want to touch your cheeks, and I wish your eyes would only look at me.”

As his confession continued, cheers erupted again. Even amidst the deafening roar, Jewoo remained motionless, his eyes locked on Yiwon. Yiwon, in turn, didn’t look away. This led to excited whispers among the fans around Jewoo, each convinced that he had made eye contact with them. They were already buzzing about the drama, desperate to know the title. Thanks to Kang Yiwon, the drama had received some powerful publicity.

Jewoo pulled his cap lower. His heart pounded relentlessly. He hadn’t felt this way when he’d heard those lines during filming. It was strange.

‘The original novel had more lines after this.’

Yiwon had mentioned it casually after returning from Paris. He had apparently read the entire novel during his flights. Jewoo had thought it was odd that he remembered such a detail.

‘I desire you.’

He remembered Yiwon continuing the lines as if he were still acting.

‘I desire… to hold you.’

Back then, Jewoo hadn’t imagined they would actually become a couple. He had laughed it off. But now he understood. Kang Yiwon had been sincere even then.

And now… he was speaking to Han Jewoo. Telling him to look only at him, that he desired him.