LS Ch 96

Are you okay? They caught the culprit? There’s no problem now? But why do you look like that?

Even though Kang Yiwon didn’t voice a single word, Jewoo could tell what he wanted to ask. Jewoo, too, had grown so familiar with Yiwon that he could easily guess his thoughts just by looking into his eyes.

“I got bored being alone.”

Though he knew what Yiwon was curious about, Jewoo gave an offhand answer. There were too many people around to spill his true feelings.

“Huh? It’s Han Jewoo! What brings you here?”

A middle-aged actor recognized Jewoo and approached him. Because of that, Yiwon couldn’t ask anything more. Still, he couldn’t take his eyes off Jewoo.

“So the rumors were true.”

The middle-aged actor who’d greeted Jewoo gestured toward Yiwon, who was sitting further back, with a nod. Puzzled by what he meant, Jewoo turned and locked eyes with Yiwon, who was staring at him unabashedly.

“They say Kang Yiwon is a huge Han Jewoo fan. A successful fanboy, huh?”

Since they’d appeared on variety shows together during the drama’s airing, Kang Yiwon’s affection for Han Jewoo had already become quite the rumor. Understanding it at that level, the actor’s reaction made Jewoo smile awkwardly.

“More importantly, are you okay? I heard you’ve had some trouble lately.”

It seemed he’d seen the news, as the actor expressed concern for Jewoo.

“I just came from meeting the detective. They caught the culprit.”

“That’s a relief.”

Even as he said it was a relief, he subtly glanced between Yiwon and Jewoo. He seemed curious if the culprit might be one of Yiwon’s fans but appeared hesitant to ask directly. Yiwon’s expression wasn’t great either, likely wondering the same thing.

“It’s not Yiwon’s fan.”

“Really?”

The actor’s face brightened, genuinely relieved. When Jewoo glanced at Yiwon, he too seemed to exhale in relief.

“Were you worried?”

Jewoo stepped closer to Yiwon and asked, and Yiwon gave a barely perceptible nod. He must have been uneasy the whole time.

“Then who…?”

“Let’s talk after you finish filming. I’ll wait until you’re done.”

Cutting Yiwon off, Jewoo urged him to go back to filming, giving him a gentle push. He didn’t forget to flash a reassuring smile. Yiwon looked like he had more to say, but noticing Jewoo wasn’t in the mood to talk, he turned away silently.

After confirming that Yiwon had joined the other actors in front of the camera, Jewoo let out a small sigh. Had he dodged it well? Yiwon was so perceptive when it came to Jewoo’s matters, which made him worry.

I really shouldn’t have come here.

Regret crept in again, fearing he might distract Yiwon from focusing on his acting, but it was too late. All he could do now was watch Yiwon’s performance with as calm an expression as possible.

🎞️✮⋆˙

Filming stretched late into the night. Yiwon had been worried that Jewoo might get bored waiting, but surprisingly, Jewoo passed the time well. Being out at the set kept his mind from wandering more than when he was cooped up at home. There were quite a few familiar faces, so he chatted with actors who weren’t in their scenes, and even the director subtly pitched a future project to him.

Just watching the other actors perform made time fly. Especially watching Yiwon act—it was enjoyable. Compared to his roles in romance dramas, he’d changed a lot. It seemed the drama they’d done together had been a turning point for Yiwon’s acting. A genre piece, rather than romance, felt like it suited him better. Though his striking looks made him in demand for romances, Yiwon seemed more immersed in this detective drama.

The idol Kang Yiwon on stage and the Kang Yiwon in romance dramas had a refined, princely charm, but Detective Kang Yiwon felt like an entirely different person. The fierce, intense look in his eyes when confronting a culprit was captivating, and thanks to his consistent training for this drama, he exuded an aura of a perfect man.

Once this drama airs, Kang Yiwon’s popularity is going to skyrocket. It’s already overwhelming as it is.

Even as he thought that, a smile tugged at his lips. Seeing Yiwon grow as an actor felt as gratifying as if it were his own achievement.

“Why’s that look in your eyes?”

The middle-aged actor from earlier approached and asked.

“What’s wrong with my eyes?”

Jewoo turned, smiling as he asked, and the actor narrowed his eyes.

“It’s like…”

He paused, searching for the right words, then let out an “Ah.”

“Like a parent watching their child with pride.”

The unexpected description made Jewoo burst out laughing.

“I’m only three years older than him.”

“Really? You look about the same age.”

His words contradicted each other.

“That’s why it’s fascinating. How you watch him with that kind of gaze.”

“He’s impressive, isn’t he? He transitioned from being an idol to an actor and got a lot of flak for his acting at first, but he’s worked so hard at it.”

Answering honestly, the actor looked at Jewoo warmly and smiled.

“I think the same of you. You’ve tirelessly made it this far since you were young.”

Caught off guard by the sudden praise directed at him, Jewoo felt sheepish. The actor patted his shoulder lightly and smiled kindly.

“I believe you’ll keep doing well for a long time. And get along well with Kang Yiwon too.”

Jewoo faltered at the last part. The actor had been pretending not to notice, but it seemed he was fully aware of the rumors about Jewoo and Yiwon. Seeing Jewoo come to the set today and watching Yiwon must have confirmed it for him.

“Thank you.”

Jewoo bowed his head slightly, and the actor’s smile softened even more.

It was past midnight when Yiwon’s scenes finally wrapped up. The moment filming ended, Yiwon rushed over to Jewoo.

“Wasn’t it tough waiting?”

Yiwon’s face was stiff with guilt and worry.

“As if I could compare to the people filming. It was fun watching.”

Even with Jewoo’s smiling reply, Yiwon’s expression didn’t ease.

“Maybe because I’ve been stuck at home every day, it felt good to get some air and see people. Really.”

Emphasizing it again, Yiwon’s tense face finally relaxed a bit.

“Let’s head home.”

Jewoo held up the car keys. Come to think of it, he hadn’t seen Doyoon since earlier.

“I told him to head home first since I’d drive. There’s nothing for him to do here anyway.”

At the news that Yiwon had sent Doyoon home early, Yiwon stared at Jewoo. Given Doyoon’s personality, he wouldn’t leave Yiwon behind unless it was something urgent. Even when Jewoo was around, Doyoon usually drove them home, reasoning that having a manager present would reduce misunderstandings. For Doyoon to leave early at Jewoo’s suggestion was unusual.

There had to be a reason. It didn’t seem like Jewoo had explained it to him directly. Maybe Doyoon had heard from Jewoo’s manager. The culprit had been caught—could it be related to that?

All sorts of thoughts crossed Yiwon’s mind, but he didn’t let it show. He decided to wait silently until Jewoo opened up on his own.

🎞️✮⋆˙

Yiwon arrived home, showered in the bathroom attached to his bedroom, and came out. In the meantime, Jewoo seemed to have showered in the living room bathroom and was now sitting on the sofa in casual clothes, flipping through TV channels. As Yiwon approached, he noticed water droplets dripping from Jewoo’s still-wet hair. His shirt was getting damp, but Jewoo didn’t seem to care.

“Dry your hair properly.”

Standing behind him, Yiwon rubbed the back of Jewoo’s head with the towel he was holding. Jewoo tilted his head back to look at Yiwon but didn’t tell him to stop. He just let Yiwon do it. After wiping off most of the water with the towel, Yiwon turned to grab a hairdryer to finish the job, but Jewoo called out to him.

“Where are you going?”

“To get the hairdryer. You’ll catch a cold.”

At that, Jewoo let out a small chuckle.

“Forget it. Just leave it and sit next to me.”

Something about Jewoo’s vibe felt off. It wasn’t much different from usual, yet he seemed more subdued. Yiwon sat beside him as requested, and after a brief glance, Jewoo smiled faintly, leaning over to rest his head on Yiwon’s shoulder.

“There’s nothing interesting on.”

The channels had been changing nonstop. From movies to music to variety shows, he cycled through them but couldn’t settle on one. It was unclear whether nothing appealed to him or he simply didn’t feel like watching anything. Yiwon stayed silent, watching the flashing TV screen.

“About the culprit they caught today…”

After a long pause, Jewoo brought up the topic casually, like it was an afterthought. But he didn’t continue right away, letting the silence linger.

“I’m glad it wasn’t one of your fans.”

His voice carried a low sigh of relief. It was clear he genuinely felt relieved that Kang Yiwon’s fans weren’t involved. Yiwon agreed. If Jewoo had been hurt because of him again, he wouldn’t have been able to bear it.

“So who was it?”

He’d meant to wait until the end, but his patience was wearing thin. If it wasn’t his fan, why was Jewoo dragging it out like this?

Curious about the expression Jewoo was making, Yiwon lowered his head to look at the face resting on his shoulder. When their eyes met, Jewoo lifted the corners of his mouth slightly, as if it were a habit.

Why was it, though? If the culprit was caught, shouldn’t he feel relieved? Why did Jewoo’s smile seem tinged more with bitterness than relief?

Jewoo took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling heavily.

“My mother.”

The single word came out of nowhere, and Yiwon furrowed his brow a beat late.