TBM Vol 4 Part 3

“Good work.”

“You worked hard.”

“Thank you.”

Lee Il-seo and Sa Seung-yeon left the set, saying goodbye to the staff. As they walked to move to their next schedule, their paths  naturally converged since there was only one exit leading to the parking lot.

At that moment, Lee Il-seo stopped abruptly, a step ahead, and turned to meet Sa Seung-yeon’s eyes. Lee Il-seo bowed his head and said,

“I’ll head in now. Take care, senior.”

“Sure.”

Sa Seung-yeon’s reply came a beat late, quiet and short. Lee Il-seo nodded once more and walked off. His small frame moved briskly, quickly putting distance between them. Sa Seung-yeon, unwilling to appear as though he were following, slowed to a halt and watched his figure grow smaller.

Hands tucked into his padded jacket, Lee Il-seo stopped to speak with Choi Kyung-hyun near the building entrance. The late afternoon sun dipped lower, casting long, faint shadows. His face, framed by his pale breath dissipating into the cold, looked especially clean—almost too clean.

“…Sunbaenim, sunbaenim!”

“Ah, yes.”

Hwan tilted his head and then rounded his lips as if curious.

“Oh. It’s the first time I’ve seen you spacing out.”

Before Sa Seung-yeon could respond, Hwan walked ahead toward the parking lot. Sa Seung-yeon clicked his tongue softly and ran his hand through his hair. The fleeting emptiness inexplicably made him crave a cigarette.

“I’ll have one smoke before we go.”

Standing in the corner of the outdoor parking lot with one leg crossed over the other, Sa Seung-yeon lit a cigarette.

“I loved you very much…”

The words slipped out, barely more than a murmur, cigarette between his lips. He frowned. Lee Il-seo’s farewell had been sharp and clean—too clean. His voice echoed in his mind, clear and final, his expression almost… Relieved.

While smoking a cigarette in the cold wind, he acknowledged that all relationships with Lee Il-seo had completely ended. As sex partners, as close colleagues, and as the object of Lee Il-seo’s unrequited love.

“Ah.”

A sharp pulse jabbed near his right temple. He winced and pressed a hand to his head. The pain throbbed, but after a moment, it faded enough to breathe again.

***

For three days after that, he didn’t see Lee Il-seo. Their schedule didn’t overlap, and Sa Seung-yeon thought it was fine that he wouldn’t have to see something that bothered him.

But in Lee Il-seo’s absence, an annoying headache took his place. The headache that had surged on the day he last met Lee Il-seo continued unabated, and became harder to bear as days passed. His condition deteriorated rapidly, making Sa Seung-yeon’s temperament sharper than usual.

After wrapping up an advertisement shoot and climbing into the car, he accepted a water bottle from Hwan. Even after taking a painkiller, he reflexively massaged his temple. Eventually, he gave in,

“Let’s stop by the hospital.”

“Yes, shall we go to internal medicine?”

“The secondary trait clinic.”

General internal medicine had been no help. This headache wasn’t from a cold. It was heavier, stranger, starting in the back of his head and slicing through his temple like a knife. Hwan called ahead to the specialist he usually saw and started the car

After completing a simple examination, describing the symptoms, and having blood drawn, the doctor, Lee Ju-seung, who had previously treated Sa Seung-yeon’s motorcycle accident laceration during his rut cycle, calmly explained while looking at the chart.

“Both your Pheromone and stress levels are excessively high. It must have been difficult to endure.”

Though his rut had been recent, the Pheromone levels shown on the screen were sky-high. Sa Seung-yeon stared at the graph the director was pointing to with an impassive face.

There was no polite way to say this was because of that day, but the truth was clear. He hadn’t been intimate with anyone since then. And the accumulated tension had only worsened under stress.

“As an extreme dominant, your Pheromone accumulation cycle is short, which means not only do you build up more, but your body suffers more when you do. I know you’re busy, but please release it regularly.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“I’ll also prescribe the Pheromone relief medication you usually take.”

Dr. Lee Ju-seung mentioned a few more precautions as he concluded the consultation.

“I know it’s difficult, but reducing stress is most important. Stress is one of the biggest factors in rapid Pheromone accumulation.”

“Yes, I understand.”

After the consultation, Sa Seung-yeon stepped outside while Hwan picked up his prescription. He returned to the car alone, the diagnosis replaying in his mind.

‘Stress. Pheromone release.’

He had thought it was neurological and dismissed it, but the levels were higher than expected. The most efficient way to release Pheromones was through sex. But Sa Seung-yeon hadn’t felt much need for it until now. He rarely stressed, and he always avoided unnecessary friction..

However, when he thought of the one person who wouldn’t leave his mind lately, a throbbing pain shot through the back of his head as if it had been waiting. Sa Seung-yeon closed his eyes and leaned his head against the seat.

When he met Jung Si-woon at Gu Dong-yeong’s bar. Sa Seung-yeon realized. That he didn’t want to be intimate with anyone else. But he could no longer form a partnership with Lee Il-seo, who liked him.

His headache returned, worse this time. He sighed and opened his schedule on his phone. Advertisement shoot. Advertisement shoot. Interview. Photo shoot. Not a single one involved Lee Il-seo.

.

Hwan got into the car and said as he turned on the navigation, “I’ll head home.”

“No, let’s go to the company. I have something to discuss.”

At Sa Seung-yeon’s words, Hwan reset the destination. Sa Seung-yeon slowly opened his eyes and looked out the car window. His dark pupils, deeply contemplating something, grew even darker.

***

Lee Il-seo’s eyes sparkled.

Two days ago, the company called unexpectedly. The chicken brand Sa Seung-yeon had long advertised for, wanted to launch a Temperature of Flood collaboration. It was sudden, but Lee Il-seo had been buzzing ever since.

Recently, he had started doing small advertisements, but this was his first for a major corporation, and above all, it was a chicken advertisement.

In the past, chicken had been his comfort food, a craving he’d never quite outgrown. His appetite had waned recently, but the idea of filming a food commercial still made him smile. He even wondered if they still gave out free coupons.

“Hello.”

“Wow, in person…”

While shaking hands with the advertising PD, the PD’s words were trailing off as their eyes were fixed on Lee Il-seo’s face. It was because they were amazed at seeing his small face with finely set features in person.

“Oh my, excuse me.”

Realizing how rude they sounded, the PD quickly apologized. Lee Il-seo just chuckled and waved it off.

“So that’s why they recommended you, I see.”

When Lee Il-seo raised his eyebrows in puzzlement at what this meant, the PD leaned slightly and whispered to him,

“Actually, Ril Entertainment recommended you. Actor Lee Il-seo, for this advertisement.”

“Oh… Really?”

“You didn’t know? It felt like a perfect fit to us, so we jumped at the chance. Thanks again for accepting..”

Lee Il-seo composed his surprised expression and nodded. The PD briefly informed him of the schedule before leaving to prep the set.

“When Actor Sa Seung-yeon arrives shortly, we’ll briefly discuss the storyboard.”

“Understood.”

In the makeup room, Lee Il-seo was informed that he wasn’t a permanent model but was participating as a short-term model for this collaboration. Sa Seung-yeon had been doing this chicken brand’s advertisements for five years, and it seemed like Sa Seung-yeon’s company had arranged a position for him too.

Of course, given the recent buzz around their drama, the company may have seen an opportunity and recommended him for financial reasons. Still, even that distant possibility tugged at emotions he’d tried to lock away. His chest tightened, and despite his resolve, his heartbeat quickened.

Before long, Sa Seung-yeon arrived. The eyes of everyone on set turned to Sa Seung-yeon as he entered and greeted them. Lee Il-seo also looked at him from his position among the crowd, and their eyes met despite him standing far back.

He hadn’t expected to see him today. Controlling his surprise, he greeted him, and Sa Seung-yeon’s gaze landed squarely on his face. And then he immediately waved with a refreshing smile.

‘Did I lose weight?’

He wondered briefly. It had been a while since they’d last seen each other. There was something sharper in his presence today, something keen—but he had no right to be curious anymore. He held his expression steady, mimicking his lightness, even as a dull ache bloomed inside

Sa Seung-yeon and Lee Il-seo listened to the production team’s explanation about the simple storyboard and flow, and shared their opinions. It wasn’t particularly difficult. They would eat chicken to music, strike poses, and take some shots for print advertising as well.

“This feels so different from our usual shoots with Actor Sa Seung-yeon. If Sa Seung-yeon represents the brand’s premium quality, Lee Il-seo can appeal to its trendy charm.”

Maybe that’s why they styled him differently—sporty shirt, jeans, curly hair. It looked unfamiliar in the mirror, but not bad.

The filming began immediately. Under the lights, steaming hot ‘Flood Chicken’ sat gleaming on the table, ready for the spotlight.

“Now, please sit comfortably at the table first.”

Following the instructions, Sa Seung-yeon sat down first, and Lee Il-seo approached the table to sit as well. But suddenly, his fingertips turned white as he pulled out the chair.

“…!”

Before he could say a word, nausea struck him hard. The rich smell of chicken, once enticing, now seemed unbearable. Instinctively, he held his breath, suppressing the urge to gag or bend over. Lee Il-seo stared at the food with bewildered eyes.

That was all there was – one whole chicken slathered in appetizing sauce, and one whole fried chicken with soy sauce. But even the faintest breath brought the greasy aroma flooding into his nostrils. He quickly switched to mouth-breathing. The nausea was bad enough, but now his head was beginning to throb.

Seeing Lee Il-seo frozen while gripping the chair, Sa Seung-yeon tilted his head and whispered,

“What are you doing? Sit down.”

Only after Sa Seung-yeon pulled out the chair for him did Lee Il-seo return to reality, blinking and quickly sit down.

They filmed scene after scene around the white table: smiling with chicken in hand, posing back-to-back, each with a different piece. By the end, Lee Il-seo had memorized the jingle’s lyrics without trying. He felt like he was drifting through a fog.

He did his best to avoid breathing, but breath wasn’t something he could just shut off at will. Every time he had to speak while chewing or fake a satisfied sound, the grease-laced air clung to him. He swallowed down the urge to retch again and again. His makeup gave the illusion of vibrance, but under the crisp shirt, his body was drenched in cold sweat.

While people were bustling about cleaning up the set, Lee Il-seo hurriedly said to Choi Kyung-hyun as he passed by,

“Hyung, I need to use the bathroom…”

“Ah, go ahead.”

Lee Il-seo left an incomplete sentence and immediately ran to the bathroom. Without checking if anyone was inside, he entered a stall and grabbed the toilet bowl.

He retched up the little chicken he’d managed to force down. After that, nothing more came, yet he remained there, curled over. His legs felt like jelly, and waves of nausea wouldn’t stop rolling through his gut. There was no reason to feel claustrophobic, but the symptoms mirrored that time, and the resemblance alone made his anxiety spike.

When he finally emerged from the toilet stall, shaking his dizzy head slightly, Lee Il-seo’s steps came to an abrupt halt. Sa Seung-yeon was standing in front of the sink.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“Ah, yes. I drank too much… Yesterday.”

The lie slipped out easily. He moved beside Sa Seung-yeon and turned on the tap. Since this was a filming location, there were disposable cups and a wall-mounted mouthwash dispenser. He used both, busying himself with the routine. Still, he didn’t budge.

Lee Il-seo turned off the sink. Wiping the droplets of water under his chin with the back of his hand, he slowly raised his head to look at the figure with its back to the mirror. In the mirror, Sa Seung-yeon finally moved.

But instead of walking away, Sa Seung-yeon stepped further into the bathroom. He opened each stall one after another, making sure they were empty. Then, striding back, he stopped—his polished shoes now toe-to-toe with his white sneakers. The distance was too close. Instinctively, Lee Il-seo took a step back.

Lee Il-seo, calmly thinking whether there was anything left to say to Sa Seung-yeon, spoke first. There was one thing he had forgotten to say.

“I heard your company recommended me for this chicken advertisement. Thank you.”

Instead of answering in his professional voice, Sa Seung-yeon approached again, narrowing the distance, and Lee Il-seo put distance between them as soon as the sound of his shoes stopped.

After a few of these silent advances and retreats, he narrowed his eyes, pressing his palm lightly to his temple.

The medicine from the secondary trait clinic hadn’t been very effective. But ridiculously, the pain had noticeably lessened after Lee Il-seo appeared at the advertisement site today. However, the pain, which hadn’t completely disappeared, surged madly again the moment Lee Il-seo widened the distance. It was all so frustrating how Lee Il-seo both alleviated and reignited the pain.

Meanwhile, Lee Il-seo, with eyes full of fatigue looked at the exit door once and said,

“If you have nothing more to say, may I go? Choi Kyung-hyung is waiting.”

At his emotionless voice, Sa Seung-yeon finally let out a dejected laugh, and Lee Il-seo, facing that smile, secretly clenched his fist.

“Seems like you’re organizing things well.”

“Pardon?”

“You said you developed feelings for me and couldn’t be partners anymore.”

Lee Il-seo furrowed his brow at the husky, cracked voice. Could he possibly be checking if he was moving on from his feelings? While his sudden confession might have been unwelcome, it was also unpleasant that he would seek him out and check on his emotional state after rejecting him.