TMB Vol 6 Part 5

[I love you, Sunbae.]

Seung-yeon’s jawline tightened at Il-seo’s earnest voice. Seung-yeon picked up the remote control and stopped the playback for a moment, shaking the cigarette pack to take out a long cigarette. Staring at Lee Il-seo on the screen with a crooked gaze, Sa Seung-yeon lit the cigarette, exhaled smoke, and pressed play again.

[Sunbae, I love you. Okay?]

Lee Il-seo, dressed in his school uniform, followed behind Lee Soo-heon, saying the same thing repeatedly. Whenever there was an opportunity, when Lee Soo-heon opened the classroom door, when he drank water at the sink, when he took out a book in the library, Lee Il-seo’s face would peek out on the screen. His line was always the same: Sunbae, I love you.

Lee Soo-heon, who was also wearing a school uniform, constantly pushed Il-seo away with a troubled expression. Il-seo grumbled that he wouldn’t regret it if he just dated him once, and why was he only trying to avoid him without even starting. Lee Soo-heon said in a serious voice that he had someone he liked.

Seeing Lee Il-seo’s expression darken, Sa Seung-yeon turned off the TV. Although he knew it was childish to react this way to a mere drama, he didn’t want to watch anymore.

So he had been filming something like this while wearing that school uniform. It particularly irritated him that Lee Il-seo called Lee Soo-heon “sunbae.” Being both Lee Il-seo’s high school senior and his senior in the entertainment industry, Sa Seung-yeon had thought Lee Il-seo’s consistent use of “sunbae” for him was special and appropriate. But seeing him use the same title for Lee Soo-heon greatly twisted his already sour mood.

These days, there was a genuine “Lee Il-seo syndrome.” Especially after the episode featuring Lee Il-seo’s past unrequited love for Lee Soo-heon was aired, the response had been explosive.

The episode revealed that the cool, intelligent junior lawyer Lee Il-seo had actually followed Lee Soo-heon around like a puppy throughout high school, then attended the same university, and finally became a lawyer and joined the same law firm. The response seemed particularly positive because this contrasted with the dry, work-addicted character he had portrayed until now.

In particular, Lee Il-seo’s fresh and bright high school acting tickled many people’s hearts, with viewers saying it “manipulated memories of first love.” Perhaps because the filming period transitioned from spring to early summer, scenes of Lee Il-seo in his school uniform were compiled into a refreshing montage that went viral, ranking in the trending videos multiple times.

So despite Sa Seung-yeon’s efforts to avoid seeing Lee Il-seo confessing to Lee Soo-heon, he inevitably ended up watching it several times, and each time failed to finish the drama. Today too, though he had steeled himself to monitor all of Lee Il-seo’s scenes, he turned off the TV at the same point.

With a cracking sound from his neck, Sa Seung-yeon walked to the bedroom with a cold expression. Lee Il-seo, who had returned late after filming and had only recently fallen asleep, was still in deep slumber. Watching him sleep peacefully like a baby, hugging a pillow permeated with his pheromones, Sa Seung-yeon picked up Lee Il-seo’s phone from beside him and walked to the living room terrace.

Placing a cigarette between his lips and lighting it, Sa Seung-yeon skillfully unlocked Lee Il-seo’s phone.

「Lee Soo-heon Sunbae: (photo)」

「Lee Soo-heon Sunbae: Lee Il-seo, you’re trending in real-time!」

「Lee Soo-heon Sunbae: There are a lot of articles about it too haha」

“What do you want to do about that, you bastard.”

Muttering curses through his cigarette, Sa Seung-yeon scrolled up to check Lee Soo-heon’s messages.

「Lee Soo-heon Sunbae: Your acting is improving more and more.」

「Lee Soo-heon Sunbae: I saw your interview saying you learned a lot from Sa Seung-yeon sunbae… I’m jealous of you!」

「Lee Soo-heon Sunbae: (gift certificate)」

「Lee Soo-heon Sunbae: It’s for two people~ Eat it with Sa Seung-yeon sunbae.」

“Idiot.”

Judging by how often his name was mentioned, it seemed Lee Soo-heon was well aware of his relationship with Lee Il-seo. Yet seeing him continually contact Lee Il-seo so presumptuously made his blood boil. Fortunately, Lee Il-seo never initiated contact except in special cases when the director needed something.

After checking all of Lee Soo-heon’s messages with an expressionless face, Sa Seung-yeon leaned against the terrace railing and twirled Lee Il-seo’s phone in one hand. The precarious movement, as if the phone might slip over the railing, stopped when he sensed Lee Il-seo’s pheromones behind him.

“Sunbae… you’re up early.”

Composing his expression, Sa Seung-yeon put Lee Il-seo’s phone in his pocket and turned around. Lee Il-seo walked unsteadily onto the terrace with puffy eyes. Hugging him, Sa Seung-yeon turned his head the other way to exhale smoke, then moved the cigarette to his fingers and stubbed it out on the ashtray.

“Yaaaawn…”

A languid yawn was heard. Having walked to the terrace half-asleep, Lee Il-seo leaned against him, his head tilting as he slowly woke up. Sa Seung-yeon pulled Lee Il-seo from behind him to his front, letting him rest his back against his chest as he embraced him from behind.

“It’s hot. Let’s go inside.”

“I’m not hot.”

Though Sa Seung-yeon had turned off the air conditioning at dawn to prevent him from getting cold, making their touching bodies warmer and more moist than usual with perspiration, Lee Il-seo insisted. When Sa Seung-yeon placed short kisses on the mole below his puffy eyes, his white cheeks, and his downy earlobe, Lee Il-seo’s whining laugh rang out lovingly. Still holding Lee Il-seo, Sa Seung-yeon asked,

“I need to have breakfast now because of my early schedule today. Can you eat?”

“Yes, of course.”

Even though he probably wouldn’t have much appetite in the morning, Lee Il-seo answered as if it were obvious. He knew that Sa Seung-yeon disliked skipping meals and was consciously responding accordingly, but Sa Seung-yeon found this effort endearing and sweet.

“Alright, let’s have something light. Rest your eyes on the sofa for a bit.”

Still embracing each other, they came from the terrace to the living room. Lee Il-seo mumbled thanks and buried his nose in the sofa cushion that carried Sa Seung-yeon’s scent, closing his eyes as he snuggled down. Sa Seung-yeon watched Lee Il-seo quickly fall back asleep, exhausted, then tossed his phone into the bedroom and walked to the dining room.

As he stirred the soup that had begun to simmer, Sa Seung-yeon thought: After the surgery, his strength had diminished, yet he was taking on more and more work. While filming the drama, he was also shooting commercials, and recently he had recorded an OST for the drama. Though Sa Seung-yeon knew Lee Il-seo was turning down some offers, he couldn’t help but worry.

Whether it was the drama, commercials, or photoshoots, the public’s current response to Lee Il-seo was extraordinary. If “The Temperature of Overflow” had made the public aware of Lee Il-seo’s potential as a rising star, this drama was allowing him to showcase his unique charm. Taking on many projects while his popularity was at its peak was the right career choice, but for someone with a physically vulnerable partner, it would be a lie to say he wasn’t concerned.

With skilled hands, Sa Seung-yeon finished the soup and accompanying salad, then called Lee Il-seo as he placed the dishes on the table. Avocado salad with olive oil and vegetable soup with ground chicken breast was the breakfast menu.

Sa Seung-yeon placed orange juice at Lee Il-seo’s seat. Rising from the sofa, Lee Il-seo pressed the preheat button on the coffee machine that Sa Seung-yeon used every morning. As they spent more time at Sa Seung-yeon’s home and learned each other’s routines, the two were busy taking care of each other.

Bringing his coffee to the table, Sa Seung-yeon asked as he sipped his soup,

“What time is your filming today?”

“It’s at 10, so I need to eat and leave right away. I want to go a bit early because I have scenes to film with Soo-heon sunbae.”

“I see.”

Sa Seung-yeon nodded and took a bite of salad. Just then, Lee Il-seo suddenly raised his head. As Lee Il-seo stared at him with rabbit-like eyes, Sa Seung-yeon raised his eyebrows, and Lee Il-seo moved his lips.

“You suddenly cursed…”

It seemed he had unconsciously let a curse slip at the mention of Lee Soo-heon’s name. Sa Seung-yeon waved his fork with avocado on it and lied.

“I thought it was a bit bland.”

“Maybe there’s not enough pepper on yours? Mine tastes just right.”

Watching Lee Il-seo dismiss it casually, Sa Seung-yeon changed the subject.

“How’s your condition?”

“As I always say, sleeping at your place feels like I’ve had an IV drip.”

Lee Il-seo smiled brightly. No matter how tired he was, sleeping with Sa Seung-yeon cleared away his accumulated fatigue, making his body feel refreshed. It was partly due to the pheromones, and partly because he felt more psychologically stable than when he was alone at home. After swallowing the mild, savory soup, Lee Il-seo asked Sa Seung-yeon,

“You’re shooting winter clothes for MonSpace today, right?”

“Yeah.”

“…You’ll look great.”

“I’ll ask Hwan to take photos and send them to you.”

“Awesome.”

Sa Seung-yeon’s smile deepened as he watched Lee Il-seo’s eyes sparkle despite his drowsiness. Lee Il-seo always knew Sa Seung-yeon’s schedule by heart. Initially, he had pretended not to know and casually asked Sa Seung-yeon, but once he accidentally recited a schedule that hadn’t been mentioned. When the perceptive Sa Seung-yeon pointed out that he had never shared that information, Lee Il-seo confessed that he checked the fan café in advance. Since then, Lee Il-seo hadn’t hidden his fan café membership, and Sa Seung-yeon made sure to send him all schedules first, including those not publicly disclosed on the fan café.

After finishing their meal with light conversation, they left the house together. After sharing a brief, longing kiss in the private elevator, they continued holding hands all the way to the parking lot.

Choi Kyung-hyun, who had come to pick up Lee Il-seo, exchanged greetings with Sa Seung-yeon as well. Sitting in the car, Lee Il-seo immediately examined his script. Though he still hadn’t broken his writing habit, he ran his fingers over Sa Seung-yeon’s comments that he had noted beside dialogue they had discussed together.

***

“Cut, okay. Let’s take a short break.”

Lee Il-seo and Lee Soo-heon stretched at the cue. After filming a scene where they had a lengthy discussion in an office, their shoulders and necks were stiff. Lee Soo-heon watched Lee Il-seo continuously stretching and asked,

“Is your neck sore?”

“Ah, yes. Standing and using the laptop was a bit uncomfortable.”

As he answered, Lee Soo-heon’s hand suddenly touched his nape. He applied pressure with his fingers and began massaging the knotted areas at the back of Lee Il-seo’s neck.

“Ugh…”

Though he meant to say it was fine, an unfamiliar sound escaped Lee Il-seo’s lips. He surrendered his body to the hands kneading from his nape to his shoulders, his mouth agape. Seeing Lee Il-seo’s reaction, Lee Soo-heon smiled with crinkled eyes and said,

“My younger brother is a professional fascia manual therapist. I’ve received so many treatments that I can now tell exactly where the knots are.”

Where Lee Soo-heon’s hands touched, there was a warm sensation as muscles relaxed, followed by a refreshing coolness that gave Lee Il-seo goosebumps. Even after Lee Soo-heon removed his hands, a tingling, refreshing sensation remained. Lee Il-seo rubbed his neck with a dazed expression.

“Really… that feels amazing.”

Though it was just a brief massage, the uncomfortably tense area had become soft. Sa Seung-yeon occasionally stretched until his neck made cracking sounds. Lee Il-seo made a mental note to remember this spot so he could use the technique when giving Sa Seung-yeon a massage. As if reading his thoughts, Lee Soo-heon suggested,

“Next time, come to my brother’s center with Sa Seung-yeon sunbae. I’ll let you both have treatments for free. Many celebrities visit.”

“Really?”

“Of course. We’ve formed a connection filming this drama together.”

Lee Il-seo’s face brightened. At that moment, there was a peculiar commotion inside the filming location. Lee Il-seo, recognizing the familiar pheromones before anyone else, turned his head.

“Huh…?”

“Hello.”

Though it seemed impossible, it really was Sa Seung-yeon in the distance.

Dressed in black jeans and a white t-shirt, Sa Seung-yeon was walking toward him. Though half the staff were similarly dressed in short-sleeved t-shirts and jeans, Sa Seung-yeon stood out with his unique aura.

The PD nearby seemed to already know that Sa Seung-yeon was coming, as he smiled warmly, saying he had arrived just in time for the break. Sa Seung-yeon also smiled brightly as he greeted the PD. They appeared to know each other, as snippets of their conversation about recent activities could be heard.

“Just dropping by, right?”

“Yes. I need to leave soon. Fortunately, it’s break time.”

“There’s a coffee truck outside. Desserts too, so please enjoy them.”

Hwan pointed to the coffee truck outside the set and shouted loudly, and the directing team also helped guide the performers and staff together. A pleasant commotion spread through the scene, and everyone who passed by thanked Seung-yeon as they passed.

After most people had left, Sa Seung-yeon stood beside Lee Il-seo. Just then, Lee Soo-heon approached Sa Seung-yeon and bowed deeply.

“Sunbae. Hello, I’m Lee Soo-heon.”

“What’s with the ‘sunbae’?”

Sa Seung-yeon smiled with crinkled eyes. It was that pretty, false smile of his.

“Soo-heon-ssi, you’re even older than me.”

“Come on, but you debuted before me. I’m a real fan! I’ve watched ‘Incomprehensible Relationship’ at least ten times.”

“Is that so? He’s my fan too. You two must have a lot to talk about.”

As Sa Seung-yeon gestured toward Lee Il-seo with a slight nod, Lee Soo-heon smiled even more broadly and said:

“Yes. But I’ve noticed Lee Il-seo-ssi tries to avoid talking about Sa Seung-yeon sunbae.”

“Well, we are dating after all. Lee Il-seo tends to be very cautious.”

Lee Il-seo glanced around nervously, clearly worried that someone might have heard their conversation. Though people nearby must have heard Sa Seung-yeon’s comment about them dating, nobody was looking their way, seemingly pretending not to have heard. Lee Il-seo urgently grabbed Sa Seung-yeon’s arm. Lee Soo-heon, equally taken aback, quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway, it’s truly an honor to meet you. Thank you for the drinks.”

Lee Soo-heon politely extended his hand for a handshake, but Sa Seung-yeon kept his hands in his pockets.

“Enjoy them.”

Sa Seung-yeon smiled as he walked past Lee Soo-heon, ignoring his outstretched hand. Lee Soo-heon looked stunned, but then shrugged it off after recalling Sa Seung-yeon’s friendly smile. Assuming they had simply missed the timing for a handshake, Lee Soo-heon rushed to the coffee truck before the drinks ran out. Lee Il-seo followed Sa Seung-yeon, shaking his head uncomfortably, recognizing the same unsettling demeanor Sa Seung-yeon had shown toward Park Jaeho.

Staff and cast members each received a drink from the coffee truck and took a short break. People clustered in various spots to escape the heat, replenishing their energy with cool beverages and sweet desserts. Lee Il-seo also got an orange juice from the truck and walked to Sa Seung-yeon’s van.

The van door opened, and Lee Il-seo sat beside Sa Seung-yeon. Placing his drink in the cup holder, Lee Il-seo spoke with a subtle tone of complaint,

“Why did you come without telling me?”

Instead of answering, Sa Seung-yeon pulled Lee Il-seo’s arm toward him and buried his nose in Lee Il-seo’s neck. Just as Lee Il-seo was about to return the embrace, Sa Seung-yeon pushed him away. Watching Lee Il-seo’s questioning gaze, Sa Seung-yeon slowly closed and opened his eyes. His dark eyes held a sharp edge unlike their usual tenderness.

“It’s still there.”

“What’s still there?”

“The pheromones are still there.”

“What pheromones?”

“That fucking alpha bastard’s pheromones are marked here, Lee Il-seo.”

Sa Seung-yeon pointed to the nape of Lee Il-seo’s neck, where Lee Soo-heon had given him the massage. Lee Il-seo quickly rubbed the area with his palm and responded,

“Oh, I-I didn’t know. I couldn’t sense it…”

As an Omega, Lee Il-seo wasn’t particularly sensitive to others’ pheromones. Occasionally he would detect a faint scent and realize it was pheromones, but being accustomed to Sa Seung-yeon’s extremely dominant scent, other people’s pheromones felt dim and weak to him. Habitually checking Sa Seung-yeon’s expression, Lee Il-seo lowered his eyebrows and asked,

“Are you angry?”

“What would I have to be angry at you about?”

Seeing a hint of a smile form on Sa Seung-yeon’s lips, Lee Il-seo was about to feel relieved when Sa Seung-yeon continued with a sweet smile,

“I just need to break that bastard’s wrist. He was even holding it out for me earlier.”

“You can’t do that…”

Sensing he might actually do it, Lee Il-seo tried to dissuade him, and Sa Seung-yeon smiled with crinkled eyes.

“Why not?”

Sa Seung-yeon asked innocently with a playful smile, like a child. Then he continued with another troublesome question,

“Are you taking Lee Soo-heon’s side?”

“No… of course not. If you break his wrist, you’ll be arrested… and then we won’t be able to see each other. We already don’t see each other often as it is…”

Whether it was innate or not, Lee Il-seo’s absurd reasoning (which he meant sincerely) somewhat eased Sa Seung-yeon’s irritation toward Lee Soo-heon. Sa Seung-yeon tapped Lee Il-seo’s slender chin with his finger and asked in a more serious tone than before,

“So if that guy makes a move on you, should you just let him or not?”

“It felt nice… I’m sorry. But he really did invite us both to get manual therapy together.”

“That’s exactly it. He knows we’re dating, yet he’s hitting on you, which means he thinks I’m a pushover.”

“He’s not flirting. He has someone he’s seeing, you know.”

“How many people in this industry don’t care about that? Especially around someone like you, they’re everywhere.”

Lee Il-seo faintly furrowed his brow and asked,

“What do you mean ‘someone like me’?”

“Incredibly beautiful but completely unaware of how you look. And the way you speak so gently, it’s arousing.”

Lee Il-seo made a disgusted face at Sa Seung-yeon’s crude language, which had become strangely vulgar due to his irritation. Sa Seung-yeon abruptly hugged Lee Il-seo and covered the faint pheromones Lee Soo-heon had left with his own by pressing his lips against Lee Il-seo’s neck.

“I came because I was worried. But it seems I’m just leaving with more worries.”

Sa Seung-yeon sighed. His chest, pressed against Lee Il-seo, was beating rapidly. Lee Il-seo placed his hand on Sa Seung-yeon’s back and stroked it. He didn’t really understand why Sa Seung-yeon was so worried. Honestly, though he couldn’t show it, the emotion of ‘insecurity’ was always closer to Lee Il-seo.

People who admired and idolized Sa Seung-yeon were incredibly common, so common that his initial confession had almost been easily forgotten. Lee Il-seo smiled bitterly and said,

“Don’t worry. You’re all I have.”

Just then, someone knocked on the van door. Freed from Sa Seung-yeon’s embrace, Lee Il-seo saw Choi Kyung-hyun standing outside and lowered his eyes. It seemed the break time was already over. Feeling once again how time flew when he was with Sa Seung-yeon, Lee Il-seo looked at him with eyes full of reluctance.

“I don’t want to go.”

“I don’t want to let you go either.”

Sa Seung-yeon left a short, intense kiss on Lee Il-seo’s cheek and lips as he smiled. Lee Il-seo breathed in Sa Seung-yeon’s scent deeply and got out of the car. Sa Seung-yeon also got out to escort Lee Il-seo to the entrance of the filming site.

As Choi Kyung-hyun, Lee Il-seo, and Sa Seung-yeon walked together, a woman hesitantly approached them.

“Hello, I’m Choi Eun-soo, an extra who’s about to leave.”

The woman, with flushed cheeks, handed Lee Il-seo a pink paper bag.

“Lee Il-seo-ssi, I’m such a huge fan! These are tangerine tarts. I heard you like tangerines in your interview, so I brought them. I thought I might miss you… please try them.”

Lee Il-seo’s eyes widened as he accepted the paper bag containing the gift. A brand logo he recognized well was imprinted on the bag.

“Wow, this place! I heard there’s always a long line since they opened in the department store. You bought these for me?”

“Yes! I lined up at opening!”

Seeing Lee Il-seo’s delight, the fan also jumped up and down with joy.

“Thank you so much. I’ll enjoy them.”

“There’s a letter inside too.”

“I’ll make sure to read it.”

After briefly greeting the fan, they walked toward the filming location, and Kyung-hyun reached out for the gift Lee Il-seo was holding.

“Give it here.”

Watching Lee Il-seo docilely hand over the dessert he had been so excited about, Sa Seung-yeon said to Kyung-hyun,

“Why are you taking away something the kid wants to eat?”

Ignoring Sa Seung-yeon’s comment, Kyung-hyun tore off the sticker on the paper bag’s opening and asked Lee Il-seo,

“Are you going to eat it right away?”

“Yes. I want to share it with everyone.”

“Alright, I’ll check it quickly.”

Sensing something oddly disconcerting in their conversation, Sa Seung-yeon tilted his head.

“What exactly are you checking?”

“Did you already forget about that incident? You know, when some crazy woman put—”

“Kyung-hyun hyung!”

Lee Il-seo urgently cut off Choi Kyung-hyun’s words, and Choi Kyung-hyun finally realized that Lee Il-seo had hidden the box cutter terror incident from Sa Seung-yeon. Choi Kyung-hyun found himself in an awkward position. While he worried that his loose lips had caused more trouble, he also thought it remarkable that Lee Il-seo hadn’t mentioned such an important incident even to Sa Seung-yeon, who lived with him.

Reading the uncomfortable silence between Lee Il-seo and Choi Kyung-hyun, the temperature in Sa Seung-yeon’s eyes dropped.

“Something happened, didn’t it?”

“No, well…”

“Either of you, finish the story.”

The atmosphere around Sa Seung-yeon changed instantly. Choi Kyung-hyun scratched the back of his head as he alternately studied Lee Il-seo’s and Sa Seung-yeon’s expressions.

Even though Lee Il-seo tended to be stoic, not telling Sa Seung-yeon seemed excessive. After all, Sa Seung-yeon was Lee Il-seo’s partner, and the incident involved one of Sa Seung-yeon’s obsessive fans, so he should know. Believing that hiding things wasn’t the best approach in this situation, Choi Kyung-hyun finally related what had happened without omission.

“An obsessive fan of yours sent a blade inside a letter to Lee Il-seo. They wrote a fan letter pretending to be Il-seo’s fan. Il-seo opened it and hurt his hand.”

As the rather dryly delivered fact turned out to be more serious than expected, Sa Seung-yeon’s eye twitched and his complexion changed. He knew that his obsessive fans, no, they couldn’t even be called fans, just crazy people, had severely insulted Lee Il-seo after the pregnancy news. He had been furious when he later found out that Lee Il-seo had been hit with eggs by one of his fans. When he had questioned Lee Il-seo about it, Lee Il-seo had said a lawsuit was already in progress so he shouldn’t worry, but Sa Seung-yeon had rather resented the existence of the law. He wanted to personally catch them and kill them, regardless of the law.

“Anyway, that’s why I check everything before giving it to Lee Il-seo now.”

“And those people are gone now.”

Watching Lee Il-seo try to downplay the situation with frantic gestures, Sa Seung-yeon moved closer and asked,

“When did this happen?”

“A while ago.”

“It would have been after the pregnancy news last year. When exactly?”

At his increasingly ominous tone, Lee Il-seo finally bit his lip before answering truthfully,

“Around the time I was staying at your place. It was just a small scratch.”

“Were you hurt?”

“Ah, yes. Just a scratch.”

The memory of Lee Il-seo with a bandage on his finger flashed through Sa Seung-yeon’s mind. Several indescribable expressions crossed his face. Anger, regret, and even a hint of fear. If his memory was correct, Il-seo had collapsed with bleeding on the day he said his finger was scratched.

So flustered he didn’t know what to say, Sa Seung-yeon bit his lip and grabbed Lee Il-seo’s shoulders with both hands.

“Why did you hide something so serious?”

“I wasn’t really in my right mind then. I’m sorry…”

Lee Il-seo had been busy apologizing since earlier. But Sa Seung-yeon didn’t want to hear Lee Il-seo’s apologies.

“Um… Sa Seung-yeon-ssi. Lee Il-seo needs to get back to filming, so how about you both collect yourselves and continue this conversation later?”

At Choi Kyung-hyun’s intervention, Sa Seung-yeon released Lee Il-seo’s shoulders. Lee Il-seo examined Sa Seung-yeon with anxious eyes before bowing his head. His chocolate-colored eyes, staring intensely, seemed about to overflow with emotion. His pheromones also faintly conveyed his anxiety.

When Sa Seung-yeon made no response, Lee Il-seo bit his lip and started walking toward the filming location. Watching Lee Il-seo’s retreating figure, Sa Seung-yeon gritted his teeth, then took wide strides to catch up. He grabbed Lee Il-seo’s wrist and turned him around, surprising him. Immediately, he cupped Lee Il-seo’s cheek and brought their faces together.

“……”

“……”

Their lips met briefly with a soft sound. Choi Kyung-hyun was startled and looked around, but fortunately, the quiet parking lot was empty. He pressed his forehead and stepped away from the couple. Though it happened often, it was still hard to get used to.

“Lee Il-seo.”

“…Yes.”

“I’m not angry.”

“……”

Seeing him still intimidated, Sa Seung-yeon explained in an even gentler voice,

“I’m worried and shocked, that’s all. If it felt like I was scolding you, I’m sorry.”

“…Yes.”

Finally, Lee Il-seo’s frozen expression softened a bit, and relief settled in his previously empty eyes. Since there was no need to leave negative emotions when parting, Sa Seung-yeon gave Lee Il-seo’s head a gentle stroke along with a simple smile. As Lee Il-seo nodded with a meek response, Sa Seung-yeon said,

“Focus on filming for now. Let’s talk later.”

“Yes. Drive safely.”

Sa Seung-yeon returned to the van only after watching Lee Il-seo enter the filming site. After checking that the coffee truck had been cleared away, Hwan got into the driver’s seat and quietly drove off, observing through the rearview mirror as Sa Seung-yeon stared out the window, lost in thought.

***

[Sunbae. Can I come over?]

One o’clock in the morning. As soon as filming was over, Il-seo called. It seemed like he couldn’t help but worry, even though he was told not to. In response to his cautious question, Sa Seung-yeon said he had been waiting, and a small laugh of relief was heard through the receiver.

Close to 2 AM, the sound of someone entering the passcode and coming into the apartment was heard. Sa Seung-yeon, already waiting in the entryway, lightly embraced Lee Il-seo, who arrived with the warmth of summer on his earlobes.

“Did the filming go well?”

“Yes.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Just a bit thirsty.”

Sa Seung-yeon prepared a cool orange tea with homemade orange syrup. Knowing the tea needed time to steep, Lee Il-seo quickly showered in the meantime. As soon as he sat down, he gulped down more than half of the richly brewed tea.

Watching Lee Il-seo put on one of Sa Seung-yeon’s home t-shirts and sit beside him with his still-damp body was endearing in its natural, casual intimacy. As Sa Seung-yeon wiped away a droplet of water falling from Lee Il-seo’s nape to his collarbone, Lee Il-seo turned to him and suddenly brought up what had happened that afternoon.

“I’m sorry for hiding it from you.”

As expected. He must have been thinking about it all this time. It was heartbreaking to think that this foolishly kind person had been agonizing over it all day. Sa Seung-yeon intertwined his fingers with Lee Il-seo’s and lifted the corners of his mouth.

“That’s not what I want to hear from you.”

“But I hid it… that was wrong of me.”

“No. Whether you didn’t tell me or couldn’t tell me, you had your reasons. That’s not something to apologize for.”

Of course, Sa Seung-yeon had also been thinking after sending Lee Il-seo back to the filming site. He knew this wasn’t about changing the values of a twenty seven year old Lee Il-seo. Rather than dwelling on an irreversible past, he needed to think about their future together.

When Lee Il-seo just looked at Sa Seung-yeon with a troubled expression, Sa Seung-yeon pulled Lee Il-seo’s hand to his cheek.

“I don’t need an apology. I need Lee Il-seo’s love.”

“I like you, sunbae. No, I really love you.”

Sa Seung-yeon smiled gently at Lee Il-seo’s confession as he firmly cupped his cheek.

“I know.”

“But why…”

“Why what?”

“You still look upset.”

Upset. Sa Seung-yeon smiled with the corners of his eyes at Lee Il-seo’s expression. The guy’s innocence in expressing the feeling that he wanted to find the person who sent the box cutter to Lee Il-seo and press down on each of their fingers with the box cutter as ‘upset’ felt particulary unpleasant today.

Sa Seung-yeon leaned his face deeper into Lee Il-seo’s hand and slowly parted his lips.

“As you know, I’ve given you wounds that can’t be washed away. And I often face your wounds like this later on. Today is just one of those times.”

Sa Seung-yeon’s dark eyes, taking in Lee Il-seo, caught the light and sparkled.

“I think you hid it because it was awkward and difficult. Because it’s in the past, because you’ve already healed, because you’re fine.”

It was true, so Lee Il-seo nodded.

“That’s what upsets me. That I couldn’t be with you during those past times when you were worrying and hurting alone. It’s something I can’t fix by turning back time, so why would I be angry with you? If I should be angry at anyone, it should be myself, right?”

Seung-yeon smiled and took Il-seo’s hand away from his cheek, kissed his palm briefly. When his soft lips touched and fell away, the inside of Il-seo’s stomach also tingled.

“But I’m anxious.”

Sa Seung-yeon’s anxiety was about Lee Il-seo, who hid his sharp edges. Lee Il-seo, who suffered alone until those edges were blunted, only then subtly revealing them. Sa Seung-yeon was always hurt not by the edges, but by that blunted, rounded heart.

Grasping those sharp corners wasn’t scary at all. He could hold them and rub them smooth countless times. But when he belatedly confronted wounds that had already healed unevenly, it felt like his skin was being torn apart by a dull knife.

“If you asked for help, there would be things I could do. But when you only show me that you’ve already healed, I don’t know what more to do for you.”

“……”

“I always want to be something to you. I want to remain as some kind of presence different from others, but why does Lee Il-seo treat me with the same difficulty as everyone else?”

Sa Seung-yeon placed his hand over Lee Il-seo’s remaining hand and took a moment to catch his breath.

“At times like that, I worry whether Lee Il-seo doesn’t fully trust me yet.”

Lee Il-seo’s brown eyes trembled. While there were painful parts in Sa Seung-yeon’s confession that revealed a rocky past love, his desire for Lee Il-seo’s love to be uncommon was so unfamiliar and precious. Looking at Lee Il-seo’s complexly rippling gaze, Sa Seung-yeon spoke honestly.

“I wish the Lee Il-seo who is mature, composed, and brave with everyone else wouldn’t be that way with me alone. Because I read love in the side of Lee Il-seo that only I get to see.”

Lee Il-seo’s eyes lingered long on Sa Seung-yeon’s. Their fingers had naturally entwined. The tips of their hands, infused with lukewarm warmth, gently caressed each other’s skin.

“What I want is Lee Il-seo, who reveals even his pain completely. Not just the good parts of you, but the complete you with all your worn and bruised places.”

Sa Seung-yeon’s hand squeezed Lee Il-seo’s firmly.

“From now on, let’s hurt together.”

“From now on…”

The word that Lee Il-seo likes to say about the future. As expected, he follows along in a small voice. Along with the ticklish voice, Il-seo’s hand also gripped Seung-yeon’s hand tightly.

“Let’s share everything, happiness, sadness, pain, injustice, anger. Don’t leave me lonely.”

At Sa Seung-yeon’s voice, which trailed off as if being coy, Lee Il-seo burst into laughter with one eye closed. But strangely, he felt like he was going to cry for some reason. He had been constantly anxious that the incident might be discovered, but he never dreamed that Sa Seung-yeon, far from being angry, would ask for more love. The tension that had built up all day melted away like snow, making the inside of his nose tingle.

Lee Il-seo suddenly buried himself in Sa Seung-yeon’s chest. He just wanted to hold him tightly, to bring their hearts close. Not knowing how to convey his true feelings, he wanted to at least bring their hearts physically close. Both their hearts were beating pleasantly fast, to the point where it was hard to tell whose was whose.

“Yes. I’ll… try to be more demanding.”

Sa Seung-yeon also tilted his head back and laughed softly at Lee Il-seo’s rather cute word choice that revealed his struggle. The sound of that laughter shook Lee Il-seo’s chest. As if by agreement, Sa Seung-yeon’s lips met Lee Il-seo’s. Lee Il-seo’s soft tongue immediately entwined with his, still carrying the sweet taste of tangerine tea.

***

Lee Il-seo boarded the van while waiting for Choi Kyung-hyun in the parking lot. Having spent the entire early morning intertwined with Sa Seung-yeon, Lee Il-seo’s lower back was stiff, and he barely suppressed a groan as he fastened his seatbelt. Watching Lee Il-seo’s languid movements through the rearview mirror, Choi Kyung-hyun furrowed his brow and asked,

“Tired?”

“I’m fine… Huh?”

As Lee Il-seo was about to reply with a yawn that he was fine, something caught his eye. Unlike usual, someone large was sitting in the passenger seat. Recognizing the stranger, Lee Il-seo’s eyes widened, interrupting his yawn.

“Jae-won-ssi?”

Kim Jae-won was one of the employees of the security company contracted by Ondo Entertainment.

“Is something happening today?”

Lee Il-seo, who only had security guards when there were events with large crowds or close fan interactions, couldn’t hide his surprise at suddenly finding him in the van.

“No, Jae-won will be your dedicated security from now on.”

“Dedicated? You mean 24 hours?”

“Yes. That’s how it is now.”

“What do you mean that’s what happened? What’s going on?”

Had Kang Hyung-won come to the company with threats? But that was impossible since he was in prison. As Lee Il-seo’s eyes grew anxious, exploring other potentially dangerous possibilities, Choi Kyung-hyun finally spoke up.

“Oh, really! Both you and Sa Seung-yeon need to stop keeping secrets from me. I’m dying stuck in the middle…!”

The truth that Choi Kyung-hyun grumbled out was this: After learning about the box cutter terror incident yesterday, Sa Seung-yeon had contacted CEO Kim Jin-hong while Lee Il-seo was filming.

Sa Seung-yeon’s request was to personally hire one of Ondo Entertainment’s security guards to accompany Lee Il-seo. In response to Sa Seung-yeon’s proposal, CEO Kim had discussed it with the security team, filtered potential candidates, and sent their profiles to Sa Seung-yeon, who selected Kim Jae-won as Lee Il-seo’s dedicated security guard.

“You just need to know that the company provided you with a dedicated security guard. Though Sa Seung-yeon is the one who hired him.”

“I look forward to working with you.”

“Yes, I… look forward to working with you too.”

Kim Jae-won’s quick greeting prompted Lee Il-seo to bow his head automatically, but his unsettled feelings remained. While the box cutter incident had indeed been shocking, there hadn’t been any such extreme incidents recently. The malicious comments from some of Sa Seung-yeon’s fans had been decreasing, thanks to the company’s aggressive responses.

“Haah…”

Shaking his head at Sa Seung-yeon’s overprotectiveness, Lee Il-seo took out his script. Since Sa Seung-yeon’s stubbornness was unbreakable once he took action, Lee Il-seo decided to accept the dedicated security guard with a half-resigned heart.

Upon arriving at the filming location, Lee Il-seo immediately prepared to start. Today’s script again had many lines, including technical terminology, so he carefully practiced his pronunciation several times and moistened his throat with warm water.

“Ready, action!”

They filmed a scene where Lee Il-seo and Lee Soo-heon visited a client together. It was a scene that highlighted Lee Il-seo’s supporting role. Without overshadowing Lee Soo-heon’s presence, Lee Il-seo needed to find clues to solve the problem. He delivered his lines flawlessly, eyes sparkling.

“Okay, cut! That was good.”

After reviewing the footage, Lee Il-seo received praise from the director for his diction, which lifted his mood slightly. He gulped down the cool orange-ade that Choi Kyung-hyun had prepared, feeling revived. As the days grew hotter, outdoor filming alone drained his energy, but the refreshing sensation of the cold drink sliding down his throat seemed to instantly recharge him. Lee Il-seo continued drinking while fanning his face with a small fan.

That’s when Lee Soo-heon approached. He too held an iced coffee, and clinked their cups together as if making a toast.

“Do you have plans this evening?”

“No, I don’t.”

“How about going to a gamjatang restaurant together? The director and Yi-chan-ssi are coming too.”

Apparently, a dinner among the male leads had been arranged. When Lee Il-seo asked how they had settled on a gamjatang place, Lee Soo-heon showed him his phone with over a thousand user reviews.

“It’s right in the next neighborhood. A genuine hidden gem with over 20 years of history.”

Although not particularly fond of after-parties, it would have been awkward to skip an event with the main cast. There would likely be important discussions about the filming direction, so it seemed better to attend. Lee Soo-heon smiled brightly as Lee Il-seo nodded and agreed.