SWAP 12

“…….”

The presence moved from the doorway toward the bed very slowly. Even after arriving nearby, the figure remained still for a long while, and only after some time did the edge of the mattress sink down. The surroundings were merely silent. Not even the sound of breathing could be heard, so Seoul slowly opened his eyes. His irises, adjusted to the darkness, caught a blurry shape in front of him.

Even though their eyes met, there was no conversation for a long time.

After confirming that Seoul was awake, Saheon did not seem particularly surprised. How long had they been looking at each other? Saheon, who had been looking down at Seoul with a dark gaze, spoke.

“I can’t sleep.”

“…….”

“I’m afraid you might go somewhere while I’m asleep.”

His tone was halfway to exhaustion. At the gloomy assumption offered as if that were the only thing he could explain, Seoul had to admit he had been too hasty. He realized how much Saheon had been shaken by his declaration, which had been closer to a notification. He realized that the words he kept repeating to himself—that everything was better now—were actually just his own greed.

“I’m sorry.”

“…….”

“I was too sudden. I thought you were okay now.”

Seoul, rising from where he had been lying, put his arms around the shoulders of Saheon, who was sitting there blankly. His touch as he patted the stiff back was as cautious as fitting together pieces of glass. Thinking that Saheon probably hadn’t been able to sleep for several days already, a corner of his heart tightened painfully.

It was because he knew that, despite appearances, Saheon had a fragile side.

“Let’s do as you said, Heon-ah. Slowly. So you don’t feel anxious…”

In the end, the one who lost this time was also Seoul.

His tightened heart crumbled at Saheon’s behavior as he rubbed his forehead against Seoul silently, like a dejected child. If someone had to suffer, it was right that it should be him. If he had known it would be like this, he would have taken more time to discuss it.

Sorry. As he muttered it once more, the weight shifted. He felt Saheon, who had relaxed his shoulders, leaning toward him little by little, so this time, Seoul’s shoulders tensed up firmly. Trying not to fall backward, Seoul whispered softly.

“So get some sleep now. Okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Do that variety show too. I’ll contact the CEO in the morning.”

“Yeah…”

The voice, with its end trailing off, sounded exactly like a sleepy whine.

Thinking that the suppressed drowsiness was finally rushing in, Seoul’s own breath hitched naturally. The hand patting the back became even gentler. If he were to fall asleep like this, it seemed better to let him sleep here.

While being careful not to wake him, the pouring weight increased. It was a bit burdensome, but he had no choice but to put strength into his waist. Should I really start exercising? Even if their physical builds were different, this was a bit damaging to his pride. To begin with, it was right for Seo Saheon to fix this bad habit, but it didn’t seem like that would happen…

Scrolling through the thoughts that followed one after another, Seoul added affectionately.

“Instead, once filming is over, we’ll start organizing things slowly. If it’s hard, let’s try getting counseling again. I’ll go with you, so don’t worry.”

He had heard the filming period was only two weeks, so if they coordinated the schedule from now on, it would be two or three months at most. He made the suggestion thinking that would be enough time, but Saheon gave no answer, as if he had already fallen asleep.

Are you sleeping? he asked quietly, but only the sound of low breathing returned, so he fell silent. He felt he should lay him down comfortably rather than in this awkward posture, but he gave up for fear of waking him. I should let him sleep a bit more. Looking around the pitch-black room, he thought it was a good thing he had turned off the lamp.

“…….”

That was why Seoul did not know.

That the eyes of Seo Saheon, whose cheek was resting on his shoulder, were already half-turned.

Staring at the slender nape of the neck, he habitually suppressed a sneer.

Counseling, my ass. He felt like he would only be satisfied if he used this opportunity to drive the nails in once and for all.

ㄨ

CEO Yeom, who received the call early in the morning, jumped as if he had received an unexpected gift. Since there had been no contact after four days, he thought it had fallen through as expected, but to have Seoul contact him directly saying he wanted to appear—and that he wanted to do it himself. This was an event that required checking with his own eyes to see if the sun had risen in the west.

On the other hand, feeling a chill at the fact that his hunch was right, he asked Seoul several times like a member of a 112 emergency dispatch team. Are you with Seo Saheon right now? Are you being threatened? If you’re not in a situation where you can answer truthfully, tap the speaker twice…

Since none of that applied, Seoul spent a long time denying it, and only after he finally took a photo of the deeply sleeping Saheon and sent it did CEO Yeom clear up the misunderstanding and speak in a highly excited voice.

— What’s this? You acted like you’d never do it even if you died, hmmm? Oh, you lovely thing…!

“…I’m not confident, but I’ll try my best.”

— Stop right there. You don’t have to do that. If you try any harder, you’ll get sick.

Seoul was diligent by nature. No matter how small a role he took, he would analyze the script until it was tattered, and it was basic for him to have even the opponent’s lines memorized. CEO Yeom, who knew well his tendency to immerse himself to a scary degree once he focused on something, hurried to stop him.

— You don’t have to do anything, so don’t overexert yourself. What the fans want to see is just what you usually do, what you eat… or even how you zone out? Things like that. PD Jeon Jae-yeon will take care of making the shots look good anyway, so there’s nothing to be nervous about.

“Well, that’s a relief then.”

— Oh boy, again, again… You don’t believe me right now, do you? How many times do I have to say it? Seoul, you are the pride of South Korea, the Man of Cannes! Huh? The nation’s top actor whom everyone knows just by hearing the three syllables of your name…!

“…….”

Here we go again.

Seoul, letting out a sigh that couldn’t be heard at the familiar introduction, pulled his ear away from the blaring speaker.

It was good that he cherished his actors dearly, but the problem was that he often gilded them too much like this. He wanted to wrap it up appropriately by saying I’m not that great, but if he did that, it would be the start of an ignition rather than a resolution.

Choosing silence wisely, Seoul looked at Saheon, who was burying his face in Seoul’s pillow.

He slept so well that he didn’t even toss or turn despite the noise.

Well, it was understandable since he had fallen asleep after several days, so Seoul aimlessly toyed with the messily tangled hair. He liked the fuzzy texture of the hair without wax. Even though he’s not a puppy…

While he was killing time blankly like that, CEO Yeom’s fawning speech ended.

— …Got it? You keep that in your heart too, Seoul. Ah, and I think I’ll have to check again to be sure… but they’ll probably go into the pre-interview right away, so be aware of that. All it took was for you to say okay. It’s a relief it’s during your break. That guy Seo Saheon is going to be worked to death, though.

“Why? Is he very busy?”

— He’s busy. He even has an overseas schedule in a week. I was so horrified when he asked me to cancel that too… He’s rejecting all the drama offers coming in, so it’s a headache. Why don’t you try talking to him about it?

Would he listen just because I say something? Because they didn’t touch each other’s main careers, Seoul’s reaction was lukewarm. He was surprised when Saheon, who had only been active as a model, suddenly said he was filming a drama one day… well, since the field of activity is expanding so widely these days, he just thought I see.

Instead, he was more curious about something else. Were you interested in acting too? When he pried and asked why he hadn’t told him if that was the case, Saheon answered in a voice lacking any particular enthusiasm.

‘Because you’re so obsessed with it, I was curious.’

It was absurd that he had accepted the casting for such a reason, but surprisingly, the reaction wasn’t bad. His first drama did so well, and every project he appeared in afterward was a hit. Even so, since he insisted on only minor or supporting roles even if it killed him, Seoul asked again because it was strange, and he said something like lead roles are for people who truly love acting.

It was funny how he was delicate in those aspects despite not having a lick of sensitivity.

“He’ll handle it. Won’t he say he wants to do it first if he sees a script that makes his heart race?”

— He doesn’t even look at scripts?

“That’s… since acting isn’t his main job… For me, it’s already amazing that he’s even working in the entertainment industry…”

— Hmmm….

CEO Yeom also fell silent, seemingly unable to deny those words. When a guy who was sensitive about his domain being invaded and who was so sick of being in the spotlight that he even hated people said he would debut in the entertainment industry, he had wondered if he was dreaming.

Now that he knew those foul inner intentions clearly, he had nothing to say.

Clumsily covering up what the party involved would never know even if he died and was reborn, CEO Yeom intentionally raised his voice.

— Right, right. Anyway, you’ll be busy starting tomorrow, so take a good look at his face while you can. I’ll call you again, Seoul.

What does he mean, take a good look at his face? Giggling at the funny phrasing, Seoul nodded and answered a beat late. “Yes, have a good day, CEO.” It was a plain greeting, but CEO Yeom, knowing the sincerity behind those words, let out a pleasant laugh.

Up to that point, he hadn’t thought much of it.

Even when he relayed the contents of the call to Saheon, who woke up late in the afternoon, only a dull reaction returned.

However, a few days later, Seoul had no choice but to realize that CEO Yeom’s words had not been an exaggeration.