SWAP 40

Seoul’s gaze became confused. No matter how much he racked his memory, the scene of Seo Saheon talking to those two wouldn’t come to mind. Not at home, not when playing games with the production crew, not even when eating together at a restaurant.

A little while ago was the same.

The conversation in the car, strictly speaking, wasn’t them talking to each other, but each of them just talked to Seoul. He wondered why he hadn’t noticed it until now, but this was why. Since they were using him as a midpoint to ping-pong, it was natural that Seoul, caught in the middle, couldn’t figure it out.

What is it?

Seoul, with a strange expression, quietly observed the three standing together from a distance.

To say it was because they were uncomfortable, there was no particular sign of that. While Saheon was a bit shy, Yun Hyeok and Ye Juyeol didn’t seem to be that type at all.

Come to think of it, they hadn’t even dropped honorifics yet. There was no agreement on how to address each other. Everyone had only done it with him, and Seo Saheon was listening indifferently. Seoul recalled that neither Yun Hyeok nor Ye Juyeol had made any suggestions to such a Saheon, and he tilted his head, furrowing his brows. Even Ye Juyeol, who seemed to have a perfect score in sociability, doing that was a bit strange, let alone Yun Hyeok.

What exactly is the problem…?

The sight of the three looking at each other as if they were strangers now seemed strangely serious. If it were a private setting, he wouldn’t know, but thinking that it would be broadcast made him unnecessarily worried.

Should I just ask them directly, he pondered, when Saheon, who had received the cart from Yun Hyeok’s hand, approached him. He said they would go separately, so it seemed they intended to split into two groups like this. Yun Hyeok, who had Ye Juyeol dangling from the cart like a keychain, as Ye Juyeol showed no sign of getting up, asked Seoul again.

“Hyung, then we’ll focus on snacks and treats. Is there anything you want to eat?”

“We’re fine, so you two pick what you like. Is there anything you can’t eat? Like allergies or something.”

“Not a single thing. We eat everything well except what we can’t, so you can buy whatever you like, hyung.”

“Hmm…, alright. Oh. Can you grab two bottles of Pocari if they have it?”

“Yes. Then we’ll see you later.”

Once they decided what to buy, the rest was just picking things out. Seoul watched Yun Hyeok’s back slowly moving away, then turned his head to find Saheon quietly waiting for him. Naturally taking possession of the cart, he only opened his mouth after their eyes met.

“Where do you want to go first?”

“…Let’s buy ham first.”

Since the menu was already decided, choosing wasn’t difficult. Seoul walked straight through the aisles, briefly deliberating, then decided to just ask outright. The camera filming them bothered him a little, but if any problems arose, the production crew would edit it out themselves.

“Saheon.”

“Yeah.”

“Why don’t you talk to the kids?”

It was a direct question, thrown without beating around the bush.

At the unfiltered question, the cart Saheon was pushing jerked, then stopped. His face, turning to Seoul as if he hadn’t expected him to ask that outright, was crooked. It looked like he’d been caught playing a mischievous trick, or perhaps his expression was simply devoid of any particular thought.

“I just did.”

“Besides that. Shaking hands once in the morning was the end of it.”

“Was it?”

“Are you perhaps awkward?”

Awkward? Saheon raised the ends of his eyebrows as if he’d heard something very out of the blue. Then he immediately curved his eyes and let out a short laugh. He thought, ‘How did that simpleton figure it out? So she was paying attention to that kind of thing, I guess.’

Well, it wasn’t an entirely strange idea. Lee Seoul had long been mistaken that Seo Saheon was the shy type. Still, he had hoped to trick him for a few more days, so it was a shame. Because knowing and observing only the corners that no one else knew was one of Seo Saheon’s bad habits. He was always infinitely sensitive to others, but when it came to him, he had a habit of being clumsy, which made it even more so.

So, what should he do here? The wheels, gliding over the smooth floor, made a grating, unpleasant screeching sound. Saheon, who was about to pretend to be a simpleton as usual, saying, ‘Yes, I’m awkward, Seoul,’ suddenly changed his mind. He realized that in the current atmosphere, it would be counterproductive.

It’s obvious. Lee Seoul would surely secretly watch for cues in the middle. Then he would try to create opportunities for them to become closer. Saheon immediately opened his mouth, seeing the future clearly without even having to look.

“It would be the opposite.”

Rather than that, it was better to just draw a clear line openly.

Feeling Seoul’s gaze, Saheon unreservedly clarified the situation.

“You know, my confirmation bias.”

“…”

“Rather, I’m relieved that both of them have no particular reaction. It’s much more comfortable than overly pretending to be close.”

‘You know too. There’s no one sane among the people who like me.’

Creak—the cart turned a corner. His expression, casually reminding him of words he had once babbled, was bored. Lee Seoul always tried to turn on the exhaust fan, calling it confirmation bias, but then as now, Seo Saheon’s thoughts remained unchanged. Should he call it birds of a feather? Since he was young, he had been uniquely entangled with such screw loose individuals, so he knew it well. The swarming creatures, like insects, would always reappear somewhere, no matter how much poison he spread or how many pesticides he sprayed.

In fact, a long, incised wound still existed on Seo Saheon’s palm. He had given Lee Seoul the absurd reason that he got it while peeling fruit, but in reality, it was just a knife fight. Even now, whenever he thought about that time, heat would build up in the back of his neck, and Saheon unnecessarily flexed and unflexed his palm once.

Given this situation, at some point, he simply treated it like a disease. A disease that attracts bad people of the same kind even when he does nothing. So to speak, insectivorous humans, like Nepenthes or Rafflesia. The netizens’ judgment, ‘Saheon measurement,’ was in a sense very accurate. Because 99% of the people who flirted with him indeed had problems somewhere.

Yes, for example, Lee Seoul’s manager, that kind of guy.

“Saheon.”

Saheon, who had been lost in thought for a moment, lowered his gaze at the affectionate voice.

Concern was already filling his eyes, which had pretty upturned corners.

Who was worrying about whom, he wondered. He almost reached out to rub his smooth forehead with his fingertips but stopped himself once. He knew that if others expressed them, these emotions would mean nothing to him. Whether it was worry or pity, or even worse things, the fact that it was alright if it came from Lee Seoul struck him as suddenly amusing, and Saheon twisted his lips.

Leaving Ye Juyeol and Yun Hyeok alone was in the same context.

If he placed himself and Lee Seoul on the same line, it was natural for his interest to lean towards that side. Actions that stuck too close to Lee Seoul were annoying, but they were just kids, weren’t they? He let it go with that thought, but if it had been the opposite, he would have taken a different stance.

Looking into Lee Seoul’s face, who didn’t know that the current situation was the best, Saheon opened his mouth playfully. He inwardly affirmed that they would probably never become close.

“Oh. Why do you keep calling me? You’re not buying the ham you’re supposed to and neglecting your duty, Lee Seoul. Are you going to live here?”

“…”

“Then I’ll live here too.”

The natural response should have been that he would abandon him and leave, but Saheon, who didn’t utter such a hypothetical scenario even as a joke, tapped the railing of the display shelf. Seoul, who had already prepared to listen, was only bewildered by the attitude that his comments about the two of them ended right there.

Is this it? He hesitated, wondering if there wasn’t more to talk about, when Saheon, not holding back a second time, reached out his hand. Firm fingertips pressed against his slightly furrowed brow, and Seoul finally relaxed his expression, muttering like a sigh.

“Buying ham isn’t a duty. Are you going to keep sending me to court?”

“If you feel wronged, we can go there together.”

“The court isn’t a department store… What crime will you go for?”

“Best friend abandonment.”

“…Just put the ham behind you in. Two of them. The ones with brown lids.”

Let’s just not talk about it. Seoul, whose face instantly became enlightened, gave up on arguing and pointed to the canned hams displayed by brand. Still, it was a relief that he didn’t seem uncomfortable, he thought. He was a type with clear likes and dislikes, so in fact, this level of reaction was a good start.

Saheon seemed to have no particular thoughts, so Seoul, who was wondering if he should talk to the other two as well, soon decided to put his worries aside. It was still the first day, and… if he brought up the topic unnecessarily, it might become even more awkward. It seemed better to observe the atmosphere appropriately and intervene when he felt it really wasn’t working out.

At the time, Seoul didn’t know.

How much Ye Juyeol and Yun Hyeok’s fans had trembled with anxiety during this scene when it would be aired later.

Wishing for a scandal to be sensationalized rather than their celebrities becoming friends with Seo Saheon, they simply shed tears of relief at the sight of the three ignoring each other. Oh, oh. You’re doing great, kids. Please, please don’t even exchange contact information until this ends, seriously, please…