SWAP 50

There was no need to check who it was. Saheon, who had long since placed his phone down on the table, replied without even looking toward Yun Hyeok. It was Seoul who felt absurd at that brazen voice. If it were Ye Juyeol, he could understand it as fan sentiment, but Seo Saheon was different.

“Saheon, do you even know what a hobby means?”

“I do. It’s something I like.”

“That’s right, but why would you write my name after it? Hmm?”

“Because watching the stuff you filmed when you were a kid is fun.”

“Hey….”

Realizing he was being teased, Seoul glared at him slightly, but Saheon just smirked back with a face that said What are you going to do about it? Seoul always gave his best during filming, but he too had works that he considered his own “dark history.” This was entirely separate from how others evaluated them; it even included representative works that made others wonder, Wait, why that role?

And Seo Saheon knew all of them.

They had always monitored his work together, and since Saheon was more sensitive to Seoul’s reactions than anyone else, it would be stranger if he didn’t know. Becoming chilled at the thought that Saheon might suggest watching one of those, Seoul grumbled like a sigh.

“There are so many other hobbies, why that one specifically….”

“What other hobbies.”

“…Collecting shoes?”

“What, you want the four of us to go buy shoes?”

“…….”

Mm, I guess that’s a bit much.

After deliberating, Seoul finally added another hobby.

“Jogging.”

“I told you. That’s why I did it yesterday.”

Thinking back to the hellish “Corn Run” incident, Seoul naturally shut his mouth. It was more rational to give up those 5 coins than to make everyone do that together. Then, what else was there? At this point, a sense of stubbornness kicked in. As Seoul tried to recall Saheon’s other hobbies, his expression became peculiar. No matter how much he racked his brain, nothing else came to mind.

“…….”

As if reading Seoul’s expression, Saheon turned his head askew with a triumphant look and tapped his phone screen with his fingertip.

He was essentially saying it was unfair to be suspected when his only sin was giving an honest interview. Since Saheon found the act of talking about himself to be the most bothersome thing in the world, it was a protest he was well within his rights to make.

Please make sure to fill in all the blanks without exception.

Even while filling out the survey handed to him with that request, Lee Seoul wouldn’t know that Saheon’s pen had hesitated dozens of times.

It wasn’t because he was agonizing over the answers.

It was just because there were no words to fill them with.

Among the sections, the “Hobby” column had no words to the point that one corner had turned black from his constant tapping of the pen nib. He was told to write down things he liked, but he couldn’t write the one thing there was.

Jogging? Honestly, if you look into it, that wasn’t a hobby. It was an exercise started as part of treatment because the counselor recommended it and Lee Seoul had made a huge fuss while crying. Now, it had settled in like a routine and he just ran, but it wasn’t an act he did because he particularly liked it. The shoe collecting that Seoul firmly believed in was actually just a pretext to display the gifts the guy gave him instead of throwing them away.

Then, watching movies?

That was truly just Lee Seoul’s hobby.

Ever since they were young, Seoul loved watching various works and various actors following that woman’s taste. When Seoul sat in front of the large TV, oblivious to his neck being craned, Saheon would just sit beside him, checking the clock and busy half-napping with a bored face.

Would that kind of taste change just because they grew up?

He didn’t nap like back then, but he still swallowed his yawns just the same. Then why did he stubbornly stick by his side? Simply because Lee Seoul liked it. When they watched the same movie together and discussed their impressions after the credits rolled, Seoul’s eyes would sparkle like glass marbles. Even though most of the impressions Seo Saheon offered were short and pathetic.

Thus, the only moments Saheon wasn’t bored were eventually when he was watching a movie featuring Lee Seoul. He was uninterested in everything else, so for it to be called a hobby, the parentheses at the back had to follow to make it complete. But since he couldn’t explain all of that, he had no choice but to be a little wronged for a moment today.

Swallowing his murky inner thoughts, Saheon’s gaze turned toward Seoul again.

Feeling pleased at the sight of Seoul being so engrossed in his thoughts despite nothing else coming to mind, Saheon reached out his hand for no reason.

Instead of asking what he was worrying about, Saheon just poked Seoul’s cheek once and stood up from his seat. Since he had received the message just as the meal was ending, the smell of the uncleaned food had been bothering him for a while. It felt like the “Hope You Get Closer” thing or whatever could only happen after organizing the messy table in front of them, so he picked up the empty plates.

Only then did the others try to get up one by one, so he signaled with his eyes that it was fine.

“I’ll take care of the cleanup, so you three decide what to do today.”

“Oh, but still….”

“I’m fine with anything, so don’t worry about me.”

He meant it. Since Seoul was someone who was quite reluctant to face strangers, whether it was climbing or pottery, it wasn’t a bad choice. Plus, they were all indoor activities. Because humans had used the Earth so roughly, the weather outside was currently reaching a high of 26°C even though it was mid-May. Since he, who had been running outside until a moment ago, knew that best, he turned away as if there were nothing more to say.

It was just after he had moved all the remaining dishes and turned on the water.

Holding the water cup he had been gripping the whole time, Seoul scurried over to stand beside Saheon.

Thinking Seoul was about to soak the cup, Saheon reached out his wet hand, but after a moment of deliberation, Seoul spoke.

“We can just make more hobbies.”

“…What?”

When Saheon asked back because he couldn’t understand the meaning for a second, this time Seoul opened his mouth without hesitation.

“I’ll help you find them, so don’t feel wronged.”

“…….”

“Those kinds of things happen quickly. There are so many fun things in the world.”

…So, about that, I’ve been thinking. Starting like that, Seoul began to recite new hobbies in a detailed, kind voice. He said they had played only inside the house too much until now, so they should go see the outside world together.

You’re good with your hands, so you’d be good at woodworking. Or they say there’s leather crafting. If you don’t like static activities, sports are okay too. Do you know kitesurfing? It’s a combination of paragliding and surfing, and it looks fun. You like the ocean, anyway. You know how to surf, so wouldn’t you be able to learn it easily?

Without even thinking of handing over the cup he was holding, Saheon just quietly thought this while listening to that voice continuing for a long time.

Yeah, it’s all good. Since my hobby is you anyway.

X

The course for today, decided after a blood-splattering discussion, was climbing—Ye Juyeol’s hobby. This was due to the claimant’s argument that if they were going to achieve all the hobbies anyway, it was better to finish the most grueling activity on the first day.

Hearing it, it was a plausible point. Furthermore, wasn’t it true that only the weekly event had been revealed and the “Bestie of the Day” mission hadn’t even rung yet? They whispered that they didn’t know what kind of bizarre mission might come out and decided to change clothes and come out first.

“Since you might get scratched by the holds, wear long pants instead of shorts! Something comfortable…!”

“Okay, I get it.”

He wasn’t sure what those “holds” were, but Seoul nodded for now and returned to the room with Saheon. Since choosing Saheon’s outing clothes was his responsibility, he stood in front of the suitcase immediately. Inside the suitcase, where miscellaneous items had all been taken out, only the two men’s clothes were neatly organized. Seoul, glancing at the closet that would be empty, let out a small sigh. He’d hate it if I told him to just hang them up….

“…….”

He deliberated for a moment but gave up because it felt like it would only upset Saheon.

Since he had brought only clothes that didn’t wrinkle easily just in case, it didn’t matter.

Seoul, trying to view the situation positively, chose an outfit that allowed for maximum comfort during activity. He was glad it was the season for thin clothes, so he could bring various styles.

It was just as he moved a step toward Saheon with the words that he should wear this.

A loud notification sound suddenly burst out from Saheon’s phone.

“…What? A mission?”

Seoul asked, startled and stepping back. At this timing, the only thing that could be ringing was an exchange mission. A sense of tension rose within him for no reason. This was because if Saheon exchanged him, he might have to perform a penalty-like mission right this second without any choice.

Saheon, watching Seoul, clicked the push notification without a word.

Tap, tap. The sound of tapping the screen echoed in the room, and before long, Saheon, who had turned off the screen, reached out toward Seoul. Not knowing what it meant, Seoul just stared, and Saheon asked instead.

“…Aren’t you going to give me that? Should I go out like this?”

Ah. Seoul, regaining his senses a beat late, hurriedly handed the clothes to Saheon and said:

“Let’s not wear accessories today, just in case.”

“Okay.”

That part was fine, but Seoul, terrified because Saheon had stripped off his top without a moment’s hesitation as soon as he answered, shouted:

“Hey! Change in a place without cameras…!”

Saying so, he pushed Saheon’s back toward the bathroom. It was because he feared Saheon might strip off his bottoms in that same manner, even if the top was one thing. Fortunately, Saheon didn’t seem to have that intention and disappeared beyond the door as he was leisurely pushed away. Seoul, who was the only one break out in a cold sweat today as well, took a short breath and pulled out his own phone.

If Saheon had exchanged him, a notification would arrive soon.

Since he was the one who first suggested they just call it even since he planned to exchange him randomly, he had nothing to resent.

Having calmed his mind like that, Seoul waited for the sound effect to burst out again. Since it was better to get the beating over with early, it seemed more comfortable to just check the contents quickly now that things had turned out this way.

However, 10 seconds, 20 seconds… tick. Even as the minute changed, Seoul’s phone remained silent, and it remained the same thereafter.