SWAP 64

There was no need to look back. Just moments ago, he had been acting like a drill instructor, telling them to take this out or exclude that, but now his voice was full of playfulness. Toward Seo Saheon, who, instead of smashing that ridiculous lack of self-objectivity, had instead affirmed it with a boost, Ye Juyeol turned his head a beat late and asked in horror.

“Are you serious? You think Mister doesn’t suit melodramas? His whole face is filled with narrative, so why, why…?”

“Are you a member of Lee Seoul’s fan cafe?”

“Of couuourse. Naturally, I’m a member! I’m a… wait, that’s not it! I absolutely cannot agree with that opinion! If Mister acts, whether it’s a melodrama or a romantic comedy, everything will be a huge hit, so where exactly does he not suit it?”

Normally, Ye Juyeol would have just whimpered and backed down. However, regarding the future project activities of his ultimate favorite, he apparently could not retreat; he put strength into his large eyes and protested with all his might.

On the other hand, from Seo Saheon’s perspective, this wasn’t even worth a growling bark; it was just a pathetic outburst. Nevertheless, because it was a matter concerning Lee Seoul in a similar context, he asked Yun Hyeok with a measure of sincerity.

“Mr. Yun Hyeok, do you enjoy watching melodrama projects filmed by your friend?”

“Yes…?”

Because of that, only Yun Hyeok, who suddenly got caught in the crossfire, flinched. He had been a bystander thinking, He’s challenging him again… with the heart of a third party, but an arrow had suddenly flown his way. Unable to open his mouth immediately because he couldn’t tell the intention behind the question, Saheon glanced at him and added leisurely.

“A passionate melodrama starring Mr. Ye Juyeol with a deep narrative, leading to a kiss scene every time they make eye contact, and further to a bed scene. Do you want to watch that every week?”

“No?”

It was an answer that popped out before the question even passed through his brain. And belatedly, he thought, Oops, did I answer too fast? However, even if it had passed through his brain, the conclusion wouldn’t have changed, so Yun Hyeok was confident. No, I mean, just think about it.

My best friend’s passionate melodrama. And those scenes covered in kiss scenes… why on earth do I have to watch that? That jerk who usually acts like a screw is loose in front of me, laughing “hehe” and doing all sorts of crazy things, suddenly swapping his eyeballs for greasy ones and rubbing lips while talking about love and all that bullshit—really, really, why do I…? Just imagining it made him feel nauseous, and his complexion turned pale. Ugh.

However, as a professional idol, he added a refined answer instead of vomiting.

“That… I support him, but I don’t exactly… want to see it?”

“Yes. It’s similar for me.”

When Saheon agreed as if he knew he would say that, Ye Juyeol’s face beside him was stained with a sense of betrayal. Turning his body around with a movement of being utterly shocked, he made a crying face, asking how he could do that.

“Heyyy, Yun Hyeok…!”

“What. You flipped out too when you saw my music video during the keynote.”

“…”

There was… nothing to say to that. He’s usually building a wall against dating, but then he suddenly filmed a music video where he’s in a crazy relationship with first love A—how could anyone not laugh? They were the same, but since they wouldn’t admit it, a fight broke out between the two. Even though Saheon, the one who actually lit the fire, was peaceful.

Eventually, unable to watch any longer, Seoul poked Saheon in the ribs and whispered.

“Stop teasing the kids…”

“Why. Does our Seoul want to do a melodrama? Should I recite a review for every episode?”

At those words, Seoul tilted his chin slightly and stared intently at Saheon. He opened and closed his reddish lips, wiggling them a few times before finally speaking in a tired voice with a light sigh.

“Forget it…. I don’t really have any thoughts on it.”

“Right. Just do the projects you want to do. You said the heart racing is the most important thing.”

“…”

Seoul, who normally would have at least nodded, gave no reaction this time. Due to the strange feeling, Saheon’s eyes naturally narrowed. The criteria for choosing a script is just that one thing. Why is he keeping his mouth shut? It was a question blooming because he was the one who had experienced Lee Seoul’s “pulsation theory” more than anyone else.

He still remembered the young Seoul who, once upon a time, had pulled his wrist while reading a script by a director he had long anticipated.

The thumping pulsation, beating violently under the collarbone where the back of his hand touched, was so vivid that it had taken his breath away.

The reason he couldn’t urge him to just quit everything if it was that hard was also because of that. He couldn’t take away the thing he liked most just because the feelings of watching were painful. So, all he could do was apply medicine to the fingernails that had been bitten down. Feeding water to the kid who was so sensitive he couldn’t even swallow food was all Seo Saheon could manage.

But what is this?

Yesterday, he couldn’t look straight at the lens, and today, he keeps his mouth shut often as if he’s holding honey.

It was around the time Saheon’s gaze was becoming creepingly persistent at the points of contact that were getting on his nerves. Ye Juyeol and Yun Hyeok, who had been shouting at each other, chose a truce at the right timing and suggested they eat first.

Come to think of it, it was already nearly 12 o’clock. Since they planned to eat snacks while watching the movies, the four of them had a light meal of toast, fruit salad, and fried eggs that weren’t burnt. Naturally, it was Lee Seoul’s work.

“Alright! It’s starting! Hahaha.”

No sooner had the dining table been cleared than snacks were piled high on the living room table. I don’t know when they bought things like popcorn, nachos, and stone-grilled squid. Since I only paid and wasn’t interested in the list, is it natural? Seoul, with a resigned expression, took a spot in a corner of the sofa, and Saheon took the spot next to him as if it were natural.

The first screening that began like that was a docufiction filmed four years ago.

A low-budget debut work by a rookie director that Lee Seoul appeared in for no guarantee. I’m surprised they know this even though there weren’t many screening rooms. Seoul also had a look of novelty as if he had similar thoughts. Although they struggled quite a bit filming in winter, it was a movie Seoul liked enough to have watched several times at home.

Ye Juyeol, who I thought would be gushing the whole time because he was so excited, only threw out questions related to the project occasionally once the movie started.

“But did you really go into the reservoir there?”

“Yeah. I even did it with ice in my mouth.”

“Wow, it must have been cold. I also had a scene once where I fell into the sea? I think I was thrown in about five times…”

Thanks to that, Seoul, who had been quite tense, adjusted his posture with a much more comfortable face. Since Saheon was usually the only person he could share such stories with comfortably, he even seemed a bit excited. Sensing the atmosphere flowing not too badly, Saheon kept his mouth shut wisely. Seeing those sparkling eyes, he didn’t particularly want to interfere.

When the first film ended like that and the second movie reached its end as well, Ye Juyeol, who had been staring intently at the screen, whispered quietly.

“…I really like this scene. I somehow thought Lee Jung-yoon would make at least one excuse. Because he had lived his whole life like that. …But he doesn’t do it here. When he’s actually the most wronged, there isn’t a single excuse. Seeing that… somehow all the choices that person had made until now came to mind, and I vaguely understood the character Lee Jung-yoon.”

At that impression, Seoul’s shoulders flinched for a moment. Then, looking down at the screen once and at Ye Juyeol once, he slowly opened his mouth.

“Me too.”

…

“I thought so too.”

The pronunciation where the final tone becomes slightly rounded. At the voice that only comes out when he is truly excited, Saheon, who had been staring at the screen with his chin propped on his hand, also turned his head. As if he liked hearing an interpretation similar to his own, he laughed, folding his eyes with an “mm.” Soon, Seoul began to spill the episodes only he knew.

Actually, at that time, there was originally one line of dialogue…. But no matter how much I thought about it, how should I put it. If I were Lee Jung-yoon, I wouldn’t want to say even that one line. So after discussing it with the director, we refilmed it… it’s somehow fascinating. I wonder if other people felt that way too? I think this scene is the essence of that person. I like it best too.

“…”

“…”

A brief silence flowed over the table.

That was because they had never seen Seoul acting excited and babbling long like that in any interview. Since he usually checks other people’s faces before speaking, it was rare for him to speak out according to his own mood. But he did it, right now!

The first thing Ye Juyeol did, being the quickest to snap out of it, was to answer in rapid-fire. It was a reaction that came out instinctively because he still remembered the face of the person who was embarrassed seeing the unresponsive partner during their first meeting. Fortunately, instead of being embarrassed, Seoul chuckled, and the second movie ended in an atmosphere that couldn’t be better.

And before moving on to the next movie, Ye Juyeol, who wanted to keep this atmosphere going, asked cautiously.

“By any chance, do you two drink? There are a few cans of beer in the fridge…”

Seoul and Saheon drank at least beer. Since it was obvious he wanted to drink together, Seoul burst into a small laugh and nodded, and a moment later, a can of beer was held in Saheon’s hand as well.

The third movie, which started while lightly accompanying a drink, was a noir action play that anyone in South Korea would know. It was a project Seoul was also proud of as it recorded well over ten million viewers and received many awards, but the problem was….

“Uh, umm…”

“Ah…”

It was the fact that suggestive scenes were hidden here and there as much as the hot action. In particular, the kiss scene performed by the supporting couple had a quite high level of intensity, enough to be called the hidden highlight of this movie. This, it was nothing when alone… but watching it as a group, the atmosphere somehow became strange. Despite being four fully grown adult men, an awkward silence flowed for no reason.

Whether it was a situation Ye Juyeol, who selected the movie, hadn’t thought of, he froze as he was, and Seoul, who appeared in that movie, felt somehow embarrassed even though it wasn’t a scene he filmed, so he just gulped the beer he was holding. Saheon, who didn’t have much interest in others rubbing lips, was busy laughing “pfft-pfft” while glancing at the nape of Seoul’s neck, which was turning increasingly red.

Surprisingly, the one who was most composed was Yun Hyeok.

“Wow. It’s hot. I couldn’t see this because it was released when I was a student. I heard it from Hyuk-i hyung, but they say you do kiss scenes with your shoulders? He said they come out pretty that way. Is that right?”

“Why, why are you looking at me…?”

“……? What do you mean why. You’re the only one here who has filmed a kiss scene… ah, wait, is that not it?”

The gazes of the two who were lightly trading words turned toward Saheon simultaneously.

Ye Juyeol was someone who knew Lee Seoul’s works from A to Z, but Seo Saheon was separate. Naturally, he gulped his saliva thinking Saheon must have done about three thousand kiss scenes, and Saheon, as if he felt the gaze, turned his head.

“I haven’t filmed a melodrama either.”

“Ah? Really? That’s the most surprising part…?”

“Yes, so my first kiss is also yet to happen.”

“…”

“…”

“Pfft. Ah, sorry. Guffaw, why are you suddenly making a joke?”

Ye Juyeol, who unintentionally sprayed his beer, hurried to cover his mouth with a tissue. With that face, that body, while carrying every single hot scandal around, his first kiss is yet to happen. It was so ridiculous a pretense that beyond being absurd, laughter just burst out. After living together for about three days, he thought Saheon was now throwing out jokes, so he chuckled along with Yun Hyeok.

“Why do you think it’s a joke?”

Even at Saheon’s voice, which lacked any hint of laughter, Ye Juyeol replied while unable to hold back his snickering.

“No, I mean, you expect me to believe that?”

“What are you going to do if you don’t believe it. It’s the truth.”

“Puhaha. Ah, I’d rather believe it if Mister said something like that. But…”

It was then.

Seoul, who had been quiet alone in the middle of the boisterous atmosphere, put down the beer can he was holding and abruptly opened his mouth.

“Why?”

“Waha, …yes?”

“Do I have that kind of image?”

Unlike before, it was a stiffly hardened voice. It was the moment not only Ye Juyeol and Yun Hyeok, who sensed some strange current, but even Saheon, who was swallowing a mouthful of beer, turned their heads toward Seoul.

“I’m not exactly a child or anything…, naturally I’ve had at least a first kiss…”

Thud, splash.

The beer can Seo Saheon was holding fell vertically below the sofa.