SWAP 76

Saheon’s steps came to a halt at the sudden appearance of the manager. Since this was a completely unexpected situation, he stared intently at Heo Geosu before casting a sideways glance toward the back. Who the hell called this guy? Even without asking aloud, the question was transmitted like telepathy, and the production staff, who had been busy hurrying out after them, shook their heads in unison. As if to show they weren’t the ones who recruited him, the youngest writer at the very front even made an “X” sign with her arms.

Then what is this.

Saheon turned his body toward Heo Geosu, making no effort to hide his twisting expression. No matter how much he searched his memory, Lee Seoul had no schedule today. No, it wasn’t just today. He knew better than anyone that Seoul hadn’t set any appointments at all for a while.

So why was this guy, who called himself a manager, popping up near Saheon’s car?

Questions were piled mountain-high, but he did not open his mouth first.

And as if expecting that reaction from Saheon, Heo Geosu smiled brightly and spoke in a cheerful tone.

“Ah, I must have surprised you by coming so suddenly. Originally, Jinuk Hyung-nim was supposed to come, but he got hurt a bit, so I came as a substitute! I’ll escort you to today’s schedule safely, so just trust me and leave it to me~”

“…”

Only then did Saheon remember something and pulled out his phone. He had received a message with similar information yesterday evening. Since the message stated firmly not to worry as there would be no setbacks to the schedule, he had assumed it wasn’t a serious injury, but it seemed that wasn’t the case. His taciturn manager was the type who never complained or faked illness, matching his few words; he wasn’t the kind of person to send a substitute unless something was actually broken.

But if Heo Geosu was the one here…

Clicking on the window with the notification count, he saw the manager’s message that had arrived in the meantime, which he hadn’t checked yet.

After confirming the contents, Saheon nodded half-heartedly. Usually, he would have coldly asked who asked for a pickup, but he omitted it since cameras were present. If it were anyone else, he might have, but the counterpart was, after all, “Lee Seoul’s” manager. Heo Geosu seemed to notice this and smiled mischievously again. Then, his eyes sparkled as if he found it fascinating to see Seoul almost half-asleep while being held by Saheon.

“My, he’s almost asleep. Truly, it’s amazing every time I see it? Seoul Hyung doesn’t usually let his guard down in front of other people… I guess childhood friends really are different? Oh, but if you’re coming out together, could it be…? Are you going to today’s schedule together?”

“I was planning to, but now I’m suddenly having second thoughts.”

Saheon, who had intended to keep Seoul by his side all day, considered revising his plan for the first time. At this rate, Heo Geosu would be the one stuck by Seoul’s side while he was filming, which didn’t sit well with him at all. As he fell into a moment of contemplation, Heo Geosu tilted his head and shouted energetically with an expression that said he didn’t see the problem.

“Eh? Why? This filming side already got permission in advance, so it’ll be totally okay if you go together? I’ll pass the word to the person in charge myself, so don’t worry!”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“Um… do you have any more questions?”

What kind of act is this now.

Normally, Heo Geosu would have lunged in without hesitation, rambling nonsense about how Saheon was still glowing even after not seeing him for a while, or how his heart was about to burst because he was so excited for today’s shoot. This was a pattern of behavior that had continued throughout the year and a half since he was assigned as Seoul’s manager, so it wasn’t just Saheon’s self-importance. But today, far from being a fanboy, he was continuing the conversation strictly regarding business.

This rare performance of “acting like a normal person” was beyond suspicious; it was questionable, causing Saheon’s eyes to narrow instinctively.

It was a pattern distinctly different from usual, making him wonder what the guy was up to, but before he could probe, Seoul came to his senses first. Perhaps the continuous sound of conversation was noisy, as Seoul’s heavy eyelids flickered and his lips parted slightly.

“Uh…?”

What is this… He didn’t even know when they had come outside, but he couldn’t help but be startled when his eyes met his manager’s, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time. Not fully grasping the situation, he straightened his slumped body and stumbled slightly. Of course, since Saheon was holding his waist, Seoul stood properly without falling and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. Why is he here?

“Geosu-ya…”

“Oh. You’re awake~ Hyung, it’s been a while. Didn’t you miss me?”

Seoul, who seemed used to the cute-sounding voice, nodded and replied.

“Ah… I missed you too. But why are you here?”

“I came as a substitute for Saheon Hyung-nim’s manager today!”

“A substitute?”

“Yes~ It’s a long story, but could I tell you while we go? There’s some distance, so I think we should leave now.”

“Oh, okay. Let’s do that.”

When Seoul, who hadn’t fully shaken off his sleepiness, answered reflexively, Heo Geosu grinned and approached Saheon. Saheon, looking down expressionlessly at the sight of him politely holding out both hands, dropped the car key onto his palm. “I’ll escort you safely!” As Heo Geosu, wearing a professional smile, quickly settled into the driver’s seat, Seoul also habitually opened the passenger door.

Since he always sat in the side seat when the two of them moved, he didn’t think much of it, but a large hand stretched out from the side and slammed the half-opened passenger door shut as if that were out of the question.

And then he snatched Seoul back and shoved him straight into the back seat. It was almost at the level of a kidnapping, so while Seoul blinked dazed, Saheon pulled the belt all the way and fixed Seoul firmly in the back seat as if tying him with a rope.

“…What?”

“What.”

The reply that came back was blunt. It was a voice that clearly showed he didn’t like that Seoul had tried to sit next to another guy while he was right there, but unfortunately, a disoriented Seoul didn’t notice. Only after the car started moving did Seoul finally grasp the situation and let out a sigh. It was his first time ever accompanying someone else’s schedule, so he couldn’t shake off the feeling of discomfort.

And the two people traveling with him understood Seoul’s tendencies well.

“Hyung, have you been well? I feel hurt because it’s been so long since I saw your face.”

“I guess so. I’ve been well, Geosu-ya. If your schedule this time also involved a manager, we would have seen each other every day. …Everything okay?”

“I wish something would happen. When do you plan on doing your next project? There are a lot of scripts coming in right now.”

To Geosu, who showed passion by saying he would bring scripts by courier if there were a specific role he wanted, Seoul simply replied with a short laugh and naturally changed the subject. Without knowing that Saheon was watching that scene closely, Seoul fiddled with his fingertips and asked.

“Is Jinuk-ssi busy today?”

“No, he’s in the hospital right now~”

“What?”

Seoul, who had only thought he was probably at home, looked at the driver’s seat with a surprised face. Heo Geosu, who turned the steering wheel to change lanes, glanced into the rearview mirror. When their eyes met, he intentionally let the corners of his smiling eyes droop and lowered his voice by a tone.

“I heard he rolled down the stairs yesterday evening. Fortunately, he was transported to the emergency room right away, but they say he’s being treated because he injured his leg quite badly. I was so surprised when I got the call too. I heard that someone pushed him from behind…”

“…Is he really okay? If someone pushed him, does that mean they did it on purpose?”

“I suppose so? They haven’t caught the culprit yet because it’s an area without CCTV. Anyway, there are a lot of strange people in the world. You have to be careful too, Hyung. Especially since you’re a celebrity.”

“I’m more worried about Jinuk-ssi than myself. I hope he’s not badly hurt… He’s probably overwhelmed right now, so I should contact him later separately with Saheon.”

Because he was a fellow employee of the agency and had been in charge of Saheon since his debut, Seoul felt more concerned. Although it wasn’t intentional, he was a person who worked silently without being swayed while by Saheon’s side, who was always embroiled in various incidents. That was why even Saheon, who disliked people, had never replaced his manager.

Knowing this all too well, Seoul’s expression clouded as he turned his gaze to the side. It was because he was worried about Saheon, who must have been closer to him than anyone else. He knew that while Saheon might look cold on the outside, he was a personality with a lot of hidden affection for those he had opened his heart to. Just as he was about to ask if he was okay, Saheon was already staring intently at the driver’s seat.

Specifically, at Heo Geosu’s profile.

“What’s wrong?”

“… .”

When Seoul poked him, wondering about that, Saheon turned his head nonchalantly, said “What,” and buried his face in Seoul’s shoulder. Even though he knew he was being watched through the rearview mirror, he acted as usual as if he didn’t care at all, only making Seoul’s expression troubled. Just as he was about to tell him to stop, his heart grew weak, thinking he might be acting this way because he was feeling gloomy. When he whispered softly, “Is it because you’re worried?” the sound of laughter suddenly drifted from the driver’s seat.