Vol 3 Ch 37

The dreamlike vacation of a week was coming to its last day. Since they had to catch a flight tomorrow morning, Inseop had packed all their belongings early.

 

“I think I’ll be quite busy for a while when we return to Korea.”

 

Seeing that Inseop seemed to enjoy the resort, Wooyeon extended the vacation period. It was expected that CEO Kim would be furious. Normally, actors were busiest right after finishing a drama. This was because interviews, photoshoots, and advertisement filming were concentrated before the lingering sentiment of the drama faded away.

 

In response to CEO Kim’s outburst of frustration, Wooyeon joked, “Well, you know, I do it as a hobby to impress Inseop,” and laughed, defusing his anger. Eventually, they concluded by shooting one more advertisement, but it was clear that busy days were ahead.

 

“But I’m glad it ended well.”

 

“Did I do pretty well for an extreme guy?”

 

“…Wooyeon.”

 

Wooyeon laughed loudly. These days, Wooyeon often teased Inseop like this and enjoyed it.

 

“Anyway, this is the last meal here. It was getting boring.”

 

The advantage and disadvantage of an all-inclusive resort were that everything had to be dealt with inside. If you stayed long enough, you would eventually get tired of the food from one restaurant.

 

“Is there anything you want to eat when we go back to Korea?”

 

“……”

 

“Inseop”

 

Wooyeon waved his hand in front of Inseop and called him. Startled, Inseop looked up.

 

“When we go back to Korea, let’s go eat spicy stir-fried octopus.”

 

“…What?”

 

He’s clearly not listening properly.

 

Lee Wooyeon laughed and said, “I’m just kidding,” as he cut the steak.” Inseop’s attitude during tonight’s dinner was like this. He kept putting his hand in his pocket and taking it out repeatedly, and he often spaced out during conversations.

 

“What about dessert?”

 

Wooyeon asked. Inseop shook his head.

 

“I don’t really have any preferences.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Wooyeon called a staff member and said they didn’t need dessert. After finishing their meal, the two stood up from their seats.

 

“Wooyeon.”

 

Wooyeon turned around.

 

“Would you like to take a walk?”

 

Inseop asked, looking very nervous. Wooyeon nodded. Inseop’s right hand remained in his pocket.

 

What’s in there? Is he trying to wake up now and shoot a gun or something and run away?

 

Wooyeon smiled and pretended not to notice, pulling Inseop’s hand out of his pocket. Inseop was a little surprised but didn’t pull his hand away.

 

The only people they met during their week-long stay here were a Norwegian family and a Canadian couple who had come to visit. No one paid attention to the two taking a walk late at night.

 

Walking along a small lake on the mountain path, Wooyeon waited for Inseop to speak up.

 

“Wooyeon.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Well, I’ve been thinking… It’s not that my thoughts are entirely correct, but… Anyway, I’ve thought about it.”

 

Inseop’s words were accompanied by lengthy nonsense when he found it difficult to speak. Wooyeon even found that cute and always pretended not to understand, nodding his head.

 

“I told you that I want everything to continue to be okay between us.”

 

“Yes, you did.”

 

“It doesn’t seem easy.”

 

“Well, I suppose not.”

 

For me, who’s such a jerk, it can’t be easy.

 

Wooyeon chuckled wryly, echoing Inseop’s words. Still, just hearing Inseop say that was enough for Wooyeon.

 

Just that desire for everything to be okay, him saying it like that, the sky at that moment, the scent of the air… Just thinking about those things made Wooyeon happy.

 

“My siblings and I fight, but since we’re siblings, it’s okay, but, oh, of course, you and I fight too,… So, what I mean is…”

 

Inseop suddenly pulled out a small box from his pocket and extended it.

 

“What’s this?”

 

Wooyeon asked. Inseop quickly opened the lid of the box. Inside lay a silver ring bought from a souvenir shop.

 

“In any form, if we can still maintain a relationship where we can get mad at each other… I think it’ll be okay, so…”

 

Wooyeon stared silently at Inseop. There was no change in expression. Inseop pondered whether he had made a foolish mistake, unable to distinguish between jokes and sincerity.

 

“Are you proposing?”

 

Breaking the silence, Wooyeon finally asked. It was a stiff expression as if he were angry.

 

“I-I’m sorry. I-I don’t really know, I’m not good at jokes…. I’m sorry.”

 

Inseop tried to put the box back into his pocket. Wooyeon grabbed Inseop’s wrist.

 

“Are you sure it’s okay?”

 

“What?”

 

“…Even if it’s me, are you really okay?”

 

The tip of Wooyeon’s fingers trembled slightly as he held Inseop’s wrist. Inseop realized that Wooyeon wasn’t angry just now, but rather, he was extremely nervous.

 

“Are you okay, Wooyeon?”

 

Inseop asked.

 

It wasn’t that he doubted Wooyeon’s feelings. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t enough for him. Would it be okay for an ordinary man like him, who was weak in body, had little to offer, to stay by his side for a lifetime?

 

“I…”

 

Wooyeon furrowed his brow as if it was painful to continue speaking.

 

“I still can’t believe that you like me. How can that be possible…”

 

Wooyeon’s usually calm and relaxed voice was now low and suppressed. He was a man with no fears and lacked nothing. Every time Inseop saw him, unsure of what to do like an inexperienced boy, it felt like his throat was tightening.

 

Inseop wanted to ask.

 

How could anyone not love someone like you?

 

“Wooyeon.”

 

Inseop called his lover’s name quietly. Then he knelt down on one knee and extended the box containing the ring.

 

“…Will you marry me?”

 

It was a modest ring bought from a souvenir shop. There was no fancy music, flowers, or balloons, no elaborate event, just a plain proposal. But it didn’t matter. If Wooyeon said he liked it, then it was okay.

 

Looking at the trembling Inseop kneeling before him, Wooyeon nodded his head.

 

“Will you put it on for me?”

 

Wooyeon extended his left hand. Inseop quickly got up and tried to put the ring on Wooyeon’s fourth finger. However, the ring, bought without knowing the size, got stuck and wouldn’t go in any further. Inseop tried to push it in with a grunt, but the ring didn’t budge. Eventually, Wooyeon burst into laughter.

 

“I’m sorry. When we get back to Korea, we’ll measure the size and get a better one….”

 

“Hahaha, it’s okay. Since you like it.”

 

Wooyeon laughed while shaking the ring stuck in the middle of his finger. Inseop’s face grew redder and redder.

 

“How about a kiss of promise?”

 

Wooyeon tapped his cheek and asked. As Inseop leaned in to kiss his cheek, Wooyeon turned his head and their lips met. It was a gentle kiss, so tender that it made Inseop’s toes tingle. While Wooyeon enveloped Inseop’s cheek with his broad palm, he continued to lightly kiss his lips.

 

“Inseop.”

 

Inseop slowly opened his eyes at the sound of his name being called. Wooyeon was there, looking at him, smiling. If he could love, if he could be loved, then everything else was okay. Just, everything seemed okay…

 

Whispering a few words into Inseop’s ear, Wooyeon’s hand trembled slightly as he held it. Inseop choked back tears and nodded faintly. As Wooyeon hugged him tightly, asking why he was crying on such a good day, Inseop’s tears flowed.

 

A few stars were visible in the slightly cloudy sky, and bugs chirped in the night breeze scented with grass

 

It was a night so ordinary that it wouldn’t linger in one’s memory, yet it was so perfect.

 

***

 

Manager Cha thought to turn on the radio, but remembering Wooyeon sitting behind him, he withdrew his hand with a melancholic expression.

 

“You can turn it on.”

 

“…Fine.”

 

What’s up with that guy?

 

The manager looked at Wooyeon suspiciously and turned on the radio. Wooyeon hummed along to the music coming from the radio as he flipped through the pages of a book.

 

“…Wooyeon, it’s not that I care about you, but if I may say, maybe you should consider counseling…”

 

“What bullshit are you talking about? What kind of drugs do you think I’m taking?”

 

Wooyeon frowned irritably.

 

He’s probably the usual bastard he always is.

 

The manager glanced at Wooyeon through the rearview mirror with suspicion.

 

Since returning from Hawaii, Wooyeon had been remarkably composed in response to CEO Kim’s words. He had filmed two advertisements and agreed to film another one. Just today, he had already done three interviews. But that wasn’t all. When getting into the car today, Wooyeon even greeted the manager with a cheerful “good morning.”

 

Good morning. Crazy fucker. He’d been driving him around for years, and until now, every morning has been like shit. Did he eat something weird? …Did he drink during the day?

 

“Manager.”

 

“What?”

 

The manager was taken aback by Wooyeon’s sudden question as he sniffled his nose.

 

“How’s Haeun doing?”

 

“Haeun?”

 

“Eunseo, Minjun, and the one who’s starting high school this time, Jiyul.”

 

“What the hell… Why do you know all my nephews’ names?”

 

Wooyeon chuckled and replied casually.

 

“I was just curious which one of them is seriously dating with Inseop.”

 

It seemed like he had overheard their conversation that day.

 

“Hey! Are you talking back to me? You’re just talking nonsense! You ungrateful idiot!”

 

“Grateful or not, make sure they stay away from the vicinity of our company.”

 

“The oldest of my nephews, Jiyul, is going to high school. That’s a reasonable thing to say. Even if they come to the company….”

 

Wooyeon raised his chin slightly and waited for the rest. With his dangerously handsome appearance, he was too attractive for anyone not to be infatuated with, especially younger kids who were easily dazzled by shiny things.

 

“…D]they won’t come. They’ll never come near here.”

 

“Hahaha. Okay. I’ll trust you and stop worrying.”

 

The manager scoffed at Wooyeon, who said that he wouldn’t worry anymore.

 

“Of course.”

 

Wooyeon replied, turning a page of his book.

 

“Even a guy like me has fallen head over heels, so it wouldn’t be strange for someone else to fall in love.”

 

“…Hmm.”

 

Ah, it’s so nauseatingly sweet.

 

The manager increased the volume of the radio with an expressionless face. While Wooyeon continued reading without saying much, despite thinking the radio was too loud.

 

Glancing at Wooyeon again, who wasn’t much different from usual, except for his slightly sunburned face from Hawaii, the manager habitually played with the ring on his fourth finger.

 

“What’s that? The ring on your finger.”

 

The manager asked.

 

“It’s a wedding ring.”

 

Wooyeon replied without even lifting his head.

 

Now he’s just spouting nonsense left and right… haa, damn it. Let’s just shut up.

 

The manager sighed and straightened his head. Then, a thought crossed his mind, and he called out to Wooyeon.

 

“What?”

 

“You said you had something to do, so why aren’t you getting out of the car?”

 

Wooyeon had some business to attend to briefly after finishing the interview, so he had given the address to this place. Since there was about two hours of free time until the next interview, the manager drove without saying much.

 

“Because he hasn’t come out yet.”

 

“Who…”

 

Just as the manager was about to ask who hadn’t come out yet, Inseop emerged from the orphanage building.

 

“He didn’t tell me, but he sometimes comes here to volunteer. English education volunteer work.”

 

“Huh, the more you know, the more you realize he’s genuinely kind-hearted.”

 

The manager admired Inseop as he conversed and laughed with the people from the orphanage.

 

“By the way, how did you know to come here when Inseop didn’t tell you?”

 

Instead of answering, Wooyeon showed a flashing red dot on his phone screen.

 

“…Do you know that stalking is illegal?”

 

Come to think of it, Wooyeon had also mysteriously found Inseop’s location while he was on the move in Hawaii.

 

“Stalking? No, it’s just affectionate attention.”

 

“If Inseop finds out about that…”

 

About to admonish him for being creepy, the manager stopped himself. Wooyeon’s eyes caught his attention as he glanced out the window. Wooyeon, suppressing laughter with playful eyes, looked like a mischievous boy.

 

…Could it really be that good?

 

“It doesn’t matter if he finds out.”

 

“What?”

 

“Because he won’t divorce me.”

 

Feeling like Wooyeon had been talking nonsense since earlier, the manager turned away. Wooyeon plucked a rose from the bouquet given by a journalist who was a fan today.

 

“Come here in an hour.”

 

“Hey, if you’re late…”

 

Before finishing his sentence about being late, Wooyeon opened the car door and got out. With a hat on, Wooyeon walked confidently, playing a prank by gently pressing his knee against Inseop’s back as he walked past him. When Inseop staggered forward, Wooyeon quickly caught him, laughing cheerfully. Seeing their interaction, the manager quickly put on his sunglasses.

 

Ah, it’s blinding.

 

As Wooyeon tapped Inseop’s head with the rose, Inseop jumped in surprise and looked around. It’s probably for the best that he didn’t hear. He must have said something embarrassing again… Thankfully, it didn’t reach his ears.

 

The manager shook his head, stuck out his tongue, and lowered his head. He no longer wanted to worry about the two of them, nor did he need to pay attention. After all, it was someone else’s love story.

 

A love song with an unknown name played on the radio. The manager hummed along, steering the wheel.

 

A fragment of a lazy afternoon passed by outside the car window.

 

<END>