Vol 5 Ch 15

“Manager Cha.”

“Huh?”

Manager Cha jumped, wide-eyed, looking at the speaker.

“Hello.”

Choi Inseop greeted with a bright smile, nodding to the staff beside Manager Cha who quickly left, saying he had something to do.

“Why are you here, Inseop?”

“Lee Wooyeon forgot his phone and asked me to bring it here. He sent a message asking to bring it to you.”

“Ah….”

Manager Cha remembered before the shoot that Lee Wooyeon had asked to borrow his phone for a moment.

“He must have forgotten. He’s not usually like this.”

Inseop softly laughed, defending Lee Wooyeon’s mistake. That’s when it happened.

“Did you arrive? Took longer than expected.”

Lee Wooyeon, who had approached unnoticed, smiled at Inseop like a flower.

“Oh, yes. Traffic was heavy.”

“Was it? I bothered you.”

“Oh, no. It wasn’t bothersome at all. It’s fine.”

Lee Wooyeon looked down at Inseop, who couldn’t even meet his eyes, with a relaxed smile.

“How is it?”

“What?”

“Today’s photoshoot concept. Do you think it’s good?”

“Uh, yeah. It’s good.”

“Hmm, just good?”

“No, it’s not just good. It’s great.”

“Great? How much?”

Lee Wooyeon persistently asked. Inseop, with a stiff face, replied, “It’s really great.”

…He must have called him on purpose, that jerk.

Today’s photoshoot was for luxury jewelry. From head to toe, Lee Wooyeon was dressed impeccably, to the extent that even Manager Cha, who harbored ill feelings towards him, couldn’t help but admire, “He’s really handsome.”

“I’m relieved. I was worried if it would suit me.”

“…You don’t need to worry.”

Inseop replied quietly. Lee Wooyeon’s elegant eyes curved as he smiled.

Lee Wooyeon was flawless. He never made mistakes or left things behind. He knew exactly what concept suited him and never worried about such things.

Ultimately, it was a calculated move to show off his good side to Inseop… What a pain in the a*s.

“Here, your phone.”

Inseop handed over the phone.

“Thanks. Give it back after the shoot.”

…He probably left it on purpose. Like a scheming bird.

While Manager Cha cursed inwardly, Inseop handed him the phone.

“I’ll leave it to Manager Cha then. Manager Cha, this…”

As Manager Cha reached out to take the phone, Lee Wooyeon’s gaze turned cold.

“Inseop will hold onto it. You’ll need to go somewhere later, Manager.”

“What? Where do I…?”

Lee Wooyeon’s cold gaze pierced through. Manager Cha, who had been trained for years under Lee Wooyeon’s annoying antics, hastily shut his mouth.

“Oh, right. Where do I need to go? I almost forgot. This is what happens when you get old. Haha.”

“Yeah. I’ll hold onto it then.”

Inseop put Lee Wooyeon’s phone into his own pocket.

“Inseop, you don’t have any plans for this afternoon, right?”

At Lee Wooyeon’s question, Inseop nodded.

“Can I ask you to drive me later? Manager Cha needs to leave urgently.”

It was a subtle pressure to hurry. Without a word, Manager Cha took out the car keys from his pocket and handed them to Inseop.

“Yes, I understand. Don’t worry, Manager.”

Inseop accepted the keys and nodded firmly.

…Don’t smile like that, Inseop. It pricks at my conscience.

“There’s a nice Mexican restaurant nearby. Would you like to have dinner after we’re done?”

Manager Cha was convinced at Lee Wooyeon’s question. Definitely. That guy intentionally left his phone behind. Otherwise, how would he know if there’s a ‘nice Mexican restaurant nearby’ or not?

“Yes. …Ah, yes,”

Inseop replied, glancing briefly at Manager Cha. It seemed like he was being cautious not to reveal anything about their relationship.

“Since Lee Wooyeon is dining, it’s natural for me as a manager to accompany you…. even though I’m just a temporary manager. Anyway, …yes.”

Inseop mumbled a reply, seemingly making excuses.

…No need for that, Inseop. Since I already know everything. Should I just pretend not to know? Hearing that thing live twice… ugh.

Manager Cha quickly shook his head to dispel the unnecessary scene from his memory.

“Then I’ll go ahead. Please wait here.”

Lee Wooyeon walked back to the set. Manager Cha gestured for Inseop to sit by bringing a chair from nearby.

“Thank you. I should be the one getting it.”

“No, just sit and wait. It must be boring to wait for the shoot.”

If not for this, Inseop wouldn’t know how to wait properly. He never tried to scheme or manipulate, even in unseen circumstances.

“Thank you very much.”

Even for just one chair, Inseop genuinely expressed gratitude and smiled. People can be like this sometimes…

Every time Manager Cha looked at Inseop and Lee Wooyeon, he felt like he was experiencing heaven and hell.

“Oh, right. Did you send off your grandmother properly?”

“Yes, thank you for your concern.”

“Yeah, she must have gone to a good place. You must have rested well at your parents’ house after a long time. Was it about a fortnight?”

Out of the blue, Lee Wooyeon called to cancel a scheduled appointment. It was because Inseop’s grandmother passed away, and he had to attend the funeral. Although Ceo Kim and manager Cha were silent, he adjusted the schedule without complaint.

Not long after, a call came to extend the stay for about ten more days. Although CEO Kim asked if it was some kind of joke, Lee Wooyeon hung up without listening and ended the call.

Today’s advertisement shoot was the consequence of that sudden change.

“Oh, …yes. About a fortnight.”

It was just a casual remark, but Inseop nervously replied and accidentally dropped his phone that he was holding.

“I’ll pick it up for you.”

“No, I’ll do it…”

Inseop bowed his head. As a result, a small metal piece hidden in his shirt tail fell out with a clinking sound.

What’s this? Is it a ring? Why would he wear a ring on a necklace? …Come to think of it, didn’t Lee Wooyeon also wear a newly matched ring that looked similar…?

Inseop was startled as if someone was watching and quickly hid the ring back into his shirt. His face turned as red as a beet. It was a moment when someone who boldly wore a ring without hesitation, compared to a celebrity like Lee Wooyeon, seemed incredibly different.

It seems like they even got matching couple rings. Was that why Lee Wooyeon seemed unusually happy for the past few days?

Manager Cha thought it was trivial and deliberately changed the subject.

“How’s school these days?”

“Ah, school. Yes, I’m doing well.”

Inseop fiddled with his shirt collar and replied.

Oh, this friend of mine. That makes it even more obvious.

Manager Cha couldn’t help but feel sorry as he continued the conversation.

“Do you have any friends?”

“Just, …a few. They’re classmates I hang out with.”

Inseop answered in a small voice.

“If you hang out with them at school, they’re your friends. Haha. You drink and hang out together.”

Manager Cha, who was particularly concerned that there were no friends other than Lee Wooyeon in Korea, laughed brightly and patted Inseop’s shoulder. Inseop seemed relieved and lowered his gaze, smiling.

“By the way, you seem to be in better health these days. Your cheeks seem a bit plumper.”

“Oh, really?”

Inseop touched his cheeks shyly.

“What, do you have good news? Your face is glowing.”

It was just another small talk similar to talking about school. Just a casual conversation to lighten the mood.

But…

“Yes.”

When a prompt reply came back, Manager Cha asked, “What?” without thinking. Suddenly, Inseop’s face turned red as if embarrassed by his own response.

“Ah, …uh, well, I mean….”

Inseop stuttered, much more flustered than when asked about his trip to the U.S. earlier. “It’s not that there’s anything particularly good, really… just…”

His rambling suddenly halted as the camera shutters in the shooting set continuously clicked, and stifled gasps were heard all around. At the end of those admiring gazes was Lee Wooyeon.

Lee Wooyeon propped his chin on his right hand, his eyes half-closed. Even adorned with flashy jewelry, his masculine charm stood out. It made sense why the photographer decided to process today’s shoot in black and white. Despite posing to highlight the bracelet on his wrist and the ring on his thick fingers, all eyes were on Lee Wooyeon.

Ugh, that disgustingly handsome guy.

Suppressing a curse internally, Manager Cha turned to speak to Inseop.

“…”

Inseop’s gaze was fixed on Lee Wooyeon. No, saying it was fixed didn’t do it justice. His entire attention was consumed by Lee Wooyeon. His large eyes were filled with Lee Wooyeon. Absentmindedly, Inseop fiddled with the ring hanging from his neck.

Manager Cha instantly recognized the emotions reflected in Inseop’s blushing eyes. There was no need to ask what the good news was. Clearly, something good had happened between those two.

…Could it have been that good all this time?

Manager Cha cleared his throat and turned away, feeling like he had intruded into someone else’s blooming garden.

“Inseop, I’ll be heading out now.”

“Huh? You’re leaving already?”

“Yes, I have something urgent to attend to. I need to go now.”

He wasn’t insensitive enough to intrude on someone else’s love life, filled with fragrant blossoms.

“Take care. I’ll contact you again soon.”

Inseop bowed politely.

“Sure, sure. See you later.”

Manager Cha smiled and waved. As he walked out, he glanced back and saw Inseop bowing his head again. He gestured for Inseop to go inside and then noticed Lee Wooyeon glaring at him.

…I hate that guy.

Manager Cha walked out of the shooting set without looking back.

***

[Where are you?]

The message from CEO Kim came a few days later.

Looks like I won’t be going home tonight.

Manager Cha clicked his tongue and frowned.

[Where do you think? I’m at the office.]

As soon as he sent the reply, his phone rang.

“Hello.”

<Hyun-gyu!>

“What now?”

<Listen to me, okay?>

That “listen to me” spiel always started and ended with Lee Wooyeon.

<That bastard Lee Wooyeon!>

“Did you just realize he’s a bastard? Who told you to renew his contract?”

Manager Cha’s blunt response made CEO Kim shout in frustration.

<No matter how much of a bastard he is, there are limits! I treated him so well, how could he do this to me?>

Manager Cha momentarily pulled the phone away from his ear and scratched his ear with a finger. After waiting for a while, he resumed the conversation in a calm voice.

“Where are you?”

<Home.>

“Should I come over?”

<Yeah.>

“What should I bring? Soju?”

<Just get four bottles. I have beer.>

“What about snacks?”

<Anything.>

“I’ll bring some chicken feet.”

There was a chicken feet place near the office that CEO Kim liked. CEO Kim replied with a sullen “okay.” Manager Cha packed plenty of chicken feet and chicken skewers and went to CEO Kim’s house. As soon as he sat down, CEO Kim’s rant began in earnest.

“I treated that bastard Lee Wooyeon so well. That bastard doesn’t know gratitude. Even a stray dog knows its owner when taken in and raised, though I’m definitely not saying I’m that bastard’s owner. Anyway, how could Lee Wooyeon do this to me?”

Manager Cha drank with him, nodding and agreeing half-heartedly.

How could he? It’s just how he is.

Lee Wooyeon was equal to everyone except Inseop. He treated everyone the same way and would continue to do so.

“Marriage? Marriage! Is he crazy? It’s his prime time, why would he get married now? And how could he do something so important without even mentioning it? How is that possible? How could he do that without telling his agency’s CEO?”

“What? Marriage? What are you talking about?” Manager Cha’s eyes widened in surprise.

“That bastard Lee Wooyeon got married to Choi Inseop! In the United States!”

“Really? They really got married?”

“Of course it’s real! Would I joke about this? Damn it.”

“But how can two men….”

“They’re Americans!”

CEO Kim growled, gnashing his teeth as he gulped down another bottle of soju.

“If they think I’ll just sit back and let this happen, they’re dead wrong. They have no idea how scary I can be.”

“…What are you planning to do?”

CEO Kim took a bite of chicken feet and laughed ominously.

“He said he’ll shoot just ten more projects.”

“What?”

“Just ten projects and then he’s retiring and moving to the U.S. with Inseop. He promised him. Just wait and see. I’ll make sure those ten projects take as long as possible. One project per year, or even one every two years if they piss me off. If I get really mad, I’ll stretch it to one every three years! Just watch.”

So, you’re planning to tie him down for at least twenty years… idiot…

“What do you mean one per year? Make it three per year! No, four per year and get it over with quickly!” Manager Cha finally snapped.

“No! I won’t do it! Why should I make it easy for them?”

CEO Kim poured another glass of soju and downed it in one go, his eyes flashing with anger.

“They didn’t even invite me to their wedding. I’ll squeeze every bit of work out of them!”

“….”

So, this is all because you didn’t get an invitation…

“That’s nonsense. A wedding without witnesses isn’t valid! That’s not a real wedding!”

It seemed like they had a small ceremony when they were in the U.S. The rings must have been from that. So that’s what happened.

“If you’re so upset, why don’t you throw them a lavish wedding at the most expensive place in Cheongdam-dong this weekend? That would solve everything,” Manager Cha sneered.

CEO Kim glared at him while drinking straight from the soju bottle.

“What? Are you crazy? If word gets out, their careers are over. You want Lee Wooyeon to quit being a celebrity?”

“So what if he quits? Honestly, you’ve earned enough and established your place. You can just raise new talent.”

“No way. There’s no one like Lee Wooyeon. I’ve looked everywhere, and no one compares to him! Damn that annoyingly handsome bastard!”

Manager Cha remembered the recent photo shoot scene and Inseop’s captivated expression while watching.

“…Maybe it’s not so useless after all.”

“Shut up. Stupid black-haired beast. Raising him was a mistake… damn it.”

CEO Kim teared up and drank more soju. Manager Cha patted his back, suggesting sarcastically, “Shall we get rid of that beast now?”

“No! Why should I? That ungrateful bastard!”

CEO Kim pounded his chest in frustration. It was a pointless drunken rant.

Manager Cha emptied his mind and filled his glass. CEO Kim started crying, saying how sorry he felt for Inseop, who had married an ungrateful beast.

“Poor Inseop. His life is ruined!”

“He can always get a divorce.”

“Do you think that crazy guy will agree to a divorce?”

“…You’re right.”

“Poor Inseop. Poor guy.”

Manager Cha recalled Inseop’s habit of fiddling with the ring on his necklace and how Lee Wooyeon often touched his own ring unconsciously.

They seemed so happy…

“What will happen to poor Inseop? He’s stuck in a marriage with that guy….”

“Stop worrying about other people’s love lives. Just drink.”

Manager Cha poured more soju into CEO Kim’s glass, thinking to himself that CEO Kim’s obsession with Lee Wooyeon was the saddest thing of all.

“Love and marriage are completely different. Poor Inseop. It’s not only after death that you go to hell!”

Manager Cha refilled his glass, not wanting to encourage the pity party for Inseop any further. It didn’t seem right.

More than anything.

‘What, do you have good news? Your face is glowing.’

‘Yes.’

He remembered Inseop’s face lighting up at the casual mention of happiness, unable to hide his joy.

They must be so happy together.

Manager Cha swallowed his words and his drink, thinking of Inseop’s adoring gaze at Lee Wooyeon.

Even in the middle of a blooming garden, it wouldn’t smell as sweet as this.

…As long as they’re happy, that’s what matters.

He emptied his glass. Tonight, the alcohol went down smoothly, unusually sweet. Two middle-aged men were getting warmly drunk on that night.