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But why did he only bring a pen? And why did it have to be a red one?

As Han Jiho looked at him with a puzzled face, the man smiled awkwardly and replied.

“They said this is the only color they have.”

“Ah…”

Han Jiho nodded sheepishly.

“Um, but the paper…”

Is he going to ask me to do it on his palm?

As he cautiously started to speak with that thought, the man said, “Oh, just a moment,” and flashed a bright smile. It was a smile so pretty it was a feast for the eyes.

However, Han Jiho’s expression soon became stained with confusion at the man’s actions as he began to take off the cardigan he was wearing.

This was because the thing he thrust forward, asking for an autograph, was none other than his own back.

“…”

Beneath the white T-shirt that clung moderately, revealing a glimpse of his body’s lines, a broad and sturdy-looking back filled Jiho’s vision.

Han Jiho stared at that back with a somewhat dazed feeling.

He had met countless fans until now, but this was the first time in his life someone had abruptly offered their back for an autograph. Lee Taeyoung, who was sitting next to him, also wore a slightly surprised expression.

“Could you do it on my back?”

For someone asking if it was okay, he had already presented his back. It was a swift and natural movement, like someone who had been waiting for this exact moment for a long time.

“…”

Right. There were many people who brought the mouse pads they used or player uniforms, so a back wasn’t much. Besides, a fan was asking, so of course he should do it.

Han Jiho had no right of refusal. All he could do was smile with an awkward face and take the pen.

“Yes. I’ll do it for you.”

The man, standing with his back turned and his head slightly tilted, gave a joyful smile. Truly, he was handsome from any angle.

“Thank you.”

But his voice sounds like I’ve heard it somewhere before.

Despite definitely being someone he was seeing for the first time, the man’s low, soft voice was strangely familiar. It felt like a voice he might have heard on something like the radio.

So, after briefly searching his memory, Han Jiho dismissed the thought and popped the cap off the pen.

Then, to sign, he lightly touched the man’s broad back, and he could feel a warm heat and a firm texture beneath his palm. It was a back so solid it clearly felt like a body that worked out.

A handsome face, a good voice, and even a good body on top of that.

He felt like he understood Lee Taeyoung’s words about the world being unfair. After glancing at his trainer for a moment, Han Jiho asked the man who was quietly offering his back.

The tip of his pen had already written “To.” as if drawing on the T-shirt.

“What is your name?”

“It’s Chaehyun.”

“Choi Hyun?”

“No. Chaehyun, as in ‘vegetable’ (Chae-so).”

“Ah, yes. Vegetable… no, Mister Chaehyun…”

I must have misheard him.

Nodding his head, Han Jiho suddenly realized the man’s name was the same as the user ‘cogus’—that is, Chaehyun—whom he had met in EoE.

Of course, he didn’t know if that was cogus’s real name, but either way, it was quite a fascinating coincidence.

Could it be that this person is actually cogus?

‘No way.’

Han Jiho snorted silently and denied his own thought. No matter how small the world was, it couldn’t be this small.

“And your last name?”

“It’s Chae.”

‘Chae Chaehyun? That’s a unique name.’

Thinking that, Han Jiho wrote “Chae Chaehyun” clearly next to the “To.” and was about to sign.

Suddenly, he heard a flustered “Uh” from beside him. Wondering what was wrong, he looked over to see the other man who had been watching, wearing a strange expression as if he were holding back laughter.

“What is it?”

Han Jiho, not knowing the reason, tilted his head and asked. The man, whose cheeks and cheekbones were twitching while he pursed his lips, pointed at his friend’s back and replied.

“The, uh, his first name is a single syllable. His last name is Chae, and his name is Hyun.”

The moment he heard those words.

“…”

Han Jiho’s gaze moved to the man’s back.

The three letters written across the white, broad back: 채Chaehyun (Chae Chaehyun).

Furthermore, because he had used a red permanent marker, the way the ink bled slightly made it look as if it had been written to curse the owner of the name.

“Oh my…”

What do I do? I’m screwed.

Realizing his mistake, Han Jiho’s face began to burn hot. He was so embarrassed and sorry that he felt like he wanted to crawl into a hole if one were available.

“What’s wrong?”

At that, the man, Chaehyun, turned around and asked. It was because he didn’t yet know the fact that his name had become Chae Chaehyun.

“Ah, well, I wrote the name wrong. I thought your name was Chae Chaehyun…”

“Chae Chaehyun…”

Hearing Chaehyun’s voice muttering it lowly, Han Jiho felt even greater embarrassment and guilt.

I thought it was a bit strange. He should have checked one more time. Since it was on clothes of all things, there was no way to redo the signature.

“I’m sorry. I’ll buy you a new T-shirt…”

So he intended to just buy him a new shirt, but Han Jiho’s words couldn’t reach the end. It was because of Chaehyun’s unexpected comment.

“I like it because it sounds like a nickname.”

“…Pardon?”

A nickname. What did that mean?

It was an idea he hadn’t considered at all. Momentarily speechless, Han Jiho looked at Chaehyun’s profile. He was wearing a smile with a somewhat shy-looking face.

“Since you gave it to me yourself, hyung.”

The incorrectly written name had somehow been transformed into a nickname given personally by him.

“No, well…”

“I love it.”

Well, if that’s the case, then it’s a relief…

Han Jiho felt confused by Chaehyun’s face, which looked truly satisfied. In many ways, he was a type of fan he had never seen before, completely different from the fans he had met until now.

“Are you really okay with it?”

“Yes. I’m going to go to court today and change my name. To Chae Chaehyun.”

“…”

He was saying bizarre things with a handsome face and a pleasant voice. It was to the point where Jiho couldn’t tell if he was being serious or sarcastic.

While Han Jiho deliberated for a moment on what to say, Chaehyun continued with a smiling face.

“If you’re really bothered by it, please just take one photo with me.”

It was a strange thing to say. Rather than a request, it felt like a consideration to keep him from feeling troubled.

“Ah, of course. Certainly.”

Han Jiho nodded quickly. A photo was nothing. It wasn’t just because he had messed up the signature. It was because this was all he could do for a fan who supported him.

“Thank you, hyung.”

“Not at all. I’m the one who is more thankful and sorry.”

Responding with a smile, Han Jiho resumed the signature he had stopped, and the back-autograph session that had broken a cold sweat finally came to an end.

Han Jiho wore an abashed expression as he looked at the broad back with his signature and “To. Chae Chaehyun” written on it. On the other hand, Chaehyun was putting his discarded cardigan back on with a smile across his entire face as if he were happy.

Is he really that happy?

Seeing him like it so much that he called it a nickname instead of being offended—even though the name was written wrong—made Han Jiho feel very strange.

He had just played games. Furthermore, he couldn’t believe that there were still fans who liked him even though he had declared his retirement and was no longer active. In his complicated heart, feeling both grateful and sorry, his nose suddenly felt a bit tingly.

So, after a light sniffle, Han Jiho stood up to take the promised photo. He looked at Chaehyun as he pulled out his phone and suddenly spoke up.

“Would it be okay if I take it?”

It was an impulsive action born from the heart of wanting to create one more memory for a thankful fan.

But seeing Chaehyun’s face, which looked surprised, he regretted it for a split second, thinking, Did I overdo it?

Then, as if he had never been surprised, Chaehyun handed over his phone with a joke.

“There’s no password, so you can use it as much as you want.”

Letting out a laugh at those words, Han Jiho turned on the camera and switched to the front-facing mode.

After that, as he reached out to adjust the angle and looked at the screen, he saw Chaehyun’s face standing next to him with a slightly flushed look. He was keeping a distance with a posture so awkward it felt stiff.

“Would you like to come a bit closer?”

As Han Jiho said that, he naturally approached Chaehyun and pressed his shoulder against Chaehyun’s. Checking the screen, the distance was narrower than before, making for a much more natural appearance.

Smiling at that, Han Jiho—

“One, two, three.”

—counted down and pressed the shutter button, and the photo was saved with a short shutter sound.

However, when he checked the photo, the screen showed himself smiling and Chaehyun’s profile looking at him. It seemed the timing had been off.

“…Ah, I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s nothing. We can just take it again.”

Responding casually to Chaehyun’s apology, Han Jiho turned the camera on again and stared at the screen in the same posture as before. This time, Chaehyun was also looking properly at the screen.

Han Jiho counted down once more.

“One, two, three.”

Click.

“I think it came out well this time.”

Checking the photo, Han Jiho wore a satisfied expression and returned the phone to Chaehyun. In the second photo, he and Chaehyun were smiling in a friendly manner, as if they had never acted awkwardly.

“I agree.”

Chaehyun nodded at Han Jiho’s words. However, his eyes were fixed intently only on the smiling Han Jiho.

“I’m going to make it into a photo card and carry it in my wallet.”

“…Ah, really?”

Is he being serious about this too?

Han Jiho, who slightly avoided his gaze at Chaehyun’s intense stare, gave an awkward “Haha” laugh. On the other hand, Chaehyun’s expression was quite serious.

“Yes. Really.”

“Ah, I see…”

It was just an interjection…

Since he didn’t know how to react and was just nodding his head, he saw the man standing next to them watching for an opening while holding a piece of paper and a black permanent marker he had found from somewhere.

It seemed he had gotten proper paper and a pen from the staff while the back-autograph session and selfies with Chaehyun were going on.

Then their eyes met.

“Hyung-nim, if I could also have an autograph just once…”

“Ah, yes.”

Quickly taking the paper and pen from the man who spoke hesitantly, Han Jiho showed a bright smile.

“What is your name?”

“Ah, I’m Han Sumin.”

“We have the same last name.”

Then, adding words playfully, he continued with the signature. The selfie after that went off without a hitch.

Having finished the signature and selfie in less than two minutes, Han Jiho returned the pen he was holding, and Chaehyun and Han Sumin bowed their heads, saying they were truly thankful, before quickly leaving the shop. It was as if getting the autograph, not the salad, was their business.

Han Jiho watched Chaehyun’s back as he left the shop with his back covered by the black cardigan as if nothing had happened, then burst into a giggle involuntarily.

He didn’t even know why.

Just, thinking that he was the only one who knew the secret of that broad back hidden under the cardigan made him laugh for no reason.