Vol 1 Ch 2

The door opened and long legs strode confidently toward the sofa. The CEO, who had been sitting at the desk, moved to the sofa just as the owner of those long legs sank back into it. The CEO studied the man’s expressionless face.

 

“Was the briquette volunteer work very difficult?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“But still fulfilling, right?”

 

“I’m not sure.”

 

Seeing the curt responses, it seemed it had been nothing but difficult, with little sense of fulfillment. The CEO decided to change the direction of the questioning, thinking he’d asked something pointless. He knew from the start that Seo Jeongwon wasn’t the type to agree no matter how much he talked about the warmth and satisfaction that comes after volunteering. It was better to just explain what could be gained through volunteering and persuade him that way.

 

“Jeongwon. Would you like to do the briquette volunteering one more time? A one-off thing feels a bit lacking.”

 

At the CEO’s words, Seo Jeongwon looked at him as if he were crazy. Though he didn’t voice it, his eyes were already spewing profanities too vulgar to utter. The CEO sighed.

 

“Don’t curse.”

 

“I could do it alone, couldn’t I? It’s not like I said anything out loud.”

 

“Fine, I’ll let that slide since I didn’t hear it…. Jeongwon. Think about it. Briquette volunteering is good. The online response is positive right now. Someone filmed and posted it when we were preparing down the alley. It’s the perfect time to strike while the iron is hot—doing it once more would be great. You even filmed a public service ad; it’s pure positive image building.”

 

“No, is carrying briquettes the only way to improve my image? Why should I have to carry those things?”

 

“No, because you were voted number one as the star who wants to share love in the cold winter. That’s why you filmed that public service ad. Because you ranked first. Wearing the Love’s Fruit bracelet.”

 

“Ah, so that’s what that love meant.”

 

The CEO tilted his head, looking at Seo Jeongwon, who spoke as if he’d just realized something. It didn’t make sense that he didn’t know the meaning of ‘love’ in ‘the star who wants to share love in the cold winter.’

 

“…Then what did you think it meant?”

 

“I thought it meant wanting to have sex.”

 

“Hey!”

 

“If that love isn’t that love, then it just isn’t. Why are you shouting?”

 

“…Fine, whatever. At least you know now…. Just do it one more time. This time, just four hours.”

 

Four hours. Seo Jeongwon, who had repeated the CEO’s words aloud, straightened his leaning body and leaned forward. He looked at the CEO, who wore a troubled expression.

 

“I’m not a rookie who debuted yesterday, nor am I some washed-up has-been who needs image management after causing a scandal. I’m Seo Jeongwon. Just buying coffee directly at a cafe without going through my manager and smiling once is enough for image management these days. What kind of image management involves carrying briquettes? Last year, Oh Jaewon, who carried briquettes, got caught doing drugs and went down. Isn’t carrying briquettes just darkening my future prospects?”

 

“Hey! Watch your language, damn it. Why are you bringing up Oh Jaewon here? Are you going to do drugs? If you have plans, tell me in advance. Don’t stab me in the back!”

 

“It’s not me who needs drugs, but you, CEO-nim. You should get counseling. They say not being able to control your anger is also a disease, CEO-nim.”

 

“Hey, who do you think is the reason I’m like this now!”

 

Are you perhaps trying to say it’s because of me? Seeing Seo Jeongwon looking back with an innocent expression as if he knew nothing, the CEO lost all will to fight and pressed his forehead. From his debut until now, he’d never been able to outtalk him.

 

Still, his face, physique, and even his acting were perfect, so wherever he was put, he brought nothing but success, more success. A slightly—no, quite—lacking personality could be overlooked. Through years of experience, he knew well that celebrities rumored to have good personalities even outside of camera view were extremely rare. And because he also knew well why he had become so armed with distrust and coldness toward people, sharpened to a point, he sometimes felt sorry for him.

 

“Fine, then. Besides the briquettes, I heard you met a student in that hillside  village. Said he was your fan.”

 

“Student? Ah…. That kid. Yes.”

 

Seo Jeongwon easily recalled the white face that had been looking at him. No, more than the white face, he remembered the hand trembling when they shook hands, and how the whole body shook when they stood close for the photo.

 

“They say that student is quite good-looking too. Caused a stir, calling him a pretty boy.”

 

“Hmm…. Yes.”

 

The white face came to mind, but he couldn’t really remember what the facial features were like. He hadn’t looked carefully, just greeted perfunctorily when told to, and held out his hand roughly when instructed. Still, he seemed to have had a white, cute impression.

 

“A staff member took a picture of the two of you and posted it on Instagram—it spread everywhere and caused an uproar. The buzz on Twitter and portals is no joke. Our warm and gentle Seo Jeongwon secretly went for briquette volunteering, met a lonely student fan living alone there, spent time with him, and gave him strength. It’s been packaged perfectly as a touching story.”

 

“That’s the power of the image I’ve built up until now.”

 

“You built it alone?”

 

“It’s my face that made it, honestly. You know half of an image ultimately comes down to how good-looking you are, right?”

 

“Fine, you’re handsome.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Talking with Seo Jeongwon always made him stray from the topic and get swept along by him. The CEO pulled himself together and returned to the topic of the hillside neighbourhood boy.

 

“I heard he’s your fan. Let’s use this chance to boost your good image to the max. Set up a meal, have dinner together.”

 

“It’s not like he’s my only fan, so why should I have dinner with him? And with a guy, too.”

 

“Just eat if I tell you to. Think of it as a one-on-one date with a fan. And having many male fans is such a blessing. I’ll handle the schedule, so just eat.”

 

“You know I’m on a diet for my next project, right.”

 

Looking at Seo Jeongwon, who never did anything obediently, the CEO pressed his forehead again and took a deep breath. There were many times he felt like exploding, but Seo Jeongwon was walking money, breathing success. At this time when they needed to renew his contract next year, there was no need to upset Seo Jeongwon’s mood.

 

“Jeongwon. Am I doing this for myself right now? I’m doing this for you. Let’s use this chance to shake off that ‘issue maker’ label. Think of it as shedding one gossip story attached to you every time you do a good deed. It’s even better if you think of it as cultivating your character.”

 

“You said before that being an issue maker was good, that noise marketing worked.”

 

“…Forget it. The search volume for you and that high schooler and the Twitter buzz are no joke right now. Invite him now, have a meal, give him a ride, arrange for a few paparazzi shots with some reporters, and boom! the article. Who’s telling you to do anything? Just have a meal, just a meal. No, fine. Since you’re on a diet, let’s have protein. Eat steak. You said you’ve liked it for a long time. Since he’s a boy, there’s no pressure—how great is that.”

 

Seo Jeongwon, who had been staring blankly at the CEO spewing words without even breathing, nodded. The CEO felt both joy and despair in that nod. He was happy that he seemed to accept his proposal, but it was clear he would demand something in return. Nothing in the world was free. The big data accumulated from dealing with Seo Jeongwon until now allowed him to predict all of it.

 

“Then, I have something to say too.”

 

“Uh, fine. What is it? Just say it.”

 

“I heard that for the next drama I’m entering, Won Woojin is appearing as a supporting role. Get rid of him.”

 

“Won Woojin? Why Won Woojin?”

 

“Just because. I dislike him. I can’t focus on my acting while looking at the face of someone I hate. And for a legal drama, that ignorant kid is really not it, you know? If it’s difficult for you, I’ll meet Woojin directly and resolve it.”

 

It was a truly terrifying statement. ‘Meet Woojin directly and resolve it.’ If it was Seo Jeongwon, who didn’t know how to speak indirectly, he would go straight to Won Woojin and tell him to drop out of the drama. If asked why, he’d say without batting an eye, ‘Looking at your face makes me want to vomit,’ and ‘I can’t work with an uneducated person like you.’ It was certain chaos would ensue. He couldn’t bear to see another related search term added to the ones he’d just cleaned up. The CEO turned pale and waved his hands frantically.

 

“No, no! I’ll do it. I’ll handle it. I’ll take care of everything, so you just go and have the meal. Just eat elegantly.”

 

“Yes, CEO-nim. Please let me know once the date is set.”

 

Seo Jeongwon, who had finally gotten what he wanted and seemed satisfied, answered obediently, rose from his seat, and bowed to the CEO. The CEO, his face drained of energy, waved his hand dismissively, shooing Seo Jeongwon away. He had meetings to attend, appointments to keep, but it felt like all the energy he needed for the whole day had been sucked out since morning. With a soulless expression, the CEO called Seo Jeongwon’s manager, Kim Sunjong. Because he had to secure the appointment quickly before Seo Jeongwon changed his mind.

 

Seo Jeongwon, leaving the CEO’s office, came down to the parking lot, greeting the employees who bowed to him with his characteristic fresh smile. He had come alone because his manager was at a meeting when the CEO summoned him, but now his head was filled with the thought that he shouldn’t have come at all.

 

Of course, there was the gain of getting rid of Won Woojin, whose face he wanted to grind to dust, but the idea of having to waste time meeting that hillside neighbourhood student and even having dinner with him made him feel tired and annoyed just thinking about it.

 

And honestly, there was also the possibility that he had just played along, claiming to be a fan because a famous person was right in front of him. Although he had many female fans, he honestly hadn’t had much chance to see such a young student fan until now, so Seo Jeongwon didn’t think that unknown student from the hillside neighbourhood was his real fan. He was just seen as a pitiful student who got caught up in annoying trouble like him while trying to play along.

 

See. He should have just been honest. ‘I know of Seo Jeongwon, but I’m not a fan.’ If he had answered like that, the forced warm atmosphere would have broken, the briquettes would have been broken, and the volunteering would have ended right there. How great would it have been? Time saved, no annoying trouble like this. Seo Jeongwon regretted it, recalling the warm and quick-witted response of that unknown white-faced student. Of course, it was an action no one would understand.

 

Seo Jeongwon, shaking his head, started the car. And without any lingering attachment, he left the company.

 

***

 

After meeting Seo Jeongwon, Yeonjun’s every day became more affectionate than before. Of course, from an outsider’s perspective, one couldn’t say his life had become more affluent, but Yeonjun’s heart was buoyant, as if walking on air, and he was happy.

 

He had no close friends or family to chatter to about having met the actor Seo Jeongwon, whom he liked, but still, for Yeonjun, it was more than enough just that Seo Jeongwon existed clearly in his memory. Tidying the convenience store shelves was enjoyable throughout, and even when arranging the cigarette packs with scary pictures, those pictures didn’t even register in his eyes as they usually did.

 

The times when he became entranced, seeing Seo Jeongwon’s public service ad playing on the radio or coffee printed with his face, grew a little longer. Because now he had more memories to recall when looking at that face.

 

“Yeonjun-ah, you look happy lately? Something good happen?”

 

“Ah…. Yes! I met someone I really like.”

 

“Really? How much do you like them to be smiling like that for days on end? Who is it? Your first love?”

 

Knowing that if he said it was the actor Seo Jeongwon, he’d have to explain how they met and why he likes Seo Jeongwon, Yeonjun just nodded at the owner’s words and answered.

 

“…Yes. The first person I’ve liked.”

 

“Does it seem like it’ll work out?”

 

“That… not really…. I never even thought I’d be able to see him, but I did, so I’m happy.”

 

“You must like them a lot, huh. Well. Living like that, you need good things to happen once in a while to keep going. For me too, just thinking about my wife and daughter waiting for me at home makes me so happy. Since you’ve met, try to meet often and do well. Who knows? It might work out.”

 

Unable to say that it was someone he couldn’t see again, Yeonjun just answered with a smile instead. Because he knew all too well that it was someone he couldn’t even dare to think about meeting again.

 

Seeing the owner heading into the storage room, Yeonjun quickly took out his phone from his convenience store uniform pocket at the sound of its vibration and checked the screen. It was an unknown number, and he hesitated for a moment about whether to answer, but for some reason, he felt he should just pick up, so he answered the call.

 

“Hello.”

 

-Hello, is this Ha Yeonjun’s number?

 

“Yes…. I am Ha Yeonjun, but… who is this…?”

 

Arranging cream buns on the shelf, Yeonjun tilted his head at the voice that somehow sounded familiar.

 

-This is Kim Sunjong, actor Seo Jeongwon’s manager. That day, I sent you the photo….

 

Surprised by the utterly unexpected words, Yeonjun, still holding the cream bun, blankly chewed over what he had just heard. Actor Seo Jeongwon’s manager?

 

-Hello?

 

“Ah…. Yes! Yes…. Hello.”

 

-You must have been surprised by the sudden call? I’m sorry.

 

“No! There’s no need to be sorry.”

 

-Well, that’s a relief. The reason I called is that I have a request. By any chance, are you free today? Just enough time for a cup of coffee.

 

Yeonjun looked at the clock hanging in the convenience store. It was four now, so he had about two more hours until his part-time job ended.

 

“Any time after six is fine…. My work ends then…”

 

-Ah, then could you tell me which station is near where you work? I’ll come there.

 

“It’s near Korea University Station.”

 

-Ah, Korea University Station. Then I’ll find a cafe near Korea University Station around six and contact you again.

 

“Yes, please contact me when it’s convenient for you. Yes, I’ll see you later.”

 

After ending the call, Yeonjun placed the cream bun in his hand in an empty spot and fell into other thoughts. He wondered if he had made some mistake that caused a problem. His heart tightened, and he felt a little scared. Because if it wasn’t something like that, it seemed there would be no reason for Seo Jeongwon’s manager to contact him.

 

“……”

 

What if I caused trouble for the actor…. With a sullen face, Yeonjun slumped and finished placing the cream buns on the shelf. His heart, a mix of worry and curiosity, began to beat rapidly, thump thump.