Vol 1 Ch 3

As soon as his part-time job ended, Manager Kim Sunjong called again. Hearing it was a cafe called Moon River next to Exit 3 of Korea University Station, Yeonjun quickly left the convenience store. Moon River was a place he often passed by and knew well.

 

Hearing that he was already there waiting, Yeonjun hurried over, carefully opened the door, entered, and scanned the cafe. At a movement of a hand waving sharply by the window, Yeonjun recognized the face of Seo Jeongwon’s manager and quickly approached. Manager Kim Sunjong stood up upon seeing him.

 

“Hello. It’s nice to see you again.”

 

“Hello! I’m sorry…. I’m late, right?”

 

“Late? It seems like you ran here. You could have come slowly. Ah, would you like something to drink?”

 

Seeing Yeonjun out of breath, Manager Kim Sunjong took out his wallet. Yeonjun shook his head and took a step back.

 

“No, it’s okay. I’ll buy it.”

 

“Hey, what are you talking about? I’m the one who asked to meet. Then shall we go choose together? I haven’t ordered yet either. Let’s go, let’s go.”

 

Manager Kim Sunjong, naturally grabbing the arm of Yeonjun, who stood at a loss, went to the counter and looked up to examine the menu.”

 

“Would you like coffee? Or maybe an ade?”

 

“I don’t drink coffee well…. Hmm, then I’ll have a lemonade.”

 

“I was going to have lemonade too. Please go to the seat. I’ll bring it when it’s ready.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

He felt he should at least carry the drinks, but it also seemed impolite to make him say again to go to the seat, so Yeonjun awkwardly went and sat at the window seat. He usually had no reason to buy drinks at such a place, so although he’d seen it often, today was the first time he’d actually entered. A drink costing over four thousand won was a huge luxury for Yeonjun, something he needed great resolve to buy.

 

Not long after, Manager Kim Sunjong returned to the seat and placed a whole bunch of things like lemonade and cake on the table. Yeonjun bowed his head in a nod to Manager Kim Sunjong, who even inserted the straws for him.

 

“Please have the cake and these too. Whenever I have time, I crave sweets, so if I have a chance to come to a cafe, I always order. I just can’t help it.”

 

Manager Kim Sunjong, who even placed a fork in front of Yeonjun, took a big bite of the chocolate cake and looked at him. Yeonjun, who had taken a sip of his lemonade, looked back at Manager Kim Sunjong with a slightly tense face.

 

“The reason I asked to meet today is because I have a request.”

 

“…Did I do something wrong last time……?”

 

“Hey, no, it’s not that. The response to the help you gave last time was so good that, as a token of gratitude, we’d like to invite you to a dinner with actor Seo Jeongwon.”

 

“…Dinner?”

 

It was a relief that there were no mistakes, but the sudden mention of dinner was surprising and unexpected for Yeonjun. He stared blankly at Manager Kim Sunjong, unable to even take the straw out of his mouth.

 

“Actually, it seems one of our agency’s employees personally uploaded a photo of you two on their social media. Now that the photo has spread around, there’s been a lot of positive feedback about Seo Jeongwon, and many people have said that him and Ha Yeonjun look great together.”

 

“Ah… really? That’s a relief.”

 

“So, we’re very grateful for that, and we were wondering if you’d like to have dinner with Seo Jeongwon. The actor also really wants to have dinner with you. Well, honestly, it’s an opportunity created because of the good image, but since you’re a fan of the actor, I thought it might be a good time for you, Ha Yeonjun, so I came to ask.”

 

Yeonjun couldn’t answer readily. Honestly, saying he wanted to have dinner together wasn’t easy. It wasn’t often that he got the chance to have dinner with an actor he liked, and it was a good thing that made his heart flutter just thinking about it, but he didn’t have the courage to think he deserved to be in such a place. He was a big fan of Seo Jeongwon, but he didn’t have the ability to give good gifts like other people, and he kept shrinking back, thinking that he might really be a burden to the dazzling Seo Jeongwon this time.

 

“Is the offer too sudden or uncomfortable for you?”

 

“It’s not that… I just don’t know if someone like me should have dinner with the actor….”

 

“Don’t say that. You said you’re a fan of the actor. A liking heart is enough. It’s not an uncomfortable or difficult place, it’s just a one-on-one dinner. I’ll be in and out sometimes, though.”

 

Just hearing the words made the tips of his fingers holding the lemonade tremble slightly. He didn’t have the courage, and he had too many worries. Still, the face of Seo Jeongwon, who was standing in front of him, kept flickering in his mind. The image of his favorite person, alive and moving in front of his eyes, not through a screen, shook Yeonjun’s heart. The thought of wanting to see him again spread more and more deeply. If he missed this opportunity, he might regret it for the rest of his life.

 

“…I’ll do it.”

 

“Really?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

I want to meet you. I want to see you again. The words didn’t form into sound. Yeonjun smiled as he looked at the brightly smiling Manager Kim Sunjong. The thought that he would soon see Jeongwon again spread a sweeter-than-cake feeling inside his heart.

 

***

 

The promised day was exactly three days after Manager Kim Sunjong came to find him. Considering Yeonjun’s part-time job, the appointment time was seven o’clock, and Manager Kim Sunjong came to pick up Yeonjun in front of the convenience store himself. Yeonjun wore the most decent shirt and pants he had. It wasn’t new, and it wasn’t expensive, but it was clothes he had prepared like new by entrusting them to the laundry for today.

 

While going to the appointment place with Manager Kim Sunjong, many stories were exchanged, but Yeonjun forgot everything after listening and answering. He was so nervous that other words couldn’t stay in his head. Yeonjun got out in the parking lot of a very large and wonderful building that he arrived at about forty minutes later. Manager Kim Sunjong dropped Yeonjun off in front of the elevator and parked the car next to it.

 

“The actor has arrived, I hear.”

 

“Ah…. Already?”

 

“Yes. Let’s go up.”

 

His hands started to tremble. He just walked and got on the elevator without doing anything, but he was out of breath, and his heart was pounding. Manager Kim Sunjong, who smiled at Yeonjun, who seemed nervous, clenched both fists and cheered for Yeonjun. He laughed a little at the manager, but the corners of his mouth were a little stiff, unlike usual. Yeonjun pressed his lips hard with his hand. The soft skin was pushed around on his fingertips.

 

“You can go in this way.”

 

Guided by Manager Kim Sunjong, Yeonjun entered the restaurant and looked at Seo Jeongwon sitting at a table by the window. It was as if light had gathered as soon as he came inside, and his gaze went towards where Seo Jeongwon was. There were still more than ten steps to go to get closer, but strangely, it was difficult to get closer. He felt like it would be better to see him from just this distance. It was because he was too nervous.

 

“Ha Yeonjun is here.”

 

As he approached the table, Seo Jeongwon, who had been sitting, stood up. His face sparkled even more because he was wearing a white shirt. Yeonjun lowered his head and greeted him as soon as their eyes met.

 

“…Ah, hello.”

 

“Sit down.”

 

Yeonjun awkwardly sat down in the chair as he looked at Seo Jeongwon, who held out his hand and pointed to the chair. Manager Kim Sunjong whispered something briefly in Seo Jeongwon’s ear, looked at Yeonjun, and clenched his fist again, sending a gesture of support. Yeonjun lightly bowed his head to Sunjong and carefully looked at Seo Jeongwon again.

 

“……”

 

He already knew through the Seo Jeongwon on the screen that light could shine from a person, but seeing it properly like this, he really sparkled. He sparkled even on the day he was carrying coal briquettes, but Seo Jeongwon, wearing a white shirt and with his hair nicely done, was so wonderful that he couldn’t say anything. Yeonjun massaged his fingertips, which had become too cold from the tension, under the table.

 

“I heard you don’t have any food you can’t eat, so I ordered my favorite course.”

 

“Ah…. Yes. I like anything.”

 

After a brief conversation about the food menu, pre-dinner bread and appetizers were placed on the table. Yeonjun looked at the food placed in front of him once and looked at Seo Jeongwon, who wasn’t looking at him, once.

 

“I’ll take a few pictures.”

 

At that time, a person holding a camera came in and stood next to the table. A sweet smile that anyone couldn’t help but fall in love with appeared on Seo Jeongwon’s expressionless face. Yeonjun was looking at that smile when he turned his head at the photographer’s words to look this way. The shutter sound rang quickly a few times.

 

As the photographer lowered the camera, Seo Jeongwon’s smile also disappeared. Yeonjun followed the fork that Seo Jeongwon picked up and ate the food while watching Seo Jeongwon eat. Honestly, it was his first time in such a nice place, so everything was unfamiliar and awkward. In that atmosphere, with the person he liked so much in front of him, it was difficult to even breathe properly.

 

After eating the refreshing and sweet appetizer, there was no special conversation until the steak was placed. Yeonjun kept looking at Seo Jeongwon. Seo Jeongwon looked very tired and bored. Yeonjun thought that Seo Jeongwon couldn’t help but show that kind of reaction because he couldn’t speak well and wasn’t a person who fit in with the high standards of this place. Seo Jeongwon couldn’t possibly not know the fact that he knew, but he could tell that he was a really good person just by being with him in such a nice place.

 

“It’s tough.”

 

Seo Jeongwon’s voice, which flowed out like a monologue, echoed over the quiet table. Yeonjun raised his head and looked at Seo Jeongwon. Seo Jeongwon was stabbing the steak haphazardly with a knife. It was an action that went very well with his bored and annoyed face, but Yeonjun only thought that it was a big deal because the meat was tough and Seo Jeongwon seemed upset.

 

Manager Kim Sunjong, who couldn’t stand Seo Jeongwon’s actions and attitude, approached the table. And he whispered something in Seo Jeongwon’s ear. Yeonjun cut the softest and most delicious steak he had ever eaten into small pieces and put it in his mouth. It was delicious, but it was hard to tell whether he was eating it now or just putting it in his mouth to endure the awkward silence. Yeonjun looked at Manager Kim Sunjong, who was looking at him with an apologetic face and leaving, and lowered his head again.

 

“What’s your name?”

 

The question that came out thirty minutes after they started eating together was too clichéd and insincere. It was a question that showed that he had no interest at all, but Yeonjun couldn’t even come close to thinking that way. He was happy just that Seo Jeongwon had asked his name.

 

“…Ha Yeonjun.”

 

“Ah, Ha Yeonjun. How old are you?”

 

“Nineteen.”

 

“You’ll be twenty soon.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

“You’re young.”

 

The conversation stopped again. Seo Jeongwon’s gaze, which had been on Yeonjun, returned to the steak, which was tough today. Yeonjun was very happy that he had a short conversation with Seo Jeongwon. His voice calling his name was so good that it felt like he could still hear that voice in his ear.

 

Behind Yeonjun, who was soaked in emotion, someone cleared their throat. Seo Jeongwon, who only raised his eyes to look at that side, put down his knife and fork with a sound and looked at Yeonjun. Yeonjun bit his dry lower lip tightly.

 

“Are you really my fan?”

 

“…Pardon?”

 

“You said that back then. That you’ve liked me for a long time. I was wondering if it was just because I was in front of you, so you didn’t want to say no and just said it to be sensible and not ruin the atmosphere.”

 

“No! It’s real…. I’ve really liked you for a long time…. Well, not a long time, I didn’t see you from your debut…. But I’ve still liked you for five years. I first saw you acting when I was fifteen years old. Since then, until now… I’m really a fan.”

 

Yeonjun tried to let Seo Jeongwon know that it wasn’t like that at all to Seo Jeongwon’s question of whether he was just pretending to be a fan because he was in front of him. He wasn’t confident that the words he said would be conveyed well to Seo Jeongwon because he wasn’t good at talking, but he still wanted to convey it.

 

“Ah…. Acting. What did you see and become a fan?”

 

“<It’s Okay, Tomorrow>…. You played a student who was being bullied at school there, right? I saw that and since then….”

 

“Ah. That. That’s a bit unusual. Usually, people like <Love Etudes>, <Spring Snow>, or <Signature>.”

 

“I’ve seen all of those too. I like <Love Etudes>, <Spring Snow>, and <Signature> all. I’ve seen them more than ten times.”

 

“You’ve seen them more than me.”

 

It was a conversation where one person was soaked in liking feelings, and the other person was only dry enough to crack. Yeonjun, who had answered the perfunctory question with all his heart, put a piece of steak in his mouth again in the silence that had come again. As time passed, the atmosphere became more and more awkward, and he couldn’t feel the taste well anymore. Yeonjun quickly took a sip of water at the foreign substance that was passing through his throat. Seo Jeongwon’s gaze briefly touched and fell on Yeonjun’s hand holding the glass of water. And then there was silence again.

 

The dessert was cake and warm tea. Yeonjun, who saw Seo Jeongwon, who hadn’t eaten much of the steak, eating a few bites of cake, followed Seo Jeongwon and ate the cake with lots of strawberries on top. The strawberries were sweet, and the cake was so soft that the cream melted and disappeared as soon as it touched his tongue.

 

Seo Jeongwon, who checked the time openly by raising his wrist, tilted his head slightly behind Yeonjun and sent a signal. Yeonjun thought that it was time and quietly put down his fork. As Yeonjun expected, Manager Kim Sunjong came to the table and bowed to Yeonjun.

 

“Did you have a good meal……. Did you do well?”

 

Yeonjun smiled as he looked at Manager Kim Sunjong, who looked distressed as if he was asking a question he couldn’t ask.

 

“Yes. It was delicious.”

 

“Then I’ll take you home. We’ll go in the van on the way, and the actor will go with you too.”

 

“Ah…. No. You must be busy, I’ll go home alone.”

 

“What are you saying. I’m really grateful that you came today, and…. And…. I’m also sorry…. It’s only natural that I take you home, so please don’t refuse. Okay?”

 

“…Ah…. Yes. Thank you.”

 

Yeonjun looked at the back of Seo Jeongwon, who stood up and strode past him first. He wished he had done better, and he just hoped that today wouldn’t be the worst time for Jeongwon.