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# Chapter 3
“……Hyung, what are you doing right now?”
Jo Yonggi stared blankly through the lowered driver's-side window.
A 186-centimeter-tall man was crouching down, smiling at a stray cat.
“C-ch, ch, ch, ch.”
He had even started making those weird sounds.
Manager Jo Yonggi's brain stopped functioning.
Of course, Park Songhoo didn't hate animals.
But it wasn't as though he particularly liked them either.
Even when he saw stray cats several times, he had never once spared them a glance…… and now he was doing this.
“……Hyung?”
He called out, but there was no response.
He was completely absorbed in the cat.
“Songhoo hyung!”
“Eek!”
What kind of sound effect was that?
Only then did Songhoo hyung stand up, patting his knees.
“Ah, um, you already arri—”
His voice trailed off, and he closed his mouth.
“You're here.”
“……?”
What kind of way of speaking was that?
“Hyung, are you feeling okay?”
“Yeah.”
During his period of self-reflection, Park Songhoo had stayed shut up at home by himself, so even his manager, Jo Yonggi, hadn't seen him in a long time.
Had something happened during that time?
Well.
He had spent a little over a year in self-reflection.
Even someone like Park Songhoo could get nervous about returning to filming after such a long absence.
“Get in the car, hyung. The salon appointment is at ten, so we should leave with plenty of time.”
Park Songhoo nodded and opened the passenger-side door.
“……The back seat, hyung.”
“Oh.”
“Haha, you can get confused. It's been a really long time since you've ridden in this car.”
A moment later, Yonggi discreetly checked the back seat through the rearview mirror.
Songhoo hyung was looking out the window.
Wow, that profile really is……
The morning sunlight rested across the bridge of his nose, and his side profile was truly a work of art.
He hadn't even had plastic surgery. How could nature produce a nose like that……
“Hyung, you're still ridiculously handsome.”
“Yeah.”
“Oh…… What's this? You didn't tell me to shut up for once?”
Normally, whenever Yonggi complimented his appearance, the automatic response was for him to tell Yonggi to shut up.
Surprised, Jo Yonggi glanced at him through the rearview mirror twice before starting the engine.
Maybe he's become a little kinder.
Well…… thinking about it, it was a little questionable to call him kind simply because he hadn't told him to shut up.
A little while later, the car arrived at the salon in Cheongdam-dong.
It was the salon Park Songhoo had been going to since his debut.
“Oh my, Songhoo! How long has it been?”
The owner came walking out from inside, her stride almost theatrical.
“……Yeah. It's been a while.”
He gave a small nod.
The moment he sat down, the owner's fingers slipped through Park Songhoo's hair.
“Hmm, does your hair texture feel a little different? It feels softer.”
“Ah, well.”
“Yes?”
“……I took care of it while I was resting.”
The owner nodded.
“Oh, really? Looks like you took good care of it. Your hair is much healthier.”
And so his hair was styled.
While an assistant designer was adding curls to the sides of his hair, the owner approached Jo Yonggi and whispered.
“Songhoo has matured. He's really become a fine man. He must have done a lot of thinking by himself during his time away.”
Jo Yonggi nodded along.
The owner began gently tapping beneath his eyes.
“I think he went through a lot by himself and finally grew up. He matured. Anyway, Yonggi, make sure you take good care of him.”
“……I will.”
Just then, the phone in his pocket rang.
[CEO Baek]
Jo Yonggi quickly stepped outside the salon and answered.
“Yes, CEO.”
Is Songhoo doing okay? Everything's going according to schedule, right? Ha, this rude bastard. It's his first schedule back and he hasn't even called me once, not even once!
The agency's CEO was venting his anger when Yonggi spoke.
“CEO, actually…… hyung has changed a little.”
What?
Jo Yonggi explained everything that had happened that morning.
Even what the salon owner had just said.
……Really?
Another silence.
Looks like that Songhoo bastard has finally become a decent human being……
“Exactly……”
Hey, but you're his manager. Isn't it a little inappropriate for you to talk about him like that?
“……”
***
At that same time, the real Park Songhoo was leaning against the hospital bed, staring into empty space.
Maybe I went too far……
Now that the day had actually arrived, he was worried.
Just as he was beginning to wonder whether this had been reckless……
Bzzzzzz—
His phone vibrated.
When he turned on the screen, there was a long message beneath CEO Baek's name.
It was so long that he had to scroll down to see the end.
“……What is this?”
The message said that Baek appreciated everything he'd been through, that although his personality really was bad, he believed Songhoo had reflected a lot on his actions. For reference, when the personality controversy had first erupted, CEO Baek had immediately cursed him out while saying, “I knew this would happen.”
It also said that Songhoo was a butterfly capable of flying higher, and finally, that Baek would support him until the very end.
I'm going to throw up. What's gotten into him? Why is he suddenly like this?
There was no way CEO Baek would suddenly send a message like this for no reason.
There was definitely something going on.
“This bastard…… What the hell is he up to?”
***
JTBS, <Our Hospital> studio.
“Most importantly, I want everyone to keep things within bounds today.”
The PD repeatedly emphasized this in front of the cast.
“As you all know, today's guest is Park Songhoo.”
The regular cast members of <Our Hospital> were sitting on their respective beds in the hospital room set.
“Park Songhoo…… He is pretty cynical.”
“He probably won't go along with jokes, right?”
“Then how are we supposed to handle this?”
The cast members were already feeling at a loss.
“But we'll get good ratings, right?”
“Well, since this is Park Songhoo's comeback broadcast, we can probably consider a certain amount of ratings guaranteed.”
“I've seen him in person before, and I couldn't speak for several seconds.”
“His face is unbelievably small too……”
One testimony after another came from those who had experienced Park Songhoo's real-life appearance.
“If he'd had a good personality on top of that face, he would've been incredible……”
“I guess God was so focused on sculpting his face that He forgot about his personality.”
Perhaps because they were entertainers, they were still joking around even at a moment like this.
While laughter floated through the studio, the PD sighed.
“It's fine right now, but if you say things like that when Park Songhoo arrives, we're going to have a problem.”
They hadn't been expecting much entertainment value from the beginning.
How could they, when Park Songhoo was the guest?
Even so, his appearance guaranteed ratings, which was why he had been booked as the sole guest.
The buzz surrounding Park Songhoo.
“So we should tease him about his aloof personality?”
“Don't go too hard with that either. If the atmosphere suddenly becomes awkward, we're in trouble.”
“True. Whenever Park Songhoo gets offended, his expression stays sour for the entire broadcast.”
“Well, that's just how his personality is.”
The PD clapped his hands to draw everyone's attention.
“Let me say this one more time. Today's filming should be toned down compared to usual, and there should be absolutely no remarks related to his personality controversy. Especially you, Jeon Jaemin. You always ask those mischievous questions.”
“Yes, yes.”
***
“Songhoo oppa!”
“Oppa, oppa, over here!”
“Have a safe trip!!”
When I arrived at the broadcasting station, there were fans gathered outside.
I swallowed nervously at the sight of something I'd never experienced before, while my manager led the way and cleared a path.
“Hyung, hurry and go inside.”
As I passed through the fans, someone stepped forward.
She was holding paper bags in both hands.
“Oppa, please take this! I made it myself!”
It was a gift.
For me.
No, for Park Songhoo.
“Oh, thank you……”
I accepted the gift, but my hands were trembling, causing the bag to shake.
Something inside rattled.
What if it's something breakable? Ah, but did I just speak formally? Should I speak casually? How am I supposed to act with fans? What does hyung normally say to his fans?
While I was thinking about that, another fan held out a letter.
Not knowing what was going on, I simply accepted everything they gave me and kept repeating my thanks.
I also kept bowing over and over.
“……”
“……”
The fans' expressions were becoming strange.
Did I make a mistake?
Then one fan's eyes reddened as she shouted that she was supporting me.
Soon, I heard someone say they loved me.
I could even see some fans with tears in their eyes.
Why is everyone acting like this?
My heart was pounding.
Eventually, I sent my manager a silent look asking for salvation.
Huh?
My manager was smiling proudly.
Then I hadn't made a mistake?
“……Thank you. I'll be back safely.”
With the cheers erupting behind me, I hurried inside the broadcasting station.
Once we entered the hallway, my manager nodded and spoke.
“Hyung, give them to me. I'll carry the gifts.”
“……”
Even while walking through the broadcasting station, I could feel various eyes fixed on me.
Staff members, other cast members' managers, coordinators……
They didn't exactly seem to be looking at me favorably.
Are they thinking, He ruined his career with a personality controversy and he's already back?
If that's the case, it's unfair.
I didn't even do it!
Click—
I opened the waiting room door, and a hospital gown for the broadcast was hanging on a clothes rack.
My manager said he'd wait outside, and the door closed.
The moment I was alone, the strength drained from my knees.
“Pheeeeeew……”
I clutched my chest.
At this point, you'd think I would have calmed down at least a little, but my heart continued pounding like crazy.
What on earth is happening to me right now?
I changed into the hospital gown and stood in front of the mirror.
Even beneath the makeup, I could see myself trembling.
My lips were probably blue by now too….
In the middle of all that, the hospital gown itself was unnecessarily detailed.
Even the hospital logo had been embroidered onto the cuffs, and the ties at the back were designed to be fastened exactly like a real hospital gown.
I had to give credit to the broadcasting station's props team for their craftsmanship.
I took out the script.
The very first line.
The comment I was supposed to make when entering the set.
The answer to the official <Our Hospital> question.
What kind of illness did you come in with?
My answer was supposed to be:
Prince Syndrome.
It seemed to be a line written with Park Songhoo's character in mind.
He did have that kind of image.
Yeah, it's easy.
I closed the script.
Prince Syndrome.
Honestly, I didn't even need to memorize that.
Knock knock—
“Mr. Songhoo, it's time for you to go in.”
“!”
My throat went completely dry.
I tried to swallow, but there wasn't even any saliva.
I left the waiting room.
The hallway was long.
No, was it always this long?
I don't remember it being this long when I came in earlier.
Stay calm. Today is the first and last time.
I arrived in front of the set.
A staff member was saying something into an earpiece, and murmuring voices leaked out from beyond the door.
[We're ready for your entrance.]
The teleprompter flashed.
The staff member opened the door.
I stepped forward.
Rumble—
In an instant, a spacious hospital room set unfolded before my eyes.
Bright white lights stabbed into my eyes.
Six hospital beds.
And sitting on them were people I had only ever seen on TV.
“Wow, a new patient has come to our hospital!”
“Who is it? Who is it? Gasp!”
“He's so handsome!”
Cheers and applause erupted.
The main MC waved his hand.
“Hey, hey, long time no see!”
“Hyung, it's been a long time, but that's a patient you've never met before. Why are you saying it's been a long time?”
“There's a reason for that.”
Laughter filled the studio.
“Wow, but he really is handsome……”
“His face is like the size of my palm.”
“I wonder what brought someone this handsome to our hospital?”
It came.
That question had arrived.
“What illness did you come in with?”
Now all I had to do was say the line I'd memorized earlier……
……What was it?
I was so nervous that my mind went completely blank.
Literally, it had turned white.
I had definitely been memorizing it just moments ago.
I had kept repeating it to myself.
Silence was piling up.
The celebrities I'd only ever seen on TV were staring directly at me, while the cameras glared at me with their red lights!
……Remember, Park Songmin!
Park Songhoo's illness.
The illness Park Songhoo had.
What was it?
At that moment, the image of Park Songhoo in the hospital room flashed through my mind.
“Intermittent explosive disorder……?”
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