Backing Her Up
"......My Hyunji. You're so beautiful."
"I-I'm pretty?"
I nodded at the way she held her skirt in both hands. The line of her fingertips, running all the way down to the hem, only made her look more graceful. She watched me with sparkling eyes and asked again, bright, as if she wanted to hear it one more time, and I answered her. For something like this, I could tell her as many times as she liked.
"Yeah. You're gorgeous. And you'd be even prettier holding this."
Slowly, I brought out the bouquet I'd been hiding behind my back and held it out to her. The white ballet costume and the pink roses made her look, just for a moment, like a bride in a wedding dress accepting her bouquet.
......This wasn't what I meant to do.
"......Oppa......"
Hyunji's face went blank and soft as she stared at the flowers. When she finally managed to tear her eyes away and looked at me, calling my name with her gaze gone wet, I only smiled, lifted the bouquet once, lightly, and let it settle again.
"Congratulations on the performance. And go out there and do it without a single mistake."
"......I'm not even the lead......"
"To me, you are."
"......Oppa......"
Hyunji took the bouquet in trembling hands, drew it deep against her chest, and closed her eyes to breathe in the scent. I watched in silence. The restless flutter in my chest turned into happiness as I drank in the sight of her, so plainly delighted, and I knew, somehow, that I would remember her like this for a long time.
"......They're so beautiful......"
"They suit you. Do you like them?"
"......I love them. I love them so much......"
She had been looking at me, and then she tipped her head straight back. She was trying to keep the tears from spilling, and for an instant I wanted to bury my face against the pale line of her throat. Hwang Jiyoung, standing beside us, pulled a tissue and handed it to Hyunji at once. I'd noticed it before. Her sense of timing was anything but ordinary. When I glanced her way, Jiyoung smiled softly and winked.
"......I'm sorry. I almost cried......"
"You like them that much?"
"Yes...... Just thinking that you brought these because of me......"
"What's wrong with that? I was happy too. But."
"......Yes?"
"You went to all that trouble with your makeup. If I kiss you, it'll get messy, won't it?"
"......My lips belong to you, Oppa......"
I leaned in slowly toward Hyunji, who was watching me with a shy little smile. Her lips were soft, the kiss so light it was barely a brush, and thirst rose in me all the same. I knew the noisy dressing room had gone quiet at some point, but every nerve I had was turned toward her.
"......Haa......"
"Beautiful. My Hyunji."
"......That you always treasure me like this...... I'm so grateful......"
"It's because you are beautiful. If it weren't for the performance, I'd be taking you out of here just like this."
"......Should we go?"
At her small whisper I let out a breath of a laugh and carefully stroked her cheek with my fingertips. I couldn't be the reason she had to fix her makeup again.
"......Later."
"......Okay......"
"Before that, let me take one picture. You look too pretty right now."
"......You can take as many as you want. Should I stand like this?"
When I took out my phone, Hyunji smiled, the bouquet cradled against her chest, and looked into the camera with those still-damp eyes. The image on the screen was so lovely I thought I'd have to make it my wallpaper for a while. I smiled and nodded.
"Here, let me see."
"Here."
"It came out well. Send it to me, too."
"Of course. You look pretty no matter the angle."
"......You're just good at taking pictures."
"First time I've heard that. I'm terrible at photos."
"So this is how I look through your eyes."
"Want me to change the angle and take another? It'll look even better from a little lower."
"Yes. Please take it."
"Hold on. Stay right there."
"Oppa. I think you'd better stop there."
Jiyoung's whisper broke the sweet little bubble between us. But the moment I lifted my head, I could see that her advice had been exactly right.
"......Oh my god......"
"......No wonder Hyunji brags......"
"......I want a guy who'll take pictures of me like that......"
"I'd settle for any guy at all."
"......I'm jealous."
"I thought I was watching a drama......"
"That sly little thing, Hyunji. She was hiding a man like this?"
"......You're the one who never heard a word of what Hyunji's always saying. It shows."
"How was I supposed to believe it? I thought she was so stressed lately she was letting it out through delusions......"
The whispers around us nearly pulled me under, too, and I hurried to get hold of myself. Then Jiyoung spoke to Hyunji.
"Hyunji, you need to fix your makeup, fast. It's smudged a little. If the professor sees you, we're in trouble."
"Ah...... Oppa......"
At Jiyoung's words, Hyunji's face filled with regret and reluctance. I gave her a small nod and answered.
"Go on. I'll be waiting in the audience."
"Ah, I should show you the way."
"I'll guide him. You can just tell me the seat number in the guests' section later, right?"
"......Yeah. I'm counting on you......"
She still looked far too sorry, so I quietly took her hand, just to tell her it was all right.
"......See you later. Okay?"
"Yes, Oppa...... I'm sorry...... I went and cried for no reason......"
"Sorry, sorry. You find the strangest things to apologize for. Go on in."
"......Okay......"
I watched her back as she hesitated, as if her feet wouldn't come unstuck from the floor, and headed deeper into the dressing room. Beside me, I heard Hwang Jiyoung mutter.
"......Is Hyunji really that beautiful to you?"
When I turned, I found Jiyoung studying me as if I were something curious. Meeting my eyes, she went on in a dazed voice.
"You didn't take your eyes off her once."
"How could anyone look at that and not think she's beautiful? She got that happy over nothing but a bouquet."
"......It isn't nothing. That's the first time I've ever seen it. A man giving someone a bouquet."
"You'd think people would, if it was meant as congratulations for a performance."
"......They almost never do. A wreath or a potted plant, at most...... and even those only go to the seniors presenting their graduation pieces."
"Ah. That makes sense. I don't care for those."
I'd sent more than enough of them through the company, so many I'd fallen into easy banter with the woman who took orders at the flower shop. After a while they came to feel like nothing but keeping up appearances, and I stopped liking them. If you were going to give something, it only meant anything when you put it in someone's hands yourself. Now that I knew how happy it made them, I didn't think I'd be leaving it to a delivery service again.
"......Oppa."
"Yes?"
"If you stay any longer, I think it's going to get difficult for you......?"
But Jiyoung's warning came a little late. By then we were already ringed in by countless eyes, glittering like stars in a night sky, and for a moment even I caught my breath. The scent of women's skin, perfume, and cosmetics mingled at the tip of my nose. It was nothing like that muddled, dizzy feeling on the bus. If anything, it was a fresh, youthful smell, sharp enough to snap me wide awake.
"......Seniors. I'd appreciate it if you remembered he's Hyunji's boyfriend."
"Lioness, step aside a moment. I was going to have you—no. There's something I want to ask."
"Don't cross the line. I really will get angry."
"Ah, I said I got it. Can't you take a joke?"
Between the sparkling eyes and the lovely faces, I almost wondered if I'd walked into heaven. One of the women looked at me with glittering eyes, tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, blinked, and leaned in a little as she greeted me.
"Hello. I'm Kim Juhee, Hyunji's closest senior."
I nearly laughed. It was obvious she'd practiced in front of a mirror, polished the pose until it showed. Somehow that only made it cute.
"Ah. Hello. You were practically undressed a little while ago."
"......Th-that couldn't be helped. The ballet costume is stuffy...... Ah! Not that I'm fat or anything......"
Shoulders squared as if to put her chest on display, blushing, awkward—it was a little cute. The problem was that, as I'd already seen, she was a double-A at best. Before I could answer, another woman cut in and turned a glittering look on me.
"Hello. It's all right if I call you Oppa, isn't it?"
"Of course."
"......Oppa, you look so pure. How do you take care of your skin?"
"Really, your skin is incredible...... And your face is so handsome, too."
"Thank you. You don't have to build me up like that. I know perfectly well I'm ordinary."
"......Ordinary? You're far too modest."
I smiled and answered them one by one, the girls who stared at me as if they were dying to get even a single word in. Jiyoung had been fidgeting the whole time, worry swimming in her eyes, but when I signaled that I was fine she only watched me in a daze, silent, as I kept the conversation going.
"Would it be all right if I asked your name......?"
"Yes, of course. I'm Lee Shinwoo."
"......I-I'm Lee Jaeyoung......"
"I'm Jang Miyoung......"
"Hello. It's nice to meet you. Please look after our Hyunji."
At our Hyunji, every face filled with surprise, or flushed pink, or swallowed hard. It was a little tiresome, but they were all Hyunji's friends from school. I figured I ought to back her up a little myself.
"......Hyunji's so kind, and she listens so well."
"She's cute, so we all like her."
"What's your Instagram, Oppa?"
"Hyunji will tell you right away."
"Ah...... E-even so, I wanted to hear it from you......"
"Here, give it to me."
But the moment I reached to take the phone, Hwang Jiyoung cut in. Every eye turned on her, burning so hot I actually felt a flicker of worry for her.
"Unnie, if you keep this up, you're going to regret it."
"......Lioness. You planning to cross the line?"
"No. That's not it. The professor will be here in five minutes. What are you going to do if she sees this?"
In that instant every gaze swung to the clock on the wall. Somehow it was already fifteen minutes before the performance. Then, as if they'd timed the breath together, the women let out a deep sigh, looked back at me, and offered their goodbyes with obvious regret.
"......We really do have to check our final preparations......"
"I stayed too long. I'm sorry."
"Ah, no! We're the ones who...... It's just such a shame......"
"Ask Hyunji about Instagram. She'll tell you."
"......Okay......"
Watching how reluctant they all were, I could tell they really were still young. Seniors or not, they couldn't have been more than their early to mid-twenties. Jiyoung tugged at my sleeve, urging me on, and with a quiet goodbye I stepped out of the dressing room.
"Whew."
"I'm sorry. Everyone's a little...... right now."
"No. This much is fine. I said that because I was the one having trouble holding back."
"......What......?"
Jiyoung's face warmed, flustered, as if she'd heard something she had never expected. She had a strong, confident side, and yet now and then a quietly cute one showed through. I knew Hyunji hadn't told her. Even so—hmm. I felt I could trust Hwang Jiyoung, at least a little.
"There's something Hyunji didn't tell you, because she was worried about me."
"......What......?"
"I'm a Multimale."
"......Huh?"
I let out a small laugh at the odd little sound she made, her head tilted.
"I thought it would be all right if you knew, Jiyoung."
"......Y-you're a Multimale......?"
"Yes. Don't give Hyunji a hard time about it. She only kept quiet because she was worried about me."
"Ah, I-I wasn't, I wasn't thinking that......"
She waved her hands at me in a fluster, and I nodded as I answered.
"Right. I'm telling you because I think I can trust you. Let's call it even for looking out for me today."
"......So that's why. That's why......"
"It's starting to make sense, then."
"......Yes...... So that was it. Even at the bar that time, you got along with all of us so well...... And the bouquet...... Even when we were being a nuisance......"
"Ah, well, at the bar it was because everyone was pretty. You're pretty too, Jiyoung."
"......Ah......"
In truth, Hwang Jiyoung's striking looks were one thing, but the sharp, thoughtful little gestures that kept surfacing were quite lovely in their own right. I looked at her, her face gone bright red at my words, and pointed down one side of the corridor.