The Delinquent's Appeal
Americano. Five shots. It was a drink Jang Seon-woo had never once brought to his lips, let alone caught a whiff of. The moment Lee Hye-ri turned her back, he opened his mouth before he could even process his emotions.
"Uh, yeah... as expected..."
"Hmm?"
"Would it be better if I got something else...?"
"Oh, yeah. Right. But isn't this what you usually drink?"
"My stomach hasn't been feeling great lately."
A sly smile spread across Lee Hye-ri's face. Seo Se-ah didn't say a word, but watching Jang Seon-woo's flustered state stirred an unfamiliar feeling inside her.
An overwhelmingly powerful presence. A being that had been crushed by fear and unable to do anything. Seeing him so rattled and at a complete loss, it felt like something was stirring deep in her heart.
Should she call it coming to her senses? Seo Se-ah had always been introverted, trembling from the constant harassment she'd endured. Even if she couldn't transform overnight. A little. Just the tiniest bit.
She was changing. Like a small crack forming in a massive dam.
"Then what should I get for you?"
"A Dolce... latte?"
"That's still coffee, but it's better than five shots."
"Ah, haha..."
The corners of Seo Se-ah's mouth twitched upward. A refreshing, satisfying sensation welled up inside her. The man who had tormented her was now squirming helplessly. Respect bloomed in her eyes as she gazed at Lee Hye-ri.
On the other hand, Jang Seon-woo's expression was gradually collapsing. His plan to harass Seo Se-ah had fallen apart completely. The moment he resolved to unleash his pent-up emotions—
"I need to buy some for the other staff too... Se-ah, could you help me out? Is that all right?"
"Ah... yes."
Seo Se-ah glanced at Jang Seon-woo. The answer should have come from the man, not her. How many people would dare refuse when asked so politely? In the end, he nodded with an awkward smile, and Lee Hye-ri led Seo Se-ah outside.
The claim about buying coffee was true. The part about sharing it with the staff was true. And the hidden truth was that she was trying to help Seo Se-ah.
Meanwhile, left alone, Jang Seon-woo tried to swallow his rage. No—he couldn't swallow it. The only thing he couldn't do was scream it out loud.
His face was crumpled like a bulldog's. His expression kept twisting and darkening. His hands shook violently as he clenched his fists tight.
For that brief moment, Jang Seon-woo was doing everything in his power to hold back his anger. A toothless tiger? No, that title didn't suit Lee Hye-ri. It would be more accurate to call her a tiger that had simply changed its den.
In the end, his choice was to grow even stronger. Strong enough to secretly drown anyone he hated without anyone noticing. He would crush them thoroughly and torment them without mercy.
A month and a half had passed. November was approaching, and so was the broadcast date for I Want to Stay for Just One More Minute. They had currently filmed up to six episodes.
"That's strange."
It was a youth drama. Rather than a simple romance, it contained a story about the students' growth. Jang Seon-woo, who had received the script, tilted his head. Although it was only a partial script, he had already analyzed the basic framework, so it wasn't too difficult to follow.
Of course, the schedule was brutal. Should he say it felt unlike modern dramas? Or more like the old style?
Still, what felt odd to Jang Seon-woo was the screen time distribution. Four roles drove the drama: leads Ju Ha-ryeong and Jang Seon-woo, and supporting actors Gye Ji-min and Woo Dan-wol.
Excluding minor roles and certain scenes, the screen time ratio looked like this: Ju Ha-ryeong and Jang Seon-woo each received three parts, while Gye Ji-min and Woo Dan-wol each received two.
That was the overall calculation. However, starting from episode seven, Jang Seon-woo's portion had slightly decreased—to about 2.5. In contrast, Woo Dan-wol's share had increased by exactly the same amount.
It was a sensitive subject to bring up. The true owner of the story was writer Seong Da-un; he was merely the actor expressing it in front of the camera.
Overstepping could easily blow up into a major issue. Especially now, when the love line hadn't even been finalized and only a subtle tension remained, it became even more delicate.
Her determination to adjust based on viewer reactions stood out. It wasn't excessive. The veteran actors were always ready to unleash their full power whenever needed.
What remained was the direction. Energy drinks kept piling up on director Seong A-reum's desk. Yet the fact that she never lost focus and kept producing the best possible results was simply because she was a true professional.
After the production presentation, it was finally time for the first episode to air.
I Want to Stay for Just One More Minute—or One More Minute for short. Right up until the day before it aired, the community was already heatedly debating the love lines based solely on the trailer visuals. Newcomers would wonder what all the fuss was about; the excitement was that intense. Occasionally people mixed in curses while insisting their take was correct, but in reality it was all part of the game. That was simply how they played.
Aside from a tiny minority who took it too far, it was one of the standard ways to enjoy a romance drama.
And then. After all the waiting and anticipation. The long-awaited broadcast day for One More Minute finally arrived.
Woo Ri-na and her friends had gathered at her house. Woo Dan-wol was busy with recent filming. It wasn't dawn shoots, but he had still booked a lodging to save time.
"I can't wait to see it."
"Right...?"
"It's weird hearing you two say that."
No matter how famous they were, hearing them talk that way about her own brother felt strange to Woo Ri-na. She was about to say something when the drama began, so she closed her mouth instead.
They were the kind of friends who chattered noisily and teased each other without mercy, but they were also adorable students who could focus perfectly when it mattered.
"Hmmm..."
"This is actually good."
"Dan-wol oppa is the best."
As the drama progressed and the mid-episode commercials rolled, the students finally began their discussion. Everything poured out—from ordinary impressions to sharp observations far beyond their years.
"Jang Seon-woo seems kind of..."
"Honestly, I don't get why he's in this. Why is he even here?"
"It's weirder that he's the lead."
They were words only students could say so freely. Of course, if even one of them had been a Jang Seon-woo fan, they would have held back, but they all liked Woo Dan-wol.
So there was no one to stop them. Come to think of it, it was actually infuriating.
"No, why is that guy so popular anyway!!"
"C-calm down..."
"The rumors about him aren't even good. Is the world insane?"
"J-Jin Yu-jeong!!"
Jin Yu-jeong was the most spirited of the trio. Some might mistake her for a delinquent leader, but she was surprisingly friendly with everyone. That was why she laughed and joked around with the actual delinquents too, leading some to see her that way.
"Whew..."
"There, there. Good job, Yu-jeong."
"Personal attack."
"Pffft..."
The students traded silly jokes until the drama started airing again, at which point they lowered their voices. They were thoroughly enjoying the show as it raced toward its climax. Then the moment came—Woo Dan-wol's second appearance.
But the atmosphere was completely different. The kind young man who always made tonkatsu and stir-fried pork belly whenever they visited was gone. In his place stood a thug radiating a sharp, dangerous aura.
"Hey, pig."
In that instant, Jin Yu-jeong's eyes began to tremble. School was like a jungle. There were no official ranks, but everyone's eyes and hearts understood. Even if they didn't openly harass or devour one another, there was still a clear hierarchy and place for everyone.
Among them, Jin Yu-jeong stood near the very top. Thanks to her good personality and refreshingly honest looks, she got along with everyone. In truth, she was closer to a delinquent leader than most realized.
Yet the more she watched Woo Dan-wol's performance...
"Ugh..."
Jin Yu-jeong's face grew flushed. Every time she heard those sharp words and expressions—not gentle questions but tones that demanded and coerced—her heart pounded wildly. This tingling sensation rising inside her... was it excitement? Yes. It was fun because it was a drama.
Unaware of her own state, Jin Yu-jeong let out a long, sticky sigh with a deeply reddened face.
"H-hey, this gu— I mean, what's wrong with her?"
"What is it? You... you..."
Lee Da-bin, sitting beside her, jumped in surprise. And for good reason. Even her closest friend Lee Da-bin had never seen Jin Yu-jeong make an expression like that before.