Do I Make You Uncomfortable?

"Finished writing it up?"

"Yep! Uploaded and live!"

Wi Jae-hwi of Daily Media was hard at work as ever today. With a veteran typist's speed, he'd picked out the best-dressed attendees and pushed the article online the second the red carpet wrapped.

The view count was climbing fast. On the carpet itself, the press was packed shoulder to shoulder with barely room to breathe.

"Invitations and QR codes, please — let me verify—"

At the entrance to the press zone, where reporters were queuing up, the chatter around Wi Jae-hwi never let up.

"Kids styled by Ryu Risa really do hit different, huh?"

"Right? Same dress, and yet the whole feel of it changes."

Bantering back and forth about the celebrities in attendance, the reporters each offered their own analysis.

"So who do you think takes the Daesang tonight?"

"The Daesang, honestly, it's the obvious pick. Beyond the Closed Door did those numbers."

"Aw, you're still so naive. It's a fandom war! What's our cash cow supposed to do if everyone stops voting next year?"

"Oh, good point. Then my vote says she at least takes tonight's Album Award."

Even here, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the name of Do Gyeo-ul — who wasn't attending MNAA at all — refused to drop out of the conversation. Only yesterday, Beyond the Closed Door had finally broken through the 20-percent ratings wall.

"You know that girl MCing today, Han Yeo-reum?"

The instant the word Yeoreum hit his ears, Wi Jae-hwi's hearing sharpened tenfold. It was as if the man were speaking right beside him.

"A while back, one of my seniors went to see a play at the Daehangno Arts Theater. To write a Do Gyeo-ul piece, you know. And man—. He walked out of there praising Han Yeo-reum to the skies."

"Why's that?"

"Says he can just tell when he watches her. Truth is, that senior looked down on her at first too — web-drama Place of Origin and all. Kept muttering that Jegal Rok had finally thrown his money down a hole, but ever since that day he watches Pachehi like clockwork."

"Slightly menopausal, maybe?"

The poor blind soul who has never witnessed Yeoreum's stage.... How dare he say such things....

Wi Jae-hwi swallowed the words down. Merely hearing the name Han Yeo-reum made him feel as though he'd been carried back to that moment all over again.

"No, that senior used to swoon over Do Gyeo-ul's looks. But out of nowhere he's gone all cold about it, says Han Yeo-reum's the better actress now. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Han Yeo-reum has Gimyo-dam coming next summer, and word is Ki Joo-ye goes into Top Class around the same time."

"Is that official? Wow, damn. Put those two head to head and it'll be an absolute bloodbath. Oh, that reminds me of something about Han Yeo-reum — Director Gong of Faster Than the Law told me…."

It was clear that the more discerning eyes in the industry were the ones quickest to recognize Yeoreum. Wi Jae-hwi hung on every mention of her name, each one vivid against his ear—

"…Um, excuse me…? Who are you, standing this close?"

"Ah. Sorry about that."

Wi Jae-hwi snapped back to his senses, realizing he'd drifted pressed right up against the reporters behind him.

"Hey, I thought you were someone I knew…. You came in that close."

"I'm just tired. Ah — I must have dozed off a little."

Despite his senior's flustered stare, Wi Jae-hwi kept his expression firmly under control. After all, he would shortly need the practice of not letting the corners of his mouth creep upward when Yeoreum made her entrance into the press zone.

It was not, absolutely not, even the slightest bit embarrassing….

"Guess they split the waiting rooms by who gets along with whom."

I marveled at the room assignment. The names of the two Pachehi cast members were posted up together with Myeong Je-ha's. Ju Jun-seo murmured, staring dead at me.

"Get along?"

I really need to stop pranking this man three times out of every two. The moment he'd returned to his own room in the small hours yesterday, Ju Jun-seo had fired off yet another wall of text.

This time he'd even sent ten bowing-emoji stickers along with it — apparently it hadn't done the trick. I was due at the MC backstage area soon, and Chu Ga-eul, evidently finding it too awkward to be left alone with Ju Jun-seo without me there, seized on an excuse and bolted.

"Han Yeo-reum! I'm popping out to shoot some sponsored-dress photos!"

You woman of no loyalty, Chu Ga-eul…. Don't go…. Ju Jun-seo is still staring straight at me, as ever….

I turned to Myeong Je-ha with a silent cry for help. Save me, kind elder….

"I'm perfectly fine with it. I was hoping to build some rapport, that's all."

Myeong Je-ha, hair swept back clean off his forehead, said it while looking directly at Ju Jun-seo. However brittle Ju Jun-seo's outer shell might be, surely even he wouldn't say anything to that.

"…Right. Thanks."

"Talk comfortably with me."

Ju Jun-seo gave Myeong Je-ha a curt nod, then went and found himself a seat. His manager exchanged a glance with me yet again today.

'Yeoreum-ssi….'

'Manager-nim….'

I'd have to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠smooth things over for him over dinner later. Ju Jun-seo was, inexplicably, the type who never ate himself but adored feeding other people. I'd simply have to work through the three-tier okonomiyaki tower he'd inevitably stack for me.

For now, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with the live broadcast fast approaching, I needed to run through my movement route one more time and rehearse the opening lines with Seo I-deun.

'So this is… the plight of a celebrity…?'

I wanted to soak in the protagonist's aura for just a moment, but this was no time for it.

"I'll go and be back too! See you in a bit—. You two, get along nicely and rest up, okay? Got it?"

That, needless to say, was not aimed at Ju Jun-seo. Given his personality, there was no way he'd ever be the one to act friendly with Myeong Je-ha first.

'We're eating together later anyway. What good would awkwardness do anyone.'

Myeong Je-ha…. got it?

"…."

Kind elder…. got it?

When I put real force behind my eyes, Myeong Je-ha obligingly gave me a breezy little wave. He was at least competent at the social niceties, Myeong Je-ha.

And judging by the fact that he'd told me to get along with Ju Jun-seo last time, he didn't exactly dislike the man either.

'Ju Jun-seo's a decent guy once you get to know him.'

Then I could head out with an easy mind.

"Unnie, I'm heading off!"

With Coordinator Hwang at my side, I went to meet the staff who would escort us.

The moment Han Yeo-reum left, silence settled over the waiting room. Myeong Je-ha, who had been standing this whole time, took a seat directly across from Ju Jun-seo.

"Done with modeling, then?"

"…."

Ju Jun-seo stared wordlessly at the man across from him.

A sculptor's smile rested on a face so handsome it was off-putting even to other men. He could suddenly see exactly why the public kept joking about 'taxidermizing Myeong Je-ha.'

"Do I have to answer that?"

"Not at all. I'm just curious what changed your mind."

A soft voice, impeccable manners — and yet something about it rang false. The atmosphere had turned strangely coercive for what was supposed to be small talk.

If nothing else, Ju Jun-seo — who'd been drilled through every scrap of discipline the modeling world had to offer — could sense this kind of situation with unnerving precision.

"Act opposite her sometime and you'll get it."

And that was why he'd fired back with a pointed, needling answer. But Myeong Je-ha simply nodded, all compliance.

"I suppose so."

"…."

"Ah — a while back I did Romeo and Juliet with Yeoreum in the theater. You couldn't make it because of your schedule, right?"

It was a honeyed voice. Exactly the sort of exchange that flows freely between people who are merely nodding acquaintances.

"Next time I shoot a film with Yeoreum, I'll be sure to invite you. Come to the press screening."

But something about it grated. Ju Jun-seo's sharp eyes narrowed further.

"I might shoot one first. Come to mine then."

"Haha. Well, we'll see…."

Myeong Je-ha laughed, easy and unhurried, and adjusted his posture in his seat.

"You're shooting a film?"

"Yeah. Shooting a film, why?"

"You're… more serious about acting than I took you for."

"That's how it worked out. Feel free to drop by a set sometime when Han Yeo-reum's around."

The gaze resting on Ju Jun-seo never changed — relaxed, unruffled, entirely at its ease.

"Sure…. Whatever, I might."

Myeong Je-ha was, by every account, the same age as Han Yeo-reum — so why did he feel like some grizzled grand senior of the industry? Ju Jun-seo couldn't put his finger on a proper reason. Perhaps it was because the man had cracked ten million admissions with the very first project of his career, a rising actor out of nowhere.

That was why he stood. And the moment his hand closed around the door handle, Myeong Je-ha tossed out one last question, leisurely as ever.