Chapter 26
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 26
The next day.
Eun-seong was a perfectionist—meticulous with his time and always striving to be a role model. Especially since he wanted to appear exemplary to Go Yeon-ju, of all people. And so, Eun-seong woke up bright and early, completely free of a hangover.
He spent so little of the year at home that he was thoroughly accustomed to sleeping on the road. Maintaining a strict routine, regardless of his location, was crucial.
He woke up at his usual time, took his vitamins, and finished his workout. By the time he’d downed his protein shake and showered, it was only six in the morning.
Call time was at eight. It was still early, but Eun-seong was already pacing his hotel room, waiting for his manager, Dong-hwan.
“Oh, hyung. You’re already good to go?”
“What time do you think it is? Why are you only showing up now?”
When Dong-hwan finally appeared, eyes half-closed and cap pulled low, Eun-seong was already chiding him.
Dong-hwan checked his watch and mumbled through a massive yawn.
“There’s no one out yet, hyung. If you go to the set now, you’ll just be waiting around for ages.”
“I’ll get there myself. I need you to run an errand for me.”
“Huh? An errand?”
Eun-seong handed Dong-hwan several bankbooks. He had long relied on Dong-hwan to handle his banking, and today was no different.
“But hyung, the banks won’t be open for a while.”
“Go rest first, then take care of it. It’s fine if you’re late to the set. Actually, you don’t even have to come today. Just get some rest.”
“What? No way, hyung. How could I leave you by yourself?”
As Dong-hwan waved his hands in refusal, Eun-seong stepped closer and took a sniff.
“Ugh, you reek of alcohol. You’re still drunk, aren’t you?”
“Do I smell that bad? Ah, I did have a few drinks last night. A bunch of other managers I’m close with were there.”
“With that much alcohol on your breath, driving is out of the question. If you blew into a breathalyzer right now, you’d be arrested for sure.”
As Eun-seong grimaced and backed away, Dong-hwan sniffed his own shirt. That’s weird. I don’t think I smell that bad.
“Go get some proper sleep, sober up, and then head out. Don’t start any unnecessary gossip.”
“Understood. I’ll sleep a little more and then go. But how are you going to get to the set, hyung?”
At Dong-hwan’s question, Eun-seong smirked. A sudden chill ran down Dong-hwan’s spine at the sight of that smile, and the corners of his mouth twitched downward.
“I have my ways. I’m sure someone can give me a lift.”
“Ah, right, right. Of course, hyung.”
Waving him away, Eun-seong picked up his phone.
The moment Dong-hwan left, he made the call. Yeon-ju's voice soon came through the speaker.
“It’s me. When are you leaving?”
─ Who is this?
This woman… honestly.
“Did you not save my number yesterday?”
─ Oh. Oh, right. Hello.
“Skip the pleasantries. When are you leaving for the set?”
Caught off guard, Yeon-ju didn’t answer right away. Eun-seong, who was browsing the jackets he had laid out, waited patiently. A faint smile touched his lips when her voice finally returned.
─ I’m about to leave, but… why?
“My manager can’t make it. Give me a ride. You have room, right?”
─ What? Oh, uh, yes. Well… yeah, I guess? There should be room. It’s not my car, though.
“See you in the lobby. I’m heading down now.”
─ Wait, I’m still getting ready!
“Hurry up. Don’t keep me waiting. I’m on my way.”
Eun-seong hung up with a scoff.
“I don’t have a husband.”
He’d been wandering aimlessly around the temporary waiting room yesterday when he stumbled upon a shocking truth.
“You must have misheard. I don’t have one. I’m raising him alone.”
Go Yeon-ju didn’t have a husband.
When he first heard it, he thought he must have been mistaken. He thought perhaps they were talking about someone else.
But it was definitely about her. And since the words came straight from Director Jin’s mouth, they were 100% accurate.
“You really lied to my face, Go Yeon-ju.”
She had probably lied because she didn’t want to give him even the slightest opening. She wouldn’t have wanted to admit to an ex-lover, whom she’d run into by chance after so long, that she was all alone.
He could more or less understand her reasoning.
How did she end up alone? A divorce? Or… did her husband pass away?
He couldn’t bring himself to believe she’d been a single mother from the start. Since Han-byeol was undeniably nine years old, it had to be either divorce or widowhood.
…The questions he couldn’t ask kept piling up.
In any case, the most important fact remained: Go Yeon-ju was alone. Go Yeon-ju’s husband didn’t exist.
“She could have just told me from the start. Why hide something like this? So uncool.”
He settled on the most plausible explanation: she had lied because she couldn’t bring herself to admit it to him.
How cheeky of her. No, cheeky, but… I’m grateful. I should treat her well.
Eun-seong muttered to himself as he pulled on his favorite jacket. Standing before the mirror, he checked his reflection and practiced his most charming smile.
Go Yeon-ju. You’re in big trouble now.
“Well, shall we?”
Because I know everything.
* * *
“Yeon-ju!”
After hanging up, Yeon-ju packed her things and headed out. Dr. Ju, who had already pulled the car around, waved as she approached.
His smile was incredibly bright and warm for so early in the morning.
“Doctor!”
Yeon-ju waved back with a bright smile of her own.
“Careful, your bags look heavy. You don’t need to wave.”
“I couldn’t help it. I was happy to see you wave.”
“Let me get those.”
As Dr. Ju reached for her bags, Yeon-ju handed half of them over. She scanned the area, looking for Eun-seong, but he was nowhere in sight.
He said he was coming right down. Is he not here yet?
“Yeon-ju, Director Jin already left, didn’t she? She mentioned yesterday she had to go early.”
“Yes. She said she was riding with the head of the makeup team.”
“Then it’s just the two of us. Shall we grab some coffee on the way?”
“Ah, about that…”
As Yeon-ju hesitated, Dr. Ju closed the trunk and turned to her. With a slightly awkward expression, she spoke.
“Actually… Im Eun-seong, the actor, asked if we could give him a ride to the set.”
“What? Im Eun-seong did?”
Yeon-ju nodded quickly.
“It seems his manager has some business to attend to and can’t take him, so he asked if he could get a lift with us…”
“Ah. Yes, of course. We have room. We can definitely take him.”
Dr. Ju smiled warmly, as if it were no big deal.
“Thank you, Doctor.”
“Why are you thanking me? Im Eun-seong is the one getting the ride.”
“I was just so flustered that I agreed without asking you first.”
“No, really, it’s fine. There’s plenty of room.”
Dr. Ju reassured her, but he carefully observed her expression. Yeon-ju, looking slightly flushed, kept glancing around, completely preoccupied with waiting for Eun-seong.
“That’s strange. He said he was coming right down. Why isn’t he here?”
Watching her, a strange pang of jealousy flared within him. Dr. Ju stared at Yeon-ju, who was eagerly scanning the area, and spoke.
“Um, Yeon-ju.”
“Yes? Oh, yes, Doctor. He said he’d be right out. Should I try calling him?”
“No, it’s not that. There’s just something I’m curious about.”
He couldn’t hold back his curiosity any longer. Yesterday, during the dinner, when the others were away from the outdoor tables… he had seen Yeon-ju talking to Eun-seong. He had also seen them exchange phone numbers.
“By any chance, did you already know Im Eun-seong?”
“What? Pardon? Oh, uh, ah…?”
“Ah. I see.”
Her flustered reaction was all the confirmation he needed. Dr. Ju nodded gently. Realizing she’d missed her chance to invent an excuse, Yeon-ju had no choice but to confess.
“Actually, we went to the same university. He was an upperclassman I knew through mutual acquaintances. I know him… just a little.”
“Right. I see.”
“But how did you know? I didn’t tell anyone.”
You told me yourself, Yeon-ju.
Dr. Ju couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud and simply smiled. Having confirmed his suspicions, a stronger heat flared in his chest.
If they were strangers, she wouldn’t have stumbled over her words in such a panic. Nor would her face have flushed so deeply.
“Can I ask you one more thing? Actually, I’m just going to ask.”
As Dr. Ju announced his intention, Yeon-ju’s expression grew incredibly tense.
It was early morning. The refreshing sunlight was accompanied by the lively chirping of busy sparrows.
“The person you said had to believe you have a husband…”
Yeon-ju’s face went blank.
“Is it, by any chance, Im Eun-seong?”
“Ah…”
Her lips parted slightly in sheer shock. At the same time, she saw Dr. Ju’s Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed hard.
Her mind spun into a chaotic tangle, and she could only blink stiffly, like a broken machine.
While the one who asked and the one who was asked both stood frozen in place—
“Sorry I’m late. I had to take a call.”
Eun-seong suddenly appeared, pulling open the rear passenger door of the parked car.
Just as they thought he was about to get in, he tilted his chin toward Yeon-ju.
“Get in. I can’t get in until you do.”
Eun-seong urged her again, saying they were short on time.
As Yeon-ju hesitated, her face pale and her mind clouded with fog, Dr. Ju opened the front passenger door.
“Don’t sit in the back. Sit up front.”
“What are you doing? I told you to get in here. We don’t have time, hurry up.”
“Get in on this side. Hurry.”
Eun-seong held the rear door open while Dr. Ju held the front passenger door, both men staring expectantly at Yeon-ju.
Bewildered and unable to move a muscle, Yeon-ju stared back and forth between the two wide-open car doors.
No matter which seat she chose, it felt like sitting on a bed of thorns. If only Solomon were here to split her in half so she could sit in both.
…Ah, no! Get a grip!
“Please get in first, Actor Im. Where were you planning to sit?”
Since choosing was impossible, she deflected. At that, Eun-seong raised an eyebrow.
Me? Next to you.
“Why do you need to know? Just get in, quickly.”
If he told her he planned to sit in the back with her, she would definitely choose the front passenger seat. Since Dr. Ju was the only one who could drive, they would inevitably have to split between the front and back.
If they had to split up, there was no way he was letting Go Yeon-ju sit in the front. He refused to let her sit next to Dr. Ju.
When she made no move to get in, Eun-seong let out a short sigh and trudged over.
Then, he slid right into the front passenger seat that Dr. Ju held open.
A moment later, Eun-seong slammed the door shut. Dr. Ju shrugged at Yeon-ju.
“Looks like we’ll have to get coffee at the set.”
“Yes. Let’s do that.”
Shrugging in return, she climbed into the back seat.
And so, a fiery commute began.