Chapter 27
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 27
With Dr. Ju driving, Eun-seong in the passenger seat, and Yeon-ju in the back, their uncomfortable commute began.
Eun-seong stared out the window, his senses on high alert. He was eager to eavesdrop, but neither Dr. Ju nor Yeon-ju spoke a word.
Feigning a shift in his seat, he glanced back and saw Yeon-ju had drifted into a light sleep. Ah, she's asleep.
"She must be tired. She did have some drinks yesterday, after all."
Eun-seong held his tongue as Dr. Ju, who had clearly already noticed, chimed in. The thought of Dr. Ju stealing glances at her in the rearview mirror was incredibly irritating.
So, what exactly was the relationship between those two?
He knew Dr. Ju wasn't her husband. So where in the world did this guy come from, and why was he hovering around Go Yeon-ju?
A man’s behavior around someone he was interested in was always painfully obvious. Dr. Ju kept checking on the sleeping Yeon-ju, slowing to a crawl for every speed bump.
He turned up the car's heater only to lower it a moment later, then cracked the window open before quickly closing it again.
It didn't take a keen eye to notice. Any stranger watching for just a few minutes would have realized it: his heart belonged to her.
...But what about Go Yeon-ju?
No matter how hard he looked, he couldn't read her. Did she know how Dr. Ju felt? Had she accepted his feelings? Or was her heart set on someone else entirely, somewhere he could never reach?
She wasn't a professional actress, but she was a master at hiding her true feelings. She’d been that way ever since they were dating.
Back in their early twenties—a time when most people craved constant, petty proof of their partner's love—she had never shown a hint of emotion unless asked directly.
Yes, that was her. And wasn't he always the one left feeling anxious, even after giving her everything?
She was used to swallowing her emotions; it was her nature. Even when sad or angry, she never let her feelings guide her actions, making her impossible to read.
Eun-seong glanced at Dr. Ju. Sitting upright with both hands gripping the steering wheel—a posture that reflected his personality—he exuded the aura of a model citizen.
His subdued knit sweater, cotton trousers, and naturally styled hair perfectly suited his demeanor. Unlike Eun-seong, whose striking looks were hard to forget, Dr. Ju had a more common appearance, but he possessed an easygoing adaptability that let him blend in anywhere.
It was obvious he was well-educated and well-raised. Without hearing a word of his life story, you could tell from his very fingertips that he had lived an exceptionally upright life.
"We're almost there. Where should I drop you off, Eun-seong?"
Dr. Ju asked in a hushed voice, clearly not wanting to wake Yeon-ju. Eun-seong looked around.
He found it absurd that Dr. Ju was asking where to drop him off when they could just pull into the parking lot.
"Aren't we going in together?"
"You seem to be in a hurry, so you should head in first. We still have some time."
Ha. Eun-seong let out a quiet scoff.
He clearly wanted to drive around the set a bit longer with a sleeping Yeon-ju in the back, but Eun-seong had no intention of letting that happen.
"Let's get out together. I have plenty of time, too."
"No, really. You can go ahead."
"It's fine. I have nothing to do if I go in early."
Get out. No. The two men locked horns in a bizarre, silent standoff. Dr. Ju, who had been staring straight ahead, finally turned to Eun-seong with a sour expression.
Dr. Ju pressed his lips together, afraid that saying more would wake Yeon-ju. He saw right through Eun-seong's stubborn refusal to get out of the car.
But just then, Eun-seong whipped his head around to face the back seat and spoke in a loud voice.
"Hey, wake up. We're here."
Startled awake, Yeon-ju blearily opened her eyes. Dr. Ju, looking utterly dumbfounded, kept glancing at her in the rearview mirror.
"You can sleep more. Go back to sleep. You don't have to get up yet."
"Get up. You're already awake. You think you're the only one who's tired? I'm tired too."
"Ah... I must have dozed off. Are we here already? I'm sorry."
As Yeon-ju covered her mouth with a long yawn, Dr. Ju chided Eun-seong, his tone dripping with displeasure.
"Why would you wake someone who was sleeping so soundly? It's not like we're short on time."
"Because I'm short on time."
"You just said you had plenty of time."
"Well, you told me to get out first. I'm taking her with me."
"..."
With a look that said he had more to say but was holding back, Dr. Ju tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Unaware of the tense atmosphere, Yeon-ju gently rolled her neck and tapped the headrest in front of her.
"Instead of arguing, why don't we all grab a cup of coffee?"
"Later."
"Sounds good."
Their answers clashed. Dr. Ju, who had clearly wanted coffee alone with Yeon-ju, frowned deeply at Eun-seong’s interference. Meanwhile, Yeon-ju pulled her wallet from her bag.
"I'll go buy it, then. Please pull over up ahead for a second."
"I'll go with you."
"Go by yourself," Eun-seong cut in. "There's nowhere to park around here, so be quick. Don't make things difficult for the driver."
A moment later, the car pulled over. Just as Eun-seong had predicted, there was nowhere to park, so they let Yeon-ju out while Dr. Ju agreed to circle the block.
Eun-seong, the ever-unwelcome guest, remained in the passenger seat.
* * *
The cafe must have been crowded. Even after they circled the block three times, Yeon-ju still hadn't emerged. Dr. Ju started another wide loop.
He’d found himself drinking more coffee lately. As he did, he’d grown fond of the unique flavor of the beans. Since Yeon-ju loved coffee, he had naturally started drinking it with her.
"I'd quit coffee for a while, but being on set, it's impossible not to drink it," Dr. Ju said, offering a topic to break the silence.
When Dr. Ju spoke, Eun-seong played along.
"With anything addictive, you can only ever quit temporarily. It’s hard to stop for good."
"I know. I practically lived on coffee back when I was studying, so I thought about quitting."
Recalling the memories, Dr. Ju let out an involuntary groan and shuddered. Just thinking about those days made him feel nauseous.
"Whenever I smell coffee, I automatically smell the paper of exam workbooks. Or the smell of the early morning bus."
"You lived a diligent life."
"I'm sure everyone does. But speaking of busy, you must have been incredibly busy yourself, Eun-seong."
The trees lining the street were beginning to show their autumn colors. Though not yet in full bloom, the splashes of red and yellow heralded the coming season.
Eun-seong delayed his answer, staring out at the scenery. Just as the scent of coffee reminded Dr. Ju of exam workbooks, the mere word "busy" made Eun-seong feel sick.
For the past ten years, he hadn't had a personal life to speak of.
"Whoa, watch out!"
The car hit a speed bump so hard it jolted Eun-seong in his seat. Dr. Ju raised a hand in a dismissive gesture of apology.
"Oh, did I startle you? My apologies."
When she was sleeping, he crawled over them like an ant moving house, but now he's practically flying. This bastard...
Eun-seong narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brow. Dr. Ju, however, simply returned his focus to the road, his hands once again gripping the steering wheel neatly.
"Then maybe this coffee will help you get over the smell of workbooks."
"Ugh, it really is a terrible memory, but I should try to get over it."
"You must have been good at studying. I suppose that's how you became a veterinarian."
"Yes. Well, it's the only thing I have to brag about, but I was pretty good at studying."
Look at him. Now that they were alone, he didn't hesitate to brag.
Should I start bragging, too? Talk his ear off until dawn?
"I didn't know anything but studying. My personality has been a bit like that since I was young."
Ah. So his personality has been terrible since he was a kid?
As Eun-seong bit his lip to hold back a retort, Dr. Ju continued.
"Since I was young, I've never been able to tolerate wrong answers."
By the time they completed their fourth loop and returned to their starting point, they spotted Yeon-ju walking out with the coffee.
Dr. Ju smiled. Eun-seong scowled.
"I keep digging until I get the right answer. Because I hate being wrong."
"..."
"Once I sink my teeth into something, I don't let go until I find the answer. Ah, is that personality a bit much? I suppose it could be."
Eun-seong remained silent at Dr. Ju's loaded words.
Yeon-ju safely climbed back into the rear seat.
* * *
Yeon-ju gathered the luggage from the trunk. Dr. Ju took half, and she carried the rest.
As Dr. Ju stepped away to take a call from the clinic, Eun-seong approached her.
He reached out to take the bags from her, but Yeon-ju, as if anticipating it, tightened her grip and refused to let go.
"Don't touch them. I'll carry them myself."
"Why make things awkward? I'm just trying to help."
"You don't need to help. This is my job. Why do you keep trying to do my work for me?"
As Yeon-ju brushed him off, Eun-seong's eye twitched in irritation.
Then what about the bags Dr. Ju is carrying? Aren't those yours? Or did he just fish them out of a river for some stranger? How can she be so biased?
"Give them to me. Just think of it as payment for the tuna gimbap and coffee."
"Forget it. Why would I need to pay you back for something like that?"
"You do. If you don't want to owe me, then make some time. I'll buy you a proper dinner instead of gimbap, and real drinks instead of coffee."
"N-no, thank you!"
Yeon-ju recoiled as if disgusted, and Eun-seong glared, his eyes demanding she hand them over.
Give them to me. I said, give them to me.
In the end, Eun-seong practically snatched the bags from her hands. He then gestured vaguely at their surroundings and muttered, making sure she could hear.
"Hey, junior."
"Yes, Actor Im."
"I'm not trying to help you. I'm building my public image, so just play along."
Eun-seong tilted his chin, prompting her to look around. When Yeon-ju turned her head, she saw several staff members watching Eun-seong with warm, pleased expressions.
"See? Everyone appreciates my good deeds except you. And it's not like you're going to post about this on social media for me."
Good deeds...? He'd have to do one first... Was there anything remotely good about what happened in the car? That was a disaster.
"So even if you won't cooperate, at least don't ruin my warm and wholesome image."
He really knows how to leave me speechless...
As Yeon-ju fidgeted with her now-empty hands, Eun-seong looked up at the sky.
His head throbbed. Maybe he hadn't fully sobered up from last night, or maybe Dr. Ju's provocations had just made his headache worse.
"Hey."
"Yes, Actor Im."
He needed a painkiller.
"What are you doing tonight after work?"