Chapter 28
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 28
The wind was cool, but the afternoon sun still shone brilliantly. As if heralding a rare, clear autumn day, the sky stretched high and wide. Eun-seong tilted his head back and looked up.
The weather was beautiful. Ten years ago, on the day Go Yeon-ju dumped him, the weather had been just as beautiful as it was today.
“What are you doing tonight after work?”
“T-Tonight? Tonight? Ah, well, I’m sure I’ll be doing something. Anyway, I have plans. I definitely have something to do.”
“Don’t lie.”
“I’m not lying. I really have things to do. I do. Absolutely.”
Ten years ago, when he received her breakup text, he had been standing in the middle of this exact same weather.
Looking up at the sky, Eun-seong closed his eyes gently and stood with his arms slightly spread. It was a day just like this one. On a day like this, under this kind of sunshine, he had received that text telling him it was over.
Yes. That was right.
“Even if all I’m doing is moonlight gymnastics, I’m busy.”
I got dumped.
A long sigh escaped his lips. When he had casually asked her what she was doing tonight, the color had drained from her face, and she had instantly drawn a hard line between them.
It wasn't like he was planning to ask her to do anything grand. He couldn't, nor should he. He had just wanted to take a little time for a short drive together.
He had even come up with a plausible excuse: wouldn't it be more comfortable to go with her, someone who shared a few fragments of his past, rather than his talkative, distracting manager?
“But why? Do you have a task for me?”
At that moment, looking at her tense face, he had been left utterly speechless.
He felt like if he had even uttered the first letter of the word "drive," the fierce Go Yeon-ju would have bitten his head off.
"If I had asked her to grab a bite, she probably would've lunged at me."
Maybe he should have just let her. Then he could have held her, all under the guise of self-defense.
Standing there blankly and sighing for a long while, Eun-seong opened his eyes. A sudden wave of reality hit him as he wondered why on earth, so abruptly and without warning, he was losing his mind over Go Yeon-ju again.
He figured that since they were stuck together all day, it was only natural for his heart to flutter occasionally. And since his stubborn preferences hadn't changed over the years, it made sense that his heart was reacting to Go Yeon-ju once more.
So, he believed he just needed to keep his feelings tightly under wraps. Even if his eyes wandered and his heart swayed from time to time, he was confident he could reset everything by the next morning.
Eun-seong gently placed a hand over his chest. He muttered quietly, as if pleading with his own heart, which was desperately clamoring to be with Go Yeon-ju by any means necessary.
"Get a grip and calm down. Just calm down. Please..."
This was all because he had found out Go Yeon-ju was single.
Because he knew she was alone. Now that his heart had spotted an opening, it refused to listen to reason.
As his thoughts spiraled, Eun-seong shook his head again.
He couldn't lose his mind and just blindly chase after Go Yeon-ju like this. It wasn't what she wanted, and even if she did, he wouldn't be able to take responsibility for anything.
Just as he had eventually felt grateful to her for suddenly leaving him back then, once this passed, he would surely be glad he had kept his feelings in check.
"...Pathetic."
It was absurd how nothing had changed, whether ten years ago or now.
To have everything, you had to surrender your heart to the world. You had to live a dry, passionless life, as if your body were stuffed with sawdust. The rules hadn't changed then, and they hadn't changed now.
Get a grip. Get a grip. Once it passes, it'll be nothing. You've been through this, so you know.
Eun-seong repeatedly cast this spell on himself.
Please, let this just be a passing wind. Let this uncomfortable emotion stirring inside me vanish completely.
...Just as he was helplessly trying to steady his heart, he spotted Yeon-ju standing some distance away.
Eun-seong stopped breathing. His heartbeat, which he thought had settled, began to thud wildly again, and an irregular pulse pounded through his entire body.
Who was she waiting for? Standing with her back to the wind, her hair fluttering gently, she reminded him of a timid deer, ears perked to catch the sound of the breeze.
His feet twitched, wanting to move toward her, but he stopped himself. She seemed so wary of the world, as if ready to bolt at the slightest human presence.
Because my heart feels like it can't be safe anymore, because it feels like I won't be able to leave you alone over there—
After gazing at her for a long moment, Eun-seong finally turned away.
Realizing that, once again, this had started only for him, he let out a heavy breath. On such a clear, sunny day, a localized torrential downpour had suddenly struck his heart.
* * *
"Dr. Ju!"
Yeon-ju ran toward Dr. Ju, who was just finishing a training session with the German Shepherds.
"Wow, you look great in your training gear, Doctor!"
Yeon-ju beamed as she looked him over. Wiping away his sweat, Dr. Ju smiled back.
"Don't come too close. I'm covered in sweat."
"It's fine. I don't smell anything at all."
When Dr. Ju took a step back, self-conscious, Yeon-ju shook her head. While Eun-seong's filming was in full swing, she had some free time and a reason for seeking out Dr. Ju.
"Doctor, what are you doing tonight?"
"Me? Well, I'm not sure."
"We're going to roast marshmallows outside the lodge tonight. If you have time, would you like to join us?"
The lodge was holding a small autumn event, and just a moment ago, several staff members, led by Hae-young, had decided to roast marshmallows together.
At Yeon-ju's invitation, Dr. Ju nodded immediately. He had no reason to refuse.
"I'll be there. That is, if I'm not intruding."
"Director Jin told me to ask you, too. It'll be nice to eat together. They said it starts at eight."
Dr. Ju gave a warm smile at her excited tone. When was the last time he had eaten marshmallows? Elementary school? Middle school?
He didn't particularly care for their unique sweet, sticky texture, but that didn't matter. As long as he was eating them with her, anything was fine.
"Oh, by the way, Doctor. About what you asked this morning."
"Yes? Ah, right."
“The person who needs to believe you have a husband... is it Im Eun-seong?”
As Yeon-ju hesitantly brought it up, Dr. Ju's expression grew slightly tense. In truth, he had been regretting his morning inquiry all day.
He had realized too late that he had not only pried into a story she wanted to hide but had also put her in a difficult position.
Blinded by a brief moment of jealousy, he had crossed a line. Before Yeon-ju could say more, Dr. Ju waved his hand.
"Ah, Yeon-ju. You don't have to tell me. I asked an intrusive question..."
"You're right. It's the actor Im Eun-seong."
Dr. Ju's lips parted slightly at her easy admission. Yeon-ju shrugged.
"I can't tell you all the details, but I had to lie to Mr. Im Eun-seong."
"Ah. I see, Yeon-ju."
"It's not some grand story, but it happened because I wanted to work comfortably. Explaining that Han-byeol doesn't have a dad was a bit awkward, and it would have required further explanation."
"..."
"But Mr. Im Eun-seong and I aren't close enough to share such personal details, so the lie just slipped out before I knew it. Once I said it, I couldn't take it back."
As Yeon-ju finished her explanation with a calm gaze, Dr. Ju nodded. Although she didn't explain why the lie was necessary in the first place, this was enough.
"I'm sorry, Yeon-ju. For making you say all this."
"No, I brought this on myself. I'm the one who dragged you in as an accomplice, after all."
She added that they should just enjoy roasting marshmallows tonight and that she was looking forward to it.
When she smiled brightly, a meaningful glint appeared in Dr. Ju's eyes as he raised his eyebrows.
"Then we'll have to make sure Im Eun-seong believes you have a husband until the very end."
"Pardon? Ah, yes. Well, I'd appreciate that."
"We'll make sure he believes it."
Dr. Ju mimed zipping his lips. As his face turned playful, Yeon-ju let out a soft chuckle and mimicked his gesture.
"Thank you, Doctor. I'll buy you something delicious when we get back to Seoul."
"Delicious food is great, but please make some time for me on a day off. There's a place I'd like to go with you."
At Dr. Ju's suggestion, Yeon-ju nodded.
"Sure, anytime."
And just like that, the day's minor incident seemed to be resolved.
* * *
Having finished filming, Eun-seong entered the temporary waiting room. Director Jin, who was wrapping up, welcomed him.
"Are you finished for the day? Great job, Eun-seong," Hae-young said.
Realizing Eun-seong had arrived, Yeon-ju straightened up and quickly approached him.
Since collecting the actor's wardrobe was a task for the most junior staff member, Yeon-ju reached out to take the outerwear Eun-seong was wearing.
It was a sponsored jacket from a luxury brand worth over 18 million won. Handling everything carefully, from putting it on to taking it off, Yeon-ju stayed close to his side.
Seeing that Eun-seong's jacket had been safely collected, Hae-young turned and spoke loudly to the staff.
"Alright, let's clean up quickly and go. It's already 7:20. Let's hurry up and get roasting."
"Yes!"
Roast what? Pork belly? Pork neck?
"Director, is the costume team having a get-together tonight?"
"No. They said they're roasting marshmallows over a bonfire behind the lodge, so I'm taking the staff."
Hae-young replied to Eun-seong's question. Ah. A bonfire and marshmallows—the thought alone felt romantic, causing Eun-seong to chuckle softly.
He laughed because he realized Go Yeon-ju had indeed found something to do tonight.
"If you're not too tired, would you like to join us, Eun-seong?"
"I'm fine. It's a team-building event, and you must have a lot to talk about, so please enjoy yourselves."
"Okay, we will."
Suppressing a smile, Eun-seong glanced at Yeon-ju. From the hazy past, an image of her smiling brightly in front of a campfire flashed in his mind, bringing a brief wave of affection.
Her work must have been exhausting; he hoped she would have a warm, pleasant time. He shouldn't disrupt that. He hoped she would make many beautiful memories.
"Yeon-ju, go quickly and get Dr. Ju. He doesn't know where it is."
"Yes, Director."
Why is Dr. Ju going there?! That's foul play!
Realizing too late that Dr. Ju had been invited to the costume team's gathering, Eun-seong's eyes widened. He had suppressed his own desire to attend for the sake of their team bonding, and for what?
Who's coming? Anyone else is fine, but absolutely not Dr. Ju!
Subtly blocking Yeon-ju's path as she tried to head out, Eun-seong spoke up.
"Marshmallows... they must be delicious roasted, right?"
"Pardon? Ah, yes."
"They must be. The more I think about it, the sweeter and more delicious it sounds."
So? What do you want me to do about it...?
When Yeon-ju, her path blocked, tried to sidestep him with a hesitant look, he blocked her again. She looked up, her brow furrowing.
"Mr. Im Eun-seong. You did a great job today."
"Thinking about those marshmallows, I just can't bring myself to leave."
As Eun-seong muttered, his manager Dong-hwan, who had been watching with a blank expression, snapped his fingers.
"Hyung, should I roast some marshmallows and bring them up to your room then?"
"Oh my! That would be great! Since you must be tired, Eun-seong!"
Dong-hwan, whose entire existence revolved around Eun-seong's convenience and who remained blissfully clueless, chimed in brightly with his suggestion, which Hae-young eagerly welcomed.
Protect the lead actor's condition at all costs!
But Eun-seong had no intention of backing down so easily.
"You have to eat marshmallows fresh and warm, right after they're roasted. They'll get cold if you bring them up."
"I'll deliver them super fast. I'm a quick runner, Hyung."
Shut up! Before I roast you first!
As Eun-seong stared silently, Yeon-ju wore a look of utter dismay. After a moment of thought, Hae-young quickly stepped closer.
"I don't think it'll take too long to roast and eat them. If you'd like, why don't you join us, Eun-seong?"
"Well, sure. It looks like anyone is welcome to attend anyway."
Hmph. Did you think I'd just stand by and watch you guys laugh and chat among yourselves?
No way! Not a chance!
When Eun-seong agreed to attend, Hae-young's eyebrows shot up. Since several teams were planning to roast marshmallows separately, having a national treasure-level lead actor join the costume team gave her a subtle boost of pride.
"Alright, attention everyone! Mr. Im Eun-seong will be joining our costume team's gathering tonight! Let's give him a warm round of applause!"
The staff clapped enthusiastically, as if they had been waiting for this. When Eun-seong lifted his chin and looked at Yeon-ju, as if to ask why she wasn't clapping, she had no choice but to clap half-heartedly.
The corners of Eun-seong's mouth curled into a smile.
...A deepening autumn night, sweet marshmallows, a bonfire, and Go Yeon-ju.
This was perfection itself.
"Then I'll head out first. See you later."
"Yes, Eun-seong. See you later."
It was a flawless lineup. Every single part of it.