Long Time No See~ You Look Better?
A voice rang out from within the light—Choi Kyu-bo's.
Moments later, as the enveloping glow faded, a hand appeared before his eyes. Woojin followed it upward with his gaze and found the man smiling down at him.
"You eating okay~?"
It was the face he'd longed to see.
"Of course. Had some meat yesterday."
"Whoa, rubbing it in that you ate without me?"
"How've you been, hyung?"
Woojin clasped the hand of the beaming Choi Kyu-bo. He'd spent the past week buried in his script, thinking of nothing but Kyu-bo during every waking moment outside of sleep. Even with just that one encounter, their bond felt deeper than blood.
"Eww, why so sappy?"
Choi Kyu-bo seemed awkward under Woojin's sparkling gaze.
"I'm just asking how you've been."
"Yeah, yeah, I've been great! So let go of my hand already, please~?"
Woojin chuckled and released him at the plea. Who knew Kyu-bo hyung had this side to him. Unexpected.
"Huh? But..."
As he spoke, Woojin glanced around. This wasn't the virtual world from before—it was the interior of an officetel one-room.
"Where's this?"
"Where else? My humble abode."
It was none other than Choi Kyu-bo's place.
"Called you here today just to chat."
His home mirrored his office: neat and minimalist. Bed, desk, wardrobe, computer, and in one corner, a whiteboard plastered with photos. Nothing else stood out.
"Hang on a sec~"
As Woojin settled into a chair, Choi Kyu-bo pulled beers and snacks from the fridge.
Chiiik~ Thunk!
The crisp sound of a can opening echoed cheerily.
"Can't skip this. Cheers!"
"Spoken like a true actor. Cheers!"
They downed their beers. Smooth and refreshing.
"Congrats on nailing the audition~"
Woojin blinked in surprise at Choi Kyu-bo's words.
"How'd you know?"
"You wrote it here."
He pointed at something. Woojin's eyes followed—to the diary.
"So if I write in here, you know?"
"Yup. This genius knows everything anyway, so you don't even need to..."
"News to me."
"Now you're interrupting me? You've grown bold while we were apart~?"
Laughter erupted.
"Anyway, congrats. You're finally ready to embody me."
"Thanks to you, hyung. Experiencing it firsthand made the analysis and emotions way easier. Your speech patterns helped a ton too."
"Heh, good you know."
"You're so consistent. Annoying, but not hateable."
And fun.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"It is."
"You got it 'cause you're skilled."
"Whoa, what? Thought you only self-praised, but you can compliment others too?"
"Complain when I praise, complain when I boast?"
"Haha, just kidding."
Their mutual praise warmed the air further.
"Now that you're set to play me, I figured sharing more about myself would help big time, so I summoned you here~"
Woojin nodded eagerly. He was dying to know more.
"Right? Huge help. Scripts don't cover a character's full life. Actors fill in the gaps, but hearing it straight from the source? Perfect."
With that, Woojin clinked his beer against Choi Kyu-bo's and took a swig before asking,
"Hey, hyung. Mind if I ask something first?"
"You gonna drop it if I say no?"
"Nope."
"Knew it. Shoot."
"What's that 'mission' you mentioned last time? Feels like you can tell me now."
Woojin's face was dead serious. Choi Kyu-bo smirked faintly.
"The mission is..."
Woojin leaned in, swallowing hard. Finally, the answer to what he'd wondered about so much...
"Next time we meet~"
Woojin deflated like a punctured balloon.
"Hyung!"
"Sorry, sorry. But it's not time yet~"
"Sigh. Patience test, huh."
"In exchange, I swear on my name. Next time, for sure."
Woojin stared intently.
"Fine. One more time. Last chance, okay?"
A playful lilt in his tone. Choi Kyu-bo laughed heartily.
"Haha, deal!"
"Now, tell me your story."
The life beyond the script. What was it like? Woojin focused, determined not to miss a word.
"So, me~"
Choi Kyu-bo popped a snack and began.
"This genius, you see."
He paused dramatically, voice low as he started recounting his childhood.
"Hyung, sorry, hold up."
"Huh?"
Woojin gently halted him, pulling the diary from beside him, flipping it open, and grabbing a pen.
"Chances to talk like this are rare. Gonna jot down everything you say. Script analysis has limits."
His eyes sparkled with sharp anticipation, brimming with curiosity and passion—like a top student furiously taking notes in class.
"Dunno about the rest, but that actor's attitude? Love it. Good job, kid."
Woojin grinned sheepishly. Just doing what any actor should, yet the praise felt excessive.
"Too kind. Basics for someone playing Choi Kyu-bo."
"Yeah, right."
Figures. Woojin smiled.
"Ready now."
"Aw, flow's broken~"
No letting him off easy.
"Please."
"Since you insist, ahem."
He'd called him to talk, after all.
"It was 1976. Thirty-five years ago."
Choi Kyu-bo's voice softened, reminiscing.
"A child was born. A once-in-a-generation genius who'd shake the world. Name: Kyu-bo Choi."
Ah, hero tale incoming.
"Heard later I popped out in some random public restroom trash can."
"What?"
"My birthplace."
His usual playful, upturned speech was gone—replaced by plain, ordinary tones. Like removing the swag from a thug; it felt off for him.
"Grew up in an orphanage. Happens, right? Not the only orphan out there, didn't choose it, can't control it. Gotta accept fate."
His casual delivery of the heartbreak only made it sadder.
"No complaints there. But get this."
He paused, then dropped the bomb.
"Heard of the Sarang Orphanage incident?"
The question hit Woojin like an exclamation point ringing in his head. It jogged a memory from the character intro in the synopsis.
(excerpt)
His painful childhood memory still gnaws at one corner of his heart.
That line, unclear from episodes 1 and 2. So Choi Kyu-bo's painful memory stemmed from being an orphanage kid and the events there.
"Yeah, I've heard."
The Sarang Orphanage incident. He'd caught a documentary on it once. The director, a welfare icon with a presidential commendation, exposed for embezzling funds and brutally abusing kids. It sparked public outrage, major scandal.
"I'm from there."
He pointed at himself, voice still flat.
"Jokingly called 'Death Orphanage'—survivors said once in, you only left in a box. No reinvestigation yet. My top case at KCFS."
Drag.
He wheeled the whiteboard over. Pinned photos—all Sarang Orphanage case files.
"See this?"
His finger pointed there. Woojin treaded carefully.
"Don't need to. I know who."
"Right?"
He chugged his beer flatly.
"Reliable cash cow, perfect publicity stunt. Nothing more, nothing less."
His blank expression twisted into a slow smirk.
"Not human. Just a golden goose."
Bitter, joyless smile lingering.
"Cameras rolled, I studied like always—got snacks, praise. Loved it back then, clueless. Other kids saw favoritism. No beatings for me, just love."
"......"
"Neighbor's rice cake always looks bigger, right? Envy turned to hate, neglect. Obvious. Humans gonna human."
His voice trembled for the first time. The emotion filled the room.
"Real villain elsewhere, but I took the arrows. Perfect scapegoat. Hilarious, huh?"
He slammed his beer empty.
Crunch.
He crushed the can with a cheerful crumple.
"Whew."
The sigh carried tangled feelings. Then, trademark playfulness returned as he eyed Woojin with a smile.
Chiiik~ Thunk!
New beer opened, he munched silently.
'...?'
Woojin puzzled at the abrupt stop. What gives?
"Hyung?"
"What's up, bro."
Staring at the headline, munching away.
Stopping mid-sentence? Classic way to irk a Korean.
"You just cut off..."
"Munch munch. Hmm~ Thinking."
"About what?"
"Yo, Woojin. Like movies?"
"Duh, I'm an actor."
"Right~ Wanna watch one?"
"Sudden much? Which?"
"Title's..."
He stretched arms wide dramatically.
"Chronicles of CKB! The Choi Kyu-bo Saga~"
Classic Kyu-bo hyung.
"Saga? You called me for info, now this?"
"Exactly. Gonna show you~"
"No clue what, but sure. How?"
"Simple."
Snap.
He extended a hand toward Woojin.
What now?
"Gimme."
"What?"
"You know the drill. Don't play amateur."
"Huh?"
"Hand."
Again? What's the plan?
"C'mon. Won't kill ya."
Choi Kyu-bo grabbed Woojin's hand firmly.
A hum, vision blurred then sharpened.
Not merging like before, as expected.
Woojin now stood in an all-white space. Familiar...?