Side Story 2: Déjà Vu : Part 2

Song Hyunsoo spread out the mat and began with stretching.

After going through various exercises and finishing slow burpees, he started close-grip push-ups.

Twenty reps for five sets. By the last set, his whole body was already drenched in sweat.

“Te…n, ni…ne!”

Nyaang.

As he endured the pain that felt like all the muscles in his body were tearing apart and pushed through the count, Monroe’s cry echoed from the open doorway.

The little guy was probably waiting in his room, expecting Song Hyunsoo to bring him a treat.

When he didn’t appear no matter how long Monroe waited, he must’ve come out to protest.

Monroe sauntered over, sat right in front of Song Hyunsoo’s face, and cried out loudly.

“Not… yet. Gi…ve me a se…c…ond.”

Because this exercise required placing his hands even closer together than shoulder-width, it was twice as hard as regular push-ups.

Sweat that trickled down from his temples along his jawline pooled at his chin before dripping onto the mat.

Having to push Monroe away with his hand when the cat tried to lick the sweat only made things harder.

“Ten…one, ten…two… hoo.”

He squeezed out every last bit of strength, bent his elbows, and supported his body weight.

Just then, Monroe leaped onto Song Hyunsoo’s shoulders.

“Haha, are you adding extra weight for me? What a dutiful kitty you are.”

With no choice but to leave the little guy on his back, he finished the remaining eight push-ups.

Even after that, he still had to get through crunches, leg raises, planks, and more.

After cooling down with stretches, Song Hyunsoo couldn’t get up for a while, lying flat on the mattress to catch his breath.

Yaaang, nyaang.

“When did you get so mad about not getting a snack, and now you’re worried about me? Huh?”

Only after he patted Monroe’s bottom and kissed him, while the cat licked his face, did he finally pull himself together and stand up.

Right after working out, he never had the strength to even lift a finger, but five minutes, ten minutes… as time passed, his energy mysteriously revived.

While practicing breathing and vocalization, he took a shower, and then a strong hunger set in.

Without even drying his hair, he threw a T-shirt over his training pants and headed for the kitchen.

Just as he was about to open the fridge, Song Hyunsoo’s hand paused.

At eye level, there was a memo stuck on the door.

Don’t forget to take your supplements

I already gave Monroe his treat once

Don’t give him more, even if he acts like he didn’t get any

See you at work, drive safe

A smile escaped him for no reason at the sight of such an ordinary memo.

Yoon Jooho could’ve just sent a message, but he often left handwritten notes like this.

Sometimes on the bathroom mirror, sometimes here on the fridge, and occasionally on the front door.

After getting dressed and putting on his shoes, just as he absentmindedly reached for the door, he’d find a memo from Yoon Jooho.

Each time, fireworks of laughter would burst across his usually expressionless face.

Does sunbae feel this way too?

When he finds traces of me in moments we’re not together, does he just end up smiling before he can resist…?

Like someone appreciating a beautiful painting.

Song Hyunsoo tilted his head, staring for a long time at Yoon Jooho’s handwriting, as lovely as his face.

He still remembered vividly the moment he received a business card with Yoon Jooho’s number, written in his own hand.

Maybe, just maybe, he’d already fallen for that tidy, pretty handwriting, so unlike his temperament.

Nyaa. Nyaang.

Monroe’s cry snapped him out of his reverie.

Song Hyunsoo looked down at the little guy, who was wandering around and crying loudly.

“You already had your treat, didn’t you? Jooho appa told me everything, you rascal.”

Even while he was preparing his meal and taking out the homemade lunchbox from the fridge, Monroe followed close behind, protesting with all his might.

When Song Hyunsoo continued to ignore him, Monroe switched tactics and started acting pitiful.

Iyaaang, i-yang?

His sharp cry now turned into a mournful wail.

While watching a drama on his tablet and emptying the lunchbox, Song Hyunsoo burst out laughing.

“Who’d believe you’re not an actor’s cat, huh? Are you acting too?”

Bending down, he affectionately tapped Monroe’s moist nose under the table.

“Nope. Treats are only twice a day. I’ll give you one more in the evening. Be good, okay?”

Whether he understood or just gave up, Monroe licked his lips with his little tongue and ambled out of the kitchen.

The individually made lunchboxes, tailored for the nutritional needs of both of them, tasted far better than the ready-made ones Yoon Jooho used to have.

When he checked the recycling trolley in the auxiliary kitchen, it seemed Yoon Jooho had cleaned his out as well before going to work.

Such a good Monroe appa.

After putting away the lunchbox, wiping the table, and brewing coffee to fill a tumbler for the island counter, Song Hyunsoo peeled the memo off the fridge before leaving the kitchen.

He had a box where he kept all the memos Yoon Jooho left him.

He brushed his teeth, got dressed, packed the tumbler into his bag, picked up Monroe, who’d followed him to the front door, and gave him a kiss.

Saying “I’m off now,” out loud, he opened the door to find a delivery waiting for him.

“Oh, it’s here!”

Song Hyunsoo brought the box inside. Monroe’s eyes were already sparkling with anticipation.

“Do you know what this is? It’s your treat kit. I’ll make it with Jooho appa when we get back.”

He patted the head of the little guy, who was poking and scratching at the box with his paws.

“Nope. You can’t play with the box right now. I’ll give it to you when I get home, okay?”

He gave Monroe another kiss, then left the house. As he drove out of the underground parking lot, the autumn sunlight dazzled his eyes.

Listening to his favorite Choi Hongseo song, he headed for Look Planning.

While waiting at a traffic light, he took a moment to message his lover.

《Are you still in a meeting?

I’ll be at the office in about ten minutes

See you after my lesson

Oh, and Monroe’s meal kit arrived, haha》

When the light turned green, Song Hyunsoo’s car, which had been waiting at the stop line, started moving again.

It was the start of an ordinary day, gained in an extraordinary way.

■

Was it the thirtieth or the thirty-first?

Song Hyunsoo placed the finished signature on the stack to the right and began signing another sheet.

“Your signature’s pretty cool.”

At the acting instructor’s words from across the table, Song Hyunsoo smiled sheepishly.

“Really? I put a lot of thought into it.”

“Seems hard to copy, and it’s unique.”

Watching Song Hyunsoo’s pen move smoothly with practiced ease, the instructor tapped a finger on the paper and asked,

“What’s this? Cat ears?”

“Haha, yeah.”

The new signature, which he and Yoon Jooho had devised together after much deliberation, included a cat-ear motif representing Monroe.

The cat ears were Yoon Jooho’s idea. Song Hyunsoo had initially opposed it, wanting something cool rather than cute.

But once he saw the cat ears drawn above the “ㅅ” character, he actually liked it.

“This one’s for… Yoonkyung, right?”

“Yeah.”

“What should I write for the message?”

“Hmm, let’s see… Oh, she’s preparing to change jobs.”

Song Hyunsoo’s pen started moving busily again. He wrote a heartfelt message wishing her all the best in her job search.

“Was that the last one?”

“Yeah, that’s it. Really, that’s all.”

As Song Hyunsoo gathered up the more than thirty signed sheets, each with a different message, the instructor continued with an apologetic look.

“You worked hard. Your arm must hurt? Sorry for making you do so much.”

Even while shaking out his wrist, Song Hyunsoo grinned.

“I’m a rookie, after all. If anyone asks me to sign something or take a picture, I just get excited.”

“Yeah, but there’ll come a day when all those requests get tiring. Enjoy it while it lasts.”

Twice a week, Song Hyunsoo had acting lessons at Look Planning’s practice room.

In the past, lessons were held offsite, but after the verdict, he was finally able to use the company’s practice facilities.

That was when the process of officially re-establishing Yoon Jooho as the legal owner of Look Planning began in earnest.

Sometimes, the instructor would ask for a signature after lessons, saying someone had requested it.

Until now, it had only ever been three or four, but today, for the first time, there were more than thirty.

The <Dissolve> trailer had been released, magazines featuring his photo shoots were printed and distributed.

As all the things he’d prepared one by one saw the light of day, more people began to recognize Song Hyunsoo.

His social media followers increased, and more guests came to “Jessica” on the days he worked there, knowing he’d be present.

The convenience store clerk, who always sold him cigarettes, awkwardly approached him one day and asked for a photo together.

On the way to a café after eating with Chaeyoung, he’d even been stopped by a group of students.

Just like the girls who had once squealed in delight after spotting a Yoon Jooho advertisement poster on a convenience store window, people now recognized Song Hyunsoo and came running with joy.

The world around Song Hyunsoo was changing, little by little, but unmistakably so.