Side Story 2: Déjà Vu : Part 5

A gentle smile played on Yoon Jooho’s lips as he straightened his upper body.

Resting his hands on Song Hyunsoo’s knees for support, he stood up and walked toward the built-in kitchen opposite them, speaking as he went.

“I haven’t even greeted your Grandparents yet. Can we really call ourselves family?”

“We—we’re going soon!”

“And there’s no guarantee we’ll get their permission.”

“That’s something we agreed to work on together, remember?”

The built-in kitchen, designed simply with only stainless steel, gave no clue to its function at a glance.

Standing before the cold-looking steel, Yoon Jooho shrugged and pulled on a hidden handle inside to open the Refrigerator.

“Want a Beer?”

“I’ll have water. I brought some tea, too.”

As Yoon Jooho took out the drinks, Song Hyunsoo cautiously began to speak.

“About going home.”

“……”

“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to go.”

Yoon Jooho, opening the Beer with an Opener, looked up at him for a moment.

“It’s not like we need your Grandparents’ permission just for the two of us to live together.”

Standing at the end of the long bar, Yoon Jooho took a few gulps of Beer, then came back.

He set a bottle of water in front of Song Hyunsoo, sat beside him, swallowed more Beer, and then suddenly asked an unexpected question.

“Are you going to go public with our relationship?”

“Do you want to see me stabbed to death or something?”

“If we fill out and take a marriage registration form together, will the district office even accept it?”

“Are you really asking me that?”

“Then who guarantees that we’re a family and responsible for each other?”

After finishing his words, Yoon Jooho hunched forward, resting his elbows on his knees and sipping his Beer.

He still can’t quite trust promises made only in words. He’s anxious, that’s all.

It’s not that he doesn’t trust me—he’s just anxious about the uncertain future.

Especially after things ended like that with his Parents.

Song Hyunsoo draped his arm around Yoon Jooho’s shoulders from behind.

“Then have some confidence. Don’t talk like that.”

Yoon Jooho squinted his eyes and glanced back at Song Hyunsoo over his shoulder.

“What am I supposed to do if I’m nervous?”

“Even you get nervous sometimes, huh?”

Because his chin was resting on Yoon Jooho’s shoulder, their faces were very close.

The way Yoon Jooho gazed at him from under his lashes seemed somehow different in color.

Deep, as if staring from the very bottom of his soul.

“I’m meeting the Grandparents of the person I like. Of course I’m nervous.”

His slow, dragging whisper sounded pleasant to Song Hyunsoo’s ears.

At the end of his words, he stuck out his tongue and licked Song Hyunsoo’s upper lip.

The chilled tip of his tongue, cooled by Beer, felt good, and a faint breath escaped from between Song Hyunsoo’s lips.

The person I like, he says.

After doing all sorts of things to me, how can he say something so fresh-faced, like a high schooler?

Mmm…

As his tongue slid inside and traced along his teeth, Song Hyunsoo’s eyelids drooped drowsily.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something urgent, they flew open wide.

“Ah.”

“Ah?”

“The Script.”

“The Script?”

Deprived of his chance to kiss, Yoon Jooho openly furrowed his brows.

“You said a Script came in for me.”

“……”

“Is it true?”

His evasive glance and lack of response said it all.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Giving up on the kiss, Yoon Jooho brought the Beer bottle to his lips and asked,

“Who told you?”

“I don’t think that’s very important.”

“I’m just curious.”

“I come to the Company at least twice a week. Didn’t you think I’d find out eventually?”

Still hunched over, Yoon Jooho spoke in a detached tone, not meeting his eyes.

“When a Script comes in for a Debut, the Company always checks it first. Unless you’re big enough to negotiate with them, even if you want to take it, you can’t unless the Company agrees. The Management Team is reviewing the Script right now.”

“Still, you could’ve at least told me what kind of Artwork came in.”

“If you ended up not getting it, you’d be disappointed.”

Song Hyunsoo slid closer to him, put his arm around his waist, and rested his chin on Yoon Jooho’s shoulder.

“So is it true? Did several Artworks really come in?”

“Yeah.”

A nonchalant answer.

“Are they asking me to Audition?”

Yoon Jooho, about to take a sip of Beer, glanced back with a reluctant expression. Seeing the eager sparkle in Song Hyunsoo’s eyes as he clung to his back, he sighed as if resigned.

“There are some where there are multiple candidates, and some where they said they definitely want to cast you.”

“Oh, can’t you at least tell me what kind of Artwork it is? Is it a drama? A Movie?”

“Two Movies, one drama.”

“I haven’t even tried a drama yet. What kind of Artwork is it?”

The names that came out of Yoon Jooho’s mouth were hard for Song Hyunsoo to believe.

It was a new Artwork created by a renowned writer, whose works have been successful for the past twenty years thanks to their groundbreaking yet solid storylines, and a Director known as their ‘soulmate.’

“Senior, I want to do that one. No matter what, I’m doing it.”

“I told you, it’s under review.”

“Honestly, what kind of Debut gets to ‘review’ a Writer Yang Hajeong, Director Choi Kangyoung Artwork? Even if they asked me to just play a minor role, I should be running over there.”

“You’re with Look Planning now. That’s not how we do things.”

“Why not? Now’s when I want to do as much as I can, however it comes.”

“Being a Debut is even more important. This is the time to build your image. This isn’t an industry where acting alone is enough. That’s why you need a Company.”

Song Hyunsoo narrowed his eyes, watching Yoon Jooho’s stubborn profile as he drank his Beer.

“Tell me.”

“What.”

“What’s the real reason?”

“What are you talking about now?”

“No matter how picky you are, there’s no way you’d turn down a Director Choi Kangyoung and Writer Yang Hajeong Artwork. Why are you against it?”

“……”

Song Hyunsoo reached out and cupped Yoon Jooho’s cheeks, making him look this way.

At close range, their eyes met. Yoon Jooho’s brow furrowed.

“You remember, right?”

“What.”

“We both have Trauma about ‘Secrets.’”

“……”

“And we promised not to hide things from each other anymore.”

Haa. Yoon Jooho let out another sigh from between his lips.

Slipping free from Song Hyunsoo’s hands, he set the Beer down on the table and flopped back into the sofa.

“Director Choi Kangyoung’s working style is really harsh.”

“So?”

“He pushes Actors to their emotional limits. Squeezes everything out of them.”

“I know. He’s famous for that.”

What you know isn’t even half the truth, Yoon Jooho shook his head.

“It’s worse than the rumors. Honestly, it’s more like he beats you emotionally. There are Actors whose self-esteem was so shattered that they quit acting altogether. Not just one or two.”

“And you’re hesitating over a Director Choi Kangyoung Artwork for that?”

“……”

“No, you weren’t even hesitating. You were just going to quietly make it disappear without telling me, right? Isn’t that so?”

“Hyunsoo.”

Hearing his name, Song Hyunsoo dropped his gaze for a moment to calm down.

“Say it. I’m listening.”

“There are people who respond to the stick, and people who respond to the carrot. Not every Actor grows just by working with Director Choi Kangyoung.”

“But the Artwork is high quality and always makes headlines. For a Debut, it’s a huge opportunity. I can take it.”

“You’ll have more opportunities. More Artworks will come in. There’s no need to rush.”

“What if someone else gets it?”

“Then it wasn’t your Artwork to begin with.”

“Se—”

Yoon Jooho gently covered Song Hyunsoo’s mouth with his hand. He nodded in acknowledgement.

“I know. It’s overprotectiveness.”

“……”

“I never thought I’d be the kind of guy who tries to keep his lover away from a tough Director just so they won’t have a hard time. I didn’t know I was such a pathetic bastard.”

“You’re not pathetic—”

Once again, Song Hyunsoo’s mouth was covered.

“I can’t always be by your side, protecting you. You probably wouldn’t want that anyway.”

“……”

“My head understands, but my heart doesn’t follow.”

“……”

“I want to keep the hard stuff away from you, especially since I have the power to do it. But even then, do I just let you suffer?”

Behind Yoon Jooho’s palm, Song Hyunsoo pulled his lips into a smile. Then he took Yoon Jooho’s hand and gently lowered it.

“Isn’t it funny? Yeah, it must be. I think it’s funny too.”

“That’s not why I’m smiling, you know?”

“Then why?”

“It’s just… I realized you’re just like me.”