Yoon Jooho lifted the shopping bag to eye level.
“Did this actually work for you, junior?”
“…No. Not yet.”
“And you’re telling me to try something that hasn’t even been verified?”
“That’s why I bought one for myself too.”
“Suspicious.”
“Wh-what is?”
Placing the crumpled shopping bag on his thigh, Yoon Jooho fiddled with it as he tilted his head slightly.
“So you’re giving this to me now, which means you’ve been carrying it around all day, right?”
“Right.”
“Then why give it to me now?”
Sharper than expected.
With both hands shoved into his jacket pockets, Song Hyunsoo turned his gaze to the window.
The Escalade, silent and insulated from the outside world, had just entered Hannam Bridge.
Yoon Jooho’s face was reflected in the deeply tinted window— so dark no one outside could see in.
“…I forgot.”
“You sure you weren’t just planning not to give it to me?”
Behind him, Yoon Jooho narrowed his eyes in suspicion, his expression lit faintly by the car’s soft interior lights.
It looked like a scene straight out of a movie.
Pretending to admire the night view of the Han River, Hyunsoo kept his eyes on the reflection in the window and murmured softly, as if to himself,
“Thanks for getting angry on my behalf earlier.”
“On your behalf?”
Hyunsoo turned to face him.
“For Han Jooyoung.”
“Ah… I just stepped in because someone had to keep things in check on set.”
Classic Yoon Jooho.
Not stepping in because he wanted to defend anyone, but because it was simply the right thing to do as a senior.
Giving a ride because he happened to be headed in the same direction.
No more, no less.
Hyunsoo felt like he was beginning to understand where all the rumors about Yoon Jooho stemmed from.
When someone disrupts the atmosphere and you step up to fix it, that’s basically volunteering to take the heat.
In other words, it means willingly playing the villain.
Plenty of people in the industry could’ve harbored grudges after being scolded by someone like him.
He wasn’t exactly the type to sugarcoat things.
Tap, tap.
Yoon Jooho drummed his long, neat fingers on the armrest, then added,
“Otherwise, I figured you might explode.”
He looked up from the armrest and gave Hyunsoo a faint smile.
“Explode?”
“If you’d pulled the same stunt on the theater senior that you did, it would’ve been a total mess. Then how would you keep shooting the movie together?”
Hyunsoo chuckled sheepishly in return.
He pulled one hand from his pocket and scratched his cheek as he admitted,
“If you hadn’t stepped in… I honestly might have. I’m usually pretty shameless no matter what people say, but… earlier, I really did feel kind of embarrassed.”
Yoon Jooho picked up a pack of cigarettes from the armrest, pulled one out, and placed it between his lips.
“Nothing to be embarrassed about. If it had been a cocktail bar, you probably would’ve been the one who knew everything.”
“……”
He wasn’t trying especially hard to comfort him.
And yet, there was a quiet strength in Jooho’s words.
It was like he was saying,
This kind of stuff?
It’s nothing.
Don’t you have your own world where you’re the expert?
That simple, offhand remark somehow melted away the weight in Hyunsoo’s chest— something that had been stuck there since dinner.
Lighting the cigarette and exhaling a long breath, Yoon Jooho rolled the window halfway down.
The unforgiving winter air rushed in, biting at his face.
But thanks to the heated seat beneath him, the rest of his body stayed warm.
He smoked in silence for a moment, then shrugged and gave a faint scoff as he looked out the window.
“I’ve never lost when it comes to being socially inept. But Han Jooyoung, now that’s a real challenge.”
“Don’t worry, sunbae. You’re more socially inept than anyone I’ve ever met.”
“What? You cheeky little—”
Yoon Jooho whipped his head around and bared his eyes at him with mock menace.
He reached out, as if to grab Hyunsoo by the ear.
Hyunsoo leaned away and threw his arms up to shield his face.
This sunbae’s sudden skinship always came without warning like a 911 Turbo S going from zero to sixty in 2.7 seconds.
In short, terrible for the heart.
“Come on, even you admitted it. That you’re bad at social stuff.”
“Even if I do, you’re supposed to deny it. That’s how social life works.”
While Jooho backed off to tap the ash from his cigarette, Hyunsoo lowered his arms and let out a small sigh of relief.
“You only seem to forget how to socialize when it comes to me.”
“…Do I?”
“Do I even know how to socialize?”
“……”
Feigning deep interest in his cigarette, Jooho avoided the question.
For a moment, it felt like they were the only two people left in the small world of the Escalade.
“Sir, which direction should I head from here?”
The voice of the chauffeur broke the silence, making Hyunsoo jump as if caught doing something suspicious in his own home.
He glanced out the window— they were already near Hannam Five-way Intersection.
“Ah, just let me off around here is fine, Chief.”
As he quickly reached for his backpack, Yoon Jooho gave the driver new instructions.
“Take us to Hannam Station Three-way and turn right.”
“It’s really okay. I can get out here.”
“We’re almost there anyway. Doesn’t make a difference.”
Watching Hyunsoo zip up his padded jacket as he got ready to leave, Jooho frowned.
“They’re saying it’s the worst cold snap in twenty years. No scarf, no gloves, what are you trying to prove, looking like that?”
“You’re in your thirties. How could you possibly understand the fashion code of someone in their twenties?”
“Just wait two more years. The moment you hit thirty, I’ll personally start calling you ajusshi.”
You’re assuming we’ll still be in touch in two years?
What an honor.
As the vehicle turned right at Hannam Station, it began to slow down.
“Over there just before the alley after the Hyperion building, please, Chief.”
“Keep practicing your lines, even when you’re on your own.”
“Of course. I’ll practice more than you, sunbae.”
Throwing the backpack over his shoulder, Hyunsoo made the promise with confidence.
“That’s impossible.”
He thanked the chauffeur and stepped out of the car.
Before closing the door, he pulled his collar up high and locked eyes with Yoon Jooho.
“See you next year.”
Jooho ground out the cigarette in the ashtray and gave a dry smile.
“Take care.”
A short farewell, carrying no trace of longing.
As the heavy car door shut, Jooho’s Escalade rolled forward and smoothly merged into traffic like a humpback whale gliding through the Pacific.
Hmm…
With his hands shoved in his jacket pockets, Hyunsoo kept his eyes on the car’s retreating taillights.
A puff of vapor curled from his nose and dispersed into the cold night air.
He pulled one hand out and opened his palm.
It had only been the briefest touch barely a moment but he could still feel the damp warmth of Yoon Jooho’s lips against his skin, etched into him like an invisible brand.
Hyunsoo stared quietly at his empty palm for a long moment, then slowly brought it to his lips.
He didn’t feel the cold at all.
■
On New Year’s Day yesterday, Song Hyunsoo uploaded a photo he took of the Han River to his SNS.
Since he couldn’t sleep anyway past six in the morning, it was a sunrise shot taken from the rooftop right outside his apartment door.
Special occasions like birthdays or New Year’s Day usually drew more comments than usual.
On his way to his part-time job at Yoon Jooho’s mansion, he started replying to each of the 50 comments one by one.
By the time he finished the last reply, it was just about time to get off at the next bus stop.
581 posts, 2,797 followers, 324 following.
No big change in follower count today either.
With his backpack slung over his shoulder, Song Hyunsoo stood up from the very back seat.
Because of the heavy snow that fell the day before New Year’s Eve last year, the roads were still rough.
Patches of snow lingered in the shaded edges of the alleys.
Walking carefully to avoid slipping took longer than usual.
Still, when he arrived near the mansion entrance, he had about 20 minutes to spare before his appointment.
The alley was usually quiet, with only cars passing by and the occasional resident walking their dog.
But today, it was a bit noisier than usual.
A group of four or five people, diverse in race and age, was taking photos near Yoon Jooho’s mansion.
Among the mysterious group was a middle-aged lady elegantly dressed in subtle luxury brands.
They glanced and whispered among themselves as Song Hyunsoo passed through the security checkpoint and entered the driveway.
“What’s going on? Are these people here to see the place?”
The security guard, now familiar and somewhat friendly, guided him into the elevator.
While riding up to the 17th floor, he snapped a few shots inside the elevator.
Since it was a fancy mansion elevator, the lighting seemed pretty good…
After getting off and ringing the doorbell, he sent the photos to Jooho.
Before posting pictures on SNS, he always had Jooho check them first.
Jooho always said the photos Hyunsoo picked looked terrible… something about how natural-born good looks lack urgency or something like that.
It took a little longer than usual for the door lock to release.
“Hello, Mr… Mover…”
He started a reflexive greeting but stopped.
It wasn’t the mover, but Yoon Jooho.
Although it had been only five days since they last met last Thursday, Hyunsoo had to pause briefly, shaken by the light shock that seeing that face always caused.
“And where’s the mover?”
“To work.”
Jooho had probably just showered; his hair was bare without any styling products, and he wore light clothes.
He looked like he had just come back from exercising. Instead of his usual strong cologne, a lighter scent was in the air.
But it wasn’t the kind of shampoo or cleanser smell Hyunsoo was used to from supermarket shelves.
“Oh, the indoor shoes.”
As if remembering, Jooho opened one of the many cabinets lining the long shoe rack.
For some reason, he seemed a bit unsettled.
When they met at this place, there was always a relaxed atmosphere, but today he seemed like a tight balloon about to pop.
He didn’t even joke around as usual.
With that typically impassive face and no expression to soften it, it was hard to start a conversation.