Chapter 32: Dissolve: His Last Choice

『This stop is Cheongdamdong Community Center, Cheongdamdong Community Center.』

At the announcement signaling the stop, I rose from my seat.

I had to get off at the last station before entering Yeongdong Bridge.

Battling the strong winds that whipped directly against my face, I started walking, following the directions on my navigation app. 

I had to turn off the main road toward the Han River and walk for over ten more minutes to reach my destination.

Where exactly am I supposed to go? 

Some kind of villa or apartment? 

Does he want me to do wallpapering or something? 

Or is it a moving company?

I had no clue what kind of part-time job Yoon Jooho was going to introduce.

It made me uneasy. 

But I had no choice but to go and see.

“……”

Whether it was a villa or a detached house, the atmosphere of the alley lined with extravagant buildings on both sides was already intimidating enough.

And the destination my navigation led me to was the most dazzlingly luxurious new building in the entire alley.

Stopping at the entrance, Song Hyunsoo glanced down at his outfit. 

He had put effort into dressing up— even getting Jeong-ho’s approval via video call for the outfit— but now he felt like he looked like some repairman here to fix something.

Had he been loitering around the entrance for too long, making him seem suspicious?

A man emerged from the guard post and approached him.

“Excuse me, are you perhaps…?”

Though he hadn’t done anything wrong, Hyunsoo instinctively took a step back. 

But the man wore a friendly smile.

“Are you here as a guest of Actor Yoon Jooho?”

“Huh?… Yes, that’s right.”

“I heard we were expecting a visitor. Right this way.”

The man guiding Hyunsoo didn’t seem like a security guard but rather a well-trained employee of a luxury hotel— young, tall, and handsome enough to pass as a model.

Leading the way, the man warned Hyunsoo to watch his step on the stairs, opened doors for him, and occasionally glanced back to make sure he was following, each time giving a slight nod.

The elegantly decorated lobby played not classical music but soft lounge tunes.

Plush, expensive-looking sofas were placed throughout, but no one was sitting on them.

Apart from the staff at the front desk, there wasn’t a soul in sight. 

The silence and excessive emptiness only added to the discomfort.

The elevator was almost hidden— unless someone guided you, a visitor would never find it.

And you needed a keycard just to call it.

“Penthouse on the 17th floor.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

Even as the doors closed, the man politely bowed his head.

Though he was no longer watching, Hyunsoo awkwardly bowed back.

You only know how to eat fish if you’ve eaten it before, and you only know how to receive hospitality if you’ve experienced it.

It was uncomfortable. 

Well, still better than being ignored.

Looking around the futuristic interior of the elevator, Hyunsoo noticed something odd.

The panel beside the door only had “Open” and “Close” buttons— no floor numbers.

“What the… How do you get to other floors?”

Stepping out on the 17th floor, he found a small lounge area in front of the elevator, complete with a sofa, table, and lighting— almost like an extension of a home.

Looking around, Hyunsoo spotted a large door.

Is this it? 

It’s the only door here, so it must be.

He rang the bell, and without even a “Who is it?” 

The door opened after a long pause.

It was Yoon Jooho’s manager.

“Hyunsoo! You’re early!”

“Hello, Manager Lee. Did I arrive too soon?”

Glancing at his phone, he realized he was a full 20 minutes ahead of schedule.

“Being late is the problem— what’s wrong with being early? You must’ve had a tough time coming here in the cold. Come on in.”

“Excuse me.”

Awkward and stiff, he stepped inside.

The foyer was so long it could’ve had a red carpet rolled out.

Following Manager Lee’s lead, he changed into slippers and entered.

The foyer had a large painting hung on the wall but otherwise no distinctive features— no signs of life.

The long storage cabinet on the right was clearly for shoes, but there wasn’t a single pair in sight.

What kind of place is this?

Sniff sniff.

The only clue Hyunsoo could gather was the scent.

A fragrance similar to Yoon Jooho’s perfume lingered in the air.

Is this his personal studio or something?

After turning from the long foyer, another long hallway stretched out, and at the end, a spacious living room with high ceilings came into view.

Manager Lee, walking ahead, glanced back with a slight smile.

“Jooho went to take a shower. He’ll be out soon.”

“Ah, okay.”

Hyunsoo bit his lower lip.

A small laugh threatened to escape.

So I’m meeting Yoon Jooho today after all… 

Good thing I paid attention to my outfit.

The long hallway leading to the living room had a floor-to-ceiling display case covering one entire wall. 

Finished neatly with dark-tinted glass, it wasn’t immediately noticeable, but upon closer inspection, trophies and medals were displayed inside the glass.

Yoon Jooho, Best Actor Award 

Yoon Jooho, Actor of the Year 

Yoon Jooho, Asia Star Award 

Yoon Jooho, Hallyu Actor Grand Prize

Even for a popular actor with 30 years of experience, the sheer number of awards filling a display case this large was staggering. 

Right. He really was this incredible. 

But when he’s spouting nonsense and picking fights with me, he just seems like a ridiculously good-looking punk.

“You can sit comfortably on the sofa over there.”

“Yes, thank y…. Wh- whoa…”

As Song Hyunsoo followed the moving manager into the living room, an exclamation burst from his lips. 

There was no room for dignity or calculation— it was an involuntary reaction, like gasping at an overwhelming natural landscape.

One wall of the living room, with ceilings easily 7 to 8 meters high, was entirely filled with windows facing the Han River. 

The wall was so vast it couldn’t possibly be covered by a single pane, so it was divided into four windows, yet the sense of openness was staggering. 

Through them, an abundance of sunlight poured in, making it feel as if they were outdoors.

Even though it was the middle of winter. 

During a cold snap not seen in 20 years. 

The inside was so warm that the padded jacket he was wearing immediately felt stifling.

“This is seriously amazing. This place.” 

“Haha. You stop thinking that when you see it every day. But seeing your reaction is getting me excited too.”

Really? Even a house like this becomes mundane after seeing it daily? 

I don’t think I’d ever get used to it.

As Song Hyunsoo awkwardly perched on the edge of the sofa, his gaze lingered on one corner of the living room. 

A pile of unopened shopping bags was stacked there. 

It wasn’t an exaggeration to call it a pile— there were so many that it was impossible not to notice.

“Ah, that’s… Jooho just went shopping for a bit.”

As if it were an everyday occurrence, the moving manager brushed it off casually, but this wasn’t the kind of haul you’d describe as “just a quick trip.” 

If he’d gone all out, he might as well have bought the entire department store.

“What would you like to drink? We have coffee, tea, and all kinds of alcohol.” 

“I already had coffee. Just water, please, Manager.” 

“But you’re a guest. At least let me get you some juice. Make yourself comfortable.”

After the manager left, Song Hyunsoo glanced around, took off his padded jacket, and then, as if entranced, slowly stood up and walked toward the window.

It was the same Han River, but it felt like an entirely different world, a different landscape compared to the one seen from his rooftop room in Bogwangdong.

To exaggerate a little, it even felt somewhat moving.

The space seemed like a house rented by a production company for a drama or movie shoot.

No— even in dramas and movies, he’d never seen a house like this.

So houses like this really exist, and people who live in them are real, too.

Wait. Live? He lives here? In this place? Who—

“Why are you 20 minutes early?”

A man grumbled as he appeared, as if asking,

Why are you 20 minutes late?

It was unmistakably Yoon Jooho.

Startled by the sudden voice behind him, Song Hyunsoo whirled around.

Without realizing it, he stumbled back and clapped a hand over his mouth— as if to stifle a scream.

Hrk— Ghk—

Even so, he couldn’t completely suppress the strange noise that escaped.

A half-naked Yoon Jooho was crossing the living room right in front of him.

With only a long towel wrapped around his waist, his upper body was completely bare.

A few lingering droplets of water from his recent shower were the only things covering him.