Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity
Chapter 111
“Please, just go home already.”
I was already planning to go.
Rubbing my dry eyes, I quietly stood up from the chair.
“As soon as you get home, get some sleep. For us, staying up all night is normal, but aren’t you tired?”
“I’m tired.”
“Oh, you don’t look tired at all.”
But I was really tired.
Once I confirmed that the situation was resolved safely, I felt even more relaxed.
While restoring and editing the files, everyone double-checked to make sure there were no controversial elements.
The uploaded video safely made it to the popular videos list.
Additionally, we uploaded articles from our side to cut off any potential backlash.
By the time we finished checking all the posts mentioning the orphanage, it was already morning.
“Everyone, good work.”
“Go home and get some sleep!”
After greeting Team Leader Woo and the PR team staff, I headed home.
‘The time is….’
It was 8 AM. Ah, I was tired.
I wanted to sleep right away, but I still had something to do.
―Hello.
“Director. This is Lee Yeon-jae. Can you talk now?”
―Of course. What’s up?
I knew it was about the time you’d be up, but your voice was more energetic than I expected.
I explained the situation to the director, mentioning that people might focus on the orphanage for a while.
―Thank you for calling and informing me separately.
“No, Director. I’m sorry for causing trouble.”
I heard the director chuckle softly.
―Yeon-jae, I’ve been working here for 30 years. This isn’t even considered trouble.
“That’s a relief.”
―How are you? Are you doing well these days?
I paused at the warm question.
It’s been over a year since I left the orphanage.
No matter how busy I was, I visited the orphanage at least once a month, so the director’s voice was naturally familiar.
But it felt unfamiliar.
‘The voice that occupies the most significant part of my memory.’
Is it because it’s a phone call that it feels so unfamiliar? Or….
“I’m….”
My words came out hesitantly.
The director waited patiently without rushing me.
“……I think I’m happy these days, Director….”
Even though I spoke the words, I couldn’t interpret them.
The director kindly said she was glad, and I hung up the phone, feeling dazed.
What woke me from my stupor was a knock on the door.
“Actor, may I come in?”
After quietly responding, the door opened without a sound.
Manager An Jin-bae leaned against the door, looking like he was about to fall asleep.
“I came to tell you that you can rest well today since there’s no schedule.”
“…….”
“Actor?”
I stared blankly at Manager An Jin-bae, who had damp hair as if he had just washed it roughly.
Then I looked at the mirror next to the bed.
In the mirror, I looked unkempt, with no trace of tension.
“Actor, is something wrong? Are you sick?”
He urgently approached me, kneeling, a familiar sight that made me smile.
“…?”
Watching his furrowed brows in confusion, I raised my hand.
I carefully touched his scratched eyebrow.
“Hyung.”
“Yes, yes…?”
His response, along with his dilated pupils, showed he was clearly flustered.
Feeling the smile still on my lips, I replied.
“I want to do this too.”
“This? You mean the eyebrow scratch?”
“Yes.”
Though he still looked confused, he nodded briskly as usual.
“I’ll have to discuss it with the company first, but they might allow something subtle. I was planning to get my hair done next week; would you like to come along?”
“Sure.”
I moved my hand from his eyebrow to his damp hair.
“Dry your hair before you sleep, Hyung. You’ll catch a cold.”
“Yes, understood.”
It must have been quite disconcerting to be patted on the head by someone 30cm shorter than him, but his expression didn’t look too bad.
As I looked up at him, I spoke.
“Hyung, thanks for safely bringing me home today.”
“…….”
He seemed to realize something was off by now.
His eyes darted around as he pondered, a sight I found so familiar.
It was so amusing that I burst into laughter without realizing it.
“Actor, why are you acting like this, making me worried….”
I laughed because I was happy, but it seemed to scare him.
Seeing my manager looking so distressed, I forced myself to stop laughing.
“I’m just happy.”
“Really? You’re not sick or anything?”
Nodding repeatedly at his skeptical question, I even made a pinky promise to tell him if I felt unwell.
His fist, twice the size of mine, felt so familiar that it made me happy.
* * *
“I almost cried watching the last episode.”
I think you did cry, judging by the goldfish eyes you came in with, Noh Bi-hyuk.
I laughed at him.
“Was my acting that good?”
“……It’s not wrong, but it sounds weird when you say it.”
He narrowed his eyes, asking if something good had happened, and I laughed.
Even Manager Jin-bae found my constant giggling strange and asked several times if I was really okay.
But how could I not be happy?
“The last episode turned out better than I thought. The editing was satisfying too.”
“Oh, right. You said there was friction with the production team. Good thing their skills were decent.”
Last weekend, the final episode, Episode 10, of ‘Goodbye, My Summer’ aired.
There had indeed been trouble due to the vlog, but my desire for the drama’s success was a separate matter.
Since the main couple had already started dating in Episode 9, Episode 10 was almost like a side story.
During a meal with her first boyfriend, the female lead, and her embarrassed boyfriend, Kim Ho-yoon, who had been dumped by Hanna at the end of Episode 8, kept sniffling.
As the meal with his sister’s boyfriend was about to end, Kim Ho-yoon’s phone rang.
It was a text from Hanna, saying she was waiting in front of his house. Kim Ho-yoon hurriedly changed his clothes.
[“Jang Hanna….”]
[“You’re here?”]
Hanna greeted him more calmly than expected.
It was the first time seeing her since she rejected his confession, so Kim Ho-yoon didn’t know what to do and sat beside her.
[“I’m sorry. For leaving you alone like that and going home first.”]
[“No, it’s….”]
[“It was such an unexpected confession, but after thinking about it for a few days, I realized you gave a lot of hints. I was just too oblivious.”]
Hanna wiggled her fingers awkwardly.
Even that small gesture was so endearing that Kim Ho-yoon suppressed the urge to cry.
[“Can I be honest?”]
[“Sure….”]
[“Honestly, it’s strange. That you like me. It’s like you’re liking me the way I liked Joo Ji-hyuk.”]
[“Liked? Do you not like Joo Ji-hyuk anymore?”]
Kim Ho-yoon, who had been looking down, urgently asked.
His eyes, clearly showing he had been crying until now, were filled with anticipation.
Hanna clicked her tongue and lightly flicked Kim Ho-yoon’s forehead.
[“I wasn’t finished talking. Why do you not feel awkward at all?”]
[“Hey. I was so awkward I thought I would die at first. Do you think I wanted to like you?”]
[“……Then why do you like me?”]
At the hesitant question, Kim Ho-yoon paused.
Lowering his gaze to his hands, he spoke hesitantly.
[“I don’t know. It’s just you… Ah, I don’t know. Isn’t it rude to ask such things after rejecting me?”]
[“Who said I rejected you?”]
[“……Huh?”]
Kim Ho-yoon looked at her with a dumbfounded face.
[“I said I was sorry and went home first. I didn’t say I didn’t like you.”]
What am I hearing right now?
Kim Ho-yoon’s bewildered face said it all.
[“But that doesn’t mean I’m accepting your confession either.”]
[“……Are you teasing me?”]
[“That’s not it―.”]
Ah, this is so awkward! Hanna shouted loudly, looking away.
Seeing her neck flush as she shouted made Kim Ho-yoon anxious.
[“I don’t know either. Talking about this with you is weird. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s not like I hate it either.”]
[“…….”]
[“What I’m saying is… give me some time. I don’t want to pretend we don’t know each other like we did the past few days. I know you like me now, so I’ll think about it. Can’t we just give it a try?”]
[“…….”]
[“Hey. Say something―.”]
Muttering to herself, Hanna frowned and looked to the side. The camera moved with her.
And it captured Kim Ho-yoon silently crying.
[“Oh my gosh, why are you crying?”]
Startled, Hanna moved closer, and Kim Ho-yoon quickly covered his face.
[“Don’t look. I’m, sob, ugly when I cry.”]
[“……You’re always ugly.”]
Unable to endure the awkward atmosphere, Hanna’s snide remark made Kim Ho-yoon burst into tears.
Feeling it was too much, Kim Ho-yoon cried louder, and Hanna, flustered, hugged him.
Kim Ho-yoon, trying to fit his larger frame into her smaller embrace, sobbed.
[“I thought you hated me now….”]
[“Why would I hate you?”]
[“Whether as friends or dating, I just want to keep talking to you.”]
Hanna quietly thanked him.
Kim Ho-yoon stayed in her embrace for a while before saying, “……But I’d prefer dating,” and got hit on the back.
Complaining about the hit, Kim Ho-yoon was told to shut up and go get ice cream by Hanna.
[“Hey. Stop crying. You really are ugly.”]
[“You like seeing me cry. You can’t take your eyes off me.”]
[“Isn’t he crazy?”]
The camera slowly panned up as the two descended the stairs.
From the window, Han Yeoreum and Kim Hye-yoon, who had been watching, pointed and laughed at them.
Then, the drama ended with the cringe-inducing dialogue between the two protagonists.
Despite the corny lines, the editing and camera movements were quite satisfying.
As I reminisced about the satisfying outcome, Noh Bi-hyuk muttered.
“It was sad when Kim Ho-yoon cried. Seeing him cry so much hurt my heart.”
“Bi-hyuk, you know I played Kim Ho-yoon, right?”
Noh Bi-hyuk clicked his tongue.
“Of course, I know that. But you and Kim Ho-yoon are different people.”
“That’s the highest compliment. Thank you.”
“It’s strange. Your faces are identical, though.”
“Stop pinching my cheeks.”
“If you cried, it would be different from Kim Ho-yoon’s crying. Want to give it a try?”
Stop pinching me.
I tolerated him for a bit, but then I pushed his face away firmly.
“You’re the weird one today.”
“Do I look more handsome today?”
No. You look crazy.
I answered with my eyes, and he shrugged.
“Honestly, isn’t it to be expected? It’s your first time, but I’m experiencing it for the first time too.”
“…?”
I frowned, not understanding, and Noh Bi-hyuk pulled my cheek, asking how I could forget.
That’s when Manager Jin-bae placed neatly cut pears on the table and said.
“Tomorrow is the release day of the sneaker commercial, right, actor?”
Oh, right. There was that.