Ju Seokyeong, who had experienced such incidents quite a bit, remained silent for a moment as if in contemplation. Even for him, it seemed challenging to make a decision easily in a situation where two actors from his agency were involved.

[First, we need to find out who the opponent is. It would be nice if we could resolve it quietly through conversation, but if not, gather evidence and report it to the police. Minimizing media exposure as much as possible.]

“…What should I do, hyung?”

After talking with Ju Seokyeong for quite a while, Seol Jio hung up the phone.

Standing by the window to clear his mind, he looked outside.

Every day, they would come to his doorstep with food, send messages after finding out his number, and now, they even took a picture with Yeowoon and sent it…

But leaving his number behind again.

What did they want, even revealing their identity?

Just to attract attention? Or did they want him to break up with Yeowoon?

Seol Jio sighed and looked at the flickering city lights.

“Yeowoon…”

It was the name of the person he wanted to see the most right now.

How should he tell Yeowoon about this? After hesitating for a moment, he dialed Yeowoon’s number. Whether she was still awake or not, Yeowoon answered the call.
“[Jio, have you finished shooting?]”

“Yeah.”

[It ended late. Aren’t you tired?]

“Yeah. It’s nice to hear your voice…….”

[Really?]

Her laughter echoed in response to his words. Seol Jio quietly listened to Yeowoon’s breathing through the phone.

He needed to explain to Yeowoon, but the words wouldn’t come out easily. After hesitating for a moment, Seol Jio asked Yeowoon, “Can we meet briefly? I’ll come over.”

[Now?]

“Yeah.”

Since it was also Yeowoon’s matter, he wanted to face her and explain without surprising her too much.

When Yeowoon rushed to him as he entered the house, he hugged her tightly.

“Jio!”

In return, he held her tightly, and her warm embrace and his familiar scent comforted his heart.

In fact, when they spoke earlier, he had been worried that Yeowoon’s voice sounded weaker than usual. Perhaps something had happened on the set.

Yeowoon lifted her head from his chest and examined his face, which was no different from usual. However, there was a subtle sense of shadow.

It shouldn’t be something bad…

Yeowoon separated herself from his embrace and led him into the house.

“Aren’t you hungry? What should I make?”

“Well… I’m not hungry, but how about a beer after a long time?”

“Oh, nice.”

Yeowoon smiled and went to the fridge, taking out two cans of beer.

“Sit for a moment. I’ll make a simple side dish.”

“No, it’s okay. Just having beer is fine.”

“Are you saying I’m not okay?”

Yeowoon sat Seol Jio at the table, and she seriously examined the contents of the fridge.

What should I make to improve Jio’s mood?

After some contemplation, Yeowoon took out squid and garlic chives.

“Squid won’t make you gain weight.”

With a somewhat reasonable excuse, Yeowoon quickly made squid and garlic chive pancakes.

She elegantly placed the dish on the table, and Seol Jio burst into laughter.

He picked up a freshly cooked crispy pancake with chopsticks and, instead of eating it himself, fed it to Yeowoon.

“Oh, my God!”

At Yeowoon’s exclamation, Seol Jio also put the pancake in his mouth. As they looked at each other, a moment of laughter burst out from Yeowoon.

“Puhat.”

“Why are you laughing?”

“Just… I suddenly remembered the past.”

“What thought?”

“I went to a bar wearing Garam’s clothes back then, and I ran into you, remember?”

“Oh, yeah.”

Seol Jio nodded as if remembering.

“What did you say at that time? You came to my house saying, ‘Let’s drink more,’ and that you were so happy because you made a friend… and suggested sleeping over, right?”

Thinking back, it was a quite sinister remark. When they had just met again, why didn’t he sense something strange?

When Yeowoon looked at him with a teasing smile, he just made an awkward expression.

Yeowoon asked him while looking into his eyes, “Honestly, Jio, were you trying to seduce me back then?”
With a serious expression on Yeowoon’s face, Seol Jio chuckled, avoiding her gaze.

“You figured that out now?”

“Huh!”

“I wouldn’t come to a girl’s house, especially someone I’m not interested in, just to drink.”

“Well, I guess that makes sense?”

Yeowoon quickly agreed and took a sip of her beer.

“But now that I think about it, I probably never thought you’d like me.”

“Why?”

“Well, you’re super famous, and I was uncertain even about being called an actor… I mean, I was working at a convenience store.”

When she met him again, Yeowoon found it hard to endure her own shrinking and pathetic self.

So she compared herself to him and sometimes seemed to provoke him with unnecessary self-esteem issues. We don’t match.

As the memories from back then came to mind, Yeowoon felt a bit embarrassed. Why did she torment herself like that?

At that moment, Seol Jio lightly tapped the beer can and said, “It wasn’t a big deal.”

“Huh?”

“You doing part-time jobs and stuff, being an extra.”

“Why?”

“No matter where you are, you sparkle.”

Sparkle?

Yeowoon smiled at his somewhat poetic expression. But he looked at her with an incredibly serious expression.

“…Anywhere, I would’ve found and loved you.”

Yeowoon’s lips slightly parted.

He said he would’ve loved her wherever she was found.

Her heart stung for a moment.

“Yeowoon.”

“Yeah?”

Seol Jio called her and remained silent for a moment. When she looked at him with a puzzled expression, he quietly asked, “How do you think it would be if our relationship were revealed?”

“Huh?”

Yeowoon looked at him in surprise.

Does this mean a scandal might break out?

In fact, she hadn’t been without worries about a scandal since meeting him, given that their secret relationship made it difficult to ignore public scrutiny.

Maybe it would be relieving if it were revealed.

“Wouldn’t it be more comfortable? Although your fans are a bit scary.”

Yeowoon answered lightly, but when she saw his darkened face, she suddenly became concerned.

“Why? What’s going on?”

“…Seokyoungie found out about us.”

“What?”

“Someone sent a picture of us being together.”

“…!”

Yeowoon’s eyes widened. A picture of us being together?

Does this mean a real scandal is about to break?

Watching the startled Yeowoon, Seol Jio asked her, “We’ll try to handle it in a way that avoids a scandal. But if things don’t go well, there might be a scandal… Are you okay with that?”

Yeowoon hesitated for a moment at his worried words.

It was a situation she had never experienced before and was fearful. However, if she continued her relationship with him, it was a process she would eventually have to go through.

Rather, she was more worried about him.

If a scandal broke out, Seol Jio had much more to lose than she did.
Yeowoon looked at him, trying not to worry him, and smiled faintly.

“I’m okay. So, am I… going to be the first woman to publicly date you?”

Seol Jio stared at her for a moment, then smiled lightly.

“Seriously, you…”

Actually, it was a bit scary. She knew it wasn’t as easy as it sounded.

But Yeowoon thought. If it’s with him, wouldn’t it be okay?

The next morning, before dawn, Seol Jio received a text message as always.

[Let’s have breakfast, oppa.]

And a photo of a shopping bag placed in front of her house.

After staying up all night, Seol Jio, who received the message, immediately pressed the call button.

The call connected for a moment, and soon someone answered.

[…….]

But there was no sound from the other end.

As if anticipating it, Seol Jio spoke first.

“Do we have things to say to each other?”

[…….]

“Where should we meet? It seems we’re neighbors.”

At the mention of being neighbors, a faint laughter came from the other side. Then a sultry voice followed.

[Room 1801.]

What?

Seol Jio burst into awkward laughter at the absurdity.

It was right below his own apartment.