In the last episode, there wasn’t a single scene worth laughing at. Because it was a journey toward separation. They, too, were deeply immersed in the drama, so there wasn’t much conversation. Occasionally, they exchanged impressions like ‘That expression is so good’ or ‘Emotions are mixed in their breathing.’
“In the end, he decided not to use it.”
“…Yes.”
Such a conversation went back and forth in the latter part of the last episode. The scene where Hee-soo kisses Jongsu before she leaves was omitted the day before she left. Instead, the scene proceeded with Hee-soo tenderly looking at Jongsu, following the original script.
Because it was Min-woo who wanted to change it to a kiss, it was undoubtedly a conscious decision. They probably didn’t want to stir up controversy again.
Ji-ho glanced at Hye-yoon with a side glance for a moment. The tenderness of Hee-soo was still present. So, he played a little prank.
“The writer will probably be annoyed.”
“…What? Why?”
“We barely managed to shoot it, but it got edited out.”
Ji-ho’s mouth corners twitched with regret. The day when they couldn’t even get close without triggering NG due to their exaggerated expressions was a vivid memory for both of them. Reacting to the exaggerated expression, Hye-yoon immediately snapped.
“Wow! Are you going to say that?”
“Haha, it’s true. You were clearly showing how unwilling you were.”
Shaking his shoulders playfully, Ji-ho seemed relaxed, as if saying, “If you have more to say, go ahead.” That’s why Hye-yoon couldn’t say anything. Looking back, it was really rude, and she felt deeply sorry. Lips puckered, losing words.
Tock [Dash]
Ji-ho’s finger lightly touched Hye-yoon’s cheek. It was meant as a joke, so Hye-yoon could laugh it off.
As the drama approached its end, the day of parting finally arrived. After finishing the school assembly promptly, Jongsu rushed home. Opening the front door, he saw Hee-soo’s sneakers in the shoe rack. Running with all his might, his throat felt like it would tear, but his face had a look of relief.
But it was short-lived. Without time to catch his breath, he faced his dad coming out with a suitcase. Followed by Hee-soo. Pretending to follow them with nothing to do, the three of them headed to the terminal in Dad’s car. Sitting in the front passenger seat, there was a scene where Jongsu sneakily looked at Hee-soo through the rearview mirror.
And the impending farewell.
“Kim Jongsu, say hello to your sister.”
“……. ”
“This guy seems regretful.”
In front of the Seoul-bound express bus, Jongsu couldn’t say anything. He knew that Hee-soo’s words, “I’ll come during vacation,” were lies. He knew they would become a forever family who could never see each other again.
“Take care.”
And Hee-soo’s farewell-like request.
“…You too.”
As Jongsu’s answer-like hope continued, they parted ways.
Hye-yoon felt a tightness in her chest. Even though it was a story she already knew, it felt that way. The scene continued a little more. From now on, it was scenes that she, too, had never seen before. The last 10 minutes were the story of the one left behind.
On the way back home, Dad dropped Jongsu off in front of the house and headed back to work. A face that lost its expression and legs that seemed powerless as much as the face. Taking a deep sigh, he opened the front door of the house.
Jongsu froze, not taking a step inside. Staring blankly at the empty shoe rack. Overwhelmed, he bit his lower lip until it turned red, and eventually, his eyes welled up. Trying to cover his eyes with his forearm, sniffling, the poignant scene continued. It was the moment when a 23-centimeter hole appeared in Jongsu’s heart.
The person left behind even picked up the feelings left by the one who left. Ji-ho was showing it through Jongsu. For Jongsu, who couldn’t even imagine the scene, crying while holding the emotions left by Hee-soo was unexpected.
Ji-ho nodded slightly. Young Jongsu muttered to himself, feeling sorry.
“Pity… Huh?”
At that moment, a sob was heard from the next seat. Then, without a chance to look closely, the crying sound poured out.
“Why!”
Surprised, Ji-ho turned his head, and Hye-yoon had her mouth wide open, crying. Tears streamed down her face following the tightly wrinkled eyes, one, two. Like Jongsu, she quickly covered her eyes with her forearm but couldn’t stop the increasing sobbing sounds.
Ji-ho hurriedly hugged Hye-yoon. He, too, was engrossed in the drama, so he couldn’t understand how her emotions had flowed so deeply.
“Oh, be surprised. Why are you like this? Don’t cry.”
The easily unquenchable sorrow stirred in the embrace. Hye-yoon, increasingly agitated, couldn’t smoothly continue her words.
“Jongsu is too… my heart… hurts…”
And then, soon, a loud sob. Ji-ho was relieved that Hye-yoon was in his arms. Crying with all her might like this, it would be a big problem if she got caught laughing.
Sorry, but laughter kept bubbling up. The crying gestures were cute, but maybe it was because the words from a few hours ago came to mind.
“But surprisingly, I don’t cry easily. It’s true. So when I really, really cry, everyone is surprised.”
Ji-ho bit his lips hard. He understood too well why everyone was surprised. How can they not be surprised when she cries so dramatically like this, like in a comic.
A woman who never gave herself a chance to hate herself was taking away even the moment she embraced sadness. Ji-ho, who barely swallowed his laughter, comforted Hye-yoon. Even after a few minutes, it seemed like she couldn’t control her tears.
“This is the writer’s writing, right? Anyone who sees it would think it’s someone else’s story.”
“I never knew I could act so… sadly…”
Ji-ho slightly lifted Hye-yoon’s shoulders from his chest. The two hands that fell from her shoulders wrapped around her cheeks. As they did, tears that flowed were connected to his fingertips.
The thumb stole a glance at the fine eye area. To the heart that couldn’t be reached, it conveyed a voice.
“Of course, it’s sad. He left without saying thank you and I love you.”
In Ji-ho’s black pupils, tender emotions were simmering. When their eyes, filled with moisture, met, a faint smile spread across Ji-ho’s lips.
“We won’t be able to see him again… because he was so good.”
“……. ”
Flowing again. Tears streamed once more. Her body, as delicate as a child whimpering, trembled. Wondering if she had truly calmed down by now, Ji-ho was also holding back his words. He began telling about Jongsu after the imagined last episode.
“He’ll live with the appearance of a forever empty shoe rack, Jongsu.”
As the words finished, the mouth opened again frighteningly. Laughter erupted again at the rapidly growing sobbing.
“Haha, it’s driving me crazy. Hye-yoon, stop!”
‘I told her to cherish it.’ Although he tried to persuade the crying child, it was futile. Unable to suppress the laughter, Hye-yoon, too, cried for about ten minutes.
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
