Chapter 12: Actress Juwon

Just then, with a ding, the elevator arrived at the basement level as if saving him.

Han-geon lifted the back of his hand to his face, half-covering it, and spoke much more curtly than usual.

“…Let’s get off.”

As they stepped out, Eun-gyeol calmly pointed things out one by one.

That’s the company cafeteria.

That’s the convenience store.

That’s the café…
Han-geon nodded stiffly, memorizing each piece of information, and followed Eun-gyeol into the café.

The interior was just as modern and stylish as the rest of the building.

It was spacious, yet completely empty.

Only a staff member wearing a black apron greeted them.

“What do you want to drink?”

“I’ll… just get an iced Americano.

Thanks.”

“What?

Two iced Americanos, please.”

Han-geon blinked at Eun-gyeol, puzzled by how naturally he ordered.

“They have green grape ade too.

Aren’t you getting that?”

“I’m not drinking it unless you made it.”

The answer came instantly.

So it wasn’t just whining—he really didn’t like the ones sold outside because they were too sweet.

Han-geon always saw him craving it so he assumed Eun-gyeol sometimes bought it elsewhere too.

Eun-gyeol probably meant nothing by it, but somehow… the words sounded strangely nice.

“Your drinks are ready.”

“I’ll get them.”

Han-geon sprang to his feet, took the two cold cups of coffee, and was about to return to the table—when the café door opened.

A strikingly glamorous woman walked in.

At that moment, Han-geon’s eyes widened.

Han-geon swallowed hard.

Unless they were actors who had filmed with Eun-gyeol, he honestly didn’t know many celebrities.

But even he knew this woman’s face and name—enough said.

It was Lee Juwon, currently the most famous actress in the industry.

Seeing her in person felt surreal.

And not at an event or awards ceremony, but in a small café like this… It was only then, absurdly late, that he truly realized where he was.

“Oh, Eun-gyeol oppa!

Hello!”

The moment she spotted him sitting there, Juwon’s face blossomed into a smile.

She greeted him in a bright, tinkling voice that sounded like beads rolling, and hurried toward him.

“Hey.”

Compared to the excited-looking Juwon, Eun-gyeol’s response was calm and even.

Anyone else might have felt awkward, but Juwon chattered on as though she was perfectly used to his reactions.

“Oppa, I heard you had dinner with Jian yesterday.”

“Mm.”

“Can’t you buy me dinner too? You promised last time, remember?”

“Yeah.

Next time.”

His tone was still serene, but it didn’t sound particularly sincere.

Juwon, however, didn’t seem bothered at all.

She stepped even closer and gently took hold of Eun-gyeol’s arm.

Watching that familiar smile—the one he’d only ever seen on TV—Han-geon found himself strangely dazed.

If a blooming flower could take the shape of a person, it might look exactly like her.

“Promise, okay?

Before filming starts.

And it doesn’t count if it’s a reading meeting dinner!”

“Alright.”

Once she’d secured his promise again, Juwon finally turned her face toward Han-geon.

“But the person next to you… is he a new junior?”

“Yeah.”

Up until that moment, Eun-gyeol’s expression hadn’t changed much—but suddenly, he broke into a bright grin.

Seeing that radiant smile bloom across his face, Han-geon had to fight to steady the rush of dizziness.

Juwon had been beautiful when she smiled too, of course, but she couldn’t compare to the person he’d been secretly in love with for years.

“My manager and bodyguard.

Handsome, right?”

He pointed at Han-geon with just a flick of his eyes and smiled, like a child proudly showing off his favorite toy.

Juwon stared at Han-geon, speechless for a moment, before her eyes widened a beat late.

“Oh? But you’re doing both manager and bodyguard?”

“Mm.

He was originally a bodyguard, but he agreed to be my manager too.

Both positions just happened to be open.”

“Ah… I see.

You’re so handsome that I thought you were a rookie actor.”

Her voice trilled like rolling beads, sweet and lively.

He wondered if having a younger sister would feel like this.

Still in a daze, Han-geon stared at Juwon blankly before snapping back to himself and bowing briskly.

“Hello.

I’m Choi Han-geon, actor Cha Eun-gyeol’s new manager.

I look forward to working with you.”

He’d seen countless celebrities while working at events before—but this was the first time he was introducing himself directly to a top star and shaking their hand.

His face grew hot with embarrassment.

But since he would be sticking to Eun-gyeol from now on, he couldn’t just stand there gawking like an ordinary person seeing a celebrity for the first time.

There was nothing wrong with greeting people properly and getting familiar with them—it’s what every ‘How to Become a Manager’ video he binge-watched on YouTube last night had emphasized.

Before Juwon could even open her mouth, a soft snort sounded beside him.

When he sneaked a glance, Eun-gyeol was quietly chuckling to himself.

It must’ve been amusing hearing Han-geon address him that way for the first time.

Regardless, Han-geon steadfastly held out his hand to Juwon.

His easy-going demeanor made Juwon beam brightly as she reached out without hesitation.

“Ah, hello.

I’m Lee Juwon.

Wow, maybe it’s because you’re a bodyguard, but you’re really fit.

Look at your arm muscles.”

“Haha… thank you.

You’re incredibly stylish and beautiful as well, actress-nim.”

Han-geon gave an embarrassed smile and bowed his head.

But it seemed Juwon’s compliment wasn’t just empty flattery; she must’ve genuinely meant it.

Right after they finished shaking hands, she suddenly let out a noise of admiration and grabbed his arm.

“Wow, I actually started Pilates recently, you know?

No matter how much I work out, I keep losing weight but the muscle just won’t build—it’s stressing me out.

How are you this toned?

Can you teach me your secret?”

While she kneaded Han-geon’s forearm, she fired off questions nonstop.

The sudden touch didn’t surprise him all that much.

Working as a bodyguard meant plenty of unwanted physical contact, and at the gym people often touched each other’s muscles out of pure curiosity and admiration.

“Uh… do you eat enough protein?”

“No.

Since I’m on a diet…”

“Hmm, I’m sure your coach already told you this, but you need to take in a certain amount of protein if you want your muscles to grow.”

Han-geon was answering earnestly when, all of a sudden, Eun-gyeol’s hand slipped in between them.

His expression was faintly tightened, as if something had gotten under his skin.

“Don’t touch him so freely.”

He said it calmly while gently taking hold of Juwon’s slender wrist.

The motion of removing her hand from Han-geon’s arm was slow, but precise.

“My manager is… a bit sensitive about this kind of touch.”

Then he flashed a bright smile—so radiant that it made Han-geon wonder whether he had imagined the slight frown from just a moment ago.

Juwon, who had been staring in a daze, finally seemed to process the situation; seeing Eun-gyeol smiling so beautifully while still holding her wrist, her face flushed red.

“Geez, okay, okay.

But oppa, you’re embarrassing me.”

“Sorry.

Was I?”

Eun-gyeol’s appeasing smile was gentle.

Han-geon’s gaze happened to fix on one spot—the hand that still hadn’t released Juwon’s delicate wrist even though the issue had been resolved.

When Juwon’s ears and neck suddenly flared red, Han-geon let out a quiet, controlled breath.

Come to think of it… Lee Juwon was known to be an Omega.

At that moment, Eun-gyeol’s hand finally slipped away, clean and smooth.

He let go of her wrist and smiled as if nothing had happened.

“See you later.

I’ll call you.”

“…Ah, yes.

Oppa, call me later!”

Her tone was polite, but it was clearly a dismissal.

Juwon blinked at Eun-gyeol in bewilderment before letting out a belated squeak and bowing quickly.

Unlike her bouncy, cheerful introduction earlier, she rushed to buy her drink and leave the café—her ears completely flushed red.

But Han-geon was still standing there, frozen in place.

Sorry.

Was I?

I’ll call you.

That sweet, gentle voice lingered in his ears like the breeze of a spring night—fluttering around him like a butterfly that refused to leave even when shooed away.

“What are you doing? Sit.”

Only when he heard Eun-gyeol’s calm voice did Han-geon snap back to himself with a start.

“…Why’d you embarrass her like that for no reason?”

He grumbled belatedly as he sat back down beside Eun-gyeol.

His chest felt oddly warm, so he took a big sip of his iced coffee to cool himself down.

“What did I do.”

“Would it kill you to let her touch me a little?

And since when do you care about me touching other people?”

Eun-gyeol’s finely shaped brows twitched.

He took his lips off the straw he had been idly sipping from like a bored kid, fixing a steady gaze on Han-geon.

“Why? You are sensitive.

You flinch every time I touch you.”

Han-geon almost scoffed.

‘That’s because it’s you, you idiot.’

The words thrashed at the back of his throat, but he swallowed them down as he always did.

And then Eun-gyeol’s next line was even more ridiculous.

“What.

Do you like her?”

“…What?”

“Is that why you’re fussing?

Enough to get annoyed at me?”

Clatter, clatter.
The ice cubes rattled together with a faintly irritated sound.
And then came Eun-gyeol’s cool, expressionless face.

“Annoyed? What are you even talking about.

You’re the one acting weird all of a sudden.”

Han-geon let out a short, incredulous laugh.

Who was worrying about who right now? Who was the one grabbing wrists and making a fuss just moments ago?

And him, having the audacity to like Korea’s top actress? Not a chance.

Sometimes Cha Eun-gyeol just said the most absurd things that completely scrambled his brain.

“Do you like her or not.”

But Eun-gyeol’s expression didn’t change.

His voice held no trace of teasing either.

Han-geon shook his head like it was ridiculous.

“What if I did like her?

What would you do about it?

Me, liking a top star… come on, be serious.

And besides, I… have a type I like.”

He figured saying it like that might stop Eun-gyeol from throwing pointless fits.

Finally, the mask-like blank expression cracked—Eun-gyeol raised his brows, curiosity lighting up instantly.

“What is it.”

“…It’s a secret, idiot.”

Han-geon snapped back, trying to suppress the sudden pounding in his chest.

Eun-gyeol chuckled a couple of times, then stood up lightly.