Chapter 18: Morning Ripples

• So far, no articles about him having a girlfriend, and no dating rumors either.

Jitae felt a small wave of relief at that comment.

• But who knows? Maybe he’s dating secretly. He’s so famous in volleyball that his agency might manage him tightly, keeping any romance hidden.

Then, reading the next comment, Jitae’s mood sank again.

• With that face? Of course he’d have someone.

└ Good-looking guys live up to their looks, that’s just how it is.

Oddly, he felt a sudden dryness in his throat.

• But wasn’t there a famous story? A reporter known for stirring dating rumors tried to get Kang Wooju, but after tracking him from home to the court to home, found nothing.

└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Yeah, Wooju’s just a volleyball idiot. Probably not dating now, also a crucial time for his career.

└└ Fans worry he’s only focused on volleyball and might even marry a volleyball someday.

That comment had the most likes. Jitae quietly added his own like.

Yet, the feeling remained strangely gloomy.

After sending Jitae off, Wooju lingered outside for about ten more minutes, exchanging trivial words with a few staff passing by from the neighboring dorm, then went back inside.

The 2nd-floor door was firmly closed.

‘Maybe he’s just tired from the schedule.’

Feeling a bit guilty for suggesting going out, Wooju tidied the cups roughly and went to his room. He quickly organized the clothes he’d worn and lay down on the bed.

He checked for messages after replying earlier, but Park Hyunjin had read and ignored him, as usual. Only interested in teasing.

Naturally, Wooju reopened the link Hyunjin had sent.

The familiar yet strange gym filled the screen.

More than watching his past self dashing around in the Daehyun High uniform, what caught his attention was:

[Won Jitae, blocking out! Daehyun High surges ahead!]

It was Jitae back then, noticeably younger, sweating profusely as he darted around the court.

Completely different from the Jitae in ads he had seen before—there, expensive clothing and fancy cologne. Here, he wore a school volleyball uniform, sweating and handling a volleyball.

“……”

A strange emotion swept through Wooju. He closed the video and skimmed the comments to clear his mind.

Hyunjin had been overly excited, but the comment section was indeed explosive. Especially since the show already publicly announced that he and Jitae were appearing, drawing even more attention.

The views had surpassed one million, when earlier it was around 900,000. Wooju sighed deeply, imagining Lee Ki-chul grinning ear to ear.

“……”

Then, one comment made him freeze.

The next morning, Wooju woke up slightly late—9:30, only about thirty minutes.

He washed up and went to the living room, of course finding Jitae still asleep.

The door was closed firmly again. Wooju remembered the household rule he had stuck in the hallway:

[5. Do not wake the other person in the morning.]

As long as that rule was posted, he couldn’t just barge in like before.

Instead, Jitae promised to get up early when it was his turn for breakfast duty and, when Wooju’s turn, he’d just leave him to cook.

“Maybe I’ll run a bit, it’s been a while.”

Changing into comfortable clothes, Wooju went outside for a light jog.

He felt restless and needed exercise; running was the best way to clear his mind.

He even apologized in advance to the camera director, who only laughed, used to these situations from filming shows.

He had scouted a wide street near the house to run freely. Taking a deep breath, he started jogging.

The morning sun was stronger than expected. After two laps, sweat had formed beads on his forehead.

Returning home, Wooju went to the kitchen for water.

There stood Jitae, hair splayed in all directions, rubbing his face with both hands. It was just past 10 a.m., so still earlier than the previous day.

“Ah…….”

Jitae groaned, stretching his neck, seemingly unaware of Wooju’s presence.

From the wall, observing him, Wooju noticed something unusual. His hair looked like a photoshoot, yet his expression seemed sharper than usual. His eyes were dull, face pale.

Back then, whenever a match didn’t go well or he got substituted, he made a similar face.

“You woke up early?”

Startled by Wooju’s voice, Jitae turned sharply.

“Where… did you go?”

“I went for a run.”

Wooju approached, snatched the cup from his hands, pressed the water dispenser, and drank half of it straight.

“You’re impressive. Not tired in the morning?”

“Isn’t it a bit late to call this morning?”

Jitae scratched his head, conceding the point.

“You used to skip basic conditioning in volleyball, didn’t you?”

Recalling the time Jitae was scolded and barred from a practice match, Wooju had teased him relentlessly in a single day.

“Yeah… true.”

Wooju naturally brought up past events, and Jitae awkwardly avoided the topic.

“Cook for me. I’m hungry.”

Wooju just stared at his face.

“…Why?”

Earlier, his expression seemed sharp and tense, but now he looked strangely different. Wide-eyed, tilting his head, Jitae’s features seemed far from tense.

“No reason.”

“Okay, I’ll shower and make breakfast.”

“Mm.”

Wooju went past Jitae into the first-floor bathroom. Sweaty, he decided on a cold shower. He also started planning the meal. Breakfast duty required some effort—thinking up a proper menu every meal was surprisingly taxing. It made him respect his mother for always doing it.

Finished showering, he returned to a strangely quiet house. Jitae had sunk into the sofa, eyes closed.

‘He probably can’t sleep well, hence the eye mask and earplugs.’

Remembering Jitae’s past remark about poor sleep, Wooju realized that earlier face might have been fatigue.

Holding a towel, he approached the living room.

Jitae was still, eyes closed, expression peaceful, though slightly worn.

“……”

As if sensing the presence, Jitae slowly opened his eyes. Their gazes met quietly in the morning light.

Water dripped from Wooju’s hair onto the floor.

“Hey. If you’re tired, go back and sleep.”

“I’m not tired.”

“Come on. You’re clearly tired, your face shows it. You told me it’s okay to take it easy even on camera.”

“……”

Wooju worried Jitae might be overexerting himself for filming, even though the show aimed for a relaxed atmosphere.

Sitting alone with coffee in the morning, Wooju thought the filming pace was manageable. He wasn’t a celebrity, and a month under 24-hour cameras didn’t feel difficult.

But for Jitae, it might feel different.

“I’ll make breakfast. Eat when you want.”

Wooju turned.

“Wooju……”

Jitae unconsciously reached for Wooju’s hand, but mistimed it, catching the hem of his T-shirt. Wooju stumbled backward.

It was a minor incident… for now.