Chapter 27: Don’t Call It Professional

“Thank you.”

The unexpected words slipped out of Ji-tae’s mouth.

“For what now.”

“For accepting my request.”

“Don’t get it twisted.

Your request might’ve been the trigger, but if it didn’t have potential, I wouldn’t have cast you in the first place.”

Even though Sunhyuk had only recently stepped further into the spotlight, he was a seasoned producer.

People sometimes called him eccentric, but that could also mean he had firm beliefs about the direction he wanted and the principles he stood by.

Other producers might push in cast members through connections or unfair methods, but Sunhyuk was different.

When he decided to produce Two People Live Together Season 4, he had received an overwhelming number of calls from agencies and broadcasting officials.

But Sunhyuk cut them all off without hesitation and pushed forward the cast he had in mind from the start.

Won Ji-tae and Kang Woojoo.

“So if you’re a pro, Ji-tae, focus properly on the broadcast.”

“……”

Sunhyuk slowly turned as if about to head inside.

“Don’t try to satisfy your personal feelings.

Oh, and just so you know, we’re releasing a pre-release clip within the week for promotion.”

“Okay.”

“And Ji-tae.”

Sunhyuk paused again before going in.

“If you have time, call your sister.”

“……”

Ji-tae chose silence.

Seeing he had nothing more to say, Sunhyuk told him to head in and slowly disappeared toward the staff lodging, dragging his slippers.

A cool breeze swept through, brushing across the grass in the garden.

It made a sharp, thin sound, like slicing paper with a blade.

Ji-tae recalled Sunhyuk’s words.

“If you’re a pro, focus properly on the broadcast. Don’t try to satisfy your personal feelings.”

Personal feelings.

Right.

That was exactly what this show was for.

He felt a little sorry toward Sunhyuk, but at least on this show, he had no intention of acting professionally.

Thinking of Woojoo, who was probably fast asleep by now, Ji-tae slowly went back inside.

The next day, Ji-tae told Woojoo about the pre-release clip Sunhyuk had mentioned.

A sharp question immediately flew at him about when and where he had heard that, but Ji-tae brushed it off casually.

“I feel kind of nervous.”

Woojoo gulped down his orange juice.

In front of Ji-tae sat an identical grape juice pack, and the cute squirrel character printed on it somehow resembled Woojoo.

“Nervous about what?”

“They’re releasing the video.”

“They already released the pre-interview clip.”

Ji-tae didn’t see why there was anything new to be nervous about, but for Woojoo, it wasn’t that simple.

“You’re used to filming and stuff.

This is my first time.”

He had only done a few commercials before.

Being exposed on camera like this for an extended time, and seeing people’s reactions, was all unfamiliar territory.

“Besides, my image isn’t great right now.”

“Because of what happened at the friendly match?”

“You knew?”

Ji-tae nodded slowly.

“It was at the top of the page when I went online.

Your article.”

Woojoo shook his head tiredly.

“Still?”

He trusted the production team would edit this conversation appropriately, so he spoke freely.

“I’m still getting hate, so the comments might not be good when the clip comes out.”

The image of talking back to an opposing player—especially an older senior—was somewhat damaging in a country still deeply rooted in hierarchical traditions.

“Kang Woojoo, were you always the type to care about that?”

“Of course I care.”

“Why?”

Ji-tae’s eyes filled with curiosity.

It felt like discovering a new, unexplored side of Kang Woojoo.

“What do you mean why?

I’m not filming this alone.

What if it affects you too because of me?

Wouldn’t it be weird not to care?”

Woojoo wasn’t an entertainer who lived off his image.

He just had to play volleyball well.

While he hadn’t always received only positive evaluations as an athlete, he hadn’t paid much attention to negative public opinion either.

Maybe it was simply his nature.

“Then….”

“Hm?”

Ji-tae suddenly contorted his face seriously, lips moving as if carefully selecting his words.

He even tapped his fingers restlessly on the table between them.

“Are you worried about me?”

Woojoo blinked slowly.

Was that really a line worth such a solemn expression?

“Hmm….”

He rubbed his chin.

“Yeah.”

That was his answer.

For some reason, Ji-tae cleared his throat and turned his head away.

There he goes again.

Won Ji-tae occasionally did inexplicable things.

Mid-conversation, he would suddenly look away and stare into the distance.

The fingers that had been tapping the table now seemed slightly more animated than before.

[Trending Healing Variety Show! Two People Live Together Season 4 Episode 1 Surprise Special Pre-Release!]

550,000 views
Trending Video #1

– First comment lol

└ Sorry but what do you gain from doing that?

└└ Just self-satisfaction

– OMG the pre-release is outㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Worth living forㅠㅠㅠ

– Crazy, hitting like first before watching

– Producer Kwon really does his job well

└ We love you PD-nimㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

– LMAO when they first met did they both say “Why are you here?”

└ Yeah seems like itㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└└ In perfect unison

└└└ That reaction proves it wasn’t scripted

└└└└ Seriously, you can’t fake that

– Won Ji-tae is so pale.

He’s whiter than most idols.

I’m jealous.

└ If I stood next to him I’d look like a caveman

└└ LOL

– Watching this after seeing their old match footage makes it even better—no, even more fun

└ Michelin-level content

└└ What match footage? I missed itㅠㅠ

└└└ (link) Their high school volleyball game. Just watch from 15:00

– So wait, is this their first time meeting since high school?

└ Judging by that reaction, seems like it

└└ They fought like crazy back then and now they reunite on TV??

└└└ I already built an entire drama plot in my head

– They’re fighting from the start??

└ It’s wild that they’re fighting over picking a room

└└ The sudden switch to informal speech is the highlight

└└└ You couldn’t script this kind of tension

– Watching two grown men argue is exhausting lol

└ But somehow I can’t stop watching

– The fact that they settled it with rock-paper-scissors is peak elementary school behavior

└ Why not calmly discuss it??

└└ They’re basically kids, what do you expectㅠㅠ

– Ji-tae not unpacking his suitcase and just shoving it aside is literally me after traveling

└ So relatableㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└└ Meanwhile Woojoo organizes even the closet

└└└ How can two people be that opposite

– If Woojoo sees Ji-tae’s room like that, he’s gonna lose it

└ Another fight incoming

└└ I’m already smiling thinking about it

– Is it normal that 9 out of 10 minutes is just them fighting?

└ They should rename it Two People Fight Together

└└ I’m dyingㅋㅋㅋㅋ

– Is this the place to watch live elementary school fights?

└ Yes, welcome

– If this is their tension after reuniting, imagine high school

└ Any more old footage??ㅠㅠ

└└ Agreed, I need more

– No skipped scenes from the first clip?? This season is going to be hilarious

└ People used to say it was boring healing content, but not anymore

– The production team is pushing “healing variety,” but the two cast members are dragging it into comedy by the hair

– Kang Woojoo’s clapbacks are on another level

└ He’s practically destroying people with facts

└└ If I argued with him, I’d lose before opening my mouth

– Won Ji-tae crying while eating spicy pork is intense

└ It looked genuinely spicy though, poor guy

└└ Maybe Woojoo planned it?

└└└ Assassination by spicy pork, a true Korean move

– I’m so proud Woojoo talks this muchㅠㅠ

└ ? Was he usually quiet?

└└ In Baekyeong Construction promo videos he barely says a word

└└└ But just showing his face is enough for fans

– Someone bring Won Ji-tae to Woojoo during promo shoots

└ That’s geniusㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└└ To make Kang Woojoo speak, lift his head and place Won Ji-tae in front of him