Chapter 16: Day Fifty

Jeongwon was just doing the shoot.
Just acting.

Watching that slow, lingering shift in his emotions without meaning to, I felt something strange and turned my head slightly.

After a few more bursts of shots, the shoot ended.

My expression had been the worst, but since I hadn’t insisted on retakes, it looked like the group jacket shoot would wrap up just like this.

The photographer, still flipping through the photos on the monitor, glanced at me.

“Still, wouldn’t it be better to take one more with Jaehya looking a bit better?”

“It’s okay. The others look good. I think it’s better to go with this.”

Then I stared blankly at the photo where my stiff expression remained.

For about a second.

Like it was some kind of graduation picture.

After that, I slipped behind the photographer and sat in a corner chair where I couldn’t even properly see the viewfinder, popping another candy into my mouth.

This time it was mint.

It rolled around on its own as I sucked on it absentmindedly.

While I focused on that, I noticed Yeonho hyung asking for another solo shoot.

Hwan had already turned away, unbuttoning the shirt that had been fastened all the way up to his neck.

Through the fluttering collar, a faint tattoo peeked out beneath his nape.

With his piercings, bleached hair slicked back with gel—he looked genuinely cool.

He fit this concept well.

Lucky him.

As my attention drifted, the shutter clicked again, flashes bursting across the set.

Each time, I squeezed my tired eyes shut.

Among the silhouettes moving in front of me, one tall figure stopped beside me and sat down.

I didn’t even need to turn to know who it was.

Jeongwon, perched on a box beside me, gently opened my left hand and took a candy.

Watching him unwrap it, I realized—it was the same mint one I had in my mouth.

Crushing the empty wrapper in his hand, he tucked the candy into one cheek.

Seeing his smooth cheek puff out slightly—

it looked a bit cute.

His eyes still carried the deep shadowed makeup from the shoot, but the way he acted was no different from the youngest.

At least, that’s how he looked to me.

“You look even more like the youngest when you’re eating candy.”

“I told you, you’re the only one who says that.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Well… maybe.

Maybe it was because I’d always treated him like the youngest growing up, but he spoke the most politely to me.

Not that he was rude to others—just that when talking to me, he’d always add an extra word or two, making his sentences longer.

And because I knew that, I treated him even more like a younger brother.

Back then, anyway.

I rolled my candy around in my mouth again as I looked at him sitting quietly.

Thinking that we were eating the same candy…

it just felt—

something.

If you asked what, I wouldn’t know.

Just… something.

Jeongwon had stopped posting D-days on social media.

Fans had started asking what it meant, and apparently the manager told him to stop.

I hadn’t heard it myself, but that’s what they said.

The company brushed it off as a countdown for the album preparation.

Since the timing lined up, that explanation stuck.

But even without the posts, the calendar had started flipping on its own in my head.

So I knew—

today was the 50th day of that ridiculous D-day.

Maybe that’s why I was more aware of everything.

Jeongwon, with his hair neatly styled back, his makeup done, his outfit fitting him perfectly—

and sitting next to me in this huge studio, quietly sucking on the same candy—

staying by my side.

The fact that someone like him followed me around so naturally—

it made me feel oddly proud.

To be honest, I wasn’t in a great state these days, so even small gestures like this got to me easily.

Trying not to show it, I forced myself to focus on Yeonho hyung’s solo shoot.

But Jeongwon seemed to misunderstand.

“Hyung, you should take more shots too.”

“No, I’m just watching.”

“For just watching, you’re pretty focused.”

“…Am I?”

“Or…”

“Or what?”

“…Are you interested in Yeonho hyung?”

That caught me completely off guard.

I turned to him without even managing my expression.

Jeongwon burst into a bright grin at my reaction.

“Ah, hyung. That look just now kinda hurt.”

“You call that hurt? You’re smiling.”

“So you’re not interested in him, then.”

“I was just looking at the clothes. Thought they looked nice.”

“Hyung.”

“Yeah.”

“You’re pretty close with Minjeong, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Still… don’t you think she talks too casually?”

“It’s just how she talks.”

“Even so.”

“Drop it. I’ll handle it. If you butt in, it’ll just make me look worse, you know that.”

When he didn’t respond, I casually held out another candy to him.

A round plum-flavored one, white with a purple plum printed on the wrapper.

It also meant: eat this and stay quiet.

Jeongwon stared at it for a moment, then took it.

He held it in his hand without saying anything.

Still…

it felt strangely satisfying.

Like he didn’t like seeing me being brushed off.

And maybe—

just maybe—

there wasn’t any other meaning behind it.

Right?

No way.

Jeongwon, liking Minjeong?

That didn’t fit at all.

And Yeonho hyung?

No. I didn’t even want to think about that.

Anyway, stopping him from talking about Minjeong was easy.

What came next wasn’t.

“Where should we go today?”

“Go where?”

“After the shoot.”

“I’m going home.”

“You are?”

“Yeah.”

“Then can I come over?”

“…Why?”

The moment I said that, I knew I messed up.

I should’ve just said I had plans.

While I fidgeted with the candy wrapper, Jeongwon spoke casually.

“I’m bored. That’s all.”

“I can’t drink these days. I’m dieting. It’ll be boring hanging out with me. And I’ve got recording tomorrow.”

“I know.”

“Then why?”

“We’re not at a point where we need a reason to meet.”

“……”

“I’ll just stay for a bit.”

As he said that, he tore open the plum candy I gave him—

and suddenly pushed it into my mouth.

His thick fingers slipped in briefly—

then were gone before I could react.

Like it was nothing.

I froze.

The mint candy hadn’t even melted yet, but now the plum one filled my mouth with overwhelming sweetness.

Rolling both candies awkwardly on my tongue, I thought—

If I didn’t know today was Day 50,

this wouldn’t feel so strange.

And besides—

someone else had already said they’d come over today.

The shoot ended before I knew it.

While bowing and greeting people, I heard my manager call from behind.

I turned—he looked apologetic.

“Jaehya, want me to give you a ride?”

I was about to say I’d go on my own—

but Jeongwon suddenly stepped in, grabbing my arm and pulling me close.

Like it was the most natural thing.

“I’ll take him.”

“Jeongwon, why all of a sudden—”

“I wanted to ask hyung about a song anyway.”

Before I could interrupt, the photographer came over for a handshake, and with two candies in my mouth, I couldn’t say anything.

Just like that, it was decided.

As we moved, Woosung slung an arm over my shoulder and said,

“You’ve been pretty close with Jeongwon lately.”

“Not really.”

“What do you guys even talk about?”

He suddenly lowered his voice, pulling me closer.

For a second, I felt a chill.

What? Does he know something?

He leaned in like it was some huge secret.

“Hyung… if you’re doing a unit, take me too—”

“Shut up. Jeongwon’s doing acting. What unit?”

“Then maybe switching agencies—”

“Manager hyung, Woosung has something to say.”

I shoved him away and left.

After greetings and changing clothes, I slipped out toward the parking lot.

Getting here by taxi had been easy.

Leaving alone—not so much.

I was planning to ask anyone for a lift to the main road—

but I couldn’t find the manager.

Instead—

Jeongwon was leaning casually against the hood of his expensive car.

He waved at me with a bright smile.

The kind he hadn’t shown during the shoot.

“Let’s go.”

“Uh… actually, the manager said—”

“He left. Said he had something to discuss with Yeonho hyung.”

Damn it.

I should’ve gone with him.

Jeongwon, still smiling, got me into the car and started the engine.

As we drove out, I gripped my seatbelt.

It’s just Day 50.

Only 50 days.

What could happen?

It’s not like people do anything big on their 50th day of dating—

But then again…

this industry isn’t exactly conservative.

A song I used to hum popped into my head.

“These days, couples start with a kiss…”

Was that the lyric?

Shit.

Come to think of it, we also—

No.

No.

More importantly, I have recording tomorrow.

Right.

Nothing’s going to happen.