Chapter 11: Unwanted Advances

Every time that happened, Taekyung would give him an uncomfortably large sum of money, but sometimes, he craved rest more than money.

Today was one of those days.

“I’m leaving, hyung.”

“Okay. Get home safe.”

Jinhyung gave Taekyung a light nod and turned around without a second thought.

Soon, he heard the sound of the front door opening and closing, followed by the mechanical sound of the door lock engaging.

Taekyung, who had been silently watching a customer’s interview on TV where they were evaluating the food with an exaggerated voice, picked up his phone from the table.

‘What can I do if I don’t want to do as you wish?’

With a mischievous smile on his lips, Taekyung tapped the screen and typed a short message.

He imagined the expression on the recipient’s face when they received this message.

[What time is your segment on, PD-nim?]

Yoonseo, who was monitoring the live broadcast in a corner of the control room, felt a short vibration in his hand and checked his phone screen.

He was momentarily puzzled by the message from an unsaved number, but he soon remembered that the owner of the number was Taekyung.

A look of bewilderment crossed Yoonseo’s face.

“Bora, what are the ratings like right now?”

“They were neck and neck with LBS a little while ago, but we’re pulling ahead now.”

“LBS’s ratings are pretty good these days. Ah, I really don’t want to hear the department head’s nagging…”

By the time the first segment had ended and the VCR for the second segment was rolling, Hyunjoo was chatting with Bora, the youngest writer, who was checking the real-time ratings.

Yoonseo, who had received a message from Taekyung as if he were monitoring the broadcast at that very moment, was at a loss and just lowered his head.

The first person to notice him was his senior, Lee Sehee.

She tilted her head and opened her mouth.

“Yoonseo.”

“…Yes?”

“What’s wrong? Is something the matter? Are you tired?”

Sehee, who had come closer, asked with concern.

Yoonseo shook his head with a smile, as if to reassure her.

Just then, Hyunjoo pulled up a chair and moved closer to Yoonseo and Sehee.

“PD Sehee, where was that restaurant again? I heard it, but I forgot.”

“Suwon. Are you going, writer-nim? I was thinking you’d like it while I was filming. The kalguksu broth was really delicious.”

“Really? Let’s go together sometime.”

“Should we?”

As Hyunjoo and Sehee, who had similar tastes, started a full-fledged conversation, Yoonseo was able to break free from his thoughts and catch his breath for a moment.

He mindlessly tapped his thumb on the now-dark screen, and Taekyung’s message, which still filled the screen, came into view.

‘Why did he suddenly send a message like this?’

In his growing bewilderment, he chewed on his innocent lips.

It was understandable, as Yoonseo had thought he had cut ties with Taekyung after their conversation at the cafe yesterday.

Of course, he hadn’t saved his number.

Because they wouldn’t be contacting each other in the future.

The moment Taekyung had asked about that day, Yoonseo had concluded that it would be best not to get involved with him again.

He already felt uncomfortable seeing Taekyung because it inevitably brought back memories of being chased by Kim Injun, and he was even more troubled that he seemed curious about it.

So he had to draw the line and say he couldn’t answer that.

He was very grateful, but he was also just as awkward and uncomfortable.

But since he was the one who had helped him, he had tried his best to hide the latter emotion.

He had no reason to tell Taekyung his whole life story, so he had just wanted to get out of that situation as quickly as possible.

But he hadn’t known that his feelings were written all over his face.

It had been a long time since he had made such a mistake, so he was flustered.

“…”

Taekyung must have understood the meaning of his words yesterday.

It couldn’t be helped if it sounded like an empty promise.

He couldn’t say that there was no such intention at all.

But didn’t everyone exchange such words?

Especially these days, when “let’s grab a meal sometime” has long since become a mere pleasantry.

Yet, he couldn’t understand why Taekyung was extending a friendly hand as if he didn’t understand.

Yoonseo sighed, unable to solve the mystery.

After fiddling with his phone for a while and looking at Taekyung’s message, Yoonseo closed and opened his eyes deeply.

No matter how awkward Taekyung was, he couldn’t ignore a message like this.

[It’s the last segment, around 7:40.]

‘Sending a reply like this should be okay.’

It wasn’t a difficult answer to give.

Yoonseo thought so, looked at the cue sheet, and then sent the message to Taekyung.

But he still didn’t save Taekyung’s number.

[Thank you]

Not long after he sent the message, Taekyung’s reply arrived immediately.

There didn’t seem to be any reason to reply, so he put his phone back in his pocket and took a slow, deep breath.

The moment he looked up, his eyes met Hyunjoo’s, and he smiled. Hyunjoo burst out laughing.

“Yoonseo, I told you not to smile so prettily.”

Her tone was feigning sternness, but her face was smiling, so it wasn’t convincing at all.

She was one of the people who had doted on Yoonseo since he was an assistant director.

While other PDs always attached the title ‘PD’ after his name, she was the only one who called him by his name.

Perhaps it was Hyunjoo, not Team Leader Kim, who was truly biased towards him.

Yoonseo smiled, his eyes crinkling even more at the absurd thought.

Still, laughing like this seemed to loosen the complicated feelings that had arisen from Taekyung’s message.

He was glad for the change.

He squeezed the phone, which was no longer vibrating, in his hand and then let it go, letting out a slow sigh.

Hoping that the silent phone would not ring loudly again, Yoonseo focused on his current daily life.

Team Leader Kim’s voice asking the MC for a reaction, Bora checking the overtime and informing Team Leader Kim, Hyunjoo focusing on the real-time viewership graph, Sehee leaving the control room to go down to the studio, and the control room directors watching the video with interest.

His daily life was solid, and nothing had collapsed yet.

Yoonseo finally let out a sigh of relief.

Slowly and very deliberately, as if pushing away the things that had tried to shake him for the past week.

It was a weekend with unusually warm weather.

After working out early in the morning, Taekyung had a protein drink for breakfast while looking over the photoshoot concept draft that Jinhyung had sent him.

Last time, the photoshoot had a dark, heavy, and serious feel overall, but this time, the theme was white, with a clean and clear feel.

It was a concept Taekyung had never tried before.

He thought it wouldn’t be bad, as he was in need of a change.

Taekyung sent a message to Jinhyung saying he would do it, got ready to go out, and left the house immediately.

Today was the day he had decided to visit his family home.

After arriving at the family home and parking in the garage, he opened the door leading to the garden, and the first thing he saw were the evergreen trees, unaffected by the weather.

The neatly manicured garden, reflecting his father’s taste, hadn’t changed at all.

Without wasting time on unnecessary sentimentality, Taekyung headed straight for the front door.

As soon as he entered, he strode into the living room without hesitation, and the first person to greet him was Chief Lee, who had been managing the household for a long time.

“You’re here.”

Taekyung responded to the friendly greeting with a smile.

As Taekyung looked around the empty living room, Chief Lee added,

“The Chairman is in the master bedroom, and the President is in the study…”

“Oppa!”

A booming voice interrupted Chief Lee’s words.

The sound of someone running down the stairs was an added bonus.

Taekyung’s and Chief Lee’s gazes immediately turned to the stairs.

Soon, Taekyung’s face broke into a bright smile, and he opened his arms.

The person who rushed into his embrace was a woman who was much shorter than him, with a youthful face.

The woman, who hugged Taekyung’s waist tightly, threw her head back and began to pour out her complaints.

“Oppa, you’re coming home for the first time in a whopping two months. I told you to come at least once a month, no matter how busy you are, didn’t I?”

“Sorry. I was a little busy.”

“Busy with what? I know you’re unemployed right now.”

She shot Taekyung a sharp look and then pulled away from his embrace.

As Taekyung shrugged with a sly smile, the woman pouted.

“Get ready. You’re giving me 30 autographs before you go.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

At those words, the woman’s anger quickly subsided, and she giggled.

Taekyung gently stroked the head of his younger sister, Seokyung, who was ten years his junior, as if in praise.

Since she was young, Seokyung had been particularly attached to her second older brother, Taekyung.

It was because Taekyung had taken good care of her in place of their busy parents.

When Taekyung, who had lived at home for quite a long time even after his acting debut, announced that he was moving out three years ago, Seokyung had cried so much her face was all swollen.

“Taekyung, you’re here?”

Taekyung, who had been smiling at Seokyung, turned around at the voice calling him.

His mother, who was supposed to be in the study, had heard their voices and come out to the living room.

Taekyung, still smiling, gave his mother a light hug.

“I told you to visit more often.”

“I’m sorry.”

Like a true actor, Taekyung knew how to make expressions that could move people’s hearts.

As he drooped the corners of his eyes and spoke in a weak voice, looking apologetic, his mother, Yoon Mihye, gave him a playful glare.

Taekyung chuckled and then glanced at the still firmly closed door of the master bedroom and asked.