Chapter 30: The Role I Chose to Play

The way they kept circling around the point, even our members and Manager hyung seemed slow to catch on.

But I understood immediately.

It was easier for me to understand than anyone else.

“Wow… that’s really…”

The exclamation that escaped my mouth was pure sincerity.

That would make for one hell of an emotionally authentic performance.

Seriously… had they researched me beforehand or something?

Had rumors about me trying to retire spread that far already?

Before I could finish the thought, Yeonho hyung looked around at all of us. His gaze especially lingered on Jungwon behind me after meeting my eyes.

“That—”

“I don’t think that’ll work.”

The objection came from directly to my left.

Jungwon noisily set down the water cup he’d been holding. Everyone’s attention turned toward him. Even the sound of breathing seemed to gather into that tense silence, but Jungwon himself looked completely natural.

Like an actor standing under a spotlight.

And just like that, he openly disagreed with the head writer.

The writer’s face, which had looked apologetic until now, briefly showed surprise. Apparently she hadn’t expected such direct opposition.

The PD sitting beside her still hadn’t said anything, but that didn’t mean he looked pleased either. Even while controlling his expression, this was probably his limit.

Meanwhile, Jungwon, who had been fiddling with his clasped fingers, bit his lower lip before speaking again.

Even his stubbornness showed clearly.

He looked fully prepared to say everything on his mind.

“A topic like that is…”

“Why not? Let’s do it.”

So before he could continue, I placed my hand on the arm he’d rested on the table.

His words stopped short.

The eyes that slowly turned toward me looked exactly like they had when staring at the head writer.

A naked kind of emotion that practically screamed, What kind of nonsense is that?

And now it was directed at me too.

It was a look Jungwon hadn’t given me in a long time.

I was flustered, but I strengthened my own gaze too.

“I’m fine with it. I’m the main character, right? You don’t like it?”

“Even if you’re the main character, it’s obvious what people are going to say.”

“Still, this is relatively easy. Think about the other episodes. Fighting after stopping the car, dating rumors coming out… this is better than that.”

And honestly, even when I thought back on it, there wasn’t really anything that could cause conflict between us.

There was a reason this show was successful.

The head writer probably just couldn’t find anything else worth pulling out from us.

To put it nicely, we got along peacefully.

To put it badly, our personalities were so different that we simply weren’t that interested in one another.

Fans joked that we were “ruthlessly business-only partners,” but it was never a flattering nickname.

In the end, it just meant we lacked chemistry.

Even from our early days, the director and CEO had brought it up several times before eventually giving up on the issue altogether.

Ever since hearing three days ago that Close-Up had invited us, that was all I’d been thinking about.

What exactly were we supposed to film?

What kind of story could we even make?

Of course, I had no intention of stepping up to solve that problem myself. I just figured I’d go along with whatever worked somehow.

Yeah.

I was only going along with it because they asked.

I felt the thick arm beneath my hand twitch slightly.

Jungwon stared at me silently, like he was grinding his teeth together. His sharp jawline tightened once before relaxing again, but he still didn’t immediately argue back.

Standing right in front of him, I tried my best to make my expression look innocent.

As if it really meant nothing more than that.

Right.

I was the main focus of the episode, so if things worked out, then good for everyone.

At least my face would appear on the TV at home a little more.

I repeated that to myself again.

The head writer, who had been cautiously watching us, hurriedly spoke up.

“Yes. Actually, compared to the other members, Jungwon-ssi and Jaeha-ssi seemed especially close, which is why I brought it up more strongly. And Jaeha-ssi also used to have a fairly solid individual fanbase, while Yoo Jungwon-ssi barely has any public information about his private life. We did some preliminary research, but there was almost nothing about your parents or family relationships either… so that made us think more about the two of you.”

“Just… don’t make it too extreme. My father’s definitely going to watch this very carefully.”

“Yes, Jaeha-ssi. I’ll handle it carefully. If there’s anything you want changed after seeing the script, please contact me.”

I could feel Yeonho hyung’s gaze sticking to my right cheek like he wanted to pick a fight with me over this.

Still, I didn’t turn my head away and kept speaking directly to the head writer.

I also naturally removed my hand from Jungwon’s arm.

Hwan, who looked like he still wanted to say something, clicked his tongue before looking away again.

After that, the conversation returned to Yeonho hyung and Woosung. The meeting gradually wrapped up with stories about how difficult album preparations had been and their expectations for the program.

Manager hyung stepped outside once midway through before returning.

He’d probably gone to discuss the program’s direction with the director.

Jungwon, seated beside me, didn’t say another word after that.

The only time he reacted again was when the writer finished outlining the rough structure.

“Then we’ll recreate the rooms from when Cross used to live together in the dorms. Yeonho-ssi used a room alone, and Woosung-ssi and Hwan-ssi shared one. Jaeha-ssi and Jungwon-ssi shared a room together too, right?”

At those words alone, Jungwon slightly raised his head before letting out a small sigh.

Then he fell silent again.

Only after the meeting—which had gone on longer than expected—finally ended were we able to leave.

As we exited one after another and headed back toward the parking lot, I glanced behind me.

Jungwon had apparently been staring quietly at the back of my head because our eyes met directly.

Even then, he said nothing.

So I spoke first.

“Looks like we’re roommates again.”

“Don’t talk to me.”

The response was so firm that I was momentarily shocked.

Jungwon lowered his gaze toward the floor, but before even a second passed, he snapped at me again as if his own words hadn’t mattered.

“Why would you agree to something like that?”

“They said I’m the main character.”

“And that’s important?”

“Even I think our episode doesn’t really have anything else worth using.”

“So why does that mean you have to take the hit again?”

“I’m used to hate comments anyway. I can just stay off the internet for a few weeks.”

“I knew you’d think like that again.”

After that, Jungwon shut his mouth completely like he was genuinely angry.

Even once we got down to the parking lot, he kept avoiding my touch and maintained that attitude the whole time.

He leaned against the wall a step away from me so my hand wouldn’t reach him, staring meaninglessly at the floor.

He looked exactly like the youngest member.

Hwan, passing by us, slowly looked Jungwon up and down at his icy mood before glancing at me with a smirk.

“What’s this? Practicing your scandal rumors already?”

“Yeah. The maknae says he hates me.”

“You too, hyung. Why agree to something while preparing yourself to get devoured by hate comments?”

“You should be thanking your hyung for making the sacrifice.”

“Oh wow, thank you so much, hyungnim. Is Jungwon acting like that because he’s grateful too?”

“Leave him alone. He’s the maknae. Cute, isn’t he?”

Hwan grimaced at my words while Jungwon abruptly turned around and headed toward the car first.

When we returned to Jungwon’s apartment the next dawn after collapsing around the practice room all night and getting hauled back in the van, my first impression was simply that we had contaminated this house.

In the once-barren living room, a giant black massage chair now occupied the corner beside the sofa, and the foot mat Manager hyung had placed outside the bathroom featured a curled-up cat embroidered against a bright green background.

The next day, Woosung stopped in front of the bathroom and looked down at the mat.

“I feel bad every time I step on the cat.”

And he genuinely tried to avoid stepping on it while walking in.

I laughed a little after seeing that while coming out of the master bedroom.

At that moment, the front door opened again.

I thought it was Manager hyung, and I was half right.

Jungwon entered first, with Manager hyung following behind him.

Jungwon briefly looked around at all of us sprawled comfortably throughout the dorm.

Even from his perspective, his usually spotless apartment probably felt unfamiliar now.

I scratched my head before trying to establish our “concept” ahead of time.

“Jungwon’s home late.”

“My advertisement shoot ran long.”

“Mhm. Again?”

Then I casually turned my head toward Manager hyung, who had just come back out of the kitchen after checking the household supplies.

“Is Jungwon the only one doing ad shoots?”

“…Hmm. Jaeha.”

“What?”

“We seriously need to change your concept quickly.”

“I’m that bad at it?”

“Well…”

After rolling his eyes around while thinking, the answer he finally came up with was—

“You sound like a nagging wife.”

“What?”

“Oh. That’s exactly it.”

Along with loud clapping, Hwan suddenly sprang up from the living room sofa.

He pointed at me, but lowered his hand into a fist once I glared at him.

“Ah, I couldn’t think of the wording, Manager hyung. Hyung, what kind of inferiority complex is that? No, this won’t work for you.”

“Won’t work? Ah, shit. We’re doomed then. You take my concept instead.”

“Ugh, no thanks. Fighting.”

Jungwon, probably finding our conversation embarrassingly pathetic beyond belief, went into the master bedroom with the tips of his ears slightly red.

Once he disappeared, I quickly followed after remembering how the director had earlier brought people over to completely rearrange the room and move the beds around.

“Jungwon-ah. The director came earlier and changed everything in the room.”

“So I see.”

“You okay with it?”

Jungwon stepped into the room and lightly nodded.

Leaning against the bathroom wall, I looked around the room again myself.

The once-empty room that had contained nothing but a bed in the center now looked somewhat lived in.

Two single beds stood on opposite sides, with separate desks and clothing racks lined up beneath them for each of us.

Even though I’d supposedly lived minimally, Jungwon still had more clothes hanging on his side than the few things I’d brought.

Jungwon casually took off the jacket he’d been wearing and hung it over the rack.