Chapter 8: A Grocery Cart and Unwanted Attention

“It’s fine.

I’m really okay, so let’s hurry up and go.

I’m starving to death.”

Just talking about food made his empty stomach slowly start to stir.

Before it could protest even louder and demand a meal, he needed to put something—anything—into it.

Wooju brushed past Jitae, who was standing there blankly, and headed outside.

“Did you bring a car?”

Jitae quickly followed after him.

“Yes.

My car is that SUV over there.”

Wooju pointed to his car, which he had roughly parked off to one side earlier.

To film the scene of them heading out, the filming crew also moved in closer to the two of them.

“But now that I think about it, I don’t think there was much gas left…….”

Only then did Wooju slowly recall that the fuel gauge had been close to empty when he arrived.

“Then let’s just take my car.”

Wooju walked toward where Jitae was pointing.

Parked there was an extremely expensive-looking sports car.

It was a foreign car that even people who knew nothing about cars would have heard of at least once.

It didn’t exactly look convenient to get around in either.

With a fleeting thought of why does this guy even drive something like this, Wooju opened the passenger-side door.

As expected, there were already cameras installed inside the car, one near the driver’s seat and one in front of the passenger seat.

Only after the filming director climbed into the back did Jitae finally start the engine.

The loud exhaust noise made Wooju flinch.

He almost glared at Jitae out of habit, but barely managed to rein in his gaze with sheer force of reason.

Their destination was a mart close to the accommodation.

Fortunately, there was a large mart not too far away.

The navigation system announced that it would take about ten minutes by car.

And as if by some miracle, the inside of the car fell into a sharp, uncomfortable silence.

Jitae skillfully turned the steering wheel with one hand, staring straight ahead.

Wooju did the same.

It felt like he should say something, but nothing appropriate came to mind.

Still, spending ten full minutes sitting there in complete silence with their mouths tightly shut felt unbearable.

Ten minutes was an awkward amount of time.

The pressure to fill the audio with something began to weigh on him.

What should he say.

What did people even talk about in everyday life.

Reaching such a fundamental question, Wooju bit his lip tightly and sank into thought.

That was when Jitae reached out and turned on the radio.

A different sound mixed into the space that had previously been filled only with engine noise.

[Yes, we’re back after the commercials.

Now, let’s take a brief look at this week’s entertainment news.]

The radio host’s calm, steady voice made Wooju’s mind settle a little as well.

[First up, a newly debuted rookie.

Dreamus has taken first place on the music charts in record time.

As a group born from a survival program, their rise in popularity is truly astonishing.

Next, Director Park Suwon’s film continues its box-office success, racing toward ten million viewers.]

Using the radio as background noise, Wooju naturally gazed out the window.

The lush green scenery he had seen on the way here rushed past them.

[In particular, praise for actor Won Jitae’s performance as Kang Hyun, the lead of , has been pouring in.

The industry is calling it the birth of a monster actor, sparing no praise.]

At the mention of Won Jitae’s name, Wooju slowly turned his head.

“Did you watch it?”

At the same time, Jitae—who had remained quiet until now—casually tossed out the question.

“Watch what?”

“The movie I was in.

That one.”

Jitae gestured toward the radio, which had been broadcasting entertainment news just moments ago.

By now, the program had moved on to traffic updates.

“I didn’t.”

“…Really?”

“Yes.”

Wooju sharply turned his head back.

The scenery outside continued to flow by, unchanged.

“It passed ten million viewers.

It’s really famous.”

There was a hint of deflation in Jitae’s voice.

“Is that something people usually say about themselves?”

“No, it’s just surprising.

You said you didn’t watch it.

Reaching ten million might sound easy, but it’s about as hard as taking first place in a league.”

“I think first place in a league is harder.”

Without realizing it, the two men were engaged in a subtle battle over each other’s achievements.

“I watched all your matches.”

“What?

What did you say?”

Because Jitae suddenly dropped his voice, Wooju couldn’t hear the rest clearly.

When he asked again, Jitae merely shrugged as if it was nothing.

He was clearly hiding something, but there was no point in pressing someone who insisted it was nothing.

The brief conversation about movies seemed like it might continue, but silence quickly settled in again.

The radio eventually switched to commercials.

At least the giant mart ahead finally came into view through the windshield.

After safely parking the luxury sports car that stood out against the surroundings, Jitae turned off the engine.

Just as he unfastened his seatbelt and was about to get out, a hand suddenly shot out from the passenger seat and grabbed his wrist.

Startled by the unfamiliar sensation, Jitae lifted his head.

“Wait a second.

We forgot something important.”

“What… is it?”

Wooju released Jitae’s wrist and pulled out his phone.

He tapped rapidly on the screen, then thrust it right in front of Jitae’s face.

[Shopping List]

That was exactly what was written on the memo screen.

Unlike Wooju’s solemn expression, Jitae’s face cooled into indifference once more.

“A list?”

“Yes.

We should at least have a rough idea of what we’re buying.”

“It’s fine.

We can just go in and buy whatever looks good.

Why bother writing something like that.”

“No, but whether you write a list or not completely determines the quality of grocery shopping—”

As Wooju passionately began explaining his philosophy on shopping lists, Won Jitae shook his head vigorously and abruptly got out of the car.

“Ah, seriously…….”

Wooju shoved his phone into his pocket and hurriedly got out as well.

Watching Jitae’s long legs already carrying him toward the mart entrance, Wooju barely swallowed the harsh words rising up his throat.

Entering first, Jitae—feeling Wooju’s irritated footsteps behind him—skillfully pulled a cart from the corner.

As he grabbed the handle, a faint burning sensation flared on his right wrist.

“…….”

It was where Kang Wooju had touched earlier.

[Anonymous Board]

Title: Holy crap you won’t believe who I just saw.

Author: Rjwu

I came to my grandma’s place and I saw Won Jitae at the mart nearby;;

Kang Wooju the athlete was next to him too??

Looks like they’re filming that show where two people live together!!!

Seriously my heart almost dropped the moment I saw them.

I think I used up three years’ worth of luck today.

[15 comments]

• Ohhh but buddy you know the rule.

No proof, no truth.

• I’m at the supermarket near my house and I saw Dreamus here!

Feels like I used up three years’ worth of luck ><

└ LOL your sarcasm game is strong.

• Nah this is just bait.

Everyone ignore it.

Title: You asked for proof so here it is.

Author: Rjwu

Are you all just born yesterday.

Attached the photo below.

(Photo)

I’ll delete this if it becomes a problem.

And I’ll say this in advance.

Don’t ask for the location.

I won’t tell you.

[156 comments]

• Holy crap it was real.
• Wow where did all the people yelling bait go now.
• Seeing him like this, Won Jitae’s proportions are insane.

└ I didn’t think he’d be taller than a volleyball player;;

└└ He was a model before becoming an actor though.

• Does your grandma live nearby by any chance…?

I want to buy something and treat her.

Can you tell me the location.

└ LOL that was slick.

└└ It’s not like that!

I just don’t want her to feel lonely so I’d visit…!

• I’m so jealous ㅠㅠ

What was the vibe like.

I’ve been surviving off the pre-interview clips alone.

└ I couldn’t get close since they were filming,

but I did see one thing.

Kang Wooju got mad because Won Jitae put snacks in the cart.

└└ LOL stop lying.

└└└ It’s true.

But then Kang Wooju put in rice crackers or something,

and Won Jitae teased him asking if he had a grandma’s taste.

Honestly it wasn’t the vibe I expected, so I was kind of surprised too.

• That’s kind of surprising.

Are they not on good terms…?

But is that even possible.

└ Nah.

It didn’t feel like they were on bad terms.

If anything, the opposite.

Not sure if it’ll make it on air,

but it felt like watching two elementary school kids with the same mental age.

└└ Do they know each other?

└└└ Not sure.

But I heard Won Jitae played volleyball in high school too.

Title: I think I just found something insane.

Author: BbyBby

After seeing the board go crazy over that “living together” sighting,

I did some digging and found an ancient relic.

It’s a video of Kang Wooju’s high school match,

and Won Jitae is in it too.

They fight like crazy.

Start watching from the 15-minute mark.

It’s hilarious.

Won Jitae was an idiot.

An idiot who didn’t even know the value of a shopping list.

Kang Wooju, meanwhile, was too busy glaring at Jitae, who was humming cheerfully while pushing the cart, to wonder why he was in such a good mood.

“Let’s start with ingredients.”

Jitae naturally turned the corner into the food section.

Upbeat promotional music played throughout the mart, and shoppers wandered around them.

Since the neighborhood itself was rural, most of the people there seemed to be on the older side.