Chapter 94: What Remains Unsaid

Jitae awkwardly touched his chin.

His voice, echoing inside the car, was calm—but somehow lacked energy.

“Just treat me like you always do.”

“Th-then you… will you give up on those feelings?”

“No.”

It was a firm answer.

The voice that had sounded weak just moments ago suddenly carried strength.

“I can’t give them up, and I don’t plan to.”

“…….”

“All I’m saying is… just like I’ve always done, I’ll handle these feelings on my own. So you don’t have to worry about it too much.”

What does that even mean?

Even knowing he wouldn’t be reciprocated, he would just keep it to himself?

Woojoo couldn’t understand it at all.

“…Alright. I get it.”

But what could he say when Jitae had already put it that way?

In this situation, any careless words would carry responsibility—and Woojoo knew that well.

“Yeah. You can go now.”

“But are you taking your medicine properly? Are you sleeping well?”

Jitae nodded like a dog responding to its owner.

Seeing his hair softly falling out of place, Woojoo suddenly felt the urge to pat it.

“…Hey, before I go, can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“Then… are you that way?”

Woojoo asked as carefully as possible.

It was a sensitive topic, after all.

Still, he wanted to know—did Jitae see men, not women, as normal romantic partners?

“I don’t know.”

“Huh?”

“I really don’t know. I’ve only ever liked you.”

At that one sentence, Woojoo’s mouth fell open.

Jitae looked at him calmly, as if wondering why he was asking something so obvious.

It was an answer Woojoo had never even considered.

Not knowing how to respond, he felt his heart start pounding wildly again—

And quickly jumped out of the car as if escaping.

“Then we’ll begin the first interview now.”

Woojoo and Jitae were now at the magazine company building where the project was being handled.

The photoshoot was finished, and it was time for the official interview.

Across from where the two sat side by side were the editor and the chief planner-reporter—four people in total in the room.

“First of all, is gaining explosive popularity right now. How do you feel about that?”

The reporter looked at Jitae first.

“This is my first fixed reality show, so I was worried. But I’m glad people seem to like seeing my everyday life.”

A professional smile formed on Jitae’s face.

Even that smile somehow shone.

Woojoo stared at him blankly and didn’t even realize it was his turn.

“And you?”

The reporter smoothly drew Woojoo’s attention back.

Woojoo awkwardly smiled and said that since he wasn’t a celebrity, he had felt a lot of pressure—but he was happy it turned out well.

“While living together for a month, was there anything you really didn’t match on?”

“Won Jitae is really bad at cleaning.”

Woojoo immediately answered as if he had been waiting for this question.

“Whenever I suggest a big cleaning session, he always complains. And he can’t cook either—on the days he was in charge, the kitchen was a disaster. I had double the work cleaning it up.”

“Isn’t that basically talking behind my back?”

Jitae shot him a look at the sharp comment.

“It’s true though.”

The reporter and editor both laughed as they typed.

“Then I have a lot to say too. Kang Woojoo nags a lot—it was honestly exhausting. He’s twenty-seven but acts like an old man sometimes, always saying outdated things…”

So that’s what he thought?

Woojoo glared at him, and Jitae flinched like a startled mouse.

At first, the atmosphere between them had seemed tense, but now the reporter realized it was unnecessary worry and continued.

“Then what about the good parts?”

It was a natural follow-up question.

But the moment it was asked, both of them fell silent—as if they had planned it.

“…I just liked being with him.”

Breaking the awkward silence, Jitae spoke smoothly.

He was smiling—but not that professional smile from before.

The answer was vague, open to many interpretations.

The reporter tilted their head slightly.

Jitae quickly added that it was because they were old friends reunited.

Emphasizing “friend” made the reporter nod in understanding.

Woojoo continued the interview, feeling a strange emptiness inside.

Most of the first interview focused on the show and their current lives together.

“Now, for the final question.”

About an hour had passed.

“I noticed something while watching your live broadcast.”

It was probably about the camping trip.

“You gave different answers to when you first met. Are you aware of that?”

The reporter’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

There was probably a personal curiosity behind the question too.

During that live, Woojoo had said they first met in middle school, while Jitae said it was at a neighborhood sports center.

“I’d like to hear each of your versions briefly.”

Woojoo looked back on his memory.

It was their first practice match in middle school.

It took place at Kimjeon Middle School, where Woojoo studied.

The opposing team was Samjeong Middle School.

It wasn’t an official match, but he still remembered nervously warming up.

And on the other side, there was a tall guy standing next to the coach.

Height was important in volleyball, so Woojoo had looked at him with envy.

Then he overheard their conversation.

“Who do you want to beat the most?”

“That one.”

The tall guy pointed directly at him with a serious face.

Even though Woojoo won the match, that moment left a strong impression.

So after the game, he went up to talk to him.

“That was Won Jitae.”

Woojoo explained calmly.

The reporter and editor exchanged glances, clearly intrigued.

“And your version?”

Jitae glanced at Woojoo, then spoke.

“We lived in the same neighborhood. There was a big sports center where they ran programs for kids. That’s where I first saw Woojoo—playing volleyball.”

Woojoo looked at him in surprise.

He had assumed the different answer during the live was just a mistake.

“Honestly, it’s not even really a meeting. Woojoo probably didn’t know I was there.”

“I see.”

The reporter nodded, satisfied.

After briefly discussing the next interview schedule, the two left the room.

“Hey, wait… then…”

Woojoo suddenly grabbed Jitae’s shoulder.

“You pointed at me during that practice match because you knew it was me?”

“Yeah. Why would I point at someone I didn’t know?”

Woojoo had always assumed otherwise.

That’s why his first impression of Jitae had been terrible.

Now that the mystery was solved, he felt oddly relieved.

“Then you should’ve said that! If you just point at someone like that, who would like you?”

Excited, Woojoo leaned in close.

Jitae instinctively tried to step back—but there was a wall behind him.

“Because of that, I thought you were a complete jerk—huh? What’s wrong with you?”

Jitae covered his mouth and looked away.

Woojoo tilted his head.

“You’re too close, Woojoo…”

“…….”

Woojoo’s eyes shifted.

Noticing Jitae’s slightly red ears, he swallowed and quickly stepped back.

“…Sorry.”

But was this even something to apologize for?

As Woojoo moved away, Jitae finally let out a deep breath—like someone who had just been given oxygen.

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