Chapter - 32화 (32/150)
Daesu nearly had his legs give out and send him collapsing to the floor. While they'd been filming, Jisu had texted him a single message—"Borrowing some dishes."—and then, for real, cleaned out Daesu's place.
The two of them were neighbors, each occupying one of the only two penthouses in the building, side by side.
On his way home, stuck in bumper-to-bumper rush-hour traffic, Daesu checked his home CCTV and ground his teeth. He'd almost decided to hand Jisu's manager and stylist over to the police for stuffing everything from frying pans to luxury plates into bags, but in the end, he chose to come himself.
"Yeah… fists are closer than the law. Manager Kim, step on it."
But when he barged in, swearing he'd finally teach Han Jisu a lesson this time, an unexpected person was there.
Ever since leaving Chunmonggak, Daesu had been thinking about Dansol nonstop. Hearing that PD Choi had been sued and dragged to the Broadcast Review Standards Committee, and that the whole program might get scrapped, he'd resented himself for leaving the island that day without being able to do anything.
So when he saw Dansol hugging Pansu on Jisu's sofa, Daesu thought he was hallucinating from watching Dansol's music-show stages too much.
"Uh… why are you here…?"
"Ah… after the pictorial shoot, he told me to come hang out for a bit… I'm leaving now!"
It was real. The real Dansol set Pansu down and stood up. As if they'd planned it, Jisu and Daesu both grabbed Dansol at the same time.
"You just got here—where are you going?"
"Just stay. Uh… should we eat dinner together?"
"Jeong Daesu, you go eat at your place."
"This is my kitchen too, with all my stuff in it."
Daesu flicked his gaze at the cake plate and mug in front of Dansol.
"Order delivery!"
"Then you—do you even know how to cook?"
Caught between the two of them while sparks flew, Dansol awkwardly reached for his bag again.
"Um… you two talk… I'll…"
"Sit."
"Yeah, sit, Sol. Jeong Daesu says he'll cook something good. While he does that, we'll watch TV or something?"
Seeing Jisu naturally place a hand on Dansol's shoulder, Daesu's brow furrowed. He was about to spit out a curse when Dansol's clear voice hit his ears.
"Daesu-sunbae can cook?"
Dansol was just genuinely surprised. With hands like pot lids, he couldn't picture Daesu delicately trimming ingredients and stir-frying.
But through eyes already clouded with infatuation, Daesu only saw Dansol's face lighting up like a cat in boots.
"I can make enough for you to eat. Eat before you go."
And Dansol—seen again after so long—looked even thinner, probably because of his busy schedule. Daesu stomped to the kitchen and pulled out his own cooking tools sitting, incongruously, in Jisu's kitchen.
"Han Jisu, go to the wine cellar and bring wine."
Daesu didn't even like drinking, but he wanted to spoil the cozy time Jisu was having alone with Dansol.
"Sol, want some wine?"
"Uh… yes."
He was a lightweight, but the wine Jisu gave him felt like it would be expensive, so Dansol nodded.
"Your place has a separate wine cellar instead of just a wine fridge… Jisu-hyung really is rich."
With Jisu gone to the cellar, Dansol, now bored, slipped into the kitchen. Daesu was cutting with practiced skill.
"Where's your place, sunbae?"
"Over there."
Daesu pointed at the pantry connected to the kitchen terrace. Following his hand, Dansol turned his head—and saw the penthouse in the building across.
"Over there?"
"Yeah."
"Does your place have a wine cellar too…?"
Dansol's eyes were suddenly serious, like he was a realtor instead of an idol.
"No."
"Ah… so even in the same apartment, not everyone has one."
"I'm not a drunk like someone. I turned it into an audio room."
Of course. Dansol thought he was stupid for even worrying Daesu might feel inferior for a second.
"Kheh. But… earlier you said something about a thief. Did someone break in? Audio stuff is really expensive, isn't it…?"
"No. It was a petty thief, so they didn't take anything really expensive."
"I guess even thieves need an eye for value…"
"Yeah."
Daesu studied Dansol closely. Dansol looked younger than usual today. It didn't seem like it was just weight loss.
"Did you cry?"
"Huh?"
"You're swollen."
Dansol was often startled by how observant Daesu could be. He couldn't tell whether that was Daesu's normal nature, or something only aimed at him. In moments like this, Daesu felt like a keen predator—spotting even the tiniest tremor in prey.
"I ate a late-night snack and fell asleep. Today… I didn't know I had a schedule."
He added it in case he looked like an inexperienced rookie, and Daesu clicked his tongue.
"Is your company okay? I heard there are trash companies these days that force slave contracts and exploit idols."
Dansol swallowed the urge to say, That company is this company. The CEO still hadn't shown just how trash he could really be. There was no need to badmouth a company still wearing a decent face, not out loud.
"Would this be enough?"
Just then, Jisu returned, arms loaded with wine bottles like he'd emptied the cellar.
"You're going to drink all that?"
"Why?"
Despite Daesu's worry, every bottle Jisu brought was soon empty. And despite Dansol's worry, Daesu's cooking was top-tier. With a good dinner, the drinking stretched on for a long time.
"Ah, seriously… maybe because it's expensive alcohol… I didn't even notice I was getting drunk…"
"Riiight, our Sol still isn't druuunk…"
"You're both drunk."
Daesu, who'd only been sipping sparkling water, pressed a hand to his throbbing forehead as he watched two wobbling drunks in front of him.
Dansol drifted over to Daesu and kept sniffing.
"It smells here too… the smell of success…"
"What? What smell?"
"Sol, you keep saying there's a smell…"
"This is… the smell of success. The herb scent a mother tucked carefully into her hard-working sherpa son's inner pocket after he climbed the summit over and over… is how they market it—when really it's the most expensive perfume brand in the department store!"
"Our Sol… must be sensitive to scent… Is there something you want? Hyung will… give it to you. Come with me."
Jisu stood up like he was heading to the makeup room, then his foot tangled and he collapsed onto the carpet.
Seeing that, Dansol teared up.
"It's no use! The smell of a semi-basement during monsoon season… can't be covered up by weak, flimsy luxury perfume… What I need… is an incredibly powerful antibacterial deodorizer…"
"Hyung will do everything for you… waah…"
Watching the two of them spiral into nonsense, Daesu let out a deep sigh.
"Joo Dansol, get up. I'll take you home."
"Uoo… I had so much fun…"
Wobbling to his feet, Dansol bowed politely to Jisu, who was still sprawled out on the carpet.
Even drunk, Jisu looked displeased that Dansol was being dragged off by Daesu, and he grabbed Daesu's ankle.
"Uhh… I… I'll take him…"
"A drunk's going to take who home."
Daesu lightly slapped the hand away, opened the drawer by the entrance, and grabbed one key from the many car keys inside.
"Where do you live?"
"Mm… Mapo-gu… puhuh…"
With Dansol in the passenger seat, Daesu thought he should at least buckle Dansol in to keep him from wriggling around. But Dansol's drunk body kept sliding down the soft leather seat.
The moment Daesu turned his head toward him, Dansol suddenly lifted his head—and their faces ended up far too close. Close enough that each other's breath tickled their lips. Dansol's breath carried the sweet scent of sparkling wine.
"…Sunbae."
Where did the courage come from?
Just as Daesu tilted his head and moved closer to Dansol's lips—
Ding—
A message alert sounded, and Dansol turned his face away.
Daesu pulled back, awkward.
"Sunbae… this…"
Ding—.
As if it was a group text, Daesu's phone chimed too, a beat later.
PD Choi MijinThank you for waiting. Filming for {R-O Match Survival in Island Portal} will resume in two days, starting Monday. The changed rules and the new member will be introduced on the day. Please rest well, and we'll see you in two days.
"Heh. New member? You knew the rules were changing—"
When Daesu spoke, Dansol was already asleep, breathing softly.
Looking hollow, Daesu briefly buried his face against the steering wheel, then pulled Dansol's phone from his pocket and called someone.
"Dansol-ssi's manager? This is Jeong Daesu. Dansol-ssi is too drunk, so I'm taking him home, but I need the dorm address… Ah, no. I'll take him. All right. Sorry for calling so late."
He'd called Dansol's manager. After stopping the man who insisted on coming to pick him up, Daesu glanced at Dansol once and started the car.
The supercar, with a top speed of 300 km/h, slipped out of the parking garage—quiet and smooth as if it were carrying a baby—gliding over the speed bumps and disappearing.
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