Between A and B C29

Chapter 29

I froze on the spot like a petrified stone statue, staring blankly at Jung Woojin who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I nearly dropped the phone in my hand. That was how startled I was by his abrupt appearance.

“Sunbae-nim…”

Woojin called out to me, his face carrying a strangely sorrowful expression. The small voice that reached my ears finally brought me back to my senses.

It looked like he had stopped by the shop—his hair and makeup were already perfectly done. As he stood there, he looked as if he could walk straight in front of a camera and begin filming any broadcast without issue. He was, in short, flawless.

My brain spun furiously.

Could this be a hidden camera? Was that it? He suddenly announced he was dropping out, only to watch my reaction for some prank? Then—wait. Did he hear everything my manager said, the swearing too? What should I do? No, but if that were true, even my manager had been fooled. Why would they deceive him too?

Lost in these muddled thoughts, I looked up to see Woojin standing right before me now, fidgeting nervously. The moment I saw his expression, as if he might burst into tears any second, I realized this probably wasn’t a hidden camera.

Still, I glanced around, searching for the telltale presence of cameras or staff. But there was nothing.

“This isn’t some hidden camera, right?”

“…Sorry? Hidden camera?”

“No… then how did you get here?”

At my question, Woojin murmured in a voice as pitiful as a rain-soaked stray dog.

“I drove…”

“What car?”

“My car. The one I drove when I gave you a ride last time…”

I turned my head, and sure enough, the familiar foreign car gleamed below. Why had I not noticed it earlier? I exhaled in disbelief, then ushered Woojin along.

“Let’s at least get in the car and talk.”

He obediently followed, and once inside, after catching my breath, I was about to speak when his urgent voice interrupted.

“Sunbae-nim, did you just come back from the meeting?”

“Uh? Oh, yeah. I just… just went and came back after hearing the news…”

The more I explained, the darker Woojin’s expression grew. The rapid shift in his demeanor was so obvious I could only feel bewildered. Why was he here, and why like this? If anyone should want to cry right now, it was me…

“…Did I do something wrong?”

“What?”

“Did I… make some mistake, or was there something about me you disliked? I know I talk too long on the phone… I could tell you wanted to hang up sooner, but I always had so many things I wanted to ask, and I never knew when I’d get the chance again, so I pretended not to notice. I’m really sorry. And when we went to the walnut factory, I… I spat out coffee so disgustingly too—”

“Hold on. Wait, Woojin.”

The flood of his rambling left me even more confused. Raising my hand, I cut him off, genuinely baffled.

“What are you talking about? Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?”

“….”

But he clamped his lips shut and pouted, exactly like a child on the verge of tears. The sight only unsettled me more. Was he really about to cry?

“I’m so sorry. I was so thoughtless…”

“No, don’t apologize—just explain. What did you supposedly do wrong? Why keep apologizing?”

“….”

“Well?”

When I pressed, he finally lifted his bowed head to meet my eyes. His lids were tinged red as though he’d applied makeup, his gaze shimmering wet, as if submerged in water.

“Why…”

“….”

“Why did you suddenly say you wouldn’t do it anymore…”

“Wouldn’t do what?”

I tilted my head, and he muttered like a man speaking to himself.

“You never said anything to me about dropping out…”

The faint quiver in his voice carried a trace of tears, and I answered stiffly, like a creaking robot.

“Are you talking about our variety program? The meeting today?”

“….”

“I never said I wouldn’t do it. Is that what you mean?”

At my words, Woojin’s expression—until now like that of a mournful puppy—shifted in an instant. We stared blankly at each other, both equally perplexed, until he spoke first.

“Didn’t you say it felt too burdensome and you were dropping out?”

“…”

His wide-eyed question sent a chill down the back of my neck.

Had they told Woojin one thing and me another? But who? Was it the company? The production team? Or both, conspiring together? My manager seemed genuinely clueless…

As I sank into heavy thought, the silence of the car was broken by the buzz of my phone. My manager’s name flashed on the screen.

“Hold on, I need to take this call.”

“Yes.”

My once-chaotic mind sharpened, chilling into focus. I inhaled deeply a few times before answering.

“Hello?”

—“Are you with Segaon right now?”

“…What?”

“Are you with him? Or can you reach him?”

The car was so silent that Woojin could hear every word. Sure enough, he was shaking his head desperately, eyes pleading. Caught, I hesitated before finally saying:

“No… I don’t really know where he is…”

At that, Woojin let out a silent sigh of relief.

—“Ah, I see. Well, did you get back to the dorm okay?”

His voice, suddenly gentle, raised goosebumps on my skin. Just earlier he had been shouting and cursing—why the sudden change of tone?

“I was just heading back now.”

—“Good. More importantly, I just heard something at the company.”

“Yes.”

He sounded hesitant, which was rarely a good sign. With Woojin sitting right beside me, I wondered if I should step outside to take the call—but then he continued.

—“Apparently, Segaon was told that you turned down the show yourself.”

“…What?”

I widened my eyes in shock, and Woojin’s face froze over instantly. The air dropped a few degrees. My manager, oblivious to the tension here, prattled on.

—“They said he’s soft-hearted, and they didn’t want him worrying. It’s his first variety show, after all, he must be nervous. So the company told him you’d declined, just so he wouldn’t feel pressured. They thought it’d be better that way. So it’d be nice if you could go along with it, alright?”

“…”

My lips clamped shut, but I could feel the weight of Woojin’s glare. When I dared to look, his eyes were on me, and behind them I could almost see a blizzard tearing across the Siberian Ural Mountains. His face was like that of a merciless, legendary man-eating wolf from that frozen land.

A moment ago he’d been all trembling-puppy innocence, but now, nothing of that remained. Confronted with such a murderous gaze, I sat frozen, trembling.

Meanwhile, my manager, completely unaware, kept talking.

—“Seojoo-ya, you’re the senior here, so shouldn’t you be understanding? Segaon normally never does shows like this. Everyone was thrilled when he agreed—the PD, the CEO, even the BB members. He himself seemed really excited. So please, try to understand. You’re his sunbae, right? Come on.”

His voice was all honeyed persuasion, but the words barely registered. I was too caught in Woojin’s eyes, every blink of his long lashes dropping shadows heavy with menace.

Then, all at once, Woojin lowered his head.

—“The CEO even gave me some pocket money to treat you. I’ll buy you a drink, okay? Just, if Segaon ever asks, stick to the story. It’s already been said, so if you contradict it, how’s that going to make the CEO look? Alright?”

Piecing together the picture, pressed by his insistence, I had no choice but to mutter, “Yes… yes.” Only then did his voice ease.

—“Good. And since he’s not answering his phone, if you hear from him, let me know.”

“Yes, alright.”

—“Okay, I’ll hang up then. Get home safe.”

“Yes…”

The call ended. Woojin still had his head bowed. I watched him silently, then cautiously asked:

“…Why are you sitting like that?”

But he gave no reply. Concern prickled, and after some hesitation, I leaned closer, lowering my head as he had. That was when I noticed something strange along his thigh.

Darkened patches, as though dampened.

Drip. Drop.

“…?”

Water droplets fell beneath his thigh. Reflexively, I extended my palm—and felt the wet drops splashing into it.

Pat… pat… pat…

Staring numbly at the accumulating wetness in my hand, I finally asked, hesitant:

“…Are you… crying?”

A faint sound of muffled sobbing brushed against my ear.