Substitute-Chapter 29

While sneaking glances at the others, Jiwon soon found himself distracted by the thick smell of butter and bread filling the cafeteria.

His mouth watered, and his stomach growled loudly.

The other Crew members, who had been chatting among themselves, also began peeking at the food, curious about the menu.

Just like last night’s dinner, it was laid out buffet-style, and the menu mainly consisted of simple Western foods usually seen at hotel breakfasts.

Since Crew members could only move with their team leader’s permission, everyone just swallowed down their saliva, waiting for their respective leaders to arrive.

Just then, a loud electronic beep sounded, and the cafeteria doors closed.

No, they locked.

It was exactly 7:30 a.m. on the dot.

Not a single person had failed to arrive on time.

A moment later, the team leaders, dressed differently, filed into the cafeteria and moved toward their assembled teams.

Yesterday, they had all worn the same navy uniforms as the Captain, but today, the other team leaders had changed into outfits matching their own teams.

Fortunately, the leader of the Wild Dogs was at least wearing intact leather pants.

Just the fact that his pants were intact made him look reasonably decent.

Jiwon’s team leader, the Captain, was still wearing his sunglasses, remaining as cheerful and friendly as ever.

"You’re hungry, right? What are you all waiting for? Let’s eat."

At those words, everyone happily moved toward the buffet tables.

Crew Zero was the first to grab food.

Jiwon loaded sausages, bacon, and scrambled eggs onto his plate, chuckling as he remembered the second interview.

Then he put slices of bread and croissants into the toaster.

Before he knew it, Sailor 5 came up and said, "Hyung, let’s eat together."

They stood side by side, waiting for their bread to toast, then ladled soup into small bowls and carried their trays to their seats.

Even though it was a buffet, Crew members had to eat only at the tables marked with their team names.

There were flags with team names stuck into every 12-person table, so there was no room for confusion.

One by one, they gathered at the tables, and the Captain took the head seat.

Everyone chewed silently.

The other team members were just as quiet.

Inside the wide cafeteria, only the clattering of utensils and the sounds of chewing and swallowing echoed.

But since it was a room full of men in their twenties, the silence didn’t last long.

Glancing at their team leader for permission, they began to introduce themselves, and before long, they were raising their voices and acting like old friends, calling each other hyung and dongsaeng without hesitation.

The cafeteria quickly became noisy.

Of course, not everyone joined in.

About half still kept silent, gauging the atmosphere.

Next to Jiwon, who was quietly observing, a leech attached itself.

Sailor 5, who looked so much like Han Seoho.

Whenever Jiwon stood up to refill his plate, Sailor 5 would scamper after him.

Just like Han had done—this kid seemed to like Jiwon too.

"I’m Lee Woojoo. What about you, hyung?"

Toward the end of the meal, Sailor 5 revealed his real name.

"Kim Jiwon," he replied.

"Aw, hyung, you can speak casually with me."

"Uh, maybe later...."

When Jiwon hesitated, Lee Woojoo pouted his lips.

For a moment, he overlapped with that kid, not Han Seoho.

It was a habit—pouting like a girl—that had gotten that kid scolded harshly by his father and forced to disappear.

Or rather, it wasn’t erased—it was suppressed.

Jiwon only realized that after he became an adult.

That kid must have always lived hiding, suppressing, pretending to be someone he wasn’t.

"Hyung, hyung."

Lee Woojoo’s voice snapped him back to reality.

"This is fucking delicious."

He pointed at a mango cake and gave a thumbs-up.

And so, amidst the mixture of silence and noise, Crew Zero finished breakfast and followed the Captain to the unmanned café, where they each picked up a coffee or drink and relaxed in the lobby.

The lobby looked just like a hotel coffee shop, with a huge, tall window facing the garden that let in plenty of sunlight.

The sofas and tables scattered throughout the expansive lobby were stylish yet cozy, and the coffee, despite coming from a machine, tasted unbelievably good.

Jiwon remained with Sailor 5—Lee Woojoo.

"Hyung, you’re really awkward. You hear that a lot, don’t you?"

"No, it’s not that I’m awkward...."

"Then what is it? Am I making you uncomfortable?"

Lee Woojoo widened his eyes as he asked.

"No, it’s not that. I’m just like this by nature."

Jiwon waved his hands as he spoke.

Then Lee Woojoo grinned widely.

"Cool."

He muttered it openly and slurped his iced coffee through a straw.

Saying it made Jiwon wonder what his real nature was anymore.

After eight months of trying to perfectly imitate not just Kim Jiwon’s life but even his personality, he’d truly become more anxious and withdrawn.

Poor living conditions and the constant tension of not getting caught must have played a part too.

But the biggest reason Jiwon had truly changed was the accident.

Before the accident, Jiwon had been simple about everything.

Even if he had worries, he wasn’t the type to dwell on them for long.

He knew worrying wouldn’t change anything, so he would shake it off and focus on what he could do.

"How can a kid be so simple and dull?"

His mother often scolded him like that.

"It’s not dullness—it’s resilience," his father would always defend him.

But now, there was no one left to say that.

My father.

Jiwon shook off the sinking thoughts and pretended to listen attentively to Lee Woojoo.

Lee Woojoo was gay and aspired to be a model.

He rattled off the cliché story about struggling financially, working part-time at host bars and gay bars, and somehow getting lucky enough to get into this Project.

"Hyung, all the kids here blame their financial situation, but that’s bullshit. Maybe like a fingernail’s worth of them are telling the truth. Honestly, if you’re really that broke, you don’t go to host bars—you go work construction. Look at you, hyung. That’s the answer right there."

Han’s voice seemed to whisper in Jiwon’s ear.

"But why are we the only ones here? Are the others still eating?"

Lee Woojoo craned his neck toward the cafeteria and mumbled.

Then he perked up and looked at Jiwon.

"Hyung, how about you? Anyone you’ve got your eye on?"

He was treating Jiwon like one of his own without hesitation.

"Not sure. It’s been so hectic... everyone kind of looks the same."

Jiwon had no intention of coming all the way here just to announce he was straight.

What did it matter, when he was here to suck cock anyway?

"Yeah. I get that. Honestly, I’m confused too. Last night, I was sure about two guys, but now I can’t even tell who they were.

And what’s with everyone having the same fucking haircut?

It’s ridiculous. Right?"

Lee Woojoo scrunched his nose and laughed, flashing a smile that made even the other person feel good.

"Can I sit with you?"

At that moment, Sailor 7, holding a coffee cup, asked.

There were plenty of empty seats around, so the fact that he had come over here specifically suggested it was probably because of Lee Woojoo.

"Of course! Sit down."

Lee Woojoo half-rose from his seat and welcomed Sailor 7 warmly.

Jiwon exchanged a light nod with him.

"Everyone’s sitting alone, but this was the only table with two people."

He had a voice almost as resonant as a voice actor's.

"I’m Park Gunwoo. Twenty-nine years old."

Without even being asked, he introduced himself first. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

Jiwon had no choice but to say his name and age as well, and Lee Woojoo, excited, ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) spilled all his personal information.

"Please take good care of me, hyungs."

Lee Woojoo bowed playfully at the waist.

"Can I speak casually?"

Park Gunwoo asked, even though he was already speaking informally.

Since Jiwon didn’t mind elders speaking informally, he told him to go ahead.

"But you’re older than I thought."

Park Gunwoo said as he looked at Jiwon.

"Well, these days, if you actually look your age, that's weirder.

I get mistaken for twenty-three or twenty-four all the time."

He added.

But honestly, that didn’t apply to Park Gunwoo.

He looked exactly his age.

Apparently, Jiwon wasn’t the only one who thought so, because even Lee Woojoo, usually quick to agree with anything, gave an awkward smile and fell silent.

"What were you doing before this?"

Park Gunwoo asked lightly.

When Jiwon just stared at him without answering, Park Gunwoo waved his hand dramatically.

"Ah, sorry, sorry. I’ll go first.

I’m unemployed. Bisexual.

Moved to L.A. with my parents during high school, failed miserably, came back to Korea alone, been living by myself ever since.

I suck at English.

Tried running a business with my parents’ money, blew it all, and now I’m just taking a break."

Like Lee Woojoo earlier, Park Gunwoo rattled off his story as if he had rehearsed it.

Jiwon responded with half-hearted reactions and introduced himself roughly the same way he had when he first met Han.

Saying that his family was ruined because of his older brother, that he was drowning in billions of won in debt, that he had done every kind of manual labor imaginable until he passed the interview.

At that, Park Gunwoo raised an eyebrow and looked Jiwon over.

"You don’t look like someone who’s been through hell.

Judging by your dark circles, you probably haven’t slept, though."

He added in a dissatisfied tone.

"Come on, hyung. You can tell just by looking at his hands."

Lee Woojoo casually dropped formal speech as he refuted Park Gunwoo’s comment.

Everyone’s gaze shifted to Jiwon’s thin, long hands.

Jiwon looked down at them too.

Even though it was the humid height of summer, the backs of his hands were dry and cracked, and the surgical scar from the accident stretched all the way near the base of his right pinky.

Anyone could tell at a glance that they were hands worn from hardship.

"Ah... sorry.

There are just so many bullshitters around, you know?"

Park Gunwoo apologized half-heartedly.

Despite his deep voice, his words and actions were careless.

He somehow felt even more immature than Lee Woojoo, who was six years younger.

Considering he said he’d lived comfortably off his parents’ money, maybe it wasn’t surprising.

He wasn’t the type Jiwon particularly wanted to befriend, but there was no need to make enemies either, so he went along with the mood.

"You’re really boring."

Park Gunwoo said, openly teasing Jiwon.

Jiwon wasn’t bothered—he’d heard that a lot since becoming "Kim Jiwon."

But Lee Woojoo frowned.

"Hyung. That’s too harsh.

Why are you picking on our Jiwon hyung?

I think he’s cool—quiet and manly."

He openly sided with Jiwon.

Park Gunwoo gave Lee Woojoo a disapproving look.

"You two already got a thing going on?"

He said shit like that.

"Gross."

Lee Woojoo pouted.

Though it could have been brushed off as playful banter, Park Gunwoo’s cheeks twitched.

He was clearly pissed.

The atmosphere turned icy in an instant.