The Best of Tomorrow-Chapter 5Vol 2. .2

□ ■ □

I had a bad feeling—and sure enough, PD Kim Myeong-hyeok and Shim Won-jun were completely wasted. When we got up to leave, PD Kim lost his balance trying to rise from the chair and toppled backward with a loud crash. The clatter was loud, but Shim Won-jun’s voice shouting “PD-nim!” was even louder. It sounded like a scene straight out of a historical drama where the emperor dies. Shim shook PD Kim’s shoulders and yelled, “PD-nim! PD-nim, please come to your senses!” If he didn’t wake up soon, it looked like he’d start slapping him.

PD Yang Ji-woon quickly hoisted Kim Myeong-hyeok up and slung one of his arms over his own shoulder as they exited the restaurant. Shim Won-jun followed behind, calling after him with concern while carrying PD Kim’s bag.

Standing by the main road, PD Yang waved down a taxi. Once he managed to cram both drunk men into the back seat, he turned to me with an apologetic expression.

“Our team’s not really good with alcohol.”

“Oh! No, it’s fine. It looked like they just had a bit too much.”

“Get home safe. Call me if anything happens.”

“Okay. See you at work.”

I gave him a polite bow, and he nodded before getting into the front passenger seat. The taxi, no longer showing its vacancy sign, pulled smoothly away from the curb. I let out a heavy sigh as I watched it disappear. The scent of alcohol clung thick in the air.

“Man... company dinners are brutal.”

With both hands stuffed into my coat pockets, I stood staring at the empty road when someone stepped up beside me. I turned my head and saw a man wearing a padded coat hood pulled over a baseball cap, his gaze cast out onto the road I’d just been watching.

Seon-jae?

The man tilted his head slightly and pulled his mask down.

“When did you get here?”

“Just now.”

Seon-jae’s cheeks were red. I took my hand out of my pocket and pressed it against his cheek—it was cold, practically frozen.

“Liar. You’ve been out here a while, haven’t you?”

His gaze quietly settled on me. Maybe it was the alcohol, but my heart was racing and I felt sluggish.

“Why are you acting like this? You’re making my heart flutter.”

“Huh?”

Seon-jae caught my hand still resting on his cheek and gently pulled it down. He didn’t let go, just started walking with it still in his grasp. I followed, glancing around nervously, and eventually slipped my hand free. Our eyes met when he turned to look at me, confused.

“...It’s cold.”

I cleared my throat and quickly shoved both hands into my pockets. It was a self-made defense wall, just in case he tried to hold my hand again. After what Shim Won-jun said earlier, I was extra cautious being around Seon-jae.

Then I spotted a taxi with its vacancy sign on. I flagged it down without taking my hands out of my pockets, causing the coat to swing open slightly. I got in, and Seon-jae, expressionless, got in right after me.

I gave the driver my home address. We were headed there for now, but I didn’t know how Seon-jae planned to get home. I liked that we were riding together, but at the same time, the discomfort and unease kept bubbling up.

“Do you not like holding hands?”

His voice broke the silence so suddenly, it caught me off guard. I turned toward him, still exhaling shallow breaths tinged with alcohol. Seon-jae had his head tilted against the seat, looking at me.

“Huh?”

“Do you not like it when I hold your hand?”

I bit my lip and looked at him. As if. Even just brushing fingers with him makes my heart explode. I just... didn’t want to stir up any rumors by holding his hand too openly. I leaned in and whispered near his ear, just in case the taxi driver might overhear.

“No... I just thought, you know, if someone said something weird about it, it might get complicated...”

“I didn’t ask for your reason.”

His answer was blunt. I blinked, at a loss for words. Once again, I was reminded that neither Seon-jae nor Baek In-hyeok were people you could win against in a verbal battle.

Seon-jae continued staring at me intently. I ended up biting my lip and shaking my head. Only then did he look away. His gaze had been so focused, it was like he wouldn’t accept anything less than a real answer.

I pouted and looked out the window. The dark night scenery drifted past, and then I felt warmth on the back of my hand. I turned and saw Seon-jae’s profile watching the scenery outside. His large, slender hand was resting gently on top of mine. I wanted to say something, but we weren’t making eye contact, so all I could do was bite my lip again.

“Holding your hand makes me happy.”

His gaze returned to me, calm and warm. The streetlights passed slowly behind him, and my alcohol-clouded heart beat even faster.

“It’s okay here, right?”

His expression seemed to ask, Isn’t it? I glanced at the driver. He was too busy chatting on his Bluetooth headset to care, saying something about how dead business was tonight.

I nodded like I was waving a white flag. Seon-jae leaned his head against the seat, tilting it slightly as he looked at me. The way he stared dried out my lips and made my cheeks burn.

“Holding Im Sol’s hand is a challenge.”

Anyone listening would think I was playing hard to get.

“Hey, that’s not it. It’s just... you’re... you know...”

“What am I?”

“You’re...”

I leaned in and whispered in his ear.

“You’re famous, okay?”

I pulled back to look at him. A faint smile touched Seon-jae’s expressionless face.

“You really have no idea how much crap people say about me, do you?”

My eyes widened.

“Hey, that’s totally not true! You can’t believe any of that stuff. Do you know how many people adore you?”

I got flustered and raised my voice in frustration. Seon-jae’s smile deepened. His dimple showed on one cheek, and for some reason, that made my heart ache. How could someone like him—someone so beautiful—not be welcomed with open arms?

“I can avoid hearing it or seeing it, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. It just becomes something I don’t know, that’s all.”

There was something unfathomably painful in Seon-jae’s quiet voice. I slid my hand out from under his and placed it on top instead. Then I gripped it tightly.

“There are people saying they love you too. Lots of them. You just don’t know it.”

Seon-jae, still resting his head against the seat, gave a small shake of the head.

“I do know.”

Then he turned his hand over and interlocked his fingers with mine.

“Because you told me.”

I could clearly picture Seon-jae walking toward me the day he got the call from the watch’s owner. He’d been wearing that purple hoodie and a padded coat...

Seon-jae, you’re someone really precious. If I could share my happiness with someone, I’d want to give it all to you. I just want you to be happy. Always.

...

I love you, Seon-jae.

The thought, probably fueled by the alcohol, was that I was still floating in Seon-jae’s dark eyes—the me who hugged him tightly and cried, and the Seon-jae who stood still and received it.

The moment we got out of the taxi, I tried to push Seon-jae back in and tell him to take the cab home—but he had ridiculous strength and caught me around the neck with one arm, easily overpowering me. Anyone watching would’ve thought it was a headlock, but to me it felt like a back hug. Thank god it was winter and we had thick coats. If it had been summer, I might’ve collapsed from heart failure. While his arms were still wrapped around my neck, the taxi drove off.

“Let’s go, Im Sol.”

Instead of answering, I just nodded. We walked side by side toward home. I kept both hands stuffed deep into my coat pockets. Seon-jae looked at me disapprovingly but I pretended not to notice.

When we reached my house, I gave him a firm push toward the gate, worried someone might see us.

“All right, we’re here. You should go now.” 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

I kept glancing around nervously, but Seon-jae just stood there looking at me with maddening calmness. How is he so relaxed right now?

“I’ve got one question.”

“What?”

I stopped looking around and focused on him.

“You told me once that you didn’t like me.”

“...I did?”

“Yeah. On the last day when we were eighteen.”

It was the last day of my time travel. He still remembered that?

“Did you mean it?”

“What?”

“Did you mean what you said back then?”

I stared at him. As if I could’ve meant that. I shook my head slightly. A bit of tension eased from Seon-jae’s face.

“Do you still like me?”

His straightforward question made my eyes go wide. I looked around instinctively to make sure no one overheard, and that’s when Seon-jae gently grabbed my head in both hands, holding me still—like he didn’t want me to look anywhere else but at him.

“I asked you.”

I was going crazy. I’m not even the celebrity—he is—so why am I the one panicking and anxious?

“Why now, all of a sudden...?”

“If not now, then when?”

“It’s just... I’m worried. What if someone sees us?”

“There’s no one around.”

My face crumpled into a pout. I remembered what Shim Won-jun had said earlier that night, like a subtitle scrolling across Seon-jae’s face.

“Oh yeah, I overheard some reporters at the next table yesterday. Apparently someone in Potato Pancakes is dating.”

Who were they talking about? Where did that rumor start, and how far had it spread? What if it was Seon-jae? If it was, then it was a huge problem for me. After everything he’d gone through, I felt like I’d be pushing him back into the pit. I could already see the torrent of hateful comments if news broke about him dating. He’d already been torn to pieces just for joining the group late. If a dating scandal came out now...

I felt like I could cry just thinking about it.

“I just... I don’t want anything bad to happen to you ever again...”

“Me not being loved by you is a bad thing.”

“....”

Even while my heart was thumping, I wanted to applaud how smooth Seon-jae was. I always stuttered, but he just let the words pour out effortlessly. Maybe he was just too honest.

He tilted my face up with his hands, and my gaze rose with it. Our faces got closer. I swallowed hard and blinked. There was nowhere safe to look. High school Seon-jae had been like this too—but adult Seon-jae had a boldness to him now. He held my gaze without faltering. That unwavering stare begged for an answer. My lips trembled.

“I like you.”

My heart pounded.

“What about you?”

That old confession sat between us again.

“I like you too.”

Seon-jae shifted his hands to cup my cheeks. His warmth melted into my skin, cold from the winter air. During the time travel, I’d been able to say everything without hesitation. But now, every word felt like it weighed a ton. My cheeks flushed. When I tried to pull away, he held on tight.

“...Wh-Why? I answered you.”

My heart was pounding like crazy. It felt like something inside me might burst at this rate. My heart thudded, my cheeks burned, and my lips kept drying up.

“Go out with me.”

“...Huh?”

I had sort of expected it from the flow of the conversation, but still, I was so shocked my eyes went wide. I thought, No way, but then Seon-jae actually said it. I had words like when? tomorrow? hovering at the edge of my mouth, but I swallowed them in case I ruined the moment with something dumb.

“I’m saying, let’s date.”

“....”

What was I supposed to do with this? I was happy, but the situation was so overwhelming I didn’t know what to do with my face.

“I...”

God, this was too much. I hated myself for worrying about his future even in a moment like this. I knew—objectively—that dating me wouldn’t do him any good. It made me laugh bitterly, how I was the one deciding what was best for him. Why was it that I could never be completely honest in front of Seon-jae? That alone made my heart ache.

“I don’t think I said anything that difficult.”

Seon-jae removed his hands from my cheeks and stood there quietly looking at me, then gently placed one hand on top of my head.

“Think about it.”

“....”

“But this time, I hope you don’t run away.”

He lowered his hand, then gave a small nod toward the building’s entrance as if telling me I could go in now. I lingered a moment, then finally started walking. I opened the door, stepped inside, and turned around to glance back. Seon-jae stood there with his hands in his coat pockets.

“Get home safe.”

He gave a little nod. I hesitated by the door, fingers fidgeting around the handle, then forced myself to move. As I climbed the stairs, I could hear a Potato Pancakes song playing through the door of Unit 201. I stopped for a moment to listen to the song, murmuring through the walls.

My lips curved downward. It was the apartment of the person who had put up that Seo Yun-jae bromide on their door. Were they part of the Potato War too? Did they also dislike Seon-jae?

What would happen if news of him dating broke out at a time like this? If I ever brought that up to Seon-jae, he’d probably get annoyed and say I was worrying about things that hadn’t even happened yet.

Pfft, a sigh escaped my lips like air leaking from a balloon. I climbed the rest of the stairs with heavy feet. The confession had been sweet—but reality remained harsh. As I walked up the dim stairwell, where the motion sensor lights turned on sluggishly, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

□ ■ □

“Sol-ssi, you’ve got mail.”

Shim Won-jun placed a letter envelope on my desk. Mail at the office? I looked at the address, confused. My eyebrows furrowed immediately. No sender. Only my name, Im Sol, written neatly on the front—just like the last one.

“No way... Again?”

I slit the taped envelope open with a knife and pulled out the contents. Since it wasn’t a boxy parcel, it probably wasn’t a book. But the method—it felt exactly like what I’d done back when I traveled to the past and left things for Seon-jae. Was this someone copying what I’d done with a future letter?

I flipped the envelope over, and two pieces of paper fell out.

“...Movie ticket?”

There was a ticket and a note.

[If you’re curious, come to this place. Even if you’re not curious, you’d better come. Just come. If you ditch me, be ready for consequences.]

“...What the hell.”

I laughed in disbelief. The envelope with my name and the handwriting on the note—they were unmistakably Baek In-hyeok’s. But I had no way to ask him why he was doing this. I didn’t have his number. And I still hadn’t answered Seon-jae’s question. I couldn’t exactly message him now and say, Hey Seon-jae, can you give me Baek In-hyeok’s number? That would definitely come off wrong.

I put the letter down and examined the movie ticket. The showtime was today—and the theater was in Paju.

“Paju? Seriously, Paju?!”

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ticket. Should I go? Should I not? I tapped my fingers and checked the time. My brain wasn’t working in this absurd situation. Why? Why does he want to meet me?

Then I remembered the time I ran into Baek In-hyeok in the broadcasting station lobby. That piercing look in his eyes... and the way he’d said Seon-jae probably didn’t remember me, while clearly remembering everything himself.

So maybe... Baek In-hyeok didn’t want me anywhere near Seon-jae. Was this some kind of showdown? A “stay away from him” confrontation? A challenge?

I spun my chair around in place and sighed, then stuffed the ticket and letter into my bag.

□ ◆ □

Baek In-hyeok carefully opened the door and peeked inside. The bed near the door was Woo Hyeon-seong’s, and the one farther in was Seon-jae’s. It was arranged that way to help Seon-jae sleep better—Hyeon-seong had set it up that way for his sake.

Hyeon-seong’s bed was empty, and Seon-jae was lying on his back alone. Confirming this, In-hyeok tiptoed in and sat on the edge of the bed. The mattress dipped under his weight, and Seon-jae’s gaze flicked over.

That long-lipped grin—anyone could tell he was up to something.

“...What’s that sleazy smile for?”

Baek In-hyeok poked at Seon-jae’s chest.

“Hey. You should be thanking me.”

“...For what.”

“I’m practically Cupid, just without the wings and arrows. Call me Baek-pid from now on.”

“What are you even talking about.”

Seon-jae frowned, watching In-hyeok basically playing out a one-man show. In-hyeok just smiled brighter, as if expecting praise.

Then he pulled a movie ticket out of his pocket and waved it dramatically between his fingers. Seon-jae’s lack of interest was obvious, but In-hyeok just blinked exaggeratedly.

“Do you know what this is? Huh?”

“Don’t care.”

“Hey! I said I’m Baek-pid! Don’t tell me you’re really this dense.”

Just then, someone else snatched the ticket from between In-hyeok’s fingers. Seon-jae hadn’t moved—meaning someone else had entered the room.

In-hyeok turned around in shock.

“What the hell? Are you two planning a secret date or something?”

Woo Hyeon-seong held up the ticket as he asked. In-hyeok’s jaw dropped.

“Hyung, no—it’s not what you think.”

In-hyeok stood up and tried to take it back, but Hyeon-seong stepped back and held the ticket above his head.

“Yeah, right.”

“Ugh, give it back!”

“I want to go too.”

“I told you, it’s not like that!”

Hyeon-seong pouted and looked at Seon-jae behind In-hyeok.

“Seon-jae, can I come too?”

In-hyeok turned to Seon-jae in a panic. He bit his lip and widened his eyes. He rolled them desperately, trying to signal No. Absolutely not. But Seon-jae, expressionless, simply nodded.

In-hyeok’s shoulders slumped in defeat. He gave Seon-jae a betrayed look.

“You clueless bastard...”

Seon-jae shrugged as if to say, What did I do? Hyeon-seong tucked the ticket into In-hyeok’s chest pocket and flopped onto the bed. He unplugged his phone and looked at the screen, then glanced at In-hyeok, who was still standing there staring daggers at Seon-jae.

“Seriously though, who uses printed tickets these days? Just use a mobile pass.”

“Exactly! That’s what I’m saying! Who prints tickets anymore?!”

Fuming, In-hyeok balled his fists and started trembling with frustration. Then he climbed onto Seon-jae’s bed and shook him by the collar.

“Ugh! What is your problem?!”

Seon-jae, looking completely done, pushed him off.

“Seriously, stop.”

But In-hyeok clung to Seon-jae’s shirt and rolled his eyes dramatically.

“You hopeless idiot. Great—now I’m gonna end up shooting my Cupid arrow in the wrong direction.”

Still muttering complaints, In-hyeok stormed out of the room. His voice echoed from the living room, still going.

Hyeon-seong burst out laughing.

“He really wanted it to be just the two of you. Not that it’ll stop him from tagging along, though.”

He smirked as he raised a shoulder. Seon-jae gave a small chuckle in response.

□ ■ □

I didn’t want to wait awkwardly outside, so I just went in holding the movie ticket. The theater was inside an outlet mall in Paju, and because of the location, the screening room was completely empty.

I sipped my cola through the straw while the ads played. Then I saw someone walking down the steps, heading toward my row. In such a huge theater, the fact that three guys were coming in to sit right next to me was bizarre enough to make me stare blankly.

“...Oh.”

I almost blurted out What the actual hell?! on reflex. I was so startled I didn’t even sip—I just sat there, straw in my mouth, then hurriedly raised the cup to hide my face.

“Hyung, move over.”

“Why?”

“That’s Seon-jae’s seat.”

“There’s no such thing.”

“Hey, Ryu Seon-jae, get in already.”

“Just sit anywhere.”

“Wanna die? Not going in?”

“What’s with her? There are so many seats.”

“Yeah. She could just sit somewhere else.”

“Well, a big group could suddenly come in all at once. You’re supposed to sit in the seat you paid for. That’s basic manners, okay?”

They might have been whispering to each other, but it sounded outrageously loud. Shit, what even is this. My heart was pounding like crazy. I couldn’t even see ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) who sat next to me. I held my breath and brought the cup close to my face. I was really glad I bought the large size instead of the small one, and sipped from it with my lips pursed.

The three people who came into the theater were Ryu Seon-jae, Baek In-hyeok, and Woo Hyeon-seong. I couldn’t understand what kind of combination this was. Why on earth had Baek In-hyeok given me the movie ticket? He’d left a letter that sounded like a death threat if I didn’t show up, and then showed up with the three of them—no matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn’t figure out what the point was. Was this some kind of unspoken warning like We’re Potato Pancakes. Don’t touch Ryu Seon-jae?

My phone vibrated. I didn’t dare lower my head, so I just lowered my eyes to look at the phone on my lap. On the screen that lit up brightly, the sender’s name appeared: Used Marketplace Seller.

“......”

Still holding the cup to my mouth, I furtively glanced to the side. Just as Seon-jae’s knee bumped into mine, our eyes met. I was so startled I snapped my head forward again. The theater darkened.

Oh my god.

There was a movie ticket in the envelope. I came because I was told something terrible would happen if I didn’t. I really didn’t know anything. I wanted to say all that, but because the theater was dark and quiet, I clamped my lips shut and swallowed it all. Frozen stiff, I stared straight ahead. Seon-jae tilted his head slightly and whispered.

“You keep in touch with In-hyeok?”

I opened my eyes wide and shook my head. Seon-jae also looked puzzled that I was sitting here. Worried that Woo Hyeon-seong might see us, I nudged Seon-jae’s arm with my elbow, as if to say “go away.” Seon-jae, looking displeased, sat up straight again.

He leaned back in his seat and loudly sucked at his cola. My throat was dry, and so was my heart. Maybe because the theater was quiet, the pounding in my chest felt even louder. Slurp, I pursed my lips and sucked through the straw, but the cola must’ve run out—an embarrassingly pathetic noise came out. I blinked wide-eyed at how loud it sounded. Seon-jae took the cup from my hand and pulled out the one in the right holder, then handed it to me.

Why are you giving it to me instead of drinking it yourself? Do I look that thirsty?

I fiddled with the cup Seon-jae gave me. It didn’t look like something from the theater concession stand. I tilted it slightly and saw a logo from a franchise café that sold Seon-jae’s favorite drinks. The same place where he once left gloves for me. He really loves plain yogurt smoothies.

Mumbling, I took the straw in my mouth. From my lips to my throat, all the way down, a chill spread through me. As I drank the smoothie, I could feel someone staring. I turned my eyes to the side. Seon-jae, resting his chin on the armrest, was staring straight at me and leaned in.

“What the hell. Tell me what’s going on.”

“Huh? Tell you what?”

“Why are you watching a movie with In-hyeok.”

“It’s not like that. I didn’t even know.”

As I kept whispering, my voice grew smaller and smaller. Speaking so softly brought my shoulder right up against Seon-jae’s. He looked displeased. That little “hm” with his lips pressed tight was a face that didn’t believe me. It was frustrating, but his expression was so cute I bit my lip. If I didn’t, I felt like I might smile without realizing it. After he finished questioning me, Seon-jae turned his head away. Our touching shoulders separated.

I couldn’t focus on the movie at all. I even finished the drink Seon-jae gave me. I played with the now-empty cup in my hands, too light to leave in the holder, when something touched my knee. Looking down, I saw Seon-jae’s hand stretched out like he was asking for something. The drink?

I leaned in slightly toward Seon-jae and whispered.

“Sorry, I already drank it all.”

At that, a faint smile crept across the corner of Seon-jae’s mouth. Guess that wasn’t it. Just as I was thinking that, he whispered softly.

“Give me your hand.”

“...Huh?”

I wondered if I’d said it too loud and quickly covered my mouth, glancing at Baek In-hyeok and Woo Hyeon-seong. I couldn’t see them because Seon-jae blocked the view, but they seemed focused on the movie. Seon-jae lightly tapped my knee with the back of his hand.

I tilted my head slightly and looked at him. The screen brightened, and his face came into view. His mouth, shut tightly and facing forward, looked adorable. Light quickly swept past and night fell within the movie as the screen darkened. Fidgeting with my fingers, I finally laid my hand in his. I glanced sideways at him. A faint smile spread as his cheek lifted in a small grin. My heart fluttered for no reason, and I bit my lip and lowered my head. Our fingers intertwined, and his long fingers covered the back of my hand. I couldn’t remember a single scene clearly. At this rate, I’d only catch the ending credits when the lights came up.

His hand was warm. It felt nice but also made my chest ache. It was all over the place. It was a good thing, but... would this bring even more misfortune to Seon-jae? That thought weighed on me.

‘You not liking me is the bad thing.’

That’s what Seon-jae had said.

As I recalled those words from the past, I felt a slight pressure on the back of my hand and looked up. Seon-jae motioned toward the screen like watch the movie, will you? He grinned, then leaned his head back against the seat. On the screen, a warm spring scene passed by with a golden glow. I thought, I wish Seon-jae and I could go to that warm spring too, as I half-watched the movie that just wouldn’t stick in my mind.

□ ■ □

The moment the movie ended, I bolted out of the theater. Sure, we’d watched it together, but we weren’t together-together. It wasn’t like we could walk out side by side and talk about Wasn’t that great? Which scene did you like most?

I went into the restroom and stared blankly at the mirror.

“What the hell is going on.”

I swept my hair back and lifted the faucet lever. I was about to wash my hands out of habit, but then remembered I’d been holding Seon-jae’s hand the whole time. I lowered the lever. I looked at my hand and let out a silly little grin when someone called me from outside.

“Im Sol, are you in there?”

My gaze shifted from my hand to the door. It was a public restroom—anyone could walk in—but the voice felt oddly secretive. I cautiously opened the door and peeked out. Baek In-hyeok was standing there.

“Oh, it is you.”

Baek In-hyeok straightened his torso, which had been leaning down, and looked around.

“Hey, what’s going on? What’s with the movie ticket? What even is all this?”

“And what about you? Why’d you bolt out of there like a delivery just arrived?”

“That’s...”

What was I supposed to do? Clap while standing at the entrance and ask, Did you enjoy the movie? I mean, Woo Hyeon-seong was there too.

“Here. Take this.”

Baek In-hyeok suddenly held out his fist.

“What is it?”

“Just take it. First.”

Suspicious, I hesitated a bit before putting my hand out under his fist. He opened it and dropped something into my palm. A smart key with an emblem. I looked up at him, clearly confused. He let out a sigh and crossed his arms.

“Look, I’m not usually this nice. But watching you two mess around for years made my stomach churn. So here I am.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Basement level 2, D28.”

“Huh?”

“If you can’t remember it, jot it down in your phone.”

“What even is that?”

“Where the car is.”

The conversation was going in a direction I hadn’t expected, and I frowned.

“What are you saying? Why are you giving me this? Take it back.”

When I tried to hand back the smart key, Baek In-hyeok stepped back without uncrossing his arms.

“I still seriously don’t like you, okay? I hate that you’re getting tangled up with Seon-jae now of all times. But I’m letting this slide for that loyal bastard Ryu Seon-jae. Got it?”

“What are you even talking about.”

“That passionate little dude... going through his youth, never dating once. Because of who, huh?”

He gave me a side-eye, narrowed and sharp. It felt like a direct hit. I stared back, wide-eyed. That’s kind of unfair though.

“Hey, how is that my fault? He was just following agency rules.”

“We’re not some big-name entertainment agency. We don’t have stuff like that.”

Oh... really? I didn’t have anything to say, but I still felt wronged. I looked up at him, indignant. Then I suddenly remembered something Shim Won-jun said.

“Then who’s dating now?”

“Don’t worry about that. It’s parked in the underground lot. It’s the white one. Press the button on top and the headlights will blink.”

I had no idea why he was telling me all this, and just frowned deeper. First he gave me books. Then a movie ticket. Now this? No way.

“...Wait. Is this a gift or something? Something this expensive?”

This time, Baek In-hyeok frowned. Like he’d just heard the dumbest thing ever.

“Are you serious?”

“...Huh?”

“You think I’m giving you a car? A foreign car? Are you kidding me?”

“Oh... right. That’s what I meant. But then, why give it to me? Take it back.”

I held it out awkwardly, embarrassed, but Baek In-hyeok turned away and dodged my hand. He let out a heavy sigh and poked my forehead with his index finger.

“Idiot. Just do as you’re told. Basement 2, D28. Go there, press the button, and sit in the car.”

“Why should I?”

Baek In-hyeok shook his head and turned around. I was so baffled I just stood there with my mouth hanging open.

“No, but why?! Explain! What do I do with this?!”

I accidentally shouted. Still holding the smart key high in my hand.

“Ryu Seon-jae and you—seriously. The two of you are so clueless.”

I started chasing after him, but as soon as I heard Woo Hyeon-seong’s voice, I whipped around and ran the other way. With the smart key Baek In-hyeok had given me in hand.

What the hell am I even supposed to do with this?

My steps felt like they were twisting into a dance.