Under the Spring Lights

The abalone in the porridge he had for brunch was plump. It was a menu choice made by Cha Gye-won under the pretext that it would be easy on the stomach.

“Our coffee tastes match.”

Beside Yi-seo, who was patting his full stomach, Cha Gye-won swirled his coffee cup.

“Ah… I guess so.”

The two were sitting in the car, drinking Americanos for dessert. The moderate acidity was fragrant.

Crunch. Crunch.

“Aren’t you cold?”

Gye-won asked, watching Baek Yi-seo drink an iced Americano despite the freezing weather. Yi-seo sat perfectly upright, staring straight ahead while crunching on ice—a stark contrast to Gye-won, who held a steaming cup.

“It’s just… refreshing.”

“You sure eat with gusto.”

Gye-won turned his entire body to observe Yi-seo. In truth, Yi-seo was far from comfortable with the current situation of eating and having coffee with Gye-won. Initially, it had been awkward because of their unexpected past connection, but now it felt downright burdensome.

It wasn’t just because of Gye-won’s self-centered nature. Having majored in Physical Education, Yi-seo had experienced his share of unreasonable “discipline” in college. He had dealt with plenty of stubborn authoritarians, and with his decent build, he was physically resilient.

Yet, the reason Cha Gye-won made him so uneasy was that peculiar “temperature difference.” Gye-won would smile gently one moment and swear the next, or grab Yi-seo by the collar or hair at the most random times. It was impossible to predict his next move.

“Why stop? Keep chewing.”

When Yi-seo swallowed the half-chewed ice due to the stifling gaze, Gye-won nudged him by poking his cheek.

“I think we should head out.”

Yi-seo replied, feigning composure. The fact that the shoot was pushed back two hours meant he had to spend two more hours alone with Cha Gye-won.

“How boring.”

Gye-won tilted his seat back as if disappointed. He had been lounging in the back when they started, but now he sat in the passenger seat, making Yi-seo restless.

“You know what a road manager’s duties are, right?”

He asked nonchalantly, despite having ignored Yi-seo’s earlier refusal based on lack of experience.

“Monitoring, checking the schedule… taking care of the talent, isn’t it?”

“You know it well for someone who claimed not to.”

“I do work in this industry, after all.”

Claiming he didn’t know the job was a lie from the start. In fact, he had occasionally acted as a manager for Tae-mi and Seong-ah.

“Don’t forget to stay glued to me.”

“……Yes.”

He had just received a text from Gun. The warning was clear: Cha Gye-won is meticulous, so keep a constant eye on the atmosphere. Yi-seo stole a glance at Gye-won, but it was impossible to read his mood.

“This. It’s that one, right?”

“Pardon?”

Gye-won, who had been fiddling with Yi-seo’s ivory short puffer jacket that he’d taken off to drive, placed it over his own stomach.

“The one you wore the day you were scurrying around with a coffee.”

“Scurrying….”

“You wear things that look just like you.”

Muttering to himself, Gye-won pulled the jacket over his head like a blanket and closed his eyes as if to sleep.

The indoor studio, which took about thirty minutes to reach, was warmer than expected. Yi-seo fiddled with the heat packs in his pocket, feeling he had brought them for nothing.

Decorated with light green fake walls for the S/S season, the studio radiated a spring-like vibe. As they entered, the bustling atmosphere instantly sharpened into focus. The center of that focus, naturally, was Cha Gye-won.

“Hello!”

“Wow, he’s seriously handsome.”

“Welcome, Gye-won-ssi!”

Greetings poured in from all directions. As Gye-won skillfully responded to them, a middle-aged man who looked like the general director approached first.

“Well, hello there.”

Gye-won gave Yi-seo’s back a light nudge. He had met this man before. Realizing the intent, Yi-seo offered a polite greeting.

“Hello. I am Baek Yi-seo, the CEO of K-New. I look forward to working with you today.”

“So you are the CEO. Wow, quite a dashing fellow.”

Pushing up his glasses, the man let out a hearty laugh and shook his hand. Only then did the staff members, who had been hesitant, gather around.

“Oh my, he’s so young.”

“I saw the news about Gye-won-ssi moving agencies. Can I invest there too?”

“They say birds of a feather flock together; everyone around Gye-won-ssi is handsome.”

They were all incredibly hospitable. The hands they extended were warm, and their expressions were bright. Yi-seo looked at Gye-won, trying to hide his awkwardness.

Interpreting the look in his own way, Gye-won draped an arm over Yi-seo’s shoulder and handled the responses with smooth answers.

In truth, the person they really wanted to talk to was Gye-won. Still, this kind of treatment was foreign to Yi-seo. While people usually weren’t hostile to him, they mostly treated him as if he were invisible. This friendliness was strange, yet not entirely unpleasant.

“Let’s go.”

Having dismissed the staff, Gye-won headed toward the dressing room.

“Wow….”

Yi-seo let out an almost inaudible gasp of admiration. The photoshoot set was much larger than he had imagined. Since Tae-mi and Seong-ah rarely had such opportunities, he had only ever imagined it. Stylists, photographers, and staff members were busily moving around, checking the composition.

“Is it interesting?”

“Yes… It’s my first time at a set like this.”

As if I didn’t know, Gye-won thought, watching Yi-seo’s head turn left and right. Taking a step and looking around, then another step and looking around—he looked exactly like a stray puppy without an owner.

“Hup!”

Gye-won, walking behind him, caught Yi-seo by the shoulders as he leaned back. Yi-seo nearly cried out as Gye-won suddenly tugged on the nape of his neck.

“What now…?”

“If someone tries to pick you up and take you, make sure to scream.”

“Scream?”

“Yeah. Loudly.”

“What on earth are you talking about all of a sudden…?”

“Just answer me.”

“F-fine, I will.”

Though he answered, Baek Yi-seo’s face was full of pouting. He looked like he wanted to complain but couldn’t. Resisting the urge to tug on him one more time, Gye-won let go of his neck.

“Don’t lose sight of me.”

Tapping Yi-seo’s shoulder twice, Cha Gye-won gave him a light push—just enough so he wouldn’t fall—and strode away. His long, brisk strides quickly widened the gap between them.

“Wait, let’s go together…!”

Fearing he would lose him, Baek Yi-seo scrambled to follow right behind his back. He had no way of knowing that Gye-won was walking fast on purpose because he found the urgent movement amusing.

“It seems the preparations are already finished.”

Gye-won sat in the dressing room to hear the concept of the shoot, while Baek Yi-seo stayed close behind his back, continuing to look around. Even though Gye-won’s styling hadn’t even begun, everyone on set was on standby.

“They must be well-prepared.”

Gye-won’s tone was indifferent. The dressing room was structured so that you could see everything outside if the door was open, and Baek Yi-seo was taking advantage of that, moving his body to and fro to peer out.

“Since you’re enjoying yourself so much, I’ll have to bring you along next time too.”

Gye-won said with a kind face, his eyes narrowing gracefully as if he were granting a favor. Baek Yi-seo was taking in every corner like a child curious about the whole world.

“A-ah, no. I’m not enjoying myself.”

Yi-seo waved his hands in dismissal, terrified that he would be dragged along to Gye-won’s next schedule. At that, the gentle look on Gye-won’s face turned chilly.

“Sick of it already? I guess the CEO’s heart is worth less than a mere scrap of paper.”

Watching him act like a betrayed lover made it clear his mood had soured. However, Yi-seo, who had no desire to keep playing manager, stubbornly ignored him.

He was just about to turn his back to the door as if the situation outside wasn’t interesting at all when…

“Hey! Cha Gye-won-ssi.”

“Ah. Photographer.”

Two people entered the dressing room. Among them, a woman in her early 40s exuded a blend of elegance and boisterousness. She seemed to be the photographer in charge of today’s shoot. Beside her stood a short man who appeared to be an assistant photographer.

“To think I’m working with Gye-won-ssi again. I must have saved a country in my past life.”

“I’m the one who saved the country.”

The woman had a vibrant energy. The atmosphere in the dressing room instantly became more relaxed. Gye-won joked back at her cheerful praise.

“You sure have a way with words. Did you take a special course for that?”

“Well, shouldn’t I do my best so you’ll take great photos of me?”

“Your face is a masterpiece even if I just snap it. I’m the one who’s going to get cursed at for not being able to capture all of your beauty. But who is this? Your manager?”

The woman winked, pointing at Baek Yi-seo. She had been curious since she stepped into the room.

“My CEO.”

“Hello. I am Baek Yi-seo, the CEO of K-New.”

With a professional business smile plastered on his face, Yi-seo bowed slightly. The woman stepped right up to him and playfully pinched his cheek.

“Oh my. The CEO is this young? He’s a baby, a total baby.”

“Haha. You don’t look much different in age from me, though?”

Yi-seo tossed back a pleasant joke. Having met various types of people since entering this industry, his people skills had naturally improved. He found it frustrating that he couldn’t even speak properly in front of Cha Gye-won.

“Are you trying to make me feel good with jokes like that?”

“You really do look like you’re my age.”

Baek Yi-seo’s expression was full of sincerity.

“Oh, stop it. But the CEO is so pretty. Right?”

The woman examined Baek Yi-seo’s face closely. With features like these, he wouldn’t look washed out even in front of a camera. Her hand pinched his cheek once more. The skin felt firm and elastic under her fingers.