Come Back

He had been deliberately keeping his distance from Yun Hye-an, even avoiding any involvement with her. No matter how much animosity he felt, he wouldn’t intentionally try to make eye contact, but the encounters were becoming too frequent. Not knowing how to react, he would awkwardly look away every time and drink more.

By the time the dinner party came to an end, Choi Hong-seo was feeling a little tipsy.

Following the crowd out of the restaurant, he headed to the garden, where he found Lee Hye-sung smoking in a secluded corner with other smokers.

Some were gathering people for a second round, some were calling their managers, and others were still deep in conversation. Keeping a distance from them, Choi Hong-seo discreetly watched him.

Lee Hye-sung looked unusually drunk. Though there were no outward signs of intoxication, the bloodshot, gleaming look in his eyes indicated he was tipsy. He was still surrounded by people, all of them looking happy, yet there was no smile on his own face as the center of attention.

Wearing the same knit sweater he had worn the day they walked Namsan, he looked weary as he endured his drunkenness while inhaling his cigarette. He barely spoke, only occasionally lowering his head and bringing the cigarette to his lips.

Then, through the shoulders of the people around him, Choi Hong-seo suddenly met Lee Hye-sung’s gaze. It was as if he had already noticed Yun Hye-an’s presence and was able to lock onto Choi Hong-seo’s eyes instantly.

Perhaps due to his bloodshot eyes, the gaze now seemed more hostile, as if he were glaring at him. Choi Hong-seo must have made a strong impression on him. The role of Hwang Ji-woo that Choi Hong-seo was playing might have been the most crucial in the movie for Lee Hye-sung. From the start, he had been opposed to casting Yun Hye-an…

Park Dong-ha, who had been mingling noisily with the other actors, approached quietly and whispered.

“Did you make some mistake with the vice president?”

“Mistake?”

“Isn’t he staring at you right now? No, at this point, it looks like he’s glaring at you, doesn’t it?”

“Really? We’ve never even had a conversation, so I don’t see what mistake I could’ve made. He’s probably just looking around here.”

When his sedan, driven by his assistant, arrived, Lee Hye-sung put out his cigarette in the ashtray without hesitation and walked away. The producer, who had been claiming to be his fan since the last dinner, persistently asked him to join the second round, but could not stop him from getting into the car.

Once again, he left the scene, surrounded by people who warmly saw him off.

The memories of that day were still vivid in Choi Hong-seo’s mind.

That day, Choi Hong-seo hadn’t had a proper conversation with Lee Hye-sung at the dinner party. He felt disappointed and watched his car drive away, feeling a sense of distance. When he heard that Lee Hye-sung was waiting at the hotel, he suddenly became unusually persistent, asking him many questions.

Standing in front of the hotel room, he promised himself that he wouldn’t trust him, that he wouldn’t be deceived. Looking back, he realized it was an action trying to control his own growing desire to trust.

‘You really look like an idol, all bundled up like that.’ He remembered how his hand trembled as he touched the brim of his hat.

Much of that day felt the same, but more things had changed than stayed the same.

He wasn’t waiting at some hotel, nor would he smile gently to make him feel at ease.

He had no right to complain. He had made the decision to reject everything.

After seeing off the senior staff leaving, Park Dong-ha casually tapped Choi Hong-seo on the shoulder and said,

“It’s been a while since we met. Let’s drink and talk more. Got a lot to catch up on? I heard you moved? Want me to check out the new place?”

“I’ll definitely invite you next time. I’ve got somewhere to go today.”

“At this hour? It’s already midnight.”

Choi Hong-seo just gave an awkward smile in response to Park Dong-ha’s confusion.

After the backseat door closed, Lee Hye-sung glanced out at the people waving through the heavily tinted window.

More precisely, he was looking through the crowd to find someone. As the sedan began to move, the figure hidden behind the people was revealed. He had been hiding in the back the whole time, and after the car left, he slowly walked toward the front.

Even after the people who had been waving scattered, he remained in the same spot, watching intently. Just like that day, when Hong-seo had done the same.

“Vice President is departing from Cheongdam,” the assistant reported briefly over the phone to the residence in Hannam-dong, glancing at Lee Hye-sung through the rearview mirror with a worried look.

“Are you alright, sir? I have some hangover remedy drinks prepared. Would you like one?”

“Do I look that drunk?”

“You seem fine, but your eyes are bloodshot, so you appear more intoxicated than usual.”

“I’m fine. Water is enough.”

Though he responded by holding up the water bottle that the assistant had prepared in the cup holder, Lee Hye-sung didn’t drink it.

The car, now completely out of the quiet alley, merged into the bright streets of Gangnam. Despite it being midnight on a Monday, Dosan-daero was still busy with traffic.

As he gazed out the window, indifferent to the passing scenery, Lee Hye-sung reached for his cigarette pack.

‘I found Love Story quite impressive.’

It hadn’t been a coincidence that he heard that. After sending the others who had gone out to smoke ahead, he had stood by the door to the private room, listening to their conversation.

Lee Hye-sung took a cigarette from the pack and lit it. Since the production of Cream Mansion had resumed, his cigarette consumption had increased. He drew in the bitter taste that numbed his tongue, sucking in the filter.

Love Story.

Should he really believe that all of this was just coincidence?

That actor, Yoon Hye-an, coincidentally chose a work by Anton Chekhov for his audition. He coincidentally had the habit of counting numbers by folding his fingers when nervous. He coincidentally used the word “diligence” in his greeting. And he coincidentally mentioned Love Story…?

Yes, each of those things could happen by chance. Anton Chekhov was a famous writer, and having the habit of counting numbers with one’s fingers wasn’t that unusual. Emphasizing diligence was a common thing to do in certain contexts. Love Story? While not the kind of movie that someone in his age group would typically like, it was still a well-known work, so it wasn’t that surprising.

But how likely was it for all those coincidences to happen at once?

According to Manager Kang’s investigation, Yoon Hye-an had no connection with Choi Hong-seo. Manager Kang’s investigations were always thorough, but this time, there was surely some missing information. Basic research alone didn’t seem sufficient.

He would have to dig deeper…

Lee Hye-sung exhaled a thin stream of smoke and leaned his head back against the seat. He didn’t want to mingle with the noisy crowd, but he didn’t want to go home just yet either.

Continuing the production of the film was more emotionally draining than he had anticipated. If Hong-seo had been here… he couldn’t shake that thought.

“Let’s stop by Sowol-ro.”

“Sowol-ro, you say?”

“I just want to get some fresh air.”

“Understood.”

He knew it wouldn’t be the same walking the path alone that he had walked with her. Still, tonight, he wanted to do something. Even if it was pain, he wanted to feel the emotions caused by that kid.

“Vice President, we are heading to Namsan. I will report the route again after that.”

To avoid disturbing him in the backseat, Lee Hye-sung listened quietly to the report to Hannam-dong while crushing his cigarette in the ashtray.

It didn’t take long to cross Hanam Bridge and enter Sowol-ro. The sedan drove slowly with Namsan to the right. Lee Hye-sung planned to get out and walk a little at a suitable spot.

“Wait. Don’t go further. Let’s stop here for a moment.”

He suddenly ordered the car to stop. The assistant turned on the hazard lights and pulled the car closely to the right side of the road.

“That person over there, leaning against the railing. Can you clearly see their face?”

Lee Hye-sung furrowed his brow and pointed to the left, asking the assistant.

It was a quiet time of night, and the only person in sight was a man gazing out at the night view, leaning against a railing.

“I’m not sure, but I think it’s the actor Yoon Hye-an.”

“Go further down and make a U-turn. Let’s pass by slowly so we can see his face clearly.”

When the car turned and came back, the figure by the railing was still standing in the same spot.

The sedan slowly passed by behind him. Unaware that someone was watching him, Yoon Hye-an was completely absorbed in his own thoughts.

As they passed right by him, Lee Hye-sung confirmed that it was indeed Yoon Hye-an from his side profile.

“What should we do, Vice President?”

“Just go ahead. I’ve had my walk now…”

Lee Hye-sung’s hand searched for another cigarette. After a few false attempts, he finally lit it, and the red glow at the tip ignited.