Come Back

Around 3 PM, there was a script study session at Director Kang Woo-hyun’s house. It was a gathering where the director and actors came together to discuss how they each interpreted the script and shared their thoughts while analyzing the characters. In dramas, this process was often replaced by a simple table reading, but many directors in film considered this process essential. Kang Woo-hyun, in particular, was a director known for placing great importance on it.

By collaborating with the actors and engaging in discussions, Kang Woo-hyun’s method was to reflect their personalities in the characters and the work itself. Although this approach made actors think more deeply, it also helped them grow as actors after working with him.

Yoon Hye-an had been in a few films, mostly in supporting or minor roles. But for Choi Hong-seo, this was his first film. There was more at stake than just successfully playing the role of Hwang Ji-woo.

Most importantly, he didn’t want to disappoint him.

He had said that he hoped this film would be completed in the most beautiful form possible, and Yoon Hye-an was determined to fulfill that wish.

The temperature was neither too hot nor too cold, with the sunlight feeling slightly intense. Thanks to this, his outfit of sunglasses and a hat didn’t stand out much. When Yoon Hye-an first opened his eyes in this body, it had been the loud, scorching summer with the sound of cicadas, but now, the season had clearly shifted to fall.

Having left the house a little earlier than planned, Choi Hong-seo arrived at the first destination with some time to spare.

Before heading to Director Kang’s house in Pyeongchang-dong, there were a few things he needed to take care of, which is why he had left early.

The first stop was a telecom store.

There were enough customers that he had to take a waiting number. He wasn’t using someone else’s name, but for some reason, he felt nervous, and he kept crumpling his ticket, anxiously waiting for his turn.

When he sat down at the assigned counter and took off his sunglasses, it seemed like the employee recognized Yoon Hye-an’s face. Although the employee didn’t openly show it, there was a sense of recognition in the way they furtively glanced with a slightly flushed expression.

“You want to change your phone but keep your current number, right?”

“Yes.”

He had been uncomfortable using Yoon Hye-an’s old phone. After all, it wasn’t his own phone; it belonged to Choi Hong-seo. Plus, he wanted to keep his promise to Lee Hye-sung.

“From now on… I’ll only use the ARA phone.”

He had promised him that, and it was a sincere promise.

“Do you have a specific model in mind?”

“Well… It’s a model that came out about a year ago. Do you still have it? The ARA phone.”

The employee flipped through a brochure and showed him a page.

“If it’s about a year ago, this might be the model you’re referring to.”

“Yes, that’s it!”

It was the exact same model that Lee Hye-sung had given him as a gift before his departure to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in the underground parking lot of his accommodation. Delighted, Choi Hong-seo leaned forward and unknowingly raised his voice.

Noticing the puzzled look from the employee, he awkwardly rubbed his mouth with the back of his hand and straightened up, embarrassed.

“If you’re looking at the ARA phone, a new model was just released two weeks ago. Would you like to take a look at that as well?”

“No, that’s fine. I’ll go with this one. I like this one.”

For a moment, the employee’s face showed a look of confusion, as if wondering why a well-known celebrity like Yoon Hye-an was insisting on an older model, but soon enough, the process continued as usual.

“You really are Yoon Hye-an…”

The employee, having taken Yoon Hye-an’s ID, cautiously looked between the photo on the ID and the face of the customer in front of him before speaking again.

“Yes.”

“I’m so glad. When I was assigned to your counter, I thought you were a really handsome customer, but I wasn’t sure. I know it’s not good manners to act like I recognize you, but it’s my first time meeting a celebrity. You’re really handsome.”

Before confirming that it was truly Yoon Hye-an, the employee had tried to keep a neutral and polite demeanor. But once he recognized him, his attitude changed instantly. His voice, tone, and expression all became warmer and more friendly.

“Thank you.”

Upon hearing the name “Yoon Hye-an,” the staff at the adjacent counter and their customer began to glance over curiously.

“Isn’t that the guy? The one who jumped off the bridge and survived.”

The voice from the adjacent customer was lowered, but in a space so small, it was impossible not to overhear.

It was a familiar situation, one Choi Hong-seo had often encountered. Most people treated celebrities in front of them as if they were just characters from TV. They whispered to each other, thinking that lowering their voices would prevent the celebrity from hearing, but as usual, anyone’s words were more easily heard when talking about them.

Technically, this time it wasn’t about Choi Hong-seo, but Yoon Hye-an.

Amid the excessive curiosity, interest, and kindness, the phone change was completed, and Yoon Hye-an exited the store. He hailed a taxi.

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

“……”

“Where to?”

Since the passenger didn’t mention the destination, the driver turned around to ask first.

“…Please go to Daehangno.”

Even though he had made up his mind to go there when leaving the house, the words didn’t come easily.

Trying to calm his racing heart, he looked out the window and took a deep breath. One, two, three, four… Even after counting four times while folding his fingers, his tension wouldn’t subside.

Hyun-soo.

He was on his way to meet Hyun-soo.

It wasn’t exactly a meeting since they hadn’t set up an appointment, but rather a visit.

After waking up in Yoon Hye-an’s body and regaining some clarity, there were only two people Yoon Hye-an wanted to hear from, other than Lee Hae-sung. Jeong Ji-in and Song Hyun-soo.

While Jeong Ji-in was an object of admiration and envy, it was Song Hyun-soo who, in the same position, understood each other’s circumstances more equally. Though their paths diverged a bit from Choi Hong-seo’s, Hyun-soo, too, had been a victim exploited by the great CEO. Having shared the darkest of secrets, Yoon Hye-an could at least open up a little in front of Hyun-soo.

It wasn’t hard to find out about the recent activities of the two.

Jeong Ji-in, who had found huge success with the drama Eternal Night, had surprisingly transitioned completely to acting in theater. Although this move had distanced him from public attention, his name could still easily bring up his most recent performances or updates with a simple search. He had just finished a long-running play and was now on a break.

The last post on his sparse social media, which had only one or two updates a month, showed him enjoying a vacation by the sea in Italy. He must have gone to visit his family there… It was reassuring to see him looking healthy.

As for Hyun-soo, who had drifted from drama to film, auditioning for small roles, he was now part of a theater troupe in Daehangno.

When Yoon Hye-an learned of this, it was the first time since waking up in this body that he had smiled brightly.

Hyun-soo had struggled with his passion for acting for a long time. Unlike Choi Hong-seo, who fought desperately for success to escape the clutches of CEO Myung, Hyun-soo seemed like someone who had given up and let go.

On the outside, he acted casual and rough, pretending to be bright and carefree, but inside, he was empty. He lacked determination and patience, letting others take what he wanted, then quickly forgetting about it after a few complaints. He wasn’t someone who would fight viciously to take something back.

But now, Hyun-soo was working with a theater troupe and performing steadily on stage. He was also starting to land more significant roles in dramas and films. There was even a small fan club for him online. Yoon Hye-an couldn’t help but feel proud, as if it were his own achievement, seeing Hyun-soo’s fan club growing. If only Hyun-soo knew how to make use of his looks better.

Yoon Hye-an had also learned that Hyun-soo worked at a bar in Daehangno when he wasn’t performing at the theater.

Once he knew where and what Hyun-soo was doing, Yoon Hye-an wanted to see him living well with his own eyes. After hesitating for a long time, he made up his mind, but his heart still wouldn’t calm down. After all, to Hyun-soo, he was just Yoon Hye-an. There was no need to feel so nervous.

The place, which opened in the early afternoon, was a bar that operated as a café in the daytime and a bar in the evening. It wasn’t particularly stylish, but it had a cozy atmosphere that suggested it had a steady stream of regulars.

After sitting down, Yoon Hye-an ordered a cocktail. He had heard that Hyun-soo, who worked there, would personally make the drinks.

It was supposed to be Hyun-soo’s shift today, but Yoon Hye-an couldn’t see him. Just as he was starting to feel anxious, Hyun-soo appeared, pulling aside the curtain behind the counter. After confirming the order with the serving staff, he began to make the cocktail with impressive skill. Yoon Hye-an remembered that before he caught the attention of CEO Myung, Hyun-soo had worked as a bartender’s assistant.

While fiddling with the glass of water that had been served first, Yoon Hye-an continued to glance at Hyun-soo from under the brim of his hat. Perhaps noticing the gaze, Hyun-soo came over with the finished cocktail.

“You’re the actor Yoon Hye-an, right?”

“…Yes.”

When it came to Hyun-soo, Yoon Hye-an had expected him to ask bluntly, so he couldn’t help but smile inwardly.

“What brings you here? I know we’re not exactly a fancy place, not even by a long shot,” Hyun-soo said nonchalantly, scratching his neck as he stood in front of the table. His carefree attitude hadn’t changed one bit. Even though he acted tough and brash, he still gave off that familiar, almost unthreatening vibe. The same feeling Yoon Hye-an had always gotten from him.

In an unexpected moment, Yoon Hye-an felt a sharp pang in his chest. His emotions swelled up, and he quickly lowered his head, sipping his cocktail through the straw to calm himself.

“So, how’s the cocktail? I made it myself,” Hyun-soo asked.

“It’s good,” Yoon Hye-an replied.

“You asked for less alcohol, so I paid attention to that,” Hyun-soo continued.

“Yeah, even though it’s low on alcohol, it’s not just juice… it’s really good,” Yoon Hye-an complimented, and he wasn’t lying. Though he couldn’t really taste the flavor well in his current state, it was obvious that Hyun-soo had put effort into making it. He hadn’t known that Hyun-soo had such a talent for mixing drinks. Back then, when they were just trying to survive, it was hard to notice such things.

“By the way, you got cast in Cream Mansion, right? Congrats,” Hyun-soo said, casually.

“Thanks,” Yoon Hye-an replied.

“The role you’re playing was originally meant for my friend, Choi Hong-seo…” Hyun-soo continued.

Hyun-soo’s tone grew a bit shy as he rubbed the back of his neck, as if it were awkward to bring this up. Yoon Hye-an understood why he had been lingering by the table now.

Hearing Hyun-soo say, “Choi Hong-seo is my friend,” again made Yoon Hye-an’s emotions waver. His brows furrowed, and his eyes started to feel hot.

“Oh… I see,” Yoon Hye-an responded, unable to meet his gaze, stirring his cocktail with the straw.

“I know you might not believe me, but it’s true. That role was something he really wanted to do and worked hard for,” Hyun-soo said earnestly.

“…” Yoon Hye-an remained silent.

“So, please take good care of it,” Hyun-soo continued.

“…”

“I know you might wonder why I’m asking you for this, but he was really special to me,” Hyun-soo added, his voice quiet but sincere.

“…”

“In that case, this one’s on me,” Hyun-soo said, walking back to the counter after paying for Yoon Hye-an’s drink.

“Thanks. I’ll enjoy it,” Yoon Hye-an murmured, struggling to hold back the lump in his throat.

As he watched Hyun-soo’s back retreating to the counter, Yoon Hye-an was suddenly overcome by the urge to shout, Hyun-soo! He felt like he could just get up and do it. To suppress this impulse, he clenched his fists tightly under the table.

He had only wanted to see him doing well. But now, after seeing Hyun-soo in person and hearing those words, a sense of longing stirred inside him. All this time, he had endured, but suddenly, everything felt unjust and unfair.

“I’m your friend, Choi Hong-seo.” He wanted to say it out loud. He wanted to scream it. It felt like he couldn’t help it, even if it seemed impossible. He wanted to tell him, I’m Hong-seo, but what was he supposed to do with that?

Yoon Hye-an wanted to grab Hyun-soo, cry, and tell him everything.

Maybe Hyun-soo would believe him. For a fleeting moment, he entertained that thought.

But it was just a hopeless, naive dream.

Even if he were Hyun-soo, he wouldn’t have believed such a story.

After finishing the “Blood Mary” cocktail that Hyun-soo had made, Yoon Hye-an stood up. That was all that Choi Hong-seo could do.