My House Has Become a Filming Set!

Chapter 28

༺ My House Has Become a Filming Set! – 28 ༻

“Yeonwoo?”

“Ah, yes.”

His momentarily wandering soul returned at his call, regaining his consciousness.

“Keep in touch.”

“Keep in touch?”

Without time to interpret the simple phrase “Keep in touch,” he hastily pulled out his mobile phone from his pocket, staring at Kang Do-jun like a dog waiting for its master’s command.

Seeing him like that, Kang Do-jun slightly smiled, held his mobile phone, and nodded.

“Not now, but let’s keep in touch even when I go to Seoul. Not just once a year. Continuously.”

“…Oh.”

“Do you dislike it?”

“No.”

Only then did Lee Yeonwoo seem a little spirited. He shoved his mobile phone into his pants pocket and spoke anxiously.

“Right, but you’re busy, hyung.”

“I’m not busy.”

He was waiting for countless scripts to start his next project once his entertainment schedule was over, but he blurted it out somewhat compulsively.

Lee Yeonwoo stared at him.

‘He looks busy no matter how I look at him.’

It was overwhelmingly kind. He didn’t know how he managed his life in showbiz like that.

‘I should take good care of him too.’

Contrary to Lee Yeonwoo’s thoughts, Kang Do-jun was famous for strictly separating public and private matters in the entertainment world.

Unaware of this fact, Lee Yeonwoo began a customized education for Kang Do-jun.

“Hyung, you’re too kind. You need to be tougher.”

“Really? I’ve never thought about that.”

Kang Do-jun let out a snicker while watching Yeonwoo rambling on earnestly. Kindness was secondary, the man in front of him was a pushover. He would even sign weird contracts while giggling that it’s fine.

“You should take care of yourself. And don’t sign anything unnecessary again.”

“Ah…”

Lee Yeonwoo, feeling embarrassed, rinsed his face and hid it between his knees.

Kang Do-jun, filled with mischief, once again reached out and lightly brushed his nape. He saw his body flinch, but he didn’t seem to be surprised like before. He just quietly lifted his hand to hide his nape.

Whether he was embarrassed from his earlier surprise, or deliberately suppressing his reactions, it only made him seem cuter.

Lee Yeonwoo tilted his head that was hidden between his knees and looked up at Kang Do-jun sullenly. Then he raised his upper body, put his hand in the pocket of his jacket, and pulled out another can of beer he had awkwardly brought.

Kang Do-jun’s eyes widened slightly. He thought the jacket felt heavy for some reason, maybe it was because of this.

The carbonation overflowed as soon as he opened the can, perhaps because it had been shaken in the pocket. Lee Yeonwoo, not wanting to waste it, immediately put his mouth to it and gulped it down.

Seeing this, Kang Do-jun snatched the can and sneakily drank from it.

Lee Yeonwoo made a disappointed face as if someone had stolen his delicious snack. Kang Do-jun personally flattened his nose, making it pig-like.

“Stop drinking.”

Lee Yeonwoo, about to retort at his words, closed his mouth after licking his lips.

His appearance, merged with the moonlight, glowed more. Somehow, he felt as if his weakness had been seized. As if he knew exactly what Lee Yeonwoo was thinking, Kang Do-jun laughed refreshingly and asked.

“Do you usually drink a lot?”

“…Well.”

Lee Yeonwoo averted his gaze. He would drink whenever he felt anxious. The problem was that even when he wasn’t anxious, the habit of drinking had taken root.

Suddenly, a complex surge of emotions – feelings of sadness, loneliness, disappointment – made Yeonwoo pout his lips.

“Kheh.”

He sniffled, holding back tears.

“…Are you crying?”

“The beer is spicy.”

“Beer is what?”

“The carbonation.”

Kang Do-jun took a sip from the beer in his hand. He could simply say that he was sad about parting, but he stubbornly dodged the truth. The sight of Yeonwoo, wide-eyed to keep the tears from falling, was admirable.

It had been only ten days, but he had grown too attached, and deeply so.

This damn puppy, if left alone, wouldn’t clean up properly, wouldn’t feed himself, might drink all day, or sign another weird contract. Worries surged in like waves.

‘…Should I stay a few more days?’

He kept repeating the same words obsessively, or perhaps persistently.

“I’m not busy.”

So keep in touch. Every day.

* * *

On the 10th day, in the afternoon, after all the shooting was done, they exchanged farewell greetings.

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

Lee Yeonwoo looked at the hand that Han Taegu had extended for a handshake. This man had made a drunk person sign documents and filled the contract with poison clauses.

What was the psychology behind watching them intently all this time and then coming to say goodbye on the last day? He tried to read the expression but couldn’t make any sense of it.

He put his suspicions aside and casually shook hands. However, his gaze stayed sharp on him.

“I’ll contact you again when it airs.”

He planned to block Han Taegu’s number immediately.

As he finished saying goodbye to each person, he caught eyes with Kang Do-jun, who was talking with his manager. Do-jun beckoned him over.

“Come here.”

As he scurried over and stood next to him, a cool touch wrapped around his neck. It felt odd being held by the neck, rather than the shoulder. But this feeling too was ending today.

“Thank you for your help during this time.”

“Yes, manager, you’ve worked hard too.”

Kang Do-jun’s manager, Park Daeho, exchanged greetings while looking at them with a strange gaze. Didn’t he just flash a satisfied smile when Yeonwoo approached his side?

He brushed it off, assuming he must have seen it wrong.

“Tell me if anything in the house is broken or damaged.”

“If you need honey, contact me. I’ll send it free of shipping.”

“If you need it, you can come see me.”

“The fuel cost will be higher.”

“So what.”

Park Daeho furrowed his brows slightly. This side of Kang Do-jun was something he hadn’t seen in the years he had been his manager.

“Do-jun-ah, we should go.”

“Yeah, I’ll go.”

Despite taking heavy steps at his manager’s words, he glanced back at Lee Yeonwoo.

Lee Yeonwoo stood there as if rooted, watching him.

As he came out to the yard, the village elders were gathered in front of the gate to say their last goodbyes.

“Our home’s chickens are very nutritious. They’re different from those in Seoul!”

The village elders were giving Kang Do-jun eggs from the henhouse, kimchi, and various other side dishes. It seemed that the grandmother, who had been guarding the chickens with such fervor for the last two days, had been planning to secure a share for Do-jun.

“Thank you. I will enjoy it.”

He bowed his head and then looked back once more at Yeonwoo in the yard. He was still standing there.

“Yeonwoo, aren’t you going to see me off?”

At that, Yeonwoo quickly went into the house. Startled, Do-jun was about to follow him when Yeonwoo reappeared and hesitated. Yeonwoo put something into his arms.

He clumsily held onto the item, already having many things in his hands, and inspected what it was.

“Royal jelly?”

There were as many as three small glass bottles.

“Take one for yourself, and give one to Shin Gihyeon as well. There are many members in idol groups, so tell them to share one bottle. Check for allergies before eating.”

It seemed like he thought he should give something too, because the elders were each giving something. He was not a child…it was nice to learn from adults’ behavior, but he was too generous.

‘…What a real fool.’

He had freely given away something so expensive.

“You dummy.”

“Huh?”

Royal jelly would be more expensive than honey, yet he had thoughtlessly given away three bottles. He worried that this might end up ruining his honey business.

“Take it. I can’t accept this.”

“…Why?”

His eyes expressed the injustice of having made an effort to give something and then having it refused.

“No, listen to me.”

Yeonwoo frowned. He had made what he thought was a significant decision to hand it over, and he was getting stubborn at words that seemed to scold a child.

Yeonwoo picked up the glass bottle and tried to forcefully stuff it into one of the black bags filled in Do-jun’s hands.

“Yeonwoo, it’s okay.”

“Take it!”

A struggle ensued between the one who was trying to give it away at all costs and the one who was trying to prevent it at all costs. A thump! sounded from one of the bags, and soon after, the bag felt squishy.

Both of them froze and looked into the bag from which the noise had come.

“…They broke.”

Both sets of eyes turned toward Granny Kyeongyi. Somehow, she had sensed what had happened and was approaching them with a furious expression.

“Return my chick!”

“It wasn’t me. It was hyung who broke it.”

Yeonwoo hid behind Do-jun in an act of survival. There was never a quiet moment, even on the last day.

“Well… it happened because…”

“Because what!?”

“Only two were broken.”

Granny Kyeongyi’s eyes bulged as she exclaimed.

“Only two were broken? Is that something to be proud of? You should have handled them carefully!”

“It would have been better if you put them in a safer place instead of a bag that could easily be broken.”

Yeonwoo shouted in frustration. He had used Do-jun as a shield, hiding behind him, but seeing him get scolded somehow made him feel bad.

Eventually, they could only escape after receiving a smack on the back from Granny Kyeongyi.

Well, they should be thankful that it was only this much.

Do-jun was too busy worrying about the broken eggs to notice the three bottles of royal jelly that had slipped into the other bag.

Seeing him flustered in front of him, Yeonwoo spoke with sparkling eyes.

“Does it hurt?”

There was an expectant look in his eyes.

“I suppose so.”

The lukewarm response dimmed the light in Yeonwoo’s eyes instantly. After a moment of hesitation, Do-jun spoke again.

“Are you okay?”

This time it was the correct answer. Yeonwoo shrugged nonchalantly as if it was nothing.

“I can handle it.”

It was an exceptionally pleasant feeling to have someone else show concern for him.

Having been raised by Granny, and then taking care of her once he was a bit older, it was hard to casually bring up such relationships to others. It was his duty to take on everything, and even receiving concern was a luxury.

Still, as an adult who has experienced many relationships, he thought he had become accustomed to giving and receiving concern, but the worry that Do-jun was showing him felt somewhat different and pleasing.

Could it be because this person he hadn’t known for long was paying attention to him? He put strength into his face to suppress the corners of his mouth from unconsciously rising, which resulted in a slightly strange expression.

“Should I not go?”

Do-jun thought that Yeonwoo was holding back tears as he spoke.

“I don’t have any immediate schedules anyway. Should I stay a bit longer?”

Yeonwoo was about to unknowingly nod his head, but they had already said their goodbyes grandly, and it would seem a little ridiculous to Do-jun if he decided not to leave now.

“It’s okay. We can see each other again next time.”

“…Yeah, contact me if anything happens.”

Do-jun answered, looking at Han Taegu standing far away. Things had been quiet for the past two days, but he worried whether something might be brewing behind the scenes.

He was touching his mobile phone with wireless earphones in his ears, grinning ominously.

‘Why is he like that?’

“I’ll contact you when I get to Seoul.”

But Yeonwoo’s subsequent words cut short his thoughts about Han Taegu.

“Seoul? When? Are you coming?”

“…Someday?”

Watching Yeonwoo answer with a question, Do-jun, who had been secretly hoping inside, nodded. It was just a casual comment.

Park Daeho, who had started the car, called for Do-jun.

“We really have to go now.”

“Yep, I’m leaving now. Bye, Yeonwoo.”

“It was fun. Drive safely.”

Yeonwoo reached out and firmly grabbed the cuff of Do-jun’s sleeve. His action seemed to contradict his words, as if he was telling him not to go.

“I’ll come again.”

Upon hearing Do-jun’s words, he released the hand he had been holding.

* * *

The tumultuous ten days had ended and everyone had left. The yard that had been bustling for ten days was now only occupied by Yeonwoo.

He went to the apiary as usual, made his rounds catching hornets with a butterfly net, but it all felt strangely unfamiliar, even though it was just his usual routine.

Yeonwoo quietly sighed, sitting still in the desolate place.

“Maybe I should have a drink.”

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