FBF chapter 7 part 1

It was over. That was the last thought Hyunwoo could have behind the musty curtain.

Who would have thought that the police, who he thought had left after searching the club for drug users, would still be around, and that they would come walking towards him just to find the source of the sound made by a dropped phone on the floor? He truly didn’t expect things would turn out like this. As the sound of approaching footsteps got closer, Hyunwoo tightly shut his eyes in despair.

So this is how I’ll end my life as a wannabe actor without ever making it onto the screen. Even if an article comes out, they’ll probably only mention me as an aspiring actor; I doubt they’ll even write ‘actor’ in the occupation section. It felt unfair. I’ve never even done drugs—not even tried misutgaru in my life, so why…

He recalled the words from a fortune teller renowned in Daehangno during his theater days. “You need to meet good people. Especially men.” The performance he was doing back then was criticized for being desperate in trying to stage it, lacking money, and choosing male students from the theater film department for their decent looks. All the other members who had gone for fortune-telling before had been men as well. The warning from his grandfather meant to be cautious with people, but to Hyunwoo, it sounded just the same as being told to be careful. Just as Hyunwoo was lost in thought, his grandfather, who had stopped paying attention to him, clicked his tongue. “But you also like men.” When their eyes met, his grandfather declared, “You have no luck with men. The one you like doesn’t like you back, and the one who likes you isn’t to your liking. Your fate is to only do good for others, so just work hard and live.”

It wasn’t because he thought those words were right, but as life went on, he ended up following them. He worked hard and pushed himself tirelessly. Yet still, he faced this kind of adversity. Was it the problem with the agency he joined not long ago? Or was it the director, who claimed to be a distant relative of the new manager? Or perhaps it was his own fault for not realizing that the party the director hosted in that club was an actual drug den? When he thought it over, it seemed all three were problematic. What a damn life. Hyunwoo bit his lip to swallow a hollow sigh.

He heard the curtain being drawn aside. Having witnessed the scene of a room being turned upside down due to the police raid while hiding behind the air conditioner, Hyunwoo knew all too well what was coming next. They would arrest him. They would interrogate him about how he knew the director. One, two, three… But instead of the shouts and interrogation he anticipated, there was an eerie silence. Feeling strange, Hyunwoo hesitantly opened his tightly shut eyes. Looking up, he saw a shadow that seemed quite tall.

“Are you just going to keep sitting there?”

It was the first voice Hyunwoo heard from the person who had pulled the curtain open. Hyunwoo involuntarily blinked his eyes wide. The moment he made eye contact with the man standing in front of him, an awkward response came tumbling out.

“Uh… no.”

Because the man was so good-looking. He had gone through the Theater and Film department of a prestigious university and had spent three years rolling around in Daehangno, where young and handsome people gathered, and even Hyunwoo, who was now frozen in disbelief, found himself momentarily captivated. Moreover, among the rough-looking detectives who were arresting the people in the room earlier, there was none who looked like this. Having to view those frighteningly intimidating detectives behind the air conditioner made Hyunwoo understand that only too well. His fear of thinking he must be a police officer faded.

But then, who was he? An actor here to get a leg up like Hyunwoo? Or just someone who came to the club for fun? He wore a black turtleneck under his jacket and dark pants. Hyunwoo tilted his head as he surveyed the man’s entirely monochrome outfit. Even accounting for his face, which drew attention just by being there, his attire was exceptionally plain. Perhaps that made it even more difficult for Hyunwoo to guess what kind of person he was. Despite the burden of being scrutinized by the man’s unwavering gaze, it was clear this was no ordinary person.

However, the man lightly shattered Hyunwoo’s expectations. As he casually diverted his gaze from Hyunwoo, the bangs that had been covering his forehead swayed softly.

“Are you the one hiding?”

He reached out his hand. Hyunwoo gasped as he instinctively wrapped his arms around his neck. The man, unfazed, unzipped his jacket and pulled it down. The clothes beneath became fully visible. The man’s gaze, which had been scanning Hyunwoo from top to bottom, returned to his face. For the first time, he twitched his eyebrows. It was a small motion, but to the pressured Hyunwoo, it felt monumental.

“Student?”

He had been using polite speech before, but suddenly, his tone had dropped. Realizing he was the one who had given him a reason to speak that way, Hyunwoo gulped. He needed to explain, but no words came. Only when the man’s eyes, which had risen back to his face, met his did Hyunwoo instinctively sense that the claim about being a police officer was probably true. A cold sweat broke out on his back.

Shit, he really is a police officer… I can’t look away. If I do, it feels like I’ll immediately be treated like a criminal and dragged off.

Then Hyunwoo remembered he was wearing his school uniform beneath the jacket. He had even sent a chicken gift coupon to a senior from a high school known for its beautiful uniforms. He had intended to impress the director, who was looking for an actor who could portray a teenager, whatever it took. He never thought he’d face criticism for how a high schooler like him ended up in such a place.

“Ah, no. I just… I graduated a few years ago. I borrowed the uniform from a junior because the director wanted to see someone in a school uniform… Ah.”

Trying to explain, he ended up spilling not only the necessary details but also things that hadn’t even been asked. It was only the moment he mentioned the director being dragged away in handcuffs that he belatedly closed his mouth. The man, listening with his eyes lowered, suddenly stretched out his hand and commanded as if it were obvious.

“ID.”

His blunt tone hadn’t changed from before, but the coolness of the momentarily fleeting gaze made Hyunwoo shrink back. Despite having made an explanation, the man’s words remained terse. Didn’t he believe him? Hyunwoo’s heart raced wildly, but he hurriedly rummaged through his pockets and politely handed over his wallet. The man opened it and took out the identification card before lifting it close to Hyunwoo’s face as if comparing.

Hyunwoo, who had just frozen up, quickly continued speaking, checking the handcuffs he had seen on the man’s waist an instant ago, doing his best to convince himself.

“I think it’s an understandable situation. I’m really not someone who does drugs. I swear to God I’ve never had any interest in drugs. I rarely come to clubs unless it’s for an after-party, but I came because the director said he was coming, and my manager urged me to go just once to make an impression. But I didn’t even get into the room. You can check the CCTV over there in the corner. I’m really a good person unrelated to this sort of thing. I served in the army without any issues, really.”

Hyunwoo couldn’t tell whether the man believed him. He didn’t seem to pay any attention to Hyunwoo’s defense, and the next moment, he lowered the ID card he was holding. He still appeared unfazed.

“Are you done?”

Hyunwoo, swallowing hard at the indifferent tone, clumsily nodded. Uh… yes. That seems to be the case for now. Whether his best attempt at a defense worked or he simply recognized that the identification card photo resembled Hyunwoo’s face, the man returned his wallet.

“Next time you defend yourself, don’t say what you just said. Nine out of ten drug offenders say the same thing.”

The man’s expression remained unchanged. Since the moment he first spoke, the stiff tone he used and his pleasing deep voice made it clear. The man turned as if the business was done but then hesitated and turned back. His eyes were fixed on the collar of Hyunwoo’s school uniform.

“Don’t ever take on a role in a project where the director asks students to come to a club in a school uniform.”

Once again, he spoke in a manner that made it unclear whether it was formal or casual. The dry tone belied content that seemed advisory. It piqued Hyunwoo’s curiosity, oddly enough—did he throw out that informal comment after checking Hyunwoo’s age? Hyunwoo wondered if the man was younger or older than him.

“Come to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in two days and pick up your ID. If, as you claimed, you really have nothing to do with this, I’ll leave it with them.”

What do you mean you’ll leave it? Hyunwoo was a beat slow to realize that the space where the identification card should have been was empty. Panicking, he turned his head again. The beats from the club stage resonating from the room that had been flipped upside down sounded alarmingly similar to his heartbeats. The man who had just immobilized Hyunwoo was walking down the hallway. His voice, calm and steady, rang true against his purposeful stride.

“Yes, Captain. We checked the scene again, and there are no unusual findings.”

It wasn’t hard to spot him. His distinctive appearance stood out among the similarly looking people, but it was also because he had stared so intently that he could memorize each detail whenever someone passed by. Just when he thought his memory could have been distorted, Hyunwoo’s eyes widened. It was the man.

“Excuse me!”

Having been waiting outside in the cold for an unknown time, unable to contain his frozen lips any longer, words tumbled out awkwardly. It was embarrassing for an actor, for whom precise pronunciation was crucial. Hyunwoo hurriedly warmed up his mouth. Ah-ee-oo-eh-o. The man who had stopped in his tracks waited for Hyunwoo. More precisely, Hyunwoo jumped ahead calling out in a panic.

After finishing his mouth warm-up, Hyunwoo looked ahead. For a brief moment, he felt intimidated by the man’s gaze, which resembled that of someone meeting a stranger for the first time, but he opened his mouth nonetheless.

“Do you remember me? From that time at the club…”

“…Ah.”

The man responded bluntly. Ah. It was a light acknowledgment that felt as fleeting as breath in the cold. Hyunwoo felt it was clear the man had completely forgotten him. He cleared his throat to shake off his disappointment. After all, he had justification for being there.

“I came to pick up my identification card.”

“If you go to the first floor and say your name, they’ll give it to you. They’ve kept it for you.”

Huh… that wasn’t it… The man was swift in his pace, and in the moment Hyunwoo had blankly stared, he easily disappeared into the distance. Once he snapped back to reality, he began running after him, just as he had when he saw him earlier, hanging around the police station entrance for over two hours.

“…….”

Hyunwoo saw the man stop short when he blocked his path again. Swallowing at the sight of the cigarette pack in the man’s hand, Hyunwoo had to admit—now that he looked again, this man was his type. He was enough to make Hyunwoo act in such a reckless way. With confidence, Hyunwoo spoke up.

“About that incident, I’m sure I’m not involved, right?”

This morning, Hyunwoo had seen articles where actor Chung Hyeong-bok and the initials of the others who were at the scene during the arrests were mentioned. It seemed they had agreed not to disclose names, but still, public speculation was heating up across the web.

“You pulled a few strands of my hair when you pretended to touch my jacket. The inspection is over, right? The reason you’re returning my ID is the same—there’s nothing particularly odd.”

The man stared at Hyunwoo as if surprised he had noticed. Locking eyes with him, Hyunwoo swallowed hard. He had waited two hours just to say this. He could have just asked his manager to retrieve his ID. The real reason for coming on his own was simply that he wanted to see the man in front of him again. Quickly confirming the name on the ID card hanging around the man’s neck, Hyunwoo repeated it to himself in his mind.

Ji Seon-uk.

Reciting the name just like a line he had to remember, he confidently followed up with, “So let’s have a meal together.”

“…….”

“Drinks are also fine. Just whatever you feel like eating.”

The man remained silent for a long time. Was he rejected? It felt almost terrifying. Despite never having been rejected before, Hyunwoo continued waiting. He was the underdog here. Just by observing this man’s demeanor, he could tell he held no interest. But that could change as they got to know each other.

“Where are you from?”

After a while, the man asked a seemingly random question. Even Hyunwoo, who was confident he could handle any answer, was momentarily taken aback. Huh? The man, who had stared blankly at Hyunwoo, tossed his cigarette into the nearby ashtray. Now that he paid attention, the man seemed taller than Hyunwoo, which became more evident the closer they stood.

“You seem like you speak with a regional dialect.”

It was his first private question. Hyunwoo felt flustered but thought it was a good sign nonetheless. After all, the first thing he’d corrected in his acting career had been his dialect. He hesitated momentarily, seizing the opportunity to respond.

“I’m from Chungcheong… from Seosan, you know it?”

Without batting an eye, the man nodded. Yes. A short answer. As Hyunwoo tried to speak again, the man opened his mouth first. This was the first time he showed an intent to start a conversation, usually only responding with short answers.

“You resemble my friend.”

“Me? How so?”

“You’re the type to push forward without regard for the situation.”

“…….”

“But he wouldn’t do it if he knew I didn’t like him. It’s just something he does lightly.”

Hyunwoo’s mouth fell shut. While he had sensed the man was not the type to openly tease, he had a talent for silencing others. It was as if he was subtly informing Hyunwoo that he could paint a wall without crossing a line. Feeling the urge to break through that wall, Hyunwoo opened his mouth.

“Then can we at least start as friends?”

The man raised his gaze and paused, lowering the cigarette he had almost put to his lips. He looked up at Hyunwoo with a loose filter in his mouth and gave a short laugh. He didn’t leave room to discern whether it was genuine laughter or mockery.

“Why?”

Those two words felt like a summary of the situation. Reflecting on his actions—standing in long padding and wearing a mask all day at the police station, or trying to engage in conversation with someone who showed no interest—it was an accurate assessment. He had been diligently doing something that really didn’t need to be done. Nonetheless, he had to. He wanted to. So, dealing with the man’s words as he took a deep breath, Hyunwoo said swiftly.

“I want to be friends.”

“……”

“If it leads to more, that would be even better.”

He hadn’t expected to lay all his cards on the table just on their second meeting. Yet, the man before him didn’t seem someone who would easily overlook such casual remarks. Feeling somewhat reckless, Hyunwoo revealed his innermost thoughts completely.

“I like you. You.”

It was likely a confession he had never heard before. Even if he had heard various confessions in the past, it was their first encounter.

Despite having checked earlier, Hyunwoo looked once more at the man’s left ring finger. There was only a cigarette hanging there instead of a ring. That could have been because the man hadn’t even had the chance to light it, having been unexpectedly confronted by Hyunwoo. Looking again, it seemed this man likely had an engaged fiancée or someone of that nature. With his princely appearance and that oddly detached demeanor towards others, it was evident.

The man merely continued watching Hyunwoo intently without reacting. It was as if he were contemplating how to refuse. Unable to bear the waiting any longer, Hyunwoo spoke first.

He instinctively felt the need to differentiate himself from all the countless others who had confessed to this man. It felt like a gamble, but one he found worth attempting.

“Is it because I’m a man?”

The man’s expression stilled momentarily. Yet, paradoxically, Hyunwoo began to read hope in his face. It was the first time his earlier indifference shifted to seriousness, as if he had just recognized Hyunwoo’s sincerity. The absence of discomfort towards the fact that he was a man showed through his expression. That alone gave Hyunwoo relief.

“I have someone I like.”

Although he was surprised by the response, it didn’t dissuade him from pursuing his interest. With a face and body like that, it would be stranger if he had no one linked to him. Still, at least it wasn’t “I have a boyfriend.” With a hearty attitude, Hyunwoo replied, “Good then! I just recently broke up myself.”

“I can’t even break up.”

“……”

“I have no intentions of doing so.”

Oh, fair enough. That was a bit too harsh. Yet, retreating wasn’t an option now. After all, it wasn’t even a relationship. Rather than retreating, Hyunwoo pressed deeper into the issue.

“It’s odd that you can’t break up when you aren’t even dating. Is it voluntary or involuntary?”

His unexpected question seemed to leave the man speechless. Hyunwoo wasted no time seizing the opportunity to keep prying.

“If you don’t know that, then at least let’s try being friends first. Who knows?”

“……”

“Just last week, I never imagined I’d end up confronting a police officer like this.”

Just as the man seemed ready to respond, a commotion erupted around them.

“Oh, Detective Ji. There you are? Is it still lunchtime? We’re heading to the soup restaurant with Reporter Jung, do you want to join?”

As someone patted the man’s shoulder and asked, Hyunwoo instinctively sensed this person was a colleague of his. They were of an age where they could be seen familiar with each other, and Hyunwoo sensed scrutiny directed at him as well from the group.

“Who’s this? Seon-uk’s friend?”

Their ambiguous label made Hyunwoo turn, and he was taken aback to find a familiar face as she spoke. It was a reporter from the entertainment section who had attended the independent film GV Hyunwoo had participated in last year. She too looked to be searching for familiarity in Hyunwoo’s face, frowning slightly as if trying to recall something. Hyunwoo quickly pulled his mask back up, feeling the sting of being recognized. It appeared the incident involving the director had attracted press as well, complicating Hyunwoo’s presence here in the police station.

“He’s my junior from home.”

Hyunwoo blinked. He sensed that the man who had positioned himself before him was blocking him from those curious eyes from the entertainment sector. Luckily, it seemed he held enough authority as a newcomer not to raise suspicion as his colleagues dispersed. As they prepared to leave the parking lot, the reporter almost made eye contact with Hyunwoo, but he hastily lowered the hood of his long padding.

The man turned toward him. When Hyunwoo’s gaze met his, he immediately spoke up, feeling somehow assured that he would no longer be ignored.

“I waited over two hours just to catch a glimpse of you. I’m hungry.”

“……”

“I think there’s a famous soup restaurant just ahead… and I heard good things about the pasta place next to it. If you’re feeling one over the other, I’m fine with any. Just so you know, I’ll eat anything.”

Having waited all this time for someone whose return was uncertain, people continuously entering the soup restaurant across from the main gate served as a delightful distraction. Although Hyunwoo wasn’t particularly fond of soup, he threw it out there. Now that he thought back, the man who had just come before had suggested the soup place too. Setting aside his own preferences, he was happy to follow wherever the man wanted to go. The man brushed his face, seemingly pondering what had happened. He bore a self-mocking expression yet sighed softly, sorting out the current situation. The moment his gaze returned to Hyunwoo, Hyunwoo understood his intent clearly.

“Do you like pizza?”