after a scandal, wooyoung, a defunct k-pop idol, runs away to his sister's hometown. he craves anonymity, yet his quiet routine is disrupted by a chance encounter- a local with a warm presence, who offers him a glimpse of a life beyond the spotlight...
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it was close to 11 p.m., and the rational side of wooyoung expected choi san to decline his offer to 'hang out' out of nowhere. yet here wooyoung was, sitting in an all-too-familiar restaurant booth, waiting for choi san to arrive.
maybe it was because he was a fan, but san agreed without hesitation. wooyoung was taken aback, but grateful—this sudden burst of courage would not last forever, and this was the only time he could truly express himself. that being said, he was conflicted about a variety of issues. should he talk about the video game? should he tell san everything he's been feeling for him lately so he can find closure for himself? should he tell san that he does not want to be seen as just a celebrity?
behind the window by the table, the night was quieter than ever, and the pavements were empty. the town was asleep, but wooyoung was feeling more alive than ever, grateful that restaurants stayed open so late on weekdays. the dimly lit restaurant where the silence was broken by the soft clank of dishes and faint music from the kitchen. the same place where san had slammed that damned love letter on the table and sent wooyoung scurrying down the street to escape his humiliation.
before he could recall the memory and laugh, the restaurant door creaked open, and choi san entered, his hair slightly ruffled by the wind. he appeared exhausted—his once bright eyes had faded, and his lips had been drawn into a thin frown rather than the usual faint turn in the corner of his lips. nonetheless, when he saw wooyoung in the booth in the corner, he smiled in recognition.
"woo," his name rolled off san's tongue so easily that it was like music to his ears. he sat down in the seat opposite wooyoung. "what's up? is everything alright?"
he smelled fresh and cold, his skin flushed, and his face was radiant. that night, he wore a grey shirt and black sweatpants, in sharp contrast to the video game merchandise outfits he was known for wearing around town. wooyoung took a second to look at the thick black watch on his wrist, recalling how it was the first part of san he'd seen when he first bumped into him at yeonjin's store. they had come a long way since then. from being strangers with a bittersweet past, they'd formed a bond worth much more—or so wooyoung saw it.
"yeah," wooyoung said, forcing a smile. "everything's fine. i just couldn't sleep and thought maybe you wouldn't mind hanging out."
the lie tasted bitter on his tongue, but the truth, a tangle of emotions and unspoken feelings, felt too daunting to unravel right now.
san raised an eyebrow, scepticism flickering in his eyes. "really? late on a monday? what's the special occasion?"
wooyoung floundered, his mind racing for a believable excuse. "well, you know," he said, gesturing vaguely as he picked up his mug of coffee. "thought we could celebrate together. consider this my way of saying thank you."
san looked up from his phone, which he had been using to place his order. then, he smiled. a smile that lit up his eyes and made wooyoung feel chilly. "then i take it you're paying for tonight?"
