CH 63

“Drink, drink. Drink to your heart’s content.”

“Can I have more meat?”

“Of course. Today, the CEO is going to treat you, so eat as much as you want.”

After successfully listing and completing complicated tasks, CEO Kim Hakseung declared that he would give a big treat to the people in the office of JN Entertainment. The dinner was decided to be held at an expensive Korean beef house, where it would cost more than 100,000 won for even just two people, so there were even people who waited several days for today.

Sitting in the middle of the noisy get-together, Choi Inseop thought he had come for nothing and ate only salad quietly.

‘I’m troubled…’

Inseop put his chopsticks in his mouth and muttered to himself.

He came because manager Cha asked him to come, but he was not used to this kind of atmosphere. Besides, it was very difficult to face Lee Wooyeon and the faces of people he knew immediately after such an incident.

More than anything…

“Mr. Wooyeon. You seem to have a lot of free time these days?”

“Yes. Probably.”

“Mr. Kang Youngmo should get well soon.”

“He must. But on the other hand, I think he can get better slowly. It’s been a while since I took a breather.”

At Lee Wooyeon’s joke, the female employees from the office laughed. Although CEO Kim invited celebrities belonging to the company to the dinner party today, Lee Wooyeon usually never came to a place like this. So, as a courtesy, he told him the time and place, but no one expected that he would really come.

In particular, CEO Kim, Manager Cha, and Choi Inseop.

“Why is he here?”

“I don’t know.”

“Did you tell him the place and time?”

“I mean, when I told Inseop, he was standing next to him. So I told him to come on time too. But I hoped he will not come… .”

Even though the filming of the drama was delayed because of Kang Youngmo and there was no special schedule, he did not think that Lee Wooyeon would attend the dinner. Among the female employees of JN Entertainment, there were many people who joined the company with the expectation that they would be able to eat together with Lee Wooyeon, but none of them realized that expectation. Because Lee Wooyeon strictly separated private and public meetings, he did not even attend company dinners. But today, for some reason, he appeared here with Inseop. Thanks to this, CEO Kim and Manager Cha had to watch the scene where Lee Wooyeon sat in the middle and got the envy and affection from people all at once. Lee Wooyeon made a face like he was familiar with the attention that was pouring on him, and responded kindly to each and every staff member. People were exhausted looking after celebrities, but they didn’t have a chance to see Lee Wooyeon up close for such a long time, so everyone had a conversation with him with their eyes shining. The only person who looked depressed was Choi Inseop, Lee Wooyeon’s manager, who has been eating only vegetables since before.

“Mr. Inseop. Eat some meat. Why are you only eating salad at an expensive Korean beef restaurant?”

“CEO Kim said he’ll treat us properly today, so don’t worry about it and eat.”

“Oh, yes. Thank you.”

People put meat in front of Inseop. Inseop didn’t really like meat. Especially when he was not feeling well like these days, even just smelling the meat made him sick.

Still wanting to eat what was given, Inseop put meat  on top of a lettuce, and wrapped it. Putting the lettuce-covered ssam in his mouth, Inseop chewed it well.

“Hey, do you eat meat like that? The ratio of meat to vegetables is meat, meat and vegetables, isn’t it?”

The female employee who was sitting across from him saw Inseop wrapping the ssam and asked teasingly.

“Is that so? haha…, meat…Vegetables on meat.”

Inseop wrapped the wrap as she told him and asked ‘Like this?’. At Korean dinner parties, he believed that doing what people told him to do was a way to set the mood. Even the thought of eating all of this made him sick to his stomach, but Inseop thought that there was nothing he could do, so he gathered the wraps and grabbed them. Lee Wooyeon, who was sitting next to him, saw this and grabbed Inseop’s wrist with a grin.

“How are you going to eat it all?”

“…  I’m going to try one.”

“You don’t eat meat. Just give me.”

Lee Wooyeon grabbed Inseop’s hand and made him put the ssam in his mouth. The female employees who were sitting around were screaming and making a fuss.

“I also want to feed one to Lee Wooyeon.”

“I also want to be Lee Wooyeon’s manager.”

“I’m happy for you Mr Wooyeon.. There are so many pretty manager candidates.”

“I also want to change mine with a pretty manager. My manager looks like a bear, and he just eats.”

Other actors who were in attendance joked with Lee Wooyeon. Lee Wooyeon answered with a sly smile.

“My manager is Mr. Inseop. I don’t need another manager.”

The female employees looked at Inseop with envy. They said that it must be great to be by Lee Wooyeon’s side all day, even if he was a man. Of course, he was always busy, but their logic was that it was good to be the manager of someone like Lee Wooyeon who was kind and personable. There were some people who would work without pay if they had a chance..

Director Cha drank soju and clicked his tongue when he saw people talking about Lee Wooyeon’s fake personality.

“So Inseop will continue to be Lee Wooyeon’s manager? Didn’t you stop because you were studying for civil service?”

Lee Dayoung, the youngest member of the PR team, who had just joined the company, asked.

“Yes. It was something that I wanted to do.”

“I think you would do well as a civil servant. There are rumors in the office that Inseop is meticulous and does a good job.”

“Thank you.”

“How old are you? I think you’re about the same age as me.”

Inseop hesitated for a moment, then said he was 26, like the one in his fake identity card. Lee Wooyeon drank alcohol next to him without a word.

“Twenty six? You are two years older than me.”

“Ah, yes…”

Inseop calculated her age by himself and asked her if she was 24. As he said this without any reaction, people around him poked Inseop’s side and said,

“At times like this, you have to tell her to talk to you comfortably. Call me oppa, something like that.”

“What? Op, Oppa… ”

“Hey, how can I call him oppa just after meeting him? Isn’t that right? Inseop oppa.”

When Lee Dayoung cleverly called him oppa, the people around him burst into laughter. Choi Inseop, who was actually of the same age, felt guilty and embarrassed that she called him oppa, and only sweated profusely.

“The word ‘oppa’ is really strange.”

Suddenly, Lee Wooyeon spoke. It was a quiet and low voice, but it had the power to gain the attention of the noisy drinking party at once.

“When I first came to Korea, I was surprised that people were casually calling me oppa.”

“Hahaha. I guess so. Because all the girls call you oppa.”

“It felt like all of a sudden I had a huge number of sisters.”

Lee Wooyeon replied with a smile.

He didn’t even care about the younger sister he had anyway, so there was nothing special about adding a huge number of younger sisters to it.

“How can you call them little sisters? Those people must have a dark heart for Wooyeon.”

“I know, right. But if they keep calling me oppa, I think of them as a little sister.”

“Then what should I call you to let you think of me as a woman?”

The head of the PR team, the oldest among the women in the office, handed Lee Wooyeon a drink and asked.

“I never thought of that. Hm. Well.”

Lee Wooyeon was immersed in thought, making a slight expression with a worried tone. The female employees who watched Lee Wooyeon’s every move up close watched him agonize, wondering what kind of jackpot this was.

He never thought about what someone should call him to be recognized as a woman. If she was pretty and had a hole he could put it in, she was a woman. But these days…

Lee Wooyeon glanced at Inseop, who was contemplating whether to put lettuce on top of another lettuce, put a piece of meat, and add another lettuce.

He doesn’t have a particularly pretty face, he was a man, but he was often perceived as a ‘woman’. Was it because he had a hole to put it in? No, if it was about holes, it won’t matter since everyone has one.

Lee Wooyeon daringly came all the way here and smiled bitterly at Inseop eating lettuce. When their eyes met, Choi Inseop turned his head with a surprised face. He looked like a high school girl he met on the street. Since he sent Baek Heejin back that day and held Choi Inseop, even if he only made eye contact, he blatantly showed embarrassment and discomfort.

Even though he told him not to, he still looked like that.

When he got home today, he thought that he would have to pay close attention, and Lee Wooyeon picked up a glass of wine.

“Ah, they’re here again.”

Kim Sejun, who was sitting at the table next to him, frowned and grumbled. After working as a model in Japan, he was currently an actor and model, and there were many fans who followed him like a stalker. Even today, fans waiting for him outside the store were encamped with cameras.

“How the hell do they know? Is someone from our company selling information to them?”

As Kim Sejun murmured, Lee Wooyeon agreed, and responded with a light tone. Inseop, who was eating lettuce wrap by himself, was stabbed and shrugged.

“Who was one of those singers before? Anyway, when he went home, the stalker came while he was eating alone while watching TV, he said. ‘Cause it’s really sad. I don’t know how many times I’ve moved out because of crazy kids who keep coming in with the door key’.”

“I amazed to see them. Most of them are students, but where did they get the money from?”

“You should be happy it’s a student. I have an aunty who has been following me since last year, and it’s really scary. I used to run into that woman and she was swearing at the actress whom I had a scandal with in the lobby of the broadcasting station. She keeps giving me food that she made herself, but I can’t eat it.”

Stories of stalkers that could not be heard without tears poured out from celebrities sitting nearby.

“What about you, senior? How many stalkers are following you?”

One of them asked Lee Wooyeon a question.

“There are a few.”

“… … .”

Inseop lost the thought of eating lettuce wrap and quietly put the lettuce down on his bowl.

“Of course, since Wooyeon is very popular, there must be a lot of people following him. Right?”

“Not that many. I am rather quiet.”

Lee Wooyeon did not appear on show programs or talk shows. Interviews were almost all done for the promotion of dramas and movies on entertainment programs. There were people who criticized Lee Wooyeon, saying that it was all a high-level strategy, but Lee Wooyeon didn’t care. This was because he thought that being a celebrity was a business that earned him money by selling images anyway, so he can do whatever suits his taste.

Perhaps because of his quiet activities, there were not many stalker fans compared to his popularity.

“Of course, there were some people who were a little unusual.”

“Who was it?”

“He said he had to go through all sorts of hardships from the US to Korea because of me.”

“Huh, really? What’s up with that? I hate it.”

“So, they came to Korea to see Lee Wooyeon and followed you? With that kind of sincerity, they will do anything. How did you know about that?”

“They stood out.”

“… … .”

‘I shouldn’t have said I’d come. When Lee Wooyeon said he would follow me, I should have just said I wouldn’t go either.’

Choi Inseop started to think about when he should stand up while fiddling with the lettuce.

“Inseop must have had a lot of trouble because of the many fans of Lee Wooyeon. Have a drink. I will give it to you.”

The PR team leader stood up with a bottle of wine. Inseop put his glass down on the table and shook his head.

“You are not allowed to say no today and drink it.”

“You can call a driver.”

“I have to take Lee Wooyeon home.”

“Call the driver, driver. CEO, will you give them the money for a driver?”

“Sure. Eat and drink with peace of mind today.”

When CEO Kim, who was seated at the back, returned a blunt answer, Team Manager Hong recommended Inseop to drink again.

“Look. Today is a drinking day.”

Inseop glanced at Lee Wooyeon. Lee Wooyeon didn’t like to call a driver. Lee Wooyeon first told him not to drink alcohol today and came to the party, so Inseop had to keep an eye on him.

Lee Wooyeon smiled and made eye contact with Inseop. Inseop was able to read the truth hidden in his smile, which was bent like a crescent moon.

‘Go ahead, just try drinking it.’

“No. I just won’t drink today. I don’t feel good..”

“Why? Are you sick?”

When Lee Dayoung asked, people around her booed her.

“What? Dayoung. You’re only taking care of Mr. Inseop. You called him oppa, but what if he becomes a father?”

“Why am I becoming Lee Dayoung’s father?”

Inseop was surprised and asked, unable to understand the Korean pun about “Oppa becomes a father”.

“It’s just a joke. Why are you so serious?”

“Yes? uh… I’m not being serious… Yes.”

Lee Wooyeon watched the scene where Inseop was confused and mumbling as if it was fun. He couldn’t understand what they were saying, so he just asked, but when the other person responded like that, it was clear that he was groaning inside. After a while, maybe… 

“I’m sorry. Miss Dayoung. I think I made a mistake.”

“What? No. I know it’s a joke, okay?”

When she answered with a smile, Inseop seemed relieved. He knew it would be like that. Choi Inseop responded as expected, and Lee Wooyeon laughed.

After understanding Choi Inseop’s intentions to some extent, looking at his actions, things that he did not understand before came into order and caught his eye. He thought he was the type that was difficult to understand, but he was a very simple human being. Still, it was fun to watch, and it was entertaining.

“Oh right. Wooyeon, you know we’re going to Hawaii for a photo shoot this weekend, right?It was in a hurry, so I got a call and checked the schedule, but it still bothered me.”

“Yes. I heard. Inseop gave it to me.”

“The photographer suddenly changed his schedule because he only had time then. I guess that’s why the magazine is on alert. I need to reserve a plane ticket, get a hotel, and get a place. You must be having a hard time preparing in a hurry.”

“It’s fine. I don’t have much work right now, but I will go on a trip.”

“Are you going with Inseop too?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“I envy you! Lee Wooyeon and Hawaii. I want to go instead.”

“I’m envious too. I also want to go to Hawaii with Wooyeon.”

“CEO. Lee Wooyeon’s manager is absolutely not allowed to be a woman, right?”

When the female employees asked a question mixed with resentment, CEO Kim crossed his hands with a face that said what kind of bullshit.

“No. no way. Lee Wooyeon’s manager has always been a man, and will continue to be a man. Women will not do.”

CEO Kim, who knew how much Lee Wooyeon liked women, and was so upset that he was against the jokes of the employees, was also sympathetic.

“Well, if it’s a woman, it’s a back-professional scandal, right?”

“That’s right. That’s right. Being together all day, if you’re a woman, there’s no way we can’t get along.”

“If I were you, I’d fall in love if I were your manager.”

“Mr. Inseop. Be careful not to fall in love.”

Choi Inseop’s heart became heavy at the jokes people shared while giggling.

He wanted to cry.

Had he known that he was such a person, he would have been more careful. Why does he have to be this kind of person … he wanted to go home soon.

“I’ll go to the bathroom for a while.”

He wondered who would care, but Inseop mumbled his destination and stood up. Since the store was all rented by CEO Kim, there was no one in the bathroom.

He zipped his pants down and was about to do some errands, but someone opened the door and came in.

“What are you doing?”

“… … !”

“Are you crying again?”

Lee Wooyeon asked as he closed the bathroom door.

“…no.”

“I see. I thought you were crying, so I came to take a look.”

He washed his hands in the sink. Inseop was frozen in front of the toilet, waiting for him to leave.

“Aen’t you peeing?”

“… ”

“Why? Is it uncomfortable because I’m here? Why? I’m a person who even saw Inseop’s asshole.”

It was such a vulgar transformation that it was hard to believe that he was the same person as the man who had sat down a while ago and was smiling like someone from a public service advertisement.

Lee Wooyeon came up to Inseop’s side and looked down at him and smiled. If you’re a man, you can’t help but be sensitive to how the other person reacts when yo’’re laying down. Besides, it was right after that happened with Lee Wooyeon, so Inseop was even more disturbed by his reaction.

“Inseop’s cock is so cute.”

“… … !”

“Come out when you’re done.”

Lee Wooyeon patted Inseop on the shoulder and left. Inseop lost his will to use the restroom with the rush of despair and zipped up his pants again. When he looked in the mirror while washing his hands in the sink, his face was also flushed red. Choi Inseop washed his face in cold water, cooled down for a while, and then went out of the bathroom.