SRP 15

Chapter 15

“Did you hear? Geon came to this park with his girlfriend to see the night view.”
“Already came and left?”
“Feels like they’re still here. A clip of them kissing was uploaded a minute ago. They’re probably still around. We might see Geon.”
“The girl’s pretty too.”
At the man’s offhand remark, the woman’s eyes narrowed.
“Weren’t you not interested? You looked her up?”
“Huh? Oh—yeah, a friend sent me the link. She’s an idol called Pink Pop. Let’s head up.”
There were many people like them climbing the fortress path while staring at their phones.

Bom and Geon were hiding in a narrow alley between a small shop and houses beside the wall.
Geon wrapped an arm around Bom’s shoulders and pulled her into his chest, shielding her head so her face wouldn’t show. They’d been coming down in a hurry when a crowd started coming up, so they ducked aside for a moment.
As word of their whereabouts spread on social media, people kept coming.

[Are you two really dating?]
Ilju messaged after seeing the posts.

It was an awkward situation to face Geon. Why had things escalated like this?
But it’s mutual. It’s not like I did this alone.
They stayed pressed together, hiding their bodies in the alley.

“Should we eat here until the crowd thins out?”
Next to the alley was a bar run out of a remodeled house.

Just then, an unmistakable, noisy sound came from Bom’s stomach.
Please, read the room.

“Let’s go in.”
Would it be okay? Wouldn’t it just draw more people?
Geon went in first, and she followed.

“Welcome—oh. Wow.”
The male part-timer’s eyes went wide.

It was a tiny place with only a few tables. He glanced at the phone he’d been watching, then at Geon, then at Bom who followed, and quickly guided them to the back, scanning the area like he was on a secret mission.

“This table isn’t visible from inside the shop. The view isn’t great—it’s the neighboring rooftop—but it’s private.”
He had good sense.

It was a cramped space with a two-seat couple’s table, but structured so no one else could peer in. At night, beyond the neighbor’s rooftop, the city’s nightscape was visible. Geon seemed to like it and seated Bom on the inner side.

“Thank you.”
“Um, if it’s okay, could I take one photo when I bring the food? Not together—just the two of you looking out the window. This table photographs really well.”
He placed a candle on the table and switched on a decorative mood light. The yellow halogen glow warmed the space.

“I’ll only post it on our SNS for promotion, and not right away. I promise I won’t disturb you.”
For a part-timer, he had a strong sense of ownership.

“My parents run the place, so I help out. Would that be okay?”
No wonder—he was the owner’s son.

“You’ve been so considerate—of course we should.”
“Thank you! Press the bell when you’re ready to order.”

By day they sold meals—mostly Korean dishes. They could order everything and still eat it, but Bom looked at Geon.

“Can you eat? You said you had a photoshoot.”
“I’ll just get a salad. What do you want?”
No matter that it was work—how could she eat freely in front of someone who had to manage their diet? As a manager, she knew how brutally actors controlled their bodies.

Soon the owner’s son returned.
“Ready to order?”
“Yukjeon, spicy whelk salad, kimchi pancake without cheese, and a salad.”
“And two draft beers.”

After taking the order, he asked them to look out the window and snapped a photo, then showed it to them for approval. He was right—it really was a great photo spot. When Geon even signed and took a photo with him, the owner’s son nearly burst with joy. Bom knew how popular Geon was, but seeing someone so happy right in front of her was oddly satisfying.

I hope Actor Yoon Myeongjo gets days like this soon too.

“I picked low-calorie items.”
“If you eat all that, calories won’t matter.”
“It’s the thought that counts.”

It was long past dinner, and after going up to the fortress park and back down, she felt hollow with hunger. As she looked around, her work instincts kicked in—if there were a mounted camera, this would make great footage.
Bom carried two phones, one for work and one personal. She set the work phone where only Geon would be in frame.

“So you’re going to admire me too?”
There he goes again—nonsense.
Right, they were acting as a couple.
Bom accepted it with a mix of understanding and resignation. A small action cam clipped between her collar caught everything.

“Think of it as a work habit. It makes editing easier later.”
Once she set the phone and sat down, her body finally relaxed. Dating after work wasn’t easy. In the cozy atmosphere, alone with Geon, the tension melted away. The food came quickly.

“I saw the uploaded video—the response was great. The idea was good. We should try a role-playing concept with our actor too. He’s handsome—no idea why he only pops in comedy.”
“By ‘our actor,’ you mean me.”
“…Actor Yoon Myeongjo.”

Geon, who had been transferring salad to his plate, set down his fork and held out a hand.
“Let me see your phone. I need to inspect how you saved Yoon Myeongjo.”
He demanded it confidently. In modern society, showing your phone meant showing everything.

“Why would you look at someone else’s phone!”
“I’ll only check the contacts. If you saved him by name, there’s no reason to hide it.”

Geon’s eyes narrowed. It was dim where they sat, and the candle’s uplight deepened the shadows on his face.
“Unless you saved his name differently.”
“Here.”
Bom unlocked it and handed it over—completely confident. Nothing to hide.

She’d saved him as ‘My Actor Myeongjo’ before, but changed it because Geon was being sensitive. Still—why did Geon’s brow stay furrowed as he looked?

“I knew it.”
“Why? I saved him as Actor Yoon Myeongjo.”
“There’s a heart next to it. No hearts.”
She’d added a heart after the name since he was her assigned actor, and Geon tapped the heart repeatedly with his fingertip.

Wow. Petty.
Well, maybe that’s normal for lovers—acting, right? Still petty.

“Fine, I’ll remove it. It’s just a heart.”
“It means your feelings are in it. I’ll change it.”
“…Do whatever you want.”

He looked thoroughly satisfied as he fiddled with the phone. Bom dug into the yukjeon and kimchi pancake. If you’re doing this to live, at least eat well. Everything was delicious—the cold draft beer with the spicy whelk salad cleared her chest.

“The drama’s coming out soon, right?”
“I’ll be busy and won’t be able to watch for a while. If you’re lonely, call me.”
“If it’s because things are going well, it can’t be helped.”
“Aren’t you disappointed we won’t see each other?”

He’d throw those in to keep her on edge. She smiled awkwardly. Thank goodness her face wasn’t being filmed—she’d have been exposed already.

“…I am. But your face is everywhere, and I can hear your voice if I call.”
“Should we live together?”

He stirred the salad with his fork and looked at her, a subtle smile in his eyes—sexy.
“We’d see each other when we get home.”

Are you crazy?!
Bom barely suppressed the words bursting out loud. She couldn’t stop her body from flinching. Geon propped his chin on one hand and smiled alluringly, teasing to see how she’d react. A rebellious urge surged inside her.

What if I really say yes?
Then Geon would scramble to smooth it over and change the subject. Fans would be disappointed in him—and that’s how people think. Even fans who oppose dating lose interest if a man hesitates when a woman suggests cohabitation.

We’re doing all this to make things go well—I can’t just let that happen. I’ll do my part.
Her conscience—protecting an entertainer’s image as a manager—jabbed at her heart.

“No. It’s too far from work.”
“Ah. I want to get married soon.”