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Chapter 24
“Seriously, what do you people even eat to survive? Half-eaten chicken, half-eaten jokbal, and you’re even growing onions in the fridge. You might as well just plant them in a pot.”
Sunae opened both refrigerators and stared in shock.
It was unprecedented. The writers, who already knew, burst out laughing.
“Geon, you’re not in any position to laugh either. You’ve got nothing but water and salad packs. At least your freezer saved you.”
That was how filming began, opening the refrigerators one by one.
They took a short break to plan what kind of food to make.
Gogeon was grabbed by Sunae and dragged into the waiting room.
Just how much kimchi does someone who lives alone even make?
Was it so over-fermented that they were just dumping it off?
While standing around with the staff, Myeongjo came over to stand beside Bom.
“Myeongjo, are you not feeling well anywhere?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Pardon?”
The person who usually had great sense on variety shows and joked smoothly during filming looked unusually stiff today.
But he hadn’t made any mistakes, had he?
“You asked Gogeon to get me on this show, didn’t you?”
No, I didn’t.
As Bom froze in confusion, unable to answer, Myeongjo thought it through on his own and came to a conclusion.
He raised his hand, then seemed to remember his hair was styled, so he dropped his gaze with a bitter smile.
“I wondered about it. I was thinking, why would they cast me? I even congratulated myself, thinking, ‘So people finally recognize Yoon Myeongjo—my era has come.’ Turns out it was thanks to you, Bom.”
“N-no! I didn’t ask for that. Able Entertainment contacted the PD first and requested it. They specifically asked for you as the guest.”
“Able—that’s Gogeon’s agency, right? Why would they want me?”
Myeongjo’s eyes widened.
Gogeon and Yoon Myeongjo had no connection. They hadn’t worked on anything together.
The only person linking the two of them was Bom.
Bom avoided Myeongjo’s gaze.
“…I’m filming a variety show next week. Just the two of us—me and Gogeon.”
“What? Me and Gogeon? Th-there’s no such schedule. Ah, is it a hidden camera prank? Like you kidnap me and start filming? Wow. But wait—what kind of variety show would I do with Gogeon?”
Bom’s lips went dry.
“…Not you. Me.”
“Huh? Bom? You’re doing a variety show with Gogeon?”
She nodded.
It felt awkward to say she’d be filming a solo variety show before the actor she managed.
She felt sorry, and embarrassed too, since it was with Gogeon.
Unable to believe it, Myeongjo just blinked.
No matter how famous Bom had become lately through videos with Gogeon, a variety show with just the two of them…
“It’s going to air on the same network, so there’ll be a brief teaser-like scene of me meeting Gogeon.”
“Ah… ahh.”
What if Myeongjo thought Bom had used him?
“If you didn’t have this level of recognition, Myeongjo, we couldn’t even plan a teaser like this. And even if I really had asked Gogeon to get you cast, that wouldn’t be something you should apologize for.”
She clearly explained the order of things. Either way, Myeongjo was the main focus.
“If a manager works hard and lands a variety show for their actor, why would they apologize? They should be praised instead. Right?”
Myeongjo, who had been staring in surprise, finally relaxed.
Now he looked like his usual self.
He smiled shyly, scratching his head.
“Thank you for saying that. But you and Gogeon are doing a variety show together? Are you going on as a couple?”
“We’re starting filming!”
At the assistant director’s voice, the cast and staff returned to their positions.
Under Sunae’s direction, the cooking lesson began.
They decided to make jokbal pasta, aged-kimchi steak, and chicken gangjeong.
There were no ingredients to make anything else.
Gogeon was good with a knife. The surprising one was Myeongjo.
Sunae smacked Myeongjo squarely on the back as he chopped onions.
“Are you chopping firewood? What’s with that knife work? Don’t you cook when you live alone?”
“Ah, ma’am. These days delivery is so good—why would I cook?”
“Our Geon, how is he so good at this?”
“Ma’am! That’s favoritism! Your tone is totally different!”
“I’m saying he’s good because he is good! What favoritism? And even when you’re old, you still look at men’s faces.”
Once the spaghetti started boiling and the vegetables were being stir-fried, they had room to talk.
At the writer’s request, they did a casual update talk using a sketchbook.
“Geon’s been dating pretty loudly these days. Do you cook for your girlfriend too?”
“I’ve never cooked for her.”
Gogeon was skillfully sautéing onions, like someone experienced.
Even his subtle smile seemed to glow.
“We haven’t been dating for long. I’m being careful because if I invite her over, she might think I’m some sleazy guy.”
“Oh my, look at his face. You’re absolutely smitten. Do you like her that much?”
At Sunae’s question, Gogeon just smiled. He glanced at the frying pan for a moment, then spoke.
“We dated briefly when we were trainees. Things were hard back then, and we were too young. Maybe because she was my first love, I kept thinking about her even as time passed.”
“Reuniting with your first love—how romantic.”
“I thought we’d run into each other someday since we’re in the same industry, but our activities never overlapped. I only heard about her, then we met in a completely unexpected place. This time, I didn’t get dumped and succeeded.”
“Who would dare dump Gogeon? How did you ask her out? What was her reaction?”
“…I can’t talk about that situation. Privacy issues.”
“Look at him—his ears are red. What kind of situation did you confess in?”
Myeongjo glanced toward Bom, who was standing with the staff, and changed the subject.
No matter how public their relationship was, he wanted to prevent Bom from being exposed.
“Ma’am, Gogeon’s recent drama feels like that too. A romance about a man who loves only one woman.”
“Oh, sure. The drama’s important, but I want to hear more about Geon’s love life.”
They were there to promote the drama, but Sunae was a pro who knew what made good variety TV.
“If single people like us pry too much, people say it’s because we’re jealous.”
“Single people like us? Don’t lump me in with you. What do you take me for? I’m still very popular.”
“What? Ma’am, are you seeing someone?”
“Myeongjo! The vegetables are burning!”
“Gyaaah! No!”
After much chaos, the cooking was finished.
Filming paused briefly before they tasted the food and talked.
The staff bustled about, cleaning the messy kitchen.
Amid the busy atmosphere, Gogeon put some spaghetti onto a small plate and gestured toward Bom.
Not loudly, but loud enough for her to hear.
“Bom, come try the spaghetti I made.”
The moving staff froze for a split second.
Bom smiled awkwardly under Gogeon’s gaze.
This scene had already been discussed beforehand. A planned setup.
Liking him, yet cautiously, she moved like a shy lover.
“Okay.”
A flustered Myeongjo looked back and forth between Bom and the camera.
He tried to step in to shield her from exposure—
“Myeongjo, come help me here.”
“Ah, ma’am, that is—”
“Come on.”
At Sunae’s firm call, Myeongjo couldn’t go to Bom.
The staff were busy cleaning, but it was obvious their ears and backs were turned toward Bom and Gogeon.
Even the assistant director, who should have been giving instructions, was silent.
On set, there was no sound of conversation—only the noise of moving things.
Even though it felt strange, Bom pretended not to notice and walked toward Gogeon.
Her face grew hot.
When she glanced sideways, she met Sunae’s eyes.
Her eyes sparkled with amusement.
Despite her age, her heart was young.
Gogeon lifted the plate and held it out to Bom.
“Try it. Your oppa made it.”
That oppa again.
He insisted on saying it, like he couldn’t live without it.
Gogeon secretly feeds the food he made on a variety show to his lover, who is present on set.
This scene is scheduled to air during the end credits, like a movie’s post-credit scene.
Filmed as if it were a coincidental moment during a break.
She heard the PD and writers welcomed it with open arms, saying it was guaranteed buzz-worthy material that could boost ratings.
As she took the plate, Gogeon leaned on the table with one hand and looked down at Bom at an angle.
His other arm naturally wrapped around her waist.
It was exactly the expression of a man hoping his lover would enjoy the food he made.
Trying not to look at the camera, Bom carefully ate the spaghetti with a fork.
She had been standing tensely throughout the shoot and was hungry, but she couldn’t even tell what it smelled like or tasted like.
She chewed and swallowed out of obligation.
Was it really possible that all these staff members couldn’t see the two of them?
Everyone knew they were dating—yet no one acted like they knew?
“It’s good.”
Gogeon beamed.
“Come on, I’ll introduce you to the teacher.”
Gogeon—this wasn’t discussed beforehand.
I was told it would end once I ate.
Still holding her wrist, he led Bom to Sunae. With the cameras rolling, she couldn’t refuse.
His arm wrapped around her back, leaving her no way to escape.
“Ma’am, this is the person I’m dating. She works as Myeongjo’s manager.”
