IAOSL 30

Chapter 30

Reversed Dynamics

“…I think I’m the one who got played this time.”

I lowered the script I’d been reading onto my lap and frowned.

The scene from earlier in front of the elevator kept replaying in my head.

As we stood waiting for the elevator, he reached toward my ear, and his long, elegant fingers pressed lightly behind it.

The moment I realized he had completely noticed my pounding heartbeat, my face burned so hot it felt ready to explode.

‘You really are conscious of me, Gyeoul.’

“Who said I was conscious of you?! No, I mean… of course I am! We’re stuck together all day—how could I not be?!”

It still felt like his fingers were touching my ear even now.

The lingering sensation kept sending chills across my skin, and I irritably raked a hand through my hair.

My long, smooth hair tangled messily.

“…So annoying.”

My heart was still pounding loudly.

It irritated me that my own body wouldn’t obey me. A sigh slipped from my lips.

But I had to live too—what was I supposed to do, tell my heart not to beat?

I was muttering nonsense to myself when a knock suddenly echoed through the quiet room.

Knock knock—

“Han Gyeo… what are you doing?”

Taewook had changed into comfortable clothes. Seeing me glaring at him with my hair completely messed up, he frowned.

I glared back through the tangled strands and answered grumpily.

“I didn’t even answer yet. How can you just come in whenever you want?”

“I knocked.”

“You knock, wait for someone to say ‘come in,’ then you enter!”

I hadn’t even responded yet, and he’d already barged in. The audacity left me speechless.

Leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed, he shrugged at my reaction, then knocked again on the already-open door.

“What are you doing now?”

“Knocking.”

“Joo Taewook.”

“Aren’t you going to say I can come in?”

“You’re already inside!”

“Right. So that means I can stay?”

“Ha.”

At this point, it felt like he’d plastered cement over his face.

How could someone be that shameless? Honestly, he might even be worse than me.

“I’m just asking out of curiosity.”

“Mm.”

“Do people need to be this shameless to succeed in business?”

“What made you think that?”

“Because someone here acts however he wants.”

I’m talking about you, you know.

Ever since what happened at the elevator, it felt like the balance between us had completely flipped, and I hated it.

Watching me quietly, he curled his lips upward playfully.

“Guess you didn’t know. When people realize how impressive they are, they usually end up like this.”

“……”

“When you act like this, things tend to work themselves out.”

“Ha.”

I kept letting out helpless little noises of disbelief.

Exasperated by his answer, I leaned back against the headboard and stared at him.

Still leaning against the doorway, he watched me silently for a moment before striding toward the bed.

“What are you doing?”

Stopping right in front of me, he naturally reached out and smoothed down my tangled hair.

A few strokes from his hand completely revealed my face, and for some reason I didn’t like that.

Biting my lip in dissatisfaction, I looked up at him. His gaze slowly swept over my face.

“You seem worried.”

“……”

“Is it because of me?”

His hand still rested atop my head, and his face was full of amusement.

His relaxed expression and obvious enjoyment irritated me.

I pointed at the hand on my head with my eyes.

“Stop saying weird things and move your hand already.”

At my grumpy response, he shrugged and held his hand out toward me.

“What?”

“Come eat dinner with me.”

“……”

“It’s already seven.”

At his added explanation, I glanced at the clock on the bedside table.

When had so much time passed already? Sure enough, it was exactly seven o’clock.

“I’m not eating.”

“You’re eating anyway.”

Even after my curt refusal, he stubbornly insisted.

I glared at the hand stretched out toward me and sighed.

“Don’t actors have to manage their figures? Why do you keep trying to feed me when I said I’m not eating?”

“You promised me.”

“……”

“You said if I let you start working again, you’d eat a full bowl of rice every meal.”

“You have a pretty good memory.”

“Not really.”

“……”

“I just remember things when they’re about you.”

Once again, his casual response caught me off guard.

I smacked the hand extended toward me with a sharp slap, but he took the opportunity to grab my hand instead.

I glared unhappily at my captured hand and snapped at him.

“Please stop saying things like that.”

“……”

“And stop grabbing my hand whenever you want.”

“Why?”

“You totally seem like a playboy.”

I frowned and tried to pull my hand away, but instead of letting go, he intertwined our fingers.

The grip was even tighter now.

I stared at him in horror, but he only smiled leisurely.

“Have you ever seen a husband cheating with his own wife?”

“Are we some normal married couple now?”

“Maybe becoming one wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Joo Taewook!”

I recoiled at his shameless comment, but he only looked more amused.

“Alright, alright. Let’s eat first.”

“……”

“I hate eating alone.”

Looking down at the completely emptied rice bowl, I felt strangely embarrassed.

I’d insisted I wouldn’t eat, but the side dishes had suited my taste so well that I finished an entire bowl before I knew it.

My stomach was pleasantly full, and guilt crept in for some reason.

Maybe I still didn’t fully realize I was supposed to be an actress now.

“Was it good?”

“Yeah. I really liked it.”

“Really?”

“It tasted way better than the side dishes I used to buy when I lived alone.”

“You bought side dishes?”

“Yeah. I’m hopeless at cooking.”

I answered casually and looked at him.

With practiced movements, Taewook made coffee using the machine and returned to the table carrying two mugs.

“That’s a relief. I was worried it wouldn’t suit your taste.”

“Oh, thank you. Then did the woman who helps with the housework make these?”

I accepted the mug he handed me and asked. Taking the seat across from me, he shook his head.

“No.”

“Then did you buy them somewhere?”

“Not that either.”

“Is this Twenty Questions or something?”

Unable to stand his vague answers, I asked irritably. Taewook laughed mischievously.

“I made them.”

“That joke’s going too far.”

I answered with a straight face, but he burst out laughing again.

His shoulders shook as he laughed, and after taking a sip of coffee, he spoke.

“Why don’t you believe me?”

“Because the side dishes had experience in them.”

“……”

“There was depth to the flavor.”

I was completely serious, but apparently my answer amused him again.

Seeing my earnest expression, he leaned back in his chair, still smiling.

“I’m good at cooking.”

“……”

“Honestly, I know it’s unfair for someone this handsome to cook well too, but that’s just how the world works.”

“……”

“Life’s unfair.”

His expression was arrogant. Shamelessly so.

Where did all that confidence even come from?

I stared at him for a moment before letting out a small sigh.

“Taewook, remember when I told you this before?”

“……”

“You should really be grateful for your face. Otherwise I probably would’ve punched you at least once for being so annoying.”

I meant it sincerely, but he burst into laughter again.

Watching him laugh so hard he covered his face with one large hand, I felt both dumbfounded and strangely pleased.

Was I actually this funny?

Feeling oddly proud, I shrugged and wrapped both hands around the steaming mug.

The fragrant scent of coffee felt like it was soothing away the exhaustion of the day.

As I closed my eyes and enjoyed the aroma, Taewook suddenly spoke in a more serious voice.

“Doctor Min is coming tomorrow.”

Even though he’d laughed when I mentioned arrhythmia, apparently he still called the doctor.

With a slightly pouty face, I replied,

“You laughed when I mentioned arrhythmia, so I thought you weren’t going to care at all.”

“I was extremely worried. Guess you just didn’t notice.”

His playful answer was hard to believe, and I pouted.

He watched me with smiling eyes while I pretended not to notice and sipped my coffee.

The bittersweet, nutty flavor slowly melted away some of my accumulated fatigue.

After quietly watching me for a moment, he suddenly changed the subject as if remembering something.

“Oh, what were you reading earlier?”

“What I was reading?”

“That looked like a script.”

“Oh, yeah. It was.”

“……”

“It’s the script for Twisted Fate, the new project Director Lee Hyukjin is working on.”

His eyebrow twitched slightly at my words.

I didn’t see any reason to lie to him, so I continued casually.

“To be honest, the reason I pushed myself to start working again so quickly—even though I know it’s reckless—is because I really want to be part of that project.”

“……”

“I heard auditions are happening soon.”

“Han Gyeoul.”

“Well, even if I start preparing now, I don’t know if I can actually land a leading role…”

I forced myself to sound calm.

“But I still want to do everything I can.”

At some point, his expression had darkened.

I smiled as if it were nothing and looked at him.

“So help me out a lot, Taewook.”

Because that project means a lot to me.