* * *

Ignoring Joobin’s protests, Yoochan took out the watch and firmly clasped it onto his wrist.

Though Joobin let out a small, helpless sound, this wasn’t a gift meant to be locked away.

It was meant to be worn and enjoyed.

As soon as it was on, the watch sparkled, perfectly complementing Joobin’s skin tone.

It was almost as if it recognized its true owner; it looked even more beautiful than when it was sitting on display.

“I have a good eye. It looks perfect on you.”

“It really is beautiful.”

“Right? Wear it. I’ve seen that the cologne I got you is still nearly full. You should start using that, too.”

Yoochan playfully pinched both of Joobin’s cheeks, causing his lips to puff out.

When Yoochan kissed those lips and looked into Joobin’s eyes, he saw his face flush with a soft pink blush.

“Mm.”

Joobin nodded shyly in response, his eyes never leaving the shining metal watch.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it.”

Joobin’s face lit up with a pure smile, as if he had just been given the world.

Though he had hesitated to even open the box, now he was touching the watch without a care for fingerprints or smudges, like someone who had never received a gift before.

In hindsight, Joobin often gave Yoochan presents, but in comparison, Yoochan realized that his own gifts had been far less frequent.

The guilt weighed on him as he wondered if he hadn’t put enough thought into it.

Yoochan felt conflicted, his mind heavy with regret.

“I thought I was giving you gifts, but maybe I didn’t give you enough.”

“No, you’ve given me plenty.”

“I’ll give you more from now on.”

“…”

“I didn’t realize it, but I must have been a pretty lousy boyfriend.”

Yoochan confessed as he downed another sip of his drink.

“I’ve never thought that. Today is a big red heart day on the calendar.”

Joobin’s soft words peered straight into Yoochan’s heart, leaving a tingling sensation.

It was as if Joobin was assuring him that everything was fine, that he could endure anything, and a gentle smile spread across his lips.

C.Joobin

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Yoochan groggily looked at his phone and chuckled.

Joobin had posted a photo of their hands intertwined, both wearing the same watch.

Joobin, who mainly used social media as a way to share about their relationship, had once again shared a photo without fail.

Yoochan had no intention of stopping him or telling him to tone it down.

After all, it was Yoochan who had encouraged Joobin to start using social media in the first place.

Now, Joobin only posted about their relationship, never about his schedule or work, turning his social media into a personal diary rather than a promotional tool.

Yoochan scrolled through Joobin’s feed, liked the photo, and looked around.

Joobin had already left, probably for his schedule.

“Did you go to a shoot?”

Yoochan thought about calling but decided to leave a message instead.

He stretched out, yawning loudly, and began his morning routine.

After finishing his stretch, Yoochan glanced at his phone again.

“Should I post something too?” he mumbled to himself.

Though he wasn’t a big fan of social media, Yoochan opened his profile, which was practically deserted compared to Joobin’s active feed.

He had been more enthusiastic about it in the past, but after seeing some peers get into trouble online, he became more cautious, posting only occasionally to stay out of controversy.

---

I found myself thinking that maybe Cha Joobin was secretly hoping I’d post about him.

After all, he’s the type who rarely says what he wants directly, often choosing to hint at things instead.

The most recent post I uploaded was a selfie taken at a restaurant we visited just before filming Romance Diary.

I figured I wasn’t being too neglectful by not posting for a while, but then I thought, why not just do a live stream?

But then, I shook my head. The drama Cha Joobin was filming was a melodrama.

Even though it was more of a thriller where the plot took precedence over the characters’ emotional arcs, there still needed to be chemistry between the leads.

I worried that, with Romance Diary airing right now, a live stream might interfere with his immersion.

There was still some time left before the broadcast, though…

“Ah, whatever.”

I could always do it later.

Finishing the thought, Gong Yoochan stretched out his muscles, shaking off the tension in his body.

“When will we wrap up today?” he wondered aloud.

Since they’d come all the way to Taean, it seemed like a great idea to visit the nearby beach—if only he knew when Cha Joobin’s schedule would end so they could make a plan.

Just as he groaned and vocalized his frustration, his phone buzzed.

Joobin♥:
Yeah, but I’m done in the morning today. I’ll be there soon.

“Oh!”

Gong Yoochan couldn’t help but let out a small exclamation, smiling as he quickly typed a response.

Yoochan:
No extra shoots today?

Joobin♥:
Probably not?

Yoochan:
Then, wanna hit the beach?

Joobin♥:
The beach?

Yoochan:
Yeah! We’re in Taean, after all.

Gong Yoochan grinned as he searched the Taean beaches on a portal site.

Had they ever gone to the beach together before?

They’d been dating for a long time, so surely they had, but whenever they went, it was late at night to avoid the crowds, so he couldn’t recall actually seeing the beach properly.

‘This time, I’ll take it all in.’

He knew how much Joobin secretly enjoyed going out, so he was already thinking about snapping tons of photos.

The thought of going on a trip made him feel even better.

Joobin♥:
Sounds good. I’ll be done around noon. Want to have lunch here, or somewhere else?

Yoochan:
Let’s go somewhere else. You’re probably tired of the same stuff.

Joobin♥:
Okay.

He’s easygoing about everything, Yoochan chuckled softly as he glanced at the clock.

It was 10:30 AM.

He figured he could laze around for a bit before changing into something comfortable.

His lips curled into a mix of excitement and anticipation.

---

“What’s up with you again?”

Joobin glanced up with a “huh?” at the voice beside him.

Kim Joyoung was looking at him with mild disapproval.

Joobin set down his water bottle and blinked back at him.

“What’s your problem now?”

“What’s my problem? You were grinning like an idiot.”

“Was I?”

“Is it Yoochan again?”

“Yeah.”

“What is it? Are you two going out?”

“Yeah, he wants to go to the beach.”

Joobin had been trying to keep a straight face but couldn’t help but smile in the end.

Before they started dating, they used to go on hikes, visit beaches, and roam the countryside, but they hadn’t done much of that since they became a couple.

Still, whenever Yoochan was the one to suggest they go somewhere, Joobin couldn’t help but feel a little flutter in his chest.

He let out a small laugh, finishing the last of his water.

He felt sore all over from filming action scenes since the early morning.

Despite Yoochan’s nagging that he should use a stunt double, Joobin was determined to do as many stunts himself as possible.

It was a matter of pride.

He wanted to fully embody the role he was given.

While a stunt double would have been fine, Joobin wanted to give his best effort wherever he could.

He couldn’t wait to tell people later that he’d done it himself, and the thought of how much praise Yoochan would give him made his heart race.

Being in a stable relationship felt like a dream.

Only a few weeks ago, he’d been so worried about making mistakes and getting dumped that he’d actively avoided Yoochan.

But now, Yoochan was the one coming toward him, and Joobin couldn’t believe how lucky he was.

He had even stopped feeling anxious about how well Yoochan was treating him—it had all melted away. Now, each day just felt perfect.

Thanks to that, the grueling filming schedule didn’t feel so hard anymore.

It wasn’t that he didn’t get physically tired—he did—but whenever he went home and saw Yoochan, the exhaustion vanished.

Joobin took a deep breath, thinking about how satisfied he was with how things were going, and let out a long exhale.

By the time he looked around, Kim Joyoung had disappeared.

‘What should I do when we get to the beach? I hope this shoot wraps up soon.’

His feet practically tingled with anticipation.

Joobin grinned as he scrolled back through his recent messages with Yoochan.

“Joobin, standby for the last scene.”

“Got it.”

Joobin♥:
Yoochan, I’m about to start filming. See you later.

He almost added a “ㅎㅎ” (laughing emoji) but decided against it, thinking it might give away how excited he was.

That would be too childish.

Jang Giyoung had told him not to act too young when dating.

He’d advised that if Joobin acted a bit more mature, Yoochan might rely on him more.

That advice had been clinging to Joobin’s mind since the early days of their relationship.

---

“Oh, and we’ve got a cameo for this scene.”

Hearing the director’s words, Joobin looked up from his phone.

This scene was about forensics at a crime scene, with one of the forensics experts playing a crucial role.

He’d heard there’d be a guest star, but not who it was. As Joobin pondered, Kim Joyoung joined him.

“Do you know who it is?”

“Nope. You?”

“Me neither. The director’s keeping it a secret. Who could it be?”

Whenever there was this much mystery around a cameo, it usually meant a high-profile actor was coming to make a special appearance.

It was common to release teasers to build up public anticipation and include the cameo in previews to maximize attention.

As they both stared at the entrance in curiosity, the director greeted the guest warmly.

“Mr. Woosun! Welcome!”

Kim Woosun appeared on set just as Joobin’s phone buzzed again.

Yoochan♥:
Joobin, I’m on my way.

Why now, of all times?

Joobin’s face instantly stiffened.

* * *