* * *
Gong Yoochan blinked his large eyes. He didn’t need to interpret Cha Joobin’s nuance, but still, he was overly conscious of the one comment Cha Joobin had made.
He was so distracted that he almost forgot there was a camera right in front of him.
“You just…”
Gong Yoochan began cautiously, but before he could finish, a staff member called out, “Joobin, standby!”
Cha Joobin, who had been leaning in close, raised an eyebrow and smiled.
“I’m off.”
Leaving that brief remark, Cha Joobin walked away.
Gong Yoochan wanted to wish him good luck as usual, but all he could do was gape like a goldfish, unable to say a word.
With the heat coming soon, this wasn’t ideal.
Gong Yoochan groaned, pressing his fingers to his temples.
Meanwhile, cream leaked out from the snack again.
Unlike before, he wiped it away with a wet tissue before slowly getting to his feet.
“Shall we go watch Joobin’s performance too?”
Gong Yoochan flashed a bright smile at the camera still focused on him and headed straight for the studio.
The set had been pre-built, and the spacious studio had been arranged to look like an entire village.
It was no wonder, given the production company’s reputation for pouring money into their projects; the quality was impressive enough to make anyone gasp.
As he cautiously entered the studio, he saw Cha Joobin surrounded by cameras, with his co-star, Kim Joyoung, standing in front of him.
Since filming hadn’t started yet, Gong Yoochan greeted Kim Joyoung first.
Kim Joyoung returned the gesture with a bright smile and a slight nod, as if to say, “You’re here.” Gong Yoochan nodded back.
Then his eyes met Cha Joobin’s.
Until then, Cha Joobin had been facing the other actor with his back to Gong Yoochan, but as soon as their eyes met, he turned around and cocked his head.
All he did was greet him—was there a problem?
When Gong Yoochan raised his eyebrows, Cha Joobin turned back around with a sullen expression.
What’s up with him?
Just as Gong Yoochan tilted his head in confusion—
“Alright, lead actors, step into the frame a little more. Follow the markings on the floor.”
“Yes.”
As the atmosphere grew more tense, with people bustling about and the surroundings becoming quieter, Gong Yoochan stood a little further away from the staff, intently watching Cha Joobin through the lens of the camera.
In person, Cha Joobin was already an attractive and versatile presence, but seeing him through a focused lens, fully unleashing his potential, Gong Yoochan couldn’t help but be impressed every time.
More than just being a lover or an ex-lover, as a fellow actor, he was someone Gong Yoochan deeply respected.
“Okay, it looks like we’re ready to go! Let’s kick off the first shoot with some good energy!”
In response to the assistant director’s shout, enthusiastic cheers erupted from all around.
As soon as the “Roll, standby, action!” cue was given, the cameras started rolling, and silence fell over the set.
But then—
“…Wow, a kiss scene right from the first shot.”
Gong Yoochan muttered to himself, folding his arms.
His voice was so soft that it wouldn’t have been heard by anyone nearby, but with the microphone he was wearing, it probably got picked up by the camera for the reality show.
He didn’t mean it to sound any certain way.
A kiss scene with Cha Joobin?
Even though they had agreed to respect each other’s careers, including romance scenes, Gong Yoochan had always tried to avoid watching Cha Joobin’s kiss scenes, no matter how many dramas he starred in.
Gong Yoochan’s face twisted into a scowl.
“This is driving me crazy…”
He mumbled, staring daggers at the scene.
His heart was in turmoil, but he kept his expression under control.
The two actors tilted their heads, their lips meeting.
As he watched the camera zoom in for a close-up of the kiss, his mouth went dry for some reason.
Gong Yoochan rubbed his forehead out of habit.
He couldn’t decide whether to react or stay quiet.
He knew he needed to cater to the audience’s desires, but he wasn’t sure what reaction of his would satisfy them.
As he pressed his lips together and watched intently, he grew more and more uneasy.
Heat started to build, and his head began to throb, when suddenly, “Cut!” the director’s booming voice echoed through the set.
Gong Yoochan stumbled for a moment.
Alarmed, the reality show’s director quickly expressed concern, while someone came up and supported him.
“You okay?”
Cha Joobin, who had stepped out of frame, approached with a gentle release of pheromones.
Having spent so much time together, he must have sensed that Gong Yoochan wasn’t feeling well.
Though Gong Yoochan had been trained since childhood to keep his pheromones in check, so they wouldn’t affect the shooting schedule, and no one around him noticed, Cha Joobin had picked up on it.
As Cha Joobin gently wrapped an arm around his shoulders, Gong Yoochan let out a small sigh.
Cha Joobin leaned in closer to check his complexion.
“Do you want to rest inside? There’s a lodging right next door.”
“Ah… I’d like to keep watching you.”
When Gong Yoochan forced a smile, Cha Joobin fully embraced him, patting him comfortingly.
With each touch, heavy pheromones were released, bringing a sense of calm.
“Rest up. There’s filming tomorrow too. You can watch me then. If you stand around when you’re not feeling well, I’ll just be more worried.”
As he spoke, Cha Joobin peppered kisses on Gong Yoochan’s cheeks, earlobes, and chin, as if he knew that doing so would help calm him.
Just as he said, there didn’t seem to be any benefit in staying.
Gong Yoochan finally nodded, apologized to the staff, and left the studio first.
Even as he got into the car, Cha Joobin followed him, nagging about soaking in a hot bath, getting some sleep, and how today’s shoot would go late.
“Alright, alright, I get it. Do you think I’m a child?”
“You’re the one acting like a kid. What else could it be?”
“A kid calling me a kid, huh?”
“What makes you think I’m a kid?”
“Whatever. Just do well at the shoot. From what I saw earlier…”
Gong Yoochan paused, taking in a deep breath. It was only three days.
Just three days, and he could handle this when he got home, but being in the middle of filming felt overwhelmingly frustrating.
He licked his dry lips, swallowing a few times in succession. Cha Joobin tilted his head, noticing.
“You did well.”
It was just a light compliment and a pat on the shoulder.
“Ah…”
For some reason, Cha Joobin’s expression twisted slightly.
His slow, downward gaze suddenly snapped back up, and his eyes were far from kind.
He bit his lower lip, rolling his eyes in both directions before eventually letting out a hollow laugh.
“That compliment… I don’t really like it.”
Leaving behind a bitter response, Cha Joobin watched as Gong Yoochan got into the car.
Even as Yoochan sat in the car, he was still panting heavily, which worried Joobin.
He pulled a blanket from the back seat and covered Yoochan, then intentionally infused it with his pheromones.
Gradually, Yoochan’s breathing steadied.
Joobin thought it might be better to hand the room key to the manager rather than giving it to Yoochan, whose hands were trembling.
He caught up with Yoochan’s manager, who was heading to the driver’s seat, and handed him the key.
“He’s a Beta, right?”
“Yes.”
“If he says he’s thirsty, don’t give him water. Offer him something like orange juice instead. He tends to crave something sour during his heat. Also, prepare hot water for a bath, and make sure he lies down to sleep right after. I’ll head to the lodging as soon as we’re done.”
“Got it.”
“Let me know as soon as he gets inside. I’m worried.”
“Don’t worry.”
The manager probably already knew these things, given that he was responsible for Yoochan, but Cha Joobin emphasized the instructions anyway.
After watching the car completely leave the set, Joobin lowered his gaze, his expression cooling.
The image of Gong Yoochan, who had just shot a kiss scene with a bright smile, kept replaying in his mind.
“…”
Damn it.
Joobin barely restrained himself from swearing.
He threw his head back, hands on his hips, feeling his insides churn.
I still can’t watch Yoochan’s kiss scenes. How can he act so unaffected?
Feeling irrationally grumpy, Joobin ground his teeth.
He didn’t even have time to think about how he would come across on camera. This was unprofessional, he scolded himself.
“Yoochan doesn’t look too well. Are you worried?”
The question came from nearby, oblivious to Joobin’s mood.
At least the person seemed to think his expression was one of concern, which was a relief.
But the proximity of the camera was irritating, making it hard for him to properly express his frustration.
“Yes. He rarely gets sick like this… I’m worried.”
“Do you think you’ll be able to keep filming?”
“I have to. It’s work. I’ll just try to get through it without any mistakes and then go check on him.”
What choice did he have?
This was work.
Joobin forced a bright smile as he responded to the interview, then trudged back to the studio.
His insides were still boiling.
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