A couple for show chapter 28

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“Let’s talk.”

Already feeling dizzy from the chaos, Gong Yoochan looked toward the front door, where Kim Woosun still hadn’t left, sitting there stubbornly.

He was sitting cross-legged, like he had no intention of leaving, as if he’d planned to talk with whoever came out.

The sight made Joobin scoff.

As if things weren’t already bad enough after the argument with Gong Yoochan, seeing Kim Woosun’s face only made the frustration in his chest boil over like a volcano ready to erupt.

Kim Woosun’s grip on his wrist was unrelenting, and Joobin grimaced as he yanked his hand away.

He didn’t want to hear what Yoochan had to say right now, and there was no way he could have a polite conversation with Kim Woosun either.

Kim Woosun had always been at the center of his conflicts with Yoochan.

Even though Yoochan would say he was the only one he loved, that Kim was just a friend, it never reassured him.

The unease never went away.

He’d asked Yoochan so many times, “Can you please not see him anymore?”

And sometimes, Yoochan would show a firm stance in front of Kim, but that didn’t make the anxiety disappear.

Cha Joobin placed his hands on his hips and sighed deeply. His chest felt tight, like he was about to burst.

“Hey, let’s talk.”

Persistent as ever, Kim Woosun pressed him again.

Joobin didn’t want to answer.

He ignored him, walking toward the elevator.

Then, from behind, he heard his name, “Cha Joobin,” being called.

He could’ve ignored that, too.

“You’re misunderstanding Yoochan. You did something really wrong. This is all just a misunderstanding, okay?”

Cha Joobin glanced back.

Misunderstanding?

The word felt foreign coming from Kim Woosun’s mouth, and his face stiffened.

Kim Woosun, seeing this, raised his eyebrows as if he’d expected the reaction.

“Let’s talk. I won’t mess with your brother.”

“Damn it, how am I supposed to believe that? Would you believe it? You always mess with him, even when he tells you not to.”

“Yeah, okay, I did. But this time’s different. Trust me.”

“What a load of crap.”

Of course, Kim Woosun was unreliable.

The only reason Yoochan was still friends with him was because of Kim’s tenacity.

Gong Yoochan had drawn the line multiple times, and yet, Kim Woosun always came back, knowing Yoochan’s soft heart wouldn’t turn him away.

Would this time really be any different?

Cha Joobin couldn’t bring himself to trust anything when it came to Kim Woosun and Yoochan’s relationship.

Even if this whole thing turned out to be his fault, and he owed Yoochan an apology, he’d do it himself.

He didn’t need to hear it from anyone else.

After all, it was an issue between him and Yoochan.

Cha Joobin stood in front of the elevator again, ignoring the voice calling after him.

What good would it do to look back?

“Stop hanging around my brother. Do you think he’ll like you for it?”

It was supposed to be a sharp rebuke, but even as he said it, Cha Joobin felt hurt.

Yeah, no matter how much you bring him beef soup, will he like you?

Cha Joobin, who had always felt uneasy, as if Gong Yoochan might slip away no matter how tightly he tried to hold on, exhaled a long breath.

Just then, the elevator arrived. Without hesitation, Cha Joobin stepped inside and disappeared.

Kim Woosun, who had been watching him, let out a sigh.

He felt like he had created an unnecessary misunderstanding between the two.

It wasn’t like he’d never felt like a wedge between them before, but now the feeling was stronger.

He had only been worried about Yoochan, who hadn’t been answering his calls.

After trying to reach him multiple times with no success, he had asked his manager where he was and arrived a little earlier than Joobin.

But overhearing the argument from outside, he couldn’t help but feel guilty.

Not for Joobin, but for Yoochan.

That’s why he was waiting to apologize, to explain the situation to Joobin, but…

“…It’s my own fault, really.”

Who told you to keep trusting?

Clicking his tongue and ruffling his hair roughly, the elevator dinged again, and the doors suddenly flew open.

Startled, Kim Woosun stood up with a shiver, only to see Gong Yoochan standing there, his eyes red, as if he had been crying.

“You… you were crying?”

It felt like his heart dropped.

Not knowing what to do, Woosun fumbled awkwardly in the air, while Yoochan let out a hollow sigh.

“Why are you here?”

The cold voice that returned left Woosun speechless. He licked his dry lips and looked at him.

“Uh…”

“Why are you here? I keep fighting with Joobin because of you. Because of you.”

“…”

“I don’t want to fight with Joobin, but I keep doing it because of you. I told you to stop, so why do you keep doing it, why?”

Tears trickled down from Yoochan’s large round eyes.

Seeing the person he liked crying in front of him, Woosun felt a deep sense of loss.

No matter what he did, he could never make Yoochan cry.

No matter how he acted, Yoochan never got upset.

Whatever he said, Yoochan always brushed it off lightly.

Occasionally, he would firmly say, “Don’t do that,” or he would go days without answering his calls, or blow up in anger.

And Woosun knew better than anyone that that sharp tone was never directed at Joobin.

That was why he had stubbornly stuck around.

Out of spite, maybe.

Yoochan never gave him even the smallest opening in his heart, but if he clung on persistently, once in a while, they’d have drinks together.

But when Yoochan cried like this, everything changed.

Woosun stayed silent, unable to offer any excuses.

In front of him, the sobbing grew louder.

He wanted to reach out and comfort him, but he knew he’d only be pushed away, so he didn’t.

As he stood there, Yoochan’s tearful gaze suddenly shot toward him, full of resentment.

“How many times did I tell you to stop?”

A thousand times. And every time, it was Woosun who clung on, coaxing him into spending time together.

He had exploited the fact that Yoochan was generous, that once he cared for someone, he didn’t easily let go.

He had taken advantage of that.

Yoochan, who was so cautious about relationships because he was so full of warmth, had kept Woosun around, saying, “Where else would you find a friend like me?” and used that as an excuse to lure him in under the guise of friendship.

Knowing that Yoochan couldn’t easily cut people off, Woosun had relentlessly kept in touch, knowing full well that eventually Yoochan would say, “Don’t cross the line, you’re just a friend,” and tolerate him.

Woosun bit his lip hard.

“I told you to stop, so why do you keep doing it? Why? Did I ask you to come? No, right? Why are you doing this? I… I’m sorry for calling you when I needed something. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry. But please…”

“…”

“Please don’t do what Joobin should be doing, what Joobin wants to do. You’re not supposed to be doing that.”

In that moment, Yoochan regretted not cutting off Woosun sooner.

He had used the excuse that there weren’t many people he could trust in the harsh world of showbiz, and had kept Woosun, who liked him, around as a friend.

He felt guilty about that.

No matter what his feelings were, Joobin remembered that Yoochan always got sick after a hit and had brought beef soup to the dorm.

If he had seen Woosun there, it was understandable why Joobin had been so angry.

Yoochan bit his lower lip and hung his head.

He should never have done it.

Instead of soothing Joobin, who had clearly expressed his dislike, Yoochan had allowed Woosun’s persistence to get the better of him and kept the relationship going.

He should have cut him off from the start.

The root of the problem was that Yoochan, worried about Joobin’s image, had told Woosun, “He’s my friend, don’t do that,” instead of shutting him down completely.

Even though Yoochan’s feelings were always leaning toward Joobin, Joobin must have felt hurt by Yoochan constantly scolding him.

Yoochan should never have treated Woosun so lightly, especially not when things were rocky with Joobin.

Thinking about it, the answer was simple.

If Joobin had gone to see someone who liked him while they were in a fight, Yoochan would have been furious.

You idiot, why are you only realizing this now?

If only he had cut off Woosun sooner, things with Joobin might have been better.

Things wouldn’t have gotten this bad.

With a rush of regret, Yoochan swallowed hard.

Instead of thinking Joobin was being unreasonable, he should have considered why Joobin was acting the way he was.

After gathering his thoughts, Yoochan looked at Woosun.

“I don’t want to be the bad guy in Joobin’s eyes.”

He spoke with a clearer tone to the silent Woosun, and it became obvious what he meant.

Woosun’s eyes widened in realization.

“But I don’t care if I’m the bad guy to you. Go ahead, talk behind my back. Think that I used you. I won’t feel sorry for you. Don’t call me anymore. I won’t pick up.”

The voice of Joobin, angry that Yoochan didn’t understand why they broke up, kept stabbing at his heart.

Letting out a low breath, Yoochan left with a short word, “Go,” and closed the door behind him.

Maybe it was just his emotions, but heat flooded his body.

Struggling to even take a step, Yoochan forced himself back onto the couch, hugging his knees tightly, burying his face between them.

He knew he needed to make things right with Joobin.

He knew that.

“…How am I supposed to do that?”

His wet voice soaked the couch beneath him.

He had no idea where to start.

Their first meeting felt so far away.

He couldn’t gather the courage to go back home and soothe Joobin’s heart, but he didn’t want things to fall apart like this either.

He didn’t want that.

He didn’t want to fight with Joobin, and he definitely didn’t want to break up with him.

Ignoring Woosun, who was now knocking on the front door, begging to talk, Yoochan made up his mind.

Cutting Woosun off, the biggest source of Joobin’s frustration, might just make their relationship a little better.

It was the right thing to do now, even if it was late.

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