CHAPTER 68: GRADUATION BLUES?

"SUNBAE-NIM, wait here," Wonyoung said while opening the door. "I’ll just get my package from Gayoung."

The package that was sent to his old address was the script from Writer Shin Yuna.

Everyone who applied for the audition receives the script.

Since Wonyoung didn’t have an agency yet to handle such matters for him, so the script was sent to his house instead.

Old house, since I can’t let people know that I live in such an exclusive neighborhood right now.

Anyway, he got his younger cousin’s text right after they left the acting school.

Luckily, we have time to spare before Yuhyun’s class ends.

"Are you sure you don’t want me to accompany you, Hoobae-nim?"

"It’s alright, Sunbae-nim," Wonyoung said while shaking his head. "Gayoung’s boyfriend is there, so I don’t want to risk it."

Actually, Bae Gayoung offered to just come down and hand Wonyoung the package.

However, he declined and told his younger cousin that he’d just go up.

I want to see the person she’s dating.

"Just stay here and keep an eye on An Baekya," Wonyoung said, glancing at the sleeping An Baekya. "I’ll be quick."

"Alright."

Wonyoung then quickly got out of the van and went inside the building.

The passcode hadn’t been changed, so he got in easily.

Bae Gayoung didn’t change the passcode of the apartment, so he could have just punched in the code and entered the house.

But he didn’t want to intrude, especially when his younger cousin had a guest.

I already gave this apartment to Gayoung, so this is her house now.

Hence, Wonyoung pressed the doorbell instead of punching in the passcode.

It only took a moment before Bae Gayoung opened the door.

"Oppa, you’re here."

Wonyoung smiled and nodded, then his gaze went past the tall and handsome man standing behind Bae Gayoung.

That young man looks familiar.

"Ah, Oppa. This is Sung Mingi Oppa," Bae Gayoung said shyly. "My boyfriend."

Wonyoung gasped when he finally recognized the young man after hearing his name. "Oh, aren’t you an idol?"

He remembered the young man’s group debuted before he fell into a coma.

Plus, he had seen some recent drama series where Sung Mingi played a supporting role.

Yep, he’s an idol-turned-actor.

Sung Mingi smiled shyly and bowed his head. "Hello, sir. I’m Sung Mingi, and I’m dating your cousin."

***

"SUNBAE-NIM, my baby cousin is dating an idol," Wonyoung said proudly while showing pictures of Sung Mingi to Yun Dujun— who obviously didn’t look interested. Still, he continued yapping because he was excited about Bae Gayoung’s love life. "I guess being linked to a celebrity runs in our veins."

To be fair, Sung Mingi came from a flop idol group with a flopping career as an actor.

The kid isn’t successful yet. The shows that he had starred in all flopped hard. But works hard. I’ve seen him in a lot of drama series.

"I don’t recognize the kid."

"You haven’t worked with him yet, as far as I know," Wonyoung said. He already looked it up, and nothing showed up when he asked the internet if Sung Mingi had already worked with Yun Dujun. "The kid mainly plays small roles in mid drama series. He’s either the younger version of the villain, the best friend of the main character, or the bully of the male lead. He debuted as an idol five years ago when he was only 17 years old, and he debuted as an actor two years ago."

Sung Mingi is only a year or two older than Gayoung, so their age gap isn’t bad.

"You already found out that much about the kid?"

"Sunbae-nim, NAVI Search is better than G*ogle. Your father is a genius for creating this search engine."

"NAVI Search? Is that what people call Abeoji’s company these days?"

"Yes, Sunbae-nim. They shortened all companies under Naville Corporation to NAVI— all caps. People style the name that way for some reason."

"Ah, I see."

Wonyoung furrowed his brows. "Sunbae-nim, you don’t use the internet much, do you?"

"Not interested. The agency handles most of my social media pages."

Aigoo.

"Sunbae-nim, time is changing. You need to maximize your online presence to stay relevant. Or else, your popularity will fade quickly."

In this timeline, social media wasn’t as big as it was yet from the world Wonyoung had come from.

But, soon, influencers would be more popular than some actors.

"Well, as an actor, I’ve long accepted that I won’t be popular forever— especially since I’m not getting younger. I’m not really that hung up on my popularity. As long as I get to act, I’ll be fine."

"How will you book roles if you’re no longer popular?"

"I think I’ve established my name enough that I won’t get easily forgotten by the directors and writers I’ve worked with?"

Aigoo.

"This won’t work, Sunbae-nim. You have to work harder and earn more money to give me a big alimony later," Wonyoung said jokingly. "As your manager, let me make a personal social media page for you, Sunbae-nim. Of course, I’ll also make mine. Help me get followers. I’m going to use you for clout. You don’t mind, do you?"

"That’s fine with me," Yun Dujun said casually. "I actually like it when you use me however you want, Hoobae-nim."

Aigoo.

I’m so glad An Baekya is still asleep.

Yun Dujun really had the power to make a normal conversation sound lewd!

That, or just maybe Wonyoung’s mind was in the gutter.

Will I stop lusting after this sunbae-nim if I sleep with him again just once?

***

YUHYUN looks sad...

Wonyoung couldn’t help but notice that Yun Yuhyun was less energetic than usual.

After they picked up his son from school, they went straight to the Italian restaurant that Yun Dujun had reserved for their family.

Since it was a weekday, the restaurant wasn’t crowded.

But, even if it were, they didn’t have to worry about that.

Dujun Sunbae-nim booked a private lounge for us, after all.

"Yuhyun, is everything alright?" Wonyoung asked worriedly. "You’re barely touching your food."

"Isn’t spaghetti allo scoglio your favorite pasta dish?" Yun Dujun asked. "Do you want to eat something else? Tell us."

Right, they ordered different types of pasta dishes.

Yun Yuhyun ordered spaghetti allo scoglio.

Aglio e olio for Yun Dujun.

Lasagne alla bolognese for An Baekya.

And bucatini all’Amatriciana for Wonyoung.

"I like my food, Daddy, Papa," Yun Yuhyun said, obviously forcing himself to smile. "I’m fine."

"Why are you saying you’re fine when you’re obviously not?" An Baekya asked bluntly. "Don’t make Appa and Abeoji worry. Did you do something wrong and you’re afraid to get scolded?"

"I did nothing wrong, and I’m not a coward," Yun Yuhyun said while glaring at An Baekya, but the kid’s face softened when he turned to Wonyoung and Yun Dujun. "Daddy, Papa, our school gave us the invitations for our guardians today."

"Invitation?" Wonyoung asked curiously. "For what?"

"Our recital, Papa. We’ll have a recital for our graduation," Yun Yuhyun answered, and then the kid glanced at Yun Dujun nervously. "But Daddy can’t attend our graduation recital, can you?"

"No, I can’t. People will recognize me," Yun Dujun said while shaking his head. "As always, your Uncle Inyeop will attend the recital in my place. He promised to take a video of your performance, so I’ll still get to watch you perform, Yuhyun-ah."

Again, Yun Yuhyun forced himself to smile. "I understand, Daddy."

Aw.

Wonyoung felt a pang in his chest while looking at Yun Yuhyun’s dejected face.

My poor baby.

***

THREE hours after their full dinner, Wonyoung found himself running with Yun Dujun again.

This sunbae-nim is really serious about making me run.

Of course, he gave up and just started walking after half an hour.

"Hoobae-nim, you’ve given up easily again," Yun Dujun said, looking over his shoulder while walking in front of Wonyoung. "What should I do to get you motivated to run?"

"Oh, I have plenty of motivation," Wonyoung said while admiring Yun Dujun’s strong back and firm butt. Thank goodness for fit shirts and running shorts. "I like the view here."

"Yeah, I work out for you to have this kind of view."

Wonyoung laughed, and then he raised his head to meet Yun Dujun’s gaze.

The Alpha wasn’t smiling, but his eyes were full of mischief.

This sunbae-nim knows how to joke around, huh?

Yun Dujun stopped walking, and then he turned around to face Wonyoung.

So sexy.

"Why are you so distracted tonight, Hoobae-nim?"

Ah, right.

This isn’t the right time to drool over Dujun Sunbae-nim’s gorgeous body.

"Sunbae-nim, I want to attend our Yuhyun’s graduation recital."

"Oh, of course," Yun Dujun said, pausing for a moment. "Inyeop Hyung-nim and his spouse always attend Yuhyun’s school activities. You have to hang out with them if you want to watch Yuhyun’s recital. The family of each student has to sit together, after all."

"I want to watch our son’s recital with you, Sunbae-nim."

"Hoobae-nim, you know that it will be hard for me to do that. There will be cameras around because the family members of the students would want to record the kids’ performance. It’s risky for me to attend that kind of event."

"People won’t recognize you if you put on an elaborate disguise again."

Yun Dujun tilted his head to one side. "Oh. You want me to put on the ’Natalie’ disguise again? I’m not sure if I want my older brother to see me in that get-up, but I’ll think about it."

"No, not the ’Natalie’ disguise. I’m thinking of something else— a disguise that our son will love."

"What is it, then?"

"Do you trust me, Sunbae-nim?"

"I want to trust you, but you have a silly look on your face right now," Yun Dujun complained lightly. "What are you planning this time, Bae Wonyoung?"

"Lend me your ear, Sunbae-nim."

Yun Dujun raised an eyebrow, but he leaned down and tilted his head to one side. "Tell me your evil plan, Hoobae-nim."

Wonyoung cupped his mouth with his hands before whispering in Yun Dujun’s ear...

... and then the Alpha suddenly burst out laughing while listening to his ’evil plan.’

Oh?

Is Sunbae-nim just easily entertained, or am I funnier than I thought?

***

THEY’RE getting along well.

An Baekya watched Bae Wonyoung and Yun Dujun from the window of his room.

His foster parents had just returned home from their night run.

Bae Wonyoung kept yapping while Yun Dujun was obviously listening intently.

Everyone could tell that the two were getting along well.

But their previous relationship was more intense than this.

"It seems like Yun Dujun-ssi hasn’t realized his feelings for Appa yet," An Baekya whispered to himself. "This isn’t the Yun Dujun-ssi who was obsessed with Appa."

The Yun Dujun that An Baekya remembered was your typical Alpha who was obsessed with his Omega.

Naturally, Yun Dujun went insane after Bae Wonyoung died in the other timeline.

And Yun Dujun-ssi’s madness is the reason Yun Yuhyun went insane young.

An Baekya smirked when he remembered how Yun Yuhyun had actually lost his mind in the first timeline— and, yes, it was Yun Dujun’s fault. "Who keeps the corpse of their dead husband for months?"

***

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