Joo-hyun thought it was unbelievable that a runaway esper would appear on a broadcast, but there wasn't a trace of playfulness in Cha In-ho's voice.
"I tried to stop them, but no one listened. I'm truly sorry. I didn't mean to get you involved in such a mess."
"I didn't say I would do it."
Of course, they both knew that Joo-hyun had no real say in the matter. Thus, Cha In-ho didn't respond, and Joo-hyun didn't press further. The details of how the call ended faded from his mind.
When Joo-hyun entered the break room with a dazed expression, Seung-cheol, who was waiting, couldn't hide his worried look as he pulled Joo-hyun to the sofa.
"What's wrong? Is In-ho cutting off the match?"
Seung-cheol, who had started calling Cha In-ho "In-ho ssi" after receiving Seo Bora's autograph, shook Joo-hyun's shoulders.
"Hyung... do you know 'Wednesday Film'?"
"Isn't that the TV show that airs every Wednesday? Se-hwa watches it often. Why?"
Joo-hyun didn't know how to break the news less shockingly. After deliberating, he finally buried his face in his hands and spoke as he had heard.
"It looks like I'm going to appear on it."
"What?"
"Cha In-ho is appearing on it, and apparently, the scene of him guiding me needs to be shown."
"Haha, your jokes have improved. That was quite funny."
The smile on Seung-cheol's face, which he had worn while crossing his arms and shaking his head, slowly disappeared in the ensuing silence. Seeing Joo-hyun still with his head bowed, he realised it wasn't a joke. Seung-cheol gasped.
"Seriously?"
"I wish it were a joke too."
"They approved that?"
The Association must have agreed to broadcast a runaway esper, which was incredibly dangerous. Who would enjoy watching such a thing on TV?
But both Joo-hyun and Seung-cheol knew the truth. As much as runaway espers were hidden away for being too dangerous, their appearance on screen would become a source of sensational entertainment.
"...It's fine. I'll just go and get a bit of flak."
Lacking comforting words, Seung-cheol squeezed Joo-hyun's shoulder firmly before letting go. The gesture, although small, provided significant comfort, and Joo-hyun decided to accept it as just another wretched mission.
In a way, he was relieved that it was him going out instead of another colleague from Block C. Seung-cheol, Se-hwa, Chae-kyung, Bom-i—all of them probably had people they knew before they became runaway espers and wouldn't want to be seen as dangerous individuals.
On the other hand, those who knew Joo-hyun well from 11 years ago were either dead or completely indifferent to him now. So if a runaway esper had to appear, Joo-hyun was the most suitable candidate.
Despite resolving himself, he couldn't help but feel nervous on the day of the shoot.
'Wednesday Film' was a programme that followed the daily lives of its participants. This time, the participant was Cha In-ho, and the scene of him guiding a runaway esper was to feature Joo-hyun.
Of course, the filming wouldn't take place in Block C. Although the official reason was security, Joo-hyun suspected it was because they didn't want to reveal Block C's poor and dirty environment. Hence, Joo-hyun arrived at a three-storey building located in a remote area of the city.
"The guiding will take place here."
Joo-hyun overheard a staff member telling another employee outside the window. Though Joo-hyun was the one being filmed, all instructions went to the other employee for safety reasons. When he shook the handcuffs on his wrists, the clinking sound echoed inside the car.
"Make even one slip, and you'll see what happens."
Just before entering the room designated as the guiding room, the stuff who had removed his handcuffs glared at him and whispered lowly.
It was the same thing he'd heard countless times over the past few days. He could recite it by heart if needed. The killing missions, the environment of Block C, the harsh working conditions, the inhumane treatment—Joo-hyun couldn't speak of any of it.
Realising that his everyday life was problematic enough to warrant such precautions shocked Joo-hyun internally, but he showed no outward sign of it.
For safety, apart from Block C personnel, there was no one else in the building. The spacious, cosy room had cameras installed in various places. While Joo-hyun fiddled with the ornaments on the table, the door opened, and Cha In-ho walked in.
"You were here first."
Joo-hyun shrugged in response and scrutinised Cha In-ho carefully.
He seemed even more meticulously groomed than usual, truly resembling a celebrity. Although he was already a celebrity, his usual slightly dishevelled appearance made him seem more approachable.
"Usually, things aren't decided so suddenly, but after the last incident, the agency must want to show that I'm fine."
Cha In-ho, looking dazzling, sat across from him. Unlike in Block C, the sturdy, plush chair didn't creak at all.
The staff had told Joo-hyun not to act too familiar with Cha In-ho. They said it wouldn't be good for Cha In-ho's image, although Joo-hyun didn't understand why, he agreed.
After staring at Joo-hyun for a moment, Cha In-ho smiled slightly and called him over.
"Come here. I'll attach the mic."
There wasn't a staff member brave enough to mic up a runaway esper. Joo-hyun obediently stood up and approached his matching guide.
A soft, comforting scent emanated from Cha In-ho, reminiscent of a forest after a rain.
"Don't be too nervous. I'm here."
"..."
"If anything happens, I'll handle it. Just relax."
It was laughable, given that this situation arose because of Cha In-ho, but a part of Joo-hyun did feel a bit more at ease. He licked his dry lips and sat down on the chair.
Clap! Cha In-ho clapped his hands. Joo-hyun didn't know what it meant, but seeing the drawn smile on his face, he realised it was time. He clenched his fists and then relaxed them. The filming had begun.
* * *
"Ah, that's refreshing."
Eun-a emerged from the bathroom, her hair still damp, and headed straight for the fridge. She grabbed a can of beer without hesitation and took a long gulp, feeling the cool liquid scratch her throat as she exclaimed in satisfaction.
"This is the best way to end the day."
Grabbing a dried snack, she settled on the sofa, propping her feet on the table and leaning back. If she were at home, her parents would have clucked their tongues at her posture, but she had been living on her own for two years now. There was no one to nag her.
With the can already half-empty, Eun-a stopped channel surfing when her finger paused over the remote.
'Wednesday Film' was a variety show airing every Wednesday at 9 PM, popular for showcasing the daily lives of stars.
Participants spent the day doing their routine activities, and throughout the day, they would take Polaroid pictures. At the end, they would choose the best moment from their day. Today's guest was none other than Cha In-ho.
Eun-a's phone buzzed. She didn't need to check the caller ID to know who it was.
"Hey, hey, are you watching 'Wednesday Film'?"
"Yeah. You told me to watch it. But why are the commercials so long?"
"I don't know. Maybe they're making it longer because In-ho is on?"
Eun-a's friend was such a huge fan of Cha In-ho that she could say such things nonchalantly. Chewing on her snack, Eun-a heard her friend's excited voice through the phone.
"He's finally coming on today."
"Who?"
"The runaway esper! They teased it last week. I'm going to remember that bastard's face."
Her friend's voice, filled with an alarming intensity, sniffed through the phone.
'Wednesday Film' already had high ratings, but today, it was sure to be even higher. The reason? A runaway esper was going to appear.
As far as Eun-a knew, this was the first time a runaway esper, known for being terrifying and dangerous, would appear on a broadcast rather than the news.
"You know I hate runaway espers, right?"
"Of course I know. When the article came out about Cha In-ho matching with a runaway esper, you drank and cried all night."
"I was so worried he'd die… Oh, it's starting! I'll call you after it's over. Let's chat then!"
Cha In-ho, thankfully alive and well, appeared on the screen. Even though she wasn't a fan, Eun-a couldn't deny how stunningly handsome he was as she gulped down another piece of her snack.
He woke up in what looked like a very expensive apartment and began his day. Despite just waking up, his face was almost unnervingly beautiful. Not feminine, but too glamorous to be a typical handsome man, his face glittered in the morning sunlight.
As expected of a top actor, Cha In-ho was incredibly busy, running around all day.
"Do you like cats?" The scene switched from Cha In-ho taking a Polaroid photo of a stray cat to the studio, where the host was asking the question. Other guests also leaned in, watching him intently.
Cha In-ho, accustomed to being the centre of attention, nodded.
"Of course. They don't easily get close, but when they do, it makes me feel like I'm floating with happiness."
"In-ho ssi, you really get it. That's the charm of cats, isn't it?"
Eun-a, who had fallen in love with cats after visiting a cat café, nodded in agreement.
"But where are you headed now?"
"I'm going for a guiding session."
Cha In-ho's smile made the studio erupt with reactions, but he focused solely on the camera.
Eun-a put down her empty can and sat up straight. Finally, she thought, this is it.