Chapter Eighty-One: A Temporary Farewell, The Upcoming Gathering of the Film Crew

Shaken vigorously by IU, Krystal felt her entire body spinning, so dizzy that the words she had wanted to say were lost in the whirlwind.

“Noona, calm down, you’re going to make Krystal pass out from all that shaking!” Watching the scene unfold before him, Cheol hurriedly stood up and reached out to grab IU’s hand, stopping her from shaking Krystal any further.

“Wait a minute, Cheol, you’re addressing Krystal informally! I knew it, you two are hiding something from me!” Hearing Cheol’s words, IU halted her actions, looking as if she had just caught a crucial clue. She turned her wide eyes to Cheol, scrutinizing him carefully, as though she might catch a hint of deception in his gaze.

“We’re nearly the same age, so it’s natural for us to speak informally to each other. There’s nothing strange about it.” Releasing IU’s hand, Cheol crossed his arms beneath his chin in the signature pose of Commander Ikari, fixing IU with an expressionless, deadpan stare. His eyes betrayed no emotion.

“One was born in ’94, the other in ’96—almost two years apart! You call that close in age? What about me, born in ’93?” Unfazed by Cheol’s deadpan look, IU launched into a furious tirade about their supposed closeness in age. She felt as though the two were treating her like a child, just to brush her off.

“If you’d like, Noona, I can speak informally with you too. I really don’t mind, right IU?” Cheol responded to IU’s complaints with complete nonchalance, following her words and even playfully winked at her, calling her by her name in an intimate tone.

“You little brat, trying to take liberties with me? Looks like you’re asking for trouble!” At Cheol’s familiar address, IU felt goosebumps rise all over her body. Her cheeks flushed, and she seemed slightly embarrassed and annoyed as she stood up, grabbing Cheol’s ear and giving it a gentle tug.

“Ouch, ouch, ouch! Noona, I’m sorry, let me go! Krystal, help me!” Though IU wasn't pulling very hard, Cheol exaggerated his pain, repeatedly begging her for mercy and reaching out to Krystal for rescue.

“All right, all right, IU. Cheol’s apologized—let him off this time!” Receiving Cheol’s plea, Krystal blinked, snapped out of her daze, and wrapped her arm around IU, gently rocking her and speaking kindly to persuade her to release Cheol.

“Hmph, fine, I’ll let you off this time!” It had all been in good fun, but with Krystal’s coaxing, IU felt embarrassed to continue. She finally let go, though not without striking a haughty queen pose and uttering a parting remark before reluctantly releasing Cheol.

“Thank you, Noona, for sparing me. I promise there won’t be a next time!” Once freed, Cheol rubbed his slightly reddened ear, promising IU with a fawning smile that made Krystal cover her mouth and chuckle.

“A next time!” Ever-alert, IU caught a loophole in Cheol’s words and wasted no time in pointing it out, her eyes wide as she searched him for any rebellious intent that might give her another excuse to teach him a lesson.

“There won’t be a next time, I swear! You have to believe me, Noona!” Sensing the danger in IU’s eyes, Cheol’s hair stood on end. He raised his right hand in a sincere gesture, earnestly promising her.

“Smart move. By the way, Krystal, do you have plans this afternoon? Would you come shopping with me? I want to buy some new clothes!” Pleased with Cheol’s response, IU turned to Krystal with a bright smile, clinging tightly to her arm as she asked.

To Cheol, the way IU clung so tightly to Krystal seemed like she was forcing her, but having just been spared, he dared not comment. He could only suppress his urge to make a sarcastic remark and quietly grumble to himself.

As Cheol expected, Krystal agreed to IU’s invitation without much hesitation. After finishing their coffee, the two linked arms and set off for shopping, leaving Cheol behind, speechless. He remained in place, sipping his coffee and savoring its bitterness, letting out a soft sigh.

Even if they had invited him, Cheol wouldn’t have gone. Accompanying the two of them shopping would be asking for trouble. Not only would he be reduced to a human luggage cart, but if someone snapped a photo, he’d probably be drowned in online backlash from their fans turned haters.

————— Time Divider —————

Time flew by, and a few days quickly passed. Without any single recording scheduled, Cheol returned to his old routine: practicing vocals in the studio during the day, enduring lessons from Bae Soo-yong, and attending acting classes in the afternoon and evening alongside IU, receiving the teacher’s loving guidance together.

“Annyeonghaseyo, Soo-ho hyung, is something up?” Just after finishing a scene with IU and listening to the acting teacher’s feedback, Cheol’s phone suddenly rang. He checked the caller—Lim Soo-ho. Cheol gestured to IU, then walked to the corner of the classroom to answer.

“Hurry down to the parking lot. I’ve already warmed up the car. The crew’s gathering is about to begin—don’t be late!” Lim Soo-ho’s voice was urgent, urging Cheol to come down quickly so they wouldn’t be late. As a newcomer, it was best not to arrive late—leaving a good impression on the director would help his future career.

“Ah, Soo-ho hyung, there’s still at least two and a half hours before the gathering starts. My acting class isn’t even finished yet—why so rushed?” Hearing Soo-ho’s urgency, Cheol thought time must be tight. He quickly checked his phone and saw they still had two and a half hours before the agreed meeting time, and breathed a sigh of relief.