Chapter 4: The Clean Slate
It had been a few days since his discharge, and Sunghoon was beginning to understand the rhythm of Haru's life. Se-hee had been adamant: he was to do nothing but rest.
He'd discovered that Haru was a relentless worker, balancing a shift at a family-owned restaurant during the day and a nightclub at night. Se-hee had managed to smooth things over with the restaurant, and she told him not to worry about the club job yet,claiming she had an "ace up her sleeve" to keep his spot without him having to show up while recovering.
As he rested, he watched Se-hee work. She was meticulous, a digital craftsman who worked day and night to provide content for her viewers. Her consistency was impressive; she had a loyal following that hung on her every word. It was a type of fame Sunghoon didn't quite understand yet,intimate, constant, and self-made.
When Se-hee was busy, Sunghoon retreated to the internet. He scoured news outlets for anything regarding his past life. Most of it was the same disappointing, soul-crushing feedback: labels of "scandal" and "suicide." It always ended with a throbbing headache.
However, there was one silver lining. He found out his younger sister had actually established an entertainment company. It surprised him; growing up, she'd never seemed interested in the industry. The realization made his heart ache with a mixture of pride and longing. While there were no recent updates on the company's projects, he found their office location. He desperately wanted to see it, even from a distance, but Se-hee kept him on a tight leash.
He'd tried to sneak out for some sun, only to be cornered by the landlady, who lived on the floor below. She was a chatterbox of epic proportions. After twenty minutes of nodding politely, Sunghoon feigned a recurring migraine just to escape back to the safety of the apartment.
Eventually, the day came for his return to the world. Se-hee dropped him off at the restaurant, as he still didn't "remember" the way.
The shift at the Kwon family's chicken shop was hectic. The lunch rush was a blur of steam, the smell of frying oil, and barking orders. It was exhausting, but the Kwons were incredibly kind. They treated Haru like a son, their eyes filling with sympathy every time they remembered his "amnesia."
When the shift ended, Se-hee was there to pick him up. He brought her a small box of leftover chicken he'd bought for her, and she beamed, throwing her arms around him in a sudden, warm hug.
On the way home, they stopped at a convenience store for supplies. Back at the apartment, they settled in front of the TV to eat. A live broadcast was airing,a chaotic scene at the airport. A massive crowd of fans and paparazzi were crushed against temporary barricades, their screams muffled by the TV's speakers.
"Thank goodness I didn't miss the arrival!"
Se-hee exhaled, her cheeks full of chicken.
A figure emerged from the terminal. Even through a black mask and a heavy hoodie, he commanded the space. He wore baggy black-and-grey streetwear that looked like it had been tailored for his frame. Despite the chaos, he stopped to bow deeply to the screaming fans before a phalanx of bulky bodyguards ushered him toward a waiting car.
Se-hee's expression was ecstatic. She tapped furiously on her phone before turning to him. "Isn't he incredible? Isn't he handsome?"
Sunghoon nodded slowly. He couldn't see the man's face, but he recognized that aura,the posture of someone who knew they were being watched by thousands.
As he watched the figure disappear into the car, a sharp tinge of jealousy pierced through him.
He remembered what it felt like to be at the center of that storm. He remembered the weight of the bodyguards' hands on his shoulders, the blinding flashes of the cameras, the feeling that he stood at the peak of the world.
He had once fantasized about a quiet life. He had complained about the lack of privacy, the scripts piling up, the relentless pace. But sitting here in a small apartment, smelling of frying oil and wearing a stranger's skin, he realized how much he missed it.
He wanted to act again. He wanted to disappear into a character, to feel the silent tension of a film set before the director yelled "Action." It was his passion, his oxygen.
Se-hee had mentioned that Haru had worked as a background extra on a few shows. Perhaps Haru had only done it for the money, but for Sunghoon, it was a spark.
Maybe I should be greedy again, he thought. Maybe I can start over from the bottom.
But then, a cold thought drifted into his mind: If I take this life and turn it into something else... what happens if the real Haru comes back? Am I stealing his future, or building one he never knew he wanted?