Chapter 19: sugar-baby
Haru was navigating the cramped aisles of a neighborhood convenience store, ticking off a mental list of household essentials, when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He set his plastic basket on the linoleum floor and answered without checking the ID.
A voice, bright and unmistakably flamboyant, crackled through the receiver. "Hello? Am I speaking to Ha-ru?"
He recognized that tone instantly. "Yes."
"Your audition passed."
Haru froze. The sea of brightly colored snack packaging and bottled teas in front of him blurred. His throat went dry, and for a second, the humming of the store's refrigerators seemed to deafen him.
"The CEO wants to meet you tomorrow," the voice continued, oblivious to the earthquake she had just triggered in his chest. "Is that okay with you?"
Mae-rin. The name echoed in his mind. He was finally going to see her. He was finally going to see his sister. A violent swirl of joy and crushing grief hit him all at once.
"Y… yes," he managed to stutter.
"Good. Tomorrow at four PM, then."
The line went dead before he could even register his own response. He stood paralyzed in the aisle, wondering if he was hallucinating. It took several long seconds to sober himself up from the daze, pay for his items, and begin the trek back to the house.
He debated telling Se-hee. When he'd originally asked her for directions to the company, she'd been skeptical, questioning why he suddenly wanted to be an extra again.
He had told her then that after everything he'd been through, he wanted to live more freely. She'd eventually given in, even offering to drive him, but he'd declined. Now, with a real lead in his hand, he decided to keep it quiet. He wanted to be absolutely sure before he gave her hope with the news.
When he walked through the front door, he found Se-hee waiting. She wasn't just sitting there; she was holding the hoodie Raiven had given him, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"This is quite an expensive brand," she cooed, leaning against the partition leading to the hallway.
Haru let out a long sigh. He walked past her into the kitchen and began unloading the shopping bags. "Why won't you tell meeeee?" she moaned, jumping slightly in place to get his attention.
"Because it's just a friend!" He rolled his eyes, focusing intently on the jars he was putting away.
"What 'friend' keeps giving you designer clothes? This brand is worth three times our rent!" She followed him, sulking. "You're a sugar baby. You definitely are. That's why you're being so secretive!"
"It's just a friend, okay?" He finished his task and folded the plastic bags with unnecessary precision.
"Is the guy taking advantage of you? Is that why you won't tell me?"
Haru paused. "Why would you assume it's a guy?"
"Because you're gay!" she said, as if stating the sky was blue.
He had almost forgotten. Se-hee had mentioned it passively before—that the original Haru wasn't just bisexual, but "fully gay." Sunghoon, however, was straight. Or at least, he had been in the 90s.
"I decided to explore my sexuality more," he said tentatively.
Se-hee stopped in her tracks. "What?"
"I think... I might be attracted to women as well."
She stared at him in utter bewilderment. Seizing the moment of stunned silence, Haru snatched the hoodie from her hands and retreated into his bedroom.
He spent the rest of the night dodging her questions. He didn't know how to explain it. 'You see, your friend is actually possessed by a 90s soul who is straight.' That wasn't an option. He chose silence instead, telling her he didn't want to talk about it.
Still, lying in bed, a flicker of doubt remained. The 90s hadn't exactly afforded him the space to explore; he had been too busy with work and family. But then again, when he had kissed that man during filming, he hadn't felt a spark of arousal. He let out a sigh and shrugged it off.
The next day, he finished his shift with the Kwons early. By the time he reached the entrance of the entertainment company, he was heaving, his lungs burning from the sprint. He opened the door, trying to compose himself.
"Sorry... I had work," he panted, straightening his shirt.
Alice was there, beaming as usual. "It's no bother, as long as you made it." She grabbed his arm and steered him toward the back. "This is our CEO, Mae-rin."
Mae-rin approached them. She wore a sharp suit and glasses, her hair gathered into a chic but slightly messy bun. Haru saw her eyes flicker with a brief moment of surprise when she saw him,specifically his buzzcut,but she composed herself instantly.
Sunghoon felt like he might faint. His mouth went dry again as she reached out a hand.
"Nice to meet you. Alice has spoken very highly of you," Mae-rin said with a professional smile.
She's grown so much, he thought, his heart aching. He murmured a thank you, caught in a daze, unable to take his eyes off the sister he had lost decades ago.
Before they could speak further, Mae-rin's phone rang. Her face scrunched in worry and she let out a frustrated sigh. After a brief, clipped conversation, she apologized to Haru, explaining that Alice would handle the details before she grabbed her bag and hurried out.
Haru remained frozen, staring at the door she had just exited.
"You're drooling," Alice teased, snapping him out of it.
"I wasn't…" He looked away, embarrassed.
"I'm very open-minded," she said with a wink.
Alice tapped the thick stack of papers on the mahogany table. "I know it looks daunting, but Mae-rin _I mean, the CEO_is offering you a very fair start. Standard three-year trainee-to-actor bridge. You'll get a monthly stipend for transport and wardrobe, and the profit split on your first few roles is 60/40 in our favor, moving to 50/50 after your first year."
Sunghoon barely heard the numbers. He was staring at the door Mae-rin had just exited. His sister. She was a powerhouse now, a CEO in a sharp suit, a far cry from the little girl he remembered.
"Haru? You still with me?" Alice waved a hand in front of his face. "I was saying, there's a clause about 'public image.' No scandals, no late-night clubbing photos, "
"I understand," Sunghoon murmured. He didn't need to read the fine print to know this was his only bridge back to his family. He picked up the pen and signed "Haru" in a firm, steady hand before pushing the folder back to her.
Alice beamed, visibly relieved. "Fastest signing I've ever seen. I like a man who knows what he wants."
She leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. " We actually already have a role for you. It's a supporting character,the 'loner' type. We'd already cast someone, but he started acting stubbon the moment the contract hit the desk. When the CEO saw your audition tape, she told me to cut him loose immediately. She was impressed, and trust me, she doesn't do that for just anyone."
"Okay," Sunghoon replied, his heart hammering. She was impressed by me.
"Script reading starts next week," Alice said, sliding a heavy, spiral-bound script across the table. The cover read: Gyeongseong High: Season 6. "This is a massive franchise. It's a career-maker. This is a big deal for the company, so you can't back out now," she added, her playful smile slipping into a look of dead-serious professional warning.
"I won't. I'll take it seriously," Sunghoon promised.
"Good. I'll be managing you personally , so if you have any issues,you tell me first, okay?" She stood up and offered a firm handshake. "Welcome to the team, Haru.