Chapter 47
The digital glow of the smartphone screen illuminated Haru's face as he typed out a reply to Suho, the sun was already starting to set. If they didn't start the journey they would be late. It had been several days since that heavy, lingering encounter in Mae-rin's office, a meeting that had left his soul feeling like it had been rubbed raw with sandpaper.
Filming for his major scenes was largely wrapped, leaving him with a , shimmering pocket of free time before the final push of the production.
Suho had been a persistent force in his notifications, buzzing with an energy that Haru found both exhausting and endearing.
The younger idol had been desperate to "hang out," and after postponing once already, Haru didn't have the heart to do it again. There was something about Suho's earnestness that bypassed Sunghoon's defenses.
In the interim, Haru had officially stepped back from his shifts at the restaurant. The Kwons had been nothing but supportive, their faces lighting up with a mixture of pride and bittersweet relief when he told them. They had known the "original" Haru for years, and to them, he was like family.
Mrs.Kwon had pulled him aside on his last day, her hands smelling of sesame oil and flour as she patted his cheek.
"Your eyes used to look so dead, Haru-ya," she had whispered. "But now? They burn with so much anticipation."
The transition was becoming tangible. Money was finally trickling into the account Alice had set up for him ,professional pay for professional work. Yet, in a quiet act of penance, Haru kept the original Haru's meager savings account untouched. He funneled a portion of his new earnings there, a safety net just in case the boy whose body he occupied ever found his way back.
Sunghoon knew better than anyone that the industry was a fickle beast; he had started with nothing decades ago, and he knew the value of a silent reserve.
"You're a viral hit, you know," Se-hee had chirped,showing him his social media metrics.
He had amassed 500,000 followers in a staggering amount of time. For a rookie, it was unheard of, but Haru knew he wasn't doing this alone. Between Suho posting about him to Deul-hwa sharing behind-the-scenes clips and the sheer cultural weight of the franchise they were filming, the spotlight was inevitable. It felt surreal.
In his first life as Sunghoon, he had ground through years of being in extra roles, slowly clawing his way into supporting parts, and eventually landing a low-budget indie film that caught the right critic's eye. Back then, he chose scripts based on the soul of the story, not the size of the paycheck, a habit that had eventually paid off. Now, it felt like he was skip-jumping through the levels of fame.
"Hyung!"
The shout broke his reverie. Haru turned to see Suho jogging toward him, a brilliant, sun-drenched smile plastered across his face. But as Suho got closer, Haru realized he wasn't alone. A few paces behind him was Grey, looking uncharacteristically subdued.
"Sorry we're late! The trainer had some last-minute details to go through for the choreography," Suho panted, stopping in front of Haru.
"It's fine," Haru said, ruffling Suho's hair with a natural, brotherly ease. His eyes shifted to Grey, who offered a small, polite bow. He looked nervous, his usual stage presence replaced by a shy, watchful tension.
Suho grabbed Grey's arm, tugging him forward. "Hyung, can he join us? He was just going to go back to the dorm and practice more, and I told him he needed a break."
"Sure," Haru smiled, his warmth genuine.
"The more the merrier. What did you have planned anyway?"
"I have amazing plans," Suho declared gleefully. "Total relaxation."
As if on cue, a sleek black van pulled up to the curb. Suho's manager had arranged for a driver and assistant manager, Li would chaperone the group to their destination. Li offered a professional, kind smile as they piled in.
"Where is Raiven?" Suho asked, settling into the back row and bouncing slightly on the leather seat.
"He said he was coming down now," Li replied, her gaze drifting to Haru. She studied him for a moment before her smile widened. "You must be Haru. I've heard quite a bit about you."
"I hope it's all good things," Haru joked, leaning into the easy charisma that had served him for decades.
"Definitely," she chuckled, clicking something on her tablet.
Haru was about to settle in when the weight of her words registered. Raiven is coming too?
"Raiven is joining us?" he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.
"Yes," Suho said, beaming. "I told him I was going somewhere with you and, to my total shock, he actually asked if he could come. He never does group stuff outside of the schedule. I think he really likes you, Hyung!"
Before Haru could process the implication of Raiven voluntarily seeking out his company, the van door slid open again. Raiven stood there, looking effortlessly cool in a black bucket hat and a simple sling bag. His eyes met Haru's, and for a split second, the air in the van felt charged.
Raiven climbed in, bypassing the empty seats in the back to sit directly beside Haru in the middle row.
"Hey," Raiven said softly.
"Hey," Haru replied, a small smile tugging at his lips.
They hadn't seen much of each other since the incident at the warehouse. With the tour looming and the group's comeback filming reaching a fever pitch, Raiven had been a busy. To Raiven, this trip was a strange, impulsive necessity. He found himself looking forward to it with a quiet intensity that puzzled him.
"Okay, let's go," Li instructed the driver.
The van pulled out of the lot, leaving the bustling city behind. For the first few miles, the cabin was silent, save for the low hum of a playlist Suho had curated. Suho eventually began chatting with Grey, trying to coax the nervous trainee out of his shell, their voices a soft murmur in the background.
As they drove through the outskirts of Seoul and toward the quiet, green expanses of the suburbs, Haru looked out the window. He felt the weight of Raiven's shoulder occasionally brushing against his own as the van turned.
This was supposed to be a simple getaway. But as the city skyline faded in the rearview mirror, Sunghoon, in Haru's body,couldn't shake the feeling that this "short trip" was going to be anything but simple.