Cold City Romance Chapter 8.6

“Wasn’t it supposed to be just that sometimes when I think of you, we do sex and then just sleep?”

Over the cell phone that had fallen silent with heavy silence, his low and soft voice let out a hollow laugh.

[Ah, I must have been really bad……]

“……”

[I didn’t satisfy you? Because it was my first time, I was really immature and you were disappointed? So……]

“No……, it was good.”

[……]

“Because I felt too much while doing it with you…… You saw how I was under you crying for a long time.”

At Cha Dokyung’s answer, Hyun Jaehwi could not continue speaking.

“If you have nothing to say…… then, I’ll hang up.”

Cha Dokyung cut the phone call heartlessly, and while hearing his voice over the cell phone, he realized that he had gotten erect.

It seemed his body had become too sensitive because of the continuous stimulation and sexual sensations from last night.

To become like this just from hearing that heavy and soft voice……

He liked that child’s voice.

Even for Cha Dokyung, who always had sensitive ears, his heavy, low, and soft velvet-like bass tone had no dissonance at all when listening.

Perhaps because he was an actor, other people’s voices inevitably entered his ears first. When speaking informally or in a commanding tone, the unique firm and strong voice that erased softness and conveyed precise and strong intonation was also good.

Perhaps he felt more attracted to that child’s voice because they were things he did not have, even if he tried to imitate them. Hyun Jaehwi’s voice was the powerful and soft mid-bass tone that Cha Dokyung, as a male actor, had always yearned for.

Even though he begged for love from him all night and gave vulgar curses and unexpected shame, it never got boring or grating.

That child’s voice was lewd. At the moment of climax, his moan that cracked huskily in that low voice was so sexy that it sent chills down his spine.

The reason he had become so excited that the space between his crotch stood rigidly erect like this was because last night, the low-grade words that firmly subdued him in this bed, the husky moans of that child reaching climax inside him all night, and the cracked low voice of his over the cell phone automatically came to mind together.

He picked up the clothes he had taken off last night just as they were and put them on, then opened the door of his house and came out. Because the white silk shirt had been pitifully torn to shreds by his hands, he grabbed whatever was in the closet and wore it, then left the entrance.

That child’s T-shirt was still too big for him.

Just how many moves ahead did Hyun Jaehwi see to buy the house right above his own.

Perhaps he had anticipated in advance that he would accept the sudden one-year proposal he made. It seemed he had even clearly considered what worries he, who had sex all night and came out alone from his house, might have, and chosen this house accordingly.

The fact that the new house he moved into was right above his own was convenient enough to give psychological stability to Cha Dokyung, who, as an entertainer, always lived habitually conscious of people’s gazes.

There was no need to be conscious of surrounding people or neighbors’ gazes. There was absolutely no worry of being photographed by reporters. There was no need to worry about gossip or scandals being talked about. Without even taking the elevator, he just had to quietly descend one floor down the emergency exit stairs holding his breath, and it was done.

“Haa, Hyun Jaehwi…… you bastard!”

Returning to his own house right below and undressing to take a shower, Cha Dokyung was shocked when he saw his appearance reflected in the full-length mirror.

How much had he sucked his body that from his neck to his chest, thighs, and hips, his entire body was scattered with obscene mottled marks. The bright red congestions embroidered on his pale and white skin seemed as if he had deliberately engraved traces on his body.

Even if he covered his chest, from below the chin to the entire neck was full of blatant kiss marks that advertised to anyone who saw that he had come back from sex the previous day.

Soon, his manager, Executive Director Koo Sungtae, would arrive.

Cha Dokyung had to attend the final adjustment meeting this afternoon with Director Pyo Woongje and writer Song Eonhui, arranged by the production company of <The Civil Official>.

After first completing the appearance contract documents, at the final adjustment meeting of the pre-production process that he had to attend, Cha Dokyung was scheduled to wear the in-drama costume of the protagonist ‘Shim Chaeho’, a Joseon dynasty scholar-official, and do a camera test.

After that, he had to have his body measurements taken for the traditional costume production that would take a long production period, and try on various costumes that would be pre-made to fit his body. Come to think of it, it was inevitable that his bare body would be exposed in the process of changing clothes.

Cha Dokyung, how hasty were you exactly……

He shook his head and clicked his tongue. Without considering front or back, without even the leeway to think about the next day’s schedule, he had gone mad with excitement and stuck with that young and vigorous guy. Without even professional consciousness in mind.

Fuck, no matter how hasty, he should have properly distinguished between public and private.

It was not Hyun Jaehwi’s fault. It was all his own fault. Cha Dokyung deeply blamed himself for his own pathetic lack of maturity.

Fortunately, after showering for a long time with ice-cold water, the bruised eyes that had swollen so much from crying and sucking all night that they were unsightly, and the swelling of his red lips were gradually subsiding.

Just by Cha Dokyung, wearing the gat symbolizing a Joseon dynasty scholar-official, dressed in blood-stained white mourning clothes and white overcoat, holding a real sword in front of the camera, the production staff repeatedly exclaimed in admiration.

“Mr. Cha Dokyung, no words needed. It’s exactly the picture we wanted.”

Writer Song Eonhui added next to Director Pyo Woongje.

“It looks like a blood-stained ink painting.”

Writer Song Eonhui poured praise on Cha Dokyung in her gentle voice.

“The appearance with blood on the white overcoat and wearing the gat is exactly Shim Chaeho as I imagined in my head. When conceptualizing, I thought of a blood-stained ink painting in my mind.”

“……”

“Didn’t Director and I say it several times? For the role of the beautiful and cruel scholar-official Shim Chaeho who had no choice but to become a traitor, we have never thought of any actor other than Mr. Cha Dokyung.”

Even though it was a Joseon dynasty historical drama, ignoring historical accuracy and not attaching a beard was due to the fantastical setting of a Joseon dynasty apocalypse genre along with writer Song Eonhui’s earnest request.

The actor, who today unusually exuded a languid and strange atmosphere, had lost much more face fat than at the last meeting. The haggard and sorrowful face revealed under the shadowed gat evoked a sharp yet precarious feeling at the same time.

From the upright and noble face with the gat strings tied, one could feel the chastity and integrity of a scholar-official to that extent. As per the director’s instructions, Cha Dokyung stared straight at the test camera.

Following Director Pyo Woongje’s instructions, as the cinematographer closed up on Cha Dokyung’s eyes, the mysterious pupils with subtle colors were enlarged largely, moist with wetness. The red-tipped eye corners filled the test screen completely.

Usually, Director Pyo Woongje had thought that Cha Dokyung’s lyrical and sad pupils contained countless narratives that could not be explained in words. Because of those noble and mysterious eyes that held innumerable stories, he had stubbornly insisted that for the role of Shim Chaeho, who had to portray both the unfortunate scholar-official framed as a traitor and the beautiful yet integrity-high civil official with cruel temperament who could not feel emotions, Cha Dokyung must be cast. Writer Song Eonhui’s thoughts had matched the director’s one hundred percent from the time of writing.

“When Shim Chaeho kills the tiger, we’ll overlap those pupils with the majestic Taebaek Mountains under snow.”

“With the traditional costume perfectly worn and closed up, it gives an atmosphere of chastity and integrity, and even looks tender and sorrowful, so it’s really beyond imagination.”

The pale face closed up on the large screen was sweating coldly. Noticing that, writer Song Eonhui looked at Cha Dokyung’s complexion and carefully asked.

“……Mr. Cha Dokyung, are you feeling unwell anywhere today by any chance?”

Cha Dokyung also thought that his pale face reflected on the screen looked unusually bloodless and pitiful compared to usual. Cha Dokyung, wearing the gat on the screen, gave a faint smile and made some excuse vaguely.

“I, I have…… a severe cold.”

While taking the upper body shot, the elegant and long neckline between the white overcoat’s chastity belt was captured largely on the screen.

More than anything else, Cha Dokyung was most worried that the kiss marks he had hastily covered with concealer at the stylist’s request earlier might catch people’s eyes.

—Oppa, um, sorry, but…… why is your neck in this state?

—……Ah, sorry……. I drank and rolled down the stairs a bit.

—Even so, oppa, this is a bit too much. You knew there was a camera test today……. I’m upset. With this extent, it seems like it will show even if covered……

However, even while blatantly lying without blinking an eye, Cha Dokyung himself knew well that it was an absurd excuse.

Stylist Jung Yi also seemed not to believe those words. Because anyone who saw it would know this was an obvious kiss mark made by someone sucking hard with their mouth.

—……Oppa, honestly, you didn’t fall, right? ……Did you get a boyfriend?

—Haa, it’s not like that.

Cha Dokyung earnestly asked his personal stylist Lee Jungi, who had been with him since his debut and whom he considered his only ally among his staff.

—Jeongi, just one favor……. Absolutely don’t tell Executive Director Koo Sungtae or Representative Yeom about this…… Got it?

Unlike manager Executive Director Koo Sungtae, Lee Jungi had a quite heavy mouth in front of Representative Yeom. To the extent that he gave her special separate pay as a condition for continuing to work together because he cherished and trusted her. So, no matter what anyone said, among the people in the agency which was Representative Yeom’s field, Lee Jungi was the only one he could trust.

—……Yes, I got it. Oppa.

After completing the appearance contract, Director Pyo Woongje and writer Song Eonhui responded to Cha Dokyung with hugs and handshakes.

“Then, Mr. Cha Dokyung, as soon as you finish swordsmanship and horsemanship practice, we’ll see you at the Taebaek Mountains set in three months. Since it’s a long series, once filming starts, you’ll have to live cut off from civilization in a remote mountain valley for a full year, so steel yourself to be thrown lonely in the deep mountains and rot away……”

In three months, it will be farewell with that child too.

“I feel like I’ve gained a thousand troops and ten thousand horses because Mr. Cha Dokyung pondered deeply and took on the protagonist Shim Chaeho role. Let’s all go all out and make a proper masterpiece together, us.”

Cha Dokyung, wearing the gat, responded to the two with a dignified smile befitting a scholar-official.

“I am greatly honored to join Director Pyo Woongje’s and writer Song Eonhui’s troupe, recognized for their works, so please take good care of me.”

The production company’s costume team and art director found Cha Dokyung after finishing the camera test. After trying on various hanboks and prepared costumes of different color tones, they took photos to check matching colors and measured body dimensions.

When all checks were finished, in the crude changing room, while Cha Dokyung was changing clothes, manager Koo Sungtae approached without hesitation.

“Hyung, swordsmanship practice and horsemanship practice will probably start next week at the latest, or the week after. At least four hours a day mandatory intensive practice there.”

“Yes……. Got it.”

“I’ll swing by your house at times that match when the schedule comes out.”

“Sungtae-ya……, you went to work at the agency building this morning, right? What’s Representative Yeom’s reaction?”

“……Pardon?”

“The person who wanted me to do this project the most is Representative Yeom. He said no one else but me can take the Shim Chaeho role, that it’s a once-in-a-lifetime role that will never come again in my life, and he wheedled me like that too……”

Since the ghostly Representative Yeom, the biggest figure in the industry, had infallible eyes, with his judgment, ‘The Civil Official’ by writer Song Eonhui, a box-office guarantee, and Director Pyo Woongje’s team would probably achieve a big hit. Now that he had confirmed his appearance, Yeom Taejeong would proudly add his name to the investor list.

“Representative sang that no one but hyung can take the Shim Chaeho role, so when hyung confirmed appearance, his mouth was all the way to his ears. Today too, he said he would attend the meeting personally to meet the director and writer……. But he couldn’t come because of an important prior appointment.”

While diverting Koo Sungtae’s gaze with talk of Representative Yeom, Cha Dokyung quickly changed out of the clothes in the distance where his body could be seen.

To avoid his manager discovering the kiss marks that Hyun Jaehwi had left mottled on his body like a madman, he hastily covered his body.

After finishing the costume check, Cha Dokyung, even though it was early summer, put back on the thin black turtleneck T-shirt he had worn from home today and prepared to return.

It was when Cha Dokyung, having finished the final meeting, was leaving the production company building with his manager and stylist to return to the agency building again.