Maybe Another Time

As he gazed into the refrigerator, he sighed, "These renowned individuals are likewise bizarre. There's only energy drinks and vegetables in the fridge." Then, recalling a recollection, he smiled sadly and shut the refrigerator door. He explored the cabinets and eventually found some coffee. He looked at his watch while pouring the coffee powder into the coffee maker. It had been about ten minutes, and the boy still hadn't emerged from the bath.

He didn't mean to get involved in other people's personal lives, but he felt guilty for abandoning the boy for the first time. At the very least, he could stay there until the sun rose and the weather cleared, after which someone, like the manager, might come to see the boy, and he could return home without remorse. So he left the coffee machine alone and went to the bathroom door.

The sound of water could still be heard from inside the bathroom. He knocked on the door and asked, "Mr. Bok? Are you not done yet?" But there was no response. He knocked again and said, "Mr. Bok? If you don't answer, I will come in," but still no response came. Dae-hyun nervously clenched his teeth and opened the bathroom door. He passed through the dressing room and opened the sliding door of the bathroom. The blue-haired boy was sitting on the floor in his clothes under the water shower, embracing his knees and laying his head on them.

A little relieved, the man took off his socks, walked forward slowly, turned off the faucet, put his hand on the boy's shoulder, and said with a bit of humor, "Is this the new method of suicide? Do you want to get so wet in the shower that you end up dying from a cold?"

The boy raised his wet head, frowned, and said in a hoarse voice, "Why… don't you… leave me alone?" The man shrugged and said, "I don't know what I'm doing here; anyway, it won't hurt to have a coffee. I'm going to check the coffee maker," he added as he walked towards the dressing room. "If you haven't showered and come out by the time the coffee is ready, I'll come back, take a picture of you, and post it on social media." Then he left the wet and surprised boy alone and returned to the kitchen.

***

Bong-soo stared at the bathroom door. He couldn't believe that a stranger would come to his house and treat him this way. Then he stood up, sighed, and whispered under his breath as he removed his clothes, "Why did you help me?"

His throat still hurts. He turned on the shower and got under it. After the man left the house, he went to the room, hung the bed sheet from the ceiling fan, and hung himself with it. But as soon as the chair fell and became empty under his feet, fear took over.

After that, he only experienced darkness and bone-chilling cold, like the Vikings' icy hell. He felt as if hundreds of unseen eyes were peering at him through the darkness. As he hovered in the darkness, terrified, he saw a ray of light, and his chest began to burn.

When he opened his eyes, he was lying on his side on the floor, coughing. The first thing he saw was the man's sweaty face, looking at him with relieved eyes. As he remained under the shower, he slowly pounded his fist against the wall and muttered, "Damn you, Bong-soo, you can't even die."

He gritted his teeth, but suddenly remembered the words of the guard, who said that if he was late, he would come back and take a picture of him. He looked anxiously at the bath door for a moment, then cursed under his breath and hurriedly started to wash his body.

***

Dae-hyun was pouring coffee into two large cups in the kitchen, ignoring the bathroom door. He added the milk he found in the fridge to one of the cups, and at the same time, he was humming a song. Suddenly, a voice behind him said, "Isn't this the song UR MAN by Double S301?"

Surprised, the man did his best to keep the milk bottle from dropping out of his grasp. He turned back to face the boy, frowning, and said, "You can't be like..." but then his eyes widened. He was astonished and exclaimed, "Oh God! Why did you look like this? Are you alright?!"

The boy stopped drying his hair with a towel and asked worriedly, "What did I look like? Is my face damaged?" And he started touching his own face to find possible injuries. The man cleared his throat and replied, "Well, no harm, but your skin looks darker and you have some freckles on your cheeks."

Bong-soo closed his eyes for a few moments; if his throat hadn't hurt, he would have yelled obscenities at this stupid man. He took a deep breath and said, "This is my real face; what you saw before the bath was my light and daily makeup."

The man pursed his lips, nodded, and said, "You're right, I had seen your photo on your driver's license, but I thought you were a different person because you were younger there." He shrugged and picked up the coffee cups. He handed one of the cups to the boy and said, "I'm sorry if I was rude," and as the boy took the cup from him, he added with a smile, "And you guessed right, that song was by Double S301."

Bong-soo wrapped the towel around his neck and said as he looked at his coffee cup, "Your taste in music is very old; this song is from about 15 years ago. I remember the first time I listened to it. I was still in elementary school." Then he raised an eyebrow and pointed to the coffee cup and said, "Did you pour milk and sugar in it?"

Dae-hyun shook his head as a sign of negation and replied, "I didn't know how you drink your coffee; I just poured myself some milk." As he handed the bottle of milk to him, he added, "I told you, I don't listen to new-generation music very much." The boy reluctantly took the bottle of milk from him, then placed the cup and bottle on the kitchen table.

He retrieved the sugar bowl, but as he was adding sugar to the coffee, he abruptly stopped, frowned at the man, and said, "Wait, how did you see my license?" Dae-hyun lifted his eyebrows and replied, "Don't worry. I did not pry into your belongings." Then he told the narrative of opening the door with the license, putting it in his pocket, and returning to hand it over before adding, "You can change the password later. Here's your driver's license," he said, placing the card on the table beside the boy's cup.

The boy glanced at the man for a few moments before sitting down at the table and stirring his coffee with milk and sugar. This man made him nervous, and he had no idea why. He took a sip of his coffee, and the warmth felt good on his sore throat. He stole a glimpse at the man who was leaning against the cabinet far from him, staring at his coffee cup with unfocused eyes.

He cleared his throat before asking, "Did you say your name was Cha Dae-hyun?" The man raised his head, blinked slightly, and replied, "Right." The boy sighed and said, "Well, Mr. Cha, I think I owe you; tell me if you want anything in return." The man smiled sadly and stated, "I don't want anything; I just did my duty," before drinking some of his coffee.

Bong-soo raised his eyebrows and asked, "Are you sure?" As the man nodded, the boy softly added, "Aren't you curious why I wanted to kill myself?" The man sighed and replied, "No, everyone's private life is their own. You have your own reasons; I'm simply delighted you're alive, and I believe you're not going to commit suicide anymore, correct?"

The boy looked into his eyes for a few moments. He shivered a little, remembering that cold and dark place. He turned his head away from the man, and as he tried to forget that unpleasant reminder with the warmth of his cup, he answered, "Maybe." The man nodded his head in satisfaction and said "good," then continued to drink his coffee and turned his gaze to the windows of the house and the bright autumn sky before sunrise.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, just as the boy was about to thank him for the coffee, the doorbell rang. He frowned at the man and asked, "Did you inform anyone?!" but he shook his head in denial.

Bong-soo felt like he was tricked; there must have been a reporter or someone important behind the door now. He got up angrily and went to the door. As soon as he opened the door, he asked in surprise, "Eujin? What are you doing here at this time of the morning?!" The boy behind the door said as he entered the house with a smile, "Can't you say hello? Like, you're famous, Phoenix."

But when he saw a man in the kitchen, he paused, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Who is this?" Bong-soo stood next to the newcomer and gave Dae-hyun a troubled glance. He didn't know what to say; he didn't want anyone to know about his failed suicide, not even Eujin, who had known him for several years.

Dae-hyun glanced at the newcomer's attractive face and golden hair, then looked at the blue-haired boy's worried face. He sighed, and as he lowered his sleeves, he said, "There is no problem with the pipes, Mr. Bok. I checked the water faucet in the kitchen, and there is no problem with the flow. If you still have a problem, contact the technical facilities department of the tower."

He took his guard's uniform coat from the chair handle, put it on, and as he limped out of the kitchen, he asked, "If you don't have any other problems, I will excuse you from your presence." Surprised by his words, Bong-soo paused and shook his head in denial. Dae-hyun gave a friendly smile to both young men, walked past them with a half bow, and left the house.

After the door was closed, Eujin asked, "Was he one of the building guards? Is there a problem with the plumbing?" Bong-soo answered confusedly. "Ah, well, the water pressure was a little low." The golden-haired boy shrugged, then frowned and asked, "What's wrong with your neck? It's like a rope is wrapped around it, and your voice is hoarse."

Bong-soo forced a smile and answered, "Ah, well, I'll explain later. For now, take a seat, and I'll fetch you a cup of coffee." As he pushed his friend towards the sofas, he asked, "So, what made you come here this early in the morning?"

Eujin threw himself on one of the sofas and said, with his lips pursed, "It's nothing important; one of these smug rich girls had a party; she invited me. My ears hurt from the ridiculous screams of the girls, and my eyes hurt from the flashes of the cameras for a souvenir photo," and then he leaned his head on the back of the sofa and added, "Her house was near here; that's why I came here so that we can go to the studio together from here at ten o'clock."

Bong-soo sighed as he walked into the kitchen and said, "You're going to end up in trouble. Flirting with female fans doesn't end well." The golden-haired boy answered as he closed his eyes, "Don't worry, man, you don't need to advise me. What's wrong with me having fun with the girls? They're happy too."

Bong-soo said as he poured coffee into a cup, "You're overdoing it. I know you slept with a few of them. If it gets leaked somewhere or one of those females sues you for using her, you won't be the only one suffering; everyone in the group will suffer as well." Meanwhile, his eyes fell on the guard's half-full cup in the sink. He felt embarrassed that the man had lied for him like that and had not even finished his coffee. Eujin's voice said from the sofa, "So you're only worried about your reputation, aren't you? Don't worry, little Soo, I'm minding my business."

He and Eujin, whose real name was Hong Eu-Jin, met in high school. It had been almost 8 years since they were friends, according to public opinion. Although Bong-soo considered this relationship just a simple friendship, he always hated Eujin's nasty behavior, especially when he called him "So." He was a year older than Bong-soo, and whenever he wanted to tease him, he called him "little Soo."

He didn't want to argue with him right now, so he quietly returned to the living room, held out the coffee cup to him, and said, "Come get it; it's fresh." The golden-haired boy opened his eyes, took the cup, and smiled, saying, "Fresh coffee is the best. Even though I did not overdo it last night, I still have a headache from the alcohol." The blue-haired boy sat on the sofa, facing the opposite direction, and peered out the window at the hills.

Eujin inquired again as he sipped his coffee: "You didn't say; what happened to your neck and voice? Your makeup has also been removed." Bong-soo thought about the story for a moment before saying, "It's nothing huge. The linens curled around my neck while I was sleeping, and I didn't notice until I tumbled out of bed. Of course, I had a shower before applying make-up," he explained hurriedly. "The bathroom's water pressure was low. When I got out, I noticed that the water pressure in the kitchen was similarly low, which is why that man came to check the pipe."

Eujin took another sip of his coffee carelessly and said, "You should be more careful; your voice is one of the main pillars of the group; you shouldn't hurt your larynx carelessly like that." Then he took another sip and continued, "Besides, you shouldn't be in front of others without makeup; what if he takes a picture of you?"

Bong-soo rolled his eyes in the bowl and asked, "What's the difference? Do an internet search; there are many images of me without makeup," the golden-haired boy shrugged and replied, "It is up to you. But I don't like a lame and dumb person asking for a souvenir photo. It's difficult to even imagine. How could someone like him be hired to guard such a magnificent tower?"

Bong-soo held his temper and said nothing. This was another of Eujin's distasteful behaviors that he did not like. He always considered himself greater and better than everyone else, and his delight in the beauty of his face was unimaginable. Although he didn't show it in front of the camera or the audience, he was a proud and lustful boy.

Eujin put the coffee cup on the table next to the sofa, got up, and said as he looked at his watch, "It's only 6 in the morning. I'm going to sleep in your bed for a while. Wake me up at 9 so I can have breakfast and get ready before the car comes." Without waiting for the owner's answer, he went to the bedroom, entered, and closed the door behind him.

Bong-soo took a deep breath, rubbed his forehead, and cursed the whole world in his heart. Eujin always felt possessive, like a king who considers himself the owner of all the belongings of his subjects. Suddenly he remembered the face of the guard who had helped him without hesitation.

The man saved him from certain death twice. Now that his mind was clear, he realized that the man hadn't left him alone to make sure he wasn't suicidal anymore. Again, he felt guilty that the man had lied for him and had left the house without even hearing a simple thank you.

Eujin's statements had made him angry. True, he didn't like the man at first, but now that he was sitting quietly on the sofa, staring out at the hills, he was aware of the man's paternal care. He smiled sadly and murmured to himself, "Father." This word seemed weird to him. Then he groaned and stared at the closed bedroom door, whispering, "You are the one who is disgusted, not him."

***

As they got out of the car, fans cheered and screamed around the studio. Both boys waved to fans with charming and friendly smiles and immediately entered the studio with a few long steps.

Bong-soo's smile faded as soon as he entered the building, but Eujin, still smiling proudly, removed his sunglasses and said, “These people are really crazy. They've been lining up here since early morning just to see us for a few seconds."

A reproachful voice said, "Eujin, you shouldn't talk about the fans like that. We owe our fame to them." Bong-soo smiled as he saw Seso coming towards them. This sociable and kind boy named Sen In-Soo was the leader of the Stary Boys Group.

The blue-haired boy said with a smile, "Good morning, Seso." The boy smiled back and replied, "Good morning, Phoenix; you are as good as ever. Is something wrong with your voice?"

- Ah, a little, nothing serious; I can sing.

The group's leader nodded and said, "Well then, it's no problem; go change your clothes and go to the training room; Rich and PK are waiting there," then added with a meaningful look at Eujin, who had been silent the entire time and frowned, "I'm dealing with this guy; we'll join you later."

Bong-soo nodded and headed for the dressing room. After getting into comfortable clothes for dance practice, he entered the practice room and said, "Good morning guys." One of the two boys with pink hair said with a smile, "Oh hi Phoenix," and the second boy with sleepy eyes added, "Hello from me too."

Bong-soo stood next to the sleepy boy with a smile and said, "What's wrong, PK? It looks like you didn't sleep well last night." The boy yawned and replied, "No, I was working on our new song until morning. I only slept for two hours." Park Yung-Bin, in addition to the role of the group's sub-rapper, was also responsible for reviewing and editing new songs.

The blue-haired boy grinned and added, "You shouldn't have pushed yourself so hard." He then turned to the boy with pink hair and asked, "How are you?" Rich shrugged and added, "I'm not bad; I just looked at this sleepy; I'm getting sleepy too," before yawning. Rim Chul, a boy with a delicate voice, frequently provided backup vocals for all of the members in the group's music videos.

Rich raised an eyebrow and said, "Where's Sesu and Eujin?" Bong-soo shrugged and replied, "They wanted to talk. Sesoo said, they’ll be here later," then added as he nodded, "I'm going to warm up." And he moved away from them a little and started doing stretching exercises.

As he stretched, his thoughts returned to the previous night and his plan to commit suicide. Perhaps if others viewed his life, they would conclude that he had no motive to commit suicide. He was handsome, youthful, and energetic, and he worked with a great team. They were pals and felt like brothers.

He smiled bitterly while stretching his arms. On the surface, all of these descriptions were accurate, but they were only the surface of his life. All of the group members' friendships were shallow and sprang only from public opinion deceit. They kept these relationships because they benefited all of them. Although none of them voiced it publicly, they all desired to work for themselves.

He sat on the floor and extended his legs, performing seated stretches. He was constantly feeling empty and depressed. Until last night, he believed committing himself would solve all of his problems, but that event changed his perspective. Suddenly, the guard's face was imprinted in his consciousness. He whispered softly under his breath, "I have to thank him properly some other time." Then, seeing Eujin and Seso enter the training hall, he sighed and stood up to begin practicing the coordinated dance.