Chick 366
by Cristae366
Chapter The Course of Unrequited Love
A secluded corner in a tranquil café.
On the table sat two Americanos for adults and a single hot chocolate for a child, placed in front of Shin Nayeon, Lee Romi, and Seo Wooju, respectively.
Romi, pretending to be nonchalant, stirred her Americano with a straw and repeated the question.
“So, what kind of man do women find impressive?”
Wooju, gripping the hot chocolate tightly with both hands, nodded up to his reddened ears.
“Yes…”
At this, Nayeon tilted her head in curiosity.
“Why are you asking something like that all of a sudden?”
Wooju’s back stiffened at her words, and Romi gave Nayeon a poke in the side.
“Hmm?! What is it?”
Sighing, Romi leaned in and whispered quietly into the clueless Nayeon’s ear.
Only then did Nayeon’s eyes begin to sparkle.
“Oh~!”
Wooju wished a mouse hole would open before him, one he could crawl into that very instant.
His head drooped lower and lower, but Nayeon’s voice followed him down.
“Are you planning to confess to On Groo?!”
“…!”
Zap! As if struck by lightning, Wooju froze.
He glanced around for help, but Romi, sitting next to Nayeon, only perked up her ears, showing no intention of intervening.
Left with no choice, Wooju answered, forced but resigned. It was his help he was seeking after all.
“Yes…”
“Kyaa~!”
“Oh my, oh my!”
At Wooju’s lifeless response, Nayeon and Romi erupted in excitement.
“Wooju and On Groo?”
“They’d be perfect together!”
Utterly mortified, Wooju drained his hot chocolate in one gulp and set the cup back on the table.
Had he made a mistake in approaching these older girls? He was already beginning to regret it.
“So, you wanted to look cool for On Groo, huh~”
“It’s that time~”
Nayeon and Romi snickered together.
Face flushed scarlet, Wooju nodded.
“So, what kind of man do you two think is cool?”
“Me?”
Resting her chin on her hand, Nayeon replied.
“I like a man who’s good at cooking.”
“Cooking…”
Wooju, looking grave, typed “cooking” into his phone’s notes.
Catching a glimpse of this, Romi gave a small laugh before sipping her Americano.
“No, no. What kind of person does On Groo like?”
At that question, Wooju’s eyes wavered violently.
“S-someone On Groo likes?”
“Mm? Why?”
Romi looked puzzled, and Wooju, eyes downcast, answered after a pause.
“A supreme one…”
“Ah… Supreme.”
“Yes… a supreme one.”
“This is that age too,” Romi nodded, eyes a little misty.
“It’s impossible for me… I can’t build any muscle…”
“You’re not ready to be supreme, not just yet.”
“On Groo has high standards.”
As each of them made their remarks, a momentary silence settled over the table. In an instant, the mood grew solemn.
The straw in the Americano cup came to a scraping halt.
Then Romi spoke again.
“Wooju.”
“Yes.”
In a serious tone, she straightened up and focused on what Romi had to say.
“To look like an impressive man, you have to show you’re focused on your work.”
“My work?”
“Yeah. Someone immersed in their work always seems to shine.”
“…!”
Suddenly, Wooju recalled how he had always found On Groo so dazzling whenever she focused with sparkling eyes.
Even his decision to confess his feelings had been sparked by their recent work at the bazaar.
‘If I could show On Groo that side of myself, too…’
All of this was the reason he had invited On Groo to the set today.
The mood on set was good, the makeup flawless, the costumes perfect!
Wooju took On Groo’s hand and led her to an empty table shaded by a parasol.
“Is this your friend, Wooju? Oh, it’s On Groo!”
“Hi On Groo! You’re even prettier in real life~”
“Hello!”
Now a celebrity, On Groo was showered with greetings everywhere she went.
Seeing this, Wooju could not help but swell with pride as he strode confidently ahead to lead On Groo.
When On Groo moved to sit down at the table, Wooju told her to wait a moment and took out a handkerchief.
Spreading it on her seat himself, he said,
“Sit here.”
“Mm.”
At this, laughter broke out from those watching nearby.
Actress Yoon Ajin, who played the female lead in this film, and the director both laughed as though the set might collapse from the sound.
Wooju sent a resentful glare their way, then took his place across from On Groo.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
“A little?”
“Perfect timing—I brought a lunchbox I made myself… Would you like some?”
“You made it yourself?”
“Yeah.”
He had woken up before dawn to prepare it, together with the helper lady.
Wooju opened the lunchbox.
Peeking out from the bottom layer were small yellow chick-shaped rice balls.
“Wow…!”
And with each tier he opened, On Groo’s exclamations never ceased.
“You made all this yourself? Wooju, you’re amazing!”
With her face reddened, On Groo showered him with praise, and Wooju bit hard on his lower lip.
It worked. Men who are good at cooking must really have an edge.
He was bracing his shoulders with pride when—
“Hey? Our cutie Wooju.”
A familiar voice called out.
It was Lee Gunwoo, the male lead of the movie.
Having arrived late, he wasn’t aware of what was going on. Grinning, he strode up to the children.
“Why are only the two of you here? Want to eat with your big bro?”
He tucked his script under his arm and set his meal tray down on the table.
The warm, attentive gazes that had watched over them now began to sharpen, little by little.
Completely unaware of the cause, Lee Gunwoo simply blinked.
Then it happened.
“Gunwoo!”
A voice shot out like lightning.
“Uh?”
“You should be eating with me.”
It was Yoon Ajin.
She swiftly approached, took Gunwoo by the back of the neck with one hand while grabbing his meal tray with the other.
She then winked at Wooju.
“…!”
Wooju’s eyes widened in shock.
Staff nearby surrounded Gunwoo as if shielding him, then started to lead him away.
Their supportive smiles made Wooju feel all the more embarrassed, and he stuffed a rice ball into his mouth.
“Wooju, you must have been really hungry.”
On Groo said with a laugh.
“Y-yeah…”
“Eat plenty.”
On Groo stabbed at a meatball with her fork and offered it to Wooju.
Face burning red, Wooju accepted it.
“Is it good?”
“Mm.”
Once again, laughter erupted from Yoon Ajin, the director, and even Lee Gunwoo, after hearing what had happened.
Scowling, Wooju shoved the rest of the rice balls into his mouth.
‘So the first operation is a success, right?’
On Groo kept complimenting how delicious the food was, and before they knew it, the two had polished off the entire lunch.
As their peaceful meal drew to an end, the staff began to bustle about, getting ready for filming.
‘The second operation…’
Recalling his second plan, Wooju jumped up from his seat.
“I’m off to film.”
On Groo’s eyes widened and she nodded.
“Mm! Good luck!”
With that, Wooju clenched his small fist and turned away.
Before filming, he straightened up his makeup and costume.
Watching intently, a bottle of strawberry milk appeared before On Groo’s eyes.
“On Groo, would you like some strawberry milk?”
“Yes!”
On Groo gladly accepted the strawberry milk from Wooju’s manager.
“You like this, right? Wooju asked me to prepare it for you.”
On Groo opened her mouth in delight.
“Our Wooju is really sweet, isn’t he?”
“Yes.”
Nodding, On Groo sipped her strawberry milk.
“But mister, is Wooju okay today?”
“Hmm? Why?”
“Today, Wooju, he’s like a rickety robot.”
“Ahahaha!”
Mimicking a creaky robot, On Groo made the manager double over with laughter.
“It’s fine, it’s fine.”
After laughing for a while, the manager waved it off.
“Wooju is a pro.”
“Really?”
He pointed at Wooju, as if to show her.
On Groo turned to look.
Beneath the lights, in front of the camera, Wooju was transformed—gone was the clumsy figure from moments before. Tilting one shoulder just slightly, Wooju pierced the frame with a serene gaze.