Between Us is X - Chapter 30

“The couples we filmed yesterday had a lot of couple items like couple rings, couple necklaces, couple phone cases, and so on.”

“Ah, we…”

While Eun Soo hesitated, Joo Han answered.

“We have couple rings, but I actually lost mine last month. So we’re planning to get new ones soon.”

“Oh, I see.”

At that moment, Producer Park, who had somehow appeared beside them without notice, brightened up.

“Then how about we include getting new couple rings in the filming? The more diverse situations we have, the more interesting it will be. What do you think?”

“Well…”

“It seems like it could be an unforced yet romantic and heart-fluttering episode, don’t you think? A jewelry shop would make a pretty background too. This is great!”

Not only Producer Park but also other staff members nodded in agreement. In that atmosphere, it was really not easy to say ‘We won’t buy them.’

“Well… alright then.”

Joo Han answered with a forced smile. Eun Soo followed suit, smiling reluctantly.

After changing clothes and exchanging greetings to meet on the first filming day at , they walked out of the studio. Looking around, Eun Soo poked Joo Han in the side.

“You should have just said we don’t have couple rings! You could have said you can’t wear rings because of your work.”

“Ah…!”

Seeing Joo Han’s expression of genuine surprise, Eun Soo let out a sigh.

“What are you going to do now?”

“What else? We’ll go buy them. I was wondering what else we’d have to do for filming besides working, but this will do. I’ll buy them.”

“…”

After staring at Joo Han’s profile for a while, Eun Soo silently turned away. Suddenly, something twisted inside.

They hadn’t gotten couple rings even when they were really dating. Around their first anniversary, Joo Han had subtly brought it up, but Eun Soo had postponed it, saying she wanted to do it a bit later.

She wanted to buy them together since it was something they’d share, but at that time, Eun Soo didn’t have that much leeway. And she didn’t feel comfortable receiving them from Joo Han either, so she had made excuses. After that, they missed the timing a few times and ended up never getting them.

The last time they brought it up was a few months before breaking up, in the middle of an argument.

Joo Han was working at his mother’s company, dealing with unspeakable stress, and Eun Soo was extremely sensitive due to her unsuccessful attempts to secure a full-time position.

Joo Han had come to pick up Eun Soo after her company dinner, and a male coworker had made the idiotic comment, “I’ve been buying you coffee all this time thinking you were single since you don’t have a ring on your finger.”

‘I know you wouldn’t have given me anything like that. I’m not blaming you, I’m just angry at the situation where such a jerk could hit on me. If I had just been wearing a ring, he would have backed off long ago.’

‘Why is the conversation going in that direction? Is this happening now because I don’t have a ring on my finger?’

‘It’s not that simple. We’ve been together for over 3 years. But the fact that people around you still don’t know you have a partner, I just…’

‘As you said, we’ve been dating for 3 years. Do we really need such things now?’

‘…Such things? You’re asking if we really need them? You should have just said you didn’t want them from the beginning.’

‘When did I ever say I didn’t want them?’

‘You didn’t say it. I just felt it. Maybe you… No, nevermind.’

That damn ring, if she had known it would end up like this, she should have just gone along with it back then. What was it that made them fight so fiercely over such a thing?

Eun Soo widened her stride. She brushed past Joo Han, overtaking him.

“Fine, you buy them. I’ll wear them well and give them back, so you can dispose of them as you see fit then.”

Joo Han’s eyes widened slightly, noticing that Eun Soo’s voice had cooled down unlike just moments ago.

“Sun Eun Soo.”

Eun Soo turned around wordlessly. Her expression was calm, but upon closer inspection, her eyes seemed subtly hurt. Joo Han unconsciously grabbed Eun Soo’s hand.

“…What?”

Considering they were in the busy lobby of the broadcasting station, she didn’t shake off his hand, but her eyes clearly said to let go on his own. Joo Han bit the inside of his lip briefly before releasing it.

“Let’s not do it. I spoke wrongly and thought wrongly. I’m sorry.”

He absolutely couldn’t say that he had just tried to gloss over it but then thought it might not be a bad idea and got a little excited. Nor could he say that he had deliberately spoken casually to hide that.

“No.”

Eun Soo gently pulled her hand away and smiled.

“Let’s not assign meaning to something that’s just a concept and a prop. If we do it, we do it.”

A barely visible tension appeared between Joo Han’s eyebrows. His chest felt stuffy and numb.

It felt like a wound he thought had completely healed was suddenly bursting open.

Joo Han took a shallow breath and grabbed Eun Soo’s hand again. Looking into Eun Soo’s rounded eyes, he told another lie.

“Those staff members from earlier are over there. Let’s just hold hands until we reach the parking lot.”

Eun Soo silently relaxed her hand.

At that same time, Yoon Bin was also at the broadcasting station. With his slightly tired face half-hidden under a cap, he got out of the car and was crossing the lobby when his manager’s words made him stop.

“Oh? Isn’t that Eun Soo over there?”

Yoon Bin turned his head slightly to where the manager was pointing.

“…So it is.”

Joo Han and Eun Soo were standing face to face, holding one hand. They seemed to be talking about something.

“What brings her to the broadcasting station? Ah, I heard she’s appearing on some program with that furniture shop CEO, it must be for that.”

“How do you know that, Manager?”

Yoon Bin’s voice was slightly cold as he asked casually, but the manager didn’t notice.

“I heard about it when we were driving senior to her house that time. We were chatting about various things in the car. We’re a bit pressed for time, but do you want to go say hello?”

Yoon Bin didn’t answer and continued staring in that direction. Eun Soo smiled awkwardly and pulled her hand away, but Joo Han quickly grabbed it again. Then they walked side by side, leaving the lobby.

“Oh my, I should have called a bit earlier. Well then, let’s hurry on our way too.”

Yoon Bin started walking again at his manager’s gesture. Then he said one thing.

“Manager. I have a favor to ask.”

The first filming at began.

Cameras had already been installed throughout the store, and Producer Park and a new assistant director were present. Joo Han and Eun Soo arrived about an hour earlier than the usual time for employees and prepared for the interview.

“Let me help you with the microphone.”

“Thank you.”

After putting on the microphones under their clothes, they sat on chairs set up in the middle of the showroom.

“We’ll do a test first.”

Producer Park said while checking the monitor.

“You two, just act naturally. No need to be nervous. Please speak and behave comfortably, as you usually would.”

“Okay.”

The response was crisp, but Eun Soo was trembling inside. Too many things were already unlike usual to act normally.

She felt like she might stutter the moment she said anything longer than ‘okay’. What should she do?

Glancing to the side, Joo Han seemed completely at ease. Even the clothes he was wearing were his beloved work attire that he actually wore at least once a week.

His hairstyle also looked like he had just washed and dried it well, unlike Eun Soo who had struggled with a curling iron from dawn trying to imitate the professional touch she had received during the previous profile photoshoot.

“Alright, now we’ll start filming!”

The surroundings quieted down and a cheerful slate sound rang out.

“Could you two please look at this camera and greet us?”

“Hello, I’m Sun Eun Soo, manager of .”

“I’m Kim Joo Han, the CEO.”

The interview proceeded more lightly and smoothly than expected. Though she hadn’t exactly practiced, Eun Soo had pondered various potential questions in her mind and organized her thoughts, allowing her to answer without hesitation.

“Eun Soo, how did you feel when you received that proposal?”

“At first, I refused. I’m the type who likes to separate work and private life.”

But just as her tension was almost completely gone, a crisis struck.

“Does that include me too?”

“Huh?”

“The things you like. You see me every day, don’t you?”

The moment her eyes met Joo Han’s sly grin, Eun Soo’s mind went blank.

In fact, since the couple ring conversation at the broadcasting station, there had been a subtle awkwardness between Joo Han and Eun Soo. It wasn’t noticeable to others, but they could clearly feel it themselves.

That’s why pretending to be a couple felt even more daunting, and Joo Han suddenly coming out like this made her feel an indescribable sense of betrayal.

“Ah, haha… How can you say such things in front of the camera…”

“Oh, what are you saying? Those are exactly the kind of things you should say in front of the camera.”

The producer laughed, the staff laughed, and Joo Han laughed. In an atmosphere where she couldn’t be the only one not laughing, Eun Soo clenched her molars and pretended to laugh.

“We met again about a year ago.”

“I see… I’m curious about the story behind that.”

“If we have a chance to talk about it while filming.”

The hand that casually reached out, and the heart that shouldn’t care but couldn’t help caring.

‘Was this really a reckless move?’

Deep regret washed over her. But what’s done is done, and the cameras were still rolling. Eun Soo tried her best to stay alert and focused.

“Let’s finish with some talk about work. As a vintage furniture collector, is there any piece that particularly stands out in your memory or that you especially cherish? Could you introduce one?”

Eun Soo gently pulled her hand away from Joo Han’s grasp and pointed to a staircase in one corner of the showroom.

“My desk in the office on the second floor. It’s a product released by a Danish furniture company called . It was designed by ‘Marcie Madsen’, a furniture designer I really admire. It’s a rosewood desk made in the mid-1950s, and now it’s hard to find because the material is banned from logging…”

Eun Soo explained enthusiastically with the most sparkling eyes since the start of filming. The camera captured Joo Han’s expression as he stared intently at Eun Soo’s profile.

“Then what about you, Joo Han?”

“I have affection for all the pieces I’ve selected, purchased, and brought to Korea in containers… But if I have to choose just one, I’d also pick the desk Eun Soo just mentioned.”

“Really?”

Meeting the producer’s gaze asking for a reason, Joo Han calmly gestured towards Eun Soo.

“Because she likes it.”

For a moment, silence fell. It was the kind of silence where you could almost hear the sweet background music that hadn’t even been added yet.

“Um, I’m sorry, but just a moment please.”

The one who poured cold water on the couple-scented atmosphere was Eun Soo.

With her ears turning red, Eun Soo made a gesture asking to cut the camera for a moment as she stood up from her chair and pulled on Joo Han’s arm.

“We’ll just talk privately for a minute. I’m sorry!”

Eun Soo practically dragged Joo Han out of the showroom. Joo Han followed obediently like a well-behaved large pet.

After confirming that no one was around, Eun Soo turned to Joo Han and spoke in a low, scolding tone.

“Are you crazy? Can’t you tone it down?”

“Tone what down? What’s the subject?”

“Your comments! I really don’t like your comments. I almost hit you.”

“I didn’t make those comments for you to like them. I made them to get screen time.”

“And why do you keep holding my hand? Didn’t we agree not to overdo it?”

“We’re supposed to be a couple on the show, how is holding hands overdoing it? You’re the one who touched my thigh. That’s overdoing it.”

“Me? When did I do that?”

“When you said ‘How can you say such things in front of the camera’ and did this.”

Joo Han mimicked lightly tapping his thigh with the back of his hand. Eun Soo’s mouth fell open.

“How is that the same?”