Chapter 172:
While in Korea, Lee Minyoung, Jung Woncheol, and Jang Sunho were having an important eting.
anwhile in Japan, the filming of "The Most Painful Predestined Relationship in the World" was in full swing. Since the staff had already worked together several tis, everyone knew their tasks without explicit instructions. The director, Katahiro, delegated minor tasks to the staff and only exchanged crucial matters based on their roles.
Jinseok was a bit away from the shooting location, going through the script.
‘This project is almost over.’
The thick script now had only a few pages left. There was anticipation for how the project would turn out, and the joy of reaching the final stages of shooting. Yet, there was also a sense of regret.
As he prepared for the acting, reviewing the notes he had written in the script for about twenty minutes, a staff mber shouted.
"It's 5 minutes before shooting!"
***
With the announcent that there were 5 minutes left until shooting, he put down the script and headed toward the center of the cara.
Though he had beco accustod to the filming process, standing in front of the cara and lights still made his heart pound.
As ti passed, the surroundings gradually beca quieter. The unique tension of the filming location, felt just before the shooting started, enveloped him.
"We will begin shooting!"
When the staff mber, who had shouted a while ago, shouted again, the surroundings fell completely silent. Then, the director Katahiro's characteristic calm cue signaled.
"Ready… Action!"
***
‘Is this… Sapporo Station?'
In the late afternoon, Sapporo Station bustled with nurous people coming and going. Among them was Tadano, who had co from Tokyo to Sapporo to et Yomi.
However, Tadano's behavior was a bit peculiar.
…
"···."
…
Like a person in a trance, Tadano stood still, staring into the void. Although he had co to Sapporo, longing to et Yomi right away, he remained motionless.
After a while, Tadano, still gazing into the space, asked himself.
…
"···Why did I co to Sapporo Station?"
…
Once again, he couldn't rember. There was undoubtedly an important reason for coming from Tokyo when he departed, but upon arrival, the mory eluded him.
…
"Umm···."
…
Tadano furrowed his brow, covering his face with both hands. Despite his efforts, he couldn't recall why he had co to this place.
Passersby cast fleeting glances at Tadano, but no one approached him.
After contemplating for a while…
Ah.
With a small sigh, Tadano ford a bitter smile.
…
"···Right. The headmaster told
to go on a trip."
…
Although he had co to Sapporo to see Yomi, Tadano couldn't rember that. Instead, his mory had reverted to the ti when he traveled to Sapporo at the headmaster's suggestion.
…
"I should go back to Tokyo."
…
Just like before eting Yomi, as soon as Tadano arrived in Sapporo, he wanted to return to Tokyo.
Approaching the ticket counter, Tadano asked the staff.
…
"Please give
the fastest train to Tokyo."
…
As soon as he said that, Tadano felt an odd sensation.
…
"···What's this? It feels like I've been in a similar situation before."
…
He was puzzled by vaguely felt mories from the past. However, no matter how hard he tried to recall, the mories wouldn't surface, leaving Tadano in confusion.
Concerned, the ticket counter staff spoke to Tadano with a worried tone.
…
"Sir? Are you okay?"
…
"Ah, yes. I'm fine."
…
"If you have a headache or anything, our station clinic-"
…
"It's fine. Just book
the fastest train ticket to Tokyo."
—
Despite the ticket counter staff's kind concern, Tadano responded coldly. He had returned to the version of himself before eting Yomi, avoiding mixing with people as much as possible.
…
"Ah··· Yes. Please check for the train to Tokyo."
…
With a sowhat hesitant voice, the ticket counter staff began to check the train tickets to Tokyo. Then, apologetically, as if scratching his cheek, he spoke to Tadano.
…
"I'm sorry. All the trains to Tokyo are fully booked today, including the standing seats. The last train has just left."
‘···I feel like I've heard this before.’
…
Faced with consecutive strange sensations, Tadano put on a composed expression.
‘It's probably just fatigue.’
…
After deciding not to think much about it, Tadano asked the ticket counter staff.
…
"So, when is the next train?"
…
"It should be in the afternoon tomorrow."
…
"That's too late. Is there a way to go back by bus?"
…
"I'm not sure about that."
…
Tadano bit his lip. The reason he was getting irritated wasn't that there was no train to Tokyo right now. It was because his head had been hurting continuously since earlier.
…
"Sir? Are you okay?"
…
"···I'm fine. Then, please book
the fastest train ticket to Tokyo for tomorrow."
…
"Understood. Oh, and since it's almost closing ti, you should head out soon."
…
"Yes."
…
After receiving the train ticket for tomorrow's ride to Tokyo, Tadano left the station. Unlike inside the station, there weren't many people outside.
While absentmindedly looking around, a sound ca from Tadano's stomach.
…
‘I should eat sothing. I also need to find accommodation.’
…
Despite the late hour, the restaurant in front of the station was crowded.
Tadano, who preferred not to bump into people if possible, didn't want to enter such a noisy restaurant.
…
‘Even if it's not delicious, I want to go to a quiet place.’
…
That's when it happened.
…
"The food cart I went to last ti was decent. Should I go there again?"
—
"The place I went last ti? Ah, that quiet one inside the alley?"
"Yeah. It was decent there. The owner is polite, and the place has a certain dignity."
"Dignity in a food cart?"
—
n in suits, appearing to be office workers, were heading into the alley.
—
"A quiet pub… should I follow those guys?"
—
Tadano followed the n from a reasonable distance.
After about five minutes of following, he saw a food cart and a run-down store side by side in the dark alley.
The n ahead entered the food cart on the far right.
—
"I shouldn't go to the sa place as them; it might raise suspicion. I'll go to the store next to it. It looks less crowded."
—
With his hand in his pocket, Tadano headed towards the store.
As he opened the door – "Ding-dong! Welco! It's rockhil!"
The energetic voice of the waiter echoed. The inside of the store was very lively.
For Tadano, who wanted to go to a quiet place, it was the worst choice.
But what bothered Tadano more was what the waiter said.
—
"Rockhil? I feel like I've heard this sowhere before."
—
As Tadano stood outside in a daze, the waiter laughed and said, "It's cold out there; co on in. Please take a seat over here."
The waiter guided Tadano to a seat. As Tadano sat down, the waiter pointed to the nu on the wall and asked, "What would you like?"
"Um… just give
the top nu."
—
At Tadano's words, the waiter chuckled and said, "Haha, you said the sa thing the first ti you ca. Alright, I'll prepare the ‘Rockhil Set' for you! By the way, today, we only have Smile Ran for ran. Is that okay?"
"Ah, yes. That's fine."
—
Did I say the sa thing when I first ca?
Tadano tilted his head as the waiter spoke as if he had been there before. However, Tadano decided not to pay much attention, thinking it was a mistake.
Then it happened.
—
"Look at this, look at this. Didn't I say? We're bound to run into each other again, right?"
"···?"
—
While waiting quietly for the food to arrive, a woman ca to the table, throwing her bag on it.
At the rude behavior of the woman he had never seen before, Tadano frowned.
—
"I don't know who you are, but behaving like this on our first eting seems impolite."
—
In response to Tadano's cold voice, the woman grinned.
—
"What are you talking about? Being like this on our first eting is impolite? We've seen each other before, rember?"
"Do you know who I am?"
—
As the woman spoke as if it were ridiculous, Tadano scrutinized her face. Despite hearing her speak, she looked like a stranger.
Tadano spoke with a hint of irritation.
—
"Nice to et you for the first ti."
—
"Ha! Are you doing this? Spending money to et
at the store, waiting until dawn? I thought you liked ?"
"···."
"Seriously ridiculous. Well, fine. If you keep this up, I'll make sure you can't pretend not to rember."
—
The woman strutted and sat across from Tadano. Tadano didn't permit her to join him at the sa table, but she wasn't the type to listen to such conventional manners.
When Tadano, not bothering to hide his displeasure, looked at her, the woman spoke with a voice full of resentnt.
—
"···Will you keep doing this? After not seeing each other for so long?"
—
Her voice carried not only a sense of being hurt but also frustration. Tadano, being observant, could sense it, but he saw no reason to console a woman he had just t.
So, Tadano continued with a dry tone.
—
"If you're pretending to know
for so reason, I'm not in the mood to play along. I ca in here, already annoyed by the noisy place… It would be better if you just left quietly."
"Well, why would I pretend to know you? Is that what you think?"
"Yes. If you continue, I'll ask the waiter to kick you out. If that doesn't work, I'll call the police."
—
Upon Tadano's words, Yomi fell silent. She looked at Tadano with resentful eyes.
After a while, she spoke with difficulty.
—
"···Fine. I don't know why you suddenly appeared and did this, but I get the vague intention. Let's pretend we don't know each other from now on."
"No, I an we didn't know each other-"
"Yes. Let's say we didn't know each other now."
"Wait, I an-"
"Today, since you seem to have ordered first, I'll leave. But starting tomorrow, don't co here. This place is precious to , and I have to eat ran here at this ti every day. Got it?"
—
After sharply declaring this, Yomi stood up from her seat. She grabbed her bag, which was on the table, and said to Tadano.
—
"I… ugh, I thought we could be friends, though."
"···."
"You're a bad person. I really… How long I've waited."
—
Leaving such words behind, Yomi went straight out of the store. Watching her leave, Tadano sighed as if he couldn't understand.
*Huh.*
—
‘Who is that woman? Why is she acting like this?'
—
Even if Tadano hated people and usually didn't care about others, in this situation, he couldn't help but be concerned about the woman.
But he only cared; he didn't actively pursue the woman.
—
"Your al is ready! Huh? But where did Miss Yomi go?"
—
The waiter said as he placed Tadano's dish on the table.
—
"That woman just left."
"Huh? Why? Did she not eat anything? Did you two fight?"
"No fighting. I was the only one who got attacked. She suddenly started accusing
and burst into tears."
Tadano spoke with an irritated voice, quickly ate the ran, placed the money on the table, and left the noisy and unpleasant place.
—
‘I want to return to Tokyo.'
—
Tadano walked towards Sapporo Station with his head down. He considered getting accommodation, but there were no familiar places nearby, so he decided to spend the night outdoors in front of the station.
—
‘Even if it's a bit cold, as long as I avoid the wind, I should be able to stay for just a day.'
—
Arriving at Sapporo Station, Tadano found a corner and sat down haphazardly. Leaning against the wall, he looked up at the sky. Unlike Tokyo, the night sky in Sapporo had quite a few stars.
While gazing at the stars, Tadano suddenly thought of Yomi.
—
‘But why did that woman act like that?'
—
Although he usually tried not to care about others, the situation seed to have forced him to be concerned.
—
‘Anyway, why did she do that.'
—
Despite trying not to think about it, Tadano found himself continuing to be bothered by the situation.
—
‘As if she had been waiting for
for a long ti…'
But Tadano didn't know anyone in Sapporo. It was true. So, her words bothered him even more.
Tadano sighed deeply. The more he tried not to think about it, the more the woman's words lingered in his ears, making it hard for him to sleep.
‘…This won't do. I should go et her again tomorrow. If I return to Tokyo like this, I'll keep worrying, and it'll be irritating.'
Tadano crumpled the Tokyo-bound train ticket in his pocket and tossed it away. Then he wrapped himself tighter in his clothes and forced himself to sleep.
The next day.
– Beep beep! Hey, watch where you're going up ahead!!
– Hey! It's almost departure ti! Let's go quickly!
Tadano woke up to the noisy sounds of people and cars passing by the station. But for so reason, he felt groggy, and his eyes wouldn't open easily. Moreover, there was a severe headache inside his head, perhaps from catching a cold while sleeping outside.
"Ugh…"
Gradually coming to his senses, Tadano struggled to open his eyes and surveyed his surroundings. When he realized he was sitting on the ground, he was incredibly surprised.
‘…What am I doing here?'
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