“Ah, Min Jae.” His grandmother sat across from him, sipping coffee that was already lukewarm. “I know you think I’m not a woman of this world, but–”
“I’ve never said anything like that to you,” Min Jae instantly protested.
She sharply tutted. There were times she’d allow Min Jae to interrupt her but this wasn’t one of them. But her face never hardened. If anything, the slight downward curve of her mouth seemed a little sad. “We have our fictions, you and I. And it works for us, because we love and trust one another. One of those fictions is that you think I somehow, after raising you practically by myself, don’t know exactly who you are.”
Min Jae’s grandmother caught his gaze and held it, daring him to look away. He didn’t. His respect for her always overrode his fear. But his mind refused to give him any response. No denial. No fiction, as she put it. So he just sat there, staring, his knuckles burning as he squeezed the seat of his chair.
“He’s a nice boy, that Andy,” she eventually said, shattering the silence. “He has kind eyes and a big heart.”
Min Jae finally shook off his stunned stupor. “I don’t know what you think is happening between us, but it’s not–”
“It’s probably true,” she interrupted, “that I don’t know the ways of this world anymore. But I did once, that’s for certain. And I know your heart. A good heart is a good heart. That’s all that’s ever mattered.” Still holding his gaze, her expression shifted again, from sadness to love. A grandmother's love. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you. And the way you look at him. Even if you haven’t. You’re connected in ways far beyond your contest stage. You’re good for one another.” She paused to sip her coffee, looking out the window behind Min Jae. "The weather is solovely. You should take Andy for a walk. Show him the mountain.”
And just like that, Min Jae was freed from a lie they’d both perpetuated for years, built on a foundation of avoidance, convenience, and shame. A small part of his enormous burden had been lifted from his shoulders. It terrified him. But it didn’t change the facts.
“I love you, grandmother,” Min Jae replied. “But, I’m serious. Things aren’t like that between us.”
She reached across to lovingly rest her hand atop his. “Of course, they’re not.” She smiled, instantly brightening the kitchen. “Thank you for letting this foolish old woman ramble. I’ll take my coffee back to my room for now. It’s nearly time for my morning dramas.”
Min Jae’s grandmother carefully rose and left with her coffee. Min Jae shook his head, disbelief slowly giving way to a tentative acceptance. Of course, she’d always known. Not about everything, thankfully. But she wasn’t lying about knowing exactly who he was. They may never have spoken of it before, but she’d always known. And it was Andy’s presence that finally forced her to speak up. He was dangerous. Having Andy around had already disrupted Min Jae’s carefully constructed home life. Min Jae had to be extremely cautious. He couldn’t let Andy do that same thing to his career.
Min Jae silently stewed while Andy finished his shower. He was grateful that his grandmother had waited until Andy was occupied before having that conversation. They already knew what lay between them, even if neither of them had explicitly spoken of it. But having his grandmother offer her tacit approval in front of Andy would’ve complicated things beyond even Min Jae’s ability to correct. Andy would’ve agreed, Min Jae was certain. Like him, Andy had been clear about his number one goal in the show. To win, and debut.
Min Jae used the shower next, offering a towel-clad Andyonly the barest nod as they met in the bedroom, ignoring the lingering dew drops of wetness on his chest and shoulders, sparkling in the morning sunlight streaming through the open window. He showered quickly, mentally berating his erection the whole time. Not now, damn it. He had way more important things to manage, and was anxious to get out of the house before his grandmother made another appearance.
Min Jae dressed in the bathroom–simple jeans and a t-shirt–to avoid repeating any of his soju-driven mistakes from the night before. Andy was dressed by the time Min Jae emerged from the bathroom, somehow looking both shabby and incredibly handsome at once in his cut-off jean shorts, white t-shirt with a Dandy Squirrel face printed on it, and black, zippered hoodie.
Spotting Min Jae’s attention, Andy immediately posed. “What do you think? Am I ready to run for my life from the mob of screaming sasaeng fans hiding around the corner?”
Min Jae chuckled despite himself. “I’m sure my grandmother has done nothing but hype us up to the whole neighborhood. And you look fine, as long as those shoes are comfortable for walking.”
Andy grinned. “It’s what they were made for.”
Once he finished dressing, Min Jae gently knocked on his grandmother’s door to announce their departure. To his relief, she simply called back through the door, telling them to have a nice hike.
The entrance to the Bukhansan trails was a short, ten-minute walk from Min Jae’s house. The national park featured an extensive trail system, ranging from leisurely walks to serious mountain hikes and climbs. Min Jae didn’t have anything so challenging in mind. And he naturally knew most of the nearby trails by heart, having walked them since he was a boy. The park wasn’t his, but it had long been his refuge when he needed a temporary escape. Bringing Andy there was a calculated risk, introducing him to yet another part of Min Jae’s life to blowapart. But he wanted someplace he felt safe to talk with Andy. Somewhere he felt comfortable. Bringing Andy into his plans was another calculated risk. But he wanted to win, and this seemed like the correct path to follow, so to speak.
Stepping through the trail entrance transported Min Jae and Andy to another world. The sounds of the city vanished under the tree canopy, replaced by the gentle crunch of their sneakers on the packed dirt path and the rustle of leaves in the cool morning breeze. The air was heavy with the earthy, damp scent of moss-covered rock and the sharp, clean fragrance of pine.
They walked the sun-dappled path in comfortable silence. A few other hikers passed them—older couples in full, professional gear who offered them polite, indifferent nods. Here, he wasn't Kwon Min Jae, the number two contestant on a hit K-pop survival show. He was just a young man on a walk. Anonymous. Safe.
Min Jae glanced at Andy, stopped a few feet ahead, his head tilted back as he gazed at the intricate canopy of leaves with a look of pure, quiet wonder. The dancing sunlight played across his raw, unguarded smile, showing Min Jae, for a brief moment, Andy's inner child roaming free. Just as Min Jae had once freely roamed these paths as a boy, dreaming of a boundless future. He envied that child, now, just as he envied Andy, entranced by something so ephemeral as the play of light and shadow through gently windblown leaves.
Further along the path, Andy stopped to point out a strange, iridescent beetle on a low-hanging leaf. "Whoa." He beamed, his broad grin shining so brightly it nearly eclipsed the sun. "Look at the size of that thing. It's like a beautiful piece of living jewelry." His joyful laugh startled the beetle, which took wing, quickly disappearing into the branches of an old oak keeping a silent watch nearby.
The more they walked, Andy excitedly exploring Min Jae’s personal sanctuary by his side, the more it felt, well, right. Therewas a time, when Min Jae was younger, that he’d imagined having someone by his side like that. Someone to share his special places with. Someone whose simple presence warmed Min Jae’s heart in ways he’d never allowed himself to feel. Like Andy was doing, right then. But that dream had been slowly crushed by the oppressive weight of Min Jae’s reality. Blowing out his knee. Losing his mother. Selling his body so his grandmother would have a comfortable life. Never once giving up on his dream. How would his life even look if he’d had someone beside him during all that painful living? Waking up beside a trusted lover and not a paying client? Would he even still want to be an idol? No, that was all a pipe dream. He was out to win, and couldn’t afford to be distracted by foolish feelings that would only hold him back.
After walking up a short rise, the path curved into a scenic overlook of the National Cemetery. It would probably be busy later with the more hardcore Chuseok observers. But it was mostly empty for the moment. And the real showpiece was the expansive view of eastern Seoul that spread beyond it, stretching to the distant Han River.
Andy rushed up to the fence, his eyes wide. “Oh, shit, Min Jae! I didn’t realize we’d see all this from up here.”
Min Jae settled in beside him, resting his hands on the fence. “It’s nice, yeah.”
Andy excitedly nodded. “Can we see Sky Village from here?”
“No.” Min Jae shook his head and pointed to the southwest. “It’s over that way.”
“Ah, okay.” Andy fell silent for a few moments, his head slowly swiveling to take everything in. “We don’t have anything like this back home. Sacramento is so flat. Like, seriously flat. I mean, the Sierras are only a couple hours away. And the Bay Area, San Francisco and all that, is pretty close. But I live in a long, flat valley that could probably fit all of Korea. You drive ahalf hour in practically any direction and you’re surrounded by farms and cows.”
