Standing in front of a noisy bar, Yeonwoo hesitated, wondering if he should just turn back now.

"I can't believe he's still working here."

It was the pub where Yeonwoo had worked part-time, and the place where the man who had forced himself on him and assaulted him was working as a manager.

They said he couldn't be legally punished because he was a beastman and there was a lack of evidence, but it seemed he was living just fine without being fired.

Because the manager had hung up the phone after telling him to come to the pub if he had something to say, Yeonwoo had dragged his tired body all the way here.

"Sigh."

He hadn't thought he would ever see that face again.

Let's not be nervous.

His palms were sweaty because it was a place associated with bad memories. Yeonwoo braced himself, reminding himself of his purpose.

As soon as he opened the pub door and entered, that face he never wanted to see again called out to him loudly.

"Whoa, you actually came?"

The face he hadn't seen in a long time was still ugly. No, perhaps because he had recently seen Sun Inhyeok's face, which was completely outside the average range, it looked even uglier today.

"Hey, hey, this is him. The 'thing' I was telling you about."

The manager, with a face even more dismal than his own misfortune, snickered and spoke to the customers sitting at a table.

He must have called his acquaintances over today of all days.

He had wondered why everyone's eyes were fixed on him as soon as he entered, and it seemed that the customers at all three occupied tables were the manager's friends.

Furthermore, the manager was blabbing about Yeonwoo being a fox beastman without his consent.

"You guys watch out. You know about gumihos, right? I was seduced and, you know? I did all sorts of things with him."

"Even if he's pretty, how can you put your lips on something like that? Won't you just get cursed with bad luck?"

"Damn! Why say something like that? It's bad luck."

Vile jokes and giggles were exchanged. It wasn't something to say in front of the person involved, but it seemed the manager and his friends were two of a kind.

He was angry and scared that his identity as a fox beastman had been exposed and that he was being talked about by such people. But Yeonwoo felt it was a waste to spend his emotions on people like this.

Yeonwoo, who had become a spectacle, suppressed his desire to leave immediately, approached the manager, and asked.

"How is your health?"

The manager, who had been snickering, turned to Yeonwoo at the sudden inquiry.

"What?"

"Is there anything hurting? Are you coughing up blood, are your insides twisting, or have you caught some disease?"

"Fuck, what the hell is this unlucky brat saying now?"

Up close, his already ugly face seemed even uglier, but that certainly wasn't due to Yeonwoo's bodily fluids. Since Inhyeok's face was still glowing, Yeonwoo's actions couldn't be blamed for a face that looked like it had been dipped in lava and pulled back out.

"I asked if you were healthy. I tried to ask over the phone earlier, but you said if I came in person and asked, you'd give me an answer?"

Since Yeonwoo had to see a face he never wanted to see again and had even become a spectacle, he intended to get a clear answer before leaving.

"Are you putting some kind of curse on me? What? Shut the hell up!"

If Yeonwoo could cast a curse, he truly would have.

"What's this? Hwang Deokgu, are you scared?"

The manager, whose face was turning red and blue at his friends' teasing, swung his hand at Yeonwoo as if to strike him.

Yeonwoo, who had somewhat expected the hot-tempered Manager Hwang Deokgu's behavior, stepped back slightly and avoided his hand. Losing his balance, the manager tripped over his own feet and tumbled forward.

"Agh!"

Yeonwoo grabbed both of his arms, twisting them, and asked again.

"I'm asking if you're healthy. From the moment you were screaming at the police station until now."

Even the manager's acquaintances couldn't easily approach Yeonwoo. In truth, his heart was pounding with fear that they might pounce on him. Even if he had learned self-defense, he couldn't handle that many people.

Yeonwoo, becoming impatient, pressed down hard on the manager's arm, and the answer was spat out like a scream.

"I'm healthy! I'm fucking healthy! Are you a real madman?!"

Only after hearing the answer did Yeonwoo release the manager's arms.

Although it was to subdue him, Yeonwoo found it utterly unpleasant to have touched the hideously ugly man's arms, so he rubbed his hands vigorously against his clothes.

"Then that's fine."

Yeonwoo stepped back briskly, relieved that one heavy worry had been lifted. The gazes of those helping the manager up from the floor glanced at him.

Let's get out of here quickly.

Yeonwoo quickly left the pub, fearing they might do him harm. Fortunately, no one followed him until he boarded the bus heading home.

"Thank goodness. Truly, thank goodness."

Yeonwoo blocked the manager's number again and buried his face in his palms.

His bodily fluids were not poisonous to others. That fact alone was a huge comfort.

The experience of being outed as a fox beastman was by no means pleasant, but it was a relief that he had concluded the situation without a major accident, despite being surrounded by over ten people.

***

However, after the weekend passed and he returned to the set early in the morning with Mancheol, Yeonwoo's face was haggard from lack of sleep. For some reason, every time he closed his eyes, he kept thinking of Inhyeok, who had been rubbing his lips against his neck while breaking out in a cold sweat.

Confirming that Inhyeok wasn't sick because of him had relieved his guilt a little, but Inhyeok's presence still occupied Yeonwoo's mind.

At least it was lucky that the Dino Food Truck visited the set in intervals of two to three days. It didn't mean he was resting since he had to prepare ingredients, but his mind was much more at ease than it would be at the set where Inhyeok was.

But Yeonwoo knew better than anyone that avoiding it wasn't the solution.

I have to return the clothes, too.

Yeonwoo carefully placed the paper bag he brought in the passenger seat and began preparing to serve food. Inside were Inhyeok's clothes, which he had sent to the dry cleaners for a price higher than his own clothes were worth. He had tried to have the pants he tore repaired as well, but after being told to go to a luxury repair shop, he planned to return the borrowed zip-up first.

"I wonder if he won't eat today either."

During his last shift, Inhyeok hadn't come to the food truck. Perhaps because the last time he saw him, he was suffering from a high fever, worry kept rearing its head.

It was a relief that he had met the manager and learned his saliva wasn't poisonous to others, though.

"Sigh. Look who's worrying about who."

Muttering to himself, Yeonwoo spurred on the meal preparations to shake off his intrusive thoughts.

Just then, Noyoung peeked his head through the tent flap.

"Is Yeonwoo here?"

Yeonwoo, who was fitting a large serving container onto the heated table, welcomed him warmly.

"Oh, you're here?"

While Yeonwoo went to get the pre-prepared side dishes, Noyoung followed him with a beaming smile.

"What's on the menu today?"

"Ah, today it's Chinese-style eggplant and pork over rice, chicory salad, and spinach miso soup."

Noyoung, who was following and nodding, suddenly stepped in and lifted the stainless steel container for Yeonwoo.

"That's heavy!"

"Ay. This much is fine."

Noyoung's eyebrows twitched, suggesting it was heavier than expected, but at least the soup container didn't spill.

"I could have moved it."

"I was in your way, so I'm helping. I should put it at the end over there, right?"

Yeonwoo hurriedly picked up the remaining side dish containers and followed Noyoung to the serving area.

"You're here very early today. Is everyone eating a bit early today?"

Yeonwoo, only on his second day, still found it difficult to gauge the filming schedule. He didn't know if Mancheol received separate notifications, but he was trying to learn by watching how Mancheol perfectly caught the times when people crowded in.

"Ah, no. I'm the only one who came early. I have some separate work to do at lunch later."

"I should study a bit to work at a food truck."

"What kind of study?"

"Just things like how to figure out the filming schedule... I'm a staff member of a professional set food truck, but I feel like I don't know anything."

"Then shall I teach you next time? I'll give you private tutoring."

"Huh? I could just ask Hyunmin."

"Why bother the busy Producer Choi? When you have an expert right in front of you?"

Noyoung shrugged, saying he was more of an expert on these sets.

"Then please teach me when you have some time next time. I'll buy you something delicious in return."

"Really?"

With a wide smile, Noyoung pulled Yeonwoo's hand for a handshake. Yeonwoo hesitated for a moment at the sudden contact, but remembering Noyoung seemed exceptionally close with people, he lightly shook his hand back.

And just as Yeonwoo was about to pull his hand away.

Clatter!

The sound of a tray clashing came from the serving counter. It seemed he had been chatting without even knowing a customer had arrived. Since Mancheol was away, he should have been more attentive.

"Welcom—"

Trying to greet them in a louder voice, Yeonwoo trailed off as he saw the unexpected customer.

"......e."

Perhaps because it was early morning, Inhyeok, who was radiating an even more sensitive aura than usual, stood there holding a tray, silently staring at the two of them.

Yeonwoo naturally pulled his hand away from Noyoung and returned to the counter.

"Ah, hello."

"Yes."

His mind was in a jumble, and the words wouldn't come out. Holding the rice scoop, Yeonwoo piled a mountain of rice onto Inhyeok's tray.

"Enjoy your meal..."

He offered a sheepish greeting, but Inhyeok only gave a slight nod, showing not a shred of interest in him. Unlike Yeonwoo, who was glitching like a broken clockwork doll, Inhyeok accepted his portions and headed to the seating area as if he had never been staring at Yeonwoo and Noyoung.

It was Noyoung who brought Yeonwoo back to his senses as he stood there holding the scoop, unsure of what to do.

"Yeonwoo, give me lots of rice too."

"Pardon? Ah, yes!"

Yeonwoo, who had been absentmindedly stirring the rice, hurriedly scooped some onto the tray of Noyoung, who was standing in front of him.

"Do you dislike eggplant?"

"Umm..."

It was a Chinese-style stir-fry made by scoring eggplants and sautéing them with minced pork, doubanjiang, and oyster sauce. When eaten over rice, the minced pork being chewed between the eggplants that had fully absorbed the seasoning was a masterpiece. However, Noyoung's tray only had plenty of minced pork and sauce.

"If you dislike it, you don't have to eat it."

"No. Since you made it, I'm sure it'll be delicious."

Despite his words, Noyoung seemed to really dislike eggplant, as he only managed to scoop up three or four pieces.

Noyoung, who took a seat far away from Inhyeok, beckoned to Yeonwoo, who was standing there awkwardly looking at Inhyeok.

"Yeonwoo, just a moment."

Yeonwoo shook off his thoughts and headed to the table where Noyoung was sitting.

"Would you like anything else?"

"No, nothing like that. Just sit here for a second. Are you not eating yet? It'll take a while for the other staff to arrive anyway."

"I will eat later with the boss."

"It's because I'm lonely. You have no idea how lonely it is to eat alone. So just be in front of me, okay?"

At those whining words, Yeonwoo's gaze almost flickered toward Inhyeok, who was sitting alone, before stopping himself.

"Then I'll just sit for a moment and then go."

Just as he said, no one else was entering the tent yet, and all the side dishes were filled. Yeonwoo pulled out a plastic chair with a scraping sound and sat where he had a clear view of the entrance.

"I mean, everyone was praising your food so much, Yeonwoo."

"Really?"

Yeonwoo's face, which had been stiff from worrying about Inhyeok, brightened instantly.

"The people who didn't see you even asked if Boss Gong had come."

Boss Gong was Mancheol's wife, who had been in charge of the Dino Food Truck's cooking for decades. Because he had been worried that he could never match her hand, Yeonwoo couldn't help but be happy, even if Noyoung's praise was just empty words.

"What a relief. I was very worried."

"Actually, I never eat eggplant, but since you made this, it's delicious. I might even grow to like it from now on."

Contrary to his words, the chewing motion in his mouth slowed down significantly once he put an eggplant in, but Yeonwoo didn't challenge his statement. Despite Noyoung's efforts to cheer him up, his mind kept drifting toward Inhyeok, who was eating in a corner behind him.

Noyoung, who had been silently watching Yeonwoo, leaned in close and whispered.

"Actors are just like that sometimes. Actor Sun Inhyeok doesn't have such a bad reputation, but he seems a bit sensitive lately, maybe because of the role he's playing."

Noyoung seemed to be looking out for Yeonwoo on purpose because of the previous incident with Gwanghyun. However, Yeonwoo couldn't take his mind off Inhyeok, who was clearly showing his extreme discomfort.

"But I've never seen him eat at the food truck before. Your cooking must be really good. Did he come on the first day?"

But Inhyeok hadn't visited the food truck on the first day. He had left a kimchi pancake in the waiting room—could he really have come because he liked that?

"Yeonwoo?"

"Yes?"

"Anyway, it's common in this industry for actors to be difficult, so don't take it to heart."

"Thank you for looking out for me. But I'm really okay. And nothing really happened with Sun Inhyeok..."

He felt a sting of conscience for lying without even blinking. But even so, he couldn't just tell Noyoung the truth.

"Even so. How is your injury?"

"The wound wasn't as deep as it looked, so I think it'll heal soon. Thank you for the bandage back then."

As he bowed to Noyoung, Yeonwoo remembered the box of bandages he had received back from the dry cleaners yesterday.

"They were in the pocket."

What the dry cleaner had handed to Yeonwoo, along with the plastic-wrapped clothes, were bandages and ointment he had never seen before in his life.

Is Sun Inhyeok hurt somewhere?

Since the owner of the clothes left at the dry cleaners was Inhyeok, the belongings were likely his as well. So Yeonwoo had brought the bandages and ointment along with the clothes.

"Ah, wait..."

His thoughts suddenly turned to that paper bag. If Inhyeok was still eating, he thought it would be best to return it now, so he turned his head.

Then, seeing a figure standing right behind him, Yeonwoo jumped in surprise, his body trembling. Inhyeok, who had approached without a sound, firmly grabbed Yeonwoo's shoulder as he wobbled in his chair.

"Why, uh, how—"