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“Wonu-ya!”
Hoshi’s smile was bright, but there was a subtle sadness beneath it. He couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment. He had been hoping to see Wonwoo at the end of the recording, to survive the zombie apocalypse episode of GoSe, but oh well.
The staff packed away Wonwoo’s microphone, and after thanking them, Wonwoo sat beside his best friend with a sigh.
“Where were you?” Wonwoo asked, taking a sip from his water bottle.
“I got bitten in the hallway,” Hoshi replied, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish grin.
“Hmm…” Wonwoo nodded. “I told you many times to just stay beside me,” he mumbled under his breath. “You don’t have to be brave and wander off by yourself.”
Hoshi’s smile softened at the words, his heart warming at the subtle care behind the nagging. “Well… someone had to die, right?”
Wonwoo shook his head, his brows furrowing. “That doesn’t have to be you,” he muttered, his gaze still fixed on the bottle in his hands.
Hoshi chuckled. “Says the guy who told them to shoot me on sight.”
“Because you turned into a zombie.” Wonwoo’s eyes met his for a second, the deadpan delivery making Hoshi laugh.
“I’d be a great tiger zombie!” Hoshi teased, his hand raising, imitating a zombie with his signature hand sign.
“You’d just make everyone laugh. It wouldn’t even be scary.” Wonwoo’s lips quirked into a faint smile before it quickly faded. “Honestly, I’d rather you dead than be a zombie…or I’d feel like becoming a zombie too.”
Hoshi blinked, his smile faltering at Wonwoo’s answer. There was a rawness to the words that hit deeper than the playful banter they often shared.
“Eyyy, stop being dramatic,” Hoshi tried to lighten the mood, but his eyes were soft, understanding the underlying messages.
“No, seriously.” Wonwoo’s eyes were steady with all seriousness. “If something like this—disaster or commet or the world is ending—were to happen, do what I’ve always told you.”
Hoshi paused, his chest tightening. “And that is?”
“Be next to me. Always.” Wonwoo’s voice softened, the words carrying a weight that made Hoshi’s heart skip. The unspoken worry, the need to protect, to keep Hoshi close—Hoshi could feel it all.
For a moment, Hoshi didn’t know what to say. He simply smiled, but this time, it wasn’t just out of playfulness. It was a smile that said he understood. And maybe, it was all he needed to hear.
“Isn’t that Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga’s song?”
“Maybe.”