Defective Banana - Chapter 44

Kang Seohyuk sat on a single sofa, angled slightly toward the reporter interviewing him.

“Is it true you’re dating the person you mentioned at the awards ceremony a while back?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“There’s been a lot of talk… People are saying, from the way you said, ‘I miss you, I want to see you,’ that maybe you’ve broken up. May I ask about that?”

Seohyuk’s voice was steady, his expression calm, but his words carried weight.

“It’s true we’re apart for now, but I don’t consider it a breakup. She’s going through a difficult time, and I’m simply waiting for her to come back to me.”

For someone who usually kept his private life away from the public eye outside of movies or dramas, this interview felt intentional—like something he’d decided on in advance. The honesty surprised viewers, making him seem more relatable while sending a rush of dopamine through the fandom.

“Oh… she’s going through a hard time. Is she a celebrity or a civilian?”

Even to that question, Seohyuk answered without hesitation. His tone was clear, and the faint, relaxed smile on his face made him seem like someone who had let go of all burdens.

“She’s a civilian. And I’m sure everyone’s seen her before—she’s the woman from that video.”

The reporter, seated diagonally from him, froze for a second before stammering, clearly caught off guard.

“Wait, what? You mean… the woman who slapped you in that video?”

“Yes. That’s her.”

Silence. The reporter just repeated, “Uh… ah…” like he was stuck.

Then something seemed to click in his mind, and he quickly followed up.

“Oh! So it wasn’t some stalker fan hitting you because you refused to take a photo—it was just a lovers’ quarrel? And everyone misunderstood? But are you aware that her name, job, and phone number were posted on community boards?”

Seohyuk’s gaze darkened. He was the only one who could set things straight and protect her, especially knowing she was probably still suffering.

“Yes. I should have spoken up earlier. I feel terribly sorry for her. Once again, she is not a stalker fan. She’s someone I cherish and love. I hope everyone stops misunderstanding. And let me be clear—if anyone approaches her, harasses her, or tries anything harmful, I will not sit back and watch.”

The real reason he pushed through with the interview was to send a warning to whoever had spread the rumors.

Privately, Seohyuk suspected Shim Miok, the stylist. The only way someone could have known about his very personal condition—his erectile dysfunction—was by hearing it directly from him or Baek Ara, or by secretly reading their private messages.

It wasn’t him, and it wasn’t Ara. That left only his phone.

He usually kept his phone close, but there had been one time he’d left it behind—just the day before both his secret and Ara’s personal details went public. He’d left it in the dressing room, and Shim Miok had stayed there for quite a while.

So when the rumor first reached him, her name immediately came to mind. And the more he thought about it, the more certain he became—it had to be her.

The reporter, now nodding cautiously, asked, “She must have gone through a lot after her personal information was leaked. Is she doing okay now?”

“To be honest, I haven’t been able to reach her since that day. I’m in agony, too. If she sees this video, I hope she contacts me again. I’ll be waiting.”

Looking straight into the camera, Seohyuk’s eyes carried a desperate message meant for her. Even the reporter seemed to feel it, pressing his lips together and ending the interview on a sympathetic note.

“Then, I sincerely hope you two reconnect. I wish you both the best.”

Online communities and social media erupted with chatter about Kang Seohyuk once again. The interview clip spread like wildfire on YouTube, shocking fans and viewers alike.

[Wait, so Kang Seohyuk got slapped by his girlfriend? What did he even do??]
[Wow… he’s waiting for her to call? That woman must’ve saved a country in her past life.]
[Sexy when he’s warning people like thatㅠㅠㅠ Oppa, don’t let me off the hook either, pleaseㅠㅠ]
[Why isn’t she contacting him though? Well… I think I know why.]
[If my personal info got blasted everywhere, I’d be too scared too. I wouldn’t date a celebrity either.]

The whole internet buzzed with speculation, but still—her phone never called his.

***

Since that day, Seohyuk started searching for Ara more openly, everywhere he went. Whenever he saw cameras, he’d greet the reporters and slip in a line about her.

“I’m still waiting. I miss her a lot.”

Even in public places, he shamelessly played his specialty—persistent pleading. At some point, he added a wink and a dimpled smile to his “I’m waiting” routine.

The pitiful smile, tinged with loneliness, broke countless fans’ hearts.

[Still no contact, huh?ㅠㅠ My heart hurts for him.]
[Ugh… smiling outside while rotting inside. Being a celebrity sucks.]

When spring came, he began posting “dates” on his SNS—appointments with her that only he showed up for.

[April 1st, 1 PM. I’ll be at the place we said we’d meet again.]
[May 1st, 1 PM. Come see me. I’ll be there.]
[Every 1st of the month, 1 PM. I’ll always be there.]

Fans couldn’t decide whether to swoon or sigh at his relentless devotion.

[True definition of a hopeless romantic.]
[I feel so badㅠㅠ What are we gonna do with Seohyuk oppa?]
[He’s smiling, but his eyes look so sad… makes me want to cry.]

***

Meanwhile, Ara kept herself completely isolated, pouring all her time into painting.

Even so, her heart was always with Kang Seohyuk. He was the first man she’d ever shared real warmth with, and being with him was endlessly fun.

But… he was also Donghee unnie’s son, a top star, someone she could never truly keep for herself.

Every day, missing him too much to bear, she painted him. She poured her longing onto the white canvas, comforting herself with brushstrokes.

Summer passed, autumn passed, and winter returned.

Heavy snow blanketed the yard outside her window. The chill of the winter air seeped into the house, and the cold wind rattled the windowpanes with a low hum.

She taped up the window frames with thick tape, layered extra curtains over the existing ones, and put on another sweater before brewing coffee.

The warm aroma took a bit of the edge off the cold. Just as she was wrapping her hands around the mug, she thought of the puffed rice grandma.

Was she doing okay? It was winter, so she probably wasn’t selling anything and was stuck at home alone. Was she eating well? Maybe I should visit.

Ara poured the coffee into a thermos, packed some side dishes she’d made yesterday, bundled up in a long padded coat and scarf, grabbed her car keys, and headed out.

The yard was covered in snow, but the roads were clear thanks to the snowplows.

She brushed the snow off her car and drove to the local mart, picking up some soft, easy-to-eat groceries for the elderly woman, along with a few steamed buns from the entrance.

Then she drove to the grandma’s semi-basement apartment in a small villa complex and rang the bell.

Ding-dong.

After a moment, she heard the faint shuffle of slippers from inside.

“Who is it?”

Normally you’d expect an answer before unlocking the door, but the grandma immediately started fiddling with the lock.

Ara smiled and called out, “Grandma, it’s me.”

“Oh? Who?”

The door creaked open, and the grandma’s face lit up in recognition.

“Oh my, the painter girl! What brings you here?”

“Have you been well?”

“Same as always. But what made you come all the way here? I’m so happy to see you. Come in, it’s cold.”

Like welcoming a granddaughter, she took Ara’s hand and led her inside. The “living room” was really just a one-room space with the kitchen and bed in the same area.

“I was just wondering how you were doing in this cold weather, so I came by.”

“Well, you did good! Come, get under the blanket—it’s freezing. I’ll make you some coffee.”

“It’s okay, I actually brought some coffee. Let’s drink it together.”

“You brought coffee?”

Ara smiled and set down the groceries she’d bought.

“Coffee and a few other things. I’ll put these in your fridge so you can eat them later.”

She opened the little fridge and neatly stored the side dishes and ingredients.

“That’s a lot.”

“It’s been snowing so much lately, I figured it must be hard for you to go shopping, so I picked up some extra.”

She took out two cups, poured the coffee from her thermos, and the warm scent quickly filled the room.

“It’s not instant mix coffee, so I’m not sure you’ll like it, but it’s smooth—try it.”

“Coffee’s all the same.”

But after one sip, the grandma made a face and set the cup down.

“Ah! Bitter! So bitter I could die. Is this coffee or medicine?”

“Not to your taste? I can make you instant coffee instead.”

“No, no—leave it.”

She grabbed Ara’s wrist before she could get up, lowering her voice like she was about to share a secret. Her eyes sparkled.

“I ran into that tall young man the other day—the one in the neighborhood who’s tall as a lamppost!”

“Huh? A neighbor?”

The moment Ara heard that, Kang Seohyuk’s masked face filled her mind.