Defective Banana - Chapter 48
Manager Seungbok did his best to avoid triggering the already sensitive Seohyuk, carefully choosing his words and keeping quiet when possible. He stuck close to him all the time.
Worried about how mentally drained Seohyuk was, Seungbok didn’t leave his side for even a moment.
But there were occasional days when Seohyuk insisted on being alone — days he’d head out to Ganghwa Island.
Every month on the first day, he’d leave early in the morning and only come back at night. Other than that, he stayed inside the house with Seungbok.
Seungbok kept him on a strict routine: exercise, meals, and whenever Seohyuk lay still staring at the ceiling, he made sure to put a script in his hands.
Maybe, just maybe, if he found a script he liked, he’d pull himself together and get back on his feet.
But that was wishful thinking. Days passed, yet Seohyuk looked the same. Sometimes he’d retreat to the other side of the house, lock himself in her bedroom, and stay there all day.
Worried sick, Seungbok would wait and finally call him, but every time Seohyuk just said he was sleeping, then hung up abruptly.
Months went by like this.
Then one day, Seohyuk showed up, looking neat and put-together, and told Seungbok,
“Hyung, let’s go see the CEO.”
Seungbok, sitting on the couch, grabbed the remote and turned off the TV, blinking in surprise.
“The CEO? Why all of a sudden? What’s going on?”
Seohyuk flipped his hair back, checking himself in the mirror, and calmly replied,
“Nothing much. Just to tell him I’m taking a break from activities.”
“A break?”
***
On a bitterly cold day near the end of winter, when the trees looked even more frozen and worn-out, Kang Seohyuk announced through his agency’s website that he was temporarily halting all activities.
He said he couldn’t bear to show fans how broken he felt anymore, and hoped to come back with a fresh new image someday.
At the same time, articles ran showing all his dazzling achievements and his career path so far.
Some media outlets released paparazzi photos showing a gaunt Seohyuk stepping out of a car, glaring sharply at the photographers as he entered a building.
He looked like a man who had given up on everything, completely resigned and exhausted.
Even though he stopped working, fans only grew more worried and voiced their concerns online. Messages supporting him and promising to wait kept flooding in.
[Shouldn’t the agency do something? Just sitting on their hands like this?]
[What if something happens to oppa? He’s lost so much weight… T_T]
[But… he looks scary now? If that’s sexy, am I the only trash here…?]
[If you contact the Artists’ Association, wouldn’t you reach her?]
A little later, Seohyuk’s contract with the agency expired, and he said goodbye. He also said he’d be heading overseas for a while.
Seungbok looked at him with pity but told him, “If you ever need a brother, call me. Don’t wander for too long.”
Seohyuk loaded his suitcase into his mother’s car. Donghee, driving, raised her sunglasses and asked flatly,
“So, when are you coming back?”
“Not sure. Thinking three or four months. I’ll contact you when I can.”
“You jerk. Leaving mom alone like that just to feel better? Why don’t you just go see the Artists’ Association, like you said!”
Seohyuk answered dryly, turning his head toward the window.
“Am I a stalker?”
“You’re crazy. Calling her ‘Ara, Ara’ everywhere.”
He ignored her, resting his arm and chin against the window.
He wanted to give Ara time — knowing how hard it must be for her, having her private life and personal details torn apart.
He believed she hadn’t left him completely. Just like she said — he was a celebrity, and she was the son of his close friend she called “unnie.” She just needed some space to catch her breath.
They fit so well, enjoyed each other’s company, were happy — so he never thought it was really over.
But the longer he waited, the harder it got. So he decided to get away from Korea for a bit.
When he arrived at the airport, he pulled his hat low, masked his face, and wrapped a thick scarf around his neck.
He wanted to leave quietly, without anyone noticing.
With paparazzi still relentlessly following and snapping pictures, he was cautious as he said goodbye to his mom.
“Mrs. Kim, I’ll contact you when I arrive. If anything happens, call Seungbok.”
“Got it. Don’t stay too long, come back soon.”
“Okay. Bye.”
Dragging his suitcase, he stepped into the airport.
He felt like something was holding him back, but he had to go.
He hoped that in a few months, his heart would soften, and he could come back calm and ready to wait for her with peace in his eyes.
***
From the next day, Seohyuk stayed alone on the other side of the world. He traveled across Europe, eating when hungry, sleeping when tired, and spending his days freely.
Still, he never missed a day of working out — he wanted to be in good shape for when he’d meet her again.
After a month of hopping between countries, spring arrived. He settled at a countryside guesthouse outside a French city.
The place was surrounded by vast nature, with over two thousand sheep on a nearby ranch, the owner said.
Walking nearby, he often saw kids carrying sticks and several sheepdogs tending the flock. Just watching the peaceful scene healed something inside him. He felt a slow-growing calm and richness in his heart.
He also found a local restaurant he liked so much he went almost every day for a week.
Escaping the flashy life, enjoying these small, simple pleasures — just doing whatever he felt like — brought him incredible comfort.
And of course, Baek Ara was never far from his thoughts. Whenever he ate something delicious, he thought, Next time, I’ll bring her here to try this.
***
Meanwhile, after a long, cold winter, spring came for Ara too.
With the encouragement of the museum’s manager, she held a big solo exhibition.
The theme was attachment.
Most of the pieces carried her unique style — warm, geometric depictions of the human body blended with nature.
But as the exhibition’s opening day approached, word spread quietly through communities: Baek Ara was holding a solo show.
On the opening day, conversations about her work exploded online — and, unsurprisingly, the buzz about Kang Seohyuk stirred back up.
[Did you see painter AR’s work?]
[He looks exactly like Seohyuk oppa!]
[Especially the hands! His index finger is way longer than the middle finger.]
[No way… are all those paintings really him? The thighs and hips too?]
Photos of her works were shared one by one, followed by reviews and stories.
[Baek Ara Exhibition Review]
[A Visit to the Museum with Cherry Blossoms. Baek Ara Show]
[Kang Seohyuk’s Woman, Baek Ara, Exhibition]
Power bloggers and YouTube creators flocked to the museum, spreading news about her exhibition wider by the day.
[Live from Hera Museum — it’s packed!]
[Kicked out while filming at Hera Museum — secret filming tips]
Photos and reviews poured in from everywhere, stirring up even more buzz after the show.
Because of this, a public broadcasting station aired a feature showing some of Ara’s works along with the recent headlines.
The museum drew even more visitors, crowded with art lovers.
People started posting collections of Baek Ara’s paintings, and everyone chimed in with their thoughts.
[Wow, she really nailed it. It’s totally oppa’s back of the head! If you turn around, I bet you’d see his smiling face. Miss you, oppa.]
[Because of one stalker, innocent people suffer… it’s so bitter.]
[Just looking at the theme “attachment,” it’s clear she can’t forget him.]
[It must have been tough. Being chased by obsessed fans, having her personal info leaked — it’s impressive she dared to hold an exhibition under her own name.]
Afterward, fans who visited the museum started leaving small notes and letters to encourage her.
Nobody told them to — it just happened naturally. They even took pictures to prove their support, leaving little marks of kindness here and there.
The messages piled up in boxes, and eventually, everything was sent to Ara.
When Ara opened the huge package delivered to her home, her eyes widened in surprise and she couldn’t find the words to speak.