Melting Point — Chapter 7

I GOT WORD FROM AEROS U.S. HEADQUARTERS THAT THEY’RE FULLY ON BOARD WITH THE RYU IAN PROJECT.

WOW, AEROS HQ?

THEY’VE HAD THEIR EYE ON IAN FOR A WHILE, TOO.

THEY GAVE HIM AN OFFER LAST YEAR, ACTUALLY, BUT HE WASN’T INTERESTED THEN.

SAID HE WASN’T INTERESTED IN ANYTHING ELSE BESIDES HOCKEY.

AND NOW...

CUE MR. DEALMAKER HERE WHO SECURED RYU IAN’S FIRST EVER SPONSORSHIP CONTRACT!

OH, NO... WE ALL DID IT TOGETHER.

IAN’S VLOG THAT WE UPLOADED YESTERDAY IS DOING GREAT, TOO.

HE’S DOING ALL OUR WORK FOR US, WITH THAT FACE OF HIS BREAKING THE INTERNET!

WE'VE ALREADY HAD INQUIRIES FROM OUR STORES ABOUT PROMOTIONAL DISPLAYS.

THEY'RE ASKING FOR POSTERS WITH IAN'S FACE BLOWN UP TO THE MAX.

I KNOW YOU GOT THIS, BUT YOU'LL GIVE THOSE REQUESTS SOME SPECIAL ATTENTION, WON'T YOU?

I'VE GOT HIGH HOPES FOR OUR LAST TWO QUARTERS.

OF COURSE.

THAT'S IT, THEN!

02 MEETING ROOM

GOOD WORK, EVERYONE.

YES!

YES, YESSS!!!

SWEET, SWEET PRAISE. TOTALLY KILLED IT-

WELL, IT WAS ALL HIM, ACTUALLY.

IAN WAS THAT KID...

...WHO TURNED THE TATTERS OF MY DREAMS INTO REALITY.

[AEROS] ICEBREAKER #HOT IAN SUMMER #1 AEROS KOREA 51.2K subscribers SUBSCRIBED

A DIRECT REMINDER OF THE PAST I HAD TRIED SO HARD TO BURY AWAY...

...ALL SWEAT AND TEARS, FAILURE AND REGRET.

SINCE MEETING IAN AGAIN, EVERY DAY HAS BEEN LIKE A TEMPEST IN A PORCELAIN TEAPOT BREWING IN MY HEAD.

THAT'S WHEN I STARTED THINKING, MAYBE I WAS MAKING TOO MUCH OUT OF THIS.

WHAT IF THE PROBLEM WASN'T WITH IAN, BUT WITH ME?

WHAT IF I'D BEEN TREATING IAN LIKE A GHOST FROM THE PAST...

...WHILE TURNING A BLIND EYE TO MY OWN TRAUMA?

What A Drama Queen...

HASN'T HE EVER SEEN ANYONE FAINT BEFORE? HE WAS TOTALLY OVERREACTING...

ANYWAY, NOW THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER, IT'S TIME I GOT OVER MYSELF ALREADY.

NOTHING CHANGES THE FACT THAT IAN IS OUR BIGGEST CLIENT NOW, AND EUNPA'S DREAM COACH.

THE LEAST I CAN DO IS PUT A SMILE ON FOR THE GUY.

THAT'S WHAT I KEEP TELLING MYSELF...

HEY, AREN'T YOU COMING FOR LUNCH?

OH, COMING.

HMM...

AREN'T YOU HUNGRY?

HEY, ARE YOU GOING TO EAT THAT?

HEY, LISTEN UP.

WOULD YOU EVER PUT THIS INSIDE YOUR MOUTH?

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE IT TO ME, JUST SAY SO.

I'M SERIOUS. WOULD YOU?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? WHY WOULD I EVER PUT YOUR SLOBBERY SPOON IN MY MOUTH??

I KNOW, RIGHT? THAT'S A NORMAL REACTION.

'COURSE IT IS. MAYBE IF IT WAS MY WIFE'S SPOON...

WH-WHAT I MEAN IS, I'D DO IT FOR HER.

WE'RE ALL GROWNUPS HERE, AREN'T WE?

WHAT ABOUT IF IT WAS TO SHOW SOMEONE HOW MUCH YOU HATED THEIR GUTS?

LIKE SOME KIND OF PRIMITIVE INTIMIDATION TACTIC.

WHAT'S GOTTEN INTO YOU? GIMME THAT IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO EAT IT.

I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT IAN'S WEIRD BEHAVIOR, THAT'S WHAT.

I WAS POSITIVE HE PUT HIS MOUTH ON MY JUNK, BUT THEN HE SAID...

MY MOUTH?

MAYBE IT WAS JUST THIS BRUSHING AGAINST YOU.

LET'S SAY THAT...

THE T-SHIRT WAS JUST IAN TRYING TO GET A RISE OUT OF ME. BUT AS FOR WHAT HAPPENED AFTER...

WAS IT REALLY JUST HIS COLLAR?

I COULD'VE SWORN I FELT SOMETHING WARM...

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!

AH!

AHAHA, WHEN DID I SPILL THAT IN MY LAP?!

SLIPPERY OLD CHOPSTICKS...

Hyung, I'm going to meet Ian now! I'm sooo nervous :'( Wish me luck!

Hyung, I'm going to meet Ian now! I'm sooo nervous :'( Wish me luck!

You're picking me up after right??

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL...

Ice Arena

HYUNG!!

IT GOT CHILLY...

Ice Arena

HYUNG, HYUNG!

DON'T RUN, YOU'LL TWIST YOUR ANKLE AGAIN.

WOW, I STILL CAN'T GET OVER IT!

IAN HYUNG SHOWED ME THESE EXERCISES AND DRILLS I COULD DO TO SPEED UP MY RECOVERY.

AND THEY REALLY WORK! I DON’T FEEL AS MUCH PAIN ANY MORE!

SO IT’S “IAN HYUNG,” NOW?

IAN HYUNG WAS INJURED IN THE SAME SPOT, BUT HE’S TOTALLY FINE NOW.

HE SAID I JUST NEED TO GET OVER MY MENTAL BLOCK AND I’LL BE OKAY.

HEY, DIDN’T I GIVE YOU PRACTICALLY THE SAME ADVICE?

HEHE, DID YOU?

ANYWAY, I’M SO STOKED! THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME.

NOW I FEEL LIKE I CAN REALLY GET BACK ON THE NATIONAL TEAM.

HE SHOWED ME SOME MOVES, TOO. YOU CAN TELL HE’S A REAL PRO.

HE WAS SO FAST...

YEAH, I'M BEING OVERSENSITIVE ABOUT IAN.

I'M SURE IT WAS JUST A COINCIDENCE.

EUNPA'S SO HAPPY...

SO WHAT IF IAN'S ACTING A LITTLE WEIRD?

GET IN. LET'S GO HOME.

OH, THERE HE IS!

GOOD JOB TODAY.

EUNPA REALLY LOVED WORKING WITH YOU.

YOU CAN'T BUY SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITH MONEY. THANK YOU.

I'M BEING PAID WITH SOMETHING BETTER THAN MONEY, SO IT'S FINE.

HUH? OKAY...

THERE HE GOES AGAIN...

ANYWAY, EUNPA AND I ARE GOING TO EAT NOW. YOU WANNA JOIN US?

YEAH, COME WITH US, HYUNG!

NO...NOT TODAY.

I'M JUST HAVING A PROTEIN SHAKE.

YEAH? YOU'RE WATCHING YOUR WEIGHT?

WHAT KIND OF PROTEIN POWDER DO YOU USE, HYUNG? I WANNA TRY THE SAME.

JUST ANY OLD KIND.

I DON'T RECOGNIZE THE SMELL.

CAN I TRY SOME?

QUIT STEALING THE GUY'S DINNER-

PWAH!

BAEK EUNPA, YOU IDIOT!!

I GOT A CLUMP OF POWDER IN MY WINDPIPE...

STOP TALKING. COME HERE.

LET ME DO IT.

HEY, SORRY ABOUT THAT. HE DIDN'T GET ANY ON YOU, DID HE?

NO, I'M FINE.

I'M SO SORRY, IAN HYUNG...

I'LL WASH YOUR TUMBLER AND TOWEL FOR YOU.

YOU CAN JUST THROW THEM AWAY. I'M OFF.

HUH? THAT'S SUCH A WASTE...

OKAY, SEE YOU!

I GUESS HE WAS IN A HURRY. I FEEL SO STUPID NOW...

TAKE OFF THAT JACKET, YOU. UGH!

LOOK, IT GOT ALL OVER THE LINING TOO!

ARGH! I'LL DO IT AT HOME!

Hillton

HAA...

HAA

IAN...

HAA

FUCK...