The city's high-rises loomed, cold and indifferent against the night sky. I was standing at the door, pressing the doorbell: DING DONG DING DONG.
The door opened with a slow SQUEAAAK, and then a heavy THUD. I stepped inside.
"Hey, Ajin."
Inside, the man sat hunched over. "Have you been drinking all by yourself?" I asked, my gaze sweeping over him. "Also, what's with the motorcycle helmet?"
He lifted his head slightly. "I wasn't drinking by myself."
I handed him a manila envelope. "Here. First, take this."
He took it. The contents were about a specific person. "This is about all the information they could dig up on him."
The file had a picture of a young man and some text. "Miri Seo brought him into Longstar as a trainee when he was sixteen. He took on bit parts as he prepared to apply to university to major in broadcasting and entertainment. But when he was nineteen, his grandmother had a stroke. Both his parents passed away when he was little, so there was no one else to look after his little brother."
I looked at the information, feeling the weight of the past. "He must have had a hard time coming up with money for his grandmother's surgery."
The man nodded, taking a sip from the can in his hand. "Yeah. Longstar Entertainment wasn't as established as it is now either."
"The company wasn't profiting and the investors began to badger Miri Seo," I continued, recalling the pressure. "She had to keep postponing signing a formal contract with Inlang Heo, and I think that made him desperate."
I looked out the window at the rain-streaked darkness, the memory sharp and painful. "It was when I first started the company. There was a trainee that I was about to sign when another entertainment company stole him away. He was training to become an actor but debuted as an idol out of the blue."
"Oh, he must have debuted as an idol to come up with the money for his grandmother's surgery," I murmured, the pieces clicking together.
"Yeah, he was very lucky in a way," the man I call Ajin replied. "He trained to sing and dance while he was preparing for his university application. He left Longstar and debuted as the only member of Tenplanet who received a signing bonus."
"Really? And then Tenplanet broke up after five years... so he went back into acting and came back to Longstar."
Ajin nodded. "Yeah. I think he might have gone back to Longstar because he felt bad. I mean, he did sign a contract with another entertainment company without telling Miri Seo after all... but she never got upset with him and decided to support his decision instead. He also seems to have had some strife with a few members of Tenplanet."
"I think I finally understand why Inkang and Ms. Seo are so close," I mused, the depth of their connection now clearer. "Now, tell me about his family."
"There's not much to know," Ajin said simply. "His parents passed away when he was little, so his grandmother raised him and his younger brother."
"His brother's name is Inmo Heo, and he works in the fashion industry."
"Do all three of them live together?" I asked.
"They did until Inkang Heo debuted. Then he got a place of his own. Now, it's just Inmo Heo and their grandmother."
"Oh, but Inmo Heo is often out of the house for work... so Inkang tries to visit his grandmother as much as possible on his days off."
I looked down at the file, my thoughts racing. "Everyone in K Apartment in Yeondu District has seen him around."
"K Apartment in Yeondu District...? Are you sure?"
"Yup. His grandmother lives in Building B, Unit 701."
"What is it?" he asked, noticing my sudden change in expression.
"Oh, my manager recently moved into K Apartment... because it was closer to work."
"Is that so? It makes sense. The units in that apartment are supposed to be a bit cheaper... because the building is quite old."
I sighed. "That's kind of surprising... I thought celebrities and their families would live in expensive apartments..."
"I'm sure they decided to stay since it wouldn't be easy for his grandmother to move to a new place in a new district after having lived there for so long. Plus, if it's close to Longstar, Inkang would be able to go see his grandmother whenever he has a moment."
"That's true..." I murmured, closing my eyes for a moment. "If he and his little brother were raised by their grandmother after losing both their parents... he probably didn't have much of a childhood because he would have had to help support his family starting at an early age. He would have been very lonely... having had to take responsibility for his elderly grandmother and his little brother. Who wouldn't miss their parents in that situation? He probably thrists for motherly love even as an adult..."

I tapped the paper I was holding. "Inkang usually dates women who are older than him, right?"
The man I call Ajin took a swig from his can. "Yeah. He dated five women... four of his exes are older than him... and those relationships were all long-term."
"Is Rena the one person who he dated that was younger than him?"
"Yup. And she's the only relationship he ever revealed to the press." Ajin's voice took on a more somber tone. "They broke up about six months after that... and their break up hit him hard because it was so publicized. And that breakup is also what launched Rena's career..."
I paused, absorbing all the information I had collected. The silence stretched until I looked Ajin in the eye.
"Now, tell me... why did you want information on Inkang Heo?"
I met his gaze, my answer firm and unwavering. "I'm going to date him."
"..."
"What?" Ajin asked, his face a mask of shock, but before he could say anything more, a loud sound filled the air.

DING DONG DING DONG
"Hey, Junseo!!!" a voice boomed from the other side of the door.
DING DONG
I turned toward the door. "Who's that...?"
The shouting continued. "YOU GAVE ME THE WRONG DIRECTION TO THE CONVENIENCE STORE ON PURPOSE, DIDN'T YOU?! A TWO MINUTE WALK, MY A!! HEY, OPEN UP!!"
Ajin walked to the door and flipped the lock. "Don't worry, it's someone you'd be happy to see again." CLICK.
The door BURST open.
"Jeez, that took long enough!!" a man stormed in, carrying a plastic bag. "I went in the direction you told me to, but I didn't see any convenience stores! I walked around for an hour because of you, you know that?! I almost froze to death out there!!"
The man, clearly Junseo, was fuming.
Ajin looked utterly unbothered. "Well, it looks like you found a place to buy it anyway. Now, will you stop yelling at me and go say hello?"
I stared at the new arrival, recognizing him instantly.
"What are you talking about?! Say hello to who?!" Junseo looked at me, then back at Ajin, utterly confused. "Is there a ghost in your house or something-?"
Junseo stared at me, his eyes wide. "You startled me..." He seemed to be re-evaluating reality. "Is that really Ajin...? I'm not imagining her...?"
"I didn't think I'd ever see you here..." he finally stammered.
I smiled faintly. "Are you just gonna stand there...? You haven't forgotten me, have you-?"
In a flash, his surprise melted into pure emotion. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" He ran forward and enveloped me in a tight HUG. "IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU, AJIN!!"
I laughed, returning the embrace with genuine warmth. "Haha, it's good to see you too, JAEHO."
We settled back down, the atmosphere shifting from shock to comfortable reunion. Jaeho had been the last person I expected to see.
"I was released last December after three years there," Jaeho explained.
"What are you up to nowadays?" I asked.
"I deliver stuff for an office," he replied. "That's how I ran into Junseo. I was dropping something off."
Ajin, who had been quietly watching the reunion, spoke up. "Oh, is that why your boss calls you his Jet?"
Jaeho chuckled. "Nah, that's just his nickname for me, because he has trouble remembering people's' names. He said something about how the stress of being in prison made him super forgetful."
I looked at him, feeling a wave of nostalgia. "Hey, I thought you'd completely ignore me now that you're an actor... but you're pretty decent, huh?"
Jaeho looked slightly offended. "I am...? Pfft. Boy, I guess you'd faint from sheer shock if I treated you out to dinner."
"You'd really buy me dinner?" I pressed.
"Yeah, as long as you don't bother me too much," he said, holding up a finger. "You can't call me when I'm at work... or while I'm around anyone. If you ever call me while I'm at home with nothing else to do, I'll take you out for dinner."
I scoffed dramatically. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! How am I supposed to know if you're at home or at a shoot?! I'm not a mind reader!"
I leaned forward, a playful glint in my eye. "Then I guess you'll never have dinner with me, haha!"
"No way. I'll get my free dinner out of you, one way or another!" I declared. "Pass me your phone, Ajin."
Ajin, the man I had come to see, looked skeptical. "Why?"
Jaeho, the newly arrived man, had an almost predatory grin. "This is a great app for catching cheating husbands." He then leaned in to me. "If you download this app and connect it to another phone, you can track their location. I recently found out about it at work, who knew I'd be able to use it on you?"
I frowned at him. "What's the point of tracking me?"
"Well, then I'd know if you were home before calling you," he countered simply.
I scoffed. "Do you even know where I live?"
"Well, you've got to tell me now," he insisted, entirely missing the irony of his proposed solution.
Ajin watched the exchange, taking a sip from his drink. I could practically hear his thoughts: "How could the two of them get along so well after not having seen each other for years?"
Junseo's Residence
Jaeho finally turned his attention to the man of the house. "Hey, Junseo... what do you do for work... to live in such a fancy apartment?"
Junseo simply gave him a small, enigmatic smile, holding my gaze. He looked entirely comfortable, and his answer was quiet and measured.
"I'm happy as long as she's happy," he said, making me blush a little.
I knew he wasn't answering the question, but the way he looked at me suggested the question itself didn't matter. There was a pause as Jaeho took in the fancy apartment and Junseo's composure.
Still... the unasked thought lingered, that Junseo was clearly financially successful, something his casual demeanor didn't immediately suggest. His smile, though, implied a devotion that went deeper than his career.
Ajin had a small, private smile as he watched me scheme. I looked him dead in the eyes, my determination steel-hard.
"Now, tell me... why did you want information on Inkang Heo?" he finally asked, echoing my earlier question to him.
I didn't blink. "I'm going to date him."
Then, in a soft but serious murmur, I spoke my true intention: "I'm going to make him fall for me."
Final Plans and a Surprise Connection
My mind shifted immediately to the next practical step. The tracking app idea might be overkill, but the information I'd uncovered about the apartment complex was the real key.
"Damn. I wish she lived in Building B," I muttered, thinking of Inkang's grandmother.
I pulled out my phone. "Oh, have you gone around to hand out rice cakes yet? It's what you do when you move into a new place, right?"
"Rice cakes? No, I haven't. I haven't had the time to," I heard my manager, Chayoung, say through the phone. She was on a taxi, judging by the HONK HONK of city traffic in the background.
"Hey, Chayoung. Did you get home okay? I'm on my way home on a taxi. You sound like you're in a good mood. Did you have something to drink?"
"Yeah, I had a can of beer," she confirmed.
"Will you be okay for the shoot tomorrow? I hope your face doesn't swell up..." I joked.
"I'll be okay, you know my face doesn't swell up that much," she replied with a touch of confidence.
I seized the opportunity. "Hey, you said you moved to K apartment in Yeondu District, right? Are you in Building A or B?"
"I live in Building A! I'll text you my full address next time when you come by."
"Okay, that sounds good. You should hand out those rice cakes! It would be nice to get to know your neighbors." I smiled, already picturing my next move.
"I'm free this weekend so I'll come by with some rice cakes as a housewarming gift."
"Aww, you don't have to do that! Thank you, Ajin," she said, touched by the offer.
"Haha, I'll see you in the morning. Good night."
"Okay, good night!" she replied before I ended the call.
I turned back to Ajin, the plan forming perfectly in my head. I had the location, I had the excuse, and I had the motivation. The game had officially begun.