TWELVE 14

The alarm, indifferent to yesterday’s events, rang relentlessly at the same time. Having been awake beforehand due to the shoulder pain, I turned it off and slipped out of my blankets. Pain was pain, but I had to do what needed to be done.

Before heading to the living room, I couldn’t help but glance at the empty bedding next to my spot. Last night, Gi Seoin insisted he couldn’t leave me alone and stayed over at my house. This time, I didn’t push him to go.

Perhaps because I was hurting, I felt an uncharacteristic dislike of being alone. I felt that if I stayed buried in a silent house all night, I would be crushed by the despair looking down on me.

Gi Seoin had woken up at the crack of dawn and was preparing breakfast. As always, I was beyond grateful to him for looking after me when he must be overflowingly busy with his own affairs.

“Fortunately, it’s the left side that’s hurt, so it’s a blessing in disguise; at least you can eat properly.”

The expressionless Gi Seoin replaced an answer by placing a piece of meat on top of my rice. It seemed to mean I should eat and get better quickly.

“Are you going to the site?”

After finishing the meal and before clearing the empty dishes, Gi Seoin asked. I nodded my head.

“Yeah, I have to go.”

“I’ll drive you.”

Whether refusing had become a habit by now, I was about to reflexively say it was fine, but then I decided to ask for the favor, thinking it would be too much to board a racing bus with this body.

“Won’t you be late for work even if you drop me off?”

“I won’t be late.”

Gi Seoin even opened the car door for me. My right shoulder was perfectly fine, though… I felt embarrassed for some reason.

“I am deeply honored.”

I climbed into the car, cracking a joke for the sake of it.

Having closed the passenger door, Gi Seoin walked around the front of the car and got into the driver’s seat. I thought his service was over now, but a large hand crossed in front of me and pulled the seatbelt over. I unknowingly held my breath until the seatbelt made a clicking sound. My cheeks burned at receiving such unfamiliar consideration.

“I am deeeeply honored…”

“If you’re grateful, just say thank you.”

I was caught.

“Mhm… Thank you.”

Today of all days, the thank-you felt awkward. It seemed to be because I felt self-conscious about being openly looked after by him. Gi Seoin looked as usual. He seemed natural and accustomed to every action, as if he had been the person serving me from the very beginning.

“Should I pick you up when you go home, or will you take a taxi?”

Gi Seoin asked.

It didn’t seem right to make him leave while he was in the middle of his duties.

“I’ll take a taxi.”

“Contact me; I’ll call the taxi for you.”

He must have calculated the taxi fare in advance. Regardless, I couldn’t beat him when it came to mental processing. I thought of my bank balance for a split second and then replied that I understood. If I said I’d pay him back later, he wouldn’t accept it. I felt annoyed at myself for thinking like this until the very end.

The road Gi Seoin drove was comfortable. A place that took 40 minutes by bus took less than 20 minutes by car.

He stopped the car, and I bowed my head slightly.

“My, Mister Gi. Thank you for dropping me off.”

“I told you to just say thank you.”

“Hehe… Okay. Thanks, Seoin. Really.”

I repeatedly looked at him and then looked away out of shyness. Gi Seoin chuckled, perhaps finding me funny. Since the guy who, even until this morning, had been looking at my shoulder with an expression like someone being dragged off to a military draft was finally smiling, my heart felt a little more at ease too.

“Contact me later.”

“Yeah. Get there safely.”

I waved my hand to say goodbye. Soon, Gi Seoin’s car, with the window rolled up, moved away. I watched until the car disappeared from view entirely and then headed toward the site. The moment I moved my feet, I felt like I had returned from a dream to reality. The money problem I had forgotten for a moment started poking at my head.

As I entered the office, the foreman, who was putting on a safety helmet, spotted me and approached in a single bound.

“Woo Seungkyung! What did they say at the hospital?”

“I think a muscle got hurt. You must have worried about me yesterday. I’m sorry for leaving without finishing the work.”

“Is the work a big deal? A person is hurting, so it can’t be helped.”

I could feel the foreman’s concern for me. I was nothing but grateful, but what I desperately needed right now wasn’t comfort or encouragement, but work.

“Um, Foreman. I know this is a request that might put you in a difficult spot… but by any chance, is there any side work I can do? My right shoulder is fine. I’ll work hard at whatever you give me.”

At that, the foreman wore a bitter smile.

“What to do. Since I know all about your situation, I’d like to give you something to do… but there isn’t exactly any side work that needs labor put in, and since I’m not the employer, it’s awkward for me to assign work recklessly.”

It was a perfect refusal. Since the foreman had his own position, I couldn’t throw a tantrum any longer. It’s not like a vacancy would appear just because I threw a tantrum anyway. I expressed my understanding. The foreman repeatedly showed a look of apology, even though it wasn’t his fault.

“Take this chance to rest well. You have to be healthy to come back to the site, don’t you? If you don’t look after your body while you’re young, you’ll suffer when you’re old.”

“Yes, I’ll do that. Thank you for caring.”

“Caring? What for? I feel sorry that things turned out this way.”

“Aw, what are you talking about? I’m the one who’s sorry. You have to find someone for the remaining spot, right?”

“Don’t worry about things like that and just look after your body.”

We exchanged similar dialogue a few more times, and then I said goodbye and came outside. Workers who spotted me asked how I was doing. Mister Choi nagged me from the start. Knowing it stemmed from a heart that worried for me, I was simply grateful.

Soon it was time to start work, and I finished my bittersweet farewells with the men.

There was nothing I could do at the site. What should I do…

I was just contemplating whether to visit a day labor office rather than returning home immediately.

“Woo Seungkyung!”

When I turned around because someone called from behind, it was Lee Jongki.

“Are you okay? Ack, you don’t look okay.”

Lee Jongki frowned upon seeing the shoulder brace.

“What did they say at the hospital?”

“They told me not to do work that uses my shoulder for now, if possible.”

“Aw, damn. What is this all of a sudden. I guess you can’t come to the site?”

“Yeah, I finished talking with the foreman too. It can’t be helped. Ah, but…”

The bar he had mentioned suddenly came to mind. There was no way I could work in a situation where I could barely move one shoulder, but I decided to ask anyway. My heart was too rushed to just sit idly by. I felt like I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I gave up.

“The bar job you mentioned before—that would be difficult, right?”

“Regarding that, I was actually looking for you to talk about it.”

The guy spoke as he took off his work gloves.

“First, I contacted the hyung, and he’s still looking for someone. When I mentioned you, he was curious. Oh, I also asked how much he pays.”

The guy took out his mobile phone, pressed the screen a few times, and handed it to me. On the screen was a conversation between him and a person saved as ‘Jo Jiwon Hyung.’ What immediately caught my eye was the amount mentioned by the person called ‘Jo Jiwon Hyung.’

“He pays this much?”

“It’s crazy, right? It means if your face is decent, you’re high-end labor, that’s why. Ah, my mom and dad should have born me a bit handsome too… Anyway, the shop is here. Look.”

This time, Lee Jongki searched for the shop and showed it to me. Looking at the shop information and reviews, it definitely wasn’t a weird bar like I had feared. At the same time I felt relieved, I felt regretful.

“What a waste. It would have been great if I could do it, but my shoulder ended up like this.”

“Tell me about it. I was hoping to introduce you and get treated to some expensive alcohol.”

Tsk, Lee Jongki smacked his lips, put his mobile phone in his pocket, and suddenly clapped his hands together.

“Do you want to go for an interview first anyway?”

“Aw, I can’t even work, so for nothing…”

“You’re leaving an impression in advance. As for work, you can do it if there’s a spot later after you’ve healed.”

It was a fairly tempting suggestion.

“Well, if the owner is okay with it, it’s good for me.”

“I’ll ask right now. Wait.”

Lee Jongki called immediately. ‘Jo Jiwon Hyung’ answered quickly, even though he probably worked at night.

“Hey, Seungkyung.”

Lee Jongki, having finished the short call, curled the corners of his mouth into a grin.

“He said to come by once.”

“Really?”

“I totally made a deal, telling him you’re damn handsome and there’s no kid like you even if he searched all of Gangnam. He’s itching with curiosity, totally.”

“Ah… should I at least go change my clothes?”

“It’s fine, just go like that.”

I looked down at myself. A black plain short-sleeved T-shirt bought at a mart for 9,900 won for three, jeans I don’t even remember when or where I bought, and old sneakers. In this state, I certainly wouldn’t be in Gangnam.

“If I go like this, won’t I get kicked out immediately at the entrance?”

“Worrying is your hobby. The hyung says he’s coming to the shop now, so if you leave too, the timing should be about right. Go quickly. If it bothers you, just tidy up your hair a bit.”

“Uh, I should do that. Thanks.”

“I told you I’m getting expensive alcohol if you get the job, so why do you keep saying thanks.”

I even made a promise to buy Lee Jongki a meal if things went well and then came out onto the street. I considered taking a taxi for a moment but chose the subway. Since it was past commuting hours, I could go sitting down, so it seemed like it would be fine.

Even if I couldn’t work right away, a greed to leave a proper impression welled up. Honestly, it was true that my head was turned by the salary. I had never worked in a bar, but I had the arrogance that no matter how hard it was, it would be easy compared to site work.

I was worried about how to tell Gi Seoin, but since that was a later matter, I tried hard to forget it for now.