HPK 23

“Hyung, hyung?”

A palm waved back and forth right in front of his nose. Coming to his senses belatedly, Wooseung blinked and looked at Hyojun.

“What are you doing, just staring at your glass? Are you performing a ritual for it?”

“Ah…”

“Cheers.”

Hyojun brought his glass over, clinked it against Wooseung’s, and then turned his body to the right. After downing the shot glass of soju with a polite posture, he let out a “Kuhh” sound and immediately picked up his chopsticks.

Wooseung followed his lead and held the glass in his hand. He slowly lifted it and brought it to his lips. The alcohol that touched his lips was very cold.

Wooseung knew better than anyone what kind of sensation the cold alcohol would turn into if he held it in his mouth and swallowed. It would slide smoothly over his tongue and soon change into a subtle warmth and excitement. His worries would disappear, and everything before him would feel nothing but enjoyable. Because it had a thin layer of ice, the taste would also be much sweeter than usual.

Wooseung clenched and unclenched his fist. He tilted the glass ever so slightly. A surprisingly cold liquid touched his lips.

“Hyung, you really cannot handle your liquor. When I think about it, it seems like I am always the one drinking.”

Seeing Wooseung just wet his lips slightly and put the glass down, unlike himself, he commented. He said he had hardly ever seen him drink with a meal and asked if he did not like alcohol.

“…I do not really like it, but I can still drink one bottle.”

Wooseung licked the remaining alcohol from his lips. The alcohol that touched the tip of his tongue was unusually bitter. He thought it was a relief that it was not sweet.

“You know, back then. I was a little touched. Ahem, when you drank for me, hyung.”

Hyojun, who had downed two or three glasses of alcohol in a row, hesitated before blurting it out. He seemed so embarrassed that he unnecessarily stirred the seasoned bean sprouts that had been served as a side dish.

“Honestly, I was right on the verge of throwing up back then. That is why I secretly tried to pass, but that pig bastard is just so quick to notice things. Ah, this is really delicious.”

“…”

“No matter how close the hosts are, in the room, it is a bit, you know. Ah, you know what I mean, hyung.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Hyojun busily shoveled side dishes into his mouth to overcome his embarrassment. He looked just like a squirrel preparing for winter hibernation. It seemed his comment about it being truly delicious was not just an empty phrase.

“You eat too, hyung. It is really good.”

“Yeah, I am eating.”

“What do you mean you are eating. I ate it all.”

The small bowl that had been piled high with seasoned bean sprouts was now empty, with only traces of seasoning left behind. It was something he noticed every time he saw him, but Hyojun truly had a good appetite. Even when they went to the convenience store, he always came out with his hands full of snacks. So much so that not only the other hosts in the waiting room but also Wooseung often benefited from it.

“Anyway, thank you, hyung.”

“You can drink for me next time. What is the big deal.”

“Ah, of course.”

At Wooseung’s threat, which was not much of a threat, Hyojun puffed out his chest and said to just trust him. He was tall, but his frame was thin, so his appearance was not particularly trustworthy. Wooseung just smiled and let it go.

When they came out after finishing their meal, the day was faintly beginning to break. It was time for the first subway to run, so Wooseung turned his steps toward the subway station. Hyojun, who he naturally assumed would take a taxi, also walked shoulder to shoulder with him.

“You are not taking a taxi?”

“I usually take the bus.”

They had often left work together, and each time, Hyojun had taken a taxi. Since they were heading in the same direction, Wooseung would sometimes end up taking the taxi with him. That was why his words about usually taking the bus sounded strange. Seeing Wooseung’s expression, Hyojun rubbed the back of his neck with an awkward face.

“When I did not know you well, hyung, I just, you know, because of my pride and stuff, I took a taxi.”

Certainly, Hyojun’s attitude had changed noticeably since Wooseung drank for him. He was still friendly, but it felt as if a low wall had been erected between them. It was not so much that he was keeping his distance… it was more that things like, ‘Let us do this, let us do that,’ had changed to questions like, ‘Would you like to do this?’

“Ah, you know what I mean. That thing between hosts.”

Wooseung’s lips curved into a soft smile as he retorted, “I do not know about that.” Hyojun, catching the playful tone in his voice, grumbled that he was at it again.

“I have to save up money quickly, so I am not in a position to be buying luxury goods like they do.”

“Why? Do you have debt too?”

“I have a shit ton of debt.”

Hyojun added in a nonchalant voice, “My goal is to pay it all off within five years.”

“Once I pay off all my debt, I am going to open a cafe in my hometown. I have already gotten my barista license. All I really need is the money!”

Having gone so far as to get a barista license, it sounded like a pretty plausible plan. Although not as much as Chanil, whom he hung out with, he had seen him go to clubs after work sometimes, so he thought he just really liked to party. To think he not only had debt but also a plan of his own, he saw him in a new light.

“Where is your hometown?”

“Namhae. I am going to set it up right in front of the sea, make it an ocean view, and rake in the money.”

Wooseung nodded his head. While most worked as hosts to earn spending money, a few, like them, had debts to the establishment or illegal private lenders. Hearing that Hyojun was in the same boat, he felt a certain sense of connection.

“I promised to set Shin Chanil up with a job as an employee then. You should come too, hyung.”

“I do not know anything about coffee.”

“Shin Chanil does not know either. It is just about selling your face, is it not?”

When Wooseung asked if he had to sell his face even there, Hyojun replied seriously that you have to sell everything you can. At the end of their conversation, Hyojun said something unexpected.

“Later, if the president does a lineup, I am thinking of trying to appeal to him a bit.”

At the word ‘president’ coming from his mouth, Wooseung flinched.

“…Why the president?”

“You saw him too, hyung. Kim Hyungho.”

“…”

“He got a new car. A 520i.”

At the mention of buying a car, Wooseung’s head tilted slightly to the right.

“Chanil showed me his Instagram post. I think he is seriously crazy, that bastard.”

“Maybe it is used?”

“No, even if it is used, damn. How much is that.”

While Hyojun took out his phone, saying he should ask if it was used or new, Wooseung was lost in thought. He had personally witnessed the scene where Hyungho received an envelope of money from Taejung. The envelope had been thick, but it was not enough to buy a car. Especially not an expensive foreign car.

“It must be a loan for a used car.”

“Right? Phew, what a bastard, trying to ruin his life.”

Hyojun jeered scathingly, wondering if they would see him on YouTube soon.

“Anyway, it is clear there is something to be gained from going into the president’s room, so I think I should give it a try. And there is what Chanil said, too.”

Unlike Hyojun, who showed a sparkling sense of anticipation, Wooseung felt nothing but unease.

‘I, I can do it.’

The awkwardly bent waist, the flushed skin around his eyes, the pants that were pulled down and bunched around his ankles. And the large hand that had turned a latex glove inside out and thrown it in the trash can.

He did not know what kind of errand it was, but it was definitely not a normal job. There is a reason why people spend large sums of money. It was certainly not an easy or simple task.

“What if you just get beaten up like me?”

Wooseung could not bring himself to tell Hyojun what he had seen in that room and instead presented another possibility. At that, Hyojun wrinkled his nose, saying he had not thought of that.

“Still, what is the harm in trying… But would not a case like Hyungho’s be different? He just did what he was told to do. Oh, the bus is here! Hyung, I can get on here.”

Hyojun said, squinting to check the number of the approaching bus. The people standing at the bus stop began to gather one by one toward the road. Despite it being early in the morning, there were many people.

“I will go first. Get home safely, hyung!”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”

Hyojun, who quickly moved away with his wide strides, got on the bus. Wooseung waved back at him as he waved from beyond the window and then headed for the subway station himself. The closer he got to the entrance, the more people there were. His shoulders naturally hunched.

Worried that he might smell bad, he buried his nose in his sleeve and sniffed. There was no pungent odor, but he thought it might be because he had gotten used to the smell. Wooseung moved to a corner, avoiding the people coming up toward him.

[A train is now arriving. Please step back behind the yellow line.]

Listening to the subway announcement, Wooseung recalled his unfinished conversation with Hyojun.

‘Later, if the president does a lineup, I am thinking of trying to appeal to him a bit.’

Since he had come to the annex, the president had held a lineup exactly twice. The first time, Wooseung had gone in, and the second time, Hyungho had gone in. But according to Chanil, it was Hyungho’s third time entering that room.

He did not know for what purpose or by what criteria Taejung chose hosts, but so far, Taejung had never mentioned anything about an ‘errand’ to Wooseung.

Wooseung suddenly thought that he did not want Hyojun to go into that room. It was something that had not even happened yet, but for some reason, he felt extremely uneasy about it.

♡

As the light changed, the car stopped in front of the stop line. The inside of the car, where no one spoke, was mostly silent, but occasionally, a strange noise would cut in and ruthlessly shatter the quiet. The source of the noise was the back seat where Taejung was sitting.

“Haha!”

A laugh followed the unpleasant sound that irritated the eardrums. Unable to take it anymore, Hoonyeong stopped organizing schedules while looking at his tablet and turned around.

“Is that so amusing?”

Taejung, who had been chuckling while sitting almost lying down in the back seat, lowered his phone and looked at Hoonyeong.

“Yeah. Fucking hilarious.”

The sound of someone singing terribly while drunk. Followed by a thick dialect saying, ‘Hey, this one’s a real piece of work, is he not?’, and ‘Yeah, the kid’s got some skills.’ The volume of the sound was not low, so it more than filled the inside of the car.

“Haaa.”

At Hoonyeong’s barely audible sigh, Taejung grinned.

“Why. Is it noisy?”

“Yes, it is a little noisy.”

It was a boring answer. Because of that, Taejung’s attention turned to an unexpected place, the driver’s seat.

“Junseok, what about you?”

“Yes?”

“I asked if this is noisy.”

He lifted his phone and showed it. Junseok, who had been staring straight ahead with both hands on the steering wheel, flinched.