HPK 51

Wooseung gulped, swallowing dryly, and waited for the words that would follow.

“What should I do? I don’t have any cash.”

But the answer that came back easily betrayed Wooseung’s desperation. The hand holding the phone dangled and swayed. The casually extended index finger idly scratched the floor.

He had not fully trusted Taejung, but he never dreamed that the response would be that he had no cash. Was he toying with him again? It was absurd that a man who carried so much cash that his wallet would not close properly, and only in 50,000 won bills and checks at that, was saying he had no money. He had been tricked again.

“Fucking sorry. Can’t give it to you since I have no cash.”

His body was in a state where it was difficult to even stand up straight. His inner thighs were screaming with severe muscle pain, and the feeling of a foreign object below was still present.

And yet, Taejung was shamelessly saying he had no cash. Unless he had a fever or something similar, Wooseung went to work despite all sorts of natural disasters. The thought of backing down like this felt unfair.

“……Then I’ll use the card.”

A trembling voice cut through the silence.

“What?”

Taejung, who had been wearing a sly grin, flinched.

“The card you gave me, Mr. President. I’ll just use exactly one million won from it.”

He slowly raised his head and faced the other man directly. Taejung had a slightly dumbfounded look on his face. His slightly parted lips were uncharacteristically innocent.

“……Ha!”

Soon after, he threw his phone onto the table and shot up from his seat.

“Hey, who said you could use the card.”

“You said you would give me one million won. But why are you again……”

Wooseung took a step back to avoid him as he approached. Then Taejung took a step closer, matching him. It seemed he was determined to stand right in front of his nose.

“I never said I’d give you one million won, did I? I said I’d give you double.”

Taejung pressed his index and middle fingers together and lightly pushed Wooseung’s forehead. “Double, I said, double.” His voice as he repeated himself was irritable.

“Wooseung-ah. I’m the president, do you think I wouldn’t know roughly how much you make in a day?”

“……There have been days when I made 500,000 won.”

At the timid rebuttal, Taejung let out a laugh, “Ha.”

“You’re dead if you use the card.”

“……Please give me the money.”

“I told you I don’t have cash.”

“Then I’ll use the card.”

Wooseung, who usually had no assertiveness to speak of, like a reed swaying gently in the wind, was being uncharacteristically stubborn. However, Taejung was not one to back down easily either.

I don’t have cash. Then I’ll use the card. You’re dead if you use the card. Then give me the money. The meaningless conversation repeated itself, one pointless remark leading to another. In the end, Wooseung, too, ended up raising his voice.

“Why do you keep changing your words? Speaking with two tongues from one mouth, if you do that……”

Of course, intimidated by Taejung’s fierce glare, his voice eventually trailed off, but he had expressed his opinion strongly in his own way.

“Then why don’t you try to make me want to give it to you.”

“……”

“You shouldn’t try to live life so easily.”

Taejung smiled with a scrunched-up face and crossed his arms.

“Hey, think about it. Where else are you gonna get a hundred for one fuck. Am I right?”

“……You were the one who offered it first, Mr. President. If I didn’t come to work, then you clearly said you would give it to me.”

“Yeah, double, I said double.”

Then, he bent his waist slightly and rolled his eyes, pretending to think deeply.

“You usually see about two johns. In that case, let’s say you take home 220,000 won after the house cut. Since it’s double, I just need to give you 480,000 won, right?”

“……”

“Wait here. I’ll get it for you.”

Taejung pointed his index finger at him, then turned around. It had not even been five minutes since he said he had no cash, but it looked like he was going to get his wallet. He knew it was always like this, but…….

Wooseung stretched out his hand and grabbed the hem of his clothes.

“I just won’t take it.”

“What?”

A voice, thick with resignation, continued slowly.

“You don’t have to give me the money.”

Taejung turned his body to face Wooseung directly. His smooth brow gradually furrowed. The man who had been busy mocking him now began to observe Wooseung. His face said, what kind of trick is this now.

“I won’t take it. It’s okay.”

His lips, which he had been pressing down on with his front teeth, were bright red.

“……Then I will be leaving.”

Wooseung let go of the hem of his clothes and turned away. He picked up his bag and phone and walked down the hallway that led to the entrance. Taejung followed right behind him. His strides were wide, so he caught up in no time.

“Really?”

He stood pressed close behind Wooseung and peeked his head out.

“For real?”

“……”

“Don’t you regret it later.”

“I won’t.”

Wooseung did not reply further and crouched down to put on his sneakers. Standing right behind him, Taejung, in his slippers, gently kicked Wooseung’s butt.

“Then again, even you must think a hundred is a bit much, right?”

“……”

“Huh? It was too much, wasn’t it.”

While straightening the crumpled heel of his sneaker, Wooseung took in the spacious entryway. The thought that it was bigger than the bathroom in his own house made his chest feel cold, as if a chilly wind had blown into it.

A living room where you could leave things in a mess, toilet paper and towels that did not get wet even when you showered, an entryway spacious enough for five adult men to stand in. And Taejung, who was still toying with him over money.

“……”

Wooseung clenched his fists tightly and stood up. He slung the bag he had been wearing on his back to the front and unzipped it. Then he turned to Taejung and stood facing him squarely.

With his hands shoved in his pockets, Taejung lightly bounced his right leg, just as he had been fidgeting with Wooseung earlier. His slippers dragged on the floor, making a scuff, scuff sound. Just as he leaned his upper body slightly toward Wooseung, who was rummaging through his bag, Wooseung pulled a 10,000 won bill from his worn-out leather wallet.

“What’s this.”

“……”

“You want me to take it?”

“Yes. Please take it.”

Taejung took the 10,000 won bill obediently, even as he cocked an eyebrow. While he was examining it, flipping it over to see what it was, Wooseung turned around and opened the front door.

“Hey, what is this.”

Wooseung did not answer and closed the door just like that. He walked straight to the elevator when he heard a slam from behind him. And then the nape of his neck was grabbed and he was slammed hard against the wall.

“Ah!”

“Hey, what the fuck is this.”

Taejung pushed Wooseung against the wall and fluttered the 10,000 won bill. The corners of his mouth were raised in a wide smile, but his eyes were hard. Could it be that he had vaguely figured out the meaning of the 10,000 won he had been given? Or was he doing this simply because he did not know its meaning?

Wooseung looked at the floor once, the wall once, and finally, stared directly at Taejung.

“……I bought you, Mr. President, so I gave you money.”

Taejung was unable to continue speaking, his lips just moved without a sound.

“……What?”

“You didn’t give me money, Mr. President, but I gave you money so……. I bought you. You, Mr. President.”

Thick, sour saliva pooled under his tongue from the tension. Since he had not received the 480,000 won, Wooseung had to take something of corresponding value.

And at this very moment, what he had bought for 10,000 won was Taejung’s pride.

Taejung still had a dumbfounded expression. He was stunned, having taken a solid hit from an opponent he had not even considered. Only hollow laughter kept escaping between his lips. This was beyond dumbfounding, this was…….

“I’m worth a fucking measly ten thousand won?”

“……”

“Even you get paid sixty thousand won an hour to let guys fuck you, and I, ha, I’m ten thousand won.”

Taejung crumpled the 10,000 won bill in his hand with a crinkle.

“Wow, fuck.”

“……”

“Hey, why am I ten thousand won.”

His thumb pressed firmly into Wooseung’s cheek. The hand gripping his lower jaw was extremely threatening, but Wooseung did not back down.

“Because I didn’t enjoy it at all. That’s why it’s ten thousand won.”

“What? Hey, I bought you, so of course……”

Taejung, who was about to say, it’s right that only I enjoyed it, awkwardly clamped his mouth shut. Since he had not given Wooseung money, he had not bought Wooseung. Therefore, what he was saying now did not make sense.

The moment he realized that fact, Taejung’s cheeks turned faintly red.

“You, fucker!”

Smack, he let go of Wooseung’s face and bit back a curse. He roughly tried to sweep his hair back, but then noticed the 10,000 won bill in his hand and threw it to the floor. Still not satisfied, he glared at Wooseung with blazing eyes.

Wooseung had finally bought Taejung’s pride. For a mere 10,000 won. Realizing that, he felt a sense of relief, even though he had not received the one million won.

“I will be leaving.”

Wooseung did not bow his head as he usually did. He turned and boarded the elevator that had already arrived.

“Hey, you just wait and see.”

Taejung’s jaw bulged with agitation. It seemed he could hear the sound of teeth grinding, grrrind. Wooseung did not avoid his eyes as he quickly pressed the close button.

The doors closed, and with a whirring mechanical sound, the elevator descended. Wooseung slowly took his hand off the close button. His fingers were trembling lightly. What blossomed from his fingertips was a thrilling excitement. Not fear.