HPK 55

For days, Wooseung could not bring himself to talk to Taejung about Hyojun. Nor about the errand that Kim Hyungho had supposedly done.

‘I’m sorry. I’ll definitely try to say something next time.’

‘……Please. Hyung.’

Hyojun, saying he knew that hyung was in a difficult situation too, and that he himself probably would not be able to speak up easily in front of the president, instead comforted Wooseung. Even though he looked noticeably disappointed, Hyojun’s reaction only deepened Wooseung’s guilt.

Taejung had been a little strange that day. He did not tell him to suck him off, or to take off his pants, nor did he get angry about what had happened last time. He made trivial conversation and just stared at him blankly and smiled. At the same time, it looked like he was contemplating how to screw with him, which sent a chill down Wooseung’s spine. That was another reason he had been unable to bring it up. If only he had not acted so recklessly that other day, he would not have had to retreat like a defeated soldier, unable to utter a single word.

“That guy?”

“No, the one next to Park Hyojun.”

And Taejung’s bizarre behavior did not end that day.

“He’s fucking different from Kim Hyungho.”

“You idiot. Kim Hyungho just got paid to work like Oh Seungmin. But that guy is that.”

The whispering voices were by no means quiet. It was almost as if they were saying it for him to hear. He was in the middle of taking his wallet out of his bag when he lifted his head and made eye contact with one of them. And yet, the man continued talking with a nonchalant expression. It was a rumor Wooseung had also heard and was well aware of.

“That’s why Kim Jungoh has been putting only him in for the private rooms lately.”

The absurd rumor that Kim Jungoh was giving Wooseung special treatment under Taejung’s orders.

“Wow, I’m so fucking jealous of that.”

“Hey, you see Kim Jungoh’s hair thinning and you still say you’re jealous? He’s practically groveling because he’s so scared of the president.”

A vulgar curse about him being a total pain in the ass briefly followed, before one of the hosts changed the subject by asking what that bastard Oh Seungmin was up to these days, and the topic of conversation shifted to Oh Seungmin. He was someone who had been called by Taejung a few times before Kim Hyungho and was not currently working at the establishment.

Wooseung glanced at the hosts who were excitedly discussing the new topic before turning his head away. For the past few days, a strange atmosphere had been flowing among the hosts. And at the center of it was Wooseung.

“……”

At some point, Taejung had started acting friendly toward Wooseung. He would joke around when they ran into each other in the hallway, frequently call him to Room 7, and once, he had even opened the waiting room door himself to look for Wooseung.

From then on, Kim Jungoh also started looking at Wooseung with a dubious expression. As the host had said earlier, he would occasionally put Wooseung in the private rooms. This was something that had never happened before, so it was the perfect fodder for all sorts of talk to circulate among the hosts. There were times when complaints erupted openly, but each time, Kim Jungoh would quell the situation by telling them to shut up and do their own work. But it was only a temporary fix.

“Hyojun-ah. I’m going to the convenience store, do you want anything?”

“……”

“Hyojun-ah. Park Hyojun.”

“Ah……. It’s okay.”

Chanil, who was lying sprawled on the opposite sofa, peeked his head out from over his phone.

“Just a coffee for me when you come back.”

An iced americano, he added, his voice casual. It was fitting for someone completely detached from the unusual current flowing through the waiting room.

Wooseung grabbed his wallet and phone and stood up. Naturally, the hosts’ gazes turned to him. The whispering voices also grew progressively louder. So he left the waiting room with a slightly quickened pace. Until the door closed, the gazes and voices clung to him stickily, refusing to let go. The loud music echoing in the hallway was actually a welcome sound.

He had left because the waiting room was uncomfortable, so he did not have anything in particular to buy at the convenience store. He walked around once and then just came out and went to a nearby 24-hour cafe. He bought an iced americano and was heading back to the waiting room when he ran into one of the hosts who had been whispering while looking at him earlier.

Wooseung naturally tried to avoid him. But the man leaned his body slightly and asked, “Hyung, is it really true about you and the president?”

“I’m just curious.”

“……If you’re so curious, go ask the president yourself.”

“Whoa, he’s got an attitude.”

He pulled his neck back and reacted playfully. Taking that opportunity, Wooseung passed him and went to the waiting room. As he opened the door and entered, a brief silence fell before the chatter resumed.

“Thanks, thanks.”

After giving Chanil the coffee, he did not take his eyes off his phone. He aimlessly scrolled through the news section of a portal site, then sent a text to Jaemin, who he had not heard from much lately. Even though Jaemin’s replies were usually so fast that he suspected a phone addiction, he still had not read the text he sent in the morning.

Is he busy with work lately…….

As he was thinking that and trying his best to draw as little attention as possible, the waiting room door opened and Kim Jungoh came in.

“Yoon Wooseung, Chris, Shin Chanil, Choi Jihwan, you have a choice.”

As Wooseung’s name was called first, the hosts’ sharp glares naturally flew to him. There were hosts who had not been called even once today, while this was already Wooseung’s third time.

“Hey, fuck, this isn’t right.”

A host with his leg propped up on the table voiced his complaint. Of course, Kim Jungoh pretended not to hear.

As he put his phone in his bag and stood up, he met Hyojun’s eyes. For a moment, Wooseung almost averted his gaze without realizing it.

“Be right back.”

Although the end of his voice was a little cracked, his tone was no different from usual. He gave an awkward nod and turned away.

Did I see it wrong?

Before leaving the waiting room, Wooseung looked at Hyojun one more time. The deep disappointment that had been engraved in his eyes had vanished without a trace.

♡

“Yoon Wooseung.”

It was Kim Jungoh who stopped him as he crossed the hallway. He approached, scratching the side of his head with his iPad.

“Did you, by any chance, talk to the president about something separately?”

“Pardon? There’s nothing like that.”

“Hey, hey, it’ll all come out eventually. Don’t play coy.”

“There really isn’t.”

When he slowly shook his head, Kim Jungoh made a hsss sound and looked Wooseung up and down. His gaze was ambiguous.

“That’s strange.”

After looking at him like that for a good while, he left just as cryptically, leaving behind only an equally incomprehensible mumble before quickly moving away. Wooseung wiped the water dripping from his toothbrush with his hand and started walking again.

Something is definitely strange. From the day Taejung started acting differently from usual, everything had been rolling in an unexpected direction. Above all, the biggest problem was…….

‘If he calls, if he calls, you have to tell him then. Please.’

It was Hyojun.

“……”

Wooseung stood blankly, frozen in front of the waiting room door.

He had been called to Room 7 several times over the past few days, but Wooseung still had not managed to bring up Hyojun. As this repeated, his relationship with Hyojun also became a little strange. Contrary to his words that it was okay, he would wear a face that painstakingly hid his disappointment, just like before…….

Disappointment.

Resentment.

Eyes overlaid with a smile that pretended otherwise.

He suddenly felt a chill, like when he had a bad case of stomach flu. He felt like he was breaking out in a cold sweat, so he rubbed his forehead, but his fingertips only brushed against dry skin. Even though there was no sweat to wipe away, he compulsively rubbed his forehead and temples.

‘Is it good? Want more? Then tell Yejin to stop playing on the computer and come over.’

Fingers stained with red seasoning suddenly came to mind.

That day, his mom had made bibim-guksu without even a single sliver of cucumber garnish. The three of them had gathered closely around the small dining table and ate the noodles until their lips turned red. On one side of the table sat a familiar soju bottle, and his mom, with one knee propped up, filled her own glass. The faster she emptied her glass, the slower Wooseung’s and Yejin’s chopsticks moved in contrast.

‘You’re just what I expected. The things you do are just like your father.’

The sweet voice had quickly dried up, disappointment welling in her eyes. After that, everything was a blur.

“Ah, shit! You scared me.”

His reverie was broken as the door was suddenly flung open. Chanil, scowling deeply, irritably asked what he was doing in front of the door.

“What are you doing, holding a ritual? You scared the crap out of me. Ah, damn.”

Behind him, he could see Hyojun, still staring at the table with vacant eyes.

“……Chanil-ah!”

He urgently grabbed Chanil, who was scurrying away. A face, deeply wrinkled but reasonably well-maintained and smooth, looked down at Wooseung. His gaze bluntly asked what business he had with him.

“Is Hyojun okay?”

“About what?”

“……He’s been a little strange lately. His condition.”

At those words, Chanil tucked in his chin and made a face as if he was dumbfounded.

“It’s because you’re ignoring his request, hyung.”

“What?”

“Still, because it’s Park Hyojun, he’s just acting like that. Honestly, if it were me, I wouldn’t even be talking to you, hyung.”

“……”

“You’re close with the president, so at least say something. What’s so hard about that.”

You’re being stubborn about a strange thing, he added, then shook off Wooseung’s hand that was holding him. He left, saying he felt like he was going to take a shit, and quickly walked away. Wooseung’s dazed gaze fell to his now empty hand.

♡

Girin was noticeably quiet on Monday. Unlike the weekend, fewer hosts were at work, so the only noises were the sound from the TV and the game effects ringing from phones. Even now, as they stood in a line in the hallway for the choice, it was definitely quieter than usual.

Wooseung stared blankly at the back of Hyojun, who was standing in front of him. He had not been able to properly exchange a single word with Hyojun today. The whole time he was in the waiting room, he was either on the phone with his eldest aunt or letting out deep sighs and washing his face with his dry hands. It was completely difficult to strike up a conversation.

Just then, murmurs broke out among the hosts.

“Oh, it’s Yoon Wooseung.”

Wooseung, surprised at his name being called suddenly, turned his head. A man who had been striding down the hallway with wide steps came to a dead stop, then pivoted on one foot, spinning his body around. A wide smile was spread across his lips.

It was Taejung.