MORE 13

Between conversations, the rain stopped completely. Siyul stood up abruptly first. Just as he was about to bow his head and say he would get going now, Woo Hyunse intercepted him.

“I’ll give you a ride.”

“I’ll just walk.”

“The night streets are dangerous.”

Considering the danger, wasn’t the man right in front of him the most dangerous one of all? Even if he felt much more comfortable now, their first meeting had been so intense that it wasn’t easily forgotten. Despite that, Woo Hyunse offered with a gentle, kind-looking smile.

“CEO, you drank. You can’t drive under the influence. What would you do if you got into an accident?”

Siyul firmly refused. Woo Hyunse lowered his head and scratched the bridge of his nose. He hadn’t thought of that. He hadn’t actually been drunk, but if he were even just stopped for a crackdown, things would get annoying.

“Then I’ll call a designated driver.”

Siyul clamped his mouth shut at the answer he couldn’t argue with. He had wanted to leave quietly by himself, but he couldn’t think of any other excuse. With no other choice, he let his shoulders slump and accepted with a deflated voice, saying, “Yes….”

“I parked the car over there. It’s still raining, so come close.”

Woo Hyunse opened his umbrella and beckoned. Siyul walked over slowly. Even though it was twice as large as other umbrellas, it was cramped for two men to share. Woo Hyunse stretched out his arm and gripped Siyul’s shoulder firmly. He tilted the umbrella a bit more toward Siyul.

He could have just gone in the rain, but even if it was a bit stifling, he didn’t want to push Woo Hyunse away. Woo Hyunse blocked the chilly cold air.

Siyul sniffled and burrowed a little closer into the man’s side. A subtle scent brushed against the tip of his nose. Even that scent was just like Woo Hyunse. It was the scent of a cold, icy winter sea.

■ ■ ■

Kwon Yuwon had finally completely emerged from his cave.

That alone was a thing to celebrate, but now, rather than clinging to delivery work, he was diligently looking for a job. Just the other day, he had called Siyul, excited about having found a part-time job. Which restaurant was it again?

It had a bar similar to where Siyul worked, and the hourly wage was higher than other places. The income would be much lower than when he was doing deliveries, but Siyul felt relieved because there was no possibility of him getting involved in dangerous work.

Time flew like an arrow, and before he knew it, it had been a month since Siyul started working at the bar. In other words, it was payday. Even after seeing the amount printed in his bankbook, Siyul couldn’t feel entirely happy.

What good was getting paid? When a debt collector was waiting with his jaws wide open.

Because it was a fault of his own doing, he naturally had to pay it back, but the human heart is so fickle that he felt a great deal of regret having to hand over a paycheck that had finally landed in his hands. Still, there was no other clever way. He should be grateful enough that they gave him a 12-month installment plan, even if they couldn’t do 24 months.

24 months sounds like a thief’s mindset

Aren’t you taking it too easy

Remembering these texts, Siyul bowed his head and held back his laughter. Woo Hyunse consistently listened to Siyul’s words that he preferred texting over calling. They saw each other’s faces often, too. When he said he was scared that Manager Kang would strip the shop down to its bare floors, they met at a nearby convenience store.

The frequency wasn’t high. Once a week, sometimes twice as if by coincidence, or three times, saying he had business nearby.

‘You come here often.’

‘Did I come often?’

‘Yes. You came the day before yesterday, and today too.’

‘Is that so? I had business near here.’

‘You didn’t come to see me, did you?’

Siyul asked like a joke, with his eyes crinkling into a smile. “Haha,” Woo Hyunse responded with a relaxed laugh.

‘Maybe so.’

They didn’t have any special conversations. Sipping drinks and chatting about this and that like friends, an hour or two would fly by before they knew it. The impression that he was scary hadn’t completely disappeared, but as they spent time together, the sense of distance had decreased much more than before. Occasionally, Siyul would even smile brightly, just as he did in front of Kwon Yuwon.

“What’s so funny?”

“Yes?”

“No, you’ve just been smiling.”

The bartender looked at Siyul while hanging a cleanly wiped glass on the wine glass rack. Siyul quickly wiped his lips with the back of his hand. It seemed he had been grinning without realizing it. After sending money to Woo Hyunse, he wouldn’t have a single penny left in his hand immediately, yet he was smiling. He cleared his throat unnecessarily, going, “Ahem, ahem.”

“You’re leaving early today?”

“Yes. I have an appointment.”

Whether he asked Manager Kang or she told him, Woo Hyunse had contacted him the day before payday. The text saying, Tomorrow is payday, right? was not a question, but a certainty.

Tell me your account number.

It’s your first paycheck, so you have to treat me.

A man with plenty of money was trying to rip the liver out of a flea. Since he wouldn’t tell him the account he asked for but only kept saying out-of-the-blue things, Siyul pouted, but the bell rang as if he were watching from right next to him. Since Kwon Yuwon had gone out to work, there was no one around, but Siyul looked around both sides unnecessarily before answering the phone.

Why aren’t you answering.

“I was going to send it now…. But CEO, you have so much money, why are you trying to rip off someone poor like me?”

“Rip off,” that’s a harsh word. Isn’t this a position I introduced to you?

“That is true, but.”

Swallows repay their debts, so Mr. Kwon Siyul should too. That is the wisdom of living in this world.

“Once I pay you back, I won’t have a single penny left.”

A low laugh flowed over the receiver. Siyul lowered his head and scratched at the faded linoleum floor with his fingertips.

Then how about this. Think of the meal price as interest, and let’s pay the installments starting next month.

Since it was his first paycheck after all, he had been feeling down because he thought he wouldn’t be able to buy Kwon Yuwon anything. Siyul brightened at the proposal he heard.

“Really? You can’t take that back.”

Instead, see me tomorrow evening.

“I have to work….”

I’ll talk to Manager Kang.

“No! I’ll tell her.”

Afraid she would ask again what kind of relationship they had, Siyul hurriedly stopped Woo Hyunse. Woo Hyunse said he understood and hung up the phone abruptly.

His ear was tingling from how hard he had been pressing the phone. Feeling the heat still lingering, Siyul rubbed his earlobe with his fingertips. It was burning hot.

“It’s almost time. I’ll take care of the rest of the cleanup, so Mr. Siyul, get ready to go.”

“Yes.”

Answering energetically, Siyul took off his black apron. He changed from his white shirt into a lavender hoodie, and as he was about to leave the locker room, he paused and looked in the mirror. His hair, having developed static from rubbing against his clothes, was standing up in a messy, magpie-nest shape. He combed it roughly with his hand, then turned his chin this way and that to check.

This is not bad. He pulled up both corners of his lips with his index fingers to loosen his facial muscles, and with that expression, Siyul walked out of the shop with a light step.

He had been scared inwardly, wondering what he would do if he chose an expensive restaurant. However, the place he arrived at was a truly unexpected spot. Unable to imagine that it would be here, Siyul looked back and forth between the shabby food stall and Woo Hyunse. He pointed with his finger while his mouth hung open, asking if that was really the place.

“Why. Do you dislike food stalls?”

I’m used to them, but… Woo Hyunse and a food stall didn’t match. Didn’t it look like he wouldn’t even sit unless it was a sofa made of the highest-quality leather? Contrary to Siyul’s imagination, Woo Hyunse unhesitatingly pushed aside the fluttering vinyl of the food stall and went inside. Siyul stood dumbly, then shook his head to come to his senses and followed him in closely.

“Are you really okay with this place?”

“There’s no reason I couldn’t be.”

“Still.”

“If it really bothers you, order a bottle of soju, too.”

He had wanted to buy him at least some meat, even if a very expensive place was difficult. Siyul clenched and unclenched his fists and sat across from the other man. Woo Hyunse turned his head to look at the menu, and thanks to that, his already sharp jawline was excessively visible today. For some reason, because he looked more handsome than before, Siyul tilted his head secretly and rubbed his eyes with both hands.

Since it was Friday evening, the food stall was filled with office workers in suits gathered together. Due to the biting night air, a bowl of something hot and steaming was sitting at every table. His appetite piqued, Siyul also raised his hand high and ordered udon, a green onion pancake, dried snacks, and alcohol.

As expected of a food stall where speed is of the essence, the food came out quickly. His mouth watered at the udon containing generous handfuls of fish cakes and crown daisy, and the well-cooked, golden-brown green onion pancake. Still, shouldn’t an adult pick up their spoon first? He didn’t want to hear from Woo Hyunse that he was ill-mannered because he grew up without parents. Siyul swallowed his saliva and stared intently at the other man.

“What are you doing, not eating.”

“The adult should eat first.”

Adult, Woo Hyunse repeated. He didn’t know which part was funny, but he let out a laugh that sounded like a dry cough.

After Woo Hyunse took a bite, Siyul also excitedly picked up his spoon. As the warm broth went down, his cold insides melted.

“I ate here last time, and it tasted pretty good. How is it?”

“It’s delicious.”

Siyul gave a thumbs up. Still, it was quite modest for a “treat.” If it were Kwon Yuwon, fine, but to think he would come to a place like this with Woo Hyunse. A smile spilled out.