Vol 1 Ch 17

When I returned to the office, Hanwoo was drinking bubble tea and looking at his phone.

 

“What’s your office Wi-Fi password?”

 

“Huh? Wait a sec.”

 

I wrote down the memo stuck under the monitor and handed it to Hanwoo.

 

“By the way, why don’t you have a Guide?”

 

“Me? Well, sometimes party members I hunt with link with me, but my rank is only B, so it’s probably not much help. And most Guides don’t bind themselves to one person; they link with whoever they meet at the moment. It’s not very profitable.”

 

He added that rankers like ShutUp would probably want to be a Guide for anyone. He said they wouldn’t mind losing out on loot or experience since they could take down most bosses alone.

 

“Speaking of which, something strange happened in the dungeon yesterday.”

 

“What happened?”

 

“Yesterday, I was running through the Dream Forest with some other Psychics. And, wow… do you know who showed up in the hidden stage?”

 

“Why? Did a dragon type appear?”

 

“No… someone worse than a dragon appeared.”

 

“Did you defeat it? Then the loot must have been incredible.”

 

“Everyone died. All of them. Everyone. Moment was with me too…”

 

“No, what appeared that even the ranker Moment died?”

 

“ShutUp.”

 

Hanwoo slurped his tapioca pearls continuously and suddenly choked. He said it didn’t make sense. He asked why a user would turn into a monster. He said the operators were really funny. Then, he asked if I wanted to hear something even funnier, and mentioned that ShutUp’s PG was infinite, to which I replied it was probably just a trap, and to consider it bad luck.

 

“So, you guys split up after fighting ShutUp yesterday?”

 

“No, that’s separate… I told him I was uncomfortable with him linking with me.”

 

“Hey. But is that true?”

 

Even though it was just the two of us in the office, Hanwoo leaned his head towards me and lowered his voice.

 

“They say it feels so good to link from behind a man, have you ever tried it? You wouldn’t know unless you’ve been penetrated.”

 

If he wasn’t my very close friend, I would have reported him to the police.

 

“Are you curious?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Then, do you want to get penetrated? I’ll link with you.”

 

I looked at Hanwoo while slurping my bubble tea and chewing the pearls rebelliously. Hanwoo, realizing he might have asked too much, brushed it off as a joke, saying he was just curious.

 

“So, who are you going to hunt with now?”

 

“I’ll have to look on the party board. I saw a lot of people looking for Guides. If all else fails, I’ll ask you.”

 

“Sure, whatever.”

 

After that, Hanwoo and I chatted about trivial things like the rent for nearby studio apartments, and he asked if I commuted all the way from that far away, suggesting I find a place closer. I retorted that if I had the money, I would have done so long ago. Honestly, playing games in my current situation was insane. It was a time when I should have been focusing entirely on my livelihood.

 

“Ah, I have to go now. Manager Lee will go ballistic if I’m late.”

 

A little past 2 o’clock, Hanwoo got up from his seat. I envied Hanwoo, who, despite living a life bound by time, received a salary when the time came.

 

“When is payday?”

 

“Me? Next week. Why?”

 

“Hanwoo… when you get paid, can you buy me some Hanwoo?”

 

“Don’t you know to be wary of people who buy you beef? They say pure intentions only go as far as pork.”

 

“If you buy me Hanwoo, you can have impure intentions.”

 

“Crazy bastard. I’ll think about it when I get paid.”

 

I walked ahead of Hanwoo and even opened the door for him. Hanwoo waved his hand lightly and walked towards the subway station.

 

Ah, it’s really been a while since I’ve had beef. I used to eat it about once a month with my mom, and occasionally at company dinners.

 

Now, as a self-employed person living alone, I didn’t have opportunities to grill meat. Strangely, the thought of wanting meat struck me, and I felt like a carnivore who couldn’t go through the day without it. I sat at my desk and searched for solo Korean BBQ restaurants.

 

“Oh, as expected.”

 

I should have done something like this when starting a business. The reviews showed partitions and places to put phones, perfect for eating alone.

 

It wasn’t far from the office. I opened my wallet and checked; I only had the 3,000 won left from buying bubble tea earlier. I figured I could use my card if needed, and looked forward to a solo feast after work.

 

–

 

The office usually closes after 6, but since there were no visitors, we closed at 5. As I locked up and stepped out, Jun’s black car was parked right in front. It felt strange now if the car wasn’t there. He must have gone out after showering earlier and come back.

 

I walked past the car and reconfirmed the location of the solo Korean BBQ restaurant on my phone. It wasn’t far, so I could walk there slowly. Soon, I saw a familiar sign, and the solo Korean BBQ restaurant was on the third floor. I entered the commercial building and pressed the elevator button, waiting.

 

‘Alone time. A meal just for me. A reward for myself.’

 

As I was going to eat meat, I assigned all sorts of meanings to it and checked my reflection in the mirrored elevator doors.

 

“Hmm, I look decent enough.”

 

As I muttered to myself and ran my hand through my hair, a man in black clothes stood behind me.

 

“Overconfident, aren’t you?”

 

An annoying tone. I spun around and saw Jun smirking.

 

“Oh? Why are you here…?”

 

“Why? I came to eat meat.”

 

Jun pointed to a flyer for the solo Korean BBQ restaurant in the promotional display next to the elevator and answered. He said he was a regular here and chided me for going to eat meat alone after he only bought me that tiny portion earlier.

 

Having to eat at the same restaurant as him. But, since it was a solo Korean BBQ place, I got into the elevator with the intention of staying far away from him. As I pressed the close button, someone’s hand suddenly shot in and stopped the door. The door opened again, and I saw that familiar face once more.

 

“Ah, thank you… Huh?”

 

It was Namgung Bin. He got on belatedly, nodded at me in greeting, and then pretended not to see Jun standing behind him.

 

Seeing that the 3rd-floor button was pressed, Bin stood between us, looking at both of us. Ding—. We arrived on the 3rd floor, and Bin, who was standing at the front, blocked me and Jun.

 

“If you’re all here to eat meat, shall we go to the BBQ place together? I’ll pay.”

 

Jun replied that it was fine, but I enthusiastically agreed, saying that would be great. Jun, who was about to get off alone, looked at us and re-entered the elevator. Despite his reply, he seemed like he would follow.

 

“Doseon, what do you want to eat?”

 

“Ah… I can choose?”

 

“Yes. I’ll treat you generously. Tell me anything you want to eat.”

 

“Honestly, with pure intentions, it should be pork, but I really want Hanwoo.”

 

Jun, who had been listening to our conversation from behind, spoke in a low voice.

 

“You’re overconfident but have no conscience.”

 

Jun scoffed at my words, even though he wasn’t the one paying.

 

Bin smiled leisurely and replied, “Great, let’s go eat.” As we left the commercial building, I was dithering about which way to go when Bin’s hand touched my lower back. Bin gently pulled me towards him.

 

“This way.”

 

“Ah, yes.”

 

My body naturally turned in that direction.

 

But then, my arm was grabbed by Jun, pulling me in the opposite direction. Bin’s hand on my back naturally fell away.

 

“Aren’t you going to Hanwoo-gol? This way is faster.”

 

“It’s not Hanwoo-gol, it’s Hoengseong Gamagol.”

 

Bin pressed close to me again and pulled me towards him with his hand on my back. Jun then pulled even harder than before, making my arm feel like it would fall off.

 

“Hey, let go.”

 

“If you go to Hanwoo-gol, I’ll buy you yukhoe too.”

 

“Ah, really?”

 

“Doseon. Hoengseong Gamagol also sells packaged ribs. I’ll pack some for you when we leave.”

 

“You’ll pack ribs too?”

 

I didn’t know why they insisted on going to their regular BBQ place, but I should have heeded my friend’s words then.

 

“Don’t you know to be wary of people who buy you beef? They say pure intentions only go as far as pork.”

 

But, being so hungry, I didn’t have time to think about such things. My wavering heart between the two, leaning towards the packaged ribs rather than yukhoe, tried to pull away from Jun’s grip, but he held on even tighter. Finally, Jun reached out with his other hand and wrapped it around my waist.

 

“Let’s go to Hanwoo-gol. I’ll let you eat Hanwoo once a month.”

 

“Once a month? Really?”

 

I didn’t think anyone around me would buy me Hanwoo, so this situation felt miraculous. Pretending to be unable to resist, I leaned my body to be pulled by Jun’s two arms.

 

“Mr. Namgung Bin, why don’t you try the meat at Hanwoo-gol too? Seomun Jun is paying.”

 

“Yeah, follow us. What money does a tenant have to buy Hanwoo? Though, if he had money, he would have terminated the lease.”

 

“…Hmph, do you really want to die?”

 

Bin’s muttered words were not heard by Jun, thanks to the honking of a passing car. I just hoped their animosity would be resolved over Hanwoo.

 

Bin, who I thought wouldn’t come, followed us, glancing at Jun. But seeing me being dragged by the arm looked awkward, so I tried to remove Jun’s hand with my other hand. I was surprised by how soft his hand felt.

 

We walked, maintaining a distance that made us look like an awkward group.

 

–

 

We soon arrived at Hanwoo-gol, and it seemed to be Jun’s regular place, as the owner at the counter recognized him.

 

“Oh, Jun, you’re here. Shall I get you a room?”

 

“Yes.”

 

The main dining area was quite spacious, so I didn’t know where we were going, but as I followed Jun, I saw sliding doors along a narrow path. I had only seen this kind of layout in Korean set-menu restaurants or Japanese restaurants, never in a BBQ place.

 

“This way, please.”

 

The staff member who went ahead opened the sliding door and showed us in. As Jun sat down, he familiarized himself with the order from the floor staff and asked Bin and me what kind of alcohol we wanted, looking at us alternately.

 

I casually suggested soju and looked around at the interior. It was a floor-seating arrangement, but the center was hollowed out like a table. Bin sat next to me, and Jun sat across from me.

 

After placing the order and the staff left, a silence fell. I spoke first.

 

“Since we met like this, it’s fate. I hope you two can get along well.”

 

“As long as the rent is paid on time.”

 

“Don’t act like a condescending landlord. We’ll be starting interior renovations tomorrow.”

 

Their relationship had been strained from the start, and their words were laced with barbs. To mediate between them, I preemptively asked about potential friction points.

 

“When will the interior renovations be finished?”

 

I asked this to suggest Jun be patient during the renovation period, but as soon as Bin answered, Jun started complaining again, asking why it was taking so long and if they were building a building.

 

“I’ll bring the charcoal.”

 

Then, glowing red charcoal was brought in, and the grill plate was placed on top. My insides burned like the black charcoal. Regardless of the Hanwoo, eating between these two was incredibly uncomfortable. I couldn’t take sides, nor could I pretend not to notice, which made it worse.

 

I didn’t want to, but Jun looked at me.

 

“Right? What do you think, Yoodo-ssi?”

 

Simultaneously, both their gazes fixed on me. I had been letting their conversation flow by, only watching the crackling charcoal, so I couldn’t even guess what they were asking.

 

“See. Even Doseon isn’t saying anything because it’s so absurd. Anyway, with such a lack of common sense, how can you be a landlord?”

 

“What? Who are you to look down on me? You’re just someone paying rent!”

 

“Hey. I may not own a building, but I own several houses. Who do you think you are, acting tough?”

 

“Houses and buildings are the same? Ask anyone on the street. Who’s more successful, a house-poor person or a building owner?”

 

“House-poor? Have you seen the deeds to my properties? They are purely mine, with no loans!”

 

“…Excuse me, I need to use the restroom for a moment.”

 

I quickly left, feeling like I might get bitten between them.

 

‘Sigh… I can’t breathe.’

 

To me, whether they were a building owner or a homeowner, they both seemed impressive. Well, I couldn’t stop them from bragging about who was more successful, nor did I have the ability to judge it. Moreover, both of them seemed to have difficult personalities, and I had a premonition that I would suffer more if I got caught up in it.

 

“Okay, let’s eat quietly.”

 

If it weren’t for the Hanwoo, I might have just left.

 

Grill, eat, escape. I returned to the table, thinking only of these three objectives. Even as I opened the sliding door, I could hear them arguing inside.

 

“Just a moment.”

 

I didn’t have the courage to open the door, but a floor staff member brought the food, and I was pushed in with them. As I was about to sit down, Jun stretched out his long arm and grabbed my wrist.

 

“Sit here.”

 

“Why are you making such a fuss? Doseon, sit where you usually sit.”

 

My feet tried to go to my usual spot, but the strong force made me stumble and sit next to Jun.

 

“You’re really good at making people uncomfortable, aren’t you? Right, Doseon?”

 

‘No, you guys. If you want to talk, talk to each other. Don’t ask for my opinion…’

 

That’s what I wanted to say, but I just smiled. As the staff placed the Hanwoo on the grill, I said, “Eat,” and smiled kindly at both of them.

 

As we were grilling, their silent battle began again.

 

They grabbed the grilled meat first, as if to say they would eat it themselves. Even the pieces I was about to eat, which I had placed slightly on my side of the grill, were snatched by Jun. Jun seemed to be doing it out of spite, perhaps to prevent Bin from eating it, but I was the one suffering the consequences.

 

‘Damn it.’

 

Watching that happen for two rounds, I started to get annoyed. I ordered a yukhoe bibimbap from the staff member who came to change the grill. After about three rounds, I was able to catch the timing to grab some meat.

 

“Your yukhoe bibimbap is here.”

 

I was delighted to see my own dish. As I was mixing it enthusiastically, Bin glanced over.

 

“That looks delicious. Doseon, can I have a taste?”

 

“Yes. Please try it.”

 

I gently pushed the bowl towards Namgung Bin. He took a spoonful and praised it, saying it tasted even better because Doseon mixed it, which was a rather unconvincing compliment.

 

I hadn’t tasted it yet, so I scooped up a spoonful full of yukhoe and rice and was about to put it in my mouth when Jun grabbed my wrist. Before I could say “Huh?”, the spoon went into his mouth. Chewing, Jun said, “It’s okay,” and took a sip of water to rinse his mouth. With the spoon that had disappeared into his mouth, I put it down and took out a new one.

 

“What, is my mouth dirty?”

 

“No, it’s because it was used by someone else.”

 

“Am I someone else?”

 

“Then… are we family?”

 

Jun was picking a fight with me this time. I wanted to eat with a clean spoon, so why was he making such a fuss? If he felt wronged, he could just eat with his own spoon. As I was about to take another spoonful of the yukhoe bibimbap I hadn’t even tasted yet, my hand was caught again, and it disappeared into Jun’s mouth once more.

 

“Ah, cut it out. Doseon, let’s eat too. You have a spoon.”

 

I wondered if I had to change spoons again and put it down on the table, and Jun’s eyebrow twitched. He was tracking every single one of these actions with a sharp gaze.

 

In the end, thinking I wouldn’t die from eating what someone else had eaten, I scooped up rice with the spoon that had been in his mouth and ate it. Only then did Jun remove his persistent gaze and start picking at the meat with his chopsticks.

 

‘Haa….’

 

He was truly an exhausting person. And as we entered the third round of grilling, our eating speed noticeably decreased. Thanks to that, I was able to eat Hanwoo to my heart’s content. As they say, there’s a reward for those who wait, and it was exactly like that.

 

When Jun asked if I wanted more, my mouth was full of meat up to my chin, so I shook my head. Even so, he kept putting grilled meat onto my plate.

 

“Stop. I’m full.”

 

Ignoring my words, Jun reached for the bell to order more meat, but I firmly grabbed his hand and stopped him.

 

“Stop!”

 

I was supposed to use polite speech, but I was so annoyed that he was ignoring me that I snapped. The discomfort, as if food was filling my throat, made it impossible for me to speak kindly.

 

I looked at him as if he were a disobedient younger sibling and spoke plainly, causing Jun’s eyes to widen slightly. He seemed surprised, but his lips twisted into a slight smirk. It was impossible to tell if he was smiling or not.

 

“I will bring out the dessert.”

 

Just then, a server entered, cleared the charcoal grill, and brought out cold fruit and sujeonggwa for dessert.

 

I didn’t originally eat sujeonggwa, but at some point, I started eating it after meals, and I found it aided digestion and felt refreshing, so I began to seek it out often. If it hadn’t been served as dessert, I might have bought a sujeonggwa drink on my way home.

 

“By the way, where do you live?”

 

It seemed we had run out of topics to argue about, and we both wore gentle expressions as we ate dessert.

 

“Me? I’m in Mapo.”

 

“Hmm. Not too far. Shall we go for a second round of beer at my place then?”

 

“Sure? I do feel like having a bit more to drink.”

 

“What about you, Yoodo-ssi?”

 

As I slurped down my sujeonggwa, thinking I just needed to go home and crash, Jun’s suggestion jolted me back to reality.

 

“I was planning to go home and rest.”

 

“Don’t do that, come with us.”

 

“My place is a bit far……”

 

I politely declined Bin’s friendly invitation. Jun then asked where I lived, and when I mentioned a subway station at the very end of the line, he scowled.

 

“No way, you commute all the way from there to here? Why? Did you fail to find a place there and decided to come all the way here to do real estate?”

 

I heard similar comments often at real estate agent meetups. I always explained that I looked for a place to work first and then tried to find a place to live with the remaining money, but couldn’t, so I ended up in the outskirts. But I didn’t want to share those circumstances with these two.

 

How could you understand the struggles of ordinary people?

 

“Just… I found a place while looking.”

 

“Then, stay over at my place tonight.”

 

Jun invited me to his home without hesitation. Not just me, but even Bin, who had been fighting with him like enemies just moments ago. Bin was also so carefree; he readily asked if he could stay over too.

 

After all, if he occupied the entire building, I could roughly gauge its size. I wondered how many rooms there were, what kind of enormous bed he used, how many bathrooms there were. Thinking I might get to see Jun’s place someday, I agreed.

 

We finished our sujeonggwa and got up. It seemed like a lot of food was served, but Jun paid with his card and threw away the receipt without looking. As we left the restaurant, Bin looked around and pointed to a convenience store.

 

“I’ll buy the beer. Let’s go to the convenience store.”