– What time are you coming to the office tomorrow?
“I have a business trip. I have to go down to Muan with the lawyer.”
– Ah… Hyung, set a day and drink with me sometime.
“Alright. Once I finish all the work. I’m hanging up.”
After finishing the call with Hyungsik and getting off the bus, Eunchan checked in front of his house in case the boss was there, but there wasn’t even a shadow to be seen. It must have been resolved well somehow. That’s why only a few cursing texts came. If things had gone wrong, he would have been the type to come all the way to his house and get angry.
Eunchan, who was debating whether to call the boss or send a text, soon decided to give up on both. He was a superior he’d have to see soon anyway, even if he didn’t want to. It was better to drag out the time as much as possible and wait for the anger to subside a lot. Eunchan yawned widely and then went inside the officetel.
Finally, home.
He did the piled-up dishes and just lay down on the bed for a bit because he was tired, but before he knew it, the next day had dawned. Outside the window, he could still see the navy blue dawn sky. Eunchan didn’t want to get up from the bed and dawdled, then checked the time on his phone.
[I’ll see you out front. – Han Inju]
It was a text he’d received after finishing a call with Han Inju last evening. When the lawyer said he would drive and even pick him up himself, Eunchan also had to at least pretend to investigate as diligently as possible. Just in case, Eunchan looked at the bag where he’d packed a change of clothes and oral hygiene tools, then turned over and lay down. It was still 6 AM. Since they’d agreed to meet at 7, it was okay to dawdle.
[I’ll go do some work and come back]
Eunchan sent a text to Miro and then threw his phone above his head. Yesterday, after falling asleep without contact, Eunchan had to wake up again in the evening to Miro’s endless phone calls. Even sleep now required permission.
At the vibration he felt immediately, Eunchan thought of Han Inju. He woke up quickly and is rushing me. Eunchan clicked his tongue and looked for his phone again.
(Jang Miro)
However, the caller was Miro. Eunchan brought the phone to his ear and gave a morning greeting.
“Good morning.”
– E-Eunchan, did you wa-wake up?
“Yes. I closed my eyes and opened them, and it’s morning. Did you sleep a bit?”
– …I mi-miss Eunchan.
“Sleep even a little. Eat your meals well too.”
They’d only be apart for about a day, but Miro whined like a child who’d lost their parents. Eunchan let Miro’s whining pass by while emphasizing the importance of eating.
“Take good care of your health. If you cause trouble like last time, I’m not going to the hospital.”
– Mmm, Eunchan, to-today wear the clothes I gave you.
“Alright.”
– But don’t look too pretty…
“Okay.”
The nonsense continuing from the morning felt like a lullaby. Eunchan closed his eyes and appreciated Miro’s voice. The languid and long-drawn-out tone was quite pleasant to listen to.
– No wait. Ju-just dress roughly.
“I’ll go naked.”
– That won’t do!
A firm answer came back to the joke he just threw out.
– Dre-dress roughly, don’t even wa-wash… Okay?
“If Miro-ssi says he’ll eat his meals well and sleep well.”
– Yees. I will.
After that, nutritionless conversation went back and forth. Eunchan asked about Miro’s plans for the day, but only got the answer that he would just wait for Eunchan. Should I buy him a word puzzle or hidden picture book? Eunchan prepared to end the call while thinking of things to get for Miro. It was almost time for Han Inju to come.
“I’m going to hang up now.”
– Mm… Hyu-Hyungsik isn’t going, right?
“He’ll do other work. He’s not going with me.”
– That’s a relief.
“…Go back to sleep quickly.”
At Miro’s appearance of keeping Hyungsik in check until the end, Eunchan lost his words for a moment, then hung up the phone with a greeting to sleep more. He seemed to strangely dislike Hyungsik, but he didn’t know why. Eunchan rubbed the back of his neck and got up from bed. He had to wash up roughly and check his luggage once more. He wanted to eat breakfast, but since he’d slept yesterday without even cooking rice, there was nothing to eat. It would be nice if he could go to a nearby convenience store before the lawyer came.
Debating whether to shower, Eunchan compromised with himself by just washing his face and brushing his teeth. He wasn’t returning in glory, and he hadn’t left anyone he missed in his hometown, so there was no need to scrub himself clean and polish up. Rather, he hesitated at the thought of meeting someone who knew his face. He hadn’t caused any big trouble in his hometown, but there weren’t any neighbors he’d been close with either, and there had been a lot of talk about his mother when he was young, so he rather disliked it.
Grandmother and mother had similar fates. Though mother’s fate was more harsh. Grandfather died during the war and grandmother raised mother alone in Muan. Mother also married a man who wasn’t even human and barely got divorced to raise Eunchan. He was a man who caused trouble whenever he drank alcohol. Shouting and throwing things. It was a past he never wanted to remember again.
After the divorce, Eunchan went to Muan with his mother. There was a lot of talk going around about the young divorcée. The village people were interested in his mother to the extent that even very young Eunchan noticed. Someone said both daughter and mother had the same fate, and there were people who wrote novels about the divorce, saying the husband had an affair.
Since there was no grandfather and no father in the house, the village men easily hit on his mother. So Eunchan nodded at his mother’s remarriage. Anywhere would be better than a shitty place like this. It would have been better if she’d taken him along too…
Mother endured enough. She protected Eunchan until the end from that demon-like man and escaped together. However, the place they fled to was still hell for mother. So she had no choice but to leave. Because he loved his mother so much.
If she was going to leave anyway, she should at least live happily, but she had to die quickly, what a fuss. Eunchan washed his face with cold water and calmed his heating eyes. Existence is quick to disappear. It vanishes far too easily. It’s always himself who remains behind holding the dregs.
Eunchan shook his head and started brushing his teeth. Because it was a day to go to his hometown, useless thoughts came up. He should just go and look for Kim Noeul. It was work he was being paid for, so he shouldn’t have the leisure to worry about other things for no reason. Eunchan had grown too much to be immersed in his own emotions, and he didn’t have time to waste on such things. Eunchan hoped the lawyer would come quickly. So he could get to work quickly.
When it became exactly 7 AM, the lawyer’s car arrived in front of the officetel. Eunchan, who had been dozing off for a moment while leaning against the wall of the ground parking lot, opened his eyes at the sound of the car engine.
Han Inju, who got out of the car, gave a greeting.
“Hello.”
“Yes… Hello.”
“Let’s get in.”
“I’ll do it myself.”
Since he was opening the passenger door for him, Eunchan was horrified and answered that he would get in the car himself. Han Inju smiled faintly and ignored him, then helped Eunchan in and even closed the passenger door himself.
Eunchan glared through the front windshield at the lawyer who came in a luxury sedan. He was a person with absolutely no likable aspects. They were going down to the countryside, and the fact that he drove such an obviously expensive car was one thing, and he didn’t like him even more because he was the person taking him to his hometown of all places.
“May I take some photos?”
“What?”
“You don’t have to pose.”
Eunchan, who had thrown his luggage bag into the back seat and was about to fasten his seatbelt, looked back at the lawyer in confusion. Han Inju, who took out his phone instead of grabbing the steering wheel, pointed the camera lens at him without yielding to Eunchan’s absurd expression.
“Are you joking?”
“It was requested from above.”
“Never mind. Don’t take them.”
He’d done that when they met at the cafe too, so there was no stranger client. Eunchan waved his hand and pushed away Inju’s camera.
“You said you sold my name, didn’t you?”
“…Will one photo be enough?”
“I need to take them morning, lunch, and evening, so I ask for your cooperation.”
Ah, fuck. Eunchan obediently placed both hands on his knees and looked straight ahead. He’d thought “no way,” but it seemed the boss had ultimately sold Han Inju’s business card. That’s why he didn’t call much and didn’t leave texts either. As expected, all the aftermath became Eunchan’s share.
“Let’s depart.”
Inju, who took pictures of Eunchan’s profile with continuous shooting, soon seemed satisfied and grabbed the steering wheel. On top of the smoothly moving vehicle, only Eunchan’s insides twisted and turned.
Without conversation and with only the radio on, the car soon entered the highway.
“I don’t know much about this either, and I didn’t step forward to sell it myself, but I’m really sorry. In the middle of the boss personally looking into something, it seems he showed your business card to the people involved.”
Although an excuse came first, he still had to apologize. Han Inju was a client, and since he’d passed around the business card without permission, even if he said to break the contract, there would be nothing to say.
“It’s alright.”
“If there are any problems, please contact me.”
“Yes.”
“But… did you get contacted from somewhere?”
“I received a call from Myeongjin Construction. The boss seems to be very interested in the golf course.”
“Ah, yes. Playing golf is his hobby.”
“I see.”
The boss didn’t do any exercise, let alone golf, but Eunchan answered carelessly. His mouth itched with many questions he wanted to ask. He was curious about how far the boss had sold Han Inju, what Myeongjin Construction asked Han Inju, and what answers he gave. He wanted to call the boss right away and confront him, but he couldn’t in front of the lawyer.
“It really wasn’t my intention.”
Although the responsibility was great just for handing over the business card, Eunchan made an excuse once more. The boss wasn’t in his right mind either. Considering how much money was at stake in this request, what was he thinking if it got broken off by mistake?
“It was a business card I gave you to use. Though I didn’t know you’d use it in that way.”
Inju answered without highs or lows. Eunchan looked at the profile of the lawyer with a calm face. Perhaps the boss had been confident. The fact that he specifically came to find Eunchan and entrusted the request, and that they moved together too. Perhaps he had the certainty that he would never break off the request.
