* * *
After work, Kang Siwon prepared dinner at the dormitory.
Today’s menu was wonton noodles. Kang Siwon made the wontons from scratch first, then boiled them in carefully prepared broth.
Actually, wontons were a dish that could be made much more simply. If you used store-bought broth and frozen wontons, it could be finished in just 5 minutes. However, Kang Siwon preferred to cook everything by hand even when busy. Not so much because he liked cooking, but because it gave him breathing room.
While standing in front of the gas stove, he could exist as ‘Chef Kang Siwon.’ For that moment at least, he felt like he was returning to his original self rather than being ‘Cage Staff Xie Wei.’
“Mm…”
Kang Siwon tasted the bubbling broth, covered the pot lid, and checked the clock. It was well past the time Ray Jun should have returned. He didn’t know where or what he was doing, but his return home was especially late today.
“…Wontons taste bad when they get soggy.”
He muttered as he turned off the gas. Thinking he should have prepared something else if he’d known it would be like this.
Actually, there was another reason he made wonton noodles today. He’d been bothered by how curtly he’d treated Ray Jun yesterday and today. Feeling apologetic, he’d tried to at least serve a delicious dinner, but the timing didn’t work out.
In the end, Kang Siwon ate the wontons alone. Even after washing the dishes and finishing various household chores, Ray Jun hadn’t returned.
Before long, the time passed midnight. As the hour hand gradually moved toward 1, Kang Siwon looked up at the wall clock and muttered.
“Does he have plans or something?”
Come to think of it, when they first became roommates, Ray Jun would occasionally leave the room until late at night. Since they weren’t as close then as they were now, he hadn’t thought much of it. He’d just assumed the guy had such a wide network that he must have plans with someone.
Today probably seemed the same. Since he was meeting someone after a long time, there was no need to worry. But even as he thought this, Kang Siwon kept stealing glances at the wall clock.
“…”
The night only grew deeper. No matter what, this was the first time Ray Jun hadn’t returned by this hour. He was a little worried that something might have happened. As a roommate’s duty, Kang Siwon picked up his phone to contact him, then immediately furrowed his brow upon realizing he didn’t know Ray Jun’s number.
Just then, the sound of the door lock rang out. Kang Siwon jumped up from his chair.
“Xie Wei?”
The door opened and Ray Jun entered. Upon facing Kang Siwon, a look of surprise briefly crossed his previously expressionless face.
“Why are you still up and not sleeping?”
“Oh, just because.”
It felt awkward to say he’d been waiting, so he vaguely glossed over it. In truth, he hadn’t particularly intended to wait for Ray Jun. He just couldn’t sleep, and while awake, Ray Jun had been on his mind.
“What made you so late?”
“It’s nothing much.”
“What was it to make you like this? Plans with colleagues?”
Perhaps because he’d been worrying needlessly until just now, he suddenly blurted out something he wouldn’t normally say. At this, Ray Jun smiled wordlessly.
But that smile was somehow different from usual. It was gentle while clearly drawing a line. Kang Siwon instinctively realized he shouldn’t ask further.
“Never mind. As long as you’re not caught up in something serious.”
“Haha, were you worried about me?”
“Worried, my ass.”
It wasn’t intentional, but his words came out blunt again. Realizing this, Kang Siwon added,
“We’re roommates.”
“As expected, in this harsh world, the only thing to trust is roommates.”
Ray Jun joked around. The unfamiliar atmosphere from moments ago had vanished without a trace. Kang Siwon felt relieved somehow.
“Xie Wei, I’m going to wash up. Go ahead and sleep.”
“Okay.”
Now that he’d confirmed Ray Jun was safe, there was no reason to stay awake any longer. Kang Siwon headed to the bedroom.
Two single beds were placed side by side. When he lay down on his bed on the right, the moderately soft mattress supported his body.
Anyway, their capital is good. He’d heard that in other casino dormitories, many places had four people to a room with bunk beds. However, befitting a company that operated top-tier hotel chains, Sovereign had two people share a room and gave them each their own bed. Honestly, comparing living environments, it seemed even better than the studio apartment he’d lived in back in Korea.
“Haaam…”
Though he was tired and it was well past bedtime, his eyes wouldn’t close. Kang Siwon pulled the blanket up to his neck and blinked. The sound of water coming from outside the door felt oddly comforting.
Before long, the sound of water stopped. After a moment of silence, the door opened and Ray Jun entered. Giving off a clean soap scent.
“Not sleeping, Wei?”
“…How did you know?”
“Your breathing is different.”
Ray Jun asked as he lay down on his bed. Kang Siwon replied hesitantly.
“Ah, just… I can’t seem to fall asleep for some reason.”
“Well, there are days like that.”
Perhaps because it was a dark room, Ray Jun’s voice sounded even softer. Kang Siwon fiddled with the edge of the blanket, then suddenly asked.
“Ray Jun, what game did you play earlier? It looked like you were playing card games with Zhang Weiren-ssi.”
“…Zhang Weiren?”
“Ah, do dealers not know customers’ names? You know, the customer you were dealing with at 4:15.”
“4:15? You remember that precisely. Were your eyes glued to me that much?”
“No, it just coincidentally overlapped with when I looked at the clock!”
“Haha, at 4:15 I think it was baccarat… But why? Are you close with that customer Zhang Weiren?”
“Not that, I’m just curious. I was wondering what kind of game he plays that makes him come so often.”
“Hmm… Well, that customer does seem to come frequently. I’ve dealt with him a few times too. But Xie Wei, you remember him well even though you didn’t play games with him.”
“I run into him often at the counter. Actually, I’ve probably encountered that customer more times than you have. Especially since Zhang Weiren-ssi only exchanges for 10,000-denomination chips every time he comes, so I can’t help but remember him.”
“Really? Are there many customers like that?”
Ray Jun’s voice became subtly secretive. However, Kang Siwon didn’t pick up on the nuance in it.
“There aren’t many, which is why he stands out. Usually they exchange for 25,000-denomination chips or mix in 100,000-denomination chips.”
“Ah… I see. Cage staff would definitely notice things like that. Especially you, Wei, since you have a good memory.”
“Not really.”
Though he did think he had a good memory, acknowledging it felt somewhat awkward.
“No, Xie Wei. To remember even the time Zhang Weiren came to the casino… You really are interesting.”
“Others would find you more interesting.”
Ray Jun neither confirmed nor denied, just chuckled. The laughter that rose quietly like champagne bubbles melted into the darkness.
* * *
The next day, he was preparing to go to work as usual. Ray Jun’s phone vibrated.
“Yes.”
Whether a call had come in, Ray Jun held his phone to his cheek. Soon the expression disappeared from his face.
“…”
Kang Siwon stole glances at Ray Jun while pretending to change clothes. Ray Jun didn’t always smile, but this was the first time seeing such a perfect poker face. Since no emotion showed on his already delicate features, it was like looking at some kind of doll. Or perhaps like he was wearing a porcelain mask.
“…Understood. Then I’ll head over right away.”
The call ended with those words. Though he didn’t know why, the atmosphere was quite ominous. Kang Siwon hesitated a bit before asking.
“What’s wrong?”
“Wei, don’t be shocked when you hear this. Instead of going to work today, I have to go to the police station.”
“What?”
Even with the warning, he couldn’t help but be shocked. Kang Siwon widened his eyes and asked.
“What happened? Did you cause some kind of accident?”
“No, the accident happened to someone else, not me. I’m just being called in as a witness.”
“Someone else…? Who on earth?”
“Zhang Weiren.”
The name that suddenly popped out was too unexpected. Hadn’t he been perfectly fine just yesterday? Kang Siwon asked in disbelief.
“…Really?”
“He died last night on his way home from the casino. The cause of death is apparently a heart attack for now, but it was so sudden that people who had contact with him last seem to need to be investigated.”
“Ah…”
He felt indescribably empty. Though they had no real connection, the fact that someone he was acquainted with had suddenly died felt eerily unsettling.
Moreover, he would also be included among the ‘people who had contact with him last.’ He was also one of the people who encountered Zhang Weiren yesterday.
“Then I…”
He became anxiously worried at the thought that he might also be called to the police station. If his identity were exposed during a background check, he’d be heading straight to a holding cell.
“You’ll be fine. The management team hasn’t contacted you at all.”
“…”
“Anyway, your contact time with Zhang Weiren wasn’t even 5 minutes, right? But I played games with him for 3 hours.”
When Kang Siwon still didn’t respond, Ray Jun chuckled and asked.
“What’s wrong, Xie Wei? Why are you so serious? Anyone would think you’re the one going to the police station.”
“Me aside, why are you so carefree? Aren’t you worried?”
As if he’d never had a poker face, Ray Jun quickly returned to his usual demeanor. Like himself, Ray Jun would also be innocent, so there was no need to be anxious, but still, it was a police investigation. For ordinary people, just crossing the threshold of a police station would be burdensome. Yet he answered as if he were going on a picnic.
“I’m just going as a witness. It’s not like I was forcibly summoned, and it’s definitely not an arrest. It won’t take long either.”
“Well, that’s a relief then.”
“Thanks to this, I get paid leave for absence, so it’s actually better.”
Ray Jun threw out a joke with a fresh smile. It was his usual appearance, but Kang Siwon felt an even stronger sense of dissonance than when he’d had a poker face moments ago.
“A person died and you say it’s actually better…”
As Kang Siwon trailed off, Ray Jun looked at him wordlessly. They were black eyes beautiful like glass beads but devoid of emotion. An inexplicable creepiness slid across his skin.
“Everyone dies eventually, don’t they?”
“…”
“Ah… Was that not the right thing to say?”
Ray Jun, who muttered as if to himself, tilted his head. His lips drawing a faint smile were also reddish.
