It wasn’t like he’d asked for such a ruckus, but the fact that he’d ultimately caused trouble for Hwang Jegu made him uncomfortable. Especially financial trouble—that twisted his insides even more. Just the childlike old man on the second floor alone must be a huge burden on Hwang Jegu’s daily life.
The scene he’d just witnessed was hard to shake off.
Maybe that’s how it was. So perhaps Hwang Jegu’s real home was the back alleys of Rodeo Street or the secluded back mountain behind school.
Or maybe it was nowhere at all….
Because the boss was casually looking inside the shop, Yeon Cheonguk barely escaped from his thoughts. Since there would only be one reason the Canmoa boss came looking for Yeon Cheonguk, he quickly spoke up:
“Sunbae, I can probably go to work the day after tomorrow…”
“Really? Will you be okay? A work schedule for you is ready anytime.”
The boss who made a silly joke laughed awkwardly. Since he’d been wanting to earn even one more won, Yeon Cheonguk smiled back, thinking it was fortunate.
“Oh, but that’s not why I came here.”
The boss who was choosing his words soon spoke again.
“Cheonguk, you… um… why, how did you end up here……”
“Huh?”
“…Never mind. You conquered the school with ballads, right? Do you know that in September, a famous portal company and MTV are collaborating to hold an open audition for new singers?”
Though he’d clearly changed the subject, the content that followed was so appealing he couldn’t probe further. For Yeon Cheonguk, who hadn’t had the opportunity to go to a PC room to check cafes since his home was in shambles, it was precious information.
Yeon Cheonguk blinked his curiosity-filled eyes. The boss’s following words captivated Yeon Cheonguk’s soul even more.
“Someone I know is a broadcast station official, you know? He said he’d coach your singing before then.”
“What? Really?”
The boss chuckled seeing Yeon Cheonguk’s eyes round like never before.
“Yeah. He said let’s listen once in a recording studio. Can you come with me?”
“Re… recording studio…?”
At the dreamlike word, Yeon Cheonguk’s mind was completely devastated. Like a conditioned reflex, an affirmative answer burst out.
“I have to go. I’ll definitely go. When?”
“When! Now. That’s why I came in person.”
“Right now? Right now won’t work…”
Gakseori would only come in an hour. If he left without opening the shop door, it would be the same as breaking his promise. Moreover, he was in a position anxiously waiting for Hwang Jegu’s call, so it was even more difficult.
“Why, is there a reason you absolutely must stay at this butcher shop…?”
“Well…”
“It’s hot weather, so I’ll drive you, let’s go now. He’s so busy, I don’t know when he’ll have time again.”
A recording studio…!
It might be a golden opportunity he shouldn’t miss.
Yeon Cheonguk was at a crossroads. He couldn’t leave until Gakseori returned from his business. He also had to answer Hwang Jegu’s call….
In the end, Yeon Cheonguk decided to try calling Hwang Jegu once more. He borrowed the boss’s cell phone and made the call, but this time the line was busy. When he hung up and called again it was still busy, so he had no choice but to leave a voicemail message.
“Hey, I have an urgent matter right now. Someone said they’d look at my singing so I’ll go and come back quickly. The recording studio is near Hoegi so it’s not far. I’ll go and come back as fast as possible, so if you found my father, just wait a bit! Got it? This is the boss’s cell phone so don’t call back! I’ll call you right away when I’m done! Hey, thanks!”
After leaving the message, Yeon Cheonguk followed the boss out.
He even forgot the fact that he’d put the plastic bag with the <Moulin Rouge> video on the shelf under the display case.
The shop key Gakseori had hidden was wedged in the gap between the glass display case and the signboard. After Yeon Cheonguk left, the phone rang continuously inside the tightly closed butcher shop.
Ring ring… ring ring…. The bell rang long until it connected to voicemail, once, twice, three times…….
***
Yeon Jaehee jumped up at the loudly ringing phone and rushed to the living room.
They had been waiting for days for news from the police that they’d found their father. With the apartment, appliances, and furniture all seized and barely scraping by borrowing living expenses from relatives, their father had disappeared in Gangwon Province on top of that. Right now when the future was invisible, a call from the police was a ray of hope.
“Hello?”
– Is Cheonguk there?
It was a calm, composed low male voice. Her shoulders shrank at the somehow chilling feeling. Yeon Jaehee cautiously asked back:
“Who is this?”
– I’m Cheonguk’s friend. Is he not home right now?
For a friend of Yeon Cheonguk, the tone was strangely not student-like, so Yeon Jaehee began to feel wary.
“Which friend of Cheonguk? Among Cheonguk’s friends, there’s no ill-mannered person who skips greetings and gets straight to business.”
Though Yeon Cheonguk couldn’t attach interest to studying and wandered outside and chased after girls, he wasn’t a guy who forgot his manners. He was such a smooth talker who wore a thick face in social situations. There was no way he’d be friends with someone who gave such an unsettling feeling.
A faint laugh came from the other end.
– Ah, I’m sorry. Because I’m ill-mannered. Since I apologized, I’ll ask again. Is Cheonguk not home right now?
She got furious that he still wouldn’t say his name to the end. She was about to just hang up without giving an accurate answer, but an absurd comment came through:
– If you say phone dating friend, he’ll probably know right away.
“…What?”
– I’m taking his father to Seoul, so please tell him to call me right away.
“Whaaaat……?”
The other party muttered once more in a weary voice:
– I found his father and I’m on my way to Seoul, so tell him to call me.
Yeon Jaehee shouted in a voice that had boiled over in anger:
“Wait, who are you! Who are you to have our father….”
Beep- beep-
The call ended without even a goodbye. Getting angry at the ill-mannered attitude was the secondary problem. Right now, he found the father that even the police couldn’t find? He’s returning with someone else’s father?
Was it a prank call? From knowing Yeon Cheonguk’s name and knowing about our family’s chaotic situation, he didn’t seem like an ordinary person, but what kind of dog-like prank call was this?
“He’s crazy! Mom. A strange call just came!”
“Why?”
The mother who was frying rice in front of the gas range with a seizure sticker came out to the living room. Yeon Jaehee reported what had just happened in an excited voice.
“Saying he’s Cheonguk’s phone dating partner, and he’s bringing our dad to Seoul right now so tell Cheonguk!”
“What? What kind of nonsense ghost talk is this?”
“No…! Yeon Cheonguk, did this kid even do phone dating? Isn’t he crazy, in this situation?”
The mother holding a large spatula and gasping asked:
“What about Cheonguk? Can you contact him?”
“That kid went out early in the morning and hasn’t shown his face at all. He goes out earlier than usual school days every day!”
“Where does he wander around every day, really!”
“Say this person’s story is true. Let’s say Yeon Cheonguk’s phone dating friend found dad and is bringing him. Then where is he bringing him to? The police station? Don’t tell me he even knows our home address?”
The mother and daughter frowned simultaneously. Yeon Jaehee, who was anxiously shaking her leg, yelled again:
“Yeon Cheonguk, where the hell are you…!”
***
He was anxious that a call might come from Hwang Jegu, but right now wasn’t a situation where he could answer. He decided to put down his anxious heart and focus on the golden opportunity right now.
Right now, in front of Yeon Cheonguk was a song.
A song he couldn’t finish singing to the end….
The recording studio scenery he’d only seen on TV variety shows with singers didn’t feel real. The cold machine smell coming from inside was also unfamiliar. Looking at the panels densely packed with tuning equipment and control devices, his breathing trembled. Was Yeon Cheonguk really about to enter this sealed room with professional recording equipment installed?
Life wouldn’t give two good things at once. Did Hwang Jegu really succeed in his mission in Jeongseon?
The boss, noticing Yeon Cheonguk’s anxious signs, asked:
“Yeon, did you have that habit?”
Yeon Cheonguk was unconsciously rubbing the rim of the cup with his index finger. The habit Hwang Jegu had when glaring at Kkakdugi’s group at the juice shop must have been intense.
“I guess so. When I do this, I feel like my mind and body stabilize a bit.”
The broadcast official ahjussi who just arrived at the recording studio entered the smoking area attached to the recording studio. When one cigarette finished burning, Yeon Cheonguk’s song would begin. The boss, who was chattering to help him relax, subtly brought up a serious conversation.
“By the way, I’m saying this because we have a moment…. If by any chance you get your skills recognized, get recommended, connect with an agency and make your debut. For someone like you, if luck follows well, debuting is a piece of cake.”
“Hey, don’t make me fly. Boss.”
“I told you to call me hyung, geez!”
“Ah! Sunbae.”
“Anyway, if you do debut. I think it’ll be troublesome if you know that butcher shop’s problem child.”
“…….”
