The three people who entered the pocha took their seats in front of a metal table. Seongyeom let out a sigh as he watched Seoldong order with ease.
Just last week, I was only worrying about things like student loans and moving out. I thought those were the biggest burdens in the world.
Who would’ve thought I’d end up working under a gangster boss.
“Teacher, you have something on your mind, don’t you?”
Yi Cheong poured water into a cup and handed it over. Seongyeom took the glass, surprised that he was being considerate for once.
“What worries…”
Looking at the glass of water in front of him, Seongyeom consoled himself.
Right, I’ve just taken on some housekeeping work in addition to a simple tutoring gig, haven’t I? It’s a bit concerning that my employer is a gangster, but it’s not like I’m participating in anything illegal.
More pressing than that was this month’s living expenses. The 21 million won monthly salary had already gone straight into his parents’ pockets, and he didn’t even have tomorrow’s transportation fare on hand.
Of course, the scholarship money he’d been diligently saving for living independently was sitting in his bank account, but that money was like his lifeline. It was his only ticket to escape from this household and achieve independence. Even if he starved to death, it was money he absolutely must not touch.
Should I beg the President for just a few ten thousand won… No, what kind of courage would it take to talk about money to that scary person.
“Ha…”
After a long sigh, Seongyeom’s head drooped. A complicated expression faintly appeared on his youthful face.
“See, you do have worries.”
Yi Cheong pointed at Seongyeom with his chopsticks. Seoldong was busy picking at and eating the pickled radish that came with the side dishes. It seemed like this atmosphere would continue until he answered, so Seongyeom had no choice but to confess. Now that he was actually spilling his worries to these kids, he felt embarrassed.
“I’m just… wondering if this is right.”
He mumbled and took a bite of corn salad.
“If you were thinking of quitting, shouldn’t you have backed out when we threw the knife thinking we were in a pyramid scheme?”
Seoldong said nonchalantly as Cheong fed him a cherry tomato that the lady had given as service. Yi Cheong, who had been quietly watching Seongyeom, accepted it as if it were natural and said,
“Once you’ve stepped into this place, you can’t leave as you please, Teacher.”
If this is how it’s going to be, why did you even tell me to talk? These kids, if they’re not going to comfort or advise me.
Feeling choked up, he glared at the two of them in turn. At Seongyeom’s fierce expression, Yi Cheong giggled and leaned his body as if to nestle into Seoldong’s embrace.
Fox.
Seongyeom stared intently at Yi Cheong and then burst into laughter.
He was struggling so much in front of Ahjussi Daerim, but he acts incredibly coquettish with Dong-i.
He’s so cute that even I would fall for him, but he’s going to have a hard time later.
“Your chicken feet are here.”
The bright red chicken feet were brought up onto the table on an iron plate. Seongyeom hurriedly turned his head toward the empty air and thought about the good points of working in a gangster household.
I can see the President’s handsome face every day, I can study while teaching the kids. And the money, how much is it? Even though my parents took one month’s salary, if I diligently save up the tutoring fees from now on, I’ll be able to realize my dream of independence soon.
While Seongyeom was having these various thoughts alone, Cheong, who had filled his stomach, put down his chopsticks and asked coyly,
“But Teacher, do you like our hyung?”
“Huh?”
“Why do you like him?”
At the sudden probing question, Seongyeom dropped the pickled radish he was holding with his chopsticks. Seoldong, who had been eating without knowing his lips were smeared bright red with sauce, looked regretfully at the fallen radish.
Yi Cheong made an expression like he’d caught Seongyeom red-handed as he froze like he’d suddenly broken down, then smiled and propped his face with his palm.
“It’s this, isn’t it? That’s why you said all that stuff about a troubled fate.”
“Boss is popular regardless of gender.”
“Ahahaha… Wh-what are you talking about?”
“Teacher, you’re curious about hyung’s ideal type, aren’t you? Should I tell you?”
“Wh-what is it…?”
“If you’re curious, eat this and then the arcade?”
“You little…”
“Never mind if you don’t want to. I guess you’re not that curious about hyung’s ideal type.”
“…Just until the arcade.”
“Of course.”
“Wow, how is our Cheong so wise too?”
Seongyeom glanced at Seoldong once and then bit his lip tightly.
Even knowing I’m being completely played by Cheong’s tricks, I’m still curious!
Seongyeom gulped down his cider can in succession.
***
Tell me my ass, what are they telling me?!
The two brats completely used Seongyeom.
Shooting games and joystick games, even claw machines. Every time payment was needed, they called Seongyeom over just to swipe his card. Every time he asked how long they were going to play, they kept repeating “just this one more,” and then saying it was really the last one, they even charged two hours at the karaoke room. Seongyeom anxiously kept checking the time. It was getting too late and he felt like they should head home, but the kids showed no signs of wanting to return.
Seongyeom was shocked as he watched Choi Seoldong swaying his hips to the rhythm. How does he know all these old songs? That kid is definitely going to become old-fashioned Department Head Choi in the future.
“Where are you going?”
When he stood up from his seat, Cheong, who had been selecting the next song, grabbed his wrist.
Does this kid have eyes on the side of his head?
“Bathroom!”
Even though he just said he was going to the bathroom, Yi Cheong didn’t easily let go of his wrist.
Ah, it’s urgent… As Seongyeom hesitated, unable to do this or that, Yi Cheong stared at him blankly and was about to say something when suddenly Seoldong belted out a climax as if he had a departed lover.
“That guy, really!”
Startled, Cheong hastily covered both ears with his hands. In the meantime, Seongyeom escaped from the room and quickly walked in the direction of the bathroom sign.
“Hmm, hmm…”
A man sitting in the room across from them crunched and chewed on a starch toothpick. He followed Seongyeom with his eyes as he headed to a deserted place on his own, then quietly tailed him.
***
Seoldong’s song ended, leaving behind a poignant lingering feeling. Seoldong, who had been shaking his head until the end savoring the afterglow, handed the microphone to Yi Cheong with a brightened face as the prelude to the next song came on.
“Is now the time to sing? We lost track of Teacher because of you!”
“Cheong-ah, Teacher is an adult man. We don’t have to watch him pee.”
“You idiot, I’m asking if it’s okay to leave Teacher alone.”
“Surely there’s no bastard lowlife enough to mess with someone using the bathroom.”
“You wouldn’t, you gorilla bastard. Just finish singing.”
“Oh, really?! Should I sing this song for you?”
Seoldong brought the microphone to his lips and called Yi Cheong in a greasy voice.
“Cheong-ah. This is my heart dedicated to you.”
“Fuck off.”
At the sight of Seoldong singing in an unheard-of and unseen vocal style, Yi Cheong burst into laughter. He pounded the table and cackled for a long time, pointing at Seoldong.
“Ah, Choi Seoldong! You really can’t sing for shit!”
It was close to ridicule, but Seoldong didn’t care. As long as Yi Cheong laughed, he could even play the fool. Like that, the two temporarily forgot about Seongyeom and relieved their academic stress.
Meanwhile, Seongyeom was bothered by the man who kept following him from earlier. There was a building staircase in the middle of the hallway that extended to the bathroom. Hoping the man was heading outside, he entered the bathroom.
“Huk!”
Through the gap of the closing door, his eyes met with a man wearing sunglasses. If he’d been just a bit later, they would’ve been about to share the toilet.
…What the hell?
He was scared and nervous, but since he’d drunk too much cider and water earlier, he couldn’t delay any longer. Seongyeom pulled down his pants to put out the urgent fire first. Then, from outside the stall, came the sound of someone unbuckling their pants and relieving themselves.
Was he just someone who needed to pee?
What do I do?
His heart was pounding throughout his entire body from tension. When Seongyeom pulled up his pants, the sound of the man outside fastening his buckle could be heard. Seongyeom fumbled through his pants pocket with trembling hands and swallowed a desperate sigh. He’d left his cell phone behind.
Of all times, this happens when I snuck out without the President knowing… Seongyeom prayed inwardly that nothing would happen. If something happened to him, Cheong and Dong-i could get in trouble too. He took a deep breath and watched for the right timing.
As soon as I open the door, I’m getting out of here immediately. I’ll run all the way to the room where the kids are, no matter what.
He slowly pulled the latch as quietly as possible. The worn, loose latch came off easily. It was quiet outside. Perhaps the man had already finished his business and left. Seongyeom stuck his head out slightly through the door crack to check outside.
…No one’s there.
For a moment, the tension left his shoulders.
“Looking for something?”
“……!”
He raised his head at the low, raspy voice, and the man wearing sunglasses was smiling down from above the stall partition.
“Hello.”
His gold front tooth gleamed.
Bang!
Seongyeom urgently pushed the door open and tried to rush out of the bathroom. But before he could take a step, the man grabbed the back of his head. Rough hands threw Seongyeom down. Seongyeom, who hit his head on the bathroom floor, let out a pained groan.
“Urk…!”
“Don’t be dramatic.”
The man looked down at the fallen Seongyeom pitifully and snorted.
“Hmph, with such a pretty face, he’s definitely worth that bastard’s attention.”
After finishing his observation, Gold Tooth left Seongyeom, who couldn’t get up from the floor right away, and grabbed the bathroom door handle.
“Move your foot.”
“Ugh…”
“Fuck.”
After tapping the slender ankle of Seongyeom that was sticking out of the bathroom door, he suddenly got angry and kicked the ankle with all his might.
“Aaah!”
At the excruciating pain that made his vision flash white, Seongyeom bent his leg, and the man giggled as he closed and locked the rusty door with peeling red paint.
Bang!
“Urgh…”
Such tremendous pain flooded in that he wondered if his ankle was broken. Seongyeom curled up his body desperately. Even in the midst of this, he flailed both arms and tried to crawl to the corner to somehow escape. The man swept his upper teeth with his tongue at Seongyeom’s movement.
“I’m kind of weak for pretty things like you.”
The man approached closely and crouched down so that his leather jacket fluttered. The eyes revealed below the sunglasses gleamed with madness.
“I can’t control myself because I want to destroy you even more miserably.”
The murky voice scraped against his ear. The man slowly reached out and wiped away the sweat flowing down Seongyeom’s cheek. His index finger slowly traced from the temple down to the jawline.
When Seongyeom’s shoulders flinched and trembled, the man smiled so wide his molars showed.
“If you’re going to resent anyone, blame Kwon Siwon.”
The man pulled out a heavily rusted knife from inside his leather jacket. Seongyeom’s eyes widened. Tears like chicken droppings poured down from his reddened eyes.
Fuck…
That’s why I said we should order delivery at home…!
