“Sorry.”
Munyeong had the car idling in front of the building, speaking into the phone in a subdued voice.
— Ah. I was thinking we could grab some meat together, it’s been a while. I got my incentive bonus yesterday, you know?
“I’m really sorry.”
Shin Juho, who had come all the way to the front of the building, grumbled with displeasure. Munyeong fumbled helplessly, apologetic about the effort Juho had made to come out.
— Just how much does this company work you? Yesterday you finished insanely late too.
“…The work increased a bit. But it looks like I’ll be making a little more money.”
— Really? How much?
“I’m not sure of the details yet…. Once I get my pay, I’ll treat you to meat.”
Munyeong said it with a faint smile. Just then, the back door swung open and Haejeong dropped himself into the seat. Munyeong startled and hurried to end the call.
“I’ll hang up for now. See you at home.”
To a degree that made his earlier refusal feel pointless, Munyeong had by now grown used to the driver’s seat, and he checked on Haejeong, now settled in the back, through the rearview mirror.
“Where… shall I take you?”
He asked carefully, but Haejeong didn’t seem particularly interested in that.
“…You got a rock-solid boyfriend waiting at home or something.”
“Pardon, pardon…?”
Munyeong asked back with a baffled expression at the words thrown out of nowhere, but Haejeong, as if he had nothing more to add on the subject, kicked the back of the driver’s seat and opened his mouth with displeasure.
“From now on, my schedule goes to your phone… actually, can’t you get a new phone?”
“Pardon?”
“Who uses a thing like that these days. My schedule’s going to be sent to your number going forward — can you even read it on that piece of junk?”
It was a sudden barrage of criticism, but it wasn’t wrong. His phone model was embarrassingly behind by any modern standard.
“And.”
But apparently there was more to criticize, because he continued.
“Are you going to keep showing up in those rags?”
Compared to the way they were dressed, humble clothes were one thing — but to that degree…. Munyeong looked down at his own outfit with an uncomfortable expression.
“…It’s not like I can show up in a suit either….”
He didn’t have enough clothes to change into something different every day, and showing up to clean an office in a suit would look ridiculous anyway.
“I’m not asking you to go that far.”
Haejeong cut him off coldly, as though telling him not to be dramatic.
“Forget it — stop by Cheongdam-dong first.”
Munyeong pulled out before Haejeong could find anything else to criticize.
**
The place he stopped at was a men’s-only brand clothing store in Cheongdam-dong. He’d said it was a work errand. Is shopping a work errand? But Munyeong said nothing and followed behind him.
The moment Haejeong walked in, the staff from the two-floor building went into something like a state of emergency, every single one of them converging on the ground floor. They lined up on both sides and bowed in welcome.
“Welcome.”
They all clearly knew who he was. A moment later, a composed middle-aged man of considerable age emerged from the back of the store where the staff room was, and attended to Haejeong with impeccable deference.
“There must have been a miscommunication. We didn’t receive word that you’d be coming today…. If we’d known in advance, we wouldn’t have taken other customers. My sincerest apologies.”
The store manager couldn’t quite hide his flustered expression as he explained himself.
“I didn’t call ahead. Don’t make a fuss.”
“Pardon?”
“No need to go overboard. Just — roughly. Pick out a few decent, clean things. Bring them by color.”
“Ah, yes. If it’s for you to wear, we have pieces from our not-yet-released collection that—”
“Ah. Not for me — for him.”
Haejeong gave a careless tilt of his head toward Munyeong, who was standing vacantly some distance behind him.
“…Pardon?”
The manager blinked blankly for a moment, as though only now registering that someone else was even there.
“Do I have to say it twice?”
Haejeong stared at him with irritation at his failure to move quickly. Not wanting to upset him, the manager smoothed away his blank look and asked with professional courtesy, “Of course not. Shall I prepare pieces to fit the gentleman in the back?” Haejeong had been right.
“M, me…?”
This time it was Munyeong’s turn — he’d been staring blankly around the enormous store and now asked back in confusion.
“No, I — I don’t have money….”
Munyeong waved his hands and stumbled over his words. Honest living or not, he didn’t have money to buy multiple pieces of clothing at a place that was clearly beyond expensive. He understood the comment about his clothes, but being pressured to buy at a place like this….
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
Haejeong watched him flapping his hands and making a scene, and shook his head with a look of weary disbelief, the corner of his mouth pulling upward.
“Stop making a fuss and just give them your size. We’ll buy something and go.”
“…Pardon?”
“Try wearing those kinds of rags in front of me again, go ahead.”
Haejeong issued the threat plainly. In other words: it looked awful, and he was going to buy something in Munyeong’s place.
“Ah, no, I really—”
“I’m not telling you to wear a shirt or anything like that, just dress cleanly. Throw out all that worn-out stuff.”
He looked down at the flannel check shirt Munyeong was wearing as though it were something unsanitary.
“Even so, buying something this expensive for me….”
“What, should I deduct it from your salary then?”
“Pardon…?”
“If you don’t want that, take it quietly. I’m not forcing anything on you — consider it a reasonable workplace benefit.”
He said it with an air of can’t-be-bothered indifference and sat down on the waiting sofa, crossing his legs. He leaned back deep into it, one leg crossed over the other and dangling idly, and left Munyeong to flounder without a word. It was the store manager who came to Munyeong’s rescue. Practically escorted away by the manager’s practiced smile, Munyeong looked back at Haejeong — who had his eyes closed, settled into the sofa.
**
Munyeong looked down at the shopping bags that had been piled into his arms with a bewildered expression. Just how many are there? More than he could count — every color, bought without hesitation. Haejeong, having paid for all of them, stared at Munyeong with irritation, as if asking what he was standing there like an idiot for. The store manager smiled with satisfaction and walked them out, bowing so deeply his face might as well have been touching the floor.
“Really… all of this for me….”
“You’re going to be following me around — you want to do that in rags every single day?”
“…But I haven’t actually accepted your offer yet….”
“Now you’re changing your story?”
Munyeong opened and closed his mouth with a genuinely aggrieved expression. He truly had never formally agreed to anything. He’d reluctantly come along after hearing Haejeong’s reasoning for not easily trusting people around him — but that didn’t mean he was prepared to set aside the work he was already doing and formally take on the role of attending to Haejeong.
“I also have a job I’m already doing.”
“Who said anything about that. Keep doing it.”
“…I’m not smart enough to understand the kind of work you do anyway.”
“I don’t expect professional work support from you.”
“Then….”
“You just have to come when I need you.”
“…….”
