“Huh?”
I said to Sung Woo-jae, who was staring blankly.
“Write down the address.”
At my brief command, he wrote down the address dejectedly, as if devastated that his eye smile didn’t work.
***
After that incident, I braced myself to be fired from the convenience store. Of course, I also said I would definitely repay the damages even if it took time. But the boss said what compensation when I almost had a disaster happen while working. He reassured me that regarding the convenience store’s financial damage, they decided to proceed with insurance processing after consulting with headquarters.
“But hyung.”
Jun-il said while chewing on buttered grilled squid.
“About that person Jung Hyun-wook. Are you two really close?”
I’m getting asked a lot today if I’m close with Jung Hyun-wook. What does being close even mean? In elementary school, when I held hands with Jun-seok from next door and went to school together for all 6 years, I think I thought we were close.
In middle school, I broke off with Jun-seok. Because Jun-seok’s grandmother cursed my mother as a loose woman and wouldn’t let Jun-seok and me play together.
Are Jong-hwa and I close? To say that kid and I are close… he didn’t even acknowledge me at school.
Instead, he earns my tuition to the point of breaking his back, worries about my meals on his days off and fills the refrigerator full, and though he looks like someone who wouldn’t get a drop of water on his hands, he always takes charge of the dishes. But it’s a bit inappropriate to say we’re close.
We’re just family. It’s a bit strange to say siblings are close. Siblings just exist. They’re just there in whatever form. So being close is something only elementary schoolers who hold hands to school would say.
“No. We’re not close.”
“Not close? But you do that even though you’re not close…”
He muttered something to himself.
“But aren’t you leaving?”
“I told you. I’m worried for the time being, so we’re working the night shift in pairs.”
“But why did you suddenly ask that?”
“Well… that hyung looked kind of rich.”
My eyes, which had been checking the inventory list, turned toward Jun-il.
“Jung Hyun-wook?”
I remember hearing something similar before.
‘Hey, but is he really a dragon in a stream? Not a dragon ascending with a wish-granting jewel?’
I had déjà vu. Why did Jong-hwa say something like that?
“Why did you think that?”
“That hyung, the way he carries himself is kind of… classy.”
My eyebrows went up. This was Jung Hyun-wook who always went around in only a black hoodie zip-up and black cap.
“Isn’t it just because he’s handsome that he looks that way?”
Jun-il suddenly grabbed his stomach and laughed.
“No, this hyung is suddenly saying something funny. Can’t I distinguish between a handsome face and looking rich? I always tell our regular real estate ahjussi that he’s exactly the nouveau riche style, so would that ahjussi be like that because he’s handsome? That ahjussi is bald! It’s just that there’s nothing from head to toe that isn’t designer. Even his wig is expensive.”
Even though I don’t know designer goods, I know what Jung Hyun-wook wears isn’t expensive.
“Whatever. Even if that hyung is rich, what does that have to do with me?”
Jun-il finished chewing the squid and changed the channel. It was a small TV he brought from home. The remote stopped on a news screen.
“Hyung, did you know that’s the building right next to us?”
The news was showing a cleaning worker protest scene. People holding various picket signs were gathered in one side of the lobby. In the corner of the blocked lobby, there were also people napping on the cold floor. Most were older women. Around them, burly security staff were blocking contact with the outside.
“That’s the building of the most famous law firm in our country. But for the past few days, people have been gathering in front of the building, police are coming, it’s chaos. The cleaning people are protesting. Something about illegal dismissal? Isn’t it funny? There are so many lawyers inside that building, yet it’s illegal.”
My heart suddenly started pounding. My eyes quickly traced through the news screen.
— Currently, entry to the Songrim Law Firm building is restricted. As the overnight protest passes its third day, what’s tormenting the workers more than anything is food and cold. As electricity and heaters were cut off overnight, they’re continuing a difficult fight. Currently, Songrim’s position is that the subject of the cleaning worker dismissal is the subcontractor, and it has nothing to do with them.
I took out a piece of torn notebook paper from my pocket. It had the address Sung Woo-jae wrote down.
Gangnam-gu Onju-dong 35-9, Songrim Legal Building.
“Jun-il.”
I stood up from my seat with my eyes fixed on the news. I took off my convenience store vest and grabbed my bag.
“Something really urgent came up, so I think I need to go out now. I’m really sorry. I’ll fill in the time I’m missing today next time.”
Jun-il, who was chewing a squid leg, had a bewildered expression.
“Suddenly? Even the buses have stopped running now though?”
“It’s a place I can walk to. I’m going!”
After leaving the convenience store, I ran through the streets at full speed. The sharp wind dug into my face like an awl. The news screen I saw on TV wouldn’t leave my mind. I forcibly steadied my legs that kept wanting to collapse as strength drained from them. My eyes turned bright red from the cold wind.
When my breath rose to my chin, I saw people gathered. Past midnight, the streets were deserted, making the destination easier to find.
Songrim Legal Building.
The main entrance was chaotic. Security guards were blocking people’s entry. Loud voices and physical struggles were exchanged. There were family members trying to meet the workers inside and reporters occasionally talking to them. The interior was pitch black as if the electricity had been cut off.
Compared to the footage on the news, the number of people had been reduced by half. There were far more security guards holding flashlights.
I passed the main entrance and secretly entered the flower bed. I walked toward the back parking lot. Conifer saplings scratched my cheek sharply as they passed. I quickened my steps. Swoosh swoosh— The sound of fabric brushing against densely grown branches was eerie.
Hiding at the corner of the building, I surveyed the front. I relied on the faint light from my phone. It seemed people hadn’t swarmed here. Then the security would be lax too.
“Fuck, what kind of chaos is this until dawn?”
“That’s what I’m saying. But well, we’re getting double the night shift pay, so it’s sweet for us.”
I heard the voices of two security guards. I quickly turned off my phone light. When the light went off, it was difficult to distinguish even an inch ahead.
“Only those ajummas are suffering. Hey, did you see that in the morning? They even clean up the coffee cups they throw away, and in the morning when the ajummas gave them flyers asking for help, they took them and threw them away. Right in front of them. If they’re going to do that, they shouldn’t have taken them at all.”
“If they’re upset, they should become lawyers.”
The man giggled. Then, with the sound of a lighter being struck, two trails of smoke rose side by side into the darkness. That was the entrance.
I just needed to get inside somehow. I had to go in and find Jung Hyun-wook. Jung Hyun-wook’s phone had been turned off for two days. He was definitely inside there.
I put on the hood of my jacket and pulled the string tight. Then I ran to the entrance as if bouncing.
“Huh? What. Hey… there… stop there!”
The men who hurriedly put out their cigarettes followed. I ran through the darkness. The soles made an unpleasant squeaking sound as they slipped on the marble floor. I briefly hid my body in a corner gap.
“Who is it? Did you see?”
“Shit, I don’t know. I didn’t see. Hey, turn on the flashlight.”
The light thoroughly scoured the floor. I held my breath and quietly took off my shoes. I rummaged through my bag and pulled out whatever I could grab. It was a plastic clip for holding books together. I threw it hard toward the passage leading to the lobby and ran in the opposite direction.
“Hey! What’s that sound?”
“Over there! Follow me.”
It was when I was running toward whatever door I could see in the darkness where I couldn’t tell exactly where I was.
A man’s hand suddenly caught me from behind as if pouncing and covered my mouth. Thud— There was a sound of bodies colliding. He restrained my body like catching a large ball rushing at him.
For a moment, my body froze with extreme fear. My legs gave out, and strong hands firmly supported my collapsing body. I was dragged as is to the emergency stairwell.
I trembled with my forehead against the cold wall. As I gasped for rough breaths, I slowly came to my senses.
The large hand wrapped around my waist. The refreshing scent brushing my nose. The chin pressing down on the top of my head.
“…Jung… Hyun-wook…?”
Jung Hyun-wook hugged my suddenly relaxed body even tighter.
