Chapter 59
“You do a lot of different jobs. Did you learn all of that?”
“I ended up doing it while helping my dad and brother. But I’m not good at factory work, so my dad and brother handle most of those issues.”
“Isn’t it dangerous? How long do you have to stay there?”
“About two days. We usually produce a lot during the vacation season, so I go help out once in a while. These days, machines do most of the work, so it’s not dangerous.”
“That’s good then… But I’m a bit curious.”
“About what? The factory?”
Joo Kwon-oh made a deflating sound as if he’d heard something ridiculous.
I nodded. But rather than being curious about the factory, I was more interested in what Joo Kwon-oh did there.
Although he said he wasn’t good at the work, he had skillfully fixed a wobbly desk in my studio apartment not too long ago.
“Anyway, don’t starve yourself for two days while I’m gone.”
“I won’t…”
“Why did you suddenly become so gloomy?”
“I don’t know.”
I answered listlessly, rolling the candy in my mouth.
The thought of spending two days without Joo Kwon-oh suddenly made me lose all motivation.
The hard and cold sensation of the ring I felt every time I moved my hand acted like a support, lifting me up when I felt like falling to the ground.
“Anyway, I’ll finish quickly and come back. You should go in and sleep early tonight too.”
Joo Kwon-oh stood up from the swing, checking the time.
“How will you get to your family home? There won’t be any buses at this time.”
“I’ll take a taxi.”
Usually, we would have stayed up late at home, fooling around or eating late-night snacks.
I understood that he had to go straight home to help with his father’s work, but I couldn’t help feeling disappointed.
“Go inside. I’ll contact you tomorrow.”
Joo Kwon-oh said as he walked me to the common entrance leading to the studio apartment stairs.
“…You have to let go for me to go in.”
Despite telling me to go, Joo Kwon-oh was still holding my hand and not letting go.
“You’re right.”
Grinning, he pushed me against the wall and took the lollipop out of my mouth. Then he slowly kissed me.
Ah. We shouldn’t do this outside.
Although a warning light went off in my head, I couldn’t push him away.
Expecting my head to soon touch the cold wall, I wrapped my arms around his neck, but Joo Kwon-oh’s warm hand cradled my head.
We kissed in the dark corner of the studio apartment building that led to the corridor. I could taste the candy on Joo Kwon-oh’s breath and the tip of his tongue.
Right. Two days should be fine. Thinking that, I hugged Joo Kwon-oh tightly while our lips were still connected.
It feels good because his embrace is warm. I think I’d enjoy being in Joo Kwon-oh’s arms even under the scorching midsummer sun.
“Ha, now hurry up and go inside.”
I shook my head without releasing my arms from around him. I didn’t want to separate. How did I manage without Joo Kwon-oh before? I can’t even remember.
Joo Kwon-oh, who had told me to go inside, ended up resting his chin on the top of my head and hugging me even tighter.
With my face buried in Joo Kwon-oh’s chest, inhaling his scent, I came up with a pretty good idea. I looked up and met Joo Kwon-oh’s eyes.
“Can I watch you get into a taxi on the main street before I go in?”
“No. It’s too late.”
“It’s not even a five-minute walk from here anyway.”
I wanted to call a taxi to the front of the studio apartment and see Joo Kwon-oh off, but the alley was too narrow for cars to come through. We always had to go out to the main street to catch a taxi, which was inconvenient.
“Just go in now.”
Joo Kwon-oh shook his head firmly.
“No, I don’t want to.”
“Tsk. If I take a taxi, you’ll have to walk back here alone. It’s dangerous.”
“Kwon-oh, I’m a man too…”
I muttered as if in disbelief.
“Who said you weren’t?”
“So, I mean, who would harm a man like me on the street? Even if it’s night.”
“They would. If a peach like Ryu Jeong-ha is rolling around on the street, those bastards will have their eyes lit up trying to pick you up.”
“Don’t joke around.”
“I’m serious.”
“I’m serious too. I want to watch you get in a taxi before I go home.”
“Ah, what should I do with this stubborn person?”
Joo Kwon-oh sighed. Someone might think he was leaving for overseas. Is it really something to be this emotional about?
But my heart was that emotional, which surprised even me.
Since Joo Kwon-oh always saw me off, this time I was determined to watch him leave.
Time was getting late, and Joo Kwon-oh probably couldn’t delay his departure indefinitely.
“……”
“……”
As we were engaged in a silent battle of wills in the middle of the night, unable to break each other’s stubbornness, we heard the sound of the studio apartment’s common entrance password being entered.
At the mechanical sound spreading through the corridor, we quickly separated from our tightly pressed bodies.
A resident living in the same studio apartment building looked us over with a wary gaze as we stood side by side in the corner of the entrance before going up.
Even after the resident unlocked their door and went inside, I still stood there without budging. Finally, Joo Kwon-oh sighed and spoke.
“I give up. Let’s go to the main street. We’ll end up staying out all night at this rate.”
“Yes!”
“Wait a bit. Let me call a taxi.”
Joo Kwon-oh turned on his phone app to call a taxi.
In the end, I was able to stubbornly walk to the main street that night and see Joo Kwon-oh off as he left in a taxi.
*
The next day.
[Joo Kwon-oh: On the bus heading to work now]
[Joo Kwon-oh: (photo)]
[Joo Kwon-oh: Have a good day at your part-time job later lol]
[Joo Kwon-oh: If that bastard boss tries anything funny, tell me right away lol]
Joo Kwon-oh sent a photo of himself in the car early in the morning, wearing a baseball cap pulled low. He was frowning deeply, as if he hadn’t slept well at night.
That KakaoTalk message breathed some life into my gloomy morning.
I had become so accustomed to Joo Kwon-oh being part of my daily life that spending a day alone felt excessively boring.
I ate a simple breakfast, brainstormed a bit for the new oil painting assignment for the second semester, and even had lunch, but there was still plenty of time left before I had to leave for my part-time job.
I tried lazing around in bed again, but that quickly became boring too. Since I had nothing to do at home anyway, I decided to go to work a little earlier than usual.
“Jeong-ha, you’re here. The order volume is crazy today. Quickly pack everything and attach the shipping labels.”
As soon as I arrived, the boss dumped the packaging work on me and disappeared into the storage room, saying he had to organize the inventory.
Since it wasn’t a time when many customers would be around, the alley where the shop was located was quiet, so I focused solely on packaging for a while.
After finishing all the smart store order quantities and dealing with customers who came in intermittently, I was given a brief moment of free time.
With the boss’s permission, I went out the back door of the store to smoke a cigarette and sent a KakaoTalk message to Joo Kwon-oh.
[Me: Are you very busy?]
[Me: (photo)]
[Me: What I packed today haha]
[Me: It’s a lot, right?]
I sent Joo Kwon-oh a photo of the boxes I had neatly stacked like a tower after finishing today’s packaging.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t an immediate reply. I couldn’t check my phone as I had to go back into the store, but an hour later, when the boss went out, I was finally able to check the new KakaoTalk messages.
[Joo Kwon-oh: Working]
[Joo Kwon-oh: Your boss is crazy]
[Joo Kwon-oh: Did you do all this alone]
[Joo Kwon-oh: ?]
After sending these messages, Joo Kwon-oh sent another curse about the boss exactly thirty minutes later.
[Joo Kwon-oh: Does that bastard think part-timers are slaves]
[Joo Kwon-oh: I didn’t like his face from the start]
How much must he have disliked it to curse again after thirty minutes?
Imagining Joo Kwon-oh frowning deeply and muttering curses as he sent the KakaoTalk messages made me laugh for some reason.
[Me: Calm down]
[Me: It’s actually better to be busy]
[Me: I’m bored without you ㅠㅠ]
This time, the 1 disappeared quickly. My expression brightened along with it.
[Joo Kwon-oh: Send me a photo]
It wasn’t a difficult request. I stood in front of the store mirror and took a selfie with my phone. I was used to it now and even knew how to make a shy V sign.
[Me: (photo)]
[Joo Kwon-oh: ㅋㅋㅋㅋ So cute]
[Joo Kwon-oh: One more]
[Me: No, I have to work now ㅠ]
[Joo Kwon-oh: Show your face clearly]
[Joo Kwon-oh: One more]
[Joo Kwon-oh: !!!!]
He was very insistent. His requests had become quite varied recently.
I checked that there were no customers outside and went back to the mirror. I took a photo with my face more zoomed in than the previous one. Although my expression was a bit stiff, I liked that the ring on my hand holding the phone was very visible, so I just sent it.
[Me: (photo)]
[Me: That’s it]
[Joo Kwon-oh: Send a photo of your lips]
My brow furrowed as soon as I saw the reply coming in real-time.
Ah, he’s really being a nuisance. If he went to help with work, doesn’t he have anything to do?
[Me: What do you mean a photo of my lips..]
[Joo Kwon-oh: So I can look at it before bed ㅋ]
[Me: No. Pervert]
[Me: You send a photo too]
Come to think of it, I had sent two photos, but I hadn’t received any from Joo Kwon-oh.
[Joo Kwon-oh: The site is messy]
[Joo Kwon-oh: It’s not really something I want to show]
Joo Kwon-oh, who always took and sent nice photos right away, was being evasive this time for some reason. It was a rare occurrence.
[Me: It’s okay]
[Me: Don’t be a freeloader]
[Me: Hurry]
[Joo Kwon-oh: Hmm]
[Joo Kwon-oh: Wait a moment]
Unable to resist my urging, Joo Kwon-oh replied.
Is the factory that messy? His reaction made me even more curious.
