69
“Now, Eundo, say goodbye to hyung.”
“I’ll be going?”
Eundo, who greeted with a rising intonation, slipped into the van. There was his usual seat, but someone was sitting there, so he paused for a moment. The kid who was sitting there seemed to feel it too and pointed to his seat, asking “Want to sit here, Eundo?” Eundo looked at that kid and said “Mm-hmm” while finding another seat. It was a window seat with the window slightly open.
Sitting there, Eundo stuck out his small hand and waved at Taein.
He was waving hello, but the window was opened so narrowly that his hand couldn’t even move. It just looked like one small hand was stuck in the window gap.
Taein stepped back and chuckled.
“Have a good trip.”
“We’ll be going.”
The teacher closed the door and made eye contact with Taein. Taein, who had stepped back, also bowed his head and greeted the teacher. The car soon departed and the distance quickly grew, but Taein just stood there quietly for a while. It was something he always did. Watching until the van was out of sight. Only after the car completely disappeared did Taein turn around.
There had been many twists and turns before Eundo could attend kindergarten. First of all, there were no kindergartens that operated cars to here. When he inquired about places that looked like they had good facilities, they would often show reluctance, saying “That neighborhood is a bit… you know. It’s not good for the children’s emotional well-being either.” Even if a young guy lived alone, he received strange looks, so how much more so for a child living in this neighborhood? Each time, Taein responded with understanding and hung up the phone.
The kindergarten Eundo currently attends was one he learned about thanks to the babysitter ajumma.
“Bachelor, a car comes all the way here,” she said, transferring the call so he could speak with the kindergarten director. At that time, Taein was anxious. Although Eundo had started talking early, he didn’t know how else to teach him. No matter how much he embraced and protected Eundo, he needed peers his age and good teachers. What meaning would there be in days spent cooped up in a narrow studio room just waiting for hyung? Fortunately, the kindergarten said they would accept Eundo, and they conveyed that car service was also possible.
It’s been a year since he started attending kindergarten like that. Eundo adapted well to kindergarten life and was said to be popular among his friends. Although he was the tallest in a class of same-age children, he only played with smaller friends. He didn’t know how much he laughed at that.
It was because he seemed to know what Eundo was thinking.
Eundo probably mistook the smaller friends for cats or puppies.
Living in a studio room on the outskirts, the ones Eundo became close with weren’t peers but stray dogs and alley cats. At first he was scared and avoided them, but while feeding them together, he formed strong bonds with the animals. Especially, Eundo was particularly attached to a stray dog called ‘Jolgu.’ He treasured the name ‘Jolgu’ that Taein had casually given and kept calling it.
‘Hyung… gone… Jolgu is gone….’
Eundo was the only one worried about the stray dog that hadn’t been seen for several days.
At that time, Taein lied that Jolgu had gone to Seoul, that he’d entered a luxury doghouse in Seoul.
Even Taein, who usually didn’t embellish his words, couldn’t bring himself to say the dog had died.
A week ago, he came down with rice mixed in soup as usual, but besides Jolgu, one more person was approaching. It was Jang Ihwan. Since he was a guy who had come more than ten times, he wasn’t greatly surprised. Taein only glanced at Jang Ihwan roughly and put down Jolgu’s food on the ground. It was fine until Jolgu approached and ate his food slurping. But Jang Ihwan suddenly pushed Taein’s body, breaking the brief peace.
‘Hey, don’t you answer your phone? You make me come all the way here, fuck? Do you think I’m some errand boy?’
‘I didn’t answer because there was no reason to answer. I sent this month’s money the day before yesterday.’
‘Fucking hyung bastard. Who are you to judge whether there’s a reason or not? Fuck, should I raise the interest more?’
‘…What’s your business? Just tell me your business.’
‘Hey, are you matching me? Where did you learn such manners, fuck.’
Jang Ihwan usually spoke with a grin, but that day he looked extremely agitated. Maybe he came all the way here to vent his anger. Taein just looked at him with sunken eyes.
‘Fuck, know your place. Huh? You’re destined to get your holes fucked and die anyway, but you’re being so stubborn.’
Whether he was angry or not, what Jang Ihwan said was similar every time. You’ll get fucked anyway, so come out obediently. There’s a fucking good spot for you at Jam. Taein had heard such words until his ears were calloused, so there was no change in his expression. Only Jang Ihwan became more twisted at that face. Still, there was usually no major excitement, but Jang Ihwan that day was a bit different. He appeared with anger reaching the top of his head and remained in a similar state until he left.
‘Hey, you fucking hyung bastard. Are you ignoring me too?’
It was when Jang Ihwan pushed Taein’s shoulder hard enough to make a sound.
Jolgu, who had been eating beside them, bit and hung onto Jang Ihwan’s pants.
‘This fucking dog bastard. Ugh.’
When Jang Ihwan shook his leg violently and threw Jolgu, Jolgu hit his head against the distant wall. His body drooped and he couldn’t even get up. Taein immediately approached and checked his condition, but Jolgu only stretched his limbs once and closed his eyes. Even when he put his hand on his chest, there was no heartbeat he could feel.
After causing such an incident in an instant, Jang Ihwan spoke as if Jolgu didn’t matter at all.
‘Hey, don’t think I can’t do it because I don’t. Do you think it’s hard to bury you in Jam? Yeah, endure it. It’s fun when you endure. Send fifty more today. So I can buy gum?’
Such unreasonable demands. Ridiculous threats. It wasn’t the first time anymore. Taein thought about how to send 500,000 won while keeping his hand on Jolgu’s chest. Several times, he had tried reporting to the police and ignoring such unreasonable provocations, but each time only greater hardships came.
Somehow Jang Ihwan knew and went to Eundo’s kindergarten to buy the child chocolate and threatened the teachers. Of course, he didn’t buy chocolate with good intentions. He wanted to show him that he could go to the kid anytime if he wanted to.
Would common sense work on such a person?
Even to Taein, who was uneducated, Jang Ihwan was a lacking human being. He stirred up Juhang relying only on his father’s backing, and on days when he was occasionally ignored by Jang Heungcheol, he would rage even more wildly. To such a Jang Ihwan, Taein was a means of proof. He wanted to prove through Taein that he was such a competent son.
In the past, Jang Heungcheol had served prison time for kidnapping and employing a male Omega who was just passing by on the street, but since moving to Juhang, he rarely did conspicuous or dangerous things.
He put subordinates, employees, and Jang Ihwan forward while staying behind himself.
That’s why Jang Ihwan started appearing in front of Taein instead of Jang Heungcheol, who liked Taein.
On the surface, words were exchanged regarding borrowed money, but looking at the content, that wasn’t it.
Jang Ihwan always told Taein that <Jam> was the only way for hyung to survive.
He said everyone would be comfortable if he sold his hole and made money with his hole.
A way for everyone to be comfortable. A way to eat well and live well.
In front of Taein, who showed negative reactions, Jang Ihwan sneered asking if his body was that precious, but Taein wasn’t being like that because he treasured his mere body.
There was something holding him back from selling his body disgracefully. Because of Eundo. He couldn’t make such a choice for fear that Eundo, who already had a low-level father, would become more ashamed. If he didn’t sleep and worked his body to pieces, he could still get through a month. If he got through one month, he could live another month the same way. Taein had been earning money thinking only that thought every month. Then time passed somehow, and strength to live each day was given.
That was the current best option.
* * *
After sending Eundo to kindergarten, Taein fell asleep on a topper that smelled like a baby. Since he went out to work in the evening, he had to sleep during the day. Today Taein had successfully sent Eundo to school and received an order on his way home from work, so he was in a good mood. Although unpleasant thoughts interfered intermittently, looking at just the conclusion, it was a decent day. Taein, who had been sleeping soundly, opened his eyes because of a ringing sound.
In case there might be a call from a business partner, he usually left his phone on ring mode even when sleeping. Taein groped around with his eyes closed. When he soon checked the phone that caught his hand, a familiar name was displayed. <Boss Bae Seongjin>. Since he was a boss who operated two karaoke places and also had a small establishment in Dog Alley, he was a VIP customer to Taein. Taein, who got up urgently, answered the phone.
“Yes, hello. Boss.”
– Taein, how much alcohol did you put in the center on the 11th?
“Ah, the 11th? Uh, wait a moment.”
Boss Bae Seongjin called his Dog Alley establishment the ‘center.’ Taein, who tactfully caught on, rummaged through his phone memo to find the transaction volume for the 11th. Various types went in including beer, whiskey, and Japanese alcohol, which was no different from usual. It was just work where he only needed to put in alcohol appropriately distributed once a week according to the total monthly volume, so there shouldn’t be any problems. After briefly considering various thoughts, Taein recited the delivery details first.
“Boss, on the 11th, only eight boxes of Cass went in. Two boxes of Scotch, three boxes of Imperial went in. One box of sake went in.”
– Did you check all the conditions?
“Conditions? Ah, yes. They’re all alcohol that came in not long ago, so the condition should be good. Was there some kind of problem?”
– No, shit. My store’s alcohol caused group food poisoning. Yesterday it was just one guy so I let it pass, but today seven kids brought medical certificates. They even brought medical certificates saying herbicide components were found at the hospital…. I might have to close the center at this rate. Are you sure there were really no problems?
“Ah…. Boss, then I’ll go to the store now. You’re at the store, right?”
– Yeah, come and at least take a look. I’m very disappointed. I didn’t accept alcohol from experienced guys and made a contract with you, Taein, because I thought at least these kinds of problems wouldn’t occur. If alcohol management isn’t done properly, there’s no reason to contract with you.
“Ah, yes. I’m sorry, boss. I’ll retrieve the alcohol again and speak to the warehouse. I’m sorry.”
It was a situation where his business relationship with Boss Bae Seongjin might be cut off. Taein said he was sorry while even kneeling. Although no one was watching, his head naturally bowed and strength entered his kneeling knees. As soon as Taein hung up the phone, he changed his clothes. He usually went outside in the late afternoon, but today it seemed like he needed to hurry to work.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
