“You know you don’t have anyone to blabber to about this, but if you so much as mention it to a stranger, even briefly, you’ll end up encased in cement.”
“Oh dear?”
“Everything about this meeting must stay between just you and me. Understood?”
“Yes.”
Director Hwang stared into Seonwook’s eyes for a while.
“I’ll tell the front desk you’re my errand runner, so just say that when you come. But even if you come, there’s no guarantee you’ll make it up to this room. If I’m not available, you just leave. Come back the same time next week. Don’t even think about making a fuss and refusing to leave—I’ll make sure they handle you roughly.”
“Then… wouldn’t it be better to call ahead and check if it’s okay? Should I give you my phone number?”
“I won’t have any reason to call you.”
“What’s that? That’s inefficient. You’re just going to send away someone who came all this way?”
“Do you think I’d adjust my schedule for you?”
“I don’t know. Oh, I’m curious too. What kind of person are you, Director?”
Director Hwang lifted his foot from the T-shirt.
“Get out.”
“Yes.”
Seonwook picked up his T-shirt and stood up.
“What?”
Director Hwang sighed deeply, causing Seonwook to pause as he was putting his arm through the sleeve and turn around.
Director Hwang was staring intently at Seonwook’s bare back.
“Ah, is it cool?”
Seonwook tried to casually finish putting on his T-shirt, but Director Hwang stood up and took it off again.
“Again?”
Director Hwang gripped Seonwook’s shoulders and examined his back.
“Did the gas station owner do this too?”
“I did this myself. Well, not exactly—I had a friend do it.”
“What?”
“I wanted a tattoo, but I didn’t have the money.”
“What…?”
Director Hwang seemed at a loss for words.
Seonwook obediently stood with his back turned, recalling the large, crooked letters carved across his back.
So
m
e
th
ing
like
this
Letters etched with a dull knife. After about three months, they had faded into dark scars.
“You wanted… to get a tattoo like this?”
Director Hwang asked quietly after a moment.
“Yes.”
“What does it mean?”
“It’s just a collection of letters I like.”
Director Hwang let out a small sigh.
“You really are out of your mind.”
Seonwook turned around.
“Done looking? Can I put my clothes back on?”
Director Hwang gestured vaguely, as if to say “do as you please,” and walked toward the desk.
“Next time I come, I’ll bring some fruit. It’s rude to visit someone empty-handed. But is this your house, or what?”
“Take this with you.”
Director Hwang had come closer and tossed a thick envelope onto the sofa. It was the envelope Seonwook had given him earlier instead of the original one.
“What was this again?”
Seonwook, now fully dressed, pulled out half of what was inside the envelope. It was a few old, coiled cables that he had no idea what to use for.
“Is this some relic from the Joseon Dynasty?”
“Get out.”
Seonwook, who had been mocking Deokman, quickly grabbed his skateboard and headed for the door. As he was about to open it, he turned around and saw Director Hwang leaning against the hallway wall, watching him like a guard.
“If possible, let’s fuck next time.”
“Get out.”
“Ah, but you still haven’t told me your name. You know everything about me. Isn’t that a bit unfair?”
“Do you want to get beaten up and dragged out?”
Seonwook made a face as if to say “I can’t help it” and opened the door.
“Since you’re not my director, it’s weird to keep calling you Director, so for now, I’ll call you Hwang-sil. Short for Hwang Siljang.”
Director Hwang turned away as if it wasn’t worth responding and walked back to his desk.
“See you next week, Hwang-sil.”
Seonwook called out to him and left the room.
“Ah, I like it. Hwang-sil.”
As he walked down the long hallway, Seonwook muttered to himself contentedly.
“Hwang-sil… Hwang-sil…”
As soon as he got into the elevator, Seonwook took out a notebook and pencil from his back pocket.
***
Oh yeah
Flower
A flower named Hwang-sil
How absurdly
Real you are
Oh, Hwang-sil
***
Seonwook, who had scribbled it down in one go, read it over with a satisfied expression. The inspiration had struck like lightning, and after writing it down in one fluid motion, it seemed perfect without needing any revisions.
As expected, Director Hwang was a source of inspiration.
With a pleased expression, Seonwook titled it “Our Hwang-sil” and put the pencil and notebook back in his pocket.
***
The following Thursday, when Seonwook went to the hotel, the front desk staff told him,
“Director is unavailable today due to another appointment.”
“Here, take one.”
Seonwook took a bottle from the gift set of juices he had brought and handed it to the staff before turning away.
The next week, when he went again,
“He’s out right now.”
“Hmm.”
Seonwook took another bottle from the box he had brought the previous week and handed it to the staff.
“Do you know where he went?”
The staff, who had taken the juice bottle, gave a professional smile.
“He doesn’t disclose his destinations one by one.”
“When will he be back?”
“We don’t know the exact time.”
“Didn’t he leave any memo?”
“No.”
“Director Hwang’s phone number seems to have changed. Can you confirm if this is correct? Zero-one-zero, one-eight-one-eight…”
“Ah, we only contact him via internal calls, so we don’t have his personal number.”
“Ah, I see.”
Seonwook, resigned, bowed slightly and left the hotel.
After leaving the hotel courtyard, Seonwook stopped and turned around to look up at the hotel building. He tried to guess where Director Hwang’s room window would be, recalling the path from the elevator to his room, but there was no way to see inside the window from that height.
Is he just ignoring me from inside?
Can’t he at least show his face? I miss him. I haven’t been able to get proper inspiration lately.
But why? Is he still a bit wary? Or is he testing how sincere I am?
Or… did he investigate me again? Properly this time?
If that’s the case…
Seonwook frowned. The third scenario was not welcome at all.
After pondering for a moment, Seonwook shook his head slightly.
If Hwang-sil was pissed, he’d come find me and beat the shit out of me for lying, not avoid me like this.
Yeah, that’s right.
Feeling a bit reassured, Seonwook went back inside the hotel with his board.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
