27.
Knock knock.
Startled by the knocking on the door, Haseo opened his eyes to find it bright outside. Though it didn’t feel like he had slept, morning had arrived in the meantime. Haseo quickly got up and opened the door. Normally Choi Mujin never rushed him even when he was late, so the fact that he was knocking made Haseo wonder if something had happened.
Mujin was standing in front of the open door with his usual expression. He didn’t seem particularly angry, but he was always difficult to read. Haseo asked with a tense expression.
“Did I wake up too late?”
“No, you’re not particularly late.”
Really? Turning to look at the clock, he saw the short hand pointing to 10 o’clock.
‘But I am late?’
He needed to act as normal as possible to avoid suspicion. This was already the second time this month he had overslept. Although Mujin hadn’t said anything, Haseo was too scared to bear it. What if someday everything was discovered and he was thrown out? Or since Mujin was the type of person who dealt with such matters, he might even kill Haseo. After imagining the worst scenarios, he felt like all the blood was draining from his body.
“I’m sorry! I’ll absolutely never oversleep again. I’m really sorry.”
Haseo immediately bowed his head in apology. He felt cold sweat running down his spine. While he was standing like that for a while, suddenly something touched his back. It was Mujin’s hand. As soon as he realized this, his body stiffened like stone.
‘Am I being punished?’
If so, in what way would he be punished? Was he going to hit him? As he trembled with these thoughts, the hand that touched him gently stroked his back.
‘That can’t be right.’
Mujin’s hand felt affectionate. After stroking his back a few times, the hand pulled away without hesitation. Then he spoke.
“Your clothes?”
“…My clothes?”
Only then did Haseo recall that he had fallen asleep after taking off his t-shirt.
“I’ve noticed you often kick off the blanket while sleeping. You should at least wear clothes to bed.”
Only then did Haseo straighten up and look at Mujin.
“I do that?”
“Yes. So put on some clothes.”
Nodding as if hypnotized, Haseo turned and went into his room. Then he took out clothes from a box placed in the corner and put them on. Since he hadn’t closed the door, Mujin noticed this and asked.
“Don’t you use the closet?”
“I used it at first.”
“And then?”
“It was too big.”
He didn’t have many clothes, so they didn’t even fill a quarter of the closet. Looking at that made him feel strange, so he recently took the clothes out again. He found a box and neatly folded the remaining clothes into it. He might be kicked out someday anyway. This might even be better. What’s the point of getting too comfortable with what was given only to be left with regrets later? But he couldn’t tell Mujin this directly, so he was vague.
“I see.”
Mujin nodded as if he understood.
“Are these your going-out clothes?”
“Yes.”
Since he had fallen asleep without even changing his pants. When Haseo nodded, Mujin said.
“Then we can go out like this?”
“That’s fine.”
He could go to the market in this state. Of course, he still needed to wash his face and brush his teeth since he hadn’t cleaned up yet.
“Then let’s go.”
“What?”
“Let’s go out.”
“W-wait a moment. I need to wash up first!”
The neighborhood market wasn’t just any simple market. By Haseo’s standards, it was a place where wealthy people gathered. Even if the clothes couldn’t be helped, he couldn’t go there in this state.
“I’ll get ready quickly!”
Haseo dashed into the bathroom. Thinking that Mujin was waiting, he washed quickly, and everything was finished in less than 10 minutes. After roughly drying himself, he came out to find Mujin sitting on the bed waiting. For a moment, he remembered the phone hidden under the sheets and his heart sank.
“Are you done washing?”
Fortunately, Mujin hadn’t found the phone and wasn’t questioning him about it.
“Yes.”
“Your hair isn’t fully dry.”
“It’ll dry quickly while we’re out.”
“You’ll catch a cold that way.”
Mujin looked at Haseo and beckoned with his finger. Following his gesture, Haseo stood in front of him, and Mujin pointed to the floor below the bed. Obediently sitting down as instructed, Mujin went to get a towel and began drying his hair. Though he wasn’t skilled at it, he was strong, so Haseo’s neck swayed with every movement of the towel. It was difficult, but Haseo endured it because he liked that Mujin was taking care of him.
“Done.”
“Thank you.”
Haseo stood up with a broad smile. After putting away the towel, he went outside with Mujin. As the season was getting colder, he wore his old jacket properly. The market wasn’t far to walk to anyway.
‘But why does he suddenly want to go to the market?’
Did he want to buy something? While Haseo was glancing at Mujin, a car stopped in front of them and Park Dongsu got out.
“Here it is.”
Park Dongsu approached Mujin and handed him the car keys he was holding.
“Good work.”
“Not at all. Please call me anytime.”
After that exchange, unlike usual, Mujin sat in the driver’s seat.
‘Huh?’
Confused by the sudden situation, Haseo rolled his eyes.
“Lee Haseo-ssi, you can sit over there.”
Park Dongsu kindly informed the confused Haseo what to do.
“What? Oh, yes.”
As he moved according to Dongsu’s instructions, he heard his voice from behind.
“Enjoy your date!”
Date? Did he say date? Haseo stopped in his tracks, surprised by Dongsu’s words. Isn’t that a misunderstanding? Why would Mujin go on a date with him? But before Haseo could say anything, Dongsu walked away with long strides.
“What are you doing not getting in?”
In an instant, only Mujin and Haseo were left.
“I’m getting in.”
Haseo rubbed his now reddened cheeks and sat next to Mujin.
“Don’t forget to fasten your seatbelt.”
“I know that much.”
“Let me know if it’s difficult.”
“I said I know.”
As he responded to Mujin’s casual remarks, his body, stiff with tension, gradually relaxed. Haseo fastened his seatbelt and glanced sideways at Mujin. By now he knew they weren’t going to the market.
“Where are we going?”
At the carefully asked question, Mujin smiled with rounded eyes.
“It’s a secret.”
Though he was still worried about a mountain of concerns and felt scared, seeing Mujin smile made him think he would be fine even if he died right now.
‘Bad thought! Don’t think bad thoughts.’
With his grandmother still there, why would he die? Later when his grandmother wakes up, they should live happily together. Haseo pinched the back of his hand to dispel these idle thoughts. Meanwhile, the car started smoothly.
While Park Dongsu’s driving skills were considerable, Mujin was even better. Unlike his appearance, he obeyed all traffic signals and drove safely. He seemed like a law-abiding citizen in everyday life. After driving like that, they arrived at a bustling area.
Having never gone out for fun, he didn’t know where they were, and as he looked around curiously, Mujin parked near a building.
“Now you can get out.”
Even during the day, there were quite a few people around, so they probably weren’t going to an illegal place. Reassured, Haseo followed Mujin out of the car. And shortly afterward, he couldn’t help but open his mouth at the sight before him.
“A-a movie theater?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have something to do here?”
“I do.”
Mujin took Haseo to stand in front of a kiosk in the movie theater.
“First, let’s choose something to eat.”
“Something to eat?”
Haseo was asking many questions today, but he couldn’t help it. Well, he had suddenly been asked to go out, only to find they were going to a movie theater! Did Mujin even enjoy watching movies? And why specifically with him? While he was thinking about all these things, Mujin was adding various items to their cart.
Popcorn, cola, buttered squid, cheese nachos, sikhye, dried sweet potato, ice cream. Looking at the increasingly long list, Haseo exclaimed in alarm.
“That’s too much!”
“Too much?”
“Yes, it is. Are you planning to eat all that?”
“I can eat it.”
“But how will two people carry all that?”
As Haseo was whispering to Mujin, an employee seemed to overhear.
“Sir, if you’d like, we can provide trays.”
The employee held up paper trays. With the kind help of the employee, they filled two trays and entered the theater.
“It seems empty because everyone’s gone to work.”
He had been worried about how they would look to others, but fortunately there was no need. When Haseo said this, Mujin replied.
“I rented the theater, so it’s just the two of us here.”
“Is that necessary?”
“It is.”
“That must cost a lot.”
“It’s not a lot of money for me.”
With that, Mujin took a couple seat and sat down. Seeing him, Haseo wondered where to sit before slowly edging himself next to him.
“The nachos are over there. I was curious about the taste.”
“Nachos are delicious.”
The tray with nachos was placed on Haseo’s lap.
“But what movie is it?”
“I don’t know either.”
“You came without knowing what movie we’re watching?”
“It’s possible not to know.”
As they were talking, advertisements were flashing on the screen. Seeing the long-running ads, Haseo unconsciously frowned.
“Aren’t we paying to watch a movie?”
“We are.”
“Then why are they showing so many ads? It’s already been 10 minutes.”
Watching a movie in a theater for the first time, Haseo questioned this aspect.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
