After working for a long time, the break for the group where Yigyeom belonged came and he was able to have dinner. Under 30 minutes, they were asked to finish eating and at that instruction, they all stuffed their faces with rice, soup, and side dishes.
Yigyeom, who sat at the end of the table, mixed the rice and soup and gobbled it up with a few spoonfuls. Since he starved the whole day, he felt like he could survive off the warm and melting soup.
Yigyeom hurriedly finished his dinner and even brushed his teeth before going back to the hall, trying to conclude his tasks. After 30 minutes, the manager said the guests would start arriving and all of the people there started moving in perfect sync to recheck the banquet hall.
Yigyeom was in charge of serving only, quickly stationed himself in one corner of the hall and looked at Kang Jihoon. Was it because Kang Jihoon was someone he knew, he felt a little relieved.
“Where were you? I was looking for you…”
“While I was working at a corner, I was fucking late to dinner and came just now. Hey, I just realized that they had already picked the people who would serve water and guide guests in advance. I was walking with someone who was in charge of guiding the guest, he said he had the name and routes all memorized since a few days ago. It’s a good thing I am not in charge of that. I hate memorizing. When it comes to work, simple labor is fucking best. Right?”
I stepped back as I saw the guest had started entering.
After the program of celebrating the foundation would be over and the meal would be served, Yigyeom was required to walk around with the wine and bring it to the people who asked for it and that was all for his duty. Until then, they were required to station themselves at a place quietly where they wouldn’t be visible and wait until their time would come.
“I will come back after making a call home.”
“Come back quickly…”
“Okay…”
With about 5 minutes until the event would start, Yigyeom carefully slithered from the hall. With hurried steps, he came to a place where there was no one and called his grandfather. After about 10 rings, he finally heard his grandfather’s voice.
“Grandpa, it’s Yigyeom.”
-Hm, Yigyeom. It’s grandpa.
“Yes…did you have dinner?”
-The caretaker of the boy from yesterday prepared my meal and I ate that. She has been working as a caretaker for a long time and she is very humorous and kind.
“…The boy from yesterday…”
Kwon Taejung’s face came to mind. Yigyeom grabbed his cell phone tight and tapped his shoes on the ground. The man who claimed to be the chief sent the caretaker.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
While Yigyeom was relieved that his grandfather was with someone and had his meal but on the other hand, the person who only knew him by his face, he kept receiving things from him, which made Yigyeom uncomfortable.
-Glv beg qeqqs fja?
“…Tfr.P jirb jaf vlccfg. Ktja…lr atja rbwfbcf ktb kjr ajxlcu mjgf bo sbe ralii atfgf?”
-Lw, tf ifoa ja 10 qw.
“Yxjs…ws kbgx klii fcv ijaf abvjs rb P atlcx P’ii yf mbwlcu ja jybea vjkc. Gbc’a kjla obg wf jcv P mjiifv sbe ab afii sbe ab riffq olgra.”
After yesterday, grandfather’s voice seemed brighter than usual, and hearing it was a relief. Later, if he got to see Chief he would let him know how grateful he was, though Yigyeom and went inside the banquet hall as he saw Kang Jihoon pointing somewhere excitedly as soon as the latter saw him.
“Hey, I saw Lee Chaerin just now.”
“Who is Lee Chaerin?”
“Hey, you are severe. She is an idol. You don’t know those things? Her face is so fucking small and pretty.”
“We don’t have a television at home.”
“Hey, these days it’s all about mobile phones…hey, your phone…Ugh nevermind. Right, what will you do knowing about Lee Chaerin? It would be better if I introduce you to a part-time job instead.”
Yigyeom chuckled upon hearing Kang Jihoon’s remarks but he recalled the television hanging on the wall when he left the house that morning. Ah, there was television at home now…
Yigyeom looked at Kang Jihoon, wanting to correct his statement but then he just nodded his head. Even though there was a television now, there was not enough time to watch it and even if he did, he wouldn’t be able to recognize the idols or celebrities that were on the screen, of whom Kang Jihoon was talking about.
“Wow, It’s Jung Yoonwon. There, there. You know Jung Yoonwon?”
“…”
“Wow…you are no fun at all. Really, oh my gosh! It’s Baek Jiyoo!”
Kang Jihoon was beyond excited seeing all the celebrities barrelling in and Yigyeom couldn’t take his eyes off him as he swiftly darted his eyes at those celebrities stepping into the dimly lit hall. He didn’t know who they were but they were all wearing flashy clothes and wore a smile on their faces.
Yigyeom liked seeing those happy faces. There was not a moment in his daily life where he came across one. Grandfather who always had a tired face, the people at the slum who sighed gravely, and the angry thug-like people from the management and the money lenders.
“…”
As soon as he was reminded of reality, he remembered the face of the person who reached out his hand. And, the smiling face of that person who sat on the pile of bricks, filled his head.
The man kept doing unthinkable things. He kept waiting in front of Yigyeom’s house and again entered his house…smiled at him and reached out his hand.
‘Come here.’
In that quiet alley at the sound of that low and calm voice, Yigyeom found himself almost grabbing his hand. No, he wanted to touch it. If he did, he wondered what would have happened if he held that hand that was inched out to him, and went close to him.
“Hey, Yigyeom back to earth.”
“Huh?…Ah, nothing.”
Yigyeom came back to his senses after Kang Jihoon tapped his shoulders. Yigyeom touched his cheeks which heated up for no reason. That’s why Yigyeom hated times like those when his mind was filled with useless thoughts.
It was because he kept mulling over things, whenever there was spare time. After tapping his cheeks with the tips of his fingers, he shrugged off the thoughts about the Chief and raised his head, staring at the entrance where a man entered.
“Oh…”
It was Goo Daebom and as if in reflex he turned around halfway and bent his head. His heart was running fast as if everything had gone wrong. Why is Goo Daebom here? Did I perhaps see wrong?
Yigyeom turned around again and checked the face of the man who was standing at the entrance talking to someone.
“…”
Yigyeom hoped that he had seen something wrong but the man was for sure Goo Daebom. The man who came to find him whenever he was bored and said frightening words as he did, extinguished the little hope he had in his heart. How can I confuse the face of that man?
It was a feeling like he was drained of all the blood in his body. The person who came to find him at the cafe, who hit his ears kept wandering around in front of his eyes. Yigyeom pulled the sleeves of Kang Jihoon, turning white.
“Um, Jihoon…”
“Huh? Hey, why did you turn so pale? Are you in pain somewhere?”
“…It’s not like that. I’m going to go to the washroom.”
“Yeah, go but come back quick. But you are going to lose your pay if you keep leaving your position.”
Yigyeom who merely nodded bowed his head before passing by Goo Daebom and escaping outside. Fortunately, Goo Daebom didn’t seem to notice him.
“Haa…”
Yigyeom heaved the breath he was holding and he grabbed his knees which were trembling in raging fear. He was more shocked because he didn’t expect to see Goo Daebom in that place.
“…”
Yigyeom felt like being in a different place, even for a moment. It was dangerous because Goo Daebom could discover him if he happened to open the door. He was going to make a scene and today’s work could end up in a mess if that occurred. But more than that, he didn’t want to face Goo Daebom.
Putting strength on his weak legs, he dragged himself holding the walls of the banquet hall and entered the quiet bathroom at the end of the hallway and stood in front of the sink. After seeing Goo Daebom, his heart was galloping so fast it was hard to breathe.
‘It’s okay…we won’t meet.”
There was no other person to feed him those lines so he consoled himself, as he always did. It was okay. It was going to be okay. Nothing was going to happen.
Yigyeom knew from experience it wasn’t going to have much effect. But he also knew if he didn’t do that, his heart would be left torn apart, leaving him unable to do anything.
“It’s okay.”
Nothing is going to happen. The hall is very big and I need to be careful enough, after keeping a watch out for him. Doing that will be enough. I just need to be careful.
As if to stop his body from crumbling down, he held down the sink for a long time with both of his arms and then let out a breath. His breathing pattern was calm like before and his heart wasn’t beating that hard enough to be painful and as if it was going to rip apart. He could live by that.
“…”
Yigyeom washed his hands with cold water and when he left the bathroom, he heard the sounds of footsteps coming closer. He hurried to walk when he saw the legs of the two men approaching. He heard the familiar voice of a man behind him.
“I shouldn’t have come. It’s so embarrassing. Why should I come and raise the standard of this event?’
“Still, you came this far, you should at least leave after meeting Goo Daebom.”
At the familiar voice, he turned his head around to confirm, as a face formed in his head. But hearing the name Goo Daebom coming out of another man’s lips, he was left surprised.
Thanks for the chapter…really hope no big scene actually happens
hopefully 🙂