“…”
No, should I just go? It would be better to drop by a quiet cafe on a rainy day and spend time together listening to the sound of rain. Kwon Taejung recalled the image of Yigyeom, who sat in front of him drinking the warm and sweet coffee. When he thought of it, strange heat spread to his heart. He wanted to see it.
“…Fuck, are you crazy?”
What did you want to see? Kwon Taejung shook his head and breathed sharply, unable to calm his queasy heart. He thought it would be better if he talked with Yigyeom by text from his home, given that it was raining a lot, before he happened to think about more strange things.
“It is raining a lot now.”
Kwon Taejung forced himself up and saw the rain pouring, as if a water bomb had burst. He wagged his head and took out a tee from his drawer before leaving the room. Maybe it was because it was raining a lot, he didn’t feel like exercising. But he would do it anyway out of habit.
After swallowing two pills of the inhibitor, he wanted to drink something warm because of the weather. First, he thought of the coffee he drank on the daily, however there was something else he craved.
Hot chocolate. He wanted to have the sweet and bitter hot chocolate that Yigyeom made for him.
But there was no way he could have it at his house. Kwon Taejung had no choice but to get the coffee machine starting. He took a sip of the strong coffee. He didn’t like it much either way.
“…”
Kwon Taejung pushed himself to finish have a few more sips while he remembered the hot chocolate before he rested the glass on the table and went to the living room, opening the large window.
Kwon Taejung stared out of the window for a while because he liked the loud sound of the rain that his mind, which was full of awful worries, was buried and he engulfed his body on the sofa while keeping the window wide open. As expected, it was best to listen to the sound of rain without going outside.
“…Is he still sleeping?”
Kwon Taejung fished out his cell phone and checked the time, seeing that it wasn’t 9 yet, before typing a message to Yigyeom.
[ Good Morning ]
[ Are you awake? ]
Although it wasn’t a pleasant morning, Kwon Taejung who sent a message first smiled when he saw Yigyeom’s message on the screen right away. Of course, he wasn’t aware he was smiling.
[ Yeon Yigyeom: Good morning. I just woke up. ]
Kwon Taejung wrote a message back, saying it was raining a lot before he pressed the call button, thinking it would be better to talk on the phone. After ringing twice, Yigyeom’s voice was heard.
“Can you answer the call right now?”
– Yes, right now…I just came out of the room.
The door opened and the sound of the rain was audible. Kwon Taejung glanced out of the window and listened to the sound of the rain that came from the other side of the call.
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.
“Qts vlv sbe ub bea ktfc la’r ralii gjlclcu?”
– Xgjcvojatfg lr ralii jriffq.
“Yt, tf lr ralii riffqlcu.”
– Tfr.
Qtfc Bkbc Kjfpecu tfjgv tlr nblmf, tf mbeivc’a rjs atja tf kbeivc’a mbwf atja vjs yfmjerf tf kjr yflcu ijhs, atja fjrlis. Rb, la kjr wbgf mbggfma ab rjs atja tf vlvc’a kjca ab. Dea jr fzqfmafv, tf wlrrfv Tlusfbw.
– Excuse me, Chief.
“Yes?”
– It’s raining so much…A lot actually, so it would be better for you not to come today. It’s dangerous to drive on a day like this.
“…”
Kwon Taejung was the one who called to him to say that first but instead Yigyeom said it. Kwon Taejung couldn’t reply easily and just kept his lips sealed.
– On rainy days…you said you didn’t like coming out. If you have to come because of me…of course, not just because of me but…
“Why do you think it’s not because of you?”
– Huh?
“I go there because of you. Didn’t I tell you? If it wasn’t for you, there would be no need for me to be present there, on that rubble of a neighborhood, everyday.”
– …If it’s because of me then you don’t have to come here. I won’t go outside and I will stay…at home.”
Kwon Taejung wanted to say he understood but he couldn’t. Kwon Taejung gripped the cushion beside him tightly, closing his eyes and opening it. It was not like he was stuck in one corner of the house because he didn’t want to see him but it was a consideration on his part not to overdo it on a rainy day however, somehow he ended up being disappointed.
“Okay.”
– …
“I’m not coming.”
Yigyeom might have been hoping for a rainy day everyday. Why wouldn’t he? The thug-like Chief who managed the neighborhood, visited him everyday to monitor him openly. Who would like that?
“I’m hanging up.”
Kwon Taejung hung up the phone impassively because he had nothing more to say. He tossed his phone on the table before lifting the cushion to press his face onto.
It was childish, pathetic and ridiculous. Kwon Taejung thought it would be better to die. It was childish to be like that to a 20 years old kid when he was already 32 years old and he couldn’t bear it.
“…”
What are you doing, really? I must have lost my mind playing like this with a kid. Kwon Taejung who shook his head, stood up and looked at the heavy rain. Right, it’s raining a lot and it’s better not to go.
It wasn’t something to worry about in the first place. It was weird to be worried about Yigyeom telling him not to come because it was dangerous. Kwon Taejung closed the window and climbed the stairs with his back on the sound of the pouring rain.
Kwon Taejung would work out until he couldn’t breath, wash up and hit the hay.
***
The rain in the neighborhood was especially cold and lonely. There was no sound ricocheting off the rooftops and the collapsing walls only wore down even more. Yigyeom looked at the caregiver who arrived two hours later than usual, while he perked his ears to the sound of streaming water from outside the door.
Surprised that the caregiver’s clothes were more than half wet even though she was using an umbrella, Yigyeom quickly handed her a towel.
“It’s not even the rainy season, why is it raining like this? There’s no need to even use the umbrella because everything is wet anyway.”
“You could have taken the day off…”
“How can I? I should do my work.”
The caregiver who smiled sweetly wiped her hair with a towel and took off his drenched socks. She then took out his new socks from her bag and put them on.
“Would you like to drink something warm? We have mixed coffee and barley tea…”
“Don’t put in the effort to take care of me. I’ll do it myself so make yourself at home.”
“…I’m very thankful. Thank you for staying with my grandfather all day…”
“You are so well mannered. This is why your Grandfather rambles all day about you.”
The caregiver smiled at Yigyeom and took a sip of the water as if that was what she needed and took a moment to breath before asking if his grandfather slept well and if he ate his breakfast well. Yigyeom sat in front of her, nodding his head as he answered.
“Your grandfather is watching what he watched again.”
“Ah, he is watching it again?”
“Yes, it is shown every night at 8.30 pm but has a rerun in the morning. When he watched it last night, he found it very fun so he is watching it again. Grandpa, is it very fun? Did Seah find her real mom?”
Although his grandfather couldn’t pronounce it clearly, he slowly explained to the caregiver that Seah didn’t find her real mother yet. Yigyeom smiled quietly at his grandfather, who seemed delighted as he talked about the drama.
Without knowing how one screen could entertain him so much, Yigyeom felt sorry that he left his grandfather everyday in the dark before.
“Our Chief really gave your grandpa a big gift. What could have we done if you couldn’t watch the drama? The Chief is amazing. He must have a lot of things to do but still he took care of you. Even though it is raining like this, he still came here.”
At the word that Kwon Taejung came there, Yigyeom looked at the caregiver. Yigyeom who wanted to learn more, the caregiver who noticed the blanket falling to his grandfather’s feet, pulled it up again.
“I was passing in front of the container and we happened to meet so I greeted him.”
Yigyeom’s eyes darted to the front door. He wanted to open the front door, pass through the gate and leave the alley.
‘Okay. I won’t come.’
The voice, which sounded like he was offended, invaded Yigyeom’s mind again. When Kwon Taejung ended the call, Yigyeom thought he was very angry so it was bothering him but he trembled from within when he heard that Kwon Taejung was only five minutes away from him.
“…”
Should I go there…Yigyeom who was staring blankly at the closed door, shook his head. Since he told me he wouldn’t come, even if he did come to the neighborhood, it wasn’t to see him. He might have come because he had other important things to do or he came to pick something up.
“…”
Should I go there to see if his car is still there? Yigyeom kept thinking of the container. It was not like he had anything to check but he just wanted to see his car. But he wouldn’t have an answer if anyone asked why.
“…Um…did the Chief come alone?”
“Yeah, he did. I don’t think his secretary came.”
“Ah…”
Yigyeom didn’t completely decide to go but he got up and padded towards the door. The caregiver opened her eyes wide and looked up at Yigyeom, who seemed to be about to go outside.
“Are you going out? It’s raining a lot.”
“Oh…I’ll be going nearby…I’ll be right back.”
“Watch the floor. The soil is all muddy because of the rain so it’s slippery.”
“Yes..I’ll be right back.”
Yigyeom bowed to the caregiver and opened the door he wanted to open so much and ran outside. He took out an old pair of sneakers and stuffed his feet in them. He couldn’t wear the sneakers Kwon Taejung bought for him that day.
Yigyeom closed the door in case his grandfather would be cold and looked at the eaves which were dripping with water and took out the plastic umbrella he bought a few years ago and headed into the rain.
The rain poured down over the transparent umbrella. Even if the neighborhood was washed away like that, it would not seem strange at all. Yigyeom thought it was fortunate that he didn’t wear the sneakers Kwon Taejung bought for him as he noticed his old sneakers were dirtied in the mud and getting drenched even though he didn’t walk much far.
Lazy bones… Sounds so nice
Can’t stay away…
awww🥺🥺yigyeom seems so excited to see the chief❤️❤️hehe soo cute
thank you for this update☺️
☺️☺️