RB 120

Eunho left home early in the morning. After a long walk, he came upon a street lined with shops. He wandered aimlessly, searching for stores advertising part-time jobs.

These days, most information is obtained online. It’s rare to find someone like Eunho who goes out and does the legwork. That makes it easy to create a suspicious impression, but there’s no immediate solution.

Fortunately, he managed to secure two jobs: a part-time job at a meat restaurant during the day and a part-time job at a convenience store at night. He decided to start work tomorrow. It was a pretty good deal.

The challenge rose from an unexpected source. Finding a job was easy, but to receive his paycheck, he needed an account. When the boss asked for his account number, Eunho bit his lip, seemingly embarrassed.

“…Can you please give me cash?”

“Oh my. That won’t work. We taxpayers need records for wages.”

He didn’t know. Back when he worked at a construction canteen, they handled everything so haphazardly that he just assumed it was normal.

The boss gave him a suspicious look, asking if giving his account number was so difficult. Eunho had no choice but to say yes.

Nothing was easy. He was already hesitant to use Choi Yoonho’s ID, but now he had to open a bank account. He felt resentful toward Choi Yeorok for making his existence meaningless.

Finally, he went to the bank and opened an account. He submitted his ID, scanned his fingerprints on the machine, and filled out an application. The bankbook, in Choi Yoonho’s name, was in his hands.

The process was so simple, it took less than 30 minutes. Eunho unfolded his crisp bankbook and felt a sense of emptiness. He realized he’d never be able to escape this. The path back to the name Sim Eunho was completely inaccessible.

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The meat restaurant kitchen was always bustling. The counter was cluttered with cutting boards, knives, and various ingredients, and the sink was piled high with grease-soaked dishes.

Eunho was in charge of cleaning the griddle there. He scrubbed the griddle, caked with meat grease and seasoning, with a steel scrubber. His hands were never dry, and by the time he was in the kitchen, his hair, clothes, and entire body were covered in the smell of food and sweat.

But he never slacked off. After cleaning the griddle, he washed the piled dishes and helped the kitchen aunt prepare the ingredients. He also often helped with serving.

He applied for a kitchen job in case someone might recognize him. But among the customers at this long-established meat restaurant, no one recognized Choi Yoonho. It’s because their worlds were so different.

“Eunho, put that down and come quickly and eat.”

The kitchen aunt spoke while holding a boiling pot.

It was already dinner time. Eunho looked down at his wrist, as was his habit. The wrist where his watch used to be was, of course, bare. He exhaled and tossed the spinach he was trimming into the basin.

“Hey, it smells like pollack stew.”

“The fish is plump, right? Eat a lot. Eunho too, eat a lot.”

The kitchen aunt served ladlefuls of pollack stew into overflowing bowls. She placed one bowl for her husband, the boss, and one for Eunho. She didn’t neglect the part-timer. In fact, Eunho received more of the fish meat.

The couple, both well into their sixties, have been running this restaurant for over 30 years. They gradually became overwhelmed and began hiring part-time workers.

Although Eunho had only been working for a week, the couple was very pleased with him. They were impressed by how quiet and unfazed the young man was at work.

“Just by looking at the way he washes the dishes, you can tell that his hands are not ordinary.”

“Young people don’t do this kind of thing very well. Honestly, I thought he’d try it for a day or two and then run away. Who knew he’d be this quick and efficient?”

In the face of the couple’s praise, Eunho nodded and ate silently. After he’d finished his rice and soup, the kitchen aunt skillfully placed a side dish of seasoned vegetables on top of Eunho’s rice.

“Eunho, if you don’t like boiled fish, should I grill you some pork?”

“No… it’s fine.”

“Have another bowl of rice. It’s sweet. That’s because the rice is good.”

The couple took care of Eunho’s meals. Their attention was so intense that Eunho had no choice but to diligently eat.

“The more I look at you, the more handsome you become. How did you get such fair and pretty skin?”

“You look like a rich kid. I feel really bad about making you do the dishes.”

Eunho just smiled.

The way he quietly ate his side dishes was tidy. This wasn’t a joke; Looking at his actions, he really looked like a well-bred, wealthy child. Yet, his work was so extraordinary, it was surprising.

Young, handsome men usually sought something easier than menial tasks. They’d heard he had no family and wasn’t well off, but the couple felt a pang of pity whenever they saw Eunho. he’d be prettier if he smiled. They couldn’t understand why his young face always seemed so gloomy.

Of course, because of his gentle and quiet personality, they couldn’t delve into his inner thoughts. Instead, they tried to at least feed him well.

Eunho also felt the warmth of the couple’s love. So, he chewed his food thoroughly without hesitation.

“…….”

But he was no longer moved by the affection of others. His heart was so numb, to the point where even he couldn’t do anything about it.

The part-time job at the meat restaurant lasted from 2 pm to 11 pm Because it was nonstop, Eunho was exhausted after work. He trudged along, his legs weary. By the time he arrived at the convenience store, about three kilometers from the restaurant, it was exactly midnight.

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

After exchanging dry greetings with the previous shift part-timer, he put on a vest emblazoned with the convenience store’s logo. The convenience store, bathed in bright fluorescent lights, was as bright as day, even at night.

Eunho blinked his sore eyes and stood before the cash register. The convenience store operates from midnight to 7 am. Compared to convenience stores in busy areas, it was relatively quiet, with few customers. Most of the late-night customers were just buying cigarettes.

For the first few days, he struggled to memorize cigarette names. Most people would call him out for being slow, and the brazenness of minors pretending to be adults also made things difficult for Eunho. The frequent drunkards were also always a challenge to deal with.

But the work was worth it. It wasn’t hard work, as he just had to quietly watch the counter. Staying up all night was a bit of a struggle, but he had no doubt that once he get into a routine, he’ll get used to it.

Around two o’clock in the morning, a customer came in.

Eunho, who had been sitting on a small stool, slowly straightened up. The sight of the tall man in his suit caused him to freeze. Even though his physique and clothes bore no resemblance to Choi Yeorok, he still felt the same way.

The man who turned around had a completely different face from Choi Yeorok.

“Ash Blue 3ml.”

Eunho took a pack of cigarettes from the stand behind him. The process of scanning the barcode and paying was now quite familiar. Only after the customer left did he finally calm down and slump down in his chair.

A sigh escaped him. He tried to erase all thoughts of Choi Yeorok from his mind, but he felt ashamed of himself for thinking of him in such trivial matters.

Eunho stared at the counter with empty eyes.

‘Sim Eunho-ssi… what do you want to do in the future?’

‘Didn’t you have any dreams?’

‘Think about it now. What kind of life do you want?’

The voice that had been constantly asking for what he wanted lingered like an auditory hallucination. Now, Choi Yoonho’s voice has faded, but the voice he didn’t want to recall persisted.

Eunho closed his eyes tightly. He only had one wish.

Choi Yeorok, I wish you would disappear from my memories forever.

***

After completing his external schedule, Yeorok descended the stairs with a stern expression. As befitting the chairman of Haegang, not a single knot in his tie was out of place, and his demeanor was as dignified as ever.

After assuming the chairmanship, he became noticeably busy. In reality, he was deliberately overworking himself. To clear his mind and avoid being consumed by idle thoughts, he devoted himself day and night to work.

Only after climbing into the parked sedan did Yeorok let out a long, almost hollow sigh. A hint of fatigue shadowed his previously numb face.

Perhaps because of the rain, the sky was dark even though it was still afternoon. The damp weather was also weighing on his mood.

“…….”

Yeorok took out his cell phone without saying a word.

[1:45 PM, finished working at the meat restaurant]

As soon as he read the text, his cold eyes finally softened.

Eunho’s latest news arrived via text message at the same time every day.

The feigned indifference didn’t last long. Three days after Eunho left, Yeorok sent someone to check on his whereabouts and how he lived, receiving daily reports on his whereabouts.

Sim Eunho settled in a place Yeorok had no connection to. He went to work every day without rest. He had always been quite resilient. Even in difficult situations, he never showed any signs of fatigue.

That was the kind of person Sim Eunho was. He was gentle and soft, yet possessed a tenacious side. Now, Eunho was suffering. He could have spent his life living comfortably, without any hardships, but he refused his help and instead took on the burden of hardship.

Because it was more comfortable. Because that way he could breathe.

“…….”

A shadow once again fell over Yeorok’s face. Every time he confirmed that he was continuing his daily routine, he felt a sense of relief, while at the same time, his heart ached at the realization of Eunho’s harsh life.

Even if he wanted to help, he couldn’t, and he couldn’t cut off his concern for Eunho. He didn’t know that being forced to watch from afar would be such a punishment.

Yeorok tilted his head and looked out the car window. The sedan was gliding smoothly down the highway. His own troubled face was reflected in the raindrop-streaked window. He forced his expression back into focus. His slackened nerves tightened again.

The car pulled into a muddy, empty lot. An abandoned hospital on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province was the site where Choi Yoonho’s body had once been cremated. The already desolate space was made even more eerie by the rain.

In front of the hospital, President Kang was waiting, holding an umbrella. As the sedan stopped, he bowed politely. Secretary Hong got out of the driver’s seat, unfolded his umbrella, and opened the back door. Yeorok emerged, revealing his pale face.

“Are you done setting up?”

The tone was monotonous. A cold blue light flashed in Yeorok’s eyes as he gazed down at President Kang.