RB 122

The meat restaurant located on the corner of the alley was bathed in a dim light.

Traces of the past were apparent in the old sign and worn-out glass door. A wisp of smoke drifted through the slightly open crack. Perhaps due to the inclement weather, the shop was nearly deserted.

A metallic noise echoed from the back door leading to the kitchen. Eunho had finished washing the dishes and was coming out for a breath of fresh air.

The dark green apron he wore over his short-sleeved T-shirt was covered in stains. His shadowed face was visibly worn with fatigue. Eunho crouched in the back of the restaurant, where beer cases were stacked, and stretched his stiff neck.

Even though the seasons had changed, it was still cold enough to make his breath fog. Goosebumps quickly appeared on the bare skin beneath his short sleeves.

Eunho gently brushed his numb arm and gazed at the rain-soaked neighborhood entrance. The sound of the rain pattering on the tin roof had subsided slightly, but there was no sign of it stopping.

“…I don’t have an umbrella.”

He reached out and briefly measured the raindrops. But that was fleeting. Eunho, exhausted, pressed his wet hand against the back of his neck. He tilted his head back.

Eunho, who has leaning against the wall and staring ahead, was the epitome of listlessness. His brown eyes were empty. His smile had dried, and his face looked weary and desolate.

“Eunho, are you busy?”

A middle-aged woman peeked out through the gap in the suddenly opened door.

“No.”

Eunho smiled faintly, it was almost imperceptible. It hadn’t been long since he’d rested, and he was called back in. As the iron door closed, the back of the restaurant became desolate once again.

“…….”

Yeorok, watching from afar, clenched his fists several times. His palms felt tingly.

He’d steeled himself countless times to avoid approaching Eunho. But today, he’d reached his limit. He’d always prided himself on having the deepest patience, but he simply couldn’t hold out.

So he ended up coming all the way to Doksan-dong.

He thought that watching from afar might help him breathe a little easier.

Yeorok rubbed his temple with his thumb. He had longed to see Eunho, but when he finally saw him, his heart felt empty. Eunho’s listlessness seemed to have taken over him, and his limbs sagged limply.

Although he didn’t come directly, Yeorok was actually concerned about Eunho’s safety, whether he knew it or not. Not only did he install magnets locks, he also carefully checked the apartment complex where he lived, checking for any occupants and any potential hazards. He asked the building owner to install a password-locked common entrance to the villa entrance, which was previously accessible to dogs and cows, to prevent unauthorized entry by non-residents.

The same was true for the convenience store operating at night. Because something could happen late at night, it was best to be more vigilant. Contacting the convenience store owner wasn’t difficult. Their fake blood ties proved invaluable in such situations. Any request, as long as it was made out of family concern, would be justified.

A long sigh escaped Yeorok’s lips. Once he’d crossed the line, the patience he’d been so desperately trying to keep shackled crumbled.

He shouldn’t have looked. After seeing Eunho’s listless appearance, it became impossible for Yeorok to remove himself from his life.

Just after 11 o’clock, the lights on the meat restaurant sign went out. Eunho, who had left work first, greeted the owner couple, then opened the door and left the restaurant.

The rain was still falling. Eunho, having forgotten to bring an umbrella when he left home, looked at the sky and hurried forward. It was pitch black and everyone else was carrying umbrellas, so no one paid any attention to the young man walking pitifully through the rain.

Yeorok followed slowly, ten paces behind. His footsteps were leisurely. The person ahead of him was walking so slowly. Following his listless footsteps, Yeorok’s pace inevitably slowed.

The convenience store, which they arrived at after an hour, was brightly lit. Eunho, who had finished the shift change as usual, diligently moved around the store, restocking inventory and cleaning up the messy tables.

The previous part-timer left behind items that needed to be disposed of. Eunho hid behind the counter and took a bite of a triangle kimbap. Now, these things were small pleasures. Free kimbap and milk. He didn’t have much of an appetite, but he forced himself to eat for the sake of his stamina.

Around 2 am, the door opened.

Ding–

When the bell rang, Eunho unconsciously got up from his seat.

“…….”

And he just froze.

Yeorok came inside and calmly picked out items.

Standing under the bright lights, he was so striking that it was impossible to mistake him for anyone else. His slicked-back hair shone with a jet-black sheen even under the fluorescent lights, and his straight neck was just as Eunho remembered. Even the suit jacket, draped perfectly along his shoulders, was a testament to his authenticity.

Yeorok chose a bottle of water and an umbrella. He approached the counter and carefully examined the drinks in the refrigerator. He then picked up a glass bottle of honey water and a bottle of Ssanghwatang (a tonic). While he casually placed his selections on the counter, Eunho stood motionless, unable to blink.

After a long time, their eyes met. Seeing Yeorok staring at him, his mind went blank. He was so dumbfounded that he couldn’t even feel anger. Instead, his stiff body straightened, and a fierce determination lit up in his eyes.

“What are you doing here?”

“I had something to buy.”

“Get out.”

“I came as a guest.”

Yeorok didn’t say a word. Instead, he shamelessly acted like a customer who had come to buy something. When he didn’t budge, Eunho frowned. He scanned the barcode halfheartedly, he wanted to get it over with quickly.

Yeorok held out his credit card. When Eunho remained silent, he pushed it forward again. Eunho let out a short sigh. “Put it in the machine,” he replied irritably.

“I don’t know how because it’s my first time.”

“…….”

“Could you explain it to me?”

A soft voice echoed across the floor. Yeorok smiled bitterly at Eunho, who hadn’t even made eye contact with him until the very end.

Sim Eunho was stubborn. He finally gave up and tactfully inserted his card into the card reader. After the payment was complete, there was no reason to linger. Yeorok grabbed a bottle of water and then slid the rest towards Eunho.

“They said it would rain until morning. Be sure to take an umbrella when you go home.”

“…….”

“Dress warmly. If Sim Eunho’s condition is bad, he’ll catch a fever.”

“It’s none of your business.”

Eunho, who had remained silent the entire time, responded with a prickly voice. He also pushed away the glass bottles and umbrella Yeorok had handed him.

“If you’re the chairman… I figured you’d know everything about where I am and what I’m doing.”

“…….”

“Is there still something left to settle? I thought we were completely done.”

“…….”

“We weren’t even that close to begin with. Chairman, you look really pathetic right now.”

“I know, I do.”

Yeorok admitted it readily. He knew that he looked unsightly and unattractive.

But he still came. It didn’t seem like Eunho was doing well on his own. He couldn’t bear to see him neglected and consumed by suffering. Watching him like that, he felt like he was breaking down.

Isn’t it just as difficult whether they’re together or not? He shamelessly added selfish excuses.

That didn’t mean he could do anything proactive. All he could do was bring an umbrella to keep him from getting wet. As expected, Eunho’s eyes were filled with exhaustion. It was the same look Yeorok had shown Seo Taehwa when he was dealing with him.

They stood face to face, but they couldn’t even touch. There was a time when he’d locked Eunho in his arms and held him to his heart’s content, but now there was an unbridgeable chasm between them.

He shouldn’t approach Eunho unless he gave him permission. Even now, he’s crossed the line quite a bit.

“You said you’d let me go. Chairman, don’t promises mean much to you?”

“No, I’ve never taken them lightly.”

A frustrated breath escaped Eunho’s lips.

“…But it’s not as easy as I thought. How did you cut me off so easily?”

Yeorok shamelessly asked for a way to make him stop thinking about him.

“Why are you asking me that?”

Eunho let out a hollow laugh. He rubbed his face as if the current conversation was becoming absurd.

“Cutting people off is your specialty. Just keep doing what you’ve always done.”

“…….”

“Aren’t you leaving?”

Eunho gestured to the door. Yeorok sighed and laughed at the response suggesting he should hurry up and leave if he was done.

The man, without a second thought, suddenly left. The sound of footsteps echoed along with the jingle of the bell on the door. The convenience store fell silent again. The empty counter was quiet.

It was originally a place frequented by many people, who came and went frequently. However, the scent of Choi Yeorok’s perfume lingered for a long time. The scent, reminiscent of the dawn air, rose through the damp, rainy air, making its presence felt powerful.

The same goes for Choi Yeorok. He only briefly encountered him, but his face, barely forgotten, became etched in his mind. It brought down a person who had been doing well.

Eunho sank to the floor, clutching his forehead. With no one to see, he hid behind the counter, swallowing in rapid, shallow breaths. His erratic breathing must have been the cause of his turbulent mind. His flushed face must have been caused by anger.

Eunho pressed the flesh beneath his palm against the area around his eyes, which were hot. His eyes stung, but fortunately, no tears came out.

Choi Yeorok was nothing to me anymore.

As he made that promise, his heart, which had been pounding, cooled down.

***

A week passed since then.

Choi Yeorok began to frequent the convenience store like a regular. It was clear he hadn’t heeded the previous warning. His times of arrival were irregular, but he usually came when the number of customers was low.

He didn’t do anything particularly annoying. He’d come into the convenience store, immediately grab a cup of coffee from the machine, then head to a table by the window, where he’d stay for about 30 minutes before disappearing just as suddenly as he’d arrived.

He didn’t even glance in Eunho’s direction. He was doing nothing but quietly drinking coffee, but his presence was bound to bother Eunho. The table and counter were designed so that even from a distance, he could see everything Yeorok was doing.

From Eunho’s perspective, it was infuriating. Even now, Choi Yeorok was perched on a high chair, his long legs stretched out. White steam rose from the paper cup he held, and the convenience store was filled with the aroma of coffee beans.

“…….”

Eunho deliberately avoided paying attention to him. He figured it would only harm himself if he kept getting upset. He gritted his teeth and crouched down on the folding chair. Hiding behind the POS machine, he waited for him to leave as quickly as possible.

Choi Yeorok seemed to be a man without shame. At first, he tried telling him to leave. But the pretense of being a “customer” proved more solid than Eunho had expected. Ultimately, feeling it was only draining his sanity, he chose to ignore him.

He was just a sculpture. He could just think of him as a signboard, standing still. As he was trying to compose himself…

…the glass door opened and a customer entered. Eunho jumped to his feet, leaning on the counter. The middle-aged man staggering in was clearly drunk. The scent of alcohol permeated his face as he approached.