CH 6.6

I walked slowly and after I walked past the officetel entrance, I looked at the smoking booth. As I had expected, Yeon Woojeong was walking out from there. He dusted off his clothes, then approached me leisurely.

“Did you get off work, Mr. part-timer Kim Jiho?”

“Yeah.”

I ran into him on the first day of work, making me not tell him about it ended up in vain. Still, it wasn’t that bad considering that I gave Yeon Woojeong a blow. 

“Is that employment contract in your hand?”

“Mhm.”

“Let me see.”

I handed over the contract to Yeon Woojeong. He read the contract while walking slowly. I paid attention to him in case he got tripped because he was walking without looking ahead.

Yeon Woojeong, who did not take his eyes off the contract even in the elevator because he read it so carefully, handed over the contract he had read only once we arrived in front of the house.

“Well done. Next time, make sure to draw up the employment contract as well.”

He walked inside, took off his suit jacket, then sat on the sofa. I sat next to him and then scanned the contract that I had read roughly.

“How was it? Your first day at work?”

“It was doable.”

“How about your coworker? Is she okay?”

“She talks a lot.”

Yeon Woojeong laughed.

“So you’re uncomfortable?”

“No. The time went fast.”

“That’s good then. She’s friendly whenever I stop by. Try to get along with her.”

Does he always buy cigarettes there? How does he remember that she’s friendly? Seo Jihee remembers Yeon Woojeong, and Yeon Woojeong also remembers Seo Jihee.

I tore my innocent hand, but then Yeon Woojeong grabbed my wrist.

“Don’t tear it.”

Yeon Woojeong’s finger swept on the seeping blood. My fingers stung. I saw Yeon Woojeong’s face as he looked at my hand, which was red in places from tearing the hangnails.

It was strange to know that Yeon Woojeong had an impression that could attract other people’s attention. In my case, I saw various expressions of him like when he smiled or looked at me playfully, but the other people, who ran across him, mostly only saw his expressionless face. Well, there were indeed times I noticed the gazes of women looking at Yeon Woojeong. Seems like impressions aren’t the only thing that matters.

Unsurprisingly, I felt strange. About the fact that other people can see this man with another meaning.

His nape was slightly seen above the black turtleneck t-shirt. I saw the red wound I left. I wanted to pull down the collar and looked at the wound.

Yeon Woojeong put my hand on his thigh. I quickly moved my eyes at the sudden sensation I felt. He brought his hand inside the inner pocket in his jacket suit, then took out a box. There was a watch inside as he opened the box. Yeon Woojeong took the watch and then put it on my right wrist. His fingers moved down to adjust the strap, making it fit on my wrist.

The black watch with a red line on the edge was different from the one worn by Yeon Woojeong. He was wearing a silver watch with a black leather band, which had no numbers and seemed a bit confusing, but he was wearing a luxurious and neat thing. What he gave me was like a sports watch, but the part for time to appear was dark. As I looked at it quietly, Yeon Woojeong pressed a button and then touched this and that.

Soon, the screen turned on.

[19:07]

In addition to the time, dates and other things were also displayed on the watch.

[♥️82]

What is this? I was looking down at the shiny watch but then Yeon Woojeong played with my wrist, on which he wore the watch.

“This became a gift to congratulate you on turning 20 and to congratulate you on finding a job. Congrats.”

The watch was comfortable, not uselessly large or made of a material to be careful of. A gift. This was my first time receiving such a gift.

[♥️95]

I didn’t know much about watches, but I liked this one. I wouldn’t need to find my phone just to look at the time, and I would be able to quickly check on time when I work. I also liked that I don’t have to see the hour hand and the second hand, but to be able to read the time right away.

“Looks good.”

The hand playing with my wrist moved down, then grabbed my fingers. I looked alternately between the neat hand without any hangnail and mine, then my fingers flinched.

[♥️117]

Suddenly, there was a laugh. As soon as I heard that, I became sure of what this meant. After pulling my hand out of Yeon Woojeong’s hand and bringing it behind me, I looked at him. He wore a calm face as though he didn’t laugh just now.

“Do you like it?”

I slowly nodded. He then smiled deeply.

“Good. I thought about it all day, and the moment I saw it, I thought it would suit you.”

Yeon Woojeong caressed my head once and then left his seat. He was probably going to change because I heard the sound of the closet being opened.

I brought back the wrist I had hidden behind me. I tried to touch the watch. I liked the sensation felt on my fingertips.

A gift from Yeon Woojeong, which he thought about all day. Mine. It felt like my wrist was being squeezed tight. I wanted to wear Yeon Woojeong the same watch as this. Then, how many times do I need? The number with hearts kept flashing up.

***

I rolled on the bed because I didn’t want to sleep early. It seemed like Yeon Woojeong was late again today. Maybe because I had dinner early, I felt hungry. There was nothing to snack on at Yeon Woojeong’s house. 

What time is it? I didn’t need to look for my phone anymore. Since I just needed to lift my hand when I wanted to know the time.

It was past midnight. I pressed a button to check on the weather and temperature for nothing, then put down my hand. I stared at the ceiling mindlessly, but when I was about to raise my body up, I heard the sound of the door opening. 

It is Yeon Woojeong. I was ready to get out but decided to sit for a while in case he would annoyingly treat me like a dog again. I heard a faint sound under the stairs. It seemed like he was heading to the kitchen. I left the bed and then leaned on the railing.

The sound of opening the refrigerator door, the sound of taking out a cup from the cabinet, the sound of pouring water.

The sound stopped for a moment. It seemed like he was drinking the water. I came down a step, held the railing, and stretched my head out. Yeon Woojeong was looking down at the empty cup. I opened my mouth, ready to greet him. He suddenly raised his hand and then flung the cup on the floor. 

“How come such a fucking bastard is an attorney.”

The faint mumbling was cold. I turned stiff while holding the railing. Though I never thought such a curse could come out of Yeon Woojeong’s mouth, I didn’t feel surprised because the curse really fit him as if it was his clothes.

I slowly moved from the railing. The lighting in the ceiling sensed my movement and turned on.

Simultaneously, Yeon Woojeong turned his head. Our eyes met. I only stared at him absentmindedly because I didn’t know what I should say, and Yeon Woojeong moved up the corner of his lips awkwardly. He bent his back, took the cup near his feet, then put it on the table.

Then our eyes met again. The awkward silence surrounded us.

“You’re up, huh.”

Eventually, it was Yeon Woojeong who broke the silence. Somehow, I felt like laughing. Yeon Woojeong felt close.

“Do you throw a cup when you’re angry, Mr. Yeon?”

“…”

“Everything in the house is plastic.”

“… If it breaks, it’ll be troubling—in any way.”

Yeon Woojeong heaved his shoulders but then let out a sigh and laughed.

“It’s a bad habit. Which I’m fixing on.”

I walked down the stairs. Yeon Woojeong opened the refrigerator door.

“There’s no beer.”

“There’s no snack as well.”

“Hungry, are you?”

He smirked, then wore the coat he put on the chair.

“Wait for me.”

I immediately went upstairs and wore a padding jacket. I left the house side by side with Yeon Woojeong, who waited for me under the stairs.

“Did you lose to an attorney?”

When I asked once we got in the elevator, Yeon Woojeong, who was looking at the number going down, side glanced at me.

“Losing to an attorney… is an expression I never think about.”

“Then the attorney made you angry?”

“No. That person only did his work. It’s just that I don’t like him.”

Yeon Woojeong evaluated it quite coolly, unlike when he said a ‘fucking bastard’. Once we got out, the cold wind blew. The surrounding was quiet, and the sky was obviously dark. There was the sound of Yeon Woojeong’s shoes from my side. His unbuttoned coat blew in the wind.

There was no smell, but somehow, I smelled a good smell. I felt the air was clean. The sound of the shoes that rang and disappeared in the silence sounded nice.

We went inside the convenience store, which exceptionally made the road bright. Even though I had only been working for a few days, it was strange to come here as a customer. There was a man I didn’t know behind the cashier’s desk. He might be the part-timer for the night shift.

Yeon Woojeong headed to the refrigerator, and I stood before the snacks display. After taking up a potato chip, I picked up a chocolate-flavored snack. It seemed like I would be the only one to eat the snacks anyway, so I went to where the squid and nut snacks were. I was looking at the snacks, but then Yeon Woojeong with a beer can inside each of the coat pockets and both his hands approached me. He looked at the snacks in my arm and then smirked.