CH 5

“He was totally caught off guard. What were you going to do if he really reported you?”

“I just wanted to gauge his living standards. Also, he didn’t report me and that’s that. If I really want to step on the gears for this work, first I have to greet and then once he thinks I am safe, I would only enter his house after he would give me his permission. Fuck! Can I even get home at that rate?” 

“Still, if you were reported earlier, it would take less than a minute for this to end. No matter how you dodge it, it will bite you in the ass anyway.”

“I know. I just have to be careful when I get there. But since I barrelled my way in, I did find something useful.”

“What thing?”

Kwon Taejung deliberated whether or not to tell Baek Jinwoo that Yigyeom was not a Beta but an Omega, but he decided not to and replied with a smirk. 

It wouldn’t be fun to tell Beta Jinwoo who was a Beta himself, that Yigyeom was an Omega so he didn’t have the urge to tell him. Plus, there was the part where he didn’t want to spill the beans of Yigyeom’s secret, which he was keeping to himself.

“I am not so sure of it as yet so I wanted to brew it a little more.”

“Got it. If there is something I can help with, let me know.”

As if it is a habit, he said thanks without much meaning,the word rolled off his tongue when he felt the mild and sweet peachy smell on the tip of his nose. It was going to be some interesting 3 months.

***

Wearing an oversized bunny mask and with a fur suit, Yigyeom raised his hands and waved the balloons as if to welcome the bystanders. It was his job to wear a doll-like mask but compared to the money he received, the suit was too and the mask was too heavy and his shoulders hurt.

Yigyeom knew it well that he wasn’t in a situation where he could be picky about what part-time jobs to take so he straightened his arms and waved until it hurt. He couldn’t do anything except wave the balloons at the bystanders.

After receiving the envelope given by the owner of the newly opened cellphone shop, he went inside the building tagging along with other people wearing animal masks. He went inside the washroom and changed into his clothes. It was still March so it wasn’t that hot but whether it was because of the different animal costume he wore, his clothes and hairs were drenched in perspiration. 

“Yigyeom, tomorrow it is going to a chicken shop, you are coming right? Next week, there is a part-time job at a hotel so you wanna come with? The hourly wage is freakishly high!”

“Sure, I will do it. I can do anything and everything so please call me if a new job comes up. Morning, nights, anything goes. It’s even okay at dawn. Of course, weekends are okay too.”

“Yeah, okay. The boss is making a fuss to tag you along with me everywhere. Whenever you are there, shit ton of people come too. Isn’t there good work these days?”

“Tfr. Ktfgf jgf j iba bo kbgxrtbqr yflcu rfa eq gfmfcais rb qgbyjyis yfmjerf bo atja, la’r yfaafg atjc yfobgf.” 

“Pa’r yfaafg atjc cjvj, jcv P jirb tjnf ab olcv kbgx yea ktja atf tfii lr atlr? Memx! Kbvjs lr j mja jcv abwbggbk lr j mtlmxfc’r tfjv.”

As Kang Jihoon pursed a cigarette in between his lips, he offered Yigyeom one but Yigyeom could think of the price. Yigyeom rejected the offer by waving with two hands and washed his face after turning on the cold water. As Kang Jihoon noticed the water droplets rolling down his cheeks to the end of his chin, he pulled out some paper towels and passed it to him while puffing his smoke.

“Thank you.”

“Everyday is a bit redundant, since I am a Beta. Whether it’s Alpha or an Omega, they all have rut cycles for a month so they stay holed up in their home.  If you are poor, being a Beta is better. Inhibitors are not that cheap.” 

At Kang Jihoon’s words, the hands that were clutching onto the paper towels, trembled slightly. Even though it has already been 3 years since he hadn’t been able to function as an Omega properly because of the inhibitor’s side effects, whenever someone would raise the topic of Omega, Yigyeom got excessively conscious. It wasn’t a conversation that had anything to do with Yigyeom, however he still had the trait of an Omega.

“Hey, there are still a lot of people who are Omega. If they wanted they could have sold their faces and earned a fortune. For Betas, fuck! Everything is so fucking vague.”

There was a loud voice echoing from one of the bathroom stalls. Yigyeom tossed the wet paper towel and inclined his face from where the noise was sprouting. Soon there was the sound of the door being unlocked and Yoo Jaemin came out with his clothes changed and disheveled sweaty hair.

“Of course, if you grab one Alpha, you can make a shit ton of money.” 

“There are Alphas who marry Beta, so go and find one.”

“Fuck, don’t even.”

Yigeom , who couldn’t blend into their conversation, pressed down on his heart which was beating hard every second. He never said he was a Beta, everyone just assumed him to be. But he was not calm since it was all a big lie.

“Yigyeom, you totally have the face of an Omega.” 

The sudden sharp words were too blatant. Yigyeom, who was surprised at Kang Jihoon’s words, composed his morphed face and raised his head.

“You should totes visit an agency or something. You can make the most dough by selling your face. You can for sure become an idol with that face!”

After hearing Kang Jihoon, Yigyeom unconsciously rubbed his fingers on the moist sink and laughed awkwardly. He didn’t know how to reply.

“It’s late for him to debut, though. These days, they start training while they are ankle biters. Yigyeom, how old are you?” 

Yoo Jaemin pushed a cigarette in between his lips and gestured to Kang Jihoon to lend a light, while watching Yigyeom. Yigyeom pushed the tips of his fingers and nodded.

“Yes. I just turned 20.”

“Then, it’s a bit late. Well, debuting at 20 is…nevermind, how about trying acting? Can you act?”

“…I can’t. I can’t do those kinds of things.” 

“One of my acquaintances from this part-time goes to an acting school, should I introduce you to him?”

Yigyeom just wanted the conversation to take its course, and he was uncomfortable if it would continue. He reciprocated by waving his hands lightly. The two people who didn’t press further segwayed to another topic.

“I will head out first. I have another part-time job to go to.”

“Ah, cafe?” 

“Yes…I will see you tomorrow.”

“Sure, see you tomorrow.”

Hugging the animal suit, Yigyeom exited the building and took a breath of the clean air and exhaled deeply. The reek of cigarettes was too strong and it hurt his head while his heart ran a mile enough to hurt, from all the talk about Omega.

“Haaa…” 

It’s okay. Nobody knows I’m an Omega. There is no smell of pheromones, my heat cycle doesn’t come and all the alphas think of me as a Beta. It will be okay if it continues like this. There is nothing to be conscious of. I just have to continue by being nonchalant…

“…”

Taking a sharp inhale, Yigyeom quickly approached the previous event’s office car that was on the side of the street, and stored the rabbit costume inside its trunk. He then opened his phone and confirmed the time. There was still 20 minutes left until his shift. Ah, he should run. As soon as the thought struck, he started to run.

As he safely took turns with the previous employee, Yigyeom wore the cafe’s uniform and stood at the counter. Since it was a vague time just before dinner there weren’t many people rushing in and so he could spend the next few hours leisurely. 

After filling the showcase with cakes, bread and drinks, he took a seat under the counter and felt his legs hurting. Yigyeom leaned forward, and patted his calf before letting out a sigh.

“…”

It was frustrating for Yigyeom to realize that the situation didn’t seem to improve even after working so hard to the point that his legs were burning up. Even though he was paying back the relocation fees that his grandfather was swindled off little by little, Yigyeom knew it was like pouring water in a bottomless pit. Would this situation ever get better? Could he ever pay back the debt?

“…” 

Yigyeom wondered if Grandpa had his lunch properly. Although, if he laid right after, he would get sick. Worry tailed another worry. It was because there were too many things to worry about. But among all those things, the most he worried about was his grandfather. His grandfather was his only family and responsibility but also the reason why he was living such a hard life.

Since grandfather was very sick and whenever he thought of his uncomfortable grandfather, he felt frustration coiling in the pit of his stomach. But thanks to the auntie who was still residing  at the slum, she was taking care of grandfather’s lunch and dinner but it was true that there weren’t many days left until that help would also recline.

“Yigyeom, I’m moving next month. Our Junghee has to go to school…and I think this place is going to be demolished soon. So I thought that I should move. I feel bad leaving the two of you here.” 

If the laundry house would move soon, there would be seven houses left. Yigyeom thought it would really be him left at the end. After breathing out a sigh, as his head was throbbing painfully, he closed his eyes before opening it again.

Yigyeom despised being relaxed. Whenever there would be time for thoughts to surge in, reality would always hit him hard. It was better when he would be busy to the point of not being able to think anything.

If Yigyeom was that busy throughout the whole day, after cleaning after his grandfather, he would collapse on the bed and sleep but it was better than being depressed about the reality, and the better it was the more acceptable. Although, it was different from what other people usually deemed acceptable.

Let’s stop thinking about depressing things and clean up. After shaking his head, Yigyeom, stood up and took out a broom from the cleaning room and leaned slightly, before cleaning the floor where there weren’t many people. 

“…The smell of cigarettes.”

Since those guys, earlier, were smoking right in front of him, the smell stuck. Even though he changed into another uniform, he wasn’t sure if it was the pants but it smelled lightly of cigarettes as he moved.

If that continued, the customer would feel uncomfortable…so deciding that he should spray the deodorant kept in the cleaning room so he put down the broom and returned to the cleaning room.

Yigyeom wasn’t sure when the customer would come in so he kept the door open half-way and sprayed deodorant on his pants. When he smelled the deodorant, he remembered the face he saw that morning. The face that appeared in between the crack when opened the main door.