LM 9

Siyul opened and closed his mouth, then fell silent. He had nothing to say. After all, even he would find it hard to trust someone like himself. A lowlife selling drugs in small quantities – it was natural that he wouldn’t inspire any trust.

“It’s true. I swear on my balls.”

This was all he had – no money, no car, no house. It was a serious statement meant to show his determination, but the other party burst into laughter that resonated through the phone. The “hahaha” laughter sounded both hearty and unfamiliar, like the man himself. Somehow, it made Siyul’s other ear itch, and he tugged at his earlobe.

―Never mind that. If you don’t have money, what can we do? You’ll have to pay with your body then.

“…Pardon?”

A chill ran down Siyul’s spine, wondering if the man was of the same ilk as the pig. Whether aware of Siyul’s misunderstanding or not, the man added with laughter still in his voice:

―Do you like drinking?

* * *

Even after hanging up, Woo Hyunse giggled like a child for a while, seemingly amused. This briefly brought life to the quiet office. Though it was just Woo Hyunse and Park Hae-jeong there.

“Are you starting a charity?”

Park Hae-jeong, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, spoke up. Woo Hyunse looked down at his phone, then raised his eyes with a “Hmm.” A smile played on his handsome face. Judging by his upturned lips and crescent-moon eyes alone, he looked as kind and benevolent as a saint from a painting.

Woo Hyunse was a peculiar person. Aside from his striking looks that would turn anyone’s head, there was a significant disparity between his expressionless face and his smiling one. When his lips were straight, he looked incredibly cold, but when he smiled, he appeared kind. So his first impression was generally good, but well… Park Hae-jeong, having seen his true nature over the years, prided himself on knowing a bit of what was inside.

“Charity, you say.”

Woo Hyunse replied after a beat. His eyebrows were furrowed, but a faint smile still clung to his lips. He continued, saying, “As an adult…”

“Let’s say it’s guiding a lost lamb back to the right path.”

Park Hae-jeong silently laughed to himself. This man, who would thoroughly strip the meat, bones, skin, and fur from a lost lamb before its owner could find it, was incredibly glib. He was a talent who should have followed his adoptive father into politics early on instead of wasting his innate abilities in self-employment.

“Isn’t that friend the one who threw up on your pants last time, boss?”

He was a notable character in many ways. A pretty Beta who sold drugs in clubs owned by the boss. The drug was called “Herma,” short for Hermaphroditos, an Omega heat inducer. Regardless of one’s s3x, it made users leak like an Omega in heat, so it was quite in demand.

But as a synthetic drug, its quality was poor. When one of the club’s VVIPs nearly died from it, the boss had some trouble. While trying to completely eradicate it, they caught that kid. With the boss’s usual temperament, he would have taken him to a warehouse and methodically crushed him starting from his fingernails and toenails, then hunted down the supplier. But for some whim, he let him go.

Well, he was just a kid, too young to rough up. Those large eyes brimming with tears and snot running down his face – it was a pitiful look that could sway even the most heartless person. His dirty, tear-stained face resembled a rain-soaked puppy or a kitten with swollen eyes from crying.

Of course, the boss wouldn’t have been swayed by such trivial tears. It was just that the kid’s luck was extraordinarily good that day.

Instead of thanking his ancestors, the kid boldly showed his face in another club. And then he lied, saying it wasn’t him – a lie that didn’t fool anyone. I thought his luck had truly run out then. But the boss just sighed deeply and only took the kid’s ID.

And the third time. Even when the kid vomited on the boss’s feet, instead of punishing him, he just took his number and let him go. There was no explanation other than the kid must have saved a country in his past life.

“Do you like that kid, boss?”

“Didn’t you hear? He’s betting his balls. He’s a guy, there’s no liking or disliking about it.”

“It seems like you’re being nice to him.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you, boss.”

“Hmm,” Woo Hyunse crossed his legs and took out the kid’s ID from a drawer. The photo on the ID looked even younger than the face he’d seen recently. The eyes peeking through his bangs looked sleepy and dazed, and his cheeks were chubby with baby fat.

“Well, maybe it’s time for him to grow up. As you said, charity doesn’t seem so bad.”

Even though the photo was blurry, the mole under his eye was clearly visible. Woo Hyunse thought about poking it with his index finger next time he saw the kid. He tapped the photo lightly with his fingertip. He meant to just touch the mole, but his finger was so thick it covered the entire small face in the photo.

Park Hae-jeong stared at Woo Hyunse with no expression. His sparkling eyes seemed familiar. After searching his memory for where he had seen them before, he finally recalled.

Woo Hyunse’s eyes resembled those of his nephew when he discovered a new toy. It seemed the man before him had found a new plaything to alleviate his boredom and tedium.

* * *

Siyul alternated between looking at the address he received and the sign. The address Woo Hyunse gave him was correct. While he was trembling, unsure of the intentions behind being asked if he liked alcohol, he was told to work at a place the other knew.

For Siyul, this was a blessing. He had been consistently failing job interviews for part-time positions. Regardless of the man’s true motives, Siyul had secured employment.

The establishment was on the 6th floor of the building. The door was locked, probably due to the early hour. Siyul peered through the glass on the door to examine the interior. While the entrance atmosphere was similar to the place where he had drinks with the pig, the interior decor was different. Most notably, there was a small stage attached to the wall. Next to a large piano, like those seen in movies, stood a standing microphone and a chair.

As he leaned in closer to see better, his breath fogged up the glass. While wiping it with his sleeve to look again, someone suddenly appeared from inside.

“Ack!” Siyul startled and stepped back. The woman on the other side of the glass also widened her eyes in surprise before quickly opening the door.

“It’s not opening time yet… Oh, are you Mr. Kwon Siyul?”

“Ah, yes. I’m Kwon Siyul. Um, Woo Hyunse…”

He struggled with how to address him. It seemed he ran a club but also owned a bar. As Siyul wavered between calling him Director, boss, or Executive, the woman stepped aside, inviting him in. Siyul entered hesitantly.

The woman offered Siyul a seat. He sat down, straightening his back stiffly.

“I heard from the director that you’d be coming. Have you worked in a bar before?”

“No.”

After leaving the orphanage, he had worked at convenience stores and done day labor, but never at a bar. Siyul glanced at the bar over the woman’s shoulder. One wall was packed with unfamiliar bottles. The only alcohol he knew were beer, soju, and the cheap whiskeys his older acquaintances showed off when drinking.

“Well, you’re not here to be a bartender anyway. Just help out with odd jobs. There’s a lot that needs doing. Are you strong?”

“Yes. I’ve done loading and unloading part-time jobs.”

Siyul answered politely. His clenched fists rested on his thighs, posture straight like a job interviewee.

“I’m the manager here. My name is Kang Jiwon. Nice to meet you.”

Kang Jiwon extended her hand. Siyul stood up abruptly, bending his waist at a 90-degree angle and grasping her hand with both of his.

“By the way, what’s your relationship with the director? Just a junior acquaintance? He doesn’t usually introduce people, so I’m curious.”

Kang Jiwon, who had been laughing brightly at Siyul’s formal greeting, asked with a smile. Siyul was at a loss for how to answer. Should he say they were debtor and creditor, or that they had no relationship at all?

“Somehow… we got to know each other in passing.”

He blurted out what he thought was the safest answer, but Kang Jiwon seemed unsatisfied, waving her hand and saying, “What’s that supposed to mean?” However, she didn’t pry further.

“Siyul, you can start coming in from tomorrow. I’ll give you a detailed schedule tomorrow. What’s your shirt size?”

“Ah, I wear size L.”

“Really? You look slimmer than that.”

“I tend to wear things a bit loose.”

When he answered formally like a trainee soldier, Kang Jiwon laughed heartily. After that, she said they were done and told him to go. She mentioned she had already received his number from the director. After getting Kang Jiwon’s number, Siyul left the establishment.

Even after taking the elevator down and exiting the building, he felt dazed. It was as if he had been sucked into a strange world and returned to the original one. Siyul tilted his head, thinking, “Well, that was something.” When he looked back, the place was still there, attached to its spot.

In any case, he would start work tomorrow. Siyul pulled his hood down low and tightly drew the strings on both sides. He wasn’t confident if he could do well. However, he had dependents and debt.

Siyul soon snorted. Whatever, there was nothing he couldn’t do.