By Zephyria 
Even though he had done nothing wrong, his heart always shrank for no reason whenever he crossed the threshold of a police station. Even the casual gaze of the officer standing tall at the main entrance, as if monitoring the passersby, made his shoulders tense.
Why was that? Seo Chi-young tilted his head slightly.
Was it because it felt similar to the stiff feeling of the uniforms worn by the people who had burst into his home without warning on a day long ago, now gathering dust in his memories, to paste seizure notices on the house? Or was it because of the memory of being anxious about when a crackdown would happen back when he ran a street stall a few years ago? Or perhaps it was the memory of the gazes poured upon him when money went missing from the food shop where he had worked as a delivery boy for a few months long ago, and the furious owner had grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to the police station without a second thought, no matter how much he pleaded that it wasn’t him.
“……….”
Stopping abruptly while leaving the civil service center, Seo Chi-young counted on his fingers and let out a hollow laugh. Counting them like this, quite a few plausible reasons came to mind.
“Mr. Seo Chi-young.”
Seo Chi-young raised his head at the sudden sound of his name. An inspector, who was getting coffee from the vending machine in front of the entrance, was gesturing to him. Seo Chi-young folded the confirmation slip in his hand, tucked it into his front pocket, and approached him.
“Did you finish the report?”
The inspector, whom Seo Chi-young had encountered upon entering the station, was someone he had known for a while. When running a shop in an area for several years, accidents big and small are bound to happen, so it was inevitable to become acquainted with the police in charge of that district. He had met this inspector that way. Now, the inspector rarely appeared at minor accident scenes in the market street, so they hardly met, but they had seen each other quite often a few years ago.
As Seo Chi-young nodded with a shy smile and said “Yes,” the inspector clicked his tongue.
“As you know, Mr. Seo, don’t expect too much. Small-scale theft often ends up as an unsolved case. Even if we catch them, in most cases, proper compensation isn’t made. …….Still, it would be good if we could catch them, truly.”
The inspector, who knew the general circumstances of Seo Chi-young’s situation, added as if talking to himself, sounding pitying. Seo Chi-young just smiled awkwardly.
He knew that filing a report wouldn’t provide much of a solution. Petty theft in the market was as common as dust, and it would be stranger if a theft that occurred in a shop left empty for a long time in the middle of the night without any particular witnesses was actually solved.
Still, he filed the report without high expectations, hoping that if the culprit happened to be caught stealing elsewhere, he might get lucky. Although the possibility of getting the money back even if they were caught was slim, the amount of money lost was too large to completely bury the hope.
“So, how are things lately? Is business going well?”
Gratefully accepting the coffee the inspector handed him, Seo Chi-young stood beside the entrance and replied, “Thanks to you.”
After paying off debts every month, paying the shop rent, and spending living expenses as frugally as possible, he was left with a very meager amount to save. Compared to the days when he frequently encountered this inspector, he could say his situation had improved significantly just by being able to save a few pennies, but he couldn’t afford to be lazy for a single moment.
Even now, he had only come here for a brief moment after receiving gopchang from a broker and soaking it in a medicinal bath, so he had to hurry back.
“Still, your face looks a bit better than before, which is good to see. Keep working hard. I’ll stop by the shop sometime.”
After finishing the coffee in a few sips, Seo Chi-young began to say, “Then, I’ll be going…” and the inspector patted his shoulder lightly as he spoke. Seo Chi-young smiled and bowed his head.
It was just as Seo Chi-young turned to leave, saying, “I’ll be on my way.”
A black car entered, receiving a salute from the officer guarding the main gate of the police station. “Oh, the Chief Superintendent is here,” he heard the inspector mutter. Judging by the time, he was likely returning after lunch.
I’m not sure, but he must be someone high up in the police station, Seo Chi-young thought vaguely, casting his gaze toward the car stopping in front of the main entrance of the headquarters. The officers he usually encountered were patrolmen, sergeants, or lieutenants, so a Chief Superintendent was someone completely outside his circle.
Seo Chi-young began to walk down the stairs. As he did, he glanced at the people getting out of the car. Then, a man entered Seo Chi-young’s field of vision, getting out alongside a middle-aged man—who, seeing the nearby officers salute, was likely the Chief Superintendent.
The man entering the main building alongside the Chief Superintendent, with a pleasant face and a gentle smile, was Jang Ui-geon.
Seo Chi-young stared blankly, unconsciously, at them as they walked, exchanging friendly conversation as if they were a close uncle and nephew. It was because he had seen an unexpected person in an unimaginable place.
Before long, Jang Ui-geon also spotted Seo Chi-young, who was standing still and staring at them. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.
“Chi-young?”
Jang Ui-geon called out to Seo Chi-young, looking surprised. Seo Chi-young hesitated for a moment before giving a polite nod of greeting. His eyes met with the Superintendent standing next to Jang Ui-geon, and he bowed his head to him as well.
“Do you know him?”
“Ah, yes. — We were classmates in high school.”
Jang Ui-geon answered the Superintendent’s kindly phrased question after a very brief pause. ‘Classmates’ wasn’t a lie, but for some reason, it felt awkward, and Seo Chi-young found himself vaguely averting his gaze.
“I see. Well, I’ll be heading inside, so feel free to chat with your friend. Please give my regards to your father and tell him I’d like to see him sometime.”
“Yes, I will see you next time. Thank you for your kind words today.”
Jang Ui-geon bowed with a smile, and the Superintendent nodded, gave Seo Chi-young a parting glance of greeting, and turned away. Once he disappeared into the main building, Jang Ui-geon approached Seo Chi-young. As always, his bright, smiling face gave a good impression.
“I didn’t expect to run into you here. What brings you here?”
“What about you, Ui-geon-ssi… is he someone you know?”
As Seo Chi-young hesitated and gestured with his head in the direction the Superintendent had gone, Jang Ui-geon let out a casual, “Ah,” and laughed.
“He’s a Hubae whom a very close friend of my father cherishes… It sounds a bit strange when I put it that way. He visits our house occasionally, so I’ve seen him a few times. I happened to be in the neighborhood today, so I stopped by to pay my respects and had a meal before heading out.”
“Actually, there’s a bit of a hidden motive because a spot for a shop has finally been decided around here,” Jang Ui-geon added, shrugging his shoulders with a touch of mischief. Seo Chi-young nodded, saying, “I see.”
For a moment, he was confused about which part he should react to first. But soon, his thoughts leaned toward the part about ‘a shop in this neighborhood.’ I see. Does that mean we’ll be seeing each other quite often from now on?
As Seo Chi-young became lost in thought with a subtly swelling heart, Jang Ui-geon tilted his head curiously.
“By the way.”
“What is it, Chi-young-ssi?”
Having been spaced out for a moment, Seo Chi-young was suddenly flustered. Unable to think of a quick excuse, he stammered, and perhaps finding his behavior strange, Jang Ui-geon shifted his gaze to the Inspector standing beside him. When their eyes met, Jang Ui-geon greeted him first with a pleasant smile, “Hello,” to which the Inspector responded stiffly, “Ah, yes, hello.” Then, without being asked, the Inspector tactfully spoke up first.
“Mr. Seo Chi-young came to report a burglary at his shop, and it seems he happened to run into a friend here.”
“Not a friend, a classmate…” Seo Chi-young added, feeling unnecessarily uncomfortable, but Jang Ui-geon, who had faintly frowned, focused on a different part.
“A burglary? When, and how much was taken?”
Jang Ui-geon scanned Seo Chi-young slowly from head to toe. When Seo Chi-young mumbled, “No, it wasn’t anything major,” Jang Ui-geon seemed to give up on getting an answer from him and turned entirely toward the Inspector.
“It seems a thief broke in the other day, around 2 or 3 AM, while the shop was briefly unattended…”
Hearing the Inspector’s answer, Jang Ui-geon fell silent. He stared silently for a moment at Seo Chi-young, who was scratching the back of his neck and averting his gaze awkwardly, before speaking in a low, scolding tone.
“So that’s when the burglary happened.”
“……..”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“….Just.., it wasn’t a big deal. I thought you’d only worry for nothing..”
Jang Ui-geon watched Seo Chi-young lay out his fragmented excuses in silence, then let out an annoyed sigh and asked.
“How much was the loss?”
Seo Chi-young mumbled, his eyes darting around, and only after Jang Ui-geon called his name, “Chi-young-ssi,” in a slightly more stern voice, did he murmur almost inaudibly, “420,000 won……”
He hadn’t wanted to let him know. If he had intended to, he would have said so last night. But if Jang Ui-geon found out that a thief had broken in while the shop was empty because of them, he would undoubtedly feel sorry and offer to compensate him, and Seo Chi-young did not want to take money from him. Even though he had been caught by chance now, he vowed in his heart that he would not accept compensation.
“420,000 won,” Jang Ui-geon muttered, his expression softening. He seemed relieved, thinking that amount wasn’t too bad, but then he fell silent again. After being lost in thought for a few seconds, he looked at Seo Chi-young’s expression and asked.
“…….Is that not a large sum of money for you?”
Needless to say, it was a large sum. But for Jang Ui-geon, it was an amount that could be prefaced with “perhaps,” and that was exactly why Seo Chi-young couldn’t answer. Because if it were that amount, it felt as though Jang Ui-geon would pull it out and press it into his hand right this second.
However, even though Seo Chi-young didn’t answer, Jang Ui-geon, who had been scrutinizing every detail of his expression, seemed to have found the answer. Even the reason why Seo Chi-young wasn’t answering.
“……Will the shop be okay for this month?”
At Jang Ui-geon’s hesitant and cautious question, Seo Chi-young nodded with a flushed face. That much was fine. He had some savings, and he could just be a bit more frugal.
Jang Ui-geon looked down at Seo Chi-young and let out a heavy sigh.
“I believe this is something I should take responsibility for, but even if I offered to compensate you, you wouldn’t take it, would you, Chi-young-ssi?”
“……..Because it’s not something you need to take responsibility for.”
It was his own responsibility for not locking the shop properly. If Seo Chi-young had tried to lock the door properly then, Jang Ui-geon would have surely waited those few dozen seconds; it was Seo Chi-young who had complacently thought it would be fine since it was only for a moment.
Seeing Seo Chi-young shake his head firmly, Jang Ui-geon wore a look that said he had expected as much. Seo Chi-young glanced up at Jang Ui-geon, who was looking at him with a complicated expression.
Just as Seo Chi-young considered it his own responsibility, Jang Ui-geon likely considered it his fault as well. Seo Chi-young didn’t think it was Jang Ui-geon’s fault at all, but observing his distressed expression, he cautiously offered an alternative.
“…….Then, please come by often. Come to the shop often and eat. So that business goes well.”
Only after saying it did he think that this might actually be a more burdensome request. At the same time, though it had been blurted out impulsively, he thought it would be truly wonderful if that happened.
Even now, he came relatively often, but it’s never strange for a customer to stop visiting. He could have stopped coming starting today because he grew tired of gopchang or became too busy.
Jang Ui-geon stared blankly at Seo Chi-young, who looked momentarily flustered and subtly lowered his gaze after speaking, as if he had heard something unexpected. Suddenly, he let out a low laugh.
“Alright. Let’s do that. I’ll clock in every day and eat 10 servings at a time.”
“10 servings.. then in a week…”
Unconsciously calculating in his head and murmuring with a hint of disappointment that it would only be that much, Seo Chi-young only realized it was a joke when he heard Jang Ui-geon’s laughter grow louder.
“Why are you calculating so seriously? I don’t actually have the confidence to eat 10 servings in one sitting. Besides, it’ll be hard to come every day. I’ll be getting busy soon as I start preparing for the shop in earnest.”
Come to think of it, he had mentioned earlier that a spot for the shop had been decided.
“Oh.., then are you returning to the company?”
“Not officially, but soon. Well, I haven’t even been able to play comfortably until now. ….. Still, since I’ll be coming and going around here for a while anyway, I’ll stop by often, even if not every day.”
Since it didn’t sound like mere empty pleasantries, Seo Chi-young nodded happily. After nodding several times in quick succession, he stopped, puzzled, seeing Jang Ui-geon turn his head slightly and smile.
“I sometimes think that I have no idea what’s going on in your head, Chi-young-ssi, but then again, your thoughts are so clearly written on your face… No, it’s nothing.”
Jang Ui-geon waved his hand to end the sentence and continued to laugh for a while. Then, as if a thought occurred to him, the laughter slowly faded. After a moment of reflection, his voice dropped slightly as he added, “And.”
“Because of this incident and everything, if you ever find yourself stuck for money you need urgently, I can provide some flexibility. So…”
Jang Ui-geon stopped mid-sentence. Looking at Seo Chi-young’s face, he gave a bitter smile, knowing that Seo Chi-young would likely refuse.
“So, please don’t borrow from any dangerous places just because you’re desperate.”
“Yes,” Seo Chi-young nodded. He had already experienced painfully toward the end of high school what happens when one borrows money from dangerous places. However, he also knew that there are situations where one has no choice but to borrow from such places, even while knowing full well they are dangerous.
After watching Seo Chi-young nod silently, Jang Ui-geon spoke as if to end the conversation there, saying, “Alright.” He suddenly looked down at his watch and asked curiously.
“By the way, Chi-young-ssi, aren’t you open today?”
“What..?!”
Checking the time on his phone, Seo Chi-young gasped. While he had been spaced out encountering Jang Ui-geon, so much time had already passed.
He had already been walking briskly, thinking he needed to get back quickly.
“Oh, I have to go now. Well, ….have a good day.”
As Seo Chi-young bowed his head in greeting, Jang Ui-geon smiled broadly and replied, “You too, Chi-young-ssi.”
“I’ll come by this evening if I can.”
Seo Chi-young turned around to see Jang Ui-geon speaking slightly louder behind him; he bowed once more and hurried away, almost running.
This evening. Thinking that this was the first time he had given him a heads-up, Seo Chi-young smiled faintly. Then, checking his watch again, he began to run anxiously.
It had been almost a week since Yoon Jun-young had shown his face at the shop.
When he first saw him enter the shop in silence and take a seat in front of the cooking station, the smile on Seo Chi-young’s face as he said “Welcome” involuntarily vanished. It wasn’t only because that night a week ago came to mind. After seeing Yoon Jun-young for the first time in a few days, he looked pale, whether it was just a feeling or not. No, it wasn’t just a feeling; it looked as if he had lost several kilograms.
Therefore, it wasn’t strange that Seo Chi-young’s first words upon seeing him were “Are you okay?” instead of a greeting.
Though he had grown thin enough for his clothes to look baggy, Yoon Jun-young’s face remained as indifferent and calm as ever. Only after saying “Give me a plate” did he respond nonchalantly, “I’m okay.”
“I was quite sick after that day. My fever wouldn’t go down, so I couldn’t leave the house all week. The fever finally broke yesterday, so I came out today.”
“I see. I’m glad the fever went down..”
That night, Yoon Jun-young’s fever had risen to a terrifying degree. Even a wet towel on his face would become hot in a short time. Having been drenched in rain like that, it would have been stranger if his body were fine. So, Seo Chi-young had been worrying if he was alright.
Seo Chi-young nodded, looking relieved. But after a short pause, he cautiously asked Yoon Jun-young.
“……..And ….., were you okay after that?”
He had wondered whether to ask. He didn’t like prying into other people’s business and thought it might be better to pretend not to know, but his concern wasn’t just about health.
Yoon Jun-young, who had been gripping his chopsticks while staring intently at the gopchang Seo Chi-young began to fry, looked up and said, “Huh?” However, as if realizing what he meant, he nodded, “Ah,” and answered plainly.
“It was alright. Surprisingly, the professor didn’t say much. Rather, he told me my face looked worn out and asked if I shouldn’t rest more.., but more than that, it’s just a hassle because of the missed lectures. The thought of writing a make-up plan…”
Yoon Jun-young frowned and waved his hand. “Ah.., yes..,” Seo Chi-young mumbled vaguely and fell silent. That wasn’t what he was curious about when asking if he was okay, but for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to ask a third time.
A silence flowed between them for a moment. Only the sound and smell of the gopchang cooking lingered.
Seo Chi-young fried the gopchang until it was crispy to suit Yoon Jun-young’s taste and then sat down. As if glad to see the gopchang again after a week, Yoon Jun-young focused entirely on his chopsticks without looking anywhere else. Seo Chi-young watched him silently.
He was thin, but his expression wasn’t bad. Yes, at least he didn’t look like he was about to collapse as he had that night. Recalling the Yoon Jun-young he had seen that day, Seo Chi-young nodded inwardly, thinking that this face was enough.
It was then, as he was looking at Yoon Jun-young with a slightly relieved heart, that someone entered the shop with a brisk step.
“Oh, Jun-young is here.”
Jang Ui-geon, who had smiled and greeted Seo Chi-young with a wink before even entering the shop, spoke brightly upon seeing Yoon Jun-young sitting at the seat in front of the cooking station as usual, his eyebrows arching slightly. At that, Yoon Jun-young, who had been diligently picking out and eating gopchang without a word, shifted his gaze to him.
“Oh, you’re here?”
But with only those short words, Yoon Jun-young continued to empty his plate with an indifferent face, and Jang Ui-geon sat down beside him as naturally as always. Seo Chi-young was the only one with a bewildered expression; the two of them sat side by side and began to chat casually as if nothing had happened.
“Come to think of it, I heard it was chaos that day. The wedding was suddenly called off on the day of, and Ui-min hyung was preparing to go to the wedding in the morning when he got the call; he was incredibly bewildered. He tried to contact him, but the guy didn’t answer the phone and was out of contact for two days, Kwon Kang-hee.”
Because the wedding was canceled so abruptly and the intended groom was nearly unreachable for two days, rumors flew that some gruesome accident had occurred. Since the man’s profession was in a dangerous field, such rumors circulated with more credibility, but when the man appeared on the third day looking perfectly fine, the death accident theory vanished.
Jang Ui-geon had told Seo Chi-young this story a couple of days ago. Lately, as if intending to keep the promise he made at the police station, he had been visiting every two days, or at the latest every three, despite saying he was frantically busy.
It had been several days since Seo Chi-young had been shaking his head with an unnecessarily apologetic face whenever Jang Ui-geon entered the shop, looked around, and asked casually, “Didn’t Jun-young come today?” As far as Seo Chi-young knew, this was the first time the two of them had faced each other since that day.
And yet, they were talking with serene faces as if absolutely nothing had happened.
“Was that so? I don’t remember it well. Right after that, my fever spiked so high that I was barely conscious for a few days.”
“Haha, don’t tell me that guy Kang-hee kept doing things that would keep your fever from dropping? While he was out of contact.”
“……Who knows.”
Yoon Jun-young answered briefly and fell silent. The short gap before the answer and the silence that followed were subtly unnatural, so Seo Chi-young glanced at Yoon Jun-young. Over Yoon Jun-young’s faintly frowning face, it seemed as if the fever that had gone down was momentarily rising again.
Jang Ui-geon, who had been giving a bitter smile in that silence, happened to lock eyes with Seo Chi-young while drinking beer. He smiled calmly.
“Why are you staring like that?”
“…….., ……I was just wondering if the portion wasn’t enough..”
As Seo Chi-young mumbled, Jang Ui-geon looked at him with an incredulous expression. Whenever Yoon Jun-young or Jang Ui-geon came, Seo Chi-young would take out plenty of ingredients. Consequently, the amount on their plates was nearly double what other customers received. There was no way he, who visited every few days, wouldn’t know that.
“Far from being insufficient, the weight I’ve gained since coming here is almost scary. Did you mix something in here?”
Beside Jang Ui-geon, who spoke jokingly, Yoon Jun-young, who always picked out the gopchang first, mumbled to himself, “I want to gain more weight, why am I not gaining?” before suddenly remembering something and shifting his gaze to Seo Chi-young.