2.1 Tips. Pocket money. Sincerity.

Ms. Jin had recently been seeing “Team Leader Baek,” a construction supervisor for an apartment complex. He was a man in his late forties who had come down from Seoul, and as it turned out, he was also from Mugwang. He told her that in his early twenties, he had married a woman he fell in love with after only three months, but spent ten years suffering from delusional jealousy before she committed suicide, leaving him alone again. Since then, he claimed he didn’t have the slightest desire to marry or even date anyone seriously; he had apparently spent entire nights clinging to Ms. Jin and weeping while drunk. I couldn’t understand that. If he was like that, why the fuck was he clinging to a woman and crying? Did he think she was an easy target because of the kind of work she did?

Still, he seemed like a kind person. Though his inner thoughts were a mystery, his outward impression was that of such a pushover that if Ms. Jin set her mind to it, she could probably fleece him of his entire fortune.

I saw Ms. Jin returning to the car. Beside her was Team Leader Baek, wearing work clothes and a hard hat. Opening the back door, Ms. Jin loaded the bundle of coffee first and then bid him farewell.

“Call me when you’re finished. I’ll clock out then too.”

“Alright. Think about what you want to eat.”

“Got it. Get back inside quickly.”

It was the first time I’d heard his voice, and while I expected a refined Seoul accent, that wasn’t the case at all. Then again, since I heard he moved to Seoul after his wife died, it would be stranger if he spoke like a Seoulite. However, as Team Leader Baek turned to leave, Ms. Jin suddenly caught him urgently.

“Oh, Oppa. Do you have any cash on you right now?”

“Cash for what? Coffee money?”

“No way. When do I ever take coffee money from you? It’s not that—the kid in front here is our driver, and he’s really sweet. I told him to take some pocket money before you go.”

“Ah, is that so?”

At Ms. Jin’s words, Team Leader Baek came over to the passenger side and opened the door. Read on Read BL NovelsRummaging [visit our site]through his work pants pocket, visit our sitehe pulled out his wallet and asked me.

“But you look awfully young. How old are you?”

“Twenty-three.”

“You’re just a baby. You have a license, right? You’re the one driving?”

“Of course. I got it as soon as I graduated.”

I had heard it was easier if I entered the military as a driver, so I had scraped together every penny I had to get it right after graduation. Even now, I felt it was a very wise decision.

“Here, forty thousand won. This is all I’ve got, so I can’t give you more even if I wanted to.”

“Oh, no. This is already a lot of money. I’ll take it gratefully. Thank you, CEO.”

I bowed my head and reached out with both hands to take the money. At the title of “CEO,” Team Leader Baek’s mouth split into a wide grin.

“If you ever want to try manual labor later, let me know. I can easily find you a spot.”

“Yes, I will.”

“Nah, forget it. Your face and body aren’t exactly built for—”

“Do you have any other work you do?”

As he kept talking, Ms. Jin urged him from behind.

“Oppa, get back inside quickly. Someone’s probably making a fuss looking for you.”

“Yeah, alright. Then, Eunjin, I’m going! I’ll call later, so make sure you pick up!”

Team Leader Baek mimicked a telephone with his hand to his ear and ran off. As soon as he was gone, Ms. Jin cursed, “Fuck.” She climbed into the passenger seat, lit a cigarette, and asked me.

“How much did he give you?”

“Forty thousand won.”

“Not bad. He looks like that, but he’s generous with his money.”

If this was luck, I had held my own in my own way. Kim Jeong-suk would never dream of today’s events, so there would be no chance of the money being taken away. As we started the car, Ms. Jin flicked the ash out the window and suddenly turned her head toward me.

“I heard you went out for a Gimun delivery yesterday. You even got thirty thousand in tips from CEO Chu.”

“Ah, yes.”

Ms. Jin exhaled a long plume of smoke like a sigh.

“Be careful. That man doesn’t just throw money at anyone.”

“Ah…”

“I worked at a room salon they manage for three years. CEO Chu is absolutely not the kind of man to spend money just to fuck. He never uses tips. There are plenty of girls who’ll spread their legs and crawl for him, so why would he spend his own money? One girl, not knowing any better, asked for money, and he nearly killed her, asking if she’d come to sell him something.”

“…”

“For a man like that to spend cold hard cash…”

I want something fucking big from you right now. Before I have to force it out of you. Bring it to me on your own first.

Saying this, Ms. Jin opened the window and tossed the cigarette. The loud sound of the wind vanished as the window closed, leaving a silence. Ms. Jin’s voice, now a pitch lower than before, hit my ears.

“Just because he gives you money doesn’t mean he’s a good person. He’s the most terrifying kind of person.”

“…”

“Don’t let your life get fucked up by getting caught in something you shouldn’t. Stay away from him from the start. Just stay away. You don’t have to do everything Jeong-suk tells you. Strictly speaking, is that your debt? It’s your mother’s debt. You know what I mean, right?”

“…Yes.”

She had mentioned having a youngest sibling younger than me; it seemed she really did. There was always a sense of sincerity in the words Ms. Jin spoke. A sincerity that should not be lightly dismissed.

Around two o’clock, after picking up Ms. Byeol, who had gone for a delivery visit our siteto the visit our sitebilliard hall, we returned to the coffee shop. Kim Jeong-suk was [visit our site]waiting as if expected and handed over a new bundle.

“It’s for Gimun. Go.”

At Kim Jeong-suk’s words, Ms. Jin, who had been sitting in the hall, sprang up.

“I told her to let the kid do it, but she’s still like this. Ah, I’ll go. I’ll go.”

“You fucking bitch, you’ve been irritating me for a while now. Who do you think you are? Are you the owner’s wife? You’re fucking nothing, so where do you get off—!”

“Fucking bitch? Fucking nothing? Did you just curse at me? You want to go?”

“Hey, Kim Eunjin! No matter how much I owe you, I’m still your fucking madam! Stop acting up!”

Furious, Kim Jeong-suk shouted at Ms. Jin, looking as if she were about to throw the bundle she was holding. Kang Moon-soo, who had been sitting in his usual spot in the corner of the hall, stood up at the shouting and approached. Ms. Jin and Kang Moon-soo generally didn’t get along and fought frequently. My heart hammered in my chest, worried that a huge scene would break out because of me.

“What is it? Why all the shouting?”

“This bitch is blinded by money. A request came in for someone else, but she says she’s the one going.”

A request. It seemed they had finally requested me for Gimun. Between that and what I’d heard from Ms. Jin, my heart felt heavy. I thought a string of small and large fortunes would continue, but it seemed it ended with that forty thousand won. Kang Moon-soo pushed his large frame forward, stepping in front of Ms. Jin.

“Hey, Ajumma. Are you the boss here? Why are you acting so crazy?”

“I’m older than you. Don’t be cheeky.”

“That’s why I’m treating you with respect, isn’t it? Should I call you Grandma? Hey, Grandma. If you’re old, go home. Stop doing this kind of work. Huh?”

I knew well that he was intentionally acting childish to provoke her temper. Having been targeted by Kang Moon-soo several times already, I had long since figured out his pattern. Knowing a big fight was inevitable, I immediately squeezed myself between the two. No matter how great her temper was, Ms. Jin was a woman. Kang Moon-soo was a man.

“Stop it, Hyung. Noona, please don’t do this either.”

After pushing Kang Moon-soo back and seating Ms. Jin in her original spot, I hurriedly snatched the bundle from Kim Jeong-suk’s hand. I forced the corners of my mouth up into a smile.

“Then, I’ll be going.”

At my words, Ms. Jin let out a hollow laugh, grabbed her handbag, and stood up. As she headed for the door, Kim Jeong-suk shouted.

“Where are you going without working!!”

“I’m not coming in for a few days! Deduct it from the debt I have to pay. Fuck.”

Ms. Jin spoke without looking back, spat a thick glob of phlegm onto the mat at the entrance, and vanished. “That… that fucking bitch!” As Kim Jeong-suk tried to chase after her, I held her back and gently soothed her.

“Auntie, please bear with it. From Noona’s perspective, I’m taking away her work, so of course she’s angry.”

Almost immediately, Ms. Byeol, who had been watching, chimed in, “That’s not it. I’m fucking grateful you’re going to Gimun. You can go every day, every day.” Twenty-five-year-old Ms. Byeol had a habit of blurting things out without reading the room. I wondered if that habit would ever leave her, even in a situation like this. Still, because I acted softly, Kim Jeong-suk’s anger seemed to subside a bit. She straightened my clothes and spoke with a touch of affection.

“Take your phone and be careful. Oh, and [unauthorized copy]they said you don’t [stolen content]have Read on Read BL Novelsto wear dress shoes.”

That was the most grateful thing I’d heard all day. Just not wearing dress shoes would make me feel much more at ease. CEO Chu’s fierce gaze wouldn’t be focused on my ankles. Kang Moon-soo strolled back to his seat and gave me a wink. For a moment, the image of Kang Moon-soo’s blurry backside from yesterday flashed through my mind, and I nearly gagged.

“Make sure you get good tips today too. Don’t worry about having them all taken away like yesterday. I told Noona that we’ll split it eight to two. Even a piece of shit should have a conscience.”

“I’m the eight?”

“You’re the two.”

“…”

I was an idiot for asking. My expression must have soured considerably, as Kang Moon-soo chuckled. He brought the Ssanghwa-tang he was drinking to his lips and delivered a final comment.

“If you want to save up some money for later, it’s better to bring back a lot, right?”

Skipping any formal farewells, I took the bundle—which was lighter than yesterday’s—and went to the car. A lighter weight meant fewer people were gathered. Even so, the most terrifying man would still be there.

I set the luggage on the passenger seat, took the phone out of my pocket, and tossed it into the console box. I had spoken bravely about going, but my heart was already racing, unable to calm down. Do you think I’m not scared of that place?

I don’t know what CEO Chu had said, but even though I didn’t sneak in through a dog hole and simply rang the bell, the door was opened for me. Today’s gatekeeper was again the massive, imposing Jeong-sik. After I gave a loud “Hello,” Jeong-sik scanned me from head to toe and said one thing.

“See you often.”

A thick hand pushed my back inside.

“You know where you went yesterday, right? Go in there today too.”

“Yes. Please don’t worry.”

“Kid, if you want to make a living as Obong, change your way of speaking completely. What are you, a gangster?”

“I’m sorry.”

Thinking he was just talking shit, I maintained a smiling face until the end, greeted him, and turned away. Fortunately, there weren’t many people sitting in the living room. There was just one menacing Hyung who had gripped my cock and one lackey. Perhaps because of yesterday’s events, their eyes naturally drifted to my feet, and seeing my sneakers, they looked somewhat disappointed.

“Go on in. Hyung has been waiting a long time.”

“Yes.”

Before grabbing the handle of the door where CEO Chu was, I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants. My stomach, which I thought had settled, suddenly churned again. Hoping that the dying people had all been cleared away and that the room was spotless without a single bloodstain, I cautiously opened the door and entered.

CEO Chu was sitting at the desk directly in front, on the phone. Unlike yesterday’s disheveled state, he was properly dressed. Unlike the other thugs, his slightly long hair was neatly combed back. Except for a few exceptionally dark corners on the floor, the room was relatively clean. However, perhaps because of the blood soaked into the wallpaper and floor, the metallic scent of blood remained.

Our eyes met. Reflexively, I bent my waist and shouted loudly.

“Hello, Hyung! Ah, no, CEO.”

Crazy. Because it was a gang, “Hyung” [unauthorized copy]had come out unconsciously. As I straightened my back and cautiously observed [Read on Read BL Novels]CEO Chu, one of his eyebrows was raised.

“Then set the schedule quickly. There’s nothing good about dragging it out.”

The gaze that had been fixed on my face gradually traveled down my body toward my ankles. At the same time I swallowed hard, he raised his hand and pointed to the sofa where I had sat yesterday. I nodded slightly in response and quickly moved toward it.

“I’ve become a bit busy, so let’s talk later. I’ll call you back.”

A moment later, I heard the sound of the receiver being put down. Soon after, I heard footsteps approaching. I glanced and saw he wasn’t barefoot. Black socks and indoor slippers. The dress shoes were placed next to the desk. Sitting in the seat of honor, he pushed the table with his foot out of habit and spoke.

“Brew it strong.”

“Yes.”

I saw the suit pants tightly wrapping his thighs. Above that, he wore a black shirt, and as expected, the buttons were strained. It seemed difficult to find a fitting size unless it was custom-made. Suddenly, a crazy thought crossed my mind: how does CEO Chu store that huge cock? To the right or the left? It would be obvious if I looked, but then he would notice my gaze.

“You’re staring at me quite a bit.”

The moment I realized what he meant, CEO Chu spoke again with a face devoid of any smile.

“Should I take it off?”

“Ah, no. I’m sorry.”

My face flushed. I had forgotten the fact that I was the only thing he was looking at right now. I hurriedly shifted my gaze to [visit our site]the bundle. My hands trembled as [unauthorized copy]I untied the knot and spread the cloth. Woo Min-jo, you crazy bastard, it’s not your cock, so what do you care where he stores it?

I poured coffee into the thermos with ice and shook it with sugar. But perhaps because I was flustered, I couldn’t remember how many spoons of sugar I’d put in. I thought I was screwed. Praying that my body remembered and had put in two spoons, I poured the coffee into a glass and offered it to CEO Chu without even looking at him.

The glass in my hand passed to CEO Chu’s. The glass, emptied in one gulp, was placed roughly on the glass table. I watched CEO Chu’s expression with a nervous heart, and sure enough, there was a reason they called me “Unlucky Woo Min-jo.” CEO Chu licked his lips and glared at me, his face twisting halfway, and my heart sank. Now I remembered exactly. One, two, three. Three spoons. And not leveled, but heaping.

“…I’m sorry. I made a mistake…”

I bowed my head deeply and apologized first. Luck, my foot. But surprisingly, CEO Chu only said one thing.

“Don’t do that next time. I don’t eat things that are too sweet. Got it?”

I immediately lifted my head and nodded in response. “Yes. I will keep that in mind.”

I thought getting slapped was the baseline, but unexpectedly, some luck remained. This is luck; what else could it be? I screamed a thank you to Ms. Jin in my head and firmly engraved in my mind that CEO Chu of Gimun takes two spoons of sugar. There would be no more mercy from him in the future.

“Come closer.”

CEO Chu said as he took a cigarette from his pocket. With the cigarette in his mouth, he pointed to the empty spot on the sofa beside him with his chin, as if urging me. As I cautiously moved there, a cigarette was handed to me. While I was debating whether to take it or not, he narrowed his brow and asked.

“Do you not know how to smoke?”

“Ah, no. I do.”

“Then is it a refusal?”

“No. Please give it to me.”

As I reached out to take it, the cigarette suddenly rose to my face and tapped my lower lip. Flustered, I pulled my face back and reached out again, causing CEO Chu to scowl sharply.

“I didn’t give it to your hand, I gave it to your mouth.”

“…”

“Open up.”

“…Yes.”

As I opened my mouth, the cigarette slid right in. It was the first time anyone had done this, and it felt truly strange. I wondered if he would even light it for me, but fortunately, he didn’t. I took the lighter, turned my head, and lit it. He looked at me as he exhaled smoke.

“From now on, brew the coffee here. Don’t sit at the end.”

“…Yes.”

CEO Chu continued to smoke while staring at me. His eyes busily scanned my face. He lingered for a long time on my lips as I held and sucked on the cigarette; he was so persistent that I couldn’t taste the tobacco at all. In the end, I couldn’t smoke it for long and crushed it in the ashtray. After a while, CEO Chu extinguished his as well. However, his was already very short. Our eyes met again.

“Don’t you have something to say to me?”

The look in his eyes as he asked was several stolen contenttimes fiercer than before. [Read on Read BL Novels]Something to stolen contentsay. Suddenly, the words I’d heard from him yesterday came to mind.

‘Bring your ID next time you come.’

I knew something was bothering me, and this was it. I had been so preoccupied with stopping the fight that I hadn’t remembered.

“I’m sorry. I was distracted and forgot to bring my ID. I will make sure to bring it next time.”

I thought I could use this opportunity to get back my stolen ID. It had been taken by Kim Jeong-suk along with my bankbook, but even if she was reluctant, she would have to return it if CEO Chu ordered it. However, as if it wasn’t the answer he wanted, CEO Chu’s face grew even colder.

“There should be something else.”

“…”

I quickly racked my brain, but nothing else came to mind. He’d told me not to wear dress shoes, so it wasn’t that, and the too-much-sugar thing had been forgiven. I had no clue what he was talking about. Soon, CEO Chu adjusted his posture and put a new cigarette in his mouth. Having lit so many cigarettes for CEOs, my body moved on its own. The lighter happened to be in front of me.

“Here, the light…”

As I half-rose and brought the lighter close with my hands gathered, CEO Chu looked up at me. His cheek hollowed as the cigarette lit. The moment I withdrew the lighter, he shifted the cigarette in his hand and snorted at me.