By Zephyria 
Eun-myeong let out a deep sigh as he wove the cast nets.
“Phew.”
Time flowed faster for Eun-myeong than for others. From dawn until night, and sometimes from night until dawn, he worked without rest, hurriedly filling his stomach only when it felt as if his belly were sticking to his spine. Once that was done, another day had already passed.
Having rested for two days meant that his paycheck had a hole in it.
He had only managed to weave twenty cast nets this month. He felt like a complete piece of human trash. Depending on the number of nets he produced, Eun-myeong’s mood would either hit a ceiling or crash to the floor.
I think I need to increase my workload… Thinking this, Eun-myeong picked up a plastic bundle that looked entirely out of place in this luxury suite.
Whoosh! He blew a firm breath of air into it, and the bundle inflated like a balloon. He neatly folded and tucked the cast nets inside. With the bundle hooked over his arm, he left the room.
He walked along the coast for about twenty minutes from the hotel. His feet moved briskly at the thought of going to collect his money.
In the distance, he noticed someone standing on the white sandy beach wearing red.
“Hyung!”
It was Yong-hee. He was jumping up and down with one arm raised. He hurried toward him, his feet sinking deep into the sand. He was so enthusiastic that sand began to swirl around them.
“Oh, Yong-hee.”
Eun-myeong gave a small wave. Yong-hee had styled his hair up with wax today; between the red jersey and the earrings dangling from his ears, he looked like a total juvenile delinquent.
“Holy shit, look at your hand.”
Yong-hee looked at Eun-myeong’s hand in surprise. Although Eun-myeong had trimmed his fingernails and toenails to look clean, he couldn’t do anything about the raw, reddish skin where the flesh had peeled away.
‘Walking around showing off his raw flesh, without even a shred of shame.’
The man had distorted his mouth in annoyance while looking at Eun-myeong’s hand. Did his hands look that unsightly?
“It’s nothing, just from weaving the nets,” Eun-myeong said, shaking his head bashfully. He stealthily pulled his hand back behind him.
“I couldn’t weave many nets this time.”
Yong-hee kicked the sandy beach with his sneakers in frustration.
“Hyung, can’t you stop doing this and find something else? I mean, who even weaves these things anymore?”
Yong-hee frowned deeply. However, because he still had a youthful look to his face, he didn’t look scary at all. It was likely because of the Boss. Since the man’s expression was naturally so foul, Eun-myeong seemed to have developed an immunity.
“If I want to work together while going to the sashimi restaurant, there’s nothing else to do but this.”
Delivering milk or newspapers was a thing of the past. People bought milk at convenience stores and read the news on their cell phones.
“Then Hyung, do you want to go haul nets with me at dawn?”
“Nets?”
“Yeah, you did it with me a few times before.”
In the past, when Yong-hee said he was going out to fish with his father, Eun-myeong had tagged along. It was work that started at dawn and didn’t end until midday. His body had ached all over, as if a one-ton truck had driven over him. He felt as if he had become soft, boneless fillets.
Still, a daily wage of 70,000 won was quite lucrative…
The thought of going to the sashimi restaurant after that made his vision go dark, but Eun-myeong steeled his gaze. Earn as much as I can while I’m young! His thin eyebrows furrowed in a way that was unlike him.
“Sure, I’ll go. I have to go make some money.”
Yong-hee cheered, calling him a real man as he patted Eun-myeong’s shoulder. Even at that slight gesture, Eun-myeong’s slender shoulders slumped downward.
“Hyung, do you know or not know that it’s my birthday soon? You said you’d buy me chicken.”
“Of course I remember.”
If he earned 70,000 won, he could certainly afford to buy chicken. Since he was the Hyung, he could even buy cola.
“Then I’ll go to your house on that day, okay?”
“Huh…?”
Eun-myeong hesitated at the sudden words. His house referred to a shanty that had already become a wasteland.
“…No, my house won’t work.”
Eun-myeong mumbled. His home was currently in a state worse than if a storm had swept through it. If Yong-hee saw it, he would be shocked out of his wits.
“Then what do we do? You don’t have a cell phone, Hyung. Last time I called your house a bunch, nobody even picked up.”
Yong-hee rubbed the back of his head. Hearing this, something suddenly occurred to Eun-myeong.
“Ah, I have a cell phone.”
Yong-hee’s eyes widened.
“Oh, you bought one?”
He shook Eun-myeong’s shoulder vigorously, asking to see it.
“Hold on, I’ll show you.”
Feeling shy, Eun-myeong slid his hand into his pocket. When he pulled it out and showed it, Yong-hee’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out of his head.
“Crazy, Hyung, where did you get this?”
Asked this, Eun-myeong didn’t know what excuse to make. He rolled his eyes back and forth for a while, trying to pick his words. Seeing this, Yong-hee made up a reason for him.
“You wove a shit-ton of nets and saved up the money to buy it, huh?”
Only then did Eun-myeong nod, agreeing. He let out a conspicuously deep sigh of relief. Watching this, Yong-hee groaned inwardly. Who lies like that?
“…This thing is fucking expensive. Wow, my Hyung must have worked really hard to save up.”
Yong-hee brought the camera close, saying he wanted to take a photo. He put his arm around Eun-myeong’s shoulder, and a click sounded. The flash went off, and Eun-myeong instinctively closed his eyes.
“Ah shit, Hyung, you closed your eyes.”
Yong-hee giggled as he looked at the photo.
“Here, my number.”
When Eun-myeong looked at the phone, the screen had already changed, and there was even a heart attached after the name ‘Yong-hee’.
“Hyung, want to go hang out with me? Let’s go see a movie downtown. I heard some really erotic one came out.”
Yong-hee narrowed his eyes as if sharing a secret. Eun-myeong fell into thought for a moment and then spoke quietly.
“But Yong-hee, you’re still a minor.”
“Wow, crazy, I didn’t expect those words to come out of your mouth, Hyung.”
Yong-hee slumped his shoulders, claiming to be shocked. Since the year was about to change, Yong-hee would soon become an adult, but he was still a minor.
“And I have to go to work.”
“You really absolutely refuse to go with me.”
Yong-hee waved his palm dismissively, saying he was just mentioning it.
“Alright, have a good time at work.”
Eun-myeong nodded meekly.
“Yeah, I’m going.”
“Make sure you buy Yong-hee seasoned chicken.”
Yong-hee spoke emphatically, as if trying to force a promise out of him.
“I got it.”
Eun-myeong waved back gently. As he slowly turned away, his rounded cheeks were visible. Yong-hee stared blankly at the retreating figure.
Following the footprints embedded in the white sand one by one, he saw a small back. Jeans with frayed hems, a knit sweater with a worn-out, stretched-out cuff, and long hair that hadn’t been cut properly. Poverty was plastered all over him, yet Yong-hee couldn’t take his eyes off him.
To have the latest model cell phone while looking like that. It was beyond strange that he carried a phone worth nearly 2 million won, yet felt disappointed that he received 10,000 won less for his cast nets than usual.
…Moreover.
Earlier, when he tried to save his number, Yong-hee had clearly seen the name listed in the contacts with his own eyes.
Boss.
What a suspicious contact name. The moment he saw it, his heart sank. Who was it? Who the hell is this bastard?
“Ha, fuck!”
Yong-hee violently messed up the hair he had spent nearly two hours styling. He yanked down the zipper of his stylish jersey.
“Who is that bastard!”
Is he rich enough to buy a cell phone? Is that why he didn’t even blink when I bragged about ten million won or whatever?
Lee Eun-myeong was a truly scary bastard.
They say a man’s first love goes to the grave. Fuck, Yong-hee flopped backward. He lay spread-eagle on the white sand and let out a loud “Aaaaah!” Somewhere, a flock of seagulls cried.
* * *
Eun-myeong stopped by the market. He went into a general store and bought a bar of laundry soap. Then, he lingered around the display filled with lighters.
He wondered what would suit the man. There was one with a tiger on it. It looked fierce, snarling with its teeth bared; its spirit seemed immense at a glance.
“How much is this?”
The owner showed Eun-myeong his palm.
“Five bills!”
Five thousand won for a single lighter. Eun-myeong was slightly discouraged.
“Can I touch this?”
“Ah, by all means. You should touch it, look at it, and try lighting it.”
Eun-myeong carefully picked up the lighter. The tiger’s eyes glinted with an extraordinary intensity. However, he felt it was a bit disappointing that it didn’t scratch the hand like the crocodile leather lighter did.
That must be the difference in price. Eun-myeong lingered in front of it for a long time.
“Welcome!”
Meanwhile, new customers arrived. Some middle-aged women were looking for a large rubber basin to make kimchi. The owner, having smelled money, soon pushed Eun-myeong to the side. Left out, Eun-myeong stared at and fiddled with the lighter alone.
The money he received for weaving cast nets for a whole month was 20,000 won, and the price of the lighter in his hand was 5,000 won. And once he returned from the dawn fishing trip, he would soon have 70,000 won in his hand.
Doing a small calculation, Eun-myeong took the bills out of his pocket. It was incredibly humble compared to what the man had done for him, but he thought it would be nice if he could repay the favor with even a small gift.
On his way out, he stopped by a shoe store and bought a pair of cushioned slippers. He had heard while texting his Noona that it was inconvenient because there were no market slippers near where she lived.
After that, he had 19,000 won left.
Just as he was about to leave the market, he saw a street vendor selling steamed buns. Eun-myeong hesitated. He tried to pass by to save money, but then he turned back.
“Mister, please give me some steamed buns.”
“Sure, how many?”
“How much are they?”
“Three for a thousand won.”
Eun-myeong counted two for himself and then considered the man’s appetite.
“Six, please.”
Based on the difference in height and build, he figured ordering twice his own amount would be enough.
On the way back to the hotel, his hands were heavy, but he felt quite good. His pace quickened in time with the rustling sound of the bags.
Standing before the brilliantly lit hotel as usual, he felt a bit embarrassed by the plastic bundles in his hands. They were black, which unfortunately made them stand out more. He felt the employee standing in front of the hotel glancing at him.
He worried that he might be stopped, but the employee opened the door for him since his hands were full of luggage.
“Th-thank you.”
Eun-myeong was so grateful that he turned around and bowed his waist once more.
“Thank you very much.”
“Yes, have a peaceful day.”
Eun-myeong trotted away.
I wonder what time he’ll come today. He felt it was strange that he was so curious, as if he had been waiting all along, for a person who had made him feel so uncomfortable.
…It was true that being together was still uncomfortable. Still, since this was the first gift he had paid for and bought himself, he was curious to see what the reaction would be.
I really hope the Boss likes this at least.
What if the lighter didn’t spark the first time the man tried to smoke? The man had a bad temper, so he might just throw the lighter in the trash in annoyance. Just like those shoes.
He was in the middle of such thoughts when the elevator door right next to him opened. In the next instant, a familiar scent wafted over. A look of brightness instantly spread across Eun-myeong’s face.
“Boss…”
Then, Eun-myeong quickly covered his mouth.
“Hmph.”
The man was with someone. He’s with a customer. Gasping for air, Eun-myeong soon realized the identity of the person standing next to him.
Thump. The bundle of steamed buns fell from his hand.