Black & Grey

“Ah, don’t kick me out. I’m definitely getting a tattoo today! Jungeol Hyung, don’t sleep, give me a tattoo. Okay? I’ll pay you whatever you ask! I brought my A-cash, okay? A-cash!”“Ha, this little customer doesn’t know the fear of money yet…!”“Jungeol Hyung…! I brought my A-cash…! Jungeol Hyung…!”Since money wasn’t working, Yoochan pretended to be friendly and called out to Jungeol while being pushed by Taeho.Bang! Bang!The sound of someone kicking the door made all four people standing at the door turn their heads at once. Taeho, feeling something was off, immediately put a finger to his lips. Soon after, someone outside shouted in a gruff voice. Taeho whispered down to the manager, as if recognizing the voice.“I think it’s those guys from last time?”“Who? The gangster’s lackeys?”The manager said, then, as if an idea struck him, he glanced at Yoochan. Yoochan, unaware of why Taeho and the manager were looking at him, tilted his head.“What’s wrong?”“Shh…!”“Shh!”The manager and Taeho, startled, quickly put a hand over Yoochan’s mouth. Yoochan, not understanding what was going on, held his breath along with them. But as if they had already heard Yoochan’s voice, someone outside kicked the door loudly again.“What should we do? Should we wake up Jungeol Hyung?”“This is bad. Oppa’s not going to give in. Plus, there’s a kid here, we’re gonna have a full-on fight, aren’t we?”“What does it have to do with me?”Yoochan innocently asked. The manager tugged at Yoochan’s arm and responded urgently.“Just stay quiet and don’t get involved, you kid. It’s already more of a headache because of you.”“Manager Min, what should I do? Can I just leave? I don’t want to get dragged into this mess.”“Just stay quiet, alright? Don’t go out and get beaten up.”As the four whispered among themselves, Jungeol, who had been asleep on the sofa, stirred. Then, someone outside kicked the door again with a heavy thud.“…Ah.”Finally, it seemed like Jungeol had woken up, and a somewhat irritated voice was heard. Yoochan, Taeho, the manager, and the surprised customer all looked toward the sofa as if they were looking for a savior. A hand, marked with yellow tape, shot up from the sofa and grabbed the backrest.Soon, Jungeol, wrapped in a blanket, sat up. The blanket slid off, revealing Jungeol’s angry face. The manager quickly ran over and squatted in front of Jungeol, speaking in a low voice.“You know you can’t fight again, right? If you don’t want to ruin the business, calm down.”“Who are those people? What do they have to do with me?”Frustrated, Yoochan squatted next to the manager and asked. The manager didn’t respond but instead wrapped his arm around Yoochan’s shoulder and sighed.“Right, kid. We can’t let a scene like this happen with you here. Isn’t that what I’m saying?”“Who are those people? Tell me.”“Ugh, kid, just stay quiet if you don’t know anything! You’re just getting in the way.”Yoochan looked up at Jungeol, whose eyes were slightly bloodshot from the short sleep. Jungeol blinked a few times, sighed, and then got up from the sofa. Before the two squatting could even look up, Jungeol grabbed Yoochan by the neck and pulled him up.“Ah, it hurts. What are you doing, Hyung!”Without saying a word, Jungeol dragged Yoochan behind the sofa and shoved him into a space covered by a blackout curtain. When Yoochan tried to come back out, Jungeol pointed at him with his finger and said.“Stay here. Don’t make a sound.”Surprisingly, his voice was soft despite his rough hands. Yoochan, about to nod in agreement, instead pulled a mischievous face and asked boldly as Jungeol turned away.“So, you’re giving me a tattoo, right?”“What?”Jungeol frowned and turned around. Yoochan casually said:“If you want me to stay quiet, promise me you’ll give me a tattoo. Then I’ll do what you ask.”“Who’s causing this mess right now… Ah, let’s not even talk about it.”Jungeol started to say something but stopped and waved his hand in frustration. Yoochan widened his eyes and asked.“Is this because of me? Who are those people?”“If you want to walk home in one piece, stay quiet and don’t make a sound.”“Yes, Hyung!”Yoochan nodded energetically.“I’ll look through tattoo designs here while I wait, Hyung. I’m choosing what to get.”Jungeol’s sharp gaze soon disappeared behind the blackout curtain. Yoochan, still unaware that the chaos outside was because of him, grinned as he looked at the designs hanging by the window.Soon, the door seemed to open, and the shop became noisy. From the voices, it seemed like three more men had entered. The sound of shouting and swearing filled the air, and it seemed like a light scuffle broke out.‘Should I go out too?’The situation seemed to have escalated. Yoochan, wanting to peek through the curtain and see what was going on, crouched in the corner, lifted the curtain slightly, and whispered.“Noona… Why are those people fighting?”The manager, startled, quickly pushed Yoochan’s head down with his knee.“Ouch.”As Yoochan rubbed his throbbing forehead, he heard the sound of Jungeol and the three men heading out. Taeho and the others followed, and soon, voices of fighting could be heard in the hallway.Eventually, everything outside became quiet. Yoochan quietly asked:“Noona, can I go out now?”“No…! Absolutely not! Stay right where you are!”At the manager’s sharp words, Yoochan frowned, then noticed the nearby window and opened it.From a distance, he could see a group of men pushing each other and pointing fingers. Squinting his eyes, Yoochan tried to make out their faces. Apart from Jungeol, whose head stood out taller than the rest, the other men were blurred and unrecognizable.After another ten minutes, the situation seemed to calm down. Among the men smoking, only Jungeol and Taeho approached the shop. As Jungeol got closer, Yoochan, who had been watching him blankly, suddenly spotted something and stepped out from behind the curtains, shouting.“Hyung, you guys look hurt!”At Yoochan’s words, the manager, who had been anxiously pacing by the sofa, turned pale and sprang to his feet. Moments later, the sound of Taeho and Jungeol’s voices echoed as they climbed the stairs. When the manager hurriedly opened the door, Taeho walked in first, followed by Jungeol.“Taeho! What happened to your face? Did those guys hit you?”“It’s fine, really. It’s nothing.”“Nothing? Your face is all bruised!”As if irritated by the commotion, Jungeol passed by Taeho, who had bruises on his jaw and cheekbones, and headed toward the counter. He grabbed a tissue with an annoyed expression and pressed it against his mouth. It seemed he had taken a hard hit—his lip was badly split. The manager gaped in shock.“Oppa, you’re hurt too? Are they crazy? We can’t just let this go! Should we call the police?”As the manager fumed, Taeho raised a hand to calm her down.“Jungeol Hyung and I got into a bit of a scuffle while escorting one of them out. But we talked things over downstairs and sent them on their way.”“Talked it over? Are you sure they won’t come back and cause more trouble?”“For now, they seemed convinced. We claimed we didn’t know the customer they were looking for, and it looked like they bought it.”“What about the tattoos? What if they keep coming back to demand them?”“We told them that both Jungeol Hyung and I are fully booked this year and can’t take any more clients. We promised them next year, but honestly, we’ll probably have to move somewhere else by then… Oh, and Yoochan, when you head home, don’t take the main road. Stick to the back streets and be careful, okay? Better yet, call a cab.”Yoochan, who had been watching Jungeol change his shirt behind the counter, noticed a large blue bruise on his waist. He turned to point at himself.“Me? Why me?”Taeho sighed heavily as he perched on the arm of the sofa.“It’s those guys. The ones who fought with the customer back then.”“What?” Yoochan’s eyes widened in surprise.Taeho winced, touching his sore cheek. “They’ve been holding a grudge ever since the police showed up and stopped them from hitting the customer further. Now, they’re looking for any excuse to pick a fight. They even came by twice demanding Jungeol Hyung hand over the customer’s personal information.”“Ugh, it’s because of all the times they’ve come here demanding tattoos and been turned down. After that fight with the customer, they’re convinced we’re intentionally hiding their info, and now they’re openly causing trouble.”Feeling guilty that the shop staff were being hassled because of him, Yoochan looked nervously at Jungeol. But Jungeol, seemingly uninterested in the conversation, threw his clothes over a chair, put on a jumper, grabbed his cigarettes and lighter, and stepped out onto the balcony.Bang. The balcony door shut with a loud noise. Yoochan turned to Taeho.“So, Hyung… Did you guys get hurt because of me?”Yoochan’s drooping expression made Taeho laugh as he waved it off. “Nah, it’s not like that. Those guys have always had it out for Jungeol Hyung. He refuses to tattoo anyone who seems shady or sketchy. You just gave them an excuse to pick a fight this time. And honestly, Jungeol Hyung was just annoyed earlier. He doesn’t actually blame you.”Hearing this, Yoochan silently grabbed his bag as if making a decision. The manager approached him.“Are you leaving? Didn’t Taeho tell you? Don’t take the main road—it’s dangerous. And don’t even think about going to confront them, okay? We don’t know much, but those guys seem like henchmen working for local gangsters who run the bars in this area.”“Oh, we’ll call a cab for you. Wait until it arrives before you leave.”Yoochan glanced at Taeho’s bruised cheek one more time, then looked toward the balcony. Through the frosted glass, he could see Jungeol smoking.“Hyung, Noona. Goodbye.”Yoochan couldn’t bring himself to approach Jungeol, so he bowed slightly to Taeho and the manager before leaving. As Yoochan descended the stairs, Taeho called out after him, reminding him to take a cab.Once outside, Yoochan walked toward the main road, his shoulders slumped. He spotted a pharmacy and hesitated for a moment before stepping inside. He returned to the shop with a bag full of ointments and bandages.“Oh? Did you forget something?”“This.”Yoochan handed over the pharmacy bag. Seeing the pharmacy’s name on the bag, the manager’s face lit up.“Oh, you didn’t have to do that.”“Please make sure Jungeol Hyung knows I’m sorry.”Jungeol was nowhere in sight, presumably still on the balcony. Smiling, the manager pushed the bag back toward Yoochan.“Why don’t you give it to him yourself? He’s out on the balcony.”Remembering Jungeol’s expression from earlier, Yoochan shook his head.“I don’t know… Hyung doesn’t seem to be in a good mood.”“Jungeol Oppa isn’t as prickly as he seems. Oh, at least come in and have some tea. By the way, you’re not about to ask for a tattoo, are you? We don’t do them for minors, no matter how much they beg.”“No, I won’t.”Yoochan nodded obediently, making the manager chuckle as she headed to the counter to prepare tea.“Got a customer?” Taeho, who had been wrapping a pillow, raised a hand in greeting. Yoochan hesitated before approaching him with the pharmacy bag. Taeho smiled when he saw it.“Thanks for getting this, but no begging for a tattoo, okay?”“No, I won’t beg. Just use this stuff, please.”“I’m fine. Just a bit bruised.”“Still, use it, Hyung. This is bruise ointment.”At Yoochan’s insistence, Taeho rummaged through the bag, pulled out the ointment, and smeared it generously on his cheek while chuckling.“Did you come back because you were worried? Wow, you’re kinder than you seem.”“I just thought of it and bought some. By the way, what was that about you guys not tattooing gangsters? Do you pick and choose your clients?”Embarrassed by the compliment, Yoochan pouted and asked. Taeho sat on the chair next to the bed and replied.“Do you know the ‘Incheon Tattoo Man Rampage’ incident? It was on the news a few months ago.”Yoochan tilted his head, trying to recall, before remembering a short clip he’d seen online. A man was stomping on the roof of someone’s car in the middle of a traffic jam.“Why do you ask?”“The tiger on that guy’s back? That’s one of Jungeol Hyung’s tattoos. Back when he worked at another shop.”Taeho shuddered at the memory.“When that video of the guy going berserk went viral, Hyung’s tattoo got mocked along with it. The comments were full of people saying, ‘Of course, anyone with a tattoo like that is just a thug.’ After that, Hyung and I decided to screen our clients. Even when we got a couple of calls from Japan that sounded like they were from yakuza, Hyung refused them all.”As Yoochan nodded in understanding, Taeho handed him the bag again.“Go give this to Jungeol Hyung too.”“It’s fine. He’d probably find it annoying. You give it to him instead.”“Come on, he won’t mind. Jungeol Hyung’s actually a warm-hearted guy.”Recalling Jungeol’s perpetually stern expression, Yoochan frowned in disbelief. Taeho smirked and gave Yoochan a nudge on the back.Meanwhile, the water had boiled, and the shop manager handed Yoochan a cup of citron tea. Yoochan took a sip of the steaming drink and pushed open the balcony door.Creaaak.The door groaned ominously, and Jungeol, who had been leaning on the window sill smoking with his jacket draped over his shoulders, raised an eyebrow at Yoochan.“…You want a smoke too?”“Oh, no. I don’t smoke,” Yoochan retorted, flustered, as he extended the bag.“I brought this for you.”Seeing the dangling bag, Jungeol squinted in amusement. Embarrassed, Yoochan raised his voice.“Just take it already, Hyung! This stuff works really well.”Without a word, Jungeol blew out a long stream of smoke in the opposite direction, stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, and accepted the bag with one hand. The ashtray was already brimming with cigarette butts, evidence of how much he’d been smoking. Yoochan spoke up.“And, you know, you can quit anytime, but—”“Forget it.”Jungeol dismissed the comment and pulled out a patch, examining it with mild interest. Yoochan, recalling the bruise he’d seen on Jungeol’s waist earlier, said,“I think you had a bruise on your waist too.”“…Did I?”Jungeol responded nonchalantly, placing the patch back on the bag. His indifferent attitude made it clear he wasn’t planning on using it. Feeling uneasy about leaving things as they were, Yoochan grabbed the patch and said,“Fine, I’ll do it. Turn around. Hurry up.”As Jungeol frowned, reluctant, Yoochan set his citron tea aside and yanked up Jungeol’s jacket and shirt. Close up, the bruises were worse than Yoochan had thought—red and blue marks covered not only his waist but the middle of his back as well.“How did you act so tough and pretend this doesn’t hurt? Looks like you were hit pretty hard. Hold this up for me, will you?”Sighing, Jungeol grabbed his shirt with one hand, the corners of his mouth quirking into a faint smirk at Yoochan’s incredulous tone.Yoochan carefully peeled open a patch, tapping Jungeol’s back lightly.“Here, here, and here are bruised. Anywhere else hurt? I bought plenty, so speak up if you’re sore.”“Not really.”As expected, Jungeol’s reply was curt, but Yoochan chuckled and stuck on the first patch, smoothing its edges. His back was surprisingly firm, with barely any fat beneath the skin.Peeling open another patch, Yoochan glanced at Jungeol’s hands resting on the table. His knuckles protruded prominently, and the thick calluses hinted at years of rough use.“What kind of training did you do? Boxing? Muay Thai?”“Boxing.”A simple answer. Yoochan had suspected as much from Jungeol’s skillful bandaging earlier.“Knew it. How long?”“Three years, not counting my military service.”“That’s not too long. Oh, right, you majored in art, so you probably didn’t have time in high school. Did you start in college? Boxing suits you, but you’ve got the build for judo too. If you’re interested, come to our dojo sometime.”Muttering as he meticulously applied patches, Yoochan slapped the final one in place.“I’ll teach you. I’m the mascot of our dojo, you know.”Though it was meant as a light tap, Yoochan’s hand was heavy, and Jungeol let out a sharp grunt. Grinning, Yoochan said,“Oh, don’t be a baby. All done. You can lower your shirt now.”Jungeol, who had been rolling a pack of cigarettes across the table with a light thunk, thunk, pulled down his shirt and jacket and turned around. Yoochan, still adjusting to the unusual feeling of looking up at someone, watched as Jungeol sank into the old sofa on the balcony and asked,“How long have you been doing judo?”“Me? For ages.”Yoochan shrugged, clearly thrilled to be talking about a sport he loved, and started rambling.“My dad’s a former national team member, so I’ve been doing judo since I could walk. Oh, Hyung, speaking of which, if you were going to fight those guys anyway, why didn’t you take me along? I bet I could take them one-on-one. I’d flip them to the ground and choke them out so they’d never pull that crap again.”“…Don’t your parents worry about you getting into fights like that?”“My mom actually said this: if anyone bothers me, I should beat them half to death, and she and Dad would take the heat for it and go to jail if needed. That’s why they let me put sports ahead of studying. Oh, and Hyung, the credit card thing wasn’t because I fought and lost. I got ambushed and robbed. My mom gave me hell for it, saying, ‘What’s the point of being the national judo team’s kid if you get beat up by local thugs?’”Jungeol smirked, clearly amused, as he fiddled with the cigarette pack in his hand. He kept opening and closing it, his actions betraying a desire to light another one.“Hyung, do you smoke a lot?”“…I guess.”Neither affirming nor denying, Jungeol leaned back against the sofa.“I told you, it’s fine to smoke,” Yoochan said breezily, taking another sip of the yuzu tea he had set aside earlier. “There are plenty of college hyungs at my judo dojo who smoke. I’m used to it now.”Even so, Jungeol seemed reluctant to light up in front of a high schooler. Noticing his hesitation, Yoochan casually reached over, plucked a cigarette from the pack, and held it up.“…Hey, kid.”Thinking Yoochan was about to light it for himself, Jungeol frowned and reached out to snatch it back. But before he could, Yoochan deftly slipped the cigarette into Jungeol’s mouth and, with practiced ease, grabbed the lighter from the table. Without missing a beat, he flicked it on, holding the flame just before Jungeol’s lips.“Here’s your fire, Hyung-nim,” Yoochan declared with playful formality.The seamless fluidity of his actions left no doubt that this wasn’t his first time lighting a cigarette for someone. Jungeol stared at Yoochan, caught between disbelief and amusement, before reluctantly taking a puff. The cigarette tip flared, glowing orange as it caught fire.Turning his head, Jungeol exhaled a long plume of smoke and regarded Yoochan like he was some sort of oddity.“You smoke, don’t you?”“What? I told you I don’t!” Yoochan protested, clutching his biceps with exaggerated pride. “You think I’d risk muscle loss? Do you have any idea how hard I worked for these gains?”“Your lighter work says otherwise.”“It’s because I hang out with a lot of hyungs and noonas. Can’t you tell? Don’t I give off that ‘popular guy’ vibe? You don’t get 4,200 followers for nothing.”“Sure. You’ve got the personality for it—fighting gangsters and all.”“I don’t fight often,” Yoochan replied with a shrug. “I avoid it whenever I can. But if someone messes with my girlfriend? Or my people? That’s where I draw the line.”Amused, Jungeol chuckled at Yoochan’s indignation.“Oh, that reminds me! Hyung, follow me on Instagram. I love networking. I’ll DM you, so you better follow me back, okay?”Before Jungeol could respond, Yoochan had already pulled out his phone, his face lighting up as he scrolled through his contacts. Jungeol lit another puff and quietly watched Yoochan fiddling with his phone.A moment later, Yoochan let out a dramatic groan and slumped onto the sofa beside Jungeol. The added weight caused the old springs to sink noticeably.“Ugh… No way…!”Startled by Yoochan’s sudden outburst, Jungeol shifted uncomfortably.“What now?”“Eunbit posted a picture on Facebook with her new boyfriend,” Yoochan lamented, burying his face in his hands.“…And?”Jungeol’s indifferent response only made Yoochan tug at his already short hair in frustration.“Man… I really loved her.”That single, heartfelt line caught Jungeol off guard, and he choked on a mouthful of smoke. Turning away, he coughed quietly into his fist. Yoochan, who had been wallowing in self-pity, suddenly straightened up, his expression resolute.“Hyung, I’ve decided. It has to be today.”Still recovering from his coughing fit, Jungeol shot Yoochan a wary look.“What has to be today?”“No pain, no gain. No reward without—”“Absolutely not.”The firm rejection made Yoochan furrow his brows.“That’s so unfair!”“Unfair or not, the answer’s no.”“Come on, Hyung! Eighteen and twenty are only two years apart. Why is eighteen too young, but twenty’s okay? Am I supposed to magically mature in two years? It doesn’t make sense.”“Go find someone else. Plenty of crazy bastards will tattoo a minor if you look hard enough.”“No way. I heard you’re the best.”“Who told you that?”“I did some research online this week. You’re trending like crazy these days!”Though he wouldn’t admit it, the compliment seemed to please Jungeol, who smirked around his cigarette.“I’ll be even better in two years. If you really want me to do it, wait until then.”Jungeol glanced at his watch to check for his next appointment and stood up. Yoochan followed suit, asking, “So, you’ll really do it then? You’re not gonna back out and say I need to wait until after college or something, right?”“I’ll do it,” Jungeol said nonchalantly, extinguishing his cigarette in the ashtray.With that much reassurance, Yoochan couldn’t push any further. Resigning himself, he pointed at the phone Jungeol had pulled out from his coat pocket.“Add me as a follower now. Come on, hurry up.”Jungeol, who had half-listened to Yoochan’s earlier request, turned on his phone screen and mumbled, “You’ve got a really unique personality.”“Yeah, I’m all about bold moves,” Yoochan said smugly. His phone buzzed, showing that Jungeol had followed his account. Grinning in satisfaction, Yoochan’s phone soon vibrated again, this time with a call from “Tutor.” He grimaced and swung open the balcony door.“I gotta go. I’ll send you DMs from time to time, so don’t ignore me, okay? Oh, and don’t forget to like my posts, too.”“I’ll think about it.”“Don’t think about it, just do it! You’re gonna have a hard time in this business if you’re that shy. And don’t forget, you promised to tattoo me someday. I’ll stop by during the holidays when I’ve got some free time.”“Come back in two years, kid. Don’t bother me until then.”“I’ll DM you, Jungeol-hyung!” Yoochan said, waving brightly. Jungeol’s face briefly appeared in the crack of the door, chuckling before disappearing as it closed.* * *By the way, Hyung, how old are you?While his tutor stepped away to the bathroom, Yoochan exchanged messages with his friends. On a whim, he sent a DM to Jungeol.Let’s see… you did your military service and trained for three years, so… 25? 26?Thwack!“Ah, ouch!” Yoochan yelped, clutching the back of his head and glaring behind him. His tutor stood there, tightly gripping a rolled-up notebook and smacking Yoochan on the crown of his head.“Didn’t I tell you not to touch your phone while studying? Are you asking for it? Hand it over.”Despite Yoochan’s protests that he just wanted to check one reply, his phone was turned off and confiscated into his tutor’s bag. The tutor kicked Yoochan’s legs to straighten his slouched posture, forcing him to focus on his studies.“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten this already. We solved it yesterday.”Nibbling on the end of his pen, Yoochan stared at the problem before something clicked, and he began writing down the answer. When no reprimand came, he knew he’d gotten it right.With a groan, he moved on to the next problem. Only after the lesson ended did the tutor hand back his phone. Yoochan replied to his friends’ backed-up messages and opened his DM to see if Jungeol had responded.There was no reply.Recalling the shop manager’s comment that Jungeol wasn’t great with social media, Yoochan shrugged it off and flopped onto his bed.* * *It wasn’t until two weeks later, on a quiet weekend afternoon, that Jungeol finally replied. Yoochan, fresh from an early tutoring session, was heading to the judo gym with a friend.A new tattoo photo had just been posted to Jungeol’s account, and Yoochan was about to comment when a message alert popped up.25.“Huh?” Yoochan tilted his head, confused for a moment, before realizing it was a reply to the question he’d sent two weeks ago.“This hyung’s texting style is just like how he talks,” Yoochan muttered with a chuckle.When his friend asked who he was messaging, Yoochan explained it was a tattoo artist, piquing his friend’s interest. His friend suggested visiting the shop, so Yoochan sent another DM.Can I come by today with a friend? Just to look around.He expected a quick response, but even by the time they reached the gym, Jungeol hadn’t read the message. Two hours of intense judo practice later, Yoochan emerged from the gym, showered, and grabbed chicken with his friends.Even after devouring seven orders of chicken, there was still no reply. The “unread” mark remained firmly in place as Yoochan’s busy days rolled on. Between school, judo, and tutoring, he barely had time to think about Jungeol.By the time finals ended and summer vacation began, Yoochan had completely forgotten about his unanswered DM. He was boarding a train to Busan with friends when his phone buzzed in his pocket.If you promise to be quiet, you can come.“Huh?” Yoochan frowned, scrolling up to figure out who the sender was.By the way, Hyung, how old are you?Let’s see… you did your military service and trained for three years, so… 25? 26?25.Can I come by today with a friend? Just to look around.Realization struck as Yoochan recognized the brusque tone. He burst out laughing, remembering the stoic tattoo artist from months ago.“Wow, Hyung, your replies are lightning-fast. It’s been, what, over three months? I almost forgot who you were. Ah, but I’m heading to Busan today, so I can’t drop by. I’ll come by another time.”He waited a moment on the off chance there’d be a reply, but as expected, there was none. Shaking his head, Yoochan thought, This guy’s really bad at keeping up with social media.I bet you’ll read this DM in another three months. See you then, Hyung. LOL.