Red Mansion

Despite the unbelievable words, Chungrim leisurely stroked the cat, offering no explanation. Did he even know how much hospital bills cost? Giving away today’s earnings would be much less of a loss. Sung-kyung could only mouth words silently.“Hey―”“Hey.”Chungrim’s voice dropped instantly, indicating displeasure. Sung-kyung tensed up. Don’t argue or defy his words. Was there anything else he disliked?“Do you not know my name?”“…I do.”How could he not? Even a five-year-old in the Red Mansion would know.“Is it so hard to say? Do you say ‘hey’ or ‘excuse me’ during sex?”That meant there would be a next time, for sure. Sung-kyung was certain. But wasn’t he told not to speak during sex? Was it okay to call him then? He wondered about this suddenly.“Call me master then.”Chungrim laughed out loud. On the other hand, Sung-kyung’s face burned without a trace of laughter. Master. It did suit him perfectly.“Then, I will.”“Ah, what do you mean, ‘I will.’ You crazy bastard.”As Chungrim laughed heartily, the cat flinched and scurried away.“Think of something to call me. Except ‘master.'”A new task suddenly appeared. Master wasn’t bad, so what should he call him? Sung-kyung looked at the cat hiding in an empty box with its tail sticking out. It could probably call him master.“…Okay.”In the end, the talk about hospital bills was brushed off without any clarity.Since he couldn’t wear the wet clothes and underwear, he borrowed Chungrim’s. Everything was too big. The oversized short-sleeved shirt covered half his arms, and the shorts slipped down no matter how tightly he tied them. The underwear was also too loose, almost slipping off.He hadn’t asked to return them, but he should, right? Sung-kyung felt a bit sad. The scent from his hair and body would fade soon, and that made him feel melancholic.“The rain stopped.”The moment they stepped out of Chungrim’s house, the rain, which had been tapering off, stopped completely. He had worried about wearing these expensive clothes in the rain, but luckily, it was fine.The engine soon turned off. Sung-kyung curled his toes inside the cheap slippers. He felt reluctant. From Chungrim’s house, the Red Mansion had seemed quite far, but now it felt so close, probably because they drove. He didn’t understand why.“They probably haven’t closed yet.”Chungrim glanced at his wristwatch and mumbled. It was nearing 8 o’clock. Without another word, Chungrim got out of the car first. Sung-kyung moved slowly afterward.The ground was wet from the rain. His slippers, which clung to his feet with each step, were now damp. The footsteps of the two echoed loudly in the dimly lit hallway. They walked in the same direction, keeping a distance between them.“Was the hospital that way?”Was he really planning to pay the hospital bill? Chungrim walked confidently past the locked store. Arriving a step behind at the store front, Sung-kyung looked troubled.If Chungrim knew how much the hospital bills were, he’d definitely change his mind. The hospital in the Red Mansion was on a different level in terms of cost. If Chungrim decided to call it a debt, it would be a headache. Even if Sung-kyung didn’t want it, it was Chungrim’s money, so he couldn’t just not repay it. Sung-kyung bit the inside of his cheek.“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to lead the way?”Chungrim’s shoes, which had been leaving wet footprints, came to a sudden stop at the corner. Sung-kyung stood firm in front of the shabby aluminum door.“The hospital… it’s okay. I can just take the medicine for now.”Chungrim’s hand, which had been brushing back his hair, paused for a moment. With a significant distance between them, even their breathing couldn’t be heard. Sung-kyung felt the dry tension on his lips. His body tensed up naturally. He felt a wet sensation below because he hadn’t completely cleaned out the liquid.In the meantime, Chungrim’s gaze moved from the worn slippers to slowly scan Sung-kyung’s body. His dark eyes, without double eyelids, stared intently at Sung-kyung.“I thought I mentioned.”His low voice echoed coldly in the hallway. The sound of rain hitting the hallway window grew louder, indicating that it had started raining again.“I hate it when people argue with me.”Sung-kyung jerked his head up. He wasn’t trying to argue or defy. He was just worried. He took a step forward and began to explain.“It’s not that. It’s really too expensive. You don’t have to.”“…”“The medicine is fine. It’s getting better…”Chungrim, with his hands in his pockets, quietly watched Sung-kyung. The silence was long. With no sensor lights on beyond the corner, Chungrim’s figure wasn’t fully visible. He tilted his head and opened his bright red lips.“Whatever I do.”“…”“Do I need your permission?”Sung-kyung felt that ‘dare’ was implied in his words. So he had no choice but to shut his mouth. He thought they had gotten closer, but there was a wall in his words. Why did he speak as if Sung-kyung was special to him? Sung-kyung’s pupils trembled helplessly.“If I want to do it, I do it.”His voice was full of suppressed anger or frustration. The anxiety that crept up from his wet ankles made Sung-kyung unable to move.“If I want to hit, I hit. If I want to have sex, I have sex.”When the last words were heard, Sung-kyung glanced back to check if the hallway was quiet. Their eyes met again. Sung-kyung felt as if his whole body was tied up by those black pupils.“Don’t act dumb. It’s annoying.”Sung-kyung nodded slightly and slowly approached Chungrim. Chungrim watched intently as the thin figure came closer and stood beside him. The cheap slippers reached the toes of his shoes. He gave Sung-kyung’s back a gentle push, making him take the lead.“Ah.”The thin body flinched. He hadn’t pushed hard, but Sung-kyung acted as if he had. Chungrim clicked his tongue and shoved his hands into his pockets. His voice dripped with annoyance.“Lead the way.”“…Yes.”Every step made Sung-kyung’s damp underwear brush against his buttocks. It seemed like the remnants inside had leaked out. Despite the unpleasant slickness, he didn’t mind the feeling. He took a deep breath, hoping the smell wasn’t noticeable, but only the scent of shampoo filled the air. That was a relief.＊＊＊Even when he saw him coming to the store, he thought Chungrim didn’t suit shabby, run-down places. Entering the dilapidated room 109 hospital made it even clearer.“Do you have any available beds?”Chungrim walked in without hesitation and asked. Two men eating from disposable bowls stood up, wiping their mouths. Red stains resembling kimchi soup dotted the fronts of their tank tops.“Admission?”Sung-kyung stood still in front of what was called a counter, which was actually a shoe rack. The two men looked familiar. They were the ones who had beaten him up over some medicine costs before. Recognizing Sung-kyung, they looked surprised. Why is he here with Chungrim from the corner store? Although they didn’t voice it, their confusion was evident on their faces.“Two people.”“Two?”“Are your ears clogged? Do I have to say everything twice, making my mouth tired?”Chungrim raised a crooked smile. His voice, suppressing irritation, made the two men freeze, forgetting to chew their food. Just then, the door to the examination room, which also served as the ward and surgery room, burst open.“Who came, ah….”“Long time no see.”It was a face Chungrim vaguely remembered from his childhood, when he lived here because of his father.“Ha ha. Wh-what brings you here?”Despite being a quack, the old doctor always wore a gown. His license had long been revoked, but he still clung to it even in this heat. Chungrim took a long breath through his nose. At the sign of Chungrim’s irritation, one of the men in tank tops, who happened to be a thug from room 110, quickly spoke up.“Doctor, do you have any beds available? He says it’s for two.”“Two? We do have beds.”The old doctor hurriedly pulled out an admission form. It was a simple form where one could fill in the patient’s name, age, admission period, costs, and the guardian’s contact details. He had copied dozens of them himself. Even though the hospital was inadequate, it was somewhat organized.“Perhaps….”The doctor trailed off, trying to figure things out. Chungrim had shown up unexpectedly. He had no idea why he brought the kid from the corner store but was asking for two beds. Was he planning to bring his twin brothers? Why not go to an outside hospital instead?If the twins came, even a small mistake could lead to big trouble. When Mr. Kwon’s condition worsened, the twins caused chaos if his fever spiked. Now that Chungrim was older, there would be another person to make a fuss. The doctor’s smile turned awkward and uncomfortable.“Twins?”“It would be nice if it were my brothers.”It would be convenient if the twins died of illness or disappeared, but as long as Chungrim was around, true freedom was impossible.“Ha ha, that’s unlikely.”The doctor scratched his head awkwardly. So who was he planning to admit? Chungrim looked perfectly healthy, if not overly so. He couldn’t figure it out. Maybe he was admitting the kid standing behind him? He glanced at Sung-kyung, who stood dumbly in oversized clothes. He noticed the bruised arms and cheeks and the split lip.“Hey. Come and write.”Sung-kyung finally moved. The combination of Chungrim and Kim Sung-kyung was odd, making everyone tense.“Is it you who’s being admitted?”The doctor pushed up his glasses and handed the pen to Sung-kyung, who heard the answer from behind. Chungrim, with his hands in his pockets, responded indifferently.“No. It’s for his parents.”“Ah….”That made the combination even more incomprehensible. The doctor awkwardly smiled and tapped the empty spaces on the admission form. Sung-kyung wrote his parents’ names without hesitation.“How long will they be admitted?”“Until they recover.”The unexpected answer made Sung-kyung leave the admission period blank and write his name in the guardian section first.Feeling the eyes on him, Chungrim shrugged his shoulders. Then he reached out to Sung-kyung, who was bent over writing, and lifted his thin chin, showing the doctor his battered face.“As you can see, he got beaten up badly.”As he spoke, he stared intently at the thug from room 110. It was a look that said he knew who did it. The thug swallowed the remaining food, choking a bit. Chungrim, frowning at the coughing sound, continued speaking.“He asked me to speak for him.”“I-I see.”The doctor shifted his gaze away from the pathetic men who kept coughing. Despite being provided with food and shelter for security purposes, these two from room 110 couldn’t even earn their keep. Meanwhile, the blanks on the admission form were slowly getting filled out.“Is it okay if I write the store’s number here?”Contrary to Chungrim’s explanation, Sung-kyung spoke clearly and articulately. The doctor didn’t bother to correct this inconsistency.“Didn’t you have a cell phone?”Up until his previous admission, Sung-kyung had a phone. But maintaining the phone under a borrowed name was costly, so now he only had the one Chungrim had given him. It was meant to monitor him, so it was as good as having none. With a phone bought under Chungrim’s name and money, he only wanted to hear Chungrim’s voice.“Move aside.”Chungrim suddenly intervened, tapping Sung-kyung’s dry shoulder with the back of his hand. Sung-kyung flinched and straightened up.“Can’t you even remember a number, idiot?”There was no need to remember the number, and Sung-kyung didn’t even know it. The only number he knew by heart was Chungrim’s eleven digits. Watching Chungrim write down the number without hesitation, the doctor inhaled sharply. Were they close enough to know each other’s numbers?The thugs from room 110 found the situation odd too. If they had known Chungrim and the corner store kid were this close, they wouldn’t have beaten him up so badly. The face of the man from room 110, who had just stopped coughing, showed signs of tension.“Done.”Chungrim wrote “indefinite” under the admission period and tossed the pen aside. As the pen rolled to the edge of the desk, the thug from room 110 quickly reached out, but it fell to the floor and rolled to Chungrim’s feet. Chungrim looked down at the pen, then kicked it under the desk, all the while staring at the thug.“I want to see the inside.”“Please, go ahead.”Chungrim stood next to the old doctor, who barely reached his shoulder. With a friendly gesture, Chungrim put his arm around the doctor’s shoulders and headed to the room.“Is it still as bad as it was before? It used to be filthy enough to make new diseases.”“Th-that was because we lacked funds back then. It’s different now.”The doctor led Chungrim to the space where he had been eating. Room 109 was originally a store space, consisting of two rooms combined. The room had five mattresses crammed together, leaving no space to walk. Next to them, a tray held various tools like scalpels, bandages, and scissors. It was still just as grimy and filthy, with no trace of cleanliness.The only improvement was a cooling fan that provided a cool breeze instead of an electric fan. Due to high electricity costs, it was rarely used. Besides, it wasn’t something sold at the Red Mansion in the first place.“Fancy.”Thunk. Chungrim kicked the cooler, redirecting the breeze towards the mattresses. The doctor clung to him, boasting about how many patients he had saved and how much he had studied to improve his skills over the past decade. Chungrim rubbed his ears, irritated.“Your voice is too loud.”Muttering in annoyance, Chungrim pulled out his wallet from his back pocket. Though it was a hassle, he was used to carrying cash since this place only dealt in cash transactions. He placed several checks on the desk, the numbers on them indicating a substantial amount. The doctor’s eyes gleamed with greed. It might be cumbersome to launder the money into gold or cash, but the large figures on the checks quickly dispelled his concerns.“Include the cost of moving them too.”“Of course. Room 422! We’ll move them by 7 a.m. tomorrow?”Sung-kyung, standing by the threshold like an outsider, nodded.Even after handing over a large sum of money, Chungrim showed no signs of regret. Sung-kyung felt a peculiar mix of jealousy and admiration. No matter how special he had become, they were still practically strangers. Was Chungrim just generous, bold, or did he have so much money that it didn’t matter? It made Sung-kyung feel insignificant for having fretted over the hospital bill just moments ago.The doctor, who had been acting all high and mighty in his gown, escorted them to the entrance. Chungrim waved dismissively, annoyed.“Still groveling for money.”The medicine was probably just a painkiller. It could temporarily ease the pain but couldn’t provide a fundamental solution. Yet, Sung-kyung’s parents had survived for two years, which was quite a feat. No wonder the corner store kid placed blind faith and hope in this shabby hospital. Chungrim clicked his tongue in disdain.“…Thank you.”In the dim hallway, only distant laughter occasionally echoed. Sung-kyung awkwardly followed behind Chungrim. Their footsteps were slightly out of sync.Was it okay to accept this favor? The more he received from Chungrim, the more uncomfortable he felt. As they turned the corner, Chungrim suddenly spun around. His movement was graceful and elegant, almost like a dance. Sung-kyung stopped abruptly, his body stiffening.“How are you going to repay this debt?”“What?”The old light flickered over Chungrim’s tilted face.“Even if you pay with your body, you’ll be working for years.”Sung-kyung shut his mouth tightly. So it was a debt after all. He didn’t need to be hospitalized. Should he ask again if he could sell his body to Chungrim? He had asked before, but would asking again make it seem like he was whining?He even planned to cancel the admission and return the money once Chungrim left. Chungrim, watching Sung-kyung’s constantly changing expression, suppressed a laugh.“Relax. I’m just joking.”A large hand rested on Sung-kyung’s head, lightly tapping it before disappearing.“You wouldn’t sell anywhere.”With a teasing smile, Chungrim turned and walked down the hallway without looking back.Sung-kyung stood there, clutching his chest. The pulsing felt almost like pain. He stood there for a long time, until the flickering sensor light went out.The first thing he did upon returning home was to hand wash his semen-stained underwear and clothes. Since the weather was hot and there was a chance they might start to smell, he scrubbed them clean with soap. It was a shame to wash away his scent, but there was no other choice. He had to return the clothes to Chungrim.He wanted to keep the shampoo smell for as long as possible, so he washed his hair last. He hung his clothes on the few hangers he had to dry them. He was so engrossed that water and sweat dripped simultaneously.After that, he took care of his parents. He washed them, changed their clothes, gave them their medicine, and then sat them up for a while. In the meantime, he packed. The packing only involved underwear and light clothes. He neatly put them into an old bag he used when he went to study rooms. He placed the bottle with broken pills last and zipped it up.“Ah…”Sung-kyung quickly turned his head at the sound of a groan. His mother, who had been dozing off after taking her medicine, seemed to have come to her senses.“Mother, are you awake?”“Yes.”Her reply was slow but there. Sung-kyung quickly zipped the bag and crawled on his knees. When he reached his mother, her wrinkled eyes slowly focused on him.“Does your head hurt?”“No.”“The medicine will make you sleepy again soon. How about your numb hands?”Sung-kyung’s voice was unusually cheerful. His mother closed her eyes and shook her head. Her faint, rhythmic breathing continued. Sung-kyung held her wrinkled hand and massaged it firmly.“Tomorrow, you will be admitted. There, you will get proper meals and good medicine.”His mother’s chapped lips moved. To hear her mumbling, Sung-kyung brought his ear close.“Expensive…”Though her pronunciation was unclear, Sung-kyung understood. It was a common concern of hers.“It is expensive, but someone is helping, so don’t worry about the money.”The one helping is Chungrim. He cherishes and considers me special. He even gets aroused by me. He doesn’t mind spending money at all. Does this mean he cares about me? Sung-kyung held back his desire to boast.“…”His mother’s slowly blinking, wrinkled eyelids closed. The medicine seemed to be taking effect again. Sung-kyung only lay down after confirming that his parents’ chests were rising and falling steadily. He chatted away until dawn.“Everything will be fine. Soon, you both will be able to get up.”It seemed like his mother faintly smiled. Sung-kyung tightly held the hand that peeked out from under the blanket. The skinny hand clasped his fingers in return. Sung-kyung’s eyes sparkled as he smiled.Chungrim had taken him home, shared a bed with him, and paid his hospital bills. He showed actions that were impossible if they weren’t in a ‘special’ relationship. What had been mere fantasies in his notebook until recently had all come true. It felt like his parents could get up and walk any day now.Lately, it had been a series of dream-like events. As if telling him to erase the wretched past from his memory.＊＊＊At 6:40, the sound of knocking woke Sung-kyung. He usually didn’t sleep this late, but last night’s activities at Chungrim’s house must have been exhausting. The soreness in his lower body felt good. He lightly punched his aching pelvis and opened the front door.“…Here to pick you up.”It was the two thugs from room 110. Today, they were wearing tight short-sleeved shirts that clung to their bodies, their bulging bellies protruding. Though they had beaten him up before, he felt no particular emotion now. His resentment towards them seemed like a distant memory.Sung-kyung even felt a subtle sense of superiority over them. They probably wouldn’t dare touch him now, knowing he was with Chungrim. Though he hadn’t eaten, he felt a sense of fullness.“Come in.”The two men entered room 422. Their large builds made the house seem cramped. To avoid getting in the way, Sung-kyung stood near the shoe cabinet.“We’re leaving the blankets.”The old blankets were pulled off, revealing his parents’ frail bodies. Clothes that used to fit them well now seemed excessively large.“Sure.”He planned to take the blankets to the laundromat before his parents returned, so they could sleep in clean ones after discharge. He was glad he had bathed and changed his parents’ clothes the night before. Despite their seemingly clumsy bodies, the men lifted the patients efficiently.“Step aside.”Sung-kyung quickly stepped back and entered the room. He turned off the fan that had been running idly and slung the packed bag over his shoulder. The fan, which had been whirring all summer, could finally rest.The men moved swiftly, not waiting for him. Sung-kyung hurriedly locked the front door and followed them to the emergency exit. He supported his parents’ frail backs, fearing they might be dropped.Though it was early morning, the rain was loud, and the air was very humid. The smell of mold was stronger than that of rain. The thugs, sweating profusely, carried his parents to room 109. The old doctor, in his gown, greeted Sung-kyung.Though it looked more like an ordinary house than a hospital room, it was better than home. They could get regular IV drips, full doses of painkillers, and immediate care if they felt pain.Moreover, the fan here was different from the one at home. It was a long, rectangular box-like device, not quite an air conditioner, but it provided a cool breeze. Room 109’s hospital, if not for the cost, was better than anywhere in the Red Mansion.“Did you bring the medicine?”“Just a moment.”Sung-kyung took out the medicine bottle from his bag. The pills were all halved, making a distinctive noise.“You’ll get the medicine on time. You’ve been admitted before, so you know the routine. Depending on the condition, nutritional supplements or IV fluids might be prescribed.”“Yes.”Though the doctor pretended to be dutiful, the prescriptions only came within the limits of the paid fees. If the exact amount was paid, they wouldn’t even get IV fluids or supplements.“If something happens, I’ll call the contact number I wrote down for you.”“Okay.”Sung-kyung watched his parents lying on the mattress for a long time. The cool, non-sticky air wrapped around his exposed forearm. Although it was supposed to be indefinite, Chungrim would only pay for as long as he cared.How long would that be? Until Chungrim lost interest in him? Until his parents could walk out of the hospital on their own? He wished they could at least get through the sticky rainy season here. It was a shameless thought, but it rose in his mind nonetheless.“Leave your stuff here. You should go now.”Handing the bag to the elderly man, Sung-kyung headed towards the mattress. He gently stroked the wrinkled eyelids that blinked slowly.“We’re at the hospital now.”Neither his father nor his mother responded. Maybe it was just his feeling, but their expressions seemed more relaxed than when they were in room 422. His lightened heart fluttered and swayed in the cool breeze.“They’ll take good care of your medicine and meals. Just relax.”A doctor staying in the same room 24 hours a day would be better than him, who could only care for them after work.He left the still groggy parents behind and exited the room. The men in room 110 took off their wet shirts and went into the bathroom. Their fleshy backs were drenched in sweat. Sung-kyung averted his gaze without much interest and was about to open the front door when it opened from the outside.“Good mor- Oh?”He ran into an elderly woman. She was the one who usually handed out medicine and took care of payments. Last time, she had treated Sung-kyung like a beggar.“…”Her stare through her long bangs was quite piercing. But Sung-kyung simply passed by her. As he crossed the hallway, her voice echoed loudly from behind.“Isn’t that the beggar kid from before?”“Hey, shush! Keep your mouth shut.”She remembered correctly. He heard a smacking sound, like the doctor was hitting her, followed by the woman’s annoyed grumbling. Then the noise faded as the door closed.Among the people in Red Mansion, who were pointed at everywhere, he felt a bit pathetic being called a beggar. But beyond that, he didn’t feel much else. It wasn’t entirely wrong, after all.He returned to room 422 and folded the blankets. He thought about taking them to the laundry room but just piled them in a corner. It wasn’t urgent, so he’d wash them after the rain stopped.He spread out the drying rack in the suddenly spacious room and hung Chungrim’s clothes and underwear again. When he squeezed them, they were only slightly damp, still needing much more drying. He brought a piece of clothing close and sniffed it.“Does it smell too cheap?”It was a fruity scent, but it seemed too cheap to suit Chungrim. Yet, it was the most fragrant among the ones he had at home. Pushing aside his regret, he flicked the slightly wrinkled sleeve and hung it up.After washing up, Sung-kyung went to work a bit late. As soon as he arrived, he unlocked the refrigerators and started organizing. He deliberately ignored the gazes pouring down his back.He walked over to the household refrigerator next to the ice cream freezer. It was used for storing drinks, but it was a hassle to check the inventory one by one. When he opened the refrigerator door, the padlock and chain wrapped around the handle clinked together, making noise. He pulled the cart and started refilling the empty water bottles and beverages.“Seeing you in one piece, I guess you haven’t been harmed since then?”Dari was persistent. She was convinced that there was something between Chungrim and Sung-kyung. The store’s delivery mistake had been neatly resolved by Chungrim. Chungrim had given the medicine again, and this time, Dari had personally delivered it to the customer.It could have ended there, but the fundamental question remained. Even if it was just two pieces, it was valuable. Why hadn’t Chungrim taken any action? Why hadn’t the twins intervened this time?“I’m not fully healed yet.”The scab on his lip tore every time it was about to heal. He had been hit again or had to open his mouth wide often. His exposed arms were also covered in bruises and scabs. Dari’s suspicion clung to him tenaciously.“Did you lose your hands or tongue? Or did you sell your organs? Show me your clothes.”Sung-kyung’s hands, arranging the beverages in a row, slowed down. He had almost sold his organs, but not yet. He turned his body a bit more to completely face away from Dari, cooling down with the faint cold air from the refrigerator.“No, right? Then you’re fine.”“…”“He wouldn’t suddenly show mercy. It’s a big deal to mess up a delivery. Why would he leave you alone?”Sung-kyung stood the last can up neatly and closed the refrigerator door. Then he tried to remember if he had refilled the water bottles. It had been less than a minute, but his memory was fuzzy. Eventually, he reopened the refrigerator door to check the lined-up water bottles before getting up. He closed the hinge on the refrigerator door and mumbled softly.“Because I didn’t make any mistakes.”“The customer paid for the goods but didn’t receive them, and you made the delivery. That’s a mistake, isn’t it?”Dari snapped angrily. Her harsh voice echoed through the shabby hallway. Sung-kyung listened to the cursing and whining while folding the empty boxes neatly and placing them next to the refrigerator.“Did you find out some dirt on him?”Sung-kyung chuckled softly at that. If Dari had heard it, she would have freaked out, but it seemed to be drowned out by the cart’s wheels. He couldn’t imagine the twins or Chungrim trembling in fear of some dirt being discovered.“They’re not the kind of people to be afraid of such things.”Sung-kyung folded the cart and put it inside the store. In the evening, he had to bring tissues and ramen from the warehouse. He wrote “7 PM warehouse tissues, ramen” on a sticky note and attached it to today’s date, just in case he forgot.“That’s true, but still.”Hearing that much, he closed the aluminum door. He wiped his dusty hands on his apron. Sitting at the counter, the persistent questioning continued.“Did you agree to work for them? Are you trying to get all the perks for yourself?”No, we’ve even had sex. Can’t you imagine anything else? He felt like those words were about to burst out of his throat.When Sung-kyung fiercely pulled the curtain at the counter, the old fabric rustled together. There was only a small gap in the sliding door, just enough to exchange money. Time was heading towards the exact hour. He couldn’t afford to break his promise because of this argument.He took the phone out of the safe. Two minutes remained. Sung-kyung held it close, almost pressing his nose against the screen, waiting for the numbers to increase. When the screen went dark, he turned it back on, and when it went dark again, he turned it back on, repeating this countless times.