Romantic Gangster

#17

“Do you live near their place too?”

Hyun-joon glanced at Choi Young-jae while going down the stairs and asked. Young-jae quickly shook his head.

“No, it’s completely the opposite direction from my house.”

“Ah, I see.”

Though he replied casually, a faint smile appeared on Hyun-joon’s face. If Young-jae’s way home was in the opposite direction, there was a high chance he would disappear as soon as they left the school.

And just as Hyun-joon thought, Young-jae said “See you later” and disappeared down a different road not long after they left the school gate. Hyun-joon glanced at Young-jae’s retreating figure, then kept stealing looks at Ji-woo’s profile as he walked silently beside him.

“Why are you meeting again later?”

“Huh?”

“He said ‘see you later.'”

“Oh, he often comes to visit where I work part-time.”

“Where do you work?”

“At a convenience store.”

“Where is it?”

“Um, if you leave my house and go a bit, you’ll reach an intersection.”

“Yeah.”

“There’s a small neighborhood park there. It’s in front of that.”

Although he already knew the area well from living here for a long time, after going around so much for debt collection, he could now vividly picture the entire surroundings in his mind just from hearing a description. Hyun-joon easily recalled the park and the convenience store, cafe, and karaoke place in front of it.

“Ah, there.”

“Yeah, you know it?”

“Yeah. I often went to that convenience store too, but I guess I didn’t see you because I went during the day. That’s good. I’ve got another convenience store connection.”

“Sorry, but don’t think about buying cigarettes from me. I won’t sell them to you.”

“Hey, I even went to school because of you, and you’re making a fuss over cigarettes? It’s not like I’m asking for them for free.”

“Still, it’s not allowed. Come after you graduate. Then I’ll sell them to you.”

“Ah, such a stick in the mud.”

Ji-woo firmly refused but then smiled brightly at being called a stick in the mud. Hyun-joon glanced at him again before forcibly tearing his gaze away to look at the distant sky for no particular reason.

Every time Ji-woo smiled at something trivial, Hyun-joon felt strange. He felt a bit stifled, a bit out of breath. He couldn’t understand why he was reacting this way when it wasn’t anything special.

“Are you going somewhere other than home?”

“Huh?”

“It seems like we’ve passed the way to your house.”

Hyun-joon, who had been walking while absentmindedly recalling Ji-woo’s smiling face, was startled by the voice suddenly penetrating his thoughts. He looked down at Ji-woo who was looking up at him. When he looked around wondering what Ji-woo meant, he realized they had indeed already passed the way to his house.

“Uh… well, um, to buy cigarettes.”

“Do you smoke several packs a day?”

“Hey, it’s not that much. I just have one when I’m bored.”

He couldn’t bring himself to say he had passed his house while thinking about Ji-woo, so he ended up mentioning cigarettes as an excuse. When he talked about this with other guys, he didn’t feel anything, sometimes even feeling a bit cool about smoking, but strangely, talking about cigarettes in front of Seo Ji-woo made him feel… embarrassed.

He couldn’t understand why smoking suddenly seemed so lowly and made him feel like a delinquent. Of course, he couldn’t say he wasn’t that type at all, but still.

“Then buy them and go home safely.”

“Ah…”

When he came to his senses again, they were in front of the corner store. Having already said what he did, Hyun-joon couldn’t say anything else and just nodded reluctantly.

“Yeah, well. Go on.”

“See you at school tomorrow.”

“…”

“Okay?”

“I got it, so hurry and go.”

Ji-woo smiled at the affirmative response, waved goodbye, and turned around. Unable to say anything to stop him, Hyun-joon watched Ji-woo’s retreating figure disappear into the alley before reluctantly entering the corner store. The elderly owner, who was arranging snacks, recognized Hyun-joon and habitually went to the counter, turning towards the cigarette display.

“How many should I give you?”

Normally, he would have bought a couple of packs while he was there, but today he didn’t want to buy any. He still had a few left, and also… Ji-woo’s question about smoking several packs a day came to mind, making him feel even more uncomfortable.

“I didn’t come to buy those today.”

“Then what did you come to buy?”

Seeing the owner’s surprised look, Hyun-joon picked up a canned coffee from the beverage stand next to the counter and held it out to the owner.

“This.”

“That’s unusual.”

Having nothing particular to say, Hyun-joon silently paid and left the corner store, drinking the lukewarm canned coffee. Once outside, he should have gone on his way, but his feet wouldn’t move, so he just stared at the quiet alley for no reason.

Since Ji-woo said he was going to work, if he waited, Ji-woo would come out of his house soon. He thought about waiting until then, but he got goosebumps, unable to understand why he should be waiting for Seo Ji-woo.

Am I really going crazy?

Shaking his head, Hyun-joon turned around without hesitation and left the alley. He wanted to quickly return to his “normal” daily life where smoking wasn’t embarrassing and skipping school wasn’t strange, meeting the guys he usually hung out with.

* * *

“Strike!”

The bowling pins collapsed with a crash. The guys who shouted in excitement hugged each other, savoring the joy of victory.

“Ah, we lost because you bowled carelessly. The meal’s going to cost a fortune. Those guys eat six portions of meat each.”

Hyun-joon glanced at his friend who was looking at him with reproachful eyes and slumped down in a chair. Normally, he would have focused on the game like crazy, never wanting to lose, but not today. His mind was elsewhere, whether he won or lost. And Hyun-joon knew that “elsewhere” was the convenience store at the intersection, where Seo Ji-woo worked. That’s why he felt like he was going crazy.

Ah, shit. Why do I suddenly want to eat cup noodles at a convenience store? Why does it feel like I have to go to that specific convenience store at the intersection?

Hyun-joon, who had been sitting with his arms crossed and shaking his long legs as if pondering something, suddenly stood up. Perhaps because of his large build, just the act of standing up abruptly seemed threatening, and the guys who had been celebrating together flinched for a moment and looked at him.

“Where are you going?”

“Convenience store.”

“Why suddenly a convenience store?”

“I’m hungry.”

“Oh, what? Are you treating us at the convenience store?”

“No. You guys go out and eat on your own.”

Hyun-joon took out his wallet, pulled out two 50,000 won bills, and put them in the hand of the guy who was on his team.

“I’m leaving.”

“Where are you suddenly going?”

“I said I’m going to the convenience store.”

“There’s a convenience store on the first floor here. You could just stop by on your way out.”

“Not that one.”

Too lazy to explain, Hyun-joon just waved his hand and left the bowling alley. Then he took long strides towards the intersection. He couldn’t even think about ‘why’ he was going there now. It was just an impulsive step taken because he wanted to go, felt like he had to go.

Convenience stores were everywhere in the world. He had passed more than five convenience stores on his way to the one at the intersection. Hyun-joon walked briskly, almost running, and arrived at the convenience store in no time, catching his breath as he secretly peeked inside.

“…Ah.”

He’s there.

Confirming that Ji-woo was sitting at the counter doing something, Hyun-joon exhaled a long breath again. Now he just had to go in, but that wasn’t easy either. He really didn’t know what he was trying to do.

Am I really an idiot? Coming all the way here and not even going in, what am I doing?

No, if I just suddenly go in, it’ll be too obvious that I came here on purpose, and that’s embarrassing.

Then you should have just not come to avoid embarrassment.

No, did I come here because I wanted to? I just came to my senses and found myself in front of the convenience store, what can I do?

Debating between his conflicting selves, Hyun-joon took a deep breath and opened the convenience store door. He entered confidently, convincing himself that he had nothing to be ashamed of, and that a convenience store was a place anyone could use if they had money, so there was no reason to linger outside unable to enter.

Moreover, he was really hungry now. It was true that he wanted to eat cup noodles, and if he thought of it as coming all this way to find a convenience store that had his favorite cup noodles, it wasn’t that confusing. No, even if that wasn’t the case, what was strange about visiting a convenience store where a classmate worked part-time?

“Welcome… Oh?”

Ji-woo’s eyes widened in surprise as he stood up to greet the customer. Hyun-joon just greeted him casually with his eyes and nonchalantly went inside, bringing a cup of noodles, a cola, and a sausage to the counter. He had entered confidently pretending it was no big deal, but his mind went blank on how to answer if asked what he was doing here or why he came.

“It’s even nicer to see you here.”

But Ji-woo’s words were completely different from what Hyun-joon had expected. Surprised by the unexpected remark, Hyun-joon stared down at Ji-woo as he scanned the barcodes. Seo Ji-woo in his loose convenience store vest looked a bit cute.

“Are you going to eat here?”

“…Yeah.”

“It’s cold outside, so eat inside. The hot water is over there by the table inside, and the microwave is there too. Here are the chopsticks. Want me to give you mustard and ketchup too? It’s delicious if you put them on the sausage.”

“…Yeah, give me that.”

Ji-woo opened a drawer under the counter and took out two small sauce packets, handing them to Hyun-joon.

“Actually, these are supposed to be given with chicken, but I’m giving them to you specially because it’s you.”

The word ‘specially’ strongly resonated in Hyun-joon’s ears. Giving it to me specially because it’s me? Because it’s me? Because he thinks of me as special…?