Chapter 40
Chapter 40 – With the Night’s Protection
“What are you writing?”
“Ah, diary . ”
Jongjin didn’t ask more and only yawned .
“Aren’t you tired . Ahhhhhh, where do I sleep?”
“Sleep on the bed . ”
“Then you?”
“I’ll finish writing and get a blanket to sleep on . ”
“I get it . I’ll sleep first . You sleep early too . ”
Jongjin dived into the bed’s blanket and laid down .
And then in one minute, he was sleeping, breathing softly .
‘This guy, he must have been really tired . ’
As he saw Jongjin, he felt the pain of the employees working at companies . He remembered his father who didn’t rest for one day to feed his family .
Jaegun fixed Jongjin’s blanket and went back to his place .
Then his glance went to the diary .
Just then .
‘U, uhhh… . ?’
An idea came to him magically .
Jongjin, who was struggling from work, and the karaoke helper she met earlier was whirling in his brain .
Jaegun’s two hands went to the keyboard .
He didn’t think it was with his will . It was more of an instinct .
His ten fingers started to hit the keyboard very fast .
Tap! Tap!
Tap!
Tap! Tapp!
He couldn’t feel the time
The mechanical keyboard’s sound rang around the small room
Jongjin didn’t wake up at all .
He was sleeping soundly like the keyboard sound was a lullaby .
***
“Uhhhh, wat . . Water . ”
Jongjin muttered as he woke up from thirst .
Jaegun pa.s.sed him a cup of cold water . /
“EHre . ”
Jongjin didn’t even open his eyes and drank it eagerly . He drank it all and looked out the window, sighing .
The world was brighter outside .
“What time is it, right now . ”
“7 . Go clean up . Let’s go eat while we’re leaving . ”
“I don’t want to . I’ll probably throw it up . And I have to get ready . ”
Jongjin lifted himself up .
His head was about to crash . It felt like someone was spinning the room around him
But if he didn’t wake up, he was going to be late for work .
Jaegun said as he sat back down .
“Amazing will . Park Jongjin . Office workers are amazing . ”
“It feel like you’re mocking me . ”
“I’m serious . ”
“And what are you doing . ”
Jongjin was about to go in the bathroom as he caught sight of the monitor . The screen was filled with letters and words .
“Did you write for the entire night?”
“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep . ”
Jongjin opened his mouth, surprised at the indifference he showed .
“Hey, you drank a lot too . Aren’t you tired?”
“I work at home . So I’ll feel less tired than you . ”
“Don’t say random stuff . Don’t I write in the office? Writing is labor . You’re gonna fall down first . ”
“Go and wash up . ”
Jongjin went in the bathroom . Jaegun resumed typing .
It was a synopsis and a plot that he made during the night . His eyes were almost blind but he couldn’t stop until he finished .
“Hey, Ha Jaegun . ”
“AH? What, how, when did you wear all that?”
Surprised, Jaegun looked back at Jongjin who was changing . Jongjin looked at him absurdly .
“It’s already been 10 minutes . You really can’t do anything when you start writing . I’ll go . ”
“I’ll take you to the office . ”
“Just keep writing . I can’t block your writing in the middle . ”
Jongjin refused Jaegun’s offer to drive him there .
“I’m going early to walk a bit . To wake up from that drink . ”
With nothing to do, Jaegun wore slippers and went to see him off .
The autumn air went inside as he opened the door .
As he ducked to try to avoid the leaves, Jaegun asked .
“Hey, I can write a novel with you as the main character right?”
“I’m the main? My life is interesting enough to write a story about me?”
“No?”
“Do you even need my permission . Just write . ”
“I get it . ”
As they were talking about these things, they were already at the subway station .
Jongjin dove into the huge crowd of people .
Jaegun went back home as he couldn’t see Jongjin at all in the crowd . ;
“Rika, go eat . I’ll write a bit more . ”
Jaegun took off his shoes as he came back and continued his writing because his brain was working much more efficiently now .
‘A office worker struggling with life and a poor karaoke helper’s meeting… . ! Their two common traits are … loneliness, Yes, loneliness . The two people who have no one to lean on are leaning on each other . ’
The male main was his friend Jongjin .
The female main was the karaoke helper he met yesterday
A feeling of success came .
He was sure that as an economic as well as a writing project, it was going to be a success . He couldn’t control his excited body .
***
As the morning went by and lunch time came, the sun went down and evening came .
Jaegun forgot to eat and was only writing .
Rika didn’t bother Jaegun who was writing intently for his new book .
“No… . ! Frick . The character is awkward . ”
Jaegun rubbed his head in frustration .
There was no problem making the male main with Jongjin as the model .
The problem was the female main .
He had way too many things he didn’t know about a karaoke helper .
Then the solution was?
‘To go there again…!’
He doesn’t hesitate when he made a decision .
Jaegun stood up, cleaned, and changed his clothes . Then he picked up a memo and pen and left home .
It was just after 8 and it was already becoming loud and crazy .
Jaegun got from his memory and went to the karaoke . It wasn’t hard because it was only yesterday .
“Come in . ”
The owner of yesterday lifted her head and welcomed him . Jaegun asked the woman who seemed to remember him .
“h.e.l.lo . Do you remember me? I came yesterday with a friend . ”
“Yes, I remember that you came here . ”
“It’s just, uh… can you bring the girl who was there yesterday?”
The owner wrinkled her face .
For a customer asking for a karaoke helper, he seemed weird .
“What for?”
“Ahy, well… I want to sing and have fun . I liked her . ”
He decided to hide the fact that he was a writer . Then it felt like the story would get messed up even more . The owner looked at him with suspicion .
“Didn’t you just meet her for the first time yesterday?”
“Yes, that’s right . ”
“If it’s the first time, it’s hard to find even with their name . There’s too many rude people out there . ”
The conversation wasn’t going right .
After a thought, Jaegun pulled out 30 dollars from his wallet and held it towards the owner .
“I’m begging you . I’m not a bad person . I just really liked that woman . ”
“Hm… . What to do . ”
Unlike her words, the owner’s hands, deep with manicure, were taking in Jaegun’s money .
“Who are you finding”
“Uh, she was a bit shorter . Her face looked like a cat . She said her name was Dasul . And the other was saying Sulgi . ”
“That’s all fake names . I know Jaeyoung, but I don’t know the woman that you’re looking for . ”
“Can’t you contact Jaeyoung?”
The owner laughed as if it was absurd .
“The two peoole don’t know each other . They came from different offices . ”
“Ah, that’s it?”
That’s why the two girls seemed awkward to each other .
In front of the nodding Jaegun, the owner picked up her phone and called someone .
“h.e.l.lo? Yeah, this is the Hub . It’s just, yesterday… uh, hey, when did you come yesterday?”
“About just after 8 . ”
Hearing Jaegun’s words, the owner continued her words .
“Jaeyoung came here just after 8 . Yeah, you remember? Do you know the girl who came with her? No, she has a nomination . Hm… . ah yes? Chief Kim? Using the name Dasul? Ok, thanks . ”
As soon as she cut off, she called somewhere else .
“h.e.l.lo? Yes h.e.l.lo . This is Hub . Do you have a girl called Dasul? Did she come yet? Ah… yes? Ok, can you give her the phone? She has a nomination . ”
The owner glanced over to Jaegun and continued .
“He’s not a weird guy . I can tell by looking . A young guy . Hm yeah, ok . I get it . Thank you . ”
As she hung up, the owner drank a drink of water to cool her burning throat . And then she explained to Jaegun .
“She’s not there yet . She’s about to come to work . I told them to call her here as soon as she comes . Just wait . ”
“Thanks alot . ”
Jaegun sat down on a chair next to the entrance .
The owner gave a beverage to Jaegun from the refrigerator because of the tip she got .
“But what’s your job?”
“I go around the country and sell electric pad . ”
The owner looked annoyed and snorted .
“You’re lying . I can tell you’re a man who has ink on his hands . Well I get it . ”
The owner didn’t ask more and turned around .
Jaegun was admiring her observation skills and shook his head .
After about 30 minutes to an hour, the girl didn’t show up . Jaegun killed time by watching the TV .
‘Maybe she’s not coming . ’
Or she didn’t come to work .
Or like the owner said, she was fearful of meeting a rude person .
If he knew this was going to happen, he would have exchanged more conversation with her and gotten her contact information .
‘I can’t do it with another girl,’
The reason that he was writing this was because of the words that Dasul said . If it wasn’t for those words, he wouldn’t have even thought of this story .
Just to finish the story, he couldn’t give up on the person who he had gotten the feeling from .
It wasn’t a story that was for trivial fun . it needed human feeling . It was a need as a writer .
Just then .
The bell range with a clear ‘Danggg . ’
Jaegun turned around and opened his eyes wide . The girl was coming in . She was the same silhouette as yesterday with the same hotpants .
“h.e.l.lo, I have a customer?”
“Ah, you came . That person . ”
The girl was surprised when she saw Jaegun .
“h.e.l.lo . ”
“Yes… . ”
The girl replied awkwardly .
The owner gestured to Jaegun behind her back
“You can go into room 2, same as yesterday . ”
“Ah, yes . I’ll pay first . ”
The girl went in first and Jaegun pulled out his walled .
“2 hours, no, 3 hours please . ”
“You’re going to be there for that long?”
“Yes, how much is it?”
“135 dollars . What about the beer?”
“Give us 2 bottles first . ”
Jaegun paid and went into the room .
The girl sat awkwardly with her hands folded on her lap .
“Were you surprised?”
“A bit…”
The girl’s reply was short .
Jaegun took off his outer garments .
Just then, the owner came in and gave out the beer . Jaegun then opened his mouth .
“Hey . ”