Double Junk - 124

“So? The president didn’t retaliate against you? Didn’t hit you or lock you up or anything? He didn’t, right? Right?”

Ajin’s face grew serious. Belatedly, he scanned Flower Lady’s body. He checked her cheeks and lips, rolled up her hospital gown sleeves to see if she had any injuries or bruises. Annoyed by the fuss, Flower Lady shook off his hands.

“He didn’t do anything. He just grabbed his bleeding side, said he had somewhere to be, and disappeared. I heard later he went to take down the Junghopa gang.”

“………”

“But then he was gone for days. I thought maybe the Junghopa guys got him. But I guess not, seeing how he’s swaggering around so nonchalantly.”

Flower Lady shook her head in exasperation. After hearing the whole story, Ajin dropped his tense shoulders and flopped back on the bed, laughing wryly.

“You’re tougher than me, Auntie.”

“What could you possibly be better at than this fool?”

Flower Lady replied, stroking Ajin’s disheveled hair. Ajin agreed, “That’s right, our auntie is so smart.”

Then suddenly, he remembered an item Seokju had given him the previous night. Not knowing what to do with it, he had stashed it in the nightstand drawer.

Ajin reached over and opened the drawer, taking out its contents. A sleek black gun lay on the white bedsheets.

“What’s this?”

Flower Lady snatched up the gun in alarm. Ajin answered flatly,

“The president gave it to me. To shoot himself with.”

“Well then, you should have just shot the bastard!”

“I know, I should have. But…I was scared.”

“Scared of what? Killing someone?”

“I don’t know. Everything was just scary.”

Ajin shuddered. A sudden chill went through him. He roughly spread out the crumpled blanket to cover himself. Flower Lady, who had set the gun back on the nightstand, pulled the blanket up to cover Ajin’s feet too.

“That’s right, what reason do you have to get blood on your hands? Killing leaves karmic debt that follows you into the next life.”

“Really? But I slit my own wrist, there was so much blood. Doesn’t that bring karma too? Will I be born a cripple in my next life?”

Ajin fretted anxiously. Flower Lady swiftly smacked his hip.

“That’s different, you idiot!”

“Ow! Why did you hit me?”

“Even the King of Hell would understand that.”

“He would? How do you know that, Auntie? Are you buddies with the King of Hell?”

Ajin snickered, immediately back to his old self. “You little…” Flower Lady pinched and twisted his squishy cheek, then gently patted it with her palm. Ajin’s deflated face looked rather pitiful. His face glowed so much brighter when plump and dewy.

“Anyway, that’s fine. Just don’t get anyone else’s blood on you. So if President Kang tries giving you a gun or knife or whatever and tells you to kill him, just say ‘Why me? You just go off yourself somewhere.’ Got it?”

“Hehee…okay, I got it.”

Ajin giggled mischievously. It was such a welcome piece of advice. He had felt burdened and annoyed by Seokju’s constant apologetic advances. Now he could just shout ‘Go off yourself! Why should I decide that for you!’ That way, he wouldn’t displease the King of Hell either. It was the perfect response.

Pulling the blanket up to his shoulders, Ajin stared intently at Flower Lady. Flower Lady had said she was deeply worried about his injuries and weight loss. But in reality, it was Flower Lady who was the one to truly worry about.

Flower Lady hadn’t just lost weight, she had become frail. Despite having all her limbs intact and no visible injuries, she looked like she could collapse at any moment while walking.

Ajin took hold of Flower Lady’s hand that had been caressing his cheek. He brought that hand under the blanket and gently massaged it.

“Are you okay, Auntie? Why have you lost so much weight?”

“You stay in a hospital, you’ll waste away just sitting around.”

“Still…you’ve gotten too thin…”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry so much. I’ll be discharged when you get discharged.”

“But you were barely eating dinner either.”

“The hospital food is terrible.”

“It tasted fine to me…of course not as good as your cooking though. But you should eat something. Oh, should I make some coffee? I’ll put in lots of saccharin?”

Ajin sat up abruptly and swung his legs over the side of the bed to stand. The previous night he could barely walk, but having eaten three square meals and taken the doctor’s medication during the day, he could move around now.

The doctor’s pills were tiny, smaller than a newborn’s nails, but they made Ajin feel groggy and drowsy so he napped deeply. Having properly rested, he could walk slowly if not quickly.

Flower Lady hurriedly stopped him.

“Just stay put. I’ll go get it.”

“No, I’ll make it!”

“With those legs? Forget it.”

“But you’re not well either. Rest, rest.”

Ajin pushed Flower Lady’s shoulders back down. He slipped on the hospital slippers and threw on a coat over his thin hospital gown. He could feel Flower Lady’s worried gaze on the back of his head, but ignored it.

“I’ll be right back.”

Balancing two glass cups on a tray, Ajin flashed Flower Lady a bright smile. Flower Lady reluctantly nodded.

After leaving the room, Ajin didn’t look ahead but immediately hugged the corridor wall. Keeping his shoulders nearly brushing the wall, he began shuffling forward in small steps. The cups wobbled precariously in his hands, forcing him to pause occasionally before continuing onward. His injured wrist still didn’t move well, so he had to brace the tray with one hand – no easy feat. If he dropped the cups, it would cause a whole mess.

Ajin concentrated on the glasses as he walked. A large shadow fell in behind him.

“Where are you going?”

It was Seokju. Even at this late hour, he hadn’t gone home, instead lingering outside Ajin’s room.

“……”

Ajin didn’t reply, acting as if he didn’t even notice Seokju’s existence. Though he was blatantly ignoring him, which would normally provoke anger, Seokju just desperately called out his name.

“Ajin-ah.”

He flinched at the sound of his name in Seokju’s low voice, a chill running down his spine. If he didn’t respond, Seokju would probably keep calling his name until he returned with the coffee.

“Getting coffee. There’s a little kitchen at the end of this hallway…”

Ajin gave a vague excuse. Seokju reached his hand out.

“Let me go.”

Ajin swiftly pulled the tray closer to himself and shot Seokju a piercing glare.

“No.”

“Your legs are still healing… I’ll be right-”

“So because I’m a cripple I shouldn’t be walking around, just stuck in one place? Or are you worried I’ll run away again?”

“…No, not that.”

“……”

“I’m sorry.”

Seokju took a step back. After glaring at him again, Ajin shuffled down the hallway. Seokju followed at a distance behind him. Ajin greatly disliked it, but chose to remain silent rather than engage in conversation which felt even more uncomfortable.

It took Ajin a long time to finally reach the makeshift kitchen area. Calling it a kitchen was embarrassing – it only had a single sink faucet, a small burner stove, and a few cheap instant coffee and tea packets.

Ajin filled a small pot with tap water. He then lit the burner with a match and set the pot on top. Killing time, he spooned coffee powder and saccharin into the glass cups.

The burner flame was weak. Even after waiting a while, the water didn’t boil.

Ajin’s teaspoon aimlessly swirled through the air, unable to find purchase. He felt unbearably uncomfortable with Seokju standing stock-still by the door, unblinkingly watching his every move.

What did he think Ajin was going to do here? Squeeze through the tiny window and escape? Drown himself in the sink? As these thoughts crossed his mind, his gaze fell on the glass cups. Right, he could use those to kill himself – shatter them and stab his wrist or throat.

Having lost any justification to drive Seokju away, Ajin let out a silent sigh and leaned against the wall. How long had he been standing here with his legs going numb? He lazily stretched them out when wispy steam finally started rising from the pot.

Not waiting any longer, Ajin grabbed the pot and hurriedly poured the water. The sudden forceful stream caused the cup to teeter precariously before toppling over with a clank, splashing hot liquid everywhere. It savagely lashed Ajin’s fingers and knuckles.

It all happened so fast.

“Ah, hot…!”

Ajin stumbled back cradling his hand, but carefully set down the pot, not wanting to make an even bigger mess. However, he couldn’t tend to his own injuries.

His ankle twisted and his body suddenly lurched sideways. A searing heat brushed his cheek – the reddened stove burner gaped hungrily, ready to swallow Ajin’s head.

Instinctively, Ajin’s eyes darted to Seokju. In this situation, he was the only one who could save him – the sole person Ajin had ever depended on in his life.

But Seokju was already there, catching Ajin’s falling body in his arms before he could topple over completely.

“Be careful,” Seokju said in a low voice, using his bare hands to upright the spilled cup – the puddle was inching towards Ajin’s feet.

“Are you okay?” Seokju helped steady Ajin upright.

“Haaah…..”
Ajin exhaled the breath he had been holding from the sudden fright. Seokju examined his burned hand.

It was already turning an angry red from the hot water. Seokju’s brows furrowed in pained regret – he should have moved faster, been closer. No matter how minor the injury, it should have been him hurt, not Ajin.

Plagued by useless self-reproach, Seokju turned on the faucet, letting a steady stream of cool water flow over Ajin’s hand.

“I’m sorry. I could have prevented this. I followed you so doggedly but still failed to do anything.”

Seokju apologized for something that wasn’t even his fault. There was not a shred of dishonesty or hesitation in his words.