Double Junk - 151

The world outside the main road was new and amazing to Ajin. He constantly looked around, studying the changed world. He read each sign one by one. It was a good thing he learned to read from Seokju; otherwise, he wouldn’t have known what kind of shops they were.

[Kim Hyung-jun’s Internal Medicine]

[Ki-won Go-Stop]

[Eden Tailoring – Suits and Shirts]

[Hamseok Trading Company]

[Hyeonseong Daily]

[Yeonma Photography Studio]

[Hyeonseong Theater]

[Public Restaurant]

[Beauty Salon]

Ajin’s steps stopped in several places as he gazed at the endless array of shops. In front of four places: [Seonwoo Eggs], [Fresh Vegetables], [Gwangil Butcher], and [Seoul Bookstore].

He had worried whether he could find the shop he wanted after wandering all day. But since it was a shop people often visited, it was in a noticeable location.

Ajin bought what he needed and paid for it. It was strange to pick out what he needed and pay for it himself. It was strange in a good way.

With his bag heavily filled, Ajin smiled as he headed home. Then he spotted a donut shop. Doughnuts like twisted donuts and red bean doughnuts were piled up.

Ajin stopped as if mesmerized. He realized he hadn’t had any sweet snacks since moving. Before, Seokju always bought them for him.

Without hesitation, Ajin went into the shop. He bought a bag full of twisted donuts and came out. He wanted to share some with the kids playing in front of his house. Of course, also with ‘someone else.’

Ajin, with a twisted donut in his mouth, started limping towards home. When he turned from the main road onto a narrow path, he suddenly spun around.

The organization member who had been following Ajin secretly fell back with a grunt. He seemed to have good motor skills as he stumbled but quickly regained his balance. Although he lacked the talent for hiding, he seemed to be good at physical work, fitting for a thug.

Ajin, smiling slightly, offered him a twisted donut.

“Would you like one?”

“Uh….”

“Take it. I bought a lot.”

“…….”

The organization member looked back and forth between the sugar-coated twisted donut and Ajin. Ajin waved his hand as if asking why he wasn’t accepting it. The organization member, in confusion, took it. Ajin gave a polite nod and continued on his way.

The organization member, standing with a foolish expression, hurried to stand next to Ajin.

“Did you know I was there?”

“How could I not? Your overcoat was shaking so much.”

“Since when?”

“Hmm… About two days after moving in?”

“…… Damn. This is a problem.”

The organization member scratched his head. Even so, he took a big bite out of the twisted donut. Ajin watched him and chuckled softly.

“What’s your name, brother? Your face is familiar, but I don’t know your name.”

“…… Suncheol. Lee Suncheol.”

“Oh, so you’re Brother Suncheol.”

Ajin repeated Suncheol’s name. Then he suddenly introduced himself.

“My name is Ajin. I don’t have a surname.”

“I know your name. Ajii.”

Ajin giggled at the name with a strong accent. Myungjin also called him ‘Myungji.’ Now his name was ‘Ajii.’

Suncheol looked at the laughing Ajin with uneasy eyes. He seemed to be worried about being discovered.

“I won’t tell you not to come. I won’t call the boss either. But next time you come, don’t stand outside, ring the doorbell. It’s hard to stand outside. It’s almost summer, and it’s getting hotter.”

Ajin had no intention of stopping or criticizing Seokju’s way of showing affection. Observing. There was nothing easier than that.

Thanks to that, even though he lived alone, it didn’t feel like he was completely alone in this world. He felt less lonely. It wasn’t bad.

Ajin took a big bite of the twisted donut, enjoying the sugar sticking to his lips.

Seokju slammed his makgeolli cup down hard. He wasn’t angry; his drunken body couldn’t control its strength. Seokju exhaled a sigh thick with the smell of alcohol. Myungjin, sitting opposite him, filled his cup with soju.

“Drink more. You need to drink more to get some sleep.”

Seokju nodded half-heartedly and drank the liquor Myungjin poured. Then he slumped in his chair. His long legs, not yet stabilized, kicked the table. The dishes on the table rattled.

“Oh dear.”

Myungjin quickly grabbed the soup bowl that was about to spill. The hot earthenware bowl made him say, “Ouch-” and shake his hand.

A week had passed since Ajin left the house. Seokju came home only after midnight every day. When Ajin stayed in his room, he used to get up right after lunch, saying he would go home. Lately, he had been resisting going home.

Today, he had suggested a family dinner while leaving work, so they all went into a pork soup restaurant.

Seokju ordered the pork soup but didn’t touch it. He only emptied glass after glass of soju. Complaining that the soju glasses were too small, Myungjin brought him a bowl of makgeolli to save face.

Several hours passed. Myungjin and Deokjae, sitting at the same table as Seokju, silently refilled his cup and lit his cigarettes when he took a drag.

Seokju, who hadn’t slept all week, hoped to get some rest by drinking heavily today.

Seokju, slumped over, took a drag of his cigarette. When Deokjae tried to light it for him, Seokju waved his hand dismissively. He mumbled with the cigarette in his mouth.

“I miss Ajin.”

“Then go see him. Didn’t you say he could come?”

Myungjin replied while pouring new soju, his voice laced with irritation. He had been hearing this same complaint dozens of times a day for the past few days.

Seokju frowned and then relaxed his face.

“It’s only been a week. Ajin would probably hate it if I went already. He might think it’s disgusting.”

His words had a regional accent, indicating he was drunk. Myungjin shook his head.

“Ah… Ajin isn’t the type to be so heartless.”

“Well, I’m afraid he might not show it because he’s too soft, and I might use that as an excuse to keep bothering him…”

Seokju washed his face with his large hands and then, feeling hot, forcefully loosened his tie. “I’m sweating to death, damn it…” he muttered curses. Myungjin clicked his tongue and clinked glasses with Deokjae.

“If you didn’t want him to go, you should have stopped him from the beginning. Instead of letting him go.”

“Stop him? Me? Ajin?”

Seokju sneered. How could he dare stop him? A smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth. Seeing Seokju’s expression, Myungjin sighed repeatedly.

Seokju, sitting with his long legs crossed, glanced around aimlessly. He read the menu of the ordinary soup restaurant repeatedly until he suddenly straightened up. He spat out his cigarette and called someone who was sitting far away.

“Suncheol.”

“Yes, hyung!”

“Come here.”

At his call, Suncheol, holding his drink, hurried over. Deokjae pulled up a spare chair for him. Suncheol bowed slightly and took a seat.

Seokju, with a shaky hand, poured soju into Suncheol’s glass.

“What’s Ajin doing today?”

Suncheol turned his head to the side and gulped down his drink. Then he listed what happened today.

“Ajin went to the market today. He visited the bookstore and bought a book on gardening, onions and eggs, and also bought some meat from the butcher. He didn’t see any strange people while he was out, and Ajin went straight home after shopping.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Oh, and Ajin bought me a twisted donut, hyung. He said he had known I was here from the start. I’m sorry. But he didn’t tell me not to come. I’ll go again tomorrow and report back.”

Suncheol bowed while sitting. Seokju slowly closed and opened his eyes, staring intently at Suncheol. Then he reacted a few beats later.

“Wow… Really? I’m so jealous.”

“…… Yes?”

“I’m jealous…”

“……”

“You get to see Ajin and eat twisted donuts with him… Damn, I’m so jealous…”

Seokju mumbled with his mouth wide open and a dreamy voice. Suncheol’s expression twisted in confusion.

“Hyung, you’re really being ridiculous.”

With that, a silence fell over the table. Then Myungjin burst into laughter, slapping the table and laughing heartily. Deokjae also chuckled and then quickly covered his mouth.

Myungjin, still laughing with tears in his eyes, said,

“Yeah, it’s just ridiculous. Hyung, you’re really being ridiculous.”

“……”

“I thought you’d do something extraordinary if you ever loved someone in the future, but I didn’t expect it to be this pathetic.”

Myungjin stared at Seokju’s face. Despite being drunk, his handsome face remained the same. It was a face that instilled pride just by being present. It was such an impressive face. But to see that face displaying such pathetic affection.

Myungjin laughed again, finding it amusing. Seokju brushed his hair away and showed his irritation.

“Yeah, damn it, laugh, laugh…”

He drank from the makgeolli bowl in a gulp. When Myungjin tried to offer him some food, Seokju suddenly jumped up from his seat.

“Going to the bathroom?”

Myungjin, moving his chair back, said, “I’ll come with you.” Seokju looked down at him and said,

“I’m going to make a fool of myself.”

Myungjin, along with Deokjae and Suncheol, tilted their heads in confusion. They had never heard anyone say they were going to make a fool of themselves.

“No, where are you going to make a fool of yourself?”

Myungjin, feeling uneasy, stood up. Seokju straightened his loosened tie and answered,

“To Ajin’s house.”