Double Junk - 170

Ajin signed a few documents, then slumped back in his chair, exhausted. He tapped his toes against the floor, spinning the chair halfway around. Through the wide glass windows, the panoramic view of Seoul came into focus—a sight he hadn’t fully noticed before.

The towering buildings stretched high into the sky, meeting his gaze. The neatly arranged city blocks blended harmoniously with the surrounding mountains and the blue sky. It was breathtaking, a scene that made him think, This is what the future truly looks like.

Lost in admiration of the scenery, he eventually turned his chair back toward Sekju. Unlike Ajin, who had already shed both his jacket and vest due to the heat, Sekju was still fully dressed, jacket and all. He looked sharp as he alternated between a tablet and documents, hard at work. He seemed like the very image of an adult in a future society—a vision of composure and diligence.

Ajin stared at Sekju for a long time before resting his chin on his desk and openly observing him. His prominent, smooth nose, the strong jawline, and his deep-set eyes—everything seemed striking.

It felt like he had returned to that moment in the past, the first time he’d entered Sekju’s house. Back then, he had wanted to see him so much that he would polish the hallway floors endlessly, linger in front of his room, and hope for a chance encounter.

How long had he been staring? Sekju set down his tablet. Startled, Ajin quickly turned his head away. Sekju tidied his desk with a few swift motions and stood up.

“President,” Sekju said.

“Yes?” Ajin replied, his large eyes rounding in surprise. Sekju tapped his wristwatch lightly and said, “It’s lunchtime.”

Ajin ate lunch with Sekju at a restaurant near the company. It was a cold noodle place, and Sekju must have made a reservation because they dined in a private room. The meal proceeded quietly.

Every now and then, Ajin asked about company matters or wondered aloud if earwax-flavored jelly actually existed. While eating his knife-cut noodles, Sekju would give a faint, awkward smile but always answered Ajin’s questions kindly.

After the meal, as they were leaving, Sekju opened the car door for Ajin and said, “If you’re bored, you can leave early.”

Ajin quickly checked his watch. The hour hand was nearing one o’clock.

“Leave early? It’s just past lunchtime,” he said.

“That’s when you used to finish for the day,” Sekju replied.

“Oh… then what about you?” Ajin asked.

“I’ll take you home and return to the office,” Sekju said.

Ajin pressed his lips together in thought before shaking his head firmly. “I’ll go back to the company too. Mom said to treat this like therapy, didn’t she?”

“…Yes, as you wish.”

They returned to the company. Despite the sweltering heat, Ajin wore only a shirt and tie, cheerfully smiling at employees who greeted him. Having spent just half a day at the office, he already seemed more at ease. His softly curved eyes and bright, upturned lips gave him a radiant, cheerful appearance.

Though Sekju sighed, he didn’t try to stop Ajin.

As they rode the elevator up and walked toward the CEO’s office, Ajin spotted the restroom and tugged at Sekju’s sleeve.

“I’ll use the restroom first,” he said.

“Understood,” Sekju replied, leaning against the wall to wait. Ajin shuffled his steps to check if Sekju was staying put, then went into the restroom. He quickly finished his business and scrubbed his hands thoroughly. The cool water seemed to take some of the edge off the heat. He wanted to wash his face too but only rubbed his cheeks, worried about messing up the hairstyle Sekju had styled for him earlier.

As he emerged, shaking the water off his hands, he heard voices. Around the corner of the hallway near the restroom, Sekju was speaking with three unfamiliar people. Judging by their ID badges, they appeared to be employees.

“It doesn’t feel as hot today, does it?” one of them asked.

“I’m cold, actually. My desk is right under the air conditioner, so I’ve been using a blanket,” another replied.

“Secretary Hwang, you always feel the heat more than others. Maybe you should ask to switch desks,” the first suggested.

“Maybe I will. By the way, when’s your return? Next week?”

“Probably. Secretary Kang, you don’t seem bothered by the heat at all. It’s amazing—I don’t think I’ve ever seen you sweat, even though you’re the busiest person on our team.”

“Ha ha, really?” Sekju said, brushing his hand over his jacket.

“Look at him now—still wearing a jacket and vest. It’s like he’s in autumn while the rest of us are melting.”

“I’m old. Even a breeze makes my bones ache,” Sekju joked.

“Pfft, don’t say that out loud! Thirty-three is still a baby!” one of them teased.

“Wait, did you just call Secretary Kang a baby? Isn’t he the tallest person in the company?” someone else chimed in.

“Well, that’s true, but…”

The group fell into brief silence before bursting into laughter. Sekju laughed along with them, a genuine smile lighting up his face. Ajin, stepping out of the restroom, froze and stared at him.

…Laughing?

It was the first time Ajin had seen Sekju interacting with others. The first time he’d seen him talking casually, laughing alongside someone else.

A strange feeling welled up inside him. No—it wasn’t strange. It was irritation. His chest burned with a sudden surge of anger.

Laughing? That easily?

It wasn’t as if Sekju hadn’t laughed in the past. In their previous life, he had often shared jokes and laughter with the other members of their organization, and even with Ajin himself.

But that was all before it happened. Before those events. Before the misunderstandings, the pain, the injuries, and the eventual deaths—both of them.

Ajin knew that this version of Sekju didn’t remember any of it.

And that knowledge enraged him. It felt like a thorn or a bullet buried deep in his heart was twisting violently.

It’s not fair.

I remember everything. I’m suffering because of those memories.

But you forgot it all.

It’s unfair.

If I were to forget, I should have forgotten. The memory was supposed to be yours. You should have remembered somehow and atoned for it. You shouldn’t be playing around with other people, especially not in front of me.

Ajin’s blue eyes became cold. His fist tightly clenched, and he walked quickly toward the group. Then, he stood straight in front of Seokju.

The assistants all greeted him.

“Ah, President.”

“Hello, President.”

“Did you enjoy your lunch-“

“Secretary Kang, I’m thirsty.”

Ignoring their greetings, Ajin sharply said this to Seokju. Seokju raised his eyebrows slightly as he looked down at him and nodded.

“Uh… Yes. Would you like me to bring you some coffee?”

“Bring it yourself, just do it yourself.”

Saying that, Ajin spun around and entered the office with quick steps, slamming the door shut. He collapsed into the chair and tightly shut his eyes.

He wanted to say something else, like pick a fight, but his mind was too empty for any creative thoughts. In the past, he used to yell at Seokju and tease him, making him awkward. But now, he couldn’t even do that properly.

Ajin buried his face in his palms and let out a low groan of anger.

Seokju soon appeared. He had a glass of coffee in his hand, filled to the brim with ice, clinking loudly. As soon as Seokju set the coffee on the desk, Ajin grabbed it and drank it quickly.

At first, when he said he was thirsty, it had been a lie, but as frustration rose inside him, his throat really did feel dry. Only feeling the coldness, he took a few sips before finally realizing the taste of the coffee.

It was bitter, sour, and musty—like the coffee had gone bad. His irritation grew. Was Seokju mocking him or getting revenge?

“What is this?” Ajin muttered, glaring at the coffee. Seokju, with his calm face, explained about the coffee.

“It’s made with your favorite beans.”

Ajin gripped the handle-less glass tightly. But his grip wasn’t strong enough to break the glass, and the cup, which had received the force, slid and rose before slipping from his hand.

Crash!

The smooth, hard marble floor shattered the cup into pieces. Coffee spilled everywhere, and the round ice cubes bounced in all directions. Large and small glass pieces scattered.

Ajin took a deep breath. He looked down at the mess on the floor and quickly glanced at Seokju. He hadn’t meant to explode with such violent anger. He just wanted to annoy Seokju a little. This… was a bit much…

“…”

Ajin rolled his eyes and bent down, reaching for the largest glass shard. Seokju quickly grabbed his wrist.

“Please stay still. I’ll clean it up.”

“But…”

“You can’t get hurt.”

Seokju grabbed the back of Ajin’s chair and pulled it back, making Ajin roll backwards. After moving Ajin far enough from the mess, Seokju quickly left the office.

Ajin pressed his lips tightly together, waiting in silence until Seokju came back, punished by the uncomfortable, embarrassing, and guilty feelings.

Soon, Seokju returned, cleaning up the glass and ice with cleaning tools, wiping the floor, and using a strange-looking cleaner to clean the whole office. His employee ID tag swung back and forth with his busy movements.

After cleaning up the office like it was being turned upside down, Seokju kneeled at Ajin’s feet, sitting to wipe off the coffee that had splashed onto Ajin’s shoes. Ajin, looking at the clean cloth in Seokju’s hand, quietly asked.

“Are you the lowest here?”

“Pardon?”

Seokju’s eyebrows furrowed at the unexpected question. It wasn’t anger, just confusion.

“I mean, are you the lowest in this company?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Then why are you doing this yourself? You could have had someone else do it.”

Ajin, feeling unnecessarily guilty, spoke grumpily. If it had been someone else, not Seokju, doing this, he wouldn’t have felt so guilty. Watching Seokju clean up the mess he made, Ajin felt uncomfortable and wanted to run away. But Seokju’s invisible rope kept him glued to the chair, unable to move.

Seokju quietly looked at Ajin. Then, in his usual, even tone, he spoke.

“…For anything related to you, I usually handle it myself.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s my job.”