Double Junk - 6

Chapter 6

06

Without being asked, Seokju’s eyebrows twitched at Ajin’s consideration. If he were a different master, he might have said, “Sure, go ahead and get it.” However, he didn’t readily agree. Ajin stammered in explanation.

“Going into the kitchen directly is a bit, uh, well, you know…”

In fact, the head servant didn’t go into the kitchen. Even a polite gentleman in a noble household would be surprised if he entered the kitchen. Going there and personally drawing water was out of the question. If Myungjin or the organization members found out, they might punish the servants without mercy.

No, in reality, nothing like that would happen. Still, it put Ajin’s mind at ease to think that way.

Seokju remained silent. Then, he reluctantly handed the glass bottle to Ajin.

“Okay, then.”

Ajin, who had already been bowing slightly, received the glass bottle with both hands. It was undoubtedly an expensive item, with a distinctive, uneven surface. It would probably be worth a considerable sum.

Ajin carried the glass bottle like a precious relic and took steps towards the kitchen. Seokju followed him.

Ajin tried not to limp. Even if he couldn’t help but limp, he wanted to appear as normal as possible. Who would like a servant with a deformed leg? Even if he was just a servant, he would likely be cast aside if he appeared bothersome.

Fortunately, Ajin reached the kitchen without tripping or shattering the glass bottle. Ajin descended to the kitchen, which had a low ceiling. Though he only had to descend three steps, the height was challenging for him.

Seokju didn’t enter the kitchen but leaned against the door frame, watching Ajin.

Ajin stood in front of the state-of-the-art sink, washed the glass bottle, and wiped it dry with a clean towel. Then, he filled it with water. The sound of running water reminded him of his neglected bladder, which now seemed to throb impatiently.

However, Ajin bit his lower lip and endured the discomfort. He didn’t want to give up this moment with Seokju. He didn’t want to be seen as a servant with a deformed leg who couldn’t even pour a glass of water properly.

Finally, the glass bottle was full. Ajin picked it up and limped back to the door. At that moment, Seokju extended his hand. Ajin stared at the man’s hand, which had many old scars.

…Is he asking me to hold onto him? Seems like the boss is kind-hearted after all.

Seokju moved the glass bottle with one hand and reached out with the other. But Seokju grabbed the glass bottle.

“I’ll carry it.”

“Oh, okay.”

Ajin hurriedly folded his arms. Embarrassment washed over his cheeks, but fortunately, his hair covered half of his face, so Seokju wouldn’t have seen it.

Ajin held onto the kitchen door frame and ascended the stairs. Then, he respectfully bent at the waist.

“Goodnight, Boss.”

Seokju raised an eyebrow at that.

“What about you?”

“Me?”

“Aren’t you going to pee?”

“Oh, uh, I can use the outdoor bathroom.”

Ajin gestured vaguely towards the outside. Seokju nodded without saying a word. Then, he showed the full water bottle.

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing… Goodnight, Boss.”

With that, Seokju turned and walked away, disappearing into the darkness. Ajin stared at his retreating figure blankly. Seokju had such long legs, and his stride was so large. Ajin wondered how he had managed to match his steps with Seokju’s long strides all the way to the kitchen.

Ajin only came to his senses after Seokju had disappeared into the darkness.

“Ugh, gotta go, gotta go…”

Clutching his lower abdomen over his pants, he rushed outside. He stepped onto the veranda barefoot, jumped over the stone threshold, and crossed the dirt floor. But he was grateful that he made it to the bathroom without spilling any urine. His bladder seemed to be asking how much longer it should endure, as if getting irritated.

However, Ajin bit his lower lip and endured it. He didn’t want to give up this moment with Seokju. He didn’t want to be seen as a servant with a deformed leg who couldn’t even pour a glass of water properly.

Finally, the glass bottle was full. Ajin picked it up and limped back to the door. At that moment, Seokju extended his hand. Ajin stared at the man’s hand, which had many old scars.

…Is he asking me to hold onto him? Seems like the boss is kind-hearted after all.

Seokju moved the glass bottle with one hand and reached out with the other. But Seokju grabbed the glass bottle.

“I’ll carry it.”

“Oh, okay.”

Ajin hurriedly folded his arms. Embarrassment washed over his cheeks, but fortunately, his hair covered half of his face, so Seokju wouldn’t have seen it.

Ajin held onto the kitchen door frame and ascended the stairs. Then, he respectfully bent at the waist.

“Goodnight, Boss.”

Seokju raised an eyebrow at that.

“What about you?”

“Me?”

“Aren’t you going to pee?”

“Oh, uh, I can use the outdoor bathroom.”

Ajin gestured vaguely towards the outside. Seokju nodded without saying a word. Then, he showed the full water bottle.

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing… Goodnight, Boss.”

With that, Seokju turned and walked away, disappearing into the darkness. Ajin stared at his retreating figure blankly. Seokju had such long legs, and his stride was so large. Ajin wondered how he had managed to match his steps with Seokju’s long strides all the way to the kitchen.

Ajin only came to his senses after Seokju had disappeared into the darkness.

“Ugh, gotta go, gotta go…”

Clutching his lower abdomen over his pants, he rushed outside. He stepped onto the veranda barefoot, jumped over the stone threshold, and crossed the dirt floor. But he was grateful that he made it to the bathroom without spilling any urine. His bladder seemed to be asking how much longer it should endure, as if getting irritated.

As the hot stream of water gushed forcefully, Ajin felt at ease.

A smile formed at the corner of Ajin’s lips.

Jangdae-bi

Seokju’s house was in the shape of an inverted “b” or, more accurately, a straight and rugged line forming the character “dan” (丹). It had two sharp ends pointing toward the front gate.

Traditionally, in a hanok, each room had its own purpose, and residents would change their rubber shoes when moving around, often crossing the courtyard. However, this practice had been declining in recent years. Instead, houses were built with corridors connecting rooms, allowing people to move around without removing their shoes, similar to a Western-style home.

Seokju’s house was like that.

The kitchen was at the left corner of the “dan”-shaped house, with a horizontal row leading to one female servant’s room and two male servant’s rooms on the right. At the far end were the rooms for the organization members. The organization members shared rooms, with two to five members in each, depending on rank.

Below the kitchen, on the left side, were the common areas and the bathroom, and there was Myungjin’s room. Next came Seokju’s study, Seokju’s room, and finally Seokju’s private bathroom. This part corresponded to the left straight line of the “dan.”

In the center of the “mi” shape, there was an “An Garden” with a pond and a large camphor tree. The camphor tree had been there for hundreds of years, and it was said that when the house was first built, they didn’t cut down the tree but rather built around it.

The spacious daecheong (main hall) and the front porch were located under the horizontal line of the “dan.” Moving further to the right, there was a bathroom, two guest rooms, and additional rooms for organization members lined up along the right vertical line.

The sturdy columns supporting the heavy roof were all chiseled in the Minheullim style, giving them a solid appearance. The outside veranda and the rooms were equipped with various-sized wooden lattice windows, allowing ample light to enter.

Outside, there was a parking area, a place for organization members to exercise, and a lush garden that resembled a forest. There was also a vegetable garden, but that would be explained later. In any case, since the house was shaped like a “dan,” if you stood in the corridor, you could discreetly glimpse the opposite side through the columns.

Ajin, who was in charge of cleaning the inner corridor of the house, liked this feature very much. Occasionally, he could discreetly observe Seokju in the An Garden, or Seokju sitting on the porch smoking a cigarette, or Seokju having serious discussions with the organization members in the main hall.

After dinner and finishing the dishes, as usual, Ajin used the excuse that he hadn’t finished cleaning the corridor and spread out in the right corridor, where there were guest rooms.

Even though the organization members gave him meaningful looks as they passed by, he remained seated. He could endure this for a while longer, especially since everyone would go to bed soon.

When the house grew quieter, Ajin, who was pretending to dust the area, moved closer to the front door, meticulously wiping the gaps between the door and the decorative cabinet. In a short while, the door on the opposite side opened, and Seokju stepped out.

He always wore only pants, with a haori (short coat) casually draped over his shoulders. The haori had become thinner as the days went by. A few weeks ago, it had been made of beautiful silk, but now it was so thin that the light from the other side was visible through the fabric.

Summer was approaching.

Ajin liked summer. He was unusually prone to cold, so he welcomed the heat. To the extent that, even in the middle of summer, he would sleep tightly wrapped in a single blanket.

But recently, based on conversations among the organization members, it seemed like Seokju was more affected by the heat than I was. They said that during the summer, Seokju’s temper was more sensitive, and they needed to stock up on ice. They even suggested building a pavilion in the cool garden so that Seokju could spend his nights there. They thought about adding a servant to fan him all night long. They discussed various options.

Ajin wondered how much hotter Seokju had to feel before the lower-ranking members would become so concerned. Indeed, Seokju would come outside every night, barefoot, and stand there, brushing his hair irritably. Then, he would take out a cigarette and light it with his own hands, inhaling deeply as he enjoyed the smoke. He would do this until he had finished a whole cigarette, taking in the cool night air to relieve the heat.

Even from a distance, his solid back was strikingly prominent.

“…”

Ajin gazed blankly at Seokju. He had seen him yesterday and the day before, but he still looked impressive, perhaps even more so than yesterday.

Ajin and Seokju hadn’t encountered each other since that early morning when they crossed paths on the way to the bathroom a few weeks ago. Apart from Ajin sneakily watching from a distance, there had been no other interaction. Seokju seemed to have forgotten Ajin’s existence altogether.

Well, would he remember just because Ajin had fetched water for him early in the morning?

Ajin had considered it a matter of course, but he couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of disappointment. I’m still replaying that moment every night.

Why am I even here? It’s not like I’m looking at a pretty woman. I’m just holding a mop, pretending to look at my boss’s face…

“Ah…”

Ajin sighed softly, gripping the mop tightly. After holding it for nearly an hour, his fingers had become wrinkled from the moisture. He didn’t want to look at his hands. Ajin let go of the mop, and his hand shook as he wiped it on his pants.

At that moment, the front entrance became noisy. Myungjin was coming in. Ajin quickly folded his knees and bowed his head, discreetly peering out. Myungjin was followed by several women wearing high heels.

Myungjin pointed to a few rooms, instructing the women. Then, the woman standing at the back led the way herself. They were headed to Seokju’s room.

Soon, Myungjin, the women, and Seokju met face to face. Myungjin politely bowed and stepped back. The woman approached Seokju with a charming smile. Seokju personally opened his room door for her, and with light steps, she flowed into Seokju’s room. Her alluring scent seemed to linger in the air.

Seokju, with only the butt of his cigarette remaining, took a final drag and flicked the cigarette butt into an ashtray before removing his haori and entering the room. For a moment, his broad and spacious back was visible before disappearing.

And so, Ajin was left alone.

In reality, he had been alone from the beginning, but it felt as if he had just become alone.

“Boss calls women every day?”

“Can’t even sleep. Do they really have to make noise for one or two hours?”

“Does he have nightmares?”

A snippet of rumors about his boss’s nights came to mind.

“Is it really because of nightmares? Or does he just like fooling around…”

Ajin mumbled a question to himself, realizing he couldn’t find an answer on his own. Then, he shook his head. There was no need for me to know, no need for me to be curious.

He picked up the fallen mop and, with slow steps, limped along the corridor, limping from side to side. For some reason, today, he couldn’t help but feel pathetic and wretched.

As Ajin walked down the corridor, he inexplicably punched his left leg with his fist. Strangely, his knee twitched.

And on that day, in the early morning, the rain began to fall. It was the start of an early monsoon.