By five in the evening, I finally returned home, utterly drained. I grabbed two cigarettes to soothe my exhaustion. That guy I'd met earlier Ji Sanghye (K) he really was a good person. While other auditionees were busy showing off their talents, he had taken the time to explain dance tips and tricks to me before the evaluations even began.
Now, I was heading alone into my apartment. My parents had split up since my older brother moved out, so here I was in a single rental unit. I bought a boxed meal and ate it with gusto, then sat down to play Idol Leader, a dance competition game, waiting for the results to be announced in a week.
My big brother was working in Japan, sending money for my school and college tuition. He didn't even show up for my college graduation. Soon, he disappeared and never contacted me ever again. Life here was stressful in terms of work; I understood why he left me in the first place. If I didn't pass the audition… what would I do? I didn't know. Maybe open a juice shop nearby.
it's trendy, and one could make half a million won a day. Right now, I didn't expect much; I just wanted a simple life. A car of my own, a fancy house… That would be enough. I was also a fan of Park Tae-Un, the legend who had once taken a seat in D\8/ but left it gracefully, eventually succeeding as a solo artist.
After resting for three days, I headed out to my part-time job as a cashier at a convenience store far from my apartment.
Beep!
I scanned a can of fermented fish for an old lady. "Hey, what a handsome young man! You could be a star, you know. My grandson's learning acting straight A's. Looks like he's going to be an actor someday~! You know my son doesn't need a dime from me he'#$!#!#%#%" God, this bitch just kept bragging on proudly huh?, clearly never talk to anyone in years.
"Uh-huh… looks like your grandson has a bright future," I nodded while replying forcibly.
"That'll be 1,225 won. digital pay or cash?" I smiled politely.
"You shouldn't be a cashier with a face like that! This job doesn't suit you," she teased.
Then i intentionally slammed my fist onto the register to show her a fucking gratitude. Crank!
"One thousand.... two hundred.... twenty-five won. digital or cash… mam?" I said flatly, glancing to my left. Her smile faltered as she handed over the cash, and mine returned.
"H-here you go. By god, kids these days...."
"Cash received. Please come again~ (or never)" I handed her the receipt, silently praying she'd leave soon. The day continued, customers both good and bad coming and going, until I heard a familiar voice from the outside.
"Okay, I'll just stop by to grab a drink." a cold-mature tone voice spoke, Is he?
Ding-ding! The door chimed, and two guys with face masks entered. One wore a long blue cap hiding his hair, the other had pinkish-golden hair. His voice sounded oddly familiar, like I'd heard it before. The long-haired man stepped forward to pay for a snack first.
Beep! The barcode scanned, and a water bottle slid into view.
"Charge for my lil' bro too. Digital payment," he said, his eyes smiling even behind the mask.
"Just go wait outside, TT." Ding-ding! His younger companion walked out.
"That'll be 2,450 won. Do you want a bag?" I asked.
"Hmm… just carryin' it home, thanks for askin' handsome." His words made my heart skip a beat for a moment.
"A-as you wish, reducin' plastic waste huh?" I held out my wrist. He tapped it for a wireless payment, even sending 250 won extra.
"Ah, you overpaid," I said.
"No need. Consider it a small tip for a....good-lookin' employee," he said, eyes glinting with some secret intent and left with his pal.
"What was up with that guy? Strange…" I didn't think much of it and continued working until evening. The white city and towering buildings were gradually glowing with neon lights.