The convenience store was quiet as usual as Jaeho sat behind the counter. But his work shift was until midnight so he was going to be here for quite sometime.
The store was empty with a bell at the door that would ring if someone came in which helped him to know when someone came in when he was distracted.
He had left his phone with Jia and Serin so he had nothing to use to distract himself.
It was a routine he had developed over the past year before leaving for his night shift, he had shown them how to unlock it, how to call the police if anything happened. Granny Yang lived next door, but Jaeho needed that peace of mind that they could fill in where Granny Yang couldn't. He could handle whatever life threw at him, bullies, debt, exhaustion, but he wasn't going to gamble with his sisters' safety. But he knew he needed to make enough money to move them out of that neighborhood which was his current priority.
An hour passed. No customers.
Jaeho pulled out his homework as he arranged his notebooks and textbooks across the counter. Calculus problems stared right back at him and thankfully, he had gotten good at this, working fast, working efficiently despite the environment he found himself in.
Every assignment completed was another positive tick on his record, another small advantage when he eventually applied for university scholarships or jobs. It would increase his earning potential drastically as well.
He didn't know what happened earlier that day. The system, the debt elimination, the ₩100,000 return but he wasn't going to rely on it. Miracles didn't repeat themselves, hard work did which was the only thing he coud truly explain.
He worked through the problems carefully, his pen moving as he attained flow state, the only sound in the empty store.
Then the bell rang at the door at long last and Jaeho looked up before freezing as his eyes met with who just came in.
Yura stood in the doorway. She wore casual clothes with her hair being messy.
She looked different from earlier, more like a human being and less like a model.
Their eyes met for a moment, neither of them moved as they couldn't believe they were meeting for the second time in a day in a completely different environment where Jaeho still managed to be the employee.
"Jaeho?" Yura muttered, genuinely surprised.
"What are you doing here?" Yura questioned him.
"I work here," Jaeho said, standing up quickly and bowing slightly.
"Good evening, ma'am," Jaeho was quick to show his respect.
"You work here too?" She laughed. A soft soothing laughter..
"Yes, ma'am," Jaeho responded right away.
"Stop calling me 'ma'am.' It makes me feel old," Yura said as she walked toward the counter.
"How old are you, anyway?" Yura asked casually, clearly attempting to strike up a casual conversation.
"Eighteen," Jaeho said without giving it much thought.
"Eighteen. And you're working... how many jobs?" She asked as her eyebrows rose.
"Two," Jaeho lied. Jaeho hesitated for a second and knew he had to downplay it.
"Two." She stared at him like he had just told her he could fly.
"And you're still in school?" Yura questioned but this time, she sounded interested.
"Yes," Jaeho responded once again, giving a one word reply.
"High school?" Yura questioned.
"Yes," Jaeho responded once again with a single word.
"That's... impressive," she said, commending his effort.
There was something off about her tonight, the energy and charm earlier was gone.
She looked tired, like she had spent the last couple of hours fighting some demons.
Jaeho noticed it immediately, but he didn't say anything as this was none of his business nor did he want to cross into that personal relationship.
"Are you okay?" he asked but his tone was cautious.
Yura couldn't even fake her smile and let it slip for a split second, so quick that Jaeho almost missed it.
"I'm fine," she said.
"I just needed to pick up a few things," Yura added.
She moved away from the counter, went down one of the aisles. Jaeho watched her go before returning to his homework.
However, he couldn't concentrate because he knew something was wrong even though he tried his best to mind his business.
A few minutes later, Yura returned with a few items that was the best definition of a bad day.
She set everything on the counter, and Jaeho rang it up without saying a word.
"₩28,000," he said once he was done.
Yura pulled out her wallet, then paused and looked at him for a moment.
"You know…" she began.
"... Most kids your age would be out with friends. At PC bangs. Causing trouble. Not working two jobs and doing homework at a convenience store," Yura complimented.
"I'm not most kids," Jaeho said but cringed internally the moment these words left his mouth.
"Clearly." Yura said with a playful wink before handing him ₩80,000.
"Keep the change," Yura told Jaeho. Jaeho stared at the bills in his hand in confusion.
"Ma'a-! Yura, this is too much. The change is ₩52,000," Jaeho told Yura right away.
"I know." Yura said while picking up her bag.
"Consider it a tip for earlier. You helped me out when you didn't have to," Yura told him.
"You don't need to-!" Jaeho was interrupted.
"I want to." Her voice was firm, but not unkind.
"Take it, Jaeho. Buy something for yourself. Or your sisters," Yura said.
"How did you-!" Jaeho was interrupted once again.
"You mentioned them earlier," Yura said softly.
"At the laundromat. You said you needed to get home to your sisters," Yura reminded him.
He had? Jaeho didn't remember saying that.
Yura smiled but it didn't reach her eyes.
"You're a good man, Jaeho. Don't let the world that it out of you," Yura told Jaeho.
She turned to leave, then stopped at the door, glancing back over her shoulder to say one more thing.
"And for what it's worth...." she paused.
".... If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call," Yura told him .
"I don't even have your number," Jaeho said.
"Check your phone when you get it back," Yura said as her smile widened just a little.
Then she was gone with the door shutting behind her as she left.
Jaeho stood there, holding the ₩52,000 in his hand, staring at the empty doorway.
"Check your phone," he repeated.
His heart thudded in his chest because he knew this meant his sisters must have answered his phone and without knowing what they said, this gave him anxiety.
He looked down at the money, then at the door, then back at the money.