Chapter 40

Chapter 40 – With the Night’s Protection

“What are you writing?”

“Ah, diary . ”

Jongjin didn’t ask more and only yawned .

“Aren’t you tired . Ahhhhhh, where do I sleep?”

“Sleep on the bed . ”

“Then you?”

“I’ll finish writing and get a blanket to sleep on . ”

“I get it . I’ll sleep first . You sleep early too . ”

Jongjin dived into the bed’s blanket and laid down .

And then in one minute, he was sleeping, breathing softly .

‘This guy, he must have been really tired . ’

As he saw Jongjin, he felt the pain of the employees working at companies . He remembered his father who didn’t rest for one day to feed his family .

Jaegun fixed Jongjin’s blanket and went back to his place .

Then his glance went to the diary .

Just then .

‘U, uhhh… . ?’

An idea came to him magically .

Jongjin, who was struggling from work, and the karaoke helper she met earlier was whirling in his brain .

Jaegun’s two hands went to the keyboard .

He didn’t think it was with his will . It was more of an instinct .

His ten fingers started to hit the keyboard very fast .

Tap! Tap!

Tap!

Tap! Tapp!

He couldn’t feel the time

The mechanical keyboard’s sound rang around the small room

Jongjin didn’t wake up at all .

He was sleeping soundly like the keyboard sound was a lullaby .

***

“Uhhhh, wat . . Water . ”

Jongjin muttered as he woke up from thirst .

Jaegun pa.s.sed him a cup of cold water . /

“EHre . ”

Jongjin didn’t even open his eyes and drank it eagerly . He drank it all and looked out the window, sighing .

The world was brighter outside .

“What time is it, right now . ”

“7 . Go clean up . Let’s go eat while we’re leaving . ”

“I don’t want to . I’ll probably throw it up . And I have to get ready . ”

Jongjin lifted himself up .

His head was about to crash . It felt like someone was spinning the room around him

But if he didn’t wake up, he was going to be late for work .

Jaegun said as he sat back down .

“Amazing will . Park Jongjin . Office workers are amazing . ”

“It feel like you’re mocking me . ”

“I’m serious . ”

“And what are you doing . ”

Jongjin was about to go in the bathroom as he caught sight of the monitor . The screen was filled with letters and words .

“Did you write for the entire night?”

“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep . ”

Jongjin opened his mouth, surprised at the indifference he showed .

“Hey, you drank a lot too . Aren’t you tired?”

“I work at home . So I’ll feel less tired than you . ”

“Don’t say random stuff . Don’t I write in the office? Writing is labor . You’re gonna fall down first . ”

“Go and wash up . ”

Jongjin went in the bathroom . Jaegun resumed typing .

It was a synopsis and a plot that he made during the night . His eyes were almost blind but he couldn’t stop until he finished .

“Hey, Ha Jaegun . ”

“AH? What, how, when did you wear all that?”

Surprised, Jaegun looked back at Jongjin who was changing . Jongjin looked at him absurdly .

“It’s already been 10 minutes . You really can’t do anything when you start writing . I’ll go . ”

“I’ll take you to the office . ”

“Just keep writing . I can’t block your writing in the middle . ”

Jongjin refused Jaegun’s offer to drive him there .

“I’m going early to walk a bit . To wake up from that drink . ”

With nothing to do, Jaegun wore slippers and went to see him off .

The autumn air went inside as he opened the door .

As he ducked to try to avoid the leaves, Jaegun asked .

“Hey, I can write a novel with you as the main character right?”

“I’m the main? My life is interesting enough to write a story about me?”

“No?”

“Do you even need my permission . Just write . ”

“I get it . ”

As they were talking about these things, they were already at the subway station .

Jongjin dove into the huge crowd of people .

Jaegun went back home as he couldn’t see Jongjin at all in the crowd . ;

“Rika, go eat . I’ll write a bit more . ”

Jaegun took off his shoes as he came back and continued his writing because his brain was working much more efficiently now .

‘A office worker struggling with life and a poor karaoke helper’s meeting… . ! Their two common traits are … loneliness, Yes, loneliness . The two people who have no one to lean on are leaning on each other . ’

The male main was his friend Jongjin .

The female main was the karaoke helper he met yesterday

A feeling of success came .

He was sure that as an economic as well as a writing project, it was going to be a success . He couldn’t control his excited body .

***

As the morning went by and lunch time came, the sun went down and evening came .

Jaegun forgot to eat and was only writing .

Rika didn’t bother Jaegun who was writing intently for his new book .

“No… . ! Frick . The character is awkward . ”

Jaegun rubbed his head in frustration .

There was no problem making the male main with Jongjin as the model .

The problem was the female main .

He had way too many things he didn’t know about a karaoke helper .

Then the solution was?

‘To go there again…!’

He doesn’t hesitate when he made a decision .

Jaegun stood up, cleaned, and changed his clothes . Then he picked up a memo and pen and left home .

It was just after 8 and it was already becoming loud and crazy .

Jaegun got from his memory and went to the karaoke . It wasn’t hard because it was only yesterday .

“Come in . ”

The owner of yesterday lifted her head and welcomed him . Jaegun asked the woman who seemed to remember him .

“h.e.l.lo . Do you remember me? I came yesterday with a friend . ”

“Yes, I remember that you came here . ”

“It’s just, uh… can you bring the girl who was there yesterday?”

The owner wrinkled her face .

For a customer asking for a karaoke helper, he seemed weird .

“What for?”

“Ahy, well… I want to sing and have fun . I liked her . ”

He decided to hide the fact that he was a writer . Then it felt like the story would get messed up even more . The owner looked at him with suspicion .

“Didn’t you just meet her for the first time yesterday?”

“Yes, that’s right . ”

“If it’s the first time, it’s hard to find even with their name . There’s too many rude people out there . ”

The conversation wasn’t going right .

After a thought, Jaegun pulled out 30 dollars from his wallet and held it towards the owner .

“I’m begging you . I’m not a bad person . I just really liked that woman . ”

“Hm… . What to do . ”

Unlike her words, the owner’s hands, deep with manicure, were taking in Jaegun’s money .

“Who are you finding”

“Uh, she was a bit shorter . Her face looked like a cat . She said her name was Dasul . And the other was saying Sulgi . ”

“That’s all fake names . I know Jaeyoung, but I don’t know the woman that you’re looking for . ”

“Can’t you contact Jaeyoung?”

The owner laughed as if it was absurd .

“The two peoole don’t know each other . They came from different offices . ”

“Ah, that’s it?”

That’s why the two girls seemed awkward to each other .

In front of the nodding Jaegun, the owner picked up her phone and called someone .

“h.e.l.lo? Yeah, this is the Hub . It’s just, yesterday… uh, hey, when did you come yesterday?”

“About just after 8 . ”

Hearing Jaegun’s words, the owner continued her words .

“Jaeyoung came here just after 8 . Yeah, you remember? Do you know the girl who came with her? No, she has a nomination . Hm… . ah yes? Chief Kim? Using the name Dasul? Ok, thanks . ”

As soon as she cut off, she called somewhere else .

“h.e.l.lo? Yes h.e.l.lo . This is Hub . Do you have a girl called Dasul? Did she come yet? Ah… yes? Ok, can you give her the phone? She has a nomination . ”

The owner glanced over to Jaegun and continued .

“He’s not a weird guy . I can tell by looking . A young guy . Hm yeah, ok . I get it . Thank you . ”

As she hung up, the owner drank a drink of water to cool her burning throat . And then she explained to Jaegun .

“She’s not there yet . She’s about to come to work . I told them to call her here as soon as she comes . Just wait . ”

“Thanks alot . ”

Jaegun sat down on a chair next to the entrance .

The owner gave a beverage to Jaegun from the refrigerator because of the tip she got .

“But what’s your job?”

“I go around the country and sell electric pad . ”

The owner looked annoyed and snorted .

“You’re lying . I can tell you’re a man who has ink on his hands . Well I get it . ”

The owner didn’t ask more and turned around .

Jaegun was admiring her observation skills and shook his head .

After about 30 minutes to an hour, the girl didn’t show up . Jaegun killed time by watching the TV .

‘Maybe she’s not coming . ’

Or she didn’t come to work .

Or like the owner said, she was fearful of meeting a rude person .

If he knew this was going to happen, he would have exchanged more conversation with her and gotten her contact information .

‘I can’t do it with another girl,’

The reason that he was writing this was because of the words that Dasul said . If it wasn’t for those words, he wouldn’t have even thought of this story .

Just to finish the story, he couldn’t give up on the person who he had gotten the feeling from .

It wasn’t a story that was for trivial fun . it needed human feeling . It was a need as a writer .

Just then .

The bell range with a clear ‘Danggg . ’

Jaegun turned around and opened his eyes wide . The girl was coming in . She was the same silhouette as yesterday with the same hotpants .

“h.e.l.lo, I have a customer?”

“Ah, you came . That person . ”

The girl was surprised when she saw Jaegun .

“h.e.l.lo . ”

“Yes… . ”

The girl replied awkwardly .

The owner gestured to Jaegun behind her back

“You can go into room 2, same as yesterday . ”

“Ah, yes . I’ll pay first . ”

The girl went in first and Jaegun pulled out his walled .

“2 hours, no, 3 hours please . ”

“You’re going to be there for that long?”

“Yes, how much is it?”

“135 dollars . What about the beer?”

“Give us 2 bottles first . ”

Jaegun paid and went into the room .

The girl sat awkwardly with her hands folded on her lap .

“Were you surprised?”

“A bit…”

The girl’s reply was short .

Jaegun took off his outer garments .

Just then, the owner came in and gave out the beer . Jaegun then opened his mouth .

“Hey . ”