Big Life

Chapter 40

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 . ”