Place to Be Chapter 49

“Why do you have to embarrass someone who’s smiling? Are you trying to tear down the foundation I’ve built by coming here so diligently as a regular? Don’t pay any mind to what this guy says, Mr. Chiyoung. And please fry up just half a plate more for me.”

Yoon Junyoung, who had become such a regular that he could get a free half-plate—which wasn’t even on the menu—held out his plate. Seo Chiyoung took the plate with a bashful smile.

Jang Wigeon, who had essentially been made out to be someone who “spits on a smiling face” in an instant, let out a hollow, exasperated laugh and furrowed his brow.

“You said you were moving anyway. So what does it matter if I become the regular? Besides, I already promised to come often and eat 10 servings at a time.”

“…That’s an empty promise, unlike you.”

Yoon Junyoung looked at Jang Wigeon with narrowed eyes. Jang Wigeon ignored him, looked at Seo Chiyoung, and smiled. “Right?” Seo Chiyoung couldn’t help but smile sheepishly in return.

His heart felt relaxed.

Seeing them casually exchanging words, occasionally laughing, replying, or tossing out jokes—while it sometimes made his chest ache with a dull throb when he thought of the feelings that might be hidden within—it was still good. It felt as though their long-standing relationship would continue into the future. In a way that was the same as before, yet different.

Even while Seo Chiyoung went back and forth from the inner tables to fetch water and drinks for other customers, their silly banter seemed to continue. Jang Wigeon was muttering with a face lost in quite serious thought.

“Tomorrow is Sunday, so I can stay all day. If I come in the morning and sit here until night eating, I can easily finish 10 servings. Then it’s not an empty promise.”

However, Yoon Junyoung dismissed his words this time as well with a low snort.

“This place is closed on Sundays.”

“Ah, right…. Then I’ll have to take 10 servings to go. Or, wait, once construction starts, I can bring the workers here every evening to eat, and 10 servings will be gone in no time…”

To Jang Wigeon, who was stroking his chin and talking to himself quite seriously, Seo Chiyoung offered a faint smile and joked back, “Thank you.” Jang Wigeon smiled naturally and replied, “Don’t mention it.” That smile was so unblushing that Seo Chiyoung subtly wiped away his own smile, wondering if the man might actually bring a crowd of people out of a sense of obligation.

“…If you’re really planning to come… please contact me in advance. The shop is small, so there might not be any seats… I’ll prepare ahead so you won’t have to wait long, and things like that.”

Seo Chiyoung, who had been muttering with a slightly troubled face, only realized the words were clearly a joke when he saw Jang Wigeon burst into a low laugh. To Seo Chiyoung, whose face instantly turned red, Jang Wigeon nodded while laughing continuously. “Alright, if that happens, I’ll contact you in advance,” he replied with a laugh, and at least that part didn’t seem like a joke.

Kwon Kanghee, who had been silently watching Seo Chiyoung flustered and awkward in front of Jang Wigeon—who wouldn’t stop laughing as if something were so hilarious—couldn’t overcome his curiosity and tilted his head toward Yoon Junyoung.

“…He’s our classmate?”

Yoon Junyoung nodded casually, as if he knew exactly what the man was questioning with that “That guy?” tone.

Jang Wigeon, his laughter finally subsiding, looked at the clock, which was already nearing midnight. Although the time was practically flexible depending on how long customers stayed, it was nearly time to close the shop.

“Since tomorrow is a long-awaited day off, you’ll be able to go and get a good rest today.”

“Oh, no, I have somewhere to go today…”

Even though he could have just glossed over it, it was his nature to answer honestly. Neither lies nor empty words came easily to his lips. Even if he tried, he had to deliberate for so long that the other person would easily catch on. So, Seo Chiyoung had given up on lying or making empty remarks since he was young.

Even now, while saying he had somewhere to go, he knew it would lead to him explaining where he was going, and he knew it wasn’t a particularly pleasant topic, yet Seo Chiyoung only scratched his head after the words had already left his mouth.

Jang Wigeon, watching Seo Chiyoung shift his gaze somewhat bashfully, asked curiously.

“After the shop closes?… At this hour?”

“Yes… sort of…”

I should have just let it pass, Seo Chiyoung thought with regret, dropping his eyes. Jang Wigeon’s silent gaze lingered on Seo Chiyoung. Then, suddenly, as if he understood, the man brought the smile back to his face—which had momentarily turned blank—and opened his mouth.

“Ah, I see. I suppose if you only have one day off, tonight is the only night you have to… play. Hmm… I’m a bit worried. Don’t play in dangerous places, Mr. Chiyoung.”

After a subtle pause, Jang Wigeon added, “…Like that park from before.”

The moment he heard those words, Seo Chiyoung’s face grew hot. “That park from before”—at those words, he couldn’t help but be reminded of what had happened that day.

Even though they faced each other casually now as if nothing had happened, in truth, even now, whenever that moment suddenly flickered into his mind, Seo Chiyoung had to rush to the restroom and splash cold water on his beet-red face.

His face was surely red right now, and if so, Jang Wigeon would undoubtedly realize why. He shouldn’t. If he did, he would certainly feel awkward.

Sure enough, Seo Chiyoung stole a glance at Jang Wigeon, whose face showed a slight flicker of embarrassment as if he wished he hadn’t spoken, and without even thinking of raising his gaze again, Seo Chiyoung muttered haltingly with his head bowed.

“No… that’s not it, I’m not going to play…”

He didn’t go so far as to say he didn’t have the time or the leisure for such things. Stuttering that far was the best he could manage.

Jang Wigeon wore a puzzled expression and started to say “Then,” but as he looked at Seo Chiyoung, who was floundering with a bright red face, he seemed to become awkward himself and fell silent.

“Then where are you going at this hour?”

Instead, the one who blurted out the question was Yoon Junyoung, who had been watching them with indifferent eyes. Seo Chiyoung turned his gaze to Yoon Junyoung, feeling as if he had been rescued.

“Uh… well, to work. To help with loading and unloading cargo at a factory. I have to be there by three-thirty. I can’t do it at other times, so I only do it early Sunday mornings. It takes about four or five hours…”

His mind a jumble, Seo Chiyoung rattled on even about things he wasn’t asked, desperately trying to erase the memories of the past. He quickly poured some water, added ice, and took a large gulp. In the process, a small piece of ice was swallowed whole along with the water; it felt like a sharp, cold sting in his throat before it slowly went down.

Only then did Seo Chiyoung calm down slightly, and with a face where the redness hadn’t yet faded, he shifted his gaze. Then, his eyes met Jang Wigeon’s again. He tried to reflexively avoid the gaze but paused.

Jang Wigeon was staring at Seo Chiyoung with a strange expression. The bashful look from moments ago was nowhere to be seen.

“…You’re going to work without even resting after you close the shop?”

Hearing him ask back as if to confirm, his brow slightly furrowed, Seo Chiyoung blinked and looked at him before nodding. “I’ll stop by the house and catch a wink of sleep before I go,” he said in a crawling voice, feeling a bit troubled. He wished he hadn’t said anything.

It wasn’t that he was ashamed of the poverty that forced him to work without proper sleep. But the brief awkwardness shown by people who vaguely thought about poverty and then encountered it in reality was always uncomfortable. It felt as if it were pointing out a difference between them and himself that he hadn’t been conscious of.

Even now, Jang Wigeon said nothing. Seo Chiyoung, feeling pointlessly awkward, rubbed his temple and continued.

“It, it’s not hard. In the past, there were times I worked from three or four in the morning until past midnight without even being able to sit down. Compared to then, it’s really easy lately. Since I don’t have anything special to do tomorrow, I can come back and sleep until the afternoon…”

“…By three-thirty… what are you taking to get there at that hour?”