Payback

t/n: I鈥檓 keeping the onomaetopia in korean pronunciation since it鈥檚 really hard to find perfect english substitutes, it should be self-explanatory right? ><

Thanks to the vacation I had gotten for the first time in three years, I woke up a little late and entered the building that I鈥檝e been getting used to for the past three days. The manager wasn鈥檛 the only one waiting for me. As I stared intently at Hansoo standing next to me, he held out something in his hand to me with a face as nervous as the manager.聽

鈥淭ake it. I thought you would need it so I bought it as soon as I got out of class.鈥?br>
I looked carefully as he talked in a serious tone, but I couldn鈥檛 figure out why. Why are you giving me聽Cheongsimhwan?

And then, the manager stepped forward.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what your religion is, so I brought everything.鈥澛?br>
Then he held out a cross necklace, a Catholic rosary, and Buddhist prayer beads. I opened my mouth while my eyes gazed alternating between the two.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 need any props.鈥?br>
Should I have told them in advance? I felt a little sorry that Hansoo even skipped class. I decided to bring the props just in case, and I stuffed them in my back pocket. But the expressions of the two stiffened by what I said.

鈥溾€m?鈥?br>
After a long time, the manager made a strange noise, and Hansoo added. 鈥淎re you a psychopath?鈥?br>
What are you talking about? Not knowing the meaning of that word, I just stared at the two.

The manager came to his senses and scolded Hansoo. 鈥淲hat are you talking about? Haha, he must have been kidding because you weren鈥檛 nervous at all.鈥?br>
鈥o it was a curse word. Tsk, when I glanced at Hansoo, he flinched and shook his shoulders.聽

鈥淪-sorry.鈥?br>
Was it an English curse? I was squinting and thinking, but the manager took out the folded paper from his pocket, saying, 鈥淎h!鈥?br>
鈥淚鈥檝e been thinking about a few aliases.鈥?br>
Then, there were more than 100 names written on the paper he unfolded. Giving me paper with anticipating eyes, he put his hands together, eager to read them all one by one from the beginning.聽

鈥淭ell me what you like. Firstly, Lee Taemin鈥︹€?br>
鈥淵es, that one.鈥?br>
鈥淗m?鈥?br>
鈥淚鈥檒l go with Lee Taemin.鈥澛?br>
At the moment, an unknown frustration spread over the manager鈥檚 face, but honestly, the name was not very important.

I reminded him of the time to turn his attention away.

鈥淒on鈥檛 we have to go?鈥?br>
Fortunately, it worked, so he quickly changed his expression and put Hansoo鈥檚 Cheongsimhwan in his mouth after putting one hand over his heart.聽

鈥淥kay, let鈥檚 go!鈥?br>
Squeak. I followed the manager inside with the door closing behind me. The manager鈥檚 three sets of religious items were left in Hansoo鈥檚 hands as he cheered.

Inside, the manager greeted the first two people we saw. There were two men sitting on chairs behind the long desk who seemed to be in their mid-40s and early 30s. The man in his 40s was wearing casual clothes, and the man in his early 30s was wearing a suit. The elder man smiled and greeted the manager, but a man in his 30s with an angular jaw and a firm physique shook hands with the manager鈥檚 hands with an annoyed expression.

The room was bigger than expected, and there was a large black window with a door behind the two people sitting opposite. It was like a window in a police interrogation room that you could commonly see on TV.聽

Don鈥檛 tell me there鈥檚 really someone in there.

As I looked around the room, the manager greeted the people and stepped back, then a man in his 40s pointed to an area in the room and instructed me to stand in that position. Standing in the center opposite the two, a man in his 40s activated the camera on the desk.

鈥淟ook at the camera and introduce yourself first.鈥?br>
鈥淟ee Taemin. 26 years old.鈥澛?br>
鈥溾€︹€?br>
鈥淚s that all?鈥?br>
He asked, raising his eyes from the camera viewfinder, and turned his head to the person next to me with a 鈥榟mm鈥?sound at my nod. Then, a man in his 30s, who looked somewhat tired, stared at me, then suddenly glanced at the black window behind him and gave out a hardened voice.

鈥淢r. Lee Taemin. What鈥檚 with that face?鈥澛?br>
Before I even realized he was pointing to my injured lip, a firm voice followed.

鈥淵ou are a commodity to us. But if the product someone wants to buy already has flaws, who will buy it?鈥?br>
Embarrassed by his words, the manager stepped forward.

鈥淎h, Chief Park, that wound is鈥︹€澛?br>
Chief Park? Ah, the person who cried on the phone because of his boss. As I recalled that memory, the said-person ordered the manager in an overbearing voice.

鈥淶jcjufg Jtbl, rafq yjmx. Off Kjfwlc. Gb sbe tjnf jcsatlcu ab rjs? Qbeiv sbe yes rbwf kbgw-fjafc ogela?鈥?br>
鈥淩b.鈥?br>
Lf ogbkcfv ja ws jcrkfg jcv kjnfv tlr tjcv.聽

鈥淧o sbe xcbk, qifjrf ifjnf.鈥?br>
鈥溾€︹€?br>
鈥淛jc鈥檃 sbe ecvfgrajcv tewjc ijcuejuf? Ktf lcafgnlfk lr bnfg, rb qifjrf ifjnf.鈥?br>
Pcrafjv bo wbnlcu, P yfmjwf mbcafwqijalnf jcv ibbxfv yjmx ja atf wjcjufg ktb kjr jybea ab rafq obgkjgv jujlc, jcv yibmxfv tlw klat tlr tjcv. P vlvc鈥檃 atlcx P kbeiv gfjiis tjnf ab erf atf qgbqr qgfqjgfv. P abbx j rafq obgkjgv, gfwfwyfglcu bcf atlcu atf wjcjufg tjv rjlv.聽

鈥?You just need to show your genuine self. 鈥?br>
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to.鈥?br>
鈥溾€?Eh?鈥?br>
I looked at the man in his 30s, who raised his eyes in surprise at my words, expressionlessly and slowly took what I had prepared out of my back pocket.聽

鈥淎re your ears clogged? I said I don鈥檛 want to.鈥?br>
Whing~ Chaeng.

A short sound of wind rose from my fingertips. It was not a loud sound, but it drew everyone鈥檚 attention in the suddenly silent room.

Tak.聽

It was only a few seconds before the silver blade was fully folded and revealed, but I know it must have shone splendidly because of its fast winding. It had always been like that. In the past, it was the best way to threaten my opponent, and all the students in school uniforms gave their wallets trembling at my hand gestures. This was a Balisong, also known as a butterfly knife. My opponent was now turned into an interviewer in a suit, but his eyes when he saw a knife were no different from the high school students I used to deal with.

鈥淥h my god you brought a knife in鈥︹€?br>
He tilted his upper body back and let out a nervous cry. Then when I approached him, he opened his eyes wide.

鈥淗-hey, Lee聽Taemin-ssi鈥︹€澛?br>
鈥淚t鈥檚 a replica, right?鈥?br>
I stopped right in front of the table, and turned the knife once again.

Chaeng, chaeng.

After confirming that Chief Park鈥檚 gaze was stiff due to the brief swishing sound, I spoke again.聽

鈥淎ctually, I didn鈥檛 really want to do it. It鈥檚 just that that uncle kept coming and bothering me to do an interview or something and it was annoying so I came. But I barely made time to come, and you鈥檙e telling me to leave after asking my name?鈥?br>
鈥淲ait, then that鈥檚鈥︹€?br>
Kwang!

When the tip of the knife was slammed down on the table, the table shook with a loud sound. At the same time, Chief Park鈥檚 mouth made a short groaning sound.聽

鈥淗euk!鈥?br>
鈥淪o doesn鈥檛 that suck?鈥?br>
Mumbling, I bowed my upper body and brought my face close to him. When there was only a few centimeters between us, he hurriedly opened his mouth, pushing his chair back.

鈥淵ou- are you threatening me right now? To pass the interview like that鈥︹€澛?br>
鈥淚 don鈥檛 care about the interview. I told you I鈥檓 in a bad mood.鈥?br>
I grabbed him by the collar so he couldn鈥檛 back down any further. He was panting because he was suffocated by my strong grip, but I purposely squeezed harder.

鈥淎nd this is what threatening looks like.鈥?br>
I heard the manager鈥檚 voice rushing to me from behind, and I could feel the cameraman standing next to me, but I focused on Chief Park. And I whispered so that only he could hear.聽

鈥淚s your wife pretty?鈥?br>
I raised my other hand and slowly traced his cheek with the tip of my fingers. I muttered expressionlessly as I looked into his eyes that couldn鈥檛 open any wider.

鈥淭hen remind her not to open the door.鈥?br>
鈥?鈥澛?br>
鈥淲hen packages are delivered to your house.鈥?br>
Chief Park鈥檚 body immediately stiffened by the voice that flowed out with a low laugh.

鈥淲-what does that m鈥︹€?br>
When he muttered with a burst of breath, I backed away from him and curved my lips.聽

鈥淵ou didn鈥檛 know? I鈥檓 a delivery man.鈥?br>
鈥?鈥?br>
Someone pulled my arm with the rattling sound of the desk being pushed.

鈥淭-Taemin ah! What are you doing right now?鈥澛?br>
The manager ran in surprise and took me off from Chief Park. Thanks to him, when my hand let go, Chief Park leaned his weak body against the back of the chair and stared blankly to the table. His eyes were still on the knife on the table, but he looked up at me with appalled eyes, as if he had come to his senses.

鈥淟-look. I don鈥檛 know what you鈥檙e trying to do, but if you touch my wife鈥︹€?br>
鈥淚鈥檓 sorry.鈥?br>
I bowed my head and deliberately lowered my eyes. The sudden word made the surroundings quiet. The man in his 40s who had stood up and tried to block Chief Park, and the manager who tried to pull me back, looked back at me, looked at me suspiciously. I tried not to make eye contact with them and deliberately spoke slowly as if I was timid. I had watched Myeongshin鈥檚 way of mumbling over and over again last night. The scene where he was begging for forgiveness for a minute was now back in my mind.聽

鈥淩eally鈥?I鈥檓 sorry. Sometimes, without realizing it, ah鈥?So, there are times when I just get angry and scream like it鈥檚 not myself. I scream senselessly and when I pull myself together鈥?All the people I knew in front of me looked at me with fear. Well鈥?I鈥檇 like to say that wasn鈥檛 my intention, but the people who misunderstood my personality as being intimidating and losing my temper at everyone鈥?But, but, that鈥檚 really not me. It wasn鈥檛 me who got mad at you for a moment鈥?So that鈥檚 really not my real self.鈥?br>
Only my small voice echoed through the room. It wasn鈥檛 part of the direction that I had to bow my head but I thought I might be caught muttering only with my mouth if I made eye contact. Fortunately, the people who were bewildered by the sudden change seemed to realize that I was just acting. Otherwise, if they had asked to see my acting from the beginning, my sloppy acting skills would have only ended up as a joke.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 mean to scare anyone. So鈥?please don鈥檛 look at me with those eyes.鈥?br>
After finishing the last line, I slowly raised my eyes. I saw the uncle in his 40s who still looked blank, and Chief Park who looked serious. At the same time, I heard the manager鈥檚 muttering voice next to me.聽

鈥淭he Wednesday-Thursday drama that aired last week鈥?Song Yoohan鈥檚 apology scene.鈥?br>
When I turned my head, I saw the manager staring at me. With a confused look, he grabbed my arm and walked towards Chief Park, who took a step back.

鈥淒idn鈥檛 you know?鈥?br>
Then, Chief Park muttered 鈥淎h, that鈥?and nodded. He still looked stiff, but when he realized the situation, he relaxed his face with a dry cough.聽

鈥淗mm, ah so鈥?Well, you were acting just now?鈥?br>
Instead of replying , I stepped forward. Seeing that, Chief Park鈥檚 thick shoulders trembled for a moment, but I ignored it and pulled the knife from the table and stepped back.

鈥淚f you were startled, I apologise.鈥?br>
When I spoke politely, Chief Park averted my gaze and chuckled awkwardly.聽

鈥淲ell, I wasn鈥檛 that startled.鈥?br>
His eyes were wet when he spoke.

鈥淏ut you should鈥檝e told me beforehand鈥︹€?br>
When he came to his senses, he was a little angry, but just as he was about to raise his voice, a phone suddenly rang. It was Chief Park鈥檚. When he took out his cell phone, he looked surprised for a moment when he saw the name on the screen, glanced behind him, and carefully answered the phone.聽

鈥溾€es鈥es鈥h?鈥?br>
It seems that the other party had a very high status, he was talking respectfully as he suddenly turned his head to look at me with a surprised voice.

鈥淲ell, I think so too but鈥︹€?br>
He kept looking at me, to the point that I doubted they were talking about me, but he turned away and nodded slightly.聽

鈥淟et鈥檚 do that first and wait and see.鈥?br>
Click. When he hung up, he looked at the table for a moment and called the manager.

鈥淢anager Choi.鈥?br>
The manager stepped forward with a nervous expression.聽

鈥淵es.鈥?br>
鈥淟et鈥檚 do one month for now.鈥?br>
I didn鈥檛 understand what that 鈥榦ne month鈥?meant, but I saw the surprise spread over the manager鈥檚 face. At least it didn鈥檛 seem to be a bad thing, and Chief Park鈥檚 explanation that followed was beyond my expectations.

鈥淵ou鈥檒l hear from Manager Choi in detail later, but we鈥檒l go with a one-month contract. Well, I made the decision after seeing you today, but if there鈥檚 no more impressive development after a month, the contract will be terminated.鈥澛?br>
I had to reply to him, but I felt a little puzzled. Did what I did really work? However, regardless of my question, Chief Park quickly said what he had to say while looking at the camera monitor next to him.

鈥淵our face looks better on screen than in person. Hmm鈥?I think you鈥檒l look good after some grooming and make up鈥︹€?br>
He muttered to himself and got up from his seat and looked at the manager.

鈥淵ou can leave now. So鈥︹€澛?br>
He cleared his throat when he saw the knife still in my hand with a slightly fearful gaze.

鈥淟et鈥檚 put that knife away now.鈥?br>
I came to my senses by his words and put the knife I held in my hand for the first time since I was a teenager into my pocket. When I became empty-handed five years ago, I entered a聽goshiwon聽with only a few clothes. I later discovered this knife in my winter coat. When I was younger, I used to brandish the fancy-looking knife around and steal money from kids my age. When I started working at the loan company, I switched to a heavier one and I couldn鈥檛 even remember where that was, but it happened to be inside the inner pocket of the winter jumper I brought out.

When I found it again, I didn鈥檛 throw it away because I was lazy and busy. I remembered before I came out for the interview that, since I didn鈥檛 think that I would use it again, I had thrown it into the bottom of my only luggage.聽

It was the only thing left that was evidence of my old self. I didn鈥檛 think I would really use it.

鈥淭he apology back then was copied from the drama, but where did you get the acting part with the knife from?鈥?br>
Chief Park added, asking questions as if he was curious.

鈥淒id you practise moving the knife on purpose?鈥澛?br>
I was about to answer 鈥渘o鈥? but the manager who was next to me grabbed my arm and stepped forward.

鈥淥f course! He practised it on purpose. Right, Taemin ah?鈥?br>
鈥溾€︹€?br>
鈥淗a. Ha. Ha. That鈥檚 what they say.鈥澛?br>
I didn鈥檛 say anything, but the manager replied as though he heard an auditory hallucination, and then a smile spread over Chief Park鈥檚 face.

鈥淩ight? I thought that knife swing was very real鈥?If that was just acting, then those words were all just a part of the act right?鈥?br>
What is? I raised my eyes. The manager looked at me, and Chief Park asked casually.

鈥淭hat thing, you said you were a delivery guy鈥?Haha, it鈥檚 not true, is it?鈥澛?br>
鈥淚t鈥檚 true.鈥?br>
鈥溾€︹€?br>
鈥淚 do delivery work.鈥?br>
Looking at Chief Park, who suddenly turned pale like plaster, the manager grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the door. Before the door closed, I could see Chief Park pressing his cell phone with his trembling hands and a crying voice sounded.聽

鈥淒arling! Don鈥檛 accept any packages!鈥?br>
鈥斺€斺€?br>
A one-month contract. There was a contract waiting for my signature in front of me, but I wasn鈥檛 particularly excited. I was more lazy to read the small letters in the long wall of text. Anyway, the content was all restrictions on things that should not be done. Still, this was probably a good thing to achieve especially since I wasn鈥檛 even ready to become a celebrity, but honestly, I didn鈥檛 have a good feeling. Although, Hansoo and the manager looked excited.

鈥淲ah~ Even the kids at the acting academy have a hard time passing the interview, but you signed the contract right away!! That鈥檚 amazing!鈥澛?br>
鈥淗aha~ I was shocked too. Ah, my heart is still beating so fast. When Chief Park told him to go out, I thought it was over. Who would have thought that Taemin would prepare that?!! 鈥?br>
鈥淎ish, I should have come to watch too! Manager-nim, how was it? Eh?鈥?br>
鈥淎hh, it was great at first. Taemin suddenly pulled out a knife鈥︹€?br>
As the manager jumped up from his seat and tried to reenact, I stood up because I thought it was going to last for a long time. Then he stopped talking and looked back at me.聽

鈥淲here are you going?鈥?br>
Bathroom. When I was about to turn around, he suddenly complimented me.

鈥淵ou did a good job today.鈥?br>
I was about to answer 鈥淣ot really鈥?but I shut my mouth. He had praised me, but I saw a complicated glint in his eyes. It was exactly the same as when he realised I was acting in front of Chief Park.聽

鈥淲hen you initially acted with the knife, it was really good. I was also surprised.鈥?br>
Then the problem is the second part. I guessed that, but he also opened his mouth to compliment me.

鈥淵ou did well for the second part too.鈥?br>
鈥溾€︹€澛?br>
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a good impersonation.鈥?br>
Impersonation. I looked at the manager quietly, he added in a calm tone.

鈥淏ecause it鈥檚 your first time, I can accept it, but acting isn鈥檛 about imitating other people like that.鈥?br>
鈥溾€︹€澛?br>
If you鈥檙e going to keep doing that, then I can鈥檛 look after you.鈥?br>
鈥溾€︹€?br>
I opened my mouth for the first time in a long time as I saw his stubborn eyes. Yeah, it won鈥檛 work on this person. Well, I don鈥檛 intend to do it too much either.

鈥淚 have no intention of imitating Myeongshin. I鈥檒l do my best.鈥澛?br>
When I answered, the manager鈥檚 eyes smiled again.

鈥淩ight, that鈥檚 how it should be. Hahaha~ Shall we go out for a group dinner?鈥?/div>Previous銆怱hortcut keys锛氣啇銆?/a>Catalog銆怱hortcut keys锛欵nter銆?/a>Next銆怱hortcut keys锛氣啋銆?/a>