Stranger

“Alright, alright. Work hard.”

“Yes.”

I bent my head, hiding my expression. The man took a step, and soon the bell rang.

“Seems like the construction is over.”

Seo Jihee laughed awkwardly. I had no idea what she meant, but I nodded cursorily. There was a vibration from my pocket.

[I skipped lunch to go early.]

[You’re in trouble, Kim Jiho.]

[You’re going to empty your pocket.]

As soon as I saw a series of texts, I was able to breathe.

The man had left, but my heart kept running wild. I covered the watch in my wrist with my palm. As I thought over the messages sent by Yeon Woojeong, the pulse slowly calmed down. 

[Isokayillbuyyoueverything]

I breathed out after sending the reply, and then there was a call coming in. When I looked at Seo Jihee after confirming it was Yeon Woojeong, she nodded.

“Answer it.”

I bowed my head, then I went to the storage and accepted the call.

“What’s wrong?”

—Nothing. I just want to hear your voice.

I felt calm hearing Yeon Woojeong’s voice in a space where I was alone. I relaxed my body and leaned into the wall.

—Are you busy?

“No.”

—Your voice seems to echo.

“I’m in the storage. Did you really not have lunch?”

—Yeah.

“Busy?”

—It’s not that I didn’t eat at all. I substituted it with a snack.

“You ate like a bird again, didn’t you?”

—Like a bird?

Yeon Woojeong laughed. The lowly rang laugh was nice to hear, so I closed my eyes and listened attentively. Being like this felt like we were together, and that made me feel better.

—Jiho.

“Hmm.”

—See you later. I’ll go early.

“Okay.”

—Bye.

I thought the call ended with that last word, but it still continued on. I waited for him, wondering if he had something to say, but soon I heard a faint laugh, and the call ended.

My heart stirred. It felt like my insides were turned upside down. Not in a bad connotation.

I returned to my position and focused on relieving anxiety whenever it came up. Even if that man knows I’m here, it’s impossible that he will look for me. He had no interest in me after all. Is there anyone who will look for the disappearing sandbag they don’t even dear? 

If he were such a man, he would turn the whole neighborhood upside down when my mother left the home. Instead of spitting and muttering, ungrateful bitch.

The old man’s wife was a social butterfly. Is there any possibility that my story will reach there? However, it has been a long time since they moved, and there’s no certainty that man is still there. This is only my bad habit of imagining the worst.

It’s okay. I have Yeon Woojeong now.

Thinking about meeting him made me feel a little better. Time passed steadily, and as soon as I got off work, I took my bankbook and headed to the bank. I put my bankbook in the ATM. My heart swelled when the number was stamped on my bank book, which had only a few won in balance. Now that I don’t have to worry about my money being taken away, I’ll make a card and put in the remaining money.

I withdrew 200,000 won after thinking about it. I got a call when I was putting the money in my pocket.

—Where are you?

“Here, the bank.”

—At the crossroads?

“Yeah.”

—Wait for me. I’m going there.

I hung up the phone and went out to the side of the road. The building, which had been covered during construction, was finally revealed. It was a large building with wide windows that reflected the black evening.

A car stopped before me while I was looking up at it for a moment. It was a familiar Benz. As I opened the door and got in, Yeon Woojeong scanned me and pulled out.

“Have you thought about where you want to go?”

“You’re the one who’s supposed to think.”

“Ah, was that how we decided?”

Yeon Woojeong laughed and turned the steering wheel. I felt like I’m returning to my place as I got in his comfy car. I stole a glance at him, and his gaze was directed at me for a moment.

“Why are you stealing a glance like that?”

“I’m not.”

“Then whose eyes I saw just now?”

Even his teasing voice was delightful, so I didn’t tell him off like usual. The car, which moved smoothly and safely, was comfortable, so I buried myself in the seat.

The car entered an unfamiliar neighborhood. I thought we would go to a restaurant or a diner that sells Yeon Woojeong’s favorite soup, but we arrived in a parking lot attached to the market.

Market? Is there any diner nearby?

I didn’t ask even after getting out of the car because I would know anyway, but Yeon Woojeong really went into the market.

The market was neat. It had a high ceiling, and each store had a signboard. The floor was also clean, and there were quite a lot of people.

“Is it here?”

“Yeah. Here.”

What will we have here?

I took a look around. Kkwabaegi sprinkled with sugar, hotteok covered with oil, and freshly baked bungeoppang caught my eye.

“Don’t get lost.”

I was looking around, and Yeon Woojeong put his arm around my shoulders. I wasn’t even a short kid, and I wouldn’t miss Yeon Woojeong, but I grabbed his sleeve hanging on my shoulder. He laughed as I did that.

I hated crowded places, and our shoulders and arms brushed and bumped as we walked, but I didn’t feel bad. Rather, there was a part where the buzzing atmosphere made my heart excited.

“There is it.”

The place Yeon Woojeong pointed to was a snack stand. Tteokbokki, which was boiled down in a large pan with a lot of soup, was seething, and there were piles of fresh yellow fries next to it.

There was no space to come in, and there were only a few chairs outside. Yeon Woojeong sat first. He, wearing a neat formal dress and a coat, blended well in here as if he didn’t blend in.

“What do you want to eat? Eat everything.”

Yeon Woojeong ordered tteokbokki, fried food, sundae, and eomuk for one person without listening to my answer. The first one to be served was eomuk. I wondered if he could eat all of it, but I would eat everything anyway, so I didn’t worry.

After blowing on eomuk on a skewer and letting it cool, I took a bite. The thick eomuk was soft to chew on. Yeon Woojeong watched me with a smile on his face.

“Do you know this place?”

“Yeah. I came here a few times when I was at college, and I think of this place sometimes. I guess it will be good to come here with you.”

I couldn’t picture it. The undergraduate Yeon Woojeong came to the market, sitting on a chair and eating tteokbokki.

Did he come alone? Or did he come and eat with his friends?

“With your friends?”

“Yeah.”

“Your friends at the wedding last time?”

“No. College friends.”

“…”

“You don’t look like you believe me.”

It wasn’t that I didn’t believe him, but sometimes, it was weird to accept the fact that Yeon Woojeong got along with his friends.

Tteokbokki was served in a green bowl with white stains. I asked while eating tteokbokki with a toothpick.

“Then all of those friends became prosecutors or lawyers?”

“They all became office workers. It was the economics department.”

“Economics?”