Chapter 38
Chapter 38 – With the Night’s Protection
“…What?”
Jeguk squinted his eyes like a person blinded by the sun . And then Tewon repeated with a louder voice .
“I want to resign from this company . ”
“You…! Are you saying this because I got a bit loud?!”
“No that’s not it . I am not doing as the representative wishes . With this, I cannot keep the editor position anymore . ”
“Wa, wait . Wait a second . Just sit down . ”
Jeguk waved his hand as he stuttered . He was stunned . It had been 9 years since they been first got together . He knew that Tewon was not the kind of person to be swayed by emotion .
Jeguk went to behind the desk and drank some water . One wasn’t enough, so he drank another cup . He sighed and walked in front of the window .
“Are you serious?”
Jeguk, after a while, said .
Before Tewon on the sofa could respond, Jeguk asked again .
“Are you serious? Why are you resigning . What’s the issue?”
It was a rhetorical question . Jeguk turned around and sat down the opposite of Tewon . And with his anger quelled, Jeguk continued with an anxious expression .
“I get it . My words were a bit rough . The electronic team is doing very well, but my daughter and her husband are playing around like they are going to ruin this company . I gave her friend a position in marketing, but she sucks . Nothing’s going right . It must have been because of that . I was too harsh . I’m sorry . Really . ”
Tewon was quiet .
Jeguk’s words were honest . He wasn’t a bad person who would get angry easily . If he was, Tewon wouldn’t have lasted 9 years . He was a person who really took care of Tewon when Tewon took care of him . That’s why he worked for so long .
But…
An apology couldn’t change Tewon’s words .
“It must have been sensitive . Let’s go out earlier and have a drink . Let’s cool it off . ”
Jeguk, with a softer tone, tried to comfort Tewon as he tapped his shoulder . But Tewon immediately shook his head and said .
“I will resign, representative . ”
“WHY!”
Jeguk couldn’t stand it and suddenly stood up .
He couldn’t take this resignation like this .
There wasn’t a editor like Tewon . He was good at editing and business, and was a person who got work done with writings and employees .
“I’m 45 years old next year, representative . ”
“4 years ago, I reached 50! Are you bringing resignation even though you’re not even 50 . ”
“I can’t stay in this business forever . One problem is that even the representative won’t be able to keep his position . Right?”
“… . !”
Jeguk could only take deep breaths .
Tewon was rethinking the reasons why he wanted to resign .
The collision between the representative’s feeling for writing as money, the increasing issue with a family-based business .
He couldn’t deal with the stress any longer . His body and mind were already fatigued .
“I want to get a good job before I get any older to feed my family . I’m sorry I said this so unexpectedly . Please understand and take it . ”
Jeguk stood up with a sigh . He took out a cigar and put it in his mouth . In an office that was designated as nonsmoking for so long, he lit it .
“Well let’s have a drink . ”
As the cigar was half burned, Jeguk said .
“It’s been a long time since we’ve been together, we’re not a relationship that can be just cut with a word . Let’s at least have that . ”
“Yes, sir . ”
“Ok, go do work . ”
Tewon lowered his head and turned around . Jeguk didn’t turn away from the window until the end .
Tewon went outside instead of the office . He went to a convenience, bought a lighter, and sat down on a blue chair under a parasol . He still had the cigar that he bought a long time ago .
“Phew…”
It’s been awhile .
There was dizziness as soon as he took a sip,
Tewon lowered his glance from the people around him . From his phone, he was calling his wife .
-What’s up at this time, from you?
“I just have time, what are the kids doing?”
-There aren’t back from school . Look at the time .
“I see . ”
-DId something happen? Your voice isn’t very good
‘Nothing happened’ couldn’t come out his mouth . He didn’t want to lie . His wife was an editor too . After their second kid, she resigned because of her health and became a housewife .
-I wanted to say something this morning . You’re not looking very good recently . Come early, I’ll make you something good .
“I’ll be late . I have a dinner spot with the representative . I get it . I’ll call you later . ”
His wife quickly continued to Tewon before he hung up .
-Wait .
“What?”
His wife had no words for a while .
Only her breaths were coming through his ears .
Tewon threw away the burned cigar and took out another . As he was going to light it, his wife’s word went to his ear .
-Don’t be forced to stay .
Tewon’s face lost its color . Unexpected words from his wife flowed into his ear .
-You can resign if it’s too hard . You’ve done a lot already . 10 years of trying to get food on the table for our kids . You’ve worked nonstop .
“What… what are you talking about . ”
-Do you know what you’re like when you sleep . Instead of snoring or dreaming, you’re working . Writer, writer, the draft is good . And then when I look closer, why do you have so much white hair? I can’t pluck it because you might wake up… You know my feeling… you…
His wife’s voice was slowly turning into sobs .
Tewon took out his glasses . He was pressing his wet eyes with his finger .
He couldn’t beat his wife .
She also looked straight through him
That power only made his heart more painful .
-Don’t struggle alone . The management that you talked about during the summer, let’s do that together .
“You… remembered?”
The writer management was something he was thinking of doing after he resigned . He had already said things to a few people .
He had only said it in passing by while drinking, but his wife remembered as always .
-I didn’t want to say anything before it could be confirmed, but I looked things up . It looks good . Let’s start it together . I was a smart editor . You know right?
After the sobs, his wife laughed . A laugh as bright as the spring wind was tickling his ears .
“Of course… I know . ”
Tewon put away the cigar and put his face down on his hands .
From his hands shivering, to his entire body shivering, he was comforting himself about how good this was a phone call not a video call .
…
“Look at that, Rika, that was the convenience store I’ve worked until last year, You see that store over there? It’s cheap and good . I must have ate 500 dishes . ”
Jaegun said to Rika on the side seat .
It was the car from Hetae . With his first passenger of Rika, he was taking a ride around . October’s sunlight was reflecting on the new black car .
Rika was quiet instead of misbehaving .
She was either sitting, or looking out the window, enjoying the drive .
“Maybe I should stop by .
The way back home
Jaegun stopped by at Se Gunwoo’s garve . Jaegun opened the passenger seat and Rika hopped out .
“I’m here, sir . ”
Jaegun greeted to the grave . Rika went around as she was checking the grave and came back beside Jaegun .
“It’s already fall . Since I’ve been writing with you, time has been going so fast . ”
Clearing the dishes laid on the grave, his book, and some cups for drinks, Jaegun said . It was the things that he had laid when he came here earlier .
Jaegun was sitting down next to the grave after he cleaned up .
The sun was setting . Looking at the red sky, a sigh already came out . ”
“Sir, I have no idea what to write about . ”
Jaegun opened his mouth as he was complaining .
“I want to write about something that I like . As you said, with caring about the reader . But, I have no idea what to write about . I don’t even have any hardships anymore . ”
He had gotten an advance from Hetae Media with the Pigeon series, but there was still money like a monthly salary from the Ranking series .
Until last year, money about 12,000 dollars were coming in monthly .
After the paper book was done, he could wait for some more profits . He could do nothing and still live comfortably for about 2-3 years . It was amazing as a writer .
“I thought I was working hard, it’s hard, sir . ”
Se Gunwoo had no words .
Jaegun sat there for a while until he brushed himself and stood up . And then Rika followed her .
Beep! Beep!
As he came home and was cleaning Rika’s feet, a call came
As he recognized his friend’s name, he smiled and picked up .
“Park Jongjin, since you’re calling, you’re out early?”
-What are you doing, come out if you’re not busy, let’s have a drink .
Jongjin’s voice was rough
His hard breathing was coming through his ears .
“I’m going out right now, but say it early, anything happened?”
Jaegun took off his pants with the phone between his shoulder and his ears and asked . Jongjin sighed before answering .
-It’s nothing serious, but come out . Let’s talk after we meet . I want to see you Ha Jaegun .
“I get it, where do you want to meet . ”
–
-I’ll see you at your neighborhood . I’ll take the subway . It’s be about 20 minutes .
“Ok, I’ll go . ”
Jaeung changed quickly with a nervous mind . As he was wearing his socks, he said to Rika .
“Jongjin might have to come and sleep here today . Hearing his voice, he’s not doing very well . In these days, he pours himself in . Just take it for a day . ”
“Moew . ”
Rika was answering with waving his tails .
Jaegun couldn’t take it anymore as he looked at her eyes . Knowing that she wouldn’t like it, he rubbed Rika’s nose and he left home .
He walked there to the subway . Jongjin called as he was going to arrive .
“Ah, I’m in the 1st exit . ”
-Turn around
Jaegun turned around, surprised .
Jongjin was bitterly smiling right in front of me .
“You came quickly . You fly here?”
“The subway was right there . What do you want to eat? I’ll drink soju as the drink . ”
“You’re starting already . What is it?”
“It’s nothing . Let’s get a seat and talk . Yeah, there’s a jokbal store right there . Let’s have that in a while . ”
Jaegun and Jongin went in and sat down . ”
Soju and the appetizers were on the table before the main .
Jongjin, as if he was waiting, took off the cap and poured drinks to each cup .
“Here . ”
“Hey, drink when you have food . It’s on an empty stomach . You too . ”
“There’s the appetizers, let’s toast . ”
“Well… . ”
His body fevered up as he drank in a empty stomach .
Jaegun took the bottle form Jongjin as he was about to pour himself another drink .
“Don’t pour your own cup . ”
“What’s wrong with that . ”
“I think the dialogue has flipped between you and me . I remember this dream . ”
“It was the college meeting . At Hama . ”
“Ah, I remember . When I was cold because of Myunghoon, we said this . ”
Jongjin was smiling now . Pouring a drink, Jaegun was smiling too .
“Say it . Whatever it is . If I can help you…”
“You can’t help me/ . ”
“What is it?”
“Hyojin . ”
Jongjin didn’t hesitate and he answered immediately .
Jaegun tilted his hand and squinted .
“What?”
“Hyojin is the reason . ”
Jongjin drank a cup . Taking an appetizer with a wrinkled face, he continued .
“I think she has a person that she likes . ”
“How do you know?”
“I looked on Twitter and the feeling is that . She’s been saying that that there’s been so many boys coming into her eyes . ”
“No picture?”
“Ah, no, there was no picture . ”
“Don’t judge immediately . It’s probably nothing . ”
“……”
“Yah, is that it? The reason why you were mad?”
“It isn’t a serious problem?”
“You haven’t even confessed to her?”
“Yes . ”
“Hey, shut your mouth and just eat . ”
“It’s probably just nothing right? Maybe? You know that girls say things on Twitter like they have things? Hm? Hyojin’s probably like that?”
“You’re really a paranoid person . Ah, be quiet .
Jaegun felt like this was absurd, but Jongjin was serious . Jaegun understood that Jongjin liked her that much, but he was completely cramped .
“There was nothing that I could do to her . ”
It was Jongin’s words after the second bottle .
“If it well between me and Hyojin, I was thinking of what to do for her but f**k . I feel like even dating is bad with my small salary . Hyojin’s a princess . . ”
“Maybe to your eyes . I feel like she’s good-natured and easygoing . She eats sundae guksu very well . ”
“sundae guksu isn’t the best food to describe easygoing . But my mind is like that . Ah, I don’t’ know . I feel like Hyojin has a man already . I’m sure . I’m completely sure . It’s a fact . ”
Jaegun listened carefully to Jongin’s words .
It was from his work, to HyoJin’s relationship, to his family, he talked about everything, Jaegun didn’t respond and only listened carefully .
‘You were hard too . I’m sorry . ’
After the 3rd bottle, looking at Jongjin, Jaegun apologized inside . It was agodo friend, who helped in times of need . As the backbone was set, he was going to be the first one to help, JAegun said to himself .
“I can’t end this like this . Let’s go to a karaoke bar . ”
Jongjin was say9ing after the payments . \
Jaegun looked for a bar . he found one and pointed .
“Ok, let’s go there . Sing and relieve your stress . ”
“Hey, wait, stop . ”
Jongjin pulled Jaegun in the opposite,
“We go to a close one, where are you going?”
“This guy doesn’t know the world . Follow the older one . ”
Jongjin pulled Jaegun in a karaoke bar in the building’s 3rd floor .
He had no way of knowing what the difference between the place he picked and this, but Jaegun just followed Jongjin and went into the elevator .