Swallow Hunting - Chapter 32.1
“How is the delivery work going?”
“It’s good,” Hae-jun replied, brightening at the question. Any topic was welcome if it could break the silence.
“I’ve gotten used to the bike, and recently, I even found a restaurant owner who specifically looks for me. She runs a place that serves traditional home-cooked meals, and her food is delicious. She said she didn’t originally do deliveries, but she started recently because business hasn’t been great. She mentioned her son, who’s about my age, is in the military right now.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes! Ah, and I ran into a real jerk the other day. I mean, he clearly said he’d pay the delivery fee in person, but then he refused to pay and held out.”
Resentment welled up as he recalled that day. Hae-jun even clenched his fists tightly as he spoke with heated passion.
“So, what did you do?”
“I told him I wasn’t leaving until he gave it to me. I blocked the door with my leg, went inside, and sat down in the entryway. He made a huge fuss about calling the police, but in the end, he spat on the money and gave it to me.”
“Hmm.”
“He gave it to me in coins, but I got it, so I left. When I told the other shop owners, they said that house was already on the blacklist. Apparently, he keeps ordering by changing his ID. Since they filter by address, he started entering a different location and then changing the spot once the driver called. There really are all sorts of people.”
“You went through a lot.”
“Still, it’s fun. Meeting people is one thing, and I like getting some fresh air while riding the bike.”
He felt that once he paid off all his debts in the future, it wouldn’t be bad to take up delivery work as a full-time job. Surprisingly, it suited his aptitude. There was no one to scold him, and as long as he was diligent, he could get a decent amount of money in his hands.
Hae-jun glanced at Lee Kang-ju out of the corner of his eye, pretending to wipe his face with his hands.
Once the debt was fully paid, his relationship with Lee Kang-ju would also come to an end. He would have to leave this house, and there would be no more reason to meet Lee Kang-ju, see him, or wait for him.
“…”
His lips were dry and his throat was parched. It was likely because he hadn’t had a single sip of water since waking up. Hae-jun took out two bottles of water, set one down in front of Lee Kang-ju, and opened his own to drink immediately.
“By the way, aren’t you tired? It’s getting very late. You could have just rested at home today.”
“I suppose. I wonder why I came all the way here.”
Lee Kang-ju rubbed his eyes as if fatigue was gradually washing over him. His gaze was steady, but looking again, there seemed to be a trace of exhaustion lingering there.
Hae-jun felt certain that his rambling had been boring. He had to remember why Lee Kang-ju had given him this house and why he had gone through the trouble of visiting.
“…Should I do it for you? With my mouth.”
Hae-jun asked, not forgetting his duty as a rent boy. He considered making a circle with his fingers and mimicking a licking motion with his tongue, but he feared looking too vulgar, so he simply pushed the corners of his mouth up into a smile. Lee Kang-ju let out a short, mocking laugh, as if the bluntness of the question was absurd.
“That’s enough.”
Lee Kang-ju picked up his jacket while still wearing a trace of that laugh. He was going to leave. While it wasn’t as if they had never had a night pass without anything happening, Hae-jun reached out, feeling the embarrassment of not fulfilling his purpose.
In the brief moment he grabbed Lee Kang-ju’s sleeve, a bolt of lightning struck and a roar of thunder shook the building, making him jump right then and there. A sharp gasp escaped his mouth, and cold sweat broke out along his spine.
“That, uh, it’s nothing…”
Lee Kang-ju looked at him with wonder. Hae-jun felt like his brain might cramp while trying to find an excuse.
As he racked his brain to come up with any kind of justification, light flashed between the curtains and thunder struck down once more. Hae-jun’s shoulders flinched violently.
“It’s because it’s raining so much!”
“The rain?”
“Yes. They said there would be heavy rain until tomorrow morning. How about staying a little longer before you go? It might be dangerous to drive right now. It would be a disaster if you slipped on the wet roads. I also stopped my deliveries early and came inside earlier because I was afraid of having an accident.”
Lee Kang-ju approached the window and opened the curtain. Indeed, white light flashed from behind the thick, low-hanging clouds, accompanied by a rumbling sound. The rain was also savagely battering the glass. The rare cars passing on the road weren’t gaining any speed in the heavy downpour; they were practically crawling.
Hae-jun turned his eyes away from the window, trying not to look outside. However, he couldn’t avoid the pale light of the lightning that tinted the entire room. Nor the sound of the thunder that followed.
He gripped the back of the chair and endured the encroaching terror. The backs of his hands turned blue-white, and his complexion grew pale and cold. The corners of his mouth, which he had awkwardly lifted, trembled.
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