Swallow Hunting - Chapter 51.2
Yohan had told him not to forget the water-repellent coating, but because the sun visor 1) was made of plastic, it was useless no matter how much he sprayed or rubbed the coating agent on. He had no choice but to throw on a raincoat.
It was the last delivery of the day. Entering the restaurant, Hae-jun lifted his head and sniffed the air, his nostrils flaring. The spicy scent of Jjamppong, the sweet aroma of Jajangmyeon, and the savory, clean smell of oil vibrated through the interior.
He swallowed the saliva pooling in his mouth and counted the bags placed on the counter. There were four large plastic bags in total.
“Wow, the portions are huge today.”
“Maybe because it’s raining, but there are a lot of orders.”
It was a proprietor he had become acquainted with after handling several deliveries. Because the food was good and the kitchen was clean, he often visited the place with Yohan.
“Can I come back and eat dinner later?”
“I’m closing early today. Come tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir.”
Fatigue seeped through the face of the old man, who was tapping his forearms as if the wok work had been strenuous. After Hae-jun massaged the man’s shoulders for a moment, his expression relaxed wearily, but then he shouted at Hae-jun to hurry up before the food got cold. Hae-jun giggled and picked up the bags with both hands.
The destination was an old hallway-style apartment. Wanting to finish work quickly, Hae-jun hurried his pace. Stepping out of the elevator with the plastic bags, Hae-jun verified the unit number and stood before the door. While it would be easier if he could just leave the food at the door, this customer insisted on paying in person.
He pressed the doorbell. The sound of murmuring and sudden bursts of laughter leaked from inside, but there was no actual reaction to the bell. When he pressed it once more, he heard the thumping of footsteps. Hae-jun quickly took a step back.
— Who is it?
“Delivery.”
The space beyond the door was silent, as if they were inspecting his face through the intercom. Soon, the door opened. Despite it being winter, the man wore a tight-fitting short-sleeved shirt. His exposed forearms were densely packed with red and blue Irezumi tattoos.
Regardless of whether Hae-jun was frozen or not, the man snatched the food away and turned his back. Hae-jun flinched and came to his senses.
“……The money! You haven’t given it to me yet.”
He could handle the delivery fee himself, but he had to collect the cost of the food. Trusting in the helmet that hid his identity, he clenched his fists tightly. However, the thug’s face twisted into a fierce grimace, as if he found Hae-jun’s remark offensive.
“Hey, you little shit. Can’t you tell just by looking? Leave it and get lost.”
The man spat out phlegm while threatening Hae-jun as if he were about to strike his head. The thick spit landed on his rain-soaked pant leg.
Hae-jun frowned at the unpleasant sensation. However, he couldn’t back down here. If it had been a single item, he might have closed his eyes and turned away, but given the heavy weight, the amount he had to collect was substantial.
If push comes to shove, I’ll just squeeze some settlement money out of them. Believing that the helmet would at least prevent a serious injury even if he took a hit, he shouted.
“You have to give me the money before I can go……!”
“This little bastard!”
Finally, the thug raised his fist. Hae-jun squeezed his eyes shut and hunched his shoulders. The commotion at the door drew the attention of those inside.
“Stop.”
At that voice, the thug who was about to strike Hae-jun stopped dead in his tracks. As Hae-jun retreated hesitantly, a man who had been sitting in the living room rose, bracing his hands on his knees. He sauntered toward Hae-jun.
The moment he faced the man’s countenance, Hae-jun froze stiff. It was a disaster. He hadn’t seen that face because it was obscured by the others. Choi Man-seok—he was the worst human being Hae-jun had ever met.
It wasn’t just Choi Man-seok. Seeing them all gathered in the living room brought back old memories.
A day of torrential rain. The laughter that filled the cramped room, the sound of a cutter knife sliding open. A sharp phantom pain pierced through his inner thigh.
He wanted to run. Cold sweat broke out. He had bragged that he was used to being threatened and had even snorted while talking about the madman who ran around with a knife, but in front of Choi Man-seok, his body inevitably froze. Before, he had at least talked big to pretend he wasn’t scared, but now it was difficult to maintain that composure.
Choi Man-seok approached with a grin and slammed his hand down heavily on the back of the thug’s head. The thug, forced into a bow to apologize, let out a pained sound and only knelt down after being kicked in the shin.
“Sorry. This guy has no manners. You understand.”
“……”
“How much is it?”
Hae-jun quickly checked the receipt attached to the bag. When Choi Man-seok gestured, one of the others quickly brought over a wallet. The inside of the wallet, which looked like it would burst because it was so thick, was a field of bright yellow bank notes.
“Is this enough, including the delivery fee?”
He counted it roughly and held it out. Hae-jun tried to take it quickly. However, Choi Man-seok lifted his hand, causing Hae-jun to snatch at thin air.
“Before that. I’m a bit of a suspicious person. Let me see your face.”
“……”
“Take off the helmet.”
[Footnote]
-
- A protective cover that is attached to a motorcycle helmet to block sunlight, wind, insects, etc.
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