Swallow Hunting - Chapter 58.1
I snapped my eyes open with a start. Sunlight poured in through the window where the curtains had been pulled back. In my head, my phone was blasting an alarm for God knows which time. The screen was filled with missed calls from the delivery company boss and texts from Yohan.
Perhaps because I had slept so soundly, my eyelids were as swollen as sausages, making it hard to see the display. I slapped my cheeks and forced my eyes wide. It was 11:00 AM; I was late.
“Uwaaaah!”
Hae-jun let out a scream and finished a frantic shower in just five minutes. Planning to let the wind dry his hair, he roughly dabbed the moisture off with a towel and hopped around as he threaded his feet into his underwear. He stumbled forward while jumping, but fortunately, the bed caught him, sparing him from injury.
“Bak Yohan, help me out!”
When he made a tearful request for rescue, Yohan came running with his eyebrows fluttering in haste. Bak Yohan, taking off his black helmet and saying he came by express, looked so cool in that moment that the scene of his hair fluttering seemed to move in slow motion.
“Did you oversleep?”
“Yes.”
“Your attitude is lacking. Sincerity is the foundation of delivery. Get on, quick.”
Yohan took Hae-jun on the back and turned the handlebars. As if the geography of this area was in the palm of his hand, he sped through the shortcuts, weaving between alleys. Thanks to him, they arrived incomparably faster than taking public transportation. Hae-jun vowed repeatedly to pay back this grace in full later.
The Boss had arrived early and was sitting at the office desk. When Hae-jun entered, bowing and scraping like a eunuch, the Boss gave him a fleeting glance while playing a game of Go-Stop on the computer.
“I thought you weren’t coming back until next spring.”
“I’m sorry.”
He lowered his head deeply in a ‘stand-at-ease’ posture. The Boss clicked his mouse indifferently.
“I’m deducting from your pay if you’re late again.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Get out and get to work.”
He seemed to be letting it slide quite generously, but then, perhaps having lost money in his game, he cursed out, “Erai, damn it!” Fearing the sparks might fly his way, Hae-jun practically rolled out of the office. Yohan was waiting outside. He flicked his finished cigarette into a tin can used as an ashtray and let out a final puff of smoke.
“What did you do yesterday to sleep in so late? Did you work?”
“No. It’s just…”
Hae-jun tilted his head back, rubbing his stiff neck. He couldn’t remember exactly when he had fallen asleep. He only remembered calling Lee Kang-ju and using his tipsiness as an excuse to sing him a lullaby.
Had Lee Kang-ju hung up? He felt like he could hear a calm sound coming from the receiver until the moment he drifted off.
If only he hadn’t been drunk, he could have talked even longer. Just as he was regretting the drinks, a certain fact suddenly occurred to him, and he looked at Yohan.
“Oh, right. No Eun-jae, a guy I used to know from the club, moved in next door to me.”
“Next door? Where did that crazy guy live? Who’s No Eun-jae?”
“Lucid Ace.”
Yohan stared at Hae-jun with a mysterious expression. He seemed to be pitying him, or perhaps feeling sorry for his tragic fate. When asked why he was looking at him like that, Yohan placed a hand on Hae-jun’s shoulder and patted it.
“How is it that you only attract men? Why don’t you attract the wealthy older ladies you’re supposed to?”
“Do I have a ‘peach blossom’ curse or something?”
“Not a peach blossom curse, just a curse.”
Hae-jun, who had been beaming, let his shoulders slump. Looking back at his past—devoid of parental luck, early-life luck, or even the luck of having enough to eat—it seemed Yohan’s words might be right. It was only because he met Lee Kang-ju that he was living with his head above water; otherwise, he was fated to drown in the hardships of life.
“But even a rat hole sees the sun eventually. Look what I’ve scouted for you.”
Yohan triumphantly shoved his phone forward. It was a photo of a middle-aged woman Hae-jun had never seen before. Whether it was a villa or a clubhouse, a vast lawn spread out behind her. The rings, necklace, earrings, the luxury bag beside her, and the watch on her wrist alone added up to a staggering amount.
“A lady from Jeju Island. 5 million a month.”
Hae-jun’s eyes widened. It was a coveted position. They said a wealthy client is as rare as wild ginseng, and Yohan truly was a talented harvester.
“Plus alpha if you’re good with your cock.”
“The conditions are insane.”
He covered his mouth with both hands. The conditions were moving. However, Hae-jun soon lowered his hands and gave an awkward smile.
“Why aren’t you doing it?”
“Because your situation is more urgent than mine.”
“Bak Yohan…!”
Crying out that there was no one like him, Hae-jun lunged into his arms. When he hugged him tightly and rubbed his head against him, Yohan heartlessly pushed him away, saying it was gross. The way he brushed off his clothes was full of sincere distaste.
“No, well, it’s not like it’s a sure thing yet. You have to interview first. Send a photo to the lady, have an interview at a cafe, and then pass the third round too. You can’t be too ignorant, and you can’t be too obsessed with money.”
“It’s complicated.”
“So, what do you think? Should I send your photo or not?”
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