Kang-Dae's POV
I quickly realized that Ki-Moon hated rush hour.
He never told me directly. He hides it very badly.
Every time Teven Ileven filled up after school, he suddenly found a reason to stay in the storeroom. He triple-checked the boxes, put away bottles that didn't need to be, and even found a way to reorganize the instant noodles by brand when no one had asked him to.
I let him do it for a few minutes before coming to get him.
That evening, I found him crouching in front of a pile of boxes, a bottle of water in his hands and empty bottles of alcohol all around.
– Are you planning to sleep here?
He looked up at me, he was red.
– No.
His voice was hoarse
– You should go home. I was going to leave you the storeroom, but I think it would be best to close up.
He immediately looked away.
– There are too many people, we're not going to chase them away.
I looked over his shoulder. Through the small opening in the door, we could see a few customers in front of the tills. Nothing unusual.
– There are six of them, it's nothing.
– Seven .
I counted quickly.
– Six.
– I'm missing, I'll pay for these bottles.
I smile nervously.
– Are you kidding? You could never have drunk that much.
He gave me a tired look, but the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
It was always like that with him. Sometimes it took several minutes to get a reaction that would have taken two seconds with someone else.
– I may be like my father….
I handed him the handkerchief I was holding.
– Come on. I'll take your crate.
– You don't have to.
– Exactly. So imagine how much I care about you to do this.
He gave me an almost disgusted look.
– find yourself a girlfriend, your case is becoming serious.
He got up and walked past me.
We've worked together long enough that loyal customers sometimes mistake us for brothers. This used to make us laugh, especially since at first glance, we didn't have much in common.
Ki-Moon spoke little, avoided eye contact, and thought too long before answering a simple question. I, on the other hand, had learned to speak enough for two.
But it wasn't really a question of personality.
We didn't even have the same face, he is so pale at times that I'm afraid he'll die and we won't even notice, his eyes are very deep and I've never had the pleasure of seeing his face brighten, I can't even imagine what he goes through at home.
that feeling.
At home, my parents had decided very early on that I would become a doctor.
Not because I wanted to be.
Because that's what their son had to do.
For years, I had tried to give them what they wanted. I had studied until I couldn't stand my own notebooks anymore, accepted extra classes, had white hair and a bleeding nose, learned to smile when asked if everything was alright and answered yes every time I was asked if I was certain about my future.
Then
I fled.
That night I laughed out loud in the dark night, I ran on the sidewalk like a madman, It was as if a big pea had fallen from my shoulder, my headache had stopped at that very moment.
I didn't want to go back, I was sure of it.
The beginnings, a true joy, freedom.
I was wrong.
When you have been told for long enough that your life must follow a certain direction, the silence that follows feels more like emptiness than freedom.
Where should I sleep, how should I eat, it's cold, I have to continue my studies? I'm still a minor.
So, quite naturally and gently, I abandoned my studies.
I was living alone on the street with a small group of runaways; they had a small apartment.
They've found a kind of foolproof way to make money.
It was just drugs
It wasn't glorious, I was very scared.
But at least I was eating and with my status I could avoid prison if I got caught.
Perhaps that was why I understood Ki-Moon.
– aah~, It was a shitty life
I am no longer trying to become a good person.
At closing time, we left the store together.
The street was empty, I lit a small ember to relax.
Ki-Moon put his bag back on his shoulder and looked at the sky.
– Are you going to walk again?
– Yes, there are no more trains.
I nodded and exhaled a little smoke.
We walked a few meters without speaking.
Then I asked him:
– Did you get the call from your dream university?
He turned his head towards me and murmured something like that.
– hummmmmm…
– You don't have to talk about it.
– hum .
He shrugged.
What a sordid atmosphere
– So what are you going to do?
I received no response.
And it was probably the first time I could say it without feeling ashamed.
I am ashamed
- I don't know.
Ki-Moon's murmurs .
- It's good.
Not quite knowing how to defuse the situation, I rummaged in my bag and threw him a small carton of milk.
He caught up with her awkwardly.
See you tomorrow, I'll leave you here.
He agreed and a taxi arrived at the same time; I got in just to avoid embarrassment.