There is no other way to describe it Oh Sehun is bored. There is no one else in the dry cleaning shop as he stands behind the counter, resting his chin on his hand. His father asked him to watch the shop for a moment; that was 20 minutes ago. The old clock on the wall was ticking, making an unorthodox rhythm along the washing machine that kept going round. If this kept going on he might lose his mind.

 

Sehun heard the bell on the door as it opened.

 

“Welco…”

 

He stopped mid sentence as he saw the front door slammed open and a person wearing a neon green rain poncho burst in carrying two heavy bags.

 

The person didn’t bother with formalities as it made his way back the counter to the machine area.

 

“I’m bringing uniforms from the Italian Restaurant on the Main Street. They need them for today. I know is a bit sudden but if its you, you can make it.”

 

“Who are you?”

 

Sehun inquired the stranger.

 

“Who are you?”

 

The stranger, a young man, was asking him in turn as he dropped the bag with the uniforms.

 

“I’m the owner of this place.”

 

Sehun replied giving himself more importance than he had.

 

“No you are not.”

 

“Yes, I am.”

 

“Did you buy this place?”

 

“No.”

 

“Did something happened to Mr. Oh and you just inherited this place?”

 

“No, but…”

 

“Then you are not the owner. I’m guessing you are Mr. Oh’s son.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Alright, tell him that I’ll come back for those uniforms later today. Say about 5’ o clock.”

 

“Oh, hey. Wait, wait, hey Poncho!”

 

Sehun kept calling after the retreating back of the guy in the neon green rain poncho. He wasn’t sure what just happened, his father better come back quick.

 

 

The clock kept ticking, the washing machine had long since stopped but since Sehun didn’t know what to do with it, the clothes remained inside. He wasn’t a complete useless person; he just didn’t know how to work with anything in his father’s shop. He just came back from studying abroad and since he didn’t have a job, nor he knew what to do with his life he was left watching the shop while his father probably sat sharing gossips or playing Go Stop with the neighbourhood ladies.

 

The bell on the door chimed again. The young guy in the neon green rain poncho was back. Sehun didn’t bother with a greeting since his first encounter didn’t leave him with a good impression on the other.  

 

“I’m here to pick up Mrs. Kim night gown.”

 

Sehun looked at the guy with a confused expression.

 

“Ticket?”

 

The guy produced the ticket and Sehun turned looking for the nightgown, only he didn’t really know where to look.

 

“Wait, you haven’t started cleaning those?”

 

The guy crossed back as he inspected the bags that he dropped before.

 

“I need these in a couple of hours!”

 

He must have noticed the confused expression on Sehun’s face because the guy started putting the uniforms in one of the washing machines. He knew where everything was.

 

“Who are you?”

 

Sehun was tempted to stop the stranger but the other seemed so sure of what he was doing that he stayed put.

 

“Don’t worry I help your father here sometimes. What, you haven’t put these in the dryer? You can damage the clothes if you just leave them there!”

 

The guy transferred the forgotten clothes to a dryer and to Sehun’s luck he also took the ticket from his hand and effectively found the nightgown.

 

“When, these are done you need to put them on the dryer. Push this button and… oh never mind I’ll come back and do it.”

 

The guy was gone again and Sehun felt even more useless and confused than before.

 

 

One and a half hour later Sehun was standing in the sidewalk under his umbrella desperately looking around for his father. The place wasn’t going to run itself and his father knew Sehun didn’t know how to either. It was his first day in the shop for crying out loud!

 

As he turns he sees the neon green rain poncho get closer to the shop and go past him inside. Sehun sighs and follows the stranger back in.

 

“Oh good, you took these out.”

 

He could barely see the guy as the neon green rain poncho covered him from head to knees and he didn’t stop to take it off.

 

“They need to be ironed.”

 

He stayed silent as the other worked his way around. About 30 minutes later the guy had finished.

 

“Here is the payment. I really shouldn’t pay you since I did the whole thing. Tell Mr. Oh to call me if they owe more.”

 

He left, again. Sehun didn’t even know who the guy was, how was he supposed to tell his father to call him.

 

Finally 10 minutes later his father arrived.

 

“Aigoo, I’m sorry son. Time just flew by. You didn’t have any problems did you?”

 

“No, just some guy in a green poncho came and did whatever he wanted in the shop.”

 

“He did? Did he take Mrs. Kim nightgown?”

 

“You know him?”

 

“Yes, he helps here once in a while.”

 

“He left some money there for some uniforms. He said to call him if the payment was supposed to be more.”

 

“Oh, I’m sure its right.”

 

Mr. Oh went to the back of the shop and started ironing the clothes that were once in the washing machine and then in the dryer.

 

Sehun instead went back to his original position, resting his chin in his hand while thinking of how absurd his day had turned out to be.

 

 

For Sehun, its hard to believe that two days can be exactly the same, but here he is again, the clock ticking on the wall while the washing machine keeps spinning. Today he sees the neon green rain poncho guy before he enters the shop.

 

“Not you again.”

 

“Ha, is that the way to treat your customers? Where’s Mr. Oh?”

 

“I’m Mr. Oh, and shouldn’t you be at the restaurant?”

 

“What restaurant?”

 

“The restaurant, where you work?”

 

“Oh, no. I don’t work at the restaurant. I work all around here, doing anything and everything.”

 

“Whatever.”

 

“Well, your father is in a winning strike so he asked me to bring his lucky penny.”

 

“Wait, you know where my father is? Why did you asked me then?”

 

Sehun heard the boy laughing.

 

“Well, since he is my father I’ll take him his lucky penny; let’s not risk it being swapped.”

 

“Do you even know where to take it?”

 

Sehun ignored the boy in the green poncho, giving himself away.

 

“And how about the shop? Who is going to watch it while you are away?”

 

“I’m the owner so I can close down if I want to.”

 

“No you are not, but I see that you just want to close down the shop so you don’t have to deal with it.”

 

“Why are you speaking to me so casually?”

 

“I can see we are about the same age so we are equals, sort of like friends.”

 

“I don’t think so.”

 

“Suit yourself.”

 

The boy turned around to leave and in an impulse Sehun called back.

 

“Hey Poncho! Which way?”

 

He saw the boy turn around and point towards the right. He then mounted his bike and disappeared.

 

 

 

Since Sehun moved back home it had been raining non-stop, it was like the sky was making a live representation of how he felt. Luckily, today the sun was out and it brought with it some surprises.

 

Sehun was on his usual spot behind the counter when he heard the bells on the door chime.

 

“Welcome.”

 

A young man entered the shop. He was lean and delicate looking.

 

“Since when do you treat me nicely?”

 

That voice he recognized.

 

“Poncho?!”

 

“It’s Luhan. I’m here to pick up Mr. Cho’s jacket.”

 

Sehun kept starring at Luhan as if he was a strange creature. Sehun couldn’t be blamed, the neon green rain poncho was very distracting and it covered all of Luhan.

 

Luhan let out a sigh as he made his way to the back and got the jacket himself.

 

“Mr. Cho already paid, thank you for all your help.”

 

Luhan was on his way out as Mr. Oh came in.

 

“Hello Mr. Oh how are you?”

 

“Good, is that Mr. Cho’s jacket?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Alright, see you later.”

 

Luhan left carrying the jacket.

 

“That was Poncho.”

 

Sehun was still in shock mode as he signalled after the other boy’s retreating back.

 

“Ah Luhan you mean? Yeah, he is a good boy.”

 

Mr. Oh didn’t pay much attention to his son and went towards the back.

 

 

Sehun quickly got over the fact that one person could look entirely different under a rain poncho and every time Luhan visited the shop for an errand he would still treat him with the same attitude.

 

 

Today, luckily for Sehun he was “given a day off”. He started wandering about the small town going here and there since there weren’t many things to actually do. He decided to go to the market and buy some groceries. He was at a fish stall, the shrimp having caught his attention.

 

“How much for these?”

 

The lady gave him a look over since she hasn’t seen him around before.

 

“You can buy those at 12 for one pound of shrimp.”

 

That sounded like a lot of money and he hesitated for a moment.

 

“You won’t find those cheaper anywhere else young man. These are fresh and the best quality.”

 

“But 12 is a bit…”

 

“12! Hey Mrs. Kwang, aren’t you too much trying to rip off my friend here?!”

 

Sehun look to the voice on his side. Luhan was there carrying a few bags and having stopped when he heard the conversation.

 

“What are you talking about ripping off?! And, your friend you said?”

 

“This is Mr. Oh’s son and he’s a friend of mine. Also, those shrimp were there yesterday and you usually sell the fresh ones at 8…”

 

Sehun remained silent at their exchange but he was now looking at the lady who instead looked really guilty.

 

“What? I’m not buying.”

 

Sehun turned but the lady stopped him.

 

“Oh come on young man, don’t be like that. We all need to survive. I’ll give you a discount. How about 7.50?”

 

“Ey, 7.50? The least you could do is give it at 5. These aren’t fresh like the sign on the wall promises.”

 

Luhan was back at it and Sehun was sort of impressed at his boldness.

 

“5?! Are you crazy?!”

 

“I’m not buying.”

 

Sehun spoke again but this time Luhan stopped him.

 

“That’s right, 5 or there’s no deal.”

 

A few minutes later Sehun was walking with Luhan, a bag of shrimp in his hands.

 

“Aren’t you lucky I found you?”

 

“I wasn’t going to buy them so expensive, I’m not dumb.”

 

“Ujm, do you want a fish cake?”

 

Sehun was pulled to the fish cake stand.

 

“Give me two please.”

 

Luhan paid and put a fish cake on Sehun’s hand while he ate his. Sehun started eating as well.

 

“The sellers here mean no harm, they are just trying to earn a living but you should always ask for a cheaper price, at least until they know who you are.”

 

Luhan finished eating and picked the bags again.

 

“I’ll see you around.”

 

He left. Luhan always seem to be on a hurry. Sehun finished his food as well and headed home, he now had to cook one pound of shrimp before they went bad.