o8

And he could slightly figure out what it would be.

“Hello?” he answered, walking out of the class to get a clearer sound.

“Is this Bang Yongguk-ssi?” the owner, Mr. Jang, asked.

Battling with the urge to lie, Yongguk finally gave up to that embarassing plan. “Yeah.”

“Hey—what are you doing, seriously? You said you will pay the rent on Wednesday but if I’m not wrong, today is already Monday,” he straightforwardly stated.

Yongguk pursed his thin lips, thinking of another possible excuse he could give. “I’m already third grade and the final test costs a lot. We have to pay for the high school’s registration as well while the daily needs—”

“I don’t have to know about the details of your family’s monthly bills, right?” Mr. Jang cut off, obviously showing his lack of interest to understand. “What I want to say is you need to pay the cost before I chase you away from the apartment.”

A sigh escaped Yongguk’s parted lips when he sat on the staircase, looking at his own black shoes. “I will pay you as soon as I have the money.”

“Now, let’s get this straight,” Mr. Jang seemed to not buy his promise. “Give me your mother’s phone number and I will talk to her.”

“Don’t,” Yongguk quickly snapped. “She’s probably in the middle of the work now.”

“Then what are you going to do now?” the older guy muttered in annoyance.

Yongguk kept silence for a while, wondering what good offer that he could warrant to push the due time a little longer or convincing a promise that might win his heart. Yet, he knew it wouldn’t work somehow. They had been running from his chasing since weeks ago and there’s no way for him to turn around again. Instead, he must felt grateful that Mr. Jang didn’t come and break their door.

“I—I will try to borrow some money from my working place so,” he sighed, feeling so ashamed that he had to say that kind of thing. “So please, until Friday, don’t tell my mother about this matter.”

“Eighty thousand won?”

Yongguk nodded, nervously gripping his black hat.

Mr. Kim tilted his head to the side, giving a look at those young guy that was standing across his table. He was trying to figure out what was his reason to borrow such that amount of money since it was the first time he did it—and although he knew what kind of kid he was, he still wanted to make sure he wasn’t up to something bad.

“For what?” Mr. Kim finally asked.

“Our apartment’s installment,” Yongguk slowly replied. “My mother salary is used to my school needs and another bills so we have nothing at the moment.”

Mr. Kim didn’t expect him to give that kind of answer. And that brought so many questions to him.

“What’s your mother’s job?” he wondered.

“Accountant in an insurance company,” Yongguk gave a bitter smile. “But the salary is only based on her education.”

Mr. Kim nodded. “Is that enough?”

“Yes,” Yongguk replied.

Mr. Kim took out his wallet from his trousers’ back pocket before pulled the drawer under his table to find a white envelope. He opened those black wallet, running two of his fingers to count the money inside and finally took out the mentioned amount to put it inside of an envelope.

“Here,” he said, sliding the envelope closer to Yongguk. “If you need more, just tell me right away.”

“Thank you, sir. Thank you so much,” Yongguk bowed as deep as he could before took it from the table. “I feel so thankful.”

Mr. Kim gave a genuine smile to his favorite worker. “Nevermind. Everyone go through this kind of thing too.”

“I will work harder than before,” Yongguk smiled in complete relief.

“If you really need more money, why don’t you try to contact my friend?” Mr. Kim asked.

And Yongguk just remembered about that. It might helped them if not a lot, at least a little. He heard that café gave more than other part-time jobs could offer and he didn’t think let those kind of chance to slip away was a good idea.

“I will try to meet him later,” he agreed.

“You’re still young so you have a lot of energy to do so many things like this. But I have to remind you that you can’t live with this way for the rest of your life. You must have a good education and make a better living once you become an adult,” he sincerely adviced.

Yongguk agreed with his words and knew it already since long time ago. He knew he had to be a responsible and independent man, who can take everyone by his shoulders and gave them happiness that they deserved. He would make a lot of money, got his mother’s smile back, bought a bigger house for their future, and—visit his father with a better condition.

He promised his ownself about that.

And he would fight for that no matter what.

“Yes, master. I will.”

It was finally winter, where the mid-test result came out and Yongguk had to deal with his scores.

The teacher was afraid if he couldn’t enter any senior high school with his current scores and hearing that actually didn’t give him any worry. Instead, the truth that they informed his mother about the matter was the only reason that brought him nearly to death.

He used to be a good student. Maybe he never got what it called perfect or excellent reports but at least, never did he show off that kind of scores in front of his mother’s face. And he was really scared if it might disappoint her.

“I got a phone call from the school this afternoon,” his mother said, as soon as Yongguk just came home from work.

Knowing it won’t be good, Yongguk slowly unwear his sneakers and put them aside. Kicking them away like usual might causing another trouble in that kind of situation.

“How can you get five red marks, seriously?” she still showed a flat expression but from the way she talked, Yongguk knew she had been holding back her anger.

Yongguk fixed his eyes on the floor instead of his mother that was standing by a metre in front of him. He just wasn’t ready to see her face yet.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered.

“I don’t want to hear any excuse or apology,” she sighed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I want to know the reason.”

“I didn’t try my best,” he gave a pointless answer, didn’t know what better to say.

“Mr. Jang told me that you have already paid for last month’s rent and half of this month’s,” she suspiciously narrowed her eyes. “Now tell me what kind of work that you have.”

Yongguk finally looked at his mother. He was really surprised to hear her suspiciousness. “I work at a ramyun shop and I borrowed money from the owner weeks ago to pay the rent. That’s it.”

She scoffed. “So do you think I can’t afford our living costs that you have to flaunt around asking for a loan?”

There, Yongguk knew his mother’s high temper took over everything again.

“It’s not like that. It’s because I know you still have to pay for the money we borrowed for father’s funeral,” he tried to explain his intention.

“You are a student! Study is your first priority no matter what!” she snapped, throwing her arms down. “And what kind of side job that you have? Don’t lie to me. You always come home late these days.”

Yongguk opened his lips, wanting to tell her that he worked at a bar too but his voice just couldn’t come out. He just couldn’t imagine her knowing he had those kind of job moreover the fact that she always thought of every night job as a negative thing.

“I could tell from your changing appearance that you work at a weird place. Is it a bar?” she guessed.

“What about yes?” he challenged.

She glared at him. Her temper was definitely going far beyond her control. “Stop doing that kind of work and just focus on your study!”

“Then, what? Do you expect me to ask you for some money despite knowing your condition and let you work from morn to dawn?” Yongguk raised his voice, just so she would listen to him. “I know I can’t make a lot but at least, I want to give my hand.”

“And just because of your immature thoughts you will leave your school as the second priority and live as a low class worker for the rest of your life?” she shook her head once, “leave that jobs and focus on your school.”

She turned around, leading her feet to walk away but when she just got into the third step, Yongguk threw another statement and that was getting into her nerves.

“What about you? Going out in a late night with a married man only eight months after your husband passed away?”

“Watch your words,” she warned, turning around to face his madness. “He’s not a married man.”

“Then it means you have future plans with him,” he raised his eyebrows, didn’t like his own suspection.

“Is it wrong? To fall in love with a free man and to have serious plans with him?” she wondered. “Do you think I have to live with his shadows forever?”

Yongguk couldn’t understand anymore. His mother’s obssession of love, his greediness to lock his mother inside of a memory with him and his father’s pleading to never leave him alone—he couldn’t understand. He didn’t know what’s the better place for him to stand on.

To stand with.

“I’m going to get my happiness back—to get your life back,” she pursed her lips, didn’t let her ownself to cry in front of her son. “And I will marry him no matter what.”

Yongguk thought his father committed suicide because he decided to choose his mother than being with him and that’s why, he felt such guilty right after what happened. Even when they finally started over their life, even when the things began to get better, he didn’t want to take out his father from their life. He wanted his mother to be like him too. To keep remembering her husband, to keep loving only him for the rest of her life. And that’s the reason Yongguk didn’t approve his mother’s new relationship.

I think this has a lot to do with physical/mental problems. Yongguk that couldn’t get over his regrets, and his mother that wasn’t able to live by her own. I think I need to explain this so you won’t be confused by their weird actions and I hope you enjoy this story as much as I love writing this hehehe thank you and happy new year! ♥