Junhong had texted me a while later telling me that they’d have a job for me when I’d come in so I was excited enough. I didn’t have the heart to tell my brother I’d been fired and didn’t even bother with my father. I did have to blow my week’s pay because he refused cheap liquor from the corner store. I was just glad I was getting a new job.

But when I had approached the building that was extremely intimidating I was so close to just turning around.

“So this is the place?”

So wrapped up in the building I had forgotten that I brought Himchan along who had brought Jongup.

“Y-yeah” I said with a lowed head

“Wow this is real different” Jongup had looked at me “Someone already doesn’t fit in”

“Jongup!” Himchan yelled slapping his boyfriend’s arm

“He’s right” I said “But that isn’t going to stop me from trying to get the job”

“Well at least you know by looking at the place that you’ll get paid well” Jongup said

The three of us walked inside and were greeted by the woman at the front desk.

“We’ve been expecting you Bang-ssi”

“Ah yes thank you”

“Right this way”
“Thank you” I said bowing to her

“Well good luck with your first day on the job” Jongup said “We’ll be going now”

“Jongup I want to see what Bag’s going to do”

“You guys aren’t staying?”

“No, I have a better idea of how we should spend our time,” Jongup said snaking his arm around Himchan’s waist “Right, Chan?” Himchan blushed and looked at the floor

“Ugh” I said making my disgust evident “Well have-whatever-you have with-whatever-you’re going to do. Call you later Chan”

“Feel free not too” Jongup said walking his boyfriend by the waste out the door

“Are you ready Bang-ssi?”

“Ah yes, forgive me. My friends were just curious as to what you’d be having me do.”

“It’s no trouble”

She took me to the top floor of the building and showed me through the cubicles and to a mail office.

“Okay so all you really have to do is go and pass out the mail on this level. There’s really nothing else we expect you to do. Some people may ask you to run some errands but you don’t really have too, but they’ll tip sometimes so it’s okay to do it from time to time just don’t get caught”

“O-okay”

“And after you’re done with your job, just go ahead and clock out”

“Okay good luck” she said leaving but stopped “And tread lightly when the assistant of the boss comes around, he don’t like new people and make sure you have his mail ready for him and sorted out from everyone else’s and try and not be alone with him for too long, real scary kid.”

“He don’t?” I asked with a chuckle looking at her

Realizing her slip she blushed and became a bit flustered as she corrected her grammar “He doesn’t. Um I uh have to um go do things work I have to go work yes I have to go work um good luck your day Bang-ssi”

“Thank you and have a nice day yourself” I said with a smile   

As soon as she left I got to work. I organized everything as I was given a mail room that was in a bit of disarray. I put the mail in alphabetical order; put the packages in the cart, and supplies lying around in the cabinet. When I had put everything away I had peeked out to see a giant office down the hall and figured that was where the boss was. I sighed and realized that I had no idea what his name was to lay his mail apart from everyone else’s.

“Excuse me” I jumped as a boy appeared next to me

“You!” I said pointing with one hand and holding onto my heart that was going to jump out of my chest “What are you doing here”

“Small world. I work here. Give me the mail for Mr. Wu”

“Uh-uh” I was so scared when I sorted through the mail that I accidentally pushed it into his hands “S-sorry”

“Its fine, just make sure to get this to me as soon as you get in”

“Yes sir”

“It’s Tao”

“Yes Tao-ssi” he rolled his eyes at my fear

He left walking down the hall into the large office.  He closed the door behind him and gave me a quick look before he closed the door. After that very unusual, uncomfortable, and all around unpleasant encounter I delivered all the mail fairly quickly. When I went down stairs the receptionist stopped me leaving.

“I was told to give this to you”

In that small envelope held 2 years’ worth of my apartment’s rent. I was gaping and gasping that the receptionist was eyeing me in my amazed excitement. I thanked her and she said something about knowing the right people as I felt. As soon as I was outside that building I celebrated and ran to my next job, hoping that maybe just maybe my luck was starting to change.

The cargo we were moving wasn’t big so I finished early and I was able to stop at the store and buy some ice cream for Junhong who had texted me and canceled out meeting due to the need to study. I reluctantly went home with the new intentions of giving my brother the ice cream and getting in some studying myself. And as night had come I told him about my new job and showed him my paycheck.

“M-my god” he said with a smile and quivering lips

“I know”

“But-“

“Why?”

“Yeah”

“Does it matter?” I asked “If I keep getting paid like this we can get the life we deserve Nam” I said in hushed excitement “We can get away”

“G-guk” I hugged my brother, his tears and smile in my shoulder and held him tight

For the first time I felt like I had felt like there was a light. I knew I wasn’t at the end of the tunnel but for the first time I felt like there was actual light to run to. I didn’t feel like I was going to wonder miserably going through the same motions to get to anything. Then-right in those moments I saw the light and was determined to get it. I was going to reach the light.