“Ya! Choi Jonghyun!” he shut his mom’s shout by slamming the front door closed. The young guy was immune from her nags on him about the same thing, his study in the university. Yet, he didn’t and would never be moved by her words, no matter she went soft or harsh. He believed in his own self more, way too much sometimes. That’s just how he started his day every morning.

He sloppily put his feet into his sneakers—which used to be black but gradually turned into light grey after years—and dragged them along the alley in front of his house, heading towards the main road. He spent a moment leaning on a wall of an empty shop, thinking about what he’s going to do. It’s still quite early in the morning that his working shift was hours away in the late afternoon. He would choose to leave the house as soon as possible after he woke up since staying in the house longer meant letting himself being nagged more often. He was tired by the nags, but he didn’t understand why his mom never got tired from it.

The busy main road was enough to distract him. He clicked his tongue before he started walking, going to the only place that popped up in his mind to find peace. The deepest spot of the shady park always did well to soothe his temper knowing that he had no one to help him on that. He plumped himself on the bench with a heavy sigh. He had been wanted to think but nothing came out since he hadn’t had his breakfast because of the runaway. His hand already on its way to search through all the pockets in his outfit, searching for gums he had bought on the previous day. The grumpy guy muttered under his breath, cursing on the gums which were playing hide and seek with him, teasing his dull mind and empty stomach. Minutes later a wide happy childish smile grew on his face after he finally found the culprit inside his jacket’s pocket, turned out to be the last gum he had. He was then trying to unwrap the plastic in the quickest way possible as he couldn’t help himself to taste the sweetness, but just to make his happiness he got from finding it earlier vanished in a flash. The only gum he had just bounced out from its wrapping, freely falling on the surface of dusty paving blocks under his shoes.

“Haish!” he lazily grabbed the fallen candy and threw it into the bin beside the bench he’s sitting on.

Pissed off to the fact that he had nothing left to make his brain work, he took out his phone and played the famous candy game, thinking that maybe the virtual candy could bring the visual sweetness into his mind. Time went fast as he already finished playing 4 rounds although he spent two third of it cursing on the game itself, or himself a few times. He was then getting tired from the game—more like getting tired from cursing—and decided to get up to stroll around randomly, trying to find something that he could earn some money from.

“Changjo!” a familiar voice went after his nickname made him glanced around to find the source. A guy he knew from his high school was standing at the park’s entrance, apparently had been there giving flyers to the visitor since he was holding a stack of colorful paper.

Changjo smiled as he jogged towards the person. Finding his own self smiling quite early in the morning was already miraculously enough, he got to meet his old friend then. “Hongbin hyung! What’s this?” he didn’t give a chance for the older to exchange greeting that he already snatched one flyer from his hand since it had caught his attention more than the person he’s meeting.

Hongbin laughed at Changjo’s behavior. “You didn’t change any bit. It’s a new café next block I work at. Come there!” the friendly grin stayed on his face as he promoted his workplace.

Changjo didn’t laugh along but to raise his eyebrow instead. “How much do you get paid for doing this?” he scanned the grinning guy head to toe, judging.

“Ya, I suppose to work behind the counter. But since not many people have known about our place yet, I was told to spread these flyers,” he chuckled at nothing, probably himself since Changjo wasn’t trying to joke around. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you studying in the uni?” he changed topic knowing the person across him didn’t seem interested although his gaze was stuck on him, made him wishing that his dongsaeng was still straight.

“Do you guys still have an empty spot for me?” he simply ignored all of his questions towards him. “Or maybe you can go back behind the counter and I’ll be here spreading those. The color hurt my eyes though, but it’s okay. I need to earn some.” Turned out which made him smiled previously wasn’t about randomly bumped to Hongbin, but he somehow saw a chance to earn money.

But to Hongbin, it’s truly quite a pleasure to meet an old friend that he decided to help him out. “Give me 15 minutes to finish this and we’ll go to the café, okay?”

***

The bell hanging above the door rang once as Changjo went into the minimarket he worked at. His best friend—his workmate also—who was arranging the snacks display rack could tell that it’s him coming only from the way he went into the shop.

He snorted once he glanced at Changjo, before focusing himself back on putting the puffed packs of seaweed flavored chips on the rack in front of him. “What makes the grumpy boy smiling ear to ear today?” he freely started a talk since it’s only them in the shop. “Falling in love?” he then chuckled at his own words, imagining if it’s truly happening to him, the hot-tempered friend he’d been mocking at about having no company in the rest of his life from his behavior.

Changjo hissed, rolling his eyes at the last phrase. “I got a new job at the new café nearby the park,” answered him as he went away to the back door to put his backpack after taking out his uniform shirt. “Another part time job,” he continued when he was back inside the shop, tidying up stuffs around the cashier.

“You’re a full time worker now, huh?” the other guy scoffed. He got up and took the empty baskets to be put beside the entrance.

“Two part time works at two different places, Taehyung,” he corrected. “At least it’s better than staying at one same place for the whole day.” He was then inputting some new data into the cashier system. “Two different places, two different wages.” He shrugged, flashing a winning smirk at his friend.

Taehyung clicked his tongue as he already stood across Changjo. “Still haven’t found any will to go back to uni, naughty boy?”

Changjo paused his work to steal a glance at him. “I don’t even search any, for your info,” he sneered. “It’s never been my will to go there.” He already continued his work as he was double checking the code he had previously typed.

“If the money didn’t go to waste for paying courses you never attend, maybe you already settle your own small business by now,” Taehyung wondered, looking away outside the window. “And maybe I could have worked with you there managing a shop or whatever it is.”

“Exactly,” replied Changjo, still fixing his gaze on the screen. “But I’m not regretting anything though. I’ve warned my mom for times that it’d be a waste back then, she didn’t listen to me. Let the regrets be hers. I’m mean, I know.”

Something turned Changjo cautious all of a sudden that he stopped typing to glance outside. He quickly scanned the people passing by and he caught one figure who had given him the sudden threatening atmosphere was walking toward their place.

“Oh ,” Changjo hissed as his gaze was still pinned on the tall figure. “Code red. You know what you got to do, Kim Taehyung,” he told him before running away through the back door.

A tall man dressed in dark colored jeans and a black hoodie went into the minimarket just a minute after Changjo had disappeared. It took a moment for Taehyung who’s still in daze from the order to act properly. He tried to casually walk into the cashier area, once in a while stealing glances at the suspicious visitor. The guy was leisurely walking inside the shop, obviously searching for something, but it somehow didn’t seem to be a usual thing he could buy in a minimarket.

After a quick tour inside the shop, the guy went towards Taehyung. He calmly towered across him, glancing here and there as he tapped his fingers on the counter. The silent guy gave him an eerie feeling which made Taehyung really wanted to ignore his presence there but he barely could. Something attracted Taehyung to look at the guy, which turned out that it’s just the man in front of him who had been staring at him first. The sharp gaze of him felt like tearing Taehyung apart. He couldn’t help to nervously gulp before he dared himself to run the procedural thingy.

“Is there anything I can help you with, Sir?” he awkwardly grinned; grateful enough he didn’t stutter although his voice didn’t come out as confident as his usual times.

The guy stared at Taehyung suspiciously before making his way towards the back door, casually opening it just like he’s one of the employees to have a look inside, just to find nothing. Taehyung himself couldn't even hold the unstoppable guy from doing it.

“What are you searching for, Sir?” Taehyung was still trying to play safe by going polite although his tone went higher a bit to his unknown, between annoyed and anxious.

The guy was already standing across Taehyung again with an unpleased expression. “Changjo,” the guy finally spoke out, more like a deathly whisper.

“Sorry?” Taehyung couldn’t help to frown, a bit confused that the figure he saw didn’t seem to match with his soft voice. “I’m sorry I didn't hear you clearly, Sir. Can you please repeat it again?” asked him since he got no reply from the guy.

His stare changed into a threatening glare at him. “Choi Jonghyun,” he mumbled, causing Taehyung to conclude that it’s just his natural voice.

Taehyung played innocent; although he wasn’t giving a distinct sign whether he had no idea what the guy was talking about or telling that the person he’s looking for wasn’t there, giving a confused frown as he shook his head.

The guy hissed as he walked towards the front door. He spent a moment to kick the chocolate display rack Taehyung had neatly arranged beside the door earlier before eventually leaving for real, showing a clearer gesture that he’s not satisfied by his visit there.

“Haish! Choi Jonghyun you owe me a drink!” Taehyung regretfully sighed at the scattered bars of chocolate on the floor. He took out his phone from his pocket and dialed Changjo’s number. “Ya, come out. He’s gone already.”

***

Changjo walked home that night after buying Taehyung a drink as he wished. It’s way better than encountering Jung Taekwoon, the guy he avoided at the shop that day. He couldn’t stop smiling on his way home, remembering the new job he just got and how he escaped from Leo—Taekwoon’s nickname. Those little things were enough to make his troubled life felt, at least, a bit better.

His smile didn’t last any longer than the smile he got from finding his favorite gum that morning. It’s gone as soon as a hand grabbed the back of his collar harshly, jerking him to the back before smashing him onto the humid wall of the narrow alley leading to his house. He had no idea that two persons had been going after him all the way from the drinking place since he’d been humming along to the noisy dance songs playing loudly through his nearly broken earphones. He grunted lowly, trying to combine the pieces of what’s going on in his mind. The vague sound of his favorite song could still be heard from one of the earphones which then was on his shoulder, off from its previous place.

A hard slap went across his face, waking him up.

“Who do you think you are to fool him, huh?” Changjo slowly blinked his eyes, finally was able to gather his full vision again from the hit, as a deep voice greeted him. It wasn’t his first time to hear it.

Changjo, who was sat on the ground leaning on the wall, could only snort when he then got the picture of who did it to him. Leo was standing before him, while Minsoo—his right hand—was squatting down in front of him. “Turns out you two aren’t more than just cowards to attack me from the back to my unknown,” Changjo mindlessly quipped, his gaze which was pinned to Minsoo then moved up to Leo.

“So, you would call running away from the scene as bravery?” replied Minsoo, laughing as he recalled the scene he watched that afternoon; Leo was just standing behind him watching, showing his insulting smirk at the young man in front of them.

Changjo was completely silenced by the reply. It was a checkmate. He sighed as he tried to get up, facing it the way he should have faced it fairly. “Now what?” he challengingly asked the two of them although he was then fixing his stare at Minsoo only, knowing that the chance he would get an answer from the other guy was near to nil.  

“You even waste your time to ask, huh?” Minsoo, who already stood up as well, stepped closer. “Your debt is three months overdue and you’re still able to ask ‘now what’?” he spat on him.

Minsoo’s spat on him was enough to wake the sleeping bear as it easily fueled the biggest flame on the scene. Changjo, who had been trying hard to hold himself back all along, jabbed him right on the face, sending him down grunting on the cold concrete. Leo barged forward, but ended up getting kneed right on his off guarded abs by the raging guy. It just took a blink for him to choke on his own blood.

Minsoo tried to get up slowly, crawling on his knees, cursing. Changjo with all the burning anger inside him pushed him down and strangled him hard. “I’ve told you I’m paying it! I always fulfill my promise!” he spat back on Minsoo, leaving him another jab before approaching Leo who was lying on his stomach, panting on the ground.

“And you, Jung Taekwoon.” Changjo kicked him hard once to flip him. Leo gritted his teeth hearing his full name being called in a disrespectful tone. He gathered the strength of him left to pull Changjo down, eager to pay back what he had done to him earlier. His pique on Changjo was strong enough to take him down and hit him on the face.

It happened too fast for Changjo. He landed harshly on his back, badly hurt from Leo’s swift slam. Nonetheless he was grateful enough that he didn’t kiss the ground headfirst. He could taste his own blood on the tip of his mouth and he didn't like tasting his own blood at all.

On the other side, Leo was struggling to get up from the sudden drain of energy after throwing it all out to revenge on Changjo. His breath grew quicker as he saw Changjo was trying to get up as well. He snorted when Changjo’s hand was faster that it was already on his collar, before the younger guy slammed him back down. “An eye for an eye,” Changjo stomped on him.       

Changjo then squatted beside Leo who was coughing hard, choking more on his own blood. With such a condition, Leo was still able to show his offensive smirk, which clearly annoyed Changjo. “Ya, Jung Taekwoon,” he started a talk as he squeezed his jaw hard, half strangling him. “You don’t trust me, do you? Just because I work part time at a minimarket, you think I wouldn’t be able to pay the debt, huh?” he showed the same exact humiliating smirk Leo had shown to him.

Leo’s face was tautened, obviously irritated by his words on him. “Let me tell you something, Taekwoon-ssi,” he continued. “I really hate it when people look down on me. And I think you heard me before, I always fulfill my promise,” he forced Leo to look at him. “I’ve told the two of you I’m paying it next month, are you deaf when I said that?!” he shouted on his face as he whacked him once again, causing Leo to grumbled lowly.

“I just don’t want to make a scene at my workplace. Because I already knew, it would turn out like this. I’d rather spend my money to pay my freaking debt than paying the unnecessary mess you made. Call me a coward, but I don’t care,” he hissed. “At least I still have one in here,” he pointed on his head, directing to his brain. “Any objections, Sir?” he smirked at him again, well pleased by the picture he’d been seeing; the knocked down Leo was still coughing from his blood, shooting daggers at the culprit smiling proudly above him.

“So, I take that as a ‘no’,” he concluded on his own. “Have a good night, Leo-ya.” He tapped his cheek twice just to humiliate him more. He slowly stood up, staring insultingly at Leo once again and spat on him.

He grabbed his backpack and to realize that Minsoo was still curling himself up on the ground. He purposely kicked him hard as he walked away. “Oops, sorry, Minsoo-ssi. I stumbled just now.” He casually continued his walk. His smile was back again on his then bruised face, a satisfied one.

***

“Ya! Choi Jonghyun!” the exact shout got him fed up as time went by. “When will you stop being hard headed?! We’ve spent our last wealth to pay your university fees and look what you did! You only broke into fights!”

The fact that he got black and blue from an overdue debt just to help feeding his family didn’t hurt him at all although he was the one who had to endure the entire burden. The last phrase, which exactly wasn’t right to him, undoubtedly pulled the pin of his first anger grenade that day in a split second. “We? Did I just mishear that? I never asked you to pay my university fees. I didn’t and I never want to go to university. I’ve told you I’d rather work my off to feed us—to feed you, Noona, and me—just as simple as that. I’ve told you for times that sending me to uni would be just a massive waste of money. And now you can’t stop blaming me for not doing it! If you didn't waste that huge amount of money, we'll be just living fine by now! It's your own regrets! Stop putting the blame on me!”

A loud slap tore open the wound he got from the previous night. “You’re such an ungrateful son, Jonghyun. I sacrificed our last wealth for you to have a better life but you insist not to do your study in that hard head of yours!”

Changjo snorted, “I’m doing this for myself, not you, nor anyone else. Call me selfish, but I won’t regret anything.” The argue was forcefully ended as he slammed the front door close and left the house, just how he started his day every morning.