Chapter Text
The moment the doorbell rang, Jeong Tae-eui hesitated. Beans from the chopsticks in his hand fell and rolled. It took less than a few seconds for the black beans to leave the plate and stop leaving a sticky trail, but in the meantime, the doorbell rang again.
Jeong Tae-eui tapped the table with the tip of a comb and chopsticks and gave a nervous look toward the front door. He had a bad feeling ever since he heard the faint sound of footsteps coming up the stairs.
No, to be precise, his knees were throbbing in the rain since dawn, and he felt bad from the moment he woke up. My knees always hurt when it rains or when the weather is bad, but it's not good on a particularly throbbing day like today.
It was a time when I had a simple breakfast lined up and had a couple of drinks in a mood no different from the inclement sky where the rain drizzled silently. The sound of footsteps came from outside.
In the decrepit tenement house, built more than 20 years ago, if even a cat entered the building, the sound resonated all the way to the rooftop floor, so it was immediately known.
And on the third floor right below the rooftop, Tae-eui Jeong entered the building at this obscure time, slightly past 7 in the morning, and from the moment he heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs, he had a bad feeling about something.
And the moment the doorbell rang, that bad premonition came to a deep reality.
Few people came to this house. His older brother, who has not been heard from since he left the house four days ago--the only person living with him in the house--doesn't ring the doorbell because he has the key.
The hard, heavy presence that stopped outside the door rang the doorbell once more even while he was contemplating. Knock and footsteps echoed once more. It's a sharp and heavy sound. It resembled the sound of military boots.
The moment I remembered the word military boots, my foreboding feeling grew stronger, and the doorbell rang three or four times in a row this time. I didn't even open the rice wine a few times, but I lost my appetite and put my chopsticks down.
The man outside the door, who came with an ominous feeling, showed no sign of backing down. There was a person who came to mind in that form, who did not knock on the door, did not call out, but only pressed the doorbell incessantly, making my heart even more depressed.
"..."
It was exactly when the doorbell rang 12 times that Jeong Tae-eui took off his coat and opened the door. The man standing outside took a step back as the door opened. Those shoes that made a angular sound were clean military boots without a speck of dust.
And on top of those shoes, there was a black military buk that was straight and undisturbed, as if measured with a ruler. To be precise, it should be called a conquest or a uniform, not a military uniform, but the place this man was in was not too different from the military.
The small silver badge hanging from his collar looks particularly hateful. It's not because there are so many people in the world who can't stand to wear that badge.
When this man came to this house wearing that badge - formally in uniform - he hadn't had a single good day. Having said that, this was the third or fourth time I saw this man in uniform.
His black gloves ripped off his black hat. The man smiled softly as he met Jung Tae-eui.
"It's been a while. Didn't anything special happen?"
It has been about 3 years since I last met this man. During that time, there were many special things.
He almost died while clearing a land mine, and he almost died another time because of a rejection reaction while undergoing surgery. I was discharged even though I hadn't even filled half of the exam.
Jeong Tae-eui looked at the man for a while with a complicated face and then said with a sigh.
"I don't know if there's something special about me that my uncle doesn't know about. Even if my uncle has something special that will suddenly come to me without contacting me at this hour... Come in."
Somehow, I felt bad.
It's not that I don't like this guy, but it makes me uncomfortable to visit him dressed like this. But come to think of it, in all likelihood he would have come to visit his brother, and he had nothing to do with himself being unlucky.
Nonetheless, Jeong Tae-eui stepped out of the way with the feeling of welcoming a plague god into the house. The man's eyes, looking at that face, slightly curved in joy, without any unpleasant light. Jung Tae-eui asked as he closed the door behind the man who had entered the house earlier.
"When did you come in?"
"Two hours ago. Right from the airport."
"Yeah, that's right... But I shouldn't have contacted you. I don't have a hyung."
The man, who was throwing himself on the sofa in a roomy posture unsuitable for the uniform with no wrinkles and sharp angles like a knife, stopped for a moment and glared at Jeong Tae-ui when he heard Jeong Tae-ui's words.
"No? When are you coming?"
"I don't know. I left four days ago and haven't heard from you. Did you only come to Korea to see your brother? Then you walked a long way in vain."
"Is there anywhere I can contact you?"
"If you try to contact him and get in touch easily, it's not Jeong Jae-eui. Knowing what."
Jeong Tae-eui spoke nonchalantly as she sat on the stool across from the man.
Jeong Tae-eui's older brother was a person who led a relatively regular life. If he had to stay out for a day or two, most of them simply announced his plans and went out. However, there were times when he would sometimes leave without a promise and not come back for days and days, and now was the time. There were times when he would return after four or three days, but there were times when there was no news for over two months at the longest, so this time I couldn't tell when he would come back.
But this time he thinks maybe he won't be back for quite some time. Four days ago, when he was on the road, his older brother said something incomprehensible and left.
'It's not fun even if a person lives only by being too lucky. I'll have to go through bad luck too.'
Jung Tae-eui was lost in thought for a moment as he recalled the image of his older brother who left with a smile as vague as those words. He was originally a person with a corner that was difficult to understand, but even thinking back on what he meant at that time, it is not clear.
but… … .
"Um, how is it..."
Looking at his uncle, who mumbled in trouble and tapped his forehead with his fingertips. Jeong Tae-eui muttered in his mouth. I like to experience bad luck. What kind of misfortune is this misfortune for a human being who managed to disappear just in time before such misfortune came without warning? like this. That older brother is a person who will never be able to see even a glimpse of misfortune for the rest of his life.
***
Jeong Tae-eui has an older brother who was born on the same day and at the same time.
He is said to have been divided from the same root, but his older brother, who did not resemble Jeong Tae-eui as much as a stranger, was frighteningly intelligent. He was a genius, to the extent that words are not enough to describe him.
If my older brother hadn't been such a laid-back and somewhat indolent person, if he hadn't been a person who had no interest or ambition in his surroundings, he could have blown up a continent from the earth.
The older brother, who was coveted by the United Nations Human Resources Development Organization, had exceptional talents ranging from the humanities to science and technology, and even to the arts.
On the other hand, Jeong Tae-eui was ordinary. He was right to say that he was slightly better than the common man. He never fell below average no matter what he did anyway. There were also times when I heard that I was excellent depending on the field.
However, if you hear that Jeong Tae-eui is excellent, it is the result of his own efforts. He was different from his older brother, who achieved the highest score without half the effort of half the others.
However, Jeong Tae-eui had never been envious of his brother in that respect. He thought it would be convenient, but he didn't want to have the kind of talent that Unjeong hyung had.
What Jeong Tae-eui envied in his older brother was not such brains, talent, or ability.
What he envied was his older brother's luck.
Jeong Tae-eui's older brother, Jeong Jae-eui, was exceptionally lucky to the extent that even his brain, which is said to be the genius of geniuses, could not be compared. His luck was so extreme that it is not enough to describe him as being born under a lucky star.
Even if he got caught up in a major accident, Jeong Jae-eui miraculously survived without a single hair loss. As for his luck, he had never received pocket money properly when he was a student. Because there was no need for that.
He didn't have much need for money because he didn't have any material desires, but if he suddenly needed to spend money, but he didn't have any money, Jeong Jae-eui borrowed a few coins from people around him to buy a lottery ticket.
The lottery ticket would then bring him exactly the amount of luck he needed.
Everything was like that.
Next to Jeong Jae-eui, where only extreme and absolute luck is taken for granted in everyday life, Jung Tae-eui suffered as much luck as normal people and a similar amount of misfortune. I would be lying if I said I did not envy his older brother's luck in such a life.
When he was young, he had a stomach ache and envied him unbearably, but it wasn't to that extent after his hair grew thick. He was just that much of a general envy for the novelty and good things he couldn't have.
Even so, for Jeong Tae-eui, who is rarely envious of anything, that was the only envy he felt towards others.
He was envious and sometimes jealous, but Jung Tae-eui liked his brother anyway.
The unlucky person, who had an extremely good brain, an unparalleled ability to use that brain, and even a tremendous amount of luck, wasn't even that unlucky. He was nonchalant, capricious, and albeit of an unknown composition, but for his older brother he was mediocre. He was just plain sweet and just plain trustworthy.
He considers himself a good brother. … … Even after living as brothers for 20 years, he is still an older brother who has some puzzling points, but maybe all geniuses are like that, I don't know. But maybe his older brother didn't like Jeong Tae-eui so much.
The night before, four days before his brother left.
As he usually does, he would stare at a complex blueprint of something that Jeong Tae-eui couldn't understand, and occasionally write chemical formulas and molecular model drawings next to it as if he had remembered it. Tae-eui Jeong looked over the blueprint, but he didn't even realize it for a long time.
Looking at unfamiliar chemical formulas and lists of numbers, Jung Tae-eui, who thought, 'Your brother is stepping into an unknown world again', went up to the sofa next to him and took out a normal humanities book that he could understand and opened it.
It was a quiet and comfortable night like any other. After looking at the papers for a long time, he must have been tired, so he pushed them aside and lay down on the floor with a dazed face, staring at the ceiling.
Maybe then, a weary sigh escaped from his mouth. He suddenly sat next to Jeong Tae-ui, who was sitting on the sofa reading a book, and suddenly grabbed Jeong Tae-ui's little finger and said.
'I mean here... … .'
Then he spread out his little finger and continued talking.
'Here, there is a red thread between the teeth. We were born on the same day, at the same time, and in the same boat, so if that's natural, then it's natural and we can't help it... … Let's stop cutting.'
'… … . What?'
What is this incomprehensible sound all of a sudden? He is said to be an older brother who swims in an area he cannot understand, but he has never said anything that he does not understand.
He was well aware that his brother was not the owner of a normal brain, but at this time, Jeong Tae-eui briefly suspected that his brother might not even have a normal brain.
However, the older brother, who had a calm gaze as usual, spread his fingers in a scissor shape and pretended to snip between his and Jeong Tae-eui’s little finger. As if cutting off the red thread of the invisible connection between them.
And then, as if nothing had happened, Jeong Tae-eui stared at his older brother again, with his little finger raised. Then he asked abruptly.
'brother… … . Did you actually hate me?'
Or he looked back to see if he had done something upsetting lately, but nothing caught him off guard. what's the problem What kind of problem had arisen without his knowledge that he suddenly said to cut off the relationship?
When Jeong Tae-eui asked that question, he suddenly looked at him as if he was saying something out of the blue.
'why me.'
My brother said so. Jeong Tae-eui tilted his head and stared at his brother's face. But when he saw his older brother's expression, which he couldn't tell what he was thinking, but did not show any pretentious light, he said nothing and turned his gaze back to the book.
But if you think about it, maybe that word was an abbreviation for 'then why would I like you'.
Even if you wonder now, the only person who can answer the question has already left without a promise. He left behind the words that he had to go through bad luck.
Jeong Tae-eui thought, 'You're doing all the things you're full of', but now that you see it, it turns out that even leaving like that is very, very lucky. It's out before this troublesome guest shuts up.
**
I wasn't happy at all, but I couldn't ignore a guest who came to my house and asked me to eat something because he was hungry. The appetite had already gone down a long time ago, but for now, I sat in front of the table, across from my uncle.
"What kind of news is this?"
The uncle smiled at the barley rice, soup, and two or three side dishes on the table.
"What do you want from a young man who lives in poverty? Do only goryang delicacies come out in your uncle's army?"
"Sure. Life is hard, but if the food is rough, there will be internal riots. But it's not the military."
"Well, from what I've heard, it's not much different from the military. According to what I've heard, it's more self-reliant than the military."
"Still, people eager to come in have lined up on the other side of the globe. It's a great name, United Nations Human Resources Training Organization."
"Because I can't memorize that long."
While watching his uncle eat, saying, "It's been a while since I've had such a simple side dish, it's delicious," whether it's praise or complaint, Jeong Tae-eui sighed again and picked up the spoon. I think I left my chopsticks once and I have no appetite. I don't want to eat soup or a few drinks.
While eating the soup, my eyes suddenly stopped at the chopsticks moving in front of me. I thought about it a long time ago, but this person held chopsticks very nicely. The way you use chopsticks correctly is good. That grandson resembles his older brother.
While thinking about that, Jeong Tae-eui looked up and saw his uncle's face. It's neat, and in a way, it's a look that feels gentle. resembles his brother
Well, it's not even a resemblance. Genetically, he is the father. Even if he doesn't look like himself.
“Your brother’s 3rd cycle was next month, right?”
There was no way he could know what Jeong Tae-eui was thinking, but his uncle suddenly said.
"Yes. The 20th lunar day. Are you coming?"
“It must be difficult.”
Come to think of it, the last time I saw my uncle was at his father's funeral. After that, he didn't come at all at the time of the memorial service, but that's it. He's such a busy person, so he knows he can't help it.
This person is a troublesome and annoying guest to Jeong Tae-eui, but in fact he is a person who will be treated well wherever he goes.
"I don't know when he'll be back, but should I ask him to call his uncle when he comes?"
I asked first, knowing that if it was urgent, it would be quicker for my uncle to find someone himself.
"No... I don't have that much time."
The uncle, who quickly finished a bowl of rice, muttered as he wiped his mouth with his fingertips. And stare at Jeong Tae-eui.
At that moment, the foreboding feeling that he had forgotten rose up his spine again.
"Jung Tae's."
"Uncle... I don't know why you're looking for him, but he and I are very
You know what's different? Even if Yuk-hyung brings the chemical formula he solved when he was five years old, he's a human who won't understand."
When Jeong Tae-eui spoke quickly and bluntly, his uncle slightly curved his eyes again, as if he was pleasant.
"Originally, you and Jaeui, you know that one of them is my child, right?"
What his uncle brought up was a topic that Jeong Tae-eui hadn't even expected. Anything he said would have been unexpected, but he had no idea he would say something like that in this context. Jeong Tae-eui looked at his uncle and said like a sigh.
"Well. Both of them are uncle's sons, not one of them. Genetically, I know. Why is that?"
It's not even a secret. These are the words I heard directly from my father when I was young. Did I judge that my brothers and sisters were old enough to understand the language? My father sat the two children on and off the railroad and spoke to them step by step. My father is incapable of making babies, so he got you guys with the help of his uncle.
Nothing much had changed. My father was still my father, and my uncle was still my uncle. Even in a single phenomenon, the fact is one, but the truth can be many.
But at that time, my father also said, 'So, if your uncle says something strange someday, guess what he's saying is right, and follow him'.
Not necessarily because of those words, but the brothers followed their uncle well because of their father's request, and in fact, except for the occasional trouble, the uncle was a pleasant and nice person. But Father in Heaven. It's not just once or twice that my uncle says strange things.
"No. Not both, but one. Before you were born. Knowing that you were twins, my older brother said he would give me one of the two of you. So, originally, as soon as you were born, you should become separated brothers and live as cousins... The two wriggling guys were so close to each other that I gave up on taking only one of them off, so I avoided being separated.”
look at this. Even now, my uncle is saying strange things again. When Jeong Tae-eui looked at him with white eyes, his uncle must have noticed that and immediately turned his face. Because it's real. The appearance of emphasizing that said seemed a little questionable, but he was not one to lie. Besides, somehow, I got a feeling. what was it,
The fact that the father also said he would give one of his sons to his brother, he may not have wanted to say directly to his son. That's right, that strange word must have been this. Come to think of it, at that time, my father was silent for a while and then quietly added.
He said, 'Treat your uncle like a father and follow him when the time comes.'
Maybe someday, when I had to, meant when my uncle asked for it.
I can not know. However, if his father had been convinced, he had no intention of raising his voice by throwing up. Although he is not here, his brother will probably come to a similar conclusion as Jeong Tae-eui. Jeong Tae-eui was a person who gave up quickly. It can be said that he adapts to the given environment, and it can be said that he adapts quickly.
"Yes. Uncle... My cousin is about to leave. Should I tell him to call my uncle when he comes back?"
When Jeong Tae-eui said this, his uncle laughed out loud. His smile resembles his older brother's. Gwayon, if you look like this, there will be no difficulty in saying that you are father and son. Well, it seems like they have similar personalities.
Anyway, when my older brother comes back this time, he will be surprised that his father has suddenly changed. No, I don't want to be surprised. Tae-eui Jeong didn't remember much seeing his brother surprised by something --- at least showing his surprise outwardly--.
"There's no time to look for someone who doesn't have it. Go, Tae-eui, you're my son from today. Let's go with me. Pack your things. We distribute all miscellaneous things there, so pack only the essentials."
The uncle said, rubbing his chin in some pleasant way. There is a hint of laughter in his voice. However, Jeong Tae-eui was not happy to hear that. It was a rare experience for him to hear such strange sounds of lovers on the same day with little time difference, but he did not enjoy it.
"Me?"
"Yes, Jeong Tae-eui. My son."
It looked like a heavy load was about to fall on his shoulders. Only then did Jeong Tae-eui look straight at his uncle with a serious face and wrinkle his lips.
The unexpected behavior of his uncle, who had never said a word before suddenly appearing and insisting on his father's rights, was the same, but what is the reason why his uncle, who was living well as a single man without a wife, suddenly needed a son?
"Can't I follow you?"
"Be filial and come here, son."
"I don't like it, father. Can't I just be an unfilial child?"
The uncle laughed heartily. The uncle and father were quite separated, and the age difference between father and uncle was only three less than that between uncle and Jeong Tae-eui. So rather than an uncle, he felt more like an older brother.
The uncle laughed deeply and then got up and approached Jeong Tae-eui. And Jeong Tae-eui, who looked suspiciously at him, struck out of nowhere. It is a violence that is difficult to express with the cute word honey night.
"Ouch!"
As Jeong Tae-eui looked at him disapprovingly as he wrapped his head around him, he still smiled and said calmly.
“This guy, I worked hard to get him discharged, so I can’t thank him, what kind of unfilial son?
"Ouch! Ah! Ouch! It hurts, Uncle! It really hurts!"
He is similar to his older brother even when his hands are spicy. After all, I think it would be better for my older brother to play this man's son. Because of his languid personality, the older brother had nothing to do with violence, but sometimes his hands were very sharp when he patted him on the back to call for Jeong Tae-eui, who was out of his mind, or when he slapped him on the cheek to wake him up from being pressed by scissors.
After knocking Jeong Tae-ui, his uncle calmly massaged his hand and sat back down, as if asking what had happened.
"How come I had a long time left for my mandatory military service, but I thought I would be discharged smoothly... Did my uncle help me?"
"Yeah. Jae-ui said. My younger brother, whose body and mind are in tatters, is crying in the army."
“……What…… What’s up with the wounds?”
I almost lost my life at the military hospital, and I had a bit of trouble because all my colleagues around me started quarreling, but until I was in tatters... … , … … I don't know if I did.
The problem was that when he was at the military academy, he was assigned to the same unit with the guys he didn't get along with the most. In the end, I almost killed a person, and I almost died, and I was discharged, and now I have completely cut off ties. I don't want to think anymore, and there's nothing to think about.
Jung Tae-eui, depressed by the memories he had forgotten about, sighed quietly. He was discharged four months ago and is now a member of the Young Unemployed. He still throbs on bad days, but he was just thinking that since his legs were all healed and his body was fine, he had to do something soon.
"Yes. Why did you suddenly need your son? Where are you going to send him?"
When Jeong Tae-eui asked as if he had a crush on him, his uncle also recalled a non-playful laugh.
"My son is fine. Anyway, I need someone to use. Not long ago, the number of people drastically decreased during a big fight with the guys from the European branch. I needed to adjust the number of people."
"..."
"..." is an excuse, the truth is, I need a lucky guy."
The uncle paused for a moment. Jeong Tae-eui waited silently for him to speak. Needless to say, he knew that talking about the number of heads was an excuse anyway. As he said, if you lined up people frantically wanting to enter, they would reach the other side of the world, so if it was simply a matter of numbers, there was no point in coming all the way here. However, if you were lucky, Jeong Tae-eui would not be eligible, and your uncle knew that.
“It means that after half a year, the head of our branch will move into the Americas headquarters. So, the two vice ministers are fighting for the position behind the scenes, but there are factional fights in every town. I have to help my immediate superior to become the general manager. In other words, it is said that it will be necessary to fight fiercely with each other within the branch for the next half year. In the meantime, a lot of despicable and despicable tactics are also taking place. In other words, luckily between them It means we need someone below us who can survive for a long time.”
"I'm not very lucky."
"Umm------It's like a chicken instead of a pheasant. How is it?"
"How is it? Who would be happy to hear that it is a chicken instead of a pheasant?"
Jeong Tae-eui replied bluntly, but the words themselves did not offend him. If a person who is equal to Jeong-jae is a pheasant, then just calling himself a chicken makes sense. That's why Jung Jae-eui was an exceptional person. I could only half understand what my uncle was saying. Half of what Jung Tae-eui understood was, 'If you get caught up in it, it's going to be a headache.' As the saying goes, it was a faction fight, and wherever my uncle was, it was almost no different from the military society where Jeong Tae-ui didn't want to turn his head in that direction.
“Your uncle was in the Asia branch, right?”
"right."
"If you want to get in there and you're luckier and more capable than I am, you'll find as many as there are stars in the sky. Pick up any of them and go."
"I've already told you about the inner secrets, but you shouldn't come out like that after hearing everything."
"What's the matter? It's not supposed to be an open secret anyway. Fight well on your own, and be promoted safely."
Jeong Tae-eui shook his hand and, as if this was the end of the story, stood up and began to clear the empty bowl. Then, the uncle grabs Jeong Tae-eui's wrist tightly. Jeong Tae-eui clicked his tongue. Seeing his uncle's face, it seemed that he was sincere. This makes it hard to refuse.
"Uncle... you know why? I can't."
Jeong Tae-eui sighed and muttered. Then the uncle asked seriously.
"Tell me why it doesn't work. If it's a good reason, I'll find someone else."
"You know."
"Well……?"
I had no idea what the hell this man was thinking. Judging from his words alone, there was no reason why the person in need had to be Jeong Tae-eui. As for Jung Jae-eui, people like Jung Tae-eui were widely spread throughout the world.
"Uncle. First of all, I hate the military. I've already had enough in that authoritative and closed neighborhood."
"We're not in the military. We're just doing physical training a little harder, and the class world and the atmosphere inside are different from the military. Since we often deal with classified cases, it may be called closed in that respect, but at least it's not authoritative. There are a general, two vice ministers, and six instructors, but the general and vice ministers are hardly ever seen. The rest are all equal colleagues. Now, why else?"
“……. My body is also weak.”
"I know you're all better."
"It's just that I don't have to go to the hospital, but if I'm still dirty, my knees hurt and my body hurts."
"There's no one else like that. They've all been shot once or twice and broken a few bones. Now, another reason?"
"And I don't even fit my uncle's requirements. My luck and ability are mediocre."
Then the old man rolled his eyes again. After staring at Jeong Tae-eui subtly for a moment, he spoke slowly.
"I need someone who can survive for a long time doing what I'm told to do well. Still, I have a pretty high opinion of you, Jeong Tae-eui. Even though I think I've got a bit of a grasp on you, even so, I'd like to point out that when you were at the military academy I've also reviewed the records from until recently. You, you have the most important thing to survive safely."
"What is it?"
"tact."
"..."
I thought the story was going to be serious, but suddenly the wrong words popped out. Jeong Tae-eui, who was listening to praise for something of his own, lost strength in his body.
"Uncle... you notice... that's..."
"Why are you disappointed?"
“Rather than disappointment---Yes, I was disappointed.”
Jeong Tae-eui slowly shook his head and muttered, and his uncle laughed lowly.
“I can’t be disappointed. A person with special luck like Jae-yi is different, but for most ordinary guys, what is essential to survive is awareness. In other words, persimmon. Depending on how you like it, live or die."
The uncle's tail lowered slightly. He had never experienced the many life-and-death crossroads he had passed through. It was not in such a fierce life that he almost died. It was the only risk due to an accident that anyone could experience. But he seemed to know what his uncle was talking about.
"So, what's next?"
"Yeah?"
"The other reason why?"
My uncle beckoned me to tell him if there were more. What I said so far is a face that doesn't have a convincing reason. If it was a convincing reason, I wouldn't have objected.
Jeong Tae-eui silently looked at him. He also faced Jeong Tae-eui. Without further urging, he slowly waited for Jeong Tae-eui to open his mouth.
Sometimes Jeong Tae-eui was surprised by his older brother. It's not about his genius or luck, which he already knows like air clinging to his skin. It was at this time that I realized that he knew me surprisingly well.
Since they had already grown up together for a quarter of a century--even if they didn't always stick together because their lives were different-- they thought they knew enough about each other, but sometimes Jeong Jae-eui caught Jeong Tae-eui off guard.
It is the time when Jeong-tae points out his own inclinations or thoughts that he himself was not even aware of. Even without intentional observation, Jung Jae-eui would naturally grasp the essence of a person.
In that respect, Uncle Lee definitely had a similar composition to Jeong Jae-eui.
"..."
He had never spoken of it, never hinted at it, and hadn't met his uncle very often, but he seemed to already know. Or, if he didn't know, he wouldn't be surprised at all if he heard Jeong Tae-eui's words.
“……It’s dangerous to go into a place where only men are crowded.”
Jeong Tae-eui muttered sadly. Looking at his sullen face, the uncle raised his eyebrows barely visible, and the next moment laughed as if he was having fun.
"Who?"
While he couldn't understand his uncle's question for a moment, he asked one after another.
"You mean, or the others?"
Jeong Tae-eui slightly frowned. And he thought, then answered.
“If I had to ask, that would be me.”
"You? Why, do you think those guys there will drag you over and attack you?"
Jeong Tae-eui glared disapprovingly at his uncle, who was talking like he was having fun. Then he finally clicked his tongue and muttered like a sigh as if he had given up.
"I feel like I'm going to drag everyone there."
"I didn't know your range of defense was so wide. If you want, and if possible, attack as much as you like. It's a society where power reigns unconditionally, unless it's your boss."
"...... If you're strong enough, you can drag anyone around and attack you?!"
Tae-eui Jeong exclaimed incredulously, and his uncle stretched out his hands and smiled. Sometimes I can't tell if this person is joking or being serious. Jeong Tae-ui tsk, clicked his tongue and scratched his head nervously. And he glared at his uncle.
"Why do you pretend you don't know?"
"Well, in this context, all I can guess is that you tend to be sexually attracted to people of the same sex, but what else?"
"That's enough, I'm tired."
“Are you that tired of beating up one of your classmates who have bad habits and being discharged?”
Jeong Tae-eui glared at his uncle fiercely for a while, then sighed as if tired and leaned his head against the wall. Look, you know everything after all. He guessed it, so it wasn't too surprising.
The uncle took a cup from the cupboard within reach, grabbed the kettle, also within reach, and poured water into it. And he said while drinking the plain water as if it were fragrant tea.
“Jung Tae-eui. Regarding that matter, I might have thought that if you had cited it as a reason from a slightly different perspective, I might have understood it.
“A different perspective, what is that?”
Tired of arguing, I asked in a limp voice, and my uncle laughed mischievously.
“For example, being afraid that others will attack you.”
“Uncle, that joke is not funny… … .”
Whoops, I let out a sigh. No, I'm not even kidding, even the muttering that follows is a joke. It wasn't a joke, it was the words that came after that.
“Okay, is there any other reason?”
Jeong Tae-eui let out a very long sigh. Even after that, he kept his mouth shut for a while, and finally muttered as if he had given up on everything.
“… … . half a year?"
Then the uncle's eyes twinkled and he smiled happily.
“Yes, half a year. Until the next general manager is decided. After that, do whatever you like. You can quit, or you can continue if you like the way you live. Incidentally, even if you quit, you won't have time to worry about finding a job because you'll be flooded with scouting requests as soon as you quit. If you're worried about where you're going, don't know. Being in our organization is a very brilliant career.”
“Yes, you would.”
Jeong Tae-eui seemed to have lost all strength in his body, so he leaned against the back of his chair. I feel like I've completed all the marathons - even though I didn't have the slightest sense of accomplishment -. However, the time indicated by the wall clock that caught my eye was just the time when people started their daily routine.
It is said that the future is unknown, but I never thought that such a sudden and unexpected change would come.
Yeah, I didn't have a good feeling in the morning. In the end, it's like this.
If you think about it like that, my uncle's words that he took Jeong Tae-eui because he had a good feeling might be very right.