4 Preparing for tomorrow (2/2)

”Here, take this too.”

”Mom, it's okay, I can…”

His mother ripped apart a slice of kimchi and handed it over to Joonbum, but he refused it in shame.

”What, didn't you want me to spoon-feed you so much before? You don't like your mom anymore?”

”No, I didn't mean that. I'm just-”

”Yeah I know. Go ahead.”

He stopped talking and took in a spoonful of rice topped with kimchi and pork meat. The sensation of chewing soft-boiled kimchi with squishy meat was unbelievably filling and the juice that filled his mouth was great. He quickened his hand movements, plowing through the meal.

'So delicious.'

He was a little ashamed, but he put his spoon in front of his mother for more. It was just too delicious.

”Did you get hurt?”

He wasn't expecting to be questioned as he was enjoying the food too much. With a big patch of gauze on the back of his head, it was obvious for her to ask. It was surprising she did not ask about it on first sight.

”I am sorry.”

”Just don't overwork yourself. Money is not important.”

The table became quiet as Joonbum was irritated at her words.

'You should stop overworking yourself, not me.'

He couldn't say this out loud, so he quickly finished up eating and stood up instead.

”I'm going out.”

”Okay.”

When he left the house, all the heat built up by eating the hot, spicy kimchi stew quickly cooled off. He lit up a cigarette as he arrived at a nearby park and sighed at the smoke.

'That place is real and I should be prepared for it.'

He thought about it over and over and there was a slight hesitation that kept coming back to him.

”I should go there first,” said Joonbum, while putting out the half-consumed cigarette. He hopped into his truck as soon as he got back to his house and drove off.

”Hah, what a fitting name for a dark territory.”

He mumbled, glancing at roads as he passed by. The empty roads were filled with eerie presences that seemed like they would attract nothing but ghosts. This spooky visual and many incidents led the area to get its nickname - dark territory.

He sped up through the road and soon turned into an alleyway where his destination was located.

”Hey Joonbum! Come on in!”

”Good afternoon!”

When he got out of the car, a man in his early-thirties welcomed him.

'Jinchul Cha!'

Jinchul was a gun shop owner Joonbum became acquainted with when he was in the army. Jinchul only had two more weeks of service left when Joonbum started serving and he grew closer to him by learning under Jinchul.

Of course, he did not contact him after that. However, when he started his streams, he ran into Jinchul unexpectedly while trying out different content to broadcast.

'It was hunting content…'

He then met Jinchul occasionally for quick drinks after that.

”What's up this late?”

”Sorry about that.”

He shrugged as he said, ”Nah, it's alright. I'm single anyway.”

Joonbum looked at him confused.

”Huh? Didn't you have someone living with you?”

”We broke up. I wasn't going to marry her anyway and six months was long enough. I thought it might get dirty so we broke up and became friends. I can find another woman.”

”Oh.”

Joonbum nodded as Jinchul was waving his hands as if it was like nothing. Joonbum knew that what he was saying wasn't an exaggeration. He was tall, good-looking, and had a good sense of humor. In addition, he was very sensible and trustworthy once you got to know him. With daily work-outs, he was also well-built. Joonbum knew that there were a lot of women around Jinchul that eyed him like a cat aiming for its food.

”So what's with you? No one for you yet?”

'Aw crap, here it comes again.'

Jinchul stuck his pinky up, childishly smiling at Joonbum.

”No, I'm too ugly for that.”

”Hey! Not that again. I told you it's not because of how you look.”

'Yeah right it's not! You haven't seen those girls' faces go cold at sight of my face.' Joonbum thought, not accepting what Jinchul was saying.

”Joonbum, you sure ain't a looker with all that acne and toad-like face, but you still are a good man! Well built, tall, strong, young, and most of all, you've got a big down there too!”

”N-no it's not that big!” Joonbum replied, a bit ashamed at such a compliment, but Jinchul shouted as he entered his store.

”Not big? That's the only part I envy about you, damn it. You're probably the only Korean man who doesn't care about the size! How did you get one that big?”

Joonbum definitely didn't care.