Chapter 41 (1/2)

Chapter 41 – With the Night’s Protection

“Yes?”

The girl s.h.i.+vered and lifted her head. Her expression was one that was fearful of him. She was fearful of the favor that he would want.

“I want to ask a favor so I came here.”

“What favor?”

“Instead of singing, could you talk with me? Of course, I’ll pay you with the same fee.”

The girl thought his words were weird.

There were a lot of people who looked for karaoke helpers because of their loneliness.

But the young man in front of her put talking as the main purpose.

“Talking comes with playing and singing.”

“I want to have a serious conversation. Things about your work. Of course, if it doesn’t bother you.”

“My work? Why?”

The girl asked surprisingly.

Jaegun thought he couldn’t hide it anymore and said the truth.

“I’m a writer.”

“Writ…er? Writer?”

“Yes.”

“I thought you go around and sell electric pads.”

“It was a joke. I’m a writer.”

Jaegun never introduced himself as a writer first. The weight of being a writer was very heavy. And he was not mature enough to consider himself that.

“When I met you yesterday and came home, I thought of a story. I wanted to make a female main with karaoke helper as their job so I made a quick plot.”

The girl was listening to hims with wide open eyes.

“But I got stuck. I have no idea about the job of an karoake helper. I can’t writer anything like this. So I came here to ask you for information.”

Jaegun’s words went into the girl’s ears clearly.

But the girl was still staring blankly.

“Is it hard?”

“No, no.”

The girl lifted her head.

She was rubbing her sweat filled hands on her ankles.

“It’s not hard, but it’s a bit surprising.”

“I understand. There’s no customer like me.”

“So it’s only a conversation?”

“Yes, as I said.”

“If I just answer things, I get the same amount of money.

“Of course.”

The girl smiled widely after asking again. Her lips deep with lipstick was sparking.

“It would be stupid to refuse. It’s good for me.”

The girl reached out and opened the two bottles of beer.

“Cheers.”

“I’m sorry but I don’t…”

Jaegun refused politely. If he drank, his mind would be befuddled and he wouldn’t be able to write. He didn’t want to drink.

But the girl didn’t back off.

With a frown, she turned around and muttered.

“No cheers means no contract.”

“Then… just one drink.”

Jaegun gave in and picked up the bottle.

The girl immediately brightened and cheered.

“One shot.”

“Yes? This thing?”

The girl was already driving the beer into her mouth.

Jaegun swallowed once and with a fierce face, he started to drink.

He cliched his eyes closed because of the drink.

The girl, who finished drinking, was looking at Jaegun with a smile.

“Khhhhhhhhh….!”

Jaegun barely drank the entire thing and moaned as he put it down.

He crumpled the empty can unintentionally.

“What kind of man is this?”

The girl smiled as she looked at the coughing Jaegun. And she lighted a cigarette. Between her lips, a bunch of smoke came out.

“The time is ticking. Start. Ask me anything.”

“Kh… Yes.”

Jaegun took out the memo and the pen.

He regretted not having his laptop and asked his first question.

“I want to know the beginning of this job.”

The girl looked at the ceiling.

“I dropped out of high school. The relations.h.i.+p between my new mom and me was bad. So I left. After I worked in many places, I found this job. It’s only been a month.”

“Yes….”

Jaegun was surprised..

Instead of just saying that worked here for money, she voluntarily talked about her personal information.

It was nice news for Jaegun. It was going to be a easier making the female main character.

“How did you find out…?”

“The internet. After I saw it, I got an interview from the person here at a cafe, then I came to work the next day. I come at 8 and until 2. If there’s a lot of people, I end at 4 too.”

“Ah 8 to 2. Aren’t there tips?”

“The frequent people give tips. If they aren’t frequent, some people give it depending on their moods. There’s always the people who give 10 dollars and make a fuss about it. It’s tiring.”

“Yes, it must be tiring.”

Jaegun didn’t rest at all even while responding back. The white paper was slowly filling up with words.

‘Why is it so quiet?’

The owner at the counter felt it was weird.

It was too quiet.

Even though a lot of time pa.s.sed, there wasn’t a song coming out at all.

‘Did something happen?’

It was a world with weird people.

There’s no way to see inside a person.

Sort of nervous, the owner went to Jaegun’s room

‘Hm? They’re just talking.’

As she looked inside, the girl and Jaegun was facing each other and talking.

The owner became curious.

What are these two people talking about so intently even if they only met yesterday.

“Hey, give us 4 more bottles!”

“Yes, I’ll be there.”