Substitute-Chapter 8

“How was the interview?”

Just past midnight, when Friday turned into Saturday, Han looked at Jiwon with eyes full of anticipation.

Even though he’d gone through the same interview, he asked as if he didn’t know a thing.

“That... nondisclosure agreement.”

“Oh, right. There was a penalty fee, huh? My bad.”

Han said this as he handed Jiwon a bottle of water.

“Buy one, get one free.”

Even though Han knew Jiwon had received the interview payment, he didn’t say anything like “you should treat me.”

“Pick whatever you want to eat. My treat.”

Jiwon said it because he couldn’t just let today pass like any other.

Han probably got the same money, but if it weren’t for Han, Jiwon might’ve missed the interview altogether. So he wanted to give at least a small thank-you.

Then Han laughed and said, “For real? I’m gonna grab everything, is that okay, hyung?” His face was full of mischief.

Shit. He looked just like him.

His throat tightened for a moment. He forced a smile to look indifferent.

“Yeah. Go ahead and grab everything.”

At Jiwon’s words, Han let out a cheer.

But despite the exaggerated gesture, all Han picked up was a soon-to-expire triangle kimbap with a 30% off sticker and a cup ramen that was part of a two-plus-one deal. When Jiwon reached for a cola, Han made him put it back, saying, “That one’s not on sale.” Truly frugal.

“A beer would be perfect right now... tch.”

Han picked up a coffee drink — also on sale — and sighed with regret.

“You know I got the interview money too, right?”

Han asked as he sat down.

“Your slot was at 3:30, right?”

“Man, you’ve got a good memory. Hyung, let’s grab a beer sometime at our place. Grill some pork belly too.”

“Yeah. Sounds good.”

Jiwon knew it was just something Han said, but he answered anyway.

For the two of them to actually drink together, it’d have to be past 5 a.m. when everyone’s shift ended. But by then, both Jiwon and Han would be completely drained, barely making it back to their rooms before collapsing. And even if it were possible, they’d have to get permission from the madam Han lived with.

So they just sat at a convenience store table, eating triangle kimbap and cup ramen, promising next time.

“Honestly, I was kinda disappointed.”

Jiwon looked at him, not understanding. Han glanced around and mouthed, “Interview.”

“I thought there’d be a Maybach.”

“Ah...”

He’d completely forgotten about that client.

“Come on, hyung. We only got the interview thanks to that Maybach guy. How could you forget?”

Han scolded him.

“Was that guy really the one who arranged the interview?”

Jiwon feigned ignorance and asked again.

“I told you before. Didn’t hyung get his business card?”

“Business card?”

Oh, that. Back then, he’d just thought it was another designated driving client, shoved the card into his shirt pocket without a second glance, and forgot about it.

And boy, did he get scolded for that later.

Now, he smiled a little thinking back on it.

“What the hell. I thought hyung knew everything. Actually...”

Han looked around again, then leaned in close to Jiwon, like he was about to say something important. But before he could even open his mouth, his phone rang. A client must’ve shown up.

“Hyung, I’ll tell you later.”

Han quickly left the convenience store.

Left alone, Jiwon finished the rest of his cup ramen, then cleaned up the table. He picked up Han’s trash too. After all, he’d have to wait at least another hour or two before his next call came, so he just stayed at the convenience store to wait.

To avoid thinking about unnecessary things, he filled the time with meaningless thoughts. Like what he’d do if he won the lottery — pointless fantasies that had nothing to do with his reality.

And so, yet another night of working as a room salon exclusive driver began.

It was a rare lucky day. As if getting a fat payout for yesterday’s interview wasn’t enough, today’s tips alone added up to over 100,000 won. He hummed to himself, saying that’s why weekends were the best.

Still wired from yesterday morning’s intense interview, Jiwon didn’t even feel tired as he got on the dawn bus. He crashed the moment he reached the goshiwon and, for the first time in a while, ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

When the alarm woke him, he felt so refreshed it actually surprised him. As he walked to the goshiwon’s communal shower, he checked the texts and missed calls he’d received overnight. Mixed in with the usual messages about loans, insurance, lottery, and stocks was one unexpected message of congratulations.

[We sincerely congratulate Mr. Kim Jiwon on passing. Please click the link below for details about the second interview.]

Jiwon blinked at the acceptance message that arrived exactly 24 hours later.

Worried it might be spam, he checked the number three times. It was the same number that had offered him the first interview. He clicked the link, and just like before, there were a bunch of warnings and instructions. The only thing different was that he had to arrive on an empty stomach.

Honestly, it would’ve been a lie to say he didn’t expect to pass the first interview. Horn-Rimmed Glasses had mentioned the second round even after seeing the state of his genitals, and he’d even dropped a few hints — signals Jiwon had taken as signs he’d passed.

Excited, Jiwon re-read the message.

Was this interview — seriously, truly — the lifeline he’d been desperately chasing?

What if it wasn’t a lifeline, but a trap?

What if he’d misstepped again?

He shook his head.

He already knew this wouldn’t be easy.

This was the first door to open in more than six months of being completely stuck, unable to go forward or back. Whether this was the right path or not — whether it was a path at all — he could decide that after walking it.

Whatever it was, he wasn’t going to give up.

Maybe this really was the first step, he told himself.

Living as Kim Jiwon must’ve made even his personality turn into that fucking bastard’s, he thought bitterly and laughed to himself.

The second interview was scheduled for the following Tuesday, June 11, at 10 a.m., and only the location had changed.

From the Taeseong Building in Sagye-dong, Yongnam City, to a building in Gangnam.

He checked the map app, and sure enough, it was on the opposite side of town. But it was just another office building in the same general area, so it wouldn’t be hard to find.

After noting the address, he took a shower. Then he grabbed some eggs and gim, headed to the kitchen, and made breakfast. He whipped up kimchi fried rice for the first time in a while and topped it with two fried eggs. While cooking, two texts from Choi came in.

He placed a dish of gim next to Room 305’s table — to eat with the kimchi fried rice — and then checked the messages.

A smile slowly spread across Jiwon’s face.

“304, something good happen?”

As always, Room 305, already drinking since morning, called out to him.

“Something good? Nah. Nothing like that.”

“Sure looks like it. Don’t tell me you got some free money or something?”

305 asked absently.

It was probably just a throwaway comment, but Jiwon smiled to himself, thinking the guy had a good nose for things.

“Would be nice if I did.”

Jiwon answered and shoveled a big spoonful of rice into his mouth.

For the first time in a while, he had an appetite. The only side dishes were gim and fried eggs, but it tasted amazing. Was kimchi fried rice always this good? He felt a little ashamed of himself for always settling for plain rice with kimchi or gim out of laziness.

An old man from Room 301 came over late and tried to strike up a conversation while sitting at the next table, so Jiwon quickly cleaned up. He didn’t want his good mood ruined by the old man.

After dropping his suit from the first interview at the cleaners, Jiwon got on a bus to Gangnam for his weekend-less shift at the frozen logistics center.

Memories of the interview kept popping into his head on the bus, making him smirk. In broad daylight, wearing a flashy mask and completely naked, he had stood in front of a camera, showing his dick and his ass. They even measured him with a tape and took pictures. No matter how you looked at it, it was fucked up.

Still, what would they make him do this time?

He remembered the cryptic words of Horn-Rimmed Glasses. It wasn’t jerking off or sex. No nudity either. But what could be more explicit than standing there naked with your junk out? No matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn’t come up with anything.

Honestly, it didn’t matter what they made him do.

He was just grateful to have something — anything — to try.

But the moment he stepped off the bus, the interview was completely forgotten, and he ran around until he was drenched in sweat, surviving another grueling day. He broke down and rewrapped boxes of frozen pollock until he was sick of it.

Only once he clocked in at the room salon did the second interview come to mind again. He wanted to ask Han if he’d passed too, but didn’t. If a guy like him had passed, there was no way Han hadn’t. If this really was an interview, then Han was the ideal candidate.

"Is it bro-casting?"

"Sort of. But I do field work too. You can tell just looking at me."

Jiwon sat at the convenience store counter, staring out the window at the rain. The rain wasn’t even in the forecast. He’d spent the whole evening driving nonstop as a designated driver until his shift at the room salon. Honestly, today was one of those days he just wanted to plant himself at the convenience store and rest, but he couldn’t.

No matter what, maintain your routine.

The words echoed in his head like a warning label. He’d driven back and forth across Seoul, steering other people’s cars, to hold onto that fragile routine. Which was why the thought of finally punching in at the room salon brought an unexpected sense of relief to his exhausted body.

As soon as he arrived, he picked up the girls in a van. That was it. Unlike the nonstop chaos of the designated driving app, the room salon was dead quiet. At a time when he normally would’ve done at least two runs, he hadn’t received a single team yet.

Han also seemed to be free. He wandered in front of the shop with an umbrella and eventually came into the convenience store and settled into a seat.

Strangely, Han was quiet today. So quiet that Jiwon started to wonder if something had happened. Then Han fiddled with his fancy smartphone for a bit before carefully handing it to Jiwon. It was a memo app.

Hyung, I got the second interview. Tuesday, 3:30 p.m. How about you?

Jiwon nodded to mean yes. Han grinned and immediately deleted the memo.

“Knew it. You and I are a lot alike, aren’t we?”

Jiwon didn’t agree or disagree. He just smiled awkwardly.

He glanced at their reflections in the convenience store window — comparing Han’s face with his own. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

They did look alike. They were supposed to. But if he had to grade it, Han was top-tier, and he was somewhere between mediocre and low.

Hunched shoulders. A complexion so pale he looked sick. An awkward mop of hair covering his eyes. Dark circles smudged beneath them. Anyone who saw that face would never say he resembled the bright, good-looking Han.

No one ever talked about Jiwon’s looks. At most, people described him as “that tall guy.”

Han’s sharp eye — the fact that he noticed their resemblance — was kind of impressive.

Han looked especially radiant today. Even as a fellow guy, Jiwon had to admit he was both pretty and handsome. The exact type people call “prettily handsome.” He’d put on some BB cream, but under the fluorescent lights, his skin still looked smooth and healthy. Better-looking than anyone on TV. Too good-looking to be wasting away in a place like this.

“Why do you work here, anyway?”

Without meaning to, Jiwon asked the one question he shouldn’t have. The moment it came out of his mouth, he regretted it.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have—”

He wanted to slap himself.

“Eh, no need to apologize. I was wondering when you’d finally ask. Everyone asks the moment they see me. Took you long enough, hyung.”

Han smiled as he replied.

He seemed to fully understand what Jiwon was asking, and didn’t hesitate.

“Honestly, I wanted to be a celebrity too. But if someone digs into my past, too much shit would come up.”

He crinkled his nose.

“I’ve been with guys since middle school. First was a teacher. Then a friend. Then my friend’s older brother. Seniors, juniors, kids from other schools — I did it with them too. Oh, and my friend’s dad.”

He chuckled like it was some funny memory.

“Some neighborhood ajusshi. Some rich old guy. Basically, if he had a dick, I’ve done it with him. I’ve got a strong stomach. I’m into all kinds of shit. Not like I was forced either — I wanted to. I actually like it. It feels fucking amazing and I get paid. Win-win, right? When I needed pocket money, I’d meet old guys from chatrooms, then use the cash to hit the club and sleep with hot dudes. I bought clothes I wanted, sneakers too, ate good food. Hell, I even bought my dad a birthday gift with money I got from fucking his friend.”

Han talked about all this like it was nothing.

“I didn’t even try to hide it. At some point, nobody didn’t know I was gay. Teachers knew. Even the principal knew. My parents and all my relatives knew too. That tells you everything, doesn’t it? I’m just like that. Too damn honest.”

At that point, Han turned to Jiwon.

“Be honest. You’re shocked, aren’t you?”

He asked with a mischievous grin.

“Sorry to say this, but they were really promiscuous. Just from the videos left on the deceased’s phone... Well, you’ve seen them yourself.”

Jiwon had been shocked.

His father must’ve been, too. That’s probably why his heart gave out.

But not now.

He’d seen worse. Learned worse.

“Should I be? I thought you were a serial killer or something.”

It was meant as a joke, but the way Jiwon said it made it sound dead serious. His ears burned with embarrassment.

“Wow, hyung makes jokes now?”

Han burst into laughter.

He looked at Jiwon like he’d just seen something amazing and gave him a light nudge with his shoulder.

“Anyway, any customers tonight?”

Jiwon cleared his throat and changed the subject.

“Yeah. Two groups. But both are just doing the basic course. One group didn’t even call any girls. Said they had something important to talk about. Assholes. This isn’t a damn conference room.”

Han shuddered.

Unlike Han, Jiwon wanted a customer. Rainy or overcast days made his arms ache. His arms already hurt so bad from the logistics center shift that he’d chewed through two painkillers. After all that, he’d done a full round of designated driving too. Just imagining having to hoist some drunk asshole into a motel room made him nauseous.

To keep from showing what he was thinking, Jiwon sipped his coffee.

Tap, tap.

They both looked toward the sound at the window. It was the manager.

“See you, hyung.”

Han quickly got up and left the convenience store.

Now that Han was gone, Jiwon’s phone would probably ring soon too.

He sighed and stared at the black screen. Thankfully, even after a long wait, the phone stayed silent.

In the end, he didn’t pick up a single customer all night. The madam gave him 20,000 won as a sort of consolation.

He thought about taking a taxi home with that, but ended up getting on the bus.

No matter what, maintain your routine.

Never forget that Kim Jiwon is in debt.