ASCP Ch 2

The charcoal barbecue restaurant owned by Myeongseon’s parents was a large two-story building with a garden. Myeongseon arrived around 5 p.m., a time when the hall was sparsely populated with small groups of customers and the tension of the staff anticipating the evening rush was palpable. 

Parking his car and getting out, Myeongseon looked up at the sign above the arched entrance to the garden and sighed.

 ‘Myeongseon Garden.’ 

His parents had named the garden after him, their youngest child and a late addition to the family. ‘Myeongseon had been embarrassed by it since he was little. Of all things, to name a barbecue restaurant after him.

Entering the garden through the archway entwined with fake rose vines, Myeongseon suddenly began to regret his decision.

 Ah, did I came here for nothing? Should I have just eaten a rice bowl near my place? 

This is all because of Yeom Daeyong. 

Despite his thoughts, he couldn’t help but shuffle towards the entrance of the main hall.

“Oh my, what brings you here? Myeongseon! You came at the perfect time.” 

Yangja, Myeongseon’s mother, who was at the counter, came running out.

“Myeongseon, can you man the counter today?”

“Huh?”

“You came at the perfect time, the best time! Oh my goodness, you’re truly our lucky charm.” 

Grabbing both of Myeongseon’s hands, Yangja backed away from the counter, her gaze fixed on his face.

Myeongseon was involuntarily dragged along.

“Two people called out sick in the kitchen for the evening, so your father and I have to step in. But then who’s going to man the counter? We can’t be running back and forth from the kitchen. So I was just about to call the temporary agency to see if they had anyone available today, and then, oh my goodness, our Myeongseon just waltzes in. I swear he had wings on his back! I thought, oh my, did the Lord send him? Did our son hear the Lord’s calling?”

“Mom, what are you talking about?!” 

Myeongseon, who had been listening blankly to Yangja’s torrent of word, squirmed. He was already trapped behind the counter, pushed there by Yangja. She held one of his arms tightly with both her hands.

“Myeongseon, have you eaten? Eat first. I’ll teach you how to use the POS system after you eat. Oh my, his arms are thicker than his father’s now.”

“I just came here to eat. Daeyong… never mind. I’m leaving.”

“I’ll pay you, Myeongseon. I’ll count this as a part-time job. I’ll pay you hourly and even give you a bonus. I’ll give it to you right after work today. You’re running low on allowance, aren’t you?”

“……” 

Myeongseon hesitated, looking down at Yangja’s face. 

He was almost out of allowance. The allowance he received on the 1st of every month was always gone by the 20th. Moreover, he’d bought an expensive perfume earlier this month, so he only had a few tens of thousands of won¹ left, even though it was only the 12th. The state of his allowance also affected Myeongseon’s sex life.

If I work from 6 to 10, that’s four hours… so, I can get a couple of motel rooms with that. 

Myeongseon’s mind raced.

Yangja was still holding his arm tightly, her gaze still fixed on his face.

“…Until 10, you said?” 

At Myeongseon’s hesitant question, Yangja’s face brightened.

“You’re the best, Myeongseon!” 

Yangja patted Myeongseon’s buttocks, and he quickly twisted his body to avoid it.

“Eat first. A large group is coming in at 6, and a few more will come at 6:30. I’ll watch the counter until 6, so go eat quickly. Go see your dad in the kitchen too. Okay?”

“Alright.” 

Myeongseon headed towards the kitchen, feeling uneasy. Suddenly, regret began to well up inside him, but there was nothing else he could do. Having sex with random partners cost money, and he couldn’t live without it.

“Dad, I’m here.”

“Oh, our Myeongseon’s here!” 

Jeongsik, Myeongseon’s father, who was cutting meat in a corner of the kitchen wearing a plastic apron, beamed.

“Did you  saw your mom?”

“Yeah. I’m going to be at the counter today.”

“That’s great! Helping out in an emergency like this! Our Myeongseon!” 

Turning away from Jeongsik’s face, which seemed almost touched, Myeongseon felt a pang of guilt. 

Rather than actually helping out; he was doing it because he needs money.

Money for sex in a motel.

* * *

Myeongseon, having barely eaten half his meal, was dragged to the counter as customers flooded in. After a frantic crash course in operating the cash register amidst the bustling crowd, Myeongseon clutched his aching head and slumped onto a chair.

Why is something so trivial so complicated? Do you have to be a genius to even get paid money?

He grumbled inwardly, glaring at the crowded dining area. Suddenly, his gaze fixed on a man passing between the tables.

“….”

An image flashed through Myeongseon’s mind; a horse galloping powerfully across the plains of a grand estate. A horse, well-fed, well-rested, well-washed, well-groomed, and gleaming – the pinnacle of both nutritional and aesthetic perfection. 

The rippling muscles of its thighs, bunching and releasing with every stride. He could almost smell the fresh air and grass of the vast green plain, hear the rhythmic clip-clop of hooves galloping on the ground, and even the horse’s snorting breaths through its nose.

Myeongseon’s pupils dilated like a cat’s. Eyes wide, he stared intently as the man’s body crossed the hall, passed the counter, and headed out the door. He wore work gloves, and in his hand, he carried a long, flat metal rod with a charcoal brazier dangling from the end.

“Almost 100 percent…” 

Myeongseon murmured, staring blankly at the entrance where he had disappeared, trying to calm his racing heart.

His body was best of the best, the epitome of manual labor muscles. It was the closest he’d seen to the physique that had shaped his preferences long ago. The height was perfect, the proportions and shape of his muscles were top-tier. Even hidden beneath the loose t-shirt, jeans, work gloves, and arm sleeves, he could tell. It was breathtakingly close to 100 percent.

“Okay, Kwon Myeongseon. Let’s calm down. You might have seen wrong. Maybe you’re just tired from suddenly doing this unsuitable job and seeing things.”

Myeongseon cautiously glanced towards the entrance. Startled by a new customer that came in, he jumped up.

“Welcome!” 

Myeongseon greeted the guest, then offered an embarrassed smile. 

“Do you have a reservation?”

“No.”

“Uh… how many people?”

“Five.”

“Right this way.”

As he returned to the counter after guiding the customers to their seat, Myeongseon’s eyes caught sight of him again. His steps slowed down.

Swallowing hard, Myeongseon watched him walk towards his direction. The man didn’t even look at Myeongseon, simply passing by him indifferently and heading towards the inside of the dining hall. As he brushed past, Myeongseon felt the heat along with the smell of charcoal. It must have been the heat emanating from the charcoal container in his hands, but to Myeongseon, it felt like the radiant heat emanating from his body.

The radiance coming from a 100% perfect physique.

Myeongseon fumbled his way back to the counter, sat down, and caught his breath.

Oh, damn. I’m losing it.

It wasn’t a hallucination. His body aligned perfectly with Myeongseon’s tastes. Seeing him again, up close, confirmed it. He didn’t need to see him fully undressed to be certain.

To think I’d get such a great view.

Suddenly, Myeongseon’s heart swelled with gratitude. He was grateful towards Daeyong, who had canceled their plans at the last minute, to his mother, who had offered him this job, but most of all, to himself, for deciding to take it. 

And he was grateful to him, too.

He seemed to be single-handedly managing the charcoal grill for this large barbeque restaurant, thankfully, constantly passing back and forth before his eyes. Each time he bustled by, Myeongseon savored the sight of his body as if tasting each dish of a luxurious meal. 

From the nape of his neck to his heels, she relished every detail, piece by piece, then took in the whole magnificent view. His gait, every single movement, was perfect. Even the walkie-talkie dangling from his waist seemed to accentuate his physique.

He was 100% perfect, no matter how many times he looked, and each glance brought a fresh wave of admiration. The work at the counter no longer felt tedious or unpleasant.

If I could just sleep with that kind of body, I’d have no more desires.

Myeongseon found himself licking his lips.