INFB Ch 1

The path to the goshiwon was treacherous. It was an endless uphill climb, and for a considerable distance, there was no distinction between the road and the sidewalk. The old asphalt was riddled with potholes, making it easy to stumble if one wasn’t careful.

“Haah……”

Seobin, who trod this unyielding path every day, let out a long sigh. The streetlight above him flickered intermittently. Seobin stared up at it.

The streetlight, teeming with insect carcasses, had been broken for a year, yet no one had reported it, so it remained as it was. It seemed the people living in this area weren’t bothered by the broken light. Of course, Seobin was one of them, unconcerned by its malfunction. A far greater ‘inconvenience’ lurked close by.

Seobin, gazing at the streetlight, unsure if it was flickering or sparkling, started walking again.

Sweat beaded on his forehead. Despite the cool air, the constant uphill trek made his hair plastered to his scalp and sweat soaked his back.

And right about then, a foul odor assaulted his nostrils. The source of the stench was the illegally dumped garbage beneath the streetlight. Clearly, a large sticker was affixed to the streetlight:

-No Illegal Dumping-

No Littering

CCTV Recording in Progress

Violators will be Reported

Despite this warning, people in this area continued to discard their trash indiscriminately. They did so knowing the CCTV was non-existent. Thanks to that, as summer approached, walking this path became even more agonizing.

Seobin, with an impassive expression, passed through the stench that seemed to greet him. He didn’t complain, nor did he curse. He merely wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

“I need to wash up as soon as I get there.”

Seobin quickened his pace, anticipating the cold water that would soon pour over his body. He reeked of dirt and the smell of grilled meat. In the early mornings, he worked odd jobs at a construction site, and at night, he grilled meat at a charcoal barbecue restaurant.

Each job was physically demanding, but they paid well. The construction site provided a hearty breakfast and snacks of bread and milk. The barbecue restaurant gave him the leftover doenjang jjigae, seasoned bean sprouts, kimchi, and other side dishes served to customers.

To Seobin, these were jobs that rivaled even large corporations.

And finally, another workplace.

Stopping in front of a familiar building, Seobin looked up.

<Success Goshiwon>

The goshiwon. This place was both Seobin’s home and his workplace. The goshiwon was located in such a remote area that it made one wonder how it ended up there. It was so secluded that, despite being in Seoul, there wasn’t even a convenience store nearby.

The building was four stories high. The first floor housed a chicken and beer restaurant that had been closed for a long time, and the second to fourth floors were all part of the goshiwon.

Adjusting his backpack, Seobin climbed the blackened stairs. The staircase, devoid of such luxuries as sensor lights, was dark. The only light came from the streetlights filtering through the large windows. The air was thick with the musty smell of mold, cement, and urine. Still, because it was a place he could rest, the smell brought him comfort.

As he climbed the stairs, Seobin turned on his phone and sent a message to someone.

Are you awake? Make sure you eat breakfast.

There probably wouldn’t be a reply. Ten out of ten times, there was no reply. But the read receipt would appear, and that was enough. Seobin tucked his phone into the side pocket of his backpack as he reached the second floor.

“Ah……”

In front of the glass door with the loosely attached “Success Goshiwon” sticker, a pile of garbage greeted him.

Biting his lower lip, Seobin mentally calculated the days and realized tomorrow was recycling day.

Seobin first went inside the goshiwon and left his bag by the shoe rack. Then, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt, he went back outside.

Chicken boxes, countless soju bottles, plastic bags smeared with thick kimchi juice, a lone slipper for some reason, delivery boxes of varying sizes, cigarette packs, paper cups used as ashtrays, plastic bottles with a sip of cola left inside, and so on. All sorts of trash awaited Seobin’s touch.

He always asked the tenants to separate their trash: [Paper], [Cans], [Plastic]. He even made signs himself and put them up, yet no one seemed to follow them properly.

It was a weekly occurrence, so Seobin picked up a delivery box covered in tape without a hint of annoyance.

Seobin worked at this goshiwon as a “manager.” His duties included cleaning the bathrooms, managing the kitchen, handling the trash, and managing move-ins and move-outs. He received a monthly pay of around a hundred thousand won. It was a meager amount, but in exchange, his room and board were free.

The monthly rent for a room was 250,000 won, so considering that, it wasn’t a bad job. Especially for Seobin, being able to earn money by working flexibly, without time constraints, was a very favorable condition.

Seobin meticulously organized the mountain of trash. He reduced the volume, sorted it, stomped on it, rinsed it, and so on. Then, a bandage on his hand came loose and fluttered, so he ripped it off and stuffed it into his pocket.

Seobin’s hands were covered in small cuts and scrapes. He’d been cut, scraped, scratched, burned, and bruised from various jobs. At first, each wound stung and ached intensely, but now he felt nothing.

What he couldn’t get used to was his lack of stamina.

Seobin, who was meticulously arranging countless soju bottles in a box, shook his arms. He had moved a lot of heavy objects at the construction site today, and his arms were trembling uncontrollably. He should have gained some muscle with all this physical labor, but perhaps his poor diet was to blame. He felt exhausted every single day.

As Seobin bent his thin body and reached for a soju bottle stuck amidst the trash,

“Seobin, you still in high school, right?”

A gruff, low voice called out to Seobin. Seobin flinched and looked around. He then spotted cigarette smoke wafting from around the corner of the hallway. Seobin crawled towards it.

There, a man in his mid-thirties, wearing short pants and three-striped slippers, was leaning against the window, smoking a cigarette. He was the resident of Room 209, a goshiwon examinee who had been living there for about four years.

Seobin bowed slightly.

“Hello.”

The man flicked his hand without removing the cigarette from his mouth.

“No need for that, high school student.”

Seobin answered the question. Room 209 turned toward Seobin and leaned against the wall.

“What about college? Aren’t you going?”

“I am.”

“Where do you go?”

“Korea University.”

Room 209’s eyes widened. It was a natural reaction, considering he had just heard the name of the most prestigious university in Korea.

“Whoa. You go to a really good school. You must be super smart. I’m jealous. I’m an idiot, still stuck doing this shit.”

Seobin couldn’t help but chuckle at the man’s self-deprecating remark. He then resumed cleaning up the trash. But Room 209, seemingly suddenly interested in Seobin, shuffled closer in his slippers and started rambling.

“Well, I guess the landlady hired you as the manager because of your good university.”

Seobin replied briefly, “I guess so.” It wasn’t entirely wrong. The competition for the goshiwon manager position was fierce. Especially for a goshiwon in such a remote location. Especially when the residents were mostly those who pinched every penny. But after the previous manager left, Seobin, the youngest resident, took over the position. He had nothing special to offer except his academic background.

“But why are you working here when you go to such a good university? You should be tutoring or teaching at a hagwon. Those jobs pay way more, don’t they?”

“Ah, I do those too.”

“Too? You do all that and this too?”

“It just… happened…”

“Korea University is a national university, so the tuition must be cheap. Do you really need to work like this?”

“I have a lot of expenses.”

“What are you spending money on that you need to work so much? You should be studying instead.”

At those words, Seobin’s busy hands froze. He offered a wry smile and nodded.

“You’re right. I should be studying.”

If only he could just study… There was nothing easier or more comfortable than that. Seobin fiddled with the soju bottle in his hand. Seeing his small face shadowed, Room 209 clicked his tongue. Then, with a “Good work. I’m going in,” he disappeared back into the goshiwon.

Seobin bowed towards the man’s retreating figure and picked up another piece of trash with his bare hands.

After finishing the recycling, Seobin went to the kitchen and cleaned the stove, table, and microwave, which had become unbelievably dirty in just one day. He filled the empty cabinets with the complimentary ramen and chopped up some kimchi. He washed the rice cooker, which contained only burnt rice grains, and started cooking a fresh batch of rice. He also gave the sticky floor a good wipe.

By the time he finished, it was past midnight. Looking at the old clock hanging in a corner of the kitchen, Seobin finally allowed himself a small smile at the end of another day.

Then, in an instant, his face hardened. No, it would be more accurate to say it turned deathly pale. His already fair complexion became even whiter. It was as if someone had splashed white paint on his face.

His rust-colored eyes twitched nervously.

How many hours had it been since he last looked at his phone? It was 10 p.m. when he left the barbecue restaurant, so it had been over two hours. Two hours. From 10 p.m. to midnight. To have not looked at his phone for two hours, during the time ‘he’ contacted him most frequently…

Realizing this, his heart began to pound. Excessive tension made his chest ache, and his lower abdomen tingled as if it were being electrocuted.

Seobin rushed to his bag at the entrance of the goshiwon. He fumbled for his phone in the side pocket and turned it on. The bright screen of the phone hit Seobin’s face like a slap.

There was one message.

Come to the office

The message had been sent 58 minutes ago.

“Ah……”

Seobin clutched his phone and let out a stifled groan.

It was a dark alley, just like the one in front of the goshiwon. Streetlights were sparsely scattered, there were no people, and the occasional shops were all dark and lifeless.

But the feeling was different. The smell was different too.

While the area around the goshiwon was filled with the stench of human activity, this place was filled with the stench of emptiness. The smell of cement, dirt, dust. The smell of an abandoned building.

Across the street was a mysterious abandoned factory, its entrance closed with a shutter. The shutter was covered in graffiti that was impossible to decipher.

The building where Seobin stopped was a long, five-story commercial building. It was clearly a commercial building, but most of the signs were missing, and the lights were off. Only one place had its lights on.

<Hawk’s Office>

The crude name, made of red stickers, was spelled out on the yellowed window, one character per pane. Next to it, the words [Same Day Loans•Cash•Confidential] were written, two characters per pane.

“…….”

Seobin stared at the familiar sight, slowly reading the words with his eyes. He rubbed his chest. The faint light emanating from the window felt like it was choking him.

Seobin scratched his eyelids and cheeks with the back of his hand, then dragged his heavy legs towards the building entrance. The pitch-black entrance swallowed him whole.

The inside of the building was structured like an officetel. A narrow hallway stretched lengthwise, lined with metal doors on either side.

The hallway was dark. The fluorescent lights on the ceiling had been dead for a long time. The only light came from the streetlights filtering through the windows.

Boxes with unfamiliar company logos were stacked to the ceiling in the hallway, dead plants in pots lay scattered around, a shopping cart from some unknown supermarket was shoved in a corner, and mail covered in footprints littered the floor.

Seobin crossed the familiar hallway and arrived at the door at the very end.

<Hawk’s Office>

A small sign was attached to the door.

Seobin rubbed his eyelids with the back of his hand, took a deep breath, and tugged down his clothes in preparation. Preparing to face him.

Then, knock, knock. He knocked on the door.

There was no response from the other side. However, Seobin opened the doorknob. A muted golden light spilled out like mist. Seobin stepped inside. His shoe sole crushed a small business card.

Hawk’s Office

Same Day Loans•
Up to 30,000,000 Won

Self-Employed,
Bad Credit, Housewives Welcome

02-–

A bright yellow business card with a red goblin design on one side. Hawk. One might think of a bird of prey, but this hawk (魅) referred to a goblin. Seobin always thought it was a fitting name for this place and its owner.

Walking further inside, Seobin called out to him.

“Hyung.”

The first thing he saw was a bright red ember. Then, he saw white smoke, and the bitter scent of cigarettes filled his nostrils.

The owner of this place sat on the main sofa, legs crossed, dressed in a suit. His loosely tied necktie draped down between the thick muscles of his chest. His hands were long and large; one held a cigarette, while the other rested on the armrest.

A black tattoo was visible on the back of his hand, extending from under his shirt sleeve, making it difficult to discern its design.

The single-seat black leather sofa he sat on was large enough for Seobin to curl up on sideways. However, it didn’t seem that big with the man sitting on it. His shoulders and torso were broad and thick.

Dark, charcoal-grey eyes stared at Seobin.

“You’re late.”

“…….”

“Damn it, I almost sent the guys out looking for you, thinking you ran away.”

At the low voice that seemed to vibrate through the floor, Seobin curled and uncurled his toes inside his sneakers. He held his breath for a moment before quickly bowing.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright.”

His voice, devoid of annoyance or anger, was gentle, and his smile was kind. His long, double-lidded eyes curved pleasantly.

Despite the forgiving tone, Seobin felt a jolt in his heart. It was the tension born from fear.

“Come here.”

The man patted his thigh, beckoning Seobin. However, Seobin only jerked his head up but didn’t move his feet. It was a defiant act.

Behind the man, a black nameplate was visible. The old nameplate was covered in a layer of dust, but the name engraved on it was still clearly legible.

[CEO Gil Jaegyu]

Jaegyu was the owner of this place, the man sitting before him, and the one who held exclusive rights over Seobin at this moment.

Rubbing his palms on his hips, Seobin said,

“I sweated… a lot today. I’ll, I’ll go wash up.”

At those words, Jaegyu lowered one shoulder and tilted his head.

“Make me wait again?”

He tapped the ash from his cigarette into a black ashtray. The ashtray was overflowing with cigarette butts, a testament to how long Jaegyu had been there.

“……I’m sorry.”

Seobin bowed again.

“…….”

Jaegyu didn’t reply, taking three consecutive drags of his cigarette instead. The smoke he exhaled formed a haze, thickening the air. Seobin felt as though an invisible snake was constricting him, and he consciously took deep breaths through his nose. If he didn’t, he felt like he would pass out from suffocation.

After a moment of silence, Jaegyu slowly spoke.

“I don’t mind the smell of your sweat.”

He inhaled deeply, pretending to sniff the air. Goosebumps erupted on Seobin’s arms.

“I’ll, I’ll go wash up quickly.”

Stuttering, he clutched the hem of his shirt and scurried into the bathroom tucked away in the corner of the office. He looked like a frightened squirrel fleeing for its life.

As the bathroom door creaked shut, Jaegyu’s eyebrows rose quizzically.

“He pretends not to hear me now.”

Does he think I’m insignificant? Jaegyu chuckled, cigarette still in his mouth. But his eyes didn’t smile.

The bathroom was crude. It contained a reddish, grime-stained sink, a urinal, and a squat toilet. A cracked bar of soap sat by the sink, and a cleaning faucet with a long hose attached, resembling an elephant’s trunk, was next to the toilet.

It was a dirty, filthy bathroom, but since no one used it, it didn’t smell much. It was better than the goshiwon, which had a similar environment but a foul odor.

Seobin started undressing in the darkness, forgoing turning on the light. While the bottom half of the bathroom door was metal, the top half was made of translucent glass. If he turned on the light, Jaegyu would be able to see him clearly.

They had already seen everything there was to see of each other, so there was no need to be overly modest, but he couldn’t help the feeling of shame.

Despite his trembling hands, Seobin’s movements were swift. He was driven by the compulsion not to keep Jaegyu waiting any longer.

Seobin neatly piled his clothes in a corner and, aiming the hose at his head, turned the faucet forcefully. He heard the rush of water, and then icy water poured down on him.

“Hngh……”

His thin back shuddered. He had thought about taking a cold shower when he entered the goshiwon, but now, standing before Jaegyu, his body froze, and the coldness was unwelcome.

Seobin closed his eyes tightly, soaked his body, and lathered himself with the hardened soap.

It was a difficult shower. But he couldn’t skip it. His hands and tongue would touch every part of him.

Seobin finished showering when his lower lip turned bluish. He roughly dried himself with his hands. His hair felt stiff from being washed only with soap, but he didn’t care.

This kind of shower, washing like an animal in this shabby bathroom, was familiar. Jaegyu always summoned him without warning.

Wearing only his undershirt, shirt, and pants, Seobin stepped out of the bathroom. The moment he opened the door and took a step outside,

“Uh……”

A large hand shot out like a bat and grabbed his hair. His body was yanked forward.

“Ugh……”

Seobin was so startled that he couldn’t even scream. The rapidly changing scenery and light felt unreal. A few seconds later, his body came to rest. He was on Jaegyu’s desk. Jaegyu’s dusty nameplate was right in front of him, and beyond it, he could see the office.

The space, hardly deserving to be called an office, was now abandoned.

<Hawk’s Office> had become <Hawk Capital> and moved to a gleaming new building. Yet, Jaegyu always summoned Seobin to this place. Not his home, not his actual office, not even a cheap motel. He crushed Seobin in this abandoned space, devoid of even a bed.

Ironically, Seobin found comfort in this space. The pain that existed only within these walls, where there were no onlookers, where no one could hear his screams. The pain that ceased the moment he left this space. That’s why he felt at ease. Of course, his body would continue to suffer.

Perhaps Jaegyu sensed Seobin’s distraction as his cheek was pressed flat against the desk. He lifted Seobin’s hair and then slammed his head back down.

“Ugh……”

“You’re getting bold, openly making me wait.”

“It… hurts.”

“You’re complaining about pain too. Is selling your body that easy now?”