LM Chapter 2

“Okay, the POS¹ is pretty much set. What else is there to do?”

The manager at the convenience store where I started working asked me. It had only been 30 minutes since I arrived, so what could I possibly know…? I looked around and noticed his clothes. He had a name tag.

“Do we have to wear name tags?”

“Ah, yes, of course.”

He pulled a name tag out of his pocket and held it out. Huh? My name is already…

‘Lee Youngsoo’

“Who is that?”

“Who else? You. From now on, you’re Lee Youngsoo.”

The manager forcibly handed me the name tag. He then spouted nonsense about how this store had a beautiful tradition of part-timers inheriting one name since the convenience store opened. Maybe this person ate too much expired food? Actually, using an alias wasn’t the problem. However, at the time, I was an art student who rejected normalcy in the name of being artistic.

“Is there another name?”

“Oh, you’re the first to reject Youngsoo. Is your rebellious spirit surging because you’re an artist?”

Though he spouted nonsense again, it hit a nerve so I kept my mouth shut. Then the manager pulled out another name tag from his pocket. What the, there are more? But seeing this name, I stiffened again.

‘Park Ryeok’

“Is that even a name?”

“Of course it is. It was the name of the second part-timer at our store. You don’t think I made a fake name tag just to force you to choose Youngsoo, do you?”

“I hadn’t thought of that, but now that you mention it, it could be possible.”

The manager awkwardly laughed and avoided my eyes. After thinking briefly, I took ‘Park Ryeok’. The manager was delighted at my choice.

“Wow, you’re the first to choose Park Ryeok! I’ll call you Ryeok from now on. The night shift worker will come at midnight, so just do well until then. He has worked here for three years, so you can ask him anything you’re curious about. He might seem strict because he doesn’t talk much, but the’ll answer whatever you ask. You know how smart is he? Ah, he’s really smart!”

The manager praised the night shift worker’s intelligence multiple times. At this point, I suspected the manager might be the one lacking intelligence. Even under my suspicious gaze, he finished praising the night worker with admiration.

“Gosh, I’m so thankful he’s here.”

The sigh of relief he let out sounded like it came from personal experience.

“Seems like you ask him a lot questions?”

“Of course, every day.”

“But you’re the manager?”

“…Being a manager doesn’t mean you know everything.”

“…Ah, yes.”

“Student Ryeok, you just thought I’m stupid right now, didn’t you?”

Unable to lie, I silently turned my gaze away. The manager, flustered, started listing various difficulties of running a convenience store. I nodded halfheartedly to cut off his unnecessary chatter.

“Yes, I know. My grandfather says even at seventy, he’s still full of things he doesn’t know, that the world is still difficult.”

“Shouldn’t you know everything by seventy though?”

This person really… When I got serious, the manager quickly tried to smooth things over with fake laughter.

“Haha, ignorance is bliss, as they say. Your grandfather might be sad if he knew you were working part-time while struggling with school.”

“He knows.”

The manager’s expression suddenly hardened. I was wondering why when he carefully asked in a serious voice.

“Do you have to send money home?”

“No. It’s all for my living expenses. My family isn’t well-off, but they wouldn’t ask a student to earn money for them.”

“Right, that’s how it should be.”

The manager muttered bitterly. Is there someone around who sends all the money they earn working part-time home? While I was wondering, the manager returned to his original cheerfulness and asked.

“So, no questions? Like I said, ask the night shift worker anything you’re curious about… Oh right, I think he attends the same school as you?”

***

The feeling of my first day at work was similar to running with bamboo limbs. Everything felt awkward, and all I did looked dumb. From 7 PM to midnight. Five hours felt like fifty hours, and also like five minutes.

When I came to my senses, the night shift worker had arrived. A tall man wearing a baseball cap pulled down low. He looked at me briefly with an expressionless face before entering the storage room that doubled as a changing room, put on the convenience store vest, and came out. The first thing I noticed was the name tag on his chest.

‘Kim Cheolsoo’

Only then did I realize. The manager must have made up these names. And while I was observing him, who might be the nth generation Cheolsoo, he was looking at my name tag too.

“Hello. I’m new to the evening shift. I heard you’re my sunbae from school, should I call you hyung?”

“No.”

“Okay, Cheolsoo-ssi.”

While I was praising myself for being good at accepting others’ opinions, Cheolsoo-ssi stared down at me. But his gaze seemed somewhat displeased.

“What’s wrong, Cheolsoo-ssi?”

“Are you an Omega?”

“No way.”

I replied with a laugh, but faced with his expressionless attack, I asked back seriously.

“How did you know?”

“So you are an Omega?”

“I am, but I’m a non-awakened Omega. So I’m practically like a regular person.”

How did he figure it out? No one in my life had ever noticed I was an Omega because I don’t have the typical Omega pheromones and don’t react to Alpha pheromones. Naturally, I don’t go into heat either.

“Haah.”

Instead of answering, he sighed briefly and asked with a frown.

“Cash count done?”

“Ah, everything matched.”

“Go home.”

This was my first impression of him. What did he mean by strict? More like cold but nice.

Three days in, the convenience store routine had become as familiar as household chores, but there was still one area I couldn’t master. Cigarettes. There were too many damn types of cigarettes. Plus, all the names were in foreign languages.

I’m good with colors, so I tried to memorize the names by connecting them to the colors and patterns on the cigarette packs, but that was just the ignorant spirit of someone who hadn’t even mastered the names. By the first day, I had already overcome my initial horror at the terrible warning photos on the cigarette packs with bleary eyes. On the third day of work, I finally failed to find the cigarette a customer wanted until the end, annoying them.

The customer expressed their dissatisfaction, saying they definitely bought it here before, but thankfully limited their frustration to a few sharp curses. But it really wasn’t there! Feeling wronged, I tried to find it like a game where you have to find the hidden object, even pointing at the cigarette display with my finger, but failed. After that, I was too busy to try again until midnight, when my savior appeared.

As soon as Cheolsoo-ssi arrived, I poured out my situation quickly. He replied with just one line.

“So what?”

He sounded annoyed and his face was expressionless as always, but I didn’t mind and clung to this lifeline.

“Where on earth is the Fine X Ultra?”

He stared at me for a moment, as had become habit. On the second day, I hadn’t noticed well, but there seemed to be a mix of contempt in it*. Still, it’s nice of him not to say anything.* He pointed his finger to a corner under the POS machine.

“Ooh, right. There were cigarettes there too.”

I smiled like someone whose decade-old indigestion had been cured, bent down to look at the cigarettes under the POS. I can’t believe five different brands were hiding in such a place.

“Thank you, Cheolsoo-ssi. I thought I was going to die from frustration.”

“What about the cash count?”

“Ah, it’s over by 1,000 won…”

“Go home.”

“Yes.”

I was excitedly taking off my vest when something bothered me and I turned around.

“But why are you speaking informally to me?”

“You’re my school hoobae, right?”

“Yes.”

He turned his head away as if that explained everything. But I still had questions.

“Can I speak informally to you too?”

“No.”

“What if I quit school?”

“You’re not going to quit, are you?”

“True.”

“Leave.”

Age is power, huh? But what can I do? I have to obey the traditional manners our ancestors left behind. My complaints disappeared as soon as I left the convenience store. Stepping out of the workplace felt like breaking free from a spell, snapping me back to reality.

I had mountains of assignments waiting for me. Now I had to do another kind of work. But even as I thought about the paintings I needed to do today, one thing kept lingering in my mind. Didn’t Cheolsoo-ssi smell like apples?

After working at the convenience store for over a month, I thought I had gotten used to pretty much everything. They say big troubles always strike when you least expect them. One evening, customers suddenly started pouring into the convenience store. At first, I thought it was just a busy day, but gradually the store was completely packed with customers. And they kept coming in like waves. For the first time, I sent an SOS to the manager.

‘Please save me.’

The manager’s quick reply came.

‘Ah, right! It was today. There’s an annual overnight prayer meeting at XX Temple, and believers from all over the country gather. Wait, I’ll send backup right away!’

XX Temple was a religious facility nearby, known to be quite a notorious cult. When I poked my head out, I could see people still getting off buses. I was frantically trying to handle the cash register and answer questions at the same time, feeling like I was facing a zombie invasion.

Fortunately, before my mind could float off into space, the backup the manager mentioned arrived: Cheolsoo-ssi. As soon as he arrived, he skillfully used another POS machine to sort out the calculation hell first, then ordered me,

“You just handle the cash register.”

That was all I could do anyway. So I started frantically scanning barcodes and putting items in bags. Cheolsoo-ssi brought out items from the warehouse when they ran low, cleaned up trash, helped with the register, answered all sorts of questions, and even organized newly delivered items during all this. He did the work of ten people.

Among all this, his most brilliant moment was his ability to answer any question within a second. He seemed to have memorized every product and event in the convenience store. Since there were so many products for sale, I needed to scan the barcode to know if something’s on sale or part of another promotion. Or I had to go to the display and check the notice of the event. But not Cheolsoo-ssi.

‘Is this product 1+1 too?’

‘Yes. You can mix too.’

I looked at him several times, amazed by his answers that I could hear even while frantically calculating. But what was even more surprising was his knowledge of the inventory.

‘Are there any more of these drinks? I need a lot.’

‘How many do you need? There are 12 left in stock.’

That’s right. He answered immediately as if all the inventory in the storage room was right in front of his eyes. However, I was too busy to just marvel at his unbelievable memory. I finally understood why the manager had emphasized how smart he was at first, as I continued scanning like a factory robot until we finally saw dawn.

We had barely survived the three-hour war. Even though the air conditioner was on, I was sweating on my forehead. And belatedly, I expressed my gratitude to the backup.

“Cheolsoo-ssi, you’re my lifesaver.”

“Just check the cash register.”

I was going to do that anyway. Because there were so many customers, I wanted to check if I made any mistakes.

“By the way, do you live nearby? You arrived within 15 minutes after the manager contacted you.”

“None of your business.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

What would I do with knowing where Cheolsoo-ssi lives? I was just satisfied knowing there was backup available within 15 minutes. I nodded compliantly and was busy counting coins when I felt his gaze. When I looked up, he was staring at me again.

“What?”

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

He seemed to have something to say but hesitated, pressing his lips shut. Just when I thought this wasn’t like him, a question came.

“Aren’t you hot?”

“No, I’m fine now. Are you cold, Cheolsoo-ssi? Should I turn up the temperature?”

I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand, wondering if there was still sweat there. He just frowned as if something displeased him. Cheolsoo-ssi must be sensitive to cold. I made a mental note of this new information and raised the air conditioner temperature for the person who helped me. But I accidentally pressed the button to lower the temperature.

As a result, the wind blew strongly and scattered inside. And again, a faint smell of apples wafted through. Based on my experience so far, this smell only appeared when Cheolsoo-ssi was around, so I was almost certain. He must be using an apple-scented cleanser. My friend had told me there wasn’t any perfume that smelled like apples, after all.

This time the apple scent seemed particularly strong, but more importantly, I needed to quickly adjust the temperature for the cold Cheolsoo-ssi.

“Ah, sorry. I made a mistake, I’ll raise the temperature right…”

While trying to explain the situation, my eyes met his. He was the same as usual. That expressionless face, and the way he stared directly into people’s eyes was the same too. But his gaze seemed a bit different. It felt somewhat… hot.

“Are you hot?”

“You.”

He called me briefly and lowered his gaze indifferently before looking straight at me again. This time that hot feeling was even more palpable.

“Do people often tell you that you’re clueless?”

“Not at all.”

So does that mean he is cold? I was about to double-check when he threw an unexpected question.

“You say you’re non-awakened? Are you sure?”

“Of course.”

I nodded firmly and gave him solid proof.

“Being non-awakened means I have no sexual desire.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. That’s why I’ve even wondered if I’m not just non-awakened but asexual.”

Suddenly his gaze dropped between my legs. He was so blatant about it that I asked directly too.

“Curious if it gets hard?”

“No, wondering if you have one.”

“…Of course I do.”

“I suppose you would.”

I rarely get angry, but at this moment I couldn’t help but get upset.

“I have a perfectly normal one. How dare you question how properly normal it is?”

“Your standards aren’t my concern.”

I fully understood how that one singer² felt when he tried to jump onto the podium at a press conference and pull down his pants. I too grabbed my waistband.

“I’m sure it meets your standards too!”

“How would you know my standards?”

“I don’t. What are they?”

He looked around and picked up a 500ml plastic bottle. I silently looked back and forth between the bottle and him.

“That’s quite a strict standard.”

He put down the bottle and turned around. I thought I saw him smile for a moment, but I figured it was my imagination. Having put out the urgent fire, he seemed ready to leave, taking off his vest and heading toward the door without saying goodbye when he suddenly criticized me.

“You really are clueless.”

What’s with him? I was going to compliment him on how smart he is.

“I’ve never been told that in my life. In fact, my grandfather said I’m too perceptive and told me to hide it well.”

“Your grandfather must be clueless too.”

I got upset immediately. I might let other things slide, but I won’t stand anyone badmouthing my grandfather.

“You’re right! He is clueless! But because of that, my grandfather made friends with even the prickliest people everyone else avoided with his high extraversion! My grandfather has so many friends, you know?!”

I was about to start bragging about my grandfather in earnest. But Cheolsoo-ssi’s eyes turned cold. See, I told you I’m perceptive. As I closed my mouth and quietly watched him, a slow question came.

“Were you raised by your grandfather?”

Although it wasn’t just grandfather, since he was my main caregiver, I nodded. Some emotion filled his gaze as he looked at me. I couldn’t define it, but it was dark and sticky. Like a mixture of disgust and discomfort. But it didn’t feel bad. Probably because I sensed that emotion wasn’t directed at me. Although he quickly lowered his eyes, that dark residue remained.

“That’s why I really am perceptive. Had to compensate for my clueless grandfather.”

He turned around without responding. I greeted him as he was leaving.

“Thank you for today, Cheolsoo-ssi.”

He didn’t turn to look at me, but I caught a glimpse of his furrowed brow from the side.

“Stop with that ‘ssi’ already.”

“Should I speak informally then?”

He had half-opened the door but turned to look at me. The ferocity in his eyes was something even the most clueless person in the world could notice.

“Then what should I call you?”

Mixed with the ‘ding’ of the closing door, one word could be heard through his grumbling.

“Hyung.”