DS 10

It was a rare day off. Eun-myeong gathered all the finished cast nets, stuffing them into a black plastic bag. The bag swelled quite large. It was quite heavy, which made him feel abundant. He went outside and slowly headed towards the beach.

The seawater always reeked of salt. It shimmered with a blue light, undulating gloomily. Just watching it made a strange sense of unease creep into his heart.

“……”

Eun-myeong walked slowly along the pier. He passed each of the docked boats one by one. Just a little further and he’d reach the boat that sold cast nets.

“Hey, hyung!”

He heard someone calling him from afar. He looked up to see a guy with deeply tanned skin waving his hand wildly. It was Yong-hee. The youngest son of the Fisherman Ahjussi who sold cast nets. Yong-hee had a very happy expression as he ran towards him.

“Huff, huff, hyung, when did you get here?”

“Just now…”

He quickly came over and took the bag from him. Yong-hee opened it and looked inside at the cast nets, then grinned. His snaggletooth stuck out.

“You made a heck of a lot of cast nets. Trying to get rich quick?”

Eun-myeong scratched the back of his neck, feeling awkward.

“Yeah, I had some time left over, so I made more.”

In truth, even after coming home from work, feeling like he was about to die from exhaustion, he rubbed his eyes and kept making them. He had to somehow plug the hole in his living expenses. He gritted his teeth and made cast net after cast net.

“Oh, Eun-myeong hyung, if you make a lot of money, buy Yong-hee chicken.”

Yong-hee, being the youngest and raised with love, acted cute.

‘…Chicken?’

Eun-myeong carefully considered his wallet situation. If it was market chicken, he could get away with 8,000 won per bird. The problem was that Yong-hee was growing and ate really well. He’d have to buy at least three, but this month his wallet already had holes all over it.

In this situation, it was hard enough to put food in his own mouth, but as the older hyung, not being able to buy even a single chicken was very embarrassing and shameful. Eun-myeong made a small promise instead.

“I’ll buy you some for your birthday.”

“Really? I can eat like, five?”

Yeah, Eun-myeong nodded slowly, telling him he would.

“Awesome.”

Yong-hee giggled as he adjusted his grip on the bag. Yong-hee’s skinny-looking arms had quite a bit of solid muscle. He must have naturally built up work muscles from going out on the boat with his father every dawn.

…But is he wearing a school uniform?

Eun-myeong stared intently at Yong-hee. He always wore just a shabby t-shirt, but today, for some reason, he was wearing a white shirt. The inside of the collar had a beige checkered pattern.

“Ah, why are you staring so hard?”

Yong-hee’s noticeably dark earlobes turned a strange red.

“It’s just that I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a uniform before.”

Eun-myeong mumbled vaguely.

“It suits you.”

He didn’t even know when the last time he’d touched a school uniform was. Since middle school was the last time, it had been almost 5 years. It was fascinating and cool, so Eun-myeong glanced at him, stealing looks. If he showed too much envy, Yong-hee would feel burdened, so he only took small peeks.

“Ah, I really hate going to school.”

Yong-hee stretched as if he was yawning, subtly making his shoulders look broader.

“My dad said he’d give me a boat if I get my high school diploma.”

Yong-hee muttered, glancing at Eun-myeong.

He had a face that made a ‘thud’ sound involuntarily. Damn, how can he live in this rural seaside village and have such fair skin? He must not go to the salon at all, his hairstyle is a bit dorky, but his hair is nice and he likes it. They say he has that angel ring, or whatever it is.

“I can steer a boat without my father now.”

Eun-myeong nodded. His eyes were sparkling, just like looking at his dog. The cute freckles on his cheeks seemed like he was acting cute, and he was so pretty and cute….

His arms and legs were slender and thin, so anyone could see he looked like an omega, but he also liked that he was a beta. If some alpha types came and snatched him away, there would be no solution.

But if he was really an omega, his scent would be amazing…. Yong-hee sniffed. A subtle, pleasant fragrance brushed against his nose. What should he call it, a floral scent? But not a cheap smell like a bathroom air freshener, this one was real. The real deal, as the adults say. Yong-hee was getting anxious.

“If you go out on a boat, you can make at least a thousand a month.”

“Oh….”

Even though he was openly bragging, all he got was an ‘ooh’ of admiration. Yong-hee thought, ah, damn, is this the taste of dating an older guy?

“Hyung, don’t you think I’ve gotten a little taller?”

Eun-myeong turned his head to the side and looked up at Yong-hee. That gentle gaze looking up at him, that one gaze made Yong-hee’s heart sink again. His solar plexus tickled like crazy.

“Yeah, you seem taller.”

Yong-hee cheered inwardly. It was like the feeling of a guy who had kicked a soccer ball into the goal in front of a girl he liked. The guys in his class were desperate to win the girls’ favor, but Yong-hee’s antenna was all focused on this side.

Before he knew it, they had reached their destination, the boat. Yong-hee climbed onto the swaying boat with a thud. The captain, who was reeling in the net from the boat, straightened his back.

“Hello.”

Eun-myeong bowed his small head.

“You’re here? Hold on a second.”

The fisherman took out bills from his briefcase, counted out a few, and handed them to Yong-hee. Yong-hee quickly took them and handed them to Eun-myeong.

“Here, hyung.”

Eun-myeong finally smiled softly.

“Thank you.”

Small front teeth appeared and disappeared beneath his plump, red lips. He smiled like that for just sixty thousand won, but why was he so indifferent to ten million won? He could have just said he couldn’t buy him chicken, he couldn’t even throw away his hole-filled slippers because he was so frugal, but he promised to buy him something.

When his birthday came, this hyung would keep his promise. By then, he would be an adult too, would he be able to hold his hand then?

“I’m going now.”

As Eun-myeong was about to turn around, Yong-hee reached out and grabbed Eun-myeong’s wrist.

“Hyung, we’re grilling meat, come eat at my house.”

Eun-myeong shook his head slightly.

“It’s okay…. I already ate.”

He ate my ass. Yong-hee quickly got off the boat. He dragged his stylishly worn sneakers and strode forward.

“Then I’ll walk you home.”

“No, I…”

Eun-myeong’s large, bead-like eyes rolled to the side. He had a look of contemplation on his face.

“I have, uh, plans.”

Yong-hee frowned. Wasn’t that the face of someone making excuses? He felt annoyed and started talking nonsense.

“What plans? You don’t have any friends. My mom said that Eun-joo noona is also…”

Then he realized he had made a mistake and shut his mouth, realizing his mistake. Eun-myeong’s eyes were wide open.

“……”

“……”

A low silence flowed between them.

“It’s rumored?”

Eun-myeong asked quietly. The small rural village knew everything, how many spoons were in the house next door, how many pillows were placed, and even which direction they were placed.

Eun-myeong felt a throbbing pain in the back of his head. It had already spread to Yong-hee. If that was the case, Jjangja would know soon too, and that would be a real problem. If he couldn’t pay back the money, he might get beaten to death. He was the type to beat people with a pool cue if things went wrong while playing pool.

“Hyung, I really, it’s not like that….”

Yong-hee was visibly flustered and stomped his sneakers on the ground.

“Ah, shit, why did I say that…. Am I really a crazy bastard.”

He even started slapping his mouth with the palm of his hand.

“Don’t hit yourself so hard.”

Eun-myeong shook his head slightly, saying it wasn’t true, he didn’t need to do that. Yong-hee didn’t have to be sorry for anything. It was all true anyway.

“I have to finish making the cast nets.”

Even though he only got 2,000 won for each one, so even if he made five, he would only get 10,000 won, it was still something.

“Ah, hyung….”

Yong-hee stomped his feet. He seemed to be at a loss for what to do, feeling sorry for accidentally saying something wrong. Eun-myeong casually brushed it off.

“It’s okay.”

He wasn’t just saying it, he really was okay. His heart wasn’t even scratched by this much.

“I’m going.”

He turned his back and trudged away. He felt like he was being watched from behind, but he didn’t bother to look back. He was afraid Yong-hee would feel even more sorry.

On the way home.

Eun-myeong encountered countless homes. Laughter erupted from the windows with their yellow lights. It was dinner time, so families must be sitting together and eating.

…What should I eat?

He had spent a whole month making cast nets until his fingers were blistered, but all he had in his hands was 60,000 won.

Extravagance was forbidden. Eun-myeong stopped by Stork Supermarket to buy something to at least fill his hunger.

“Hello.”

“Okay,” Mister greeted him. He picked up two packs of ramen and headed to the counter when something caught Eun-myeong’s eye.

‘Wow….’

Perhaps because the weather was cold, there was a steamed bun container in the supermarket. The hazy steam made it look warm at a glance. The buns looked incredibly warm and chewy.

“Trying to get by with ramen again today?”

Mister’s voice came from beside him. He had been caught drooling over the steamed buns in an unsightly manner. Eun-myeong’s head drooped down like a ripe rice plant.

“I ate lunch late, so I don’t have much of an appetite.”

Even though he made a natural excuse, Mister’s eyes were full of pity as he looked at him as if he felt sorry for him.

“Want me to give you a steamed bun?”

“No, I’m really full.”

Eun-myeong felt a strange tingling in his nose. He was grateful just for the offer. He felt a lump in his chest at the thought of him being so willing to offer his kindness even though he looked so shabby.

“Thank you.”

Still, that was that, and this was this. His older sister always said not to cause trouble for others, even if he was poor.

Eun-myeong paid and trudged out of the supermarket. He was thinking about the steamed buns a little, but he couldn’t spend money on frivolous things in this situation. He quickly moved his feet as if shaking off his lingering feelings. He was going to go home and boil some ramen.

Finally, he could see the gate of his house in the distance.

“…The door, why?”

Eun-myeong’s heart shattered and fell. The door was boldly, very widely open? His steps, which had been slow, gradually quickened.