ETP Ch 53

“But, Boss! Even so, Hwang Yoohyun Sunbae-nim is a bit…!”

—He doesn’t seem like a bad guy. Why, is he being mean to you?

“That’s not it!”

At Hyunseop’s nonchalant words, implying that if that wasn’t the case, then everything was fine, Sungyeon furrowed his brows.

He acted like he was going to eat him alive at the police station that night, and now he’s hiring him? He couldn’t be more inconsistent.

Sungyeon had a lot of pent-up complaints, but as a mere part-timer, he wasn’t in a position to say anything, so he just agreed.

Sungyeon groaned after hanging up the phone, having gained nothing from the conversation.

No matter how much he thought about it, working alone seemed better. Judging by Yoohyun’s behavior so far, it was clear that he would only make things worse instead of helping.

And that prediction turned out to be precisely correct.

“Sunbae-nim! Don’t put that in yet!”

“Huh?”

Sungyeon had asked Yoohyun to make some Buldak Bokkeum Myun after receiving an order. He rushed over and stopped him just as Yoohyun was about to put the noodles and seaweed flakes in as soon as the water boiled. He didn’t know whether to be relieved that at least Yoohyun hadn’t put in the liquid seasoning yet.

Sungyeon pushed the still bewildered Yoohyun towards the counter and finished making the Buldak Bokkeum Myun.

“Take this to customer number 32.”

“Okay.”

Yoohyun took the bowl from Bokseung and went to number 32. Since the customer at number 32 was engrossed in his game and didn’t seem to notice that his order had arrived, Yoohyun placed the bowl next to him and returned.

Not long after, a note filled with complaints flew from number 32.

[What’s the deal with just leaving the bowl here? Am I supposed to eat this with my hands?? Where are the pickled radish and kimchi?]

Sungyeon couldn’t hide the sigh that rose from deep within him. He was tired of even counting how many complaints he had received already.

“Sunbae-nim?”

“Yeah.”

He was very good at responding curtly. Sungyeon pouted and quickly brought Yoohyun to the computer.

When he pointed at customer number 32’s complaints, Yoohyun tilted his head. He seemed to be asking what it was. He couldn’t figure out where to use a part-timer who couldn’t even remember the table number he had just visited two minutes ago. His, no, Bokseung’s brain couldn’t process it.

“I told you to take him the Buldak Bokkeum Myun, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then why did you only take him the Buldak Bokkeum Myun?!”

“Was there another order?”

Yoohyun looked at Bokseung with an expression that genuinely asked what he had done wrong. He seemed to be wondering why Bokseung was getting annoyed now, when he should have given him everything at once.

Sungyeon barely stopped his fist from flying towards Yoohyun’s head, took a deep breath, and explained again.

This was the fourth explanation today. He had no idea how to teach this part-timer, who had neither sincerity nor enthusiasm for the job.

Yoohyun clearly looked like he had no interest or thoughts about the work. That’s why, with that good brain of his, he couldn’t even memorize simple rules!

“I’ve told you countless times that kimchi, pickled radish, and chopsticks are served with every meal order!”

“Ah.”

“‘Ah’ what! Sunbae-nim, seriously, how many times has this happened?”

“These things happen.”

“No, they don’t! Go give it to him now!”

At Bokseung’s sharp command, Yoohyun silently placed the kimchi, pickled radish, and chopsticks on a tray and headed to number 32. Again, the customer seemed absorbed in his game, so he quietly placed the additional food next to the keyboard and was about to turn back.

“Ah, fuck! Why are you touching my stuff?! You made me miss!”

The customer at number 32 turned to Yoohyun and hurled curses at him.

Hwang Yoohyun, who exchanged friendly curses with Yoo Sunjung almost daily, wasn’t pleased to be cursed at by a complete stranger. Especially after being scolded by Bokseung because of this very customer.

Yoohyun didn’t know how to just let things go. He had heard it loud and clear, and the customer clearly cursed out his parents’ names with every game. If he didn’t say anything here, the next person to be cursed at might be Bokseung.

Yoohyun turned and approached the customer at number 32 again.

As if he didn’t remember what he had just said, the customer was already back in his game.

“Excuse me.”

Yoohyun grabbed the customer’s forearm, which was moving the mouse.

With the sudden pressure, the mouse stopped moving, and the customer’s face turned red. He had already lost a kill earlier, and now, because of the part-timer, his in-game champion died and collapsed.

“You, son of a…?!”

The customer, about to unleash his foul mouth, clamped his mouth shut as he noticed the imposing presence of the part-timer.

Yoohyun noticed the customer’s change in attitude, but with a poker face, he spoke bluntly as if he didn’t know anything.

“The employee you are currently interacting with is someone’s precious child. Customers who verbally or physically abuse our employees are not allowed to use the PC bang.”

“Uh….”

“…Didn’t you see that written?”

“No, uh. I, I saw….”

“You saw it?”

Yoohyun now spoke informally to the customer. However, his demeanor was so natural that neither the customer being addressed nor the other customers nearby felt any sense of incongruity.

Only Sungyeon, who was watching from the counter, was startled and ran over.

“Sunbae-nim!!”

Sungyeon rushed to Yoohyun’s side and jabbed him hard in the ribs. He used so much force that Yoohyun involuntarily let out a groan.

“Sir, if you have any further complaints, please send us a note. Enjoy your meal!”

After roughly smoothing things over with the still-frozen and stammering customer, Sungyeon dragged Yoohyun back to the corner of the counter.

“Sunbae-nim, pleathe, I told you, to handle, thethe thingth, mythelf.”

Yoohyun was unusually intimidated by the voice spoken through gritted teeth.

I didn’t do it for my own good, but because I was worried Bokseung might get caught in the crossfire. Why didn’t he appreciate that and only scolded him? Was this the hardship of being a newbie?

Yoohyun, a newbie with no great ambition for his part-time job, nodded with such thoughts. He had to follow orders, since Bokseung was the senior at the PC bang.

But Bokseung was still uneasy even after Yoohyun obediently nodded. If this was Yoohyun’s tactic to infuriate him to the point of being unable to work, it was about 60% successful.

If he worked like this for just one week, he felt like he would really explode and collapse on the spot.

🍑‧₊ ⋆˙

Fortunately or unfortunately, Bokseung didn’t suffer a rage-induced illness. This was thanks to Yoohyun, who started showing a tiny bit of effort, albeit as small as a chick’s dropping.

In addition, Sungyeon couldn’t push for Yoohyun’s dismissal any longer due to another reason. It was because Yoohyun always drove him home, and that time was as sweet as honey.

Unlike a 12,000 won per hour part-timer, Yoohyun drove a luxury sedan. Sometimes he drove a sleeker car, but he mostly commuted in a black sedan. It was a minus-efficiency part-time job, as the gas money probably exceeded his earnings.

However, that was Yoohyun’s business, and Sungyeon was comfortable because he could commute home easily. He didn’t have to rush for the last bus every time, and if he was tired, he could doze off and arrive safely home. How could he not like it?

Sungyeon, who had benefited greatly from Yoohyun’s kindness once again today, stretched and thanked him.

“Good work! Thank you!”

“Yeah, go on in.”

“Yes! See you at school tomorrow.”

In exchange for the ride, Sungyeon was in charge of Yoohyun’s lunch. It wasn’t that he paid for Yoohyun’s lunch every time, but simply put, he was a lunch buddy.

Yoohyun was a loner with no one to eat with at school. Sungyeon found this out after eating with him a few times out of gratitude for the rides.

It was so predictable that it wasn’t even surprising.

If a prickly little shit like Yoohyun, who shunned the world, had many friends, that would be a mystery.

Due to these circumstances, Sungyeon ended up taking care of Yoohyun’s lunch, and naturally, they ate together whenever their free periods aligned. They mostly ate at the school cafeteria, but sometimes they went to restaurants recommended by Sungyeon’s trio of friends.

For some reason, Yoohyun seemed to look forward to lunchtime, so Sungyeon had been eating with him more often than with his friends lately.

They only had one class together, but they were already sharing their schedules.

It was all occupational hazard.

Sungyeon shook his head while brushing his teeth.

It was a habit from when he was Lee Sungyeon. Not only could he not leave alone those who were alone, but he also had a habit of grabbing onto anyone who seemed even slightly dissatisfied with the world and guiding them on the right path.

Sungyeon was completely unaware that this nosy habit, his so-called occupational hazard, only applied to Hwang Yoohyun.

When he finished washing up, it was already well past 1 a.m. Even if he went to sleep right now, he would be pressed for time for his 9 a.m. class tomorrow.

Sungyeon quickly organized his schedule and burrowed under the covers.

Just then, with a flash, a notification alerted him that he had a new message.

Who is it at this hour?

Sungyeon, wondering if it might be from Yoohyun, looked at his phone screen and his face hardened.

[010—xxxx—xx67 : Cheap whore]

It was a malicious message from an unknown number.