[T/N] I apologize for grammar mistakes and incoherencies
Special Chapter 12: Hello world! #3.
“Working together and being together made us closer.”
“The more I think about it, the more surprising it becomes. We both speak in a similar embarrassed way, but until recently, I misunderstood the mother of that child. Why, I mean... Are there people who date men and women at the same time?”
What should come, came. Jaeyoung thought, Sangwoo’s father looked at his face before speaking again and again with an embarrassed expression.
“I shouldn’t say anything. When you’re older, you just keep doing things like this.”
The other party quickly drank all the alcohol and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Then he took a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it.
“May I have one please?”
The middle-aged man looked surprised, but immediately handed the cigarette and lighter, it was a brand with a stronger taste than the one Jaeyoung normally smoked, he turned his body to light it. Then there was a heavy silence for a moment. While Jaeyoung’s cigarette flickered halfway, Sangwoo’s father burst out.
“It’s you. Sangwoo will be going abroad. I think you will miss each other, you’ve been together for a year.”
Jaeyoung felt that the time had finally come. He took a deep puff of his cigarette and exhaled a long breath.
“Sir.”
He put strength into his words so that the other party wouldn’t misunderstand. Then the kind and gentle eyes of the couple looked over.
“I’m going to quit my job and go back to school. It’s a university not far from Sangwoo’s workplace, so we’ll live together up there.”
He never thought that one person could apply to the same university three times. Jaeyoung hesitated between moving to work at a branding company and pursuing a master’s degree, and finally chose the latter. He wanted to work on his own to test and develop his own design style more than this. Even if he didn’t want to work part-time.
Sangwoo’s father’s mouth was open, the cigarette fell to the ground, but Jaeyoung quickly picked it up and threw it in the ashtray before the fire could spread to the grass. When he locked eyes with the other party again, he found that those eyes looked so complex that he couldn’t know what hidden meaning they held. Jaeyoung couldn’t judge whether the person in front of him was angry, disappointed, or hopeless.
‘Do I have to kneel?’
He pondered in his heart, feeling the difficulty of making a decision. While the other party replied in silence, time passed. Jaeyoung continued to look into the eyes of the middle-aged man, his mouth slightly open.
“I’ve prepared myself to face you sir, so please listen until the end.”
The other party’s eyes just widened, with no gesture of obstruction. Jaeyoung thought of Sangwoo, who was talking to his mother in a similar manner, and felt a surge of courage.
“Me and your father’s son are not just friends. We have been in a serious relationship and have been living together since July last year. The state we are going to has legalized same-sex marriage, so we plan to request the right to live together permanently and marry in the future. I’m not sure and probably you will not allow it, but I decided to reveal this deep relationship as a secret because I felt it was inappropriate.”
Jaeyoung didn’t think of acting as a protagonist in a soap opera in the morning, but his body automatically knelt to the ground. Jaeyoung was surprised by his own actions. At the same time, he felt extremely tense as he realized that he was proposing the most suitable posture towards the opposing party.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
Sangwoo’s father quickly stood up from his chair and pulled Jaeyoung up by the arm, his grip exceeding his age. Jaeyoung got up and sat back on the chair. Then, between them, they were surrounded by a long silence.
Not knowing how long time had passed, Sangwoo’s father picked up a cigarette and lit it with a shock of fire. Then he handed the cigarette box to
Jaeyoung...without looking at him, he extended both hands and took one roll.
This time, the other party lit it by himself. Jaeyoung brought the cigarette close to the other party with a strange feeling and soon the fire was lit. Jaeyoung took a deep breath.
The silent poet remained silent until there was only a cigarette butt left. In the meantime, Jaeyoung forgot about the tension. Once he spoke, he felt relieved and believed that he couldn’t do anything more from now on. However, Jaeyoung didn’t think of giving up just because the parents of the other party objected. So no matter what reaction he received, he had to persevere.
“Will it be okay?”
However, the reaction from Sangwoo’s father was beyond expectation. The other party had a calm and serene demeanor, no sign of anger or resentment, and the ambiguous words were difficult to understand. Jaeyoung could only respond with a clueless feeling.
“Sir you mean...”
“On the outside, it may not seem like it, but Sangwoo is very possessive.”
The middle-aged man looked into Jaeyoung’s eyes. Jaeyoung saw the concern in those eyes, which had lines around them.
“The toy he bought at the age of three. Even though it’s broken, he still fixes it, fixes it, fixes it, and keeps it. The logo he bought at the age of five is still the same, without any missing parts. Not to mention his pickup truck.
“...He is like that.”
“He is a child who, if he sets his mind on something, will possess it. No matter what happens, he will still possess it, never let it go. You have to think carefully. You may have a chance to escape only now.”
Jaeyoung hesitated, feeling like he was being cornered.
“Does sir not care that I am a man?” The middle-aged man smiled wryly.
“You said that you and him love each other.”
“Yes.”
“Does Sangwoo think the same way?”
“Same way? Yes. Of course.”
“Are you sure? I mean, have you actually heard it directly from that kid’s mouth?”
The other side fell silent for a moment, their face blushing.
I don’t really know what Sangwoo is thinking to be able to date you. It might shake you, but I have to be honest with you.”
The other side took a breath and looked up, glaring at Jaeyoung.
“Sangwoo, he understands physical desires, but he doesn’t understand love.”
The father knew his son well enough. Jaeyoung was overwhelmed with mixed emotions when he thought about the night he had cried before meeting Sangwoo. The other side looked at Jaeyoung’s face and added.
“I’m not joking, you know?”
“Okay.”
“It may sound strange. That kid has had a good head on his shoulders since he was young, but his emotional development has been slow…joy, happiness, and the desire for a meaningful relationship. As a father, I’ve been trying to teach him all along, but I’ve failed miserably too. When he turned twenty-one, I heard that he was seriously dating a girl from the same university. I was so relieved that he would finally live a life as a human being...” He sighed.
“He said it was an experiment to test if the other person was suitable for marriage. Even though I strongly disagreed, he couldn’t understand what he did wrong. I didn’t know what to say, she’s just a young girl...”
She was an older female student, two years older than Sangwoo. They happened to meet when they were working on a special project for the university’s secretary. Jaeyoung tried everything to find out who she was, but Sangwoo refused to reveal her name because it was personal information. It became an ongoing mystery for Jaeyoung.
“He’s a kid who understands that love between parents is a genetic behavior for reproductive purposes. Even though we demonstrated our love and gave each other more love than necessary, he only understands it in that way...” Even though Jaeyoung wondered how he ended up having to comfort Sangwoo’s father, he poured himself a drink without realizing.
“So, Sangwoo is very responsible.”
“Where is his responsibility of returning the money invested in raising him until now? We’re not a bank.”
“...”
Even though he’s my son, he lacks a lot of humanity. It’s all my fault... I’ve raised him wrong.”
Seeing the other side hold their head with both hands, Jaeyoung smiled from the bottom of his heart. He himself had thought something similar, but now many things have changed.
“Don’t talk like that at all. I can clearly see in my own eyes how much
Sangwoo loves this house and respects you.”
“You’re really good at making jokes about Sangwoo.”
“No, I’m serious. Sangwoo is a child who has clearly been raised with love. Originally, his personality may have been easygoing and sincere, but I think that’s because he has been heavily influenced by you two, his parents.”
“Easygoing...and sincere? Sangwoo?”
“Sangwoo has changed a lot. He expresses love frequently and hugs passionately. Whatever other people do, he does it all. When I asked him to marry me, he accepted and handed me a bouquet of flowers, promising to make me happy. I couldn’t refuse.”
Sangwoo’s father couldn’t believe it. Jaeyoung picked up his phone and showed him the screenshot of a message he had saved.
[Chu Sangwoo♡♡: I love you♥ _11 one month ago.]
“...This means he did it, right?”
The middle-aged man’s mouth was agape with shock. In reality, it was something he made someone else do, but Jaeyoung was determined not to reveal it.
“Even though it’s something he’s forced to do every parent’s day[1], he refuses to use words that are filled with true emotions.”
Sangwoo’s father frowned in pain. This wasn’t the right time to feel superior, but Jaeyoung always had to pull the corners of his mouth, which had the tendency to lift, back down.
“Sangwoo is someone who is honest with his feelings. It’s just that he’s not comfortable with showing them. He expresses happiness when he’s happy and sadness when he’s sad.”
The boasting words just kept coming out of his mouth. Jaeyoung only hoped that his words didn’t sound like bragging, but even so, he thought he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for this year.
And because he has a logical mindset, as long as we understand each other, there won’t be any arguments. There may be things to be sad about, but I have to make things better.”
Sangwoo’s father stared blankly, as if his soul had left him, ever since he saw the message.
“A half year of dating may seem like a short period of time. I try to be cautious about speaking like this, but...”
Jaeyoung’s confidence was filled with determination, contradicting his humble words. Getting to know each other took more than a year for him, it was not a short time at all. It was enough for him to decide to bet his life on it.
“No one else has been like Sangwoo in my entire life. I truly love your son.” He didn’t plan to speak words so repetitive like this, but almost nothing in Jaeyoung’s life went according to plan anymore. Even though it may change as he continues to live with Chu Sangwoo.
“I feel uncomfortable and guilty about being a man, but if I have your permission, I think I will confidently pursue a relationship with Sangwoo.”
Jaeyoung spoke with confidence, the uneasiness and fear he used to feel vanished without him realizing it.
After a moment of silence, Sangwoo’s father, with his head down, looked at the floor and took a breath before responding.
“If it’s what Sangwoo wants, does it really matter if I permit it or not?”
The answer was ambiguous, but at this point, it was considered good news.
Jaeyoung had prepared himself for this moment.
“You should try talking to his mother. I don’t have any authority in this house...”
The image of the family head, with a drooping neck, looked pitiful.
“Will his mother strongly oppose it?”
“Instead of opposing... Sometimes she may not understand, she might say something like ‘why does neon have two electrons in a noble gas configuration’.” “I see...”
Jaeyoung felt that he was right to rely on Sangwoo to handle his mother.
The suffocating silence continued for a moment.
“Jaeyoung.”
“Yes.”
Thank you for talking to me directly, but now my head is a mess. If you don’t have anything else to say to me, I would like to be alone for a while.”
The poet stood up and walked away from his seat. Just as he was about to say goodbye, he suddenly became curious.
“Well, before I go, may I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“How did you meet?”
The middle-aged man laughed and looked at Jaeyoung before answering.
“It was during the time I was working in Seoul... On the bus I took, there was a woman who got on at the same time and sat in the same seat every day. She was a beautiful and interesting woman.”
“Oh...”
“I wrote poems for her every month, but after a year, there was no response... Until one day, she got on the bus and told me that my grammar was incorrect.”
“...”
“I’m a poet who writes sincere love poems, but the story is not romantic, right?”
It wouldn’t be right to say that the other party just said that. Jaeyoung covered his mouth with a hand to suppress his laughter.
As he walked into the house with laughter echoing softly in the background, the beautiful moonlight shone brightly. Jaeyoung immersed himself in this moment and missed Sangwoo greatly.
As he turned the doorknob, the large door opened gently. Jaeyoung entered the clean and tidy entrance hall, picked up the slippers labeled “Guest 1” to wear, and placed his own dress shoes accordingly.
The house was dim and cozy. Light seeped out from the partially open door in the hallway. As he walked past the room where the door was slightly ajar to go upstairs, he heard a conversation between a mother and her son.
“What’s next? How did you get him?”
“After a sudden proposal, I got him a ring.”
“Very smart. That’s the best way to hold a mate in every era.”
“He’s someone who doesn’t fuss about tiny details, so he probably doesn’t care much about wearing any accessories. That’s why I feel a bit guilty about him wearing the ring.”
Your father is the same. He didn’t think we would be together for a lifetime, only thinking about having fun and being happy.”
Jaeyoung smiled awkwardly and couldn’t speak. When he reached into his pants pocket, he touched a thin ring that he had removed for several hours.
Jaeyoung took it out and put it on his fourth finger.
________________________________________.
[1] Parents’ Day, “어버이날, : Observe enju.” It falls on May 8th and is a day designated to express gratitude for the kindness and love of parents, by giving them red carnations.
Special Chapter 13: Hello World! #4.
“He looks handsome, don’t you think so mom?”
“I don’t really know, but compared to your father in his younger days...”
“It’s not like that. Mother, you have lost all sense of moderation. You are feeling the side effects of love again.”
Jaeyoung restrained his laughter, moved closer to the door, and leaned against it to eavesdrop.
“By the way, did you get a health check before having sex?”
“No, but I always use protection.”
“Then it’s safe.”
“To be honest, I often have desires and find pleasure in having sex in everyday life too much. Sometimes I feel like I’ve lost my humanity. Even just exchanging glances can stimulate my sexual desire. If he had any dangerous infections, it would have spread since before now and caused problems.”
“In a way, you have a part that resembles your father.”
“A fallen tree doesn’t fall far from its trunk.”
“Son, before I started having a relationship with your father, we had to get tested for various diseases beforehand. You should also get tested.”
“I understand. It seems like I am being careless. I will book a hospital appointment tomorrow.”
Listening to both of them talk about everything, Jaeyoung knows that if he is caught eavesdropping, he will feel embarrassed. But he wants to know and care about what they are talking about, so he doesn’t move away.
“You look happy, son.”
I am happy.”
“What is so happy about it?”
“After we started dating, life has become more meaningful. I want to get married soon because it is a version that increases stability. Even if I wear a ring, I am still not at ease and I think I should emphasize legally that he is my spouse to be able to trust him.”
“Feeling like that is normal, everyone loves stability.”
“Right now, I can’t understand how I can be so patient even for just one day when he is just a guy.”
Today, Sangwoo speaks and negotiates very skillfully. Jaeyoung stands against the wall, listens to the other party’s voice, and smiles silently without blinking.
“How do you divide household chores?”
“I do the laundry and clean the living room, while he is responsible for everything in the kitchen. But I hate it when he leaves scraps of food, so I end up eating them for him.”
“Does he suffer from an eating disorder?”
“No, it’s more like an annoyance.”
“I see. Sanghee is also the same.”
“There’s no comparison, really. That strange creature must be the first human to have such a twisted leg, while he...there are times when he’s just a little lazy, but that’s rare. When he comes back from work, he might be tired.”
The tone of his reserved voice sounds sweet. Jaeyoung hopes that the peanut shells covering the other person’s eyes will not come off.
“Last month, Sanghee also brought his boyfriend. They plan to get married next year.”
“I know. I’ve always wondered if that person knows my sister’s true nature or not.”
“It may be surprising, but I think it’s because she is with her partner that they don’t reveal any flaws in their daily life.”
“It’s deception. They will probably break up after they get married.”
“What about you? Isn’t there a problem with that?”
“I don’t know, man. Sometimes I just want to know how it feels, like Hyung
Jaeyoung, so I took off my socks and left them lying there for about six hours.
After that, I felt regretful.”
‘...Is that so?’
“Son, sometimes I try to impress your dad by buying literature books. Even if
I don’t read them.”
“I understand. I’ve been skateboarding every weekend too.”
“How is it?”
“Wait a minute. Let me open it and show you.”
The room fell silent for a moment. Then, the sound of water that I had heard somewhere before became louder.
[Take a good look... Sangwoo-ya, just step on the tail[1], right? And don’t touch the ground. If you miss, you could flip over and break your head.]
[Where should I press?]
[The sole of your foot. It’s hard to explain in words. You have to use your shoulder to maintain balance. Let me show you again. Slide like this... Try it, try doing it and it’s faster.]
[Wait. I’m recording a video.]
The sound of the skateboard scraping against the floor, and the video was cut off. Chu Sangwoo, who wanted to show off to his own parents, really went all out and was an excellent skater.
“Why do you have to do something like this?”
The mother of the person in question remained silent for a moment before speaking up.
“I think I like it. It gives me a more exhilarating feeling than running.”
“You don’t use this to travel, right?”
“Yes. It doesn’t have an engine, so it’s not considered an efficient way to travel. But it’s a lot of fun. Last Sunday, I overshot a bit and fell over while plowing. I bruised myself a little but I am all okay now.”
“Be careful.”
“And I have to go on a trip once a season and watch a movie once a week.”
“Sounds too bothersome.”
“It’s a way to update. I don’t think it’s cool or anything.”
“He’s bigger than you. Probably won’t hurt you, right?”
“Don’t worry.”
“Okay, let’s go then.”
“Any other questions?”
“No, that’s all.”
“Then let’s go up.”
“See you later, let’s talk again. When I talk to you, this mother of yours feels better.”
“I understand. Then tell me about the research you’ve been doing lately.”
‘Should I call him a filial son?’
Jaeyoung laughed and backed away, being extra careful not to make the old staircase make squeaky noises.
Sangwoo had spoken correctly. The parents tried to understand and respect their son’s decision. They didn’t care about Jaeyoung being a man; his father’s attention was focused solely on his son’s feelings, while his mother cared about their son’s well-being. Sometimes, regardless of whether the person who Sangwoo brought there was a man or an extraterrestrial, they both reacted similarly.
‘I feel a bit sad too.’
Jaeyoung immersed himself in happiness and smiled. On the second floor, there were two bathrooms and two bedrooms. There were traces of stickers on the door of the first room that had been pulled off before, but at least he was confident that it wasn’t Sangwoo’s room. Upon closer inspection, he found that there were purple writings written with a marker.
[Sang-Hee’s room~☆★, No! One! Allowed! at all.
Especially Chu Sangwoo.]
Next to the name Sangwoo, there was a drawing that resembled a cloud, sometimes it could be a piece of lettuce[2]. Jaeyoung walked forward and stopped in front of the door to the clean and neat room, his heart pounding uncontrollably for no reason, so he took a deep breath to calm himself and opened the door. After feeling the wall to turn on the light, he smiled immediately.
“This is... Chu Sangwoo’s museum.”
Jaeyoung lifted his face and examined every corner of the small room.
One wall was filled with bookshelves packed with science books for children. When he took one out to look at it, he found a worn-out cover that said everything was old. Especially the ones that were so old they were like dust, and on the wall there was a map of stars and constellations with over a hundred different dinosaur names. Although it was laminated, the edges were already worn out.
The brown table that Sangwoo used to sit and read high school books was covered with glass, and on it were clay models and movable solar system models. On the bookshelf were math exercise books and several notebooks, and the top shelf had a helicopter, a battleship, a satellite model, and around twenty CDs.
“This has been a long time.”
Jaeyoung opened a few CDs, reminiscing about the past. Then he discovered something and smiled happily.
He carefully picked up the most valuable artifact that would most likely be in the museum if Chu Sangwoo’s museum actually existed. If Jaeyoung guessed correctly, it would be a model that the stubborn boy’s father bought when he was twelve, Chu Sangwoo’s first love. It was a toy that turned white because the yellow color on it almost peeled off, a ‘Crawler’[3]. Jaeyoung carefully examined the mini excavator that was smaller than his hand before placing it down.
His gaze shifted to the small bed and he quickly glanced over the clean white sheet prepared by Sangwoo’s parents that was placed on the black space under the bed. It was often a secret hiding place for the young boy. Jaeyoung didn’t believe that Sangwoo would keep pornographic pictures, “Even if the young man still looks at porn, he would probably back them up as digital files rather than keeping physical items.” But he still bent down to look under the bed with curiosity.
When he saw that there was a plastic box under the bed, he picked it up and found that it was filled with toys - marbles, mini cars, water bottle rockets, action figures, model ambulances, Rubik’s cubes, wooden blocks, glass marbles, and a ddakji [4]... Another box was a colorful Lego set, next to a stack of old science magazines tied with a rope.
There was only that spot that seemed frozen in time, as if it held important belongings for its owner. Sangwoo would keep them well-preserved. He didn’t throw away anything, everything, old and worn-out items included, but even so, they remained in a meaningful state.
‘Every time he comes here, he feels like it’s home.’
Jaeyoung moved places frequently, so all the things he used as a child had disappeared. The only place that felt like home to him now was the officetel where he lived with Sangwoo. Sometimes it might be the dream of a wandering vagabond to have a stable life. Jaeyoung could feel the overwhelming emotions as he was surrounded by the past that had created Sangwoo’s present.
‘Your world, your starting point, everything that led you to be by my side.’
Jaeyoung stood in the place where Sangwoo grew up, slowly getting acquainted with the world of an honest and curious young boy, and capturing those moments with his eyes. He imagined what it would be like if Sangwoo’s love never changed, how long his love and devotion would last. He wished to be one of the things that Sangwoo liked, and hoped that his own traces would remain within Sangwoo, no matter how many years passed, like the fingerprints embedded in those science books.
Jaeyoung neatly arranged everything under the bed and stood up before discovering Sangwoo’s graduation photo album on the bookshelf. He lay down on the bed, looking at the unfamiliar face and waiting for Sangwoo to appear.
The picture of Chu Sangwoo during his elementary school years looked just as expected. It wasn’t very interesting, a young boy with short hair and an expressionless face. Although he had fair and dry skin, it was a characteristic that was not commonly seen, even during his high school years. He could feel that only time had passed, while that face remained surprisingly unchanged.
‘If we met in high school, there’s no way we could get close.’
Jaeyoung pondered as he looked at the group photo from Sangwoo’s high school years. On the other hand, he was a bookworm, the undisputed top student in the school, which was a strange thing. While he was a struggling student controlled within the school, Jaeyoung suddenly felt that the fact that people like them were connected was like a miracle.
If Jaeyoung did not attend university as a talented student in the arts, he would probably die because of his grades, and even if he recovers, he probably would not be able to attend Hankuk University. If he did not postpone his training with Heng Sooyi until the last semester, he would not have met with Sangwoo again. If he participated in group work and contributed appropriately and created a good PowerPoint presentation in that semester, Sangwoo probably would not remember Jang Jaeyoung forever. And if Han Sooyeong did not give Jaeyoung the “Vegetable Man” project, he would have graduated without knowing the truth about Chu Sangwoo, the leader of the group, being a crazy guy.
He increased his grip on the photo album. Several random events happened overlapping each other, and Sangwoo ended up beside Jaeyoung. What would happen if he had not met the other party?
While Jaeyoung was dancing in imagination, the door suddenly opened. When he saw the man walking through the door, he immediately got up from the bed and realized that he was hugging Sangwoo tightly.
“...Are you crying?”
“No, is there something in my eye?”
“This room is not used and it’s dusty, right?”
Jaeyoung laughed softly, his back touching Sangwoo’s chest and his chin resting on his shoulder. He used to think his heart was full of love for this man, and he thought it couldn’t get any higher because he had reached the highest point, but that was a misconception. As the days and nights went by, he fell more in love with Chu Sangwoo. Jaeyoung loved Sangwoo more today than he did yesterday.
“Sangwooya.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“How much do you like me?”
“...”
Jaeyoung released his small hug and used his hand to lift Sangwoo’s chin, their eyes met for just a moment, and his gaze was filled with warmth. Who said the other party was a dust-sucking robot? What gentle vacuum cleaner exists in the world? Jaeyoung smiled softly at the other party.
“Answer quickly.”
“... It cannot be measured quantitatively.”
“Do you like it more than an excavator?”
“That point has been missing for a long time.”
‘Have you heard, you scrap metal!’
Jaeyoung announced victory over the paint-stripped toy.
“Hyung.”
“What?”
“I want to kiss you.”
“What will you do if your dad and mom come in while we’re kissing?”
“If I say not to come in, no one will come in.”
Jaeyoung looked down and caught Sangwoo’s still gaze. Sangwoo frowned as he saw him fidgeting.
“Sangwoo, the excavator and helicopter are watching.”
“They should know by now that I am an adult.” Sangwoo spoke calmly.
“When will you let me play with the toys?”
Jaeyoung burst into laughter, but in the next second, Sangwoo tiptoed to cover his mouth, so he couldn’t laugh anymore.
________________________________________.
[1] tail = the back part of a skateboard, nose = the front part of a skateboard.
[2] Sawtooth lettuce, derived from Sangwoo’s nickname, which means
“Sawtooth lettuce.”
[3] Crawler = caterpillar track, but if it’s a regular wheel.
[4] Dut Ji, “ddakji.” A toy made by folding paper into a rectangular shape, or by placing letters or images on thick paper.
SEMANTIC ERROR VOLUME 5
Special Chapter 14: Crash to Desktop.
Author: Mike R. Cornerman.
[02-26 MON 19:34:28]
Finally, the team has received a new employee. From now on, there will be a new person sitting next to me. I heard that he is a Korean who looks like a member of a boy band, K-pop. I wondered if he was a high school student, so I secretly asked Heather. I was surprised when the other person answered that he is 27 years old.
[03-07 WED 16:22:19]
The new coworker is polite and well-dressed, fashionable. Just as expected. He speaks a few words, according to the image. Heather asked for an easy report, but he wrote 11 pages. I saw that the woman next to him reacts positively, and it seems like he is a capable worker.
[03-15 THU 11:05:34]
I explained the related work, as requested by Mister Chu, and he listened until the end. After I finished, I told him to ask if he had any questions. He said that my talk seemed long and asked me to open the notepad to type. I haven’t met anyone who can use grammar perfectly without abbreviations or typos for months.
[04-03 TUE 16:21:55]
Luckily, there is a new employee who can communicate directly, and he is better than Louis who resigned.
[04-11 WED 14:42:15]
Mister Chu, his thinking is logical. It’s not that important, but sometimes I want to pinch his cheek.
[04-20 FRI 18:25:08]
I just found out that he is a game developer <Veggie Venturer> which was popular two to three years ago. When I told him that I really enjoy playing those games, he smiled at me for the first time.
[04-24, TUE 11:12:45.]
I tried searching on Google with the email ID of Chu’s company, but nothing came back. Then I tried searching on SNS, but it seems there is no activity. The account that I follow only has one graffiti artist.
[05-04, FRI 10:52:29.]
I just saw that he is wearing a ring on the ring finger of his left hand. Maybe it’s not because he already has a girlfriend.
[05-06, SUN 14:41:30.]
Let’s think about it. Chu’s ring looks exactly like a Rosary ring[1] my grandma, who passed away, used to wear a similar design. Is he a Roman Catholic too [2]? It doesn’t match him at all.
[05-10, THU 13:57:06.]
Jesse came to Chu’s table and kept saying that the shirt suits him well. Then she left, maybe she is interested in him
[05-15, TUE 11:09:49.]
God, Chu has understood that my name is “Michael” all along. We’ve been sitting next to each other for two months!
[05-21. MON 13:56:11.]
We had lunch together for the first time. Although the truth is that he was eating alone, I just happened to be sitting next to him.
[05-24, THU 15:01:02.]
The HR side gave Chu their business card. And he just started working, but he signed the card quickly. I asked for one of his business cards. Then he asked me what I would use it for. So, I made up a story about collecting business cards.
[05-26, SAT 15:26:09.]
I sent him a message on his mobile phone asking if he likes watching movies. Five hours later, I got a reply saying “I watched it before, there’s a story.” but the typos don’t seem to match with Chu typing style, the number written on the business card must be wrong, right?
[06-08, FRI 14:22:06.]
He has been wearing a black t-shirt and jeans for 2 weeks now. Is something bad happening or not?
[06-11. MON 09:45:21.]
May I request something? Chu! Just call me ‘Mike.’ Not ‘Michael,’ got it!
[06-13, WED 17:41:10.]
I saw Chu secretly making a video call in his native language in the temporary accommodation room. It felt more cute and entertaining than when he speaks English.
Shall I try learning Korean sometime, shall I?
[06-21, THU 12:57:26.]
SANG-WOO... I wonder what his difficult-to-pronounce name means.
[06-26, TUE 13:31:55.]
Chu criticizes the inefficiency of my formatting code, which I quickly put together due to tight deadlines. I couldn’t argue with anything; it seems like Heather who walked by must have overheard everything.
I never thought he would be the type to undermine others to make himself shine. I’ve been really disappointed that I tried to admire him, but from today onwards, we’re enemies.
[06-27, WED 22:19:21.]
I did overtime to find Chu’s mistakes, but couldn’t find any.
[07-03, TUE 18:33:47.]
Robot, try missing a bit.
[07-12, THU 16:08:22.]
While I was thinking about how to get revenge, I came up with a not-sonice nickname and secretly told Chris, the gossip king of our team. Soon, rumors will spread throughout the company.
[07-13, FRI 18:32:11.]
Achieved great success. Now, Chuis called ‘R-Chu-D-2’ instead. Go play in the sequel of Star Wars, you tin can!
[07-16. MON 10:04:21.]
The android sitting next to me is on vacation, the area is so quiet.
[07-26, THU 17:29:56.]
Is it normal for a company to be this boring?
[07-30. MON 09:47:38.]
R-Chu-D-2 came back... I have no idea where he went for my vacation, but he looks a little gloomy. Maybe I should try tanning too.
[08-01, WED 13:47:32.]
Mia Barren placed her hand on his shoulder and praised Chu. My heart was boiling, she was impressed with him.
[08-02, THU 16:44:12.]
He called me by the name ‘Michael’ for the third time. I pretended to be shocked. Then I went to protest to Heather that I couldn’t work with a stupid person who couldn’t even remember the names of the employees sitting next to him for half a year. If not, he would have to be fired. And then I was accused of being a crazy guy.
[08-03, FRI 19:17:03.]
While I was about to leave work, Chu came and apologized for what happened yesterday and said he would treat me to lunch next Sunday. Thank God. Now he called me by my name correctly.
After returning home, my heart was still beating fast. Thank God.
[08-06. MON 13:39:41.]
Damn it! Damn it! Bastard! Why did we go for lunch with Midleton, Gregson, and Anderson, and why do I have to sit far away from him?
Chu ate silently and when we started talking, he talked more and more, ignoring me completely. So I burst out saying, “Newbie like you, I can still beat you with my feet.” The atmosphere at that time... made me feel like I had become a fool.
[08-10, FRI 09:51:36.]
It seems like Chu is angry. He has been quiet and not talking for two to three days until we accidentally bumped into each other. Then he asked me if I have any experience in being a pro-gamer. I answered casually, but he kept insisting.
[08-13. MON 16:14:28.]
The man sitting next to me is annoying and irritating. He wonders why I’m good at playing games. I don’t really know if I should like or dislike his sarcasm.
[08-16, THU 18:49:55.]
I didn’t say anything excessive, but I can’t work properly because the Android robot is broken.
[08-22, WED 23:36:12.]
And then Heather came in, but instead of scolding him as the team leader, she jokingly said we should play a game to get to know each other. The situation turned into a funny one, and we made a bet to determine the winner and loser in a game. We have five more games scheduled within a week, and the team members are all excited and placing bets.
I am currently practicing after work. I am very stressed.
[08-27. MON 22:19:34.] Hard training.
[08-28, TUE 23:57:03.]
Damn, I can’t sleep. I think I’m going to win. Maybe....
[08-29, WED 22:59:01.]
Damn it. I forgot that the other person is Korean. The score is 4:1. And I lost. Even though I have been playing with my eyes closed since I was a child, I still end up losing so easily. I feel so ashamed. Not only to my teammates but also to people from other departments who came to watch.
The final game which was <Minesweeper> ended with a blast from the first moment. I emerged as the champion.
Now I’m drinking whiskey that Charlotte bought for me a year ago from Scotland. Cheers, Charlotte. [08-30, THU 11:01:23.] Sick leave.
[08-31, FRI 10:33:28.] Sick leave.
[09-03. MON 09:44:39.]
Heather helped me move my seat in the office to the farthest place from Chu.
[09-04, TUE 14:23:56.]
The new seat is nice and quiet. Even though it’s a bit annoying to have Jace and Middleton in sight.
[09-06, THU 14:41:30.]
This office is so spacious. It’s not a coincidence that we haven’t bumped into each other.
[09-19, WED 13:44:01.]
I always keep an eye on the time when he’s not at his desk and leaves his coffee behind. Damn, he caught me trying to do something sneaky with Middleton.
It seems Chu misunderstood that I was trying to secretly kill him.
[10-03, WED 15:01:22.]
While smoking a cigarette with Walker, I heard a rumor that Tiffany Clarke was interested in Chu and even told him last year that she liked him.
[10-04, THU 17:31:25.]
I accidentally had coffee with Sally and she brought up the rumor. She said, ‘Chu is cute, but giving sweet looks to someone else’s man is a bitch move.’ Fuck, what are women’s eyes made of? So, she’s cute? Who is she talking about? And she’s someone else’s man? I don’t have any words.
[10-16, TUE 14:05:51.]
Damn, Sally keeps calling Chu, ‘the man with an owner’. We argued about his rights for a while. She even said it’s a Rosary Ring thing.
[10-17, WED 11:04:55.]
I confronted Sally to check the truth, and she confirmed that Chu has a lover. Damn, damn, damn, damn! I hate this world.
And I lost $50 in bets too.
[10-20, SAT 16:44:23.]
After drinking continuously for 4 days, I started to feel like I was addicted to alcohol.
[10-21, SUN 20:21:16.]
It must be a lie that humans with cyborgs have lovers. That cold-hearted guy would never have a lover, no matter how you look at it, right?
[10-22. MON 09:31:41.]
I waited for Chu at the office entrance and asked him if he really had a lover. He handed me his phone without saying anything, and there was a picture of a male model that I didn’t know. I thought maybe he opened the wrong file, so I followed him with my eyes until he reached his desk. He told me to wait until tomorrow, he would bring clear evidence to show me.
I hope tomorrow never comes.
[10-23, TUE 09:59:12.]
Damn it, he brought a picture of him kissing that guy from yesterday. My heart sank to my stomach, but I couldn’t help but admire his impressive editing skills.
[10-24, WED 10:16:48.]
The person who proudly claimed to be his lover sent a huge flower basket that couldn’t pass through the door to the office. Everyone went out to see and took pictures with that flower basket. The first person to take a selfie with it was, of course, Heather, who should be questioned about why she came to such a prestigious workplace.
Lovers, clearly playing a drama.
[10-25, THU 09:01:05.]
I’m focusing on my work attentively.
[10-26, FRI 11:17:37.]
I don’t miss Chu at all.
[10-30, TUE 17:24:01.]
There is a rumor that the new female programmer is all over Chu, what nonsense! Walkeger, stop asking me useless questions!
[11-05. MON 13:45:52.]
1, What have you done in the past year?
[11-09, FRI 23:17:08.]
Suddenly, I miss you.
[11-11, SUN 02:14:46.]
The end-of-year party is coming up. I want to give him a gift, as he has been working hard this year. I just want to show my gratitude as a team member. I have no other intention.
[11-22, THU 19:41:29.]
What can I give as a good friendship gift? A bouquet of flowers? A necklace? A ring?
[12-06, THU 22:45:18.]
The perfume that I ordered has arrived. When I tried tapping the bottle with my nose, it had a cool and refreshing scent that I think would suit them. I’ve been practicing what to say to them when giving the gift in front of the mirror every day, but I feel like I’m trembling and on the verge of death.
[12-11, TUE 20:38:12.]
Year-end party, D-5, I’ll go buy a new suit and necktie after work.
[12-12, WED 21:47:15.]
Year-end party, D-4. I have indigestion and insomnia.
[12-13, THU 23:48:51.]
Year-end party, D-1, Anyone can come and kill me.
[12-14, FRI 23:15:24.]
That person who claimed to be the love of Chu, came to the party. When he saw the other party, Chu, they ran over and hugged him, burying his face on their chest immediately. It was the first time I saw such an awkward Android figure and it made me feel embarrassed.
It seems that the other party is a good graphic designer but lacks substance. I think they might be an actor paid more by Chu. While holding hands and introducing themselves, he leaned towards Chu, as if truly in love. I was impressed by their good acting, but I don’t know why I squeezed my hand so tightly that it hurt a little.
I admit that he is handsome and articulate, but I don’t understand why I am jealous. Does he really have to deal with all these over-enthusiastic female employees, handsome men, smart suits, melodious voices, fun-loving, playful, and so on...
I spend my time at parties mindlessly drinking various alcoholic beverages in one corner. I can’t even grab a gift properly. I don’t have the courage to give it directly to him, so I go to the parking lot, thinking of putting the perfume on his car, Chu. And then I go home, but then... I see a picture of him kissing the partner leaning against the car.
Chu, who is unbuttoning his shirt with great enthusiasm and talking in a low, coarse voice that I have never heard before. I stubbornly float as I watch the shaking car after they both go inside before leaving the parking lot.
I hope there’s a taxi somewhere to pick me up.
[12-22, SAT 17:42:39.]
I’m taking a break, from now on I won’t think about him for real.
[12-23, SUN 10:10:08.]
Still taking a break. Now I have to stop drinking alcohol.
[12-25, TUE 19:35:10.]
Still taking a break, suddenly I wondered if Korean culture celebrates Christmas too, so I sent a message to the only Korean person I know.
I just asked a sincere question, but received a scolding as a response, in both uppercase letters and without spaces.
[12-27, THU 02:41:26.]
The actor whom Chu hired just to take video calls to threaten me neverended. After the break ended. I guess I have to change my number.
________________________________________.
[1] Prayer ring, “rosary, ring : 목주반지.” A ring used for reciting the rosary in Roman Catholicism. In addition to the ring, there is also a long rosary necklace and a wrist rosary.
[2] Christian, a term used to refer to Christians, Roman Catholicism.
[3] R-CHU-D-2, derived from the name R2-D2, which is a robot in the Star Wars series.
Crash, to, Desktop, occurs when a program, “especially games,” abruptly stops working and exits to the desktop immediately. This term is typically used for sudden malfunctions that do not display an error message.