[From: Jeong Yiseo
What time are you coming home today?
Sent: Today, 11.06pm]
[To: Jeong Yiseo
I think I’ll finish work late. Don’t worry and go to sleep. You have to go to school tomorrow.
Sent: Today, 11.07pm]
Yi-an, having sent the text message, tucked his cell phone deep inside his bag. The black sling bag, with its tattered fabric here and there, was the exclusive bag Yi-an used whenever he did his ‘errand’ part-time job. That job, which allowed him to receive a lump sum of money once or at most twice a month, mainly involved delivering or retrieving things. Of course, Yi-an had never once delivered anything knowing exactly what that ‘something’ was.
As Yi-an put on his bag, someone waiting nearby tapped him on the shoulder. Was it Ahn Seong-ho? He was the man who often hung around Hwang Young-woo, who arranged work for him.
“Are you done? Let’s go.”
“Yes…….”
“You said you were so devoted to your little sister, right? She needs to know. That her older brother is working his ass off. Raise her well so you make sure you get rewarded later, okay?”
“…….”
Whenever Yiseo was mentioned by them, Yi-an would be terrified, as if he were cornered. This was because he was constantly anxious that those with unknown identities and shady dealings might extend their reach to Yiseo as well.
It was also them who reached out to Yi-an, who felt hopeless despite working tirelessly. Thanks to them, he was able to reduce his part-time job—which involved alternating three shifts with almost no sleep—to just two, and not stopping there, he even began saving little by little for Yiseo’s education expenses. Moreover, since they promised to support him with safe, daytime jobs for the time being once he finished this one, there was no need to unnecessarily reveal his true feelings and make things uncomfortable.
The massive An Seong-ho climbed into the small, old car. Clunk, the vehicle swayed violently as he settled into the driver’s seat. Yi-an followed him into the passenger seat and swallowed his breath tensely. Seeing his white Adam’s apple rise and fall, An Seong-ho smirked and started the car. Contrary to his appearance, the vehicle made no sound even when starting and quietly drove away.
“Remember? It’s a place you’ve been to a few times. Why, the abandoned factory. The one you said was confusing because it had three or four doors.”
“Yes… I remember. But back then, it wasn’t like they told us to go upstairs….”
“It’s not much different. It’s just going up a few more stairs. You just have to bring out what you’ve prepared in advance.”
“……Yes.”
“Go into the building, go to the second floor, and then the room you see when you turn the stairs on the right. You just need to take the box behind the pile of chips stacked in the corner of that room. What color did you say it was?”
“Brown…….”
“Right. If you happen to run into someone while doing that…….”
“Say I’m here for delivery, leave the chips behind, and just come out.”
“Right. You have a good memory. Don’t be scared.”
An Seong-ho confirmed the route and response methods with Yi-an several times as they entered a dark mountain path where not even streetlights existed. Squeak, rattle, rattle. Because the path was so gloomy and secluded, the sound of the moving vehicle seemed particularly loud. Yi-an clutched the sling bag across his chest tightly.
“I’ll be waiting here, so come out in 30 minutes. Be on time. Got it?”
At Ahn Seong-ho’s words, Yi-an quietly nodded and got out of the car. Perhaps because there wasn’t even the faint light of the dashboard inside, the exterior felt even more eerie. As he squinted his eyes, which had barely adjusted to the darkness, and headed forward, a building familiar from a few previous visits came into view. It was a building with a bleak incinerator attached to one side, leaving one wondering what on earth was being burned there.
“It looks really illegal…….”
Yi-an muttered to himself, trying to shake off his fear, and took a deep breath. Before he knew it, sweat was forming on his palms as he gripped the sling bag. Pull yourself together. In the meantime, five minutes of the thirty given to him by Ahn Seong-ho must have already passed. Recalling Yiseo’s worried face, he strode through the side door and entered the building.
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