Chapter 64: Advertisement (2)

The next day, Ju-Hyeok excitedly told Sang-Hyeon about the advertisement.

"They contacted Punk this morning."

Ju-Hyeok held off from telling him until Punk confirmed it. They would proceed with the ad as long as Sang-Hyeon agreed to it.

Ju-Hyeok shouted as he passed the tablet to Sang-Hyeon, "It's an ad!!!" He made a

ta-da?

pose.

"An ad?"

"Yeah, take a look."

𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

However, Sang-Hyeon's expression darkened as he read the contract.

"What's with that expression? You don't like the ad?"

"Of course, I like the ad."

"But?"

"The medical check..."

One of the tests they wanted to run was a medical check. They claimed that Fantasia also factored this in, but Ju-Hyeok wondered why this would be a problem.

"What about it?"

Sang-Hyeon let out a sigh.

'What is it?'

Ju-Hyeok couldn't understand what Sang-Hyeon was worried about. "Say it."

Sang-Hyeon responded after finishing his cereal, "Because I feel like more people will find out about my right arm."

His right arm?

"Is it a mechanical arm or something?"

"Not a mechanical arm, but a trauma."

"..." Ju-Hyeok became speechless.

'He cares about it that much?'

Ju-Hyeok couldn't understand what Sang-Hyeon's right arm meant to him as a young athlete. He couldn't empathize.

"They'll find out for sure if they do a medical check."

"You told the director though, no?"

"A man of his position is trustworthy. And I needed to use that at the time, but this would just be broadcasted like it's nothing."

"Then we'll tell them ahead of time not to stream that part. It won't be a problem..."

"No, I don't want them to know. How can I trust them?"

"What? What's wrong with that? You have to get a medical check anyways! Look at yourself every time you come out from the capsule!"

"I can just go to the hospital for that."

"How many people in this country can assess the connection between the brain and a capsule? Do you know how much that would cost? Fantasia's medical team is famous. You would be getting the best medical check possible! For free!"

"..." Sang-Hyeon became silent.

Ju-Hyeok somewhat figured out what Sang-Hyeon was worried about, "Is it because your old acquaintances will find out?"

"Shut up," Sang-Hyeon cut him off as he slammed his spoon on the table. His eyes lit on fire.

Ju-Hyeok knew this was a sensitive topic, but not to this extent. "

Sigh

, let me know after you think about it." He began putting on his coat.

"Where are you going? Aren't you going to eat?"

"I'm going out to eat. Do you think this is a proper meal? It's fucking cereal!"

SLAM!

Ju-Hyeok went outside.

"..."

Sang-Hyeon stared at the door for a while. He watched through the window as Ju-Hyeok left.

He stared at his reflection in the window and whispered to himself, "Are you fucking retarded?" Then he slumped in his seat. "Of course, he can't understand."

***

"Is he American? Eating cereal every day... I'm the one who studied overseas!"

It had been a while since Ju-Hyeok came out in the morning. He realized something when he saw the staircase.

'Is today garbage day?'

He saw a few people walking down with their trash bags. Ju-Hyeok naturally turned around.

"Sang-Hyeon will probably deal with it."

He wasn't in the mood and continued on his way. He thought about getting some pork stew that he hadn't eaten in a while.

"Uh..."

A girl carrying a trash bag twice his size suddenly appeared.

"Hi, Ji-Ah." Ju-Hyeok happily greeted Seo Ji-Ah as if his fight with Sang-Hyeon had never happened. "I'll carry it for you."

"

Ah

, it's alright..."

Ju-Hyeok snatched the trash bag from her as if he was stealing it. It looked much smaller in his hands since he stood 180 cm tall.

"Thank you."

***

Thud.

He stacked Ji-Ah's trash bag on top of the trash pile.

"Thank you," Ji-Ah thanked him with a bow.

"

Ah

, you're welcome. Anytime."

"You must live here."

‘Ah.’

Seo Ji-Ah didn’t know about Ju-Hyeok's housing situation yet.

"

Ah...

you see..."

It wasn't even a difficult question, but he didn't know where to start. He panicked because she asked him so suddenly.

"You don't have to answer if you feel uncomfortable."

"

Ah

, thank you."

"How about Sang-Hyeon?"

"

Ah

, he's passed out on his bed.

Haha.

"

Seo Ji-Ah could tell from the tone of his voice.

'They fought.'

Ju-Hyeok made up a terrible lie. Seo Ji-Ah already knew that Almond got up early every day.

"

Ah

, Ji-Ah! How about some pork stew? I'll buy."

.

"?!"

Ji-Ah liked the sound of that and nodded. Her taste was unexpectedly old-fashioned.

***

Thud.

A friendly lady placed the hot stone bowls on the table. Meat and sausages filled the delicious, steaming bowls.

"Do y’all need anything else?"

Ju-Hyeok almost laughed and said,

'We're good. Thank you.'

But...

"I'll have a bottle of soju."

"...?"

Ji-Ah suddenly ordered a bottle of soju.

"Uh..."

"

Hmm?

Oh, was this not included?"

"

Ah

, no. That's fine."

Ju-Hyeok felt surprised at her straightforwardness. He recalled how she acted when they reviewed the contract.

'Does she have something going on?'

Ju-Hyeok thought it was odd that she agreed to come out so easily with an old man like him. He thought she must be going through something.

He blankly stared at her before eating again.

'It's delicious.'

It was much more filling than the cereal he usually ate.

"Here's the soju."

The server lady placed the green bottle on the table.

Crack.

Ji-Ah easily opened the cap and pointed the bottle at Ju-Hyeok like a gun.

"Aren't you going to have some?"

Ju-Hyeok hesitated because he never drank in the morning before.

"

Ah...

You go ahead. I'm good."

"It seems like you need some too."

"..."

She was right. He did want to drink today.

"Then, one glass."

Ju-Hyeok quietly picked up the clear shot glass.

Trickle...

The clear liquid filled his glass.

Ji-Ah poured some into her glass after she filled his.

"Uh..."

Ju-Hyeok was going to fill the glass for her, but she already finished pouring it.

Gulp.

They finished their shot in silence.

"Sigh."

She took a deep breath and continued eating her pork stew.

'How old was she again?'

He naturally felt curious about her age.

Ji-Ah noticed his stare and looked up, "I can't eat when someone is looking at me."

"

Ah...?

Sorry, I'll eat."

"No need to be sorry. You should consider drinking."

"..."

Ju-Hyeok felt like a broken record.

?‘Do I really have to drink? Yeah, sure. Whatever, I'm not a salaryman anymore.'?

He would live by his own rules since he left home. Not by anyone else's, but by the rules he set for himself.

Gulp.

He closed his eyes and emptied the shot. The bitter taste of alcohol lingered.

"Keum!"

Ji-Ah refilled his shot. He tried to refuse, but it was already too late.

Trickle…?

The soju bottle swooshed.

"I don't know what it is, but this is a great solution from my experience." Ji-Ah tapped on the soju glass.

"Do you usually drink in the morning?"

"Why not? Is it healthier to drink at night?"

Ju-Hyeok made a tipsy smile, "It ruins the start of your day."

"It's the end of the day for me."

"?"

Gulp.

Ji-Ah took another shot.

Ju-Hyeok saw the two soju bottles on the table and wondered when she had ordered more.

"The day's over when I say it's over."

"..."

"Is that not allowed? Whatever, it's not like I go to work." She seemed drunk and usually didn’t talk this much. "You too. Why start the day off with a fight?"

"...?!"

"You thought I wouldn't know? A stranger walking by would've noticed."

"I see."

"Just say now's the end. It's better to fight at the end of the day and sleep on it. Then, at least there’s tomorrow."

Ju-Hyeok poured himself another shot. He felt dizzy and slowly lost himself.

"If a person keeps holding it in, they start to break."

"?"

"That's what Almond said."

‘Sang-Hyeon said that?’

"It's actually nothing." Ju-Hyeok briefly hesitated and wondered if it was okay to tell her. He sighed after she deeply stared into his eyes. "

Sigh

, well..."

He decided to tell her with the courage from his drink. He tried explaining to the best of his abilities without mentioning Sang-Hyeon's right arm. He told her about the advertisement, the medical check, and the trauma behind it.

Seo Ji-Ah told him how she felt about it, "Can't you just leave him alone if he has a trauma?" She continued while slurring her words, "Just... leave him alone..."

"But it's an ad regarding his health."

"Don't you think Almond is aware of that?"

"?"

"Almond knows that, yet he told you he still has a trauma."

Ju-Hyeok felt like something struck him on the head.

'That's right.'

Sang-Hyeon fully understood what they could gain from this too. Regardless, he held himself back because of his injury. The injury meant that much to him.

"

Sigh

, this is the problem with boys..." Seo Ji-Ah slouched and shook her head. She muttered one last word,

'Trash.'

Ju-Hyeok could barely hear it, but instinctively felt that if Sang-Hyeon's problem was his right arm, then Ji-Ah's had to do with men.

***

Thankfully, Seo Ji-Ah didn’t seem that drunk. She was fine enough to walk home, which made it seem like she was faking earlier.

"Thank you for the meal." She properly thanked him and disappeared into her house.

Ju-Hyeok opened Sang-Hyeon's door and returned home as well.

"Hey, I'm back!" He shouted in an attempt to change the atmosphere.

"What the. Did you drink?"

Sang-Hyeon stared at him with an unbelievable look.

'Kim Ju-Hyeok, drinking in the morning?'

It made him think that pigs would fly the next day.

"Yeah, I had a drink.

Phew

, I feel refreshed."

Kim Ju-Hyeok tossed himself on the couch.

Thud.

"Oh, man." Sang-Hyeon shook his head and lightly spoke, "Hey, Manager Oh set a date for our shoot."

"What?" Ju-Hyeok got up from his tomb. "A date for what?"

"The advertisement shoot. I decided to do it. It's tomorrow."

"!"

Sang-Hyeon contacted them while Ju-Hyeok had been out.

"Will you be alright?"

Sang-Hyeon stared at his right hand. "I can't avoid it forever. Besides, this is a streamer's job. Like you said, it's not a big deal. But..."

Sang-Hyeon quickly turned his head. His eyes were full of mischief. "Do you have a girl?"

"

Huh?

What are you talking about?!"

"It's unusual for you to drink during the day."

"

Ah

, no. What are you talking about? I drank with Seo Ji-Ah."

"Huh?!"

With Seo Ji-Ah? Still, it was with a girl... He thought it was unusual, but recalled what Seo Ji-Ah previously said.

‘I'm usually not very talkative with people. Maybe if we're drinking.’?

It did seem like she liked drinking.

"

Ah

, I guess she likes to drink."

"Oh, did you know? She seems to love it."

"Is she a good drinker?"

"Yeah, she drank like it was water. I think she can drink more than Manager Shim from our old workplace."

"Manager Shim? That's pretty bad."

"She seems to have quite the past as well, just like Manager Shim."

Sang-Hyeon nodded when he mentioned her past. "Yeah, it seems that way." He also recalled Ji-Ah's dark expression.

"Are you interested in her? Ji-Ah is pretty cute."

"I don't know…"

Sang-Hyeon had a strange expression on his face. He had forgotten how it felt to like someone.

***

Almond took a break from streaming for the day. He only made a small announcement.

[I'm going to take a break today! I have many things to prepare for a shoot tomorrow!]

— Oh no! A break?

— A shoot?

— Almond! Are you world class!?

— What's the shoot?

— Dang! Why so suddenly?!

— I thought you were going to diamond!

— Noooo!

Many of his viewers felt sad, but also curious about the shoot. It sounded like a big one if he needed an entire day to prepare.

Then...

They heard about Almond from the most unexpected source.

[Battle Large's hottest streamer invited onto Fantasia's channel.]

A video game news article suddenly appeared with that title.