Chapter 4

x 4

A Day in the Life of an Intern (3)

Just as the sun rises in the morning, working late has now become natural.

Today, Jihoon worked late with Senior Yoon Euisul. The task was to stick new barcode stickers over the incorrect ones.

If the publication date had been more flexible, they could have taken it easy for a day or two, but with the editor-in-chief in a bad mood, they couldn't afford to delay the work.

They printed the barcodes immediately after the incident and hurried to the warehouse after a quick wrap-up of their tasks.

"Phew, how many books are left? About a hundred, I guess?"

Jihoon, who had placed the books with the new barcodes to one side, took a breather and looked at the remaining books.

There were still quite a few left, but it was much better than when they started.

"We're almost done. Are you hungry, senior? You didn't have lunch, did you?"

"Of course I'm hungry. I'm just thinking about the chicken we'll eat after we finish. That's why I skipped lunch."

"......You were serious? You want me to apologize with money?"

"Have you ever seen me lie?"

As he said this, Yoon Euisul smiled.

When he first met her, he thought she had a beautiful smile, but now she seemed more cunning. The line between beauty and witchcraft is thin.

Sighing, Jihoon picked up a book and a stack of barcode stickers. After repeating the process a few times, he took out his phone and made a call.

A confident voice came from the other end of the phone.

― Thank you! This is Taewan Chicken.

"It's my brother."

― Oh. What is it? You're such a pain. Why are you calling the store during business hours? You should call my phone.

"You don't usually answer your phone when you're working."

― That's true.

The person who answered the call was Jihoon's best friend, Kim Taewan. They had been inseparable since elementary school and even attended the same high school.

After graduating, Taewan, who had given up on college, opened a chicken restaurant after serving in the military. He was good with people and had a talent for sales, doing quite well.

The most important thing was the taste. Taewan not only fried the chicken but also developed a secret sauce, making his restaurant quite famous.

"How's business?"

Jihoon slowly stuck the barcode stickers while on the phone. A refreshing laugh came from the other end.

― Hahaha! It's going well. But did you know? While you were on the phone, we probably got two more orders.

"I was just about to order some chicken, but you're not treating me like a customer."

― I'm sorry, sir. What would you like to have delivered?

"Next time, not today."

― Damn!

"Just kidding. I'll come to the store with Senior Euisul later. Around two hours from now? Please fry two chickens in advance. The one she likes."

― Huh? Why is Euisul coming all of a sudden?

"I had a bit of an accident, so I need to treat her. She even skipped lunch to eat chicken."

― Did you get fired or something?

Taewan asked with concern. Being close friends, he was well aware of Jihoon's difficult situation.

Jihoon chuckled and tossed the finished book to the side. He replied,

"Don't worry. I haven't been fired yet."

― But it sounds like you might be in the future?

"I don't know. Anyway, I'll come right after we finish work, so please prepare."

― As long as you pay, you're always welcome! I'll finish the deliveries early and join you for a drink. Cheers?

"Cheers!"

Jihoon hung up with a smile.

There was no need to tell Euisul about his conversation with Taewan. The three of them often met for drinks, so she probably already knew.

Suddenly remembering what day it was, Jihoon asked Euisul,

"By the way, senior. It's Friday night. Don't you have a date?"

"What date? I have nothing to do."

"Still single?"

"What's the point of dating? It just costs money and wastes time. I'd rather get some sleep."

She seemed to have transcended the mundane world. Euisul was quite beautiful, having received many numbers, but she rarely dated, always finding it troublesome.

"You should start thinking about your age."

"What? Two chickens aren't enough?"

"Hahaha...... When I think about it, you're a unique character, senior."

"Use me as a character in your novel. I'll take a small royalty."

"I don't usually write modern stories."

"You should give up your preferences and write something that sells. Isn't modern fiction popular these days?"

"That's true."

His taste was bitter. His novel, *The Dignity of a Lord*, which claimed to be a classic fantasy, didn't do well, so he had to consider reality now.

If he got fired from Seorim Publishing, he might have to become a full-time writer for a while.

Still, Jihoon had his pride.

If he worked hard, wouldn't many readers eventually appreciate his style? He harbored this vague hope.

"Did you finish the one you were writing recently?"

"Not yet. But I'm almost done. I plan to finish it by next week."

"Take it easy. If you work too hard when you're young, you'll get sick when you're old."

Yoon Euisul sometimes read his writing, but lately, she seemed too busy with work. Back then, she gave him a lot of feedback and encouragement.

"Especially take care of your eyes. People in the publishing industry start to have vision problems after thirty. You need to be careful if you want to have a long career."

"I know. But I'm not sure if I'll continue working at the publishing company."

Yoon Euisul's quick hands gradually slowed down. She turned to look at Jihoon.

"Changing careers?"

"I was thinking about focusing solely on writing."

"Full-time? That's a comfortable thought. Get a grip and work hard for now. It's not time to go full-time yet. You need at least two bestsellers to have a foothold."

Jihoon nodded. He was still young, so he believed opportunities would come.

Yoon Euisul asked,

"Starting a new one right away?"

"I have to."

"Do you have any ideas?"

"Not really. I'm thinking of setting up a small study in one corner of the used bookstore and working there. I get lazy at home."

"Will the world end if you get lazy?"

"Except for you, senior."

"Hmm...... Acknowledged!"

"Should I order more fries? It's rare for you to give compliments, senior."

"Taewan will probably throw in a few as a service."

After a while, they finished the sticker work. The two of them dusted off their hands and stood up. When they left the warehouse, the moon was already high in the sky.

"Good job, senior."

"Having a bad junior is a real pain."

"I'm sorry."

"I already told you. Apologize with a big chicken."

"Got it. Let's go!"

Perhaps it was the realization that they were finally off work, but their steps felt lighter.

Jihoon and Euisul got into a compact car parked on the side. It was Yoon Euisul's car; Jihoon didn't have one yet. He often relied on her like this.

Yoon Euisul got behind the wheel. The car started smoothly, and Jihoon, sitting in the passenger seat, looked out the window, lost in thought.

She glanced at him.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing. Just reminiscing. About when we were in the literature club together. We used to argue a lot."

"Those are old memories."

"Sometimes I think about it. I wish I could go back to college. We were so free, even if we caused trouble or skipped classes."

Yoon Euisul chuckled. Unexpectedly, Jihoon asked,

"Senior, do you still write?"

"Write? I'm so tired after work. It's better to get some sleep."

"But you wrote an amazing novel once. I heard you were a finalist for the spring literary contest in our Korean literature department."

"Rumors are often distorted."

Jihoon didn't press further, as Euisul's expression, looking forward, seemed somewhat melancholic.

A while later, they arrived at Taewan's store.

"Welcome!"

Taewan greeted them warmly. He looked quite busy, moving back and forth between the fryer and the packaging counter.

Looking around the store, it was bustling with people. Jihoon finally realized it was Friday night. Fridays and Saturdays were usually busy.

"Can you help out a bit?"

"No, it's fine. Just this one order. I have part-timers, so no need to help. Sit down."

But Jihoon wasn't the type to sit idly. He put down his bag, put on gloves, and helped Taewan. He was quite skilled, having helped out before.

"Are you going to give me a discount for this?"

"Cheapskate."

"Hahaha!"

The two worked in sync. Euisul, who had found a spot, watched them with her chin in her hand.

After the rush, customers started to leave. Euisul rolled up her sleeves and helped clear the tables. They didn't close the store until after midnight.

"Good job! I'll go home first!"

"Sure. Be careful."

The part-timers left first. Taewan put up the "closed" sign and locked the door.

Now, it felt like something had ended.

Jihoon asked,

"There were so many customers. Do we still have chicken left for us?"

"Of course! I set aside three specially. I debated whether to sell them but decided to keep them. Be grateful."

"Three?"

"It's Friday night, isn't it? One chicken per person, right? Hahaha!"

Taewan went back to the kitchen to fry the chicken. Jihoon and Euisul sat in their usual spots.

Soon, crispy fried chicken, spicy chicken, and garlic chicken were ready, along with cold draft beer. The three of them drank beer and washed away their accumulated stress.

Wiping the foam from his mouth, Jihoon said,

"Taewan, don't drink too much. Don't forget you have to organize the used bookstore tomorrow. If you get drunk again and can't come, it'll be a problem."

"Tsk! Nagging. But how do you plan to organize it?"

"I'm going to clear out one corner and set up a small study there. I'll leave the rest as it is. It's a big job."

"I see."

Taewan nodded, and Euisul, who was tearing into a chicken leg, tilted her head and asked,

"What will you do with the remaining books?"

"I'll leave them for now. People still come to buy books, so I'll keep the used bookstore running."

"Do you know what books are where?"

If it were his grandfather, he would have known exactly what books were in the stacks, but Jihoon wasn't that familiar.

"No. I need to do some labeling, and when I have some free time, I'll set up a searchable system."

But he didn't think it was necessary. Customers were rare, and the used bookstore wasn't his main job.

If regular customers who remembered his grandfather came and picked out books, he planned to sell them at a discount.

"Still, shouldn't you go through everything once? Your grandfather might have left more than just the used bookstore."

Euisul's meaningful words caught Jihoon's and even Taewan's attention.

"What do you mean?"

"He might have left something like a book or a letter. Maybe a note tucked in the middle of a book, hoping his grandson would find it someday. You know, like in dramas?"

Jihoon paused, thinking. It did sound plausible. His grandfather had loved writing.

Lost in thought, Jihoon replied with an excited expression,

"That would be great. It would feel like a treasure hunt."

"Anyway, let's think about that tomorrow. Let's cheers."

"Cheers!"

The three, who hadn't met in a while, put aside their worries and enjoyed the time together. The chicken was soon reduced to bones, and the party broke up after three in the morning.

Yoon Euisul's face was a bit red from drinking. Taewan, clearing the dishes, called out to Jihoon,

"Shouldn't you take her home?"

"She's not weak. She'll be fine. Don't you know she can handle her alcohol?"

"You're clueless. This is your chance to score some points."

"What points?"

Taewan, frustrated, patted his chest and pushed Jihoon toward Euisul.

"Sis! Jihoon is taking you home today."

"Why?"

"It's dangerous at night."

"Hehe. You kids are so cute. I'll leave my car here and pick it up tomorrow."

"Got it!"

Jihoon took Euisul out of the chicken restaurant. Even though he had no reason to, Taewan insisted on cleaning up and pushed them out.

Thus, the two walked down the night street.