-With this, the divorce by agreement has been concluded, and the division of property will proceed as the husband has stated.
The sound of the gavel echoes through the quiet control room.
-What is it today?
-Do you know...
-Sleep!!!! Today is the 2nd anniversary of their divorce.
-That crazy guy...
A small bar. The blinds on the windows are all drawn, and a "Closed" sign hangs at the entrance.
A cheerful man who appears to be the shop owner lights a small cake and approaches the man and woman sitting next to each other with a rather cheerful expression on their faces.
-Sigh...what's your divorce anniversary?
The man's name was 'Kim Seok-jin', 37 years old, and in his second year of divorce, speaking in a low voice with a sigh and a sly expression.
- What a good day... let's celebrate.
The woman who was frowning and brushing her hair back was named 'Seo Je-i', 34 years old. Divorced for two years.
-Let's live while celebrating something. Positively!!!! Life is so bleak these days!!
The owner of the store [That Alcohol Zip], Jay's longtime friend, and Seokjin's college junior, 'Jung Ho-seok', 34 years old.
-Celebrating anything is fine, but what's with our divorce anniversary? Why are you celebrating our divorce? Don't you just need an excuse to close up shop and have fun?
-Hehe. Serje!! Where can I find a friend like this? I even remember the date of your divorce~ What an amazing friendship!!
-What kind of boss closes his store at 9 on a golden Friday? You're the boss and the head of the household, after all.
Jay smiles slightly as he looks at Hoseok, who shrugs his shoulders with a playful expression as if to say, "What's wrong with that?" in response to Seokjin's seemingly scolding words.
-It's already been two years. Time really flies.
Jay, who was resting his chin on his hand and poking the poor cake with a fork, said.
Then, Seokjin, who was cutting the cake and placing it on a plate in front of Jay, opens his mouth with a smirk.
- Really? Time seems to pass slowly for me. 2 years... if you add it all up to today, that's 14 years total?
-what?
-we.
-Wow... really... 14 years... really... long..
-Okay, okay! Stop talking nonsense! Ta-da!!
Before they knew it, Hoseok had filled the soju glasses in front of them with soju and lifted them.
The three of them put down their glasses after emptying them cleanly.
All three of them live nearby and visit Ho-seok's store every other day to drink, but it's their divorce anniversary...
While we were drinking and chatting about this and that, I thought about it and realized that it was so absurd that the three of us opened our fifth bottle of soju.
-I'm smoking. It's coming from behind.
Jay takes out a cigarette from his bag, grabs his phone, and heads outside.
Phew... My exhaled breath is filled with smoky cigarette smoke.
A face full of thoughts. Jay, who is terrible at controlling his facial expressions, mutters softly, "I wonder if he's just blankly staring... I'm tired, why did I come here?"
-Yeah. I'm tired, so why did I come here?
He threw the cigarette he had smoked all the way down into the can, took out a new one, lit it, and took a deep drag when he was startled by the sound of his coat being placed on his shoulder and Seokjin's voice.
Seokjin pats Jay's back as he keeps coughing and his chest pounding, then goes into the store and comes out with water.
Jay, who had been coughing for a long time, took a cup, drank some water, and caught his breath.
-You surprised me!!
He shouts with tears welling up in his eyes.
-Sorry. I'm really sorry, but let me laugh a little!
Seokjin laughs loudly, wiping Jay's eyes with his fingers and tilting his head back so that his Adam's apple is visible.
She rolls her eyes in disbelief, but doesn't move Seokjin's hand off her cheek.
-You're so focused on nothing that you don't even know who's coming. If you're tired, go away. I'll take you.
-I'm tired...I went to work early this morning.
-Okay, I'll take you there. Should I bring your bag?
-Take me there. It's a five-minute walk. I'll go alone.
-Wait. I'll get the luggage. Talk to Hoseok.
Seokjin pretends not to hear the rejection and goes to get Jay's luggage.
I looked at my phone and saw that it was a little past 11 o'clock.
-let's go.
-What did Hoseok say?
-Yeah. I told you I'd be back, so I'll make some snacks.
-I'm sorry for interrupting your drinking.
-Okay. What time did you get to work that you're so out of sorts?
-5 o'clock... I arrived at the office before sunrise. I'm busy because our treasure is doing well.
Seokjin chuckles as he watches Jay, who is half complaining and half sincere about being tired.
Arrived home in no time.
It was true that it was a five-minute walk.
A small, three-story villa. Seokjin opens the old-looking security device in the first-floor foyer and leads the way up the stairs.
2nd floor. Room 202 on the right.
-Here you go.
Jay stands against the wall, holding his cell phone tightly in his hand, at the words, "Stay there."
Seokjin goes up one floor, checks the stairs, then comes back down and stands in front of Jay's house.
-It's okay now, but...
-That's because I'm not at ease. This is also my trauma.
Seokjin opened Jay's door, grabbed the pointed hiking stick left on the front door, and went inside. He carefully inspected the room, bathroom, kitchen, veranda, and even the closet before calling Jay.
Jay, nodding as if he was familiar with the situation, enters the house.
-thank you.
-I'm just trying to make myself comfortable. I'll go. Lock the door well. Hang it up.
-Yeah. Bye. Drink moderately. I know you drink well, but drink moderately anyway.
At Jay's worried words, Seokjin hugs her shoulder.
Jay hesitates as he places his hand on his back, then lowers it.
As if he noticed, he waved his hand and left the house, letting her go.
As he leaves, Jay locks everything: the doorknob, the door lock, the chain ring, and even the bar-shaped ring.
I wash and go to sleep only after making sure it's locked.
-Hyung, you too. If that's the case, why did you divorce me?
As soon as he got back, he answered Ho-seok's scolding by filling a glass of soju and pouring it into his mouth.
-How can I say no when she cries and begs like that... She's never asked me to do anything...and the first thing she asked me was a divorce...and she did it while crying so hard she couldn't breathe.
-I know how you feel or what's going on, but...I thought you'd figure it out. Well...I guess staying like this isn't so bad.
-You're bad, honey. Don't you think it's easy to pretend to be okay when your feelings haven't changed?
-How would I know that? I'm so happy. Haha.
Seokjin raises his glass and tells Ho-seok to drink alcohol.