"Ah, right." Yeonjun spoke up. It was the second day since the two of them had started sharing a meal. Subin, having gradually recovered, was now able to help with small household chores.
Do you know that Gwangju is under lockdown?
“…?”
"Didn't you know?!"
The color drained from Soobin's face. Soobin clenched his fist tightly. Yeonjun sighed and shook his head vigorously. Should we eat it or not? Yeonjun's thought was to at least fill our stomachs first. In contrast, Soobin tore at his hair, not knowing what to do.
"Alright, let's put something in our mouths first and think about it."
Yeonjun set the ramen pot down with a thud. Subin picked up her chopsticks familiarly.
“I learned for the first time in my life that you can get tired of ramen.”
That's too much.
In fact, there had been a lengthy discussion about democracy, but there was no significant progress in their relationship. Yeonjun picked at his ramen while glancing at Subin. Subin had said she was sick of it, yet she was still gobbling it up heartily. Yeonjun let out a hollow laugh and cleared his throat.
“Subin, do you live in Gwangju?”
"no."
Where is the house?
The outskirts of Gwangju.
That's enough. Yeonjun faced Subin. An unintentional sense of ease permeated his face. Subin felt intimidated for no reason. The composure radiating from him, even from such a destitute household, seemed to draw a clear line between benefactor and beneficiary.
Yeonjun smiled as if he had realized something. Soobin held his breath tightly, feeling nervous. Yeonjun paused for a moment. Then, he straightened his back and stood up.
Let me make a suggestion.
Let's sign the contract.
Yeonjun shoved his hands into his pockets. Subin tilted his head.
Let's share the house.
Soobin dropped a pair of chopsticks into the ramen bowl. However, both of them were so shocked by what Yeonjun had just said that no one paid any attention to the unfortunate fall of the metal chopsticks.
“So, um… let’s say, living together?”
*Pfft*
Subin coughed like crazy as if he had choked.
"You don't have a home. I need someone brave enough to go get some food."
"You're saying that's me?"
"no?"
“……”
He's at least guts tougher than me.
Subin ruffled his hair. What on earth was this bold Yonsei senior thinking to let someone he didn't even know into his house and even blurt out the word "cohabitation" so casually? He felt he needed to seriously consider whether his thoughts were coming out of his mouth without any filter.
However, on the other hand, Subin had no particular reason to refuse. After all, there were no other options in lockdown Gwangju. Subin nodded and agreed to the contract. "Wait a moment." Yeonjun took a pen and paper from the small desk.
"If I'm going to do it, I might as well do it properly."
After struggling with the pen cap a few times, Yeonjun bit it open with his teeth. Then, with a very serious expression, he wrote down the contract.
Is this the contract?
“Why, is my handwriting really that unstylish?”
"I put a lot of effort into writing this," Yeonjun grumbled as he handed the contract to Subin. Subin signed next to his name without a word.
"It’s a mess outside, so I can’t make photocopies. If you’d like, you can copy this. Just leave out my signature."
Yeonjun stood up first, adding something. He then pressed a shopping basket, a few bills, and some coins into Subin's hand. "Are you telling me to leave now?" Subin asked. Yeonjun stared at Subin blankly. It was a look as if he were seeing the most ridiculous person in the world.
“Wait, then are you going to eat ramen for dinner too?”
"There are no martial law troops around right now, so hurry up and run there and come back. Oh! And you absolutely have to go to Grandma Jang's supermarket! Grandma Jang!" Subin, having heard Yeonjun's detailed instructions until her ears were ringing, grabbed her shopping bag and ran down the street. She had no way of knowing what on earth was so special about Grandma Jang's supermarket that he was insisting on going there. Fortunately, not a single martial law soldier was in sight.
Subin arrived at Grandma Jang's Supermarket as if entranced. The old building and the modest interior didn't exactly give off an impression that made one want to go inside. Subin hesitantly stepped into the supermarket. An old woman with wrinkled skin welcomed Subin warmly.
"Young man, should I have come?"
"yes…"
Take your time looking around before you go.
Subin combined the money Yeonjun had given him with his own. The amount Yeonjun had given was quite meager, but he figured that combined with his own money, they could buy a small piece of meat. Subin made a big decision and bought a chunk of meat. It was nowhere near enough for two sturdy men to eat, but Subin felt very good about having bought some meat. Kim Cheom-ji of Gwangju happily headed home, carrying the seolleongtang—no, the chunk of meat—for his housemate.