Hasty Employment
"It's... so delicious. I'm so glad I get to eat such warm, tasty food like this...."
The next morning. I accepted her suggestion to eat breakfast together more naturally than the first time. And as if it were the most natural thing in the world, the breakfast I'd cooked—not her—was sitting on this expensive table.
"Sob sob... this is the taste of Korea. I'm so grateful to be born Korean...."
She was spouting lines straight out of some cheesy national pride ad, but honestly, it just seemed like over-the-top fussing to me. All I'd made was doenjang jjigae, rolled omelet, Vienna sausages lightly stir-fried with ketchup, onion, and bell peppers, and some quick-pickled radish for crunch.
"With all these ingredients in the house, the fact that you've just been eating delivery food until now is... never mind."
I swallowed the words I can't believe it. Given her cooking skills, even I'd probably just order delivery. She had the money for it, after all. These days, you could get any kind of food delivered anyway.
Sure, when you snag a place with a kitchen this gorgeous, you probably fantasize about whipping up all sorts of meals here. You might even try for a day or two. But that resolve never lasts. Cooking turns out less fun than expected, it's a daily chore, and worst of all, the sink piles up with disgusting dishes.
Even I wasn't into cooking—I'd picked it up out of necessity during long stretches living alone, and to feed my ex who couldn't cook. It was just a rough skill set at best.
"Oh, right! Min-ho! I have something to ask you."
She picked up a sausage but set it back down, turning to me.
"What is it?"
"Have you found a job yet?"
"......"
Thank God I wasn't drinking anything. I would've spit it out.
"No, well, I'm... trying various things, at least."
I sounded like some jobless bum son making excuses to his mom nagging him to get out and work. What the hell? Had she changed her mind already? Starting to regret letting me in after some time passed? Sure, I still had money, so I wouldn't be homeless, but...
Right as my thoughts reached that point—as if reading my mind—I-se shook her head vigorously.
"No! No, that's not it. I'm not pressuring you to get a job or anything! Actually, if you haven't found one yet, that's perfect."
"Me not having a job is perfect?"
"No, I mean—not like that—!"
I let out a chuckle, newly surprised at myself. At some point, I'd started tossing lame jokes at I-se without a second thought. We were basically living together, but technically, we were still strangers. We weren't dating or anything.
My ex would've blown up if she heard me joking around with some random woman. Not that I had a girlfriend anymore. I didn't need to follow her rules...
Still, there was this faint thrill of taboo, like breaking some code.
I-se opened her mouth with a more serious expression.
"Could you maybe manage my stream chat room?"
"?"
Manager was one thing, but chat moderation specifically? I gave her a puzzled look, and she slowly explained.
"The manager handling me right now is in Japan prepping for the concert. The chat mods are all tied up with concert stuff too. I don't ban unless someone really crosses the line, so I've been handling it myself for a few days... but it's about time to find someone."
She said that, then nommed a sausage with a face screaming too good. She really did look like a small animal sometimes. Though her chest was anything but small... No. Don't think like that while eating. Vulgar.
"What do you think? Just chat moderation."
"Can I ask about the pay first?"
It wasn't full-time management—just chat during streams. I'd never done it, so I wasn't sure, but assuming it's paid by the hour...
She streamed four or five days a week on average, about seven or eight hours a day. Give or take. Convert that to minimum wage...
As I crunched numbers in my head, her bright voice cut in.
"I'll give you 10 million won a month!"
"......Pardon?"
My head spun at the absurd figure. I stared at her again, but she looked utterly serene. No joke, no mockery.
"You've helped me so much, Min-ho! I feel like I need to pay at least that to ask you to work."
"......"
Just moderating chat for 10 million won a month. If she were trying to crush me with money or was clueless about the world, I'd be pissed. But I could tell: she genuinely believed I was worth that much.
Anyone could see it in her eyes. So I couldn't get mad. It wasn't belittling me—it was recognition.
So then? Just take the 10 million and coast? ...I'd be lying if I said it didn't tempt me—but I shook off the grimy desires creeping through me.
"...Thank you for valuing me so highly. But the pay's too much for the workload. It's burdensome."
"But it's you, Min-ho! Anyone else, and I'd worry about underpaying... Plus, you're cooking too. Factoring that in."
"No, cooking's no big deal—"
"Oh! Rent-free too!"
"......"
I was speechless, staring at her—but she was dead serious. Why was she taking care of me like this?
A tidy, comfy room—even if small—for chat mod duty, 10 million won a month. I barely shoved down the resurging temptation.
"I-se. Since you're serious, I'll answer seriously. Thank you for the high regard. But I want pay fair to the work. Not stingy, just reasonable—then I can focus without guilt."
"Is that... so? If that's what you want... Okay. I didn't mean to burden you... Sorry if I did."
"No, you weren't teasing. It's fine."
I said that, sighing inwardly. Had I just kicked away a golden goose? Maybe. But even if it made me seem stubborn and foolish, I wanted to live on my own strength, not lean on kindness.
That would ultimately be for me, not others. Before jumping into the river, I'd lived only for my ex—tastes, habits, everything tailored to her.
Now I wanted to live for myself. That meant not depending too much on anyone. Accepting her endless-seeming favors could make me reliant. And who knew when her whim to pamper me might end? Dangerous.
"Then rent..."
"I'll pay rent. Market rate, tell me. We'll sign a lease soon."
"Eeeeng... but it's fine..."
She puffed her cheeks, a bit disappointed—but what could be done? It might cool things off, make her lose interest, but that'd be that. All this was hers, made by streamer RenaPpi—Ryu I-se—not mine.
That settled it. I picked up my spoon again. Like it or not, work started today—better eat hearty. An utterly mundane thought.
*
And in that moment, I-se stared at Min-ho eating, thinking.
Min-ho... you could rely on me completely... But you trying to do it all yourself is so cool.
Yoo Min-ho was different from everyone else, just as she'd hoped. She'd desperately wanted to meet him again, and she had. So she wanted to become essential to him—irreplaceable.
The reason was simple. For a year, following his advice exactly had led to massive success. To her, [Subway-Old-Man-Denture-Stealer] Yoo Min-ho was indispensable.
Meeting that man again after a year was a miracle. And now they were eating together. To I-se, this moment was more overwhelming than when her solo concert was announced!
She wanted to give him everything. Make him feel like he couldn't live without her—just as she couldn't without him.
She knew 10 million was huge for the job... but compared to what he'd done for her, it was peanuts.
Yet Min-ho didn't take the easy path. He passed up the gain for fair pay. She even felt guilty—like she was trying to buy him.
Still, his it's okay, thanks for seeing me that way was so very him. Who else was like that? But she accepted it easily. Of course— it was that Yoo Min-ho.
The one who'd been kind and encouraging to an unknown hakko streamer no one tolerated for three minutes. He'd done a two-hour phone date with hakko RenaP, donated a fortune as Jit-leus.
I want to rely on him... and be someone he can rely on too...
Min-ho thought his coolness might push her away—but opposite: her feelings were solidifying uncontrollably.
If I work harder... you'll see it, right? Min-ho...♡
*