Chapter 42: Until the Blue Sky Comes (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 42: Until the Blue Sky Comes (2)
As the monsoon season began in earnest, the pouring rain shattered against the ground. I found the rhythmic drumming of the rainfall pleasant; listening to it in silence brought a strange sense of peace to my heart.
At Kirk’s request, I had left headquarters early to pick up his daughter. I stepped into a bustling restaurant to grab a bite first. Yubin sent a message asking what I was up to, and when I told her I was about to eat alone, she said she’d come to join me. I told her there was no need.
However, I figured she might feel hurt if I just flat-out rejected her, so I promised we’d have dinner together at home tonight instead.
Shortly after, a text arrived from Yura. It wasn’t just text; she had sent a photo along with it. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw the selfie—she was in the cafe storage room with her large breasts fully exposed. I hurriedly looked around to make sure no one had seen my screen.
“This girl, seriously...”
I busily typed out a reply. I actually felt a bit bad for Yura regarding last weekend’s part-time shift. Between the exhaustion of helping Green and the heavy thoughts weighing on my mind, I hadn’t been able to properly react to her banter.
Since I had spent both days of the weekend like that, she was bound to be in a bad mood. I made a mental note to make it up to her when I went to work this week.
While I was sitting alone waiting for my meal, the restaurant grew noisy. It was already loud because of the lunch rush, but a much louder voice shattered the pleasant atmosphere.
“What the hell are you going to do about this?!”
I turned my head toward the source of the furious voice. A confrontation was unfolding between a customer and someone who appeared to be a staff member. Calling it a confrontation was being generous; the customer was one-sidedly venting his rage.
“I am so sorry.”
The employee was apologizing sincerely. Having been preoccupied with my phone, I hadn’t paid attention to my surroundings, so I slowly assessed the situation.
The picture was clear enough.
A dish lay overturned on the customer’s table, and food stains were splattered across his sleeve. It seemed the employee had spilled the food while serving it.
Getting angry was understandable, but I couldn’t fathom why he felt the need to grab the worker by the collar and scream like that.
As the other diners' attention shifted toward them, the owner eventually came out to calm the man down. However, the customer was so livid he showed no intention of letting go of the employee’s collar.
Was he incredibly strong? Even with several people trying to pull him back, he didn’t budge an inch.
Suddenly, the angry customer’s face caught my eye. Dark navy hair and sharp eyes. He had a shifty, crafty look about him that felt familiar.
I must have seen someone who looks like him before. Thinking it was just a coincidence, I turned my attention away from the commotion. It had nothing to do with me, and I just wanted to eat and leave.
But the situation wouldn't let me be. Because of his tantrum, the restaurant fell into further chaos, and naturally, my food was being delayed.
“You better compensate me properly for this. Do you have any idea how much this costs, you little shit?”
Lately, following the incident with Green, I had developed a profound loathing for people who went out of their way to make others miserable. Even though it wasn't my business, I tried to endure the irritation.
“Sorry for the wait.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Finally, the meal I had been waiting for arrived. The fried rice I’d ordered for a light lunch looked delicious. But just as I was about to pick up my spoon, something flew through the air and flipped my table over.
“...”
I sat there blankly for a moment, processing the situation. The object that had flown into my table was a person—not the employee being held by the collar, but one of the others who had been trying to restrain the man. Fortunately, he didn't seem seriously hurt.
The one who suffered the most was my lunch.
“Are you okay?”
I checked on the employee just in case.
“Yes. I’m so sorry.”
Seeing his distressed face, my irritation naturally shifted toward the customer causing the scene. I had no intention of using force in my daily life. It wasn't like I was exceptionally strong or possessed some hidden power worth bragging about.
Still, I was well aware of the gap between myself and an average human. Since I could easily hurt someone if I wasn't careful, I tried my best to avoid using strength regardless of the trouble I encountered.
But the moment that bastard shoved the employee into my table, I became a party to this mess.
“Hey.”
When I called out to him in a flat tone, his sharp eyes snapped toward me. There are sharp eyes that look charismatic and dignified, and then there are sharp eyes that look cunning and sly.
This man fell into the latter category—the kind of person who inspired a visceral sense of repulsion the moment you looked at him.
“Who the hell are you? Stay out of this if it doesn't concern you!”
I reached out, grabbed the arm he was using to hold the employee’s collar, and squeezed. I could feel the hardness of a trained body, but I was obviously on another level. The pain radiating from my grip forced him to let go.
The employee finally escaped his grasp. The man, his brow furrowed, glared at me.
“You son of a... I told you to stay out of it!”
Whenever I see someone lose their reason to their own temper, I can’t help but look at them with contempt.
Just as he looked ready to start a real fight and I braced myself, the voice of one of his companions rang out.
“Indigo. Stop it.”
“...What?”
The man, meeting his companion’s eyes, looked around. Numerous people were watching the scene, filming with their smartphones. He clicked his tongue.
“If you cause another scene, you might actually face heavy disciplinary action this time.”
“Fuck.”
Hearing such foul language spill from his mouth only made the sight more pathetic.
He shook off my hand and stormed out of the restaurant with his group. He shot me one last glare before leaving, but I ignored it, figuring I’d never have to see him again.
Perhaps it was because his violent behavior and foul mouth reminded me of Green’s father, but I had acted out of character. I felt a bit embarrassed.
“Thank you, sir. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine. Are the others okay?”
The owner approached to thank me. Since the only casualty was my lunch, I checked on the staff members who had tried to stop the man. Fortunately, no one seemed seriously injured.
“We’ll get you a new meal right away, so please wait just a moment.”
“It’s fine. Take your time.”
My mood improved once the troublemaker was gone. I sat back down and waited for my food, figuring a slight delay was no big deal.
While eating, I overheard the other customers whispering. Apparently, the man and his group had been sitting with their arms and legs sprawled over the table even after their food arrived. When the waiter asked them to move so he could set the dishes down, the man had suddenly exploded in rage.
I had thought the employee spilled food on him first, but it turned out the man had grabbed the worker's collar out of nowhere, which caused the food to spill. There really are a lot of crazy people in this world.
When I went to pay after finishing my meal, the owner tried to refuse my money as a token of gratitude. I had to force the cash into his hand before leaving. I had no desire for attention, and since people had been filming, I asked him to make sure no one mentioned me if the incident ended up on social media.
As I stepped outside, Green called me at the perfect time.
“Hello?”
「Hello. Have you had lunch yet?」
“Yes, I just finished.”
「Ah...」
Her voice sounded somewhat disappointed, making me wonder what was up.
“Is something wrong?”
「No. I was just about to eat, so I was wondering...」
It seemed she had hoped to grab a meal together, since the park was close to the headquarters—the place she believed was my workplace.
“How did the investigation go?”
「It wrapped up well; I just stepped out. They said they’d contact me again later.」
“That’s good to hear. Let’s eat together next time. I’ve already eaten, and I’m out on an errand right now.”
「Next time?! Yes!」
Her voice suddenly brightened. I wondered if the prospect of a meal was really that exciting, but either way, her cheerfulness brought a smile to my face.
“I have somewhere else to be, so I’ll hang up now.”
「Okay. Good luck with your work.」
After the pleasant call ended, I headed toward the kindergarten Kirk’s daughter attended.
It was almost time for classes to end, so I’d arrive just in time.
I looked up the address Kirk had given me on a map and began walking, taking in the scenery of a neighborhood I’d never visited before. Though, to be honest, the scenery wasn't much different from the area around my house.
Still, there was a certain "unfamiliar welcome" that comes with visiting a new place. I walked toward the kindergarten, etching the details of the surroundings into my mind even if they were similar to my own neighborhood.
“Nice neighborhood. People living here must be loaded.”
While the scenery wasn't drastically different, in Seoul, certain districts carry a specific reputation regarding property values. Even if a building looked like my studio apartment, the price could be worlds apart. It’s a rich neighborhood, so rich people must live here. Honestly, that was my only impression.
When I arrived at the kindergarten, it was exactly pick-up time. I saw young parents waiting for their children. Most were mothers; I was the only man there.
I waited for Kirk’s daughter to appear. I knew her name and face, and we’d met before, so there was no risk of me missing her. The problem was that while other children were leaving with their mothers, Kirk’s daughter was nowhere to be seen.
Kirk’s house was close by, so she didn't take the kindergarten shuttle. She should have been coming out the front gate. Did something go wrong?
“Oh?! It’s Uncle A!”
After waiting for a while, I saw a girl with brown hair tied in pigtails walking toward me under an umbrella. She practically radiated the energy of a little troublemaker.
“Jo Eunji. It’s been a while.”
Kirk’s daughter used her mother’s surname, Jo. I had been to their house a few times to play with her, so we were fairly close.
Eunji made eye contact with me as she approached, but I tilted my head in confusion when I saw her holding hands with a little boy.
“Didn't you know I was coming?”
“Dad didn't explain it very well. He was too excited about his date with Mom.”
Eunji was quite mature for her age. She was perceptive of her surroundings and understood that adults had their own lives. She had readily agreed to her parents going out for their wedding anniversary while I picked her up.
As we greeted each other, my attention shifted to the boy holding her hand.
When I looked at him, he met my gaze. Perhaps nervous about meeting a new adult, the boy hesitated before bowing politely.
“Hello...”
“Yeah, hello.”
I looked at Eunji, silently demanding an explanation.
“This is my boyfriend, Hoyoung.”
I was floored to hear a six-year-old girl talk about having a boyfriend, but I suppose every generation has its own culture. I couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh. Of course, it wasn't a laugh of mockery toward children "dating."
“Boyfriend? Does your dad know?”
“No. That’s why we played together and came out together today.”
Kirk, despite his sturdy build, was a sensitive man who doted on his daughter. When Eunji was born six years ago, he had made the biggest fuss the world had ever seen.
“Your dad’s going to faint if he finds out.”
“If you betray me, Uncle, it’s over. Got it?”
“Sure, sure.”
I smiled at Eunji’s completely non-threatening warning and looked back at her "boyfriend," Hoyoung.
“Hoyoung, what’s your last name?”
“Yoo. It’s Yoo Hoyoung.”
I figured I should at least remember his name, even if childhood whims are like the wind and they might break up tomorrow.
However, while Eunji was with me today, I didn't see any guardian for Hoyoung.
“Hoyoung, didn't your parents come?”
“My parents are...”
The moment Hoyoung started to speak—
“Hoyoung~!”
A gentle voice called out his name from a distance. The three of us turned toward the sound.
A woman came running toward us, holding an umbrella. She was dressed simply in slacks and a shirt, with her blue hair tied up in a braided bun. Though her appearance was modest, I knew exactly who she was. She arrived in front of us and looked at Hoyoung, then Eunji, and finally me, before offering a greeting.
“Hello.”
“Ah, yes. Hello.”
She also seemed to be assessing the unfamiliar situation.
“Hello! I’m Jo Eunji. I’m six years old, and I’m Hoyoung’s girlfriend!”
The bold Eunji immediately introduced herself.
“Girlfriend? Hoyoung?”
She looked at Hoyoung. The calm boy nodded and spoke up.
“Auntie. Can we play for just a little longer before we go?”
Hearing that, Eunji’s eyes sparkled as she looked up at me.
“Uncle! Let’s play for just a little bit.”
Dumbfounded, the two adults looked at each other, neither knowing what to do.
My reflection was captured in her clear, blue eyes, which were currently filled with bewilderment.
I never imagined I’d run into Blue like this.