Part-time Job
Part-time Job
After seeing A-ra off, I changed clothes too.
Today was the day I had an interview for a convenience store job.
After lazing around like an unemployed bum for a while, my labor DNA just couldn't take it anymore, so I decided to get a job.
Since I planned to do it alongside university, it would probably be mainly weekends and gaps between classes.
Well, the store was close to both school and home, so A-ra eventually gave her permission.
"Eutcha...."
I put on my shoes and stepped outside, and warm sunlight wrapped itself around me.
It looked like my luck was going to be good.
***
Because one of the part-timers had ditched, I had no choice but to find a replacement in a hurry.
Who would have thought the weekend shift person would bail like that.
"He looks like he just graduated recently... but since he said he got his guardian's permission, it should be fine."
And on top of that, he had previous convenience store experience.
To think there was a kid with that kind of grit these days.
I was pretty impressed when he said he'd come in for an interview.
I was only twenty-six myself, running a convenience store at a young age, but starting part-time work at seventeen — normally, kids that age just study while getting an allowance from their parents.
"The slight concern is that it's a guy, so you never know..."
Since crimes against men happen often, I couldn't help but be on guard.
Of course, with schools and apartment complexes nearby, it was far from a dangerous entertainment district, but convenience stores have their own variables, don't they?
A car might suddenly crash into the place.
A robber might threaten with a knife.
Someone might pour gasoline around and make threats.
"You never know, so I should beef up the security equipment a bit."
I nodded to myself.
After all, it's always better to prepare in advance and ensure safety rather than regret it later.
While I was thinking that, someone walked into the convenience store.
'Wow... what a handsome guy.'
He was handsome enough to rival a celebrity.
Honestly, I wished he could be our store's mascot.
You know, the kind of person urban legends are made of — just sitting at a counter somewhere makes the customers multiply several times over?
But I'd already hired someone... so I let out a disappointed sigh.
"Um..."
"Yes? Ah, I'm sorry. What kind of cigarettes are you looking for, customer?"
A customer came in, and here I was lost in thought.
I was failing as a store owner.
I wiped the drool around my mouth with my sleeve and asked him what cigarettes he wanted.
But the guy smiled awkwardly and waved his hand, saying that wasn't it.
"That's not it — I'm the student who's supposed to have an interview today..."
"Huh... what? An... an interview?"
"Well... earlier, you definitely said I could come in now..."
What kind of luck was this.
A kid this good-looking was doing a convenience store part-time job?
With a face that could probably rake in a hundred million a month if he went down that kind of path, even if it was a little illegal... Wait, he just graduated high school recently.
Forget that — even if he started as a fitting model right this moment, he was the kind of guy agencies would throw money at to recruit, and he wanted to work part-time at a convenience store??
My mind went blank for a second.
Then, the guy — I wasn't sure what misunderstanding he had — started hedging about his own situation.
"I'm sorry. Did I come too early? I can come back later..."
"N...no! I was just startled for a moment. Come this way, please."
"Okay...."
I panicked for a second, but I couldn't let a pretty face like this slip away.
Finally, flowers were blooming in my life too.
The day this guy stood in front of the counter, sales would multiply several times over.
"First, let me take a look at your family registry document and resume."
"Yes, here they are."
"Let's see... born in '98... name is Yoo Seong-hwan... huh?"
On the family registry, instead of his parents and siblings, there was an entry for himself and 'Wife.'
Wife?
"Are you married, by any chance?"
"Huh? Yes. I'm married."
Of course a guy like this already got snatched up by some woman first.
I felt a little disappointed.
With a good-looking guy at this level, he was worth at least putting a few moves on...
I'd heard more than a few times that I was quite the looker myself...
Still, I'd succeeded in getting a top-tier part-timer, so I should be satisfied.
Still, I couldn't help feeling a bit let down, so I let out a deep sigh.
"Haaaaaah....."
"Boss? Is there some kind of problem..."
"No, no. It's nothing to do with you, Seong-hwan-ssi... When can you start?"
"I can start right away, this week."
"Then could I ask you to start this weekend?"
The relationship between employer and employee almost felt like it had flipped, but if I could get a part-timer with looks like this, wasn't it worth it?
The part-timer seemed to have a kind personality, too.
"I'm the one who's grateful for being hired. Thank you very much."
And with that, our first meeting ended.
Anyway, his wife's name was 'Song A-ra'...
It couldn't be that 'Song A-ra,' right...?
***
"Noona, I passed the part-time interview."
"Oh? Honestly, I wanted to stop you from working... but Seong-hwan-a, you wanted to, so I had no choice but to allow it."
"Thank you. Staying idle felt a bit off to me."
A-ra gave a bitter smile, then let out a chuckle.
It showed she knew my personality well.
"So, you'll be going every weekend?"
"Yes. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m."
"I finish around that time on weekends too, so I'll come pick you up."
"It's fine... aren't you tired too, noona?"
"We can grocery shop together, go out and have fun — how great is that? Let's do it that way."
"Got it. Thank you, noona."
As a gesture of my feelings, I kissed her on the cheek.
She had a bit of a pouty expression, but when my lips touched her cheek, I had the distinct illusion — or maybe not an illusion — that the corners of her mouth lifted.
"By the way, the food today is delicious. How did you make this?"
"You soak chicken legs in a brine of salt and sugar dissolved in water, let them cure, then coat them with seasoning and bake them in the oven. That's it."
"Hmm... so you can make buffalo wings at home."
As she said that, popping each drumette and wingette into her mouth and dismantling them, the sight somehow felt a little suggestive.
Thinking of it as the same mouth that bites and sucks on me at night made my thing... well...
I'd totally turned into a perverted bastard.
"Ah... I ate it all."
"There's still plenty left, so take your time eating. I'll bring out more."
"As expected of Seong-hwan... his sense is exceptional."
A-ra ate quite a lot, so I'd prepared in bulk.
For reference, she'd finished off all the chonggak radish kimchi and winter cabbage kimchi yesterday too (though Eun-ji took half with her), so I bought a huge amount and mixed up a big batch.
We finished eating, washed up, and lay down in bed.
Today, prepping the chonggak radish had completely drained me, so I had no energy left for anything else.
"Noona... let me rest today."
"O...okay. I'm not the kind to demand it when you don't want to! But still!"
I let out a chuckle.
She'd practically ravished me to the point of near-rape just four days ago — did she not remember?
We lay there like an 11 sign, watching TV, when a slightly risqué scene came on.
It wasn't anything with biting and sucking and pounding, but the vibe was... how should I put it, suggestive.
So that kind of atmosphere really could be created.
"Seong-hwan-a...."
I turned to A-ra, and it looked like her engine had started — both eyes were bloodshot.
I'd said not tonight, though...
"I'll just lie still, so just kiss."
"Got it!"
And so, until I fell asleep, I was bound like a doll and kissed endlessly.
My lips hurt...
***
"Hello! I'm the new part-timer covering the morning shift starting today."
"Ah, hello. Was it Yoo Seong-hwan-ssi? I got the message."
I received a few handover notes from the late-night shift noona
and put on the uniform vest.
Mm~ a uniform I hadn't worn in a long time.
It calmed my mind somehow.
Customers who threw money at you.
Customers who said they forgot their ID and would go get it, then never came back.
Even customers who pulled stunts like stuffing ramyeon between display shelves and running off.
Memories of experiencing all kinds of customers came flooding back at once.
.....Is this my life flashing before my eyes?
I finished the morning shift product check and started organizing the stock.
The late-night shift part-timer noona had actually organized things better than expected, so there wasn't much to do.
But there was no way a convenience store would stay that quiet.
Between customers who showed up out of nowhere, made a mess of the outside tables, and left — and then having to clean up after them or work the register — time flew by before I knew it.
"Phew... let's take a short break..."
Were convenience stores inside apartment complexes always this busy?
Customers poured in endlessly, to the point I was getting worn out.
It was on a whole different level from any convenience store I'd ever worked at.
Was this some sci-fi fantasy about handling interdimensional species or something...
"Hmm... the boss said meals are free for the taking..."
At the convenience store before I came to this world, it was strictly up to 4,000 won.
But here, incredibly!!
They said you could eat without any limit!!
I'd nearly shed tears of gratitude back then.
For a poor orphan like me, every single meal had been precious.
So even now, in a time of plenty, I couldn't help but tear up.
"This is what you call labor incentive. I hope all those exploitative shop owners see and learn."
I nodded to myself, eating one cup ramyeon and two triangle gimbaps.
....They said unlimited meals, but honestly, grabbing just anything felt a bit awkward...
Nom-nom-nom...
I was savoring the gimbap and ramyeon when a customer came in, so I shoved everything into my mouth.
"Kek... kek-kek..."
Ah, it felt like it was stuck in my throat.
At times like this, I needed to soothe my gullet with some ramyeon broth...
Huh?
I'd already finished it?
"Kkeung... That'll be 7,800 won. Do you have a points card?"
"No, I don't."
I took the card, finished the payment, and handed it back.
But instead of leaving, the customer just stood there, staring right at my face.
"Have this while you work. Kyaah!"
"Huh? Uh... wait..."
Seeing the high school girl hand me a coffee and run off, I could only stand there, dumbfounded.
Sseup, what was this?
I'd never once received a gift like this before, so I was just bewildered.
Was this the "gift offensive" I often saw in online communities?
"Huh? What's this?"
On the back of the coffee, there was a Post-it note attached — I had no idea when she'd stuck it on.
A phone number was written on it.
Huh...?
Was I kind of a hit, looks-wise?