Prologue
Jeong Tae-ui paused when he heard the doorbell ring. A seasoned bean slipped from the chopsticks and rolled away. A tiny black bean rolled off the plate, leaving a sticky trail behind, and before it could even come to a stop, the doorbell rang again.
Jeong Tae-ui nervously tapped his chopsticks against the table, his eyes darting towards the front door. I had a bad feeling ever since I'd heard faint footsteps climbing the stairs.
Actually, I've been in a bad mood since I woke up this morning with achy knees because of the rain. My knees always hurt when it rains or the weather is gloomy, but days when they ache this badly, I just have a feeling something bad is going to happen.
He was feeling as gloomy as the gray, drizzly day, having just laid out a simple breakfast and poured himself a couple of drinks, when he heard footsteps approaching from outside.
In the old, run-down apartment building, which was over two decades old, you could hear a pin drop. If a cat so much as entered the building, its noise would echo all the way up to the attic.
Jeong Tae-ui was on the third floor, right beneath the attic. From the moment he heard someone climbing the stairs a little after 7 AM, he had a sense that something was wrong.
And the moment the doorbell rang, that bad feeling was confirmed with a profound sense of reality.
Few people came to this house. His Hyung - the only one who lives with him in this house - I haven't heard from since he left the house four days ago, so he doesn’t ring the doorbell since he has the key.
A heavy, insistent knock sounded at the door, interrupting his thoughts. Another thud followed as someone took a step back. The sound was deep and heavy. Similar to the clack of military boots.
The thought of military boots sent a shiver down his spine. The doorbell rang insistently, three or four times in rapid succession. He had barely started eating when his appetite vanished, and he set down his chopsticks.
The person outside the door, who brought with them an ominous feeling, showed no sign of retreating. The way they relentlessly pressed the doorbell without knocking or calling out reminded him of someone, making him feel even more depressed.
“.......”
Jeong Tae-ui went to the front door, removed the chain lock, and opened the door exactly twelve times after the doorbell had rung. The person standing outside took a step back as the door opened. The shoes that made that angular sound were spotless military boots.
And on top of those shoes was a black military uniform that was straight and unobtrusive as if it was measured with a ruler. To be precise, it should be called a conquest or uniform, not a military uniform, but the place where this man worked was not much different from the military.
The small silver badge attached to his collar somehow looked particularly irritating. It's not because there are countless people in the world who desperately want to wear that badge.
Every time this man came to this house in his formal uniform, nothing good ever happened. Despite saying that, this was probably the third or fourth time I've seen him in uniform.
The black gloved hands took off the black hat. The man smiled smoothly, his gaze fixed on Jeong Tae-ui.
“Long time no see. How have you been?”
The last time I saw him was about 3 years ago. A lot has happened since then.
I almost died while removing a land mine, I almost died once again due to a complication while undergoing surgery. I was tolerant and endured three times and almost killed a person by beating him to death on the fourth time. I was discharged from the military without even completing half of my military service.
Jeong Tae-ui looked at the man with a complicated expression for a moment, then sighed and spoke
“What could possibly happen to me that my uncle wouldn't know? There must be a reason as to why you would suddenly show up at this place without contacting me ahead at this hour. ……Come in.”
No wonder I had a bad feeling today.
It’s not that I don’t like this guy, but I feel a bit uneasy about him coming here dressed like that. But when I think about it, he probably came to see my Hyung, so there was nothing for me to worry about.
However, Jeong Tae-ui stepped aside as if welcoming a plague god into the house. The man's eyes curved slightly, not with displeasure but with a kind of amusement, as he saw his face. Closing the door behind the man who had already entered the house, Jeong Tae-ui asked.
“When did you arrive?”
“Two hours ago. I came straight from the airport.
“Unn, I see……. You should have contacted me first at least. Hyung is not here.”
The man, dressed in a sharp, wrinkle-free uniform but lounging on the sofa in an inappropriately casual posture, paused for a moment when he heard Jeong Tae-ui’s words and looked at him.
“He isn’t? When’s he coming?”
“Like I would know. He left four days ago and hasn't contacted me since. Did you only come to see Hyung? Then you’ve come a long way in vain.”
“Is there any way to contact him?”
“He wouldn’t be Jeong Jae-ui if he was easy to get hold of. You know that.”
Jeong Tae-ui sat on the stool opposite the man and said casually.
Jeong Tae-ui's Hyung was a relatively disciplined person when it came to his daily routine. If he was going to be away overnight for a day or two, he would usually let others know beforehand, even if it was just a brief notice. However, there were times when he would suddenly disappear without a word and not return for days or even weeks. That's exactly what has happened now. While he might come back after four days, there were also times when he wouldn't be heard from for over two months, making it impossible to predict when he would return this time.
But this time, I have a feeling he might not be back for a long time. When Hyung left four days ago, he said something strange.
‘It's no fun if you live with nothing but luck. I think I need to experience some bad luck myself now.’
As Jeong Tae-ui recalled the image of his Hyung leaving with that equally enigmatic smile, he fell into thought. His brother had always been a bit difficult to understand, but no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't figure out what his brother had meant by that statement.
But…….
“Um, what should I do…….”
Watching his uncle mutter in annoyance and tap his forehead, Jeong Tae-ui mumbled to himself. He likes experiencing bad luck, huh? What a hypocrite. Just before this unexpected misfortune, he conveniently disappears. What kind of bad luck is that? It looks like Hyung will never even get a glimpse of the letter 'B' in the word 'bad luck' for the rest of his life.
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Credits:
Translator: Hoshi Miya
Editor/Proofreader: Tâmago
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