The Pizza Delivery Man and the Gold Palace — Chapter 20

THIS IS THE BEST SPOT FOR DRINKING.

THIS IS GREAT. WHERE ARE WE?

MY HIDEOUT.

YOU HAVE A HIDEOUT? AMAZING.

OF COURSE.

I FEEL LIKE I HAVEN'T HAD A DRINK IN FOREVER.

AND WHY IS THAT? BUSY WITH WORK?

PRETTY MUCH. I JUST END UP TIRED THE NEXT DAY, AND IT ISN'T CHEAP. I'D RATHER SLEEP.

C'MON, THAT'S NO FUN.

TRUE. MUST BE WHY MY LIFE'S SO TEDIOUS.

ARE YOU FEELING BETTER NOW?

YEAH, I'M FINE. I EVEN WENT TO WORK TODAY.

THAT'S GOOD. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN WONDERING...

YEAH?

HOW'D YOU WIND UP AT THE PIZZERIA?

OH, MY FRIEND REFERRED ME. SHE SAID IT PAYS WELL.

THE PAY'S IMPORTANT?

THEN, HOW ABOUT OTHER WORK? I BET YOU GET SCOUTED AS A MODEL OR CELEBRITY QUITE OFTEN. WANT ME TO INTRODUCE YOU?

IT'S OKAY. I'M NOT INTERESTED IN THAT LINE OF WORK.

I'VE RUN INTO A FEW DEBT COLLECTORS WHO KNOW MY FACE.

I'M WORRIED I'LL FIND MYSELF IN HOT WATER...

SORRY, IS THE REAL TALK TOO MUCH?

NOT AT ALL.

HE SAID HE WAS UNDER PRESSURE LAST TIME. WAS IT BECAUSE OF DEBT?

...I SAID SOMETHING UNNECESSARY.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ASK ME?

OH... CAN I?

BY ALL MEANS.

...DID SOMETHING HAPPEN TODAY?

YOUR FATHER SOUNDS REALLY STRICT.

HE'S OBSTINATE, FOR SURE. I'VE NEVER SEEN HIM PLEASED BEFORE. AS HIS SON, I'M NOT ENOUGH FOR HIM.

HE'S ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THIS. NEVER SATISFIED WITH HIS CHILDREN.

BUT I GET IT, GIVEN HIS POSITION IN SOCIETY AND ALL.

MY FATHER CALLED ME IN. WE HADN'T MET IN A WHILE, BUT ALL HE DID WAS RUN ME DOWN.

HE HATES HAVING A SON WHO WON'T LEAVE THE HOUSE.

YOU GET IT, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT HURTS ANY LESS.

WHY THE KICKED PUPPY FACE? I'M THE ONE WHO GOT SCOLDED.

HUH? I'M NOT MAKING ANY FACE.

THEN WHAT'S THIS?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO UNDERSTAND SOMEONE?

THE WAY I SEE IT, IT'S A FORM OF DESPAIR.

ANYONE WHO'S BEEN HURT WILL KNOW.

WHEN THE WOUND BECOMES A HEAVY BURDEN, KEEPING YOU FROM TAKING A STEP FORWARD, YOUR DESPAIR WILL DISGUISE ITSELF AS UNDERSTANDING.

YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IN ORDER TO AVOID GETTING CRUSHED BY THE BURDEN'S WEIGHT.

THAT'S WHY, FOR ME, UNDERSTANDING SOMEONE WAS ALWAYS PAINFUL.

DO YOU FEEL THE SAME WAY?

WHEN YOU DECIDED TO RUN AWAY FROM IT ALL, WERE YOU TRYING TO “UNDERSTAND” THE ONE WHO HURT YOU?

RIGHT, I NEED TO STOP BY THE HOSPITAL TO TAKE OFF THE BANDAGE.

LUCKILY IT DOESN'T HURT ANYMORE.

I ALREADY TOLD MY MANAGER, SO DURING MY BREAK, I'LL-

Incoming call 010-XXXX-XXXX

HELLO, SOMEONE CALLED ME EARLIER... WHAT DO YOU MEAN, A SCAM?

OH, YOU LIVE IN 402, RIGHT? THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE DISASTER.

SORRY, BUT WHAT'S GOING ON?

YOU ALSO SIGNED YOUR LEASE WITH SUJEONG REALTY, RIGHT? WELL, THOSE SWINDLERS SCAMMED US!

THE LANDLORD CALLED US TO PACK OUR BAGS. APPARENTLY OUR CONTRACTS AREN'T LEGITIMATE AND WE CAN'T REACH THE REAL ESTATE AGENCY. I'M GOING CRAZY!

I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS. I EVEN DOUBLE- CHECKED THE CONTRACT...!

SHOULD WE ORGANIZE AN EMERGENCY COMMITTEE?

FOR CHRIST'S SAKE! WHY AREN'T THEY PICKING UP?!

WE HAVE TO NOTIFY THE POLICE. NOBODY MOVE...

FOR THE UNREACHABLE TENANTS...

WE HAVE A DECENT ROOM AVAILABLE! YOU INTERESTED?

LISTEN, WE'LL TRY OUR BEST TO CATCH THE CULPRITS...

NOW, DON'T YOU WORRY!

YOU EVER HEARD OF RENTAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FIRMS? THEY OFTEN HIRE SUBCONTRACTORS LIKE ME.

...BUT WE CAN'T GUARANTEE FULL COMPENSATION.

HOW COULD I BE SO STUPID?

I SHOULD'VE KNOWN WHEN HE DIDN'T LET ME MEET THE LANDLORD.

THEY SAY IGNORANCE IS A SIN.

OF COURSE THIS WOULD HAPPEN TO ME.

AT THIS POINT, I CAN ONLY LAUGH.

I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO NEXT.

I CAN'T AFFORD A NEW PLACE YET. WHERE DO I PUT MY BELONGINGS? WHAT'S MY BANK BALANCE, AGAIN?

IF I DON'T GET MY SECURITY DEPOSIT BACK... NEVERMIND, LET'S NOT THINK ABOUT IT.

DO I NEED TO MOVE OUT IMMEDIATELY? I'LL CONTACT THE LANDLORD FIRST...

HOW WILL I TELL MY MOM?

WHAT WILL I DO TOMORROW?

I ALMOST FORGOT I'M STILL WORKING. I SHOULD HEAD BACK SOON.

I'LL CALL MY MANAGER FOR NOW...

Today Landlord Manager 02-xxx-xxxx Yesterday Kang Seo-an Kim Minsung Mom Kang Seo-an

Yesterday

I'M SORRY, MINSUNG. I REALLY OWE YOU BIG TIME.

OH, STOP SAYING THAT, HYUNG!

YOU HAD MY BACK WHEN OUR COWORKERS ROASTED ME FOR BEING BAD AT MY JOB, REMEMBER?

THIS IS MY CHANCE TO RETURN THE FAVOR, SO QUIT APOLOGIZING!

OH, DID YOU HEAR? HYEON-SEOK AND THE MANAGER GOT FIRED!

REALLY?

THANKS, MINSUNG.

SO, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR PLACE? YOU CAN'T LIVE THERE ANYMORE?

NOTHING'S EASY, HUH?

YEP. THEY WANT ME TO MOVE OUT RIGHT AWAY.

OUT AY. I'M KEEPING SOME STUFF AT MY WORKPLACE FOR NOW. TIME TO START HOUSE HUNTING AGAIN...

SAY?

THERE ARE ABOUT 20 VICTIMS, SO THEY CAN'T SAY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

THE BEST-CASE SCENARIO IS THAT WE'LL SHARE THE COMPENSATION, WHICH WILL ONLY BE AROUND 100 MILLION WON. I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE...

...DID YOU TELL YOUR FAMILY?

NO, I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO WORRY. THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HELP, ANYWAY.

I'LL TELL THEM ONCE I FIND ANOTHER PLACE TO STAY.

THIS IS ALL BECAUSE I'M A MORON.

DON'T SAY THAT! BLAME ALL THE GOOD- FOR-NOTHINGS ROAMING THIS WORLD!

THEY'RE THE BAD ONES, NOT YOU! YOU'RE NOT A MORON, GOT IT?!

YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.

THANKS.

BY THE WAY, ISN'T TOMORROW YOUR FIRST DAY OF WORK?

IT SURE IS! I FINALLY GOT A JOB AT MY DREAM COMPANY!

WOW, HAVEN'T YOU BEEN PREPARING FOR THAT FIRM EVEN WHEN YOU WERE PART-TIMING?

FAREWELL, WRETCHED JOB SEARCH!

YES! HEHE. LOOK OVER HERE! MY PARENTS EVEN BOUGHT ME AN EXPENSIVE SUIT TO WEAR! AWESOME, RIGHT?!

WOW YOU'RE WEARING THAT TOMORROW? SO COOL, MINSUNG!

HEHE! I'LL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT MY FIRST DAY AFTER I GET OFF WORK! JUST YOU WAIT!

SOUNDS GOOD! LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

YOU'RE ALSO WORKING TOMORROW, RIGHT?

THE LAST FEW DAYS MUST'VE BEEN EXHAUSTING. YOU SHOULD GO TO SLEEP!

OKAY, LET'S GO TO BED.

GOOD NIGHT, HYUNG!

CONGRATS! I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!

GOOD NIGHT!