“As you can see, my mom is a bit of a klutz, so she acts like she knows everything when she actually knows nothing. She’s completely clueless about the world. So, you can just relax and take it easy while you're here, Hyung. Jeong Haejun is smart enough that he got in on his own, but I’m going to get into a good college even without this kind of tutoring anyway. My scores on the last CSAT weren’t because of my ability, it’s just that some other issues overlapped back then… Mom just has this weird fantasy about making me study.”

“No, but still.”

“I told her I’d rather die than do those expensive private lessons the other kids do, so when she said she’d set me up with a college student Hyung so I could learn comfortably, I actually had expectations. But if you act like this, Hyung, it’s not the picture I had in mind, you know? Won-ie Hyung.”

Choi Jeongseo tapped his finger on the desk as if he didn't like my reaction, his brow furrowing slightly.

“You like things being easy too, don’t you?”

“…….”

“You can work hard and get the usual 300,000 or 400,000, or you can take it easy and get double that. The choice is yours, Hyung.”

“Double?”

“Haven’t you heard about the pay? It looks like she’s planning to give about 800,000 per subject. If you have a lot of tutoring experience and ask for more, she’ll probably give it to you.”

I kept my mouth shut. Since we had agreed on two subjects, if what Choi Jeongseo said was true, it meant I could earn at least 1.6 million a month. From my perspective, it was a staggering amount of money I had never even considered. It was far too much to maintain a sense of duty or my pathetic pride as a tutor.

“What’ll it be?”

I thought their vibes were somewhat similar, but it seemed he didn't just resemble Jeong Haejun in looks. Choi Jeongseo pressured me for an answer with an arrogant expression.

“Jeong Haejun told me to trust him, so I was counting on that.”

“……Alright. But in exchange.”

“I’ll talk to my mom. You just have to do as I say, Hyung.”

“Fine.”

As soon as I gave my consent, Choi Jeongseo reached out his hand. I hesitated for a moment before taking it. His hand, slightly smaller than mine, fit perfectly in my grip. As Choi Jeongseo shook it, it turned into a handshake.

“I’m looking forward to working with you, Won-ie Hyung.”

Even though I was now in cahoots with Choi Jeongseo, I had to keep up appearances. By the time we roughly decided on the textbooks and teaching methods, an hour had already passed. When I went downstairs with Choi Jeongseo, the woman who had been talking with Jeong Haejun sprang to her feet.

“It’s the first day, but you stayed quite a while?”

We had previously discussed only doing an hour for the first day, so the fact that we didn't come out exactly at the finishing time seemed to leave a good impression on her. A satisfied smile spread across her face.

“Oh, look at me. Wait right here for a moment.”

Then, as if she had just remembered something, Choi Jeongseo’s mother lightly tapped her forehead and headed somewhere, leaving me standing there.

“How was it?”

Jeong Haejun asked, rising from the sofa.

“……Well.”

“It was good. It’ll be good from now on, too. Thank you.”

While I was glancing at Choi Jeongseo, unsure how to answer, he beat me to it.

“You’re welcome.”

Choi Jeongseo lightly patted the shoulder of Jeong Haejun, who was a full head taller than him, and laughed happily. At the same time, the door to what looked like the master bedroom opened, and Choi Jeongseo’s mother reappeared.

“Here you go, Teacher.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“Tutoring is paid in advance, right?”

“Yes.”

“I almost forgot the most important thing.”

The woman handed me a white envelope. I could feel its thick weight.

“If it happens to be short……”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Still, tell me if it’s not enough. I don’t mind spending if the person is skilled. I’ll be counting on you from now on, okay?”

“Yes, I look forward to working with you as well.”

I gripped the envelope tightly, trying not to let it show, and bowed my head.

________________________________________

“Haejun, come visit more often.”

“I will.”

“Bye! Take care on your way back, Teacher.”

Jeong Haejun and I left the entrance, seen off by Choi Jeongseo and his mother. We entered the parking lot, which was no longer as surprising as it had been the first time.

As soon as I naturally got into Jeong Haejun’s car, I checked inside the envelope. It was filled with golden 50,000-won bills.

“Do you like money that much?”

Jeong Haejun asked, perhaps because I couldn't control the corners of my mouth from curling upward. But the question was so obvious that I wasn't sure if I even needed to answer.

“Uh, obviously.”

“Would you do anything if someone gave you money?”

“I’d do it. Though it would depend on what it is.”

“Then, would you even sell your body?”

“What……!”

“I’m kidding.”

Jeong Haejun’s lips curved into a loose smile, cutting off my reaction with that one word: ‘kidding.’

“……It’s not to that extent. I just need money to survive.”

“I know.”

Are all rich bastards like this? My mood soured instantly; I bit my lower lip and turned my gaze out the window. The car slowly pulled out of the parking lot.

Before long, the car was speeding along the main road. My house wasn't much further.

I was still in a bad mood because of what Jeong Haejun had said earlier. Just as I was thinking that this silence was better than having some conversation with him, he spoke up.

“How many times a week did you agree to tutor?”

“……Twice a week, two hours each.”

I answered a bit slowly.

“When?”

“Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

As I continued to give short answers in a low voice, I felt Jeong Haejun’s gaze on me.

“I see. By the way, Hyung, where exactly is your house?”

He must have noticed I was in a bad mood, but instead of asking why I was angry this time, he belatedly asked for my address.

“Just drop me off near the station.”

“I’m asking where it is.”

“I can just get off around here.”

It turned into a strange battle of pride. I unbuckled my seatbelt at the sight of a nearby subway station and told him to let me out, but Jeong Haejun ignored me.

“What are you doing? I told you to let me out.”

Now, Jeong Haejun wasn't even answering me properly. Eventually, I shut my mouth and stayed still, letting him do whatever he wanted. I figured he didn't even know where I lived anyway, so what could he do?

“……You.”

However, as if mocking my thoughts, Jeong Haejun’s car turned into the alleyway where my house was located—a place I hadn't even told him about.

“How did you know?”

“I saw it in the department directory.”

“Then why did you pretend not to know?”

“I thought you’d find it strange if I knew your address when you hadn't even told me.”

“Where is the department directory? They didn't hand out things like that back when I was—”

“Of course you wouldn’t have seen it. Who would just hand out personal information like that?”

“Then how did you see it?”

Instead of answering, Jeong Haejun just laughed. It was a laugh that seemed to ask if I really thought he was the same as ordinary people.

“There really aren’t many decent houses here.”

“Yeah.”

It was a place that didn't suit Jeong Haejun’s car at all. It was a house I was living in for cheap rent due to the landlord's stubbornness in refusing to leave despite eviction notices, but I knew that soon, the time would come for me to vacate this place as well.

I planned to earn as much money as possible before then to secure a deposit and at least a few months' rent. I had already lived in a goshiwon—a place where one could live cheaply—and I was so sick of that experience that I was determined to get a proper studio apartment.

“Do you have somewhere to go if you have to move out?”

“Now that I’m tutoring, I’ll save up and move.”

Because of the debris from buildings already demolished here and there and the increasingly narrow path between buildings, the car couldn't go any further and came to a stop.

“Won-ie Hyung.”

“What.”

As soon as the car stopped, Jeong Haejun called out to me as I opened the door to leave, as if he had been waiting.

“I made you angry again earlier, didn't I?”

I didn't answer.

“I apologize.”

“…….”

“Don’t be mad.”

I didn't know how many times today I’d received these meaningless apologies that I couldn't even tell were sincere. Still, since he was apologizing, I couldn't ignore him entirely, so I just said okay. After all, Jeong Haejun was now the one holding my livelihood in his hands.

“Go on in then.”

“You get home safe too. Thanks for today.”

“See you at school.”

“Yeah.”

I gave my final greeting and closed the car door. Looking back after getting out, Jeong Haejun’s car felt even more out of place in these surroundings.

Even after I got out, the car didn't move immediately. I waited a moment for it to leave first, but it seemed Jeong Haejun had no intention of moving before I did.

In the end, I turned around and walked away first. Thinking that Jeong Haejun would be watching my back from behind, I strangely became conscious of even my gait, something I usually never paid attention to.

Only after I got inside the house did I properly take out the money. There were exactly thirty-two 50,000-won bills. Calculating the amount, it was 1.6 million won, just as I had expected.

It was the first time I had ever received such a large sum of money at once. Even with the money in my hands, I felt dazed. It was even more so because the tutoring was such a breeze. If I had received it after working hard to teach, it might have been different, but since that wasn't the case, I wondered if it was okay to take this kind of money.

But I had already received it, and I had agreed to do the job. Besides, this amount of money would be less than pocket change to that family anyway. It’s not like I stole it from people who have nothing. Thinking that way made me feel much more at ease.

“It’s fine. You did well.”

I rationalized it to myself. Eventually, the thought that I should try to live a little more comfortably dominated my mind. Throwing away such an opportunity would be the real crime. Things like pride or a sense of duty were for people who at least had the basics; if kids like me tried to hold onto them, it just looked pathetic. In a situation where I didn't even know what tomorrow would bring, it was only right to take the opportunities that came my way.

Done with my thoughts, I put the money back into the white envelope. Then, I spread out my bedding, tucked the envelope under my pillow, grabbed some clothes, and headed to the bathroom.

I found myself humming the entire time I showered. This was definitely the first time I had ever hummed while showering in this wretched bathroom that was almost embarrassing to call one. Thinking of the envelope waiting for me under my pillow made me burst into song. I wondered if this was what people meant when they said they felt full even without eating.

The first thing I did as soon as I finished washing up was check the envelope under the pillow. I rubbed my fingers over the corners of my mouth, which were creeping upward. Regardless of how annoying Jeong Haejun or Choi Jeongseo were, I just needed to earn money like this. That was a happy ending for all three of us. Thinking of this money, I could tolerate those two just fine.

For the first time in my life, I lay down in bed with happy thoughts about how to keep the money safe, rather than a head full of worries. It was the same spot as yesterday, but strangely, it felt much more comfortable.