Jaeho got back home to find Jia and Serin were already spread across the floor, surrounded by their new treasures, they couldn't be bothered by anything going on around them.
Jia had her crayons out, coloring in a rainbow arc, coloring in one of her picture books with full concentration. Serin sat with her legs crossed and one of her new books open in her lap as she read silently,
He set down the remaining shopping bags and pulled out a small package, it was a box of expensive honey citron tea he had picked up on the way home. He had spent ₩20,000 on it, but it was worth it.
[[New balance: ₩470,000]]
"I'll be right back," Jaeho said.
The twins barely looked up, too absorbed in their new obsessions because they didn't care about what he was doing.
Jaeho stepped out, walking towards the neighbor's house and knocked on Granny Yang's door.
She opened it a moment later, her face lighting up the moment she saw him.
"Jaeho-yah! What brings you here?" Granny Yang questioned.
"I got you something," Jaeho said, holding out the box.
"Just a small thank you. For everything," Jaeho added, making sure she knew it wasn't money.
Granny Yang's eyes focused on him for a second. She started to wave him off, her usual response, but then she stopped, looking at the beautifully wrapped box in his hands.
For a moment, she hesitated but eventually, she took it.
"You're too kind, Jaeho," she said softly.
"Thank you," Granny Yang added,
Jaeho smiled as he realized that she accepted gifts, just not cash. Gifts felt less transactional and more personal, less like charity. He could work with that.
"Enjoy, Granny. And thank you again for watching the girls," Jaeho made sure to let her know he was truly grateful.
"Anytime, dear. Anytime," Granny Yang muttered.
Jaeho returned home, closed the door behind him, and collapsed onto the floor beside his sisters.
He pulled out his new iPhone, marveling at the weight of it in his hand. The screen was huge and crisp. Every swipe was smooth with no single lag, every video loaded instantly but this had to do more with better internet connectivity. He opened YouTube and started watching random videos but at a controlled volume.
Everything looked so clear, and vibrant. He genuinely enjoyed the experience.
-
Hours passed without him even noticing with the twins eventually falling asleep on the floor, their books and crayons scattered around them. Jaeho didn't move them. He just covered them with a blanket and kept watching.
He didn't give much thought to the bullies he had encountered earlier. He wasn't going to let them ruin his day before glancing at the window. It was already dark outside.
Jaeho blinked, checking the time on his phone, it was 9:47 PM.
"Shit," he muttered.
He still hadn't taken out the trash and the last thing he needed right now was an infestation of bugs in the house, it would be a nightmare to get rid of it.
He stood up, stretched, and looked around the apartment. It was small and cramped. The furniture was old and mismatched, a secondhand couch with a broken spring with a wobbly table, a single lamp that barely lit the room up.
He could use some new furniture and some proper lighting, maybe a TV. He needed something to make this place actually feel like a home. But first things first, he needed to take out the trash.
Jaeho grabbed the bag from the kitchen and left the house, making sure to lock it behind him even though where he was going was a three minute walk.
-
The street was unusually empty considering the time of the day, even at this hour, there had to be a few people walking dogs, or coming home late from work, or smoking outside convenience stores. But tonight, the street was silent.
Jaeho didn't think much of it as he walked to the dumpster at the end of the alley, tossed the bag inside, and turned to head back.
Then something blunt and heavy slammed into the back of his head but it wasn't strong enough to knock him out.
Pain shot through his skull. Jaeho stumbled forward, his vision blurring, his legs almost giving out beneath him. He hit the pavement hard, his palms scraping against the concrete.
His hand went to the back of his head instinctively as he felt something wet there.
He pulled his hand away and saw blood, his blood.
Jaeho's vision shook as he tried to catch himself, but he forced himself to look up.
A figure loomed over him, he couldn't make him out but they were holding something, a baseball bat, long and dark, raised above their head.
They swung down this time but Jaeho rolled to the side just in time. The bat cracked against the ground where his head had been a second ago.
Adrenaline surged through Jaeho because his body had entered fight-or-flight.
He lunged forward, driving his shoulder into the figure's midsection. They stumbled back with a grunt, and Jaeho scrambled to his feet, his head pounding, blood dripping down the back of his neck.
The figure swung again with much force but there was something off, he found like he was inexperienced.
Jaeho ducked, stepped inside their reach, and drove his fist straight into their chin.
The impact rattled up his arm.
The figure's head snapped back, and they stumbled, dropping the bat with a metallic clatter.
"Fuck!" the person grunted, their voice muffled but familiar.
Jaeho's heart stopped. He knew that voice.
"Jiwon?" Jaeho said, his voice rough with pain.
The figure straightened, rubbing their jaw.
And then two more figures stepped out from the shadows., it was Minho, and Daeho.
"Told you to hit him like you wanted to kill him," Minho said, his voice cold. "Not like you were playing baseball."
Jiwon spat blood onto the ground before saying. "He moved."
Daeho picked up the bat, weighing it in his hands. "Let me show you how it's done."
Jaeho's vision sharpened, his fists clenched as he prepared to defend himself.
Blood dripped from the back of his head, warm and sticky.
And for the second time that day, he felt that dark, violent thing inside him coil tight.
Only this time, he didn't push it down.