After story 3 Happily Ever After

“Wow, it looks new.”

The customer looked at the fixed tire and exclaimed in admiration. Next to her, Kim Jiho stood still with his hands clasped together. Goo Jeongnam’s lips twitched at the sight.

Of course, it looked brand new. If he couldn’t do such an easy task, how could he work here?

Goo Jeongnam had never been praised by a customer for doing such an easy job. When he did his work, his customers would typically look at their phones or leave to do something else. Yet that customer stood by Kim Jiho’s side throughout.

Goo Jeongnam wondered why women like good-looking men. Men should have been valued for their competence, shouldn’t they?

Honestly, he didn’t think Kim Jiho was handsome. He admitted that he was good-looking, but he wasn’t very manly. People might say that kind of face is popular nowadays, but Goo Jeongnam believed it only worked for idols, not ordinary people. Those kinds of assholes might appear quiet, but they probably engaged in doing weird things behind them, taking advantage of their good looks.

In Goo Jeongnam’s eye, Kim Jiho had nothing but his face. He was tall, but… If he were short and petite, he’d be adorable, but he was the size of a lamppost. Moreover, he was just a high school graduate. Goo Jeongnam sneered at the thought. He had heard that Kim Jiho didn’t go to school, got his GED, and then went to a training center, so it was obvious that after living like a thug, he decided to learn some skills later in life.

Kim Jiho got hired here partly because a professor at the training center took a good look at him and recommended him. That professor was the benefactor of the boss, but then again, Korea is all about nepotism. What an annoyance.

“Thank you for your service.”

“Thank you. Feel free to come back anytime.”

Kim Jiho pulled his business card out of his pocket and handed it to the customer. The customer made eye contact with Kim Jiho, smiled, and took the business card. Observing Kim Jiho’s radiant face, Goo Jeongnam got irritated for no reason and gritted his teeth.

He wondered how Kim Jiho could look so good when he was attending night college to improve his education. Goo Jeongnam always got asked what he was doing at night because he had bags under his eyes even though he ate and slept well.

The customer tucked the business card carefully into her wallet and got into her car. Goo Jeongnam gritted his teeth. He felt a sense of crisis, wondering if Kim Jiho was going to get any more customers.

This shop already had a loyal customer base. The boss had a good personality and a long career. Because of that, sales were more or less guaranteed, and the pay and benefits weren’t bad compared to other places. Therefore, Goo Jeongnam wanted to stay as long as possible before moving on to another job. Of course, he had applied to big companies while working here, but he had been rejected three times.

“Hey, Kim Jiho.”

Now, if this kid started bringing in more customers, wouldn’t it put his position in danger? Goo Jeongnam was getting nervous because the boss seemed to favor Kim Jiho and was less fond of him these days.

“Yes.”

Kim Jiho walked over. Goo Jeongnam remembered the boss’s words that he liked Kim Jiho because he was meticulous and reserved. While it was true that Kim Jiho was reserved, Goo Jeongnam really couldn’t be sure of it.

“Are you going to keep flirting with the customers?”

“…”

“This bastard really loses it when the girls come over.”

Goo Jeongnam felt a bit awkward, knowing that he was being unreasonable, but he still squared his shoulders proudly. Sometimes, he wondered if Kim Jiho was a eunuch because he never opened his mouth when the others were talking about women and always rejected the customers’ flirtations politely.

“I’m sorry.”

Look at that, he apologized without looking sorry at all.

This was what made Goo Jeongnam get even more irritated. It’d be better if Kim Jiho talked back so that he could agree or scold him. However, Kim Jiho always offered immediate apologies, leaving Goo Jeongnam with nothing more to say.

When he was a rookie, Goo Jeongnam had to apologize politely and then engage in flattery when his seniors bothered him for no reason. He would light up their cigarettes when they went out to smoke, invite them for drinks, and pour them a drink so that they could vent their frustrations. However, Kim Jiho had never done any of this.

“You, what’s with that attitude? You should be smiling when the customers come.”

Goo Jeongnam scolded him. He believed it was all a gesture of affection to get to know him. If he really didn’t like him, he wouldn’t talk to him.

“So… Huh? What are you looking at?”

Kim Jiho was looking behind him, so Goo Jeongnam turned around. There was nothing on the table behind him, except for a scroll of tissues. Goo Jeongnam furrowed his brow.

This bastard was always like that. When Kim Jiho heard him ramble on, he would look away and stare at something else. When Goo Jeongnam looked back, they were useless things like empty plastic bottles, dried newspapers, and pens with feathers. Kim Jiho would get distracted while his senior was talking. Goo Jeongnam felt drained at such times.

“I’m sorry.”

“Gee, forget it. Just do your work.”

Kim Jiho went to the back as if he had been waiting for that. Apparently, he was going to tidy up the tires. Well, he never played around, and he was fast.

Anyway, Goo Jeongnam didn’t like Kim Jiho from the first time he saw him. From the time he answered his height was about one hundred and eighty when he asked him how tall he was. How could he not know his exact height? Kim Jiho looked so arrogant, and Goo Jeongnam didn’t like it.

Goo Jeongnam sighed and pulled out his phone. He thought of what to say to a 25-year-old. Goo Jeongnam felt like he might be able to talk to a 28-year-old, but he couldn’t talk to kids these days.

As he sent a message to his friend to meet for drinks tonight, a car pulled up. Goo Jeongnam looked up and stretched his back.

It was a Benz. It wasn’t the latest model, but it was clean and shiny as if it had been well cared for. While the shop didn’t specialize in imported cars, occasional customers with such vehicles would come in.

“Welcome!”

Goo Jeongnam bent at 90 degrees to greet the customer. A black, shod foot stretched out from the driver’s seat. His gaze traveled up the seam line of the black suit pants. The waistline was nipped in and widened as it rose to the chest and shoulders, and the upper body was clad in a form-fitting suit jacket. Facing the customer’s face, Goo Jeongnam sucked in a breath.

Wow, asshole. This guy has quite the presence.

“What can I do for you?”

The man unbuttoned his suit jacket and lowered his gaze. Goo Jeongnam followed the man’s gaze. He then realized the man’s gaze was headed to the embroidered name on the chest of his coverall. 

The man’s gaze went up again. Goo Jeongnam gulped. The eyes looking at him turned sharp. The customer was an imposing-looking man.

“Erm… What can I do for you…”

“I need to change the oil.”

“Oh, yes. I’ll quickly—”

“No.”

The man cut off Goo Jeongnam and then looked around. What does he mean by no? Goo Jeongnam, feeling a little offended, scanned the man. He wondered if he was someone in the business. Suddenly, he remembered a noir movie he had watched recently. A brilliant schemer in a black organization. The only elite.

“Prosecutor Yeon?”

Goo Jeongnam, deep in his thoughts, turned his head upon hearing a familiar voice calling out an unfamiliar nickname. 

…… Huh?

The dollish eyes slowly melted down, and the always sour lips drew a soft curve. Kim Jiho’s face turned lively and shone.

Was he always that pretty? Goo Jeongnam looked at Kim Jiho, who was walking over, with a disapproving look.

“You’re early.”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve still got some time left.”

“I know. I came to change the oil.”

“Is that so?”

A gentle smile also bloomed on the man’s cold face. Goo Jeongnam, watching from the side, felt like he was intruding.

“Do me a favor.”

“Okay, wait a minute.”

Kim Jiho fetched a complimentary coffee from the refrigerator inside and placed it in the man’s hand. He then personally led the man to sit on the chair. 

“Sit.”

Kim Jiho even opened the coffee lid for the man. Goo Jeongnam noticed that Kim Jiho had never done that for any of his customers. Goo Jeongnam stared at Kim Jiho for a moment, then made eye contact with the man. With a smile still on his lips, the man’s eyes turned impassive. Goo Jeongnam took a few steps back and stood in the corner.

Kim Jiho put on his work gloves, opened the car’s hood, and removed the engine cover. He was working in front of the man, so he had his back to him, and the man’s eyes scanned Kim Jiho from head to toe in a strange way. If Kim Jiho were a woman, it would have been quite misleading. Goo Jeongnam watched the man with an uncomfortable feeling. He decided to think that the man was just casually looking at Kim Jiho, it was just that his eyes were like that.

The work uniform here was a beige jumpsuit. The pants had a zipper, so it wasn’t too annoying when they had to pee, but it wasn’t comfortable either. He wished the shop would change the uniforms, but the boss was a fanatic of style, so he couldn’t do anything about it.

No matter how hot the day was, Kim Jiho kept his work clothes buttoned up. He washed it every day to keep it clean, even though it was bound to get dirty with all the stuff he worked with. He really was a neat freak.

Kim Jiho bent down to unscrew the filter’s socket. Goo Jeongnam glanced at the man who was sitting. The man’s gaze seemed to linger on Kim Jiho’s ass. No, I must be wrong. Goo wrinkled his brow in denial. Goo Jeongnam’s gaze also traveled to Kim Jiho’s legs. They were long, straight, and looked good in the work coverall. Kim Jiho looked good, but only on the outside. Only on the surface.