Welcome to Dungeon Hotel - Chapter 72

68. Sitting close makes you closer

 

“A boyfriend? Awesome! I thought he was some kind of celebrity!”

 

Hyejin approached with her eyes wide open, and all the old ladies around muttered with a face as if they knew it.

 

“Look… I told you it’s a boyfriend?”

 

“There is no such thing as a male friend.”

 

“It’s impossible for a man and a woman to sit together after the age of seven. Ah.”

 

Ha.

 

I wonder if this is right.

 

I hurriedly spoke in a voice that only Woohyun could hear.

 

“Because that kid is a member of Woo Destiny. So, in case you get into trouble…I don’t think she can think of your name right away if I say you’re my boyfriend.”

 

Han Woohyun froze for a moment as if he could hear me, and Hyejin glanced at Han Woohyun as if she was curious.

 

“Wow, how can a normal person be so tall? He looks so handsome…! Perhaps, is Unnie’s boyfriend Instagram Star? Ha, should I leave Woo Destiny and join this side? What’s with that beauty? What do you eat to become so pretty? Yes?”

 

…This side also has a lot of silly comments.

 

Friendliness is great too.

 

It was then.

 

Suddenly, Han Woohyun’s hand grabbed my shoulder.

 

Han Woohyun made me stick to him, and he answered Hyejin with a nonchalant face.

 

“This Unnie is prettier. So ask this side.”

 

…?!?!

 

Hyejin, who heard that, covered her mouth with astonished eyes.

 

It was the same for me.

 

“You tear it, really.”

 

Hyejin laughed.

 

“Here’s the water.”

 

Han Woohyun sat down again as if nothing had happened and began to talk to the merchants.

 

It was… an absolute mess.

 

***

 

How long did the drinking party last?

 

Han Woohyun quietly left the drinking party after drinking alcohol for the first time since he awakened.

 

When he opened the hotel door and left, a quite cold sea breeze greeted him now.

 

‘It’s refreshing.’

 

He narrowed his eyes as he looked at the old exterior of the Yeongchun Hotel.

 

It is an incredible place to look and see.

 

In many ways.

 

Rustle.

 

As he walked near the street lamp, he peeled off the lollipop he was carrying in his pocket and put it in his mouth.

 

As the sweet scent spread, he felt like he was a little sober.

 

“…do you want a light?”

 

It was then.

 

Someone he hadn’t seen under the street lamp looked up at him and pushed the lighter in.

 

“….?”

 

When he looked down, it was the head of the women’s association.

 

She seemed to have been squatting and smoking.

 

“N, it’s fine.”

 

He showed her the candy he was eating.

 

“….?”

 

The head of the women’s association looked up at him with a strange expression.

 

“Ha… Unlike how people see it… It’s cute…”

 

Cute?

 

Han Woohyun froze for a moment at the words he heard for the first time in his life, then squatted down next to the head of the women’s association.

 

The head of the women’s association gave him a ‘shh’ look.

 

“My daughter hates me smoking. It’s a secret.”

 

“Ah, yes.”

 

Han Woohyun nodded.

 

Han Woohyun and the head of the women’s association sat silently for a while.

 

“….”

 

“….”

 

It was the head of the women’s association who broke the silence.

 

“Why aren’t you going in? You think I’ll be lonely?”

 

“….”

 

“I have a lot on my mind. t doesn’t look like I’ve had that many worries in my life, considering my appearance and expectations…”

 

Han Woohyun, who didn’t understand what it meant, was drunk and only laughed.

 

“Are you slow with Yeongchunjang because you have a lot on your mind…?”

 

With Junghyo?

 

Junghyo…

 

Lee Junghyo…

 

Han Woohyun sighed after reflecting on the name a few times. White steam came out.

 

“I… like Junghyo.”

 

“I know.”

 

“…How do you know?”

 

Han Woohyun was surprised.

 

“Everyone in there would know?”

 

However, the head of the women’s association also looked surprised.

 

“Ah. Junghyo lied that she was dating me….”

 

“No. Not because of that.”

 

The head of the women’s association waved her hand.

 

“You keep watching her. When Yeongchunjang goes to draw water or no matter what Yeongchunjang says to the guests, there is always Yeongchunjang at the end of your gaze. We would have aged in vain if we didn’t know that.”

 

At those words, Han Woohyun blushed and washed his face dry.

 

“…It’s become a habit to just watch.”

 

“Why?”

 

The head of the women’s association dropped a cigarette and took out a new one.

 

Han Woohyun, who saw it, accepted the cigarette pack and lit it with a lighter.

 

“Just because. As you can see, I don’t have the talent to get close to anyone. I never did. Because I failed when I tried.”

 

Han Woohyun turned off his cell phone.

 

However, it was clear that there was a text message on his cell phone and that his Aunt had been talking about something in the apartment lobby.

 

‘How did I raise you? Can you do this to the people who raised you?’

 

But it was clear that his Aunt had sent him a text message about what she had been talking about in the apartment lobby.

 

He didn’t mind when his Uncle said that.

 

But his Aunt…

 

His Aunt, who was shaking and crying next to young Han Woohyun, who was kicked out bare in the cold winter—.

 

Despite their poor circumstances, she couldn’t send him to an orphanage, and his aunt raised him despite his uncle’s objections—.

 

He didn’t even know that person had the qualifications to say that.

 

That’s why he always listened to such words like that.

 

It was Han Woohyun who couldn’t keep his promises to be happy together and to make sure to give her a good rest later.

 

Because it was on my side that broke our once-solid solidarity.

 

‘He’s not even as good as a dog.’

 

‘Even dogs wag their tails at the owner who raised them.’

 

‘If Uncle goes to jail, I’ll go out and die.’

 

He thought it was the last thing to be covered in blood in front of so many sharp words—.

 

‘I’ll let you run away.’

 

The moment he heard Junghyo’s words, all his patience ran out.

 

After all, it was because of what you said, not anyone else.

 

You are always in my escape.

 

‘…Black cat.’

 

It’s understandable that people say that Junghyo looks like a cat.

 

An elegant cat that sometimes just watches silently without even knowing it’s there, but when it’s absolutely necessary, it casually comes up to you with a haughty step and does what it needs to do.

 

A person who becomes a sanctuary for anyone with that small body.

 

That was Lee Junghyo.

 

Like that, Junghyo has always been a resting place for me, but to Junghyo, I… What can I be?

 

“I don’t even know what to do to get closer… I don’t even know what to do.”

 

“You don’t need to do anything… right?”

 

The head of the women’s association scratched her neck and asked.

 

“Yes?”

 

“The old people gathered here today. A young man whose name I don’t even know listens to us and drinks with us, so it was fun enough.”

 

“….”

 

“Those children. I think it’s nice to give gifts on holidays, but what we really need is someone to listen to us and pour us a drink.

 

There was bitterness in the head of the women’s association’s eyes.

 

However, she smiled again and pointed to Han Woohyun, who was squatting with her.

 

“Just sitting close like this gets you closer. Is there any other way to get closer? Don’t you think so?”

 

“….”

 

Han Woohyun didn’t answer.

 

* * *

 

When a box of soju is gone.

 

After all the other merchants returned home, the head of the women’s association was drunk and slept and returned to Yonggung Sashimi Restaurant with the help of Han Woohyun.

 

The head of the women’s association said this while stroking Hyejin’s hair, who was sitting next to her and watching YouTube intently, and smiling broadly until the very end.

 

“It’s great that so many young people come to Yeongchun-myeon. I love it. I was lonely because I was alone. And what about this coffee? Huh? Where else can an old person like us eat something like this?”

 

The head of the women’s association laughed and pointed to the Americano I gave her.

 

“It’s the first time I’ve tried it, and it’s bitter, but it’s really good~.”

 

“Because our coffee has no caffeine awakening effect.”

 

Miyeon didn’t miss the time and worked on marketing, and the head of the women’s association, who was watching her daughter, clicked her tongue.

 

“I’m a businessman too, but you’re too much.”

 

“I learned it from my mother. Like mother like daughter~.”

 

“Anyway, talking back!”

 

I laughed as I watched the conversation between the mother and daughter.

 

The mothers and daughters, Han Woohyun, and Hyejin, headed for Yonggung Sashimi Restaurant.

 

The head of the women’s association arrived at the Yonggung Sashimi Restaurant after being carried by Han Woohyun, and Miyeon, who had been blaming her mother for being absurd, went to Hyeyu’s room to soothe the waking Hyeyu.

 

Hyejin also went to that room.

 

In the meantime, we gave water to the drunk head of the women’s association.

 

“Wow… The water tastes good.”

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Yes, it’s fine. The owner of the sashimi restaurant is not drunk because she drank this much soju. It’s because Miyeon made a mess.”

 

After saying that, the old lady shook her head.

 

“Should I just change it? That guy?”

 

“What? With whom?”

 

“With this young man here. I like him. Be my son.”

 

Han Woohyun hesitated for a while at what the head of the women’s association said while pointing to Han Woohyun.

 

Then, the head of the women’s association smiled and fell on the floor.

 

“I’m just saying. What are you surprised about? I just want you to come down here and have a drink once in a while.”

 

“…Can I?”

 

At Han Woohyun’s words, the head of the women’s association laughed.

 

“Of course, you can. What do you mean?”

 

The head of the women’s association reached out and messed up Han Woohyun’s hair.

 

At that time, Miyeon called Han Woohyun.

 

“Come down and drink.”

 

Han Woohyun put on a blank face for a moment, then left the room first, saying he would go.

 

I saw it and took out a blanket from Aunt’s closet.

 

At that time, Aunt reached for her jacket.

 

“Here you go.”

 

“Ugh. thank you. I think I left my cigarettes here….”

 

Aunt rustled something in her pocket and laughed at what she took out.

 

It was a pile of lollipops.

 

She looked down at it, then said to me with a serious face.

 

“You know you’re in trouble if you just ignore what an old person says, right?”

 

“….?”

 

“That young man. Definitely take him. Okay?”

 

I thought for a moment, not knowing how to respond to that.

 

“Well, I actually picked him up today as well.”

 

“That’s. It’s actually because I picked him up today.”

 

I said, thinking back to the time I dragged him by the arm from the apartment complex.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Should I say I kidnapped him to our hotel before others took him away?”

 

At my words, the head of the women’s association made a puzzled face but soon burst into laughter.

 

“As expected, Yeongchunjang!”