Jikook Oneshots

95. But With You I Just Go Wild

By: @TheNewKnack

"You kids are all the same. Lazy, uncaring, indolent slackers."

Mr. Gwon's voice was gravelly and full of the annoyance that seemed to never leave his tone when addressing Jeongguk or anyone in his generation for that matter. Even if his grumpy elderly employer had his back turned to him as he left the store for the evening, Jeongguk heard every syllable as if he were standing beside him berating him - as Gwon-nim was wont to do.

Jeongguk rolled his eyes at the retreating form knowing it would not be seen, but still bowed his head in respect.

"Yes sajangnim. I am sorry sajangnim," he placated

A deep grunt as the door chimed and swished closed behind the man was all the acknowledgement Jeongguk knew he would receive. Finally alone for the remainder of the evening, Jeongguk put his focus back onto stocking the spicy seafood ramyun packages on the shelf in the center aisle- albeit slowly.

Perhaps the exaggerated dragging speed was in defiance of his employer's words. Purposefully acting extra lazy to spite the man's judgement. Perhaps it was because Jeongguk really didn't care - at least about this particular job. Sure he needed the extra cash, but he could find no passion in working such a mundane job for such a sullen man as was expected of him.

Jeongguk sighed and cracked his neck, focusing on the task he'd done more than once since his shift started. It was a popular flavor, and restocking was part of the monotony of his day. Slow, just like most of his shifts at the small store. Too slow, too predictable.

Jeongguk let his mind wander instead. He leaned into his daydreams of a more exciting life than the one he led now. A life that he'd been working diligently for sometime in his future. A life that could take him far from his current task in his small childhood farming town - and sub-municipality in Busan.

Sure Busan was a large city, but within it there were so many smaller neighborhoods, unknown or nearly forgotten tiny specks in the world holding the tiny lives of unassuming people.

Sometimes it bothered Jeongguk, how only a few miles away - where his university sat - there was a bustling world full of life, but when he was not attending classes he was stuck in the small dot on the map that was his town. A place that felt like a step back in time with the way the old fashioned mindset of the people who lived there was known to stifle anyone and anything different.

It was that time in Jeongguk's evening shift where he could just sit and do something close to nothing for a while. The 5 PM 'crowd' had come and gone by then, and Jeongguk doubted anyone would turn up until closing time - the exception being the sporadic customer with an emergency or last minute shopping, and the handful of teens looking for some snacks and drinks for a hangout.

Leaned back in his chair, as he was, his head lolled back, his face pointed towards the ceiling - Jeongguk counted the spots on the ceiling tiles trying to see shapes among them. His thoughts occasionally strayed to the ever growing sum he still needed to save between his two jobs to help pay for his next to last semester of his media arts program.

The distinct chime of the 'out' door beeped twice which confused Jeongguk because no one had been in the store to leave in the first place. In any normal place this wouldn't mean much, but here the residents of his ridiculous town were so uptight about following 'rules' - even something as stupid as using the proper door to exit or enter a building would cause a stir.

Jeongguk laughed to himself thinking about all the inane things these people got angry over. Like Mrs. Kim telling him she did not like the fact that he let his hair grow a little too long lately. Or Mr. Choi implying that him riding around town on his motorcycle made him look like a troublemaker. If only they knew about the sleeve of tattoos he had designed and planned to get once he had extra cash to spend.