Meteor

Two

"Oh...Hi Mr. Lee," he looked at the landlord with a noncommittal smile plastered on his face, "I'm so surprised that you are here."

"Hey Han Yu Jin, I really don't want to tell you this, but you know how long ago the monthly rent payment was due, right?" The landlord glared at him with hostility.

"I know Mr. Lee, I am really sorry, but I am just br..."

"Can you stop making excuses, every single one who does not pay the rent on time says the exact same thing!"

"I am really sorry, but can you just give me some more time please? I promise I will pay it for you," he apologised profusely and looked at the landlord with the guiltiest expression that he could display, just like the way a child who had just caused trouble would be looking at his parents.

"Listen, I understand that students' lives are tough. But...your rent payment has already been overdue for more than a week. I need money too. It's not like I'm donating my money to any charity, you understand it?" He sighed in exasperation.

"Yes, I am aware of that, I will try to pay it to you as soon as possible. But for now, may you give me some more time please?" Yu Jin looked at the landlord with a pathetic face.

"I will give you five more days. No more than that. Don't make me have to remind you too many times, otherwise I will ask you to leave, understood?"

"Yes Mr. Lee, thank you really really much!" He smiled in relief and bowed his head.

Right after the landlord left, he noticed something hidden behind the corner of a wall. It seemed like Eun Chae's red Mickey tote bag.

"Hey Hong Eun Chae, you are there, right?"

"How do you know that it's me?" Her smiley face emerged from the middle of the dark.

"Were you standing there and listening to everything?" He gave her a suspicious glare.

"Uhmm...not really, but a bit," she said and came closer to him.

"You eavesdropped on me?" He raised his voice and peered at her in confusion.

"No, I just accidentally overheard it, I swear," she refuted him right away.

"Fine. But don't tell anybody that I am broke, OK?" He sighed and shook his head with his hand rubbing his forehead.

"I won't, don't worry. By the way, I have this for you, grilled sweet potato," she grinned and raised up the paper bag of sweet potato, "I met an old lady on the street who sold this, she only had two left, so I bought both so that she can go home. Poor her, it's cold out there."

"Shall we come in and eat?"

"Sure", she repeatedly nodded her head.

Eun Chae and Yu Jin went in and started munching on the food. While they were eating, she suddenly asked him a question.

"Hey Yu Jin, is your rent so expensive that you cannot pay for it?" Her question was a little blunt, but it did not seem to have any bad purpose though.

"Kinda expensive. It's 700 thousand won."

"What? Why so expensive? Even my two-room is only 600, you know?"