𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐈𝐃

#.. EIGHT

they worked as if nothing happened the day after the funeral. after all, their private life and their job life had to be separated.

once again, gunil looked very depressed but this time it was different. he seemed to be a lot more in his thoughts.

"are you okay?" hyeongjun asked. he couldn't the times he already asked the elder that, yet it had to be necessary every single time.

gunil looked up to hyeongjun and nodded, a soft smile on his lips. "yes.." that was a lie. and gunil didn't even try to hide it.

the younger sighed and leaned against the counter. "is it about your mother? what happened to her yesterday?"

it seemed to be exactly that topic. hyeongjun had hit his wound spot. with a shaky breath, gunil looked at the curious young man.

"she feels lonely.. a lot the last days. usually she prayed to god to talk to him, but... you must know, my dad died.. a month ago.. she can't handle the loss of her husband and, well, my father, too, obviously."

gunil sighed heavily, his gaze wandering off from hyeongjun.
"my mother never told me how dad died. i believe he committed suicide and is ashamed of it. but it can't be. father knows that suicide is a sin.

but yeah, after he left us, my mom is very lonely and also scared of losing me, so i try to visit her as often. she suddenly got so possessive over me, you know? sorry i pulled you out of there just like that."

oh? gunil never told him that. it never was even visible that gunil was sad because of the loss of his father? to be honest, gunil always looked miserable. but still?

hyeongjun stood there, not knowing what to say. what do people say in these moments? "my condolences... i really don't know what to say, i'm sorry."

the elder just smiled, he seemed sad. "it's fine. i'm almost over it. i mean, i haven't been living with my parents for five years now, i lost contact to them for two years... yeah, that's it."

wow. hyeongjun was speechless as he just nodded, deeply in his thoughts. maybe that was the reason gunil was always looking sad? but no, he has looked depressed ever since hyeongjun started working. it must be something else. but what?

"i shouldn't have told you..." gunil suddenly whispered, digging his nails in his thighs. the sudden change in gunil's tone and mimic scared hyeongjun. gunil looked frightened.
"i'm- shit- just forget what i said."

why should he? what the fuck was wrong? hyeongjun was confused. wasn't gunil allowed to spread any kind of information about that?

he heard the door open, hyeongjun begged that it would be seungmin who surprised him with a back hug. but he quickly had to realise that this will never happen again. it was just a customer.

hyeongjun went back to changing the price tags on the cds that were on sale while gunil just stared in the air.

gunil started to warm up to hyeongjun a lot the last days. but now, where gunil had this 'realisation', it all went back to zero again.

hyeongjun had to try again. or else it will be awkward between them.