Patience.
Patience is Jeongguk's forte. It always has been, ever since he realized, that what he considered as his superpowers, were actually nothing important-like how he could run with his feet when his mother chased him down to eat vegetables, or how he could be invisible to his father by squeezing into the narrow space between his parents' closets. So from the moment he grasped the essence of life, patience became his guiding principle.
Like, when he was excited about moving to the States, Jeongguk was patient, sincerely learning English beforehand rather than arriving here and then learning.
Or when he had a hard time adjusting to the new place, with new faces during college but was patient enough to get through it in one piece.
He had to be patient when he juggled with part-time jobs alongside his studies, to help Mr. Kang with the bills, a token of gratitude for taking him in and making him feel a little less homesick. Although he suspected Mr. Kang's actions were driven by his own loneliness, Jeongguk couldn't help but feel Mr. Kang was just as relieved as him for having someone from their homeland around.
It was supposed to be straight and easy after graduation-internships, a real job, and a normal life. But can one expect a normal life in the States, in this economy, with entry-level wages? It seemed like a distant dream. Jeongguk didn't endure college for this; he aimed higher.
So putting his patience skills at test again, he juggled multiple jobs while researching, learning online from his mentors to developing his own business ideas and building a portfolio worthy of pitching to major companies.
Nothing was easy. There were times when he almost-almost gave up. Working on just four hours of sleep, trying to get the job done, was beyond bearable. There was one occasion where he had overworked himself so much that his body simply shut down, and he collapsed unconscious on the streets. Not to mention, spending his entire week's pay on medical bills in a single day didn't make it seem worth it at all.
It sucked the life out of him, but everytime he felt like giving up, he realized- it was go big or go home.
So yes, patience is Jeongguk's biggest strength, because without it he wouldn't be here, where he is now. Making his way from an employee of 'Nextron Techs.' to a manager and eventually being promoted to a business partner. During his college days he was what people called the "uptight guy" or "the loner," and those are labels that have stuck with him even to this day. It was all a testament to his dedication and leadership skills, but most importantly, patience!
But nowadays, Jeongguk feels he's losing his patience, the one thing he was good at, all his life. And one might think, there's a big reason behind it, like huge responsibilities or competitive pressures, but it's not. It's just a people, a couple on a motorbike to be specific, that he sees a few times in a week, on his way to work.
It shouldn't be something to be bothered by, but one too many times when his car stops at a red light, his gaze flickers outside the window and he watches them do these things that evoke a strange feeling inside him.
Things like, when Jeongguk noticed her adjusting his bag strap or when she slipped her hands into the man's jacket pockets, from behind, hugging him tight, since the weather was a bit chilly. There were times she even answered his phone calls, saying he was driving and would call back later. It made Jeongguk wonder about their relationship. He doesn't see any ring, so was she his secretary? But then, Jeongguk had his own secretary now, Mr. Kang, and couldn't imagine him doing such things. There were other reasons, of course, why Mr. Kang wouldn't, but you get the point!
He has had quite a hard time to put a finger on what that emotion is, but he can tell for sure that it's not a good one.
"Oh I hate those two! One of these days, I'm gonna get out and kick them down real nice," he once admitted with a sour expression on his face.
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