SUNGJIYUL
I am an orphan. Point blank.
But technically, I've got family.
An auntie, sisters, brothers-the whole nine yards. No mom, but a dad? Yeah, I've got plenty of those. That's the problem.
"Saerang, keep some rubbers on you. For real. To a drunken dog, a female is just a female."
One auntie, twenty sisters, five brothers, and 'Dad'... well, that number's flexible. On a busy night, I can have up to five dads.
"Who's the new girl? She's a looker."
"Hands off. She's probably your daughter's age."
"So what? We're all family here. Hey, 'Daughter'! Come over here to Daddy."
By tomorrow, he won't remember my face-or the fact that I even existed.
I don't know their real names. It's all fake anyway. But I do know the name of this place. That part's real.
<Arirang Pub>
And that's why my name is Saerang.
From the 'bitch' (Arirang) who dumped her pup (Saekki) and bolted.
***
"Are you a minor?"
"No."
"Then what are you?"
"A high school senior."
At first, he was just some old guy.
A man with a pathetic excuse for a conscience, looking at me like I was the kind of brat who'd walk into a convenience store right after graduation and demand a pack of cigarettes. A man who put his own smokes back in his pocket after seeing me.
"If you ever need a man to marry, call me."
Then again, he was no 'Daddy Long Legs.' No romantic savior would hand his business card to a senior who was looking for marriage just to escape her shitty life.
"Mister, I'm not stupid enough to trust a man whose name I don't even know."
"Shin Joo-ho."
"......."
"That's my name."
To me, he was just Shin Joo-ho.