Chapter Text
Good things never come to Go Bok-dong. The orphan sacrificing his youth to help get his one and only older brother out of prison, made to do things he would never do on his own accord, always ordered to do what the one's in charge say without question or hesitation.
He believes that's just how life has to be, until Shin Cho-rim.
In the beginning she's all but invisible to him at school until the first time he really sees her, but it isn't at Myeongseong High. No, it's at this sketchy Room Salon. Dressed this short, tight black little number that is the complete opposite of their school uniform. She's lined up with the rest of the servicegirls, filing into a room of semi-inebriated businessmen. Her long dark hair, which she normally wears down, is done up in an intricate updo, showing off her neck and shoulders. She doesn't look like herself.
At first Bok-dong isn't sure if it's even her. They're in the same class, but she's a normal girl. Who easily conforms to the social standards of Class 4, who tries her hardest to never stick out. Yet there she is, working at some hostess bar. Being seen here could easily derail her high school career, if people knew she would never be able to show her face again.
He follows his hyung-nim, Ahn Dong-chil, down the bustling hallway, passing Shin Cho-rim as he goes. He's postive it's her now that he's seen her upclose. He sees the way her face pales, the way her eyes widen and her entire form becomes stiff with fear. He notices the way a fellow hostess has to get her attention and lead her into the meeting room.
As Bok-dong sits in one of the Room Salon's many meeting rooms over a drink with Dong-chil hyung-nim, he thinks of the quiet girl in his class who's doing who-knows-what in a room four doors down from their's. He wonders what her reason must be. Why some cute, smart, high school student is doing seedy work at a Room Salon. Is her family hard up for money? Does she have debt she has to pay? Is someone making her? Is it because she likes it? What is she doing in a place like this? He's not sure if he actually wants to find out.
That following Monday Go Bok-dong unintentionally looks for her as he leisurely makes his way to Class 4. In the classroom is Hong Sang-tae (the stuck up class president and son of their school's chairman), Jin Yi-kyung (the class wangdda), Oh Ah-ran (the smart and quiet girl that Sang-tae secretly likes and the wangdda's only friend), and a few other insignificant students. But, not the one he's actually looking for, Shin Cho-rim.
He's early but he doesn't care, he's wired with the want to see what Cho-rim will do next. Will she ask him to say nothing? Deny it at all costs? Drop out of school? Bok-dong is too busy thinking about it to pay attention to Wang Jung-hee and her side kicks taunting Yi-kyung and Ah-ran, or the Class President throwing him looks to intervene, or to notice the tardy bell has rung until the girl in question slips in at the final second.
Go Bok-dong doesn't know what he expected her to say, but he definitely hadn't considered she would say nothing at all. The entire day she doesn't so much as look at him. During lunch he stays close by so that she may try to talk to him, but she doesn't do anything except eat her dosirak. By the time evening self-study rolls around, he's the one shooting her looks to meet him in the hall. The teacher is in the plan room during that period, so Bok-dong easily gathers his things and ditches class, not long after Cho-rim follows.
Bok-dong practically corners her outside the restroom. "Don't you have anything you want to say to me?" He questions. Cho-rim doesn't so much as blink at him. He isn't trying to intimidate her, but his reputation tends to make people nervous regardless of whether he's trying or not, so he's a little taken aback as she easily shrugs. "No, not really."
"You're not going to ask me to keep it to myself or beg me not to tell people?" Cho-rim's laid back demeanor really throws him for a loop, considering her future depends on him keeing his mouth closed. "Why, are you planning on telling everyone?"
"Well, no." He replies lamely. "Then I'm not gonna ask you for anything." She tells him plainly and turns to leave. Bok-dong stops her, grabbing her by the arm. "Your future depends on me not saying anything and you're taking things this easily? What if I told everyone?"
Shin Cho-rim turns to him with this gentle look on her face and it stirs him in his soul. "I figure I say nothing and let you decide what to do. Even if I ask you not to, you could still tell everyone. Either way you already know and me begging isn't going to make you forget." Bok-dong is a little thrown by holding her repuation in the palm of his hand. He's the villan of Myeongseong High, most people would be pleading for him to save them.
Cho-rim twists her arm free from his grip and turns to him, "Listen, I'm a nobody here. No one knows me or cares about who I am. It would be nice if things remained that way. You have nothing to gain by telling people. But if you decide to then there's nothing more I can do. I'm pretty sure you'll make the right choice. At least I hope so. I know you're a good guy, Go Bok-dong." Then she simply walks away. And, Myeongseong High's iljang just stands there, outside the restrooms, and watches her go.
A good guy, he thinks. Her words make his chest ache.