Chapter 2: Walking on Thin Ice

“…I wear them, though.”

“You’re really making me repeat myself, aren’t you? Are you seriously saying you and Choi Siram are in the same position?”

The dagger Park Suchang casually threw struck my chest without fail, forming a heavy lump inside.

I realized far too late that being constantly compared to someone else and mocked…

Hurts far more than enduring baseless hatred.

I don’t even ask to be cherished.

I just want to be treated like a human being…

Is even that too much for someone like me?

“I already went to the department store with Siram earlier today and got his outfit tailored. It suited him really well.”

“…I see.”

“But seriously, are you still not done? Figures. You’re so damn slow, just like a B-class.”

“I’m almost finished, so please bear with it a little longer. If you can’t even endure this much as a grown adult, what are you going to do in the future?”

“I’ll live just fine without your concern, so stop overstepping and hurry up.”

I had a feeling things were hanging by a thread.

The moment I raised my voice, Park Suchang shot me a look full of contempt and turned his head away coldly.

Silence settled over the dorm.

Only the steady hum of machinery and Suchang’s slightly agitated breathing filled the space.

I let out a quiet sigh, unable to focus today for some reason.

The large hand I was holding twitched faintly.

His palm, hardened from countless battles since childhood, was filled with calluses—

It felt less like touching skin and more like holding solid rock.

Clank—

“Knew you’d be here, hyung. I’ve been looking everywhere.”

“Oh, it’s Jaeyoon!”

“…Seriously, you never fail to be a nuisance, Park Suchang.”

Just as I was about to gather my energy and finish the guiding, the dorm door suddenly opened, and three people walked in one after another.

Members of Assault Team 3.

“Hey, Park Suchan. I told you to take Siram and go ahead. What’s so interesting here that you had to come all the way and bother him?”

“Siram hyung insisted on coming with you, so what was I supposed to do? Cut me some slack.”

Park Suchan and Park Suchang were brothers.

They looked alike, but their personalities were complete opposites—oil and water.

The only thing they had in common…

Was their dislike of me.

“Sorry, Suchang. But since we’re a team, I thought it’d be better if we moved together.”

Things were already bad for me, but after Choi Siram joined, I was practically invisible within the team.

Proof of that—Park Suchan and Kim Seokhwan had clearly seen me first, yet didn’t even bother to acknowledge me.

Even basic courtesy seemed too much for me.

Swallowing the heavy pain sinking into my chest, I quietly stepped back into a corner, as befitted my role.

“Choi Siram, I’ve told you several times not to keep running around like this. It’ll strain your body.”

“It’s fine. I can handle this much.”

“Oh? I go easy on you and now you think you can walk all over me?”

“So, are you going to get mad?”

“As if I would.”

I am invisible.

To them, I am nothing more than an insignificant microorganism.

Repeating this to myself over and over, my gaze drifted to the purplish sky outside the window.

Letting go of tension, I blanked out for a moment, and the dull ache in my stomach eased slightly.

Just as I wondered how many more times I’d have to endure this meaningless situation before these unwelcome guests left—

Warmth suddenly seeped into my palm.

Startled, I looked up.

Standing right in front of me was Choi Siram, quietly gazing at my face.

“Jaeyoon, you’re coming with us too, right? I really made an effort today since I’m seeing you.”

“…About that…”

He clasped my hands and urged me with a bright, innocent smile.

But whether he meant well or not didn’t really matter to me.

What mattered was the three bastards behind him, glaring at me with sharp eyes.

Not just Park Suchang.

Even Park Suchan, who was relatively kinder to me, and Kim Seokhwan, who usually ignored my existence—

Were openly hostile right now.

If I nodded without thinking…

I had a strong feeling they’d dump me into the reservoir near the center this time.

“I’m sorry, but I think I’ll have to go separately…”

I valued my life.

I couldn’t lose everything I had clung to just because I accepted Choi Siram’s request.

“I need to rent a tailcoat from the center wardrobe. There’s still time before the party starts, but just in case… you all go ahead. I’ll come with the manager later.”

“Still… we’re a team. Moving separately feels a bit…”

“…I’ll really be fine. I’m not a child. I can find my way on my own.”

I even raised both hands to show my refusal.

Choi Siram’s persistence irritated me today, but I knew he wasn’t acting out of malice.

So I gave reasons he could accept and took a step back.

His bright expression dimmed slightly.

“See, Siram hyung? Jaeyoon hyung isn’t a kid. He’ll make it just fine on his own, right?”

“Yeah. If nothing else, Han Jaeyoon is good at trailing behind us like a stray.”

Park Suchan and Park Suchang chimed in smoothly.

How amusing.

The same two who usually acted like they wanted to devour me were now suddenly tame like obedient dogs.

Choi Siram scolded Suchang for his words, but he didn’t try to stop me anymore.

A small relief.

“Then Jaeyoon hyung, come slowly with the manager.”

“…Ah, yes. I will.”

“Hey, Choi Siram. You’re the star of the party. Why are you spacing out? Let’s go.”

Pulled along by Suchang, Siram kept glancing back at me with uneasy eyes.

Soon, the door closed.

Left alone in the wide living room, I felt as if a storm had just passed through me.

The already uncomfortable atmosphere, combined with the tension I had endured, made nausea rise in my throat.

After rubbing my face dry, I absentmindedly looked at the large mirror on the wall.

A pale, unimpressive man stared back at me.

I stood there for a long time, staring at my reflection, once again chewing over my situation.

“…I’m tired.”

There is nothing more exhausting than calmly narrating one’s own misfortune.

“Oh dear… I’m really sorry. Because of the party today, there have been so many requests for tailcoats. This is the only one left right now.”

“…It’s fine. I’ll take it.”

The suit in my hands felt heavy.

It smelled strongly of mothballs, as if it had been tucked away somewhere for years.

Honestly, it looked so shabby I didn’t even want to glance at it…

But I had nothing else suitable for the party.

Even though I was the Guide of Assault Team 3 and earned a decent income,

Most of it was sent back to the refugee shelter.

Very little remained for myself.

If not for the contract clause covering food, clothing, and shelter while working at the center…

I might still be struggling just to survive.

“Oh, Jaeyoon! Over here!”

“Hello, Manager.”

“I’ve been doing alright. How about you? Have you been well?”

“I’ve been… managing.”

After finishing preparations at the dorm, I stepped out and was greeted by Manager Lee Dongkwon, who had been waiting.

We chatted idly as we headed toward the underground parking lot.

He was a simple, easygoing man in his early thirties, and he happily told me he would finally marry his girlfriend of five years early next year.

The way his face lit up while talking about her was so genuine…

Even I, who had never cared much about relationships, found myself listening with interest.

“Come to think of it, Jaeyoon… you’ve been working at the center for quite a while now, but I’ve never heard you mention dating anyone.”

“…It’s not like I don’t want to. It’s just… not something I can afford to do.”