Chapter Text
Moonjo noticed the young man the moment he stepped off the bus in Seoul. He was at the station tailing a mark when he saw the person pull his black suitcase from the cargo load. The angle of his shoulders betrayed a frustration not possessed by most. Moonjo advanced in his direction in effort to examine him.
His face was innocent, but his eyes were dark. Dark in ways more than hue. The tension of his frontalis revealed an unease that Moonjo understood. That the people surrounding him were inherently infuriating. That they were beneath him.
The original mark was abandoned for the intriguing man. Moonjo shadowed him throughout Seoul. He overheard a phone call in which he discovered the man had relocated there for a job and he was searching for a goshiwon.
He shouldn’t move into a place like that. He should move somewhere more protected.
He followed him to three different residences until he found his new home. It was 260,000 won a month according to the online listing Moonjo pulled up after he saw his new target walk inside.
“Umma, I found a place. Yeah, it’s fine. It’s small, but at least it’s clean. It kind of looks like a hospital.” he angled his head to look up at the building, squinting from the overbearing August sun. He adjusted the straps of his backpack as he spoke.
I like this neighborhood. My house isn’t far from here.
“I’m going to go find some food. I think there’s a kimbap place nearby. No Umma, I’m not going to call Jieun. She broke up with me forever ago.” He kicked the loose gravel with one foot, free hand shoved deep in his pocket.
Moonjo was hidden around the corner in a nearby alley, collecting a plethora of information from the one-sided conversation.
“I’ll probably see Jaeho later tonight, we spoke on the phone after I go off the bus. Yes, I start tomorrow. Umma--, I need to go. I’ll call you later.” He returned the phone to his jeans and walked down the block, past the alley Moonjo was hiding in. He didn’t even take a moment to look down the crevice and check his surroundings.
He’ll need more training. He must not be used to living in a city.
He watched from afar as the man consumed his meal, typing fervently into his laptop. Moonjo couldn’t see what he was keying from where he was positioned, but it didn’t seem to be related to his employment. Especially if his first day was tomorrow.
The man finished his meal, packed his computer into his bag, and departed the eatery. Moonjo trailed behind, maintaining a healthy distance. He nearly lost him as he ducked into a storefront without much preamble. Moonjo just happened to notice him through the window as he walked by.
OLD SEOUL USED BOOKSTORE
Hmm, a reader.
Moonjo entered the market, perceiving it as a chance to uncover more about him.
The young man was perusing a shelf labeled ‘crime’, seemingly searching for something specific.
A fan of delinquency. How fitting.
“Ah!” The man pulled a paperback off the shelf with a smile and began thumbing through the novel.
Moonjo stood near the bargain bin, observing the man inspect his book. He decided to move in on his target.
“Any recommendations?” Moonjo asked the man as he approached him. He took a step back, caught off guard that a stranger was talking to him.
“Excuse me?”
“I’m sorry. I’m looking for a new book. It’s been a while since I’ve had time for a leisurely read. You strike me as a bibliophile. Do you have any recommendations?”
The man cleared his throat, looked around him, and gave Moonjo a once over.
“Well, what do you typically read?” he queried, looking back at the shelf of texts, intentionally not making eye contact.
“I’m a fan of Raymond Chandler. And I’ve been known to enjoy absurdist fiction as well.”
The man’s body language instantly transformed. He turned and beamed at Moonjo, clutching his new book to his chest.
“Raymond-, I love Raymond Chandler. He’s my favorite author.” He chuckled nervously and showed Moonjo the cover of the novel he was holding. “That’s why I was so excited to find this book. It’s so hard to find Chandler in a Korean translation back home.”
“Back home?”
“Ah, yeah, I grew up in the countryside outside of Busan. I just moved to Seoul.”
He’s trusting.
Moonjo held out his hand to the younger man.
“Welcome to Seoul. I’m Seo Moonjo.” The other man clasped his hand and shook.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Yoon Jongwoo,” he revealed as he dropped his palm.
Yoon Jongwoo.
Moonjo nodded and conjured his best imitation smile. He was thankful to be in his work clothes. They made him blend in with the other humans. They didn’t seem to scare off as easily when he was Dr. Seo as opposed to his true form.
“Nice to meet you. It’s hard to move to a new city. Do you have a roommate to help you acclimate?” he probed as he tilted his head to the side, attempting to portray himself as a curious, friendly citizen.
Jongwoo shook his head and pursed his lips. He adjusted the strap of his backpack.
“No, I’m staying in a goshiwon. I didn’t know anyone well enough here to move in with them and I didn’t trust the online listings from strangers.”
He’s smart not to trust those people.
“I only plan on staying there until I save enough money for a real apartment, but who knows how long that will take. The rental market is insane in this city.”
So, he doesn’t have a lot in savings. No familial help for a deposit. Cheap clothes. Old laptop. Used bookstore. No friends in town.
He needs someone.
The dentist took a step closer to the captivating man, buzzing with anticipation.
“Jongwoo, would you like to join me for a beer? We can talk books and I can give you some insight into living in the capital.”
Jongwoo took a step back and ran a hand through his hair.
“Oh, um. Actually, I’m meeting someone soon, but that was very kind of you. To offer.” He gripped the book with both hands and nodded. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to pay for this and head on my way,” he explained apologetically. He walked to the counter and handed 8,000 won to the cashier, placed the book in his bag, and strode out the door.
Moonjo watched him leave, undisturbed by the bell on the hinge indicating his departure. He hadn’t planned to be gone this long when he scheduled his day. Initially, he was only going to be scouting the janitor at the bus station. How he treated others. How he clocked out and made his way home. He didn’t anticipate that he would find someone like Jongwoo and spend several hours of his morning tracking him.
Instead of following him to his next destination, Moonjo had to go to his clinic. His patient was arriving in less than an hour and he needed to be there to review their charts ahead of time.
I’ll find you again, Jongwoo.
As much as he wanted to approach the other man, he didn’t want to make him uneasy or overwhelm him too soon. In the meantime, Moonjo learned his schedule. He found his workplace. He memorized his running route. Learned where he liked to drink. And most importantly, he discovered that Jongwoo went to the bookstore every Thursday after he was paid. He would buy one novel as to not overspend, grab a coffee next door, and enjoy his new find.
Jongwoo didn’t seem to be too keen of his goshiwon; he spent very little time inside. He went to work, ran his errands, and would read or write in a café. When his yawns became too consistent, he would trudge back to his building just long enough to sleep.
According to another phone call Jongwoo had with his mother, Moonjo deciphered that the residence was harsh. It was sterile; suffocating. Breathing felt too loud. Most of those who lived there were students who studied day-in-day-out or seniors who didn’t want to hear a peep. He didn’t feel welcome. Moonjo despised that for him. Jongwoo deserved a home.
He also discovered that those in the goshiwon were rather unsupportive of his writing. Telling him that it was a pipedream. That everyone thinks they can write, but few rarely make it. That murder was too gruesome to create a novel about.
Moonjo’s home was much too large for just him. It was a modern home with floor-to-ceiling windows and an industrial-style motif. The realtor asked him if he really wanted to buy a house that was so angular and cold if he would be raising a family there one day. He couldn’t help but pity her. She tried to entice him with her words and femininity, but he could not have cared less for the woman.
The only rooms in the house that had been furnished were the living room, Moonjo’s private study, and the master suite. He had another office, described by the real estate office as a ‘small library’, and three additional bedrooms. He had never really thought about putting those rooms to use, but now he had inspiration.
A desk was found for the larger study and the back wall was lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. A comfortable leather chair and matching ottoman was found for the corner of the room. The best stationary supplies were procured from stores all over town. Anything that could assist Jongwoo in his career as a writer would be available to him.
Automatic, light-sensing blinds were added to every window in the house. That way the man wouldn’t have to interrupt his craft to keep up with the moving sun.
The bedroom closest to the master was furnished with a mid-grade mattress and small dresser. He wanted to ensure that Jongwoo would have what he needed in that room, but that he would eventually be willing to trade it in for Moonjo’s more hospitable space.
The master suite had a second closet that had been left completely untouched. His had been plenty large enough, so it hadn’t been necessary to bother with it. But now, he had cause. One of his employees just happened to have about the same dimensions as Jongwoo, so Moonjo asked him for his clothing size under the guise of buying presents for a nephew.
In the weeks that Jongwoo had lived in Seoul, Moonjo believed he had an idea of the man’s clothing preferences. He purchased an array of casual and dress attires, undergarments, outerwear, and house slippers. He hadn’t gotten a close enough look to buy real shoes for him just yet. He knew the brands to buy whenever he discovered the number.
Moonjo was not a chef. The kitchen was rather empty, so he needed to buy cookware and small appliances for the man. Moonjo only took interest in preparing one type of food, and he assumed that Jongwoo would not necessarily be inclined partake right away. He stocked up on dry goods and utensils, wanting to be prepared for when he came home.
Gradually introducing Jongwoo to his lifestyle was key in building him up to his best self. Eventually he would be special just like Moonjo, but destruction and repair would be necessary.
Moonjo continued his daily routine shadowing Jongwoo and seeing patients, keeping up his own appearances, waiting for the day the writer would join him in his life.