Chapter Text
“Cale-nim.”
Cale hastened his walking pace, deliberately ignoring the ‘nuisance’ following behind him.
It hasn’t even been three days since Ron went back to the Henistuse estate and Choi Han was left alone. Yet, why does Cale have a shadow following his every move?
When he goes back to the apartment to wash his clothes (the laundry room is often either in repair or crowded), Choi Han is right behind him and standing as if he was Cale’s own shadow. When he goes out to eat in some nearby campus restaurants, the black haired individual is always there. Does Cale have a tracking device on him? Should he check every piece of clothing he has? Should Cale be concerned?
“Cale-nim-”
“Yes. What is it, Choi Han?” Cale finally turns around and acknowledges the others' presence.
Choi Han instantly perks up at Cale, his eyes rounding as he radiates innocent happiness (exactly like a puppy). “Cale-nim, may I accompany you today?”
Isn’t that what you’ve been doing regardless of my permission?
“Fine, just,” Cale says while waving his hands in a vague manner. “Don’t walk behind me like that, it’s creepy.”
Cale swears he can see Choi Han’s demeanor changing, his shoulders drooping in sadness. “It is?”
Cursing under his breath, Cale ponders how such a person can live in such a cruel world. Is this why Choi Han was kicked out of his old living space so easily?
“You’re not my bodyguard, so stop acting like one.“ Cale starts walking again while gesturing for Choi Han to follow him, “just walk by my side.”
A smile spreads itself on Choi Han’s face as he takes long strides to catch up with Cale (the red haired curses the other for such long legs). “Where are you heading, Cale-nim?”
“Let’s look at some shops downtown.”
Mentally, Cale makes a plan of the day for himself. ‘Get Choi Han a job.’
As they were passing stores, Cale stopped by a minimarket to buy a newspaper. He scanned the news before stopping on the job listings. There were some potential ones in there, not a lot in terms of pay, but enough to make somebody busy.
He nods before folding the newspaper and walking towards directions where the most interesting jobs were.
“Cale-nim, are you here to buy a book?” Choi Han asks when they arrive at a small bookstore.
The red haired doesn’t answer, merely walking inside and going to the front desk. “Hi, I heard you were hiring?” He asks while putting on his best ‘I’m very trustworthy, hire me’ smile.
The person at the desk, some blue haired female, smiled apologetically. “I’m so sorry, the position was filled not long ago.”
When they walked out of the store (after saying that it was fine and have a good day to the bookstore clerk), Choi Han asked, “are you looking for a job, Cale-nim?”
“It’s for you.”
Cale, not looking at Choi Han’s direction, opted to reopen the newspaper and see what other job listings they could find. But, unbeknownst to Cale, Choi Han had a complicated expression on his face.
‘He gave me a place to stay and now he’s helping me find a job so I can collect my life back,’ was what Choi Han was thinking.
Very far from Cale's actual purpose.
“Maybe we should call the numbers up first-” Cale stops his words when he turns around to see Choi Han’s expression. Why in the world does the guy look like somebody just personally saved his most beloved cat from drowning?
“I shall repay you back for all you’ve done for me, Cale-nim.”
Choi Han had said so with such emotion in his tone that Cale can only say ‘sure’ before walking away.
As he was walking away from the other, Cale's urge only grew stronger. ‘I definitely need to get this guy away from me,’ was what he was thinking.
-
Okay so, in Cale’s defense, his train of logic was that if Choi Han got a job, then he would be busy enough to not trail (stalk) Cale. But, he didn’t think it would be this hard to actually get the guy a job.
How hard was it to get Choi Han a job? Well for one, he didn’t have any notable schooling so ‘actual’ jobs were off the table. Second, for some reason all the jobs that they tried applying to were either already handed off to someone already or didn’t want somebody who is just starting.
When they finished the day without a single job for Choi Han, the black haired looked as if he was about to kneel on the ground and ask for forgiveness.
“I’m so sorry, Cale-nim.”
For what?
“You were so kind to help me find a job but I forgot to mention that I am unwanted anywhere I go.”
Crap, if Cale doesn’t intervene now, Choi han might actually start kneeling and asking for forgiveness.
“It’s fine, Choi Han. You’re not unwanted, there’s got to be a place that would accept you,” Cale says as he motions around them. “And you’re welcome in the apartment.” Cale’s father personally gave him permission to live there afterall.
As if a switch had been clicked, Choi Han’s face immediately brightened when Cale finished his words. Choi Han stares at Cale in the eyes as if he had made his mind up about something. “Cale-nim, I will absolutely get a job by the end of the week, I promise.”
“Okay…” Cale says even though he was also weirded by the deep resolve that Choi Han was showing (but then again, it was good to have passion while looking for a job). “Just, remember to not go overboard.”
“I will, Cale-nim.”
Ignoring Choi Han’s dazzling smile, Cale walked away so he could attend his classes.
-
After his classes, Cale was once again sitting in the pathetic ‘common room’ with a plastic bag of cheap beer to accompany him.
His mind played that afternoon’s events over as he pondered on what in the world made Choi Han have such passionate reactions. Maybe the guy was still emotional from losing his home? He still hasn’t asked nor Ron or Choi Han about the details of the ‘landlord problem’ (since if he didn’t know then he wouldn’t need to do anything more about it, let Ron handle it) but maybe it really was severe enough for Choi Han to be reacting to things in his life like this?
He was thinking about all this so much that he didn’t notice another student walking up to him.
"Do you drink every night?"
The sudden question snaps Cale out of his musings. Blinking once at the sudden (uninvited) company, it took a second for Cale to recall who this person was.
Oh, the tired guy.
Cale squints his eyes in indignation. “Said the one who drank one third of my beers last time,” he responds while reaching over to push a can of beer into the senior’s hands (Cale suspects the guy is a senior). “Here, but you’re paying me this time.”
The senior laughs, his blue eyes crinkling in what Cale would describe to be insanity from overworking. “What’s your name?” the other asks so suddenly right after his laughing fit.
Right then. This guy is absolutely not well in the head, Cale summarizes.
“...Cale Henistuse.”
And the bastard laughed again. Seriously, what the heck? Did Cale accidentally introduced himself to the ax murderer of the campus? But then, the weirdo senior straightens up again, giving Cale a dazzling smile.
“I'm your senior so address me as such.”
Feeling a sudden burst of need to mess with the senior, Cale responds back, “okay, hyung.”
Great, now the weirdo is coughing.
“W-What?”
“You’re the weirdo who asked me to address you as a senior,” Cale responds back in his best ‘I did nothing wrong, I swear’ tone and smile.
Of course, the weirdo senior didn’t buy it. “This brat,” Cale could hear him mutter under his breath.
By the time the night ended, Cale was paid more than enough for the beers from last time and that day (he wasn’t going to deny a tip) and he never bothered to ask for the senior’s name. Why? Because if Cale didn’t know the senior’s name, then he can act as if he was never going to be caught up in the others' business.
A great plan, really.
-
“I’m sorry?”
“I got a job, Cale-nim.”
It hasn’t even been three days since Choi Han promised that he would look for a job yet, he already found one?
“Where?”
“At a family owned cafe, Cale-nim.” Choi Han had a sad look on his face as he continued, “I heard that a tragedy has recently befallen the owners of that cafe and when I came there, they offered me a job, Cale-nim.”
Cale takes a deep breath. “Okay. What job were you offered exactly?”
Probably a dishwasher, or maybe a person to help with carrying supplies since Choi Han looked as if he can carry some heavy things-
“They hired me to help scare away a man who wants to demolish their shop, Cale-nim.”
That was not what Cale had expected.
“Huh?” Cale asks, as he stares in bewilderment. Did his ears go bad? Did he hear correctly?
“They want me to stand near the entrance and scare away a lanky blonde haired man if he ever comes near the shop, Cale-nim,” Choi Han responds, oblivious to how downright weird his statement was.
Leave it to Choi Han to be hired as an intimidator. Who in the world would be intimidated by Choi Han who looked like a puppy new to the world?
Against his better judgment, Cale ended up standing in front of the family owned cafe that Choi Han has been hired to work in. ‘The Blue Wolf’ was the name that was proudly put on the sign next to a cute blue wolf logo.
From the outside, it looked like a small modest cafe. But looking into the inside, it looked more like a daycare than a cafe.
At least ten blue haired children were running around in the interior when Cale walked in. Who were these kids? Are they the customers of the cafe? Was what he was thinking, but then an older looking child (probably around 15) who also has blue hair comes walking out of the staff only room.
The blue haired teen’s eyes widened as he recognized the people standing in the entrance. “Choi Han hyung!” the teen exclaims while walking towards Choi Han. “You actually came,” he says with such a kidlike expression on his face that Cale felt like his gut was punched.
“Lock, this is Cale-nim.” Choi Han gestures towards Cale. “He’s the one who I’ve been telling you about.”
The teen- Lock, looks at Cale with such surprise and thankfulness that Cale once again felt as if he was being gut punched. “Y-Young master-nim, you actually came.”
“...Nice to meet you, I’m Cale Henistuse-”
Once again, the door from the staff room opened and out came a beautiful red haired woman. The woman took one look at Choi Han then to Cale before walking towards them with resolve in her steps.
“You are young master Cale Henistune,” the woman says (not asking) but Cale still felt compelled to respond back.
“Yes, I am-”
And once again, his words were cut off. Fate is just not giving him a break this day.
This time around the distraction came in the form of a person barging into the shop; kicking the doors and sauntering in as if he owned the place. Cale notes that the newcomer had a lanky figure and blonde hair so he guesses this is the guy Choi Han was hired to scare off.
“Oh, you’re still running your business?” The lanky figure drawls while looking around the quaint cafe. “It’s been a week since the deadline for your debt-”
“Lock already paid back the debt last week.” The red haired woman steps forward to stare challengingly at the lanky figure. “He and his family owe your boss nothing.”
“Didn’t you know, you paid back the debt but the interest,” the lanky man had a comically cliche evil look in his face as he said so. “My boss has a client who asked to get this place demolish-”
What is this cliche drama that Cale has stumbled himself upon?
Cale sighs as he reaches into his pockets to open his wallet and throw all the cash (his lovely allowance that his father gave him) at the debt collector’s feet. “Is that enough to get you to fuck off?” He asks with the aura of ‘that amount of money means nothing to me’.
“What? You brat-” lanky was about to walk towards Cale when he stopped in his roots. The debt collectors’ eyes were staring at something (someone) behind Cale in fear before scoffing, grabbing the money, and turning on his heel.
Not without forgetting a cliche ‘I’ll be back tomorrow’ over his shoulder as he exits.
Dear god, do people like that actually exist?
“Thank you!” Suddenly an exclamation came from his side; it was Lock. The blue haired teen looked close to tears. “I don’t what I will ever do repay you-”
Cale holds up a hand to interrupt Lock. “You can repay me by explaining to me what just happened.”
The red haired woman steps up towards Cale with a kind smile on her face. “I’m sorry you had to witness that, Young Master Cale. My name is Rosalyn,” Rosalyn gives Cale a sheepish look. “I am helping Lock and his siblings in managing the cafe at the moment.”
Cale swore he’s heard the name Rosalyn somewhere before.
“We should sit down, young master-nim. I can tell you the full story that way,” Rosalyn says while gesturing at the nearest table.
In the end, Cale sat there with Choi Han by his side while Lock and Rosalyn were in front of them. Rosalyn explained that Lock’s parents were in a bus accident that resulted in both of their lives about a month ago and ever since then, he and his ten siblings have been trying their best to manage the store (with Rosalyn’s help). But, sadly, their father had some debt with some unsavory company.
Lock interrupted her to say that he did pay back the loan by selling a lot of their furniture at the house and cafe. But judging from what the lanky debt collector had said before, the debt has some ‘interest’.
By the end of it all, Cale only had one question.
“Lock, how old are you?”
“I’m thirteen this year, young master-nim.”
Fuck. How cruel was fate to give these children such horrible fates.
Cale curses under his breath while massaging his temple. “Wait here,” he says before standing up and walking towards a corner of the store. Once again cursing fate for giving these kids such hard lives, Cale dials a number on his phone.
“Young master-nim?”
The person he called was Ron Molan.
-
Cale called Ron before phoning his father to ask for permission to get both Ron and Beacrox over to the small cafe. Deruth Henistuse didn’t ask for his son's reasoning, merely waving his hands and telling him to do as he wishes.
Cale, of course, took the advice to heart and decided to order both Ron and Beacrox over the cafe before telling the others that he would leave just for a moment (Choi Han tried to come with but Cale told him to stay there and watch the place); he went to the nearest bank to withdraw some money.
When he walked back to the cafe, Ron and Beacrox was already there.
“So, Lock, how about you sell me this place?” Cale says while taking a seat on the chair in front of Lock.
“Huh?”
Cale throws the stacks of money he just withdrew from the bank. “I’ll buy this place. I’ll pay off the interest from the debt.” When Lock nor anybody in the cafe responded, Cale continued. “You can keep managing the place but all profit will go to me and I’ll pay you a salary as if you’re an employee.”
A second passes by the store where nobody reacted.
When Cale was starting to think he might have explained it too roughly, Choi Hain broke the silence with a gasp.
“Cale-nim, you really are an amazing person,” Choi Han says as if he just realized something is true.
Not far behind, Lock soon follows. “Young master-nim, I am forever in your debt. No, my whole family is in your debt,” Lock says before standing up and bowing deeply to Cale.
Cale watches in stunned silence as the blue haired teen then makes all ten of his younger siblings also bow and say thank you to Cale. “Wait, isn’t that a bit-”
“Cale Henistuse, you are very different from the rumors,” this time it was Rosalyn. “Helping to pay off a debt without expecting any rewards- you are truly an amazing person, young master-nim.”
What?
“Miss Rosalyn, I think you’re misunderstanding something-” Cale tries to say but Rosalyn only gives him a smile as if Cale didn’t have to be shy and hide anything.
No, you don't get it, there is definitely a misunderstanding here!
In the end, Cale somehow became ‘an amazing person’ in front of the people standing in the cafe (even Beacrox was staring at him with a new understanding in his eyes). Thankfully, Cale still managed to hand Ron the money over and told him and Beacrox to ‘handle’ the debt.
For once, Cale felt the old man’s viciousness to be quite reliable.
-
Cale was slumped on the table with his head down as he mulled over his problem; people misunderstood him.
He didn’t do it without expecting rewards, he’s putting good money in making that cafe be famous so he can reap the profits. With both Ron and Beacrox manning the helm, Cale was absolutely sure that the cafe was gonna be a hit.
How in the world did they misinterpret him buying the cafe to him doing a noble deed? It’s only been two days since that and all eleven of the blue haired kids still would look at him in the eyes with amazement and awe. He even has made a point to visit the cafe as little as he could (the debt collector still hasn’t come again, so Cale checked up on the place daily).
Footsteps approached and when Cale lifted his head up, it’s to see the senior sit in the chair he usually occupies (it’s been about two times since they’ve done this meet up for drinks and Cale is starting to see it as part of his routine).
“Sunbae, am I a good person?”
The senior didn’t respond at first, merely giving a look that clearly conveys ‘you? A good person, you?’
“Are you drunk already?” The senior asks while opening a can of beer.
“Right, they’re the insane ones to think so.” Cale scoffs as if he also thinks he was drunk to even think of such a thing. Just as he was reaching over to grab a can of beer, he notices that the plastic bag also contains some grilled chicken skewers.
Sadly, just when Cale was about to grab the chicken skewers, the senior pushed them out of his range.
“What? I want some,” Cale says as he stares questioningly at his senior.
“You asked a stupid question so you don’t get any.”
“Hah?” How cruel! “Hyung, you’re so mean.”
Cale swears that he could hear the beer going down the wrong pipe before the senior starts coughing.
“You crazy-”
Oh, Cale realizes, it’s working on him.
Putting on his best smile, Cale says, “I want the chicken skewers, hyung.”
A tense second passes by between them where Cale just keeps directing a ‘sweet’ smile towards the blonde senior as the senior stares back with a bewildered expression.
“Take it, god, just stop smiling like that.”
In answer, Cale smiles even brighter while grabbing a chicken skewer.