✓ skirt lifter | hwang hyunjin

t h i r t y - f o u r

c h a p t e r 34

For the longest time, I have been staring at my plastered palm as I switch from the events of last night to regretting laughing at Seungmin for being crippled. I've always believed in karma and it's proven itself to be true now that I was sporting an injured hand. Add to the list of misfortunes that is my life, is the fact that I had a cold.

Sighing, I turned to my side on the bed, wanting to sleep as a poor attempt to push back the catastrophic thoughts of last night. Not long after, my eyes fluttered open when the skies began to rumble.

It had been raining since last night and thankfully they cancelled classes. I wasn't sure if I had the emotional and mental capability to focus so I relished in burying myself in mountains of pillows as I purposely ignored the knocks of my mother and the constant ringing of my cellphone.

When I realised that my cellphone wasn't going to stop dinging annoyingly any time soon, I snatched it from where it was resting on the nightstand planning to turn it off but stopped when I saw the caller ID.

Manager

It was the manager of where I worked at near the school. It was Tuesday and my shift was on Fridays so it confused me as to why he was calling. I immediately picked up, seeing that he had already left three missed calls.

"Miso!" He greeted rather cheerily in contrast of the gloomy weather.

I sat up from the bed. "Uh, yes?"

"Would it be possible for you to come in today? We are a little short on staff and we have a delivery that's to be made!"

I chewed on my bottom lip as I casted a glance outside my window. Although I enjoyed the physical comfort that my bed was providing, it didn't really help in providing comfort in my head. If anything, it's making it worse. It was raining heavily but I want- had to do something to distract myself or else I would probably go mad.

"It's only one delivery and I'll pay you for a day's work!" His voice cut off my thoughts.

I was already out the door.

•••

The wind chimes by the door announced my arrival. As I was drying the soles of my wet shoes on the mat, I blinked in confusion seeing the deserted store. I had to do a double take if I was in the right place.

"Miso!" The manager, Seungcheol, appeared from a corner with a huge smile. "I'm so glad you can make it." He approached me.

"I thought- You said-"

"As you can see we're in a bit of a pickle." He smiled sheepishly.

My eyes landed on the lone customer who was sitting by the corner, munching on his last drumstick. Apart from him, the store was practically a graveyard. I could almost hear the crickets chirping.

"You said we were short on staff?" I asked confused, seeing the four employees who sat idly looking bored out of their minds. As if on cue, Seungcheol hisses and the four of them began moving. One was unnecessarily putting the chairs in and out, the other was dusting the walls, and the last two were dusting each other.