Chapter 2: Interview Day 2

Translator: – – Editor: – –

Junhyuk could find a way to get over the smashed window, but it would have been too much for the old people. He ran the hammer around the window frame to get rid of the shards sticking to it. After that, he took off his suit jacket and set it on the window frame and looked back.

“I’ll lift you. Please, come one by one.”

The old man who had wrapped the tourniquet* around Junhyuk leg took the lead. He was holding some pottery, but set it aside and went through the window. Junhyuk held the old man’s hands, helping him get over the window. Suddenly, he could see a familiar face. It was the rough-looking guy who had pulled over just before. He was holding the old man’s legs.

“I’ll help you. Hurry up!”

“Thank you.”

While the guy took care of the old man, Junhyuk hurried to help the others. He helped four people through the window. The last one was an old lady, and she faltered.

“It will be tough.”

“I got you.”

“Still.”

Junhyuk looked at the hood of the car that crashed through the bus’ roof and said:

“It might explode.”

The grandma hesitated. Junhyuk went to her and lifted her arms to his shoulder. At that moment, the tourniquet on his left shin reddened with blood, but there was no time to think about it.

Junhyuk was able to get the old lady outside. The rough-looking guy took the old lady and said:

“It’s leaking gas. Hurry up and come out!”

“Just a moment.”

Junhyuk approached the car that fell through the bus. The driver who was having an abnormal narcolepsy episode sat comfortably in his seat, even though his car was completely destroyed. He looked safe, so Junhyuk thought he would rescue the others.

He walked past the wrecked car and went to the front of the bus. The people at the front welcomed him warmly.

“Young man, the front door won’t open.”

“I thought that would happen, so I brought a hammer.”

Junhyuk grinned and quickly approached a window, breaking it with the hammer. After that, he cleared the shards from the window and realized he had left his suit jacket behind.

“Shit!”

He was about to go back, but a leather jacket suddenly showed through the broken window. The rough-looking guy was smiling him.

“Hurry and get them out!”

Junhyuk got them all out of the bus. Only himself, the bus driver, and the driver of the car in middle of the bus remained.

Junhyuk decided to rescue the bus driver first. He tried to unbuckle the bus driver’s seat belt, but it seemed broken and didn’t come open.

“So many problems!”

He hit it with the hammer, and it came apart. Junhyuk pulled the bus driver toward him in a hurry. The unconscious driver’s body was quite heavy. Junhyuk clenched his teeth and pulled harder. He barely made it to the window with the driver in his arms and, for a moment, he leaned on the bus to take a rest, breathing deeply.

The tourniquet on his shin came a little loose. Junhyuk pushed the driver through the window and said:

“Abnormal narcolepsy patient.”

“It’s because he fell asleep that I almost died from an accident,” even though he spoke roughly, the rough-looking guy did not stop helping out.

Junhyuk gave him the bus driver and looked back. The only one left was the driver in the car who was obviously having an abnormal narcolepsy episode. The guy’s car was completely destroyed. Could he save him?

“Hey! You should get out too!”

Looking at the guy who was shouting outside, Junhyuk spoke succinctly*.

“Let me check if I can get him out.”

Junhyuk approached and glanced at the broken door. He wouldn’t be able to open it, so he thought it over for a minute and looked at the half-broken windshield of the car and hit it with his shoulder.

Creak!

All he did was hit the glass, but the car slid. He could have been under the car when it slid. So, he gathered his breath and pulled the glass toward himself.

At that moment, he almost cried. He did not feel it before, but his sides were hurting. He must’ve broken one of his ribs.

“You… are you a member of a rescue team?”

Suddenly, Junhyuk could hear the voice of the rough-looking guy.

“No, I am not.”

“Are you supposed to be some hero? I thought you were a rescuer. Step aside.”

The guy got a hold of the broken windshield and pulled it off in one go. Then, he unbuckled the driver and said:

“Hey, I will pull him out. Are you going to be okay?”

“I will hold the car for now.”

“Shit! Do you think that if you hold it, the car won’t slide? The car weighs a lot! What do you mean you will hold it?”

“I should try, anyway.”

Junhyuk placed his hands on the hood of the car and placed his shoulder underneath. Looking at him, the rough-looking guy shook his head and began pulling the driver out slowly.

Creeaak!

As the driver moved, the car made even more violent noises. The guy stopped for a moment, and then really pulled the driver out. Junhyuk felt more pressure on his shoulder.

Fortunately, the car did not slide off all at once. The guy pulled the driver slowly and escaped.

Junhyuk thought the situation was under control, and then the pressure surged. He felt as though his shoulder was ripped apart and jumped back.

Crash!

If Junhyuk had been just a moment late, he would have been squashed by the car. As he let out a sigh of relief, the guy shouted again.

“Hey, the gas is leaking! Get out! Now!”

“Right.”

Junhyuk went over to the broken window. He saw the old man’s pottery and grabbed it and went through.

As he touched the ground, his body absorbed all the impact, Junhyuk grimaced. He took his suit jacket from the window frame and held it against his chest. He walked away unsteadily.

Then, he turned around, and he could see the rough-looking guy dragging the guy with abnormal narcolepsy.

Junhyuk walked toward him and helped him out. As they pulled the driver out from the bus, there was an explosion in the back of the bus.

Boom!

The bus went flying as the car stuck in it exploded. Broken glass shards flew everywhere. Junhyuk felt the shock from the explosion and fell on the ground.

He looked at the flaming red bus and the car and let out a sigh of relief. He realized how precarious of a situation he had been in and, suddenly, he felt the pain from his ribs and shin.

Junhyuk saw an old man walking toward him. It was the same old man who had wrapped the tourniquet around his shin. So, he gave the old man his pottery back.

“I saved this.”

“Thank you.”

The old man took the pottery, and then there was a roar of clapping. Junhyuk saw other cars parked, and people surrounding the area.

The people were busy taking photos. Junhyuk looked around and groaned and got up. The rough-looking guy looked at him.

“What’s your name?”

“Junhyuk Lee.”

The guy pulled out a business card and said:

“I am Chulho Park.”

Junhyuk took the card and looked it over carefully. It said Chul Ho Capital. It seemed to be a private loan company. Junhyuk placed the business card inside his pocket.

“You have some guts. Do you want to work for me?”

“I am going to a job interview today.”

“An interview? In your condition?”

Junhyuk looked over himself and let out a deep sigh.

“I should show up at least.”

Chulho shook his head and said:

“Want a ride?”

“No. In a day like today, I should take the subway.”

“You are right. Shit! I should not have driven on a Friday,” Chulho sighed and said. “Then go ahead. I will stay here.”

“Thank you.”

Accidents caused by people under abnormal narcolepsy could be reimbursed by W.A.N.C.S. (World Abnormal Narcolepsy Countermeasure Structure). The accidents themselves are caused by an irresistible force, and every accident is covered by insurance.

Chulho looked at Junhyuk as he walked towards the subway.

“You should collect the insurance money. Call me later.”

“I will do that.”

Junhyuk knew he had to treat his wounds, and for that he needed that insurance money. Chulho could be a witness to the case, so his medical treatment should not be an issue. He stepped inside the subways station, found a pharmacy and went inside. The pharmacist looked at him with wide eyes.

“Are you OK?”

Junhyuk smiled awkwardly and said:

“No, I am not. I need peroxide and a tourniquet, please.”

The pharmacist looked at Junhyuk’s wounds.

“May I see the wounds?”

“If you could, thank you.”

The pharmacist brought the peroxide and the tourniquet, and undid the old rag on Junhyuk’s leg to examine him.

“What in the world?!”

The surprised pharmacist had a nametag on her chest. It said Jisun Jo. Junhyuk was about to say something, when she poured the peroxide on his wound.

“Pharmacist, Ahhh!”

Jisun looked at Junhyuk grabbing his own thigh and screaming. She put some gauze over the wound and pressed.

“Be patient.”

“But…”

He couldn’t be patient even though he tried to be. He couldn’t hold on to Jisun’s shoulder, only to his own thigh. Jisun tapped on his leg lightly and said:

“It’s over.”

Junhyuk looked at his leg. The bandage was wrapped neatly. Looking at it, Junhyuk let out a sigh of relief and got up from his seat.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Anyway, how did you get hurt?”

“There was an accident involving someone under abnormal narcolepsy.”

“Were you at the accident right in front of this building?”

“Yes.”

She smiled and said:

“Take care of the receipt. The insurance will cover it.”

“Thank you.”

Junhyuk got his credit card.

“How much is it?”

“Wait a minute. I should bandage on your head.”

That’s when he realized he had also opened his forehead.

“I can do it.”

“Stay still. It’s not often I look after wounds.”

She smiled ever so slightly, then poured peroxide on his forehead.

“Ouch!”

Junhyuk groaned from the hot pain. Jisun smiled at him as if she was enjoying this moment and looked over his wounds and said:

“Luckily, the wound on the forehead is not so serious.”

Jisun placed a bandage on Junhyuk’s wound.

“This wound requires a hospital visit. You know that, right? This is only an emergency treatment.”

Junhyuk replied while she touched his forehead.

“I know.”

She snatched the credit card from Junhyuk’s hand.

“The peroxide is two dollars, and the tourniquet is three dollars.”

“What about the bandage?”

Jisun slid the card back and replied:

“It’s free of charge.”

“It’s a good thing that I came here.”

Jisun smiled with her eyes.

“If you think so, you should become a frequent customer.”

“I’ll do that.”

Junhyuk signed the copy of the receipt and took his card, and, as he opened the door to leave, she shouted:

“DON’T FORGET TO GO TO A HOSPITAL!”

——

*tourniquet – anything that compresses your body to stop or slow down the flow of blood

*succinctly – in a short and clear manner