Part Time

Alright, maybe winning wasn't too good. Their video practically played more than ten times on TV every day. It would just be short snippets, but June always cringed while watching them. The Azure broadcasting station isn't even the one showing them the most! They practically became a national meme after their video went viral. However, he couldn't really complain since more people have grown more curious about him.

June opened his phone and turned the camera on to see how his face was doing. What Grandma gave him seems to be doing wonders. His skin was already brighter, and the wounds were finally drying up. They were still there, though. So he might stick with the cat mask until they fully heal.

Besides, it's fun not being judged based on your appearance in the competition. June would like to enjoy it a bit more.

He scrolled through some of the pictures on Joon-ho's old phone but found nothing except screenshots of idol culture. This kid's life seemed to be such a mystery. June decided to explore his phone further, proceeding to the note app.

June's eyes widened in surprise when he saw a lone note entitled—" I shouldn't have seen what I saw."

He opened it and immediately read the content.

"In shadows cast by the veil of night,

A glimpse of darkness, stark and tight.

A secret hushed, a truth untold,

A tale of sin that must be stowed.

Eyes wide, my heart began to race,

I stumbled upon this somber place.

A truth too heavy for me to bear,

A burden I must forever wear.

To the grave, I'll take this weight,

A solemn vow, a sealed fate.

I'll bear this knowledge, dark and deep,

A secret held, my soul to keep.

So, here I stand, burdened by this weight,

A silent witness to cruel fate.

A tale of crime I'll never share,

To the grave, my secret I'll bear."

June frowned. This felt like lyrics to a song, or maybe it held a much deeper meaning than he'd thought?

Before June could ponder upon it, though, his phone suddenly beeped, a sign he had received a text message. He sighed. He swears if it's one of the zero-star trainees again…

They've been pestering him nonstop ever since they won the benefit. Calling him a "genius" and a good "big brother."

What a joke. Some of them were older than this body! Big brother, my ass.

June opened the text and found that the sender was called "monster."

From: Monster

"You better pay on the 20th, you little shit. You need to pay two months in total."

To: Monster

"Who's this?"

From: Monster

"Playing pretend now, huh? You're lucky I haven't kicked your sorry ass out. It's your landlady, you shithead!"

June raised his eyebrows in surprise. Well, now he knows why Joon-ho named the contact as such. He glanced at the calendar and saw it was already the 16th? As far as he knows, the former Joon-ho was broke, so he probably doesn't have any money stashed up.

Where the hell is he supposed to get money?

June was supposed to return to their filming site on the 24th, just in time for the first episode, so he still has time to look for money.

To: Monster

"I'll give it to you on the 23rd. How much do I owe you?"

From: Monster

"You better do that, little shit. You owe me 400 dollars."

June sighed and turned off his phone. At least it wasn't too bad. This apartment was shitty as hell, so the price is quite reasonable. He still doesn't think it's possible to earn 400 dollars in a week, though.

Should he ask Grandma for help?

Nah, that'd be too much. She already feeds him on a daily basis.

But maybe she knows some part-time jobs he can do for a week. With that thought, June went down since it was time for lunch as well.

June entered their small apartment, not even bothering to knock. This was like his second home now.

"You're here?" Grandma said, bringing out a pot of hot noodle soup for their lunch. "You're just in time. Come and grab a plate."

June helped arrange the table with Minjun. Then, they ate in peace. Honestly, this felt like the closest thing he could consider family now that Mei Ling wasn't with him.

"Grandma," June said as he finished his plate. "Do you know any part-time jobs I can do for only one week?"

"Why? Are you going to pay my grandma for giving you free meals now?" Minjun asked.

"Minjun," his grandma scolded.

"A job?" she asked. "But aren't you going back to film Rising Stars in a week?"

"Yes," June said. "That's why I need a short-term job."

"Well, you came to the right person," she smiled. "My old friend, who owns a family-owned convenience store a few blocks from here, is looking for a temporary worker since their son, who manages it, went on a trip to Australia. They're looking for someone to work the register for only a week."

June smiled. "Then, could you recommend me to work there?"

"Of course," she patted his shoulder. "I'm sure my friend will immediately hire you. They haven't found a part-timer yet since nobody wants to work for just one week. However, they're paying a pretty good amount—7 dollars per hour."

June nodded in approval. He'll be able to gain enough money for his rent if he works the entire week.

"When do you think I could start?"

Grandma brought her phone out. "Do you want to start now?"