Black & Grey

“I’m already on it. I’ll ask if they also do cover-ups for other tattoo artists’ work.”While Jinhong was engrossed in typing out a message on his DM, Yoochan memorized the account ID and opened it on his phone.Initially, he just intended to find a tattoo artist to handle his friend’s cover-up and be done with it. But curiosity got the better of him. Yoochan, reminded of his reckless high school days when he almost got a couple tattoo, smirked to himself before turning his head at his friend’s sudden exclamation.“Hey, isn’t this Mauro? Look, one, two, three… middle of the sixth row.”“Mauro, the footballer?”The name of the Italian national team player, famous even in Korea for his striking resemblance to Brad Pitt and his lion tattoo on his upper arm, made Yoochan look up for confirmation. His friend nodded enthusiastically.“Yeah, that Mauro. Whoa, look at all these comments.”“Nah, probably someone copying Mauro’s tattoo,” Jinhong dismissed the idea as he finished his DM inquiry. But another friend, after glancing at the screen, reacted with astonishment.“No, it’s him! Look at his body. All the comments are talking about Mauro. Oh, wait, there’s more photos. Swipe!”“…Huh?”“No way!”Excited cheers erupted from the corner table of the café. Right after the picture of the lion tattoo on the upper arm, there was another image of Mauro himself, smiling while getting tattooed. And to top it off, the tag led to Mauro’s official account.Jinhong and his friends couldn’t hide their excitement.“Wow, this guy’s the real deal. No need to look for another tattoo artist. Hey, Jinhong, just go here.”“Of course I will! Ugh, why haven’t they replied yet?”Jinhong, thrilled at the thought of getting tattooed at the same place as his favorite footballer Mauro, fidgeted with excitement. Even Yoochan, who initially wasn’t that interested, felt his heart race.“Man, maybe I should tag along with Jinhong and get a tattoo too.”The idea resonated with the others, and when someone voiced it aloud, Jinhong, already set on it, urged them on.“Yeah, yeah, let’s do it. Yoochan, you too.”“Should I?”“You’re dead if your dad finds out.”“Just do it secretly, man. You’re an adult now; do you really need your parents’ permission for stuff like this?”“Hmm… What about you, Yoochan?”“Let’s see if we can even make a reservation first.”Despite his cautious words, Yoochan clicked the website link in the tattoo artist’s profile with a hint of excitement.The homepage was sleek and straightforward. While checking the tattoo shop’s location, Yoochan’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. Jinhong, peeking at Yoochan’s phone, also widened his eyes.“Isn’t this the second floor of Jaemin hyung’s building? Huh? And Yoochan, isn’t this…”Jinhong trailed off, looking up at Yoochan, who calmly nodded after double-checking the address.“Yeah. It’s my mom’s building.”Ignoring his friends’ envious looks, Yoochan scrolled through the tattoo artist’s feed. Recently granted permission to live on his own, Yoochan had already decided to move into an apartment in the same building.It felt like fate. Grinning broadly, he showed his teeth.***Jet, or Jet Black, as he was often called, had gained rapid fame over the past one to two years on video-sharing platforms, social media, and renowned tattoo magazines.He consistently ranked high in tattoo magazine lists, but what truly propelled him to fame was the tiger tattoo on a famous football player’s shoulder-to-arm line. The design was so realistic it looked like a high-resolution black-and-white photo, down to the tiger’s whiskers.“This guy must be good-looking. Someone posted a review of Jet Black’s tattoos in an online forum, and there were more comments about his looks than the tattoos themselves,” remarked Jinhong’s girlfriend, Yeji, during a weekend café outing a few days after the cover-up discussion.Compared to other tattoo artists, Jet’s posts had a higher ratio of female commenters, many of whom expressed admiration not just for his tattoo work but for him personally.Curious, Yoochan wondered what the tattoo artist looked like. Yet, Jet seemed to value privacy. His feed only featured close-ups and full shots of his clients’ tattoos, with no personal photos. There was even a note stating he wouldn’t answer private questions.There were photos of Mauro and other popular idols and top actors, but not a single picture of the tattoo artist himself. According to blog reviews from clients, he was a male artist in his mid-to-late twenties specializing in black-and-gray tattoos.Mid-to-late twenties, black-and-gray specialist, and rumored good looks.A certain face came to Yoochan’s mind. How many tattoo artists in the black-and-gray niche were good-looking enough for everyone to agree?The odds were slim, but Yoochan couldn’t help but entertain the thought. Still, reading the DM Jet had sent him hours earlier, he tilted his head, unsure.Hello, Baek Yoochan 🙂The reservation form opens tonight at 10 PM. However, our shop policy allows only one person per ID to make a reservation. ^^If you want matching friendship tattoos, all four of you need to book individually. ㅠㅠ

Reservations usually close within 10 minutes and require a 100,000 won deposit. Cancellations and rebookings are not allowed, and the next slot opens in six months, so please decide carefully. 🙂– Tattooist Jet (JET)Yoochan tried to overlay the polite tone of the DM with the face of the tattoo artist he remembered.The impassive expression that made his sculpted face resemble an emotionless plaster cast, his curt and aloof tone, and his dry texts devoid of even a simple “ㅋㅋ,” let alone cute emojis, left a deep impression on Yoochan. Undeniably, this DM couldn’t have come from that Hyung’s fingertips. Yoochan was certain of it as he clicked on the photo he liked most from the feed. The client seemed to be Korean, judging by the unusually high number of Korean comments compared to other posts. Among them was what appeared to be a comment from the person in the photo.“In person, he’s quite reserved, so I was a bit worried. But even when I changed the design five times and the placement three times, he never showed any annoyance and worked meticulously until the end. I was so touched by how kindly the manager explained the aftercare when I forgot it. Plus, retouches are free! I’m definitely coming back to Jet next time. Thank you so much for your hard work over the twelve hours. I’ll contact you before the retouch!”“Wow, these reviews are really good. But isn’t it about time?”Jinhong, reeking of sweat, leaned against Yoochan as he spoke. Yoochan glanced at his watch and replied.“It’s 9:50. The reservation form opens in ten minutes. Everyone, get your phones out and keep the screen on. If even one of us fails, you’ll have to go alone in six months.”With the other two friends who had gone out for a smoke rejoining them, the table now seated five. Excluding Yeji, who was enthusiastically browsing online to find a friendship tattoo design for them, the four of them each pulled out their phones and navigated to Jet’s account.9 minutes… 8 minutes…“Man, I’m nervous. I heard this guy’s bookings close super fast because foreigners reserve spots too.”As the minute hand crept closer to 12, Jinhong seemed more anxious than during course registration. Yoochan also felt his lips drying up as he stared intently at Jet’s page.5 minutes… 4 minutes…The form link had yet to appear.“Are we sure it’s going to show up here? What if we’re waiting in the wrong place?”Jinhong, shaking his legs in nervousness, started to pester Yoochan with questions. Yoochan shoved his face away, refreshing the page.3 minutes… 2 minutes…When only one minute remained, all four fell silent, fixated on their screens.Finally, it was 10:00 sharp.“There it is.”At Jinhong’s words, Yoochan refreshed the page. A new link had appeared in Jet’s SNS profile. Clicking it revealed a lengthy form with mixed Korean and English text.“Damn, why is this so complicated?”One of the friends grumbled. Yoochan, quickly typing in his email address, confirming it, and inputting his name and phone number, froze when he reached the next section.“Upload an image?”“What the hell? They’re asking for an image attachment?”Other friends started complaining as well, having reached the same roadblock. Yoochan reread the long instructions.“It looks like they’re asking us to send an example of the tattoo style we want. Does anyone have a saved photo?”“Hey, they’re asking us to describe the design. What are we doing?”“I don’t know. Yeji was supposed to pick one. Yeji, did you decide?”“I’ve got one. I’ll send it now.”Yeji, who had been leisurely scrolling on her phone, quickly opened SNS to send over an image. Meanwhile, Jinhong read the next line of text.“They’re asking for the size too. And the placement.”“You’re obviously putting it on your hand to cover up that weird heart tattoo, aren’t you?”“Ah, can’t we just use the same design and choose different placements later? If I do it on my hand, my dad’s going to kill me.”“I looked it up. It’s ‘tattoo first, beating later.’”“What does that mean?”“Do the tattoo first, and then get beaten up later.”“Shit…”“So, what size are we going with? Should we just write 5 cm for now?”“They’re asking for a picture of the placement too. Let’s just say it’s the hand for now, take a picture, and attach it.”“No way, I’m not putting it somewhere visible. I’m doing my shoulder.”“Fine. I’ll do my back.”“You idiots! Just unify it for now and change it later if you have to. Hand! 5 cm! Leaf design Yeji picked! Done!”Jinhong yelled in frustration, and the rest reluctantly took hurried photos of their hands and attached them along with Yeji’s chosen image before quickly pressing “Submit.”A message appeared on the screen:The form is no longer accepting responses. If you believe this is an error, please contact the form owner.They had failed. Yoochan checked the time in disbelief. The clock’s hands pointed to 10:10.It had taken only ten minutes for Jet’s six months’ worth of reservations to sell out.By the time the café was closing and they were kicked out, the group sat dejectedly at the bus stop like defeated soldiers. Their earlier excitement had been doused as if with cold water, and the atmosphere was eerily subdued.“This is all Jeongdaehan’s fault.”Having failed to book a slot, Jinhong directed his frustration at Daehan.“You wasted time by insisting on putting it on your shoulder.”“How is this my fault? People said the bookings closed in five minutes anyway.”“Yeah. We would’ve failed regardless. We should’ve used a computer, not our phones. Plus, the Wi-Fi there was spotty, so our uploads lagged.”When Yoochan joined in defending Daehan, Jinhong, at a loss for words, sulked and fiddled with his phone.“That guy must really be popular. This felt like trying to buy concert tickets for an idol.”Yeji murmured in awe, linking her arm with Jinhong’s as she spoke.“So, what are you guys going to do now? Are you going to look for another tattoo artist? Or will you try Jet again in six months?”“Six months?”Daehan answered, glancing sideways at Yoochan.“Yoochan is enlisting before then, you know.”“What? Yoochan, is that true?”“Yeah, I’m going.”Yoochan responded indifferently to Yeji’s surprised question. He wasn’t one to postpone difficult things. The more tedious or time-consuming the task, the sooner he wanted to get it over with. He had already informed his parents that he would attend just one semester of college, take some time off to travel, and then enlist right away.“Ah, so that’s why things didn’t work out with Sujeong, huh?”Yeji narrowed her eyes knowingly as she spoke.“I mean, you two were holding hands during that MT and seemed like you’d end up dating, but Sujeong didn’t say anything after that. I was curious about what happened.”Hearing the name of the classmate who had been openly expressing her feelings toward Yoochan since OT, he paused scrolling on his phone and tilted his head.Actually, it wasn’t Yoochan who rejected her. On the second night of the lively MT, they were sitting side by side on the beach as the waves lapped at their ankles. Sujeong had taken his hand first and confessed to him. Her bold move had made his heart race, and Yoochan responded quickly, saying he liked her too, but he also asked if she’d be okay with him enlisting after the semester.Sujeong had looked flustered, said to pretend she never confessed, and hurried back to the pension. Yoochan had felt a hollow sense of rejection, despite not being the one turned down.“So, that’s why it didn’t work out with Sujeong? A friend of mine was asking if I could introduce her to Baek Yoochan, but I guess not.”“Why not? Introduce me.”“Come on, Baek Yoochan, have some decency.”As Gi Gaang teased him, Yoochan looked dejected but stood up as their bus approached. While bidding goodbye, Jinhong suddenly asked, as if remembering something.“By the way, did you move into your new studio yet? You said it was this week, but you didn’t ask anyone to help.”“I sent my stuff ahead with movers earlier today. I’m heading there now.”“Oh, nice timing. Isn’t that the building with the Jet Black tattoo shop? Try talking to them while you’re there.”“Talk about what?”As Yoochan naively asked while queuing for the bus, Jinhong grinned mischievously.“Use your privilege as the landlord’s kid and see if you can pull some strings to get us a reservation sooner. You can do that much, right? Show some flexibility, yeah?”“Here, Jinhong, eat this.”Throwing a sarcastic remark at Jinhong’s ridiculous suggestion, Yoochan boarded the bus.Leaning against the backseat, which he loved, Yoochan put in his wireless earbuds and stretched his neck as he gazed out the window. He had slightly strained it earlier during a high jump attempt in class.Since the bus was heading in the opposite direction of his family home, the scenery outside was unfamiliar. He absentmindedly admired the new streets and buildings until the bus stopped at a station.Straightening up, Yoochan checked the route map. There were still two stops left before his destination. He sank back into his seat and glanced out the window again. A man standing alone at an empty station caught his eye.Yoochan’s attention was drawn to the black windbreaker the man was wearing—one from a brand Yoochan had recently wanted to buy.With the zipper pulled down to his chest, his hands in his pants pockets, and his head bowed, the man looked good in it. Maybe it was because he was tall and broad-shouldered, like a model. A windbreaker that suited someone like that would definitely suit Yoochan too.Yoochan was convinced. He had to get it.As he solidified his decision, the man outside seemed to notice the next bus approaching and lifted his head.“Huh?”Yoochan blurted out, just as the bus began to move again.“Wait, wait…!”Flustered, he opened the window, trying to catch another glimpse of the man’s face. However, as the man brushed his bangs back, his arm blocked his face.The bus continued on, indifferent. Yoochan pressed his knee against the seat and stared at the bus behind them through the rear window, but the man’s figure was obscured by the bright lights and crowded interior.As the distance between the buses grew, Yoochan slumped back into his seat. His initially surprised face twisted into a wry smile.“…No way. It couldn’t be.”It couldn’t be him. Shaking his head, Yoochan focused on the music playing through his earbuds.Even as he reassured himself, he found himself lingering near the bus stop in front of his studio for quite some time after getting off two stops later. He waited for about ten minutes, but the bus the man had boarded didn’t appear. It must have gone in a different direction.Half relieved, half disappointed, Yoochan finally crossed the street. The tattoo shop sign on the second floor of a building caught his eye right away.JET BLACKYoochan stared at the sign with a conflicted expression for a while before heading toward the entrance to his studio on the opposite side.The next morning, a rare free weekend, Yoochan had planned to sleep in. But incessant vibrations woke him up at dawn. He checked his phone, unable to ignore it any longer. It was Jinhong.Hey, landlord’s son. Go ask Jet Black if they have any canceled reservations. I can’t unsee Jet’s work after browsing other artists. You feel me, right?Pressed by the demands in their group chat, Yoochan reluctantly grabbed his hoodie—his pajamas doubling as sportswear—and left his room, still half-asleep.Taking the elevator down to the second floor, he walked past a familiar café chain until a small sign caught his attention.JET BLACKIt was only 8 a.m., but cheerful music was already spilling from behind the black door, indicating they were open.Hiding his messy bedhead with his hood, Yoochan stood outside the door, rubbing sleep from his eyes, and read the sign hanging there.Don’t crouch inside.

Please sit on a chair. Please!A strange sense of déjà vu swept over Yoochan. Tilting his head curiously for a moment, he knocked on the door. But with the loud music inside, it seemed no one heard him.About to knock again, he noticed a button for the automatic door. Pressing it, the door slid open, revealing a dozen or so people. Whether they were tattoo artists or customers, nearly everyone had tattoos covering their visible skin.“Welcome! Do you have a reservation?”A small, thin man wearing a blue cap greeted Yoochan enthusiastically.“Ah, no, I haven’t made one yet.”“Is there a specific tattoo artist you’re looking for? We have ten in-house artists. If you tell me the style you like, I can recommend someone. Oh! But hang on, take a seat for now. I’m in the middle of a session, but our manager will be here soon to help you.”Before Yoochan could even mention the name “Jet,” the man’s rapid-fire explanation swept him inside. While the artist told him to sit on the sofa, the place was packed with customers, leaving no room. Looking for an alternative spot further in, Yoochan took a step forward.“Gaang! No! Stop! Where are you going!”A sharp voice of a woman came from inside. Peeking in, Yoochan saw a bulky black pit bull terrier darting toward him at full speed, tongue lolling out like a crazed dog.Yoochan grinned. He loved dogs, especially tough-looking ones like pit bulls and bulldogs over the more delicate breeds like Yorkies or Malteses.Forgetting entirely about the warning signs, Yoochan crouched down, spreading his arms wide for the incoming dog.“Come here, buddy!”“No, don’t sit down!”A scream rang out, but before Yoochan could process its meaning, the pit bull launched itself at him with all its might.Thud!Something hard as a rock slammed directly into his lower jaw. Yoochan let out a groan, clutching his nose in reflex.Drip. Something warm trickled down from his nostrils. Looking at his hands, Yoochan saw blood streaming down. Maybe the inside of his nose was torn.“Ah…”A groan slipped out as Yoochan looked at the pit bull nestled between his legs. It seemed unaware of the chaos it had caused, panting happily and wagging its tail furiously. Judging by its innocent expression, the dog was only trying to play. Yoochan sighed, stroking the dog’s head with his other hand while still holding his nose.At that moment, someone stood in front of him.“Let me see.”It wasn’t the woman’s voice he heard earlier. This voice was much deeper, resonant like a voice actor’s. And strangely familiar.Following the instruction, Yoochan tilted his head up, only to have a rolled-up piece of tissue shoved into his nostril before he could even see who it was.“Ow! That hurts, Hyung.”As Yoochan winced from the sharp pain, the man crouched in front of him and spoke.“Just tilt your head down for a bit. It’ll—”The man abruptly stopped mid-sentence. Looking puzzled, his hand on Yoochan’s head hesitated. Yoochan grabbed the man’s wrist, raised his head fully, and broke into a grin.“It’s been two years, right? You promised to give me a tattoo.”With blood-soaked tissues stuffed in his nose and blood smeared across his lips and teeth, Yoochan was oblivious to how grotesque he looked. But with sudden clarity, he called out the man’s name like a flash of lightning.“Jungeol Hyung.”“Anyway, if your nose keeps hurting, make sure to see a doctor.”“Why would I go to a hospital just for a little nosebleed? That’d be embarrassing.”Yoochan rubbed the tip of his nose roughly with the back of his hand, brushing it off as nothing.“This kind of thing is no big deal if you play sports.”“It might look fine on the outside, but there could still be an issue. Since it’s our fault for not training the dog properly, Jungeol Hyung will cover 100% of the medical costs.”“Why should I pay for your mistake of letting the dog loose?”Hearing the exasperated voice, Yoochan glanced toward the door.Standing there was Jungeol, so tall that the standard-sized doorframe seemed small, dressed in a black sweatshirt.“Oh, Hyung! Done with your consultation already?”Taeho asked. Jungeol gave a slight nod.“Yeah. The client had the design ready in advance.”“You’re not working on it today, are you?”“I’m taking a break for an hour before I start. What about your nose?”“I’m fine! It doesn’t hurt at all!”As Jungeol addressed him, Yoochan, who had been listening quietly, stood up and answered brightly.“Let me see.”Jungeol frowned slightly and reached out, grabbing Yoochan’s nape. Yoochan, struck by the odd sensation of the calloused, firm hand, heard Jungeol speak.“It’s not broken, right?”Examining his nose to make sure it wasn’t bent, Jungeol asked seriously. Yoochan, who obediently let his neck be held like a docile horse, quickly shook his head at the question.“It’s perfectly fine.”“If it starts hurting later, go to the hospital. Bill the treatment to Lee Taeho here.”Letting go of Yoochan, Jungeol said this. Yoochan responded with an enthusiastic nod and a “Yes, sir!” Taeho immediately made a dismayed face.“Ah, Hyung! You earn so much money, and yet…”“I told you to either keep it on the balcony or hold onto its leash. Be grateful this was all that happened. What if something had broken?”Jungeol looked down at Taeho without batting an eye as he said this.“My precious money…”Taeho’s despairing tone made Jungeol smirk as he turned away. Watching Taeho, Yoochan hurried after Jungeol, speaking up.“Hyung, what happened? How did you get so famous?”“Well… it just sort of happened.”Jungeol replied calmly, his expression unchanged.“Wow, you’re not even denying that you’re famous. That’s so cool.”“What’s ‘cool’? Use proper words.”“…But ‘wow’ is fine?”Jungeol chuckled softly.“How’d you find this place?”“I was searching for famous tattoo artists and came across someone named Jet Black. I didn’t know Jet Black was you. By the way, did you come up with that name? I read that jet black is the darkest shade of black. Did you pick it because you like black?”Standing by the water dispenser, Jungeol finally turned to look at Yoochan.“Did I ever say I like black?”“I guessed.”“…….”“Yesterday, I saw someone at the bus stop wearing a black windbreaker. It was hard to see clearly because it was dark, but I thought it might be you. And even now…”Yoochan pointed at Jungeol’s black sweatshirt with his chin. Jungeol, filling a cup with water, let his lips curl slightly.“The shop’s name was Jet Black. Mauro thought it was my name and wrote that he got a tattoo from Jet Black.”“Oh, so you just went with it since it was already promoted? Smart. Whose idea was that?”“Min Yesul.”Seeing Yoochan’s puzzled expression, Jungeol clarified, “Manager Min.”“Wow, that noona is still working with you?”Yoochan’s expression brightened as he recalled the kind manager who had spent hours entertaining him when he showed up unannounced years ago.“Where is she? I want to say hi.”“She’s working on a piece. She’s slow, so it’ll take a while.”“Wow, she’s a full-fledged tattoo artist now.”Leaning on the water dispenser, Yoochan murmured with a smile. Then, as if reminded by the word “tattoo,” his eyes widened.“Hyung, why didn’t you answer earlier?”“About what?”“The tattoo. I asked you to give me one earlier.”Recalling Yoochan’s face—bloodied yet excitedly demanding a tattoo—Jungeol frowned slightly.“What do you plan to get? Do you have a design in mind?”“Yeah. A cross. I want a highly detailed one, big and centered on my back.”“…How long did you think about this?”“I just decided now.”Yoochan replied confidently while staring at something. Following his gaze, Jungeol turned his head and immediately frowned. On the wall hung an image of Jesus bearing a cross, a drawing Jungeol had done years ago.“…Still reckless as ever,” Jungeol muttered while rolling the empty cup in his hand. Yoochan, indignant, retorted.“Ah, I’m not listening to that anymore. You said you only refuse tattoos for minors and gangsters. I’m neither, so a tattoo artist shouldn’t refuse a request. Isn’t that right, Hyung? Do the tattoo for me.”“Alright.”“What? Really? You mean it, right? You’ll really do it?”Surprised by the sudden agreement, Yoochan excitedly asked again. Jungeol nodded with a slight smirk.“Yeah, I’ll do it.”“Wow, awesome! Then can I bring my friends too?”“Sure, bring them.”“Ah, now that you’re really saying yes, I’m getting nervous about the design. So, Hyung, when? When are you going to do it? Today? Or this week?”Yoochan, thrilled like a child, bombarded Jungeol with questions. Jungeol, watching him quietly, answered in a calm voice.“Six months later.”“Huh?”Yoochan gaped as if he had heard something unbelievable. Jungeol added with a playful curl of his lips.“If the application fails, try again for another six months later.”“Ah, Hyung!”As Yoochan made a frustrated face, Jungeol patted his head and said mockingly.“Booking a slot with me isn’t easy, so good luck.”Leaving those cold words behind, Jungeol leisurely walked away. Yoochan hurriedly followed him into the tattoo shop’s interior, pleading urgently.“Hyung, can’t you open up a spot a few months earlier? I’m enlisting in six months, so I won’t even be able to apply then.”“What were you doing yesterday instead of booking?”Jungeol replied flatly, his eyes fixed straight ahead. Yoochan protested in frustration.“I did try!”“And?”“My booking failed. Even course registration wasn’t this hard.”“….”“Isn’t there a special benefit for acquaintances? Please let me use that.”“Are we even acquaintances?”Jungeol raised an eyebrow, muttering as if genuinely confused. Yoochan slung both arms around Jungeol in a friendly gesture and said,“Come on, Hyung. Back then, you started talking casually and said we should be like brothers.”“And now, two years later, you shamelessly rewrite history.”Jungeol shoved Yoochan’s head away with one hand.“At least you kind of remember me,” Yoochan said cheerfully, pulling away easily.“I thought you wouldn’t recall much since the way you looked at me earlier wasn’t great.”“It’s not every day a high schooler asks for a tattoo of his girlfriend’s face.”“I’m just a little braver than my friends.”“That’s called being reckless.”“I’ll take it as a compliment.”At Yoochan’s brazen remark, Jungeol let out a short laugh.Yoochan, chuckling along, noticed something and began looking around. The spacious tattoo shop suddenly caught his attention, and he tilted his head as he took in the space stretching from behind the partition to the opposite end.“No wonder it felt different from a few years ago. You removed the walls from where the gym, hair salon, and animal clinic used to be and expanded the tattoo shop. The rent here must be insane. Hyung, you’ve really made it.”“What does a twenty-year-old know about commercial rent?”“Well, you see, Hyung…” Yoochan hesitated, debating whether mentioning his mother owned the building would help or hinder his request for special treatment.Before he could answer, a large dog suddenly burst out of a door to the right. It was Gaang.“Oh, Gaang!”Yoochan, about to crouch, quickly stood upright and clapped his hands.“Come here!”Held back on a leash by someone else, Gaang enthusiastically ran toward Yoochan. Unafraid, the dog buried his head in Yoochan’s hand, then suddenly jumped up in excitement.“Hey, hey, don’t do that,” Yoochan said as he narrowly avoided Gaang’s nose colliding with his own. But Gaang didn’t listen. Delighted by his previous nose-bumping antics, the dog kept leaping up, trying to nudge Yoochan’s nose again.Having dodged just in time, Yoochan pulled out his phone and asked, “Hyung, can I take a picture of Gaang and post it on Instagram?”“Do whatever you want.”“Gaang, Hyung, look this way. Over here.”“She’s female.”“Oh, right. Gaang, look this way. Good girl, stay still… By the way, Hyung, how old is Gaang?”