章 20: First Day At The Job

The alarm rang in the silent apartment as Joon-won groggily got up and silenced it. Stretching his arms, he made his way to the washroom. While brushing his teeth, he looked at his lean body in the mirror and groaned. He looked too weak.

'It's sad to say this, but looks are a major part of acting. Even if I act well, it doesn't guarantee me a role. I look okay, but not great. I can't change my facial features much, but this body... I need to gain some weight first,' he mused.

He left the house with a bag on his back, planning to head straight to university after work. Checking his watch as he walked towards the convenience store, he saw he still had 15 minutes.

Upon reaching the store, he noticed a few students and men in business attire inside, buying breakfast or reading the newspaper. Inside, he saw a different worker than last time. This one looked like he was in his late twenties.

After waiting for the crowd to thin out, Joon-won approached the man. "Excuse me, is Boss Gim Da here?"

The man looked up. "Why? Is there a problem?"

Joon-won shook his head. "No, I got a job to work here starting at 8. Boss Gim Da asked me to come in the morning."

The man's expression shifted to one of realization. "Oh, you're the new kid the boss mentioned in the group chat yesterday. Go back and change your clothes. The boss asked me to teach you the basics before my shift ends at 8:30. So hurry up."

Joon-won nodded and quickly made his way to the men's changing room. He opened his locker with the keys Seonu Hwan had given him, changed into his work clothes, and neatly placed his own clothes inside the bag in the locker. Wearing his new uniform, he returned to the store, now less crowded.

He approached the man, who was sitting behind the counter with a magazine. The man stood up as Joon-won neared and set the magazine aside.

"Before we start, let me introduce myself. I'm Eum Kyung. I work here from 3 till 8:30. So you'll see me every day."

Joon-won nodded and introduced himself as well.

"Alright, in the morning there are usually two people because it's busier. Your partner will come by 8:30. Until then, let me teach you the basics." Eum Kyung proceeded to show Joon-won how to operate the register, stock shelves, and handle customers.

After the basics, Eum Kyung said, "Alright, now try to handle that customer on your own. Remember to smile. No customer wants to see a stoic face like that."

Joon-won nodded, seeing a student approaching with a few items. Taking a deep breath, he replaced his stoic expression with a slight smile, almost like practicing his acting skills.

"Can I get all of these?" The student dumped the items on the counter. Joon-won nodded and scanned them.

He noticed an instant noodle cup and asked, "Do you need me to heat this up?" The student nodded. Joon-won poured hot water and heated it before handing it back.

"That'll be 75," he said, checking the monitor. The student handed him a 100 note. Joon-won entered the amount, retrieved the change, and handed it to him.

"Thank you for coming," he greeted the student.

As the student left, Eum Kyung patted Joon-won on the back. "Not bad for your first time. Your smile looks so real. You'll get by." Joon-won ignored the sarcastic remark and nodded.

"Alright, it's almost time for my shift to end. Your partner should be here soon. I'll go change," Eum Kyung said, walking towards the back.

Seeing no customers, Joon-won sat on the chair behind the counter and grabbed a magazine from the rack. A few customers came to the counter, and he handled them similarly. Checking his phone, he noticed it was already 8:45.

'This partner of mine is late. I hope they come soon. I don't want to stay here alone doing nothing,' he thought, sitting back on the chair and reading world news to familiarize himself with current events.

As he read, he heard the store door open. Looking up, he saw a young girl panting, hands on her knees.

She stood up, looked around, and saw him. "Oh! You're the new guy. Sorry, I'm late. I'm your partner, Gah Soo."