Chapter 1.1
Chapter 1 Learning
The subway is coming in. It is a good time to steal goods.
The station was noisy with the announcement and the sound of the subway coming in, and people were busy with the train they were going to take, so there was no one paying attention to their surroundings. Those people huddled together and looking at the same place was funny, like ants. I wanted to step on them all.
My target is a middle-aged woman, or maybe a man. The reason was simple. Young people nowadays usually didn’t bring cash or even cards.
I’ve already set my eyes on a few people that would be my victims. First, I chose one of the people standing next to the stairs to make it easy to run away if I get caught. That woman was looking up at the electronic signboard with a small bag on her shoulder. It seemed like she would only realize her wallet is gone after getting off the subway or after arriving somewhere later.
I pushed down my hat, then stood close to her as if hanging around. If others stared at us, I yawned while standing crookedly, like between a mother and son. The zipper in the bag was facing back, and I tilted it my way so that she wouldn’t easily notice when I opened it. After looking around slightly, I touched the zipper.
The subway that was coming in covered the sound of the zipper being opened. As the zipper was opened in half, there was a long wallet inside. A long wallet inside a small bag. It was not a very good combination. I supported the bag with one hand, and I carefully put the other hand inside the bag.
The subway stopped. From now on, speed is my life. I was going to take out the long wallet without hesitation.
Suddenly, I felt a gaze. Fuck. If I took out my hand now or looked in the direction of the gaze, it was no different from announcing I was stealing. I slanted my feet and slowly took out the wallet. While that person is unsure, when the subway is completely stopped, and they couldn’t see anymore, that is the time to run.
“Excuse me. That person…”
The person that was looking pointed at me with their finger. The bag owner turned her head towards me. I completely took the wallet out, and after grabbing it tightly, I quickly took a step.
As the subway pulled in, I ran, pushing through the people that were getting off, and climbing the stairs. Piercing words like thief, catch him, could be heard from behind, but if proper justice could be found here, it meant that woman has good luck.
However, that woman’s luck wasn’t good. I quickly left the station and ran to the alley with no CCTV, which I’d already checked before. I ran around an alley that connected to another alley, and then another alley. Then, I stopped at a leisure place that is completely far from the station.
Calming down my breath, I leaned my back on the dirty wall and opened the wallet.
“Fuck.”
It didn’t mean my luck is good just because I’d stolen a wallet. Because I’ve gotten caught, they would surely call the police, and not only at that station, I also wouldn’t be able to do my business in the nearby stations. Then, I had to at least get an outcome, but there were only two credit cards, three 1000 won bills, several point cards, a family picture with a son, daughter, and husband, and a neatly folded paper inside.
I let out a sigh after brushing my irritating hair back. The wallet was a branded item, but there were traces of it being used for a long time, so it wouldn’t give me a load even if I sold it. Even if it would, I wouldn’t be able to get enough cash to cover the disclosure earlier. Lee Sugeol would go rampant if I went back like this…
While spitting insults, I pick the family picture that fell. The sibling wearing the uniform was smiling brightly. I often saw the emblem on the uniform jacket while walking around. A private school that only could be attended by children of wealthy families.
As I stared at the innocent smile, I was annoyed that I clenched the picture. Even though I disregarded it, I took the paper and opened it.
[Enjoy it if you can’t avoid it!!]
A vain laugh burst at the carefully written sentence. If it was something that could be enjoyed from the first time, then it could be avoided with all might. The words telling to enjoy if it can’t be avoided was only a deception said by those who could avoid it and were lazing around.
I put the wallet in my pocket after tearing the paper. It is dangerous to continue going around, whether nearby or in another place. It looked like I better go quietly now and wait for the next chance.
As I walked on the road after coming out of the alley, a stimulating smell entered my nose. I saw the gloved hands of the store owner pouring the dough into a round sphere. The yellowish baked walnut cake in his hand drew my attention.
I got hungry. I didn’t eat anything except for the food I ate at the facility this morning. The stomach that had been staying still suddenly rumbled. The thing in my pocket was a branded wallet with no use. Also, no more than three 1000 won bills.
If I only bring in 3000 won, I would get hit by Lee Sugeol and even get this snatched. So, I wondered if it was better to just keep it somewhere or use it. Why should I get caught on the day Lee Sugeol coming? I can’t eat tonight.
But, even 3000 won was precious to buy that small snack that only tasted sweet on the mouth. Ramyeon. Kimbab. I thought about various foods that could be eaten for 3000 won, but I wanted to eat steamy rice. My mouth watered, remembering warm rice that just got cooked perfectly. But there was no home-cooked restaurant around here that sold food for 3000 won.
It was a waste of money to think of eating a humble meal. There’s a possibility Lee Sugeol will come late, so what if I just endure it now and go to the facility to eat what’s available? It’s not like there is proper food in the facility, but at least I can save the money.
I quickly walked away, leaving the tempting smell. The torn padding jacket picked up from the clothing donation box had short sleeves and was not thick enough to overcome the cold of this winter. Normally I would use the bus, but in a situation where I couldn’t do my business because I get caught from the start, even public transportation was a luxury.
It would take around 30 minutes by foot from here to the facility, but at least it was a walking distance. Because this was at the end of the year, the gray streets were decorated with colorful lights. It already created a Christmas atmosphere, so how packed would this street be on that day? Maybe that day would be good to do the business. I filled up my pockets last year, too.
Even though I tried to walk as fast as possible, my toes were frozen. Still, I was getting closer to the facility. As I stepped uphill, I lost strength, but I couldn’t waste time outside. After climbing up the uphill road, I had to let out the cold breath inside my mouth.
This was not hard. This was nothing. Rather than hard…… I felt like I was losing all my energy.
I stayed there for a moment and looked down at the street I walked up. The sunset glow was swallowing the sky. Suddenly I felt at a loss.