Black & Grey

“I slept well yesterday.”Yoochan, who was chatting with the manager at the counter, looked up at the light touch on his head. Jungeol, looking much better than yesterday, was removing his hand from Yoochan’s head. Yoochan stood up and said.“Oh, Hyung! Did you just get to work?”“I had lunch and came.”Jungeol grabbed a toothbrush and toothpaste from his bag at the counter and went into the bathroom. Yoochan, after signaling to the manager, followed Jungeol into the bathroom and asked.“What do you mean you slept well? Did you sleep in my room yesterday?”“Yeah.”“I didn’t notice anyone was there, so I thought you didn’t sleep. Where did you sleep?”“The living room on the first floor. On the sofa.”Jungeol replied while squeezing toothpaste. Yoochan, looking regretful, leaned against the mini washing machine and said.“There are two beds on the second floor. You should have slept there.”“The sofa was nice. Where’s it from?”“My mom picked it out, so I’m not sure. I’ll ask her. Oh, but Hyung, you look much better after a good sleep.”“…I sent something to your room, so pick it up when you go up. I got a text saying it arrived.”Jungeol pretended not to hear Yoochan’s last words and started brushing his teeth.“Was the package from the mart sent by you, Hyung?”Yoochan straightened up and said.“I got it a little while ago. I thought my mom sent it, so I haven’t opened it yet. What did you send? It looked like food. Is it food?”Jungeol nodded while brushing his teeth. Yoochan’s expression brightened.“Thanks for the food. But you don’t have to give me something every time you sleep. I come here whenever I want, so you should feel free to come too. We’re Hyung and Dongsaeng, remember?”Jungeol chuckled with a mouth full of foam. That “Hyung and Dongsaeng” talk seemed to pop up whenever he was about to forget it. Unable to refute with his mouth full, Jungeol leaned on the sink and nodded roughly.Taking Jungeol’s nod as a positive sign, Yoochan smiled and, noticing Jungeol’s clean forearm, said.“By the way, Hyung, you said you went to the US to get a tattoo, right?”Jungeol, spitting out the toothpaste, replied with a grunt.“Did you get it?”“Yeah.”Yoochan frowned, glancing at Jungeol’s clean neck where no tattoos were visible. All the tattoo artists at the shop, including Taeho and Min Yesul, had tattoos covering their necks to their fingertips. Even Jaehyuk, who seemed close to Jungeol, had tattoos on his earlobes and temples.Yoochan found Jungeol’s tattoo-free forearms and neck fascinating.“Why did you only get tattoos where they can’t be seen? Oh, but I’m curious about how it looks. Can you show me?”Jungeol, spitting out the water in his mouth, looked at Yoochan as if he were strange. Yoochan laughed at the wary look, as if Jungeol thought he was a pervert.“You said you got it from a famous person abroad, so I’m curious how well it was done. How was it?”Jungeol rinsed his lips with water and stood up. Yoochan, getting up from the mini washing machine, persistently asked.“Was he better than Jet Black?”At the challenging question, Jungeol wiped his lips with the back of his hand and replied indifferently.“Well, back then.”Yoochan, impressed by Jungeol’s confident attitude, opened his mouth in admiration.“So you’re saying you’re better than him now, Hyung?”Following Jungeol out with his toiletries, Yoochan chattered.“Wow, you know you’re really cool, right, Hyung?”“Watch your language.”“Hyung, you’re really… I mean, you’re really cool.”Jungeol chuckled at the continuous compliments, then put his toiletries in his bag and took out a cigarette, heading to the smoking room.“Don’t come. I’m just going to smoke one.”Jungeol said, annoyed by Yoochan following him. Yoochan, closing the smoking room door, said slyly.“It’s okay to smoke. But Hyung, why didn’t you get tattoos where they can be seen? Are you a surprisingly conservative tattoo artist?”“I’m going to fill my right arm myself, and someone else will do my left arm.”“Who? Taeho Hyung?”Jungeol shook his head and put the cigarette in his mouth. Yoochan, sitting on the opposite chair, asked again.“Then is it Min Noona? Oh, Jaehyuk Hyung said he does blackwork too, so it’s Jaehyuk Hyung, right?”Jungeol smoked without answering. He didn’t seem to want to tell. Yoochan, staring at Jungeol’s sweatshirt, which always looked similar except for minor details, suddenly became curious about the tattoos underneath and added.“Why don’t you show your tattoos? Are you shy?”“Yeah, I’m shy.”Jungeol replied indifferently, as if annoyed. Yoochan giggled and stood up.“Come on, there’s nothing to be shy about between guys. Here, I’ll show you mine first.”Having done judo since he was young and often taking off his shirt in front of others, Yoochan lifted his shirt without hesitation, showing his firm abs. The well-defined muscles were symmetrically placed.Jungeol squinted and took a drag from his cigarette. As the white smoke gently flowed out, Jungeol reached out his hand.“Ah.”Jungeol’s fingers suddenly touched Yoochan’s side.“What are you doing, Hyung? Why are you touching me?”Yoochan squirmed and made a noise as if he was ticklish. Jungeol poked Yoochan’s side a few more times before resting the cigarette between his fingers again.“You need to work on your external obliques.”At the indifferent remark, Yoochan’s eyes widened in disbelief.“What? What’s wrong with my external obliques? They’re great. I’m the fittest among my classmates.”Yoochan, feeling indignant, retorted and quickly lowered his head to feel his side.“Ah, it’s because I haven’t been going to the gym lately. My sides weren’t this weak before. Just three months ago, my external obliques were solid… But after graduation, I’ve been forced to go to drinking parties, so I couldn’t help it.”Jungeol, leaving Yoochan who was now rambling as if he had a big problem, stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and walked out. Yoochan, of course, followed and asked.“Is it really that bad now? Is it unbearable?”“Who said it’s bad? I just said your external obliques are lacking.”“Still, it’s lacking.”“Aren’t you going to the army? You’ll have plenty of time to build your body there. Do it then.”“I was planning to, but now that you mentioned it, it’s bothering me. Should I just rejoin the gym? I can lose all the fat and become muscular in a month or two.”Jungeol was contemplating whether to tell the now dejected Yoochan that his body was already great when someone called out to him loudly over the music. It was the manager.“Jungeol Oppa, your next appointment is here and waiting.”“Okay, I’m coming. Tell them to go to station 1.”“They’re already waiting at station 10.”“Where’s my station?”Jungeol asked, looking at the spot closest to the counter. The black curtain, usually tied up when not in use, was drawn tightly, indicating someone was inside.The manager approached Jungeol and explained.“Jaehyuk Oppa is using it. Gaang peed at Jaehyuk Oppa’s station a while ago. Even though we cleaned it thoroughly, it still smells, so Taeho went to buy fabric freshener. Gaang is out for a walk with a part-time walker.”Jungeol nodded in understanding and turned to leave. Just then, the manager grabbed Jungeol’s arm and said.“Oppa, the client waiting now is someone you know. They booked under an alias, so I just found out…”The manager trailed off, frowning as if it was difficult to reveal the client’s name. Jungeol looked at the manager, waiting for an answer.Yoochan, caught between the two, looked at the manager with curiosity. Jungeol, noticing the manager’s unusually tense demeanor, seemed to realize something and muttered.“Judging by your expression, I know who it is.”At that, the manager let out a sigh of relief and released Jungeol’s arm.“Thank goodness. I thought they came without telling you.”“I got a call yesterday. Didn’t know they made an appointment though.”Yoochan, trying to understand the conversation between Jungeol and the manager, looked back and forth between them. From the atmosphere, it seemed the client waiting for Jungeol was someone he knew.The manager, looking at the schedule board filled with the tattoo artists’ appointments, pointed to today’s date and said.“It’s for the chest area, right? I saw they were wearing a tight shirt. The gown I washed yesterday is dry now. Should I bring it?”“It’s fine. I don’t need it.”Jungeol said, heading to the bathroom to wash his hands before the session. Yoochan, puzzled, asked the manager.“Isn’t it a female client? How can they get a tattoo on their chest without a gown?”“Well, if the tattoo artist is female, they sometimes just wear a bra or nipple covers… But Oppa will handle it. Oh, what’s this?”The manager, who had sat down at the counter as if it didn’t matter, frowned upon finding Taeho’s phone and wallet there.“Taeho went to buy fabric freshener and left his wallet and phone.”“Should I take them to him?”Yoochan stood up quickly, volunteering.“Would you?”The manager added apologetically.“I’d go myself, but I have a consultation in five minutes.”“I’ll run there now. Is it the convenience store on the first floor?”“He went to the 24-hour mart across the street. I also asked him to get some snacks. Thanks, Yoochan.”Yoochan zipped up his hoodie to his neck, put Taeho’s wallet and phone in his pocket, and ran out.After crossing two traffic lights, Yoochan found Taeho at the mart, looking flustered as he rummaged through his pockets with a yellow basket full of snacks and drinks. Yoochan waved and ran over to Taeho.By the time they finished paying and came out, both Taeho and Yoochan had their hands full of bags. Taeho, stopping Yoochan from crossing the street, gestured towards a newly opened bakery next to the mart.Taeho piled a tray high with bread. Yoochan thought it was for sharing with the shop staff, but Taeho, after getting drinks for both of them, sat at a table. Yoochan, sitting across from him, asked.“Aren’t you supposed to go back soon? The manager Noona seems to be waiting for the fabric freshener.”“It’s okay to be a bit late. I think everyone except Jaehyuk Hyung and Jungeol Hyung has gone home by now. Yesul Noona only has consultations left, no more work. Eat a lot, Yoochan. It’s on me.”Taeho said, handing another piece of bread to Yoochan after taking a big bite of a pizza bread. Seeing Taeho devour the bread quickly, Yoochan suddenly felt hungry too. Having missed lunch while hanging out with the manager, Yoochan took a sip of his drink and followed Taeho’s lead, biting into the pizza bread.After quickly finishing one bread, Taeho opened a sausage bread bag and said.“But Yoochan, why are you so eager to get a tattoo? Were you always interested?”“Interested? I first got interested two years ago when I saw you guys.”“You still don’t have any tattoos, right?”“Yes.”“Why didn’t you get a tattoo in the past two years?”Yoochan, tearing open his second bread bag, replied.“After seeing top-notch work, nothing else seemed good enough. I occasionally looked at tattoo photos, but they didn’t impress me. Then my friends suggested getting friendship tattoos, and I got tempted again. While looking for a good artist, I stumbled upon Jungeol Hyung.”“Well, Jungeol Hyung is the best in black and grey.”Taeho gave a thumbs up, and Yoochan laughed in agreement. Taeho, not even finishing his bread, opened a third bag and asked.“Why do you want a tattoo?”“Just because it’s cool.”Yoochan said nonchalantly. Taeho frowned.“Hey, what if you regret it later?”“Ah, Hyung, go big or go home. Don’t you know?”Yoochan said confidently, lightly hitting the table with his fist, making Taeho laugh at his cuteness. Yoochan grinned and said.“If I had succeeded in booking, I would already have a dragon tattooed on my back. It’s a shame.”“Actually, Jungeol Hyung doesn’t usually take college students anymore.”“Even if they’re adults? Why?”“Hyung doesn’t want his clients to regret the tattoos he gives them. The younger you are, the more likely you are to regret it.”Taeho said, wiping the cream from his mouth.“Like you, most college students haven’t even started their careers. It might be fine while you’re a student, but it could be a problem when you look for a job. Especially those who get tattoos impulsively for fun and then regret it when they prepare for jobs like civil servants or flight attendants. Many people also remove their tattoos when they prepare for marriage, but that’s a much later issue.”In fact, Yoochan hadn’t thought much about employment yet. He knew tattoos could be a hindrance when job hunting, but as a twenty-year-old who hadn’t even been to the army, it felt like a distant issue.While Yoochan pondered about employment, Taeho took a sip of his drink and said.“That’s why Jungeol Hyung’s consultations last from a few days to several months. He thoroughly researches to ensure even the smallest details don’t overlap with other artists’ work and makes as many revisions as the client wants. No matter how big the tattoo, one touch-up is always free. That’s why Jungeol Hyung’s tattoos are more expensive than others.”Seeing Taeho’s serious expression, Yoochan frowned and said.“With my personality, I’d probably regret not getting it more. Isn’t it better to regret after getting it? If it doesn’t work out, I can remove it with a laser.”“What? Hey, laser removal is much more painful than getting a tattoo. And it’s not done in one session. Do you know how expensive it is?”“It’s okay. I have a lot of money.”“…Oh, right, you’re the landlord’s son. I’m jealous, you brat.”“Hehe.”Yoochan laughed brightly and stuffed the remaining half of his cream bread into his mouth. Realizing there was no stopping this naive kid, Taeho gave up and sipped the last of his drink, muttering.“Yeah… Who am I to stop anyone when I got my tattoo at twenty, ignoring everyone who tried to stop me.”Yoochan, sucking on his straw, suddenly remembered and asked.“Ah, Taeho Hyung. Have you seen Jungeol Hyung’s tattoos?”He asked, recalling that Taeho and Jungeol lived together. But Taeho raised his eyebrows and shook his head.“Except for his upper right arm, I haven’t seen them. He doesn’t show them. Jaehyuk Hyung and Yesul Noona said they’ve only seen his arms too.”“You’re close enough to live and work together, but you’ve never been to a bathhouse or swimming pool together?”Yoochan asked, spitting out his straw in disbelief. Taeho scratched his cheek awkwardly and nodded.“Yeah, now that you mention it, we haven’t. Oh, wait. Before Jungeol Hyung got his tattoos, we used to go boxing together and shared the shower there. But I quit after a month, so it was only a few times. Jungeol Hyung doesn’t like noisy or crowded places. He’s also pretty indifferent. His mind is probably filled with tattoo designs and sleep. And maybe a bit of Gaang…”Yoochan nodded at Taeho’s words. Although he hadn’t known Jungeol for long, he had never seen him be affectionate with anyone, not even Taeho or the manager. Jungeol seemed equally aloof to everyone.Thinking about how Jungeol’s personality was the opposite of his own, Yoochan covered the top of his glass with his hand and rested his chin on it, asking.“Do tattoos hurt a lot?”“You’re worried about that now?”“It’s not a big deal. I’m just curious.”“A needle pierces your skin 400 times a second. Of course, it hurts. The really painful areas feel like paper cuts.”“…Ugh.”Yoochan shuddered and clenched his fist as if he had just cut his finger. He thought a dull pain would be easier to endure. Seeing Yoochan’s increasingly distressed face, Taeho asked mischievously.“Are you ticklish?”“A little? Why?”“People who are ticklish feel more pain. Congratulations. You’re in for a world of hurt.”“Ah, don’t joke like that. It’s scary.”Yoochan complained, his mouth wide open. Taeho, with a playful expression, drank the remaining ice in his cup. Yoochan, finally straightening his face, said.“But it doesn’t seem like Jungeol Hyung will tattoo me anytime soon.”“Apply for an appointment in six months.”“Ah, I’m going to the army.”“Right, I forgot.”“Isn’t there a way to get it before then? Like a secret to winning over Jungeol Hyung?”Yoochan asked, looking at the indifferent Taeho.“A secret? Are you really curious about that? Want me to tell you?”Like making a secret deal, Taeho also leaned his hefty upper body towards Yoochan and whispered. Yoochan, with sparkling eyes, nodded eagerly, and Taeho said.“First of all, Jungeol Hyung… He really dislikes people who can’t take a hint, are persistent, and nagging. You know, the kind of people who act like immature children, always whining and being stubborn. He hates them.”Yoochan’s eyes blinked blankly before narrowing sharply.“What? So you’re saying I won’t get a tattoo?”“No, no. Listen till the end.”With a doubtful look, Yoochan focused again on Taeho’s words. Taeho, wiping the sugar powder from his lips with a tissue, added.“But in the end, the ones he keeps around are also persistent and stubborn.”Yoochan blinked, unable to understand. Taeho spoke again.“You know our manager Noona learned blackwork from Jungeol Hyung, right?”“Yes.”“Back then, Hyung wasn’t established yet, so he strictly refused to take on apprentices. But the manager Noona followed him for three months, coming to the shop every morning without being asked and cleaning. Eventually, he accepted her. Jinwoo, too. Jungeol Hyung ignored Jinwoo’s calls for six months before telling him to come to work.”“Jinwoo Hyung also learned from Jungeol Hyung? Wow, Jungeol Hyung is amazing. He already has two students.”“It’s five.”Taeho replied matter-of-factly, crunching on ice.“He said he won’t take any more. It’s too exhausting.”“Then Jinwoo Hyung and the manager Noona… Who else? Taeho Hyung?”“Not me. I’m old-school. I paid to learn from another tattoo artist. But despite the fame, the skill was so-so, so I left after three months.”“Then who else learned from Jungeol Hyung?”“Jaehyuk Hyung. He learned from Jungeol Hyung, too. He already had some tattooing experience, so he didn’t learn for long. And… the other one is older than Jungeol Hyung. He learned blackwork from Jungeol Hyung and, after gaining enough skill, started his own shop in the countryside. He occasionally visits here.”Including the manager, Jinwoo, Jaehyuk, and the person who opened a shop in the countryside, there were four in total. Yoochan waited for Taeho to continue, but he seemed to have nothing more to say, packing the remaining bread into the shopping bag. Unable to wait any longer, Yoochan asked first.“Who is the last one?”Taeho, who was about to stand, looked at Yoochan and made a suspicious sound, “Hmm.” A few seconds of silence passed. Then Taeho patted Yoochan’s shoulder and said.“Shall we go up now? Yesul Noona must be waiting.”His expression was fresh as if he hadn’t heard Yoochan’s question.Carrying bags full of groceries and the coffee left for the others, Taeho and Yoochan arrived at the shop.“Oh, you even got coffee?”The manager, who was drawing at the counter, seemed pleased and took out a coffee from the carrier. Taeho, with a sly smile, said.“I also got coffee for Jaehyuk Hyung and Jungeol Hyung. They’re still working, right?”“Jaehyuk Oppa is at station 1. But he asked not to be disturbed because he needs to concentrate. Jungeol Oppa is at station 10.”“Oh, then we have one coffee left even after excluding Jungeol Hyung’s. Should we give it to a customer?”“Sure, well… why not.”The manager seemed reluctant but then suddenly asked Yoochan.“Yoochan, can you take it for me? Taeho and I have something to discuss.”“Discuss? Can’t it wait till I get back?”“Stay out of it, you fool.”Taeho, suddenly scolded, looked bewildered. It seemed like Jungeol’s client might not be comfortable with the manager or Taeho.Yoochan energetically took the coffee carrier from the dazed Taeho and said cheerfully.“Sure, I’ll take it.”Happy to get a chance to see Jungeol’s advanced skills, Yoochan eagerly ran to station 10.Unlike the other stations with blackout curtains instead of doors, station 10 had a metal door. It was where Yoochan had previously bandaged Jungeol’s wrist.“Jungeol Hyung, I brought you a drink! Can I come in?”Yoochan lightly knocked on the firmly closed metal door. There was no response from inside. Yoochan looked at the intercom speaker on the corner of the wall. The knock might have been drowned out by the music. Yoochan knocked again, calling out to Jungeol.“I brought a drink! Jungeol Hyung! I’ll come in for a moment…!”Frustrated by the lack of response, Yoochan impulsively tried the door handle. The door, not locked from the inside, opened smoothly. Yoochan peeked inside the dark room.The scene inside came into view.In the spacious and slightly chilly room, there was a stainless steel bed, a tall light, and Jungeol with a female client. With black wallpaper covering all sides and the fluorescent light turned off, it looked more like a fortune-telling room than a tattoo shop.Sneaking in quietly to avoid making noise, Yoochan closed the door and stood at the entrance. A woman with long black hair tied to one side was lying on the bed. She seemed quite tall, with her feet almost reaching the end of the standard-sized stainless steel bed.There was no conversation between the two. Unlike the noisy outside, the static atmosphere made even the usually outgoing Yoochan hesitant to speak.He intended to leave the coffee but didn’t see a proper place to put it. The drawer seen last time was gone. Approaching to put it on the bed or the floor seemed awkward, so Yoochan softly spoke to Jungeol.“Hyung, have some coffee.”Jungeol, realizing Yoochan had entered, glanced at him briefly before looking down again and said.“There’s a client. Get out.”Yoochan was about to retort that he was already leaving when the woman spoke first.“I don’t mind. Who is it? Come in. We’re almost done.”Her voice was clear and sharp, almost refreshing. Jungeol responded in a tone that suggested he found her words absurd.“Who said we’re done? There’s still a lot left.”Unlike the earlier silence, Jungeol’s tone was now light. They seemed quite close. The woman laughed and gestured for Yoochan to come in.“Anyway, I don’t mind. Come in. You want to watch, right?”“Yes, but…”Yoochan answered honestly but hesitated to approach, given the area being tattooed.“I heard it’s on the chest. Isn’t it inappropriate for me to see?”“No, it’s not.”“Oh, it’s fine. What’s the big deal?”Jungeol and the woman answered almost simultaneously. Unsure of what to do, Yoochan hesitated, and the woman spoke again.“I said it’s fine. I’m wearing a tank top. Look.”The woman slightly lowered her black windbreaker, revealing a black fabric below her chest. It seemed to be a tank top, not a bra.“Jungeol Hyung, Noona said it’s okay, so it’s okay, right? I really want to see you tattoo again.”Yoochan, with a brightened face, approached and pulled out a chair from under the bed, pleading.“You.”Jungeol pointed at Yoochan with the machine and said.“If you touch my arm or bump the bed while I’m working…”“Oh, I won’t! I’m not that clueless. I’ll just watch quietly.”Yoochan said, feeling indignant. Jungeol, still looking uneasy, stared at Yoochan for a few seconds before bending over as if giving up.Jungeol quickly focused on moving the machine. His furrowed brows showed how seriously he was taking it. Worried about accidentally bumping the bed, Yoochan pulled the wheeled chair back slightly and watched Jungeol tattoo.The woman closed her eyes, seemingly blinded by the light above their faces, while Jungeol, frowning in concentration, moved his left hand.Contrary to Yoochan’s concern about how they would tattoo the chest area without a gown, the woman was wearing Jungeol’s black windbreaker, zipped up to her chest. The jacket, which was slightly loose on Jungeol, looked like a short dress on the slender woman with narrow shoulders.As the manager had mentioned, the tattoo area was the upper chest and cleavage. Jungeol pressed the woman’s collarbone with his forearm and stretched the skin of the tattoo area with his right hand while moving the machine.Following the stencil below the woman’s collarbone, Jungeol’s hand moved busily. Where there had only been a stencil, the machine left clear, black lines. Yoochan, who had been closely observing the stencil, suddenly realized and asked.“Oh, Noona. This is a flower and a snake, right?”“Yes. It’s a rose and a snake. Isn’t it pretty?”“It really suits you.”The woman’s lips curled up at Yoochan’s straightforward compliment.“Thank you.”She smiled and replied. Yoochan, smiling back, asked.“Why did you choose a rose and a snake? Is there a meaning, or is it just because it’s pretty?”“The rose is my birth flower, and the snake is a pet snake my sister and I raise. It’s a black rat snake.”Yoochan, feeling happy at her bright expression, suddenly realized the tattoo style was different from Jungeol’s usual work and asked.“But Jungeol Hyung, this doesn’t look like black and grey.”“Yes. It’s blackwork.”Jungeol replied briefly. The woman continued.“Jungeol Oppa was really good at blackwork before he got into black and grey. Honestly, I prefer blackwork, so it’s a shame. He doesn’t even post blackwork pieces on Instagram anymore.”Knowing that Jungeol originally did blackwork, Yoochan nodded, getting the impression that the woman knew Jungeol very well. They didn’t seem to have a bad relationship, so Yoochan wondered why the manager was hesitant to mention her to Jungeol.While Yoochan was curious about their relationship, the woman lifted her head and looked at Yoochan.“By the way, who are you?”Her eyes were large and cat-like, with sharp corners. Yoochan froze as soon as he met her gaze.“…What?”Her beauty, surpassing that of any female celebrity he could think of, captivated Yoochan. The woman, noticing Yoochan staring at her, smiled and moved her lips, which were covered in light pink lip balm.“I haven’t seen you before. Are you here to learn tattooing too?”“Oh, no. I’m just… um, just… Jungeol Hyung’s…”Yoochan’s words trailed off. It was hard to define his position as either a client or an acquaintance. As Yoochan struggled to answer, Jungeol replied indifferently.“He’s a younger friend.”It was an unexpected answer. Yoochan looked at Jungeol in surprise. Jungeol, seemingly unaware of his own words, continued to focus on the tattoo. The woman raised her thin eyebrows and glanced at Yoochan again.“Really? I thought Oppa had taken on a new apprentice.”