June stared into the janitor's asymtrical, inquiring eyes. He was looking at him with raised eyebrows, looking very unwelcoming.
"Look, kid. I still have to clean the toilets. If you need anything, can you just tell what it is?" he impatiently asked.
"You—you work here?" June stamred.
"Yes," the janitor sighed. "Just started today, and you're already making my job difficult to manage. What do you need?"
"Another janitor is working here," June said, hope still present in his heart. "Did he take a day off, perhaps?"
The lanky janitor frowned. "As far as I know, I'm the only one working here right now. Just replaced a bald guy a while ago."
June's ears perked up with the ntion of a bald guy.
"What was his na again?" he asked, placing his hand under his chin. "It was a weird na. Clinton? Klint?"
"Mr. Klin," June whispered.
"Right—that man," the janitor exclaid. "He made quite a scene a while ago, so the guards had to drag him away. I've never found a person who loves cleaning so much than him."
June was in denial. Without saying anything, he bypassed the new janitor and went to where the caras were originally hidden.
June rummaged through the clutter, causing the new janitor to exclaim.
"Kid! Stop it. I just fixed that."
"The caras," June said, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Where did you place the caras?"
"Caras?" he frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about. This room was clean when I got here. Those guards took away Mr. Klin and his belongings."
"Shit," June muttered under his breath, causing the janitor to weirdly look at him.
"Well, are we done here?" he asked. "As I said, I still need to clean the toilets."
June stood there, looking at the now unfamiliar setup of the closet, and felt an ache inside his heart.
"What's your na?" June quietly asked.
The janitor sighed. "Will that make you leave my closet? If so, then my na is Dorothy," he said.
June frowned.
"I know," the janitor chuckled. "It sounds like a woman's na, and I resent my parents for that. That's why I don't go by that na. You can just call Mr. Dorthy."
Mr. Dorthy.
June shook his head.
Mr. Klin was better.
"How about you?" the janitor asked. "What's your na, kid?"
"June," he said, still without any emotions.
Mr. Dorthy raised his eyebrows in surprise. "June, huh? Then it must be you. That bald guy actually left with sothing."
June felt hope swell in his heart as he turned to Mr. Dorthy.
Mr. Dorthy reached for his pocket and pulled out what appeared to be a crumpled note.
"That weird guy asked to hand this to the trainee whose na was a month. I'm guessing that's you."
June unhesitatingly took the note from Mr. Dorthy.
"Well, I guess I'll be leaving," Mr. Dorthy said. "Those toilets wouldn't clean themselves. Just lock my closet, will you?"
June nodded, not even bothering to look at the new janitor as he opened the crumpled note.
Dear June,
June smiled as he read the ssy handwriting of the janitor. It hasn't been long since they've t, but it felt like they had been friends for a long ti already.
As much as June tried to deny it, he had grown attached to the janitor who helped him during the most unexpected monts.
The smile on his face quickly dropped, however, as he continued reading the letter.
If you're reading this right now, I must be long gone. I never thought I'd find myself penning this letter, but the janitor has to say goodbye. I arrived at work today and found my closet empty, and shortly after, they handed a notice that I was fired. They didn't even give a choice, June. They kicked out rcilessly, just like that.
I want to apologize to you, June because I couldn't keep the caras and the footage of Lin Zhi's incident. It was my responsibility, and I failed you. You see, at first, I wasn't too fond of you.
June chuckled softly.
I thought you were just another idol trainee passing through, but sothing changed along the way. I started to see the fire in your eyes, your dedication, and your spirit. I couldn't help but beco your fan.
So, as I write this with a heavy heart, I want to tell you to fly high, June. You've got all it takes to be an idol, and I'll be watching every step of the way, even if it's from a distance.
I am a janitor through and through, and I'll continue to be one—no matter what life throws at .
So, you must be an idol—no matter what. Keep chasing your dreams because you have the talent and heart to make them co true.
I'll miss the days when I taught you how to be cute…when you gifted bleach…and how we accomplished missions like detectives. Those days will surely be missed, and never forgotten.
Take care, my dear friend, and never forget the janitor who believed in you from the bottom of his heart.
From my pink mop to your pink hair,
Mr. Klin
June closed the letter with shaky hands. He had never expected a letter from the janitor to affect him so much, yet here he was.
June felt…sad. He suddenly rembered the people he had been with during the course of the competition.
June suddenly felt that he was not only carrying his mission with him.
He was carrying the dreams of plenty of others.
June had already co this far…and the people he t along the way all believed in him.
Minjun and Grandma.
Jangmoon.
The janitor.
i Ling.
June's journey to becoming an idol wasn't for him alone, and now, he was more determined than ever.
June clenched his fists, then stared at himself in the tiny mirror pasted on the wall of the janitor's closet.
He had one thought in his mind.
June will avenge these people.
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