Chapter 18
“Wait! What are you doing…!”
He didn’t even realize his wrist had been grabbed. In the blink of an eye, as he stepped into the space he had been wary of, his heart dropped with a thud. He blinked tensely, not knowing what would happen.
But something strange occurred.
“…Huh?”
As soon as an unknown energy engulfed his entire body, he unconsciously exhaled a relaxed breath. His stiff shoulders loosened and his tense muscles relaxed. As if he had stepped onto the safest ground possible.
Seo Won slowly inhaled. Then he felt the fishy, sharp unpleasant smell fade. The air felt lighter, making it easier to breathe.
Taking several deep breaths as if washing away the filth accumulated deep in his lungs, Seo Won straightened his crouched body and raised his head. When their eyes met, Baek Rak slowly opened his mouth.
“From here on, it’s a safe zone.”
But strangely, Baek Rak’s voice saying this was subdued.
“The last bastion where Creatures cannot enter.”
Baek Rak’s eyes turned somewhere beyond the barrier. He muttered quietly, barely audibly.
“…The Guardian’s ability.”
His sensitized body fortunately didn’t miss that small sound. But combining Baek Rak’s words, the Guardian seemed to be the only person who could stop Creatures – so why was he showing such a reaction? Did he not like it much? Or was there some other problem?
It was hard to ask why such an impudent guy was acting uncharacteristically somber. Having only obtained puzzling information made him feel uncomfortable for no reason. He had no choice but to keep his mouth shut and follow Baek Rak’s lead.
Being dragged along silently, he had arrived in front of an iron door before he knew it.
Seo Won looked up at the massive iron door that seemed over 5 meters tall, then lowered his gaze. The huge door had a small door attached for people to pass through, and that door was slowly opening.
Finally, he had arrived at a safe place. Where people gathered, where he didn’t have to worry about Creatures. But there were too many concerns to simply enjoy the happiness.
The people who had pointed guns, Baek Rak’s reaction to the Guardian, and even the warning that humans would be scarier than Creatures. Not being able to let his guard down about anything made his mood restless. Seo Won sighed briefly and quietly watched the opening door.
When the door opened enough for one person to enter, Baek Rak stepped inside while holding Seo Won’s wrist. Looking at the thickness of the iron door brushing past, the shapes of people visible inside, and Baek Rak’s back, Seo Won squeezed his eyes shut then opened them.
Yeongdeungpo Station Shelter.
This place was another world to Seo Won.
“Baek Raaaaaak!”
The first thing to welcome Seo Won inside the shelter was the excited voice of a young girl.
Seo Won, who had been looking around, spotted a child who came rushing out from among the crowd of people gathered together. The child ran with all her might and hugged Baek Rak as she was.
“Why did you come so late!”
Though the child was whining about being happy to see Baek Rak, her face was full of smiles. Her high ponytail also swayed excitedly. Anyone could see the child really liked Baek Rak.
However, Baek Rak pressed the forehead of the child, who barely reached his chest, firmly with his finger.
“I told you not to run around.”
“I didn’t run while Baek Rak was gone. And with Poong watching over me, what’s there to worry about? Ugh, stop pushing.”
Seo Won saw a pure white Jindo dog wagging its tail next to the child.
The dog had run along when the child rushed over, and was not only matching her speed but constantly watching the child while moving, worried something might happen. It was a well-trained, clever creature. When its name Poong was called, its ears perked up.
“Yu Sol.”
“Okay, okay. I won’t run anymore.”
Seo Won was certain that the child named Yu Sol would run again anytime. He couldn’t help but know since there wasn’t a trace of sincerity in her voice. Baek Rak, as if he knew everything too, put more force into the hand pushing her forehead.
Yu Sol resisted but seemed to realize it was no use and shook her head frantically. But when Baek Rak’s hand still didn’t fall away, she felt wronged and eventually pulled his hand down with both her hands.
“Anyway!”
After finishing her brief reunion with Baek Rak, Yu Sol suddenly turned her head toward Seo Won, who was standing there blankly.
“Who’s this person?”
As if the trusting gaze she had sent abundantly to Baek Rak just moments ago was a lie, a sharp stare pierced him. Seo Won looked at Yu Sol glaring at him, then slowly rolled his eyes. When he examined other people’s reactions, fortunately he didn’t feel hostility from them. But their wariness toward strangers seemed quite high.
‘If I act stiffly here too, I’ll be doomed, right?’
Seo Won met Yu Sol’s gaze again and smiled gently.
“Nice to meet you, you can call me Yoon Seo Won.”
“Eww?”
He had spoken as gently as possible to emphasize he was a harmless person, but the reaction that came back was harsh. As if she had seen something unseemly, Yu Sol frowned deeply and hid behind Baek Rak.
“Baek Rak! Is something wrong with that person’s head?”
What, just because I smiled and greeted her, something’s wrong with my head? While he could only blink in bewilderment, he made eye contact with Baek Rak.
“……”
“……”
He looked Seo Won up and down, then moved the corner of his mouth slightly. Surely he wasn’t smirking? Even if that wasn’t it, his mood wasn’t very good.
“Baek Rak, huh? Is that person really sick somewhere? Why is he smiling at someone he’s meeting for the first time? He looks normal but it’s weird.”
Seo Won, who belatedly figured out the reason, squeezed his eyes shut. For some unknown reason, people here apparently never smiled at strangers.
This really is a world that’s hard to adapt to. He sighed deeply without realizing it.
“Later. But where’s Han Seong Hyeon?”
“Tch, always changing the subject. The captain looked around the power room earlier and went to his office.”
Since Baek Rak had changed the subject more than once or twice, Yu Sol didn’t ask further. She just kept glancing at Seo Won.
“You go play with Poong.”
“Huh? Why? If you’re going to see the captain, I want to go too.”
“No.”
“Why! You’re going to take that person, aren’t you? I’m curious too!”
Yu Sol clung to Baek Rak, not wanting to be left behind. Baek Rak lightly detached Yu Sol, who was hanging from his waist, and gestured to Poong. Then Poong pushed his body between Yu Sol and Baek Rak and began gently pushing Yu Sol away.
“Hey! Poong! You traitor!”
It was a scene that showed who Poong’s real master was. Yu Sol, annoyed that Poong prioritized Baek Rak’s instructions over her, roughly rubbed the dog’s snout.
“Poong, watch her well.”
“Ah! Really! Baek Rak is too much!”
Baek Rak lightly ruffled Yu Sol’s hair and nodded to Seo Won. It meant for him to follow.
Seo Won followed behind Baek Rak, who walked ahead first. His back of the head stung, as it seemed not only Yu Sol but all the people gathered there were staring at him. The moment he turned his head, he felt like he’d meet those obvious gazes, so he walked looking only ahead.
Following Baek Rak, he saw a familiar building. It was the department store building connected to Yeongdeungpo Station.
Looking closely, it was more intact than he thought. From the department store lobby to the wide stairs leading to the station. Of course, signs of repairs were visible here and there. The countless meteorites that fell from the sky couldn’t have avoided only this place.
Seo Won, who entered the department store through the lobby, looked around.
On the first floor, unknown objects were piled high, and the floor was full of wheel tracks. Seeing the first floor that looked like a warehouse, he thought he wouldn’t be able to find any traces of its previous appearance on the floors he’d go up to either.
Seo Won climbed the stopped escalator steps following Baek Rak.
The second floor was divided into sections so he couldn’t see clearly, but it looked like living spaces where people stayed. Seeing there were children and elderly people, Yeongdeungpo Station Shelter definitely seemed safe.
Living spaces continued all the way up to the fifth floor. But from the sixth floor on, it was completely different.
What spread before Seo Won’s eyes was a space that looked like an office. There was a large desk, and a whiteboard with photos and memo papers attached. Further inside, bookshelves lined up, packed tightly with books and various documents.
As if this was the final destination, Baek Rak began taking big steps. Seo Won followed Baek Rak while looking at the bookshelves. When they passed through a long corridor and a door came into view, Baek Rak stopped in front of it and opened the door without hesitation.
“You’re here?”
Someone’s welcoming voice came from inside. Carefully following behind Baek Rak as he entered, he saw a person sitting on a desk.
“Who is this?”
The man had surprised eyes, as if he hadn’t expected an unknown person to enter. Seo Won, still not knowing how to react normally, just quietly looked at the man. He looked young but seemed to have some age, probably in his mid to late thirties.
This must be the person Yu Sol called captain and Baek Rak called Han Seong Hyeon. He seemed to be a leader-type figure who managed Yeongdeungpo Station Shelter.
While Seo Won was observing the man, Baek Rak closed the open door, approached the man and said.
“I found him.”
But the impact that single statement brought was unexpected.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
