11
The next day, when Minjae opened the training room door at the scheduled time, he found Jihwan arranging his hair in front of a mirror. Seeing Minjae reflected behind him, Jihwan flinched, put his hands behind his back, and greeted him.
Minjae nodded slightly and headed into the training room.
“Two hundred squats.”
“…What?”
When Jihwan asked with a blank face, Minjae tilted his head askew. Why ask when you heard me? Jihwan quickly shook his head and said:
“Understood! Two hundred squats!”
Minjae trudged past Jihwan. His stomach didn’t feel good after downing a lot of vodka since morning.
Minjae slumped into a chair placed in the corner of the training room. Jihwan timidly called out to Minjae, who was drooping like laundry that hadn’t fully dried.
“Um… Sunbae, are you hurt?”
Minjae didn’t answer.
“Did you… have a mission yesterday that I don’t know about…?”
At Jihwan’s continued questions, Minjae slowly raised his hand. He felt the need to prohibit that chattering. His extended index finger pointed toward Jihwan. Jihwan stared at the hand with wide eyes.
“One. Don’t ask questions.”
“Yeees…”
Too lazy to remember the order of rules, Minjae called out “one” again. At Minjae’s words, Jihwan became dejected and started doing squats near Minjae. One, two, three, four, five, the sound of counting numbers could be heard.
Minjae watched Jihwan for a moment, then looked up at the ceiling. The ceiling was spinning around.
There it goes again. Minjae covered his nose and mouth and breathed slowly.
When things spun before his eyes, staying still would lead to hyperventilation. It was one of the aftereffects he’d had since he was about 16. We can’t find the cause. There’s no problem. He’d heard the same thing no matter which hospital he went to.
No problems could be found in the multiple brain scans of Minjae.
When he took the 7th scan again, Minjae stuffed the container of headache pills into the trash can. And then filled his water bottle with vodka.
Since Minjae was always drinking strong alcohol, he wasn’t sure if the spinning in front of him now was due to the aftereffects or the alcohol. The only certainty was that his mood was extremely shitty today. But his mood being shitty was a frequent occurrence, so there wasn’t anything special about it.
Thinking it was boring, Minjae tilted his head back and closed his eyes.
“…Sunbae. …Sunbae?”
Had some time passed? Minjae opened his eyes to the persistent calling and met Jihwan’s gaze as he examined him.
Now that he looked, Jihwan had quite sharp eyes. The dark brown eyes set within straight lines looked at him with a gentle gaze. Water dripped down his solid jawline.
His appearance really doesn’t match his personality. Minjae thought.
“I finished all the squats.”
It was a voice that anyone could tell was seeking praise. The husky voice with a hint of youthfulness sounded like that of a pubescent boy. Hearing that voice, Minjae felt inexplicably irritated.
“Don’t lie.”
I just closed my eyes for a moment and opened them, and you’re saying you finished? That’s a lie. Minjae tried to be unreasonable.
“It’s true…”
The flushed face, rough breathing, and streaming sweat were making Minjae’s words unreasonable, but Minjae didn’t care about that.
“But Sunbae, are you feeling very unwell?”
The worried voice tickled Minjae’s ears. Whether his breathing was insufficient or excessive, Minjae was in a somewhat hazy state, and it felt like it was because of Jihwan’s rough breathing.
It’s because he’s breathing too loudly. Minjae concluded.
“What if I am?”
So only a crooked voice came out. Jihwan frowned when he heard the cracked voice. A hot hand covered Minjae’s forehead.
“Um… Do you have a fever?”
Jihwan placed his hand on Minjae’s forehead and instead asked him. Minjae snorted and lightly brushed Jihwan’s hand away.
“Two hundred push-ups.”
Minjae gave the next task. Jihwan’s mouth fell open. The sentiment of wanting to ask “What?” several times but not being able to speak was written all over his face.
Minjae felt a slight satisfaction as he rested his chin on his arm, which was propped on the chair’s backrest.
“This time, I’ll watch carefully to see if you lie or not, so go ahead.”
With a miserable face, Jihwan awkwardly laid down and started doing push-ups. Minjae’s eyes became languid again.
***
Recently, Jihwan had been waking up precisely at 7 AM. As soon as the “Good” of “Bababa Good Morning-!” played, Jihwan briskly smacked his phone, raised his upper body, and rubbed his eyes. Then he headed to the bathroom and meticulously washed every part of his body.
After showering for over an hour, Jihwan hummed a tune, sprayed shower cologne, and stood in front of the mirror. Staring intently at himself, Jihwan parted his hair with a comb. Exactly in a 2:8 ratio.
“Does this make me look neat?”
It might make me look more mature too. Jihwan opened the window and extended his upper body outward. Then he kicked off and flew upward.
Floating in midair, Jihwan knocked on the window of Taehyun, who lived on the floor above his dormitory. Knock, knock. Knock.
Then Taehyun’s face appeared, with bed hair and a frown.
“Hey, do you know what time it is?”
“Huh, Hyung. Am I late? What time is it?”
Do you want to die? Taehyun asked. Regardless of Taehyun’s reaction, Jihwan pressed his face closer to the window.
“Hyung, how does my hair look? Does it look neat?”
Seeing Jihwan’s 2:8 hairstyle, Taehyun looked outside with a complicated expression, then reached out and opened the window. Then he thoroughly messed up Jihwan’s hair. Jihwan’s limbs flailed in the air.
“Ah, Hyung!”
Taehyun laughed as he grabbed Jihwan’s hair, which was trying to move away, and pulled him closer. Aack! Jihwan screamed. After staring at Jihwan’s disheveled hair for a moment, Taehyun gave a thumbs up and closed the window.
In the end, Jihwan arrived at the training room with his usual hairstyle and today, once again, did squats and push-ups.
Every morning, Minjae was slumped over. Minjae’s body always had a faint smell of alcohol swabs. Even though Jihwan knew there was no reason for Minjae to have wounds, he kept worrying about it.
Minjae would lie still as if he had collapsed, but if Jihwan stopped moving, he would open his eyes like a ghost and glare. Jihwan had to move his body without saying a word.
After a long time, when Jihwan was finally released from Minjae, he entered the cafeteria—everyone called it that, even though it was an employee dining hall. He had to walk extremely slowly because with each step, tremendous pain followed from his heels.
Jihwan seriously pondered why people unconsciously swing their arms when they walk. Because his arms hurt too much.
Just then, someone placed their arm on Jihwan’s shoulder as he was trudging along.
“Uuuuggghhh… Aaa… Ah… Who is it…?”
Although it was his arms and legs that had suffered, for some reason his neck had stiffened as well, and Jihwan awkwardly turned his head like unoiled scrap metal. Hoyoung, who seemed flustered, hastily removed his arm.
Ah, it’s the Team 1 Sunbae. Jihwan greeted him with his best smile.
“Ah… Sunbae…”
“Um… Would… would you like me to buy you a meal?”
“…What?”
“We’ve become teammates, but it seems like we haven’t had a meal together… If it’s uncomfortable, I’ll just buy it and leave.”
Seemingly embarrassed, Hoyoung scratched the back of his head and smiled.
He’s such a nice person. Jihwan’s eyes grew warm as he looked at him.
Hoyoung slightly leaned his upper body back at Jihwan’s fervent reaction. Jihwan firmly held Hoyoung’s hand with both of his.
“Can I have two servings of pork cutlet, Sunbae?”
“Huh? Sure, sure. Eat up.”
“Sniff… Thank you.”
Tears welled up in Jihwan’s eyes. W-well, you’ve had a really tough time, haven’t you? Very flustered, Hoyoung nodded his head quickly and began ordering pork cutlets on the touch screen.
“…He’s making you do that kind of training? Why?”
Jihwan, who had been eating with his face practically buried in the tray, opened his eyes wide at Hoyoung’s words.
“Isn’t this the training everyone receives?”
“Hmm, I don’t think so.”
“Hmm…”
Jihwan’s face fell, and he slowed down the pace at which he was shoving food into his mouth. He seemed to have lost his appetite a bit.
He became depressed at the thought that he might be getting bullied.
Alarmed by Jihwan’s drooping face, Hoyoung hastily consoled him.
“Maybe… maybe he has some intention behind it?”
“What?”
“Judging by the number of repetitions, maybe he’s trying to test your gravity utilization? Or maybe he wants to give you some other training…”
At Hoyoung’s words, Jihwan’s eyes began to sparkle. Of course! Sunbae Minjae is so cool! He’s trying to give me special training!
Seeing Jihwan’s expression brighten in an instant, Hoyoung gave an awkward laugh.
“Jihwan, you’re… really transparent, aren’t you?”
“Huh?”
Watching Jihwan vigorously stuff rice into his mouth again, Hoyoung lightly shook his head. Jihwan once more buried his nose in the tray.
***
Minjae was walking down the corridor, pressing his cap down and dragging his slippers. Since it was a building where only authorized personnel could enter, only Minjae’s footsteps echoed in the bleak corridor with no windows.
Just then, a gray wall opened in front, and a man wearing large goggles popped out.
The man, dressed in a white coat and wearing transparent goggles, was holding something like a metal rod, and pale gray smoke was rising from his body.
“Ah, Minjae!! Come here, quickly!!”
He frantically waved his hands, gesturing for Minjae to come his way. Either unaware that he was holding a metal rod in his hand or not caring, he swung it around wildly, making him look quite threatening.
Minjae walked over, exhaling an obvious sigh. He didn’t even quicken his pace.
The man smiled in a somehow servile manner.
“Please hurry. The situation is dire.”
“Moderation, restraint. Don’t you know those concepts?”
At Minjae’s sharp voice, the man wiped his forehead with his sleeve. His face was drenched in sweat, as if he was hot.
Letting out an exclamation mixed with irritation, Minjae pushed curses back down his throat and looked behind the man.
The space inside the wall was a laboratory. Just approaching it, one could feel the intense heat.
“Dr. Jo.”
“Huh??”
“What have you done?”
“No! I just wanted to experiment a little… So I thought maybe I could try a bit more…”
Dr. Jo trailed off, watching Minjae’s reaction.
“Turn on the cooling fan. I’m not going in until it cools down.”
“But then! That… hmm, he might die.”
“Who? You, Dr. Jo? That would be nice.”
“No! That, that…”
At Minjae’s resolute response, Dr. Jo opened his eyes wide and frantically pointed inside the laboratory. The inside was filled with smoke, making it hard to see.
“Just turn on the cooling fan.”
“Okay!”
The doctor hurriedly went inside. After a moment, a loud humming sound began to echo. The smoke flowed toward the ventilation, gradually revealing what was inside.
Minjae narrowed his eyes and continued to observe through the smoke.
“Ugh!”
Dr. Jo, having discovered something, stood with his body pressed against the wall.
Several devices attached to the laboratory wall and a chair placed in the center became visible. A man was tied to the chair. He was in a state of severe burns, either scorched or burned.
Minjae silently glared at Dr. Jo. You did this yourself, so why are you acting surprised? Minjae clicked his tongue. Dr. Jo let out an awkward laugh and adjusted his goggles.
Approaching the chair, Minjae began injecting heal. The wounds slowly healed. Only after the man tied to the chair became clean without a single wound did Minjae remove his hand.
“Sir.”
Minjae called the man, but there was no response.
Slap!
Without the slightest hesitation, Minjae slapped the man’s cheek. As if that had awakened him, the man let out a groan, “Ugh!” and opened his eyes to look at Minjae.
“Sir? What is your name?”
“You monster bastard…! Just kill me instead.”
“Age thirty-seven. Are you Teacher Kim Seokhun?”
“……”
“Mr. Kim. You recently lost your son due to an esper manifestation and subsequent runaway. I’m sorry. Is that the reason you committed this school terror attack?”
There was no emotion in Minjae’s voice when he said he was sorry. It was a voice without pitch variation. The man glared at Minjae with tear-filled eyes. They were eyes filled with anger and hatred.
“Not even human… I’ll expose all of you. Stealing people’s bodies, torturing…”
Minjae reached out again. The man tried to shrink back but failed. He couldn’t move.
Minjae lightly cupped the man’s cheek. The man’s slightly swollen cheek returned to normal.
“There’s nothing for you to expose.”
“Stop! Don’t touch my body!! Aaargh!!! Kill me. Please… please…”
The man kept shaking his head. Tears and mucus mixed and flowed down his chin. Minjae removed his hand from the man’s face.
“About what you just said, ‘stealing people’s bodies,’ Mr. Kim.”
“My son… kill him…”
“You’re from the Crow, aren’t you?”
The man’s and Minjae’s eyes met. Minjae could see fear flash through the man’s eyes.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
