Chương 110: S.05 Time to Fly 07(02)

Scene 01_03. Having finished every last scrap of the paperwork, Ji-young flopped flat on her back in front of Soo-a and Jeong-in. The late light poured into Ji-young's quarters. Letting loose a strange cry that was neither a cheer nor a scream, she toppled backward. Gazing at the light that had not yet crossed past the warm afterglow of dusk, Ji-young looked out through the open window at the sky for a while.

After turning her head away from the sky she'd been blankly watching, she fixed her eyes on the ceiling and voiced what was on her mind. Ji-young: Ah. With this, I won't have to worry about the base budget for the second and third quarters. Jeong-in: You've worked hard. Soo-a: I wouldn't have even dared. My eyes ache after just three hours of watching. Jeong-in: The Oldest, but, why — did you decide to issue the budget proposal all the way through the third quarter in advance? Could it be.

Ji-young lay on the 보료(Bo-ryo_cushioned mat), eyes still on the ceiling. She took off the glasses she'd been wearing, tossed them onto the tea table, and hurriedly pushed herself upright. Ji-young: I usually pull my work forward. Because I have to get it done and then go play. Jeong-in: Ah. Just as I thought. Ji-young: What do you mean, just as you thought?? Soo-a: I figured that's how one graduates from that school and works at that company.

Ji-young curled her lips into a sulky pout and let herself collapse back onto the cushioned mat. Ji-young: No, why does everyone keep going on like it's so damn impressive. Jeong-in: It's just that the TV won't stop blabbering about how it's clearly different from the ordinary schools we went to. Ji-young: That's all a load of bull. And I don't think that's something for Yoo Jeong-in, a physics major, to be saying. There's no way to be bad at studying in that department.

Jeong-in: I'm still an undergrad, so I'm at a know-nothing level. Ji-young: Anyway, if you're a physics major, what you learn at school can't be the same as our work, right? How do you square that? Jeong-in: Honestly, that's a bit of a problem for me too. What we do—consoling the dead and sending them back—clearly can't be explained physically or scientifically. Still, it's not that nothing applies at all. I try to look at it through the concept of dimensions. Ji-young: Ah, like in the movies? Jeong-in: Yes.

If we assume the world of the dead, the world of the living, and the Between World all truly exist, the most reasonable approach is to treat them as domains we can't reach or perceive. Ji-young: Oh. That's fascinating, actually. Jeong-in: It's still only a theory, but according to string theory, in the end there's a collision in M-theory — As Jeong-in moved to carry on with her long explanation, a cough sounded from beyond the 창호지(Changhoji_Traditional paper-paneled door), and a voice followed.

Ji-young, who had been listening intently, twitched her lips as if disappointed. Hee-jin: The Oldest. The Strategist. Yeon-su, standing outside, opened the door and let Hee-jin in. On the tray in Hee-jin's hands sat snacks and drinks. As she came in carrying the tray of honey pastries and traditional confections, Jeong-in rose to relieve Hee-jin of the heavy load. Hee-jin: Ha? What are you doing. If you're a Director, you stand at the same rank as me. An act like this is an act of screwing me over.

At Hee-jin's light rebuke, delivered with a trace of laughter, Jeong-in shrank back and stepped away. Ji-young rose, seated herself with a listless slump, and agreed. Ji-young: Right, exactly. Let's cut that stuff out now. You too, Strategist. Soo-a tidied the remaining documents on the tea table and cleared a spot to set the tray down. Hee-jin: I hold the place just beneath the Oldest, the place that serves the Oldest in all things. Not doing it isn't an option. Ji-young: Where is that written. Honestly.

She won't give in to the end. Ha. Ji-young chewed on a traditional confection and picked up the 수정과(Sujeonggwa_Korean cinnamon punch) with her hand. Ji-young: Ah, will Gyeong-seo bring some booze this weekend? Soo-a: Now that you mention it. I did see her filing an outing pass at the administrative office earlier. Maybe from staying up night after night, but she looked a wreck. Jeong-in: Since it's come up, please. The Oldest. Bump up Gyeong-seo sis's standing.

Her house is nearly on par with the Director of the Inspectorate's family, yet it's really hard to be the one she greets first. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Ji-young: Argh. Just wait a little, and until then, if it really bugs you, hide your face and dodge her. As for me, I'm about to slowly — Ji-young took up one more confection, rose from the cushioned mat, and shuffled her way over to the front of the TV screen.

Crouching before it, she rummaged something into readiness. In the middle of her preparations she whipped her head around, looked at Soo-a, and jerked her chin. Ji-young: What are you doing? Aren't you going for redemption? You lost to me by a hair last time. Soo-a: It's just, the work hours aren't exactly... over yet. So. The phone in Ji-young's pocket rang out with a blaring alarm. Ji-young: They're over now. Hee-jin helped Jeong-in with the documents she'd been tidying.

As Jeong-in left her seat after a parting bow, an armful of scrolls in hand, Ji-young lightly raised a hand to wave her off safely, then chewed on the rest of her confection and switched on the game console. She bellowed a shout out the door. Ji-young: Twig!! Yeon-su: Yes!!! Ji-young: Bring everyone!! Hurry!! Hee-jin: Then I'll go change my clothes and step out for a bit. Ji-young: Sure. Take care. All right, now that our numbers are all matched up. Let's have a go, for the first time in a while.

Soo-a: The "for the first time in a while" bait. It won't work. Ji-young: Ha. Hard-nosed right from the start. Scene 02. It was a hotel they'd reached well after dusk. Yeon-jin sat in the passenger seat of Yu-seok's car, once again sinking into a deep sleep. Unlike last time, Yeon-jin seemed to sense the stilled car, and she flinched and snapped her eyes wide open. After scanning her surroundings, she bored a stare into Yu-seok, who had parked the car.

In the boisterous ground-level lot, Yu-seok unfastened his seatbelt and met the eyes of Yeon-jin, who gawked at him with round, startled eyes. Yu-seok: Is today a day you don't have to go in? At Yu-seok's listless question, Yeon-jin scanned her surroundings again. As if to put her foggy head in order, she blinked her thickly double-lidded eyes a few times. Yeon-jin: Why is it I only ever fall asleep in your car, babe? No idea. Yu-seok: Was it rough? Today?

At Yu-seok's question, Yeon-jin briefly recalled the day's events. A faint memory of a tryst clung to the edge of her mind. Yeon-jin suddenly let out a light snicker, lightly rubbed at the stiff nape of her neck, and breathed a small sigh. Opening the passenger door and stepping down from Yu-seok's Jeep, Yeon-jin held out a hand to Yu-seok, who had likewise cut the engine and climbed out. Yeon-jin: Want to go again? My office has lots of fun stuff.

At Yeon-jin's provocation, Yu-seok glanced at her hand and twitched the corner of his mouth. He let out a small sigh and cast a glance around them. With a cough, Yeon-jin withdrew her hand and slipped it into the pocket of her thick coat. Yeon-jin: Then again, that'd scare off the customers. Yu-seok: You said you don't handle customers directly anyway. Yeon-jin: Still, there are plenty of perverted bitches who get off just from looking. Yu-seok: Sounds like narcissism.

Yeon-jin: Come on, I may not match Lee Si-yeon, but I once had more name recognition than Baek Seong-hyeon. Yu-seok: Who? Yeon-jin: Ah, you've never really seen her? Our current ace. Yu-seok: I don't have much taste for places like this. Yeon-jin: But why'd you get out? After parking and all? Yu-seok: Let's head up first. To the office. Yeon-jin pursed her lips at Yu-seok's voice. With a nod, Yeon-jin lifted her tall heels and made for the hotel lobby first.

Yu-seok too, hands tucked into his coat pockets, set off after Yeon-jin's steps. Scene 03. After stowing the grocery bags in the car, So-hui shut the trunk. It was an evening that drew small puffs of breath into the air. So-hui walked a few wordless steps alongside Si-yeon. Having drawn away from the car parked in the lot, the two stood at the mouth of the market alley, waiting for something. The sun had clearly lain down long ago, baring a violet sky.

It took less time than expected for the violet to deepen into black. As the light thickened in an instant, the number of people wandering the market dwindled. The market alley, gone shadowy far faster than expected, fell hushed in a flash, until not a single presence could be seen. A rustling presence revealed itself from a narrow market-alley lane. So-hui gently touched Si-yeon's hand and stepped into the narrow lane where the presence had surfaced. Si-yeon glanced around as she followed So-hui's steps.

Following the lane heavy with the fishy reek of seafood, So-hui and Si-yeon came upon Hee-jin, who had snuffed out a cigarette. The smoke Hee-jin held at the corner of her mouth was not the usual color. It was not white smoke but a dingy, dark smoke. Turning toward the presence of So-hui and Si-yeon, Hee-jin folded her two hands neatly and bowed deep at the waist. The black smoke that spilled from Hee-jin's pipe did not scatter on the wind but circled around Hee-jin, So-hui, and Si-yeon.

Hee-jin: I'm sorry to intrude on your rest. So-hui and Si-yeon glanced about. As if to say it was fine, So-hui shook her head. Hee-jin: Today it was I who asked to see you. Thank you for granting the request. So-hui: Looks like you've finished your preparations. Hee-jin gave a light nod. Hearing Hee-jin's answer, So-hui nodded back, her gesture grown a touch heavier, as though she understood fully.

So-hui: The Weeping of Immolation, then — Hee-jin: Without a vessel, it will hold only its traces, as it did this time. That person is already preparing it, too. But since it's nothing more than a promised provocation, in the end it will seek a vessel. Most likely, if my predictions hold, it'll choose that lame one. Si-yeon, who had been surveying the surroundings with arms folded, faltered at Hee-jin's voice, slowly unfolded her arms, and sent her voice to Hee-jin. Si-yeon: Can I be the one to get rid of it?

As if sensing the faint anger in Si-yeon's voice, Hee-jin looked at her and let a light smile catch on her lips. When Hee-jin shook her head in place of an answer and Si-yeon showed a flicker of disappointment, Hee-jin sent her voice to soothe her. Hee-jin: It's simply not this time. Don't worry too much. At Hee-jin's comfort, Si-yeon refolded her arms as if relieved and turned her gaze to keep watch over the surroundings.

Having briefly read Si-yeon's simple nature, Hee-jin held a slightly easier smile and looked again at So-hui. Hee-jin: Before long, word will arrive. So-hui: The Black Doctrine's construction seems to be wrapping up too.... Hee-jin: Does the Bishop know as well? So-hui: Yes. Hee-jin: Then I'll have the place where the two of you will stay made ready in time for that. Si-yeon: Haa.... As if to say the good days were all gone, an unweighted sigh spilled from Si-yeon's lips.

With a body temperature far lower than So-hui's, no breath fogged the air, but both So-hui and Hee-jin marked the sigh that had slipped out of Si-yeon despite herself. Drawing the sudden attention all at once, Si-yeon coughed at the loud sigh she hadn't intended and pointedly looked elsewhere as if to feign ignorance. Hee-jin: Si-yeon. Si-yeon: Y-yes?? Hee-jin: It'll be far more livable than you'd think.

Si-yeon: Somehow, that sounds like last word — At Si-yeon's mutter, So-hui shifted her elbow and jabbed Si-yeon's side. Si-yeon's words broke off, snapped clean before they could go on. Hee-jin: As you already know, I won't be able to see you for long. But for the time that remains, I'll give my utmost. Of course, even when we come to face each other on the outside. Si-yeon: Uh, but, sis. That sounds a little scary.... Hee-jin: The four butterflies must, of course, fear me. Only then can you move forward.

The butterfly will keep beating its wings in pursuit of the flower, but the flower will not surrender its seed so easily. I will forge a treacherous path. The four of you, and everyone else besides, must trust and embrace one another. At Hee-jin's earnest yet gentle urging, Si-yeon let out a small sigh and nodded. At Hee-jin's courteous plea, too heavy to brush off lightly, Si-yeon could not easily send her own voice and managed only to nod.

Hee-jin: For now, in case there's anything you might have missed, the Oldest gave instructions to pass it on to the Guide. She said she felt a bit self-conscious about calling you directly. So-hui: She probably did it because she was afraid she'd grow weak herself. She must have already steeled herself. Hee-jin: Yes. That may well be. So-hui: Everything seems to match what I've seen. Then, we'll prepare too. Hee-jin: Understood.

Then, When Hee-jin lightly scattered a gesture of her hand, the black smoke that had filled the surroundings belatedly drifted off and, in time with the early spring breeze, dissolved in an instant. Into the market alley, eerily still a moment ago, people began to trickle back one by one. Hee-jin bowed deep at the waist to So-hui and Si-yeon. Watching Hee-jin's back as she left without a word, Si-yeon whispered a small question to So-hui. Si-yeon: Fucking hell, she's seriously damn scary. That sis.

So-hui, saying nothing, watched Hee-jin's receding back and nodded. Si-yeon: And strangely, kind of pitiful. So-hui slid a hand into her coat pocket and drew the zipper up to her chin. Letting out a short puff of breath, So-hui sent her voice softly to Si-yeon. So-hui: So give it your all and hold her deep. Even if it's brief. I'm going to, as well. Because I don't want to regret it. So-hui straightened her back a little more and turned to face the other way.

Taking Si-yeon's cold hand, she set off in the direction opposite the one Hee-jin had gone. So-hui: We can't reach our goal without the flower either. Only by carrying the flower seed in our mouths and flying far will the flower bloom, as it wished, all the way to distant places.