Chương 130: S.05 Time to Fly 10(03)

Scene 02_01. It was an evening with no light left. Hee-jin, having barely crossed the yard with both her legs and both her arms trembling, reached the wooden floor and, all but crawling, managed to perch on its edge, laboriously slipping off the 운혜(Unhye_Everyday traditional shoes) she wore onto the 댓돌(Dat-dol_Stepping stone), then hauled her body up onto the floor as if crawling. Even raising her crawled-up body wrung a groan from her of its own accord.

Barely standing before the 창호지(Changhoji_Traditional paper-paneled door) of Ji-young's quarters, Hee-jin managed to deliver a voice that trembled as much as her quivering legs. Hee-jin: Th — The Oldest. The Strategist.... As if puzzled by Hee-jin's all-but-dying voice, Ji-young flung the closed door open and took in Hee-jin. After seeing the dirt-caked face and collar, Ji-young could quickly figure it out. Ji-young twitched her lips and propped Hee-jin up.

Ji-young: After all that slacking and running away, looks like you finally got hauled off during work hours. Hee-jin: Because of that, damn muscle moron, I damn near died and came back. Propped up by Ji-young, Hee-jin laboriously entered Ji-young's quarters and barely sat her body — without so much as pulling out a cushion — down onto the heated floor. Inside sat So-hui and Si-yeon.

After taking in Hee-jin's wretched state, as if they'd glimpsed their own grim future, they rose in silence, fear in their hearts, and helped Hee-jin. Hee-jin: Th — thank you.... Helped by the three to finally seat herself, Hee-jin wavered over whether she ought to kneel and sit politely as usual — and in that moment, Ji-young forced both Hee-jin's legs to stretch out in front. Only then did Hee-jin flop down flat onto the floor as if to catch her breath, and she could barely steady it.

Hee-jin: I beg the three of you, never — never let slip to that damn muscle moron anything like 'my body aches,' or 'my legs are numb,' or 'I'm short on exercise.' So-hui: Ah-ni, what — like someone who came back from being tortured.... Ji-young: But it really is brutal, they say. Mom ran away from it every single day too. Hee-jin: The Former The Oldest and that muscle moron had a wide gap in age, so even when the Former The Oldest ran, that damn thing couldn't give chase — but, The Oldest.

You and the three of them are younger than me and that damn thing. That damn muscle moron will, in all likelihood, hound you relentlessly to the very end. Ji-young: I — I — I'm not in any pain. Yes. Indeed. Si-yeon: Wow, I'm crap at running. I wear high heels every day, so I've probably forgotten how to run. Ji-young: You ran just fine when you were teasing people and bolting. In those heels, too. Hee-jin: A — anyway, The Oldest. I've come to report the close of business this Thursday.

Tonight's night duty is Yoo Jeong-in. Ji-young: Well — well done. Strategist. Hee-jin: SSibural, even giving it my best is so fucking hard I feel like I'll drop dead. Haa.... At Hee-jin's curse that burst out of its own accord, all three twitched the corners of their lips. Hee-jin: The Oldest, 'upset stomach' and 'losing weight' and all that nonsense aside — today, will the three of you have some Ramyon? So-hui: Ah, that's true. You drank an awful lot yesterday, sis. Hee-jin: Yes.

Thanks to the hangover I nearly dropped dead all day. I had no idea The Black Doctrine's steeped liquor was that strong. I'll treat you to hangover-cure Ramyon and bean Ramyon. Will you have some? Si-yeon: Bean Ramyon? Hee-jin: Yes. It's an Eastern specialty, but I do have my own secret recipe. Will you have some? Ji-young twitched the corners of her lips and rose from her seat. Ji-young: Then let's head to the training hall first. So-hui: What if the Martial Director ends up putting us through hard training too??

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Ji-young helped the seated Hee-jin. The tattered Hee-jin heaved her body up with all her might and gathered her clothes. At So-hui's misplaced worry, Hee-jin, barely risen to her feet with Ji-young and Si-yeon's help, answered with a labored breath. Hee-jin: Still, once work hours are over she won't make you do strength training, so don't worry. Even now, she let me loose because the workday ended.

In the evening you can do as much as you like. That muscle moron forgets clean about it the next day. Ji-young: Ah-ni, but — can you even wash up today?? Hee-jin: I'm going to throw a fit and make that muscle idiot wash me. Carry me on her back or drag me, she's got what she did coming, so she'll wash me at least. Let's go for now. I'll treat you. Scene 02_02. At one side of the wide training hall stood a fairly large makeshift kitchen. A heap of 라면(Ramyon_Instant Noodles) boxes lay rummaged through.

Beneath the open sink, torn Ramyon packets rustled, strewn about. Steam rose from a steam pot. Ji-young and So-hui, who had deftly portioned out the finished Ramyon, were tending to Hee-jin's aching limbs. It wasn't an amount for just four. At the makeshift table set in the makeshift kitchen, I-seon and Na-hyun, along with Si-yeon and Jeong-in, were already seated, chatting cozily. Si-yeon: Ah-ni, so just how hard does she work you that Hee-jin sis can't even walk? I-seon: Curious??

At I-seon's odd smile, Si-yeon shook her head vehemently. Na-hyun: But, really, it's nothing much. Honestly just a few dumbbells and some laps around the training hall — Hearing Na-hyun's downplaying voice, Hee-jin stilled the hand portioning Ramyon from the steamer and glared sharply behind her. Na-hyun hastily cut off what she was saying and skirted her gaze elsewhere. Letting out a small cough, Na-hyun rose fumbling from her seat and opened the refrigerator set at one side of the makeshift kitchen.

From inside she pulled out a fairly large bottle of liquor. I-seon: Drinking again? At I-seon's question, Na-hyun widened her eyes and chided her. Na-hyun: The liquor left from yesterday — if we don't drink it today, the aroma flies off. Hee-jin: Ah! SSibal, hey! You lot drink it without me!! Raising her voice to its fullest, Hee-jin carried the boiled Ramyon onto the makeshift table along with Ji-young and So-hui. To move the remaining bowls, I-seon and Si-yeon got up and brought trays and Ramyon.

Hee-jin and So-hui had one bowl each, while Ji-young and I-seon, Na-hyun and Si-yeon, and Jeong-in had two bowls apiece. On the not-so-narrow table, even empty glasses were already laid out. Scene 02_03. Deep in the night, in the great bathhouse set on the sunrise hill, only I-seon and Hee-jin were there, all but lying back in the warm bath, thawing their bodies. The air was close to that of an open-air bath. The ceiling was open and the walls were low.

In the outdoor bath set high up, hot water and cool wind lingered together. Wrapped in bath towels, the two sat sunk in the tub with languid faces, leaning against its wall and gazing up at the wide-open sky. As Hee-jin let out a calm sigh, I-seon asked in a flat voice. I-seon: You off on some business trip or what? At I-seon's flat question, Hee-jin gave no answer. I-seon: On The Oldest's orders? To I-seon's question Hee-jin gave no answer to the end. Even through Hee-jin's long silence, I-seon didn't press.

They had the look of having drunk a moderate amount. Both their cheeks had flushed red. Shifting her all-but-reclined body, Hee-jin moved her hand within the still tub and stirred up ripples. Hee-jin: So there's stuff the muscle idiot doesn't forget after all. I-seon: It came to mind — back when you first came up to Headquarters from the East, you boiled Ramyon for Seon-woo sis. Calling it the first bean Ramyon you'd developed yourself. Hee-jin: It's different, isn't it. Will you admit it now?

I-seon pursed her lips and grumbled. I-seon: Will it take long? Hee-jin scooped water in her hand and wet her drying face. Hee-jin: Can't say. Not that far ahead. The trickling sound of water filled the silent night. I-seon: Is the weekend gonna be rough? Hee-jin: Not so much rough as — probably, hectic. I-seon let out another small sigh. I-seon: Not being able to help with The Black Doctrine's affairs has been weighing on me. They came to us first, for the Former The Oldest's sake, right to the end.

Hee-jin: Why'd that suddenly come to mind? I-seon, her gaze still toward the ceiling in silence, went on as if muttering. I-seon: Just — someone's headed somewhere a little far off, and I thought, shouldn't we at least see them off. That's all. At I-seon's muttering, Hee-jin held off answering for a moment. After a short silence, Hee-jin flicked the hand she'd been stirring ripples with and splashed water droplets at I-seon. Hee-jin: Hey, what, you gonna see me off, SSibal? Do you even know where I'm going??

I-seon, as if struck by Hee-jin's droplets, frowned and shot her a glare. Pursing her lips at Hee-jin's splashing, I-seon raised her head again and looked at the open ceiling. I-seon: Somewhere you're needed, I'd guess. It's a long road, so someone probably boiled you Ramyon too. At I-seon's plausible guess, Hee-jin let the water she'd been splashing be for a moment and shifted her gaze to follow where I-seon looked. Half-floating, all but reclined, Hee-jin parted her lips.

Hee-jin: Just keep your head down and stay careful. Always. And don't go throwing yourself around for nothing. Weak as you are. At Hee-jin's voice laced with reproach, I-seon pursed her lips with surprised eyes. I-seon: Huh? What? This SSibal, look who's talking. With that trash stamina that can't even do laps around the training hall properly. Scene 03_01. Garish, coquettish soliciting calls drifted in from beyond the door.

Yeon-jin, who'd been flipping through a ledger, let out a sigh, looking wearier than usual today. After lightly closing the ledger, she settled back into her large chair and pressed a button on the desk. A moment later, Hong-sin came in through the opened door. In a listless voice, Yeon-jin asked. Yeon-jin: Nothing out of the ordinary today, right? Hong-sin: Yes.

But, Boss, that Northwest general manager who's been waiting for your call — Yeon-jin, as if suddenly recalling something tiresome, scratched her forehead. Yeon-jin: You mean A-ram? Hong-sin: Yes. Yeon-jin: What's she calling for now? How tiresome. Hong-sin: That, I couldn't say either.... Yeon-jin: Ha, SSibal, is she in heat again...?

Her taste is genuinely twisted — she'll be all polite, then the second something snaps in her she acts like a goddamn idiot, and since her family's a big deal I can't just toss her out either. What a fucking pain. Hong-sin: Then maybe send Seong-hyeon at least — Yeon-jin: That one's a bitch who lives to devour her own superiors. If you'd rather not watch Seong-hyeon get beaten to a pulp for nothing, just leave it. Yeon-jin rose from her chair as if it were a bother and stretched her stiff body out to its fullest.

After the great big stretch, Yeon-jin heaved a heavy sigh. As if something had come to him, Hong-sin spoke to Yeon-jin. Hong-sin: Ah, and the Former Master of the Province called earlier. Yeon-jin: Sis did? Why? It wasn't a matter Hong-sin would know. Watching Hong-sin's brief silence, Yeon-jin thought something over for a moment and pursed her lips. Deeming it no big deal, she began gathering her things. Hong-sin: She said it wasn't urgent, but she seemed to be waiting for a call.

Yeon-jin: Got it, I'll call on my way. Hong-sin: Understood. Yeon-jin gathered her things in no time, slipped off her slippers, and put on the high heels she'd taken off beside her. Trimming up a somewhat large handbag, she came clicking across in her heels. Yeon-jin sighed and spoke to Hong-sin, who stood at the door. She pulled out an envelope and tucked it into Hong-sin's arms. Yeon-jin: It's the weekend, go have some fun. Ah, not here, though.

Until you lose the weight, don't even think about enjoying yourself here. Don't go breaking our girls' backs. Hong-sin tucked the envelope away, smiled awkwardly, and nodded. Hong-sin: Understood. Yeon-jin patted Hong-sin's shoulder and left.