Chương 42: S.04 Memory of the Clock 08(02)

Scene 05. How was it, then. Dying. She had the distinct memory of saying those words, but at the time she spoke them, she had not foreseen that their opening would lead into a mess like this. Su-jeong only did her best to push back the sense of déjà vu that followed the sentence she had mumbled out. Entangled in the sticky black water, Yeong-min—barely breathing, writhing in pain—barely managed to look at Su-jeong, whose grotesquely distorted form was piece by piece returning to its own.

Behind the expressionless Su-jeong, looking small and worthless, Jeong-hyeon and Ju-hee sat crouched and huddled, glancing up at him with eyes that already held the terror of those who had gone through it first. In the snug earthen yard of Su-jeong's main residence, a thick black current pooled and lapped around Yeong-min. With the black water wound about his body and throat, Yeong-min's knees—forced to the ground and twisted into a contorted kneel—could not be raised.

Su-jeong: For a living thing to throw open the side-door, you have no choice but to croak, the way I did. Yeong-min: St — stop — It felt as though the breath would cease. Even knowing he was already dead, the terror of a breath he could not draw remained whole. Su-jeong moved her grotesquely warped hand and guided the black current climbing Yeong-min's body this way and that. When he opened his mouth, trying to wrench a breath out, coughing as he went, the tail of the current wormed its way in past his parted lips.

Su-jeong: It will be over in a moment. Wait. The other two behind me — it was over for them in no time. Cleanly. And after that — Yeong-min's scream could not even carry through. The black current was already devouring every vein in his body. Su-jeong: You, too — you will just end up another scrap of a new puppet. Scene 06.

While Si-yeon was in the middle of a thunderous snoring fit, So-hui was tidying a large garment bag, folding with care every piece—clothes she had bought over time, clothes she would wear, clothes she had already worn—and placing them inside. Three large garment bags, all spread open, were filling up with So-hui's and Si-yeon's clothes. To drown out Si-yeon's snoring, So-hui had slipped an earbud into her ear and was listening to music.

Si-yeon's snoring, louder than a rolling oil drum, did not only reach the ear—it rumbled along So-hui's skin as she sorted the luggage. But as if long used to it, So-hui calmly went on tidying. Convinced her sis would not actually stop breathing even when the sound caught in her throat, she nodded lightly to the music coming through. It had been a long stretch of tidying that bag. Turning her waist to drag the remaining bag closer, So-hui was startled by Si-yeon's sudden presence and yanked the earbud from her ear.

So-hui: Ah! SSibal. Without opening her eyes, long hair jutting out in every direction, Si-yeon had dropped herself down right in front of the luggage So-hui was packing. Ignoring So-hui's startled voice, Si-yeon only gave a wide, creaking yawn. So-hui pulled both earbuds out and tucked them into the charging case. So-hui: What. Why are you up already. Si-yeon: Hungry. So-hui: Hah — Si-yeon: I will pack now. You sleep. So-hui: Yah. What sleep, now. You are up, so go wash and come back. We leave straight after.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Si-yeon: Going now? Already? So-hui: Things are not finished over there yet. The longer we stay here, the more danger it brings on sis and on us. At So-hui's urging, Si-yeon, wearing her annoyance plainly, let her body drop flat to the floor. Si-yeon: Auuung — So-hui: That is why. Why wake up now. Si-yeon: I said I am hungry. So-hui: We will stop at a rest area on the way.

At So-hui's rush, Si-yeon scratched hard at her head from where she lay and forced down the sleep that would not leave. She began helping So-hui tidy the garment bag. Sleep half-lifted but her wits slowly coming back, Si-yeon murmured out a small confession as she folded. Si-yeon: I, um, how do I put this — At Si-yeon's murmured voice, So-hui kept folding and shot her a glance. Si-yeon: Earlier. It was strange. So-hui: What was?

Si-yeon: Someone crying and bowing at the sight of me — first time that has ever happened in my life. So-hui drew back her busy hands and looked steadily at Si-yeon. Si-yeon, on the other hand, did not lift her hands or her eyes from the folding and went on with the rest of what she had to say. Si-yeon: Those people. How hard it must have been for them. I could just, how to say it — I could see it.

I had nothing to do with the bitch who owned that blade to begin with, I know nothing about her beyond the fact that she was a rotten piece of shit, yet I felt sorry anyway. To the person who bowed. The reading she had done of the 유물(Yumul_Relic) she had been holding seemed to have touched something deep in Si-yeon. Si-yeon: I have not had an easy or comfortable life. But, right — I am not the only one who lived a shit life, it turns out.

I kept thinking we all live the same, more or less, but deep down I always figured, who else has lived as shit a life as mine. At Si-yeon's dry confession, So-hui let out a small, belated scoff and went back to folding. Si-yeon: Anyway. So. I wanted to treat everyone well. They held on until they were in that state, trusting only our mother. So-hui nodded. Si-yeon: Which is why I feel even worse about it. Sorrier toward our mother. So-hui: Me too.

By now, the two of them had finished packing all of the clothes, and with a zip of the large garment bags they were ready to go. As if she had wrapped up a weight off her shoulders, So-hui straightened her back and looked again at Si-yeon, still worn from waking. So-hui: We just have to do better — for our mother's share, too. She trusted only our mother, waited for sis, and she will trust us. At So-hui's resolve, Si-yeon nodded. Si-yeon, even with everything packed, did not rise easily.

She sat still and looked slowly around the house. As if they had never fought at all, thanks to the distorted span of time Ji-young had restored before heading down to Headquarters, every piece of furniture remained as it had been, untouched. Si-yeon: Will we ever come back to this house? So-hui: Why? Si-yeon: Just. How do I say it — it is a place where those SSibal bitches wrung us dry, yeah, but also a place where our mother was with us. So-hui: Hm...

At So-hui's calm answer, Si-yeon drew in a heavier sigh and let the silence go on. After a silence that did not stay short, Si-yeon sprang up from where she sat. Si-yeon: Let us go. The sooner we get down there, the more I can eat at the rest stop. Sitting and watching Si-yeon's sudden briskness, So-hui creased her brow and snapped at her. So-hui: Yah. You going like that?? Scene 07_01. Hee-jin's car, passing through the now-restored South Gate, was pulling into the parking lot.

Evening had long since passed, and the Ghost Light that had been snuffed out during the calamity now draped itself over the grounds again, scattering a brilliant, faintly blue silver glow in every direction. As Hee-jin's mid-sized sedan came to a stop in the wide parking lot, a presence emerged from the gloomy dark and made its way toward the driver's side where Hee-jin sat. At the sudden appearance of the presence, Hee-jin, in the middle of unbuckling her seatbelt, lifted startled eyes to the window beside her.

I-seon: You. Where have you been. At I-seon's blunt, cautious, yet sharpened question, Hee-jin let out a small sigh, finished unfastening the seatbelt, and opened the driver's door. Setting her deep violet Everyday traditional shoes down onto the ground, Hee-jin lightly pulled up the collar of her Traditional outer coat against the chill wind cutting through the mountain ridges. Hee-jin: Why are you out here protesting.

I-seon: While The Oldest was restoring the Headquarters buildings, where were you off to — I am asking. At I-seon's troubled persistence, Hee-jin slid her hand into her pocket and let out a small sigh. At Hee-jin's silence, I-seon flared up and seized Hee-jin by the collar. I-seon: You. What are you cooking up this time, already. Hee-jin: Hah. Really. Jung I-seon. My collar lining is not going to survive you.

I-seon: The Strategist, leaving The Oldest alone, where the hell did you — At I-seon's rising voice, a small clearing of the throat carried over. Yeon-su, who had only now climbed out of the passenger side of Hee-jin's car, rubbed a moment at eyes not fully awake, arms loaded with shopping bags, and announced her belated presence to I-seon. I-seon looked between Hee-jin and Yeon-su with flustered eyes. Still awkward around I-seon, Yeon-su could not bring herself to step in and pull her off Hee-jin's collar.

I-seon, belatedly, let the collar go, and with a sheepish, hesitant gesture smoothed out Hee-jin's collar for her. A cough escaped her, but an apology—she would not bother with. Hee-jin: Satisfied?? The Oldest asked for something other than Sujeonggwa and Sikhye, so I went to get coffee and other drinks. Always with that SSibal temper of yours. I-seon: What, SSibal, did you go to the factory? Did you pick the fruit yourself and make it? Did you go to the coffee farm?? It took you damn well long enough.

Paying no mind to I-seon's grumbling, Yeon-su, with a small clearing of the throat, curtly bent at the waist to signal to I-seon that she would be going on ahead. I-seon accepted Yeon-su's gesture and twitched her lips, shooting Hee-jin a cornering look, but Hee-jin only pursed her lips and hurried after Yeon-su.