Chương 77: S.05 Time to Fly 01(05)

Scene 06_02. It was late in the evening. Ji-young, who had changed into comfortable clothes behind the folding screen, sat down again on the cushioned mat and was pulling on white socks. They were slim and slender feet. Feet on which the pale skin stood out rather strikingly, yet which bore more scars and calluses than one might expect. After putting on the socks, she pulled them all the way up over her leggings.

Rising abruptly from her seat in those exercise-style white socks, she pulled a thin spring jacket from the closet and threw it on. It was still a chilly time of year, the white plum just beginning to bloom, yet to Ji-young it did not seem all that cold a day — she casually threw on the spring jacket and adjusted the loose sweatshirt beneath.

Pulling her long hair, now stripped of ornaments, out from beneath the clothing, she briefly checked the mirror for any rumpled spots, then opened the door of her quarters and stepped outside. Hee-jin, who had been waiting for Ji-young, was shivering with her hands shoved into the pockets of a thick padded coat. Beside her, I-seon was watching Ji-young with a sheepish expression. Ji-young: Hey, why are you looking at me like that? I-seon: Um, The Oldest.

If it's because of what I said yesterday, that's — if you're going out to buy ramyun — Ji-young snickered and started to draw her sneakers from the shoe cabinet, but her sneakers were already set on the Stepping stone. Chae-rim's voice came through. Chae-rim: I shall escort you. Ji-young: Aahh~! Got it. But, walk together. Don't just stay in the shadow. At Ji-young's whining urging, Chae-rim's presence dropped lightly from beneath the eaves with a thump. Chae-rim: Understood.

Chae-rim too was dressed comfortably as she waited for Ji-young. Ji-young, slipping into the sneakers Chae-rim had set out, tapped the toes against the Stepping stone to settle the heels. As I-seon still wore a sheepish look, Ji-young pursed her lips and ribbed I-seon in a teasing tone. Ji-young: Going to buy ramyun out of sheer wounded feelings. That's me.

I-seon: No, The Oldest, that's not what I meant — really, after I lost to you again at the game last night, I just suddenly, just, felt like — felt like throwing a fit — Ji-young carried that snickering smile again, hooked her arms through I-seon's and Hee-jin's, and urged the walk along. Ji-young: Well, since the Captain of the Guard Corps is coming along anyway, shall we go a bit further out and swing by the supermarket? Chae-rim: Wherever it is, I shall follow. So long as it is a weekday. Hee-jin: I'm in favor.

I had things to buy as well. And if you're going as far as the terminal-area downtown, I plan to stop by the multi-shop. My eyeliner has run out. And concealer. Lately I've been gulping down carbohydrates, and blemishes keep cropping up. Ji-young: Ah, seriously. Sounds like you keep dragging me into it. Hee-jin: Ahem! Ahem!! Ahem ahem. I-seon: At any rate, today, I will not lose. Ji-young: Ha, you really are bad at the game. Director. I-seon's nerve was struck, but I-seon could not allow herself to be openly angry.

Ji-young: Yesterday, you lost to the Director of the Inspectorate, huh? And, lost to the Director of the Directorate of Support, too. Huh. I mean, I haven't seen you win. Stepping through the main gate, Ji-young walked toward the row of cars parked at the north gate. Veins of held-back anger rose on I-seon's forehead, showing plainly the deep wrath she was struggling to swallow.

When Hee-jin reached out a hand toward Ji-young as though gesturing for the keys, Ji-young — without taking the keys all the way out of her pocket — simply walked silently toward the driver's seat. Chae-rim tried to wrest the keys from Ji-young until the very last moment, but Ji-young, never handing over the driver's-side keys, climbed nimbly into the driver's seat first. The remaining three glanced at each other, then exchanged a light sigh. I-seon and Hee-jin took the back seats, Chae-rim the passenger seat.

The instant they were aboard, Ji-young started the engine of the mid-sized SUV. Since the interior was rather cold, Ji-young turned on the heated seats and aimed the heater on high. Of course, the heater vent on the driver's side was shut. Whistling lightly, Ji-young leisurely steered the car to leave the parking lot, when Jeong-in, who had come scrambling, hurriedly blocked the front of Ji-young's car. Jeong-in: The Oldest!! I'm coming too!!! Ji-young: Made me jump.

Without waiting for Ji-young's permission, Jeong-in dashed to the back seat, shoved Hee-jin aside, and threw her body in. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Ji-young: Hey, but, Director of the Directorate of Knowledge. Jeong-in: Yes! The Oldest. Ji-young: Where do you think we're going, right now. Jeong-in: Aren't you off to buy ramyun? I heard about it from the Strategist a moment ago. Ji-young: Ah, she's already spread that around too?

Hee-jin: Ahem. Jeong-in: The Oldest, you probably didn't know, but the ramyun that Hee-jin sis — I mean, the Strategist — makes, there's one truly out-of-this-world bowl of it. I ran over in a hurry to get her to make it again after so long. Ji-young: What. Why don't you make it for me? Hee-jin: T-that's — because you'd definitely ask me to make it every single day. Ji-young: Wow, wow, wow. So stingy. Honestly. What am I, like, wow. I-seon: Ah, that Bean Syrup Ramyun?

At I-seon's question, Hee-jin nodded with some difficulty. I-seon: I know how to make that too. Jeong-in: Why do only you sisses know? I mean, I begged you to teach me how to make it and you wouldn't, you kept wriggling out and running off all the time. Hee-jin: Hey. How can you call me 'wriggling out' in front of The Oldest? Ji-young: Eh, if you wouldn't teach her and kept running, you've got to take that one on the chin. Hee-jin: I wasn't running away exactly, but — Jeong-in: But? Hee-jin: Ah, anyway.

The one I-seon makes and the one I make are clearly different. Hers is a fake, mine is the original. I-seon: The recipe was all taught to you by Seon-woo sis anyway. Where's the "original-fake" in that?? Hee-jin: Hey. I'm the one who taught Seon-woo sis. So I'm the original, not sis. I-seon: Ehhh? You taught her? Sis? I'm calling her right now?? Hee-jin: Go ahead!? Ji-young: Uh, you two. Hee-jin and I-seon briefly settled their flared-up tempers and answered Ji-young's call with a small clearing of their throats.

Hee-jin: Yes, The Oldest. Ji-young: The two of you, this year. How old, are you.... Hee-jin: Um, that. Um. I-seon: Thirty-five this year. Ji-young: Wow, two ladies aged thirty-five, fighting over a ramyun recipe. People a whole six years older than me. Wow. At Ji-young's mocking admiration, I-seon and Hee-jin exchanged side glances and held their tongues.

As I-seon, unable to ask directly by phone, was sending a text message, Jeong-in briefly calculated something and asked Ji-young, who was driving, a sudden question. Jeong-in: Huh? So, The Oldest. This year is the age of the nine, and next year you'll be thir — At Jeong-in's tactless voice, Ji-young's eyes went wide and she let out a sigh-tinged shout. Ji-young: YAH!! Scene 07. A familiar pair of shoes was climbing the stairs.

As the smooth trouser hem moved lightly in time with each step, the figure who had finished climbing the upscale interior stairs only slowed his pace, however briefly, upon arriving at a certain automatic door. A snug interior lighting leaked out from beyond the opened automatic door. As the presence carried his step further inward, the servers carrying dishes drew aside for a moment along the broad passage. Stepping in past a small entryway, he lightly drew aside the curtain hung before him.

Seon-woo, who had arrived earlier and been waiting, saw the presence that had stepped in and tossed the hand-towel she had been wiping her hands with as though displeased. Yu-seok: Meet up after so long for a meal on me, and the look on your face is plenty foul. Country bitch. Seon-woo jerked her chin toward Yu-seok, who had come in. With a light smile on his lips, Yu-seok seated himself in the chair across from her. Yu-seok: The capital has plenty of things to eat, plenty to do.

Not exactly some tight little corner like the East, you know. Well, we can go somewhere else, if you'd like. If there's something you want to eat. Seon-woo: Ha, ssibal. Seriously. Hey. Country bastard. Yu-seok: Hearing that grumbling voice after so long is pretty fucking shit-tier. Why. Country bitch. Seon-woo: Quit running your mouth. Hey — you backing the Northwest from behind? Yu-seok folded his arms and leaned his body gently back against the chair's headrest. Yu-seok: Me? I'm a Demoted One. No standing at all.

By what means could I be backing anyone from behind. Seon-woo: Then what's that bitch acting all big about, on whose name? Yu-seok: Has she been? It's been a while since we exchanged any contact, so I wouldn't really know. Seon-woo: Ha! Fucking. Listen, country bastard. It's barely been a month and change since you lot dragged the provinces out and acted up, you know?

"A while" — what kind of bullshit, dog-bone nonsense are you spouting. Yu-seok: The contact does still hold, I'll grant that. So as it happens, I had heard the news that a country bitch was over in the Northwest. The moment I heard it, it sounded like you. So, what'll you have? Seon-woo shook her head as she looked at Yu-seok, and silently lifted the menu to start choosing food. Seon-woo: A beggar bastard like you can afford to order an expensive dish like this? Speak. Don't put on airs. I'll buy.

I paid the whole mutual-aid contribution in, so I'm free to spend my money now. As if doing charity, I'll cover it. Yu-seok: As if I'd have less money than a country bitch. For me, money isn't the problem. Power is. Seon-woo: Well, why'd you say you were stepping down? You bastard whose eyes flipped over with greed for power. Yu-seok: Only when there's none, would the appetite for higher places be born. Seon-woo: Still planning on indulging that appetite even now? Yu-seok: Whenever. Always.

Seon-woo: You haven't come to your senses. Yu-seok: When it comes to senses, you're the ones who haven't come to them — enthroning the Key that bears the Harbinger as The Oldest. Seon-woo: Yeah, well, our senses are our business, so order this, you beggar bastard who's got nothing but money. Seon-woo set down the menu and was pointing at the dish she would eat with her finger. Wearing a smile, Yu-seok belatedly lifted the menu set on his own side and looked over the items inside.

Yu-seok pressed the call-bell for the staff and shut the quickly scanned menu. Seon-woo: You'd still call her The Oldest, with all the proper respect, the fuck. Yu-seok: It was the last wish of the Former The Oldest. I have no intention of going against that. But the Former The Oldest never said not to do away with the current The Oldest. And, I am now relatively free from the Code, am I not? Then I ought to follow my own conviction. Seon-woo: Ah, the cataclysm has been fully wrapped up, alright?

Are you really going to drag this out to the bitter end? Yu-seok: That was only the internal tidying. The outer pressure is not over. No — that's only beginning now. Folding her arms and leaning her body lightly against the table with a disgruntled air, Seon-woo, Seon-woo: Doing this, you lot are going to lose your fucking heads. Yu-seok too kept the smile on his lips, folded his arms in turn, and took up a posture much like Seon-woo's, gazing fixedly at Seon-woo.

Yu-seok: Whose head will fly — that, perhaps, ought to be watched a little longer. Seon-woo: Whatever flying or crawling you lot do — you really believe you can beat an Envoy or a Harbinger? With the Guide on the field, too? Yu-seok: Do you think I'm dealing with an Envoy or a Harbinger? Yu-seok's smile settled a touch deeper. With a sneering grin, Seon-woo mocked the bright smile on Yu-seok's face as something nauseating. Seon-woo: Word games, you ssibal. Yu-seok: An Envoy, I wouldn't know about.

But Kang Ji-young, The Oldest, who bears the Harbinger, is — to the end — a human being. A "human being" who, without dying, bears within her the deepest death. A human must fear humans most of all. And, of course. Yu-seok slowly raised his body and set his back upright again. Just then, people stepped in to take the order. Yu-seok paused his words, pointing with his finger at the menu set on the table before him.

The staff member silently took down the order, gathered up the menu that had been set down, and left the seat. Only then did Yu-seok begin to continue his words. Yu-seok: Of course, I wouldn't just rely on humans alone to face her. I'm not such an idiot.