She asked Team Leader Go for a car in a voice mixed with coercion, and Team Leader Go had no choice but to tell one team member to take Park Gyujin, who didn’t seem to be in his right mind, to the research lab. After that, the Guimun couldn’t be seen anymore, but Park Gyujin had left words that a few more people from Team 3 might come over, so they were keeping watch when Joo Seonghan and Kang Hyeonjoo came over.
“Team Leader Yeon hasn’t come yet. We’ll wait and depart together.”
“As expected, Team Leader Yeon is alive too. That guy’s personality is really strange too. What’s so cute about those puppy bastards that he’d go there to rescue them.”
Team Leader Go clicked his tongue while speaking. The woman standing beside him scrunched up her face.
“Hey, Team Leader Go. Then if I fall into the Guimun, Team Leader-nim won’t come to rescue me?”
“Why would I go there when I’m not crazy?”
Team Leader Go, who answered without hesitation, looked down at his wristwatch. Fucking hell, the woman spat out profanity, but Team Leader Go didn’t care.
“But, will our civilian-ssi’s memory be erased when he gets dragged to the research lab?”
Team Leader Go said while lifting his phone and bringing it to his ear. Joo Seonghan looked at him quietly, and Kang Hyeonjoo, who was standing beside him anxiously looking around, ignored his words and explained to Joo Seonghan who they were.
“Joo Seonghan-ssi, they’re Semi-Human Department Team 11 people. That person is the team leader, and over there is a team member you don’t need to care about. If you don’t want to answer questions, just pretend you didn’t hear them.”
“Wow. Did you just say ‘team member you don’t need to care about’? You know my name. Come on, quickly say ‘Yoomin noona’.”
“Shut up. You’re making it chaotic.”
“Shudup. Yaw making id gayotic.”
The woman, Woo Yoomin, who pushed out her lips annoyingly, mockingly imitated Kang Hyeonjoo’s words. Kang Hyeonjoo shook his head back and forth with a tired face.
“Hello, this is Team Leader Go. I’m calling because I was wondering what to do about the Team 3 people at that place from earlier. Do we have to give them a ride again? It’s not like it takes just an hour or two from here to the research lab, and it’ll be troublesome if we lose two of our team members. Isn’t the Semi-Human Department Head there right now?”
“What’s it like inside the Guimun? Are there tons of semi-humans?”
While Team Leader Go was on the phone, Woo Yoomin approached Kang Hyeonjoo and asked. Kang Hyeonjoo waved his hand away as if telling her to get lost and kept looking around the dark surroundings. Joo Seonghan also moved his steps and listened carefully. The two were waiting for the Guimun to open again.
“Who told you to ignore what I’m saying? I guess that bastard Han Jaejun educated his juniors like shit?”
“Close your mouth. Go see it yourself if you’re curious about beyond the Guimun.”
“Hey hey, you can’t talk to my puppy like that.”
Team Leader Go, who finished the call and approached, said while roughly messing up Kang Hyeonjoo’s hair. Kang Hyeonjoo tried to annoyedly push away Team Leader Go’s touch, but because Woo Yoomin joined in too, it wasn’t easy.
“Wow, this bastard…. His hair’s nice. What shampoo do you use?”
Woo Yoomin, who raised her heels, buried her nose in Kang Hyeonjoo’s hair. Team Leader Go, who was groping Kang Hyeonjoo’s body from the side as if he had kleptomania, giggled.
“You use shampoo and like conditioner or conditionator or whatever that thing is too, right? This bastard, you take good care of yourself.”
“Ah, stop! I said let go! I couldn’t even wash properly, what are you talking about!”
Feeling like he should rescue Kang Hyeonjoo, Joo Seonghan hesitated then approached them. Someone brushed past Joo Seonghan’s side. Joo Seonghan slowly closed his eyes and opened them. There was a familiar smell that even the bloody scent couldn’t hide.
“Team Leader Go, my kid doesn’t like it.”
Drip, drip. Blood beaded and fell from Yeon Dogyeong’s chin. Yeon Dogyeong, covered in blood from head to toe, smiled while revealing his even white teeth and grabbed Team Leader Go’s wrist, removing it from Kang Hyeonjoo. The eyes of everyone except Yeon Dogyeong widened greatly. Team Leader Go and Woo Yoomin even opened their mouths. Yeon Dogyeong, who received various gazes as if it was nothing, lightly pulled Kang Hyeonjoo’s arm and pointed behind Joo Seonghan. Joo Seonghan also turned around. Han Jaejun was sprawled in the field, breathing with difficulty.
“Sunbae-nim!”
Kang Hyeonjoo ran to Han Jaejun in one leap and checked his condition. Joo Seonghan also knelt beside Kang Hyeonjoo and wiped Han Jaejun’s sweat-soaked forehead.
“Team Leader Go, please call an ambulance.”
Yeon Dogyeong said while taking off his blood-soaked tactical vest. Thud. Team Leader Go, who was looking down at it that fell in the field, let out a “Heh heh” laugh. Yeon Dogyeong smiled back at him.
“Team Leader Yeon, long time no see.”
“Yes.”
“What else do you need besides an ambulance?”
“A shower. I think I need to wash up briefly before departing.”
Yeon Dogyeong, who swept back his sticky hair, looked up at the sky. He grinned and stretched. Joo Seonghan turned back and looked at Yeon Dogyeong’s back like that. The blood drops falling from the tips of his hair made him cross the boundary between reality and unreality.
Wee-oo, wee-oo, wee-oo…. Whether it had been waiting nearby, not long after, the ambulance siren rang out. Joo Seonghan turned his head toward where the sound came from. In the distance, an ambulance was running along the country’s single road while emitting bright green light. He exhaled the breath he had inhaled. Cicadas cried. He realized he had returned.
**Part 2. Plunder**
**(1)**
Han Jaejun was taken by ambulance to the hospital used by Semi-Human Department members. The Semi-Human Department Head, who was contacted, said he would send someone right away so there was no need to go together, but Kang Hyeonjoo boarded the ambulance with Han Jaejun. Yeon Dogyeong, who didn’t stop Kang Hyeonjoo, left words to contact him if anything happened and sent them off. Thinking about it now, this was the last time for Joo Seonghan with Han Jaejun and Kang Hyeonjoo. Joo Seonghan deeply regretted that he couldn’t say a word of thanks for everything and to please live well and healthy.
“No, fuck, isn’t it overkill for me to take you to the research lab no matter what? Team Leader Yeon knows how to drive. You could just give him one car, why do I have to escort him?”
Woo Yoomin grumbled to Team Leader Go while crossing the corridor inside the dormitory. Yeon Dogyeong and Joo Seonghan stopped by the dormitory where Semi-Human Department Team 11 lived. It was to briefly wash their bodies before departing for the research lab.
“Team Leader Yeon’s ribs came out. His arm condition isn’t great either. If we send him and there’s an accident, that’s our responsibility, isn’t it?”
Team Leader Go said to Woo Yoomin while yawning long. Woo Yoomin glanced at Yeon Dogyeong following behind.
“Someone with broken ribs walks this well.”
At her words, Yeon Dogyeong, who had been walking fine, made an “Ow” sound and clutched his left ribs. He didn’t look hurt at all. Because he was smiling as if provoking her. Hahaha. Woo Yoomin, who laughed only with her mouth while making a cold face, walked thump-thump and climbed the stairs that appeared in the middle.
“I spoiled her and her personality got messy.”
“When did you spoil me!”
Woo Yoomin shouted loudly at Team Leader Go, who muttered quietly. Team Leader Go covered both ears and made sounds with his mouth—”Waaaa.”
“We’ll depart in 1 hour, so know that!”
She, who shouted roughly, disappeared beyond the stairs. Team Leader Go, who lowered his hands that had been covering his ears, shook his head and continued moving forward. Joo Seonghan followed Team Leader Go while looking once at Yeon Dogyeong, who was smiling in circles beside him, and once at his forearm deeply stained with blood.
Although he looked relatively fine on the outside, perhaps because his internal organs weren’t in good condition, Yeon Dogyeong declared he couldn’t drive. In a situation where they had to urgently erase Joo Seonghan’s memory, they couldn’t just wait for someone from the Semi-Human Department side, and there were also no taxis from the current location to the research lab.
The Semi-Human Department Head said the situation was like this, so as part of their mission, Team 11 should take Joo Seonghan and Yeon Dogyeong there. When Team Leader Go subtly rebelled saying what if the Guimun opened, the Semi-Human Department Head persuaded Team Leader Go saying the Guimun recently opened in E-2, Team 11’s jurisdiction area, so it wouldn’t open for a while. Actually, the word was persuasion, but it was full of annoyance telling him to stop whining. As if this wasn’t the first or second time, Team Leader Go, who wasn’t intimidated by the Semi-Human Department Head, finished the not-quite-deal by demanding 400,000 won for a company dinner.
During the conversation that was neither short nor long, no one spoke to Joo Seonghan. Joo Seonghan, who had all four limbs intact and even ribs attached well, had no problem driving. However, for some reason, not only Team Leader Go but even Woo Yoomin, the biggest victim of this matter, didn’t ask Joo Seonghan if he could drive. Since no one asked and it was awkward to say he would do it first, he quietly kept his mouth shut and the conclusion came out like this. Maybe they’re doing this in case I run away in the middle. He thought inwardly and wiped his sweaty neck.
“Wash here, and I’ll take out some suitable clothes in the changing room, so wear those.”
Team Leader Go said like a guide while opening the opaque glass door marked shower room. Joo Seonghan said “Thank you” and went inside. He could see a changing room with clothing lockers lined up like a public bathhouse. Joo Seonghan, who didn’t feel the need to store the clothes he was wearing, first looked for a laundry basket with his eyes. Ah, should I put them in the trash can instead of a laundry basket? Joo Seonghan fiddled with the edge of his t-shirt soaked in blood and sweat.
“What, should I give you some food?”
“I’d be grateful if you did.”
Team Leader Go, who was about to close the door but stopped, answered Yeon Dogyeong with a smile. Team Leader Go, who waved his hand as if he understood, closed the door and left. Joo Seonghan stood between the basket and trash can while holding the t-shirt he had taken off.
“Throw it away.”
