The weather in Segwang Metropolitan City was very nice today.
"Hoo."
Stepping out of Hanbit Department Store, I took a deep breath in and out.
There was no yellow dust, and the weather wasn't as hot as I'd expected, making it perfectly pleasant.
The faces of the people walking around seemed bright, too. I smiled, walking on the sidewalk to avoid a broadcast station vehicle passing by.
'Why am I in such a good mood today?'
My mind was at ease, like when you come home to rest after a long trip.
Maybe it was because I had just left the department store.
Or maybe it was because there's less fine dust here than in Seoul…
'Hmm. It could also be because it's the day before Children's Day.'
I opened my Smartphone to check the date.
Monday, May 4th
It was Monday, just after the weekend—but knowing I'd be able to rest again tomorrow made me feel oddly cheerful.
Was that why I was in such a good mood?
…Even though I had to go to work now.
A lunch meeting…
No, on second thought, that was still better than a dinner meeting. Ugh.
Still, if that was the case, why had I taken a day off?
It wasn't like I'd taken consecutive days starting from the weekend, so using a day off just to visit a department store felt—no matter how I looked at it—completely irrational.
'....'
It doesn't seem… important!
The client meeting was probably scheduled suddenly after I had already planned to take the day off.
Right. What's important is what I have to do from now on.
'Let's just go to the meeting….'
I held back a sigh and started walking.
I had some time to spare, and since the weather was nice, I decided to walk instead of taking the subway.
To the lunch appointment.
"Kim Soleum, I always say this, but… you seem like a really good person."
"Haha, come on, Section Chief Park. It's because you're a good person that you see me in a good light."
The client meeting itself wasn't that difficult.
For one, since it wasn't a dinner meeting, there was no drinking, which made it less burdensome. Also, we already knew each other.
The platform was always the one with the upper hand, but as long as the companies weren't too far apart in size, there was a general atmosphere of mutual respect.
At times like this, I felt truly fortunate to have landed a job at a large corporation….
That didn't mean the person I was entertaining wasn't the one in power, though.
"Oh? So even if you study hard and get into a good place, you still have to do this kind of unproductive work. Just how much this Republic of Korea…."
"Hahaha…."
Making money isn't easy….
This person probably likes talking to cheerful young people, which is why they sent a junior employee like me to this meeting….
'Just don't step on any landmines… Hoo.'
With desperate survival moves, I steered the conversation toward topics that were as smooth and personal as possible.
Fortunately, as we finished our meal and stepped outside, I found another topic of conversation.
"My kid goes here."
"Ah, is your child's school right over there?"
I smiled brightly, looking at the high school building the client was pointing at.
Sekwang Technical High School.
It seemed to be a type of Meister high school, receiving a lot of support from the city for technical education programs.
Then, the person's finger pointed beyond the high school to a massive glass building.
"See that? It's a library, and I'm quite pleased because it seems to have a good influence on the academic atmosphere."
"A good learning environment is certainly important. You've sent your child to a good place."
It's a rule to enthusiastically agree when a superior or a person of high status boasts about their child.
Looking at the huge library building visible beyond the high school, I reacted with appropriate sincerity.
Usually, when I'm sweating like this, I get a reaction back….
-My, what a splendid response, my friend![1]
'...?'
Was there someone who said… such a phrase?
The pleasant voice seemed like it should be memorable. Meaning, I must have heard it often somewhere….
'…I think I heard it on TV.'
"..."
"Kim Soleum?"
"…Yes! Manager."
Oops, the meeting!
I pushed aside the thought that was about to deepen and smiled at the client. I could look it up later.
"Then your child must be in class right now."
"That's right! The school is dead quiet, doesn't that show a proper atmosphere?"
"Hahaha."
It was then.
I saw someone running out of the high school's main gate.
"Hmm?"
The person hurriedly leaving the school was wearing neat casual clothes, not a uniform.
"Looks sharp. A student teacher?"
"Ah, that could be."
However, as the person ran across the crosswalk on the other side, I caught a fleeting glimpse of a name tag with a cute design pinned to their chest that read 'Counselor.'
A student probably made it for them.
I'd heard that high schools these days have teachers who provide professional counseling, so it seemed this person was one of them.
"They're taking the subway. Don't they have a car?"
"Hahaha…."
He really loves talking about other people….
"Ah. That taxi, I called it. Well, I'll be heading off for today, Soleum."
"Yes! Please have a safe trip!"
I saw the client off as they left in the taxi.
As I did, my gaze happened to fall in the same direction, on that counselor who was running far away toward the subway station.
…They looked somehow familiar.
I felt like I had seen that back somewhere before….
A stinging pain shot through my hand.
"…!"
Startled, I yanked my hand out of my pocket.
'Static electricity?'
It was strange, as it was painfully sharp for that.
Still, I took out the only metal object that was in my pocket.
A Silver Coin.
The object, which had been in my possession for some time now, had become tarnished and black.
'What is this?'
I tried wiping it with my hand, but it was no use.
'…Could it be made of some bad material?'
Just as I was contemplating throwing it away, the silver surface of the coin glinted in the sunlight.
It was dazzling.
When I reflexively lifted my head, I saw a glass window reflecting the sunlight.
A window of Sekwang Technical High School.
"..."
With a strange feeling, I approached the high school building.
As if possessed by something, I drew closer to the school's wall.
"Hey!"
I looked up.
Someone was calling me from a window at the far end of the 3rd floor, on the school building's exterior.
A student with dyed hair and piercings, loosely wearing a uniform, was waving and shouting at me.
What were they saying?
"Down there!"
I lowered my head again.
Looking again, I saw a note lying near the wall.
It seemed that student had accidentally dropped this note out of the window.
"Can you pick it up for me? You can just crumple it and throw it."
"Ah, sure."
Was it a note they were passing with a friend during class? I picked it up, and before folding it again to throw it up, I casually read the contents.
Just stay here
"..."
I folded the note very small so it wouldn't fly away, then threw it over the window.
"Thank you."
The dyed-hair student, who, contrary to their appearance, thanked me politely, snatched the note in one go and disappeared beyond the window.
Until I finished the Americano in my hand, I stood there blankly in front of the school wall for a moment for some reason….
Because of a strange feeling.
I returned home.
"Hoo!"
My studio apartment was a two-room layout, neatly divided into a living room and a bedroom.
Even after taking the bus home, I still had some time left.
'Let's enjoy the day off.'
I ordered some chicken first, and enjoying the comfort of a familiar place, I sat in front of the living room window and opened it slightly.
"Ha."
The breeze was cool.
'Living alone isn't so bad.'
My parents live in Bundang, and my younger sibling runs a dessert shop in that area, famous as a local hotspot.
I alone…
...No, I was assigned to 'Segwang Metropolitan City' and am living here.
'Well, I go down to see them every weekend.'
Sometimes, when my sibling says they're busy because of some trendy dessert, I get hired as a worker for the weekend….
-Wow, Kim Soleum, you're really good at this. Just quit your job and come work here.
And when I smacked them, they'd panic and shout, "Time out! Time out! Hyung!"
It feels like it was just yesterday. Hm. How heartwarming.
Come to think of it, it wasn't like yesterday, it really was yesterday. I must have gone down over the weekend.
'It's spacious, so I can breathe.'
Speaking of my apartment. Since the housing prices in Segwang Metropolitan City aren't as crazy as in Seoul, I could have gotten a bigger place. Why did I sign the contract for this specific one?
…I guess I was trying to save money.
I shrugged, took off my suit jacket, and was about to get ready for a shower.
But at the very first movement, my hand brushed against something soft—and I grabbed it.
"..."
I put my hand in my pants pocket and took out what was inside.
A pink Rabbit Doll.
I could let the Silver Coin slide, but I really had no idea where this came from.
If I were to consider the possibilities, I suppose I might have bought it at the department store?
'In the first place, why did I even take a day off to go to the department store today?'
I really have no idea. Was it an impulse?
Now that I looked at it, the doll seemed to be a very high-end model. It was plush and soft… and while it was almost frighteningly elaborate, there was something endearing about it.
I turned the doll around to examine its appearance.
The tag on its body had exquisite golden letters written on it, but they weren't in Hangul, so I couldn't read them.
I pressed the Rabbit Doll's belly firmly.
It made no sound.
"…Ah, really."
I don't know what I was expecting. The trend of dolls that make a sound when you press their belly ended ages ago, what on earth was I thinking?
"Sorry. I acted foolishly."
I pressed the Rabbit Doll's nose. I felt a smooth texture.
After some thought, I washed my hands thoroughly again, then made a small spot on the side table with a cushion and a blanket, and placed the Rabbit Doll on it.
The Rabbit Doll's black nose glistened under the soft lamplight.
"…Comfortable?"
Of course, there was no answer.
But feeling a strange awkwardness, I left as if to escape to take a shower.
After washing up, I received the chicken that had arrived and sat in front of the TV.
To be honest, it was more of an OTT streaming service than a TV.
"Nice."
It was a mystery-thriller drama.
As long as I skipped the slightly gory scenes, it was fine to watch. Well, it's not like ghosts were popping out.
But strangely, it was more uncomfortable to watch than before.
Why?
Especially when people's limbs were cut off… or when people died for someone else, my mood would rapidly worsen.
It's not like the severed parts were shown explicitly… why am I like this?
'I thought I was in a good mood today.'
I guess the energy boost from the good weather wore off from the draining meeting. I held back a sigh and turned off the OTT service.
Then, a little early, before the day was over, I lay down in bed and turned on my Smartphone.
"..."
It felt like… there was something I always used to watch like this, but I couldn't quite remember. What was it?
'Was it Shorts?'
But it didn't feel that familiar.
I kept browsing the internet, but without getting any particular comfort or dopamine hit, I turned off my Smartphone.
Then I turned my head and jumped in fright.
There was a giant black shadow of a person on the wall!
"Ack!"
…But looking again, it was the shadow of the Rabbit Doll I had placed on the side table.
"Ha."
This is so embarrassing, even though no one's here….
This is like jumping at the sight of a pot lid after being startled by a turtle.
After calming my pounding heart, I looked at the Rabbit Doll's shadow again.
The shadow flickered from the streetlight and car headlights streaming in from outside the window, making it look as if it were moving, but….
That was all.
The doll did not move.
Obviously.
"..."
Let's just sleep.
I shrugged, buried my head in the pillow, and lowered my head, chewing on a lingering feeling that was strangely one of disappointment.
And I fell asleep….
May 4th came to an end.
"..."
I woke up in the first-floor lobby of the department store.
'Hmm?'
It seems I dozed off while waiting for something.
What… was I waiting for?
'I don't know.'
But it's not that important.
Let's just go home.
"Hoo."
I put my Smartphone in my pocket and stood up.
As I did, something fell out of my front pocket.
'…A doll?'
There's a Rabbit Doll.
Did I buy this?
I rummaged through my pocket, and besides the Smartphone, a tarnished, silver button-like coin also came out.
'…Merchandise?'
Did I buy this too? But it looks too worn for that.
'I don't know.' Shrugging, I put the coin back.
Well, I must have gotten it from somewhere.
I tucked the doll back into my arms for now and headed for the department store lobby doors.
Out of Segwang Metropolitan City's Hanbit Department Store.
It repeated like that 612 times.
[1] a memory, Ik it looks similar to how Braun’s lines looked in part 1 (ch 1-208) so I just wanted to clarify