Episode 544 Jang
Seo-ah was smart and quick-witted.
“….”
I don’t know if I was quick-witted because I was smart, or if I had to be smart because I was quick-witted.
However, Jang Seo-ah knew well how she should conduct herself. That didn’t change much even in the extreme situation of the underworld.
“…brother.”
“Yes, Seo-ya.”
“How to?”
Choi Min-hong pouted his mouth in response to a question from Seo-ah, who was secretly listening to the adults talking.
“Are you bullying us?”
“…maybe?”
“Then that won’t work.”
“But it’s because you’re worried about us.”
“Anyway, if it can’t be done, it can’t be done.”
“….”
Jang Seo-ah sometimes had scary imaginations. Let’s assume that Lee Jae-heon wasn’t there from the beginning.
The child wisely knew that Lee Jae-heon was the reason the survivors had been able to work together so well until now. If Jaeheon Lee wasn’t there, who would have been the first to be used and abandoned?
They were probably children like us. The adults had no choice but to be unable to understand and bother the children. Even the children were too weak to help them survive….
“…is there anything we can do?”
Therefore, Jang Seo-ah always had a sense of debt.
“Anything… just anything that helps…”
“For us, staying quiet helps us. “Dad always did that.”
“But you heard it earlier too. “They say they are much kinder to us here.”
Jang Seo-ah didn’t even know exactly what the name of her heavy feelings was. Jang Seo-ah just wanted to always be a good child that adults liked.
There were times when Jang Seo-ah felt like the adults she met in this messy world were too much and a burden. Children often wish they would ask explicitly for something they want, like other adults.
Smile prettily, wait quietly, don’t be picky, and decorate as you like.
If you explain it in detail like this, Jang Seo-ah could have done well.
“Is there anything we can do?”
But the adults here didn’t expect anything from the child.
That doesn’t do anything to keep you a ‘good kid’.
Jang Seo-ah could not let herself become dull.
“Just anything… anything…”
“You make things so difficult to say.”
“I’m sorry….”
“Dad, I didn’t mean to apologize to others carelessly.”
“….”
“It’s much better to apologize when it’s necessary.”
Choi Min-hong’s condescending words, as if bragging about something, made Seo-ah Jang close her mouth.
Her brother, whose birthday was only a few weeks apart from her, enjoyed showing off in this way. And the story Choi Min-hong told Jang Seo-ah was generally pleasant to hear and seemed to be the right thing to say.
“…Yes, I understand….”
“Good job Seo-ah. “You did very well.”
“…Does the boss praise you like that?”
“No, this is a compliment I give you.”
“okay?”
As Jang Seo-ah laughed, Choi Min-hong said.
“Your face just changed.”
“huh?”
“He does that in front of adults and he does that in front of me too, but it seems like that’s just changing.”
“….”
“Isn’t it uncomfortable to have multiple faces?”
“…I’m used to this….”
“I don’t think he will like it.”
“that’s right.”
Lee Jae-heon will not like Jang Seo-ah’s ‘good child’.
Maybe that’s why Jang Seo-ah acted particularly foolishly in front of Lee Jae-heon. Lee Jae-heon accepted whatever Seo-ah Jang said and tolerated no matter how she reacted. Always gave her a choice.
“….”
Jang Seo-ah glanced at the bright red man.
“…It must hurt, right?”
“Where did that hand go?”
“You must be sick, right?”
“It must have hurt a lot?”
Only after Seo-ah asked twice did Choi Min-hong give an appropriate answer.
“Your whole hand was cut off. I cry because it hurts so much to get a paper cut. “You’re going to be really sick.”
“….”
“But it doesn’t look like it hurts, so it’s a little strange.”
“Yes….”
“I want to have those hands too.”
Jang Seo-ah asked as Choi Min-hong’s hand stuck out again.
“…Why do you like your hands so much?”
From a long time ago, Choi Min-hong particularly wanted Lee Jae-heon’s hand.
It sometimes feels creepy, but as he said similar things every time, I could tell that it was Choi Min-hong’s honest greed.
Choi Min-hong pouted and answered Jang Seo-ah’s question.
“It’s heavy.”
“Because it’s heavy?”
“It’s very wide and thick. Have you ever covered your eyes with that?”
“…no…?”
“That’s really good.”
Choi Min-hong, with his duck mouth out of habit, looked at Lee Jae-heon’s empty hands and said.
“Good as a blanket.”
“….”
“That’s it.”
Jang Seo-ah still couldn’t understand Choi Min-hong’s words, but she instinctively felt that he was relying on Lee Jae-heon.
Just like Jang Seo-ah is not able to take care of herself and behaves rudely in front of Lee Jae-heon.
“I’m hungry.”
“…So…”
“I’m not sleepy, but I’m hungry.”
“huh.”
“You look just like an adult.”
“….”
“That’s what you say.”
Jang Seo-ah muttered at the sudden change of topic again and then asked.
“Strange?”
Jang Seo-ah was well aware of my uniqueness.
Most ‘dolls’ like herself spoke in the same way as Jang Seo-ah, but when they actually went to kindergarten, they were all different from Jang Seo-ah. He would randomly spit out sentences made up of shorter, simpler words.
Jang Seo-ah wasn’t supposed to be like that and was forced to develop, which made it difficult for her to make friends.
In the end, the ‘dolls’ became friends with each other.
“Is it very strange?”
When asked again, Choi Min-hong said as if he was asking what he was talking about.
“I like it because it’s spicy.”
“….”
“Just like an adult.”
Perhaps Choi Min-hong’s comment that he ‘looks like an adult’ was a compliment.
The aquarium in the other world was not a good environment for two kindergarten students to be left alone. A closed space with no sunlight entering in the mild cold. It doesn’t have fruit like a park, nor does it have things to do.
In the end, all the kindergarteners could do was have a conversation.
As we exchanged meaningless stories among ourselves, Jaeheon Lee occasionally approached us.
“Are you tired?”
It’s an unfamiliar tone, but it’s familiar and friendly.
“Shall I let you sleep?”
“…No….”
“I don’t like it either.”
“You’re full of energy.”
Jaeheon Lee smiled with a faint smile.
Choi Min-hong didn’t seem to care much, but Jang Seo-ah, like now, was wandering around looking for evidence that the adult in front of her was Lee Jae-heon. And this kind of kindness and a smile as cloudy as light gray belonged to Lee Jae-heon.
Only then do you feel relieved.
“…mister.”
As Jeong Jeong-ah hesitantly approaches, Lee Jae-heon naturally welcomes her with slightly open arms.
Lee Jae-heon’s expression was unfamiliar, but his actions were familiar, so Jang Seo-ah carefully took him into his arms.
“mister.”
“So it’s cold, right?”
“…Ugh….”
“I’m tired.”
The soft voice is like a lullaby.
It was different from what customers who purchased the ‘doll’ sometimes sang. Perhaps Choi Min-hong’s words, ‘It’s like a blanket’, were similar to what Jang Seo-ah feels right now.
Jang Seo-ah whined and snuggled into Lee Jae-heon’s arms, hoping to get even a handful more.
“I want to sleep?”
“….”
Strangely, Lee Jae-heon, who had changed a little, was particularly obsessed with us sleeping.
“…No….”
“Then?”
“I want to go home.”
“Oh my.”
“…Uncle’s house….”
“It’s a shame.”
Jaeheon Lee’s voice sounded like that of a dead person.
“It’s still hard.”
“….”
“There’s something I couldn’t do.”
Jang Seo-ah thought about that.
Is there anything I can help you with?
“…Yes….”
And I answered myself.
I think there might be.
* * *
The ‘Sea Treasure Hall’ was a narrow, long middle road filled with water, and the glass walls on both sides were empty. In fact, it was similar to a very large rectangular water tank standing at a slight interval.
And the treasure chest is beyond the empty glass wall without water. In order to go beyond, you had to first get out of the water and go over to an empty water tank with nothing but a treasure chest next to it.
“….”
Still, it was fortunate that there was a way to get over to the side.
‘…That human is a good swimmer, so it’s hard to catch up.’
I could see the water’s surface blurry beyond the fluttering water scales, and I could see Jeong Eun-woo already almost there. Seo Jang-hwa steadily exercised his body and swam toward the surface.
From the beginning, she had no intention of leaving everything to Jung Eun-woo alone.
“….”
If you ask why, there is no specific reason.
Seo Jang-hwa was a person who always wanted to do everything together and take responsibility. It was just my personality itself.
In any case, just because Jung Eun-woo has a certificate, there is no law to send him alone.
“…?”
So, when I saw Jung Eun-woo stiffen in uncharacteristic surprise, I thought I did well to follow him.
‘Why the fuck are you doing that?’
Jeong Eun-woo swam as high as he could to the surface and was about to move beyond the glass wall when he suddenly froze as if he was greatly surprised.
‘Why…? Was there any problem with the ring? Mr. Ha, I should have checked more properly before sending it… I hope it hasn’t already started to change or something.’
Seo Jang-hwa clicked his tongue and said, “…Puh-ha!” I quickly took a breath and came to the surface.
“Oh, water got into your nose…!”
“Are you okay?”
“No, Jeong Eun-woo, are you okay? “You just said you were so surprised. What’s the problem?”
Jeong Eun-woo, who was leaning against the thick glass wall, hesitated before answering Seo Jang-hwa’s question.
“My hand felt strange….”
“Hand?”
“yes.”
Jeong Eun-woo held out the hand that was not holding the glass wall and showed it to Seo Jang-hwa.
“….”
The thin, transparent webbed hands were strangely pale, like a corpse.
“…Uh, this….”
“I think the variation that Detective Hong Gyeong-jun relayed to me refers to this.”
“…Have you not developed gills or anything like that yet?”
“I checked, but found nothing wrong. “For now, it seems like only my hands have changed.”
“….”
Seo Jang-hwa continued speaking with a tired expression.
“…Hey, let’s take this out. “I can’t use this wetsuit.”
“…If you exclude the risk of mutation, the function of the wetsuit itself is not bad. “I received some help coming up here, and although it was uncomfortable, I was able to breathe.”
“That’s not important now.”
“Thank you for your concern, but….”
“I’m so worried, go to sleep.”
Seo Jang-hwa, who was in tears for no reason, became irritated.
“People are turning into monsters, so are you going to keep wearing that ring? You can clearly see what the culprit is, so why bother? “How can you do that unless you’re a crazy bastard?”
“….”
“Oh, that’s right, you guys must have gone crazy. But it’s not me, so my sensitivity is being stimulated. Okay, take it off. “Give it to me.”
“Well, you better calm down.”
Jeong Eun-woo smiled shyly and put away the hand with the ring on it. When Seo Jang-hwa glared at Seo Jang-hwa with the clear intention of not losing his wetsuit, Jeong Eun-woo continued speaking without erasing an awkward smile.
“It is true that the mutation is faster than expected, but isn’t it a bit awkward to go back to the concert hall like this without any results?”
“It’s an achievement or something, but I got to catch someone, so what kind of bullshit is this? “Are you saying this because you don’t know that if Eunwoo Jeong turns into a monster and tries to kill us, it will only be a loss?”
“But more than anything, student Park Da-young will be disappointed. “I’m a thoughtful student, so I won’t put it into words, but I can’t help but feel hurt that the way to save my younger brother is gone.”
“That…”
I couldn’t refute that because it was honestly true.
“….”
Seo Jang-hwa thought that this situation was very unfavorable to him.
‘After all, the people who are having the hardest time right now are high school students… fuck.’
If it had been Lee Jae-heon who was trapped in the glass box, Seo Jang-hwa wouldn’t have been in as much trouble as he is now. Of course, I would have worked hard to save Lee Jae-heon, but at least I would have felt better than having kids wearing school uniforms get locked up.
Lee Jae-heon was a crazy bastard who accepted his own death aloof, but Park Da-hoon was just… just… “
… this is really going to go down…”
Park Da-hoon was just a high school student who was nothing.
“Can I take this as your understanding?”
“Can you please not bother checking? “Are you still mad?”
“Haha sorry.”
“….”
Seo Jang-hwa, who was contemplating while pressing his temples as if he had a headache, opened his mouth again.
“Then come with me.”
“…You don’t even have a wetsuit?”
“There’s no water in the area where the treasure chest is, so what’s the big deal?”
“Usually, when a line like that is said in a movie, it causes a big problem.”
“No, I know it’s dangerous, but let’s split the work.”
As expected, sacrificing just one person did not suit Seo Jang-hwa’s temperament.
Considering that the area where the treasure chest was located was empty and empty, but that a wet suit was required, it was clear that there was some rule or trap in operation behind the glass wall.
But I also didn’t want to let Jung Eun-woo become a monster.
“I’m not asking you not to do anything, understand? “Let’s do it together.”
“That sounds very…ideal.”
“Shouldn’t we just help each other out?”
“Hmm…”
Jeong Eun-woo, who had a troubled expression on his face, nodded.
“Anyway, I’ll check first.”
“….”
“I don’t want to become a monster either, but this is what I have to do.”
Seo Jang-hwa clicked his tongue at those words.
“Did it really turn?”
Even if you help me, it’s a damn thing.
(Continued in the next part)
