Episode 81
Lee Jae-heon was a great actor.
His talent was to immerse himself in the work on stage at any time, but one problem was that he forgot the beginning and the end. Jaeheon Lee often forgot the boundary between lies and truth. Especially when your mental power is depleted like now.
So when I suddenly came to my senses,
the feelings just before
“…” did not come to mind.
“…Then would you like to move first?”
“….”
“I’m a little tired.”
Was I angry at the thing in front of me, or did I laugh under my breath?
It was a very unnecessary question.
“I will follow you.”
* * *
“…Oh my.”
Doctor Ha Seong-yoon continued speaking with a frown on his face.
“I missed it.”
“No, no, really….”
“Wow, we’re in big trouble.”
As Kwon Yeon-hee and Yoon Garam spoke one after another, Ha Seong-yoon played with his earlobe, groaning as if he was in quite a bit of pain. It was his habit to come out when he had to use his head.
Ha Seong-yoon looked around the dark surroundings and said.
“They were probably panicking and didn’t even know we were following them.”
It was a story about intern Noh Yeon-seok.
Although Ha Seong-yoon had not seen him for a very long time, doctors were originally people with a talent for analysis. It was also an unavoidable task to obtain the necessary information from patients or their guardians who did not tell much.
From the perspective of Ha Seong-yoon, a doctor, intern Noh Yeon-seok did not have a very strong mentality. This is because from the first time we met until now, he was so pale and could barely speak. Seeing that, Ha Seong-yoon felt the tension and fear that could only be seen in a person entering a haunted house for the first time.
Of course, on top of that, I felt like I was suffering from motion sickness. I wondered what it was like to get motion sickness in such a flat area, but I also thought there was nothing I could do about it since the place was a secret world. He could sympathize with me because he also felt a similar feeling when he first came to understand this world.
But apart from that, the important fact is that Noh Yeon-seok’s mental power was not very strong, so it was not completely absurd that he left us behind.
Ha Seong-yoon asked employee Kwon Yeon-hee, who looked dumbfounded.
“Are you a coworker? “Have you always been a timid person?”
“…uh… oh yes? Oh, Mr. Noh Yeon-seok?”
She was flustered, perhaps because of the unexpected situation, but soon opened her mouth.
“No, I wasn’t in the same department… I just shared the same floor. “All I’ve heard is that that person was also an intern in the department next door…”
“Oh, you haven’t known each other for a long time?”
“Actually, it was almost the first time we had seen each other, although we met at work and escaped together.”
Kwon Yeon-hee, who said that, muttered with an embarrassed expression.
“…Still, I didn’t think it was worth leaving someone behind in this situation…”
If you had to choose the least talkative person among their group, the first person you would pick was Noh Yeon-seok. But at least in her opinion, it wasn’t entirely out of fear.
It was scary, but it seemed like he was holding back something physiological. It’s like having a hard time standing still in the smell of a food waste dump or feeling nauseous when you ride a roller coaster 10 times in a row. That was a separate issue from the feelings I couldn’t help but feel.
However, as the situation turned out like this, Kwon Yeon-hee could not think of anything else. Anyone who saw intern Noh Yeon-seok, who left the three of us behind, was in a state of fear and panic.
President Garam Yoon, who was looking around with Dr. Ha Seong-yoon, calmly opened his mouth.
“…Do you not even have the presence of mind to turn on the lighter?”
That was one of the reasons they lost intern Noh Yeon-seok in the first place. The light of the lighter that In-ho Jeong had handed over to him suddenly went out at some point.
“Well, it might not be easy to maintain fire while running.”
“…What should we really do? Where should we hide until the sun rises?”
“That might be better.”
Doctor Ha Seong-yoon touched my side and continued speaking.
“I’m having a hard time running too…”
“Ah ah.”
President Garam Yoon’s face turned pale and employee Yeonhee Kwon also kept her mouth shut.
So far, the most noticeable injury was Manager Lee Jae-heon, who was mentioned less often, but doctors Ha Seong-yoon and Yoon Gar-ram were also already injured at the flower shop. In particular, Ha Seong-yoon’s condition, which was injured near the ribs, was not suitable for running after someone like he is now.
However, in contrast, intern Noh Yeon-seok was in good condition, almost the best among the group. There were a lot of problems in terms of mental strength, but thanks to that, I didn’t get seriously hurt.
The situation was not favorable for the three, who were in poor condition, to chase after Noh Yeon-seok, who was already talented in athletics. Even more so when the fire has disappeared.
Garam Yoon muttered.
“I’m glad you have a light.”
The good news among the misfortunes was that Ha Seong-yoon had a lighter.
“Otherwise, we too would have been scattered.”
“I wonder if it will go that far, but… In any case, it would be best to escape somewhere before those monsters chase you.”
He frowned and continued speaking.
“Last time, I was lucky and didn’t get attacked, but now I don’t know.”
“…Yes.”
“I don’t know why, but he was particularly vicious.”
The dog-shaped monster that was the main culprit of this incident had definitely been encountered before, but the guys who had previously behaved quite docile now showed their teeth and chased after them. There would be no one who could see that and not run away.
Perhaps remembering that hideous appearance, Kwon Yeon-hee’s face turned white like Noh Yeon-seok’s before.
“…Are they coming to eat us?”
There was a fear that the prey could not help but feel from the predator. Of course, it was something that most people, including Kwon Yeon-hee, felt for the first time in their lives.
Before coming to this world, most of the most violent things they did were done in print. Or the colorful and thin bills, the scolding from your boss that makes you cry even when you get home from work, or the upcoming monthly rent, etc.
But in this world, there were no laws or rules that existed before. There is no degree, there is no floor or ceiling. No matter how hard they struggle, they cannot fly without wings, so all that is left is to fall. Even if you fall on what you think is the floor and your neck is broken and your vocal cords are crushed, you won’t even be able to scream.
Now they were being hunted. I felt sad when I saw poachers’ prey or dying soldiers in conflict zones that I had only seen on the news, but I didn’t think I would be able to harbor such feelings even if I returned to reality.
For Kwon Yeon-hee, the biggest hardship so far was the project that was just around the corner. Back then, you didn’t die if you didn’t run your business well, but here, if you didn’t run quickly, you could die. However much.
When I thought about that, I thought of the people on our marketing team that I left behind at the company.
“…I…”
They were probably all dead.
“I really don’t want to be bad…”
“…Yeonhee.”
“I wanted to be nice.”
As a coward, I couldn’t stop them when they went crazy, so I probably would have died.
Kwon Yeon-hee muttered, trying hard to swallow her tears.
“I left it behind again.”
Only then did I think of Manager Lee Jae-heon.
“That person… he got hurt… and bled while protecting us. “They didn’t even let me go to the pharmacy.”
“…I know how you feel, Kwon Yeon-hee, but there will be a monster nearby, so you have to move…” “
I understand. I know it too. “I’m sorry, I’m really, really sorry.”
“….”
“I wanted to do well too… I really did.” A
teardrop
fell down my bowed head.
“I didn’t want to be a bad person.”
I ended up becoming a bad person again.
Yeonhee Kwon has always been like that. I wanted to be loved by everyone, and if that wasn’t possible, I didn’t want to be hated at all.
So she has always adapted herself to others. To people who like cats, they praise their long, furry tails, and to people who like dogs, they praise their cute, wide-open mouths. It didn’t occur to me that she was killing herself, but it wasn’t that difficult.
But in this world, there was nothing Kwon Yeon-hee could do. At best, her strengths were to brighten the mood, give compliments, and organize documents well, but where in the world could she use those skills?
Moreover, she had already run away, leaving behind countless people. At the office, my team members, and at work, Kang Min-ah. And now, she has run away, leaving behind Director Lee Jae-heon, who had comforted and helped Kwon Yeon-hee all this time.
This world turns her into a bad person.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m really sorry…”
“…It’s okay. “Everything is okay, so let’s move on for now.”
“yes yes. I will, I’m sorry. “I wanted to do well.”
The gibberish did not come out nicely. My head was hot, my nose was stuffy, and it was heartbreaking that I could look so pathetic at this age.
She muttered softly as she followed the two people leading me.
“I’m really this bad, what should I do…”
Director Lee Jae-heon appeared before my eyes, which I couldn’t close due to emptiness. To be exact, I remembered the last time I saw that person.
He was vomiting blood.
‘He’s a sick person.’
He was such a sick person, but I ran away all the way here, saying I was scared of him.
said the doctor. Vomiting blood is something that only a very large number of patients do, and if the timing is not right, most of them will die. Doctor Ha Seong-yoon’s face was as if smiling the whole time, so perhaps Director Lee Jae-heon was that type of patient.
He even had so many visible wounds. I was trying not to show it, but I kept limping and even bumping into someone seemed to hurt me so I stayed away. However, he continued to lead us, comfort us, inform us of what we needed, and bring us what we needed.
Kwon Yeon-hee had a past of swearing at Director Lee Jae-heon without even seeing him in person, and she never even properly thanked him when he helped her.
‘But now I’ve completely abandoned it.’
I felt sick.
‘…What if I die like that?’
Jaeheon Lee really felt like he would die if I took my eyes off him even for a moment.
So I just tried to smile. When she, who wants to be a good person, smiles brightly, most people smile back, and in the end, if she smiles even once, she feels a little better.
Kwon Yeon-hee was an employee of the marketing department, not a doctor, not an herbalist, nor did she have any such knowledge. So, I couldn’t treat Lee Jae-heon or take care of myself so that I wouldn’t have to worry as much. Since there was nothing I could do, I wanted to at least make him feel better.
However, Director Lee Jae-heon became more sharp day by day. It sank to the bottom and looked that much calmer or hazy. Kwon Yeon-hee sometimes wondered if this person wanted to kill himself. It seemed so disconnected from reality.
So as time passed, I became more scared.
“…Are you still alive?”
Because it doesn’t seem like a person.
“Even if I’m alive… will you be okay?”
Because something that is already dead seems to imitate a living person.
I was scared because he didn’t seem to be the Manager Lee Jae-heon I knew.
It was difficult to see it as containing life as it raised its body and vomited blood. Her legs, which were creaking from major injuries, looked like those of a broken doll, and although she clearly had so many wounds, she was afraid that her eyes were empty.
How is that thing alive? Is it a living person? It wouldn’t be strange at all if it crumbled and collapsed like a dilapidated building. Rather, the fear that made her think that it would be more natural to die like that grabbed her by the neck and made her avoid eye contact.
What kind of eyes did I have when I looked at him for the last time?
“…I’m not actually a monster… I was running away from the manager…” “
….”
“What should I do if you’re hurt because of that?”
No matter how monstrous he looked, he was still human.
He was the person who sacrificed his whole body to protect, embrace, and soothe them, even to the point of bleeding and limping. Even now, he will remain where he is, saying he will stop the monster alone.
There was no way such a kind person could not be hurt.
“What if I killed him…?”
Fear crawled up my ankles again.
I thought I may have given someone who already felt like he was going to die any moment another reason to die. I thought I may have given him an excuse to die.
I was afraid that I might have pushed the back of someone standing on a cliff.
“Really, I…”
“….”
“….”
There was a familiar silence,
“…Ah.”
Yeonhee Kwon realized.
She wasn’t the only one who pushed Director Lee Jae-heon’s back.
