Chapter 329

“Yoo-jin! Over here!”

At the terminal, Joo Shin-young, who had been waiting in the lobby, greeted Son Yoo-jin as she arrived. In her hand were two already-purchased train tickets.

“Ah, I could’ve bought my own ticket.”

“It’s no big deal. Then, Yoo-jin, you can buy udon at the rest stop.”

“Okay. Hehe.”

Even though she said that, it was Joo Shin-young who ended up buying snacks at the rest stop. This was a routine that repeated every time they went to Seoul. No matter how much of a rich kid she was or the daughter of an indirect employer, Joo Shin-young wasn’t the type to freeload off a 15-year-old girl.

“Wow! Uncle, it’s the Seohae Bridge. It’s amazing every time I see it.”

“People say the sunset here at the end of the year is beautiful.”

“I can just watch the sunset at home.”

“Haha. That’s because your house is nice.”

“Hehe. That’s true.”

After the Seohaean Expressway opened, it took less than two hours to get to Seoul. From the Seoul Express Bus Terminal in Seocho-dong, they took Line 3, and after waving goodbye to Joo Shin-young at Oksu Station, they transferred to Line 2 at Gangnam Station. Joo Shin-young only needed to accompany them to Yeouido once.

There was no particular reason for switching to Line 2.

Son Yoo-jin had memorized the routes and often traveled alone on the subway, taking buses without a specific destination. It was a joy that city folks might not understand—a countryside kid’s adventure. She had heard that even her older sisters, Choi Mi-kyung and Kim Eun-jung, struggled a lot when they came to Seoul for college. That’s why her all-capable brother helped them out and took them around.

‘My brother can do anything.’

Even though the destination was set, the route was different every time.

Not wanting to disturb others, she carried her bag in front, memorized the subway map, and got off at random stops. If she saw a bus while walking, she took it; if she found a subway station, she hopped back on the subway.

It wasn’t teenage rebellion.

‘Stranger uncle.’

It was more like a girl’s fantasy, hoping a goblin uncle would magically appear. The city, with its many people and sights, always seemed to promise something surprising and magical. The jungle-like forest of buildings, dark alleys that looked like portals to another world, a shabby-dressed male wizard emerging from there, or a car that looked like it might take off any second. Beyond the winding asphalt, it wouldn’t be strange if the sea appeared.

But even after years of these adventures, the goblin uncle never showed up. Though she didn’t achieve her goal, the purpose of these short adventures remained clear. A connection in chance.

Doing this helped her not forget the goblin uncle. After accidentally discovering that repetitive actions help maintain memory and sharpen awareness, it became a habit. To others, it might seem like wandering, but to Son Yoo-jin, it was an adventure and a patrol.

Adventures are adventures, and though she never met the goblin uncle, she often encountered creepy uncles on the subway.

“Ahhh!”

“Uncle, were you trying to lift my skirt?”

“Ahhh!”

The man, whose ring and pinky fingers were grabbed and twisted by Son Yoo-jin, spun around like a ballerino, screaming. Truly an amazing sense of balance.

“Are you going to do it again?”

“Yes, yes! No, no! Ahhh!”

Though weaker than men, Son Yoo-jin was quick on her feet and had mastered martial arts beyond self-defense. With seasoned warriors all around, it was only natural. She had been practicing martial arts at the gym with her health-conscious mom for over eight years.

“Phew, if you mess around, you’ll get wrecked.”

With a knee-jerking motion reminiscent of a roundhouse kick, she finished off the pervert. At first, she was scared of such situations, but from the second time onward, she handled them firmly. Son Yoo-jin was a capable kid, so she could do such things. That’s why the SSS agent secretly following her from a distance had nothing to do.

Packing away the calm episodes and trivial matters into her bag, she arrived at today’s adventure’s final destination.

**”Saein”**

A finely engraved black headstone welcomed Son Yoo-jin’s arrival.

The shiny black stone, gleaming like a bald head in the afternoon sun, was irresistibly charming. From certain angles, it even looked like Jeong Won’s buttocks, making her want to slap it.

Everyone at the Saein Yeouido Research Institute knew Son Yoo-jin.

The SSS agents, due to their job nature, knew all the VIPs, and the Future Strategy Headquarters and researchers had seen her often since elementary school. Ah, she’s the younger sister of the director and the head of the institute.

“Hi, unnie!”

She greeted someone coming out of the lobby as she entered the building.

Her bright greetings were the same whether in the neighborhood or elsewhere. And no one disliked a middle schooler who greeted them first.

“Oh my! Is that Yoo-jin?”

It was the unnie she had seen on the rooftop of this building watching fireworks on the last day of 2000. She remembered her as her brother’s colleague, almost twice her age.

“Haha, here to see your brother?”

She was a pretty unnie with black straight hair and horn-rimmed glasses, but her laugh was a bit unique.

“Yes! Where are you going? On a business trip?”

“Unnie is just getting off work.”

Ah, right. Saturdays were every other week until 12 PM.

And starting next year, they were switching to a five-day workweek. After that, it would gradually reduce to 4.5 days, then 4 days. It was a policy only applied to her brother’s company.

“Late finish today?”

“Yeah. Unnie came in late today. Drank too much last night, so my head’s buzzing. Must’ve shaken the tambourine too hard. My elbow hurts.”

She seemed like a good person, honestly sharing unfavorable information.

But did she not wash her hair? Why is she scratching the back of her head?

“Unnie! I finally got access to the research institute today!”

“Really? Can you go in without your brother now?”

“Yes! My brother said that if a student who’s not a researcher wants to come in, they need to form a science club and get industry-academic cooperation certification. For regular field trips.”

“Hahaha. Did you make a club?”

The more she looked, the more she liked this unnie’s reactions.

“Yes! My dad’s company has the same conditions, so I made two clubs. That one’s a chemistry club.”

“Haha, well done.”

“What kind of research do you do, unnie?”

“Oh, unnie doesn’t do research. I’m in design.”

Shim Dong-mi, with wide eyes, mimicked Son Yoo-jin’s expression and tone.

“Ah! Can I ask you to design inventions later?”

“Haha. Unnie only works with people who pay her.”

“Ah, that makes sense.”

Seoul is indeed a great place. You can learn practical capitalism even from an unnie you’re not close to.

Chatter-chatter.

After chatting for a while, she bowed to Shim Dong-mi and entered the lobby.

An SSS agent, who had been patrolling the lobby with hands clasped in front, approached.

“Yoo-jin, hi? You’re going up to your brother’s place, right?”

“Of course. Mom said not to disturb my brother while he’s working.”

“Should I buy you a hamburger? There’s a Burger King that opened here after Popeyes closed.”

Son Yoo-jin’s pupils shook at the unexpected offer.

A hamburger?

Is this uncle a transformed goblin uncle?

But the agent’s thoughts seemed different as he met her trembling eyes.

Quickly stepping back, the agent raised both hands.

“No, no! Not that weird—just—just wanted to buy you a hamburger.”

I’m pure. The not-so-pure-looking agent blushed as he tried to explain.

“Don’t misunderstand.”

“I didn’t. I’ll just go up.”

Thinking of the goblin uncle at the mention of a hamburger, Son Yoo-jin cried alone in the elevator going up to her brother’s place. Ah, puberty sucks.

***

The UOF, having just taken its first steps, was far from complete. Due to repeated errors and malfunctions in the prototype, Sado Research Institute employees estimated it would take at least five more years to refine it into a stable model. The invisible, insurmountable wall between theory and reality was to blame.

The completed bulletproof vest had moved its nest to the Yeouido Research Institute. Thanks to General’s material improvements, mass production was now possible. The remaining task was to refine the design and performance for commercialization at Yeouido.

Jin-hyeok wandered around the office with printed design drafts of the bulletproof vest.

‘This is Shim Dong-mi’s work, this is Noh Hyun-jin’s… Noh Hyun-jin’s is safe, Shim Dong-mi’s is unique but cool. Like Goguryeo warrior armor. Oh, what if we made a robot like this? Still, bull horns on a modern bulletproof helmet are a bit much. Good for headbutting in close combat? But if you get stabbed, it’s game over…’

Mutter-mutter.

After inducing the demise of Dr. Rang and Park Woo-jung, he had been immersed in work. There was no guilt. It was a punishment that had to be meted out, something he had to do as the grandson of Moon-ye and the son of Son Kwang-yeon. That’s why it was more shocking. To be so detached in the face of death.

Perhaps it was a deeply human, albeit selfish, relief that someone he secretly wished dead was gone.

Dugu Elil never appeared. There was no urgent need to summon him, and he never showed up on his own. It was as if he had left without a goodbye.

To shake off such human distractions and maintain peace in daily life, he immersed himself in work. Even with the World Cup, a sports event he loved so much, just around the corner.

[Beep-beep-beep.]

“Yes, this is Son Jin-hyeok.”

– Lobby duty officer Oh Won-ho here. Miss Son Yoo-jin has gone up to the residence.

“Thank you, Mr. Oh.”

What an unusual name. Is he of Japanese descent?

Hiring foreign nationals for key positions, truly a global company like Saein.

“Let’s call it a day.”

He put the documents on his desk into the cabinet and locked it.

The director’s office was used as a meeting room by employees regardless of weekends or weekdays. Thus, the door was always left open, and no work materials were left on the desk.

Ding.

As the elevator doors opened, Yoo-jin was seen chatting with other employees on the rooftop helipad. Her sociability, something Jin-hyeok lacked, was evident. She must have taken after her father, who loved people and was outgoing.

“Wow! She’s so tall for a middle schooler?”

“My goodness, really. If not for the uniform, I’d think she’s an adult.”

The rooftop was open for employees to relax, feed the koi fish, and enjoy the garden. Not many people came due to the inconvenience of having to use the underground elevator.

“There are many friends taller than me.”

“Kids these days seem like a different species.”

“Hey! Brother’s here!”

“Oh my, my baby’s here!”

“Brotherrrr!”

Twenty-four and fifteen.

The reunion of the Son siblings always resembled a loving father and daughter.

The corners of the employees’ mouths naturally turned up as they watched Yoo-jin and Jin-hyeok talk.

“Brother, sit here. Sit down.”

Yoo-jin, who had sat by the pond first, patted the spot next to her.

Then she hurriedly opened her bag.

So excited that she even drooled a bit. Phew.

“Brother, look at this. Ta-da!”

“Wow! What’s this? The grand prize!”

“Hahaha!”

The brother’s exaggerated reactions in front of his sister, and Yoo-jin’s bright laughter at seeing him, remained the same.

“The grand prize at the Science Olympiad that brother never won!”

Of course, he had never participated, so there were no awards.

“Hahaha! There’s more!”

“More? Did you bring a trophy from the taekwondo tournament?”

“We saw that last weekend.”

“Ah, right.”

Yoo-jin, laughing and glancing at him, pulled out a club certification issued by the school principal.

“Just sign here, brother.”

“We need to make copies too.”

“Yes, right. Submit a copy to the CSR team on the 3rd floor, and they’ll issue a research institute access pass.”

“Geez. I could’ve signed and submitted it for you. It’s all crumpled now.”

“There’s romance in putting in the effort. Hehe.”

Jin-hyeok lightly tapped her forehead as he used to when she was little.

This kid’s looking for romance now that she’s grown up. Might start wearing makeup soon for a boyfriend.

“Hmm… the club name…”

Jin-hyeok scratched his head as he unfolded the folded club certification.

**”My Rough Thoughts Science”**

Must be the mood making him hum the melody.

It wasn’t just Jin-hyeok’s delusion.

“My rough thoughts, haaang~”

A research institute employee looking over his shoulder hummed the tune.

“Cool name, right? Dad came up with it.”

“Cool… name…”

Of course.

The only person in the Son family who could come up with such a name was Dad.

Well, if Yoo-jin’s happy, brother’s happy. Though his face feels hot for some reason.

Despite the strange title, the club introduction was normal.

**”A science club for the students of Taeyang Girls’ Middle School, exploring science for humanity based on humanism.

Main activities: Electrical and mechanical fabrication, etc.”**

Humanism. So cool!

“I made another club for Dad’s research institute access.”

Yoo-jin pushed another certification forward.

Jin-hyeok’s hand automatically went to his forehead.

“Did Dad come up with this club name too?”

“Yes!”

Scratch-scratch.

Jin-hyeok’s forehead turned red from the scratching.

**”Anxious Glance Chemistry”**

**”Based on humanism, benefiting humanity by protecting the Earth and nature…

Main activities: Eco-friendly fertilizer research, new material development, explosion testing, volcanic activity research, etc.”**

Are you sane, Dad Human?

After getting her brother’s signature and neatly packing the certification into her bag, Yoo-jin clasped her hands.

“Brother! Are we taking the quadcopter today?”

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

“Let’s play in Myeongdong and go back at night.”

“Sure.”

He hated crowded places, but if his sister wanted to go, he had to.

‘Guess I’ll work out at the gym tonight.’

Yoo-jin jumped up and headed home.

“First, I need to clean my brother’s place. Last time I saw it, there was hair, hair—eww! I’ll take a picture and send it to Soo-jeong unnie.”

Oh no!