Drrrick drrrick.
Hwang Bo-yul, pulling the suitcase containing the Jelly Girl, suddenly sighed.
Clearly, she had rushed out due to an attitude that obviously coveted the Jelly Girl, but as she strolled down the streets, she began to ponder whether she had acted too hastily.
In fact, it was behavior uncharacteristic of Hwang Bo-yul.
Ordinarily, she would have observed the situation more carefully and navigated through it to minimize any trouble.
Especially since it was a matter concerning the Singularity and not one involving a human’s life.
Particularly, if this Singularity might aid in saving lives.
But Hwang Bo-yul could not act that way. Unable to maintain her composure, she had sheltered the Jelly Girl.
Why had she done this?
The answer was clear upon reflection—it was because the subject was the Jelly Girl.
And this realization struck Hwang Bo-yul as strangely unfamiliar once she regained her calm.
She quickly recognized that it didn’t align with her usual behavior.
Hwang Bo-yul looked at the suitcase, or more specifically, at the Jelly Girl beyond it.
To the passersby, she might have seemed an odd woman staring at her suitcase, but to Hwang Bo-yul, it was just a quiet moment.
In truth, there weren’t enough gazes to bother her to begin with.
Many people gave her a brief glance, speculating if she was a model, and continued on their way.
While some might have offered to help seeing her apparent distress, her particular aura, coupled with the uneasy state of society, deterred them.
Thus, Hwang Bo-yul contemplated at length on a quiet street corner.
Why had I done such a thing?
Because they were openly targeting 7496 – KR.
But did it really necessitate this much action?
Given their attitude towards operatives, trouble seemed inevitable, leaving her no choice.
She needed to prevent a larger disaster, after all.
But was it truly necessary?
Had their behavior toward operatives been markedly unusual compared to other laboratories?
No, that wasn’t exactly the case.
Most laboratories shared the same ethos as the one she had left—prioritizing the greater goal above the sacrifices of operatives, albeit regrettable, in uncovering the mysteries of Singularities to prevent more casualties. This justification wasn’t completely baseless, considering most rules are written in blood.
Though they might be condemned as hypocrites, dictators, or immoral individuals outside their realm, within it, their actions often appeared justified.
Surprisingly, not all operatives disagreed with their ways, even among those who perished.
…The dead, after all, rarely object.
Conclusively, Hwang Bo-yul admitted to overreacting slightly.
She admitted it quickly after her reflection, but she had no intention of going back.
It simply hadn’t felt right, a fact that compelled her to seriously reconsider her thoughts.
How do I truly regard 7496 – KR?
Could I have been unknowingly mentally corrupted?
It’s hard to understand otherwise why I feel this way.
Could I have unknowingly consumed that ‘retort’?
After much thought, Hwang Bo-yul could only let out another sigh.
Her conclusion after much contemplation only reaffirmed her lack of clarity.
Even if it felt a bit stifling, Hwang Bo-yul wasn’t overly bothered.
…Perhaps I really have been unknowingly corrupted.
Muttering that to herself, Hwang Bo-yul suddenly gripped the suitcase handle tightly and began quickening her pace.
She wasn’t as absent-minded and negligent as she appeared in her thoughts.
While in deep thought, she remained cautious, feigning vulnerability while observing her surroundings carefully.
A few people caught her eye.
Most were merely passing pedestrians giving a brief glance, but among them were a couple who had been lingering suspiciously around her.
Thinking they were successfully hiding, their frequency around her as she contemplated only increased, drawing her attention.
…So, they did send a tail.
Smiling nicely inside, it showed their true colors outside.
Leaving early was indeed the right choice.
Drrrck!
Hwang Bo-yul took off running.
Although it was a place she’d never been to in this situation, it presented no real obstacle.
She had already mentally mapped out potential escape routes, suspecting a potential confrontation.
Dragging the suitcase wasn’t much of an issue either.
It was more efficient than carrying it.
After all, she could lift it if needed by folding the handle.
The Jelly Girl inside was light and thus not burdensome.
Nonetheless, she was slightly worried that the Jelly Girl in the suitcase might get seasick from all the shaking.
…Surely, Singularities would be fine, right?
She’s not really a child after all.
With the image of the Jelly Girl bouncing around in the suitcase, Hwang Bo-yul stepped faster.
As she had guessed, the pursuers’ level wasn’t very high, and they quickly fell behind.
Whether they had voluntarily withdrawn or simply lost her trail wasn’t immediately clear.
Even though it seemed she had shaken them off, without a vehicle, her movement options were limited.
Unsure when another surveillance pair might appear, Hwang Bo-yul didn’t relax her guard but remained composed, handling Singularities being her forte.
She moved stealthily to a location with an ambiguous crowd.
Places where people occasionally appeared despite seeming desolate.
This was advantageous in case she was being followed, as it was more predictable and limited what her pursuers could do, avoiding unwanted attention in a civilized setting.
Eventually, successfully evading her pursuers, Hwang Bo-yul checked into a lodging with her suitcase.
Though some looked at her strangely for her sweat-drenched appearance, there was no immediate suspicion.
After entering, Hwang Bo-yul inspected the room, peeked outside to ensure no suspicious individuals lingered, and drew the curtains, finding no immediate threats.
Satisfied, she opened the suitcase and…
…pulled the Jelly Girl out.
Plop.
Unlike her usual demeanor, this time the Jelly Girl wobbled out of the suitcase and slid onto the floor.
Hwang Bo-yul, startled by the sight, approached her instinctively and asked,
“Did I shake you too much? Are you alright?”
The Jelly Girl, resembling spilled milk on the floor, abruptly sat up like a startled person upon hearing Hwang Bo-yul’s voice.
Slightly fatigued Hwang Bo-yul couldn’t help but chuckle at her adorable actions, and the Jelly Girl shyly fiddled with her hair upon seeing her smile.
Realizing she seemed fine, Hwang Bo-yul, shedding her damp clothes, spoke casually.
“Now that I remember, you mentioned you liked bathing… Shall we take a bath together? Like last time.”
Gulp!
Surprised at the unexpected suggestion, the Jelly Girl recoiled as if sweating profusely.
…Why not?
Could she dislike bathing with me?
Feeling slightly drained from her escape and musings, Hwang Bo-yul’s face fell slightly seeing the Jelly Girl’s lukewarm response.
Perhaps sensing her vulnerability, the Jelly Girl discreetly leaked some jelly behind her back.
After a moment’s resolve, she approached Hwang Bo-yul, who was slowly undressing, tapped her knee gently, and with her head bowed, extended her arms toward her.
As if to say,
“I don’t dislike bathing with you.”
“Let’s take a bath together.”
This gesture seemed to ease the tension off Hwang Bo-yul’s shoulders.
Ah.
Perhaps the people from that lab were so drawn to 7496 – KR because of reasons like this.
Though there were certainly other reasons, this might have been one of them.
Is this what they call a ‘charming contradiction’?
Hwang Bo-yul, amused by her own thoughts, chuckled softly as she hugged the Jelly Girl.
Squishy.
The Jelly Girl’s soft, sticky embrace felt quite pleasant against her skin, soothing her fatigue.
As she stepped into the bathroom with the Jelly Girl, a slight sense of déjà vu overtook her, despite the unfamiliar location.
The bathroom was smaller than she expected, but it was spacious enough for an adult woman and a small Jelly Girl to bathe together.
After the bath, the both of them lay down to sleep for the following day.
This arrangement had grown somewhat familiar.
After placing the Jelly Girl in bed, Hwang Bo-yul once again scanned her environment before dressing herself, ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
There were rarely any absolutes after all.
Musing that the night might be long, Hwang Bo-yul sat beside the Jelly Girl, who had nestled into the bed, and dozed off.
Her cautious nature always reminded her of the possibility of an attack, making deep sleep impossible.
As the night deepened,
the darkness enveloped them.
