021 – Target Scorpion Sidilom #1
The in-school volunteer work of “picking up trash” had come to an end.
Not too long ago, I was someone who lived at the garbage dump, so picking up bits and pieces off the floor wasn’t even close to being considered actual labor for me.
It was already 5 PM, the time when I should start heading home.
I was worried about Seugal who was left at the neighbor’s house since this morning. Though I had securely tied her up with chains, I feared what if she had escaped using her extraordinary strength unique to the Awakened One.
Frankly, I couldn’t focus on anything because of this unease.
Should I consider installing something like a “home cam”? You know, like how unmarried women who live alone and keep dogs often install cameras inside their homes when they go out because they worry about the dogs they leave behind.
If I set up one of those in Seugal’s basement and check her status through my phone or something, I’d essentially have a perfect real-time surveillance system.
I must be a genius! The smartest middle school dropout in the world!
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
Thuk.
At that moment, someone tapped my shoulder.
When I turned my head, Yu Yeo-reum was holding cold beverage cans in each hand and was extending one toward me.
Chhik.
The refreshing carbonated drink after physical labor—thinking about it made me remember how I had gone through all sorts of lengths trying to drink this cola in the world where I had perished.
I could feel tears welling up. In fact, they were already streaming down my face!
Drip, drip!
“…Is it so delicious that you’re crying? You’re a bit strange. Is it because Seugal didn’t come to school due to illness that’s such a shock to you? Or are you just strange to begin with?”
Yu Yeo-reum looked flustered as she observed my appearance. For a moment, I even felt a chill down my spine.
I don’t know why Seugal’s absence was classified as a “sick leave” rather than a disappearance, but it was uncertain how long this “sick leave” would last. Eventually, an investigation about her disappearance would begin, and if I acted suspiciously at that time, I’d end up being found out.
sh*t!
I was angry. That just meant I had to stay longer in this ridiculous high school, didn’t it?
After Seugal’s disappearance, if I abruptly quit or skip classes, it would only make me look more suspicious.
Therefore, I had to at least maintain the appearance of a peaceful daily life.
While I was deep in thought, Yu Yeo-reum crushed the can she had finished and pointed toward some children in the distance.
“It looks like your friends are waiting for you. I’ll go ahead, then.”
Tadaet.
Like a feather, she skipped away.
Instead, Geum Tae-sung, Choi Chang-sik, Baek Yeo-ul, and Oh Deok-sun came over in a group.
“Nam Jin-ah, why haven’t you been checking your messages? We’re planning to strategize a bit for tomorrow’s group lab practice at Chang-sik’s house. What do you think? You’re the group leader, after all.”
After Geum Tae-sung’s question, I recalled today’s lessons. It seemed like our captain mentioned something about preparing for tomorrow’s upcoming group lab practice.
“Chang-sik is going home today?”
“That’s right! Friend! I would really like it if you came over to my place!”
Of all days, today?!
I have to go home and check on Seugal but, coincidentally, today Chang-sik invited me over.
Though I could refuse, looking around at everyone’s faces, it didn’t feel like the right time to do so.
“Let’s go! Go!”
# # #
While not exactly my neighborhood, Chang-sik’s house was also in a rather underdeveloped area. The difference? This place smelled like people lived here.
It had a warm atmosphere like a slum, which was strangely endearing. There were many food bowls for “cat ladies” and a whole lot of cats roaming around, and this particularly struck a chord with me. The people in this neighborhood probably wouldn’t starve later on.
“This is my house.”
“Choi’s Ultimate Resources.”
Chang-sik’s house was, simply put, a junkyard. Various recyclables like cardboard, glass bottles, and so much more were neatly piled across a sizeable yard, and everyone seemed impressed.
“…It might feel a bit messy to some…”
Chang-sik’s face reddened as if he was embarrassed about his house. While scratching his nose, he gauged everyone’s reactions. Honestly, I was quite amazed.
“It’s a real treasure mountain!”
To accumulate this much recyclable stuff… and the quality of them was so outstanding it almost didn’t feel right to call them “waste.”
Could they be used for many purposes immediately?
“Did you gather all of this, Chang-sik?”
“No. Most of it was collected by my father…”
“You have an incredible sense when it comes to objects, Mr. Choi.”
“R-really? Honestly, it’s the first time I’ve heard that kind of compliment. It’s difficult to talk about being from a junkyard openly, isn’t it? But…”
Hwiiik.
Chang-sik looked at me.
“Friend, I thought I might be living a happy life if I could compare myself to you. It even gave me some courage. Anyway, come inside. It might be even more chaotic inside, though!”
He opened a sliding door, and we entered to see a relatively spacious house filled with countless items. Most of them were…
“Crown caps!”
To be exact, beer bottle caps.
They were stacked neatly like treasures, and I was practically frothing at the mouth with excitement.
This much? With this amount of bottle caps, I could easily live like a king in the ruined world! Even Captain Jack Sparrow finding a chest of gold would probably not be happier than I am right now!
“Chang-sik! What is all this?”
“Collecting bottle caps is also one of my father’s hobbies. There’s a drawer in every corner of the house stuffed with these bottle caps. Honestly, I used to dislike my father. I even disliked the bottle caps themselves.”
Shhwik.
Chang-sik picked up one of the bottle caps rolling around in the room.
He blew on it and instantly converted it into a chocolate coin of similar size.
“I got teased countless times for living in a house full of garbage like this. So I often wished that these bottle caps might as well be real money. If they were anything different…”
“Is that what inspired your awaking?”
When Geum Tae-sung, who had been inspecting the bottle caps, asked, Chang-sik nodded.
Wishing that the bottle caps in his house might as well be something different—led Choi Chang-sik to acquire the concept of “transformation” and become someone who could create infinite candy.
If he could turn bottle caps into chocolate—it could easily be said that he is a step below Seugal among the Awakened Ones!
“Chang-sik, let’s continue to be friends. When you succeed someday, don’t forget me.”
“…I don’t think I’ll ever forget you and the tiger-print underwear. Oh, by the way, I have a mini-car track here! I still have the mini-car you gave me last time…”
“Chang-sik, do you have any CCTV or home cams?”
“There might be a few in the camera section. Do you need them for something?”
“While I’m away, the cat ladies keep coming to my yard and scattering food for the cats. I’d like to monitor it a bit. And while we’re at it, could you give me a fly swatter to chase the cats away a bit?”
Just as evening was approaching, Chang-sik and I were boiling some instant noodles while exchanging various conversations. It seemed like Chang-sik had something to ask me.
“Friend, didn’t you have two concepts?”
“That’s right.”
“Honestly, acquiring even one concept is difficult, isn’t it? So, I’m curious as to how you came to possess “leaping” and “emotion.” Would it be too rude to ask you to explain it?”
“Me?”
It was hard to explain the “emotion” since I received it from Seugal, but I could easily explain the “leaping.”
Though, to be honest, it wasn’t much of a proud story.
“Around two years ago, there was a big fire in a large shopping mall, right?”
“Are you talking about the N-Mart incident where a crazy Awakened One started a fire?”
“That’s it. Back then, I was on the first floor of N-Mart, but my mom and dad happened to be on the fourth floor. The raging flames blocked both the elevators and the stairs, leaving no way to go up or down.”
That’s where my explanation ended.
Choi Chang-sik seemed lost in thought for a bit, his expression changing, then fell deeply into gloom and placed his hand on my back.
“Friend, I deeply regret hearing about your parents. If I had known it would make you talk about such things, I shouldn’t have asked.”
“It’s alright. It’s been such a long time that I don’t feel anything about it now. Rather, do you think we should add some ssamjang and ketchup to the noodles?”
“No, even if that’s the case, that’s a bit too much…”
We deliciously shared dinner together.
Nevertheless, Baek Yeo-ul seemed a bit dissatisfied.
“There seems to be something missing from the noodle flavor today.”
See, it was missing the ssamjang and ketchup!
That way, as it turned to late afternoon, we never actually talked about the strategy for tomorrow’s group assignment because we were so immersed in chatting.
“Well, since my way home is the same as Deok-hee’s, I’ll go ahead.”
“…”
Today, Deok-sun, who was usually shy, quietly disappeared in the same direction as Geum Tae-sung. Looking at this, Baek Yeo-ul said something to me.
“Isn’t there something suspicious about those two?”
“It’s you who seems most suspicious to me. How does someone’s hair turn pink?”
“I’m serious! In my opinion, Deok-hee might like Tae-sung. Can we help encourage them or support them somehow?”
Teenagers at this age love to tie every kind of male-female relationship into romance. With her pink-dyed hair, Bangdaengi’s head seemed filled with nothing but pink thoughts.
“Bangdaengi, why don’t you help me and Seugal instead?”
“…”
Hwrig.
Frowning Baek Yeo-ul.
It seems like her “Seugal Allergy” might last longer than expected.
“I’m going, too!”
Her mood drastically worsened, and eventually, Baek Yeo-ul disappeared around a distant corner.
Now, only I was left.
I waited until I couldn’t sense anyone’s presence anymore, then quickly dashed home—more specifically, to the neighbor’s basement.
# # #
Creak… squeak. Thud.
After entering the damp basement and turning on the dim bulb, Seugal lay there quietly on the floor.
She hasn’t run away!
With that realization came both profound relief and an inexplicable excitement.
It felt like secretly raising a Pokémon, an experience entirely new to me and thus hard to explain.
Anyway, the fact that Seugal was there when I came home was itself enough to excite me.
“We’re like newlyweds, aren’t we?”
“…”
Of course, Seugal did not respond to my comment. She merely stared at me with a frightening glare.
“You haven’t even drunk water?”
Indeed, Seugal had not touched the water bottle I had left for her.
Despite being quite thirsty, most likely, she must be very hungry as well.
Awakened Ones consume many more calories than regular people due to their active metabolism, so it’s difficult for them to starve.
Yet, not even a single sip of water…
How stubborn can you get?
It wasn’t good. I had a duty to keep Seugal in good health.
Before anything, I should install the home camera I retrieved from Chang-sik’s home…
Clatter-clack.
As I was installing the camera on the ceiling, Seugal, who had been silent until now, suddenly shouted like a enraged fox.
“If you install that, I’ll bite my tongue and d*e.”
“What?”
“If you set up the camera, I’ll k*ll myself.”
It didn’t feel like mere intimidation.
She’s someone who really would do it if she said she would.
If Seugal dies, my “soft and fluffy” would also vanish. Therefore, much to my regret, I had to abandon the idea of setting up the camera.
It’s such a hassle! Does this mean I’ll have to keep worrying about whether Seugal ran away or not?
“My body’s the objective, right?”
“What?”
“For the last few hours, I was thinking about why you imprisoned me. It’s all about my body in the end, isn’t it? Men are all the same, aren’t they? So, why don’t you do what you want and then set me free?”
Seugal slipped the blanket I had given her off, revealing her snow-white thighs, which still looked clean despite the day’s dust.
I felt good.
Finally, Seugal was willing to cooperate with me!
“Well, let’s start with some push-ups. Let’s do the first set of 100 reps easily…”
“…What? Isn’t it okay to do whatever you want? Since the goal is my body, isn’t it?”
“That’s true, but my goal is to train and strengthen your body. I understand how extraordinary potential you possess. Therefore, you shouldn’t degrade yourself like this.”
“…What? Cheapskate?”
I had seen in the movie “The Perfect Substitute” how falling for a desperate woman’s first lure could lead to real despair.
Even though I knew that, Seugal’s seduction was overwhelmingly strong, making even the smartest and wisest middle school dropout like me almost waver for a moment.
In that sense, I picked up the fly swatter I brought from Chang-sik’s house.
“…What are you going to do with that?”
“Seugal, you need to value your body more. Every time you try something as absurd as this seduction, this is what you’ll get! A love tap!”
I swung the swatter, striking Seugal’s white thigh!
Chlak!
“Aaaaah! You psycho!”
#
