“Um, excuse me, may I hold your hand?”
When the man asked this, Hwang Bo-yul silently looked at me for a response.
It wasn’t a command to do so, but rather a questioning look asking if it would be alright. He didn’t seem to be pressuring me, but rather indicating that if I didn’t want to, I didn’t have to.
I nodded and extended my hand toward the man.
“Whoa…”
The man then carefully took my hand as if he were a potter molding delicate ceramics—bold yet cautious.
He gazed vacantly at my hand, which felt soft like jelly beneath his fingertips, muttering softly.
“It’s exactly the same as in my dream…!”
Dreams?
What does that even mean, mister?
That was a bit of an awkward statement even for me. Meeting someone from a dream… Did he mean that meeting me was like something he had long desired in his dreams?
Come to think of it, I remember Yang Ha-na saying something similar. She claimed she’d encountered me or perhaps a blue something in her dreams and somehow ended up here subconsciously.
Could this man be the same?
No, maybe everyone who came with him is here for the same reason.
I’d heard that my location was supposed to still be unknown.
So if people are finding me, that would imply either someone from the Foundation or a group of misguided adolescents. However, the people who have come didn’t seem to fit either description.
This naturally led to the conclusion of the “unlucky” Yang Ha-na.
Or should I say, the “lucky” Yang Ha-na?
Yes, she quickly found work here but is now sitting with sewing needles and thread in her hands, with dark circles under her eyes. She read the times too fast for her own good. Perhaps it’s better to say she has the right to see me and the jelly creatures at any moment.
But wait… is the current trend actually leaning toward everyone wanting to meet and shake hands with me?
Perhaps it is more lucky than I thought.
Congratulations, Yang Ha-na!
“Um, may I touch you too?”
In the meantime, while the man stepped aside, a young girl’s turn arrived.
I happily extended my hand. It wasn’t specifically because she was a fresh and innocent girl—it was simply because I was touched and surprised by how many people had come to see me. That said, if I’m being honest, doesn’t that make me sort of like the jelly?
And if we’re being precise, considering that I, as a jelly lifeform, am roughly one year old, technically my touch might be more impactful since I’m technically younger.
Though I still might not receive legal protection…
Do I even need to follow the law if I don’t get protected by it? While indulging in such daydreams, the person holding my hand had changed.
Looking around, I realized it had turned into some sort of idol handshake event.
I came out here dressed casually in my suit, but should I have worn something more elegant?
No, any suit should suffice.
Still, giving handshakes, leaving jelly handprints as mementos, and occasionally getting snacks—it all started to feel somewhat strange.
Not that any particularly dirty people were approaching—it was the memory of the recent press release that made me feel uneasy.
There hadn’t been any real threats, but didn’t a bomb get thrown?
I had dealt with it fine since “it” was already gone, but reflecting on it, it had been quite dangerous.
Should I even be meeting with such an undefined crowd? I wasn’t worried about my own safety, but if something happened to this town where Geum Ki-hyang had worked so hard, it would break her heart.
Back in the day, I might have thought she wouldn’t care much about such minor disruptions, but after what happened with the ant-hill incident, it seems she was deeply impacted.
Just observing her grit her teeth while laboring under the ground tells you all you need to know.
It must’ve been because I teased her about making a “sugarcane,” causing her to grind her teeth and start anew.
If the town were to collapse, while the general public might not notice, Ki-hyang might go on a rampage, declaring she’d create a completely terrorist-proof community.
Should I stop her? Or is it fine to let it slide?
I don’t know.
Do these people realize I’m having such concerns?
As I watched the jelly ripple, I noticed that instead of strangers, the townsfolk—yes, the townsfolk—were spread around like surveillance cameras.
They’re the ones responsible for bringing people here for these handshake sessions.
Apparently, as the townsfolk, they serve as a primary filter.
It makes sense. Some of them have been here since the beginning, so who would know the visitors better than them?
Hmm… So some measure of thought went into this, even though I assumed people just came without any checks.
If I think about it, the townsfolk would be most affected if anything happened to the town. They’ve come so far—to transition from tents and rags to having a semblance of normalcy. Surely they don’t want to go back to that.
If I’m being honest, I wouldn’t want to return to living in the sewer either. Even though I could reign supreme down there, I’d much rather laze around in bed, watching TV.
Speaking of which, what is the crocodile who lived there doing now?
Back then, I practically dangled from its nose with my life on the line. Those memories have transformed into something nostalgic now.
The stench of the sewer, the garbage-flavored rats, the attacking dogs, the breath from the crocodile’s jaws…
…actually, I’m not missing any of it.
Sure, you can be king of the sewer if you want; I’m stepping down.
I continued shaking hands and listening to the stories of the throng of people.
Listening closely, it seems most of them have been seeing me in their dreams for a long time. Whether it’s me or just a blue something, it’s not entirely clear.
At first, I wasn’t too concerned, thinking it would end with Yang Ha-na. However, realizing so many more people are coming made me nervous.
Are all these people dreaming of me? And after seeing me on TV, have they subconsciously followed their dreams here?
Is this… really okay?
It feels less like a fandom and more like a cult. Is this more of a deity-worship kind of thing? Well, if you think about the meaning of an idol, it’s similar…
I kept ruminating on this, and the jelly started to feel warm. So I forced myself to stop thinking and focused on shaking hands.
If anything happens, Han Seori or someone else will handle it.
If things go south, I’ll probably have to deal with it eventually, but there’s nothing I can do for now.
If I don’t control these people, they aren’t going to pose any real danger, right?
Is something that exists only in dreams really threatening? It just makes me uncomfortable in this somewhat succubus-like interaction.
Should I try something?
“Wow, it’s truly squishy!”
I looked at the woman who’d taken her turn to approach me.
She looked at me, her expression resembling someone in love, and started giggling.
…I can’t even imagine how often people have looked at me like that in my entire life.
It felt slightly strange.
Even if the existence in one’s dreams becomes tangible, isn’t it odd to come see them like this?
I understand the sentiment, but I doubt everyone in this place shares the same passion for the unknown as I do.
Moreover, her affection appeared exceedingly high—almost as if under a hypnotic application.
A peculiar restlessness churned within the jelly. My mind whispered that I should verify this, but my heart countered that checking would just complicate things.
Conscience… conscience.
Even my not-yet-round conscience kept prodding me insistently.
Fine… I’ll check. So stop bothering me, already.
Returning to reality, I watched the woman who kept staring at me, giggling.
If I have to verify… what should I ask her to do?
Hmm… removing all the risky actions, what hasn’t anyone done yet that’s still safe?
Ah, I’ve got one.
I mentally requested something of the woman. There was a method to this. It felt similar to how I’d previously commanded the jelly creatures.
How long had it been since I sent this signal to her?
The giggling woman suddenly looked as if a realization had struck her, and she gently pressed her lips against my forehead.
“Um? I’m sorry, but that’s not appropriate.”
“Huh? Oh… uh, I’m so sorry. I just suddenly felt the need to do it…”
“Hmm…?”
…Uh, it worked!
No, this wasn’t because of some ulterior motive. Thinking of something safe that she’d like, and also hasn’t been done yet, only this came to mind.
I can’t just ask for something random like push-ups, right!?
Cough… well.
I stopped Hwang Bo-yul, who was about to scold the woman, by gently pressing her lips with my two hands.
Without words, that was the only way.
“Hmm…?”
“Wow, are you protecting me? How kind of you…”
No, that’s not what happened!
Feeling a little flustered, I pointed to the floor with my finger toward a confused Bo-yul. She promptly concluded today’s visit and turned around, carrying me.
As awkward as the “visitation” label might be, I was truly amazed that my presence had triggered something deep within people’s subconscious.
This memory reminded me of something I’d pushed to the back of my mind—something Han Seori had created for Kim Cheon-soo and Yang Ha-na when they were acting strangely.
It had been a while since I last used that thing, as it wasn’t necessary anymore.
…it seems the time has come to wear it again.
But… where did I put it again?
Oops.
