Tap, tap.
The campfire blazed a fiery red.
The logs piled on the sturdy grate burned so brightly that the word “campfire” naturally came to mind.
Feeling the warm heat spread in all directions, it gave the impression of being at a decent resort, but…
…if you looked around carefully, you couldn’t help but tilt your head in puzzlement.
And for good reason.
The scenery around the blazing campfire was far from that of a serene campsite or vast nature. Instead of the soft moonlight and a sky like spilled paint, a stark white ceiling came into view.
Where there should have been an expansive forest and an open landscape, instead stood confining walls.
Tap… thud.
A spark flew from the logs, and a blackened piece of wood fell to the floor.
…The floor where the wood fell was not green earth or soft dirt but artificial tile.
The bizarre scene of a campfire inside a building.
But as if to say that this was nothing to be concerned about, a small shadow fell over the fallen wood.
The floating shadow grew darker and moved closer to the logs.
Plop.
As the shadow turned pitch black, a blue something engulfed the log within its body.
Its identity, of course, was none other than the small whale-shaped Jung-sik.
It had been showing interest in the campfire and now wiggled its body with a plop, plop as it held the blackened wood.
Attached to this small Jung-sik were tiny red antlers and a somewhat comical red ball, creating an image reminiscent of Rudolph.
…Though it took some effort to imagine a whale as Rudolph, it somehow worked.
And there was a gaze watching this Jung-sik.
‘Why are you eating that?’
It was a Jelly Girl wearing a red Santa hat.
The girl, dressed as Rudolph’s counterpart in a Santa hat, looked at Jung-sik as if she’d just left a child by the water’s edge.
Could eating that cause any trouble…?
While the Jelly Girl thought this, sitting beside her was Daesik, also not in his usual clothing but in a red Santa costume.
Dressed in what seemed to be a modified red dress (though worn by Ellis), Daesik swayed his doll-like body left and right as if pleased with his appearance.
In contrast to Daesik’s swaying on the right, near the Jelly Girl sat Sosik, who looked as if everything was too troublesome. Sosik rested her arms on a box, sitting indifferently.
Her head was adorned with what seemed like leftover Christmas tree decorations, carelessly stuck on as if they hadn’t been absorbed properly.
Behind this girl stood a fairly large Christmas tree.
Underneath it, gift boxes were stacked, but disappointingly, they were only for show with no gifts inside.
And slightly further back from the Jelly Girl’s group…
A tent was set up, visible in the room.
A campfire and a tent indoors—anyone would find this scene odd.
Not long after, the zipper of the tent came down and Han Seori, clutching a blanket, came out, her teeth chattering.
On her head was a red hat similar to the Jelly Girl’s.
Han Seori, bundled in her blanket, shuffled out slowly and plopped down next to the Jelly Girl.
“Phew… still this spot’s the warmest.”
As she sighed deeply…
A white mist, like a dragon’s breath, spread out from her exhale.
Han Seori, staring blankly at the white fog for a moment, seemed to remember something and gently stood to rummage around.
After finding a kettle, she filled it with icy-cold water just before it froze and placed it over the campfire, asking,
“Want some cocoa?”
Han Seori turned to the Jelly Girl with a somewhat hesitant tone.
Upon hearing her voice, the girl who had been idly watching the jelly bubble slowly nodded, her neck stiffening slightly.
Blowing warm air into her frozen hands while watching this, Han Seori silently prepared the cocoa.
Then she noticed the Jelly Girl’s movements seemed slightly stiff.
‘…Isn’t she cold?’
Her body seemed a bit rigid…
Han Seori, who was pouring hot cocoa into a mug, recalled the previous night.
According to her plan to minimize the lab’s operational rate, they had moved busily to prepare.
If they delayed any longer, they risked encountering something unpleasant without having done anything.
Anyway…
To reduce the lab’s operational rate, their preparations were as follows.
First, they lit a campfire to keep warm during the severe cold.
Since they had to keep the ventilation going, it wasn’t an issue.
…They had no other fuel to spare anyway, so there wasn’t much left to burn.
Next, they gathered food supplies for a while and—hard to believe but true—equipment for camping indoors.
Finally…
…to make this insane cold at least slightly warmer…
They brought out the Christmas tree and costumes that had been stored away.
Since it was also around that time, they had a bit of a reason to sigh in relief.
But for them to enjoy it carefree…
…it was too cold.
At least it was a little fortunate that the biting wind wasn’t blowing.
If it had been…
‘Ew…’
Thinking about it made her shiver.
As Han Seori shook her head, the sound of steam escaping from the kettle could be heard.
Taking the kettle out, she began putting cocoa powder into the lined mugs. It was difficult due to the freezing cold.
Behind her, Kim Cheon-soo shuffled over from another tent.
He was wearing a brown reindeer costume.
With the reindeer mask, he looked like he could instantly transform into Rudolph.
With Kim Cheon-soo joining, the Christmas atmosphere grew strong.
…Though the only present they could expect was ominous, and one they wouldn’t want to receive.
Kim Cheon-soo, dressed in his reindeer costume, flopped down in front of the campfire.
Han Seori smiled faintly and asked,
“Mr. Cheon-soo, would you like some cocoa?”
“…I wouldn’t mind it.”
“Alright… then, could you… dig this out for me?”
“Oh, sure.”
After handing the hardened cocoa to Kim Cheon-soo upon hearing his reply, Han Seori sat back while he sweated profusely trying to scoop it out.
How much time had passed?
The mugs filled the campfire’s surroundings with the sweet smell of hot cocoa.
The ways of drinking it, however…
…varied.
Daesik held the mug in both doll hands, carefully fishing the jelly out to sip the cocoa.
It seemed like there was no intent to come out from Ellis.
Jung-sik plunged his face into the mug, slurping the cocoa into his body.
It was as if he were swimming in the cocoa.
The sprawled-out Sosik next to the Jelly Girl had placed a large straw on her head, extending a tentacle from her back into the mug.
The thin tentacle visibly drew the liquid black cocoa upward.
It seemed movements were troublesome, but eating was not something she could resist.
And finally, the star Jelly Girl…
Wearing a Santa hat, she sat blankly and brought the mug to her lips.
Han Seori and Kim Cheon-soo, who had been idly fondling their warm mugs, glanced at the Jelly Girl curiously.
Noticing their gazes, the Jelly Girl made her jelly bubble, then tilted the mug.
Then…
Thud.
A black liquid slid stickily down her body.
“Ahh…”
“Oh dear…”
With an awkward smile, Han Seori and Kim Cheon-soo took a sip of their cocoa, realizing it was an attempt that failed in imitation.
Meanwhile, the Jelly Girl, noticing the dripping cocoa within her field of vision, made a bubbling sound, then flipped the mug upside down inside her body.
The cocoa flowed out like spilled watercolor.
The Jelly Girl pushed the sticky contents into her body and pulled out the empty mug, placing it on the floor with a somewhat dissatisfied gesture, as though she’d just done the dishes.
Han Seori watched this and smiled softly, then finished her cocoa and stood up.
“…Well, should we check how things are going?”
“We’ll freeze to death on the way there.”
As Kim Cheon-soo made an excuse upon seeing Han Seori’s warm expression, he quickly added,
“…L-let’s hurry and get back. We need to have dinner too.”
The two stood up, gathered their equipment, and headed toward the control room.
The Jelly Girl, watching the two leave, seemed somewhat fidgety.
‘…I don’t know what, but I hope it worked.’
The girl recalled how Han Seori had looked at her that day.
Even though Han Seori hadn’t said anything to Jelly Girl that day,
The Jelly Girl instinctively realized it.
If there were no… results, facing whatever that thing on the screen was…
Would be her responsibility.
‘…What am I supposed to do with something like that…?’
It was true that the Jelly Girl loved exploring and investigating the unknown, but…
This wasn’t exploration or investigation…
Was she really just going to her death…?
Despite thinking this, the Jelly Girl felt a little uneasy about the facility she had worked so hard to regain becoming unusable.
‘…Who the hell does he think he is?’
As futile anger burned within the Jelly Girl’s jelly,
The sound of footsteps returning could be heard.
Since there was no emotion detectable in the footsteps, the Jelly Girl calmly awaited the reappearance of the two.
Please,
May there be good results.
Unaware that her jelly was trembling…
…she waited.
