Chapter 10

There is no time to think about this or that.

I headed straight for Gangnam.

"Yes, it's a ta... Hup."

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠taxi I caught immediately after running out of the house.

The taxi driver showed a surprised reaction as soon as he saw me, but such a reaction didn't register in my eyes.

Because I had a more urgent matter.

"Let's go to Gangnam."

"Yes, yes! To Gangnam... Wait, did you say Gangnam?"

The taxi driver, who barely managed to get a hold of himself, asked back as if it was absurd.

"Gangnam, what business does a young person have going there..."

"...I have a reason I need to go."

"No, no! I can't go there!"

The taxi driver said while shuddering.

Finding that reaction strange, I stared intently at the taxi driver. Then, waving his hands, he explained.

"I don't know the details, but they say a blackout or something happened there? It's not good to go in there."

"...I know."

"And I also heard that soldiers are blocking it so people can't even go in in the first place. You won't even be able to attempt to go in."

Hearing those words, it feels like the timer in my heart is accelerating faster and faster.

Just what on earth is happening inside there...

Of course, there would be absolutely no need to worry about that tomboyish bitch, but still, I have what I told Mom, so I need to bring her back.

"Then, as close to Gangnam as possible. I will pay whatever it costs."

"Well, I'm telling you money isn't the problem! Why would you try to enter a place where your life might be in danger..."

The taxi driver, who was shouting excitedly for a moment, caught his breath.

He carefully examined my calmly settled face through the rearview mirror, then cautiously asked.

"...Your family."

"......."

"Is your family... in there?"

"...Yes."

Should I call her family.

It's true that she's a blood relative who genuinely shares my blood.

But it's exactly just that level of sentiment. I hold absolutely no attachment or affection for that brat.

"...No wonder you looked in a hurry."

The taxi driver muttered in a bitter voice.

Looking in a hurry; it's not wrong.

Because I actually was in a hurry.

But this urgency didn't stem from affection for that brat.

There's no way I would harbor affection for a brat who only causes trouble like this every time.

But... Ah, that's right.

Because of the words I said to reassure Mom.

For those words not to become a lie, I need to at least grab her by the scruff of the neck and drag her out.

I have an obligation to do so.

The taxi driver, who had been silent for a moment, spoke with a slightly hoarse voice.

"...Let's go. I don't know how far we can go, but I'll take you as far as it reaches."

"...Thank you."

I also know that my stubbornness played a big part this time.

I don't know when it will be, but I will definitely repay this favor.

I looked at his business card engraved on the back of the seat.

I will not forget this name.

Sure enough, it seems the statement about swiftly taking me to my destination wasn't a lie.

Despite my urgency, the taxi zoomed forward.

The reason it could be like that was partly because the roads were completely empty.

"Whoa..."

The taxi driver took a deep breath.

The highway was formed abnormally, like on a major holiday.

It's full of people trying to leave Seoul, but there are few people trying to go to Seoul.

That's probably... an evacuation procession.

The reason people were evacuating like this was clear.

Even though there's still some distance... a clearly visible black pillar.

Because a black cylinder, undulating as if it would suck in all light, stood tall in the direction of Gangnam.

A supernatural sight that seemed as if a completely different dimension had unfolded, rather than the power outage people commonly think of.

Rather, I think it might be similar to putting a black mosaic over a photo.

If that sight had been properly broadcasted, it would have been a disaster.

But since it's placed so openly and easy to see, there's no way proper information blocking would work anyway.

"...You can go back from here."

"It's fine! Since I decided to take you, I have to go until the end."

The hands of the taxi driver saying that were trembling slightly.

But there was uprightness in his eyes. In my situation, where I had to utilize his goodwill, I couldn't say anything more.

The Sinsa Station intersection we arrived at like that.

"Oh dear..."

The taxi driver let out a groan as if flustered.

And I was equally flustered.

It's not that I know the geography of Seoul well, but it seems this place is a strategic point.

A large number of soldiers had gathered, set up a barricade, and were blocking the approach of people coming and going.

And that meant no exception for us.

"Halt, halt!"

The taxi, which had been slowly reducing its speed due to the barricade, eventually came to a stop.

From the opposite side, several armed soldiers were striding towards us.

Knock, knock.

The sound of knocking on the window.

The taxi driver rolled down the window. Beyond the window, soldiers were glaring at us with completely stiff faces.

A soldier spoke in a low voice.

"This is a restricted area. Turn your vehicle around immediately."

"Ah, haha! Men of the Armed Forces, you are truly working hard even on a day like this..."

"I will not say it twice. Turn your vehicle around."

"......."

The taxi driver bowed his head deeply.

He remained silent for a moment as if deliberating, then eventually squeezed his eyes shut and said.

"Could you let it slide just this once, just this once? My passenger's family is inside there right now..."

"...Hah."

The soldier let out a hollow laugh as if it was absurd.

He spoke with one corner of his mouth raised.

"If they are inside there, so what. Do you have ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a way to save them?"

"......."

"I cannot speak of the details as they are classified, but the state is also doing its best right now. So... please turn your vehicle around now."

"...Yes."

The taxi driver, who had been desperately trying to persuade him, bowed his head deeply.

Because there was nothing he could do.

Vroooom-.

In the car that eventually turned back, the taxi driver spoke as if to console me.

"...It will be ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠okay. You heard him, right? Since they say the soldiers are working hard..."

I was fine.

If I had planned to persuade the soldiers and cross the barricade, I would have helped the taxi driver persuade them earlier.

I never thought I could persuade the soldiers in the first place.

What could those guys possibly do other than listen to orders?

Of course, I'll be in the exact same situation a week from now.

As I remained silent, the taxi driver cautiously suggested.

"It's presumptuous to say this, but I think it would be better to just go back too. No matter how you look at it, that cylinder is far too ominous..."

He's not wrong.

Because I was also overwhelmed by the sight of that cylinder once.

Blackout, blackout. It was all just talk; seeing its supernatural reality with my own eyes, it's true that my whole body trembled.

But...

"Could you let me off around here?"

"Here? No, my friend. If we're going back, we should go back together..."

"Over there, people are gathered."

Not far from the Sinsa Station intersection.

I could see something like a camp where a lot of people had gathered.

The taxi driver, who discovered the people belatedly, said with wide eyes.

"Wow, there's a camp set up right in the middle of Seoul."

Perhaps those people were residents of Gangnam.

Since it's a situation where they can't return home right now, it seems they set up a camp there.

I was planning to go there and try to get some information.

But feeling that if I said that, the taxi driver wouldn't let me out, I told a lie.

"I know someone there. I'll catch a ride with that person and go back."

"......."

He looked like he didn't believe me.

Well, I would have been the same.

Knowing that fact, I didn't avoid the taxi driver's eyes. Rather, I met his gaze.

So that even if he didn't believe my words, he couldn't refuse.

A staring contest that lasted a long time.

In the end, it was the taxi driver who looked away first.

"I don't have a hobby of dropping off passengers in deadly places and leaving."

"...What could possibly happen?"

"But..."

He seemed to hold a strange sense of guilt.

"And do I look like an ordinary person to you?"

"That's... not true."

The pure white wings spreading out from my shoulder blades.

Plus the halo, still subtle but scattering a presence more intense than anything else.

The taxi driver had pretended not to notice those elements until now.

He probably did that thinking it was consideration for a mutant.

He was the kind of person who would have treated Shin Ah-yoon normally even if it wasn't me.

"So please don't worry. Because nothing will happen."

Earning the worry of such a person was a pleasant thing, but also a burdensome one.

Because I feel sorry.

The guilt inside me grew rapidly and before I knew it, it had reached my chest.

Really, that sister of mine, so lovable I could kill her, better appreciate this fact.

Who knows, maybe she's already beaten down all the monsters in there and is resting comfortably.

If so... it would be nice.