Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Recruits (1)
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The shrimp, dumpling, and cheese tteokbokki was delicious.
In the end, I spent the night at Yoon's house. The Supreme Commander never came home. Ami showed me to the guest room next to the entryway and brought out tteokbokki in a green bowl dotted with white patterns.
Wearing the T-shirt and joggers Yoon had handed over – just take them – I ate the tteokbokki. All while missing my wrecked cabin.
Ricardo left without even touching the tteokbokki. When I apologized again before he went, he waved it off without looking back and vanished.
He just wanted to get as far away from the boss's house as possible.
"I'll buy you new ones for whatever flew away."
Ami, the light and salt of my life, said that while eating her tteokbokki.
"We're loaded, so don't worry about it. Look at Oppa over there, picking out his next car like he's ordering delivery."
"It's not available for a month," Yoon grumbled, his brows furrowing ever so slightly.
"Guess I'll grab something from another brand in the meantime."
I decided to accept the shameless offer.
I spent a heavy night. The truth confirmed by the seniors weighed on me. I desperately tried to recall my past.
It was a grueling process. The more I tried to remember, the hazier it got.
I kept groping at the fragments of memory that surfaced. When the butterfly approached, who was the one speaking in my memory? It was a different voice from the one on the rooftop. Yet it wasn't unfamiliar.
Would the day come when I remembered everything?
Lost in fruitless worries, I opened my eyes to morning.
***
It was nearly 3 p.m. by the time I arrived at the Badgers' dorm.
That morning, Ami and I went shopping. Ami is the light and salt of the world. After picking up essentials at the outlet with her, we had lunch. Eel fritter donburi.
After polishing off lunch, we had coffee, then rode in Ami's car to the dorm.
She said it was the dorm where the Badgers lived. I'd be staying on the same floor as the other rookies who, like me, hadn't been out in the field yet.
The blue car entered Zone 1. It pulled up on a quiet street a bit away from headquarters, where there was hardly any sign of life.
An ivory-colored, plain building came into view.
"The old building."
Ami shut the car door and said brightly as she got out.
"Nine floors total. Hilde, your room's on the third!"
"Thanks for seeing me here."
"No problem. Let's head up together."
All my stuff fit into two big duffel bags. I snatched the one Ami had picked up and headed inside.
We got off on the third floor together.
A quiet hallway stretched out. Ivory walls, worn and stained ochre in spots.
"Here."
Ami trotted ahead and stopped in front of room 304.
"They said everything's there except a bathtub."
She flung the door open.
I followed her in and peered around the room.
Fresh breeze wafting in through the open window.
It wasn't as cramped as I'd thought. Bathroom right next to the entryway. Simple bed under the window. Kicking off my shoes to step inside, I spotted the sink and mini-fridge. There was a dresser next to the fridge, too.
Everything Ami had said would be there was.
"Oh, right. Use the laundry room by the elevator for the washer and dryer."
"It's great."
I set down my duffel and scanned the room.
"Much better than I expected. Thanks so much, seriously."
"No biggie. Let's unpack."
Ami plopped down next to the duffel and yanked open the zipper.
She started pulling things out. I sat on the floor and unzipped the other one. Toilet paper, dishes, pajamas, toiletries. Whatever came to hand.
We busily spread everything out on the floor.
About halfway through unpacking, I heard footsteps near the open entryway.
"Um...."
Ami and I turned.
A redheaded man came into view. Pale skin dotted with faint freckles. Blue eyes giving a gentle, mild impression. Long eyelashes.
He stood hesitantly at the open door, dressed in gray training pants and a white T-shirt.
Ami's eyes lit up happily.
"Tom! Hi!"
"Senior Ami."
The man's tense, shy face softened.
He looked down at her with a smile like he was seeing a little sister.
"Long time no see."
"Yeah. You been good?"
Ami got to her feet.
"Perfect timing. Was gonna introduce you later anyway. Tom, this is Hilde. Hildebert Talib. Hilde, this is Tom Herson. He's a rookie like you. Tom, you heard about Hilde from Angela, right?"
"Yeah. I knew he was coming today...."
Tom glanced at me.
I jumped up and bowed slightly.
"Nice to meet you, Senior."
"Ah, no. You don't have to call me that."
Tom sounded a bit flustered.
"Uh.... I heard you got the Enhanced Body before us. And that you've already finished adaptation training? Technically, we'd be the juniors. But Badgers go by field deployment for seniority, so we're basically recruits together, from what I heard."
If that's the case, I'm way too recent....
"Yep."
Ami brushed off my inner muttering.
She stood between me and Tom, summing it up.
"You two are recruits. So drop the formalities and get comfy. The closer you are with your recruits, the better. And Tom. Heshi lives here too, right?"
"Yeah. He's out visiting family in the city right now."
"Cool. Introduce Hilde to him when he gets back?"
Tom nodded at Ami with a smile.
Then, as he looked up and our eyes met, he quickly glanced away.
Super shy type. I rubbed my neck, eyeing his curly red hair as he stared at the floor. Starting informal first felt awkward. But being too polite might embarrass him.
We stood there awkwardly with Ami in the middle.
Ami glanced back and forth at us fidgeting.
Then she looked at me.
"Hilde."
"Yes."
"Say, 'Take care of me, Tom.'"
Just like that?
I mumbled awkwardly with a faint smile.
"Take care of me, Tom."
"Uh? Oh, yeah.... Me too."
"Handshake!"
Ami reached out, grabbing my hand and Tom's right.
She pulled them together, urging a shake.
"Handshake!"
"Handshake."
"...Nice to meet you."
I gave a small smile, said "handshake," and offered my hand. Tom took it. We shook like elementary kids under Ami's direction.
We sat in the room for a while after, chatting amid the scattered stuff. Talked about the outlet that morning and nearby eats. Spots near headquarters, cafes, shops by the dorm.
Ami left once our conversation loosened up a bit.
***
Tom still seemed shy as he showed me around the dorm.
"This is the vending machine and ATM. ATM's open 24/7, but the fees are kinda high."
"Ah."
"Third floor's just us, so washer and dryer whenever you want."
I nodded to show I got it.
The recruit at the vending machine turned to look at me. Tom met my yellow eyes with his blue ones, then murmured, "Um, that's the basics."
I smiled faintly and thanked him.
"Which room are you?"
I asked to break the ice.
Tom answered readily.
"307."
"Close by. Uh.... Heshi the recruit lives on this floor too?"
"Yeah. Heshi's 301. Should be back soon...."
He glanced at the clock above the vending machine.
A bit past 6 p.m.
"Told him we'd order pizza together."
"Me?"
I raised the end of my sentence in question.
Why'd that come up? I hadn't even met this Heshi.
Seeing my confusion, Tom added,
"We all knew you were coming today from our masters."
"Ah. Right, yeah."
"Heshi's super sociable.... Said we'd order pizza and get to know each other. He said he'd be here around 6, so let's wait a bit more. If not, I'll call him."
"Sure."
I nodded as Tom pulled out his phone.
"Wait till 20 past and call then?"
Tom nodded.
Then the awkward silence settled in like clockwork.
How to fill this? I racked my brain for something to say. Yoon's silences never bothered me, but this one-born of awkwardness-felt suffocating.
Maybe check my phone? I pulled it out.
Huh? A text.
Who from? Not Ami, we just parted. Can't imagine Supreme Commander.... My master? He said he'd leave weekends alone.
Tense, I tapped the message icon.
It popped up.
From an unknown number.
[Welcome back! It's my birthday today :D]
What the hell?
I stared down at my phone standing there.
A weird feeling hit me. Some emotion I couldn't pin down.
Who sent this? Spam? Wrong number?
Probably the latter.
I eyed the smiley and replied.
[Think you sent this to the wrong number.]
[Won't wish me happy birthday?]
What kinda person...
Exasperated, I stared at the screen and typed.
[Happy birthday. Whoever you are.]
[Meet me the day after Christmas.]
Incomprehensible reply.
[Gonna throw a huge birthday party then!]
Birthday's today, though.
Christmas is ages away. Crazy person. Felt dumb replying to an unknown, so I closed the messages.
At the same time, Tom's voice rang out.
"Heshi!"
"Tom."
I turned. A short brown-haired guy with a soldierly vibe.
He closed the distance with big strides.
"Sorry I'm late. This the famous Hildebert?"
"Yep."
"Ah, nice to meet you. Hildebert Talib."
"Drop the formalities. I'm Hesi Lyle."
The man stuck out a firm hand in greeting.
"Few recruits around, so let's get along."
Good dude.
I gripped his callused hand and nodded. Exchanged quick greetings, shaking off thoughts of the weird text. When he suggested pizza in my room, I nodded and headed there.
***
"Why'd you join the Badgers?"
Hesi asked suddenly while eating pizza.
I'd just slurped up a long cheese string and looked up, caught off guard.
"Huh?"
Truth was, I hadn't applied to the Badgers.
I had no choice. Plus, I was mired in angst over my identity. Supreme Commander said I'd do fine, but loaded with liabilities, could I really?
Anyway, couldn't blab the truth.
"Just, y'know...."
I stretched it out, brain spinning.
"I always lived an unstable life. Then I happened to hear about recruitment...."
But how does Black Badger normally recruit people?