The First Gate and Morning Drama
The guard duty time had come. An officer stood before the unit members, all of whom still had that dreamy, half-asleep look clinging to them.
“It’s Monday, so the Living Quarter’s rotation is changing this week. Everyone knows, right? You’ve all checked the Guard Duty Manual?”
There were only a few muffled replies.
Even the senior layer wasn’t too familiar with the manual, but the juniors had clearly explained it, so they probably knew.
It had been a whole week since the shift, and the responsibilities had already changed. In truth, we’d squeezed the reserve deployment week into a vacation, but still…
“Morning guard duty’s over. Head over to the Living Quarter for breakfast.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Han Jihye answered in that lazy drawl and turned her head.
“So, what’s the plan for this week, then?”
“Deployment squad.”
“Oh. Real deployment, huh? Lucky timing. You mentioned you needed quick cash, didn’t you, Byeori?”
“Yay!”
A senior behind me cheered like a kid who’d just won the lottery.
Her name was Yeon Byeori. The senior whose dark-green hair cascaded all the way to her waist had that vaguely decadent vibe that made you wonder how she even existed. She was supposed to be quiet and laid-back, but right now it was obvious she could be pretty loud.
“Yay is informal.”
“Aww, using that word between us? That’s mean.”
“Oh? Looks like you’re already thinking about senior food, huh?”
“I don’t care about stuff like that, you know.”
The seniors—Han Jihye and Yeon Byeori and the rest—chatted like that and waddled into the Living Quarter.
“Huh? Aren’t we eating?”
“Why bother with breakfast?”
The question came right back at me.
Didn’t waking up feel different when you’d had breakfast? Not to mention how the kitchen auntie who worked so hard would be upset if we skipped.
Well, honestly, most of us never really ate breakfast, so it didn’t hit the same.
“Looks like the two of us are eating together today too.”
“That sounds right.”
Don’t mind? Eating with the seniors? Tell me if it’s uncomfortable.”
“I don’t feel like skipping meals with Seo Harang-nim at all. In fact, I don’t feel burdened by her in the slightest.”
That was the only light in this hellhole of a dorm.
At my words, Jeong Seung-ah let out a soft, amused chuckle.
“That’s good. Hey, eating breakfast together like this almost feels like a date, doesn’t it?”
If you pushed it, it was basically a two-person room vibe. Since we were an independent unit, the cafeteria was small and we ate from our own trays.
But I decided not to voice my personal opinion.
“I suppose that could be how you feel.”
Jeong Seung-ah’s eyes, which had been smiling sweetly, softened into little crescents.
Through the eye-crinkles, I caught the iris of the person approaching.
“...Huh? Kim Heejin-nim?”
“What?”
“Aren’t you eating?”
“Mm.”
“You usually skip breakfast, don’t you?”
“Today I feel like eating. No, actually, I’m going to start having breakfast from now on.”
“Is that so?”
“Really?”
“No…”
“So? What’s for breakfast today?”
“Seaweed soup, anchovy stir-fry, seasoned seaweed, cabbage kimchi, and black rice.”
The answer popped out automatically, like she’d practiced it.
How’s that? My growth showing through? Wait, wasn’t that a bit… eager?
“Ooh— Seo Harang-nim is totally Class A!”
It sounded like her nose was getting higher. I knew I shouldn’t be happy about that, but…
It felt like my happiness threshold had dropped. In other words, I could be happy over the smallest things now. Not bad.
“Thank you!”
“Then—”
Gate alert. Monster appearance imminent.
All unit members, arm up immediately and assemble in the Situation Room.
Just as I expected.
Since monsters didn’t wait for snack time, it was inevitable that breakfast would get interrupted. Apparently it happened more than once while people were asleep.
Even though we knew it, Han Jihye and Kim Heejin’s attitudes were completely different from the others.
“Ah, damn.”
“Haa…”
Han Jihye sighed like she was truly annoyed.
But unlike Jeong Seung-ah, whose face clearly screamed “I hate this,” Kim Heejin snapped back to her senses in no time.
“Yo, Harang. How much did I owe you again?”
She was talking about the money I’d lent her at the care center.
When I told her the exact amount in a small voice, she flicked her wrist.
“Pay it back quick and quit stressing. Wouldn’t it be nice if monsters appeared every day?”
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking the same thing.”
Before we could finish our short exchange, Jeong Seung-ah tilted her head, curious.
“You borrowed money? That’s… what?”
It seemed impossible to imagine Kim Heejin borrowing money.
She’d never mentioned it before, right? Probably the other unit members just assumed she was handling her life just fine.
“Ah, that’s…”
A sudden thought hit me. Would Kim Heejin really want to admit something like that?
If I were in her shoes, I’d want to hide it. I could already tell. I was the smart junior, after all.
Before she could worry, I jumped in first.
“It’s our little secret, just the two of us.”
I didn’t wink like last time. I was the smart junior who learned from her mistakes.
Maybe impressed by my quick thinking, or relieved that the secret stayed hidden, Kim Heejin placed her hand gently over her chest.
And Jeong Seung-ah?
“...Why? Why?”
She looked furious.
Even though she’d said it was a secret, she kept pushing, demanding to know why.
Since I was the junior, the only option was to step back.
“Why? Just why?”
Fortunately, Kim Heejin came back to her usual self and stopped her.
“No need to explain everything. Let’s do the deployment prep.”
Then she led Jeong Seung-ah and me toward the Living Quarter with perfect cheer.
“It’s really nothing. You don’t have to worry.”
I added that with a little extra warmth.
“...I’ll believe you?”
Believe what?
I wasn’t sure, but I nodded anyway.
At my reaction, Jeong Seung-ah’s expression softened again.
Yeah, that eye-crinkling smile suits you.
Even though the thought was pretty good, I swallowed it. If I said it out loud to a senior, she’d never let me live it down.
“Yay! Money!”
The moment the door to our Living Quarter burst open, one senior popped out like a jack-in-the-box. It was Yeon Byeori, the one who’d asked for quick cash earlier.
Was the fatigue that had left faint dark circles gone? She looked like she’d stepped out of a youth drama.
I could see the steel in her voice when she called monsters “money.” Still, that kind of money could get you killed.
“...I bet that guy’s gonna do something reckless.”
Kim Heejin muttered under her breath.
I felt the same, and so did Jeong Seung-ah, but we couldn’t agree with her. Yeon Byeori was a senior, after all.
Anyway, deployment time.
—Kwoong…
“As expected. The stability is different. For monster extermination, our Living Quarter always wins first, right?”
I completely agreed with Han Jihye.
Kim Heejin and Jeong Seung-ah’s solid teamwork. Han Jihye’s powerful firepower. And my speed!
...My speed.
If I didn’t say it, I’d be in real trouble in the Living Quarter. So I forced my point even in my head.
Honestly, I hadn’t done anything spectacular. The civilians had already evacuated. Even if the monster’s speed was slow, the other seniors were faster than me. I didn’t get to show off.
After quietly returning to the unit, I felt a little empty for not having contributed.
The second Yeon Byeori stepped inside, she went straight to her seat and started scrolling on her phone.
It reminded me of Kim Heejin, but since everyone else was doing the same, I figured it was nothing special.
So I turned my attention forward again.
“I’m gonna watch the drama that’s behind schedule. Anyone else want to watch something else?”
“Yeah! I want to watch the variety show.”
“Aww, I want drama~”
“Actually, drama’s fine too. You keep watching the one you watched last time, right?”
“Since you said you like drama, it makes me want to watch something else. I should watch a documentary.”
Comeback was locked in as TV time. But the way she said it made me sense that rebellious streak, like she secretly hated it even though she claimed to like it.
So what? Documentary? I like documentaries.
“I’m fine with it.”
“Eh? Harang-nim likes documentaries?”
“Yes. Extreme Job? Or travel shows or adventure documentaries? I’m not picky.”
“Suddenly I don’t want to watch anything because you said you like it. Sports, then.”
“Oh! What kind of sports are you watching?”
Kim Heejin reacted.
Han Jihye made a face like she was trying to figure out what else to say this time, then answered after a moment of thought.
“...Skiing.”
“What? Is it broadcast on TV? I like anything. Sports are my favorite, whatever it is.”
“Seriously. What is this? Why are your tastes so all over the place?”
Han Jihye kept flipping channels, clearly trying to find something none of us wanted to watch.
Then she found something good.
“Ah, this looks fun.”
“Is it anime?”
“Yeah. How is it?”
“...Looks interesting.”
Thwack!
Right on cue, a cute sound effect played. A woman’s shirt button popped off, revealing the gap between her breasts and her underwear. It looked like one of those adult anime series.
The other seniors started glancing at their phones, losing interest. Han Jihye and Kim Heejin seemed to have no intention of making a big deal out of it.
A button popping off her shirt because of chest pressure… Is that actually possible? Honestly, I think it could work with Han Jihye’s size.
“Hey, Harang. You gonna keep watching?”
Curious, I answered.
“Yes.”
“Your taste is really weird.”
It was my opinion! But I didn’t say it out loud.
I swallowed every curse in my head and kept a straight face.
Right after we returned to the unit, I started showing off the new skills I’d grown the most. Han Jihye chuckled and came closer.
“I was thinking, ‘She’s getting more and more confident…’”
“Huh? Oh, no.”
“I told you before. Your thoughts are all over your face. Eww, you’re so cute.”
Han Jihye started poking and prodding my cheeks.
That kind of skinship wasn’t really my style as a guy.
My beast heart started tearing up.