The One Who Saved Me
"Harang, you got a call?"
"A call?"
"Yeah... it's saved as Strict Squid?"
"Strict Squid?"
"Sorry, I wasn't trying to look—it just caught my eye..."
Jeong Seung-a apologized. Having apology and gratitude as daily habits wasn't a bad thing, but apologizing when you'd done nothing wrong wasn't particularly good either, in my opinion.
That said, it wasn't as if I was in any position to lecture anyone. I simply thought, Ah, so that's how it is, and let it go.
"Understood for now."
"So who is that person?"
"Ah, the site supervisor from where I used to work."
"Construction site?"
"That's right."
"...Are you close?"
Kim Heejin asked. If the question was whether we were close, then yes, we were.
Things had been rocky at first, but in the end my meddling had paid off once again. We'd shared drinks in the private quarters and had a heartfelt conversation. After that the distance between us closed right up. Not quite a sworn brotherhood... but enough that we could casually check in on each other, right?
"Yes."
"So you save close people under nicknames?"
"Hmm... I suppose so. I don't have many close people, so I can't say for sure..."
"What am I saved as?"
Jeong Seung-a showed curiosity. She seemed curious about whatever nickname others might have given her.
Unfortunately, the seniors' names were all saved perfectly ordinarily.
"It's just ordinary..."
"Why am I just Superhuman Kim Heejin? Don't I get a nice nickname or something?"
"What about me? How am I saved? Probably as the pretty, cool, big-chested role-model unnie, right?"
Han Jihye asked from her spot.
Another senior who had shown interest looked through my contacts and immediately relayed the result to Han Jihye.
"It's saved as Hero Han Jihye."
"Wow... Harang's so cold. Why didn't you save it as Jihye unnie?"
"Isn't that better than just having Han Jihye stamped in plain?"
"Don't casually drop the formal speech."
"Tehe!"
"Tehe? That's not gonna cut it. Everyone above you and below me, gather up."
Kim Heejin and Yeon Byeori each stated their rank and name as they came before Han Jihye. The senior who had bonked her own head earlier prostrated herself fully.
"I'm sorry! I've committed a capital offense!"
"Of course you should be sorry. So? Why did that person call?"
"I was just about to ask. May I step out briefly to take the call?"
"No? Do it here."
That's hazing!
I refuted it inwardly, but honestly there was nothing I wanted to hide. Talking here was fine.
I said okay and dialed the supervisor.
Ring-ring—the dry connection tone sounded about three times before the other side picked up.
"Hey, why didn't you answer? Doing well? I got the text you sent, but without a voice it feels empty, you know. Anyway, if you've got time, let's chat—so I gave you a call."
The sentences poured out like a waterfall, as if he were making excuses.
Truthfully, I hadn't spoken to this person on the phone once since becoming a woman. But well, it should be fine, right? He was quick to understand and accept things.
"I was busy with something for a bit."
Silence.
"Uh, uh... uh? Are you perhaps Harang's girlfriend?"
I had become my own girlfriend. Honestly, this was the natural reaction.
"Ah! No! Looks like the number changed! I'm sorry. I must have dialed wrong."
"No, you didn't dial wrong. I'll explain the details later, but—"
I chose my words carefully with the seniors' ears present.
The supervisor showed puzzlement at the vague explanation, but when I lightly mentioned the things that had happened there and the names of people we'd worked with, he seemed to let it pass for now. He still didn't seem to fully believe it, though.
"So what did you call about?"
"Ah, uh, um... I contacted to see how you were doing... and, if you can make time later, I was going to suggest gathering once with the workers we used to work with... yeah?"
The awkwardly attached honorifics were funny. Remembering his original confident, somewhat high-handed attitude, a chuckle slipped out of me unbidden.
I felt gazes.
The seniors' gazes. Had smiling while on the call bothered them? I quickly covered the receiver and apologized.
It's fine, don't mind it.
Even as I said that, the attention focused here didn't change one bit. Out of sheer burden if nothing else, I decided to concentrate harder on the call.
"Gather once?"
"Yeah... yes, yes. That was the plan. Yes."
"Ahaha! Speak comfortably. You can just treat me casually like before."
"Ah, well... anyway...! Originally that was the plan, but it seems something came up for you, so you don't have to come..."
"I think I should hear when it is first—when is it?"
"Huh? Umm... since everyone needs to clear their schedules in advance, for now I'm thinking one month to a month and a half later."
"Are Uncle Myeong-cheol and Uncle Jong-myeong coming too?"
When I asked whether the people I usually treated well and got along with were coming, the answer came back yes.
I had figured as much—they were the type who never missed these gatherings.
One month to a month and a half? Since it was just taking a single day off to meet, I could request leave then.
"Then once the date is set, please let me know. Definitely!"
"Uh, uhh... yes, yes. Of course."
I ended the call with the supervisor, who continued the awkward honorifics right to the end. After hanging up, I saw the seniors focused on me even more intently.
"Uh... call's over."
"Oh, okay."
"He asked if we could meet later."
"...Harang."
Jeong Seung-a called my name. Her voice was a little low—that voice that occasionally appeared and chilled the spine.
I straightened my back rigidly and answered at once.
Even to my spirited shout, Jeong Seung-a's attitude remained consistent. It seemed more like worry than anger.
"...Are you close with those people?"
"The uncles I worked with?"
"Yeah."
"Yes, close. We drank together, grilled meat... there's an age gap, but they're all kind and easygoing."
Even though there was nothing particular to worry about, the atmosphere was somehow unsettled. Everyone's eyes held the worry of What do we do with this kid for real?
If it had only been the others, I might have thought that was just them. Jeong Seung-a had always been full of worries, and Kim Heejin and Yeon Byeori had been sending these looks a lot lately.
But even Han Jihye was vaguely showing that emotion, so I couldn't say anything. It made me wonder if there really was something wrong with my behavior.
"Um, is there something wrong?"
"Something wrong."
Yeon Byeori said. Even though she was just repeating it back, it felt like she was confirming that something was indeed wrong.
"It's not really something to scold about. Since they're people you were close with, Harang. But every time I feel this, I think you need to be a bit more careful."
"Be careful?"
"...You're going to meet those people again, right? Around next month?"
"They'll finalize after setting the plan on their end, but for now, yes."
"You met them before too? Those uncles."
"Yes."
"You never had anything weird done to you, right? I know it's not good to say that about people you follow well, Harang... but just in case."
"Weird things?"
"Even kind and nice people can turn when they drink."
I understood why the seniors were worrying about me. With this appearance, drinking and hanging out with construction-site uncles must have raised those concerns.
"No problems at all! They're all kind people and have families. They drink somewhat often, but... they restrain themselves knowing they'd get scolded."
"...You say that, but actually hope for help? Or force drinks and drag you somewhere weird?"
"Really never once."
In the first place I never drank until I was drunk, and when hanging out with them I hadn't been a woman.
If something like that had really happened, I would have lost the will to live in this world for real.
"Anyway, really nothing like that happened! Same this time!"
"Even if you say that..."
A reaction like looking at a child left by the water's edge. I didn't dislike it, but this excessive worry was a little burdensome.
"Ah! Come to think of it, I had something to go out for next month too!"
Jeong Seung-a clapped her hands as if just remembering. Truly artificial timing and forced words.
"I was going to go out too? I go out once a month originally."
"I was thinking of taking leave for once too. Now my credit rating's up and I have some spare in the account—thought I'd breathe some outside air for once."
"What? Byeori, you were going out too?"
"Yes. Superhuman Kim Heejin, were you planning to go out as well?"
"Well, yeah."
"Can't you just go alone?"
"But going together is better, right? Going out to play with people you know is comfortable and nice."
"I thought the same. Too many people make my head hurt, so matching just two is best, I think."
"Right. Matching two is most comfortable. So I think me going with Harang is right? We train together and our hobbies match somewhat."
"Well, I don't know about that. Originally Harang finds me the most comfortable, right? Me going together is right."
"...The one Harang finds most comfortable is me."
"Anyway! I'll go with—"
"Perfect."
Han Jihye, who had been listening quietly, cut in.
"If everyone goes together the leave quotas won't line up anyway, right? And you all said matching two is good. Right?"
There was no answer, but they seemed to accept it.
"Then it's settled. Heejin went with Harang last time, Byeori is Heejin's direct junior so you two match up. Seung-a goes with Harang."
Honestly, if we were matching, Jeong Seung-a was the most comfortable. The problem was I couldn't say that right in front of everyone watching.
As I stayed silent at Han Jihye's words, the discussion concluded. From then on, when going to meet the uncles I had worked with, it would be matching with Jeong Seung-a.
It was amazing that it had turned out like this even though the date wasn't even confirmed yet. It felt like the entire conversation had been progressing centered on me.
"Are you perhaps worrying that something might happen to me?"
I said it half-teasingly, probing. Thinking there was no way.
But oh my goodness.
"Isn't that obvious?"
"We can't have our youngest running into unexpected situations."
Saying they would protect me as if it were the most natural thing in the world!
A spike of emotion called moved drove deep into my heart.
I, Seo Harang of the beast's heart who had sworn to cry only three times in my life. It seemed I would use one of those three cries today.
Vague memories of sniffling in the past floated up, but I decided to treat those memories as never having happened.