Chapter 4: Convenience Store Red (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 4: Convenience Store Red (3)
When I woke up the next day after a hectic 24 hours, my only plan was to get some proper rest. Although Red and I had exchanged contact information, I didn't have the nerve to message her first, and I figured she wouldn't reach out the very next day.
I expected her to contact me around the time of her next shift at the convenience store, but my prediction was dead wrong.
In the evening, just one day after we swapped numbers, a text arrived.
[Oppa, can I ask you something?]
There was nothing particularly special about the message. She had run into something she didn't understand while studying and sent a text. Just as I was about to wrap up the conversation, thinking nothing more would come of it, another message popped up.
[Do you have time tomorrow?]
*
Gwanghwamun, Seoul.
Another day had passed.
Having been summoned by Red, I dressed decently and arrived early at the meeting spot to wait for her.
I had come because she asked, but since she was an inhabitant of Earth and technically my enemy, I felt none of the fluttering excitement one might expect when meeting a member of the opposite sex. Even as I waited, a hidden tension filled my gut.
I didn't know her intentions for calling me, but to Red, I was still just an ordinary person. If I played along with her requests while quietly observing her, I might uncover some useful information. This meeting could turn out to be a very important moment for me.
Since I had arrived thirty minutes early, I had some time to kill before she showed up, so I took a moment to take in the vast expanse of Gwanghwamun Square. Though I had lived on Earth for twenty years, I hadn't been in Seoul long and hadn't had the chance to see much of the city. Lacking the leisure for sightseeing, this was my first time actually seeing Gwanghwamun.
"So that's the statue of the man named Yi Sun-sin."
There were two statues in Gwanghwamun. When I was gathering information to live in Korea, I had researched both of them.
The statue of the man holding a book symbolized King Sejong the Great, the man who created the Korean alphabet back when the country was known as Joseon.
However, the one that truly caught my eye was the statue of the man clad in armor, gripping a sword.
Yi Sun-sin. A brave admiral of the Joseon Dynasty who fought against a country across the sea called Japan. It was said that thanks to his exploits, Joseon was able to repel the foreign invaders.
As a foreign invader myself—not just to Korea, but to Earth—it felt strange to look upon a statue celebrating someone who had successfully repelled an invasion.
"I bet there were plenty of grunts back then, too."
As a mere soldier myself, my primary thought was for the nameless grunts of that era who never made it into the history books.
"I'll probably end up just like them."
If Spacetro ever made a name for itself across the universe, the names of the Representative and the high-ranking executives would surely be remembered. Those who performed legendary feats would have their names etched in history. But a soldier like me would likely vanish without a trace, as if I had never existed.
I wasn't dissatisfied with my rank. I was used to it. I had already realized that leaving one's name behind was a feat for extraordinary people, unlike a commoner like me. There was no point in dwelling on it. No matter how much I thought about it, the fact that I was just a grunt who wouldn't leave a mark on history wouldn't change.
"Oppa!"
As I stood there with my eyes fixed on the statue, Red waved at me as she emerged from the subway stairs. If I had to calculate the perfect reaction for every single one of her actions from now on, I was in for a long, exhausting road.
"Hey."
"There's still time left. When did you get here?"
"Just now."
Normally, I could only monitor her during her shifts on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons. The fact that she was giving me an extra opportunity to observe her was an ideal situation.
"Shall we go, then?"
Red took the lead toward her destination. Not knowing where we were headed, I simply followed behind her.
"Where are we going?"
I could have asked yesterday, but when I replied that I was free, she had simply sent a text with the time and place. I had missed the timing to ask for the specific location, and now here we were. Since we had met up, I figured I should at least know where we were going.
"The bookstore."
"The bookstore?"
"Yeah. I need to buy some reference books."
Why call me just to buy reference books? If she wanted to ask about her studies, I wouldn't think much of it, but shouldn't a person choose their own reference books based on what suits them?
To be honest, when I studied the ship's systems, all the materials were technical manuals, so I didn't know much about how "reference books" worked.
"There's a huge bookstore in Gwanghwamun."
Following her lead, we entered the bookstore. Just as she said, it was massive.
"Physical documents..."
It had been a long time since I'd seen information stored on paper. Since I always used hologram monitors for my studies, I couldn't even remember the last time I'd read an actual book.
"There are so many books."
Because I was so used to checking data in a database, just seeing physical books—let alone reading them—felt like a novelty.
"Right? This is probably the biggest bookstore in the country."
Marveling at the size of the place, my eyes wandered to the books lining every shelf.
"This way."
Red grabbed my hand as I was staring blankly at the shelves and led me toward the Deep Space Technology section. My eyes widened once more. Although their technology was far behind Spacetro's, seeing it compiled into books piqued my curiosity as a seeker of information.
"I don't know much about deep space exploration technology yet, so I'm not sure which reference books I should be looking at."
I finally understood why she had brought me here. She wanted me to pick out the right books for her.
"I'll have to look through them, then. It's been a while since I've looked at reference books myself."
The fact that Red, a member of our primary enemy, Team Hunter Killer, was researching deep space technology was significant information. I couldn't just stand by and let her knowledge grow unchecked.
The learning capacity of Earth's humans was formidable. In the twenty years since Spacetro arrived on Earth, they had been rapidly developing technology to counter us. Even though Spacetro provided them with no data, they were growing at an alarming rate just by analyzing the technology we used against them.
It was just a hunch, but I suspected Earth might develop its own deep space exploration technology within the next ten years.
By stalling for time while "helping" her, I could create more opportunities to observe her closely.
For now, I would pretend to leisurely search for her books while keeping a sharp eye on her every move.
*
Hong Yubin. My identity, which I keep secret from most people, is that of a representative tasked with stopping the invasion of the alien force known as Spacetro. As 'Red,' a member of Team Hunter Killer protecting Seoul, I usually attend university while working part-time at a convenience store. By chance, I met 'A,' an older guy who graduated from MAT, a world-renowned engineering university.
After he came to the store at the same time for over a month, I started watching him because he seemed a bit suspicious. That's when I found out he was an MAT graduate who majored in my own field, Deep Space Technology.
After asking him various questions, I realized he wasn't a suspicious person, but rather a funny guy who seemed a bit spacey at times.
I felt it was a bit rude to keep asking him for help when I couldn't really repay him, but I felt deeply grateful when he agreed to help without complaint. We barely knew each other, so he didn't really have to go out of his way.
Even now, seeing him take his own time to meticulously look through the reference books touched me a little.
I couldn't just stand there after asking for a favor, so I started looking for books that might suit me as well.
"..."
I was pretending to read a book in silence, and Red had also begun checking the books she might use.
The problem was that I, who was supposed to be monitoring Red while casually browsing, had become completely absorbed in the content and started reading the reference books in earnest.
I knew this was incredibly irresponsible for someone on a surveillance mission, but doesn't everyone have that one flaw? A weakness you know you have but just can't seem to fix.
In my case, when something piques my interest, I pour all my focus into it. Of course, this was the first time in my life I had become so engrossed in a book that I forgot my actual duty. The reason was that the objects before me were books—a medium that had long since gone extinct as far as Spacetro was concerned.
"...So they interpreted it this way."
The level of deep space technology currently known to Earthlings was very basic. Most of it existed as theory, but they were stuck when it came to practical application. They were currently searching for theories and techniques that could actually be used in the field.
Reading their books felt like looking at math formulas written by a small child.
As I muttered to myself while reading, Red, who had been browsing beside me, turned her gaze toward me. Sensing her eyes on me, I snapped back to reality and turned my head, meeting her gaze. Not knowing what to say, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind about the book to deflect her attention.
"This book is a bit difficult. It's easy to read, but the way the equations are organized is a mess. It could be written much more concisely and clearly than this."
Red, who hadn't read the book yet, just listened to me in awe. Thinking that was enough of a distraction, I put the book back and pulled out another one.
"Oppa, what reference books did you use when you were studying?"
"Me?"
I had to answer carefully here. If she, a freshman, was looking for reference books, it meant the upperclassmen probably used them too. Red asking me what I used was a critical test.
If I named some low-quality book that everyone knew, it might create a crack in the trust I had built through my lies. What I needed to do now was secure her full confidence.
"I used the books in the school library a lot. They contained much more interesting information than the ones sold outside."
Technically, this wasn't a lie. When I studied deep space technology, I borrowed books from the library located inside the ship I was stationed on. By studying those, I reached a level where I could work on the ship.
In other words, the "school" part was a lie, but the fact that I read books inside that were more helpful than those found outside was the truth.
To cut to the chase, I ended up finding a very helpful reference book for Red. By the time I found a book that seemed perfect, it was already too late. I realized my mistake and tried to think of a way to stop her from getting it, but the book was already tucked under her arm.
"Thank you. For coming out today even though I called you so suddenly."
"Ah, no. It's fine."
Honestly, it wasn't that much of a bother. I had come out for surveillance, but I had completely forgotten about it and couldn't remember a single thing she did while I was looking at the books.
I figured she would head home now that she had the book she wanted. Today's surveillance was a bust, but I told myself that being able to watch her even a little on a day I normally wouldn't was a significant gain.
Red, holding the shopping bag with the book, stared at me. Her brow furrowed slightly and her gaze turned sharp. I couldn't bring myself to look her in the eye.
Even though she didn't know I was with Spacetro, from my perspective, I was meeting the person who beat the crap out of me every time we crossed paths. I thought we were done, but suddenly she was glaring at me. I couldn't help but feel terrified when she looked at me like that.
"W-What is it?"
I mustered up all my courage to ask why she was looking at me that way. The furrow in her brow smoothed out instantly, and she flashed a smile.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just something on my mind."
"Something on your mind?"
"It's really nothing. Don't worry about it."
I felt uneasy. If she had somehow caught onto my identity, I was in massive trouble.
Earth had a 'no-kill' rule, and duels were only supposed to happen on scheduled dates, but there was also a rule that allowed for a certain level of retaliation if the other side initiated contact outside of those times.
Simply put, if I got caught spying and she beat me until the dust flew even on a rainy day, I wouldn't have a leg to stand on.
"Well then, shall we grab something to eat before we go?"
"Pardon?"
My mind was already halfway home, so Red's suggestion caught me off guard, making me slip into formal speech.
"You have to let me pay you back for helping me with my studies."
"Ah, right."
I wondered why she wanted to eat with me when there was no reason to linger, but it seemed she just wanted to show her gratitude.
Maybe I could find another clue while we ate.
"Then, could you lead the way? I don't know much about this area."
"Sure. Leave it to me."
Red led me to a famous franchise Chinese restaurant.
It was a good place for a quick meal, and since we weren't in a relationship that required formal etiquette, it was a safe choice that most people would enjoy.
"...I don't have much money, though."
"Then you don't have to buy me anything."
"No. You helped me study, and you even came out today to help me find a book."
It seemed Red was the type who couldn't stand being in someone's debt. She was determined to buy me a meal.
Regardless of the type of restaurant or the price of the food, I felt that her heart was quite kind, even if she was the enemy.
Paying back a favor was a way of showing consideration for the other person's actions.
"I think I'm going to cry."
"What?!"
"I'm just... really grateful."
I couldn't remember the last time I'd received such kindness. My usual "welfare" consisted of being crammed into a van with way too many people.
As we looked at the menu together, Red ordered jjamppong and I ordered mapo tofu. Then, she got up to go to the restroom.
Sitting alone at the table, I noticed the aprons hanging on the wall.
'She's wearing white.'
Red was wearing hot pants that came up to her waist, a white V-neck shirt that showed a bit of cleavage, and a brown jacket. I figured the white shirt was a magnet for stains, so I got up and hung an apron on the back of her chair.
I remembered a time at headquarters when we ordered Chinese food and Luche spent the whole day fussing because jjamppong broth had splashed on her clothes. It had been an exhausting day. If I did this, at least I wouldn't have to worry about Red getting into a bad mood.
The reason I was suddenly so concerned about her mood was that her sharp glare from earlier was still weighing on me. A single drop of soup wouldn't suddenly make her realize my identity, but you never know with people.
When Red returned from the restroom, she noticed the apron on her chair and looked at me.
"In case it splashes."
"...Thanks."
Since there was no other reason to bring the apron, I just told her the truth. No need for excuses.
Red sat down with a slight smile and put the apron around her neck.
The food arrived right on time. I pulled spoons and chopsticks from the side drawer, set them down for her, and then took out my own.
"If I get fed like this, I'll have to teach you a lot more."
"My wallet will be empty."
I spoke in a joking tone to lighten the mood and prevent her from suspecting anything. Red laughed along. Throughout our brief exchange, she kept smiling as if something was funny. However, I occasionally felt her gaze drop toward my neck, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being scrutinized.
After we finished eating and Red paid the bill, I thought it was finally time to go home.
I had spent the whole meal leading the conversation to keep her distracted, which meant I hadn't been able to monitor her at all. I felt like the whole day had been a waste.
'I'm screwed.'
If every surveillance mission went like this, I'd have nothing to report. A disposable grunt like me would be fired in no time. It was a serious concern.
As we stepped out of the restaurant, I felt Red's sharp gaze once more.
She was looking below my neck, as if scanning my entire body. Was she trying to figure out where to strike?
"Shall we head back?"
"Yeah. Let's do that."
The errands were done and the meal was over. All that was left was to go home. We were heading in the same direction, but at least I wouldn't have to sit across from her and endure that piercing gaze on the way back.
*
Honestly, Oppa's fashion was terrible.
I wanted to say something the moment I saw him, but I held it back. Even if we were just in a "study help" kind of relationship, beige cargo pants with a blue plaid shirt was just too much. Is engineering student fashion the same even in foreign countries?
When he came to the convenience store, it was right in front of his house, so I didn't mind the black T-shirt and sweatpants. But seeing such a disastrous outfit out in public made me want to intervene.
However, I didn't think we were close enough for me to criticize his clothes yet, and I had a hard time keeping a straight face every time I looked at him.
If we ever meet up outside again... and he's wearing the same thing... I'll definitely have to do something about it.