Crossroads (3)
“A person……!”
It should have been a relief, but Yang Min-cheol backed away warily.
Swoosh.
The man slowly shifted his steps, locking eyes with Yang Min-cheol. Even though he'd spotted him, he didn't hesitate for a second—he just slipped right past without a care.
“What the……”
While Yang Min-cheol stood there baffled, Jang Seo-yeon and Kim Ha-ryeong approached.
“Hey, what're you doing.”
“Playing dead?”
“Uh, over there……”
Jang Seo-yeon tilted her head, following where Yang Min-cheol pointed.
“What's with that spot?”
“There was a person there just a minute ago.”
“A person?”
Jang Seo-yeon frowned.
“A soldier?”
“No. Not a soldier. Looked like a regular guy……”
“Hm.”
Jang Seo-yeon pondered for a moment before speaking.
“Probably just scavenging. As long as it's not some armed soldier, I could take him down easy.”
“Reliable as always, sis.”
Yang Min-cheol let out a dry chuckle.
“Still, better to stay cautious just in case.”
“Yeah, fine.”
That was when it happened.
The man who'd vanished from sight reappeared.
“There!”
Yang Min-cheol reached out in surprise, and from afar, the man glanced their way.
But that was it. Adjusting the book in his hand, he headed toward the escalator and disappeared.
“That the guy?”
Yang Min-cheol nodded at Jang Seo-yeon's question.
“Yeah, that's him.”
“Looks like a regular civilian, like you said.”
“But he didn't have that book before.”
He'd had nothing in his hands when he first appeared. Yang Min-cheol swallowed hard.
Just came for a single book?
If he was acting that casually, odds were he was someone who'd been hanging around here all along.
Yang Min-cheol quickened his pace.
“We gotta follow him!”
“What? Hey!”
Ignoring Jang Seo-yeon's startled shout, Yang Min-cheol broke into a run.
Maybe he saw hyung!
He passed the entrance of the large bookstore the man had ducked in and out of, then hurried down the stationary escalator.
***
Is this part of the terminal building too?
At the bottom of the escalator was a small waiting area.
This is……
Yang Min-cheol spotted wheel tracks on the floor. Puzzled by their presence here, he looked further—and through an open doorway, he saw dozens of vehicles tangled up beyond.
“Platform?”
He headed there. Sure enough, it was a terminal structure, packed with buses.
“……What the?”
A sudden voice made Yang Min-cheol flinch and step back.
“Jumping like you saw a monster.”
It was that man from before. Looking a bit haggard, he snapped his book shut with a thud and approached Yang Min-cheol.
“Looking for something? You ruined my fresh reading session.”
“A-are you an employee here?”
“Huh?”
The man blinked in surprise, then chuckled dryly.
“Employee in this mess? Eh, close enough.”
“I have a question.”
Yang Min-cheol didn't hesitate.
“Have you seen a guy named Go Cheon-su?”
“Huh?”
The man tilted his head.
“Go Cheon-su?”
“Yeah, he's a bit older than me. Maybe he was here……”
“He was.”
Yang Min-cheol jolted. The man continued.
“Said if anyone came looking, pass on a message.”
“Hyung was here……”
“Yeah. Didn't think anyone actually would. ……Huh? Wait, what.”
The man froze as Yang Min-cheol grabbed him.
Yang Min-cheol shook him.
“Where'd hyung go? What'd he say?”
“H-hey, calm down first……”
That was when it happened.
“Hey!”
Jang Seo-yeon charged in, grabbed the man's nape, tripped him, and slammed him down.
“Gahk!”
“You bastard! What the hell!”
Pinning his throat with her knee and yanking his hair, Jang Seo-yeon glared at Yang Min-cheol.
“Yang Min-cheol!”
“Y-yeah?”
“You okay?”
As Yang Min-cheol shrank back from her fierce scowl, Kim Ha-ryeong arrived, pointing a small knife at the man.
“Violent patients get punishment instead of treatment, right? Can't be helped.”
“No, wait! Hold on!”
Yang Min-cheol yelled at his menacing crew.
“It's a misunderstanding! He didn't do anything to me!”
“What? But this guy was……”
“No! I grabbed him!”
Jang Seo-yeon eyed the man.
“For real?”
“Sis! Get your knee off first!”
As Jang Seo-yeon lifted her knee at Yang Min-cheol's shout, the man rolled aside, coughing.
“Kek! Cough! What the…… cough!”
“You okay?”
“Cough! Yeah…… still.”
Checking on him, Yang Min-cheol turned to Jang Seo-yeon.
“Sis, you almost caused a huge mess!”
“Hey, from behind, it looked like he had you.”
Jang Seo-yeon averted her eyes, sheepish. Yang Min-cheol started to retort but swallowed it. She had rushed in out of worry for them—that much was true. No point arguing.
“……Mister?”
Calling the still-coughing man got a positive response.
“Fine, fine.”
Rubbing his throat, face flushed, he eyed Jang Seo-yeon.
“Thought I'd choke to death. Cough! What kind of person……”
“She's my teammate. Sorry for the sudden mess.”
“Nah, no biggie.”
As his coughing eased, he sat up and waved it off.
“Situations like that are understandable. World's gone to hell……”
Watching him catch his breath, Yang Min-cheol spoke cautiously.
“I know it's rushed, but what message did Go Cheon-su leave?”
“Cheon-su nim?”
Kim Ha-ryeong perked up.
“Cheon-su nim passed through here?”
“Yeah, looks like he met this guy.”
Replying to her, Yang Min-cheol asked the man again.
“Where'd hyung go? What'd he tell you?”
“Nothing much.”
The man sighed.
“Said he was heading to Jeju first.”
He waved dismissively.
“That's it. Nothing else.”
But that was plenty. Yang Min-cheol murmured it back.
“Jeju. To Jeju……”
Go Cheon-su always made plans solo and let the group follow. He wasn't big on explanations or destinations.
Has he ever straight-up said Jeju before?
Recalling, no—he hadn't.
“Go Cheon-su ditched for Jeju first?”
Jang Seo-yeon looked baffled, but Kim Ha-ryeong beamed.
“Cheon-su nim's waiting there?”
She bounced like she might take off.
“Let's go! He's waiting!”
“Hold up.”
Jang Seo-yeon waved her off.
“Wait a sec.”
Turning to the man:
“That's really all? No how he'd get there?”
“How? Nope.”
“Ugh.”
Jang Seo-yeon sighed.
“Just 'Jeju'—what the hell? Should've said the route!”
“Sis!”
Yang Min-cheol brightened.
“I think I got it.”
He asked the man:
“Hyung definitely came and went through here, right?”
“Huh? Yeah. If it's the Go Cheon-su you're talking about.”
“Then did he go with the soldiers?”
Soldiers had been here for sure. If they'd left, Go Cheon-su likely went with them.
“Eh…… probably. They drove off.”
“Got it. Know where the soldiers headed?”
“Cheongju Airport.”
The man scratched his chin casually.
“Overheard it—definitely Cheongju International.”
“Airport……!”
Yang Min-cheol's brows shot up.
“How long to get there?”
“Dunno. About an hour by car, but monsters and debris everywhere—not sure. Plus……”
He glanced around.
“No ride anyway.”
“Ah……”
The man shrugged at Yang Min-cheol's sigh.
“Anyway, too late for there now.”
“Huh? What do you……”
“Soldiers left in a huge rush.”
He sighed.
“Looked like they had to catch a flight quick. Left right after prepping—probably airborne already.”
“Th-then.”
“Wanna live? Go elsewhere.”
Yang Min-cheol swallowed dryly.
Elsewhere……
Turning, Jang Seo-yeon and Kim Ha-ryeong stared at him.
“Knew it wouldn't be easy.”
“Gotta find another way there quick.”
Yang Min-cheol sank into thought at their responses.
Another way. Is there one?
Suddenly, his eyes widened.
Right—somewhere else to check!
Snap! He grabbed the man's shoulder. The man looked startled.
Yang Min-cheol met his gaze.
“What about Daejeon Station?”
***
“Gimcheon…… next is Yeongcheon.”
On the flight to Pohang Airport, Go Cheon-su unfolded a map from a soldier.
If we crash-land, that's tricky.
Cities en route, especially provincial parks—landing there would suck. Even surviving, escaping a barren spot would be nightmare fuel.
“Hoo.”
A sigh escaped naturally.
“Ah, guys.”
Go Cheon-su grimaced.
“Already stressed—gotta tease?”
“Sponsor during highlights, yeah?”
Now with 43 Zen total. Go Cheon-su suddenly stood and rummaged through overhead bins.
“Hey, if you open all those……”
“Looking for something. I'll find it and stop.”
To the approaching flight attendant's protest, he replied curtly. As she swallowed nervously, he added:
“One open, one close. Okay?”
“Ah…… sure. Yeah.”
She backed off. Nearby soldiers just chuckled—no one stopped the weirdo, as long as he didn't escalate.
Funny, but close. He reached the mostly empty rear before finding what he needed.
“There……!”
Not the item itself—but its guide.
Onlybear. The bear plush he'd wondered might be stuffed in a supply box stood behind the rear cabin curtain.
“Where! Let's go!”
Spotting Go Cheon-su, Onlybear waddled further back, climbed a seat, tapped an overhead bin, then flopped down.
“Something useful, please……”
It was a supply box from the plane's cargo—prime spot for goodies. Thankful he'd thought of it late, Go Cheon-su checked it out.
Shield shape……!
10-Zen box. Now, just peek inside.