Geumho Station (8)

"That was reckless of you, Jinwoo-ssi."

"She's right. Even if you and Dokja-ssi nearly had the food you'd worked so hard to bring back taken from you… shooting a gun out of nowhere like that…"

Kim Dokja finished shaking hands with Cheon Inho one last time and walked back to where her companions were waiting. What ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she found there was Park Jinwoo getting an earful from Lee Hyunsung and Yoo Sangah.

"Ah, Dokja-ssi."

Yoo Sangah, mid-lecture at Park Jinwoo, sensed a presence behind them and turned around — and there stood Kim Dokja, who had somehow approached without anyone noticing.

"Dokja-ssi, did your conversation with Cheon Inho-ssi go well?"

"Yes. Inho-ssi turned out to be someone you can actually reason with. Everything's been resolved, so don't worry too much."

"Phew… well, that's a relief."

At Kim Dokja's assurance that she'd talked things through with Cheon Inho and settled the matter safely, Lee Hyunsung and Yoo Sangah both let out sighs of relief.

But did Lee Hyunsung and Yoo Sangah realize? That it was actually thanks to Park Jinwoo's actions that the problem had been resolved so smoothly?

Cheon Inho was a villain who used other people's despair as fertilizer for his own power. An evil man who flicked his serpent's tongue to incite and fabricate, manipulating people's every move.

But even a villain like that had picked the wrong person this time. Of all people, he'd gone and messed with a lunatic… no — with Park Jinwoo.

His subordinates, perfectly fine until just before they'd set out for Exit 4, had come back with bullet holes in their legs. Cheon Inho must have been rattled.

In Geumho Station, which he himself dominated, the people of the Cheoldu Group — the ones who handled the muscle — had suddenly been subdued by some mystery person. And not just that: including Bang Cheolsoo, the boss of the Cheoldu ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Group, fifteen people had taken serious injuries to their legs. That meant a gap opening up in his military force, which meant cracks forming in his power.

But a crisis is also an opportunity. Cheon Inho would have wanted to somehow pull Park Jinwoo — the man who'd so easily subdued his subordinates and who possessed powerful firearms — into his own camp. To fill the cracks in his power, and to prepare for the scenarios still to come.

So Cheon Inho's plan had probably been this: gather people the moment Park Jinwoo arrived, point to him, and sweet-talk him with flattering words about how he was a hero who'd risked his life fighting to protect the Cheoldu Group members injured in a monster attack — all to bring him into his faction.

But then the convenience store bags overflowing with food in Park Jinwoo's hands had caught his eye, and Cheon Inho, being only human, had gotten greedy. So he'd revised the plan a little, aiming to take both Park Jinwoo and the food — two birds with one stone — only for an enraged Park Jinwoo to nearly put a bullet through him. Spooked, he'd hastily wrapped up the conversation.

"Alright, alright. I'm sure Jinwoo-ssi has gotten the message by now. So how about we let him off the hook? Hyunsung-ssi, Sangah-ssi."

"Urgh… understood."

"Are you sure he really got the message…?"

Having sorted her thoughts, Kim Dokja looked at Park Jinwoo — who was starting to look like his soul had left his body after the continuous scolding from Lee Hyunsung and Yoo Sangah — and began to rein the two of them in. At her words, Lee Hyunsung nodded in agreement. Yoo Sangah shot a sidelong glance at the vacant-eyed Park Jinwoo staring blankly at the floor, but reluctantly nodded as well.

"Hyunsung-ssi, could you tell me about the current situation at Geumho Station?"

"Yes, of course, Dokja-ssi."

Wanting to grasp the current state of Geumho Station in preparation for the scenarios ahead, Kim Dokja put the question to Lee Hyunsung, who readily agreed.

"There are currently eighty-six people at Geumho Station. Ah — counting Dokja-ssi and Jinwoo-ssi, that makes eighty-eight now."

"Fewer than I expected."

"Only the people who were near the station when the scenarios hit, and those who were on the train, survived. Nobody says it out loud, but I'm sure everyone went through the first scenario…"

Lee Hyunsung's expression grew somber mid-sentence as he answered her. Kim Dokja figured he was recalling the first scenario on the subway, and gave a slight understanding nod.

"Right now, Geumho Station is divided into a Mainstream Group and a Marginalized Group. Strictly speaking, it's one group and everyone else."

As Lee Hyunsung explained the Mainstream Group and Marginalized Group, he glanced back and forth between the people of each.

"Hahahaha! Just trust me! The chairman of the group is working on it, so we'll be rescued soon!"

"As expected of the youngest son of the Hankyung Group!"

"The hyungnim is right, everyone. Don't lose hope. We can get out of this."

It was obvious at a glance who the Mainstream Group Lee Hyunsung was talking about were.

Han Myungoh answering with confidence, the men armed with steel pipes and the like fawning over his words, and finally, standing behind them, endorsing Han Myungoh and telling people not to lose hope — Cheon Inho, the real power of the Mainstream Group. Those were the Mainstream Group.

"Mom, I'm hungry."

"Just hold on a little longer. A rescue team will come soon."

"It's fine. The government will move soon. A nation doesn't collapse that easily."

And the Marginalized Group, scraping by under the Mainstream Group's so-called protection — the "everyone else" Lee Hyunsung had mentioned.

After a brief silence looking at both groups, Lee Hyunsung turned back to Kim Dokja as if to continue his explanation.

"Food distribution is decided by the Mainstream Group, but supplies are almost running out, so they've been sending people aboveground on food scouting runs. Jung Heewon-ssi, who was with us, was also one of the people drafted."

"Heewon-ssi…?"

"Ah, that's the name of the woman Dokja-ssi and Jinwoo-ssi rescued."

At Yoo Sangah's answer, Kim Dokja looked at the woman lying on the subway bench.

So her name is Heewon.

The name of the woman who would have died alone and unnoticed in that convenience store if she and Park Jinwoo hadn't saved her.

In the dark convenience store with its broken lights, she hadn't been able to tell — but looking at the woman called Heewon in the light, she was clearly a beauty. Full cheeks and a gentle impression; the kind of face that would have gotten her called cute quite often.

Fortunately, the monkey lungs seemed to have worked. The woman's complexion had brightened considerably.

"And besides Heewon-ssi, a few others were drafted as well — but only the people from the Marginalized Group never came back."

"Only the Marginalized Group people didn't return?"

"Yes."

Thanks to Lee Hyunsung's somber account of Geumho Station, she now had a clear picture of how the place was being run.

"…I'm surprised you didn't end up over there, Lee Hyunsung-ssi. I'd have thought they'd have courted you."

"Ah, that… I just felt like I should stay."

"Just…?"

"Yes. I don't really know much about grand morals or ethics… I just felt like something about that side wasn't 'right.' Thinking about 'right and wrong' at this point might be hypocrisy, though…"

Hearing Lee Hyunsung's answer, Kim Dokja thought: that was so like him. It was a simple answer, but one that carried genuine feeling. She lightly tapped his chest with her fist.

"Hypocrisy is still good. Don't forget that feeling."

"…Dokja-ssi."

Lee Hyunsung looked at Kim Dokja with a moved expression, and she looked back at him with a fine smile.

Growl.

Then a cute little sound came from somewhere. Turning toward it, she saw Lee Gilyoung and Yoo Sangah clutching their empty stomachs with sheepish looks.

"Oh dear — come to think of it, it's already dinnertime. Everyone's hungry, right? Jinwoo-ssi, could you pull out something edible from those bags?"

"Got it. Just a moment."

At Kim Dokja's words, Park Jinwoo — who'd been spacing out while listening to the conversation — started pulling edible food from the convenience store bags. He took out 500ml bottles of water and a few sandwiches from the convenience store and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠handed them out to Kim Dokja, Lee Hyunsung, Yoo Sangah, and Lee Gilyoung.

"Here. You must be starving. Go ahead and eat."

"Oh, really? Is that okay?"

"This time it's free. But from next time on, I'm charging."

"What?! H-how much…?"

At Park Jinwoo's words, Yoo Sangah's face lit up as she started to unwrap her sandwich — then Kim Dokja's words left her looking flustered.

"You all have coins, right? Ten coins each. Just so you know."

"Th-that's…"

At Kim Dokja's words, Yoo Sangah and Lee Hyunsung stared at her in dismay, as if they hadn't expected her to come out with something like that.

"Of course. I'll pay starting now. I don't need freebies."

"Hm? Are you alright to move already?"

"Of course. Ah — my name is Jung Heewon. Thank you so much for helping me this morning. Thanks to you two, I'm still alive."

Jung Heewon, who'd been resting on the bench, came to and sat up as she spoke. Park Jinwoo asked with concern if she was okay, and she said she was fine, thanking Kim Dokja and Park Jinwoo for saving her life.

"Yoo Sangah-ssi, Lee Hyunsung-ssi. Snap out of it. This isn't the time for those faces. These people risked their lives to bring all this food back. You're not thinking of freeloading like everyone else, are you?"

"Ah…"

Jung Heewon's calm, emotionless words made Yoo Sangah flush with embarrassment, and Lee Hyunsung scratched his cheek with an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I don't want freebies either. And I don't want to live depending on someone else."

"I was shortsighted as well. I'll pay coins starting now."

"If you insist… alright. You all know how coin transactions work, right?"

"I learned a few days ago. You press your index fingers together and think the amount of coins you want to transfer…"

And so Jung Heewon, Lee Gilyoung, Yoo Sangah, and Lee Hyunsung — four people in total — each ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠took a sandwich and a bottle of water and paid Kim Dokja ten coins apiece.

Originally they'd meant to split the coins with Park Jinwoo, who'd brought the food alongside her, but he'd said he didn't need any — so Kim Dokja got to keep all forty coins.

But Kim Dokja did have a conscience, so she told Park Jinwoo that since they'd gotten the food together, he should take his share next time.

"Huh? What?"

Lee Gilyoung, who'd somehow sidled up to Park Jinwoo, grabbed one of his hands, pressed their index fingers together of his own accord, and transferred thirty coins — leaving Park Jinwoo staring at him in confusion.

"Uh, Gilyoung? Why'd you suddenly give me thirty coins?"

"For the chocolate bar I ate earlier."

When the flustered Park Jinwoo asked why he'd given him coins, Lee Gilyoung answered with a composed expression that it was payment for the chocolate bar from earlier.

"Gilyoung's better than those shameless adults."

Jung Heewon looked at Lee Gilyoung handing over coins with such composure and spoke with an approving expression. Yoo Sangah and Lee Hyunsung, slightly stung by her words, wore sheepish smiles.

"No, I really don't need it…"

"It's fine. Please take it."

Park Jinwoo said it was fine and tried to press his index finger to Lee Gilyoung's again to return the coins, but Lee Gilyoung said it was okay and hid behind Kim Dokja. Looking at him, Park Jinwoo gave a slightly awkward smile, then nodded as if he had no choice and stepped back.

"Alright then — since everyone's paid up, even though it's late, let's have dinner."

"Yes, let's eat!"

"Thank you for the meal," the others said together.

At Kim Dokja's words, Yoo Sangah happily finished unwrapping the sandwich she'd started on. Following her lead, Jung Heewon, Lee Hyunsung, and Lee Gilyoung said their thanks and unwrapped their sandwiches as well.

Watching them peel off the plastic and dig into their sandwiches with relish, Kim Dokja smiled and unwrapped her own sandwich to start eating.

But then—

Sizzle—!

"Huh?"

"Does anyone else hear something cooking?"

"And it smells really good too?"

Suddenly, from somewhere, the sound of something grilling started up, accompanied by a delicious aroma that stimulated the appetite. At the sound and the smell, Kim Dokja, Yoo Sangah, Lee Hyunsung, Jung Heewon, and Lee Gilyoung all turned their heads toward the source.

"………What exactly are you doing over there by yourself?"

"Huh? Grilling meat?"

"Are you even human?"

Kim Dokja looked at Park Jinwoo — who was shamelessly announcing that he was grilling meat all by himself — with an expression of pure disbelief. No. With an expression that said, is this bastard even human?