Childhood (2)
“Wh-what the hell is this?!”
It wasn’t handcuffs or any crude restraint. A bizarre steel machine emitting an eerie glow had my hands and feet completely locked down. I couldn’t move a single finger. The fading threads of my consciousness snapped back the instant my freedom of movement was stolen, and I tried to assess my situation. Though “assess” was generous. All I could determine was that I was immobilized.
“...Ugh...!”
A metal collar encircled my throat. It prevented me from turning or lowering my head. The only thing I could do was roll my eyes desperately, taking in the room and the limited glimpse of my own bound hands. That was the full extent of my ability.
What was happening? Had another organization kidnapped me? No, that didn’t make sense. What could they possibly gain from abducting a low-level researcher like me that would justify deploying such sophisticated equipment? Unless… Senior was involved too?
My mind spun through the possibilities at breakneck speed. I squeezed my eyes shut, praying that every scenario I imagined was wrong.
Right. Panicking wouldn’t help. I needed to find a way out. I rolled my eyes as far as they would go, scanning every corner of the room. Through the window I caught a glittering nightscape stretched between dark buildings. This place had to be very high up. The rest was just vast empty space. Marble beneath my feet. The reflection of a fireplace flickering in the glass. That was all.
I was tied to a chair that looked like every ounce of human technological achievement had been poured into it, sitting in a space that belonged in some luxury resort from a drama. Then, in that empty room, the sound of footsteps rang out.
The crisp, clear click of dress shoes against marble echoed from far away. Click. Click. They drew steadily closer. I swallowed hard, then took several deep breaths, trying to calm my hammering heart.
“...No matter what you ask me, I won’t be able to give you what you want.”
“...It really is you, Miss Min-jeong. Exactly according to the manual. ‘Absolutely does not disclose confidential information.’”
The familiar voice matched the rhythm of the footsteps. It couldn’t be. It couldn’t. I wanted to confirm, but I couldn’t even turn my head. All I could do was wait silently for the person to step into my line of sight.
Those few seconds stretched into eternity. I prayed it wasn’t who I thought it was, even though I already recognized the voice, the cadence, everything.
And then, at last, the man stepped in front of me and revealed himself.
“As expected. You really are perfect.”
“...Senior…?”
A crisp shirt, black tie, and the white lab coat he always wore. It was Senior Jeong A-un.
“S-Senior? What is this? Did I… did I do something wrong…?”
“No. You haven’t done anything wrong. Not one single thing.”
“Th-then… could you please let me go? Ha, haha…”
He had always been playful. I told myself this was just one of his extreme pranks and forced an awkward laugh. But the look he gave me was something I had never seen before. His eyes carried a crushing pressure that froze me to the bone, yet they didn’t seem to be looking at me at all.
“Yes, that’s right. You haven’t done anything wrong. However, your existence itself is wrong.”
“...Pardon?”
“Hahaha, don’t misunderstand. There is no life in this world that hasn’t been blessed. When I say your existence is wrong, I simply mean that you were born human, Miss Min-jeong. That’s all I’m saying.”
The senior who had always treated me with kindness continued his explanation with those gentle eyes, speaking incomprehensible words in an almost delighted tone.
“I’m doing this to erase that flaw of yours. It might be a little uncomfortable, but I hope you’ll understand.”
“I… I’m sorry. I don’t really follow…”
“...Hahaha, of course you don’t. It’s perfectly natural. Don’t worry. I’ll explain it as many times as necessary.”
Senior laughed heartily, turned around, and stepped on a floor pedal. A mechanical hum rose from below as a simple sink emerged from the floor. He turned on the faucet and began washing his hands.
“When I was a child, do you know what I received as a birthday present? An ant farm kit. I was so excited that I immediately caught two ants in the grass, brought them home, and started raising them.”
He continued speaking while lathering soap over his hands.
“I was fascinated as their numbers grew. When the queen disappears, worker ants can lay eggs, you know. But one day I saw another ant eating the eggs laid by a worker. It was shocking. I cried and clung to my mother. That’s when she handed me a dictionary and said, ‘Just as we have our way of living, ants have theirs. Read it. It’s quite interesting.’”
The story grew longer. I swallowed nervously and listened in silence. At the same time, I carefully bit down on the emergency rescue device hidden in my back molar, trying to send a signal.
“Mother was right. It really was fascinating. I read that dictionary like a madman. I finished the thick book in less than a week and memorized it completely. Naturally, I developed an interest in biological science. Before I knew it, I had become something of a genius in the field.”
Without making the slightest sound, slowly, carefully, I bit down on the device in my molar.
“After studying every species I could find, everything eventually bored me. When I discovered a new creature I would grow excited for a brief time and study it obsessively, but I soon grew tired of it. Animal ecosystems are magnificent yet simple. Variables exist, but aside from the occasional exception, everything repeats. It felt like rewatching the same movie over and over.”
“...”
“Then one article caught my eye. A deranged man who had raped his own daughter and kept her imprisoned for over a decade. A human being who could not even be called a father. The way he shamelessly claimed he had done nothing wrong made me think, ‘How could a person like this be born?’ Ah. This was it. Here was a creature where every individual differed clearly from the next, each possessing unique lifespans, causes of death, personalities, genders, every moment a variable. A dictionary I could never finish reading even if I lived to old age.”
Senior’s voice grew increasingly fervent as he rinsed the suds from his hands.
“But even that reached its limit. I ended up falling in love with the creatures I once thought perfect. I wanted them to remain the only perfect beings that no one could understand. Yet because I was human myself, their flaws began to stand out. Violence, profanity, hatred, discrimination, contradiction. The creatures I knew as humans were no longer perfect.”
At last Senior dried his hands. Then he took out a pair of gloves.
“That was when I learned about our group. The Ancient Weapon Research Team. To be honest, weapons themselves don’t interest me. It was the petals. My attention was drawn to the parasitic entities. I thought, ‘Ah, these creatures are a gift from the gods to humanity.’ If their abilities could be properly utilized, they could elevate humans to something better. That belief is what has driven me until now. After countless failures, it finally begins with you, Miss Min-jeong, with your body…!”
“...You’re insane…”
His eyes burned with excitement, tears even glistening at their corners as he gripped my bound hand tightly. He was no longer the person I knew. No, he had always been this kind of person.
“Get away from me! Rescue will be here soon…! You should run while you still can…!”
“That’s according to the manual as well. How faithfully you follow protocol. Miss Min-jeong, did you really think I would have allowed the rescue signal to transmit?”
“...What…?”
My carefully constructed escape plan crumbled in an instant. For the first time, a chill ran down my spine as I realized he had known exactly what I would try from the very beginning and had simply been toying with me.
Watching me sit there in stunned despair, he smiled brightly and stepped on another pedal. This time a small test tube rose into view.
“Wh-what is that…?”
The tube he picked up contained a sloshing solution and white petals, but something was different. Thin wires connected to it, and on the opposite end was a small black angular fragment.
“I asked myself how I could create something that would achieve my goals without alerting the higher-ups. I finally succeeded. It’s nothing more than a flower connected to an extremely small computer, but it was incredibly difficult to make.”
He opened the test tube’s cap, picked up the contents with tweezers, and began walking slowly toward me.
“Eh…?! No, wait—!”
“What’s wrong, Miss Min-jeong?”
“If… if you use that, what will happen…?”
“Exactly what you’ve seen before. The petal will erase your personality, but the remaining body will continue its evolution. Unlike the previous sloppy experiments, however, you won’t die. I’ve finally mastered the technique.”
As he spoke, he walked behind me with those heavy footsteps. An emotion I had never experienced before tightened around my throat.
“Haah… haah…!!”
Fear. There was no other word for it. This man truly intended to go through with it. The moment I realized that, my heart began slamming against my ribs like a wild animal. I struggled desperately to move my paralyzed limbs, letting out short, involuntary whimpers.
“...Do you know why rescue isn’t coming?”
He had noticed my resistance and asked the question lightly.
“Because to those people, the disappearance of a mere low-level employee like you doesn’t even register as noteworthy. Of course, I did request you specifically for the experiment…”
“...What?! Senior, wait. Something’s wrong here, isn’t it? The higher-ups gave you permission to use that on me? Why?!”
“I don’t know the answer to that myself. After all, how could I possibly understand the inner thoughts of those old men who only care about their own circle? Don’t worry, Miss Min-jeong. I’ll make sure you get your revenge.”
With those final words, the large machine slowly lowered over my head, finally blocking my vision entirely. My breathing grew ragged as terror reached its peak.
“Haah, haah!! Senior—Senior, please! Just a moment! Save me!! Why? I’ve done everything you asked until now…! Why me all of a sudden?!”
Tears streamed down through the narrow gaps in the machine.
I didn’t want this. I didn’t want to die like this…!
“...Even you are helpless in the end, Miss Min-jeong.”
“...What?”
A brief silence fell.
“...It’s all right now. I will save you. We will completely overhaul that filthy interior and let you be reborn anew.”
No. This was wrong. This person. Nothing I said was getting through.
Commencing ancient weapon "Flower" transplant surgery.
First, skull incision will be performed.
To ensure smooth verification of test subject status, anesthesia will be kept to the absolute minimum.
The calm, gentle voice I had once loved delivered a cruel death sentence. A terrifying voice that would end my life as a human being, as the person named Cheon Min-jeong.
“No… no…! P-please save me…! I still have my mom and dad…!! Kyaaaaaah!!!”
My sharp scream was swallowed by the even louder sound of the machine slicing into my skull.