The Thirty-Fourth Assignment: Novice Teacher, Novice Student ④
"What's the fifth one?"
Changmo pressed, fidgety and impatient. Yeoni hesitated, unmoved by the prodding. He glanced at Dayeong for help, but she too stayed silent — uncharacteristically reading the room, offering nothing. Why? Even under his persistent stare, her lips wouldn't budge.
…This isn't the time to bring it up, is it?
One thing was certain: telling Changmo would be awkward.
"Never mind. It's not a question we need right now. I'll tell you later if it becomes necessary."
In the end, Yeoni gave up on saying it. The way he shook his head reeked of something fishy. But his expression was far too grave to press him on it. Dayeong jumped in with an overly bright voice, trying to change the subject.
"Y-Yeoni's right. It wasn't anything urgent. Four is plenty for today. Let's leave it there, okay? We're all busy anyway."
Hmph.
There was something there. Changmo considered poking at it, just a little. But he decided to set his curiosity aside for now. Dayeong was right — they had plenty to do. He put on a show of grousing.
"Aigoo, that's harsh. You didn't have to emphasize how busy we are. Now that you mention it, I'm just getting more depressed."
"I said it for your sake, mister. Better than getting chewed out because you let your guard down, right?"
"It's even more depressing because you're right. Ah, look at the state of me..."
The unease brought his forgotten worries roaring back. Would he even make it out in one piece after bringing this up? His superiors and seniors were merciful, sure — but he couldn't shake the anxiety. Yeoni offered comfort the only way he could: a silent pat on the back.
"Next I was going to look for clothes, but... I guess we don't have to worry about that."
He gave an awkward laugh. Truth be told, he'd planned to buy clothes and a few other things today. If they already had a clothing supplier, that was fine. Clothes were covered — time to shop for everything else.
"Then I guess we should go buy some cosmetics."
"Eh? Cosmetics? For a guy?"
Changmo's face went instantly serious. Makeup? On a man? For someone who at most tidied up his eyebrows, the suggestion was enough to make him recoil. He was a Grim Reaper, after all. Yeoni and Dayeong snorted at his reaction.
"It's the era of men taking care of themselves, you know."
"I'm not a 'nowadays' guy. I'm a Grim Reaper."
"Ahem! If you want to date a modern woman, you'd better act like a modern man. For a while, stop thinking of yourself as a Grim Reaper and start thinking of yourself as a guy trying for the woman he's fallen for. Simple."
Dayeong shot down the Grim Reaper excuse without missing a beat.
"That's right, that's right. Do you know how rough your skin gets if you don't put anything on it? You've got to layer a bunch of products if you want to actually show off good skin. No effort, no results! Just take it already."
"I don't even need cosmetics. My skin's already good."
"Just because it's been good doesn't mean it'll stay that way forever. What if you wake up one day covered in dead skin flakes? Toner and lotion are essentials. Essentials!"
Yeoni pounced on the "my skin is fine" defense with ruthless precision. The two of them went at Changmo like fish in water, gleefully piling on. When else would they get to lecture him like this? Yeoni had probably nagged him plenty in the past, but he conveniently forgot that minor detail and threw himself into the persuasion. Changmo didn't last long before raising the white flag.
"Fine, fine! I get it! We'll go buy some, okay? Enough!"
Even the way he waved his hands was pitiful. Yeoni and Dayeong snickered at each other while Changmo's face flushed red with indignation. But he'd said he wanted to learn, so what could he do? He swallowed his irritation, promising himself he'd get even later.
"Great. We'll go, grab lunch while we're at it, and then keep going."
"L-Lunch? How long does it take to pick out cosmetics...?"
"We have to figure out what actually works for your skin, hyung. We'll be lucky if we even finish by lunch. And besides, we're not just buying cosmetics. Think of today as fully dedicated to this."
To make matters worse, the news that the schedule was stretching even longer wrung a sigh out of him. He'd told the Director they'd wrap it up quickly. Changmo's eyebrows twitched even more violently than before. Yeoni knew exactly what the problem was... but some things just couldn't be helped. He offered the only consolation he could.
"I'll contact the Director separately."
"If that actually solves it, I'll count myself lucky."
Changmo's sigh didn't ease in the slightest.
They ended up blowing well past lunch. True to the warning, they spent a huge amount of time picking out not just cosmetics but all sorts of other things. The sun was already beginning its descent from the zenith. Changmo despaired, imagining the lecture waiting for him back home.
"I'm done for. I'm definitely done for."
"Th-the Director didn't say anything in particular. It'll be fine, probably."
Yeoni offered an awkward smile. Dayeong just turned her head and looked away. They were the ones who'd stretched the shopping trip, so even with ten mouths they wouldn't have had a word of defense. Changmo needled them.
"You didn't think it'd run this late, did you. By now, they're definitely waiting to tear into me."
"Sorry. We got a little carried away recommending things..."
"Forget it. You were trying to help. I'd be the jerk if I actually got mad."
The water was already spilled; the bus had already left. Better to think about what came next than waste time worrying. All three of them forced a smile. It had been a satisfying shopping trip, at least. Everything worth buying had been bought, and the meal had been enjoyable.
"I'd better go before it gets any later. See you around!"
Today's business was done. Changmo hurriedly opened the door back to the Underworld. The way he scrambled through it looked like he was being chased. Yeoni bit back a laugh as he saw him off.
"Right. Don't forget what I told you at the start."
As if even answering would take too long, Changmo just waved vaguely and went through. The door slammed shut with unusual force today — so fast a gust of wind whooshed out. Yeoni and Dayeong quietly wished him a safe return.
"Yeoni."
They were about to head back themselves when Dayeong suddenly dropped the smile. Yeoni's expression hardened too — he already knew what she was going to ask.
"The fifth question. You meant that, didn't you?"
"Yeah."
Why had they skipped the fifth question? It had been a kindness, in its own way — consideration for Changmo. A necessary question, but an uncomfortable one. They'd glossed over it for now, but eventually it would have to be asked. The thought left Yeoni gloomy. A long sigh escaped him.
"There's no way around it. Changmo-hyung is a Grim Reaper."
The lifespan problem. It wasn't something only the Post Office leadership had to worry about.
"But don't get all gloomy about it. He's the one it actually affects — what's the point of you moping? Too much useless worrying and you'll start losing your hair."
Dayeong hooked her arm through his firmly. The warmth of it lightened the weight in his chest. A lover's comfort was always a source of strength. Yeoni let the gloom ease and linked his arm with hers in return.
Tomorrow's worries for tomorrow. An irresponsible saying — but a useful one.
"We've been running around with him all day. Want to go out just the two of us, even if it's late?"
"So you're asking me on a date. Sure. Dinner's on me."
A little later.
Heukchi's expression was crumpled beyond description. Changmo was a mouse before a lion. Simyeong and Yuhwa, who'd heard the report alongside him, were equally stunned. Heukchi barely managed to compose himself before speaking.
"Are you speaking in earnest, Senior Team Member Changmo?"
"Yeoni said it was necessary."
Changmo added the excuse quickly. But Heukchi wasn't asking about Yeoni's opinion. A piercing gaze bored through Changmo. He pressed again.
"I am not asking about the youngest. I am asking for your opinion. Are you in earnest?"
"Ah."
"I understand that your heart is unsettled. Even so, is this not going too far? Remaining in the mortal realm for a time, over a matter such as this. I may have to begin by questioning whether you even possess a conscience."
The criticism was merciless. A Grim Reaper making this kind of decision based on personal feelings — it was the first time since the Post Office had been founded. Heukchi's incredulity was only natural. Simyeong, too, was glaring at Changmo with a hawk's eyes.
"Th-that's..."
"Reconsider. We cannot grant that kind of accommodation for you alone. We are Grim Reapers and employees of the Post Office. If you do not understand that, what are you even doing here?"
They'd overlooked all manner of sloppy behavior, sloppy dress, and remarks that skated along the edge of the rules. At least those hadn't violated the fundamentals of being a Grim Reaper. But this was different. Personal interest was clearly encroaching on official duty. As Director, he could not allow it.
"Tell the youngest it is not happening. Tell him to proceed as originally discussed. And you — be satisfied with that much and drop it. Otherwise, I will revoke even the accommodations currently being granted to you."
Heukchi's hand shoved the documents away. The first rejection in seventy years. That was how disappointed he was in Changmo, and how negatively he viewed this whole affair. Changmo bit his lip and stayed silent.
"Director."
Simyeong, who had been sitting quietly, stepped in. His tone was heavy — he, too, was considerably disappointed. Heukchi shot him a sidelong glance and snapped.
"Stay out of this. This is a Director's order."
"I apologize, Director. But I do not believe simply pressing him like this is the right approach."
"And why is that?"
It was an ambiguous remark — hard to tell whether he was taking Changmo's side or not. Heukchi's gaze grew even sharper. Yuhwa couldn't find an opening to jump in and fidgeted helplessly. Changmo looked at Simyeong with a mix of hope and dread.
Simyeong explained, carefully and methodically, why he had intervened.
"It is true that Senior Team Member Changmo failed to distinguish between the official and the personal. However, there is one point the Director has overlooked. As you yourself said — we are Grim Reapers. Compared to the living, are we not far more susceptible to the influence of emotion?"
Ah.
"If we leave it to fester, there is a risk he will waste away or grow negligent. Precisely to eliminate that danger, I believe we should give him a chance to settle his feelings."
The moment the explanation landed, the atmosphere shifted. Come to think of it, that was true. Grim Reapers were a people who drew power from emotion — or had it drained from them. If he was already restless over a woman he'd fallen for, there was no way he'd be able to do his job properly. Heukchi's face filled with chagrin as he conceded the point.
"Th-that is a fair point. Even so, this kind of accommodation is an excessive departure from protocol, is it not?"
"I am not asking that we grant the accommodation immediately. The point I raised only holds if Senior Team Member Changmo actually harbors feelings of that magnitude. If he does not, the whole argument is moot."
Simyeong turned the conversation toward Changmo. His blade-sharp gaze sent a chill through the heart. A Team Leader was a Team Leader, after all. He had no intention of waving this through with a slap on the wrist.
"Changmo."
"Y-yes! Hyungnim."
"We are on duty. Address me as Team Leader. In any case... I will ask you one thing. If you answer properly, you will get what you want. If not, you will follow the Director's instructions."
Simyeong faced Changmo at close range, looking for all the world like he might peer straight into his mind and heart. Changmo was getting a firsthand taste of the Team Leader's thoroughness and intimidation — things he'd never fully registered in ordinary times. He swallowed hard. Then the question came, and it struck home.
"Is that person someone of that magnitude to you? Someone you cannot bear not to see — someone you want to meet even if it means going too far. Tell me whether the weight of it is that heavy."
"......"
In his heart, he wanted to say yes. But his pride and sense of duty as a Grim Reaper clung to him, thick and sticky. Decades as a postman alone — centuries, if you counted from the beginning. Was it so easy to deny all of that? The sound of his deliberation stretched on and on.
But there was something Changmo hadn't realized. The fact that he was even deliberating meant that girl already held a considerable share of his heart. Those silk-smooth eyes kept filling his mind, over and over.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk!"
That, in itself, was answer enough.
"You hopeless fool. Falling for someone that easily — what good are you? The name 'Grim Reaper' itself must be weeping."
Simyeong grabbed Changmo's cheeks with both hands and pulled. The disappointment on his face mixed with something more complicated.
Love at first sight was possible.
Thanks to Changmo, they now knew that.