The Thirty-Fifth Assignment: Between Sweet and Bitter ②
The deliveries wrapped up faster than he'd expected. He'd worried about not being able to fly, but there were advantages that more than made up for the handicap—no need to be furtive when checking addresses, for one, and asking for directions was a breeze. By the time he finished, he still had plenty of time to spare.
I can look around until lunch, at least.
Changmo headed for Noryangjin, just as he'd originally planned. He had no real evidence, but something in him said, That's the place. For a Grim Reaper, instinct was a formidable weapon—and he chose to trust the one he had.
"Up close, it's packed this tight, huh. The Living World's got some serious engineering. You pile it up like this and it still doesn't come down?"
Whether trust was the real point here or curiosity was, we'll politely let that slide.
Still, inconvenient is inconvenient. Having to pick a path and stick to it...
Regardless, Grim Reaper Changmo's tour of the Living World went on.
The Living World was a curious place—full of wonders, and just as full of inconveniences. The subway he was riding was a case in point. A vehicle that only traveled a predetermined track? How the people of the Living World put up with that day after day was, to Changmo, a genuine mystery.
"Hrm."
Once aboard, he stole glances at the other passengers. Every kind of face, every kind of feeling, caught in a single sweep of his eyes. Most of them radiated exhaustion so thick it threatened to seep into him as well. He gave up on watching and squeezed his eyes shut.
It was a gloom he rarely felt when he was with Yeoni. No—Yeoni showed this kind of heaviness sometimes, too. A density that had thickened compared to the old days... he still wasn't sure why.
It seems to be getting more glamorous, but looking at this... I'm not so sure.
Changmo shook his head. Even a slacker was still a Grim Reaper at heart. He was far too old-fashioned to grasp the idea of poverty amid plenty. To shake off the gloomy impression, he pictured her clear, bright eyes.
That young lady's a wonder, too. This should be the hardest stretch of her life.
Remembering the melancholy he'd just seen only made him thirstier to know. Yeoni he saw every day, so he could set that aside—but how did she keep her eyes so clear? Was she as gentle as Yeoni? Or was her will iron-hard and full of grit? Either way, he was looking forward to finding out.
Now arriving at Noryangjin. Noryangjin Station.
The doors will open on the left.
While he was merrily counting his chickens, they arrived at Noryangjin Station. Changmo snapped his eyes open and stepped off the train, weaving through the crush of people toward the exit.
He was walking the city streets, searching for her, when—
"That'll be 79,900 won."
"Three-month installment, please."
Seri handed over her card with a face like she'd bitten into something bitterly sour. She'd only bought three books, and several days' worth of food money had just gone up in smoke. Thank goodness her part-time job paid decently—otherwise she'd have been eating rice and kimchi for a week straight. The books were as heavy as their price tags.
I'm definitely selling these later, I swear. How is a one-year textbook this expensive?
She couldn't grumble in front of the clerk, so she busied herself drafting a resale plan in her head. Once she'd copied down all the contents, they'd have served their purpose. She'd pass them on to underclassmen equally drowning in textbook costs.
"Food... what am I gonna do."
The moment she left the bookstore, her stomach started to burn. Her gut, with no sense of timing whatsoever, was already complaining of hunger. She was terrified of spending money after those books, but what choice did she have? She'd have to find the cheapest place she could. Seri tightened her bag strap and headed out into the street.
True to its reputation as the holy land of exam prep, Noryangjin's streets were lined with places that served quick, simple meals. Rice balls and snack-bar fare caught her eye. But what Seri was looking for wasn't so easy to find.
Everything's expensive.
Six of one, half a dozen of the other, as the saying went. They were better than a proper restaurant, sure, but even the cheap eats these days came with prices that made you want to swear. Three-digit prices had gone extinct ages ago. Some places even breezed past five thousand won without a second thought. The grind of daily life was creeping even into the places meant to be a refuge.
"Haaah..."
A sigh escaped her on its own. She had to save time as well as money. She'd have to pick somewhere decent and be done with it. Just a little farther, she thought, and then I'll call it—
Suddenly, the back of her head prickled.
It was the feeling of being watched—like someone was jabbing needles into her nape. Startled, Seri spun around.
What was that?
There was nowhere nearby that looked like a hiding spot. She'd been sure someone was looking at her. But the suspicious presence had already vanished. Puzzled, she had no choice but to keep walking.
"Ugh, I'm starving."
Her empty stomach was urging her to just pick anywhere and go.
But Seri's suspicion hadn't been wrong. Someone had been watching her.
Hhk. That was close.
He'd only just managed to slip out of sight in the nick of time.
Leaning against a wall, Changmo caught his breath. Thank goodness for the alley beside him. Without it, she'd have caught him standing there like an idiot. He cursed himself for zoning out. You moron!
Wow. Didn't think I'd run into her like this.
But that wasn't what mattered. It was her. It was definitely her! A thrill more electric than landing a prize catch in the Weak Water surged through him. Clutching his pounding chest, he peeked around the corner.
She was already gone from sight. Even so, Changmo could feel her—could feel Seri. The trail her soul had left as she passed was vivid. Among all the gray traces, a white one shone. At this intensity, mistaking it was nearly impossible.
I'll follow at a bit of a distance.
He hurried after the trail, careful to keep enough space that she wouldn't notice. One step, then another—his pursuit was cautious, reminiscent of his days in the Inspection Department.
A short while later, the trail stopped at a single spot. A shabby-looking noodle shop.
"Excuse me."
No reason to hesitate any longer. Changmo took a breath and opened the door. A middle-aged woman kindly showed him to a seat. And there, tucked in a hard-to-see corner, was her. Bingo!
"One banquet noodle soup, please."
"Sure, just a moment."
He barely managed to hold back his delight. He stopped himself from staring, too. Today wasn't about meeting her—it was reconnaissance, to find out which school or company she belonged to. Get greedy in the opening round and you lose the whole game. Even with his feelings boiling over, his competence as a Grim Reaper hadn't gone anywhere.
Came here to save money, huh.
Changmo glanced at the price list. The menu had one item: banquet noodles. And even that was quite cheap. This wasn't a place you came to eat well—it was a place you came to just barely fill your stomach. The look he stole at Seri turned complicated.
"Here you go."
"Thanks for the meal."
The noodles arrived in the meantime. She was already eating with gusto. Changmo paid it no mind and picked up his chopsticks. It wouldn't matter if she finished first and left. Now that he'd found her, following a soul's trail was child's play.
Chasing someone with your eyes was an amateur's method.
The composure of a veteran Grim Reaper overflowed from him.
From there, he put his specialty to full use.
True to his former Inspection Department credentials, Changmo maintained exquisite concealment even without spells. Quietly, without being noticed. He followed her so naturally that Seri never had a reason to feel uneasy.
A college student, just as I thought.
They arrived at a nearby university. At a spot inside called Changryong Lake, Seri met a friend and headed for the library. All that remained was to find out her department or club... and that turned out to be over faster than expected.
"Oh, right. You know we've got club meeting this Friday?"
"Friday? Ugh, I kinda want to skip."
"It's a joint meetup with clubs from other schools this time. The seniors said everyone has to show. Something about not letting kids from other neighborhoods dent our pride, I guess."
"They're always so hung up on that pride thing. It's not like I'm the only one who can do criticism."
From the sound of it, it was a literature-related club. He hadn't expected to get the information this fast. And an opening had presented itself, too. So if he mixed in with another school's group, he could get in? Yeoni happened to be a college student. He cheered inwardly.
Perfect, perfect. I'll just tell Yeoni when I get back.
A rough picture of how to approach this was already taking shape.
Changmo threw himself into letter deliveries until evening, his heart still soaring. The thought that he'd finally done it had him buzzing. Even a decades-old wish wouldn't have felt this satisfying. At last, when the work was done... he eagerly spilled the whole day's story to Yeoni and Dayeong, who'd come by the Earth Outpost.
"That's a stalker."
"Yep. A stalker."
Huh? Wait—
The two of them were looking at him with a distinctly chilly air.
"Uh... guys?"
A flustered Changmo called out to them. But the frosty stares directed his way showed no sign of thawing. Yeoni spoke in a tone of pity, as if addressing a lost cause.
"No matter how urgent it was, that's not okay. What were you going to do if she'd caught you? These days, men and women both have to be careful around each other. Chase someone like that and you're just asking to be misunderstood."
"No, I just followed her to see which school she goes to..."
"That's stalking."
Yeoni cut him off clean. To Changmo, it was a bolt from a clear sky. He'd just been checking where he needed to go! Even with that injustice-laden protest, neither of their attitudes budged. Dayeong's unfiltered remark stabbed him right in the chest.
"Guys who are too persistent aren't popular, old man."
"......"
He hadn't even met her yet and they were already saying he wouldn't be popular! The scolding hurt so much it was practically shattering his heart. Changmo's face drooped like a scolded puppy, and Yeoni and Dayeong had to clutch their mouths and stomachs to keep from laughing.
Seeing this slick Grim Reaper like this was pretty novel, actually.
"Anyway, that's enough joking around. Let's get to the point."
"It was a joke?! I was being serious!"
"We were worried you'd get too worked up. Though you really do need to be careful. Next time, don't follow her so obviously, okay?"
"Whatever."
The word "joke" had apparently put him in a sulk. Changmo whipped his head away from the two of them. Even a nudge on the shoulder only got a snort. Yeoni had no choice but to pull out the secret weapon. He started, quietly—
"Guess there's no helping it. I actually had some good news about that club you mentioned. If you don't want it, I'll just leave it—"
"I didn't say I didn't want it."
The effect was lethal. He'd barely pretended to walk away when Changmo's hand shot out and caught him. Of course. He wasn't the type to let an opportunity slip. Yeoni turned back to him obediently, a smile filling his whole face.
"You're not mad anymore, right?"
"Mad or not, that's not the point. If you don't help me, this gets a lot harder. Just tell me what the news is."
Less than a minute out of his sulk, Changmo's eyes were shining. His eagerness to meet Seri was burning hot. Having had his fun with the teasing, Yeoni launched into a serious explanation. Truth be told, he'd been surprised himself when he first heard it.
"That club you mentioned—I think I know which one it is."
It had a connection to him, after all.
"For real?!"
Changmo jumped. Dayeong hadn't known this either, so she stared with her eyes gone round. The gazes fixed on Yeoni blazed like sunlight. Yeoni spoke, a cold sweat running down his back.
"W-well, yeah. A friend in my department is in a criticism club. She said they're meeting with a club from that school this time, so... it's probably the one you heard about."
Luck this good was almost unfair. A coincidence this precise, this perfectly aligned—it felt like the heavens were lending a hand. Maybe he really could make something of this. Changmo was more excited than he'd ever been.
"That's great. Think you can ask your friend to squeeze two more people in? You and me."
"There's no real limit on participants. I'll talk to her."
"Good. So we just wait until Friday, then."
Finished speaking, Changmo clenched both fists and closed his eyes. Two days. In two days, the purpose of this whole circus would be fulfilled. His heart wasn't just pounding—it was hammering.
What should he say when they met?
A contemplation both joyful and earnest began.
It's only a little while. Yeah. Just a little while.
For now, that was the plan.