Canary's Song (3)
“……Huk!”
Private Kim couldn’t hide his excitement as he asked in a trembling voice.
“Are we really boiling it, sir? Are we seriously going to boil some, Sergeant Jo?”
“Yeah, you idiot. We’re boiling it. So hurry up and pull some.”
Bamtol gave Private Kim’s backside a light kick, then turned to Private First Class Cha and issued an order.
“You go start boiling water in the pot. Two thousand milliliters. Measure it properly—no mistakes!”
Private First Class Cha, who had received the key to the van they used as a supply shed from Bamtol, checked back with a tone that suggested he thought something was off.
“Two thousand milliliters? That’s four packs, right?”
“We’re going all out today! Go grab four packs of ramen and two blocks of kimchi! ……Ah, screw it! Boil two thousand five hundred milliliters! We’re doing five packs! And pull out two cups of instant rice too!”
Sergeant Jo barked the orders with the energy of a chaebol heir ringing the golden bell. It was his duty as squad leader to relieve his men’s stress before it hit its limit. And nothing relieved stress better than a steaming bowl of ramen.
“Yes, Sergeant Jo! Two thousand five hundred milliliters! Exact measurement! I will comply!”
Private First Class Cha also puffed out his chest and energetically repeated the order.
Tatata-tak—!
The sound of the two men running off in different directions rang out cheerfully. Private Kim, sitting in the vinyl greenhouse garden and carefully pulling green onions while humming QL, and Private First Class Cha, whistling as he pulled out the portable gas stove and ramen from the van—both of them looked utterly happy.
Because they tried to avoid using fire as much as possible, they usually had to eat cold food. For them, a hot, spicy bowl of ramen meant far more than just a special treat. Ramen was a blessing, love, peace, and luxury. It was the kind of food rationed out only four times in eight weeks.
Of course, the moment Bamtol arrived here, he had searched the nearby abandoned houses and secured an extra box of ramen and some small butane canisters. The advance Canary team had already swept the area, but if you looked hard enough, you could still find a few things left behind.
Shhhhlurrp—!
Private First Class Cha carefully measured out the purified water from the Han River that had been treated with a water purifier and poured it into the pot, then turned the ignition on the portable gas stove.
Click! Fwoooosh—!
Just watching the blue flame rise and heat the pot was enough to make him happy.
“I washed them, Sergeant Jo!”
Private Kim, who had gone to the riverside to wash the green onions, shouted while holding up the dripping stalks. Even though he had a cold and had to stick his hands in freezing water, his face showed nothing but pure happiness. Bamtol kept his eyes fixed forward and pointed behind him at Private First Class Cha.
“Cut them into small pieces and give them to Private First Class Cha.”
“Yes! ……Private First Class Cha! Here you go! Should I cut them now?”
Private Kim ran over to Private First Class Cha and called out brightly. And with that, the sacred preparations for boiling ramen were complete.
Bubble bubble—! Shaaaa—!
Once the water in the large pot came to a rolling boil, Private First Class Cha carefully emptied ten packets of the two different soup bases he had set aside. They had already agreed beforehand whether to add the noodles or the soup first.
“Haaa……”
As the soup dissolved in the hot water and released its aroma, Private Kim took a deep breath of the rising steam and let out a moan. Even though Bamtol pretended to be calm and focused on watching the front, his mouth was watering too.
Next came the kimchi blocks. They tore open two whole packs of the flash-frozen kimchi and dumped them in. The already beautiful soup aroma mixed with the tangy scent of kimchi… it was enough to drive a man crazy.
Gurgle gurgle—! Glug glug—!
All three soldiers’ stomachs were in an uproar. But rushing here could ruin everything. Private First Class Cha waited until the kimchi had absorbed enough water and loosened up. Only when the mixture was boiling furiously, the red broth bubbling and filling the entire pot, did he finally drop in the noodles that had been broken in half.
“Should I add the green onions?”
When the noodles started to loosen, Private Kim asked in a trembling voice.
“Wait.”
Private First Class Cha stirred a large amount of ramen deeply with a spork and gave a cool-headed instruction.
“You have to add them right before turning off the heat if you want to keep the texture.”
“……Yes!”
Private Kim answered more obediently than ever before. Finally, the ramen, now infused with the refreshing aroma of green onions, was done.
“Sergeant Jo, here! It’s finished!”
Private First Class Cha presented the paper cup with both hands as if making an offering.
“Mm! Let’s eat!”
Bamtol took the paper cup and lifted a bunch of noodles with his spork.
Slurrrp!
He took a big bite of the steaming, slightly undercooked, chewy ramen and frowned.
“Goddamn it! This is too fucking good!”
He scooped up some broth with the paper cup, blew on it, and drank. Heaven spread across his tongue. Right beside him, Private Kim had practically buried his face in his cup and was shoveling ramen in like a madman.
“Ugh! Hup! Private First Class Cha, you really…… hup hup—! You should open a ramen shop later! Hup hup! Ugh! Slurrrp! I guarantee it! It’ll be a massive hit! This…… this is straight-up drugs! Hup hup!”
Private Kim kept chewing the hot ramen and gulping down the broth, pouring out heartfelt praise between every bite. Private First Class Cha, looking a little smug, paused with his spork and replied.
“Ah, come on, it’s not that big a deal…… I just know exactly when to turn off the heat.”
“Sluuuurp—! Hup hup! It’s seriously delicious! This…… I wish I could eat this every single day! Ugh! Slurrrp—! Hehehe! Wow!”
Private Kim was beside himself with joy. Bamtol watched the boy for a moment, then reached over and patted the back of his helmet.
“Eat a lot! We boiled five packs, so there’s plenty! Mix the rice in too! You too, Private First Class Cha!”
“Yes! Understood!”
The two soldiers went back to aggressively transferring more ramen into their cups and burying their heads in them. Even though the ramen was past its expiration date, the fatty broth had been perfectly balanced by the kimchi blocks and green onions, so it still tasted amazing. No—in this moment, it was so good it could rival any feast under the sun.
“Ugh! Ugh! Slurrrp!”
Three men in their prime attacked the food with relentless focus, and the five packs of noodles were soon gone. They mixed in the two cups of instant rice, stirred them well, and drank every last drop of broth straight from the pot. Only then did the bone-deep cold that had gripped them finally begin to ease. Bamtol patted his now-warm belly and smiled with satisfaction.
“That was good!”
“I ate well too! It feels like my cold is completely gone!”
Private Kim smiled happily as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Private First Class Cha looked equally proud.
I should tell the next shift to boil themselves a proper pot of ramen too…….
Watching his now-cheerful squad members, Bamtol thought to himself. Now that they had released their stress, the blades in their hearts would stay sheathed and quiet for a while.
Huuuuu—!
The brief, mad feast of flavor and warmth on the bridge was over. Once again, an icy wind blew in. The three soldiers stood side by side, each watching their assigned direction.
“♪……The starlight I see, maybe…… I don’t know if you’ll see it…… ♬Starlight, mmm…… night…… my sweet kiss too…… send it lu-lu-lu…….♪”
On Bamtol’s left, Private Kim—who was in an exceptionally good mood after eating real food—kept humming QL nonstop. He had been singing the same song for over an hour now, mixing in falsetto here and there, humming the lyrics softly and skipping parts whenever he felt like it.
“Hey…… that’s…… starting to get annoying. Cut it out, Private Kim. I’m about at my limit here.”
Bamtol raised a hand to the height of his temple and looked back at him. Even after being scolded, Private Kim still looked perfectly happy.
“This song has great lyrics and melody, but it’s even better because Terra sings the intro solo for a long time. And the title has quantum in it, so the meaning…….”
A statement straight out of a hardcore Terra fundamentalist. Bamtol nodded half-heartedly and cut him off.
“Yeah, I got it. That’s enough now.”
“But Sergeant Jo.”
“What now?”
“When you saw Terra…… in person, what was it like? Didn’t she look like a doll?”
It was a sudden question, but Bamtol understood how the kid felt. He had spent nearly a month in the same space as the idol he had adored with all his heart at the Jamsil shelter, yet this kid—who had been on outer perimeter guard duty—had barely gotten a proper look at her. There was no guarantee he would ever see her again. So the only way to soothe that regret was to listen to Bamtol’s memories.
Gulp—!
Private First Class Cha, who had quietly swallowed dryly, also turned his ear toward Bamtol. It was clear he wanted to hear the story too.
“Terra was……”
Bamtol took off his helmet and stared at the Pink Punch photo stuck inside as he dragged out his words. The photo had faded over the past few months, but their beautiful images remained vivid in his memory. After all, it was a picture he had looked at thousands—no, tens of thousands—of times whenever he felt tired or depressed.
“……She was seriously beautiful. When you stand that close and look at her, it makes your head spin…… or maybe it makes your heart ache. Something like that…….”
“One hundred percent agree, hehe……! I felt the exact same thing at the fan meeting!”
It was a story he had heard many times before, but Private Kim still smiled as if hearing it for the first time, letting out a happy laugh. Bamtol narrowed his eyes and continued.
“……And when a girl like that looks at you with scared eyes, both hands pressed to her chest…… wow, it made me want to do anything for her. The zombies were swarming in so we couldn’t talk for long, though.”
It had only been a very brief encounter in the dead of night, but those few seconds when their eyes met had been incredibly intense. It was beautiful. If he had to rank the most romantic moments of his not-very-long life, it would easily take second place. Of course, first place was the memory of talking with Jenny back at the Konkuk shelter.
We will definitely survive together♡
Pink Punch, Jenny.
Bamtol turned the helmet over and read Jenny’s handwriting on the side. It was the autograph he had received when they happened to meet at the Konkuk shelter. This was truly a treasure of a lifetime.
“Now that I think about it…… you saw both Jenny and Terra up close, didn’t you, Sergeant Jo?”
Private First Class Cha’s eyes widened in fresh admiration. Bamtol let out a smug chuckle and pressed his helmet back onto his head.
“Saw them? Kid…… I even held Jenny’s hand!”
“Ughhh……”
Private First Class Cha let out a genuine sigh of envy. It really was something to be jealous of. Even Bamtol himself sometimes found it hard to believe he had been that lucky.
But he still clearly remembered how soft and smooth Jenny’s hand had felt, that almost unreal texture. Those big brown eyes filled with tears, that sweet voice during their short conversation—everything. It had truly been a dreamlike beauty.
If he had wanted to do anything for Terra, with Jenny he had wanted to do everything. The moment he saw her, his chest had burned with heat. And that warm, fluttering memory remained as precious energy, helping him endure even through the nightmares of being torn apart by zombies every night.
He didn’t even dream of dating Jenny or Terra. He just hoped that someday…… when peaceful times returned like before, he could lie down comfortably and watch them sing and dance on a monitor or phone, fangirling to his heart’s content. Believing that they would remember him too. That alone would make him feel like he had reclaimed a tiny piece of his old daily life.
“I don’t know why Terra didn’t come to Chungju with the others. I really want to see her…… do you have any idea where she might be right now?”
Private Kim, who had been listening happily, asked. Bamtol let out a small chuckle.
“How would I know? I’m in the same shitty situation as you guys. I don’t know. All I know is that the two of them are together.”
He had heard the news that Terra had met up with Jenny from Sergeant Go when he visited the medical unit. Of course he didn’t know exactly where they were now, but Bamtol firmly believed they were definitely safe and healthy. After all, the two strongest men he knew were protecting them.
“Then is Agent Jinu with Pink Punch too?”
Private Kim’s questions showed no sign of ending. Bamtol kept his eyes on the front and answered grumpily.
“I said I don’t know! Just how important do you think a sergeant is, huh?”
“But you know……”
Private First Class Cha, who had been watching the right side, tilted his head and spoke up.
“That…… Agent Jinu person. What exactly is his identity……? Sergeant Jo?”
Looking back, even Jinu’s outfit and equipment had been strange from the start. Civilian clothes with a special forces tactical vest, and a new-model K-2 with an enormous scope. Yet his helmet was the most common Army-issue one. It was a truly bizarre combination.
“Ah, well……”
Bamtol scratched the back of his neck.
“At the time, I was caught up in the atmosphere and just believed what Sergeant Go said…… but now that I think about it, I’m not so sure. I’ve been in the military long enough to make sergeant, but that was the first time I ever heard of a ‘special agent’ position in the ROK Army. It does seem a bit weird.”
“What? Are you doubting Agent Jinu, Sergeant Jo? He’s the one who saved our lives! He’s definitely a special agent! First of all, isn’t his shooting skill itself special? Have you ever seen anyone shoot better than Agent Jinu?”
Private Kim, who had even gotten Jinu’s autograph after falling for his shooting skills, protested with a serious expression. Bamtol let out a light sigh.
“Who said I was doubting the guy’s skills, you idiot? I know he’s incredible too! I’m genuinely grateful he saved us! It’s just…… I don’t think that’s his actual position! It must be something else! ‘Special agent’ is way too weird. For starters, ‘agent’ isn’t even a rank……”
Bamtol, who had been talking up to that point, suddenly clapped his hands together.
“Alright, focus up. Stop with the idle chatter. Only open your mouth when you’re about to fall asleep. You can talk about that stuff after duty, got it?”
Having somehow held on this far, he now truly wanted to survive until the zombies were completely wiped out. To do that, he couldn’t let his mind waver. Since he didn’t have any outstanding talents, diligence was almost his only means of survival.
“Sergeant Jo……”
Less than twenty minutes later, Private Kim called him again and tapped his arm. Irritation surged up, and Bamtol clenched his teeth.
“……You little shit! Didn’t I clearly warn you to only open your mouth when you’re about to fall asleep?”
“No, that’s not it…… Sergeant Jo. Over there…… nine o’clock direction. Doesn’t that look strange……?”
Private Kim stammered in a trembling voice.
Strange?
Startled, Bamtol quickly turned his binoculars that way.
Swish—!
1.2 kilometers ahead. The yellowish leaves were shaking violently from side to side. They were obscured by thick trees so the outline wasn’t clear, but it was obvious that something was moving inside the forest on that low mountain.
“Is it the wind?”
“No, no way. There’s no reason for the wind to blow only in that spot……”
Bamtol shook his head slightly at Private Kim’s question and used his right hand to flip off the safety on his rifle. He prayed for just a moment that it was simply a herd of wild animals passing by, but it was already too late. Just a little earlier, he had clearly seen…… a piece of human clothing flash between the branches. A red short-sleeved shirt, at that.
Swish swish—!
A short while later, countless zombies burst out from the middle of the mountain, pushing through the trees. The end of the horde wasn’t even visible yet, but the ones already revealed numbered at least three to four hundred at minimum. It was the largest group of zombies to cross that mountain since they had begun stationing here.
“Sergeant Jo……!”
Private First Class Cha looked back at Bamtol with an anxious face.
Swish—! Swish—!
In that short time, the number of zombies leaping down the steep slope toward the foot of the mountain had increased even more. It now looked like at least the high three hundreds. At least seven hundred, possibly up to nine hundred…….
“Don’t panic.”
Bamtol said as he lowered the binoculars from his eyes.
“It’s not like it’s your first time seeing zombies. If we respond calmly, we can survive.”
Nod—!
Private First Class Cha pressed his lips tightly together and nodded vigorously.
“Huu……! Huu……!”
Private Kim also regained his composure quite admirably and took deep breaths. Bamtol was right. They had already encountered zombies at close range so many times it was tiresome, and they had survived every single one of those battles to reach this place.
From the moment they first set up the shelter at Jamsil and patrolled the outer perimeter for a whole month, to when they were isolated for a while on the Jamsil Bridge while moving to Konkuk, even on the night the shelter collapsed, and after moving to Chungju…… they had met and fought countless zombies, and ultimately won every time.
Of course luck had played a big part, but neither Private First Class Cha nor Private Kim thought it was simply coincidence. They believed it was because their squad leader Bamtol had commanded them calmly and wisely. If they just followed his orders well this time too…… they would definitely survive. They hoped so, at least.
“Should we sound the siren?”
Private First Class Cha pointed at the loudspeaker. It meant asking whether to alert the other six squad members who were resting at the Buron outpost. Bamtol shook his head slightly.
“No, not yet. We still have time to see which way those bastards are heading.”
If they sounded the siren, the sound would also reach the zombies across the river. There was no need to unnecessarily draw the attention of zombies still 1.2 kilometers away. For now…… there was still a good chance those things would turn back without coming any closer.
And honestly…… even if the six men who had just woken up came to reinforce them, they wouldn’t provide any immediate help in terms of firepower. Bamtol knew his own and his squad members’ abilities well. Unlike the special agent Jinu, they didn’t have the skill to hit fast-moving targets at two hundred meters.
“For now, keep your fingers off the trigger and wait.”
Bamtol ordered, wary of any accidental discharge. If they started shooting out of excitement here, they would only stimulate the zombies and waste precious bullets.
Swish—!
Private First Class Cha and Private Kim, who had been nervously gripping the handles of their K-2s, pulled their index fingers out of the trigger guards and straightened them.
When should they respond?
When dealing with zombies, deciding on that timing was always the most difficult and important issue. If they started shooting while the enemy was still too far away, the chance of them charging would increase. But if they saved their bullets until the zombies got too close, their own lives would be in danger.
The moment they became certain the zombies would never turn back and would keep coming straight at them was only a hair’s breadth away from an irreversibly dangerous close range. So right now, Bamtol had no choice but to focus all his nerves on a life-or-death tightrope walk. There were only nine of them in total, and they were a poor unit that hadn’t been properly supplied with ammunition.
“Huuu……! Huuu……!”
The three tense soldiers breathed heavily as they stared ahead. Time ticked by amid expectation and fear.
“Fuck……”
Watching the front line of zombies in his binoculars enter the wide vinyl greenhouse complex, Bamtol let out a small curse. That point was exactly one kilometer from the eastern end of the bridge where they stood. The zombies had already closed the distance by two hundred meters and were still marching straight east. And they showed no sign of turning back at all.
Bamtol bit his lip hard and thought.
Good thing I didn’t hold back on the ramen…….