Retire 290
by Cristae290 To-Do (3)
“…So that’s how it is. Do you understand?”
“……”
Kang Tae-woo was silent for quite a while.
I didn’t say anything further, letting him have time to gather his thoughts. Tae-woo blinked several times, then lowered his gaze. He stared at his hands resting on his knees for a long time, and finally, as if he’d sorted things out, he spoke.
“Sohee is safe, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then where is Sohee staying now?”
More than his own future, Tae-woo checked on his sister first.
Was it a kind of careless optimism about his own situation? Or did the vague future just not feel real to him?
There was no need to overthink it—his little sister had been thrown into the middle of a dungeon break. Of course he’d worry. Even after being told she was safe, he’d want to check again and again that she was all right.
Fortunately, the Daseon hunters who’d come to me had explained in detail how the child was doing. Whether Tae-woo really wanted to know or not, they’d also told me about the other kids Gamble and Hope had spirited away.
“She’s staying somewhere temporarily because of paperwork for her new identity before coming to Korea. I’d let you talk to her if I could, but…”
Even if Hong Seok-young grumbled about dumping work on me, I knew myself by now. There was no point denying it. If I didn’t know what was going on, I’d feel even worse, whether it was about the kids or anything else.
Yeah. It bothered me.
Why leave me out?
Back in the regulatory agency days, if someone brought me something outside my jurisdiction, I’d just say, “So what?” But this was my jurisdiction, wasn’t it? Ever since Hong Seok-young put the guild title on me, it was my responsibility. My business. So I needed to know. That way, if anything happened, I could respond right away.
“If it’s not possible, I understand. It’s better to be careful.”
Tae-woo answered far more calmly than I’d expected.
“She’s not hurt, right?”
“No. I know you’re worried, but…”
“……”
Tae-woo avoided my eyes. Hm. I looked at him. Just now, something…
“Um… what about the other kids? The ones besides Sohee. Are they okay too?”
“……”
I smoothed out my expression, which had been about to frown. Of course, it was natural for Tae-woo to be curious or worried.
The other kids were also being watched by Daseon. Fortunately, there hadn’t been any additional dungeon breaks or mysterious monsters appearing near them.
Just as Hope had predicted, Henry Lehmann must have chosen a single target. No matter how I looked at it, that feathered serpent had been after Hope. Otherwise, how could it have appeared at that exact time and place, as if it had fallen from the sky? I’d be able to learn more once Hope woke up.
“The other kids…”
Tae-woo waited quietly for my answer. Hands on his knees, body leaning slightly toward me, but eyes still downcast.
The model student, trusted by the researchers.
“……”
I paused for a moment. I wondered if he’d get impatient, but he just waited quietly for me to speak. Truly a model student.
I tapped my knee with my fingers. Tae-woo tensed at my movement.
I stopped, feeling like I was tormenting him.
Anyway, Sohee was from the research institute. Targeting her was probably also a way to threaten us with the idea of telling Noah Michel.
But with both Hope and Sohee now officially “dead,” that threat was meaningless. It’s always easy to blame the dead. It’s just hard to make them take responsibility.
Finally, I gave Tae-woo an answer.
“The other kids are safe too.”
“That’s a relief.”
He hesitated, then spoke again. This time, he looked me straight in the eye.
Maybe this was what he really wanted to ask.
“That monster… and, um, were those the same people who came to the pension when we were staying with Hunter Lee?”
For a moment, I didn’t understand what he was asking.
But then I remembered the excuse I’d given the kids. Something about the crime syndicate Hong Seok-young was after.
It wasn’t a complete lie. I couldn’t explain everything in detail, but this much was fine. If an emergency happened, it was better for at least one person to have a rough idea.
I nodded.
“Yeah. And they’re connected to the research institute too.”
“…I see.”
Tae-woo didn’t seem surprised by my added comment. With Woo I-rok around… someone like Tae-woo would have guessed.
“……”
He fell silent again.
But that only made Tae-woo’s behavior clearer to me. Maybe it was just because I was the one watching. If it were Kim Chaemin, she’d have missed it entirely. Lee Miseon might have sensed something off, but wouldn’t have known what. Hong Seok-young would either know nothing, or, more likely, notice everything and pretend not to.
I used to think it was the former, but now I know. My father must have known everything I did. There’s no way that sharp old man would have missed it.
I’d never been called oblivious, but noticing Tae-woo’s behavior had nothing to do with intuition.
It was just that I’d once acted exactly like him.
“Earlier…”
Tae-woo spoke in a cautious voice. His voice was hoarse, and his fingers clenched and unclenched his clothes nervously.
“Earlier, when you mentioned where Sohee and I would stay, that stuff…”
“…You don’t have to answer now. I’m not trying to pressure you. I’ll prepare a few options.”
“No, um, it’s just…”
He hesitated, then spoke.
“I… I don’t really care.”
“You don’t care?”
“Yeah. I mean, we’re minors, right? Having a legal guardian or someone to look after us would help us later on.”
He added, hesitantly,
“I can just stay in the dorm, but Sohee’s still young.”
He was hesitant, but it was clear he’d thought about it before.
He kept checking my expression.
“You were at the institute too, Teacher. And there’s I-rok.”
“……”
“I know it might sound a little obvious, but I want to have even a small sense of security.”
That’s not obvious at all. It’s something any human would want.
“My mom couldn’t give me that.”
Gone was the playful, joking sophomore of the Hunter Training High School. Instead, Specimen No. 3 from the “River of Promise” laboratory was speaking.
No. 3 spoke with the resigned maturity of someone who’d had to soothe crying children and give them medicine every morning.
“I don’t want Sohee to have to go through that. It’s already too late, but… at least a little…”
On mornings when No. 3 helped keep things quiet, the researchers sometimes found themselves feeling guilty. No. 3 would wait for the right moment and then approach a researcher.
“There are so many pills, the kids have a hard time taking them as soon as they wake up… Could you give them a piece of candy after their medicine? It’d make things easier.”
It wasn’t much.
He wasn’t asking for anything big.
But in the lab, a few pieces of candy were a big deal. Unless you were like me and could throw a tantrum and demand them outright.
For No. 3—Kang Tae-woo—taking care of his sister and surviving in the lab, it was a survival tactic.
He didn’t mind putting himself in a vulnerable position for the sake of his own interests. He was desperate to draw out adult sympathy.
But even though I saw right through it, I didn’t say a word.
“…So, I’m fine, but at least Sohee…”
Because I could feel the child’s true feelings, which he couldn’t quite hide. No matter how mature or cunning a child might seem, there’s always something childlike at the core.
If anyone knew what kind of life Tae-woo had lived, it was me.
The same Kang Tae-woo who, as a child, had been mocked for groveling to adults without any pride, now seemed to me—now that I was an adult myself—like a desperate child struggling to survive.
…Ah.
Now I’m in a position to help kids like this.
Just as my father once reached out to me.
Now I can reach out to someone…
Tap.
I flicked my finger lightly against Tae-woo’s bowed forehead. It made a loud noise but didn’t hurt. Tae-woo just stared at me with wide eyes.
“If I’d only planned to help your sister, I wouldn’t have brought you here in the first place.”
“…But you didn’t even know she was alive back then.”
“Hey, that’s just how it worked out.”
Still, there was life in Tae-woo’s eyes. Even after my scolding, he was confident enough to talk back.
Maybe he was already thinking that if anything happened, he could grab his sister’s hand and run to Lee Seung-yeon.
“Don’t overthink it. I told you, I’m not trying to pressure you.”
“……”
“I’ll do everything I can so you and your sister can stay together… all right?”
Tae-woo’s eyes wavered. For someone who said he wanted a strong fence around him, he sure looked scared when someone actually offered it.
That’s what it means to be young.
“Answer.”
“…Yes.”
Well, what can you do? You just have to fix these things one at a time.
Thinking of Lee Seung-yeon, I added, just in case.
“Not that I think it’ll happen, but—”
“Yes?”
“If any of the kids try to sneak out without telling the adults, you have to let the teachers know. Got it?”
“……”
“It’s still dangerous. Especially you. Someone might still be targeting research institute survivors.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“And don’t sneak out with Lee Seung-yeon like you did last year.”
“That was…”
Tae-woo blushed, embarrassed. It was probably the first and last rebellion of his life.
But he quickly turned serious and spoke in a hurry, as if trying to change the subject.
“…Then, Teacher, is I-rok all right?”
In front of a certain taekwondo studio.
It must have been time for the kids to go home, because the area was crowded with groups of elementary schoolers.
A man lingering near a utility pole glanced at the children, then strode toward one group as if he’d spotted something.
“…Jeongmin? Jeongmin, is that you?”
A plump body. A shabby suit. Glasses clumsily taped over a broken leg.
He looked suspicious enough to set the kids on edge.
“Who are you, mister?”
“Jeongmin’s not here. Go away!”
“I said, Jeongmin’s not here!!”
Despite the children’s protests, the man reached out and grabbed one boy’s wrist tightly.
“No… you’re Jeongmin. Right? Jeongmin! Don’t you remember the director? The director was so good to you!”
Woo I-rok’s face twisted in disgust.