episode_0071

23. Those who leave and those who stay (1)

The National Museum of Korea’s library is located where the Garam settlement was built.

People there were sitting or standing around a man, talking to each other.

The man in the center was holding in his arms what was now a fine powder, wrapped in cloth and carefully wrapped.

The people around him seemed to be busy talking among themselves, not paying attention to the man who was sobbing while holding it in his arms or looking at it with blank eyes.

Among them, a story heard from a group wearing clothes with a small ‘tower-shaped pattern’ engraved on them.

” Now it’s time for it to begin. ”

” I see. I think I can finally get out of here. It’s so hard. ”

” Haha! But isn’t this all for God’s sake? ”

” Rather, it’s a shame that we should have attracted more people to our side. ”

” It’s a shame, but there are believers in other places as well, so you don’t have to worry. But… ”

” Why are you like that? ”

” That’s strange. Shouldn’t it be noisy? ”

” Sure… I definitely saw it, but it’s strange that there’s no response. ”

” I can’t help it. I have to use another plan. ”

So one person came out of the group and approached the man in the center.

” Are you okay? ”

” Does it look okay? Yes?! Right now my child… my child…!!! ”

When the man shouted, everyone in the library’s eyes turned to the center.

At that moment, the person who had quickly emerged from the group pulled down his hood as if to hide his face, grabbed the hand of the man in the center, and began to speak.

” Everyone! Today, all of us! Lost someone precious. This man here also lost his child in front of his eyes.

The reason is ridiculous. They killed the child because he approached the settlement’s superior! ”

At those words, everyone started to gossip and talk to each other while listening to the story of the person with the hood pulled down.

” Does that make any sense?! They claim that the child was possessed by a demon! How can they say such nonsense!

You all must have seen how the devil came in and took away our precious people, and how we were blocking the place we fled to prevent the devil from coming back.

And the moment you say that safety is confirmed, you kill the child who went to find the mother! You say the child is a devil! It’s ridiculous! ”

As soon as he finished speaking, a voice suddenly came to his defense among the people.

” Right! ”

” That’s right, it wasn’t a demon, it was just a child! ”

At that voice, one by one, people began to listen to their story and raise their voices, saying that they too had seen the child.

” Okay! Everyone! Let’s not stay here any longer and go somewhere else.

One of the places I’ve been to is safer than here and the devil can’t even come near it. Let’s go there! ”

As the hooded man’s story ended, the residents gathered in the library gradually began to prepare to leave.

And a middle-aged woman approaches him

” As expected, brother… you’re amazing. ”

” No. Rather, to that man… this… ”

He took out a ‘bright red candy’ from his bosom and gave it to the person who approached him, continuing his speech.

” You could say that he has the power to avenge the child. ”

” Oh! Don’t worry! ”

The hooded man quietly disappeared from his spot as he saw a middle-aged woman approaching the man in the center, the father of the child, who was quickly receiving the message.

It was so noisy that we didn’t even realize he was gone because we were talking to each other a little while ago and preparing to leave.

*****

The man continued to stare at the candy in his hand. It was something that the middle-aged woman who had approached him a moment ago had handed him.

‘They say that if you eat this, even ordinary people like us will gain powers. If it’s for the sake of your child, eat it.’

It’s an unbelievable story. If you gain powers like this, you won’t have to worry about the devil’s invasion, right?

No, if this kind of thing was popular among people in the first place, why was everyone being foolishly fooled by it?

Candy that feels creepy, but if it’s for the sake of a child, it’s not something they wouldn’t eat.

So he…

*****

” What? Why is the library so noisy? Jinseok? ”

” Well…? Hey! What happened? ”

At Jinseok’s call, the person who had been blocking people from leaving the library approached and began reporting.

” At first, I thought it was nothing special. I thought it was just people inside talking to each other.

But then suddenly someone started talking loudly and then it just kept going like this… ”

After hearing that story, Yeonwoo gave a signal to Jinseok and headed to a nearby bench.

” Yeonwoo, what’s wrong? Did you find out something? ”

” The story from a little while ago. Clearly, someone must have brought people together. I don’t know what they said, but, well, it’s obvious. ”

” Ha! Is this what you call incitement? This is really driving me crazy. What are you going to do? In the current situation, the plan you came up with to go inside might be dangerous. ”

” Right. It could definitely be dangerous. ”

” Wait a minute! Yeonwoo, you’re not… going to just go in like that? ”

” Yeah, I was going to go into any situation. After all, I need to know what people are thinking so I can deal with it. ”

” Haa, because of you, I don’t think I’ll be able to live my life. ”

” But you’ll still go with me, right? ”

” That’s right. Otherwise, I’ll hear what Yeonseo said. ”

” Don’t worry. It won’t be as dangerous as the exhibition hall. ”

” We call that a flag… ”

After finishing their story, Yeonwoo and Jinseok placed the people they came with outside and went into the library alone.

As they entered, the noisy place suddenly became quiet as if cold water had been poured over it.

And with the gazes glaring at them, the hostile atmosphere begins to gradually intensify.

” Ahem! Please don’t glare at me like that. Haven’t we been getting along well until now? ”

A voice is heard from far away as Yeonwoo speaks.

” Don’t make me laugh! No matter what, you’re killing a child! ”

” I told you several times that it was a demon. Didn’t other people also testify that they saw it? ”

This time, someone right next to me spoke.

” How can we believe that! How do we know that they’re in the same group! ”

” Hoo-, everyone. Have you forgotten the times you spent with me in Garam? Was I that unreliable to you? ”

” As Yeonwoo said, we have lived in this place, in this settlement, with you. So please think back to that time and listen to the story, even if it is just a little bit better! ”

The people who had been noisily cheering on Jinseok’s words in support of Yeonwoo’s opinion began to slowly put down their rising hostility and listen to the story.

” Thank you. Let me repeat that this time, the ones who attacked our settlement were… demons that disguised themselves as humans. You may have heard of ‘Lycanthropes’.

There was a story in the past about a guy who hid among people and caused chaos, destroying a settlement.

And you may have seen it too. The demons suddenly changing their body parts and attacking the people around them… no, people. ”

” That’s…!!! ”

As some people started talking to each other about the situation at the time of the attack, as if they understood what Yeonwoo said, the atmosphere gradually became much more relaxed.

” Next, let me show you… ”

” Hey… Yeonwoo?! ”

Jinseok and the people watching were speechless at the sight of Yeonwoo suddenly lifting her clothes and revealing her stomach.

However, unlike Jinseok, who was surprised by Yeonwoo’s sudden actions, the thoughts of those watching were different.

Because there was a large wound on her stomach, as if she had been stabbed by something sharp.

It was as if a wound had been scratched or pricked by a large claw.

*****

The quiet room was filled with the panting sounds of a man and a woman.

The sound of flesh rubbing against flesh and sliding along liquid.

” Heup, chuup, churp. Haaㅡ ”

A woman with orange-red hair that reached down to her shoulders and a man with long hair tied back were sitting across from each other on the sofa kissing.

To be exact, it was a position where a small woman was sitting facing a man, climbing onto his thigh.

” Hey, hyung-suk… I… Not anymore… ”

” Charlotte…! ”

The man and woman once again confirm their love for each other with a long, deep kiss.

The man’s hand slowly begins to move up from his waist. The moment he puts his hand on his chest!

The two of them, who had been overlapping each other’s lips due to the ringing sound and vibration from the man’s wrist, flinched at the sudden noise and soon sat down away from each other.

” Okay… Okay… Take it. ”

” Sigh, sorry. ”

‘Kiss… how long was it? It was the… longest kiss I’ve ever had.’

I caressed his lips that were shiny from his saliva and felt his warmth as I sat across from him and hugged him until just now, and touched my throbbing lower abdomen.

‘I’ve been feeling… like I’ve been pressed down since a while ago… It’s uncomfortable, but… it’s a thrilling feeling.’

As I recalled the situation from earlier, my face began to burn at the sensation I felt at the last moment.

‘Ah… That thing I felt earlier… That must be it…? Hyunseok’s… ‘

As I sat across from him, I couldn’t forget the firm feeling I felt on his body, which was in contact with my precious spot.

I looked at Hyunseok’s face while covering my flushed cheeks with both hands to cool them down.

His expression as he looked at me was quite serious.

” What’s… going on? ”

” Hoo, Charlotte. I’m sorry, but I think we should hurry. The exhibition hall… I mean, one of the places where people are gathered. They say the devil showed up there. ”

” What!? Of course, we… took care of the demons, right?! Wait… No way, right? ”

When I asked him to think of one of the worst-case scenarios in his head, he slowly nodded his head up and down.

” That’s… right. They say that a person… turned into a demon. ”

I got up and headed for the door. I thought that if I went quickly, I could minimize the damage and maybe get some new clues.

But even as I headed for the door, Hyunseok didn’t think about getting up from the sofa.

” Hyunseok? ”

” Um… sorry, can you give me a little bit of time? Um… ”

As he slowly put on his coat, avoiding my gaze, I could tell why he was doing it.