55 – Mandatory Holiday (2)

“Then shouldn’t you stop thinking about escaping?”

She whined about wanting to escape the training center, so I thought she’d have someone to help her once she got out, but even that turned out to be a betrayal that sold her off.

If that’s the case, there’s even less reason to leave, so I couldn’t understand why she kept trying to escape. When Hayoon looked at her with such eyes, Shin Sohyun lowered her head and muttered.

“B-but, if I don’t get out of here, I can’t ask those people why they did that…”

She had been involved in the movement to restore the human rights of the Infected for a whopping five years, starting from her student days until now.

She thought she was getting along well with the people in the organization and was located around the center, if not at the center itself, but she never imagined that the police would raid her as soon as she became Infected.

Moreover, since even her family didn’t know that she had become Infected, and only the people involved in human rights activities knew, it was obvious who had called the police without even thinking deeply.

“I worked hard… I volunteered first if they needed people, and I thought I was the most enthusiastic about dedicating myself to the human rights movement, but I never imagined that they would sell me off before even a day had passed. So I wanted to ask them. Why did you do that…”

“How naive, you were just being used.”

“Hayoon.”

Kim Sunah said, glancing at Shin Sohyun, at Hayoon’s blunt words.

“Even so, that’s too harsh.”

“Did I say anything wrong? And there’s no need to ask why they did that. They reported you to the police because they didn’t see you as a colleague in the first place.”

Just look at Kim Sunah. If the bond was really deep and close, she wouldn’t have done something like reporting to the police. It’s only when it becomes too difficult to hide that you get caught and come here.

But she was caught and brought in less than a day? Then there was no bond in the first place. They didn’t think of her as a colleague, but only as a worker bee, so they cut her off without hesitation.

Hayoon said that and poked Shin Sohyun’s chest.

“Let’s say you escape from here and go to where those bastards are. If you ask them why they did that, do you think they’ll apologize? You’d be lucky if they didn’t take advantage of you on the spot.”

“Even so, it’s a human rights organization, would they do that?”

“Would bastards who wouldn’t do that have sold you to the police as soon as an Infected appeared?”

Hayoon, who cynically accepted Jin Siwon’s words, smirked and raised the corners of her mouth.

Of course, Hayoon wasn’t saying this because she had any particular feelings about human rights organizations. Compared to the strong human rights organizations in the metropolitan area, this place was on the side of just holding peaceful protests, and they were obviously just taking in subsidies from civic groups.

But she didn’t like the fact that they had immediately reported Shin Sohyun, who had been active for a long time. There was no way those guys were doing proper human rights work, so she felt even more that the taxes that would have gone to them were a waste.

Hayoon moved the finger that had been poking her chest to her forehead and pushed it away before saying.

“So don’t do anything stupid and try to kill yourself, just stay still. Don’t let those bastards have a good time.”

“… “

Shin Sohyun only rubbed her forehead and didn’t say anything.

‘She’s definitely going to cause an accident soon.’

It wasn’t like she understood at all. Well, I didn’t think that a girl who had been doing human rights activism would have her stubbornness broken by just these words.

Hayoon looked at Shin Sohyun with tired eyes and said to Jin Siwon.

“Hey, take good care of your girlfriend. Don’t just watch her do weird things.”

“Like Sunah taking care of you?”

“…Tsk!”

She turned her head away because she had nothing to say to the sarcastic remark. Even though she didn’t want to admit it, it was true that Kim Sunah was taking care of her in many ways. Besides, her conscience pricked her to deny it in front of her.

So Hayoon muttered for no reason.

“I’m giving you advice, and you’re still complaining…”

“Try to be a little softer with your words. Anyone can tell that you’re not giving advice, but criticizing her as an idiot…”

Hayoon pursed her lips at Kim Sunah’s words. It wasn’t wrong. It was right to criticize her as an idiot.

But she didn’t do anything stupid like saying that out loud because she knew she would be nagged at again…

After meeting Shin Sohyun and Jin Siwon, the two of them wandered around outside the building for a long time before returning to the dormitory because they had nothing to do. Their feet were throbbing because they had been walking for a long time, and it was almost dinner time.

But what came in at dinner time was not a cart with food, but Hongryun with a frown on her face.

“Everyone, gather outside.”

No one asked what was wrong. Most of them sighed deeply or muttered something as if they were annoyed.

“Damn it, we’re screwed.”

“Hayoon, this…”

“Yeah. It’s what I was talking about during the day.”

VIP treatment done in the name of community service. Hayoon messed up her hair as if she was annoyed and muttered.

“They wouldn’t send us on the first week, would they?”

When all the trainees who had been dragging their feet came out of the hallway, Hongryun checked the number of people as usual.

Only after confirming that everyone was gathered did she head somewhere again. She was probably heading to the administrative office to call the instructors.

Sure enough, Hongryun reappeared, dragging the instructors behind her.

The instructors gathered in one place for the first time in a while, and Instructor Gan, who came out as their representative, said.

“I’m sure you all have a rough idea, but we’ve received a request for community service.”

At those words, sighs erupted from here and there. Except for Hayoon and Kim Sunah, everyone had been out for community service several times, so it was a natural reaction.

Instructor Gan would have scolded them for such behavior normally, but he also shared the annoyance of community service, so he didn’t stop them and continued.

“The trainees who will be selected are… all nine of you. Finish all preparations within an hour from now and gather here… um?”

Instructor Gan asked, seeing Hayoon raising her arm higher than others.

“What is it, Trainee Hayoon?”

“Kim Sunah and I are in our first week.”

“So what are you saying?”

“That’s what I’m saying…”

Damn it. Hayoon grumbled and lowered her hand.

She knew that protesting wouldn’t work from the moment she heard that everyone would be selected, but she still tried it just in case. As she was doing that, Instructor Gan continued to speak.

“Unless you have a broken bone or something wrong with you, you will be selected without exception. We don’t have much time, so hurry up. Hongryun?”

“Yes.”

Hongryun approached the trainees with the tray she was holding and handed out the pills on it one by one.

“What is this?”

Kim Sunah asked with a questioning voice, but Hongryun ignored her and passed by.

Since she didn’t think she would answer in the first place, she immediately shifted her gaze and Hayoon, who was receiving the pill, noticed her gaze and said.

“It’s a pill to empty your stomach. The effect appears 30 to 40 minutes after taking it.”

“That’s surely…”

“Well, to put it simply, it’s a cathartic.”

In other words, a laxative. Hayoon muttered and put the pill in her mouth.

Preparation was simple. To cleanse the body and completely empty the stomach. The trainees moved in unison because they had to finish showering before the pill took effect.

It wasn’t even an hour before they finished all the preparations and gathered in the hallway again. Some of them with long hair were still frowning at their damp hair, but there was no more time left.

“Okay, let’s go.”

The trainees lined up with Instructor Gan and Instructor Choi in front and behind them and moved outside the training center.

Instructor Park, who had been waiting with a van that he had prepared, shook off the cigarette he was holding and waved at the trainees.

Of course, no one answered his greeting. After everyone got into the car in order and the instructors got in, the waiting vehicle started to move.

Thanks to being lucky enough to sit by the window, Hayoon was able to see the scenery outside the training center for the first time in a while.

There were scenes she had seen while riding the bus, and the distant forest of buildings made her heart uneasy for no reason.

And there was someone else who was sitting close to the window as much as Hayoon. She didn’t know how this arrangement happened, but Shin Sohyun was sitting next to her, staring blankly at the scenery outside.

She didn’t want to say anything because of what she had said during the day, but she couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

She was sure that she had gotten on at a similar time as Kim Sunah, but she didn’t know why she had gone to the opposite side. Just as Hayoon was grumbling inwardly, the city that had seemed so far away was now close.

By then, even the trainees who had been pretending not to be interested were looking out the window.

It was a scenery they had seen several times while doing community service, but it was a natural reaction because they couldn’t see it unless they were discharged.

Longing, envy, frustration, jealousy… those emotions could be felt in their eyes. Hayoon was no different from them.

They had been Infected for at least a few months, so those feelings had faded to some extent, but she was one of the people who had been walking around those streets just a week ago.

If she hadn’t been so unlucky and ended up like this, she wouldn’t be trapped in this van and dragged around, but walking the streets like those people.

Hayoon glared at them with burning eyes, then closed her eyes tightly and exhaled.

While the trainees were harboring their own feelings, the van continued to drive on the road. And it entered the underground parking lot of a building.

She didn’t know how deep it went. However, when a man in a black suit appeared blocking the way, Instructor Gan, who had been silent, said.

“Let’s get ready to get off.”

The man talked to Instructor Park and waved his hand in front of the car, leading it. The slowly moving vehicle stopped in front of an elevator.

Following Instructor Gan, who opened the door and got out first, the trainees who were sitting close by began to get out one by one.

When Hayoon, who was sitting at the very end, got out, the van that had been carrying them headed somewhere. It was probably to park. She knew because she had done it before.

“Follow me.”

At the man’s words, the group that had gotten out of the van followed him.