Ch.341IF Side Story: From the Beginning (109)

The road to fully restoring Noir Corporation to normal is still long.

All plans within Noir Corporation that directly affect human lives have entered review. Especially research related to Kaijin.

Not all Kaijin were created because of Noir Corporation. Even afterward, Kaijin incidents still occurred occasionally. But at the same time, it’s true that when Noir Corporation disappeared, Kaijin incidents decreased dramatically.

Even though all Kaijin-related matters were supposedly connected to Pung Pung.

“Even so, it doesn’t change the fact that part of our company supported it,” Pang Pang said.

That’s right. It’s not something the chairman could do alone just because they wanted to. There needed to be other minds to execute the plans, and hands and feet to move them.

“I don’t know when we’ll be able to fix everything. Maybe it’s impossible. But still, I plan to do my best.”

“I’ll support you.”

No one person can fix all the wrongs in this world. Whether Pang Pang alone can fix all the wrongs of Noir Corporation is unknown. Noir Corporation is literally a massive company, with an enormous number of people working within it.

But Pang Pang has developed a dream.

And ironically, that dream could benefit somewhat from Noir Corporation’s research.

Warp technology that might even allow travel to other galaxies.

“Though it’ll still take a few more years.”

“A few years seems plenty fast to me.”

I said while looking at the construction site.

Since they were still in the foundation phase, all I could see was deep excavation and reinforcement with steel and concrete. It will probably take several years to complete this building, just as Pang Pang said.

A Warp Station built using Noir Corporation’s technology. Of course, the government was heavily involved in its construction.

Ironically, I heard the core technology would be what Cherry developed by advancing Noir Corporation’s technology.

And as Cherry said before, that technology would ultimately be for Earth people.

This was possible thanks to Pang Pang’s existence. The heir who would lead the company forward, with considerable goodwill toward Earth and no hostility toward magical girls.

I looked up at the sky.

Earth has already changed significantly from what I knew—no, from what all Earth people knew before alien contact.

I’m not just talking about Warp Stations or ships flying through the sky.

The sky has become so clear that even in the heart of Seoul, if you’re in a dark enough area, you can see stars shining brightly.

That’s where Pang Pang and I were now.

“…Sorry. I wanted to spend the whole day with you today.”

“Don’t worry about it too much.”

Psst.

I opened a can of coffee and handed it to Pang Pang.

Then I opened a can of beer. I’m old enough now to drink these things proudly.

Well, sometimes growing older isn’t so bad when it means you don’t have to let your friend drink alone.

Pang Pang was the one who called me.

The Federation strongly insisted that they needed people to monitor Noir Corporation’s activities. As a result, magical girls were assigned to the task.

Sometimes all together, sometimes just a few.

And very rarely, like today, just one.

Actually, today wasn’t a regular inspection day.

We were standing near a building by the construction site. It’s currently being used as Noir Corporation’s construction office. I heard they’re paying rent, but I didn’t bother asking for details.

Pang Pang usually researches various things with Cherry at our headquarters, but lately, she’s had to do more work outside like this. So there have been many days when we don’t see each other for days.

That’s probably why she called me.

“It’s warm…”

Pang Pang said with a melting expression after taking a sip of coffee.

I briefly wondered if it was okay to have it warm when it was a substitute for alcohol, but I guess it doesn’t matter. Well, some of the alcoholic drinks we have are served warm too.

Was her slightly flushed face due to drinking coffee after a long time?

I took a sip of beer. Having been practically abstinent until becoming an adult after coming to this world, I found the beer I was drinking after a long time extremely refreshing and delicious.

And at the same time, the alcohol hit me quickly. Perhaps even magical girls are helpless against alcohol.

“…”

For a moment, only the sound of sipping could be heard.

Suddenly feeling some weight from the side, I turned to see Pang Pang gently leaning on my shoulder.

“…Is it hard?”

“Yeah… actually, it is.”

Because Pang Pang is a free spirit.

So free that she ran away to another planet because she felt suffocated living under the chairman of a huge corporation.

“Busy, and lots to learn?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

The coffee scent wafted slightly from Pang Pang’s sigh.

“But I don’t think I can stop now. There are so many things that need to be resolved. I have to solve all of them…”

Pang Pang closed her mouth.

This kind of atmosphere isn’t really like Pang Pang.

The Pang Pang I knew was someone who never lost her smile even while living in a semi-basement apartment.

Perhaps it’s because she now has too much in her hands.

The weight on Pang Pang’s shoulders must be much heavier than the weight of her head I feel on my shoulder now.

“…”

After being lost in thought for a moment,

“Alright.”

I said.

“You haven’t taken any vacation recently, have you?”

“Vacation?”

“Why not? Even CEOs take vacations.”

“Ah, yes, but… if I take time off, then…”

“Would it matter if your schedule gets pushed back by a few days?”

I said, jumping up from my seat. Pang Pang looked up at me with slightly unfocused eyes.

“It’s a project that will take years anyway. No one will complain if it gets delayed a little.”

“But—”

“Come on, don’t be like that.”

Call it my selfishness.

Not wanting to see Pang Pang so deflated, I grabbed her hand and pulled.

Maybe it was because the alcohol had already started to affect her, but Pang Pang’s hand felt a bit hot.

“Flying while drunk is a bit dangerous, but at this hour we can just barely make it somewhere far away. Within this country, at least.”

“Ah, okay.”

Her mind not working properly, Pang Pang finally stood up, led by my hand.

I ran, pulling Pang Pang’s hand.

It was almost nine in the evening.

After briefly considering whether the bus terminal or train station would still have last departures available, I instinctively chose the bus.

Even as I impulsively bought two tickets at the ticketing machine, Pang Pang just stared at me with dazed, unfocused eyes.

No, can I really call them “unfocused eyes”?

It might have been a slightly different emotion. But since I had also drunk several cans of beer, honestly, I couldn’t tell for sure.

We sat side by side in the very back row of a bus going somewhere I couldn’t even remember. I was by the window.

The backrest of the very last row was quite warm, perhaps because of the bus engine or some other structure. Both Pang Pang and I managed to stay awake until the bus left Seoul, but at some point, we fell asleep.

With my forehead against the cold window.

But thanks to Pang Pang leaning her body toward me from the side, I didn’t feel particularly cold.

*

When I came to my senses, we were at a seaside in the middle of the night.

Had I booked accommodation? I wasn’t sure about that either. I might have done it in my half-asleep state, or maybe not.

But it was okay. Well, we’d figure something out.

“…”

Only after coming all this way did Pang Pang seem to regain her senses, staring blankly at the dim sea in the distance.

We were sitting side by side on a bench on a deck that was somewhat arranged like a park, outside the sandy beach. We were sharing a shawl that I didn’t even remember buying.

“Are you awake?”

Pang Pang asked me.

A bit belatedly, I realized I had been sitting leaning toward Pang Pang.

“…Where exactly are we?”

I did buy the tickets, but. I’m sure I had some purpose in mind when I bought them.

“I remember, but I don’t think there’s any need to say it now.”

That’s what Pang Pang said.

For some reason, I thought her words were romantic. Is the alcohol still not worn off?

“Look over there.”

I looked where Pang Pang’s eyes were directed.

There was a sea of stars.

The sea of stars spread high above the surging waves. Countless stars densely filling the black sky.

Though Seoul’s sky has become clearer, stars aren’t this visible there.

“Were you looking at the stars?”

“Yes. Because that’s where I’ll be going.”

“I see.”

That’s good then. At least Pang Pang didn’t seem to regret coming here.

“I dreamed of sailing the sea of stars.”

“Yes.”

I’ve heard that before.

That’s why Pang Pang was interested in Earth’s spaceships rather than “warp” technology. Because she wanted to navigate among numerous celestial bodies on a ship, not just pass by in the blink of an eye.

Because that’s what humanity did.

“Because they’re stars that even people living in this galaxy haven’t fully conquered.”

“Yes.”

“Then, in other galaxies. In places we thought we could never reach, what kind of worlds might exist?”

Nobody knows.

Actually, we can make some guesses. That it won’t be too different from this galaxy.

But still.

That would ruin the “romance.” Definitely not something to say to Pang Pang with such an expression.

Pang Pang gently rested her head on my shoulder.

“I didn’t know a place like this existed. I see. Even on this planet alone, there are so many places I haven’t been to.”

“You have plenty of time. You’ll probably have time to visit various places during the project over the next few years.”

“Yes.”

Pang Pang nodded while still leaning on my shoulder.

For a moment, silence fell between us.

“Hey, Jieun.”

“Yes?”

“Can I ask you one slightly presumptuous favor?”

“Whether it’s presumptuous or not, I’ll judge after hearing it.”

“Okay.”

Pang Pang hesitated a bit, then raised her head again and looked up at me with slightly raised eyes.

Her cheeks still a bit flushed, perhaps from the lingering effects of alcohol.

“Sometimes, like this. Would you take me and ‘run away’?”

At those words, I burst out laughing.

“Sure, why not. That’s my specialty after all.”

Since we did it on Jupiter too, doing it again wouldn’t be awkward.

Pang Pang looked up at me and smiled brightly.

I found myself thinking that the light of that smile would probably twinkle like a star even far away from Earth.