Chapter 13: how a kaiju can make a call, Part 2

A payphone booth.

No one would find this sight sinister.

Except perhaps Jo Sung-Il, disguised as a monster.

“With this….”

He could use it before attracting attention.

He had memorized the phone number.

All he had to do was dial and call Han So-Yeon.

“…Oh.”

He had found a secluded payphone booth, but he realized he had no coins.

No card either.

‘D*mn it.’

His clothes, along with all his belongings, had been ripped apart when he transformed into a monster.

They were probably lost in the Han River, so searching for them was pointless.

Jo Sung-Il clutched his head.

“Nothing’s going right.”
“…Whoa.”

At that moment.

He had thought no one would be around, given the payphone booth’s remote, rural location, but a young boy stood there, holding a lollipop, staring at Jo Sung-Il.

“A monster.”

The boy didn’t even mistake him for a Hunter.

Jo Sung-Il flinched, hearing the boy’s accurate assessment.

‘This is crazy.’

He couldn’t even communicate with the boy due to the difference in their ranks.

How was he supposed to resolve this?

‘Ah.’

Then, Jo Sung-Il realized something.

He needed coins to use the payphone.

He didn’t know where this country boy had come from, but if he could get some money from him, that was all that mattered.

“…….”

The problem was how to get the money.

‘If I can’t talk to him, all I can do is threaten him.’

But would the boy understand the threat as a demand for money?

Jo Sung-Il stared intently at the boy.

The boy stared back.

His gaze was a mixture of curiosity and fear.

Jo Sung-Il pointed at the payphone booth.

If words wouldn’t work, he had to resort to gestures.

“Phone?”

The boy stammered, his expression questioning.

Jo Sung-Il nodded immediately.

“Wow.”

Despite being scared, the boy seemed determined to speak his mind, expressing pure amazement.

“He understands me.”

Then, the boy tilted his head.

“Is he a person…?”

The boy’s gaze fell on the lower part of Jo Sung-Il’s face, the only part that was still human.

The boy looked slightly disappointed.

“Monsters are cooler.”

An unexpected preference, but it made getting money easier.

Jo Sung-Il held out his hand.

“You want money?”

The boy frowned.

“Are you a beggar, mister?”

Jo Sung-Il froze, his hand still outstretched.

A beggar.

He never thought he’d be called that.

“Here.”

The boy, looking at him with pity, took out some coins and offered them.

“Even Hunters should only buy what they need. Otherwise, they won’t be able to eat. Cool armor is useless if you’re hungry.”

It was probably something the boy’s guardian had told him.

Jo Sung-Il couldn’t even bring himself to chuckle.

He was holding two 100-won coins.

“Grandma will be waiting, so I gotta go. Bye.”

The boy waved and turned away.

He glanced back a few times, his gaze disapproving.

As if he was looking at a delusional uncle who wanted to be a Hunter.

‘I’m not sure if I should call that innocence.’

Jo Sung-Il shook his head and entered the payphone booth.

“I see. That’s why this is here.”

The booth was different from what he remembered.

There was an emergency button inside that closed the booth.

It seemed to be a safety measure for people to take refuge from monsters.

‘Rural areas probably don’t have proper security.’

The boy should have been somewhere more populated, but it wasn’t Jo Sung-Il’s concern.

Clack.

Jo Sung-Il picked up the receiver and inserted the coins. He could now make a call.

“Sigh.”

He felt nervous about calling Han So-Yeon.

‘What should I say?’

Han So-Yeon had shown some interest in him.

If her intentions were pure, it wouldn’t be a problem, but if not, he could be exploited or sent to a lab.

As far as Jo Sung-Il knew, his case of Awakening as a monster was unprecedented.

He was fortunate to retain his sanity, but if he had started thinking like a monster after transforming, he could have become another enemy of humanity.

‘If I’m not the only one, this could be a problem later.’

He had heard that numerous monsters had appeared recently. They were said to be different from ordinary monsters, so caution wouldn’t hurt.

“Let’s do this.”

Jo Sung-Il dialed Han So-Yeon’s number, which he had memorized.

He didn’t know what she was thinking, but she was the only one who could help him.

He couldn’t afford to waste time and miss this opportunity. Jo Sung-Il decided to act.

Ring… ring….

The phone rang. He waited, and then he heard a click and a voice.

–Hello.

“…….”

–If this isn’t another confession call, speak quickly. I have another call waiting.

“It’s me.”

Jo Sung-Il spoke quickly, anticipating her hanging up.

He heard her gasp in surprise.

–Oh, it’s the monster! You called?

He had been worried about his power words affecting the transmission, but thankfully, they seemed to have no effect on inanimate objects.

Jo Sung-Il cleared his throat and said,

“That sounds strange.”

–Stranger than me? Think about how I feel, talking to a monster on the phone.

He realized she was right.

Talking to a monster on the phone was beyond absurd.

Jo Sung-Il chuckled, and Han So-Yeon quickly said,

–So, do you need my help?

“Yes. Surviving as a monster isn’t easy.”

–I can imagine. Wait, isn’t that a payphone? The caller ID isn’t a cell phone. How did you even call?

Han So-Yeon seemed to be racking her brain, repeatedly saying, “Huh? Huh?”

“That’s none of your business.”

–That’s cold. Especially since you’re asking for my help.

“Payphone or not, there’s always a way. Even with a cell phone, all you need to do is say ‘Hi Bixby’ and you can make a call with just your voice….”

–Bixby?

Jo Sung-Il froze at Han So-Yeon’s question.

–Did that friend of yours teach you that too?

“…Yes.”

–That’s interesting. What kind of person is this friend of yours? Hiding a monster’s identity and not revealing who they are.

Jo Sung-Il, realizing he had said something stupid, quickly changed the subject.

“Ahem. I don’t have much time, so let’s get to the point. I need a cell phone that can contact you. With internet access, please.”

Han So-Yeon, sharp as ever, picked up on the slip-up.

–The more I talk to you, the more interesting you become. It’s like you’ve lived among humans.

“I’d prefer you skip the pointless remarks. Just tell me if it’s possible or not.”

–It’s possible.

Han So-Yeon chuckled.

–But I have a condition.

“What is it?”

He hadn’t expected her to agree without conditions.

Jo Sung-Il swallowed.

–Let me install a location tracking app on the phone.

“What?”

–I need to monitor your location. It’s better that I do it than someone else, right?

Monitoring.

Jo Sung-Il groaned at the word.

–Just accept it, even if you don’t like it. We’re taking a historic first step here.

A historic first step.

Was she referring to their connection, starting with a phone call between a Hunter and a monster?

“…You already told me where I’m staying. One more thing won’t make a difference. Do what you want.”

Jo Sung-Il chuckled at her acting as if he had made the suggestion.

–Thanks. Then I’ll gladly accept. By the way, where are you? I think we should meet again.

“Now?”

That was a bit problematic.

‘If she realizes both this form and the monster form are me, she might figure out my original form is human.’

Then, even she might report it to the Hunter Association. A change in human species was a serious matter.

He trusted her to some extent, but this was information he couldn’t risk sharing.

–Let’s meet now.

She spoke cheerfully, seemingly oblivious to his concerns. He swallowed.

‘What should I do?’

Should he return to his monster form and meet her? His human transformation was time-limited, not use-limited.

He could transform back into a human as long as he had time remaining within the 30-minute limit. So there was no reason to refuse her request.

“Alright. Let’s meet.”

–Great! Oh, but meet me in your current form.

“What?”

–Emergency payphone booths have built-in CCTVs.

Jo Sung-Il looked up.

“Oh.”

There it was, a small, gleaming lens tucked away discreetly.

“I’ve been had….”

KWAAAAABOOOOM!

An explosion echoed from somewhere. Jo Sung-Il’s eyes widened.

–What was that? What happened…?

“Wait.”

Jo Sung-Il cut her off and rushed outside.

The explosion came from the direction the boy had disappeared.

He saw smoke rising into the sky.

Reaching the area, Jo Sung-Il spotted something familiar on the ground.

A lollipop.

Jo Sung-Il looked up, his eyes glowing.

“Don’t die yet.”