Chapter 25: Cat (1)

After all the practical interviews were over, we got into the car to return to headquarters, dragging our tired bodies along.

Inside the car, conversations naturally turned to the events of the day.

“Didn’t the applicants today seem pretty underwhelming?”

Han So-ra was the first to speak.

“There was one applicant who was so scared their legs gave out.

That really caught me off guard.”

“It was a surprise interview, and most of the outstanding applicants from the document screening were grouped together in one team. I think Minjun’s team or Team 12 had most of them.”

Seo Ji-hyun said, looking at her tablet.

“Haha… There were a few who showed promise, but overall, it was disappointing.”

Team leader Park Chul-woo concluded bitterly.

But I didn’t agree.

My group was full of seemingly competent applicants.

Too competent—so much so that I started suspecting some were spies.

I leaned against the window, wondering what to do about Park So-young—no, Park Soon-ja.

***

Back at the dorm, I passed out from exhaustion, and when I woke up, it was finally the long-awaited day off.

There was also a welcome notification on my smartphone:

[Deposit] Dongto Co., Ltd. – 10,000,000 KRW

Unlike outdoor missions, this was my salary.

“…My salary.”

It was my first paycheck.

Exactly ten million won, as stated in the contract.

I opened my banking app to check the account balance.

A number so big it was hard to compare to before.

A number that had never once appeared in my account in real life.

At the same time, I was hit with the shock that it had only been one month.

So much had happened, yet it had only been a month.

‘With this money… could I get a small studio apartment in Seoul?’

The reason I wanted to go to Seoul was simple: to avoid the sudden appearance of anomalies.

Aside from during the practical test, I hadn’t had many unexpected encounters with them.

Still, working in the exploration team, I’d heard rumors that anomalies were appearing more frequently.

I wanted to move to Seoul, where such phenomena hadn’t appeared—yet.

Initially, I thought I’d just save the money, but then my mind shifted.

‘…Yeah. Let’s spend a little today.’

Dumping all this money into Seoul rent was one thing, but didn’t I deserve a small reward for surviving this hellish world?

Not a day of chasing after anomalies or checking shady online galleries like “Anomaly Gallery.”

I wanted to go out like a normal person. Go shopping.

Luckily, there was a fairly large shopping mall and department store near the company-provided apartment.

“Alright. Today’s for shopping.”

I was a little excited at the thought of going out like a normal person for once.

Buying proper clothes, eating something nice.

Even for just a short while, I wanted to forget this abnormal reality.

I grabbed my wallet and smartphone and left the dorm with a light step—
Heading toward the department store.

After days of tension, a day off.

For the first time, I was heading to the big department store near the dorm.

Having spent all my time in strange places like quarantine facilities or creepy abandoned buildings,
being somewhere full of bright lights and crowds felt awkward, even alien.

“…It’s peaceful.”

The inside of the department store was peaceful.

People in everyday clothes enjoyed their shopping.

Couples walked arm-in-arm, laughing.

Children begged their parents for toys.

Such ordinary and everyday scenery.

For this moment, I felt like I could forget that I was living in a horrific horror game.

In this noise and normalcy, I felt like my tense body and mind were slowly healing.

‘Yeah… sometimes, you need moments like this.’

I slowly browsed through the stores, enjoying this rare moment of peace.

I hadn’t planned to buy anything specific, but just walking among people felt good.

Neatly arranged clothes, the latest gadgets, the sweet smell of desserts—everything felt fresh.

That’s when I was browsing the electronics section.

“Oh! Isn’t that Minjun?”

I turned my head at the familiar, lively voice.

There stood Han So-ra, wearing casual jeans and a sweatshirt.

Her eyes widened in recognition, and she waved happily.

Wearing normal clothes instead of a uniform, she looked much younger—like a regular college student.

“Oh? Sora. Fancy seeing you here.”

“I know, right? I just came out for a bit of air. What about you? Our youngest team member, out shopping after getting paid?”

She grinned playfully.

Come to think of it, we probably get paid on the same day.

No wonder we ran into each other here.

“Ah… yeah, it’s my first paycheck, and I wanted to do something refreshing. But now that I actually have the money, I don’t know what to do with it.”

At that, Sora looked up at the ceiling, as if deep in thought.

“Hmm… your first paycheck. That’s important!”

She snapped her fingers and said, “First off—eat something delicious! Expensive, too! All by yourself!

And then, get something you’ve always wanted—clothes, shoes, whatever.

You’ve gotta splurge a little to relieve some stress!”

She got excited as she spoke, then suddenly lowered her voice and stepped closer.

With a slightly sad expression, she patted my shoulder and said, “Use your first paycheck for yourself.
You know our job isn’t normal. If you don’t relieve that stress, you’ll seriously get sick.”

Then, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, she looked around and whispered,

“Our work’s kind of… you know. Every day it’s either anomalies or weird incidents. I had nightmares all the time when I started. It was really hard… but it’s gotten a lot better now. Want to know my secret?”

“…Tell me.”

Honestly, I needed this advice.

I was getting used to the fighting, but the fear never went away.

I went to sleep anxious every night.

Sora winked as if she was about to share a deep secret, then pulled out her phone.

With a bright smile, she held it out to me.

“Here, look.”

“This is…”

The screen was filled with photos of fluffy gray cats.

Sleeping curled up in a ball, playing with toys, staring out the window—just looking at them made me smile.

After seeing nothing but terrifying and bizarre anomalies for a while, just looking at a cat felt like my eyes were being purified.

“Our cat! Her name is Dust—cute, right?”

Without realizing it, I nodded and found myself captivated by the cat on the screen.

It felt like a corner of my heart, which had been hardened and cold, was slowly melting.

It truly felt healing.

“When I come home after work and spend time with Dust, I forget all the nasty things that happened that day!”

Han So-ra proudly said this as she swiped through a few more photos of the cat.

Just like she said, the peaceful look on the cat’s face in the photos seemed so far removed from this harsh world.

Having a being like that nearby would truly be a huge comfort.

‘Cats… are cute.’

Suddenly, I remembered my time in the real world.

I had vaguely wanted to raise a pet before too.

Even back then, I would soothe my worn-out heart from part-time jobs by watching animal videos.

But with a tight bank account and the costs of vet bills and pet food, I couldn’t even consider it seriously and gave up.

But now, things were different.

‘…What about now?’

With a well-padded bank account and a stable company dorm, this world—though dangerous—ironically gave me a sense of leisure that I never had before.

Wouldn’t I be able to take responsibility for a cat or dog now?

If I had to live each day in constant tension and fear, just having a small being to welcome and comfort me when I got home would be a huge source of strength.

“Anyway! Congrats on your first paycheck. I’ll be off now—see you tomorrow!”

Han So-ra put her smartphone back in her pocket, gave my shoulder one last tap, waved, and disappeared into the crowd.

I stood there for a moment, thinking about the cat photos I had just seen—and my bank balance.

Come to think of it, this department store had a pet section too.

‘…Just going to look, just look…’

I muttered this to myself, as if making an excuse, and headed to the pet section like I was under a spell.

And when I came out, I had impulsively bought cat food, litter, a litter box, bowls, and more.

The walk back to my dorm, my arms full of supplies, was filled with a strange excitement.

Back in the dorm, I unpacked what I had bought and immediately opened my laptop to look up how to adopt a cat.

Having a cat adoption website open right next to a forum for monster sightings looked ridiculous—but both were crucial sources of information for me right now.

While browsing various adoption sites and local community forums, one particular post stood out.

***

[Title: [Incheon] Urgently giving away a cat for free due to personal circumstances.]

I’ve raised this cat for about a year, but I suddenly have to move to Seoul and can’t take her with me.

I’ve really raised her with love.

She’s a bit sharp, but cute and very perceptive.

I want to send her to someone good.

The cat is a bit particular, so please follow these three rules: Never let her outside. Cats do not need walks.

She’s very sensitive to hierarchy.

If she hisses while making eye contact, don’t look away.

Once adopted, please take full responsibility.

Even if you find yourself in unavoidable circumstances like me, never abandon her—please rehome her properly.

“…Hmm, all manageable.”

None of the requests seemed too difficult.

The attached photo showed a cat with sharp eyes and sleek black fur—an image that strangely suited her personality.

The man said he was reluctantly giving her up due to circumstances, and the location was close by, too.

It all felt like the perfect match for my situation.

Was this fate?

Without hesitation, I sent a text to the contact listed in the post, and luckily, I got a reply soon after.

The man seemed to be in a real hurry and said he could meet me right away.

We made arrangements to meet that evening at a nearby park.