episode_0038

“They’ve become close already.”

Ji-hoon, sitting in the corner of the room, was looking warmly at Sonagi and the pet girl happily shopping.

The two women were sitting in front of a computer, diligently choosing clothes, putting them on, and putting them on.

Ji-hoon, who didn’t have a ‘brain chip’ in his head, couldn’t know exactly what was going on, but he could tell that it wasn’t much different from buying clothes in 21st century South Korea.

‘It doesn’t seem that different from buying clothes online. If Sonagi chooses clothes like that…’

Just then, Sonagi clicks something with her mouse and grabs the pet girl’s shoulder. The girl wasn’t completely naked, as she was wearing a bra and panties, but to Jihoon’s eyes, it was just a naked girl spinning around.

There was a computer in front of Sonagi and the pet girl, but to their right was a full-length mirror. The two of them clearly saw the ‘chosen clothes’.

“Mom. These clothes are comfortable.”

“Don’t be too comfortable.. If you’re going to be comfortable, taking everything off is the best.”

“Take it all off?”

“No…!”

Sonagi sometimes felt frustrated, but she held onto her pet girl’s shoulders and worked hard to choose clothes for her. The fact that they were both wearing underwear made Jihoon’s lower body a little tense…

Unfortunately, the two were so focused on shopping that nothing happened to seduce Ji-hoon.

‘If I could try on clothes like that at home, I wouldn’t have to go to the store…’

But is it better to actually try it on? Ji-hoon, who had seen the clothing store on the streets of Neo Seoul, stroked his chin.

The two women’s shopping never seemed to end. When they thought they were buying outerwear, they found themselves buying light clothes. When they thought they were done, they got up and found themselves buying underwear.

In the case of underwear, we could see some really cute things, such as Sonagi bringing a tape measure and measuring her chest herself.

But seeing her buying not only underwear but also shoes made Ji-hoon feel bored and almost yawn.

“..Hey, Sonagi. What are you going to do with all those clothes you bought? Can you receive them?”

“Of course. If you order it today, it will arrive today.”

“But if you trick the person who brings you the item or something, it’ll be complicated.”

“Why hide something like that when a drone brings it to you?”

Sonagi, who was laughing, answered and started dressing the pet girl again.

“Fuck…”

If only there was a brain chip in your head.

You would have seen the pet girl being dressed in at least 100 different outfits.

Ji-hoon sighed with a rather regretful heart and slowly got up from his seat.

Honestly, I was just sitting in a chair for two hours, staring blankly, but wouldn’t a shower help?

“Hey, it’s raining. Can I go get some fresh air?”

“Why? Are you bored?”

“Of course it’s boring. Dude, I looked like I was standing there in my underwear for 2 hours? They’re making me wear a coat now…”

“Ah!”

Sonagi realizes that after two whole hours, Jihoon hasn’t seen a single piece of clothing.

Ji-hoon was dumbfounded by her small exclamation, but time had already passed.

“I also thought you were angry. Strangely, you didn’t say a word.”

As she said that, Sonagi touched the mouse a few times. With a whirring sound, a small light burst out from the monitor, and in an instant, a hologram appeared over Sonagi and the pet girl.

“It’s a little less than what we see, but what do you think? Is it worth seeing?”

“Oh my…”

Sonagi’s appearance in jeans and a black knit that clearly showed her chest line was very attractive.

The pet girl standing in front of him was wearing a black one-piece dress that suited her rather small body and a pure white cardigan. She was also carrying a small bag on her waist, and she gave off a college girl vibe that made Ji-hoon laugh out loud.

“What, why are you laughing? Is it weird?”

Sonagi grabs his clothes for no reason and pulls them up and down.

“No, that’s…”

Ji-hoon couldn’t say it easily. Weren’t they both women who were extremely skilled at killing or harming people?

It was ironic to see two women wearing casual clothes that exuded cuteness, but Ji-hoon shook his head and gave them a thumbs up because they were pretty.

“It’s because she’s so damn pretty. Hey, but I don’t know much about women’s clothes, so what’s the point of showing it to me? Shouldn’t you be asking Mr. Damon?”

“Mr. Damon is just… . I think he’ll wear see-through clothes.”

Sonagi puffed out her cheeks as if nothing had happened. Then she turned her body around and started to change the pet girl’s clothes one by one, such as changing the color of her one-piece dress or suddenly putting her in a skirt and a blouse with flowers on it.

“Hey, then I’m really going out.”

“Yeah~ Come later. Anyway, I’ll go upstairs and get the stuff.”

Sonagi was absorbed in choosing clothes, and Jihoon finally had some free time.

* * * *

“Are you feeling okay, Mr. Hong Gil-dong?”

Although he said he was going to get some fresh air, there wasn’t much Ji-hoon could do as he had to hide in the basement of Neo Seoul.

He left the hotel that Hwalbindang used as a lodging, went around a few closed shops and convenience stores, took a quick walk, and then returned to the lodging.

By that time, Sonagi and Pet Girl hadn’t finished choosing clothes, so Jihoon had no intention of opening the door and going in.

What a freedom. I wish I could go up to the surface, but I don’t want to be kidnapped by scary-looking troublemakers I’ve never seen before.

“Of course, you are in good health. There is no problem in going up and carrying out the mission right now.”

So Ji-hoon came into the fast food restaurant where Hong Gil-dong was, and his prediction was not wrong.

In the center of the store, where there were numerous tables, sat Hong Gil-dong without a single bandage on, and next to him sat Damon, who had pink hair.

“But what… Do you eat that kind of thing here?”

In front of Hong Gil-dong and Damon was a food that was very familiar to Koreans.

Food served in a black earthenware pot with white steam rising from it.

It was noodles.

Damon also had pink hair and a more Western appearance, so the sight of the two of them eating pure white sundae gukbap was a bit shocking.

“There’s no place better to eat than here, right~ Jihoon, do you want to eat too?”

“No, I ate with Sonagi.”

“The taste is Very Good.”

Hong Gil-dong took off the red sunglasses he always wore and was eating his sundae gukbap while sweating profusely.

‘What the…’

It was an ironic sight to the point of being absurd, but if you think about it, it wasn’t that strange.

Ji-hoon looked around for a moment, and as he expected, there was a drone in the corner of the store.

“Is this delivery food?”

“Of course. There’s no way we could make something like this~ Jihoon.”

“It’s not like I’m a Jjang-Kae or anything… No, these days even Jjang-gae is served in disposable bowls…”

Ji-hoon mutters and looks at Hong Gil-dong and Damon once more.

The two seemed strangely close.

“Mister, and Mr. Damon. What is your relationship?”

What if Damon is Hong Gil-dong’s girlfriend? Should he apologize for having sex with her last time?

Ji-hoon was a little worried, but Damon smiled and shrugged.

“Mr. Hong Gil-dong saved me before. I used to work at Ricky Venus.”

“At Megacorp? What did you do?”

“It was extremely boring and hard work. Even back then, I was a ripperdoc, but… I fixed people’s cyberware all day long at the service center that Lucky Venus had designated. Even if I worked every single day, the work never ended.”

“The service center she worked at was no ordinary place.”

As Hong Gil-dong spoke, he grabbed the earthenware pot with both hands and emptied the bowl in a refreshing manner. It was a truly Korean sight.

“It was a place to repair Lucky Venus’ soldiers.”

“…Wait a minute, soldier?”

Hong Gil-dong nods his head to Ji-hoon’s question.

“No, how…”

“You didn’t know. Many megacorps around the world have private soldiers to protect their assets. They are nothing compared to the clone guards of the future corporation that attacked us today.”

“There’s no way I would allow that…”

Ji-hoon sighed, feeling a slight headache.

“It’s quite an old story. It’s been over 100 years. However, here in Korea, there are strict restrictions on the number of soldiers that companies can operate.”

“Why?”

“Why, why? It’s because the nobles have a strong influence.”

Damon said with a smile, but Jihoon still couldn’t understand.

“Since last time, Sonagi and everyone else have been talking about Yangban, but what exactly is a Yangban? I don’t think it refers to the Yangban of the Joseon Dynasty.”

“That’s it.”

“Mr. Jihoon, you really have severe amnesia. Didn’t you learn that in school?”

Damon said so and Hong Gil-dong took something out of his pocket and put it down.

A hologram appeared naturally with a whirring sound. There, the figure of a ‘Yangban’ wearing a black hat and a shiny silver-colored robe caught my eye.

“What the fuck… what is this?”

“You are a nobleman.”

“They call me a gentleman too? You really don’t know?”

“Ah.. no, no, that’s not it.. no.. what…”

Ji-hoon felt dizzy, but decided to think calmly.

Sure enough, Sonagi kept telling me that there were noblemen. When I went to see the cyber prostitutes, weren’t there women dressed as gisaengs?

“Why… did a nobleman appear? That’s…”

It disappeared a long time ago. Didn’t the Constitution of the Republic of Korea say that there is no caste system?

“Hmm… You really don’t know anything.”

Hong Gil-dong looks at Ji-hoon with silver-shining eyes. He places both hands on his stomach, and Damon smiles bitterly.

“We don’t know enough about history to teach it to you, but… It’s been a long time since the ‘new nobleman’ came into being. Um… I think it was after unification with North Korea…”

“Sat.. Unification..?”

When Ji-hoon asked with a blank expression, Hong Gil-dong looked at him with a strange gaze.

“Unified Korea, for convenience we call it the Republic of Korea, but Korea was unified 100 years ago.”

“Uh.. How? No, unification isn’t a child’s play.”

“WAR.”

Hong Gil-dong spoke lightly and Ji-hoon drank a glass of water on the table.

war.

It may be the simplest method in the world.

“It was the 1970s… In the 80s, there was a war and unification. The problem was not easily resolved. At that time, the president gave opportunities to many entrepreneurs in South Korea.”

“Yes, they made unimaginable profits and became new by colluding with the military government of that time. Did you see the huge wall when you entered Neo-Seoul from Incheon?”

Ji-hoon nodded to Hong Gil-dong’s question.

“That barrier was not built to keep what’s outside from coming in, but to keep what’s inside from going out.”

“There are many stories, but even if I say them here, I don’t think Ji-hoon will understand… You can think of the future companies now called Megacorp, Lucky Venus, and Seocho Micro as all created by the Shin Yangban.”

After hearing the two’s explanation, Ji-hoon nodded for a moment.

‘There was a war… and there were some guys who made some ridiculous profits… Yeah, it can’t be the same as the world I lived in.’

Ji-hoon, still in shock, nodded and silently pointed at the two with his finger.

“So what’s your relationship? You’re a couple who fell in love with each other after Damon saved you from your daily work of treating soldiers at Mirae Corporation. Is that it?”

In response to Ji-hoon’s question, Hong Gil-dong laughs lightly and puts on his red sunglasses.

“Business.”

“We’re business colleagues. I came to Hwalbindang because I thought Hong Gildong’s words were cool. We’re not lovers, as Jihoon thinks.”

Ji-hoon looks at Damon, a little unconvinced by what Damon says.

“But, I don’t think it was just for a day or two. If you fight and risk your life together for an ideal, don’t you think your relationship will get better?”

“That’s right. We’re on good terms, but… … .”

Hong Gil-dong looked at Damon once and he smiled.

“Mr. Gildong can’t have sex, so what should I say after finding out? I couldn’t develop beyond the idea that he was a cool person.”

“Huh?”

“Most of Me’s body has been modified with cyberware technology.”

Hong Gil-dong pointed at his body with his hand as if it were nothing. His body was painted in chrome. He thought his body was as solid as a statue.

“Then, no way. Even when I was sleeping, I was wearing that weird bulletproof vest thing…”

“Yes, because he was converted into a cyborg.”

Could it be because Hong Gil-dong spoke so nonchalantly? Or maybe he was not flustered because he thought of his pet girl’s body.

Ji-hoon slowly nodded his head in agreement, grabbed her hand tightly and caressed it before opening his mouth.

“Okay. Then… . Sir. Tell me slowly. What kind of girl is that pet that attacked me, Sonagi, and Sir?”