episode_0216

“Double Strength Iron 36mg…”

‘……’

The iron Dr. Jang had emphasized. Because it was explicitly labeled “iron,” I found it without difficulty. This small container, which looked exactly like “Is this a nutritional supplement?”, was something that would help Lawrence and the fetus. Besides that, I found other items on Dr. Jang’s list, such as zinc and omega supplements. Moreover, they were still in their unopened boxes, so there was no fear of damage.

It wasn’t a huge amount, but the quantity was sufficient in its own way. This much, as Dong-woo said, was a huge success.

For now, I greedily pulled out everything and began packing. When packing boxes, yellow tape is essential. While Hyung and Dong-woo were busy putting medicine into duffel bags, I quietly took tape out of my inventory. I arranged boxes of the same size, crossing the tape horizontally and vertically to secure them firmly in a cross shape.

*Tear! Slap- Thump-* *Tear- Slap! Thump-*

I stacked the firmly taped boxes neatly into my framed backpack. I stacked them so full that anyone who didn’t know would criticize me for foolishly loading more than I could carry. This kind of arrangement is convenient when organizing items of the same shape and size.

Roughly when I finished organizing the load I would carry, Hyung and Dong-woo also finished packing.

“Seonghan. It looks like we’ve packed pretty much everything listed here.”

“Can you carry that?”

“…Compared to that, this much is fine.”

“I think I can carry a little more too.”

Each of them slung their bulging, fully packed duffel bags over their shoulders.

“Don’t overload them, we have to go back through the snowy path.”

“Oh, right! Yes, sir!”

“If you’re done, go outside first and keep watch.”

“Watch?”

“Yeah. I’ll just look around for a moment and be out soon.”

The two of them went outside without a word at my instruction and stood guard. When they both fixed their gaze in different directions.

*Rustle-*

I swept all the items from the back into my inventory. I took everything indiscriminately: pain relief patches, bandages, ointments, vitamin drinks, and so on. It didn’t take long to collect everything, including what was in the back and what was in the break room/storage area.

Now, all that was left in this pharmacy were the items remaining on the shelves. I left behind the small, trivial things. Including what I had previously collected and what I picked up today, wouldn’t it be a considerable amount for medical supplies?

‘I could probably be a drug peddler with this.’

I slung the backpack, heavy with its load, over my shoulders. It didn’t affect me much, but the straps shrieked under the weight. With a slightly happier heart, I left the pharmacy, which was now nothing but an empty husk.

“Anything unusual?”

“Nope. It’s just quiet.”

“Hyung-nim. Are we heading back now?”

“Hmm…”

The timing felt awkward, and it was a bit disappointing to go back just yet. I still hadn’t even entered the health center right in front of us…

“How about we just head back for today?”

“Hmm. Shall we?”

“I’d like to look around a bit more too, but we came out empty-handed, didn’t we? If we had driven a car, it might be different, but for today, shouldn’t we be satisfied with what we’ve already acquired?”

Hyung’s suggestion to act according to the situation rather than being overly greedy seemed plausible. Indeed, if I were to act by my own standards, it would be absurd.

“…And what you’re carrying right now is already a full load…”

“Hyung-nim, you look like someone evacuating with all their worldly possessions.”

“Really?”

“And the way you’re carrying it so casually… no…”

Hyung looked like he had a lot to say but held his tongue. It’s a pity, but this might be the appropriate limit for today.

“Let’s head back slowly.”

“Good idea. Then… should we go this way?”

“Go out to the road and turn right, and it’s Sagajeong Station.”

“Easy to understand, that’s good. Let’s go.”

“Oh. Keep an eye out for a cosmetics store on the way.”

“Got it. Dong-woo, you keep an eye out too.”

“Yes, sir!!”

With the youngest’s energetic reply, we began to move. Naturally, I took the lead, and they matched my pace, keeping a certain distance behind.

*Creak- Squeak-*

With each step, the backpack’s straps and frame let out precarious groans. Hyung, who was following, heard the sound and, perhaps concerned, subtly spoke.

“Seonghan, are you going to be alright? Should I take some of that?”

“I’m fine. Just make sure you keep up.”

“This kid. After I went to the trouble of worrying about you.”

*Hmph~*

I appreciated the thought, but the load they were carrying was already enough for them. Carrying guns and walking through the snow, they would get more tired than they thought. Sure enough.

The two of them slowly started to fall behind.

“*Huff! Puff!* Hey… a little slower, *gasp!* Let’s go slower.”

“*Wheeze! Wheeze!* *Gasp! Gasp!*”

“Oh… these weaklings.”

I teased them, asking what good weak lower bodies were, but Hyung and Dong-woo, breathless, couldn’t reply. It seemed they couldn’t even hear me properly.

In the end, I stopped walking and looked back. Whether from the cold or heat, I didn’t know, but both their faces were bright red. Seeing sweat drops trickling down their noses, it seemed they were indeed sweating.

“*Gasp!* *Phew~* Aren’t you tired?”

“What’s this much? Hyung, your stamina is just weak.”

“What?! You’re the weird one!”

“That’s right! Hyung is a superhuman!”

“Oh, right! You really need to consider your ordinary party members!”

“Hear, hear!”

“Honestly…”

Watching the two of them, still saying everything they wanted despite panting, made me burst out laughing. After laughing heartily for a moment, I said to them,

“Judging by all your talking, you’re still full of energy.”

“”*Gasp!*””

“It seems you both need some physical training.”

“What?”

“Let’s work out together.”

At my words, Hyung and Dong-woo’s eyes widened in shock, as if an earthquake had struck.

“Why are you so surprised? I won’t eat you. It’s fine, it’s fine.”

“No…”

“Dong-woo, I’ll make you lose some weight.”

“H-Hyung-nim?”

“Just trust me.”

Their bright red faces gradually cooled down, turning pale. Watching their rapidly changing expressions, a smile naturally formed on my face. Dong-woo, looking deflated, saw my smile and mumbled quietly.

“Wow… an evil villain’s smile…”

“What did you say, punk?”

“Ack?! Nothing! Nothing!”

“You start right away, from today.”

“*Gasp?!*”

Dong-woo was horrified, and Hyung quietly closed his mouth and averted his gaze.

We took a short break. If a break is too long, the body tends to become sluggish while still feeling tired. Seeing that they had caught their breath, we began to move again. I slowed my pace to match theirs. This time, it seemed suitable, as they managed to keep up fairly well.

I slowly surveyed this path that I had passed through a couple of times before. I hadn’t noticed them when passing quickly before, but looking now, things I hadn’t seen before caught my eye.

‘…Why are there so many PC cafes here…’

In this small neighborhood, large PC cafe signs kept appearing as we walked. Some were directly across from each other, separated only by an alley, while others were right next door, skipping just one building. Or they would be squarely located across the street, as if competing.

…Their location choices completely threw business ethics out the window.

As I walked further down, I saw that there were hardly any intact buildings. All the glass was shattered, and there were scorch marks from fire. The only things that seemed relatively intact were the utility poles and the low, tangled mess of power lines. Besides Sagajeong Station, there weren’t many tall buildings. Most of the buildings I saw on the path we just walked were only two or three stories high. They also looked quite old. It wasn’t a place where I could find what I needed, and there were no apparent advantages.

That made me even more curious.

‘…Where could they be?’

Where in this inconvenient street could people be hiding? If a person put their mind to it, they could hide anywhere. But if it’s a situation directly related to survival, it’s a different story. They couldn’t help but consider various conditions. I couldn’t guess where people would hide for survival in the current situation.

Actually, I didn’t really care about other people. But if there were more people like Yeom’s gang, it would be a headache. Competing with such individuals for supplies would also be a waste.

As I pondered over these unknown entities, we arrived at Sagajeong Station.

“Hmm.”

【⇧ Jungnang-gu Citizens’ Hall】

We hadn’t been that way yet. Direction-wise, it was towards Konkuk University Shelter, in the Gunjja direction. The densely packed buildings visible across the road seemed to contain quite a lot.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh. Nothing.”

Hyung, standing beside me, briefly looked in the direction I was staring, but then lost interest.

“Let’s hurry. It seems to be getting colder.”

*Wheeze! Huff! Wheeze! Gasp!*

“……Dong-woo, are you alright?”

“I-I’m fi- *cough!* *Gasp!*”

“……”

I took the duffel bag from Dong-woo, who was leaning on his knees and panting.

“Oh! I’m fine, Hyung-nim! I can carry it!”

“No, it’s fine. You’ll get sick if you push yourself.”

“Ah…”

He immediately looked downcast.

“It’s not just a lack of exercise; your body isn’t used to it yet.”

“…Yes.”

“Dong-woo, let’s work out together with Hyung. Understood?”

Jihyeok Hyung encouraged the disheartened Dong-woo, suggesting they train together.

“You can do it. You’ll get better with practice. So straighten your shoulders.”

“Yes, sir.”

“We’ll start moving now, so keep up.”

We began walking the quiet street once more. And I erased any interest in other survivors from my mind.

‘I’m busy enough taking care of my own family, why bother?’

Whether they were civilians or gangsters, as long as they didn’t get in the way, it was fine. As long as they weren’t hostile, what did it matter what those people did?

Having cleared my mind, I felt at ease. There were no problems on the way back either. Walking slowly and steadily, we safely arrived at the shelter.

“Ugh…”

“Phew…”

Dong-woo and Hyung made sounds as if they were on the verge of collapsing.

“Hyung. What’s with all that complaining after just a little walk?”

“Aish-! …No…”

Hyung, who was about to express his indignation at my scolding-like remark, shut his mouth when he saw the load on my back. Seeing his handsome face contorted as he swallowed his frustration, I felt a refreshing sensation in my chest. I chuckled and gently patted the backs of the two men whose legs were wobbling.

“You worked hard.”

“You’re the one who did all the hard work…”

“Good job, Hyung-nims.”

“You worked hard too.”

As we encouraged each other and stood at the entrance.

*Plink- Plink- Drip-drip-*

“?”

*Whoosh-*

Right on cue, the rain began to pour. It wasn’t just rain; it was falling mixed with snow. Holes began to appear in the previously pristine snowfield. And the gloomy sky quickly darkened.

“…The weather’s gone crazy…”

“What’s with this sudden rain…”

“Wow… Hyung-nims. If we had been even a little bit later, we would’ve been drenched.”

“Indeed. It’s a good thing we listened to Jihyeok Hyung.”

*Hmph~*

“What’s that expression mean?”

“Ugh~ It’s cold! Let’s go in!”

I followed Hyung, who pretended not to notice, and entered the shelter. Although I had to lower my posture and turn my body with a bit of a fuss because I had ignorantly packed more luggage than expected.

“Oh my! What is all this?”

“Things that are good for your body.”

Shia, who happened to be in the reception room, was surprised to see the load I brought in. When told it was all medicine and nutritional supplements, she said “Oh~” and looked pleased. Only Dr. Jang, however, rejoiced with an “Ooh, wow!”

“I’m sorry, but would you mind taking these to the examination room? I’ll organize everything.”

“No need to apologize.”

Hyung and I, with generous hearts, put in a little more effort. Dr. Jang, who followed right behind, began organizing the items as soon as we put them down.

“I’ll take care of this, so please warm up and rest quickly.”

I tried to help, but I was ordered to rest. If the doctor-nim says to rest, I should follow well. Hyung and I came out to the reception room and practically dived onto the sofa. Dong-woo was already burying himself in the sofa, sprawling out. Hyung, sitting next to him, also began to sprawl out in parallel.

‘Oh dear…’

Looking at them like that, they really seemed like brothers. As I sat blankly for a moment, Shia placed a glass cup in front of me.

“Here, drink this.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

As I was feeling a bit bored, I guzzled down the orange juice.

“It’s good.”

“…Shia…”

“…Noona…”

The two of them leaned back, peeking their heads up to gaze wistfully at Shia. Their appearance, radiating feelings of disappointment with their entire bodies, was quite something…

“Here you go. You two are exactly alike.”

“Ah! Grandma~”

“Phew~ Only Grandma understands.”

“Goodness gracious~ You’re both just big children, despite your size.”

Despite her words, Grandma was beaming with a wide smile, finding the current situation amusing. Grandma soon subtly checked if Dong-woo had hurt himself anywhere. Seeing the affectionate interaction between grandmother and grandson, I felt a sense of satisfaction.

But today, the reception room was unusually quiet. A sudden thought struck me, and I asked Shia.

“Where did everyone go?”

“Oh. Everyone was together just a little while ago, then they each went to rest.”

“I see.”

“The older sisters are just continuously sleeping.”

“…Are they sick?”

“Older sisters” here refers to the two Americans. The fact that they had been sleeping all day except when eating bothered me.

“It’s not that, they’re just tired from accumulated fatigue.”

“Did Dr. Jang say that?”

“Yes. Still, they’re eating well, taking their medicine, and resting. Lawrence unnie didn’t take medicine because of the baby.”

I nodded, watching Shia chatter away. Even though I asked her to, it seems she’s taking care of them more meticulously than I expected. Next time I go out, I should get her some good cosmetics. Although I don’t know much about cosmetics.

I was feeling grateful internally when Shia stared intently at me.

“Why?”

“Oppa. I think you need a haircut.”

“You’re right, Seonghan. If you’re not going for long hair, you should get it trimmed.”

“Hmm.”

My bangs were certainly bothering me. My hair was quite shaggy too.

‘Looking in the mirror, it felt a bit stifling.’

“Could you get me some scissors?”

“Huh? You’re going to do it, Oppa?”

“I’ll just cut it roughly.”

Since I couldn’t go to a salon, I was about to do it roughly, but Hyung stopped me.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa~ Don’t do that. If you’re going to get a haircut—”

“I’ll do it for you.”

Shia confidently stepped forward, and Hyung’s eyes widened.

“You know how to do that too?”

“J-Just a little.”

“Oh… then I’ll leave it to you.”

It’s better than me doing it, right? Jihyeok Hyung seemed to be clamping his mouth shut, trying to suppress his laughter…

“Alright! Please come this way then.”

Shia led me to a room.

‘……’

It wasn’t much different from my room, but there were a few more random things placed around. It felt somehow soft… and smelled good. Shia’s presence seemed to have permeated this room.

“Oppa, just a moment.”

She sat me down on a chair, then darted out and came back with something in her hand. It was a set of scissors, large and small. The same items used in a hair salon. It was more serious than I expected.

‘This is good. I can just ask Shia from now on.’

“Oppa. Could you take off your, um, coat and vest?”

“Ah. Just a moment.”

I took off my outer clothes, tossed them aside, and sat down again. Shia draped the white cloth I had seen in hair salons around my neck.

“Where did you get this?”

“Grandma made it for me.”

“Oh…”

“Alright then… How would you like it, customer~?”

Shia, with a smile, spoke in a gentle voice, using a line I’d heard many times.

“Pfft… Ahem. Clean and neat, please do a good job.”

“Yes~”

For now, I played along. It felt a bit embarrassing and awkward, but I tried to stay still. Shia was so focused that it seemed I had to.

*Spray- Spray- Swish-*

As if she really knew how, she wet my hair with a spray bottle and gently combed it. Holding the scissors, she gauged the length of my hair, just as hairdressers do.

*Tremble-*

‘……’

She’s trembling now, right?

“Uh… Shia?”

“Stay still, Oppa.”

*Snip- Snip-*

“……”

“……”

Her previously gentle smile vanished, replaced by a rigid expression. The rising tension made me also close my mouth.

*Snip- Snip-*

‘I should stop her now…’

…I sensed I was screwed, but I couldn’t stop her. Shia was too focused for me to do so, and her touch was so gentle… and soft. This isn’t bad in its own way, I guess…

*Snip- Crunch-*

At the ominous snip of the scissors, I tightly closed my eyes.