episode_0231

– 30 minutes after sunset. ‘Mouse’, please report the situation.

“Yesㅡ, this is ‘Mouse’. Isn’t it normal today too?”

Summer nights are short.

Like perspective, where objects appear relatively shorter as they get further away.

The dark night sky was a step away from the world, escaping the summer heat, and the summer nights we looked up at were particularly short.

The moon that rides the heat.

So, it will rise on a cool night, not in the morning.

“Ah. Shooting star.”

It was late evening, and the pure white starlight, embroidered one by one, was flowing down like beads of sweat.

“Team Leader! Did you just see a shooting star? Hurry up and make a wish.”

– I hope Eunha is healthy. Are you okay?

[Rare Hunter Protection – Killing] A member of Team 1, A-class hunter.

A woman who is called ‘mouse’ by others.

She parked her car on the street with a clear view of the Saetbyeol Apartment and chatted with Team Leader Ban Harin on the phone.

‘Mouse’ reclined the driver’s seat and relaxed.

I look up at the night sky where comets are streaming down, adjusting my large mouse ears.

A thin rat tail sways happily from side to side, wrapping itself around the passenger’s drink and bringing it to her lips.

“Hoo~… But what’s going on? Haven’t you been checking my status every sunset for the past few days?”

– I don’t know. If there is an emergency, you must contact me immediately.

A tone that is sharp but filled with concern.

‘Mouse’ bursts into laughter at Banharin’s cold voice as always.

It’s been a few days since… After that monster suddenly lost its left eye, she became strangely careful about the ‘mouse’s’ well-being.

Check the status of the ‘mouse’ every morning during the handover time,

How many times a day do you ask if there are any special circumstances?

After the sun sets in the evening, call at regular intervals for two hours to check on their well-being…

Is this really the same team leader who has been acting like a machine and not joking around for the past few years?

If it’s special, then it’s special.

But ‘Mouse’ was now starting to like Banharin, who was starting to feel human.

Thanks to that, I’m spending my days as usual without any particular doubts.

‘You’ve been joking around like that for the past few months… Isn’t this the kind of situation where people say that people change when they fall in love?’

What comes to mind is the smiling face of Eunha, his ‘target’.

And a chest larger than the head that swayed gracefully even with the slightest movement.

Certainly, it is impossible not to be captivated by the magnificent pocket of galaxy’s embrace every day.

‘… … I’m not in a position to talk about others, but what can I do?’

The ‘mouse’, who had tapped his burning cheek, adjusted his posture and observed the ‘Saebyeol Apartment’.

Room 904, the lights were off, as if everyone was already asleep, even though it was late at night.

The other houses in the ‘9th floor apartment’ are also shrouded in pitch darkness.

I swept my arms down, feeling the chills of looking at an abandoned building where no one lives.

– Anyway, thank you for your hard work. And there will be some work adjustments soon.

“Work adjustment?”

– I’m thinking of changing ‘Mouse’s’ working hours to morning.

Meanwhile, the ‘mouse’, startled by the news that Banharin had casually thrown out, spun its thin tail around.

I put the earphones back in my ears that were round like a mouse’s.

“Huh? Really? Then who will protect our Wangjiji at night?”

– It’ll be okay.

“Huh?”

– This is the best.

Banharin didn’t say anything else.

He only briefly explains that he will be starting weekly activities with her from now on, and that she should prepare to change her day and night.

In the end, he’s become more human than before, but he’s still cold.

‘Mouse’ gulped down the cool drink as if he had known this would happen.

“Tsk… Do you need my opinion? Feel free to…”

Beep-.

The moment ‘Mouse’ answered, the phone was hung up.

You hung up right after work was over…

Just in case, I tried calling Banharin again, but all I got was a voice message saying, “I can’t answer your call.”

“… … Ugh. The team leader will take care of it. What can I do? ”

In the end, what had to be done did not change.

Protecting the galaxy.

To prevent her from escaping from the hands of the Association… and if necessary, to eliminate her.

Nothing changes.

Except that one day the order to eliminate will come down on the galaxy, and that we’ve gotten a little too close to it.

Rustle…

The ‘mouse’ biting its lip looked down at the passenger seat.

There is a ‘rule book’ that Team Leader Banharin told us to always carry around with us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Do not neglect the protection and surveillance of the target.

2. Don’t worry about location tracking devices, they often break down.

– Defective product due to lack of budget.

3. Do not approach ‘Saetbyeol Apartment’.

– To avoid the target’s suspicion.

– Do not cross the wall into the interior.

4. .

5. If anything unusual occurs, contact the team leader without delay.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meaning unclear.

The team leader has become strange.

The ‘mouse’, who had read the ‘rulebook’ written by Banharin once more, leaned back against the soft backrest and exhaled.

‘Ha… Still, if I work in the morning, I’ll be able to see Eunha every day… Huh? Sounds good, huh?’

Summer nights are short.

The night is too short to find answers to the worries that are eating away at my heart.

… … .

… … .

『… … .』

Something crouching at the foot of the driver’s seat,

Looking up into the mouse’s eyes,

Late at night.

… … .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4. Don’t look up at the sky at night.

– Don’t look up at the sky from an open space.

– Avoid making eye contact with those looking down on you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I saw you playing with a little girl in a stuffed animal pajamas on the stairs.”

“I saw you crashing in the apartment parking lot and laughing.”

late at night,

One night date.

Eunha left the apartment with [Red Woman].

“Really? If I had known you were watching, I would have acted more cool.”

“It was fun. Just doing weird things. ”

[Bug Princess] borrowed an umbrella to cover the night sky. The monster and the human walked side by side through the dark parking lot and passed the brightly lit security office.

A shadowless security room, as if it were the only safe zone.

The old security guard must have gone on a patrol of the apartment complex, as it is completely empty.

Huh…

[Red Woman], who was wriggling in her blood-covered dress, shyly puts her arm around Eunha’s.

“……however.”

“Huh?”

『Why are you wearing a flashlight on your chest?”

“You hold the umbrella with your left hand and the carrier with your right hand?”

Have you ever chatted with a monster at such close range?

The ‘thing’ that seemed impossible to communicate with was simply a thing with no words, and it wanted to talk to Eunha.

I was just a loner.

The more I thought about it, the more the [Red Woman] in front of me felt like an ordinary person.

“I’ve been watching you all along.』

Words that reveal resentment and obsession.

I pass the empty security office.

When I light up the darkness with the flashlight I brought from the security office, I can see the wall built like a castle and the entrance to the apartment with cars coming and going.

At the gaping entrance, clay dolls that give off an earthy smell are lined up like gatekeepers.

Behind the back is the ‘Saebyeol Apartment’,

White light streams out of every window except for room 904.

A security office with not a single shadow visible next to it.

Only the front of the galaxy,

Only the scenery beyond the wall is pitch black.

What is crawling in a city where streetlights and neon signs have lost their light?

An ominous atmosphere, like a ruin where humanity was destroyed, swept over and grabbed the galaxy by its ankles.

『… … Date. You can do it at the apartment.』

[The Red Woman] said.

It’s a word that worries the galaxy.

Well, going out isn’t the only way to date.

You might be happy just staying home and rolling around in bed.

“No. Let’s go.”

But Eunha shook her head.

Because it was mixed up.

Even if it was just a little, she was mixed up with the resentment of [the Red Woman].

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sing a nursery rhyme.

Because I like it.

Because the warm and cozy lyrics and hopeful melody seep into my heart.

Wearing the shoes he gave me as a gift, my dress fluttering in the warm spring breeze,

I believe this is fate,

Imagine yourself as a teacher,

It’s so much fun.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eunha, who was looking at the [Red Woman] whose left arm below the elbow had become transparent with complicated eyes, raises the corners of her lips.

It’s okay.

Don’t die.

“The first experience of anything must be intense to be unforgettable. I’ll take care of it.”

『First experience…!”

“Why are you focusing on that?”

A woman covering her red face with her crossed arms.

I still don’t know what the monster is thinking.

Should I go home?

“Go. Take the lead.”

“Would you get mad if I hit you in the face?”

“Look.”

I don’t know anymore.

They’re so happy, we should just leave them alone.

Anything is fine as long as it doesn’t hurt.

“Let’s go』

A galaxy that has adjusted its mass to completely obscure the night sky.

She left the apartment with the [Red Woman] who was clearly excited.

… … .

Thump, thump.

Crunch. Crunch.

The sound of the galaxy’s footsteps as it tries to endure its fear.

The damp footsteps of the [Red Woman] soaked in blood.

“… … Hey, what is that?”

The first thing that Eunha discovered when she walked out of the apartment was,

It was ‘something’ stuck right up against the wall of ‘Saetbyeol Apartment’.

『… … .』

『… … .』

『… … .』

An angle that is not visible from inside the wall.

‘Those things’, all of different sizes and shapes, cling to each other like mosquitoes and crawl around.

Some hit their heads on the wall and blood flows out,

Some pull the hair of ‘those things’ that are stuck to the wall,

Some things crawl into the feet of the struggling ‘things’ and get trampled and crushed.

What are they?

Because it was so tangled, it was impossible to tell whether it was one monster or the result of many monsters intertwined together.

Just hanging on the wall managed by the old security guard, breathing faintly.

No one tried to break down the wall by force or to get back into the apartment entrance.

What are those?

Are they potential residents who were unable to move into the apartment?

“Support. Don’t look.”

There is nothing good to see.

[Red Woman]’s right hand grabbed Eunha’s chest.

“Why are you holding on there?”

“Where is your head?”

“I will sue you.”

Was it really funny that Eunha’s tone was so bewildered?

[The Red Woman] bursts into laughter.

Was it a joke?

He has become completely human.

Or maybe it’s because the time has come to leave that you’ve started doing things you’ve never done before.

I hope it’s at least a less dirty prank.

Eunha, who was clutching her aching chest for no reason, bit her lip.

Slowly…

How long did I walk along the wall like that?

‘Something’ that was hitting its back against the wall like a mountaineer discovered the galaxy.

『… … .』

‘That thing’, who had stopped striking without thinking, bent down and looked into Eunha’s face hidden behind the parasol.

And then he started shaking as if he had been shocked…

Stick close to the wall so as not to block the path of the galaxy,

Tidy up your hair.

“What are you doing?”

There was no answer.

Before I knew it, ‘those things’ had stuck to the wall and hardened, and were only looking at the galaxy.

Some even covered the pools of blood on the floor with their bodies to prevent the night sky from reflecting on them.

『… … .』

Monsters on the wall.

Things that don’t come into the apartment.

Still bowing my head,

Both hands up in the sky.

Thump. Thump.

Indeed.

weird.

feel.

『… … Keep going, [Red Lady].』

『Yeah.”

Eunha ignored the gazes of ‘those things’ and hurried on her way.

… … .

​~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4. Don’t look up at the sky at night.

– Don’t look up at the sky from an open space.

– Avoid making eye contact with those looking down on you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Even if you call it a date, it’s nothing special.

Because two people are just walking side by side in the dark Euncheon-gu.

Perhaps because [the Red Lady] is right next to me, I haven’t encountered any monsters yet, except for ‘those things’ on the wall.

I don’t know for sure, but if Eunha had come out alone, she would have met [the black person] and been eating snacks by now.

『Oh, right. I’m wearing this. Come to think of it, I was barefoot. ”

“you.”

“I have recovery skills, so I’m okay with being barefoot.”

On the way to [Euncheon Restaurant], I took off my shoes and gave them to [Red Woman].

At least she will be the main character today.

The sight of a woman becoming increasingly transparent is heartbreaking,

I want to do anything, at this very moment.

『… … Wear the shoes you gave me.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“No…Thank you.”

He covers Eunha’s lips, telling her not to say any more.

The conversation stops.

… … thump… thump…

[The Red Woman] continued walking, looking down at the shoes she had received as a gift.

Eunha, who had been absentmindedly touching her lips, hurriedly chases after her.

‘Um… what happened?’

Let’s hurry, we’re going to a restaurant soon.

Because I don’t know how long [the Red Woman], who becomes more transparent as time passes, will last.

『It’s dyed red…”

Although, I don’t know where the end of today will lead,

I hope that a warm memory will be engraved among the resentment that does not go away.

Eunha looked around the ‘outside’ of the apartment, going over her plans for tonight one by one.

Euncheon-gu without a single neon sign.

A quiet road without any ghosts.

A face looking down from above the parasol and gazing at the galaxy.

A vision that relies on the dim light of a flashlight.

Walk alongside [the red woman].

… … .

… … Just now, something passed by.

“Oh, surprise…! Who are you?”

『… … .』

Galaxy, startled, turned her head to the side.

Kikkigik…

The opposite of [Red Lady],

Something poked its head down from above the parasol and stared intently at the side profile of the galaxy.

As if a tall balloon doll had bent its waist into an S shape and was looking down at those between it.

The ‘thing’ with its face upside down couldn’t take its eyes off Eunha.

A strange being.

Wandering around the ‘outside’ of the apartment,

A grudge that is more vicious and full of malice.

“Ignore it.”

[The Red Woman] quickened her pace.

To keep your precious jade beads free from dirt.

I’m not sure, but it might be a dangerous situation.

“Hello. Goodbye.”

Galaxy touched the handle of the carrier containing the [Black Book].

She pressed down on [Bug Princess]’s parasol and headed straight to the restaurant with the woman.

Thump, thump.

The sound of the [Red Lady]’s footsteps in shoes.

Crunch. Crunch.

The sound of the galaxy’s footsteps as it advances barefoot.

『… … .』

and,

‘Something’ that was watching the galaxy walk away, ignoring him, with its waist down…

『… … North Star. Dazzling.』

Percussion!

Squinting with the eye sockets popped out,

Eunha threw away the parasol she was holding.

Pure white moonlight falls on the galaxy’s head.

“No…! Don’t look if it’s dazzling!!”

There were no worries.

Eunha covered [Red Woman’s] eyes without any hesitation.

The pitch-black night sky comes into view.

… … .

​~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4. Don’t look up at the sky at night.

– Don’t look up at the sky from an open space.

– Avoid making eye contact with those looking down on you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The pitch-black night sky.

The pure white moonlight that lights up the night sky.

…dreaming.

In the dark sky,

Large eyes that twinkle like the moon.

I looked down at the galaxy with countless eyes embroidered like grains of sand.

… … .

… … .

Eunha closed her eyes and thought.

A grudge that is dripping with malice.

Perhaps it was a desire to kick away the pickled vegetables I found while walking down the street.

Kagakak!

But, what does that all matter?

If you pick a fight with someone you’re dating, you should get beaten up.

“Hey. Come out.』

After a while.

Eunha, who blinked her eyes that had been pulled out and recovered, approached ‘that thing’ while holding an old saw in her hand.

Two new stars in the night sky.

The optic nerves that were torn off together create a cute star shape.

“Hey. Come out. It’s okay. It’ll be over soon.”

“… … .”

Crunch. Crunch.

A bloody woman walks forward, clutching a pair of claws.

A woman picking up a fallen parasol watches the back of ‘that thing’ with a bewitched expression.

Red Lady.

A woman holding an umbrella.

“You stay still. I’ll take care of it.”

“… … Ah…”

Kkeuggeuk! Kkeuggeuk!

Scream.

The resentment builds up.

The desire to be together.

Passus…

A woman whose left shoulder has become transparent.

She looked at the bloody galaxy with a face as red as the dress.

“It’s dyed red, red~.”

For the first time, someone was watching over me.

First experience.

The feeling of the red thread tied to my little finger being pulled taut.

‘This is… marriage?’

Become one with another.

Aduk!

A woman who bit off her own little finger smiles as she looks at the red thread of blood that flows out.

Now I’m just like that guy.

It’s a couple look.

Isn’t this true happiness… the woman thought.