episode_0307

Long, long ago, a long time ago.

He resembles a wall.

Never to be broken,

I lived like a castle wall that was taller and stronger than anyone else’s.

… … .

“Heh heh…”

Sunny morning.

The old man looks up at the high walls again today.

The walls surrounding the kingdom were massive.

At first, I didn’t think so, but I have a child that I absolutely want to protect.

As the wall was built day by day, it ended up like this.

A child who has been raised on one’s back since birth.

She is now the queen of a kingdom.

But, to the old man, the woman was still a child,

The worry about the child grew as high as the walls that lifted the horizon.

“Grandpa. What are you doing here?”

The queen came to see the old man and spoke to him.

A woman wrapped in a beautiful dress.

‘You’ always resemble a flower.

Who will step on it and pass by, who will uproot it?

In order to protect the delicate and frail ‘you’, the old man became a wall bigger than anyone else’s.

“Grandpa. What are you doing here?”

but.

Was it because the walls were too strong?

‘You’ who grew up without a single scar on your palm,

As the days go by, it becomes softer and weaker.

“Grandpa. What are you doing here?”

“… … I just asked the same question.”

“Oh… Is that so?…… I’m sorry. As I get older, I become more and more forgetful.”

The old man’s cold words.

The queen smiled kindly.

As time passed, the queen’s kingdom, protected by the walls, grew stronger day by day.

As the queen aged, she grew weaker day by day.

‘You’ become softer and weaker as the days go by.

‘You’ called it aging,

‘I’ specifically called it kindness.

Because in my eyes, you were always a child.

As for growing older, one old man is enough.

Only you will smile from now on, and this old man will block all the bad and painful things.

I hope you live a healthy life.

That’s why the old man added to the wall today too.

“Grandpa. What are you doing?”

Was that why?

Could it be because I was hoping for too much?

“Grandpa.”

“… … .”

“Grandpa.”

‘You’ who was fading away as the days passed,

In the old man’s eyes, the woman was always a child.

The child who resembled a delicate flower,

You’ve become a child.

“Let’s go make a sand castle!”

The child speaks.

He stretched out his wrinkled hands and smiled brightly like a child.

Not a dazzling dress,

Wearing a dirty one-piece dress that I used to enjoy wearing when I was little.

Let’s make a sand castle, he says.

“… … .”

“I see, I’m going to build a huge sand castle? So, please build a wall for me.”

A young child.

A child who has been raised on one’s back since birth.

‘You’ have always been like a child.

Whenever I had the chance, I would break down the fences and sand walls that I had built.

And then he ran away with a bright smile, avoiding the ‘me’ who was chasing him in anger.

Anyway, now or later,

Because in the eyes of the old man, he always seemed like a child.

He took the child’s hand.

“… … Yes. I will build a large wall that matches the castle you built. ”

A child who becomes more and more with each passing day.

In order to protect her, a strong wall was needed more than anything else.

Because I wanted to make it a wall that would not fall down no matter what wind it was.

The old man added to the wall today too.

… … .

… … .

So, time passes.

The flowing story has reached its end.

“… … .”

As you wish,

The old man became a wall.

Without growing old,

Without falling down,

Unbreakable,

It became a wall that would stand forever.

Is it someone’s magic, or a curse?

I couldn’t figure it out, but

It no longer seems to matter.

“… … .”

An old man who always looked up at the castle wall.

He now lives a life looking down on the ground.

The most remote corner of the kingdom.

Because in the empty lot where he sometimes came to play in the dirt, his ‘child’ was sleeping.

“… … .”

The old man patted the sleeping child.

… … .

… … .

(Grandfather. Later, we will gather the survivors and create a country.)

This is a world surrounded by walls.

A place where a huge wall stands, unable to protect the most precious thing in a dazzling kingdom.

​

(No matter what happens, Grandpa will protect you.)

The old man looked at the wall.

A huge wall.

And then turn around,

I looked at the splendid kingdom that child had created.

People laughing and chatting happily.

The people who overcame the plague that tore through the world.

Although I can’t reach ‘you’ who has left,

Because the traces left by ‘yes’ still remain,

The kingdom that the child loved and cherished like his own child,

Since I’m still here,

​

“… … Heh heh.”

A wish for someday.

The old man swore to heaven that he would become the wall of the kingdom.

… … .

Once upon a time, on a certain day,

It was a dreamlike story.

… … .

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

… … .

I hate being sick.

Who do you like?

“Hoo…! Hoo…!”

Knock -. Knock -.

A drop of blood runs down the cheek.

Eunha knelt in the dark apartment hallway, clutching her head.

Thump. Thump.

I had a dream.

Dream of building a huge wall.

Maybe it’s because there’s a hole in my head, but strange memories come to mind like a flash.

The 8th floor hallway, with a flashlight illuminating the floor.

In the wide open ‘801’, [Doll Girl] holding a bloody needle in her hand looks at the galaxy with innocent eyes.

Snap…

Next to it, a ‘rabbit doll’ is holding Eunha’s back with trembling hands.

The pure white rabbit ears perk up like bloodless skin.

He seems very surprised.

“Whew…! Ouch, it stings.”

I hated being sick.

Having suffered from all sorts of strange things all this time… No, maybe I was used to suffering before I met the strange things.

Eunha had a ‘little’ trauma from pain.

Like when a baseball is flying at you and you flinch without realizing it.

I used to be more sensitive than others to the pain that was coming.

Enough to endure ‘small’ pain in the present in order to avoid future pain.

Or maybe you were trying to forget your mental stress through physical pain.

I don’t know.

“Whew…… They say getting acupuncture on the head is good for headaches. It seems to be working well.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks for helping me.”

Galaxy holding her bleeding head.

She raised the corners of her mouth, tapping the guard hat ‘sewn’ onto her head.

… … .

… … .

‘Unnie Galaxy…’

Late at night.

Lying in bed with the ticking clock ticking away, it’s time for everyone to prepare for tomorrow.

‘Rabbit Doll’, who had been patrolling Eunha’s apartment, was speechless at the tragedy unfolding before her eyes.

Inside a dark apartment.

‘Something’ that keeps trying to steal the guard’s hat.

And eventually, the galaxy, tired of being tormented by ‘those things’,

He asked [Doll Girl] to ‘sew’ a hat on his head.

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

1. Items needed for patrol are in the guardhouse.

– Security guard hat, luminous vest, flashlight.

– This is an item you absolutely must bring.

– If I just take care of those ‘three things’, ‘they’ will think I’m the one patrolling.

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

Because ‘those things’ tried to take off her guard hat.

You must be deliberately trying to make me break the rules.

So, it seems like he was thinking that it might be better to just sew it onto his head.

This is absolutely not the right way to think.

‘… … .’

Knock -. Knock -.

The sewing was sloppy.

[Doll Girl]’s tiny hands.

But the skill with which he had made ‘stuffed dolls’ had not gone anywhere, and he sewed a guard hat onto Eunha’s scalp with a skill that was quite familiar.

Knock… knock…

A sharp needle pierces through living flesh.

Then, lift the leather slightly like a lever, creating space for the needle to pass through.

I poke and poke to find a place to escape.

“Around here?”

The child was innocent.

Literally sewing, without even a shred of malice.

A needle pierces the scalp of the galaxy and emerges outward.

But it wasn’t the location I had initially guessed,

[Doll Girl] pouting her lips, turned the needle back and pierced it a little further to the side than before.

Cook. Cook.

How many times did you do that?

Eventually, the needle pierces through the desired location, and a delicate hand tugs on the bloody needle, until the thread attached to the needle secures the hat in place.

Cook. Cook.

Repeat it.

Eunha bit her hand hard enough to draw blood, holding back the moans that were about to spill out.

I guess he didn’t want to make any noise at night when other people were sleeping.

Even in the midst of all this, towards my own body, which was not helped by painkillers or anesthetics because of [self-healing],

He encouraged me, saying, “It’s okay, cheer up.”

“Completed. Security doll.”

“Whew…! Oh, thank you…!”

“What about the vest?”

“Colok. No… the vest is still fine.”

Wipe away the blood flowing down your face.

Eunha got up unsteadily and hugged [Doll Girl], who smiled innocently at the thought of helping her friend.

『… … .』

A woman with a kind smile like an old man.

How can that be possible?

How can you, after being treated like that, still smile and hug the ‘monster’ that sewed you up?

‘Rabbit Girl’ was incomprehensible.

It’s just sad.

Don’t interfere in the ‘other residents’ venting their anger.

The rabbit, bound by rules, puts his hand on his aching heart today too.

“Whew… Let’s go now, Mr. Rabbit.”

[ … … . ]

“Still, it’s fortunate that ‘those things’ didn’t touch Mr. Rabbit. Maybe because they’re the same monsters.”

[ ໒꒰ ྀི ′̥̥̥ ᵔ ‵̥̥̥ ꒱ྀིა ]

A sad ‘rabbit doll’.

Soon, the girl continued her patrol, which had been paused for a moment, while supporting the galaxy.

… … .

Leave the ‘clay doll’ in the apartment hallway and go to the next floor.

The light from the flashlight pointed at the floor never rose above eye level.

‘Rabbit’ follows the smell of blood through the galaxy into the 7th floor hallway.

“There are definitely some people who are being unreasonable… Don’t shine your flashlight on puddles on the floor outside the apartment, or on hallway windows inside the building. The safer the better.”

[ Yes, Star . ]

It was around that time that I started to feel something strange.

The ‘rabbit’ that was following the galaxy looked around.

In the dark hallway, things hiding in the darkness approach the galaxy.

‘Somethings’ flinch at the sight of her with her hat sewn onto her head, then come closer again and touch her hat.

Did you really sew this?

It’s that kind of gesture.

“Aya, don’t pull me, I won’t take it away. I’m dying from pain.”

A hand reaching out from the darkness.

However, ‘they’ do not touch the rabbit doll next to them, and only show interest in Eunha.

Everyone has to follow the rules, but it seems like only the rabbit girl is invisible to ‘those things’.

Or, as if the galaxy were hidden behind a huge wall,

Only ‘Rabbit Girl’ was strangely safe.

Gyaruruk~!

The transparent footsteps running down the 7th floor hallway suddenly catch Eunha’s eye.

The sound of happy breathing, unseen by any enemy, seeps into my arms.

It’s really strange.

They are monsters who are desperate to get revenge.

Some monsters are strangely friendly to the galaxy.

As a ‘rabbit’ who has spent time with [Doll Girl] and witnessed the creepy grudge of the monsters, this is a sight that is simply incomprehensible.

“Gyaruruk~! Mom! I want to wear this hat too.”

“Hahaha. Wait a minute, I brought an extra hat, so I’ll give you one.”

“really?”

Hot!

A transparent ‘something’ pulled the galaxy’s hat off.

Blood runs down Eunha’s face, her scalp pulled back along with her hat.

“… Haha. You cheeky little brat. You said you’d give me a new hat. If you touch my hat one more time, I’ll open the window and jump out? ”

“Hehe, sorry!”

“Okay. I’ll forgive you if you show me the ball.”

Gyarrr!

Eunha played with a transparent ‘something’ in the 7th floor hallway for a while.

She puts down the ‘clay doll’, gives [the transparent baby] a spare hat, and goes upstairs.

Number of items remaining,

For Galaxy, 3 flashlights, 1 hat, and 2 glow-in-the-dark vests.

‘Rabbit’ is one of each item.

So far, everything is going smoothly.

Except for the galaxy.

‘I tried to protect my sister… but this is how I only end up being protected.’

Sad but good feeling.

Is it possible that being around the galaxy has made you strange?

Rustle.

Meanwhile,

Eunha, who was checking the shopping bag containing the ‘clay doll’, was lost in thought.

There are only about ten ‘clay dolls’ remaining.

The remaining floors are the 9th and 10th floors.

However, several of the ‘clay figurines’ in the shopping bag were shattered into pieces, leaving only dust.

It wouldn’t have been turned into powder for no reason.

“This ‘clay doll’… doesn’t it have a function to protect the person who has it?”

Eunha was looking inside the shopping bag with a flashlight.

She looked back at the ‘Euncheon-gu Night Patrol Guide’.

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

0. The purpose of the night patrol is twofold.

– One is to place a ‘clay doll’ on something you want to protect.

– One is to check the walls to prevent unauthorized people from entering the apartment.

​

– The ‘clay dolls’ are in the shopping bag next to the desk, so you can use them as much as you need.

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

This is the part that concerns me.

Placing a clay doll in the ‘things you want to keep’ area.

It’s not a ‘place’ you want to protect, it’s a ‘thing’ you want to protect.

There must be a reason why such an ambiguous word was used.

‘Something I want to protect…’

Swish.

Eunha glanced at the ‘rabbit girl’ next to her.

She quickly headed to the 9th floor, smoothing down her stitched hat.

The 9th floor of the apartment was clean.

The stains that the rabbit had previously made had completely disappeared, leaving no trace.

“Oh… Looks like the old man used some strength.”

I tried knocking on the hallway wall just to see if there was any movement.

What on earth did they do to cause this apartment to crack? Did a bomb explode?

I started to feel afraid of the ‘rabbit’ next to me.

“Mr. Rabbit. Even if you have a complaint about me later, please try to talk to me first.”

[ ૮꒰ྀི∩´ ꒳ `∩꒱ྀིა … … ? ]

Talk to the ‘Rabbit’ and place the ‘Clay Doll’ in the 9th floor hallway.

Soon, Eunha started walking, caressing the shopping bag containing the clay dolls.

A clay doll placed in the ‘things I want to protect’ section.

I needed to check if it really works as a talisman.

Bruise. Bruise.

Eunha stopped in front of the house next door, ‘903’.

“… … .”

I looked down at the shopping bag.

Seven clay dolls remaining.

A moment of thought.

After a while, she touched the guard hat sewn onto her head,

With trembling hands, I placed my hand on the front door of Mr. [Beast]’s house…

Hot.

I grabbed the doorknob.

Paangㅡㅡ!

And then, at that moment,

The ‘clay dolls’ in the shopping bag were blown to pieces.

… … .

“… … .”

Thud thud.

A roughly torn shopping bag.

A burst ‘clay doll’ litters the hallway.

The seven remaining ‘clay dolls’ all exploded the moment they grabbed Mr. [Beast]’s front door.

A moment of silence. Eunha, who was holding onto the handle, touched the corners of her stiff lips.

“… … Wow, it really is a talisman. When you feel like you’re going to die, the doll breaks instead. ”

[ (•̆ꈊ•̆ ) What are you doing? ]

“This is an experiment… Mr. Rabbit. Do not touch this ‘903’. Do not even look at it.”

[ ૮꒰ྀི ◌´ ˆ `◌ ྀི꒱ა Yes, Star. ]

All seven dolls exploded.

I don’t know for sure, but I think it means that if you mess with [Mr. Beast] wrong, you’ll lose 7 lives in an instant.

Galaxy, who learned the new fact, turned around with a positive mind.

I found something good.

The old security guard’s ‘clay doll’.

Let’s go grab some dolls right now and give them out to people like Banharin and ‘Mouse’.

Out of the apartment, to her acquaintances somewhere in Euncheon-gu.

Maybe that was the ‘Euncheon-gu’ night patrol guide for that.

Protect what you want to protect,

The old security guard seemed to be saying something indirectly.

The feelings that flow and mix.

I wanted to protect it.

Eunha had a kind smile on her lips.

『… … Let’s run away. The guard monster is here.』

“They’re mixed up. That won’t do.”

“Aww, you’re so poisonous and crazy. I like that.”

The ‘somethings’ that were hiding in the darkness quietly retreat.

‘I was already worried because Do Jong-ha and Kim Yu-hee opened their eyes this time…’

I hope this eases your worries a little.

It’s better than nothing.

Eunha walks away, gathering the remains of the exploded clay doll in a corner.

“But how do you store clay dolls? If you ask the elder to make several, will he accept?”

[ … … Star. ]

“You need to place a doll on the 10th floor too… If you look in the security office, you might find one or two.”

[Star. Star.]

Snap!

Rabbit ears that reach up to the sky.

Eunha looked back at the ‘rabbit’ poking her side.

Beep!

A trivial sound that echoes with every step.

The sound of cicadas coming from the stairs leading to the 10th floor.

The bunny doll takes a picture out of its soft belly pocket.

I took a picture while passing by earlier,

Photo of a shopping bag containing ‘clay dolls’.

[ ૮꒰ྀི ⸝⸝´∩∩` ꒱ྀིა Would you like to use this too? ]

Rabbit’s suggestion.

It was just a moment.

Click.

Camera shutter sound.

At that moment, ‘Rabbit’ swiped the ‘shopping bag photo’ away from Eunha’s gaze,

In the back hallway where the photo was hidden,

Before I knew it, I could see a shopping bag containing a ‘clay doll’.

“… … How did you do it?”

[ ૮꒰ྀི ⸝⸝´∩∩` ꒱ྀིა covered it up. ]

It seems as if he is going to tell what he has been hiding for so long.

A voice that wants to help.

Eunha checked the ‘shopping bag’ placed in the hallway.

The ‘clay dolls’ that were in the picture taken by the girl earlier,

They were neatly arranged as if they had been copied.

“… Money copying bug.”

A strange phenomenon.

Eunha looked at the ‘rabbit’.

… … .

Tick, tick.

It was around midnight, when there was still time left.