episode_0309

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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.

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Ugh.

The sound of a flashlight breaking.

Late at night, an elderly security guard emerged from a plastic trash can installed behind the security office and shook the dust off his body.

He straightened his back like a castle wall, put away the shattered flashlight, and caressed the wrinkled back of his hand.

“… … .”

It’s the night the full moon rises.

A shadowy vision, as if something huge had blocked the sun.

In the night sky seen from the ‘Saebyeol Apartment’, a huge eye imitating the full moon blinks.

One huge eye like a full moon.

Around it, tiny eyes blink like stars.

The moment he looked up at the sky, his eyes blended into the night sky,

I will become one of the ‘stars’ embroidered there.

Although it is a story full of pain,

If a human being living for a moment can leave even a trace of his eyes in the night sky,

I think that’s a good story as it is.

The old man, with a kind smile on his face, bowed his head slightly.

“Oh, it’s okay, Mr. Rabbit. You can look up at the night sky from under the roof without dying.”

『… … .』

“Do you see that ‘Fly’? The constellation over there is called ‘Galaxy’. I picked a lot of them when I went out for a night out with [Red Woman] last time, but they’re all gathered in one place so nicely.”

Then, a peaceful voice is heard from the security office.

The old security guard, with his eyes tightly shut, touched his forehead as he spoke in an incredibly soft tone, as if he were telling his daughter about the constellation myths.

I don’t know.

How can you say something so peaceful about having your eyes gouged out?

Hot and sour.

The exciting sound of castanets.

The old man glanced at the guardhouse with worried eyes.

… … .

Inside the brightly lit security office,

Galaxy, who has a pumpkin bee sitting on her desk, is showing the CCTV screen through the security room monitor.

Most of the CCTV cameras covering the apartment complex were in shambles.

Cameras installed in the building’s hallways showed nothing, with the words ‘No Signal’ filling the screen.

The elevator camera has two identical screens.

The only thing that is visible is the CCTV installed outside the building.

Eunha pointed with her finger at the monitor screen that evenly illuminated things like the parking lot and the wall.

“If you see something strange while watching this, just ring the castanets. Then, ‘Mr. Rabbit’ here will patrol the wall for a bit and come back.”

Galaxy stands leaning against the desk, leaning her upper body out and pointing at the monitor.

Then, ‘Fly’, who was sitting on the desk, bit his lips hard and bit Eunha’s chest with the castanets he was holding.

Then, the startled Galaxy steps aside, and only then does the pumpkin bee check the monitor, the thing blocking its view gone.

“Oh, sorry. Didn’t you see it?”

Hot and sour.

“… Hmm. Anyway, I’m going to go out to the apartment for a bit to put down the ‘clay doll’ and come back, so in the meantime, take good care of Mr. Rabbit. ”

Eunha hugged her chest with one arm.

At her words, ‘Fly’, who had been snorting loudly and telling her to leave it to him, started to stare intently at the security room monitor.

Was it because I encountered a creepy ‘something’ in the 10th floor hallway earlier?

Maybe he was afraid to send the galaxy away like that, but he gave the CCTV monitoring job to a little punk who kept clinging to him and saying he wanted to help with the patrol.

I’ve already placed the ‘clay doll’ in the apartment hallway, and it’s only staying in the safe guard room… so there shouldn’t be any problems.

Click.

The sound of a photo being taken from the side.

Eunha turned around after giving a pat to ‘Fly’ who was lying down on the desk.

( Mr. Rabbit. That picture. How many ‘clay dolls’ can you make? )

A quick glance at the guardhouse table,

On top of it, there are a lot of ‘clay dolls’ that ‘Rabbit’ copied with his power.

Dozens of ‘clay dolls’… but they looked different from the dolls made by the old security guard.

It is a doll that is closer to a snowman than a person, made by simply pasting together round pieces of clay.

On top of his head, rabbit ears stand up insignificantly.

‘Clay dolls’ of such designs were neatly arranged on the guardhouse table, as if they had been copied by a 3D printer.

Of course, it’s a clay doll made by the galaxy.

The rules only say ‘clay doll’, but anyone can make it as long as it has a human form.

“I made one in a hurry, but it piled up quickly. Thank you, Rabbit.”

[ Is there a reason to copy a doll made by Byulnim? ]

“Just in case. If I copy the doll of the elderly person and something goes wrong and causes problems for the elderly person, I’ll feel bad.”

『… … .』

“People who make things originally hate illegal copying or theft. I guess the weirdos are the same.”

I check the time, it’s 10:30 PM.

Eunha took out her new flashlight, luminous vest, and ‘car smart key’ from her carrier and prepared to patrol.

Next goal, patrol Euncheon-gu.

On the way to other people’s houses to leave ‘clay dolls’.

I was always worried.

I wonder if Banharin, Mr. ‘Mouse’, or Ms. Kim Sa-rang will come to the cafe one day.

I’m afraid that if I call you, you won’t pick up.

I was worried.

After the sun sets, it’s time for the ‘monsters’ to run wild without regard to the rules.

What stops them is the ‘clay doll’ in front of them.

Maybe this will help me relax a little at night.

Snap.

At that moment, the ‘Rabbit Girl’ who was examining the ‘clay doll’ made by Eunha lifted the note.

[Star.]

“Yes. Why?”

[ Would you like me to help you load these clay figurines into the car? ]

It was a stupid question.

If you think about it, was it really necessary to move it by hand?

Knock knock.

Eunha looked around at the round, flat ‘clay dolls’ placed on the table.

She stroked the black ‘leather choker’ around her neck.

A gift from [Doll Girl] who is friends with dolls.

“Friends. Let’s go for a ride.』

A word of request.

That was enough.

Beep!

The round, flat ‘clay dolls’ on the table bowed their heads toward the galaxy.

… … .

… … .

“Ugh…”

A brightly lit security office.

The old guard leaned against the dark shade and listened to Eunha’s voice.

Sagak-.

Something that happened someday.

One day, the old man,

In the stupid smile of the galaxy,

I looked back on ‘that child’ that I sent away in the past.

Long ago, when the walls of a glorious kingdom were being built,

The child I raised since he was a baby.

Was that why?

It’s not even necessary to call Eunha a lady.

The thing that keeps catching my eye is,

I thought it was because Eunha resembled ‘that child’.

No matter how much time passes,

A woman who was always a child in the eyes of the old man.

Maybe that’s why.

This night patrol also, I backed off as if to say, “Let’s try it out once.”

Aren’t you just watching like this, unable to let go of one small, foolish attachment?

A child in need of care from the walls.

The old man regarded the galaxy as a drawing.

It’s an old grudge.

“Okay~ Let’s go.”

Beep, beep, beep.

Finally, the security office door opened.

As the old man peeked his head out, he saw Eunha wearing a guard hat sewn onto her scalp.

Following her, he heads towards the ‘gray van’…

The ‘clay dolls’ with simple designs catch the eye.

Beep, beep.

A ‘clay doll’ that was clearly made of clay but creaked with every step.

Eunha touched the ‘leather choker’ that [Doll Girl] had given her.

Beep.

Eunha, who had been using the car’s smart key, opened the back seat of the van.

Then, the clay chubby ones who had been walking unsteadily lined up and started getting into the car one by one.

Beep! Beep!

A clay doll that climbs into the back seat.

Beep!

One doll,

Beep!

Two dolls,

Hot and spicy!

Oh, three,

Beep!

Four dolls.

Snap!

At that moment, Eunha grabbed the pumpkin bee that was mixed in among the ‘clay dolls’ and lifted it up.

I almost missed it because it was so naturally wedged in between the insignificant clay patties.

But in the end, ‘Fly’, who was caught by Eunha and had his cheeks sucked, quietly returned to the security office with his cheeks puffed out.

『… … .』

That sight,

The old security guard watched in silence.

As if reminiscing about the past.

Beep!

Galaxy loaded all the clay dolls into a forklift.

‘Rabbit Girl’ hugging ‘Fly’ who returned to the security office and waving to Eunha.

The old man hid in the shade behind the guardhouse,

I looked at the galaxy once more.

“I’ll be back soon!”

As always, she has a dazzling positive smile.

The old man saw the wall from the galaxy.

『… … .』

You, who I always thought was a child.

You, who thought you were attracted to me because you looked like ‘that kid’ in your memories,

In the end, it resembles ‘me’.

Boohoo!

The ‘gray van’ makes a cool engine sound.

Eunha, who was touching her guard hat with nervous gestures.

Bang!

Soon, he clumsily reached out to touch the rearview mirror, and his chest, larger than his head, pressed down on the steering wheel, honking the horn loudly.

Bam! Bam bang!

A few times in the middle of the night, a startled Galaxy would roll over and honk her horn.

Soon, Eunha, wearing her seatbelt, gropes for the steering wheel and starts driving.

Boohoo…! Rumble!

The engine stopped.

Eunha wiped away the cold sweat and started the engine again.

Just in case, I looked back at the back seat and saw a bunch of clay chubby babies huddled together like penguins, holding each other’s hands.

Galaxy got hurt for no reason.

She steeled herself again and used the car’s headlights as a flashlight.

It was going towards the dark Euncheon-gu.

『… … .』

thud!

The old security guard.

He saw the galaxy leaving, scratching at the apartment wall.

The back of the ‘child’ leaving his castle walls,

Until the gray van completely disappeared from sight,

I was just watching blankly.

A grudge from some time ago.

But a little bit,

Comfortable.

『… … Have a nice trip, Miss Galaxy.』

The old man turned around with a faint smile.

I check the time, it’s 10:40 PM.

Should I sit in the guardhouse until the galaxy returns and help those who remain?

Purrr!

『… … Heh heh.』

But that thought was fleeting,

The old man burst into laughter when he discovered a squash bee standing just beyond the guardhouse door.

He really is a mischievous guy. Who does he resemble?

The old man, with a warm smile on his face like a grandfather, turned around and went back to the recycling bin behind the security office.

It was getting late at night.

… … .

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IV. After midnight, do not stop walking.

– You will feel like something is chasing you.

– Avoid dead ends.

– I have to walk.

– If you stop, it will come running.

​

– The security office is safe.

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It’s a beautiful full moon night.

It definitely was like that.

“… … .”

11 o’clock at night.

It’s time for Banharin, who just finished showering, to sit on the living room floor and look out the window.

Instead of a full moon, what hangs in the night sky is the giant eye of ‘something’.

It makes us realize that the present space is a world of ‘monsters’.

Don’t look up at the sky when there is no roof.

She took out her smartphone one by one and ‘observed’ the unrealistic scenery.

Bbong-bbang~ Bbong-bbang~.

Banharin, who was playing a mobile game with an attractive background sound, tapped the screen with an expressionless face.

Plump, balloon-shaped cats flap their short limbs as they hop around the expansive farm.

“… … Now that I think about it, the picture of the baby pumpkin bee that Eunha showed me last time was pretty cute.”

Bbongppang~♪

With a serious face, he pats the plump cats on the other side of the smartphone screen.

The numerous left eye ‘pupils’ moving around provide her with a pleasant field of vision.

The left eye, with pupils the size of grains of rice, moving around wildly.

At first, the field of view was so wide that it felt awkward, but now I’m quite used to it.

Parallel.

But, because of other people’s gaze, I still wear a blindfold when I go outside.

Banharin continued playing a game on her smartphone while fiddling with the ‘inverted cross hairpin’ on her bangs.

……thud.

Meanwhile,

While Banharin was relieving stress before going to bed, something caught her ear.

The sound of a car hitting a utility pole.

You didn’t mishear.

Anyway, it’s a world of monsters outside right now, so what kind of stupid monster would crash into a telephone pole?

‘Judging by the sound I heard… it’s right ahead.’

Since this is a phenomenon that does not fall under any of the ‘rules’ we know, it’s okay to observe it for a bit.

I came out onto the veranda, fiddling with my ‘reverse cross hairpin’.

“… … Galaxy?”

A ‘gray van’ crashed into a utility pole near her house.

In the driver’s seat of a surprisingly intact car, Eunha, wearing a security guard’s hat, stumbles and gets out.

Thump. Thump.

Although his face is hidden by his hat and darkness has fallen, only his silhouette can be seen.

It’s just a galaxy.

Banharin, who recognized the galaxy only by its curved silhouette, habitually swept her face.

Is it okay to be wandering around like that at this hour?

That thought was fleeting, and Eunha, who was rubbing her sore back from bumping into a telephone pole, opened the back seat of the van.

Then, small ‘chubby dolls’ start rolling out of the forklift and entering the villa where Banharin lives.

Eunha lowered her head, trying not to look up at the night sky.

Eunha waved at the ‘dolls’ who were following her and quickly got on the forklift and left the place.

Boohoo…

Banharin did not stop the departing galaxy.

It looked quite busy, and the direction the forklift was going was where the ‘mouse’s’ house was located.

I just feel like he’s trying to do something weird again.

‘And the security guard hat too… Are you on patrol or something?’

Last time, you worked as a waitress at [Euncheon Restaurant], but this time you’re on patrol.

Banharin, who was looking out the window with an expressionless face, covered her mouth with one hand.

It was because I was embarrassed by the corners of my lips that went up subtly.

“… … Ahem. Anyway.”

She immediately put her hand down and returned to her usual cold face.

Phagec!

Banharin used the ‘Observation’ skill to observe the darkness outside the window.

No hazardous elements visible.

He rolls his golden eyes around and sticks his head out over the veranda railing.

Under the veranda, you can see the ‘clay doll’ that Eunha left behind.

A chubby doll that looks like it was hastily glued together from balled-up clay, and it looks like it would roll faster than walk.

One of them was standing in front of the villa where Banharin lived, like a security guard.

The other ‘clay dolls’ were crammed into the shopping bag that the forklift took out.

[Ms. Banharin. Please place a ‘clay doll’ near my house.]

[ One at a time . ]

[ Check the condition before the sun sets, and if it is broken, replace it with a new doll. ]

The shopping bag had the words Galaxy written on it.

A strange situation.

Banharin wanted to ‘observe’ the shopping bag and the ‘clay doll’ a little closer,

I leaned out on the veranda.

“… On the outside, it looks like an ordinary clay doll.”

Phagectic.

Her ‘Observation’ skill still fails to detect danger.

yet,

Her head bowed forward,

Sneaking out from the roof of the villa building,

『… … .』

Paralock.

Banharin’s left eyes looking down at the floor,

Move your wide field of view and look up at the night sky.

『… … .』

Round full moon.

She met his eyes.

… … .

… … .

Pfft.

Immediately after, one of the ‘clay dolls’ that had been installed was shattered into pieces,

Banharin, who came to her senses at the sound, quietly retreated from the veranda.

‘Just now… I clearly didn’t see any danger with the [Observation] skill…’

The field of view is unnecessarily wide.

She brushed away her surprised heart and rubbed her eyes with an expressionless face.

Left eye looking up at the night sky.

But for some reason,

Even though she was off the roof and looking up at the sky… her eyes were still clear.

“… … .”

Banharin looked down cautiously toward the veranda.

A ‘clay doll’ that was shattered into pieces.

It catches her eye for no reason.

‘… Galaxy. What on earth did you leave behind?’

Days pass by with increasing worries.

I hope the galaxy ends today without incident.

Banharin, who returned to the living room, sent her wish toward the North Star in the night sky.

… … .

… … .

Pfft.

And, around the time when the ‘clay doll’ placed in front of Banharin’s house was broken.

Eunha stopped the van after feeling a sudden pain in her left eye.

Squeak!

A car stopped in the middle of an intersection.

But on the dark roads of Euncheon-gu, there is only the Milky Way.

Knock. Knock.

I pressed my left eye, which was in severe pain, with the palm of my hand.

The palm of the hand sinks into the socket of the left eye.

“Haa…! Haa…! It hurts… What is it?”

Has your intraocular pressure increased due to stress?

I roughly wiped away the blood that flowed down between my palms.

A strange situation.

Eunha thought positively.

They say that one of the scariest people in the world is the one who can’t see anything.

With half of the galaxy now gone, I can drive my van a little more confidently.

Boohoo!

11pm.

There’s still a lot of work to do.

The galaxy passes by the ‘mediocre things’ that wander around,

Illuminate the ground with the car’s headlights,

I drove a car with a bunch of ‘clay dolls’ huddled together.

‘The blood donor mom said that. A car is an object whose purpose is to move forward, so it just needs to move forward.’

Bam!

I think I bumped into ‘something’ at the crosswalk,

It’s not easy to care.

Boohoo.

The midnight drive was pretty cool and nice.

Galaxy blinked her recovered left eye and headed towards her next destination.