Work Text:
An abnormality attacked the K Corp nest.
Chaos ensued, shrieks, glass breaking, people running around like a bunch of chickens getting chased by a cat.
“Well, seems like this is a bad timing to take a stroll outside, Mr. Dongrang.”
“Aww, just when I wanted to try the new chicken restaurant?”
“We can always come back later. Do you need me to make a reservation in advance?”
“Haha, you don’t need to. Mhm, right, let’s just come back later.”
A mundane, meaningless small talk as if there’s no massacre occurring behind their back as they walked back from where they came; to the lab.
“By the way, Mr. Sam-”
Dongrang suddenly felt a forceful push as he turned to look at Samjo,
And everything felt a thousand times slower in that moment.
A huge foot stomped right on top of Samjo, bringing a tiny earthquake with it.
No words were exchanged. Only Samjo’s split-second expression, as if he wanted to tell Dongrang something, before it splattered to bits. Like an explosion. A grotesque firework display.
Dongrang fell on his butt. Samjo’s lifeless bodyーif it can even be called one anymoreーsplattered on the concrete. Not even his brain remained. No amount of ampule can recover that. Even if he were to be dipped in a lake of ampule, he will not come back. He’s dead. Dead dead.
He turned to the creature and saw the foot now right on top of him, then gunshots rang from behind Dongrang, followed by hurried footsteps and almost robotic speech.
Their rescue team had arrived just a little bit too late. There was just a slight mismatch in the timeline. As if it was fate itself dragging its fingertips across the screen, moving the timing just a slightly bit further from the optimal.
Only one thing passed by Dongrang’s mind as he was escorted by the soldiers.
“Oh… what a shame.”
—
“Hey there. Rare to see Mr. Smartypants looking like he has nothing to do.”
A petite girl approached him during break, and Dongrang replied to her with his usual smile.
“There’s still some downtime for us in general isn’t it? You look like you have nothing to do too, approaching me like this.”
“Bah, this is what I get from worrying about you? I regret ever thinking about how you are doing even for just a split second.”
Dongrang blinked once in slight surprise.
“You’re worried about me?”
“Not really, but I mean, y’know. That guy with glasses on his forehead, wasn’t he clinging to you like a duckling everyday?”
“Well, I saw the report.”
“Ah, Mr. Samjo? What about him?”
Shrenne looked a bit dumbfounded by the reactionーthe lack of it that is, and left her mouth agape for a second, not even knowing where to start.
“Wait, you were there, right? When he died?”
“Yes, and…?”
“For now, I’m not seeing what you’re getting at, Ms. Shrenne.”
Shrenne let out a defeated scoff and shook her head, seeing the futility of this conversation.
“Right, of course, you only think of him as a pawn that can be discarded so easily.”
“That’s not true.”
The speed of the reply stunned Shrenne, then Dongrang continued still with his neutral expression.
“While it’s true that he’s easily replaceable, just as much as we are and everyone else in this Nest, I didn’t think of him as easily disposable.”
“I’m quite fond of him. He came from a humble background, you don’t see a guy like him just anywhere else y’know.”
“...well, your reaction to his death contradicts how you feel about him.”
“....”
Now it’s Dongrang’s turn to be stunned.
He pauses for a moment before opening his mouth again.
“Then, how was I supposed to react?”
“Haa? I don’t know, be sad and cry or something? I mean, you were fond of him, right? If I lose someone important like that, I’d bawl my eyes out for three days and nights.”
“Oh, really? Why?”
A pause.
Shrenne was taken aback by the questionーno, moreso by the indifference, the neutrality, as if Dongrang was just asking why the sky is blue.
“Wh-why you said… well, because when they die, that means I won’t be able to see them anymore. They mean a lot to me, so losing them would make me sad.”
“Man, why am I talking about this with you…”
Shrenne let out a sigh after she said that, but Dongrang still doesn’t seem convinced.
“Why? If you want to see their face again, there are definitely pictures or videos of them, right?”
“And also, I don’t get another thingー”
“Why do you cry when someone you deem important to you diesーwhen right now you did not even shed a tear for an employee that died yesterday?”
The question hung in midair, left unanswered by Shrenne who grumbled under her breath as she walked away.
“I genuinely want to know though~” Dongrang chimed a bit loudly for Shrenne to hear, but the girl kept walking without even a glance.
But he does want to know.
Why do you grieve for a person, when their existence can be easily preserved with technology
Why do you grieve for a person, when you don’t hold the same sentiment for other human beings when they die
Why do you grieve for a person, when death is an inevitable outcome for all living being
Why do you grieve when a mirror that was fated to shatter has met its inevitable end.
.
“M-My name is Samjo! I-I-I’m so honored to be a-able to worgh wig-”
“Haha, slow down, you bit your tongue.”
.
“So this is all your work Mr. Dongrang? This is amazing! You’re truly a genius like everyone else said! I’m truly, truly so honored to be able to work with you for such a noble goal. I’ll follow you for the rest of my life, sir.”
“You’re so passionate, I like that. Glad to work with you too, Mr. Samjo.”
.
Dongrang closed his eyes, replaying his memories with Samjo again.
.
“Mr. Dongrang, you forgot to eat again, didn't you? Yes I have expected it so I’ve ordered food in advance for you. Here, it’s still warm.”
.
“I’m genuinely glad to be your assistant, Mr. Dongrang”
.
“Mhm, I really still don’t get it.”
Dongrang smiled with a shrug, walking back to his desk with light steps. The hallway’s echo was missing another pair of footsteps that Dongrang was used to, coupled with rustling paper and light suckle on a candy.
But it wasn’t anything Dongrang would notice anyway.
There are countless other employees walking while shuffling between papers and sucking on candy.
Samjo was just one of those employees.
It’s not like you can tell which chicken is which even if they have names.
.
“Here’s the thing you requested.”
“Ah, thank you for your work.”
Dongrang put a framed photograph on his desk; it was a photograph of Samjo’s first day working under him, as that day Samjo requested him to take a picture together.
It was originally on Samjo’s desk, the only thing Dongrang requested out of Samjo’s personal belongings before they got rid of everything else.
“You really are fond of him, huh.”
Dongrang let his mouth agape for a second before turning his lips up with his usual smile.
“Haha, is that how you see it?”
“Someone else said otherwise.”