Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

After a great feat, the D-Squad got a rise. More unpredictability during explorations in exchange for more points. Of course, they weren't going to refuse.

They made it to the 17th floor, with their metaphorical pupils shaped like the company's points symbol glowing brightly.

As the elevator doors opened, a white, tidy space appeared before us, with many LED lights that gave the place an even more artificial look— a laboratory combined with a full-fledged office.

Without any obstacles, we stepped out of the elevator, with Squad Leader Lee Jaheon leading the way.

A researcher, engrossed in her monitor and the sound of her keyboard, noticed our presence. She glanced past her workplace, sighed, and stood up, clearly reluctantly, to talk to us. "D-Squad, I presume."

"Yes."

"Mmhm." She scanned us, not particularly impressed by what she saw. “Section Chief Kwak will be with you in a moment.” She said, washing her hands of the matter and returning to her document.

Beside me, I could hear Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s “Tsk” and the sigh that followed from Supervisor Park Minseong.

Just like that, D-Squad was left standing there with nothing to do and nowhere to sit.

Despite the awkward situation, I didn’t care, as a name kept repeating in my head.

Kwak. Kwak Jaekang? A character mentioned in the wiki. A classic psychopathic scientist who’s good at causing trouble to the members of the Field Exploration Team for the sheer joy of experimentation.

Hmmm. My gaze naturally lifted, and that's when I realized that my coworkers were staring at a specific point. I turned my attention to the same spot.

Beyond the researcher's desk from before, there was a man with glasses wearing a white lab coat, and in front of him, another man in a suit with a black mask.

I froze.

“Hey…” Supervisor Park Minseong suddenly whispered to us. “Isn’t that that employee?”

The Assistant Manager nodded. “It seems so.”

They inspected the Field Exploration Team employee wearing a cat mask. He looked bored amidst the researcher’s smiling, rapid-fire words and animated gestures.

Eun Haje gave me a light nudge with her elbow on my arm. “That one over there is an elite member.”

“…” The Assistant Manager’s voice barely managed to bring me back to reality and remind me where I was standing.

Fortunately, she was more focused on passing on the gossip. “He’s known as the 'Lucky Cat',” She explained, slowly raising the corners of her lips upwards. “If you get assigned a joint mission with him, consider yourself lucky. Almost everyone will come back alive.”

Park Minseong’s expression softened as he added. “Assistant Manager and I once went on a joint mission with him and five other people to C-Grade Darkness. We all came back alive.”

He recounted the experience with a smug smile. “He’s very polite, has an uncanny intuition for danger, and superhuman reflexes. He speaks very little, but his natural confidence makes people listen and follow him.”

A mischievous glint appeared on Eun Haje’s face. “Want to know an interesting fact?” She didn’t wait for my answer. “He’s a foreigner; he has a thick accent. Who knows how the higher-ups dragged him here, but he arrived years ago already as an elite. Quite a Mr. Mysterious, don’t you think?”

I could barely manage a nod, hiding the trembling in my fingers. “I see.”

I already know.

At that, the target of the gossip, that elite member, shook his head one last time to end the conversation and —practically turning his back— on the researcher, who followed him.

“Consider it, okay? Just this once!” The other said, clearly not bothered by being so curtly ignored.

The man in the cat mask with a gold mark on the forehead didn't slow his pace toward the elevator, passing by the D-Squad.

I tried not to pay attention to him; however, my gaze didn't obey me—

…!?

Accidentally, we both locked eyes for a second.

His eyes were dark brown, calm and unperturbed, but his irises, which seemed to reflect a yellow glow, gave them a piercing edge.

He walked past us.

The employee pressed the down arrow button on the elevator, and coincidentally, the doors opened instantly.

Ting!

The elite member silently disappeared inside the metal box.

“Haa… what a complicated fellow.” The researcher stopped and sighed heavily. Only then did he notice us. “Oh! D-Squad is here.” He smiled at us and turned his attention to the rookie, me. “Wow! Is this the friend I’ve heard so much about? Awesome, just awesome!”

I had to force myself out of the wave of repressed emotions to respond to the researcher who clearly held a higher rank than me despite looking young.

Instinctively, I shook the hand he offered. “I’m Kim Soleum. Nice to meet you.” I hoped I’d hidden the trembling in my hand well enough.

“Oh, you have good manners too. Very good, very good! More people like Mr. Cat are always appreciated!”

I swallowed the frown that had been threatening to surface for a while.

I spent the rest of the conversation balancing paying attention with completely ignoring my surroundings. I knew I had to be alert; however, I couldn’t help it.

Taking advantage of everyone’s gaze on Kwak Jaekang, I clenched my fists behind my back.

Why did I react like that?

Because of the person who had just left. I knew him from before.

But there were other characters mentioned in the wiki in front of me, so what was so special about him?

I created that character.

Oh! So it was like looking at a child?

No.

It was more… complicated. Personal. Too personal.

Because I…

Kim Soleum had a foreign cousin, Zhou Mingrui.

Their mothers were sisters. Soleum's mother moved to Korea, got married, and had a son. Two years earlier, his aunt had also given birth.

Despite the distance, every holiday, the families took turns traveling to each other's countries to spend time together.

So, Zhou Mingrui and Kim Soleum saw each other twice a year for a month. 'Family month,' their mothers called it.

It was thanks to these trips throughout all their lives that they both mastered each other's language, though they never lost their accents.

During each visit, the host's house would fill up. The adults would squeeze between the main bedroom and the smaller, unused one. While the children shared the same room, with their foreign cousin slepping on a mattress on the floor.

In those weeks, they went out to do anything, relax at home, or help with household chores. All as a family.

The first memory both cousins ​​shared was during a trip to a big park. There was a lake with ducks that they could feed.

Little Soleum was always easily frightened of… almost everything —big things, small things, noisy things, silent things, things that moved, things that didn't move but had beaks or were black…— the only reason he went near the lake was because of his cousin, who grabbed his wrist and dragged him toward the expectant ducks.

“Here,” Eight-year-old Mingrui handed some seeds to the smaller, thinner hand. “Hold it out to them and don't move.” He instructed. He was always the one who took the initiative to get his cousin out of his comfort zone. Aka: His aunt's arms.

Six-year-old Soleum pouted, but obeyed. The ducks immediately approached him, already used to human kindness.

However, in the boy's eyes, this alarmed him. The animals only came up to his waist. How intimidating!

Startled, little Soleum carelessly tossed the seeds. The ducks gathered and pecked at the ground, but those that hadn't made it in time for the feast looked at the boy and approached.

Now even more alarmed, he backed away, but tripped over his loose shoelace and fell backward. Now, the ducks' heads were at his eye level.

The boy began to cry.

"Hey hey!" Zhou Mingrui waved his arms. "Out! Out!"

The animals instinctively ran back to the water, adding even more noise to the already noisy commotion that attracted the attention of everyone around.

As the adults approached, Mingrui lifted his cousin by the arm. "Are you okay?"

Little Soleum just sobbed uncontrollably.

Of course, Mingrui was scolded for stressing the ducks, which he felt was unfair.

. . .

The following year, during the New Year, both families saved enough to afford a trip to the Snow Mountain of Xiling to go skiing.

“Kids, I’m going to take your picture! Come closer.”

They could barely move, as their mothers had wrapped them so tightly in thermal clothing that they looked like rice wrapped in bamboo leaves with legs.

“Don’t you think two scarves are too much?” Commented Dad Zhou.

“No! RuiRui isn’t used to this weather. What if he gets sick? He won’t be able to enjoy the snow.” His wife replied as she focused the camera.

“Mmm—” Little Mingrui seemed to want to object, but the scarves covered him tightly, right up to the tip of his nose.

Click!

The photo was taken. That picture was later framed and hung on the wall of both homes.

“Time to ski!” Dad Kim was the most excited to start today’s activity.

Little Mingrui tried to move, but ended up falling backward due to his lack of balance.

“Hehehehe!”

His cousin laughed mischievously, and as revenge, Mingrui grabbed his leg and made him fall too.

“Ah! Mooom!” The korean boy complained.

The adults chuckled and shook their heads.

. . .

During a Chinese New Year.

By then, both weren't so little anymore. Although, well…

“I'm not that short!” Ten-year-old Soleum retorted to his cousin.

Twelve-year-old Mingrui just smiled, amused, his eyes flashing with childish mockery.

Unfortunately, Soleum had always been shorter than others his age, which sometimes led to him being teased at school. Add to that the fact that he also had a cousin who was growing rapidly and was already going through puberty.

Dad Zhou shook his head. “Don’t bother your cousin.”

Mingrui feigned ignorance.

Currently, the reunited family consisted of both fathers and their sons. The mothers had returned to the hotel early because Soleum’s two-year-old sister was sleepy.

But the kids weren’t sleepy; it was only 10 p.m.! The fireworks wouldn’t start until later!

The four of them continued walking through the bright, noisy, and lively streets.

At one point, they found themselves watching a street lion and dragon dance from the front row.

Clinging to his dad’s hand, Soleum hid behind the adult’s leg.

Mingrui chuckled. “Scaredy-cat.”

“I-I’m not!”

“Yes, you are.”

“Mingrui.”

“Sorry…”

At 10:30 p.m., Soleum yawned.

“Shall we go now?” His dad asked.

“No!” The korean boy refused. He wanted to see the fireworks because his cousin insisted they were amazing. Even though the noise scared him… he could handle it because he was a big boy!

The adults knew that neither boy would last until midnight, but they let them be. To keep them awake a little longer, they decided to buy some candy.

“I’m not a little kid anymore, I can buy them myself.” The very confident 12-year-old Mingrui declared, self-assured.

“M-Me too!” Soleum raised his not very big arm, as if he were in school, eager to participate.

The men turned to look at each other.

“Okay, but don’t separate.” Instructed Dad Kim.

“Mingrui, don’t let go of your cousin.” Added Dad Zhou. “We’ll see you on those benches over there. Don’t be long.”

With the money in hand, Mingrui smiled and dragged Soleum toward a street vendor.

“Two tanghúlu, please!”

A short while later, the boy handed his younger cousin a stick with thorns covered in candy. Soleum licked his lips, but before he could take a bite—

A huge wave of people surged past the street vendor, accidentally crashing into them.

!!!

“Ah!” Soleum gasped, shrugging and protecting his tanghúlu, while Mingrui managed to grab the other's arm tightly. They had no choice but to let themselves be carried by the crowd to avoid falling.

When everyone had dispersed, they didn't recognize where they ended up.

…?!

Soleum got near Mingrui, and scanning his surroundings with a vacant stare, he let out a trembling whisper. “…Where's dad?”

The 12-year-old boy couldn't answer. This wasn't his city; they'd only come for the famous festival.

Clenching his fists, he didn't panic. He wasn't a child anymore; he could take care of this.

“…”

Holding his cousin's wrist tighter, they walked back the way they had come— or where he thought they had come. They went street after street; however, Mingrui didn't remember their previous steps because he was too busy trying not to get separated from Soleum.

Perhaps 15 minutes later, after wandering around without results, Mingrui gave up.

-First plan: Find the way back.

-Second plan: Find a police officer.

…Which wasn't easy either. They walked a long way, but unfortunately, they couldn't find any officers.

“…”

“Sob sob…” At some point, Soleum started sobbing, trying and failing to hide it.

Biting his tongue, Mingrui stopped. He was already exhausted and he knew his cousin was in worse shape; continuing would be counterproductive.

Turning his gaze to Soleum, and with the best smile he could muster, he asked, “Shall we rest for a while?”

Soleum nodded slightly, shrugging his shoulders, still holding his tanghúlu, the sweet treat Mingrui had dropped earlier.

They found a bench in a less crowded area.

-Third plan: Stop moving and wait to be found.

The younger boy curled up into a ball. Normally, he would have felt embarrassed doing this in front of his older cousin, but he didn’t care right now. Mingrui didn’t comment on it, nor did he mention that Soleum’s cheeks were as red as tomatoes.

It was cold, they were sleepy, and scared. Both of them.

Even so, Mingrui stroked his cousin’s head, smiling and keeping his voice steady. “Dad and Uncle will find us, don’t worry.”

Soleum didn't answer; he just kept sobbing.

Mingrui almost frowned, but he held it in. He was the older one; he had to appear trustworthy so his cousin wouldn't get worse.

They waited there for who knows how long, the temperature growing colder and the gusts of wind becoming more frequent.

Mingrui put his arm around Soleum, trying to keep warm, though this only made him more aware of how much the younger boy was trembling.

"They'll find us, don't worry." Mingrui whispered from time to time, trying to comfort Soleum and himself. But he never received a response.

Little by little, the sobs subsided, too tired to continue.

Mingrui's eyelids also grew heavier.

"...Soleum-ya."

The boy beside him barely moved. “A’Ming… I’m cold…”

“…I know, just hang on a little longer, okay?”

“Mmm…”

Mingrui could hear Soleum's struggle against drowsiness.

“…When you wake up, you'll be with Aunt, okay?”

“Mm…”

More time passed. Mingrui had closed his eyes at some point when his shoulder was shaken.

“Kid.”

In his blurry vision, he noticed an adult crouching in front of them.

The man in uniform asked, “Are you Zhou Mingrui?”

He nodded.

The next thing he remembered through his fluctuating consciousness was being forced to his feet while instinctively still clinging to his cousin. After walking an indeterminate distance, he entered a warm, covered area, where several consecutive noises jolted him awake.

WHIIIIU— BAM!

“Mingrui!”

“Soleum!”

The voices of his father and uncle accompanied the midnight fireworks.

(The fathers received the scolding of their lives from their wives, while the children fell ill.)

. . .

. . .

Tuesday, April 3, 2018.

The company was celebrating the successful acquisition of one of its competitors. The top executives were in such high spirits that they rented a section of a restaurant for the main departments to dine.

Kim Soleum, due to his excellent performance in just eight months of employment, was invited, and of course, he wasn't going to turn down free, high-quality food.

8:10 p.m.

Everyone had big smiles on their faces, chatting amongst themselves while they drank, forgetting that tomorrow was just another normal workday.

Kim Soleum kept to himself, enjoying the culinary delights in his own little bubble of observation. He took a bite of barbecue, savoring the juicy, perfectly seasoned flavor.

8:20 p.m.

Brrrr

His cell phone vibrated in his pocket, but— just then, the operations manager stood up and raised his glass.

“Tonight, I’m proud to be part of this team and company…”

Everyone turned to look at him, trying not to roll their eyes at the classic scene of an emotional corporate speech.

Brrrrrrr

When the manager finished, someone else stood up and added to the speech.

8:25 p.m.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr

His cell phone kept vibrating. Kim Soleum was getting nervous.

The moment everyone refocused on dinner and informal conversation, Kim Soleum excused himself, got up from the table, and went into the restroom.

At that very moment, the tenth call came in.

Brrrr

Ding.

Finally, he pressed the green button and answered. “Uncle? What’s wrong? I’m in a di—”

…

……

Kim Soleum’s pupils dilated, shook, and blurred, while the hand holding his cell phone tightened its grip, failing to stop the trembling that was spreading throughout his arm.

All words and breaths left his body in an instant, all muscular coherence was swept away by the surroundings that seemed to spin, trying to knock him down.

The other end of the call also fell silent.

A powerful emotion was shared several kilometers away through the echoes left by the words transmitted over the telephone line.

[I’ll tell your parents…] His aunt’s husband whispered hoarsely.

Kim Soleum couldn’t manage an immediate response, nor did he nod even though no one was there.

It was a good thing the bathroom remained empty. Right now, he didn’t want to see anyone.

After a long while, Kim Soleum heard himself say automatically. “I’ll be right there.”

[…Sole—]

“I’ll be there tomorrow morning.” The words came out forcefully, pushed through his hoarse throat like a bicycle pedaling over a rocky, gravelly road.

[…] At the end, his uncle didn’t object. [Okay.]

Ding.

Kim Soleum pulled the phone away from his ear before becoming completely still, his arms hanging limply at his sides. He stood like a statue in that bathroom for dozens of seconds.

Tap tap tap tap

One of his coworkers saw him approaching quickly. “Hey—”

“I have to go, sorry, family emergency.” Kim Soleum said quickly, barely managing to control his tone of voice, offering only the most basic polite goodbye, but without really lifting his head. He knew his eyes were red.

He left the restaurant and hailed a taxi to go back to his apartment.

Throughout the entire journey, his mind kept repeating the same word:

Dead.

Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead.

His cousin Zhou Mingrui was found dead in his home just last night.

With no apparent cause.

He simply fell asleep and never woke up again.

Absolutely out of nowhere.