Black Paradise Chapter 2.1

At first, Ilyeong thought it was a misunderstanding. The table occupied by Seo Yoonseok and Seo Juhyeok was quite a distance from the banquet hall’s entrance, after all. Or perhaps he was looking at Haoran, Jun, or if not them, Yuto. That was what he thought.

But that was not the case. From far away, Seo Juhyeok leaned his upper body over the table. And propping his strong jaw at an angle with his hand, he tapped his cheek with his index finger. As if he was sizing something up.

The merciless gaze pierced Ilyeong’s mouth and jaw like an awl. It was so tingling that it felt as if the bone beneath his skin was being ground down.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to walk?”

Haoran neurotically put his lips close to Ilyeong’s ear and mumbled. Ilyeong flinched and took a step back like a person who had heard something he should not have.

Only then did he realize that not just Haoran, but Jun and Yuto were also staring at him with puzzlement. The inside of his mouth went completely dry. Ilyeong stiffly moved his legs toward an empty table.

“Why does it feel like everyone is staring only at us.”

As soon as he sat at the table, Jun muttered. Haoran puffed up his body even more as if to say he refused to be intimidated, and Yuto subtly scooted his chair closer to Ilyeong’s side. Only Ilyeong was lost in another world.

Is he watching? Is Seo Juhyeok still…….

In the center of the table, a placard that read ‘5th Evacuation Zone’ was placed neatly. The black characters suddenly seemed to waver as if they were alive and moving. Even after he rubbed his eyes, it was still the same. Am I having hallucinations now too. It was absurd and also unsettling. Ilyeong pressed firmly on the bridge of his nose. It felt like his eardrums would burst and his head would crack open.

“Why is Seo Yoonseok here? Do the lottery winners always receive a welcome from Seo Yoonseok on their way to Paradise? And that person next to him, that’s the person from the new lottery promotional video, right?”

This was, without a doubt, the first time Ilyeong had ever been grateful for Haoran’s sharp tongue. The tinnitus, which was sharper than usual, was drowned out by Haoran’s loud voice. Using that as an excuse, Ilyeong stealthily glanced at that table.

Seo Juhyeok had returned to the posture he had when Ilyeong first entered the banquet hall. No. Had he straightened up a little? The frame of his upright body was so large that it seemed to devour his father’s presence.

He, who had been sitting like a statue, suddenly raised an arm and fumbled at his neck. His large hand undid two buttons that went up to his neck. The person who had seemed so ascetic just a moment ago now surprisingly exuded the loose feeling of a prodigal.

However, his expression, which was weary of all things, remained the same. It seemed that even if flames were to shoot up right before his eyes, or if someone here were to perform a strip show, not a single flaw would appear on that composed face. That was proof that he found this occasion tedious.

That voice, would it still be effective if I heard it in person?

That was his only thought. Knowing that Seo Juhyeok’s voice had the effect of calming the mind that was rampaging like a wild horse, he felt a bit desperate in his current state.

But disappointingly, Seo Juhyeok did not even open his mouth, let alone give a single glance in Ilyeong’s direction again.

“If it’s the promotional video, I saw it in the plaza too. Everyone was talking about who he was. Do you fellows know who he is?”

“He’s Director Seo Yoonseok’s son, apparently.”

“Hah…! That’s not a move to be taken lightly. Is he the eldest son, or the second son?”

“I don’t know about that.”

“Director Seo Yoonseok might have designated that man as the next director. The power struggle between brothers must be no joke.”

Jun, who had been chattering with an excited air, soon wrinkled his nose and lowered his voice.

“But where did you hear such high-class information?”

“Well. Let’s just say it was from some nutjob.”

Haoran smiled wryly, as if he was recalling the rampage Nam Giyoon had caused in the research institute’s cafeteria. And he stared intently at Ilyeong, as if demanding a further explanation from the protagonist of that incident.

This time too, Ilyeong pretended not to know. He did not have even a sliver of energy to spare for Haoran. He was in agony, trying to resist the urge to immediately open his duffel bag and swallow his medicine.

Just then, a gentle melody was heard from somewhere. The heads of the clumsy fledglings all lifted at once. The professionals, who were suddenly bathed in the spotlight, calmly unfurled another stretch of melody. Every time they moved, a luster gleamed from the dresses and tuxedos they wore.

“It’s a string quartet. I saw it in a book……”

Yuto added a word of explanation every time something he knew came up. Haoran’s eyes shot up like a wild beast’s every time something he did not know came up. Even so, he was in a position no better than a kitten raising its fur and being wary of its surroundings.

In any case, Yuto’s explanation breathed blood and added flesh to the scene before their eyes. When the woman in the dress played the violin, scattering notes that flitted like a butterfly, the man in the tuxedo immediately pursued her with a cello performance.

“What’s this? It’s nothing special. Just noisy to the ears.”

As soon as Yuto’s explanation ended, Haoran successfully crushed his spirit. Yuto once again glanced at Ilyeong with a gloomy expression, as if he wanted to say something.

But this time, Ilyeong was also on Haoran’s side. Such elegant and gentle music could not quiet the noise in his head. That rich and overwhelming voice that seemed like it would drag its opponent into the deep sea and slam them to the bottom……. Except for that, everything was just noise to the current Ilyeong.

Starting with the sound of music, staff members in uniforms poured out from both doors of the banquet hall. Some held plates in both hands, and some pushed carts loaded with those plates. Bread and soup, along with a simple salad, were placed on the table.

“This is the appetizer bread and clam chowder.”

“…What about this salad?”

“It’s an anchovy Caesar salad. It contains romaine, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, croutons, and egg yolk.”

“Ah, yes……”

They served a kind smile even to those who, just a few hours ago, had been rolling around in trash.

As the staff politely bowed and left, the fledglings, who had been putting on airs the whole time, hurriedly picked up their cutlery.

For someone who had asked questions so fussily, Haoran only timidly poked at the salad with his fork.

“Chowder… anchovy… paljinno…? What was that? It’s just soup and salad! Trying to crush our spirits by using difficult words!”

Yuto’s eyes sparkled.

“Pa, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese……. And it’s not just soup and salad……”

“Did anyone ask you?”

“It’s delicious. It’s the best thing I’ve ever eaten in my life……”

“Hey! Eat slowly. This is why people keep glancing at us.”

Haoran, who was huffing and glaring, soon changed his target to Ilyeong.

“Sunbae, no. What should I call you now……. Mr. Kwon Ilyeong, why do people keep staring at us?”

“Don’t talk to me.”

“What? Why do you look so pale?”

Yuto, who had been on the verge of licking his plate clean, whipped his head up. Even Jun, who had been indifferent to Ilyeong the whole time, had a surprised look in his eyes.

Ilyeong pressed his ear canals firmly and emptied the water glass in one go. Just like his mind, the inside of his mouth was going crazy with thirst. It was not particularly surprising, since extreme thirst was one of the withdrawal symptoms of the drug.

“It’s noisy…. Don’t mind me.”

“Goodness, look at you sweat. Why are your eyes so sunken? Are you sick somewhere?”

“I’m not sick.”

“Aish, you get sick because you always eat just a piddling amount like that! Eat heartily. I don’t know how you got so tall like this.”

Freed from the seal of being a mere researcher in the slums, Haoran’s mouth was unstoppable. It seemed his mouth was open, but his ears were closed, so Ilyeong just chose to shut up himself.

“Hy, hyung. Are you sick somewhere? Should I get you some medicine…?”

“I said I’m not sick.”

Haoran was a headache, but Yuto was a formidable burden as well. When on earth did he see him to call him hyung and be so clingy? Anyway, how pale do I look…….

Ilyeong stopped mid-motion while lifting his spoon. In the concave part of the spoon, a monster with a bizarrely contorted face was hanging upside down, staring intently at him. The monster’s hair was matted with sweat and stuck to its forehead, and its blue eyes were drooped downwards, looking as if they were holes. He managed not to scream.

Ilyeong quickly dipped the spoon, which held the monster, into the soup. His appetite completely vanished.

The reason for the strange gazes that poured down on the small fry from the 5th Evacuation Zone was revealed in a futile way.

“For the past few days on the cruise, rumors about Mr. Kwon Ilyeong have been circulating.”

After the luncheon, the soldier who had offered to guide them to their rooms paused for a moment. He was the same soldier who had first inspected Ilyeong’s luggage, and he introduced himself as Chen.

“I am simply relaying the rumors, so please do not misunderstand……”

Chen confirmed that the entire party had boarded the elevator and then pressed the button for the 7th floor. And only after the doors closed did he cautiously open his mouth.

“It seems that Mr. Kwon Ilyeong is… um, the ‘fourth’ winner.”

It was a concise statement, but it was enough to make everyone understand. Chen glanced at Ilyeong with an apologetic look.

“Well, it’s a trivial matter that the people of Paradise themselves don’t even care about. However, the people from the evacuation zones have a severe victim mentality. If four winners came from the 5th Evacuation Zone, then it’s only right that one more should be picked from their own zone, they say. It’s not like their own family members would get picked, but really.”

Chen’s intention might have been to defend his position, but it had the opposite effect, and the atmosphere in the elevator sank into a chilly silence. It seemed he had forgotten that in this enclosed space, everyone except himself was ‘people from the evacuation zones’.

Among the small fry who had their lips sealed in a straight line, only Ilyeong opened his mouth with a composed face.

“That certainly makes sense.”

Three intimidated gazes stuck to Ilyeong’s cheek.

“Yes, it seems that because they all lack education, they don’t have things like civic consciousness or flexibility……”

“Paradise, I mean. Since an exception was made due to your side’s mistake, it’s certainly understandable that the other evacuation zones would have a lot of complaints. There is no way that the well-educated and smart Paradise could not have anticipated this, isn’t that right?”

“What is that supposed to……”

Chen’s expression began to take on the form of a fierce dog again.

“If I were in Paradise’s position, I would have either canceled my win or increased the number of winners from the other zones to four. Paradise is also quite…….”

Ilyeong snickered.

“How petty.”

Chen’s face flushed as red as it could possibly get. After that, he kept his mouth firmly shut in a straight line until the moment the elevator arrived at the 7th floor.

Ilyeong ignored the looks of admiration directed at him. He had not stepped up just to play the role of the small fries’ leader.

The five of them walked down the guest room hallway in a strangely mixed atmosphere of victory and defeat.

“The rooms are for two people. You can decide on your roommates yourselves……”

Chen tossed two keys into Haoran’s arms as if throwing them. Then he turned toward Ilyeong.

“Mr. Kwon Ilyeong, let’s have a little talk.”

“As you can see, I am not feeling well. I would appreciate it if this ends quickly.”

“……I will try.”

Ilyeong left the three stragglers and followed Chen. His legs had no strength the entire time he was walking, and he almost missed a step. Wiping the sweat that trickled down the bridge of his nose, he desperately clenched his teeth.

Chen stopped his steps in front of a deserted emergency exit stairwell.

“Mr. Kwon Ilyeong, I will make one thing clear. No soldier on the cruise uses honorifics with any of the winners from the evacuation zones. That will be the same even when you go to Paradise. Our positions are different.”

“If you called me just to say that, I am already well aware, so I will be going now.”

“No, what I am trying to say is……”

Chen let his expression crumble and roughly ran his hands through his hair. A hint of irritation flickered across his face.

“I do not want to be on bad terms with Mr. Kwon Ilyeong over something like this. If what I said in the elevator earlier sounded offensive, I apologize.”

“Our positions are different from the start, so why are you apologizing?”

“If you keep picking at my words like this, the conversation will just go in circles.”

“That is what I want to say. So stop beating around the bush and say it. What do you want from me that you are being so deferential.”

Chen bit his lower lip hard with his teeth, like someone who had tasted humiliation. Then, he glanced at Ilyeong’s duffel bag.

“About that medicine from earlier……”

Just as I thought. Ilyeong swung the loosely worn duffel bag behind his back. Chen’s gaze returned to Ilyeong’s face.

“That medicine, would it be possible for you to give me just one pill……?”

“My medicine.”

“Yes. I know. How expensive that medicine is…. But it is not something one can get just because one has money. I do not have a decent income yet, so I cannot pay you the proper price, but instead, I can guarantee your convenience while you are on the cruise. That includes all the winners from the 5th Evacuation Zone, including Mr. Kwon Ilyeong.”

His head throbbed. He felt like he had been saddled with something annoying. What on earth was the true intention of that brown-haired, damn annoying doctor for giving him this headache medicine? To take it when he was sick? Or to win over soldiers like this? Before that, why on earth are they coveting this useless medicine so much?

Chen, perhaps thinking Ilyeong’s silence was contemplation, hastily added more words.

“I understand. You must be giving it a lot of thought. Then how about this. My superior is also hell-bent on finding that medicine. I also mentioned it to him briefly……”

Ilyeong furrowed his brow.

“Did you go around blabbing about it to other people?”

“Do, don’t worry. He is the only one I have spoken to about the medicine. If you give one more pill for him, I will also help you get settled in Paradise. This time too, of course, all the winners from the 5th Evacuation Zone.”

Things had gotten more complicated. Ilyeong, who had been staring intently at the duffel bag, finally raised his head indifferently.

“It seems you have misunderstood something, but I do not give a damn what happens to those three stragglers. What on earth is this medicine anyway?”

“Pardon?”

“This headache medicine. It does not even reduce the pain, let alone eliminate it……”

Chen’s face suddenly turned red as a tomato, and he burst out laughing. Keuk, keuhaha, very loudly, as if he could not bear how funny it was.

That image resembled the damn annoying bastard of a doctor. He did not know how those Paradise bastards could ruin his mood with even their laughter being so identically flippant. Ilyeong crossed his arms and just waited for him to stop laughing.

“I, I apologize. It is the first time I have seen someone speak of it so trivially……. I saw it was a new medicine box earlier, so it seems you have not tried it yet.”

Chen said, licking the corners of his mouth that were flecked with the remnants of his laughter. His words sounded exactly like ‘if you had tried it, you would not be able to speak of it so trivially.’ However, Ilyeong already had a history of swallowing two or three pills of that medicine in a hurry. The one who had thrown them all down the toilet because they had no particular effect when taken was none other than Ilyeong himself.

Ilyeong swallowed his discomfort and remained silent. He had no desire to leak information unnecessarily.

“You said you received it from a doctor from Paradise. To give you a whole box and not just one pill, he must be no ordinary wealthy person……”

“I do not particularly welcome the conversation getting longer.”

“Ah, I understand. I will not ask any more about the source. To get to the point, that medicine is no ordinary headache medicine.”

Chen leaned in and whispered into Ilyeong’s ear as if it were a great secret.

“That is a drug.”

Without realizing it, Ilyeong tensed the shoulder carrying the duffel bag. His legs, which had lost their strength, became taut with force. The bastard dog that recognized its food barked woof woof in his head.

Perhaps interpreting Ilyeong’s reaction differently, Chen’s expression became slightly triumphant as he pulled his upper body back.

“It seems you really did not know.”

“A drug, you say……”

“Ah, do not worry. It is the only drug that Paradise has legalized. Mr. Kwon Ilyeong may not know this yet, but there is a pharmaceutical company in Paradise called MN. It is the only pharmaceutical company in the Asian base officially recognized by Paradise. That drug is a narcotic recently developed by MN under a special request from Director Seo Yoonseok.”

Seo Yoonseok requested the manufacturing of a drug? Each unfitting word radiated a strong presence. In between them, Ilyeong’s brain shriveled.

“Why…… would a person who is the head of the country request the manufacturing of a drug? I understood that Paradise strictly forbids the manufacturing and selling of drugs.”

“Yes, if you are caught, it is an immediate death sentence. Paradise is particularly sensitive to health issues.”

Tension crept into Chen’s face, which had been so relaxed just a moment before. It seemed he was assessing whether it was okay to say what came next.

Ilyeong deliberately relaxed his shoulders. Chen’s gaze was nailed to the duffel bag that had slid loosely to his side. His mouth opened smoothly again, like a robot that had received an input.

“Recently, one of the high-ranking military officers took his own life. The cause was drug addiction.”

“Drug addiction……”

“Yes. He was said to have been suffering from extreme withdrawal symptoms. The problem is that we have no idea through what route this drug flowed into Paradise. The inside story has not been accurately revealed, but evidence has emerged that this drug was being secretly traded among other high-ranking officials, so Paradise was in an uproar for a while.”

The story felt familiar somehow. Ilyeong wet his dry lips with his tongue and feigned a composed expression.

“Is there anything else that has been revealed about that drug? Like its name, or its appearance.”

“Well. I have only managed to pick up information that circulates in the newspapers and within the military base. As far as I know, there is no set name. However, there is a name we call it amongst ourselves.”

“What is it?”

“It is BLACK.”

The thought, no way, wrapped around his entire body. It was a strange intuition. Ilyeong procured drugs from the truck driver who transported the test subjects every month. It was a completely new type of drug, different from other known drugs. That was natural. Because Ilyeong had personally manufactured it to suit his own body’s condition.

While other hallucinogens were mostly Up-type drugs, that is, they provided a heavenly illusion as if the body were floating in the air, Ilyeong’s drug was, if one had to classify it, a Down-type drug.

Just taking one pill of that drug crushes a person to the floor, no, to the deep underground. It was made with that effect in mind from the beginning. Because he wanted to feel the reality that he was somehow setting foot in this world.

The first time he started selling it was three years ago.

He manufactured the drug in two forms, powder and pill, but that was purely for his own convenience.

Because the manufacturing process and accessory ingredients differed slightly depending on the form, there were slight differences in the method of administration and efficacy, and so far, the only one he had put on the black market was the pill form.

The truck driver in charge of drug trafficking described the customer base buying the drugs vaguely as ‘high-ranking people’. As long as Ilyeong got his money, that was all that mattered, so he never asked about them separately. He had also never given the drug a name or anything of the sort.

“The drug developed as an alternative is that one, WHITE. Compared to BLACK, its addictive properties are much lower, and the risk is said to be smaller. It must be difficult to root out illegal drugs immediately, so the purpose of its development is probably to tell people to take this instead. Well, even so, it is at a stage where it has just started to be released on the market, and it is so rare that it is difficult for even the common people to get a glimpse of it……”

No matter how he thought about it, it was a crazy idea. Ilyeong chewed on his lip. Even with marijuana, it was possible to increase the content of specific components by improving the strain, so it would be even easier with synthetic drugs.

For a moment, Liam’s words came to mind.

“There are usually two cases where this drug is ineffective. Either you are addicted to a stronger drug, or the symptoms are so severe that they overcome the drug’s effect. Shall I guess which one it is in Mr. Kwon Ilyeong’s case?”

“Both, …… I think. Am I wrong?”

Ilyeong squeezed his eyes shut. His back had been damp for a long time. There was no way Liam had given him this drug without knowing its identity, so he could now understand why he had been observing him with suspicious eyes throughout their conversation.

Cunning bastard, shady bastard…! I should have known from the moment he was in cahoots with Nam Giyoon! How could he pass off a drug as headache medicine?!

Ilyeong inconspicuously gnawed on the inside of his mouth. He was so angry that it felt like he would only be relieved if he could immediately land a punch on Liam’s shameless face. Perhaps even his claim of being a doctor was all a lie.

Ilyeong quickly sorted through the tens of thousands of thoughts that were popping up randomly. And he took a step back from Chen’s gaze, which was glancing at the duffel bag.

“I did not know this was such an amazing drug. I have learned a lot, thanks to you.”

“In that case……”

“Let’s make a deal. Two pills for you and your superior, and in return, you guarantee my future and my safety. The other three have nothing to do with me, so you can do as you please. However, I can’t readily hand them over right now.”

“What is the problem?”

“Because if you happen to take the medicine and just wipe your mouth clean, I’ll be the only one who ends up being a complete pushover.”

“I promise you that such a thing will absolutely not happen.”

“That’s something I wouldn’t know unless I get inside your head. As you know, people from the evacuation zones have a bit of a severe victim mentality.”

Realizing that he was mocking the conversation they had in the elevator earlier, Chen’s face looked as if he had been struck, and then he anxiously bit his lower lip with his teeth.

“Then, when can I get the medicine……”

“Let’s say around the time I can trust you and your superior. I hope it doesn’t take long.”

That was the final ultimatum, stating that he would close the deal ‘depending on how things go’. As the upper hand in the transaction became clear, Chen stared at Ilyeong with a bit of displeasure. However, he soon averted his gaze and nodded his head.

“Very well. But you, Mr. Kwon Ilyeong, would also do well to remember. I may not be, but my superior is an impatient person.”

After Chen disappeared down the stairs, Ilyeong staggered out of the emergency exit. He was desperate for the drug, and his throat was parched.

Now, it was not his brain that moved him, but the parasites within it. The carpeted hallway swayed violently under his feet. The son of a bitch and the winter wind each took a leg and steadily moved him forward.

“No, why is this kid suddenly being so stubborn about something so useless? What is the reason you absolutely have to share a room with Mr. Kwon Ilyeong?”

“There’s something. That mister is un, uncomfortable and I don’t like him……”

“Why? He just smells a little and has a belly, but Mr. Jun is a gentle person too!”

“You both are quite good at saying such things in front of the person himself. I also dislike sharing a room with that skinny little kid.”

As they got closer to the hallway with the guest rooms, the sound of the three bickering also grew louder. It seemed that the matter of deciding on roommates was still not over.

“This is driving me crazy. Mr. Kwon Ilyeong is not as easy a person as you think, kid. A person like Mr. Kwon Ilyeong needs someone like me to deal with him…… oh, Mr. Kwon Ilyeong!”

Haoran, who had been stamping his feet and threatening Yuto, spotted Ilyeong and quickly ran over. Then, he naturally grabbed his arm and supported him.

Ilyeong did not even have the mental energy to push Haoran away, so he just left him be. His vision repeatedly went white and black.

“Give me the room key.”

“The roommates haven’t been decided yet.”

“Then decide quickly.”

“Who do you want to share with, Mr. Kwon Ilyeong?”

“I don’t care.”

Ilyeong leaned his back against the wall and swallowed a groan. The three of them, for having argued for a long time, chose a very rational and simple method. They put their heads together and soon played rock-paper-scissors, and Yuto, with a bright face, approached Ilyeong holding one of the keys.

“The bag…… I can carry it for you……”

“That’s alright, so just hurry up and open the door.”

“Yes, yes……”

From behind him, Haoran’s neurotically grumbling voice could be heard. Ilyeong practically shoved his body through the gap in the door that Yuto opened.

Upon entering the room, the first things he saw were two neatly made single beds. Next to each of them were a nightstand and a floor lamp.

Ilyeong staggered to the bed on the right and collapsed face down on the sheet. When he buried his face in the white fabric, his hot breath blurred his face. His vision spun, and Chen’s words whipped his brain. Would this be the feeling if someone put your brain in a blender and ground it up?

It was then that he felt a hand as if someone was fumbling with his shoulder.

“What is it.”

“Ah, ah…… I was just……”

Ilyeong raised his body halfway and swung his arm back. Something was hit by his hand and disappeared with a start. When he turned to sit, he saw Yuto with a reddened back of his hand. His face was as surprised and flustered as Ilyeong’s.

“I was just trying to let you sleep comfortably……”

“I’ll take care of that myself. I’m asking you, don’t lay a single finger on my luggage while you’re in this room.”

The moment he realized that what was in this bag was not a simple headache medicine, his nerves were on edge to the point of going crazy. Yuto’s mouth opened hesitantly, his lips drooping.

“Hyung, speak comfortably……”

“I don’t particularly want to.”

“But to Mr. Haoran……”

“Haoran is ‘Mr. Haoran’, and I am ‘hyung’, so Mr. Yuto, on what basis did you decide on the terms of address?”

The animosity he had kept tightly hidden seeped into his words like venom. Ilyeong exhaled a long sigh like a spider’s web. Yuto flinched like an insect caught in a spider’s web. Every time he blinked his eyes rapidly, Yuto’s long eyelashes trembled pitifully.

Ilyeong clenched his teeth and squeezed out his last bit of patience.

“I’m sorry if that sounded like a criticism. I have no intention of getting close to anyone on this cruise. So it would be better for both you, Mr. Yuto, and me if we ignore each other from now on.”

“I, I……”

Yuto only said that much and then bit and tore at his lower lip. The scab on it was crushed between his teeth, and bright red blood showed again.

When there was no retort, he was instantly drained of energy. To think he was arguing with a kid like this, not even Haoran. It seemed he had really become very sensitive.

Ilyeong chewed on a curse out of self-loathing and took off the duffel bag from his body. Black eyes followed his hands. That gaze somehow reminded him of Chen’s, sending a chill down his spine.

Ilyeong put strength back into the hand that was about to drop the bag under the bed.

“……I’ll use the cabinet on the left.”

He got up from his seat and walked to the cabinet located in a corner of the room. He could feel Yuto’s somewhat desperate gaze following him from behind. Bile rose up the back of his throat.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Ilyeong shoved the bag into the cabinet. He committed the four-digit password written on the inside of the door to memory. When he closed the door, an electronic notification sound rang, indicating that the lock was successfully engaged.

“Now, go back to your spot.”

Yuto did not move. He just stared at the closed cabinet with a dazed expression for a long time. He exuded a pitiful feeling, like a child who had had his things taken away, and Ilyeong was once again at a loss for words.

His body, which had been dragged around like a puppet on a string, relying on the parasites in his head, soon sank into the mattress. The son of a bitch and the winter wind who had completed their mission cackled and cheered.

Ilyeong lowered his heavy eyelids. Just before he was completely consumed by sleep, he thought he heard the sound of footsteps tiptoeing to the corner, but he had no energy left to care.

*

When he opened his eyes again, his mind was, thankfully, much clearer.

Ilyeong blinked and stared blankly at the ceiling in front of him. How long had he slept? What was he doing……. Like an overloaded machine, it took time to load the memories just before.

The first thing he did after getting out of bed was to wash his body. Under the shower head from which hot water poured, he washed his body to his heart’s content until he felt his brain melting into mush. When the fragrance of shampoo and body cleanser, which he had never smelled before, filled the shower booth, his mood also became quite soft.

Only after coming out of the bathroom did Ilyeong realize that his uncomfortable roommate was not in sight. It seemed he had accepted his proposal to ignore each other. Or perhaps he was hurt by his heartless words and had crawled into the next room.

By now, the three stragglers might be gathered beyond the wall, diligently badmouthing him. Thinking that made his ears tickle a little, but as long as he could use the room alone with a peaceful mind, anything was fine.

After changing his clothes, he entered the memorized password into the left cabinet. Then he pulled out the duffel bag that was shoved inside and found a black tin case. Small packets of medicine were rolled up and stored in it. He tore off just one section from it and put the rest of the medicine and the tin case back into the duffel bag.

Then, with the medicine packet clenched tightly in his hand like a lifeline, he slowly explored the room. Fortunately, the room was not large, so it did not take long to find what he was looking for. On the nightstand, several bottles of mineral water, an extension phone, a coffee pot, and instant tea were neatly packaged.

Ilyeong picked up one of the water bottles. And without hesitation, he poured half of it onto the carpet and emptied the powdered medicine into it. The powder wavered as if it were dancing and then soon dissolved transparently. It was a scene so ecstatic that the inside of his mouth went completely dry.

Just then, as he brought the water bottle to his lips with a somewhat hasty hand, the sound of the room door unlocking was heard.

“Ah……. Y, you’re awake?”

“……”

It was Yuto. Ilyeong, who made eye contact with him from the front, was so startled that he almost spilled all the precious water. Yuto was holding a large brown paper bag dearly. The faint sweet smell that lingered in the cruise wafted from him.

It was only a minute ago that he was happy about being left alone in the room. It seemed Yuto had neither accepted his proposal nor was he gossiping with the people next door. It was astonishing that he still had a friendly face even after such an awkward incident just a few hours ago.

“Wh, why is the water like this……”

Yuto’s eyes widened when he noticed that the floor at Ilyeong’s feet was wet. He hurriedly placed the paper bag on his bed and approached Ilyeong.

Ilyeong, who had paused in the posture of bringing the water bottle to his mouth, calmly tilted his arm even more. The holy water he had personally manufactured wet the inside of his mouth. Neither the fragrant flower scent of the shampoo nor the sugar-like sweet smell from Yuto’s body could compare to this water.

“I was just trying to drink some water. Just leave it. I’ll wipe it up.”

“Ah, ah. So that’s what happened. No. I’ll wipe it up since you’re sick.”

Without even waiting for an answer, Yuto ran to the bathroom and brought back a dry towel. He laid the large, soft towel, something unthinkable in the slums, on the carpet without a second thought. And he pressed on it with his palms as if to absorb the moisture.

Ilyeong narrowed his eyes and looked down at that dry back. Perhaps because of the angle, it looked as if Yuto was prostrating himself at his feet, but the person himself did not seem to mind.

A question suddenly arose. Was it possible to be so blindly devoted to someone you had just met for the first time?

“……Before the lottery, have we by any chance met before?”