By Zephyria 
From then on, Joo-oh seemed to be in a good mood. He swept and mopped the floor without being asked, which was unusual, and didn’t roll around on the pile of laundry.
He even reduced his dinner portion and gave Mu-hae a double serving, which was a rare phenomenon. Of course, Jin Mu-hae always consumed the same amount like a machine. When told to eat it himself, he ate it all without complaint.
Was taking a photo that great? Well, he had stopped his crazy antics and became docile when his name was called.
The head next to him, humming an unfamiliar song, looked round and tempting to pat, but Mu-hae stopped himself, thinking he might get too cocky.
“La la… Hmm, hmm…”
Even if it wasn’t for the photo, Mu-hae was planning to spend a few days with him once the current job was finished. The autumn leaves were turning in Jaegang District Park, so they could go see them, and he could feed him that meat sandwich he loved so much.
Remembering his face full of excitement on the festival day, Mu-hae figured he would probably enjoy such an outing.
He always made that face whenever they were together, yet Mu-hae had always been thinking of abandoning him, which made him feel ashamed.
Well, back then, he was just a burden that had suddenly fallen into his hands. Joo-oh’s condition was also very different from what it was now.
The image of him swallowing meat bones and drooling would probably never be erased from his mind.
“Jin Mu-hae.”
“…What?”
“Does Jin Mu-hae like having me around?”
Joo-oh, who had been humming for a while, suddenly asked, shaking his legs. Well, since this guy joined, the success rate of requests had increased, and Mu-hae was less bored, so it wasn’t bad.
Also, miraculously, the world around Mu-hae had changed since then. In the midst of the upheaval, more and more opportunities were given, and he successfully seized them and came this far.
If he had to say, he liked it. But he didn’t want to say it out loud for some reason.
It was a pointless power struggle. He didn’t know why, but he didn’t want to admit it easily. So Mu-hae avoided answering and stared at the TV without interest.
Smack. Joo-oh smacked his lips regretfully and leaned his head on Mu-hae’s shoulder. He wasn’t showing any signs of disappointment or resentment, as he was always treated this way.
He just seemed satisfied with the peaceful time he had been given for the first time in a while. Mu-hae felt the same way.
He had caught the tail of the thug who had suddenly attacked them, so it was okay to enjoy the respite for a while.
Since he had obtained his father’s keepsake, their daily lives had been like they were on boosters, with hardly any time to rest their minds. They had to fully enjoy the moments of tranquility in order to overcome the incidents and accidents that would come next.
“I hope Gu-reum doesn’t contact us late,” Joo-oh muttered, rubbing his head. He seemed to believe that he could lean on him for longer if that happened.
In the end, Mu-hae couldn’t resist the urge he had been suppressing and reached out to touch his fluffy hair.
-You’ve identified a member of the Vegan Society?
“Probably. Thanks to you, I don’t have to worry about being attacked again if I’m careless. I’ll send the list to the address we always use. It’s necessary for me, but it’ll be useful information for you too.”
-Huh. Don’t you think I already know?
“Then you can suggest what you want to know more based on this.”
Gu-reum chuckled at the brazen reply, which didn’t even show any signs of hesitation.
But it was true. She would now take out a trade card with a more advanced topic.
-Wasn’t there already enough compensation? If you’re too greedy, it could damage our relationship, you know?
“I’ll just have to bear more of the burden.”
Gu-reum didn’t reply to the words that she would normally have agreed to quickly. Rather than deliberately stalling, she seemed to be pondering something.
What on earth was bothering her? Mu-hae’s gaze, which had been silent, suddenly stopped at Joo-oh.
Strangely enough, the words he had muttered came to mind. He still didn’t understand what they meant, and he didn’t intend to try to understand, but…
-I see. You’ve already reached that point. You’re making pretty good progress.
‘Right. Jin Mu-hae is fast.’
Joo-oh often said that. Fast. Something was fast.
He had left out the subject and just thrown out the words, so Mu-hae had dismissed them as nonsense, but strangely, at this moment, they resonated in his heart like the correct answer.
“Do you think I’m too fast?”
-What?
“My actions, they’re faster than you expected, aren’t they?”
Gu-reum asked back reflexively, unlike her usual self. A hint of embarrassment was visible in the distorted voice, and it felt like a light bulb went off in Mu-hae’s head.
Jin Mu-hae quietly looked back on the past six months. In the short time of less than a year, his situation had changed so drastically that no one in the mercenary industry or the western slums was unaware of it.
Had his audacious question been a trigger? Gu-reum soon burst into a laugh that was impossible to read.
After laughing for a long time, she finally cleared her throat and opened her mouth. It was still just a crackling mechanical sound, but Mu-hae somehow felt like he could read the emotions contained within it.
-Okay. What else do you need now?
“West Wind. I need the research he has.”
-You’re sure that’s information related to the Return flight?
“The Return flight’s research from 20 years ago is missing a crucial trigger. If someone continued the same research under West Wind’s direction, it must be that information.”
Letting Gu-reum repeat the same story, which she always said what she wanted to say, meant that it was a topic that she needed to take some time to consider.
Gu-reum took a short sigh and brought up the main point. The laughter from just now was completely gone from her tone.
-How much have you found out?
“That he was a key figure in the Return flight under the name Kang Ju-seo, and that a series of acts of betrayal sank the organization? Oh, and he’s currently alive and well in politics. I don’t think I’m the only one who knows this.”
-You’ve dug up as much as you can. The danger you’ll face by rushing is your responsibility anyway…
Woo-oong-.
The Link Watch on his wrist vibrated. Mu-hae glanced at the message that had just arrived.
The data sent by Gu-reum arrived in real time. The title was ‘Code Name Blue’. It was a name reminiscent of the Crystal Blue that the Return flight was researching.
-West Wind… In any case, he didn’t disagree with the cause of the Return flight. He just didn’t agree with the way it was being carried out.
“So he put everyone in danger…”
-Strictly speaking, not everyone. I’m still here, aren’t I?
Most of the Return flight members Mu-hae had met were survivors. Apart from his father and his friends, and the remaining three key figures, they all had deep secrets and were living their own lives with families.
He thought it was a fairly lenient measure for Goryeo City. What if West Wind was involved in that process?
So, if he was the one who made it impossible for Central to punish everyone by involving key figures, then Director Gil’s lukewarm attitude, unlike Teacher Jung’s, could be understood as if it had seeped in.
“…”
A strange feeling pierced his head. Was it right to be grateful for the betrayal he had committed while holding back?
What position is he in now, what name is he using, and what plans is he making?
-The name Vegan Society isn’t the only one, there have been similar groups here and there in the past. Goryeo City is no exception. Moreover, even if it weren’t for them, most of humanity in the Comfort zone has little intention of giving up Blue Energy and rushing out into the barren outside.
Gu-reum’s words were not an exaggeration. If you acknowledge your limitations and stay quietly in the city, you can at least make a living in civilization without any problems.
Blue Energy makes everything possible. Cheap public transportation and food, temperatures that maintain the four seasons while staying within reasonable limits, and all kinds of natural disasters that can’t reach beyond the Dome City.
But even though adequate food, clothing, and shelter for survival are provided, groups like the Return flight are formed. Some people find the Comfort zone, which is not even big enough to walk around, suffocating, and long for a life in nature that they have never experienced.
To make matters worse, the Crystal Zone is gradually increasing. If the long-term sustainability of human civilization is to be considered, Blue Energy had to disappear in some way.
“Isn’t the byproduct of Blue Energy also threatening most of humanity?”
-That’s right. So my current thought is that it’s dangerous to leave that decision to individuals. But some people don’t think so. They say that change begins when someone takes the lead?
Silence fell again. In the freezing silence, Mu-hae suddenly felt warmth on his legs and looked down to see Joo-oh sitting on the floor, leaning against him, abandoning the chair he had provided.
He couldn’t see his face, so he didn’t know what expression he was making. He could only feel the sensation of him breathing slowly through his legs.
-The data contains information on key figures who form the foundation of the Goryeo City Vegan Society. It’s entirely up to you and your ability to use the clues to find West Wind.
“…In return, what can I do for you?”
-We’ll talk about that later. After you realize something more important than your immediate interests.
The call ended there. Leaving behind some kind of cryptic advice, the sound wave graph flickered and disappeared.
Mu-hae felt strangely tired and ran his hands over his face several times. After that, he tried to stand up and shook his stuffy legs…
“What?”
“Umm.”
Joo-oh’s face looked pale for some reason. His lips, which should have been smiling at this time, were also stiff, as if he didn’t like something.
He had been trying to eat less dinner, so was he not feeling well? Without realizing it, Mu-hae reached out and touched his forehead, but it was moderately warm and didn’t seem to have a fever.
“Photo. We’re taking it after this, right?”
He asked in a voice that was barely audible, as if he was worried that someone would change their mind.
Mu-hae casually picked up the man, who was spreading his arms as if asking to be hugged, and threw him on the sofa. The man, who had been wriggling for a while, soon stared silently at the air.
He was lying down with his legs on the armrest of the sofa, looking like a complete bum.
Joo-oh had an unusually serious expression. So much so that he looked like a different person. Mu-hae thought it was the strangest he had looked recently.