Ire fidgeted with the hem of his new T-shirt. In the back seat, a paper bag overflowed with clothes Kim Ha-yoon had bought him. He couldn’t understand why he had to receive clothes from Kim Ha-yoon, but since the man always acted as he pleased, he decided not to dwell on it.
That was why he didn’t object even when the car headed in a direction other than the base. After driving for a while, leaving the city behind, a tall Barrier Wall appeared in the distance. Seeing it, Ire turned to Kim Ha-yoon in surprise.
“Where are we going?”
“Home.”
“Captain’s home?”
Kim Ha-yoon smiled mischievously.
“Did you want to go to my house?”
“……”
“You said you have siblings. Aren’t you curious about how they’re doing?”
So suddenly? He thought he wouldn’t be able to see them easily while in District A… Along with that thought, Matteo’s request flashed through his mind. Afraid of revealing his inner thoughts, he clenched his fists tightly and averted his gaze outside.
“Aren’t you happy?”
At Kim Ha-yoon’s question, Ire changed the subject.
“Are we going in this?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Won’t it stand out?”
Is that so? Kim Ha-yoon pressed a button, and a sound came from behind, followed by the closing of a lid, completely sealing the vehicle. He didn’t seem to realize that the problem wasn’t the lack of a roof, but the color of the car. Did he want to be attacked on the way? As he was thinking that, they passed through an underground tunnel and exited through a gate without any hindrance.
Looking back, he saw the massive iron gate slowly closing after opening its mouth. While he was staring at it blankly, the car crossed a bridge. Beneath the bridge, pits of unfathomable depth were dug, making him dizzy just to look at them. As soon as the car was completely outside, the bridge separated, and the road vanished without a trace.
He had jokingly said to his friends once that they should climb over the wall of District A. Now, he was seeing firsthand how foolish their words had been. While he was lost in thought, Kim Ha-yoon spoke.
“It took decades to complete that. My grandfather passed away without ever seeing it finished.”
“That’s amazing. It would be hard to break through with any ordinary weapon.”
“That’s right. Even a tank couldn’t do it. And even if they somehow got through there, they’d be shredded in the tunnel.”
He had noticed countless holes drilled on both sides of the tunnel, but it seemed they weren’t just for decoration. On the one hand, he felt empty. Just because they were born in different places and had different parents, why did they have to live such extremely different lives?
It would be nice if there was at least hope that they could rise through effort, but District A didn’t easily accept outsiders. So, the fact that Ire was here was, in a way, a miracle.
After passing through a series of gates, the scenery gradually became desolate. The vehicle kicked up dust as it headed towards the place where Ire used to live.
Resting his chin on his hand, he watched the passing scenery, but Matteo’s words still echoed in his head. If I run away, what about Matteo? What about my siblings? Kim Ha-yoon would surely slaughter them all. He had seen his cruel nature firsthand.
His thoughts spiraled, and the car entered the outskirts of District B. It was one of the more livable neighborhoods in District B, and as a result, the atmosphere was more lively than in B-3, where he had lived.
As they drove down the road, the car bumped from time to time. It was markedly different from the neatly maintained District A. The speed slowed down, and people appeared everywhere, watching the car. Ire unconsciously straightened his back and adjusted his posture.
“Don’t be nervous. If anything happens, we can transform this car into a robot.”
Huh? Kim Ha-yoon continued seriously as Ire stared blankly with his mouth half-open.
“You didn’t know? This can transform into a combat robot. See this button in front? If you press it, it transforms instantly and shoots bullets from the front.”
He didn’t seem to be lying… Had technology advanced that much? He had heard that human civilization had regressed after the epidemic spread. But then, it started to pick up speed again decades ago.
In the military, he had often seen people with limbs replaced by machines. Their movements were so natural that at first, he didn’t realize they were machines at all.
“Shall we press it once?”
Kim Ha-yoon reached for the button, and Ire hurriedly grabbed his hand. “No! Don’t!” At that, Kim Ha-yoon grinned mischievously. Realizing he had been tricked, Ire gritted his teeth.
This man, whenever he gets the chance…
“I was just joking because you looked scared.”
“I wasn’t scared.”
“Really? Huh? You weren’t scared? Is that so?”
Ire was furious at the way he was being treated like a child. Calm down. I have to calm down. Isn’t he my superior? Isn’t he the one helping me? His stomach was churning, but he decided to ignore it.
They bickered all the way, and soon the car arrived near his house. As soon as he stopped the car and got out, a familiar voice came from somewhere.
“Ire!”
Turning around, he saw Gangsan running towards him. He rushed over, hugged Ire tightly, and grinned broadly.
“Crazy! Is this a dream or reality! I thought I’d never see you again!”
“How have you been?”
Gangsan released Ire and gasped for breath.
“Of course, I’m doing well! You didn’t think I’d get beaten up just because you’re gone…”
Gangsan belatedly noticed Kim Ha-yoon and trailed off. He looked like he was dying to know who he was. Ire was wondering whether he should introduce them when the front door opened, and a little kid popped out. “Ire hyung!” The child ran over and hugged him, and soon others appeared one by one.
Some of the children were crying, saying they thought he was dead, while others were asking about Matteo. Unlike before, the children looked healthier, and their clothes were cleaner. He was looking puzzled when someone appeared behind the children.
It was a young woman with a pretty smile.
“You’ve arrived?”
The woman greeted Kim Ha-yoon first, not Ire.
“Anna, who used to work at my house. She’s quite good at taking care of children.”
“There was a reason why the children were bragging so much. Nice to meet you. My name is Anna.”
Looking at Anna’s outstretched hand, Ire bowed awkwardly. He had thought that the person sent to take care of the children in Matteo’s place would be older, but she was quite young. As Kim Ha-yoon said, the children were cleaner and plumper than before, and they looked cute. The grimy appearance they used to have was nowhere to be seen, and they looked quite human.
“Hyung! Come in! I have something to show you!”
Drawn in by the children, the house reeked of food from the entrance.
“Oppa! We even ate chicken! It was so delicious!”
“Hyung, have you ever eaten chicken?”
“I got crayons! Do you want to see my drawings?”
The children were so busy showing off to each other that they were beside themselves. Ire couldn’t take his eyes off the children’s happy faces, his heart swelling with emotion. Meanwhile, Anna skillfully took control of the children and led them into the room.
“Okay, everyone, wash your hands and get ready for dinner. We’re having delicious curry today.”
“Teacher, I love curry!”
“Does it have meat in it?”
“Of course.”
As the children disappeared in a flurry, the smile faded from Ire’s face. He was mentally repeating Matteo’s request, but seeing his siblings with his own eyes, he couldn’t help but feel his heart waver. Whether Kim Ha-yoon knew it or not, he pulled out a chair at the dining table and sat down as if it were his own home. He looked around at the furnishings and then blurted out a word.
“It’s even worse than I thought.”
Instead of getting angry at those words, he politely thanked him.
“Thank you for taking care of the children.”
“It’s too early. Give me your thanks after the relocation is over.”
His eyes widened at the word “relocation.”
Kim Ha-yoon flipped through the Bible on the table and then slammed it shut.
“I’m thinking of relocating the children if you complete your training safely and formally enlist.”
Ire was speechless at the unexpected words.
“I’ve also prepared a house for your family to live together. It’ll be bigger than this, and the children will be able to go to school.”
At this point, he was genuinely curious. Why me, out of so many people? Seo Young-jun had said that there were more than enough people applying to the military. And that there were many talented people among them.
“I told you, I like you. Do you need another reason?”
“What happens when your interest fades?”
“So, do well. Act cute, try to be charming. Huh?”
Ire knew. This would become a shackle. It might be a means to keep him completely bound to the military. He wanted to ask what the specific reason was for liking him, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. Kim Ha-yoon didn’t seem willing to tell him honestly either.
The children, having washed their hands, came out one by one. Happy to see him after so long, they made a fuss about sitting next to him, and in the end, he started the meal with the youngest on his lap and the rest on either side of him.
Anna, in place of the absent Matteo, said grace familiarly. As if she had always been here, she was unreserved, and Ire was relieved that a good person was taking care of the children.