Ire couldn’t hide his surprised expression. He thought he was going back to the base after meeting his brothers, but Kim Ha-yoon had made an unexpected proposal.
“Are you… joking?”
“Why? Don’t you want to go to Area C?”
He bit his lower lip. He had once loitered near Area C to get Matteo’s medicine. He failed to enter, though. It was a city of pleasure. All sorts of drugs were made and sold there, and therefore, it was full of addicts. Actually, he had only heard rumors about this; he hadn’t confirmed it himself.
“We’ll stand out.”
Ire looked back and forth between the red car and Kim Ha-yoon. He was enough to draw the attention of others just by his presence. Moreover, he brought such a flashy car, making them easy targets for criminals.
“I think we should turn back.”
“Scared?”
“It’s not that, it’s for Captain’s safety…”
Kim Ha-yoon laughed, and Ire also felt it was funny after he said it. He had seen him slaughter people like chopping up a raw chicken. But the level of District B and Area C were different. Here, at most, it was assault or theft, but there, he heard that murder could happen even over a cigarette.
Despite Ire’s worries, he unhesitatingly drove the car toward Area C instead of District A. After passing a place where trash was piled up like mountains and driving for a long time again, the sun was setting, and the gate of Area C gradually began to appear in the distance.
When the car stopped, an armed soldier guarding the border approached, and Kim Ha-yoon handed over his pass. The soldier checked it and immediately saluted, then opened the gate.
“Get out.”
“Are we walking?”
It was fortunate, in a way. Ire hurriedly got out of the car before he changed his mind. Meanwhile, Kim Ha-yoon brought over a black motorcycle that was parked nearby.
“Let’s take this. The roads inside are a mess, so it’s hard to get in with a car.”
Judging by the fact that he said it was hard to get in, had he been there before? Perhaps he crossed over to other areas more often than he thought. Kim Ha-yoon sat in the driver’s seat and looked back. “What are you doing? Get on quickly.” Ire climbed onto the back seat and took an awkward posture.
“Hold on tight. It’ll take a while to get to the center.”
“Where should I hold on?”
“Do I really have to teach you that?”
No sooner had he finished speaking than he started abruptly, and Ire’s body fell backward. He hurriedly grabbed Kim Ha-yoon’s waist. He could feel his firm skin through the thin fabric. After passing through the entrance, the road was a mess, just as he had said.
The roads were damaged here and there, and the streets were desolate. It was a bleak landscape that didn’t match the words “city of pleasure and depravity.” The motorcycle, kicking up dust, bounced off the ground every time it hit a bump, and Ire struggled to avoid falling off.
“Why don’t you just hug me?”
“……”
“It hurts like hell because you keep pinching me.”
“I’ll drive.”
The motorcycle stopped suddenly, and Ire’s cheek was pressed against Kim Ha-yoon’s back. “Shit. He drives the car like crap, and the motorcycle too,” he cursed inwardly, but he looked back.
“Can you do it?”
“Yes…”
After thinking for about 3 seconds, he readily agreed. That’s a relief. At least he wouldn’t die in a motorcycle accident. He thought it was a good thing he had learned how to drive before, and as soon as Kim Ha-yoon sat behind him, he hugged his waist tightly. Ire was startled and looked back. Kim Ha-yoon’s cheek was now pressed tightly against Ire’s back.
“Ire oppa, let’s go-.”
This crazy bastard. He almost punched him in the face with his elbow. Would he go to military prison then? Anyway, it was only a loss for him to fight over time here, so he immediately started the engine and set off. He was slower than before, but at least he didn’t drive as roughly as Kim Ha-yoon. Just when he had gotten used to the firm arms holding his waist, shops began to appear one by one.
Unlike the monochrome District B, Area C was colorful with yellow, blue, and red. It couldn’t hide the fact that it was old, but the bright colors gave it a lively feel. As people appeared one by one, the hand holding the handle tightened. He couldn’t help but be wary of his surroundings, not knowing where, who, or how someone would attack.
Instead of streetlights, colorful light bulbs twinkled, illuminating the darkened neighborhood. Underneath them, men and women in revealing clothes gestured in various places, and there were all sorts of people: drunks lying around on the street, beggars begging, and people staring blankly into the air, high on drugs.
“See over there? Stop in front.”
Ire stopped the motorcycle in front of a building with the word “Lodging” written largely on it. Soon, a burly man came out of the inn, received money, and stored the motorcycle. He got off and looked around, but people’s gazes were piercing.
He pulled his hood down deep to hide his conspicuous hair color. Shouldn’t he have brought a weapon? He was regretting it inwardly, but Kim Ha-yoon casually put his arm around his shoulder like a gangster.
“It’s late, so shall we eat here and sleep over?”
Ire frowned openly.
“Weren’t we going straight back?”
“Since we came, let’s look around and get some rest.”
He was about to say he didn’t want to, but someone grabbed his sleeve. He looked down and saw a small child smiling with a basket under his arm. Then he took out a snack from the basket and held it out. Ire looked at the child with a flustered expression and waved his hand.
“It’s okay.”
The child didn’t give up and held out another cookie, and Ire smiled awkwardly. Then Kim Ha-yoon snatched the cookie and immediately handed money to the child. The child who received the money smiled brightly, bowed his head, greeted them, and ran to the other side. Ire, who was looking back, widened his eyes. Kim Ha-yoon had taken a bite of the cookie.
“Spit it out. How do you know what’s in it?”
“It’s probably just drugs. I don’t react well to drugs. Thanks to that, I suffered quite a bit when I was young.”
Kim Ha-yoon finished the remaining cookie and casually shook off the powder on his hands.
“Don’t be nervous. People live here too.”
Could Kim Ha-yoon really not see it? The people who were looking at them with eyes that were looking for prey from all directions. If the people in District B were wary, the people here felt murderous. Kim Ha-yoon didn’t care and led Ire to the market.
The expressions of the people coming and going in the market were relatively bright. He was curious when he saw the hazy smoke rising under the colorful lights. Were they trying to chase away bugs? In fact, in District B, they sometimes burned grass to chase away bugs in the middle of summer.
As Ire entered the market, he realized that someone was following him.
“We’re being followed.”
“I know. Two?”
Ire pretended to be choosing something and briefly checked behind him.
“Three. There’s one more behind the pillar.”
“You have a good eye.”
Ire looked around to see if there was anything he could use as a weapon. But strangely, as time passed, he felt like he was floating. As the boundaries of reality collapsed, he felt like he was dreaming. The reason why people were laughing so happily and looked dazed. He sensed that it was because of the smoke and grabbed Kim Ha-yoon’s arm.
“Captain. I think we should get out of here.”
“Why? I feel good? I feel dazed, like I’m drunk, and, like, I want to laugh, huh?”
He said he didn’t react to drugs, what a load of crap. Ire sighed as he looked at Kim Ha-yoon, whose eyes were faintly out of focus. The guys were still following behind him. He hurriedly looked for a place to hide and pushed Kim Ha-yoon to one side.
“Do you have a knife or a gun?”
“Huh? What?”
Ire closed his eyes tightly as he looked at Kim Ha-yoon, who was showing his loosened face. He heard people outside and frantically groped Kim Ha-yoon’s body.
“A gun, a knife. Do you have one?”
“Who told you to touch me? It feels good.”
“Please shut your mouth!”
“I have a weapon.” Ire was relieved for a moment at Kim Ha-yoon’s answer. When he asked where it was, he grabbed Ire’s hand and placed it on his thigh. He felt something thick and hard. It didn’t take long to figure out what it was. “Shit!” As he took his hand away, Kim Ha-yoon smiled slyly.
“I say this is my weapon.”
Looking at his mischievous face, he felt frustrated. That’s it. What help could he expect from him? He’d rather die than suffer. He decided that it would be better to strike first. He wanted to leave Kim Ha-yoon behind and run away, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
So he hid behind the wall and waited for the opponent. He was about to jump out and attack when they were right in front of him, but the opponent blocked him right away. His smiling face was somehow familiar.
“So it’s you, the trainee?”
Ire frowned, and the man held out his hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Major Kim Seon-oh.” A sturdy physique and sharp eyes. His angular posture was a common sight at the base. Ire looked back in confusion.
Kim Ha-yoon, who was dying from the drug, was sitting up perfectly fine.
He had a clear look in his eyes and was waving his hand mischievously.
“I told you, I don’t react to drugs.”