The place they moved to with them was an abandoned high-rise building. The building was old and unmanaged, teeming with rats and insects every time they passed by. Reaching the top floor, bedding and traces of cooking were noticeable everywhere.
Going to the window, the scenery of Area C came into full view. On a small round table, there was also a telescope, seemingly for observing something. As Ire stared at it, the man who introduced himself as Major Kim Seon-oh picked up the telescope and handed it over.
“Take a look, it’s a new model with recording function.”
As instructed, Ire brought it to his eyes and looked down. The faces of people passing through the market came into the lens. The performance was excellent, showing even the pores. After observing, Ire put the telescope back in its place and looked for Captain Kim Ha-yoon. He had been out of sight since earlier. The other two were the same.
“The three of them must have something to talk about. Everyone has a lot of complaints.”
“Is that so…”
“How’s the training? Is it bearable? Is Captain Kim Ha-yoon giving you a hard time?”
What does giving a hard time mean? Is he talking about this situation? Then he seems to be giving him a hard time enough. But Ire couldn’t honestly tell him. He occasionally encountered officers who were not trainees within the unit, and although they didn’t openly show their dislike, Ire knew that the way they looked at him was not kind.
“I should cut my hair after the graduation ceremony.”
The man fiddled with the ends of Ire’s hair. Then, he admired the color, finding it fascinating. He also examined the color of his eyes and asked if either of his parents was a foreigner.
“There are many mixed-race people here. But I’ve never seen such wonderful eyes like yours. The women won’t leave you alone.”
As he brought his face closer, Ire subtly stepped back. The man was more talkative than he looked. He was mainly curious about life in District B, or rather, about the women there. Specifically, what kind of sex they enjoyed.
“Here, finding someone to sleep with for a night is easier than buying a piece of bread. There are prostitutes all over the place outside. But you have to be careful. No one knows when or how they’ll change. In fact, a few days ago, a guy slept with a prostitute right in front of here and was found beheaded the next day. All the money he had was stolen. It was just enough money to buy a piece of bread. That’s how it is here. They sell drugs, sell their bodies, and kill people for a few pennies. Isn’t it scary?”
Ire forced a smile and shrugged his shoulders at the man who was talking non-stop like a machine gun. He couldn’t tell the man, who looked about ten years older than him, to please shut his mouth.
“Why are you bothering a kid with useless talk?”
Before he knew it, Captain Kim Ha-yoon and the other two had returned. Captain Kim Ha-yoon came closer, put his arm around Ire’s shoulder, and gestured to the man in front of him.
“Get lost. Don’t say dirty things to a kid.”
Then Major Kim laughed, finding it absurd.
“Hyung, aren’t you going too far? Who do you think I’m here suffering for?”
Ire was quite shocked by the man’s words. Hyung? Who? Without realizing it, Ire stared intently at the man’s face and frowned. Ah, it must be a joke. The man seemed to know that too, as his face distorted.
“You don’t think I look older, do you?”
“Not at all…”
“Really…?”
“You are much younger and more handsome than Captain Kim Ha-yoon.”
Major Kim’s lips curved up with satisfaction at the smooth answer. “Really? Sincerely?” Ire nodded without smiling. Honestly, he wasn’t an ugly face. He was burly, but he looked manly, and his physique was good.
Besides, Ire wanted to get revenge for Captain Kim Ha-yoon giving him the finger earlier, even if it was in this way. The man looked at Ire with an expression that he would die for him.
“You, you rascal. You’ll do well in the military, won’t you? Yeah, I’ll be more helpful to you than some guy who just sits and signs documents. When I get back, I’ll take you to a good place. Oh, what did you say your name was?”
As he tried to act friendly, Captain Kim Ha-yoon preemptively snatched Ire away.
“Let’s go back.”
“What? Already leaving?”
“Yeah. Good work.”
The other two saluted, and Major Kim grumbled that he was going too far and that if he was going to sleep, he should sleep here. Captain Kim Ha-yoon waved his hand casually and came down the stairs without looking back. As Ire was leaving the building, he noticed small dents everywhere. At first, he thought it was because the building was old, but upon closer inspection, they were bullet marks.
“Why are those people here?”
Asking what he had been wondering since earlier, Captain Kim Ha-yoon hmmmed and rubbed his chin. Ire couldn’t tell whether he didn’t want to tell him or whether he was struggling with how to say it. Then he put his arm around Ire’s shoulder again. At this point, Ire wondered if his shoulder was this man’s armrest.
“Let’s eat first. I feel like I’m starving to death.”
He must not want to answer. Ire didn’t know why he showed him if he was going to be like this. Before going outside, he put on his hood and went back the way he came. Arriving at the lodging and knocking on the door, the owner checked his face and soon let him in.
As soon as he entered, he locked the door. In front of him was a sturdy man dozing off with an ax in his hand. He must be a security guard guarding the door. Seeing that, Ire felt a little relieved. At least the chances of being attacked in his sleep would be low.
“Please bring the meal upstairs.”
As Captain Kim Ha-yoon handed over the money, the owner’s mouth widened like a gourd. Receiving the key, he went up to the second floor and as soon as he opened the door, Ire couldn’t help but doubt his eyes. There was one bed. It was wide, but the two of them couldn’t sleep in it. No, they could sleep in it, but Ire didn’t want to with Captain Kim Ha-yoon.
As Ire was wearing a face of death, the innkeeper appeared.
“The meal is bread and porridge, is that okay?”
Ire carefully asked.
“Are there no rooms with two beds?”
“What a pity. The other rooms are under repair…”
The owner, who was smiling mechanically, left as he was, and Ire let out a soft sigh. In the meantime, Captain Kim Ha-yoon was taking off his coat and hanging it on the hanger. Ire opened the window and looked outside. The window also had thick bars on the outside. In terms of safety alone, this place was much better prepared than District B.
“I’ll wash up first.”
Turning around, Captain Kim Ha-yoon had taken off all his top. Looking at his sculpted body, Ire felt envious for a moment. Unlike his handsome appearance, Captain Kim Ha-yoon had broad shoulders and a firm torso. These were things that could only be achieved through talent, not just exercise.
After he went into the bathroom, the owner brought the food. There was moderately warmed bread and soup, and half an apple each. The apple’s color had changed, probably because it was old, and it looked dry at a glance. Soon after, the door opened and Captain Kim Ha-yoon came out.
“Wow, the water is unbelievably cold. I thought I was going to freeze to death.”
Wearing only his pants, he wiped his hair with a towel and pulled out a chair to sit opposite Ire. Ire kept looking at his body, wishing he would put on some clothes, but he didn’t seem to have any intention of doing so. Ire buried his head in his plate and ate the soup and bread.
Quickly emptying his plate, Ire was about to eat the dried-up apple when Captain Kim Ha-yoon put down his spoon. He held out the bread he hadn’t touched.
“Eat more.”
“It’s okay…”
“I don’t have an appetite.”
Suddenly, he remembered the food he had eaten at his house. Freshly grilled beef and fresh vegetables. Soft bread that made his mouth water just by smelling it. Compared to that, this was stiff and tough like leather.
“Here. Take it.”
“Thank you.”
Ire hesitated and took it. Ire heard Captain Kim Ha-yoon say to himself as he looked at the apple, “Did they pick this up from the trash can?” but pretended not to hear. He wanted to tell him that there were many people who couldn’t eat even this, but he didn’t think he would easily understand. Just like he couldn’t understand Captain Kim Ha-yoon even if he died and came back to life.
Clearing the dishes he had eaten, Ire went into the bathroom and turned on the water, but cold water poured out. He wouldn’t have cared before, but his body kept shrinking because he had been using warm water all this time.
“I’m full…”
Giving a self-deprecating laugh, Ire wiped himself with the stiff towel and came out. As he was shaking his head to dry his hair, Captain Kim Ha-yoon was lying down, taking up one side of the bed. Ire took the pillow next to him and dropped it on the floor. Seeing that, Captain Kim Ha-yoon turned his head.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to sleep.”
“Leaving a perfectly good bed and sleeping there?”
“I’m more comfortable here.”
Ire made an effort to say that he didn’t want to sleep next to him no matter what.
“Okay. It’s wide and nice for me.”
“I’ll turn off the lights.”
“Do as you please.”
Turning off the lights and lying on the floor, a faint light seeped in through the window. Unable to fall asleep, Ire tossed and turned, and then he heard strange moans from the next room. At first, he ignored it, but the sound gradually grew louder.
<Ah, it’s hot! I’m going to die!>
<Does my dick taste good? Squeeze it more, more, keuheuk!>
Damn it, not even animals…
Ire covered his ears. But the sound pierced through his ears, and in the end, unable to contain his anger, he jumped up from his spot and banged on the wall.
“Keep it down! Let me get some sleep!”
He thought it would quiet down, but the sound got louder as if in retaliation. Damn it! Ire threw the pillow at the wall and screamed, but Captain Kim Ha-yoon was holding his stomach and laughing behind him, finding it funny.
Yeah, laugh. You crazy bastard.
With a resigned heart, Ire lay down on the floor. But then Captain Kim Ha-yoon came down, covered him with a blanket, and took a seat next to him. Before Ire could ask what he was doing, he plugged something into Ire’s right ear. Soon after, soft music flowed into his ear.
“Is this better? How is it?”
He soon plugged the same thing into his left ear. All the noise in the world disappeared, and only the quiet sound of a piano could be heard. Captain Kim Ha-yoon patted Ire’s chest as if putting a child to sleep. What is this creepy touch? Should he shake it off right away?
But he was exhausted from being tormented by this man all day, and he didn’t have the strength to fight anymore. He was even less confident that he could continue to hear the moans from the next room. Pretending not to notice, he closed his eyes and eventually fell into a deep sleep.