Chương 116: S.05 Time to Fly 08(01)

Scene 01. Hee-jin pulled on a sleek formal skirt instead of her comfortable workout clothes, tucking her blouse down into the waistband. I-seon sprawled listlessly across Hee-jin's new quarters, watching Hee-jin get ready. Hee-jin, who had finished off the look with fairly heavy makeup for the first time in ages, looked out of place in it. Hee-jin struggled to fasten the skirt's zipper and button, then tugged the hiked-up hem back down.

After smoothing the hem over her knees, she studied herself this way and that beyond the mirror. Hee-jin: Ah, did my belly pop out from eating too much at lunch? The skirt's a little tight. Feels like I've put on weight too. I-seon: But, uh, that, the Deputy Secret Agent — Si-yeon eats a ton too. No less than The Oldest. I about jumped when I saw the two of them with rice heaped sky-high on their trays in the cafeteria. Hee-jin: Did the stockings shrink a little too …? Did they shrink because I washed them wrong …?

I-seon: But The Seer barely eats a thing, just like Yeon-hui. Do appetites get mirrored across too? Hee-jin: Wonder if this jacket'll even fit …. I-seon: Up to the Deputy-level everyone knows about the mirror so whatever, but did you catch all the other staff in the cafeteria sneaking looks? Hee-jin: Ah, shit, should I just go change …. While they traded talk that had nothing to do with each other, I-seon kicked the back of Hee-jin, who'd been looking in the mirror.

Knocked off balance by I-seon's kick, Hee-jin lit fury in her eyes and twitched her lips, brimming with curses. Just before the curse burst from Hee-jin's mouth, I-seon—who'd been listlessly watching Hee-jin inspect herself—threw out a grumbling voice first. I-seon: Ah-ni, hey. What, are you off to a matchmaking date?? At I-seon's sneering voice, Hee-jin flared up and slammed the cursing she'd been about to let loose right back down. Hee-jin: Ah-ni, for real, SSibal, has this one lost it.

I-seon: You're the one who's lost it. Where are you crawling off to, dressed up like someone headed to a wedding? If it's not a matchmaking date, it's a wedding, right? It's the afternoon so it's not a wedding — must be a matchmaking date. Hee-jin: Ah-ni, dammit. I'm going out anyway so I figured I'd dress up a little — what does it matter where I'm going?! I-seon: Well, that's true, but. Hee-jin: Quit spouting your bullshit and fasten the buttons back here for me.

Hee-jin backed up toward I-seon, who lay sprawled flat on Hee-jin's bed, and thrust the buttons at the nape of her neck at her. I-seon: But hey, it's been a while since you wore this, huh? Hee-jin: About three years? I-seon: Back when you got set up on that ridiculous blind date, you bought it all giddy and wore it, then the second the date ended you stomped back in cursing your damn head off. Was he some local civil servant? What was it? After fastening all three buttons, I-seon gave Hee-jin a light shove.

Hee-jin rose to her feet and finished straightening up, turning to inspect the stockings she wore beneath the formal skirt as if checking them over. Hee-jin: Ah, that SSibal piece of garbage. I-seon: Still, the clothes are left over at least. Pretty clothes, too. Hee-jin: Was there any occasion to wear it after that? I was too busy holed up inside reading books. I-seon: Definitely — hearing you talk like that, you do sound like someone off to a matchmaking date.

Hee-jin took the brush from her durumagi(Durumagi_Traditional outer coat) and slipped it into the inner pocket of the blazer that matched her skirt. I-seon: You back late today? Hee-jin: Who knows. Probably coming back tomorrow, I think. I filed an out-pass too. I-seon: Ah~ so everyone's heading out. Does The Oldest travel somewhere far too? She does slip off somewhere every weekend. You know where? Hee-jin smiled faintly without a word and shook her head.

I-seon: Well, as for me, long as there's no problem with The Oldest's safety. Aigoo!! My back. I-seon lifted herself up from where she'd been lying and walked over beside Hee-jin, who was examining the full-length mirror. I-seon's freshly washed figure caught in the mirror too. Hee-jin stroked her elegantly done makeup and long hair, then suddenly pulled a queasy expression. She shot a cold look at I-seon, who lounged listlessly gazing into the mirror not far at her side.

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings. Hee-jin: Did you wash up? I-seon: Ah-ni, what does this bookworm bitch take me for. Do I look like some lazy one like Gyeong-seo or Jeong-in? The bigger the muscle-head, the more razor-sharp they are about washing. Slip up and you reek. Hee-jin: Well, good then. Her hair had grown considerably longer than when she'd first enthroned Ji-young. The black hair came down around her shoulders.

For once, Hee-jin seemed to have poured real effort into her appearance. Watching that, I-seon moved her steps toward the door first, making to leave Hee-jin's quarters. I-seon: I oughta catch some more of a nap. Gyeong-seo's bringing booze later, so I gotta get some shut-eye before then. Around the time I-seon left, Hee-jin picked up a thick coat that fell to her thighs. As she gripped something tucked in its inner pocket and wavered, the phone rang.

She picked up the phone resting on the vanity and offered a calm voice. Hee-jin: Yes. Understood. I'll see you shortly. Scene 02. So-hui and Si-yeon, changed into comfortable clothes, were making their way toward the office building under Gyeong-seo and Yeon-su's guidance. Everyone passed So-hui—identical to Yeon-hui—and Si-yeon—identical to Ji-young—offering greetings while fighting to hide their awkward surprise. It was the awkwardness of people who hadn't yet taken the mirror in as habit.

Yeon-hui, who should have been at the 시간수(Si-gan-su_The Chronostump), stood present, and there was Ji-young, who'd laid her makeup on a shade heavier with a slightly fierce gaze. Whether to offer the greeting meant for the 단장(Dan-jang_The Oldest) or the greeting meant for Yeon-hui—the staff inside the 본청(Bon-cheong_Headquarters) hadn't had enough time for it to settle into habit yet.

Knowing this full well, So-hui—as if she'd caught Si-yeon's habit—only scratched her cheek, dealing out timid greetings and sheepish smiles. Gyeong-seo, busy twitching the corners of her mouth as she watched So-hui and Si-yeon, abruptly yanked her cellphone out of her pocket to check it, then halfheartedly kicked Yeon-su's backside. Gyeong-seo: Yah. Twig. Yeon-su: Ah, SSibal for real. I'll snap your damn ankle clean off. Gyeong-seo: Could you even? Yeon-su: Ah, what! Why'd you call me.

Gyeong-seo: You — you can finish showing The Seer and Si-yeon around, right? Yeon-su: You think I'm Hee-jin sis? Do I look that hopeless with directions? Gyeong-seo: My out-pass time's come, so I'm heading out and back. So-hui: No way!! At So-hui's reflexive shout, Gyeong-seo's gesture—bowing as she made to slip away—stuttered to a halt. Gyeong-seo: Hm?? The Seer, did you perhaps see something …? At Gyeong-seo's cautious question, So-hui scratched her head hard with an oh-shoot look. So-hui: Ah.

Ah-ni, it's, it's not that, just — if you leave the two of us and Yeon-su takes off too, we'll really end up like duck eggs stranded on the Nakdong River …. Yeon-su: Don't worry, The Seer. I won't leave my post. Si-yeon: You're, uh, that sis later, the — who was it again? That, the buff sis, At Si-yeon's voice, Yeon-su blinked as if something came back to her. Yeon-su: Ah, I-seon sis. Si-yeon: Yeah, you said you're going to game with that sis.

After the two of you went at it tooth and nail in the cafeteria at lunch. Yeon-su: It's fine. That sis is a total bitch-ass scrub, so I don't even need to warm up beforehand. Si-yeon: Now that I've actually walked it, it's not such a hard place to get around. You can go later if you want. If I get lost I'll just call. But damn, it's huge. Gyeong-seo: From the South Gate to the North Gate it's about a thirty-minute walk, I'd say? West Gate to East Gate, about twenty?

That's why there are beacon towers between each gate. We don't use them now, but back in the day there weren't phones or anything, and it was too far to run. Still trudging along, So-hui and Si-yeon listened to Gyeong-seo's explanation for a moment and nodded. Gyeong-seo: Now there's only about four hundred left, but way back, more than two thousand stayed here — the density was high, almost like a walled capital.

Makes sense, since these days you just flip on a phone and know everything, but back then there was no way besides what they taught here. It was a kind of place for raising shamans. Si-yeon: And now? Honestly, I don't even really know what this place does. Gyeong-seo: Since we were trying to live blended into the secular world, we built up a sort of public-facing system. Now you can think of it as a kind of insurance company. Insurance just for shamans and fortune-telling houses.

When a shaman runs a rite, all kinds of incidents come up — I mean, at the very least, fall off while riding the chopper-blades and you can lose an ankle; stand a pig up and slit its guts open and catch some disease, and somebody's gotta cover the hospital bills, right? Si-yeon: Does that kind of thing still happen these days? Gyeong-seo: Even now there are five thousand people just living lives completely flipped from how they used to, after taking the spirit-descent and getting possessed, they say.

Going by the statistics office. Si-yeon: Fair, just look at me or So-hui. Gyeong-seo: Anyway, we take those premiums, pay out when accidents blow up, play the interest game, that whole deal. Like settling claims when there's a car accident. And we also keep a sharp eye on whether outfits that don't belong to our Mutual Aid Association are frauds or not. Si-yeon: An insurance company — you must be sitting on a damn pile of money then. Gyeong-seo: We're not short on it. Si-yeon: Should I swap out my car? So-hui: Yah.

Who said they'd hand you that money? Yeon-su: But, Si-yeon sis, isn't your pay less than mine? Si-yeon: Why??? Yeon-su: Because you're the Deputy Secret Agent, sis. You're my Deputy. Strictly speaking. Si-yeon: Ah, yeah? So do I have to, like, listen to So-hui, and listen to Ji-young sis, and listen to you too? Yeon-su: Nope~ Secret Agents don't have any of that. You just need to follow So-hui sis well. Si-yeon: Ah. That's a bit of a relief. Yeon-su: But, are you okay?

Like, does it bug you, or — Si-yeon went wide-eyed and stared straight at Yeon-su. Yeon-su: That I'm your superior, sis — it makes me kind of self-conscious first. Si-yeon twitched her lips and let out a snort. Si-yeon: Yah, a bitch who spread her legs on the streets, SSibal, kissing up to rich bitches for cash — only after she dropped dead does she get to live it up. They could tell me to scrub the toilets here and I'd be grateful, so you think I'm gonna whine about rank for no reason?

At Si-yeon's coarse honesty, So-hui slowly but firmly took Si-yeon's hand. The two, hands clasped tight, strolled side by side down the dirt path. Si-yeon: Anyway, it's nice that it's big. Easy to run off and hole up somewhere too. So-hui: I'd hunt you down to the very end, though? Gyeong-seo stepped out a little farther ahead again and blocked So-hui and Si-yeon's path. Bowing deep at the waist, Gyeong-seo signaled her resolve to truly take her leave.

Gyeong-seo: You two, enjoy your lovey-dovey little tour and get the rest of your rest. As for me, Gyeong-seo gracefully drew out a credit card she'd tucked into her casual outfit, held it up for display, and delivered a grave voice. Gyeong-seo: I'll be off first, to run an errand for The Oldest. At Gyeong-seo's grave bearing, So-hui twitched her lips and nodded. Beyond the figure of Gyeong-seo, who vanished in an instant on quick steps, Jeong-in appeared, grinning wide at So-hui and Si-yeon.

Jeong-in, in casual clothes, traded greetings with Gyeong-seo as if lightly ribbing each other, then quickly came up toward So-hui, Si-yeon, and Yeon-su. Coming up, Jeong-in bowed deep at the waist first. So-hui, fairly used to it by now, bent at the waist to receive the greeting, but Si-yeon barely managed to take Jeong-in's greeting with a stiff, robotic back and neck. Jeong-in: The Seer. Deputy Secret Agent. May I take over showing you around?

So-hui: Um, your name — I still haven't quite gotten all of it down …. Jeong-in: Wow!! You really sound exactly like Yeon-hui sis too?! Insane, I thought Yeon-hui sis had stormed out of the Chronostump!? Yeon-su: Ah-ni she does not? She's different? Unlike our sis, So-hui curses like a damn champ. Jeong-in: Ah, Yeon-su sis is killing the mood again for no reason. Si-yeon: What. This one — is she younger than you, Yeon-su?? Jeong-in: Ahem ahem! Hello, The Seer, Deputy Secret Agent.

I'm Yoo Jeong-in, Director of the Directorate of Knowledge. We met earlier, but I'll keep saying it. Until you remember me and go, "Jeong-in!" At Jeong-in's bubbly voice and restlessness, So-hui and Si-yeon quickly began to lose their minds. Paying no mind to either So-hui or Si-yeon, Jeong-in burrowed in between the two and abruptly linked arms with them both. Jeong-in: I'll show you the way! Let's go!