"I guess this much would be enough for now."
"Alright, let's stop here then."
With a sharp thud, Gyeongwon shut his laptop, and I followed with a crisp clap.
"Now everyone can go home and relax, then meet at Noryangjin by 8 p.m. after dinner. I checked the location of the boarding house last night."
"Do they have soap...?"
"Oh, if anyone wants to bring your own necessities like soap, shampoo, or towels, go ahead. If you don't want to, just come as you are. We can just buy it at the Daiso nearby if you don't bring anything."
Of course, I added that it would all be covered by the club fund.
Anyway, since we were only staying for two nights, tonight and tomorrow, there was no need for much preparation.
I clapped my hands and dismissed the club members.
"Alright, good work, everyone~ See you again this evening~"
"Good job~"
"Let's go home~"
* * *
Knock knock-
The door to the hospital room opened, and the Detective with his large body in a gray coat stepped in.
Then the wife, who had been tending to her husband, stood up to greet him.
"Ah, Detective..."
"He still hasn't regained consciousness?"
"No…..."
Detective Park Gangwoon handed over a bottle of orange juice he brought as a gift to visit the patient.
The boss's wife accepted it with weak arms and bowed her head.
"Um, by the way... the people staying there today, who are they….."
"When you meet them, they'll introduce themselves. I only heard about them through a shaman I know from across the bridge."
[T/N: Noryangjin is located near the Han River (한강). ShinLim Station/ Neighborhood is on the opposite side of the river.]
"I see..."
The wife nodded weakly.
It seemed she hasn't slept a wink, staying beside her husband who hasn't woken up through the night.
"Detective… are you staying there tonight as well…?"
"I have another important case starting today, so I'm sorry, I won't be able to go with them myself. But the people I'm sending are from a trustworthy organization and, as far as I know, they're quite well-known, so you don't need to worry. Well then, I'll be going now."
"Oh, yes..."
Detective Park Gangwoon, having given only a vague explanation about his affiliation, left the hospital room.
This part was something Lee Joon, who would be meeting them directly, can explain himself.
'He's a sharp one, he'll handle it just fine.'
So he decided to leave everything for the current boarding house case to the Nakseong High School's Young Detective Team, and he once again donned the mantle of a detective and returned to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Mapo Street.
* * *
"Mom, this is the exhibition I told you about before. Since the school preliminary round is on Monday, we're going to prepare for it together at Sunah's house over the weekend."
"Oh my, doesn't Sunah's grandmother live there? Is that okay?"
"She's going to be at the hospital over the weekend or something? So the place will be empty. It's fine."
"Alright then, be careful. And don't do anything that might cause trouble."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Should I pack some side dishes for you? So your friends can eat together."
"Ah, it's okay. The members decided to order something nice together."
"Even if it's not for you guys to eat right away, if you put it in Sunah's fridge, she can have it with her meals later…..."
Sunah's fridge!
'Joon…..'
"I'll, I'll tell her next time or something. I'm off now~"
"Alright~ Take care~"
"Dad, I'm heading out~"
"Oh, you're leaving already? Joon, let your dad give you some tips. The best teamwork for competitions are 'Practice of Memory' and 'Drunken Confession'."
"I'm off~"
Bang—
* * *
"Grandma, I'm heading out now..…"
"Mmm, where, where..."
"I'm going to prepare for the competition I mentioned earlier… There are some medicines here, and there's scorched rice in the fridge..."
"Haa, yes, yes… Wherever you go, be careful on the road… Don't follow anyone you don't know..…"
"Okay, I'll stop by now and then. Grandma, I love you..."
"Yeah, take care, take care….."
Pat pat-
* * *
"I'm off now."
"Then be careful on your way."
"Okay."
"Here. Take this with you, Gyeongwon."
"…Dad, this is..."
"There's 200,000 won inside. Don't go eating weird chicken or stuff like that, make sure to eat something healthy with your friends."
"… Thank you."
"You're doing well. Even after going to a regular high school, you're not losing spirit and still preparing for a competition."
"Yes..."
"That competition was originally meant for you to enter if you went to a science high school. Think of it as yours, and go win the prize to show them. Now, go."
"…I'm off."
* * *
"Sis, I'm leaving."
"Yeah, go out but don't come back~"
"Yeah, screw you~ Ah, I forgot my wallet. Sis, can you grab my wallet over there? It's on my desk."
"Ugh, no way~"
"Ah, damn it, I put on my shoes already~"
"Yeah, so what~"
"Ah~ you idiot, seriously….."
Thump, thump.
"Hey! Are you crazy!? What are you doing coming inside with your shoes on!"
"Then you could bring it to me yourself!"
"Hey, damn it, get out quickly!"
"Ah, don't touch my hair~"
* * *
"I'm off~"
"Have a good trip, Big Brother~"
"Chomp, chomp~"
* * *
"Young Miss."
A girl was brushing her hair in front of a full-length mirror.
A woman wearing a hanbok entered the girl's room, bowing.
"Shall I have the car ready?"
"It's fine. I'll take a taxi."
"Understood. Then I'll call a taxi."
The woman in the hanbok bowed again and stepped back.
In any case, the taxi that would be called was probably also someone from the cult.
Hayoon put down the hairbrush and stood in front of the mirror, turning her body this way and that.
Jeans and a black T-shirt that accentuated the body's shape.
It was a good outfit for appealing to someone next to her without drawing too much attention.
Just like that, Hayoon left the room and stepped into the corridor of the hanok.
[T/N: A hanok (한옥) is a traditional Korean house.]
Since it was evening, it was already dark outside, and the corridor was softly lit by hanji lanterns, casting a gentle glow on the wooden floor.
[T/N: A hanji lantern (한지 등불) is a traditional Korean lantern made from hanji (한지), a durable and elegant handmade paper crafted from mulberry bark.]
She slowly walked through the traditional-style mansion.
The white socks she was wearing pressed gently against the wooden floor of the hanok as she moved forward.
Soon, she arrived at an open space that served as a living room (daecheong maru), then turned another corner and continued on, walking lightly and gracefully.
As she passed by each room, people in hanbok who had been chatting quietly turned to greet her, and a few of the elders among them also asked, 'Young lady, are you heading out?'. But Hayoon only nodded in response from time to time.
After quietly passing through corridors lined with softly murmuring rooms and turning a few corners, she finally stepped onto the porch where the main gate came into view.
Likewise, in the yard, hanji lanterns were strung in a line all the way to the main gate.
Lanterns, also known as horongbul, were scattered throughout the area, and even the almost-extinct fireflies seemed to trace light as they flew through the air.
[T/N: The Horongbul lantern is a traditional Korean lantern made primarily from a wooden frame covered with hanji paper.]
It looked as if the home of a high-ranking official from the Joseon Dynasty had been perfectly transplanted into the present.
A firefly gently landed on Hayoon's shoulder as she stood quietly, but she gave a slight shake of her head to send the insect flying, then walked toward the shoe cabinet.
Just as she was about to take out a pair of flat shoes from the wooden shoe cabinet and slip them on over the stepping stone.
A presence was felt behind her, and she turned slightly as the changho door behind her slid open. The Vice Principal of Nakseong High, Jang Yeok, also dressed in hanbok, peeked out.
[T/N: A changho door (창호문 or 창호) refers to a traditional Korean door or window made of wooden lattice frames, often covered with hanji paper) or sometimes glass.]
"Young Miss, are you heading out?"
Hayoon nodded silently.
At that response, the Vice Principal smiled gently and bowed her head.
"Please don't be upset over what I said, and I hope you take it well. Governing many people requires careful attention."
"..."
"Young Miss, you only pay attention to what falls within your own standards. But sometimes, even tiny insects need attention if you want to keep them beneath your feet."
Then, smiling gently, she added.
"Just like the other members of that club."
"I'll be back on Monday."
Without looking back, Hayoon replied.
Her mentor, Vice Principal Jang Yeok, whom the system had assigned to her, bowed her head again.
"Please take care. I'll see you back at school."
"Hmm."
Vice Principal Jang Yeok closed the changho door again and disappeared from sight.
Far from the strict middle-aged woman she usually appeared to be at school, as one of the Four Supreme Leaders of the cult, she had a polished character shaped by her faith and authority. This was the true nature of Jang Yeok.
Without any noticeable changes, Hayoon stepped down into the yard and smoothly began walking forward.
Stepping on the stones laid over the well-manicured lawn, she walked toward the distant main gate, while a flock of geese raised freely honked loudly and hurriedly moved toward the pond to avoid her.
Finally, as she reached the gate, the believers in hanbok standing at the gate and holding lanterns greeted her and opened the gates on both sides, revealing the night view of the city of ShinLim Neighborhood sprawled below the mountain.
The densely packed buildings, neon signs, and the school visible far below.
Into that nighttime scenery, she stepped forward.
The wind blowing from the mountain rustled Hayoon's black hair, she gazed down at the city in silence for a moment while waiting for the taxi.
Here, the enormous house nestled beside the Sihung Valley was perched midway up Gwanak Mountain, overlooking ShinLim Neighborhood like this.
Vroooom—
Soon, the taxi that had received the call slowly made a U-turn and stopped in front of her. The driver stepped out, bowed at a 90-degree angle, and greeted her.
"It's an honor to serve you, Young Miss. This way, please."
With her black hair swaying, she walked over and responded in a voice devoid of emotion.
"Take me to Noryangjin Station. 3rd Exit."
* * *
"Ah~ We're the best~"
[2019, May 25th | Saturday, 19:41 PM]
[Lee Joon: Number of Attempts - 2]
[Ghost Story Points: 781]
[Causality: 32%]
I was giggling while playing the claw machine with Sunah and Dukhun, who arrived early.
"Joon, that one too… get me that one…"
"It'll probably take like 30,000 won to get that one, you know?"
Sunah whined beside me like a child, standing on her tiptoe and begging for the plushie.
I gave a fatherly smile and inserted 50,000 won into the machine.
"Oi, you sh*t~ Isn't that a bit of a waste~?"
"So what. It's not like I'm short on cash."
Compared to a billion won, these claw machine coins are nothing but pocket change.
Dukhun watched with a goofy grin from the side, while Sunah was pressed right up against the glass of the machine, her breath fogging it up as she peered intently inside.
"Joon, just a little more to the side… just a little…"
"Hoo… hoo…"
Whirrr— clank— whirrr— clank—
Clunk—!
"Waaah—!"
In the end, I managed to win a huge Eevee plush as big as a sofa cushion.
I hoisted the giant Eevee plush and handed it to Sunah, who stumbled backward, probably because she couldn't see ahead.
The couples nearby looked at us with envious eyes.
"Wow, they look like students, but how much money did they spend?"
"They must be from a rich family."
"Jealous of those silver spoons."
"Honey, I want that….."
Enjoying the glances of people, we grinned widely and stepped out of the claw machine arcade.
"Joon, wait for me…"
Sunah waddled after me, carrying a plushie as big as her upper body.
"Wow, this is really huge. If there's no pillow in the boarding house, I can just use this to sleep on."
"There's no pillow in the boarding house…?"
"Hmm? I'm not really sure. But wouldn't there be one?"
Still, since it was technically a lodging business, wouldn't they at least have pillows and blankets?
Soon, as we gathered and chatted, Gyeongwon, Jinhee, and Hayoon arrived one by one.
"Prez~ Everyone's already here."
"Did you have dinner?"
"Yeah."
"What about Teacher Jang Hwaeun?"
After waiting for a while, a car parked in front of the store, and Teacher Jang Hwaeun rushed out panting.
"Oh no~~ Hey guys, hi~~ You haven't been waiting long, right~~~"
"It's okay, you're right on time. Follow me, this way!"
"Let's go!"
I began walking through the evening streets of Noryangjin with the club members and our teacher.
'Oh, Noryangjin definitely feels like Noryangjin.'
True to its reputation as a mecca for repeat exam takers and civil service exam students, there was a building that looked about ten stories tall entirely occupied by a cram school, and next to it stretched a long art academy as big as our main school building.
When I looked up, I could see the 63rd Building in the distance beyond the overpass, emitting a soft glow.
[T/N: The 63rd Building (officially called 63 Square) is located in Yeouido, Seoul. It is a famous landmark in South Korea for its iconic golden glass exterior, aquarium and cultural appearances.]
"We should all go hang out at that place."
"Let's check it out after the competition."
"President, these days the Sauron Tower is way more popular than the 63rd Building."
"Sauron Tower? What's that, guys?"
"You know the Clover Tower at Jamsil Station? They say it looks like Sauron from The Lord of the Rings, so that's what people call it."
"Oh, I see~ The Lord of the Rings was really fun~"
The teacher said, as if reminiscing about the past.
We only knew of The Lord of the Rings from memes, since we weren't even born when the movies came out, so we didn't really know much about the film.
"Here we are. Arrived."
"...Wow, this is..."
Finally we arrived at the boarding house.
The members looked speechless when they saw the building.
"...It's amazing. In many ways."
"Right?"
When I first looked up at the building with the Detective last night, I was also a bit surprised and thought it was amazing.
"Okay, let's head in."
"Uh, yeah..."
〈Noryangjin Tower of Despair〉
5th floor Noryangjin Boarding House
4th floor Yulgong Study Longue
3rd floor Ijoha Internet Cafe
2nd floor Exciting Coin Karaoke
1st floor Kim Gun Billiards Club
B1 floor 24-hour Comic Cafe
B2 floor Play Again Bowling Alley