"This way. It's here."
"Yes.."
We followed the Detective out of the bustling collapsed building site and crossed the deserted road in the early morning.
"Over there."
"...."
The club members trudged along in silence.
Their faces clearly showed exhaustion
from the exorcism ritual that had lasted nearly all night.
As we entered a nearby public parking
lot, a black midsize car came into view.
A black Sorento, the kind of car you'd
typically imagine middle-aged men driving.
The Detective stopped in front of it, and after we glanced around to confirm no one was watching, we gathered awkwardly in a circle around the car and let out hesitant sighs.
"Haa..."
"So tired....."
The club members looked exhausted.
Teacher Jang Hwaeun silently patted Sunah and Hayoon's shoulders to comfort them, while the Detective crossed his arms and leaned against the car's front hood.
"Even if you're tired, what needs to be done must be done. Now, Joon, please give us a summary of the situation."
"...Okay."
I turned my shoulders once and stood in front of the members.
"...First of all, the ghost story has been completely eradicated. I've confirmed that the message appeared and even received the points. Everyone, let's give a round of applause.."
"Wooow... clap clap clap..."
Sunah responded weakly, staring at the ground.
"The ghost story itself has now been
completely resolved. But the important thing is how we handle the rest..."
I trailed off, looking at the Detective.
"We originally planned to just eliminate it and leave, but now the building has collapsed and things have gotten too big... What should we do...."
"Don't worry about that. Ill take care of everything."
The Detective, still leaning against the hood, replied with a calm expression.
"I didn't expect things to go this far either, but as long as I can keep people's attention from turning toward you kids, that should be enough."
"...Yes, that's right.."
"Then don't worry. I'll take care of it properly."
"....."
I was tired, and I wanted to just let it slide.
Still, since this was an important matter, I cautiously asked the Detective again.
"I wonder if you could just share a bit about how you plan to handle this...."
"Hmm...."
I felt almost guilty for asking, and besides, this was clearly something the experienced Detective would handle on his own.
Still, as the club president, I thought I should at least know how things were going rather than blindly leaving everything to someone else.
Soon, the Detective, who had been silent, spoke just one sentence.
"Simply. I know a politician."
He stopped there, saying no more.
'A politician...'
The Detective had once mentioned that he had handled many major cases in the political world as well.
Even in my previous life, he was the first to respond to the national incident of the 300-head explosion of Nakseong High School and even came specifically to meet me.
'....I wonder if he knows someone among the politicians.'
Someone who could exert influence to clean up a mess like this.
Come to think of it, the Detective always gave off the impression of working alone, but that was only when he came to help with our club activities.
"....."
The Detective must have his own background and connections that we Were unaware of.
"....And as for how we'll cover it up, for example, it'll go something like this."
The Detective shared with us some ideas he had in mind to manage the current situation.
One of them was the idea that the very act of mobilizing police in the middle of the night to evacuate people was a precautionary measure, which sounded quite plausible.
"After receiving a report that a building
was collapsing, our police were dispatched. Sensing the urgency of the situation, they immediately evacuated the people."
".I think that's good. That way, no strange rumours will spread outside."
"Exactly."
The Detective nodded.
"We received the renort. responded.
and evacuated people. And the building collapsed just as predicted. It's natural."
"...But won't there be any issues within the police? The people at the scene would know that the initial reason for the dispatch has changed....."
"Don't worry about that either. They'll be busy anyway."
The Detective looked at me as if to say he would answer any concerns and explained everything step by step.
"The police will be too busy celebrating the performance achievement of bringing in dozens of missing people, so no one will care. In fact, they'll probably try to cover up any suspicious details themselves to avoid
scrutiny. Making excuses isn't our job, it's Noryangjin Police Station's responsibility."
As expected, the Detective answered nonchalantly with an expression as if nothing had happened, and it felt reassuring.
"The deal I made with the person in charge from the beginning was exactly that. They weren't to care about things like which investigation unit it involved, to treat it as a personal report from me, to omit my name, and to credit all the achievements to them."
"I see."
A win-win situation, I suppose.
I found myself nodding.
They get to have a feast of achievements without having to share credit with anyone.
The Detective could naturally avoid leaving his name while solving the case.
"..If that's the case, then it's actually something they'd want to keep quiet about. If anyone digs, itll basically be exposed that they didn't do anything themselves."
"Right."
The Detective nodded.
'....At this rate, we won't attract any attention. No, they wouldn't even try to look for us in the first place.'
The police were in a position where they had more incentive to actively fabricate a reason for why the test takers had gone missing there as a group.
"just as we discussed earlier, we can say they were trapped by voice phishing scammers, or that they were working part-time there to earn pocket money while studying for the civil service exam and couldn't get out.
Whatever the reason, don't worry. I handle the cleanup and make sure everything is taken care of properly."
"...Thank you, Detective."
Only then did I finally bow my head.
The Detective also gave a soft Hmm', and nodded in acknowledgment.
"The police are already managing and
contacting the families of nearly fifty missing people, and the police station is probably too cramped to even have space for more people. They probably don't even know you were there. So, just go about your lives as usual. Got it?"
"Yes, thank you..."
After explaining up to that point, the Detective straightened his posture and rose from the hood of the car.
"Alright then. What are you kids planning to do now?"
"..."
"Are you heading straight home? If so, I can give you a ride."
We stared at each other for a moment.
Dirty faces, dark clothes.
We looked like we had been hit by a bomb.
Could we possibly go home in this state?
"....."
Soon, the Teacher stepped in, brushing off the members' clothes as she answered for us.
"You can't go home like this. You're gonna get an earful."
"Right..."
I looked around at the members with an awkward expression.
"But we need to go home to get our school uniforms... since all our uniforms are at home..."
"Then stop by a nearby coin laundry and wash your clothes. They'll all be dried in about an hour and you can wear them like new."
"An hour..."
The members made dejected expressions.
They looked like they wanted to collapse and sleep right away, and the idea of having to go back out, wash their clothes, and clean themselves up felt like a huge burden.
But there was no other way.
Even if it weren't for the clothes, considering we had to go back to school in the morning anyway, we were already in no position to rest comfortably.
"We'll only get three hours of sleep now... If we wash clothes and stuff.."
"Alright, listen up. I'll take care of that for you."
The Teacher stepped forward in front of the members and offered a suggestion.
"You should all go to the nearby public
bathhouse, give me your clothes, and wash yourselves first. You can just wear bathrobes inside anyway."
"....."
"You can wash up and take a nap there. I'll handle all the laundry and bring your clothes to you when you're done. Sounds good?"
"... yeah, that sounds fine, but...."
We looked at each other, feeling both grateful and apologetic.
Just because she's a teacher doesn't mean she was any less tired than us. She also stayed up all night outside just like we did.
Yet, despite that, she was stepping forward first, offering to take on such a task for us.
"...Thank you...".
Yeah, yeah."
The Teacher patted the members on the back.
Being an adult doesn't make it any less tiring, yet the Teacher still sacrificed for her students.
And we, too, in that moment, were filled with a childlike desire to be taken care of by someone older, so we simply accepted it with a grateful nod.
Soon, the Teacher, trying hard to hide her fatigue, raised her voice in a lively tone.
"Alright then, let's go Can everyone fit in the Detective's car? Or should we split up and take my car?"
"Hmm, we could all fit if we just clear out the luggage, but it's a bit messy inside. It'd be better to split up."
"Alright, then all the girls, follow me. The Teacher's car is over there."
"Haaa....."
"Come on, everyone, hang in there just
a little longer. This way.."
Jinhee wore a sullen expression, and
Sunah looked utterly exhausted.
And Hayoon's face had grown even paler, devoid of color, as she followed Teacher Jang Hwaeun out of the parking lot.
"...."
"....."
We boys waited in silence for a moment, then trudged like zombies into the large car door the Detective had opened for us.
I took the passenger seat, while
Gyeongwon and Dukhun each plopped down on the two or three seats in the back and immediately lay down.
Vroooom-
[Starting- Engine-]
As the engine started, the cheerful voice of the navigation system echoed through the otherwise quiet car, sounding oddly out of place.
[Starting navigation.]
The Detective started the car and began driving.
Gyeongwon and Dukhn must have already fallen asleep, as they've started snoring.
"PhewWww."
"Zzz...."
...Screeeech-
In the quiet parking lot at dawn, only the sound of tires screeching echoed across the pale green painted floor.
As we circled around and exited the entrance, I saw the Teacher's red Matiz pulling out first, passing right in front of us.
Through the rear window, I could faintly see Sunah's short hair and Hayoon's straight hair, both already asleep in the back seat.
Jinhee was in the passenger seat, chatting idly with the Teacher.
"....."
Soon, the Detective turned off the navigation and, without a word, drove
straight ahead, following the red Matiz.
Vroooom-
"....."
"....."
A quiet dawn.
Two cars gliding silently along the
road.
A few blocks away, the collapsed building could still be seen, with police cars and ambulances idling back and forth.
'... It's all over now'
This was the end of the boarding house.
With that thought, I also closed my eyes.
"Zzz....."
**
[The Demon King proposes a truce. Do you accept?]
".....!"
I had dozed off for a moment, and when I jolted awake, the car was just passing over a tall hill.
And down below in ShinLim Neighborhood, I could see our apartment building getting closer and closer.
'...Wow. That's my home...'
Half-asleep, I thought that as I looked at my apartment.
It would be perfect to get out right there and dive onto my bed.
..But I guess I can't go back now.'
Leaning my head against the passenger-side window, I stared blankly, watching my home pass by with a feeling of regret.
Just as Teacher Jang Hwaeun said, going back home would only be possible after washing all my clothes, as if nothing had happened.
And not to sleep, but just to pick up my school uniform.
It was Monday today, and we had to go to school for the competition.
'It's going to be such a tough day....'
As I was leaning against the window in a daze, gazing at my house that was passing by, something suddenly occurred to me and I called out to the Detective.
"...Detective."
"Hmm."
I have a few things to ask you."
"..What is it?"
The Detective answered quietly, still holding the steering wheel.
I quietly turned around to check if the guys were asleep.
"Pheewww.. Haa..."
"Pheewww.. Zzz..."
Fortunately, they were both completely asleep.
Dukhun had his head bent down at a 90-degree angle, burying his chin in his own fat belly, and Gyeongwon was sound asleep, unaware that his pride,the glasses, had slipped down and were resting on his nose.
"..During the last timeline."
"Yeah."
After breaking the ice, I followed the Detective's gaze forward and continued speaking.
"...Before I died in the previous timeline. You told me a few things, Detective."
"...What were they?"
"One was about In Hayoon....."
I checked again in the rearview mirror to make sure the club members were asleep, then continued speaking.
"...In Hayoon. You said that she has no family. To me."
"...No family?"
"Yes."
As expected, the Detective let out a low hum, as if he genuinely didn't know at all.
He soon nodded, as if he had a guess.
"You mean the background check you asked me to do last time."
"Yes, the one I mentioned then...."
After the Wiggle Wiggle ghost story ended, when I spoke with the Detective about the money bag at the Starbucks in front of my house.
That was the task I had asked him to do back then.
".So you're saying I did it."
"Yes....."
"So. Was there nothing else?"
"....."
After briefly searching my memory, I answered.
"...No. That was all you said about it. Just that In Hayoon has no family, that's all..."
"..Really?"
"What could that have meant...? That In Hayoon has no family."
"...."
"I died shortly after, so... I couldn't hear anything more...."
"...."
The Detective, with a pensive expression, simply followed Teacher Jang Hwaeun's car in front.
And a little later, as the car stopped at a traffic light, he broke the silence with a let's see', and then shared what he had been thinking.
"...If that's what I said, then it must be true. In Hayoon has no family. No parents, and no siblings either."
"Does that mean they passed away?"
"Probably."
The Detective nodded.
"If I said she doesn't have any family, that's likely what it means. When the family register was issued, perhaps the names of the father and mother were marked with 'deceased' in Hanja characters. That must be it, since most of the documents I can access are of that nature."
"..I see, as expected..."
I nodded with a somewhat heavy heart.
The words written on Hayoon's family
registry documents.
Deceased' next to the names of the father and mother.
In Hanja characters.
"....."
The red Matiz driven by Teacher Jang
Hwaeun stopped in front of us, waiting
for the signal.
Through the rear window, I caught a glimpse of Hayoon's figure, her head slightly bowed.
It seemed she was asleep, her head tilted slightly and not moving at all.
"...Has no family.
Hayoon.
Why don't they have a family... Sunah too....
I bit my lip.
I thought she was the type who grew up with a lot of love.'
I thought she was born into a wealthy family, pampered endlessly, and raised delicately.
'...Why is that?'
My heart felt unsettled.
Until now, the impression I had of her was that of an always composed and impenetrable personality.
An image that was both aloof and somehow familiar yet elusive, giving off a mysterious aura.
That image started to jumble up in my mind.
"Hayoon... what kind of person is she?"
The cult organization that would one day dominate South Korea, the Dogma of Void.
What kind of life must it be to be called young miss' in that place?
I lost myself in thought for a moment, gazing at her slender back visible through the glass.
Soon, the signal changed and the car started moving again.
"....."
The Detective followed Teacher Jang Hwaeun's car along the main road, then slowed down and turned right with her.
Then, a large sauna building came into view.
As the Detective slowed down near the building to park, I asked him one final question.
"Detective, there's one more thing."
"Yeah. Go ahead."
"This time... it's about In Taesang..."
I spoke with a serious expression.
"You know the one who's supposed to become president later, the current leader of the Dogma of Void."
".Yeah. That person."
The Detective frowned slightly.
"What about him?"
"That person... doesn't exist in South Korea, that's what you told me."
"..What?"
"There's no one by that name in South Korea. That's what you said....."
"....."
"What Could that mean..."
The Detective let out a low hum, slowly parked the car, turned off the engine, and rested his arms on the steering wheel.
"In Taesang... maybe he's using a different name now... or changed his name later. Isn't that a possibility?"
"...I don't think so. He's the person who
became the President in the future,after all."
I shook my head.
"If it's just a few years from now, and he lived his whole life under a different name until right before....surely that would have been
mentioned in the media. It's not just any matter, we're talking about the President, after all."
"...I suppose so?"
The Detective nodded.
"He lived abroad, so now he isn't a South Korean citizen and can't be found... something like that isn't the case either"
"...Right."
I nodded along.
This wasn't about an ordinary person, it was about the President.
There was no way facts like changing his name under attack by fabricating non-existent issues, or having lived abroad, wouldn't have been mentioned.
In reality, if I recalled correctly, although his rise to the presidency was somewhat sudden, according to the news reports about his background, he had lived his entire life as a South Korean citizen and had served as the head of various human rights organizations.
He hadn't changed his name, and he certainly wasn't a foreigner with black hair.
"...But he doesn't show up in the South
Korean citizen search?"
However, as the leader of the Void cult, In Taesang clearly existed as a person right now.
His name even appeared on their website.
"....."
Knock knock-
As the Detective and I exchanged serious expressions, Teacher Jang Hwaeun knocked on the tinted window as she peered through with a smile.
["What are you two talking about? Come on out, quickly. Joony, wake up the kids in the back."]
"Ah, yes. Hey, Gyeongwon~ Dukhun~"
I turned around and Woke the guys up.
"We've arrived, let's get up Come on, quickly-"
"Huuu..."
"Let's go to the sauna and sleep some more. Get up, come on~"
"Ughhh..."
Gyeongwon and Dukhun furrowed their brows and got up from their seats.
I opened the door and walked out toward the female members who were squatting and dozing off while waiting for us.