Guest Ch 1

Part 1 <Wolf Fang>

Invitation to the New Seoul (1)

Fear seems to arise when the most familiar things suddenly become strange.

<A sinkhole with a diameter of about 3m occurred near Jamsil, Seoul. The fire department started traffic control as soon as they received the report. We will connect you to a reporter on the scene.>

Bright sunlight. Mild temperature. Even a gentle breeze. It’s a beautiful day that makes you hum a tune, but the breaking news tells of a tragedy that doesn’t suit such a day. I turned my head as I brushed my teeth, the strange story making me feel uneasy.

“Huh?”

What’s this? Is that really in our country?

The TV screen showed a black hole, filmed by a drone. It was 3 meters wide and 10 meters deep. Two passing cars had tumbled into the hole. Thankfully, the lives of the people pulled out by rescuers were not in danger. The news scene was tense, and I felt sorry for the victims, but what really caught my attention was that strange hole, not the injured people.

What kind of hole is that? It’s like a giant took a scoop out of the ground, perfectly round. Not a single jagged edge. It almost looks like someone made it on purpose.

<No, it appeared suddenly! There’s no construction around here. I have no idea why the ground gave way.>

The witness being interviewed sounded just as confused.

Seriously. Strange things keep happening.

After a quick reaction to the news, I grabbed the remote. The weather forecast appeared on the screen. The image of the sun shining brightly filled the screen, showing a high temperature of 20 degrees and a 10% chance of rain.

<It will be cool and clear all day today. Why not bring a light jacket for the evening?>

I chuckled at the friendly weather advice.

Yeah, yeah. I’ll take the AI assistant’s suggestion and wear long sleeves.

Beep.

I turned off the weather forecast and the breaking news about the rescue site. I spat out the toothpaste in the sink and turned on the faucet, watching the water swirl over the white foam. After washing my face, I stepped out of the bathroom.

In the living room, my favorite music was playing through the speaker connected to my phone. As I hummed along to the lively beat of the drums, the music suddenly stopped at the chorus, where the vocals were supposed to hit a high note. And then the phone rang, killing my mood.

Great, the basic ringtone blaring in 5.1 surround sound. And the timing of the phone call…

“Ugh, your timing is always the worst.”

Maybe it was my irritated tone as I answered, because my friend grumbles with a wronged voice.

<Hey, what did I do? Man, you’re always in a bad mood.>

He doesn’t seem that mad at me, even though he’s talking like that. Just like the simpleton he is, he immediately starts chattering away in a voice full of laughter.

<Have you packed everything? You didn’t forget what time the train leaves, right? >

“Jeez, why are you so excited? It’s not like you’re a kid.”

<It’s been a while since we went on a trip! Should I buy some meat? We’re gonna have a barbecue at the lodge, right? Or should we buy it when we get there? >

Why is he acting like we’re elementary school kids going on a field trip? Honestly, with how excited he sounds, I wouldn’t be surprised if he told me he hadn’t slept. His enthusiasm made me smile, so I answered with a grin.

“If someone saw you, they’d think you were going on a faraway trip. We can just stop by the mart in Busan to get meat. It’s heavy if we buy it in advance, so let’s take as little as possible.”

<Oh, really? I’ve already packed some ssamjang and a few garlic.>

“Leave it all, you idiot. It’s a place where you can go empty-handed. You can buy underwear and toiletries at the convenience store.”

<No way! Pack your swimsuit!>

“It’s getting cold, so let’s skip the ocean.”

<Smartphone charger, adapter, portable battery, game console!>

“I was planning to borrow those from you.”

<That’s funny, I’m not lending them to you. Bring your own. And don’t forget slippers and comfy pants to sleep in!>

“I figured you’d bring all of that too.”

My friend’s voice, which had been lively with my nonchalant teasing, turned sharp.

<You shameless bastard. Are you just planning to show up with nothing?>

How cute. You should realize by now that I keep teasing you because of how you react.

“Oh, but you said it would be fine if I did.”

<Who said that!>

“Weren’t you the one who asked me to take care of things at the beach?”

<Well, uh…>

He trails off, like someone caught red-handed. I find his reaction amusing and tease him further.

“Hunting^[1] isn’t that fun anyway, right? We’ll be too busy hanging out at the pension^[2], won’t we?”

He calls it ‘hunting,’ but at most it would just be drinking with some women. Most of these guys can’t even have a proper conversation with their female classmates. How could they expect to chat up strangers at the beach? And with their awkward jokes, they’d freeze the atmosphere in an instant.

Thanks to my older sisters, talking to women isn’t that hard for me. While I might not have the charm to win anyone over with witty banter, I can hold a decent conversation without making things awkward. My friends had high expectations of me. They wanted me to be the one to break the ice with, “Are you here with friends? Want to join us?” since they would be too nervous to say anything.

“Ugh, thinking about it again makes me tired. You guys can handle it. I’ll be resting at the pension.”

Rather than complaining about my reluctance, they acted all apologetic.

<I’m sorry. Hyunho-nim, I’ll buy you underwear.>

I couldn’t help but laugh. Was this guy really excited about meeting girls at the beach? What 90s drama was he watching?

“Oh, really? What about slippers?”

<Would my shoe size fit you? I should bring two pairs. Of course.>

“Adapter, power bank, game console.”

<Of course, sir. Is there anything else you need, Master?>

“Haha, no, that’s enough.”

<Yes, Master. Then I’ll see you later.>

“Goodbye.”

I hung up while laughing at our banter.

It’s funny how, after spending so much time together, we can entertain ourselves with such trivial things.

“This is why none of us have girlfriends. It’s because we have so much fun doing this that we don’t feel lonely or need to date.”

Chuckling to myself, I started playing music again. A high note burst from the interrupted chorus. Humming the melody, I headed to my room and rummaged through my wardrobe for something to wear.

I put on black slacks and a loose white sweatshirt, checking myself in the mirror.

Maybe I should wear a shirt since I’m going to the beach. Or maybe it would be better to bring a sweater in case it gets a little cold.

I fiddled with my hair. Although I dyed it back to black, the damage was still there, leaving it frizzy. I considered putting wax on my messy hair but decided against it.

Oh well, whatever. Even if they bring a few truckloads of guys, I’m the best looking one anyway. I’ll shine even if I wear a rags, but If I dress up too much, the others might feel inferior.

With that silly thought, I packed some basic necessities into my backpack and headed out the door. After putting on my new white Converse shoes, I sent a quick message to my mom.

[Going out with friends for a 2-day trip. See you tomorrow.]

I wonder where you’ll find a son who always tells his parents when he’s going out, but my mom never misses an opportunity to take advantage of my good-natured personality.

[Are you taking the KTX? Good. While you’re at it, stop by your grandmother’s house in Huamdong.]

No, I’m taking the express bus from the Nambu Bus Terminal. I missed the timing to answer like that, so I just pursed my lips. My mom is so meticulous that she sends me on errands to my grandmother’s house, who lives nearby, just because I’m going to Seoul Station.

[Okay. What should I do when I stop by?]

[Grandma didn’t answer her phone yesterday. Just check in on her and make sure everything’s fine.]

Oh, if that’s the case, of course I should go then.

[Got it.]

After sending that final message, I put my earphones in and played my music. I walked lightly toward the subway, humming along to the chorus as I descended the steps. I passed through the ticket gate and waited for the train on the platform.

<Breaking News.>

Large letters appeared on the screen installed in the subway station. I stopped walking without realizing it and stared at the screen. The subtitle, unrelated to the upbeat music playing through my earphones, caught my attention.

<A 2m diameter, 6m high sinkhole has occurred near the Euljiro shopping district. A 70-year-old man who was passing by fell in and was seriously injured but is reported to be in stable condition.>

The screen shifted and a city ecology expert appeared. He talked about the frequent sinkhole accidents that had been occurring recently.

<Due to the heavy rains and typhoons all summer, the ground has weakened. This situation has continued for almost a month of drought, and the groundwater has evaporated. This is a phenomenon that occurred due to the weakened ground. There is no investigation or countermeasure prepared for when, where, or how large the sinkhole will occur. It seems that the government needs to prepare countermeasures urgently.>

It seems like disasters are becoming more frequent lately or is it just me?

After a summer of heavy rain and oppressive heat, the Earth now seems to be waging war against drought as the weather cools. Hot and humid, cold and dry—extreme weather swings have made it difficult for people to adapt. But beyond the discomfort, seeing the earth itself break down, sinking into sinkholes, is what really unsettled me.

Unlike when I was younger, climate change and natural disasters feel like they’ve become much more frequent. Last summer, it was hard to stay at home without the air conditioner on all day, and in winter, it was impossible without the boiler. I wonder if people will end up living underground, like ants, digging burrows to survive.

The sinkhole on the screen looked pitch-black and perfectly round, as if someone had intentionally dug it. I kept watching, even as others walked by without paying attention to the breaking news. I stood there, staring at the deep, dark hole, unable to look away, as if it would suck me in.

Baaang.

The sound of the incoming train snapped me back to reality. The train whizzed past the screen doors. I turned up the volume of my music, but the cheerful song that once sounded so pleasant now felt like noise compared to the clattering of the train.

[The doors are closing. Please step back.]

I boarded the train and, as the doors closed, took one last glance at the news about the sinkhole.

To me, it was just another ordinary day. Yet, that gaping hole on the screen, like a crack in my mundane routine, kept pulling my attention. Even after the train pulled away and the screen disappeared, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

I don’t know why I’m so concerned about something that’s happening in a world inside the screen that won’t affect me right now.

The joy of looking forward to a trip. The peace I found in it was short-lived.

I never imagined it would end up being so short.