Rainbow City

Same day, 5 PM in Sehwa-ri, Jeju Island.“Hurry up!”Commander Jang stomped his feet impatiently.The long scar across his face became more pronounced as he frowned. Behind him, a man was walking leisurely, occasionally retying his boot laces and stretching his stiff body by crossing his arms.“You bastard! Can’t you hurry up?! Dr. Stone is waiting for us.”Dr. Stone? What kind of doctor calls himself Dr. Stone? Did a blockhead become a doctor?The man smirked at his own thoughts and followed the Commander Jang.The sound of gravel crunching under their military boots was slow and steady, and the sound of waves approached and receded behind them. About 300 meters ahead, an old thatched house came into view. Its roof, piled high with reeds and tied together with a net, looked like a shaggy, dry mop.In these modern times, living in such a primitive house was possible only because Jeju Island was still a pristine area.“Dr. Stone, my ass.”“What?”“Oh, right.”Just 100 meters from the thatched house, the man suddenly stopped as if he remembered something important.“What is it now?”Commander Jang turned around, his face contorted in annoyance.[Kwak Soohwan]The three letters on the name tag pinned to his chest were smeared with dried blood, making it hard to decipher.“Bathroom.”Kwak Soohwan grabbed his crotch with his hand and grinned. It was already so swollen that he might need a suppressive injection soon.“You crazy bastard. If it weren’t for the orders from above, I would have fed you to the dogs a long time ago.”“You, Commander Jang, would be more like a snack.”Kwak Soohwan mimed opening and closing his mouth and started walking back the way they had come.“Hey! You idiot! Just piss anywhere in the reeds, why look for a bathroom! Get back here, you bastard!”Kwak Soohwan, who had stopped again, scratched his eyebrow slightly. He turned to look at Commander Jang, exuding an air of annoyance.“I don’t do that. What’s a soldier doing guarding anyway? Get someone else.”“Do you want to go back to the stockade? Huh?”Even while threatening, Commander Jang was watching Kwak Soohwan’s reaction.Nowhere was the discipline between superiors and subordinates as strict as in the military. It was unthinkable for a Commander Jang to be wary of a Major in such a hierarchical society, but the string of idiotic actions Kwak Soohwan had displayed over the past week, or even before that, made Jang choose a more conciliatory approach this time.“Hey, isn’t guarding the doctor better than going to the field? Better than getting covered in blood and smelling like crap, staying in a warm research facility with meals on time is better, right? Frankly, if they had asked me, I would have accepted without looking back. Look, Major Kwak Soohwan, you know I care about you, right? That’s why I pulled strings to get you out of the mess you made a week ago, running into the restricted zone drunk and ruining the quiet, right?”Realizing he couldn’t escape now that the usually intimidating Commander Jang was coaxing him, Kwak Soohwan responded.“One month.”“What?”“I’ll do it for a month since that’s how long I should’ve been in the stockade.”Commander Jang, thinking it was better than nothing, gestured for him to come over.This time, Kwak Soohwan followed the Commander Jang with brisk steps, clearly having planned this from the start. It turned out he wasn’t just a brute; he had some wits too.“So, are you going to pee or not?”“I’ll just wet my pants.”“I have one more favor to ask.”“What is it?”“Your job isn’t just to guard him. You need to take the Doctor to Seoul. Convincing him is your job too.”“Dr. Stone or whatever doesn’t want to go to Seoul?”“That’s what I heard.”“Then let’s just knock him out and transport him.”Commander Jang tried to kick Kwak Soohwan’s shin with his steel-toed boot, but Kwak Soohwan quickly moved his leg back to avoid it.“If you do that, you’ll rot in the stockade for ten years, got it?”Commander Jang gritted his teeth as he spoke. Now just 10 meters from the thatched house, he raised his voice.“Doctor, we’re here to escort you.”Kwak Soohwan crossed his arms, eager to see what kind of old-fashioned crank would come out. As he counted to ten in his head, no one appeared on the visible wooden porch. Out of habit, he looked around and saw only one pair of cheap slippers nearby.Realizing he had no choice, Commander Jang took off his boots and opened the door to the inner room. He looked back at Kwak Soohwan and shook his head. Signaling with his chin for Kwak Soohwan to check the outer building, Kwak Soohwan immediately headed there.“Hey! Aren’t you going to take off your shoes?!”“I can clean it up later.”“If I barged into your house with blood-crusted shoes, would you like it?”Annoyed, Kwak Soohwan reluctantly took off his boots and stepped onto the porch.“I can’t live like this. And where are your socks? We’re already short on military supplies. You didn’t leave them at a bar, did you?”Though Kwak Soohwan hated thinking about his parents, Commander Jang’s nagging forced old memories to resurface. Ignoring Jang’s complaints about his socks, Kwak Soohwan began searching the outer building.Other than a desk piled with books, the place showed little signs of habitation. Numerous stones, ranging from the size of a human head to the size of a fingernail, were neatly arranged on a long table. This must be why he’s called Dr. Stone, he thought, but it wasn’t interesting enough to inspect further. The ondol floor felt like crossing a frozen river on his bare feet.When Kwak Soohwan emerged, he stretched and yawned.“It looks like Dr. Stone or whoever has run away. Let’s just leave.”At that moment, they faintly heard the sound of gravel being crushed. When Commander Jang and Kwak Soohwan turned towards the sound, they saw a man staggering toward them.“There he is.”At Kwak Soohwan’s words, Commander Jang brightened up.“Found him at last.”The man was carrying something long and drooping in each hand. As expected, it was military socks filled with something heavy.***Same day, three hours earlier. Sehwa Beach, Jeju Island, 2 PM.It was Kwak Soohwan’s first visit to Jeju Island since he was born.Jeju, once known for its three abundances—rocks, wind, and women—was now a safe zone officially recognized by the government. It was a place where the wealthy, the high-ranking, and those who needed national protection, both humans and animals, gathered.Walking along the sandy beach, Kwak Soohwan draped his cumbersome military cape over his arm. Only the sound of waves could be heard, and the cafes and restaurants that once thrived near the beach had long since closed.Standing on the quiet beach, looking at the horizon, Kwak Soohwan was observed by another person.Though his expressionless face revealed no emotion, he seemed somewhat displeased by the presence of a man in military uniform on this beach.Since it wasn’t his land, he couldn’t argue and focused solely on finding the gems buried between the grains of sand. Squatting down, he used a stick to sift through the sand, when a shadow loomed over him from head to toe.“What are you doing?”Despite the indifferent tone, he just blinked and continued sifting the sand with the stick.“Wearing just slippers in the dead of winter? Your toes will get frostbite and fall off. I’ve seen guys like that who can’t even walk properly.”He shuffled sideways like a duck and began digging in a different part of the sand.“Is this guy a bit slow? I asked what you’re doing.”Kwak Soohwan had no good memories of soldiers. He knew the dangers they faced and how tough their jobs were, but he despised the sight of a military uniform stained with dried blood.Clicking his tongue, Kwak Soohwan watched the fool who silently picked up stones from the sand. He seemed like the child of some important person, yet they let him wander the beach alone.Rummaging through his pockets, Kwak Soohwan remembered he left his gloves in the car. He took off his boots and then his socks, which were relatively clean since he had received them that morning. He handed the stiff socks to the fool, who looked up in confusion.“Put them on.”The fool didn’t seem inclined to take them, so Kwak Soohwan just dropped the socks beside him. Even then, there was no response. Deciding he wasn’t worth the trouble, Kwak Soohwan began to walk away, kicking the sand as he went. Glancing back, he saw the fool in thin clothes and hesitated.“Idiot.”The fool was using the socks to collect the stones he had gathered.In a world where such idiots were protected, those who truly needed protection on the mainland were exposed to danger. Kwak Soohwan thought about taking the socks back but decided against it. Instead, he responded to a radio call from Commander Jang.At the same time, the man picking up stones stood up. He stared at the soldier, who looked as small as a finger from where he stood, and spoke.“Why are you talking down to me?”Clicking his tongue, Kwak Soohwan continued to fill the socks with stones.***[Late Spring, 202x: An epidemic breaks out in a small European town. Summer of the same year: The epidemic spreads rapidly across Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Africa. Late summer of the same year: A vaccine is developed, but the virus mutates.]The sound of typing accompanied the subtitles on the screen. Then, the announcer’s smooth voice began to speak.[Due to the repeated development of vaccines and virus mutations, by 202x, two years after the epidemic began, one-third of the world’s population had decreased. A year later, another third of that population had decreased, and many countries lost their government functions. Law and order collapsed, chaos ensued, and a state of emergency was declared worldwide. Under the mission of preserving humanity, nations unified. The world, once divided into about 200 countries, now consists of only three. Our mission is the preservation and new prosperity of humanity.]“Sure, the world has been unified into three countries, but it’s become even more nationalistic.”Commander Jang muttered his complaints, having heard the broadcasts multiple times a day on TV and speakers. During the transfer from the thatched house in Jeju to the Safe Center in Jeju City, the Doctor had followed more compliantly than expected.“Doctor, as you know, we need you.”The Doctor remained silent, as always.“We don’t need a stone doctor, do we? Unless you plan to teach us how to kill them with stones.”Commander Jang took a deep breath and then pulled Kwak Soohwan towards the door, speaking quietly but sternly.“You make sure to get him to Seoul. I have an emergency in Suwon, so I have to leave immediately, understand?”Releasing Kwak Soohwan’s arm roughly, Commander Jang bowed to the Doctor and left the room.The Jeju Safe Center was a converted luxury hotel, now a safe house. The carpet, though worn, still felt soft underfoot.The Doctor, still barefoot, had placed the sock filled with stones on the table. Sitting at the table, he began sorting through the stones again.Kwak Soohwan pulled out the chair opposite and sat down heavily.“They call you the Doctor, right? Is that true?”“……”“Are you called the Stone Doctor because you know everything about stones? Is there some secret to getting rid of those bastards with stones?”The Doctor found a stone embedded with a shiny crystal and held it up to the fluorescent light. Interestingly, it had glass embedded within the stone.Kwak Soohwan snatched the stone and threw it to the corner of the room.“I don’t enjoy being treated like something less than a stone. I need to take you to Seoul to avoid military prison, so cooperate, will you?”The Doctor, who had gone to retrieve the thrown stone, picked it up and tried to leave. Kwak Soohwan quickly walked over and pressed the door shut with his hand.“Where do you think you’re going?”The Doctor sighed softly and returned to his seat, not wanting to use force. He left the rest of the stones and only pocketed the one he had retrieved, then sat still without a word.Kwak Soohwan scrutinized the Doctor, wondering if he was even breathing or how often he blinked in a minute. His face was pale, in stark contrast to his red, frostbitten bare feet. Kwak Soohwan felt a reflexive weight in his gut and thought that getting him to Seoul would mean immediately getting an injection.“Are you smart?”“Smarter than you.”For a moment, Kwak Soohwan frowned, then laughed incredulously. He had assumed the Doctor was just an intelligent idiot, but his manner of speech was perfectly normal.“Top graduate of the Military Academy, but not suited to bureaucracy, causing several incidents and receiving repeated disciplinary actions and jail time… You need to take me to Seoul to avoid military prison, isn’t that right?”Hearing this articulate explanation felt as surprising as a six-year-old speaking fluently.“And I’m not a Stone Doctor. I’m a researcher on mutant viruses and mutations.”Kwak Soohwan clapped his hands.“Well, that’s great, Mr. Researcher. I don’t care about your research. Let’s just get to Seoul.”The Doctor squinted and read the blood-stained name tag on his chest.“Kwak… Soohwan?”“Feel free to call me Major Kwak Soohwan.”The Doctor folded the sock that had held the stones neatly and handed it to Kwak Soohwan.“Thank you for the socks. I’ll go to Seoul, but only if Major Kwak Soohwan is not my escort.”That meant he wanted Kwak Soohwan to return to military prison.Kwak Soohwan crossed one leg over the other and rested his chin on the table. He briefly considered knocking the Doctor out, but with such a sharp tongue, waking him up would surely cause more trouble.“Why?”“You came to protect me, but you don’t seem very interested in that task.”“Right, I only care about avoiding military prison. Do you know what it’s like there? People scream all day so you can’t sleep, maggots bigger than your face crawl around, and popping them is only fun the first time. Soldiers have no rights or laws. Aristotle said a stable country is one where all men are equal before the law. But this isn’t a country to us, got it?”The Doctor watched Kwak Soohwan babble on.His well-built physique under the disheveled uniform suggested he was more brawn than brain, yet he spouted off about human rights and ancient quotes, hinting at some inferiority complex regarding his intellect.As the vaccine was developed, the virus mutated to survive, and humanity did the same. Amid the drastic population decrease, humanity was undergoing its own evolutionary process.A small number of mutants with abilities beyond normal humans had emerged, with either specialized physical or mental traits. However, they often had deficiencies in other areas. The Doctor himself had gained intellect at the expense of physical stamina. Additionally, mutants tended to exhibit obsessive behavior.Though he was born and raised in Jeju, he had attempted to leave for the mainland once at the age of twenty, suffering from nausea and headaches so severe that the return to Jeju was terrifying. He only managed to return in his late twenties after his mother passed away and had never dared to leave for the mainland again.“Why did someone who talks about human rights become a soldier?”“They said I’d get plenty to eat. When I joined the military academy, there were about a hundred of us. It used to be an elite group, apparently. But now, the graduates are just cannon fodder. I got to eat plenty, but my comrades started disappearing one by one. Out of over a hundred, only four of us, including me, are still alive.”Kwak Soohwan spread his four fingers and scanned the Doctor’s face. Despite the unpleasant gesture, the Doctor merely blinked.“So, listen to me, Doctor. Locking up a talent like me is a national loss. You’re coming to Seoul with me.”Kwak Soohwan smiled, but there was no humor in his eyes. If he was indeed one of the four survivors among many soldiers, sending him to the brig would be a loss for the military. Though the Doctor didn’t like Kwak Soohwan, he didn’t see the need to argue further.“Fine. But I’ll need to be sedated for the journey to Seoul.”Kwak Soohwan let out a hollow laugh.“Those expensive drugs aren’t there for your comfort. You’ve been picking up stones and getting VIP treatment here on Jeju. Do you even understand the reality?”“I do. But I’m asking because I might die on the way.”“You’ll die if you don’t sleep on the plane? Do we really need to go as far as sedating you?”Kwak Soohwan made a ‘come here’ motion with his hand, signaling the Doctor to stand up.Grabbing the Doctor’s arm, Kwak Soohwan pulled him against the wall and pressed a large hand against his chest, leaning close as if about to kiss him. The Doctor looked up at him with a mixture of discomfort and irritation.“Hold your breath.”“What?”“Yeah, take a deep breath and hold it.”As Kwak Soohwan spoke lightly, reassuringly, the Doctor took a deep breath and held it. Immediately, Kwak Soohwan applied tremendous pressure to the Doctor’s chest, and the Doctor lost consciousness.***The same day, 10 PM, Yeouido Shelter, 63 Building.“You idiot! You’re driving me crazy. My nerves are fraying because of you!”“How was I supposed to know he was that weak?”“You’re all brawn and no brains! The Doctor’s head is genius-level, but his body is fragile!”“Don’t lump me in with that idiot, Soohwan. I’m different, Commander Jang.”The three soldiers in black uniforms and capes stood around the bed where the Doctor lay with his eyes closed.Commander Jang’s red-lined cape flared with every angry gesture. The uniforms were the same, but their epaulets indicated their ranks. The green epaulet was the Commander Jang’s, and the silver ones were the Majors’.“Chaeyoon, please, just don’t start anything with Major Kwak Soohwan today, okay?”Commander Jang asked, almost pleading.“When have I ever started anything? It’s always him.”“Shut your mouth.”Kwak Soohwan spoke while staring down at the Doctor.“See? He always starts it!”Lee Chaeyoon pointed an accusatory finger at Kwak Soohwan, who ran a rough hand through his hair.“Just wait a bit. His heart rate is fine.”Kwak Soohwan frowned, crossing his arms and staring at the Doctor. He hadn’t expected the Doctor to stay unconscious for this long. He thought an hour would suffice, but even after getting off the military plane and transferring to the helicopter, the Doctor hadn’t regained consciousness.“We can only hope the Doctor doesn’t remember your nonsense when he wakes up, got it?”[1] 돌 means stone and 석 (石) in (Seok)hwa's or Dr.Stone's name also means stone. So they will and are using puns with his name here and there! Plus, he collects stones!