Rainbow City

Kwak Soohwan spat on the closed door. He then headed downstairs to find his parents’ car and clumsily took the wheel. He turned on the radio to get information on the designated red zones and then stepped on the gas.Kwak Soohwan knew something scarier than Adam: hunger. He rarely encountered Adam directly. Before reaching the red zone’s border, he parked the car and darted down a side path. Fortunately, the mart wasn’t far from there. He checked the surroundings for any sign of Adam and then sprinted towards the mart. It appeared to be a former affluent area, as there were fresh products that were hard to find elsewhere. However, items with short shelf lives were all rotten.Avoiding the noise of plastic bags, he opened his backpack and stuffed it with canned goods, which had long shelf lives but lacked flavor. Kwak Soohwan greedily filled his backpack to the point it couldn’t be zipped shut. He gulped down fresh water from Jeju Island, savoring the rare pure taste. He also grabbed an entire tray of eggs.In another backpack, he filled it with the crucial fresh water. The combined weight of the two backpacks was roughly 30kg, heavy for a fourteen-year-old. Yet, Kwak Soohwan wished he had more hands; this weight was nothing to him.He checked the mart’s medicine shelves but couldn’t find the medicine his brother needed. After scanning the area, he used the moonlit path as his guide and dashed back to the car. The clattering of cans in his bag sent chills down his spine, but fortunately, Adam didn’t appear. He hurried back to his parked car.“Damn it,” Kwak Soohwan muttered upon seeing soldiers from the checkpoint inspecting his car with flashlights. With no other choice, he began his journey on foot. The car trip had taken 30 minutes, but walking and running back would take at least half a day.Worried about his brother left alone, Kwak Soohwan ran tirelessly. Though the backpack felt heavier, it didn’t affect his heartbeat. He always sensed he was different from others: he couldn’t empathize with phrases like “Aren’t you tired?” and felt lighter when asked “Isn’t it heavy?” He sprinted up to the 10th floor of their apartment, which had a non-functioning elevator, and knocked on the door.Knock, knock, knock. It was already dawn, so his brother shouldn’t be asleep. Kwak Soohwan tried the doorknob, but it was locked.Knock, knock. He knocked again, feeling a damp, sticky sensation down his back as the broken eggs dripped from his bag.Jihwan, it’s me, your brother. His mouth opened, but no sound came out. He knocked again with his fist.[Knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock.]“!”Kwak Soohwan woke up, squinting in the direction of the sound. With his light sleep, he wouldn’t wake for no reason. The clock showed it was 5 AM. He rubbed his face and got up from the creaky bed.Knock, knock. The sound came again, but it wasn’t like a hand knocking—more dull and muted. He opened a bottle of water and approached the door. Without checking, he opened it to find a shorter man standing there.“Dr. Seok?”Is he sleepwalking? It’s only 5 AM, and he’s knocking on someone’s door?Seokhwa bowed and extended his hand, offering something.“What is it?”It was a damp stone. It seemed he had knocked with it.“It’s a moisture-retaining stone. I’m giving it to you, Major Kwak Soohwan.”“What?”“Please, take it.”Seriously… Kwak Soohwan, already in a foul mood from the restless night, was baffled by Seokhwa’s strange behavior. He leaned against the door.“You’re the one who likes stones, not me.”“I couldn’t properly thank you.”Waking someone at 5 AM to say thank you? Kwak Soohwan realized just how socially awkward Seokhwa was.“If you’re grateful, bring me alcohol or cigarettes. I’m closing the door.”As he started to close the door, Seokhwa stepped forward, looking somewhat disappointed, though still expressionless.“Why?”“May I come in?”“You think I know who kidnapped you?”“Yes, I think I know.”Seokhwa answered without hesitation. Kwak Soohwan, now fully awake, crossed his arms with the water bottle in hand.“So why didn’t you tell Lee Yeontae?”“I wasn’t sure. The person who injured Major Lee Chaeyoon is likely the same one who kidnapped me.”“Probably.”“I spent the night organizing my thoughts. The rebels who kidnapped me seem to be from the new religious group Eden’s Garden. They might also be linked to Dr. Oh Yangseok’s murder.”Seokhwa, unusually focused, looked directly at Kwak Soohwan with clear, bright eyes.Kwak Soohwan put down the water bottle and slowly approached Seokhwa, who looked up at him, unflinching. They were so close that it seemed like a slight tilt of the head could lead to a kiss.“Dr. Seok.”Kwak Soohwan’s voice was deeper than usual, his gaze cold.“Are you trying to challenge me now?”He grinned.“Challenge you? How?”“Why else would you come to me at such an hour?”“That is the reason.”Seokhwa felt like Kwak Soohwan was trying to divert the conversation. Despite his usual playful demeanor, the man standing before him now, who had woken him up, seemed unfamiliar. Instead of being annoyed, his expression was cold and emotionless, resembling the kidnapper he couldn’t recognize.“Eden’s Garden, Major Kwak Soohwan, you mentioned it to me first.”Kwak Soohwan finally pulled a chair over for Seokhwa and gestured for him to sit. He sat down, straddling the chair with his arms on the backrest.“Today, the kidnapper told me he belonged to Eden’s Garden. He said Rainbow City was rotten and that you, Major Kwak Soohwan, were its guardian.”Kwak Soohwan’s eyebrow twitched with displeasure.“And I heard Dr. Oh Yangseok’s last words.”He parted his lips as if to cut off the conversation, so Seokhwa quickly continued.“But something doesn’t add up.”“What were the last words?”“I don’t know exactly; I heard a gunshot immediately after. He did mention not being able to reach me in Jeju.”“Then report it to Lieutenant General Lee Yeontae tomorrow.”Kwak Soohwan stood as if he had heard enough, but Seokhwa grabbed his wrist.“The kidnapper said he was from Eden’s Garden… and called himself Serpent.”A heat like swallowing fire transferred from Seokhwa’s hand.“Serpent?”“Yes. But the strange thing is…”Seokhwa hesitated. Should he share his doubts with Kwak Soohwan? After a moment, he decided.“The man who said he was Serpent also had Dr. Oh Yangseok’s last message, which he shouldn’t have had. The rebels shouldn’t have been able to get close to the shelter. How did they get it? And it was recorded just before Dr. Oh Yangseok was killed.”A smile spread across Kwak Soohwan’s face as he listened. This guy wasn’t just good at research; he could be an excellent investigator if he had the stamina. But Kwak Soohwan’s mind was occupied with Serpent.“Why tell me this before Lee Yeontae?”“I need your help.”He got straight to the point.“My access to military police case records has been blocked.”“Maybe your clearance level isn’t high enough.”“I had access to level 2 classified information, but now even my level is classified.”Kwak Soohwan assumed it was to prevent Seokhwa from developing rebel tendencies.“So?”“I want to find information related to Dr. Oh Yangseok’s murder. Can you access level 2 classified information?”“What do you take me for?”Seokhwa had expected as much. It was hard for a Major to access even level 3 classified information.“I can access level 1 classified information.”Seokhwa’s face visibly wrinkled in surprise. How could he access level 1 when Seokhwa struggled with level 2? Kwak Soohwan noticed Seokhwa’s pride was hurt.“I’ll pay you. Just let me see the records.”Finding answers was more important than pride. Kwak Soohwan chuckled.“I can let you see them. No need for money.”Seokhwa stood, voice rising in excitement.“Really? Thank you,”“If you have sex with me.”“…What?”Seokhwa’s brow furrowed deeper.“You get sperm too. It’s a win-win.”Seokhwa glanced at his computer, then the stone in his hand, and finally back at Kwak Soohwan.“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to.”Kwak Soohwan rested his chin on his arm, clearly amused. Seokhwa felt the urge to throw the stone at his grinning face but restrained himself.“I’m not that desperate to see the records.”Seokhwa turned to leave, but his steps were heavy. He couldn’t think of anyone else to ask.“Goodbye, Doctor.”Kwak Soohwan even waved, prompting Seokhwa to take a deep breath before speaking.“Is there anything else you would accept instead?”“What are you so curious about?”“I want to know exactly how Dr. Oh Yangseok died.”“But it seems you’re not curious enough to have sex with me.”Kwak Soohwan’s words were a subtle jab, questioning if Dr. Oh Yangseok meant that little to him. Angered, Seokhwa strode forward.“Didn’t you say your genitals don’t work, Major Kwak Soohwan? So how could we even have sex?”“Oh, is that how you want to play it? What if it does work right now?”Kwak Soohwan glanced down at his own lower body.“Let’s make a deal.”Kwak Soohwan’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected response. Hearing the word “deal” from Dr. Seok was a shock.“I can’t sleep with you right now, but I can kiss you.”Seokhwa looked up with a fierce expression. Shouldn’t he at least close his eyes? Kwak Soohwan remained where he was, not moving closer.“You’re the one asking for a favor, so why should I make the first move? You should come to me.”“I already offered to pay you.”“I have plenty of money. My drawer is full of bills in all the colors of the rainbow.”Seokhwa blinked and put his hands on Kwak Soohwan’s shoulders. The heat from his palms seemed to spread through Kwak Soohwan’s body. How is his brain not fried from this heat? Kwak Soohwan tilted his head slightly, inviting him. Seokhwa’s throat moved visibly. For someone who had dated before, why was he so tense? Feeling impatient, Kwak Soohwan almost leaned in first. He smiled with a hint of amusement, waiting for Seokhwa to approach, while his thoughts drifted back to Serpent.Serpent was known to be part of Eden’s Garden’s leadership, so it was hard to believe he had acted directly. Unless he was confident enough in his skills to step forward himself.“Major Kwak Soohwan.”“Hmm?”“How much of what you say is a joke, and how much is serious?”Kwak Soohwan looked into Seokhwa’s eyes, which were now very close.“Do you really want to have sex with me or kiss me?”Despite his usually blank expression, Seokhwa was quick to catch on.“Of course, if given the chance, I’d love to do both.”Kwak Soohwan wrapped his arm tightly around Seokhwa’s waist as he tried to pull away. Seokhwa pushed at Kwak Soohwan’s chest, separating their upper bodies but keeping their lower halves pressed together. Kwak Soohwan purposely pressed their hips closer.“Open your mouth.”Even so, Seokhwa kept his lips tightly shut, lifting his head. His lips were plump and dry, making the situation even more peculiar. Kwak Soohwan tilted his head and pressed his lips firmly against Seokhwa’s. He slipped his tongue inside, finding Seokhwa’s teeth clenched. He licked Seokhwa’s teeth and bit his lower lip gently, causing Seokhwa to let out a soft sound. Taking advantage of the moment, he held the back of Seokhwa’s head and deepened the kiss. The sensation of Seokhwa’s full lips against his made Kwak Soohwan want to bite down more. Seokhwa’s tense tongue fluttered occasionally, trying to avoid Kwak Soohwan’s, but he pursued it vigorously.Gasping for breath, Seokhwa tried to pull away, but Kwak Soohwan followed, capturing his lips again. Seokhwa needed to breathe, so he pulled away, but Kwak Soohwan didn’t let him escape. Their lips and chins were wet with saliva. Seokhwa had never experienced a kiss like this before.Seokhwa wiped his lips with the back of his hand. He couldn’t move back as Kwak Soohwan still held his waist. He tried to wipe off the remaining saliva with his hand again, but Kwak Soohwan’s lips approached once more. Expecting another kiss, Seokhwa froze, but Kwak Soohwan only put the stone he was holding into his mouth.Seokhwa watched in shock as Kwak Soohwan tasted the stone, rolling it in his mouth. Then, Kwak Soohwan grabbed Seokhwa’s cheek and passed the stone into his mouth. Seokhwa, who had carried the stone around so much that it had smoothed out, found the sensation unfamiliar. It tasted like nothing. He spat the stone into his hand.Kwak Soohwan leaned in for another kiss, causing Seokhwa to tilt his head back. Kwak Soohwan bit and nibbled on Seokhwa’s lips, making them burn. Seokhwa finally blocked Kwak Soohwan’s face with his hand, trying to stop him. Kwak Soohwan’s tongue brushed against Seokhwa’s palm, making his hand jerk back.“You taste better than the stone, Dr. Seok.”Kwak Soohwan finally let him go. He turned on the computer and returned with his lips still wet.“Mother, request access to code number 3121.”[Voice recognition confirmed. Code 3121 access granted for Kwak Soohwan. Access to level 1 classified information permitted.]Seokhwa, holding the wet stone, snapped back to attention. This was no time to be lost in the aftermath of a kiss, if it could even be called that. He approached the computer, typing without sitting down.As expected, most military police case records were classified at level 2. He quickly found Dr. Oh Yangseok’s case and realized he wouldn’t have been able to access it with his clearance.Dr. Oh Yangseok’s murder case was classified as level 1. When he tried to open the document, a robotic voice spoke through the speaker.[Level 1 classified information on military police cases is accessed via voice recognition.]“What do you want to know?”Kwak Soohwan asked, arms crossed.“As I said, I want to know about Dr. Oh Yangseok’s murder.”Kwak Soohwan suddenly brought a clock to Seokhwa and placed it in front of him. Then he spread two fingers wide, making a V shape, which confused Seokhwa.“Mother, display the record of Dr. Oh Yangseok’s murder case.”[Loading. Proceeding.]The monitor displayed a file that could be flipped through, titled “Dr. Oh Yangseok Murder Case (Ongoing).” Seokhwa quickly opened the classified document and began reading.The data, which matched what he had, stated that Dr. Oh Yangseok was killed instantly by a 9mm Beretta M92F bullet to the heart. The estimated time of death was around 5 AM, and the CCTV footage had not been recovered. The case also included photos of Dr. Oh Yangseok’s body, which Seokhwa could barely look at. He started to meticulously absorb the details.[The suspect in Dr. Oh Yangseok’s murder is still being pursued. It is suspected to be an external perpetrator rather than an internal one. There is evidence suggesting a shelter insider was bribed. Various rebel movements are being tracked. The investigation is led by Military Police Platoon 2 and Major Kwak Soohwan.]“Terminate access.”[Disconnecting.]Seokhwa spun around, looking at him as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard.“I was still watching.”“The negotiation ends here.”Kwak Soohwan extended his index and middle fingers once more.“Our kiss lasted two minutes, so watching for longer would be too much of a loss for me.”I hadn’t even finished watching the last part… More importantly, I was uneasy knowing Kwak Soohwan was among those investigating Dr. Oh Yangseok’s murder.“Want to see more? Then it will require more than just a kiss.”Seokhwa replied stiffly, facing the grinning Kwak Soohwan.“No, I’ve seen enough of the material.”With that, he said he would sleep more and took a sip of water. Seokhwa, who had been glaring at his back with discomfort, also approached the bed.“There was no need to review the material from the start. Knowing that Major Kwak Soohwan is the one investigating Dr. Oh Yangseok’s murder. Just like the Garden of Eden… Major Kwak Soohwan, you didn’t deny it either. That the doctor might have died due to a conflict with the higher-ups. But that record seems to confirm it was the work of an external party.”Seokhwa quickly and heatedly spilled out his words. Kwak Soohwan, lying on his back with his arms behind his head, had his eyes closed, showing no intention of speaking further.“Do you have nothing to say to me?”“It’s exactly as Dr. Seok saw it, and I don’t know who the culprit is. And why are you bothering with unnecessary concerns? Dr. Seok is a researcher, not military police.”Seokhwa climbed onto his body at those words mixed with laughter. Kwak Soohwan finally opened his eyes, looking bewildered.“I…”Seokhwa hesitated, gripping Kwak Soohwan’s shirt tightly with both hands. He looked up from below, his jawline smooth. It was clear why Lee Chaeyoon always sang about how pretty and handsome Dr. Seok was. And in terms of looks, Seokhwa perfectly matched Kwak Soohwan’s taste. But that was it. What mattered most to Kwak Soohwan was what Seokhwa thought and how he acted.“I… grew up on Jeju Island… so I don’t really know. I never questioned why people are so afraid, why Adam doesn’t disappear. But…”For once, Kwak Soohwan showed no reaction to the emotional Seokhwa, merely staring blankly at his confused eyes.“Something’s strange. Something seems wrong. Why did the doctor have to die…? And my senior, too.”Something was definitely off. Living peacefully on Jeju Island, he hadn’t thought about it much, but after his mother’s funeral, he had expected to be called to the Yeouido shelter. Regardless of his reasons, the higher-ups would have done so. However, they just left him on Jeju Island. As Dr. Oh Yangseok had said, they lost contact, as if they were deliberately keeping them apart.The hands tightly gripping the shirt quickly lost strength. Having gripped the stone tightly, his palm throbbed with pain. He tried to move back from on top of him, but his waist was held fast.“What does any of that matter? Dr. Seok, just focus on the research you’re ordered to do.”For some reason, a cold chill seemed to rise from where he was held. Unlike his own warm body, Kwak Soohwan’s lips and hands were cold. It might have been an average human body temperature, but it felt chilly to him.Kwak Soohwan might be right. He didn’t want to expend energy on anything beyond his assigned tasks, and he didn’t have the capacity to do so either. But since returning to the Yeouido shelter, everything had been emotional, rebellious, and full of suspicions.“…Let go.”Seokhwa spoke weakly, trying to pull away from him. Kwak Soohwan let go surprisingly easily. Seokhwa slowly got off the bed and began walking away, leaving his bed behind.“Dr. Seok.”Kwak Soohwan spoke again, lying on his side with his chin resting on his arm.“Everything you just told me.”Those words came through the closing door.“It’s all rebellious talk.”***Rebellious talk…Seokhwa had never doubted his own identity. This was the first time he had questioned anything about Rainbow City. Suddenly, he felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over him. Kwak Soohwan was his bodyguard, but he was also a soldier of Rainbow City, a guardian according to the kidnapper. If he reported today’s conversation to the higher-ups?No, he wouldn’t. Kwak Soohwan seemed to suspect the murderer of Dr. Oh Yangseok might be an insider. By that logic, wasn’t that rebellious too? Seokhwa was keeping all possibilities open, even considering the new religious group Eden Garden that the kidnapper mentioned.If the kidnappers had obtained Dr. Oh Yangseok’s last words, there might be someone bought off in the shelter or the military police, or…[Opening.]Seokhwa entered his room after recognizing his fingerprint, then slumped to the floor. Crossing his arms, he hugged his shoulders.Or was it possible that the higher-ups were testing him?He knew it was far-fetched. Yeah, it was nonsense. They said seven soldiers from the Gwacheon branch had died. But Seokhwa knew. About Dr. Wonho who had been at the Yeouido shelter long ago. And what happened to him.Back then, he was a new researcher who had just arrived at the Yeouido shelter. Dr. Wonho was close to Dr. Oh Yangseok due to their similar age. But unlike the caring Oh Yangseok, Wonho had a rather aloof personality. He rarely interacted with new researchers and found Seokhwa’s frequent anemia symptoms annoying.Then one day, a rumor started spreading around the shelter. That Dr. Wonho was spying for the rebels.Seokhwa didn’t know where the rumor originated and had no interest in it. The rumor spread over several months, and eventually, the military police caught Dr. Wonho while he was contacting the rebels. The rebels he allied with aimed to make Rainbow City independent from the United Nations.The Yeouido shelter was in an uproar. Dr. Wonho’s involvement with the rebels led to Dr. Oh Yangseok undergoing intensive questioning by the military police for over a week.Dr. Wonho had developed a truth serum called Amobarbital, which had been banned for a while. He confessed everything truthfully under the influence of his own serum. When Dr. Wonho was being investigated, new researchers, including Seokhwa, were also summoned by the military police.“Listen. Dr. Seok is absolutely innocent. I vouch for it. If you investigate this innocent person too harshly, it could kill him.”Ironically, it was just as Oh Yangseok had said. The military police also thought it was impossible for Seokhwa to be a rebel. How could such a weakling, who would faint even while eating, engage in espionage or join the rebels?The other doctors were able to walk out safely after being administered the truth serum, but Seokhwa was the only one who could leave the military police interrogation room completely unharmed.After the day Wonho was executed, Oh Yangseok resumed drinking, which he had given up. He mourned his foolish friend. Up until then, Oh Yangseok had immense pride in being a citizen of Rainbow City. However, after his friend’s death, he started to change little by little.He must have constantly wondered why his friend had joined the rebels. What was lacking that led him to betray Rainbow City? In seeking answers to that question, Oh Yangseok delved deeper and deeper, and, as per his last words, he might have developed resentment toward the higher-ups who didn’t want the development of the cure.I don’t know…Seokhwa mumbled, sliding his body sideways against the door. He wanted to take out a chocolate bar and eat it, but he didn’t have the energy to even lift a finger.From Dr. Wonho to Dr. Oh Yangseok…It felt as if he was now starting to walk the path they had tread.