Rainbow City

“He’s smart, isn’t he? He’lll remember everything.”Lee Chaeyoon made a slicing motion across her neck while smiling at Kwak Soohwan.“See, I told you I should go get him. Why do you even bother getting him out of the brig?”“Get out.”“What? Did I say something wrong?”“No, you’re right. Just get out. If the Doctor wakes up and sees your face, he might pass out again.”“Wanna die?!”Lee Chaeyoon picked up a folding chair, ready to throw it, but Commander Jang barely managed to stop her. Despite his efforts, Lee Chaeyoon’s strength was overwhelming. Kwak Soohwan caught the thrown chair and tossed it back, turning the scene into a chaotic game of catch with chairs flying over the Doctor’s bed. Commander Jang finally yelled in a booming voice.“Stop it! Hey, Major! Knock it off, both of you!”“I’m not Bruce Lee, damn it!”Lee Chaeyoon hurled the chair at the wall this time. Kwak Soohwan suddenly started laughing.The 63 Building Museum had video archives of famous actors, including Bruce Lee, and since that day, Lee Chaeyoon had been nicknamed Bruce Lee. Now, even being called Major would set her off.“When did I ever call you Bruce Lee?! I called you Major! And I’ve told you repeatedly, it’s fine in front of me but not in front of other superiors. Be careful. There are already plenty of people watching us closely.”Though it was Commander Jang who was angry, Lee Chaeyoon glared at Kwak Soohwan. Standing between them, Commander Jang spoke again.“Enough. Chaeyoon, go handle the support request from Major Yang. Major Kwak Soohwan, stay here and watch over the Doctor until he wakes up. Do whatever it takes.”“Can’t I stay here? The Doctor is so handsome. I want to admire him.”Lee Chaeyoon brought her face close to the Doctor’s.“Chaeyoon… please.”Commander Jang pointed to his forehead, signaling his growing frustration.“I’m joking. I’ll go handle the support request. And make sure this idiot gets sent to the brig when the Doctor wakes up.”“That’s up to the Doctor. Let’s go. Hey, Major Kwak Soohwan, do your job, okay?”Kwak Soohwan nodded slightly. As soon as they left, the medical room fell silent, with only the occasional sound of the air freshener spraying. Kwak Soohwan looked down at the Doctor, who lay staring at the ceiling.Come to think of it, he hadn’t asked his name. He was a researcher of mutated viruses and mutations, supposedly with specialized intelligence, but he looked no older than his early twenties. Yet he was called Doctor.The Doctor’s lips moved slightly, making a dry, sticky sound. Kwak Soohwan turned his gaze to his lower half. He needed a suppressant injection, but with no medical officer present, he was at a loss.Well, there’s only one way to handle it.“Sorry about this.”Kwak Soohwan unzipped his pants and placed one leg on the bed. He stroked his swelling erection, bringing it close to the Doctor’s slightly parted lips, glistening with precum.“Commander! Commander!”Lee Chaeyoon’s sharp voice rang out, causing Kwak Soohwan to look toward the open door with his erection in hand.“That idiot, Soohwan! He’s trying to rub his dick on the Doctor’s lips!”Clicking his tongue, Kwak Soohwan lowered his leg and zipped up his pants. Commander Jang rushed in, looking incredulous.“You idiot! Are you insane?!”“Major, stop making things up. I wasn’t rubbing anything on the Doctor’s lips.”Though he had been about to.“Hey! I saw it. I really saw it.”“Quiet. Why did you come back?”Commander Jang squinted and looked at Kwak Soohwan’s lower half. Partially hidden by his long cape, it was hard to see if he was aroused or not.“Major Kwak Soohwan, how long has it been since you had your libido suppressant injection?”“I don’t need suppressants to keep my dick out of the Doctor’s mouth.”“I saw your dick! It looked more disgusting than a cobra! What am I supposed to do about my eyes now?”She was so loud that Kwak Soohwan considered targeting Lee Chaeyoon’s vocal cords the next time they went into the field.Commander Jang, finding it hard to believe even a madman like Kwak Soohwan would pull such a stunt on the Doctor, who was a man, was about to rebuke Lee Chaeyoon when…“Is this… Seoul?”At the unexpected voice, Commander Jang and Lee Chaeyoon turned to see the Doctor, who had been lying on the ceiling, now facing the three soldiers. He had his hands calmly folded on his chest and spoke again.“…More importantly, where’s my stone? And could I get some water…?”He sighed deeply.“My lips… smell fishy.”***Watching the Doctor calmly drink water, Kwak Soohwan crossed his legs the other way. He hoped the Doctor hadn’t been awake when he almost used his mouth earlier. How could his lips smell fishy when nothing touched them?“I wash twice a day, you know.”The Doctor didn’t seem to understand Kwak Soohwan’s words and simply replied, “Yes.”“And, uh, sorry about earlier. I didn’t expect you to stay unconscious for so long.”Using formal speech felt awkward for Kwak Soohwan, likely because he wasn’t used to apologizing. The Doctor nodded once and continued drinking water. It seemed odd to Kwak Soohwan, who was used to soldiers gulping down water like it was nothing, to see someone drink so delicately. It honestly made him feel a bit impatient.“Just drink it quickly. You’re sipping like a rabbit.”“I might get indigestion.”“I’ve never heard of someone getting indigestion from water.”“You’ll hear it often. I say it a lot.”Kwak Soohwan crossed his legs again.Judging by the Doctor’s appearance, he didn’t look particularly fragile. He was pale but didn’t seem small or delicate, and despite his expressionless face, he didn’t come off as cold. More like spaced out.The Doctor felt Kwak Soohwan’s gaze and held the cup in his hand, staring back. His uniform looked uncomfortable, with a loose tie making him seem less rough around the edges than his demeanor and job suggested. Kwak Soohwan thought he might look better in a suit than a military uniform.“Major Kwak Soohwan, if you keep looking at me like that…”“Like that, what?”Kwak Soohwan continued to stare at the Doctor.“You’ll give me indigestion.”“Some crayfish die just from being looked at. You’re not on that level, are you?”“I might be on that level.”The Doctor muttered self-deprecatingly. But he couldn’t just lie in bed forever. He got up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, taking a slow look around before walking towards the large window. When he mentioned Seoul earlier, he had a rough idea of where they were.It was the 63 Building in Yeouido, known as the shelter. It was also where he worked before heading down to Jeju Island.From the high-rise building, he could see the Han River Railroad Bridge, which used to carry trains filled with people non-stop. A train was halted somewhere on the tracks, and the tracks ahead were blown apart. The vines growing around the bridge indicated how long the train had been abandoned.When the virus first broke out and spread across the mainland, there were suggestions to build barriers. But that was when there was still time. The virus spread so quickly that there weren’t enough people left to build barriers. Instead, they decided to blow up all the bridges and railroads in Seoul. It was a brute-force method, but it effectively bought them time.All these stories were just knowledge the Doctor had gathered from various media and books.“Did it die standing up?” Kwak Soohwan suddenly came up beside him.“Is the lab still on the 34th floor?”“Probably?”“I’ll head there.”“Aren’t you going to eat first?”“I’ll go to the lab first.”“Suit yourself. And you can use this room from today.”This was something he had anticipated. He missed the stones he left in Jeju, but he knew there were more pressing matters. Besides, there were stones he had collected in this building too, so he needed to get to the lab first.Although he was supposed to be a protector, Kwak Soohwan followed the Doctor half a step behind, almost as if he were monitoring him.Since the building’s purpose had been changed to a shelter, the interior had undergone several transformations. For example, the elevator could only be accessed with a registered fingerprint.When Kwak Soohwan placed his hand on the elevator’s fingerprint scanner, his name and an expressionless face appeared on the screen.[Access granted.]After the mechanical voice, the elevator door opened.“Commander Jang said you wouldn’t leave Jeju so easily, but you followed surprisingly well.”Who knocked me out and brought me here in the first place?Still, the Doctor nodded since it wasn’t entirely untrue.“Don’t you have a sense of duty as a mutant virus researcher? Enjoying your life in Jeju? As the Bible says, ‘He who does not work, neither shall he eat.’ Haven’t you been living too comfortably?”The Doctor watched the numbers decreasing, eagerly waiting to get out of the cramped box once they reached the 34th floor.Clunk! Suddenly, a hand reached out and pressed a button, causing the elevator to shudder. The abrupt stop made him feel nauseous, and the interior lights turned red.[Emergency, Emergency, emergency stop activated. If Major Kwak Soohwan holds the button for more than 3 seconds, normal operation will resume. A short press will force the doors open.]The Doctor turned to Kwak Soohwan, puzzled by his sudden action. He looked like he had no intention of releasing the button, arms crossed defiantly.“Do you know why we brought you here from Jeju?”The Doctor found it curious. There was already a chief researcher who could replace him at the Yeouido lab.“Did something happen to Dr. Oh?”“Yes, the old man died.”Given his age, it wouldn’t have been surprising if he had died of natural causes.“He was murdered.”“Murdered…?”“The danger isn’t just out there.”“You mean Dr. Oh was killed by a person?”“That’s why the case went to a military tribunal. The military police are still investigating.”Kwak Soohwan, who was originally supposed to be in the brig, was reassigned as his bodyguard, which is how he avoided punishment.The Doctor wondered if Kwak Soohwan might be involved in the murder. But if that were the case, he wouldn’t have been assigned as his bodyguard. This soldier was simply playing a needless power game.“Be careful.”Kwak Soohwan grinned and slowly pressed the emergency button. After precisely 3 seconds, the elevator resumed its normal operation, and the door opened on the 34th floor.“At least you’re better than a crayfish. You didn’t die from a scare.”“I wasn’t scared.”True to his words, the Doctor’s face remained impassive. Holding the elevator door, Kwak Soohwan waited for him to exit.[Holding the elevator door forcibly is dangerous. Major Kwak Soohwan, please follow elevator etiquette.]“Stupid machine.”Kwak Soohwan resumed following the Doctor, who started walking slowly.“Do you even know where you’re going? It’s been a long time since you worked here. Do you remember?”“Major Kwak Soohwan, I understand this building is safe. I don’t know if I’ll need to go outside, but if I do, just escort me out of the building’s vicinity.”The Doctor spoke slowly but firmly to Kwak Soohwan.“I don’t want to.”Who knows what kind of lecture he’d get from Commander Jang otherwise. Kwak Soohwan gestured forward with his chin, urging him to walk faster.The Doctor instinctively felt that this man was going to be a handful. He also wondered if Kwak Soohwan might be gay. After all, he had almost put his genitals in his mouth. Or perhaps he was just a horny beast. Either way, it didn’t matter.The shelter boasted a high level of security, especially in the research wing, which was meticulously maintained. This was because it housed dangerous viruses, bacteria, and vaccines.The Doctor remembered that after passing about 50 meters from the elevator and turning the corner, he would reach the lab he used to use. His steps were slow but steady as he walked toward the lab, stopping in front of a transparent glass door. He turned and looked at Kwak Soohwan, who was casually draping his cape over his arm as if it were a nuisance.“This is as far as you need to go.”Kwak Soohwan thought it was better to guard the door than to be stuck in the boring lab. When the Doctor scanned his fingerprint, his identity appeared on the transparent glass door.[Adam Virus Researcher Seokhwa (34 years old) recognized, access granted.]“Then.”Seokhwa nodded and entered the transparent lab. His name, like his expression, was stiff.***Despite the world being in such a state, some things hadn’t changed, one of which was that the shelter was still a non-smoking building.Feeling confined inside, Kwak Soohwan used the pretext of patrol duty to drive a jeep around. Patrols were conducted in pairs, so Lee Chaeyoon was with him.Near the south end of Wonhyo Bridge, Kwak Soohwan parked the jeep and inhaled the smoke from Lee Chaeyoon’s cigarette.“Soohwan, let’s switch. Okay?”“Switch what?”“You like fieldwork, right? You go on field duty, and I’ll assist the Doctor. How about it?”Having just returned from Uijeongbu, which had been declared a state of emergency, Lee Chaeyoon took a deep drag, nearly finishing half the cigarette in one go.“Huh? Let’s switch.”“Don’t you know it’s a duty assigned instead of going to the brig?”“If we both want it, they’ll probably let us switch.”Lee Chaeyoon had a point. He, too, preferred being in the field to sitting around in front of the lab.“How about it? Deal?”Kwak Soohwan followed the billowing smoke with his eyes and then spoke.“Throw in a carton of cigarettes, and it’s a deal.”“Screw you. No way.”The day he was court-martialed, Kwak Soohwan had all his alcohol and cigarettes confiscated. Now forced to quit drinking and smoking, he had brought Lee Chaeyoon along to get a taste of secondhand smoke.“What’s the Doctor like? I heard he’s pretty old. Unmarried and hasn’t dated much, right?”Kwak Soohwan tilted his head, finding it odd to hear that Dr. Seok had dated anyone.“Where do you get such news about someone who’s been away from Seoul for years?”“The cafeteria guy said so. He eats like a mouse. Apparently, he’s so frail that once he collapsed into his soup while eating.”“If such a person bit my dick, he would’ve choked to death right there.”Kwak Soohwan chuckled dryly.“Soohwan! You jerk! You were really trying to get him to bite your gross dick! You’re busted! Commander Jang always yells at me, saying I’m harassing you!”“Shut up and look over there. Someone’s trying to get over the barbed wire.”Kwak Soohwan, who had been covering his ears, pointed to the end of the bridge. Within a 2 km radius of the building was a relatively clean area, like Jeju. However, sometimes lucky ones tried to sneak in.Kwak Soohwan took the sniper rifle from the jeep and placed it on the hood. Adjusting the scope to 4x magnification, he found the target. The figure stumbling at the barbed wire looked like it had been infected with the virus for at least three months. People called this mysterious virus Adam.How ironic that a virus named Adam, the progenitor of humanity, was now here to annihilate it.“What are you doing, not shooting that bastard’s head?”Lee Chaeyoon had two cigarettes in her mouth this time.“Major Lee, want to make a bet?”“A bet? What kind of bet?”Always game for a gamble, Lee Chaeyoon’s eyes sparkled.“If I hit that bastard’s head with a stone from here, you owe me a pack of cigarettes. Deal?”Lee Chaeyoon, holding two unlit cigarettes, laughed, placed them on the hood, and then stopped laughing abruptly. She picked up a stone from the ground.About 200 meters away? Squinting to gauge the distance, she lifted one leg like a baseball player, put all her strength into her shoulder, and hurled the stone. Her nickname, Bruce Lee, came from this very skill. Lee Chaeyoon’s evolved physical prowess could crush their skulls with bare hands.“Hey! Did you see that?! You should bet on something realistic. Why make it so easy?”Kwak Soohwan patted her shoulder and pointed his chin to the target. It had missed completely, and the figure was still struggling with the barbed wire.“How about it? Deal?”“No way.”As Lee Chaeyoon picked up another stone to throw, Kwak Soohwan fired the sniper rifle first. The bullet pierced the target’s forehead, and it collapsed.“What a waste of a bullet.”“Let’s head back. It’s about time Dr. Seok faceplanted into his soup.”“What?”“It’s dinner time.”***The shelter’s cafeteria offered a relatively luxurious menu. Despite Jeju being a place for VIPs, many of the foods consumed on the mainland were produced in Jeju. There were other well-controlled areas like Jeju, often referred to as islands. Additionally, they developed genetically modified crops in this building, benefiting each other.