A Rest That’s Not a Rest (3)
—Let’s go to where the incident first happened.
When I heard that, I almost applauded Iyul. What a clever, brilliant idea.
It felt like finding a faint signpost in a pitch-black maze where I couldn’t see an inch ahead.
Since it was the place where everything began, the chances of finding a clue were high.
If someone’s will was involved in the world’s destruction, then all the more reason.
People who are desperate will often go to great lengths for even a single drop of hope.
And the place where that gate had first appeared in Korea—was the neighborhood where my mom lived. It took two or three hours by train from Seoul.
The moment I knew where to go, I grew anxious. But I couldn’t just leave the twins behind now that they were finally starting to get the hang of things. So I’d been delaying the trip a bit longer.
“Let’s leave tomorrow morning.”
When Iyul nodded, I took out my phone to book train tickets.
It’s already evening. I wonder if there’ll be any tickets left for a few hours from now.
Still, it was a weekday—should be fine…
As I opened the site, Iyul leaned over, peering at my phone screen, moving closer.
“What are you doing?”
“Buying tickets.”
“What tickets?”
His chin was practically resting on my shoulder. I spoke irritably—couldn’t he see I was busy?
“Train tickets, what else? You planning to walk there?”
“No. I’m going to fly.”
…Is he serious?
I’d flown with him several times before—I knew he wasn’t a good pilot. It shook, it was nauseating, and the wind made it hard to even keep my eyes open. What was so great about that?
But Iyul looked completely serious. Sure, he had that mask, so the wind didn’t bother him. But I had no desire to suffer through an uncomfortable flight wearing goggles.
“Why fly when we can travel comfortably and without using mana?”
“It’s faster.”
He said it so naturally, as if he’d simply chosen the most efficient option.
“Be honest. You just don’t want to be around people, do you?”
He flinched—guess I hit the mark.
“Well, there are a few reasons. But honestly, I am faster. And it’s free.”
“I’d rather pay. I don’t want to end up throwing up mid-flight.”
“How would you even throw up? I’m the one doing the flying.”
…Was he seriously asking that?
I couldn’t even respond politely.
“You make me so motion-sick. The ride’s awful. If I throw up, I’ll do it in your hood, just so you know.”
“…Then you take the train.”
And so, we peacefully decided to meet at the destination by our preferred methods. Honestly, it was fortunate—for both of us. I’d seriously considered throwing up in his hood.
Better let Mom know I’m coming, I thought. Before I showed up out of nowhere and scared her.
I stood in the middle of the crowded train station, hesitating.
Do I need to print the ticket?
Since coming back, the only time I’d actually used modern conveniences was for delivery apps. I hadn’t gone out for anything else.
How did I do it before…?
Maybe I can just show the code on my phone?
It felt like ages ago. Funny how you forget the small things.
I tried watching others for clues, but everyone was hurrying along—no help at all.
Hmm…
As I stood there like a lost kid, my pocket buzzed.
“Min Ha-jun.”
He’d been so busy lately I hadn’t even seen him. Why was he calling now?
Worried something had happened to the twins, I answered quickly.
—Yoo-ha, where are you? I went to the twins’ room, but you weren’t there…
His low voice came through the speaker. I felt bad for not saying anything before leaving—he must’ve gone there for nothing.
“I forgot to mention, but I’m heading to my hometown starting today.”
—Ah… I see. I was actually free today, so I thought we could go into a gate together.
“I’m taking a break from gates for now. I’ve gathered enough for the moment.”
—Really? That’s a relief. I actually think you need a bit of rest.
“You just asked me to raid a gate with you, and now you say that?”
I must’ve gotten comfortable with him; I joked naturally. Ha-jun chuckled on the other end, sounding just as relaxed.
—Well, with my help, I figured it’d be easier for you. And I thought we could take it easy this time. It’s not like another news-worthy incident’s going to happen, right?
If something like that happened again, I’d need an exorcism. I shook my head, even though he couldn’t see me.
“Don’t jinx it. Words have power.”
—Haha, fair enough. Still, since you’re not entering any gates for a while, you’ll be safe. When are you coming back?
“Mm… not sure. I’m not going alone.”
If I were just visiting family, it’d take a day or two. But with Iyul, searching for clues—it could take much longer.
Then… silence.
Did the call drop?
The screen said it was still connected.
—Are you going down there with Wind?
His voice came again, but it was different—stiffer, less cheerful.
No way…
What was there to get upset about? It must’ve just been bad reception.
“Yeah. We’ve got some things to check out.”
Another long silence.
Seriously, is the signal this bad?
Maybe it was the crowd. Sometimes Wi-Fi and data didn’t work well in busy areas.
I waited patiently, and then Ha-jun’s voice returned.
—Where did you say your hometown was again?
It had been a while since I’d taken a train trip, and honestly—it wasn’t bad.
Before the regression, I used to hate crowded places. Now I found them comforting. Maybe it’s true—big events change people. Even the sound of a crying baby was oddly welcome.
“You’re here?”
As promised, Iyul had arrived first and was waiting. Even from afar, I could see him leaning lazily against a tree near the station.
When he spotted me, he straightened up and dropped his guarded stance.
“Don’t you smell the smoke?”
We were near the smoking area, tucked into a corner.
“Yeah. It’s disgusting.”
“Then why’d you come over here?”
“So I could see you the moment you came out.”
He said it like it was obvious, shrugging. His hood was pulled so deep that even without his mask, his face was barely visible.
“You look like a criminal.”
I reached up to smooth the wrinkles out of his coat and fix his hood. Up close, I could finally see his expression—since he was taller, I had to look up, but it wasn’t too bad.
“Who cares what people think.”
“I do. I’m the one walking with you.”
He looked tired. Dark circles shadowed his sharp eyes.
“Can clones even get dark circles?”
It was an honest question.
“Yeah. Told you—my synchronization rate’s high. This body’s basically human. I even bleed. Want to see?”
He held out a finger as if to prove it, and I smacked his hand away in horror.
“I believe you. Put that away.”
“You’re so dramatic.”
He shoved his hands into his pockets and started walking.
“So, where to? I don’t know this area.”
“You’re taking the lead even though you don’t know the way?”
“If we keep walking, we’ll find something.”
Not wrong. And honestly, I didn’t know where to start either.
“I think it was somewhere around the downtown area, from what I saw on the news.”
“You don’t know for sure?”
“I wasn’t in my right mind back then.”
Whatever people said that day wouldn’t have registered anyway. I’d been too busy screaming and fighting to break through the barricades.
And really, did it matter where it started—when no one had survived?
There were no witnesses, after all.
“So what now?”
He glanced around. I thought for a moment, mentally mapping the area.
“Let’s start where there are lots of people.”
If the gate had opened in a deserted alley, it wouldn’t have spread so quickly. It was a reasonable guess. I grabbed his sleeve and started walking. He followed without complaint.
No luck today.
I picked up a dumpling with my chopsticks and popped it into my mouth. I hadn’t expected major discoveries on the first day, but… I couldn’t help feeling disappointed.
Across from me, Iyul was happily eating tteokbokki. Outside, dusk had already fallen. We’d wandered all day without finding anything unusual.
“This place is good,” he said, satisfied.
He nodded approvingly, chewing on a kimchi dumpling.
“I used to come here a lot when I was little.”
We’d ended up near the old neighborhood I grew up in. I slid a cup of water toward him.
“Oh, that explains it. Old places like this are guaranteed to be good.”
He glanced around the restaurant again. The interior bore the marks of time—post-it notes layered thickly on the walls.
Well, at least he was content. That was something.
I pushed the last dumpling toward him.
Tomorrow, we’d need to plan where to search next. My head was already spinning with possibilities.
Don’t rush it, I reminded myself.
Expecting results after one day would be greedy.
Unbothered by my frustration, Iyul happily ate the last dumpling.
