Chapter 73: Something Always Happens on My Day Off (2)
Hyeon-yul tried to turn his head and pretend he hadn't seen them, but Ji-hwan approached with a welcoming smile.
“Brother, did you come to watch a movie too?”
“……Yes.”
Hyeon-yul took two steps back.
How were these two here?
This couldn't be the only movie theater around.
‘Am I being watched?’
“By any chance, did you come after seeing the message?"
"What movie did you come to see?”
Ji-hwan asked, but he hadn't read the messages yet.
He had closed it immediately after seeing hundreds piled up.
That wasn't important right now.
He had a bad feeling.
Shin-woo seemed to be smiling.
“I came to see that.”
Hyeon-yul pointed to a movie that had just appeared on the screen, then immediately looked at Ji-hwan’s expression.
Disappointment lingered.
He immediately felt relieved.
It seemed to be just a coincidence.
“……It’s different from ours."
"Brother Shin-woo."
"Should we just watch that?”
“Of course, I…….”
“Why are you two here?”
Hyeon-yul quickly interjected.
“Ah, yesterday I drank a bit… right?”
“Yes."
"You drank a lot."
"Both of you.”
When Hyeon-yul pointed it out, Shin-woo flinched as if stung, and Ji-hwan shook his head.
“I wasn’t drunk.”
“Ji-hwan."
"Lying is not good.”
“You do it a lot too, Brother.”
“Me?"
"When did I?”
“Brother."
"Brother Hyeon-yul is watching.”
“So why are you saying that now?”
“Both of you were drunk."
"Anyway, why are you here?”
Hyeon-yul asked after confirming the situation.
Work colleagues coming to watch a movie together side by side.
‘That’s impossible.’
Hyeon-yul thought firmly.
“Well, we came to hang out."
"Brother Shin-woo asked me to play with him.”
“You said you were bored too, didn’t you?”
Following Ji-hwan, Hyeon-yul tilted his head with a question mark as Shin-woo spoke.
How could work colleagues be close?
He couldn't understand it at all.
“Alright."
"We were both bored, and I was thinking of playing games, but then I remembered they were giving out Beombeom-ie goods if you watch a movie."
"It was a Beombeom-ie I hadn’t collected.”
Ji-hwan smiled and pointed to a movie theater poster.
It said that if you bought popcorn, you would get character goods resembling a seal.
Was that Beombeom-ie?
“So I was, in a way, used by Ji-hwan."
"This way, we get two goods."
"Hyeon-yul, do you need one of those too, by any chance?”
“No."
"I didn’t even know about it.”
“Then that’s three.”
Shin-woo looked at Ji-hwan, asking if he was excited.
He nodded his head in satisfaction.
‘…Is he telling me to buy one too?’
Hyeon-yul looked at the poster.
His head tilted involuntarily, and he only understood when he saw the phrase ‘Limited to 1 per person.’
It was indeed the most efficient way to collect goods.
“But why didn’t you contact Na-yoon?”
Shin-woo asked, looking at Ji-hwan.
“I did that first."
"Noona said her head was throbbing from a hangover."
"When I asked, ‘Should I buy you a hangover cure?’, she said she was fine.”
“I told her to drink moderately yesterday."
"I bet she’ll be at a cafe later, no doubt.”
Shin-woo clicked his tongue and immediately picked up his cell phone.
[I don’t have a hangover, lol]
He couldn't just let this great opportunity slip by.
If the situation were reversed, Na-yoon would have said the same thing.
Ji-hwan checked his cell phone and looked at Shin-woo.
He knew he usually did that, but when he had called earlier, Na-yoon’s voice had sounded really bad.
“…Brother."
"I have a bad feeling about this.”
“She’s not here now.”
“I don’t care if Noona hits you on the head.”
Ji-hwan shook his head.
Who was Na-yoon?
She could hit a head from very, very far away.
He had witnessed Shin-woo faint after being hit by that last time.
Thinking about it again, it was very scary.
“Does Noona-nim shoot heads?"
"Has she killed a colleague like that before?”
At Hyeon-yul’s question, Shin-woo burst out laughing.
He didn't know why he was asking so seriously about something so trivial.
“Na-yoon shoots when she’s angry, but she doesn’t kill."
"I fainted after getting hit by that, and the team leader scolded us both."
"It almost went as far as a salary cut, you know?”
“…Does she also cut salaries?”
“Of course."
"When the team leader gets angry, she’s really scary.”
“She’s scary."
"Very, very scary.”
Ji-hwan shivered slightly.
“But why don’t you call the team leader?"
"If you want that, isn’t it better to call one more person?”
The purpose of gathering like this was to get the goods.
Adding one more person here was efficient.
“…Well, you see, Hyeon-yul.”
Shin-woo spoke as if he had seen something very frightening.
He hesitated several times before opening his mouth.
“……The team leader is, um, working right now.”
Hyeon-yul’s expression hardened at once.
“Hyeon-yul.”
“…Yes.”
“You mustn’t forget the team leader’s sacrifice.”
“The team leader said the next team leader is Big Brother Baek Shin-woo……”
“Alright, alright, let’s stop filming a horror movie and go watch the movie.”
Shin-woo quickly put his arm around Hyeon-yul’s shoulder and pulled him forward.
Ji-hwan followed, chuckling.
“Ah, yesterday was fun, wasn’t it?”
“…….”
Hyeon-yul couldn't answer Shin-woo’s question rashly.
What should he say?
As his concern deepened, Hyeon-yul stopped walking.
“Why?”
“Are you hurt somewhere?”
Following Shin-woo, Ji-hwan asked with concern.
Thud.
He heard a sound.
It wasn't a very unfamiliar sound.
It was similar to the sound made when someone, tied to a chair, moved to survive.
To say it was just a feeling, the sound kept echoing.
Hyeon-yul looked at the employee standing at the movie ticket counter.
They were moving normally.
There was no smell of blood, and no magic was visible.
‘Is it some kind of mental manipulation?’
There were many possibilities.
“Mr. Ye Ji-hwan.”
“Yes, Brother.”
“By any chance, do you feel any magic from those people?”
“Just a moment.”
At those words, Ji-hwan snapped to attention.
Something was happening at the movie theater.
Hyeon-yul was saying so.
The ordinary was becoming extraordinary again.
Again.
It was happening again like this.
“Ji-hwan, Hyeon-yul.”
Shin-woo beckoned.
If they were going to look, it was right to go closer.
Hyeon-yul followed, looking around.
People waiting with popcorn to watch a movie.
People lining up at the kiosk to get movie tickets.
There was nothing unusual about this movie theater scene.
Places where people gathered were sometimes used as giant experimental subjects.
What was it this time?
What did they want, what were they aiming for?
Was it a hostage situation?
Were they trying to set off a bomb to create fear?
Or was it mass hypnosis?
There were more things that could be done in a movie theater than one might think, so there was nothing he could pinpoint.
<Calm down.>
Shin-woo sent a message using his wireless earphone.
<We can do this slowly."
"First, Ji-hwan, you check it out.>
<Alright.>
Ji-hwan put in his wireless earphone and replied.
“I only have cash, so please give me three of these."
"You’re giving three goods, right?”
Shin-woo naturally approached and pointed to the popcorn that came with the goods.
“Yes."
"That’s right.”
“He says it’s right.”
Shin-woo looked at Ji-hwan.
“Since we came for the goods, I’ll pay.”
“It’s fine, use Brother’s.”
Shin-woo handed Ji-hwan cash.
Telling him to pay, he took Hyeon-yul and slipped outside.
<I heard something.>
Shin-woo asked cautiously.
It wasn't clear, but he heard a sound.
<Yes."
"It’s become clearer."
"Someone is being held captive in there.>
Hyeon-yul was certain.
At those words, Shin-woo squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them.
Rage boiled within him.
“Wait a minute, I’ll go talk to them.”
“Yes.”
Hyeon-yul stood blankly, watching Shin-woo go.
Honestly, when he was a villain, he hadn't cared about such things.
Now that his purpose was to be a villain, all sorts of things bothered him.
Hyeon-yul walked towards Ji-hwan.
He picked up the two drinks that had come out.
Ji-hwan carefully put the packaged goods into his bag and looked at the remaining three popcorns and one drink.
“Wait, wait."
"I’m out.”
Shin-woo rushed over.
He picked up one drink and one popcorn and naturally vacated the spot.
<Requested support."
"Got orders to assess the situation until they arrive."
"…A mission on my day off."
"This is the worst, really.>
Shin-woo sent a message that seemed despairing, but he didn't actually look that way.
<…It is the worst."
"Anyway, it’s not magic."
"It’s psychic power.>
Ji-hwan lowered his voice and informed them of what he had confirmed.
<They’re temporarily brainwashed."
"The one who used this power is likely mixed in with the people, or on the upper or lower floor."
"I actually felt magic inside there.>
<So, there’s a psychic and a magician here right now, is that it?>
When Shin-woo asked, Ji-hwan, conscious of his surroundings, naturally nodded.
Shin-woo suppressed a sigh that felt like it would escape at any moment.
The entire movie theater was essentially being held hostage.
<First, we need to look around the inside of the movie theater, right?"
"It’s a situation where various terror attacks like bombs or poison are possible.>
Shin-woo thought that since this was an indoor space, anything was possible.
Hadn't he actually received many such missions?
<There are no bombs, no poison, and nothing else.>
Hyeon-yul sent a message with resolute certainty.
Judging by the sound of someone tied up and moving earlier, it seemed that not much time had passed since this incident began.
<There seem to be about 3 watchers mixed in with the people right now.>
Hyeon-yul subtly informed them.
While everyone was moving naturally, about 3 people repeated unnatural behaviors.
<Perhaps they are watching the area inside the movie ticket counter."
"Of course, it’s still difficult to say for sure.>
<Anyway, it doesn’t seem like they’ve noticed us over there, right?>
Shin-woo asked.
<Yes.>
<Then I’ll find out."
"If surveillance is the goal, specific words will be exchanged.>
Ji-hwan walked to a table and sat down with popcorn and a drink.
The moment he lightly tapped the table with his palm, Ji-hwan’s mana moved, centering on this place.
A space, cut off by itself, entered Ji-hwan’s eyes.
In a world made of countless coordinates, what Ji-hwan pinpointed and connected to was a cell phone.
The messages and calls from everyone’s cell phones appeared in Ji-hwan’s eyes.
In that place where all sorts of texts appeared like coordinates, Ji-hwan calmly searched for his target.
<Just like Brother Hyeon-yul said, there are 3 of them.>
Ji-hwan very briefly connected his magic to Hyeon-yul and Shin-woo.
Banjjak.
The two of them confirmed the 3 individuals.
‘…Then, where are the others?’
After confirming the 3, Hyeon-yul thought.
He turned his head at a sudden thought.
He saw the movies currently playing.
Since it was a period when many movies were being released, all 9 theaters were full.
Their arrival was by no means a coincidence.
There was a reason for everything.
<What they want is the movie theater screen.>
Even as Hyeon-yul said it, he was dumbfounded.
Who mostly comes to movie theaters?
Ordinary people.
It was a structure where everyone had to sit quietly in one place and look at the screen.
What would happen if a specific power was placed on that screen?
Hadn't everyone seen what kind of power brainwashing had, just a short while ago on a mission?
<What they desire is natural brainwashing.>
<Of course, to prepare for that, they periodically inspect…….>
Shin-woo stopped sending the message.
They checked the results of the internal movie inspection, not the people.
The loophole in the system only now caught his eye.
<If so, the same formula might have been engraved simultaneously."
"To block this, we need to erase them simultaneously.>
Ji-hwan explained while eating popcorn.
<Ji-hwan, you rescue the person inside there, and Hyeon-yul, you can catch the 3, right?>
<Alright.>
<I can catch them.>
Ji-hwan and Hyeon-yul’s messages popped up.
<I’ll take care of damaging the screen.>
Considering various abilities, Shin-woo thought he was the most suitable.
Because he could summon a sword that could pierce space itself without opening a door.
As Shin-woo quickly changed direction and started, Ji-hwan seemed to follow him.
Hyeon-yul sat quietly at the scene where popcorn and cola remained.
Three people.
He was watching them properly.
In a chaotic situation with people around, the best thing he could do was one thing.
Make them disappear in an instant.
Hyeon-yul intentionally used the darkness to touch the popcorn machine.
Tak tak tak!
As it made a rough sound, everyone turned their gaze in that direction.
Hands simultaneously extended from the shadows of the 3 individuals, grabbed their shoulders, and pulled them in.
As they disappeared as if by magic, Hyeon-yul put popcorn in his mouth.
Jiiing.
As a vibration came, Hyeon-yul took out his cell phone.
Oh Hae-ryeon.
“Yes, Team Leader."
"Where should I hand them over?”
He wanted to quickly take them out of the darkness and throw them away.
They were filthy.
“…Ha."
"Watching a movie is so hard.”
Shin-woo lamented as he entered the cafe.
The incident had been resolved well.
He was slightly worried about tearing up the screen, but seeing White Sparrow’s expression, he thought there was nothing to worry about.
For now, there was still some time before eating, so he thought he should kill some time.
“This way.”
As Na-yoon naturally raised her hand, Shin-woo was surprised and strode over.
“You, you, you, why are you here?”
He had thought she might be at a cafe, but he hadn't expected it to be this one.
“This is perfect for a hangover.”
Na-yoon pointed to all sorts of sliced cakes.
Shin-woo frowned, but Na-yoon didn't even pay attention and looked at Hyeon-yul and Ji-hwan.
“But were you all gathered?"
"Without me?"
"That’s too much.”
“We met by chance."
"By chance."
"…Ha."
"We’re also just coming from a mission."
"So let’s keep the bickering moderate.”
Shin-woo sat down with a tired expression.
“Me too, you know?"
"On my way, I saw them secretly exchanging something among themselves."
"I wasn’t going to pay much attention, but I saw the letters.”
“What did you see?”
Hyeon-yul asked.
“A brainwashing operation using the movie theater screen?"
"Something like that."
"It was so absurd, I put holes in both their legs."
"Of course, I called the managers too.”
Na-yoon whispered.
As the expressions of the two, excluding Hyeon-yul, changed, Na-yoon asked in surprise.
“…No way, did that happen, and you guys stopped it?”
“Yes.”
When Hyeon-yul answered simply, Na-yoon let out a long breath.
A strong sense of camaraderie washed over her.
“Something always blows up like this on my day off."
"Let’s eat, kids."
"Eating is what remains.”
Na-yoon offered the cake.
She had a hangover, they had fatigue.
Sweet things were indeed the best to shake it all off.