Rainbow City

The sharp scream made his body freeze automatically.Blood splattered everywhere, and the man started running to escape the infected chasing him.“Hyung! Wait for me!”His younger brother, who had fallen behind, reached out towards the man. He tried to save his brother, but dozens of infected people rushed at him like demons. The narrow subway tunnel was instantly soaked with blood. When even the light from the lamps disappeared, only screams filled the air, and the man crawled forward, stretching out his hand to feel his way.“…I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”The man sobbed as he remembered his brother being bitten by the infected. The endless dark tunnel continued, and from far ahead, a single beam of light shone through. It seemed like a signpost pointing to hope. The man got up from his prone position and ran madly towards the light. He ran and ran, leaping up the stairs.The sun shone brightly on the world, and the clouds were as white as ever. But the surface was already a blood-soaked hell. The infected, who were staggering in place, began to rush at the man as soon as they saw him.“Run, run! Somebody, please save me! I want to live! Please!”Beep-As Kwak Soohwan entered the room, he paused the screen. Seokhwa, who was sitting on the sofa holding a bowl of peanuts, was frozen.“What the… Attack of the Zombies?”Seokhwa slowly exhaled the breath he had been holding. He rolled the turtleneck that was choking his neck inward.“Why are you watching this?”Recently, Seokhwa had been deeply into movies. Of course, they weren’t new productions but mostly old videos from before Adam appeared.Kwak Soohwan brushed off the sleet from his jumper and hung it on the coat rack. He went to the bathroom, washed his hands in hot water for a long time, and checked his face in the mirror. The mirror was spotless, probably cleaned by the hotel staff while he was out. He dried his hands with a towel before sitting down heavily next to Seokhwa.He rubbed his cold face against Seokhwa’s, kissing his cheeks. Seokhwa, indifferent, put the bowl of peanuts on the table in front of him.They were currently staying in a lodging run by a city citizen, not a shelter. The place had been remodeled from an old motel with a hotel sign, but the facilities were poor compared to the shelters.Rainbow City had changed significantly during Seokhwa’s absence. Leisure facilities for citizens had sprung up everywhere, and with Adam gone, people who took up outdoor activities as a hobby caused lodgings all over to thrive.Cell phone base stations had been opened in Seoul and were being set up in other regions. Additionally, every household was provided with a screen, giving citizens more diverse access to information. Though some people still preferred listening to the radio, claiming it was more comfortable.Brainwashing broadcasts and the city song had become the butt of jokes, and some even created humor programs mocking Adam.With the previously terrifying presence no longer a threat, people seemed to seek emotional compensation by making Adam a laughingstock. Previously, most singers sang city songs, but now music genres were diversifying.There were still only seven official channels, all owned by honorary families. The channel owned by Emperor Penguin was known for broadcasting impartial news. However, Seokhwa was skeptical about how impartial it really was.“I heard in the lobby that another movie was added today. Want to watch it? Our Dr. Seok might cry his eyes out.”Kwak Soohwan loved romance movies almost as much as books. But Seokhwa’s reaction, staring at the paused screen, wasn’t very enthusiastic. The face of the terrified man in close-up didn’t help.“Why? Do you want to keep watching Attack of the Zombies?”“No, I was just curious about how people back then thought about viruses.”“How do you feel about it?”“I can empathize with the main character. But Major Kwak wouldn’t find it interesting.”It would be hard for Kwak Soohwan to empathize with the protagonist being chased by zombies. He would likely think there was no problem if he could just bash their heads in.“Then shall we watch the one I mentioned?”Kwak Soohwan grabbed the remote and turned off the pause screen, navigating to the paid channels.He switched to the romance genre and started the famous movie. Since they had a week-long subscription from the hotel desk, they could watch as many as they wanted.In fact, during this week, Seokhwa had come to understand his movie preferences clearly. He liked action films. According to Kwak Soohwan, entertainment is about vicarious satisfaction. That explanation made Seokhwa quickly accept why he liked action movies.So did Kwak Soohwan get vicarious satisfaction from romance movies? Was I not enough? Such negative thoughts briefly crossed his mind. He realized that action was enough for Kwak Soohwan, but he watched movies too.Kwak Soohwan paused the movie before it started.“Let’s see if you’re full.”Kwak Soohwan put his hand inside Seokhwa’s shirt and rubbed his stomach. Expecting his hand to be cold, Seokhwa flinched, but it was warmer than usual. He must have warmed his hands with hot water earlier. Considering others in small ways is not easy. Seokhwa tried not to take his thoughtfulness for granted.“Did you skip lunch today?”“I ate.”“Then why is your stomach so flat? We should ask for more food starting tomorrow.”“Don’t waste food. I left some today too.”For lunch, a large portion of samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) had been delivered, which Kwak Soohwan had requested in the morning before going out. The chicken was so huge that they had to give half to the room service staff.Seokhwa had meticulously eaten a drumstick and shredded some breast meat to avoid choking, taking almost an hour for the meal. Then, while looking for a movie, he saw the words “zombie virus” and played it. It wasn’t even an hour later that Kwak Soohwan returned like this.On the surface, it seemed like they were leisurely lounging around the hotel, but digging deeper, the situation was quite stressful.It was good that they arrived in the city by boat with Kwak Soohwan’s colleagues. Especially since the expensive boat had a cabin with heating and cooling, there was no need to worry about the cold. However, they had to endure seasickness to the point of almost dying. By the end, they were vomiting only thin gastric juice, prompting Kwak Soohwan to insist on developing a vacuum boat.They landed at Chodo Port in the East Sea and found a public phone nearby. There were no apparent problems until Lee Chaeyoon handed the receiver to Kwak Soohwan with a serious face. But the short phone call made them head to Busan instead of Gwacheon.“Where could you find someone as handsome as us, right?”Kwak Soohwan hugged Seokhwa as if he couldn’t stand being apart for just a few hours. The nape of Seokhwa’s neck was so soft that Kwak Soohwan wanted to keep rubbing his face against it.“Do we still not know where they’re operating?”“No, those bastards.”The reason Seokhwa and Kwak Soohwan couldn’t join the Gwacheon Shelter was because impostors pretending to be “Doctor Seokhwa” and “Controller Kwak Soohwan” had appeared in the city.What made it even more troublesome was that these impostors seemed to have a surprising amount of information. It was speculated that they were either higher-ups who had access to Mother or someone close to them, but it was difficult to pinpoint the suspects. They considered just ignoring it and going to the shelter, but those two impostors turned out to be the leaders of a new religious sect.“You tried the Tree of Life, I tried the Guide, and those impostors even founded a religion.”A significant number of citizens were dissatisfied with the newly restructured city council.Rumors had spread that there never was a coalition of nations, that a vaccine could have been developed but the higher-ups had deceived the citizens to live luxuriously for themselves. There was also a baseless rumor that Master Choi Hoeon was framed and killed by the honorable families.To minimize chaos, the city council had only provided the citizens with broad facts. Therefore, they were unaware that the new mutant Adam virus had appeared and then disappeared.[The city is once again hiding the emergence of the new mutant Adam virus! Only faith can save you! The city must repent for persecuting mutants! Freedom for citizens and mutants alike! Citizens and mutants who desire freedom, come to us! Oh, paradise, paradise.]This was the content of a flyer from the new religious sect that Kwak Soohwan had brought yesterday.“Do you think they just guessed about the new mutation?”“Judging by the propaganda, that could be the case, but who knows.”Some people did not believe they were truly free from Adam. In areas where the vaccine hadn’t reached and Adam still existed, several infection incidents had occurred. The new religious sect used these incidents to persuade people not to get vaccinated and was recruiting followers by promising to create their own paradise.In the past, such followers would have been immediately executed as rebels, but doing so now would have led to Lee Hee-chan’s downfall. Yet calling it paradise was no better than Eden.“Let’s go out together for evening activities.”They had been gathering information but had difficulty meeting anyone who seemed to be a follower. They guessed it might operate on a referral system.“I feel like we need to wear signs on our backs. ‘The real Kwak Soohwan’ and ‘the real Doctor Seokhwa’.”Kwak Soohwan pushed Seokhwa onto the sofa.“Aren’t we watching the movie?”“You’re more interesting than a movie.”“That’s the first time anyone’s told me I’m interesting.”“Not because you’re funny. Just looking at you makes me happy and entertained. In that sense, I’m a hundred points, right?”Kwak Soohwan often needed reassurance of his importance to Seokhwa. Perhaps it was because he felt he lacked expressions. Seokhwa held his face in both hands. Like an animal receiving its owner’s touch, Kwak Soohwan rubbed his cheeks and nose against Seokhwa’s palms.“Not going to the shelter makes this no different than a mountain lodge.”“A thousand points.”“Huh? You’re giving me a thousand points?”“A million points.”Ha ha, Kwak Soohwan laughed into Seokhwa’s hands. Although Seokhwa said it was no different than a mountain lodge, it wasn’t true. Life in the lodge was just idling away, but returning to the city meant they couldn’t escape the responsibilities asked of them by Prime Minister Lee Hee-chan.Though they had used Emperor Penguin to capture Choi Hoeon, it worked out in the end, so they could dodge the blame. If only there weren’t those impostors. Lee Hee-chan promised to fulfill all prior commitments if they handled the religious agitators. She had brought them to the city to use them and might think she had repaid Kwak Soohwan by now.Seokhwa pressed his cool cheek into his warm palm.“When we return to the shelter, should you ask for the head researcher position?”Seokhwa’s face wrinkled slightly.“No.”“I thought so.”“Then why say unnecessary things?”“Because I feel wronged.”Seokhwa sighed, his breath trapped by Kwak Soohwan’s weight on his upper body.“Did you want to become a general?”Above major general, there was only general. This promotion was already a massive jump, so aiming for general seemed unrealistic even to Seokhwa.“Who said that? After this, I’m leaving the military.”“…Leaving?”“Yeah.”Seokhwa felt a bit hurt that Kwak Soohwan had decided on his future alone. Still, he understood wanting a change after all the hardships.“When did you decide this?”“Just now. Hugging you makes me want to stay close.”It wasn’t something to be upset about. Kwak Soohwan always spoke his mind as soon as he thought of something. Seokhwa reflected on how narrow-minded he had been.“Is it okay to be so impulsive? Have you thought about what to do?”“Business, maybe. I see a lot of blue ocean industries in the city. Look at this hotel owner; he’s making a fortune by being smart. Maybe I’ll go into pharmaceuticals or vaccines with you.”“Then sell them cheap. Not expensive.”Though he was serious about leaving the military, the rest was just a joke, but Seokhwa responded sincerely.“Do you think I’d be good at business?”“No.”Seokhwa answered bluntly. If a dispute ever arose with a business partner, he would have to watch out for that person’s skull.“Then what do you think I’d be good at?”Seokhwa patted Kwak Soohwan’s back, thinking calmly about his future.“Not something like a bodyguard.”“Are you saying I can’t protect you?”“I don’t think you’d work well under anyone.”“Where else has stricter discipline than the military?”“You didn’t follow it.”“In the city, I’m probably the strongest. Who would give me orders? Damn, I should’ve shown you fighting a Russian bear.”“Why would you fight a bear?”Kwak Soohwan suddenly sat up and grabbed Seokhwa’s wrists.“If a bear attacks you, make a fist.”Seokhwa made two fists.“Listen carefully. This is self-defense.”Kwak Soohwan placed Seokhwa’s fists on the bone connecting his jaw and ear.“Hit here. Even a bear would apologize and leave.”It was a useless self-defense technique. Punching effectively required considerable strength. Seokhwa let him place his fists on his jaw, knowing it wouldn’t be effective.“Oh, that’s quite fierce.”If he really hit Kwak Soohwan’s jaw, his own hand would probably break.“Yes, here comes Dr. Seok’s nuclear punch! Fire! Oh, look, the bear is running away crying. Is it bringing its mom and dad? No problem. Dr. Seok’s right hand is a nuclear punch, and the left hand is a champion groin grabber.”Kwak Soohwan playfully moved Seokhwa’s fists around, looking quite endearing.What would a hyper-energetic Kwak Soohwan do if he weren’t a soldier? Becoming a martial artist didn’t make sense either. With the handicap of being a mutant, he wouldn’t even be accepted in the ring.[That’s exactly what I mean.]Seokhwa looked at the TV screen in surprise. The movie had automatically ended after the pause, switching to regular programming.[Not only should we ban mutants from reproducing, but we should also pass laws to control the existing mutants. When the Adam virus was rampant, we needed their strength. But let’s be honest, many mutants were criminals, weren’t they? If we let them roam freely again, it will cause more social problems.][Have mutants caused any social problems?][Not yet, but we should prepare in advance. If mutants decided to unite, they could easily establish a dictatorship like before.]The panelists, marked as Citizen Representative and Honorable Family Spokesperson, argued on TV. The Citizen Representative was anti-mutant, while the Honorable Family Spokesperson was pro-mutant.[Given how distinct each mutant’s personality is, it would be hard for them to unite.][Is it so difficult to leash potential murderers? If you saw them fighting Adam, you wouldn’t say that, Honorable Family Spokesperson. Most Honorable Families have mutants. They’re not like us. Their regeneration speed is monstrous, and their vision and strength are beyond human. Honorable Families should lead the charge in banning mutant births.][Mutants are proof of our evolution. Your words sound like jealousy and persecution of superior beings.]Kwak Soohwan kissed Seokhwa’s fist and turned off the TV.“Damn if we do, damn if we don’t.”Kwak Soohwan grumbled. Seokhwa, unlike before, paid attention. He was also a mutant with immunity, and Kwak Soohwan was a flawless mutant.The new religion’s unexpected strength was due to mutants outside the city joining them.Inside the city, natural mutants were rare. Most unregistered mutants likely came from labs, meaning someone had smuggled them out.Kwak Soohwan suggested going out to clear their heads, dragging Seokhwa along. Seokhwa changed clothes without complaint. Inside the beige coat Kwak Soohwan bought was a wallet filled with cash, which even the financially clueless Seokhwa found significant. Yet, he had little use for it.Since arriving in Busan, Kwak Soohwan dressed casually. As Seokhwa watched him put on pants and a sweater, he debated whether to wear socks, finally opting for white ones. He rarely went barefoot after his body temperature normalized. Though socks were uncomfortable, he preferred them over catching a cold and worrying Kwak Soohwan.Another curious thing was his gradually decreasing body temperature. Visiting the shelter’s lab might provide answers, but Lee Hee-chan preferred fewer people knowing they were back in Rainbow City, fearing the impostors might go into hiding.Most people who knew their real faces were at the Yeouido Shelter, and many of them had died when Choi Hoeon released the new Adam. While many soldiers knew Kwak Soohwan, they didn’t live among the citizens.Seokhwa sat on the sofa, waiting for Kwak Soohwan to get ready. Living together revealed new facets, like Kwak Soohwan’s tendency to take care of his appearance when circumstances allowed.“Let’s go.”Kwak Soohwan told Seokhwa to leave the coat but take the wallet. Instead, he helped Seokhwa into a soft cardigan.“If we go out like this, it’ll be cold.”“It’s outside, but not completely outside.”After finding the room key, Kwak Soohwan took Seokhwa’s hand. The hallway smelled of fabric softener used by the hotel. The stains on the carpet, resembling blood, were an optical illusion. The red carpet was a visual trick the hotel owner used, claiming it was to help overcome trauma, but it looked eerily like blood.We walked past the blood-red carpet and took the elevator to the top floor. Although it was only one floor higher, our current room was already the most expensive suite in the hotel.The restaurant was large, circular in shape, offering a panoramic 360-degree view of Busan’s cityscape. Once dark and desolate at night, the city was now brightly lit, no longer afraid to turn on the lights. The night view had become another attraction for people.The lights from the buildings resembled fireflies. Before autumn, Seokhwa had occasionally seen fireflies glowing near the forest by the lodge. Staring endlessly out the window, whenever the lights scattered, he would pray for someone to appear. But it was always just animals. The disappointment reminded him of death, and only the words telling him to live bound his body.Seokhwa pushed aside the past loneliness and embraced the night view. He had returned to his hometown, the city, with Kwak Soohwan by his side, someone who wouldn’t leave. He didn’t want to treat this reality as a dream.A song by a long-forgotten singer played on the turntable. The restaurant was filled with citizens who looked like the local elite, dining in formal attire. Most were dressed in dresses and tuxedos, resembling a noble salon. Seokhwa had seen something similar on Wudo Island.“What do you want to eat?”After being shown to their seats, Kwak Soohwan handed over the menu.“I’m not used to this.”Seokhwa confessed honestly.“I’m not used to it yet either. But change is inevitable. The city’s system has changed, and we’re in a transition period. We need to adapt.”There was nothing wrong with what he said, so Seokhwa didn’t voice his desire to return to their room. He worried if the city’s indoctrination still affected him, but he had never been good at adapting to change.“If you don’t know what to order, should I choose for you?”“Go ahead.”“Wait a bit. I’ll pick something amazingly delicious.”Without searching the menu for long, Kwak Soohwan called a waiter. The young man, wearing a bow tie, looked to be in his twenties. Kwak Soohwan ordered various dishes but didn’t order alcohol for once. Thinking back, Kwak Soohwan hadn’t drunk since their last night in Russia. He also hadn’t smoked since some time ago.“You don’t have to be so considerate.”Seokhwa spoke quietly to Kwak Soohwan after the waiter left.“What do you mean?”“Consideration isn’t something to get used to; it’s something to be grateful for.”“What are you talking about?”Kwak Soohwan laughed as if he found it absurd.“You can smoke if you want. You can drink too.”“Do you want me to get liver cancer and die early?”He openly showed his displeasure.“Drinking and smoking don’t always lead to early death. It just increases the chances.”“Didn’t you know? My lungs convert nicotine into vitamins.”It was a joke, but Seokhwa wasn’t fooled. Yet, he found it amusing enough to slightly curl the corners of his lips.“Hello.”A middle-aged couple holding wine glasses greeted them warmly. They nodded at Kwak Soohwan and then greeted Seokhwa.“Hello.”Kwak Soohwan responded in a clear voice. Seokhwa’s voice was flat as he returned the greeting.“You look unfamiliar. Are you not from around here?”“No, we’re not.”“You two stood out as soon as you walked in. Where are you from? Are you visiting Busan?”“We’re here for work.”Despite Kwak Soohwan’s curt response, the couple continued to be friendly.The restaurant’s layout, with a bar in the center and dining tables along the windows, made it easy for guests to interact. Most patrons were there to socialize.Previously, they had lived with closed windows and doors, focused solely on survival. Fights with neighbors, if reported to the rebels, could result in death without a chance to explain.Humans are social creatures. With the enforced system lifted by Adam and the Masters, people craved freedom and sought interactions with others.“If you don’t mind, would you like to join us for dinner? I’ll treat, of course.”The husband was more assertive.“No, thank you.”Kwak Soohwan declined with a polite smile.“You remind me of my late child, and I’d like to have dinner together. Would that be too much trouble?”Whether due to a lack of social interaction or stubbornness, the couple didn’t seem to take no for an answer.Dr. Seok didn’t like strangers, and they were on a date. Just as Kwak Soohwan was about to refuse again, Seokhwa spoke up.“It’s fine. Join us.”Kwak Soohwan frowned, unsure if he heard correctly.“Oh, thank you. I’ll ask them to move our table.”Seokhwa stood and moved next to Kwak Soohwan, bringing his fork and spoon with him.“Are you okay with strangers joining us?”Kwak Soohwan whispered to Seokhwa, who leaned slightly, moving his lips close to his ear.“Since we came back, we haven’t really had a chance to talk to anyone from the city. We might learn something useful about what’s going on.”Kwak Soohwan knew that Seokhwa shouldn’t become someone who only existed in his arms or hands. Yet he selfishly wanted to fill Seokhwa’s world completely. He didn’t fear Seokhwa meeting new people or liking others more. His confidence in Seokhwa’s affection was solid. This was just a childish feeling.“But I’m still the best, right?”“The best.”Seokhwa replied without hesitation. Kwak Soohwan was about to shower him with kisses when Seokhwa sipped the soup that had just arrived. At that moment, the couple approached, carrying their bags, and sat across from them. Their meal had yet to be served, so they only had soup, some bread, and vegetables.“Thank you. We thought young folks like you might find us old folks boring, but you kindly let us join you.”“Not at all. We’re honored to talk with people of your experience.”Kwak Soohwan cheerfully extended his hand for a handshake. To Seokhwa, Kwak Soohwan seemed like a man with a thousand masks.Some days, he was like a ten-year-old child; on others, a cold soldier. Sometimes he felt like an older brother, and now he was a courteous young man.“But what about you two? Are you brothers?”The wife’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.“No.”Having finished his soup, Seokhwa set his spoon down. The mushroom soup was the best he’d ever had.“Then?”“We’re colleagues.”Seokhwa offered a plausible explanation. There was no need to reveal their deep bond to strangers. Both preferred to avoid unnecessary attention.“I see. What do you do for work, if I may ask?”The husband seemed to mistake them for children of some noble family, seeing them in such an expensive restaurant.“We used to work at a shelter.”Kwak Soohwan gave a vague answer.“Oh! You received the city’s stipend like us.”“Were you at a shelter?”“No, we weren’t.”“If it’s not too much trouble, may I ask what you did?”He smoothly redirected the conversation to them.The couple eagerly shared their story.They had three children, the youngest of whom died in Seoul during the Adam incident last year. The other two set up farms nearby. They weren’t from a noble family but had worked at an education center during the Masters’ regime.“Honestly, we guessed it. We thought the Masters would use Adam to hold onto power. So when Cho Hoeon was elected, we all thought a new era was beginning. My wife and I supported Cho Hoeon. But then he turned out to be a cult leader of something called Eden Paradise. If people didn’t follow him, he infected them with Adam and killed them. It was suspicious when he tried to make a cult the state religion.”“Really?”Kwak Soohwan interjected with interest as the couple became more relaxed.“You young people might not know. We knew from the education center how the upper echelons only cared about themselves. Who would have thought the world would change this much? When I heard about the coup, I thought the rebels would be killed for nothing, and nothing would change. But they did it.”The couple clinked glasses and sipped their wine.“And, this is really a secret.”The wife leaned forward with her wine glass.“The vaccine the city distributes.”Seokhwa, who had been cutting the steak Kwak Soohwan served him, finally showed interest. Seeing Seokhwa’s eyes light up, the wife eagerly continued.“They say it was developed by a Dr. Seokhwa from the Seoul shelter.”“That’s amazing.”Kwak Soohwan’s tone was genuinely surprised, but he continued serving Seokhwa salad. Seokhwa only flinched slightly.“Right? But even now, I get nervous when I talk about this. My heart races.”The wife took a sip of wine to calm her nerves.“I don’t completely doubt it. They say Dr. Seokhwa got infected with a new strain of the Adam virus while developing the vaccine. The nobles wanted to cover it up and tried to assassinate him. If he died, the virus wouldn’t spread, and they could take credit.”“Right, and more surprising is that Dr. Seokhwa didn’t die despite being infected with the new strain. It was around the time Cho Hoeon died. A military officer I know said there was an order to shoot Dr. Seokhwa on sight. But no body was ever found.”It was a mix of rumors, both true and false.“There was also a rumor about an old mad scientist dedicated to the Adam virus, but that doesn’t seem right. You know the new cult growing around Busan, Paradise?”“Yes, I know of it.”Seokhwa paused his meal to reply.“They say Dr. Seokhwa founded that cult. And he was taken by a city major who was also a controller. You young folks know what a controller is, right?”The husband kindly offered to explain if they didn’t know.“Yes, I know the position,” Seokhwa answered.