What is that little thing saying? Dead? Apostle?
Shouldn't she be at an age where I should be eating tteokbokki while going to school? My face was briefly reflected in the coffee in the flower-painted ceramic cup. The expression I made in it felt unfamiliar, even unnatural.
"Johanna, dying can't be your goal. Are you really doing this because you want to?"
Unable to bear the discomfort, I interfered in a way that was not typical of me.
She turned her head to the side without answering. Her lips curved gently, but it seemed unrelated to her mood. Not wanting to empathize with her complex and agonizing emotions, I stopped interfering or asking questions.
“Madam, what does it feel like to marry someone you love?”
It was a sudden question, but I remembered Ayla's previous question about marriage. Perhaps it was along the same lines. While I couldn't quite answer, Johanna widened her eyes and smiled.
Before I knew it, the sun was slowly setting, and a crimson sunset spread across the sky. I was standing in front of the iron cage, admiring the colorful birds Johanna was raising.
“Diana.”
I turned at the sound of my name being called, and saw Noah walking toward me, dressed in a summer linen shirt and with his sleeves rolled up. He was pulling a pretty bicycle with a basket attached.
"Diana, do you want to ride a bike? I found one that was abandoned."
Johanna's eyes widened.
“I didn’t throw it away, it’s my bike...”
“You’re a bicycle thief, claiming that something someone else found is yours.”
“Haha, my father bought it for me.”
Johanna, who suddenly became a bicycle thief, smiled awkwardly, but Noah seemed to not care at all and instead made a confident request.
“Then I’ll give it to you, so lend it to me.”
"Oh, of course. You two, come along. If you go straight to the right, you'll find a leopard couple we rescued from poaching."
I didn't want to ride. I was hesitant because it seemed so hot, but seeing the man looking strangely excited, I couldn't bring myself to refuse. I waved at Johanna.
“Thank you, Johanna.”
Noah held out the handlebars toward me, so I grabbed my skirt and climbed onto the saddle. I didn't want to ride.
I turned around as I felt a heavy rattle in my rear end, and saw Noah climbing onto the back of my bike and holding onto my waist.
“What is it?”
“Let’s go quickly. I want to go see the leopard.”
"Am I in a situation where I have to carry that guy and ride his bike right now?" I saw Johanna covering her mouth to stifle laughter. Noah, with a bright smile, patted my shoulder as if to encourage me.
I let out a hollow laugh and pedaled, and the bike squeaked and struggled to move. "Oh, it's heavy. This guy's heavy."
My bangs were wet and stuck to my forehead from the long hours I'd spent leading Noah to the leopard Johanna mentioned. What the heck, a safari? Why is it so far away?
“Ugh, I can’t do this anymore. It’s your turn!”
As I stopped my bike and started to get angry, Noah got off the bike lightly, took out a handkerchief, and wiped the sweat from my forehead.
“Thank you for your hard work. I’ll take the next one.”
I sat down on the bike saddle, my head resting on his broad shoulder. Cycling, I don't exercise, so it was too arduous and exhausting for me.
“Honey, you need to get some exercise. Maybe go for a walk.”
"Yes."
“Are you just going to answer again?”
"No."
As he sped along, the cool sunset breeze blew past, cooling my sweat. I heard the cawing of an unknown bird. The rustling of palm leaves sounded like the sound of waves. Riding a bike isn't bad. Just so long as I'm not the one driving it.
Finally, we arrived at the damn leopard enclosure. Inside the spacious enclosure, a pair of leopards was lounging leisurely on a log.
The male had a bandage wrapped around his leg, as if he was injured, and the smaller female had her mouth wide open, showing sharp fangs, as if she was wary of us.
“I guess she’s trying to protect her injured husband, the leopard.”
My gaze was riveted to the leopard's ferociously snarling forelimbs. Those round paws looked so soft and fluffy, I wanted to touch them. I wanted to see the soles.
“Even so, they’re both trapped.”
Noah stared blankly at the male leopard, bandaged and limp. The female was banging her forelegs against the bars, her expression telling us to get out of here. Satisfied with my sight of the black jelly on her paws, I tugged on Noah's sleeve.
“I guess you two want to be together. Let’s go back.”
Noah and I stood side by side beside our bikes, facing each other. The air was like a group project, with each of us putting off the task, but in the end, Noah was the first to climb onto the bike saddle.
“I want to shower. It’s hot.”
Noah, who had been pedaling hard, showed signs of regret. I wiped his wet hair with a handkerchief.
“Still, it’s fun.”
He continued speaking. I looked around at the garden scenery and the evening sky, filled with the fresh night air, and answered.
“Me too.”
We passed the edge of the lake. His bikes were reflected in the still water, reflecting the early evening sky. The morning star and other unnamed stars rose above the surface, one by one. Suddenly, Noah stopped his bike, turned around, and smiled brightly at me.
“Diana.”
"Yes?"
“You are the first person I’ve ever loved and cherished. And you’re the only one.”
I stared at the blue-tinged eyes in the dim evening light, momentarily lost in thought. When I came to, I was already bewildered.
“Huh? Why all of a sudden?”
"I thought you'd been curious for a while. Are you anxious? I'm kind to you. I don't do anything suspicious."
Why do you know everything? Jealousy and anxiety have built up little by little, day by day, until they're finally visible. He smiled faintly, then turned back to face me and pedaled forward. Since I'd already been caught, I decided to ask honestly.
“How did you know?”
“I can tell by looking at your expression.”
I rested my forehead against his back and said nothing. I felt a little embarrassed that a glimpse of my thoughts had been caught. In the midst of a global war, where each nation's territory was being determined, standing on a glass floor that could shatter at any moment, this was no time for jealousy or suspicion. Worrying about stories born of jealousy and envy was a wasteful act, with no benefit or efficiency. I resolved to keep my daily life intact and vowed to remain unswayed by what others said. I decided to judge only by what I had seen and experienced. Because to me, he was the best person.
“I won’t do that again.”
I said.
"Sorry."
It took a while for the apology to come. I must have paused for a moment, staring at his back. He hummed softly and nodded.
The next day, we drove outside the capital of Dakanhav and headed to the Medea National Air Base, located near a large industrial complex. The military company and factory where Noah and Vincent were working were also located nearby.
The people in charge of research and management at the military industry were primarily Esatians. Vincent went off to do his own work, while Branch Manager Ostrik and Johanna showed me around and explained things to me.
"The Esatians have long been a people with exceptional scientific and technological knowledge, with many of their most accomplished scientists and mathematicians hailing from Eiland. However, due to their small territory and limited resources, they entered into an agreement with the powerful nation of Frogen. Eiland agreed to provide technological expertise and talent, while they provided resources, military forces, and land. This was a key policy of His Excellency Mark Rotsilt, who was then Frogen's Minister of Foreign Affairs and later became Prime Minister."
Inside the Research and Technology Department, Branch Manager Ostrik seemed to be reminiscing about irreversible events of the past. Johanna, her hands clasped together, listened silently to her father's words.
"Until the reign of Grand Emperor Meyer II, there was no trouble between the two nations. However, tragedy began after the mad Frogen Emperor Meyer III ascended to the throne. They stole all our technology, imprisoned key figures from previous generations, and then broke the treaty, invaded Eiland, intending to exterminate all Esatians."
I looked at Johanna, her face expressionless. Perhaps it was because Frogen's technological advancements were so advanced. Of course, Medea wasn't far behind. Perhaps it was the influence of the Rotsilt and Ford families who had smuggled them out to Cynthia.
“What is the reason for the massacre?”
Johanna answered my question calmly.
"They wanted a monopoly on knowledge and technology. They wanted to be the best. They evacuated the intellectuals, the most targeted for slaughter, from the Rotsilt and Ford families. Thanks to them, the current generation of brilliant minds, the so-called geniuses who will contribute to the world's development, survived."
They say a single genius can change the fate of the world. Without someone's help, perhaps the Frogens would have conquered the world. Feeling my mind race, I stared at Noah. He was examining a heavy machine gun and conversing with an Esatian.
"The effective killing range is within 2km, and the rate of fire is 1,200 rounds per minute. Further research is needed on the barrel replacement part."
"Yeah. To reduce parts cutting time and cut costs, we need to make them lighter."
It seemed like they were discussing something difficult. As I left the building and walked, I saw a spacious airfield, and a large, whale-sized military aircraft parked there. It was enormous, weighing at least 60 tons.
Coming here and seeing a new military aircraft I had never seen before, I was a little taken aback, but I tried to hide my expression.
"This is the bomber I will one day pilot. They say they've been preparing and developing it for a long time, even before I was born."
Johanna smiled faintly. I stood there, staring blankly at the imposing, massive aircraft. Wasn't it built to carry an enormous bomb load?
I recalled Johanna's words foretelling her own death. I don't know much about this field, but it seems she was heading to battle carrying something with enough destructive power to swamp the entire ship. And even here, by her own age, she was much younger than I was.
“Why you?”
Why do you live with such a goal in mind? So many people live without purpose. It was a pity. Branch Manager Ostrik forced a smile as he looked at his daughter.
“It is our mission and duty to prevent tragedies like ours from happening again.”
It was something I couldn't possibly understand. I couldn't even fathom why he was telling me such an unbearable story.
They were preparing for an imminent war. The near certainty of the situation sent chills down my spine.
Until now, it has been a battle over distant fronts or colonies, but the war that will unfold in the future will extend to air warfare and even urban raids.
I had the despicable thought of wanting to run away from the impending reality, even though I was standing before people who were willing to face it with an innocent sense of duty, even at the risk of death.
Back at Branch Manager Ostrik's mansion, I was feeling a little gloomy. While Noah, Vincent, and the Branch Manager were talking for a long time, Johanna, carrying a snack and goat's milk, entered the room where I was alone.
“Madam, these are butter cookies I made. Try them.”
“I’ll eat well.”
“Excuse me, Mrs. Rotsilt.”
Instead of answering, I slowly turned my gaze toward her. Johanna's blue eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed brightly. She hesitated and twitched her fingertips.
"If you don't mind, could you be my friend? Of course, you'll return to Medea, but I'd love for you to visit sometimes... and I'd also like to exchange postcards with pictures of the beautiful city of Loganfield."
She smiled, unfolding postcards depicting Cynthia's landscapes from her desk drawer. There was a hint of loneliness in her smile. She seemed to be a very affectionate person.
“Yes. let’s be friends. Since we’re friends, let’s talk.”
“No, that’s not...”
“If it’s difficult, then don’t worry. Can you call me by my name?”
“Yes, Diana. It’s a pretty name.”
“Huh? Isn’t that Mr. Reynolds’ car?”
Outside the window, I saw a familiar car and a cloud of sand. Logan Reynolds' car was speeding towards me. The man seemed unwilling to give up.
“Oh, really, how nice.”
Johanna hurriedly walked over to the full-length mirror and repeatedly tied and untied her hair.
“Tie it up.”
She tied her hair up high at my advice and stamped her feet. She was frantic.
“I told him not to come, but I’m really embarrassed.”
“His efforts are appreciated, so let me buy you a cup of tea.”
Johanna, who had been nodding and wandering around the room, gently tugged at the hem of my skirt with a bright red face.
“Diana, come with me.”
Why me?
Shouldn't she be at an age where I should be eating tteokbokki while going to school? My face was briefly reflected in the coffee in the flower-painted ceramic cup. The expression I made in it felt unfamiliar, even unnatural.
"Johanna, dying can't be your goal. Are you really doing this because you want to?"
Unable to bear the discomfort, I interfered in a way that was not typical of me.
She turned her head to the side without answering. Her lips curved gently, but it seemed unrelated to her mood. Not wanting to empathize with her complex and agonizing emotions, I stopped interfering or asking questions.
“Madam, what does it feel like to marry someone you love?”
It was a sudden question, but I remembered Ayla's previous question about marriage. Perhaps it was along the same lines. While I couldn't quite answer, Johanna widened her eyes and smiled.
***
Before I knew it, the sun was slowly setting, and a crimson sunset spread across the sky. I was standing in front of the iron cage, admiring the colorful birds Johanna was raising.
“Diana.”
I turned at the sound of my name being called, and saw Noah walking toward me, dressed in a summer linen shirt and with his sleeves rolled up. He was pulling a pretty bicycle with a basket attached.
"Diana, do you want to ride a bike? I found one that was abandoned."
Johanna's eyes widened.
“I didn’t throw it away, it’s my bike...”
“You’re a bicycle thief, claiming that something someone else found is yours.”
“Haha, my father bought it for me.”
Johanna, who suddenly became a bicycle thief, smiled awkwardly, but Noah seemed to not care at all and instead made a confident request.
“Then I’ll give it to you, so lend it to me.”
"Oh, of course. You two, come along. If you go straight to the right, you'll find a leopard couple we rescued from poaching."
I didn't want to ride. I was hesitant because it seemed so hot, but seeing the man looking strangely excited, I couldn't bring myself to refuse. I waved at Johanna.
“Thank you, Johanna.”
Noah held out the handlebars toward me, so I grabbed my skirt and climbed onto the saddle. I didn't want to ride.
I turned around as I felt a heavy rattle in my rear end, and saw Noah climbing onto the back of my bike and holding onto my waist.
“What is it?”
“Let’s go quickly. I want to go see the leopard.”
"Am I in a situation where I have to carry that guy and ride his bike right now?" I saw Johanna covering her mouth to stifle laughter. Noah, with a bright smile, patted my shoulder as if to encourage me.
I let out a hollow laugh and pedaled, and the bike squeaked and struggled to move. "Oh, it's heavy. This guy's heavy."
My bangs were wet and stuck to my forehead from the long hours I'd spent leading Noah to the leopard Johanna mentioned. What the heck, a safari? Why is it so far away?
“Ugh, I can’t do this anymore. It’s your turn!”
As I stopped my bike and started to get angry, Noah got off the bike lightly, took out a handkerchief, and wiped the sweat from my forehead.
“Thank you for your hard work. I’ll take the next one.”
I sat down on the bike saddle, my head resting on his broad shoulder. Cycling, I don't exercise, so it was too arduous and exhausting for me.
“Honey, you need to get some exercise. Maybe go for a walk.”
"Yes."
“Are you just going to answer again?”
"No."
As he sped along, the cool sunset breeze blew past, cooling my sweat. I heard the cawing of an unknown bird. The rustling of palm leaves sounded like the sound of waves. Riding a bike isn't bad. Just so long as I'm not the one driving it.
Finally, we arrived at the damn leopard enclosure. Inside the spacious enclosure, a pair of leopards was lounging leisurely on a log.
The male had a bandage wrapped around his leg, as if he was injured, and the smaller female had her mouth wide open, showing sharp fangs, as if she was wary of us.
“I guess she’s trying to protect her injured husband, the leopard.”
My gaze was riveted to the leopard's ferociously snarling forelimbs. Those round paws looked so soft and fluffy, I wanted to touch them. I wanted to see the soles.
“Even so, they’re both trapped.”
Noah stared blankly at the male leopard, bandaged and limp. The female was banging her forelegs against the bars, her expression telling us to get out of here. Satisfied with my sight of the black jelly on her paws, I tugged on Noah's sleeve.
“I guess you two want to be together. Let’s go back.”
Noah and I stood side by side beside our bikes, facing each other. The air was like a group project, with each of us putting off the task, but in the end, Noah was the first to climb onto the bike saddle.
“I want to shower. It’s hot.”
Noah, who had been pedaling hard, showed signs of regret. I wiped his wet hair with a handkerchief.
“Still, it’s fun.”
He continued speaking. I looked around at the garden scenery and the evening sky, filled with the fresh night air, and answered.
“Me too.”
We passed the edge of the lake. His bikes were reflected in the still water, reflecting the early evening sky. The morning star and other unnamed stars rose above the surface, one by one. Suddenly, Noah stopped his bike, turned around, and smiled brightly at me.
“Diana.”
"Yes?"
“You are the first person I’ve ever loved and cherished. And you’re the only one.”
I stared at the blue-tinged eyes in the dim evening light, momentarily lost in thought. When I came to, I was already bewildered.
“Huh? Why all of a sudden?”
"I thought you'd been curious for a while. Are you anxious? I'm kind to you. I don't do anything suspicious."
Why do you know everything? Jealousy and anxiety have built up little by little, day by day, until they're finally visible. He smiled faintly, then turned back to face me and pedaled forward. Since I'd already been caught, I decided to ask honestly.
“How did you know?”
“I can tell by looking at your expression.”
I rested my forehead against his back and said nothing. I felt a little embarrassed that a glimpse of my thoughts had been caught. In the midst of a global war, where each nation's territory was being determined, standing on a glass floor that could shatter at any moment, this was no time for jealousy or suspicion. Worrying about stories born of jealousy and envy was a wasteful act, with no benefit or efficiency. I resolved to keep my daily life intact and vowed to remain unswayed by what others said. I decided to judge only by what I had seen and experienced. Because to me, he was the best person.
“I won’t do that again.”
I said.
"Sorry."
It took a while for the apology to come. I must have paused for a moment, staring at his back. He hummed softly and nodded.
***
The next day, we drove outside the capital of Dakanhav and headed to the Medea National Air Base, located near a large industrial complex. The military company and factory where Noah and Vincent were working were also located nearby.
The people in charge of research and management at the military industry were primarily Esatians. Vincent went off to do his own work, while Branch Manager Ostrik and Johanna showed me around and explained things to me.
"The Esatians have long been a people with exceptional scientific and technological knowledge, with many of their most accomplished scientists and mathematicians hailing from Eiland. However, due to their small territory and limited resources, they entered into an agreement with the powerful nation of Frogen. Eiland agreed to provide technological expertise and talent, while they provided resources, military forces, and land. This was a key policy of His Excellency Mark Rotsilt, who was then Frogen's Minister of Foreign Affairs and later became Prime Minister."
Inside the Research and Technology Department, Branch Manager Ostrik seemed to be reminiscing about irreversible events of the past. Johanna, her hands clasped together, listened silently to her father's words.
"Until the reign of Grand Emperor Meyer II, there was no trouble between the two nations. However, tragedy began after the mad Frogen Emperor Meyer III ascended to the throne. They stole all our technology, imprisoned key figures from previous generations, and then broke the treaty, invaded Eiland, intending to exterminate all Esatians."
I looked at Johanna, her face expressionless. Perhaps it was because Frogen's technological advancements were so advanced. Of course, Medea wasn't far behind. Perhaps it was the influence of the Rotsilt and Ford families who had smuggled them out to Cynthia.
“What is the reason for the massacre?”
Johanna answered my question calmly.
"They wanted a monopoly on knowledge and technology. They wanted to be the best. They evacuated the intellectuals, the most targeted for slaughter, from the Rotsilt and Ford families. Thanks to them, the current generation of brilliant minds, the so-called geniuses who will contribute to the world's development, survived."
They say a single genius can change the fate of the world. Without someone's help, perhaps the Frogens would have conquered the world. Feeling my mind race, I stared at Noah. He was examining a heavy machine gun and conversing with an Esatian.
"The effective killing range is within 2km, and the rate of fire is 1,200 rounds per minute. Further research is needed on the barrel replacement part."
"Yeah. To reduce parts cutting time and cut costs, we need to make them lighter."
It seemed like they were discussing something difficult. As I left the building and walked, I saw a spacious airfield, and a large, whale-sized military aircraft parked there. It was enormous, weighing at least 60 tons.
Coming here and seeing a new military aircraft I had never seen before, I was a little taken aback, but I tried to hide my expression.
"This is the bomber I will one day pilot. They say they've been preparing and developing it for a long time, even before I was born."
Johanna smiled faintly. I stood there, staring blankly at the imposing, massive aircraft. Wasn't it built to carry an enormous bomb load?
I recalled Johanna's words foretelling her own death. I don't know much about this field, but it seems she was heading to battle carrying something with enough destructive power to swamp the entire ship. And even here, by her own age, she was much younger than I was.
“Why you?”
Why do you live with such a goal in mind? So many people live without purpose. It was a pity. Branch Manager Ostrik forced a smile as he looked at his daughter.
“It is our mission and duty to prevent tragedies like ours from happening again.”
It was something I couldn't possibly understand. I couldn't even fathom why he was telling me such an unbearable story.
They were preparing for an imminent war. The near certainty of the situation sent chills down my spine.
Until now, it has been a battle over distant fronts or colonies, but the war that will unfold in the future will extend to air warfare and even urban raids.
I had the despicable thought of wanting to run away from the impending reality, even though I was standing before people who were willing to face it with an innocent sense of duty, even at the risk of death.
***
Back at Branch Manager Ostrik's mansion, I was feeling a little gloomy. While Noah, Vincent, and the Branch Manager were talking for a long time, Johanna, carrying a snack and goat's milk, entered the room where I was alone.
“Madam, these are butter cookies I made. Try them.”
“I’ll eat well.”
“Excuse me, Mrs. Rotsilt.”
Instead of answering, I slowly turned my gaze toward her. Johanna's blue eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed brightly. She hesitated and twitched her fingertips.
"If you don't mind, could you be my friend? Of course, you'll return to Medea, but I'd love for you to visit sometimes... and I'd also like to exchange postcards with pictures of the beautiful city of Loganfield."
She smiled, unfolding postcards depicting Cynthia's landscapes from her desk drawer. There was a hint of loneliness in her smile. She seemed to be a very affectionate person.
“Yes. let’s be friends. Since we’re friends, let’s talk.”
“No, that’s not...”
“If it’s difficult, then don’t worry. Can you call me by my name?”
“Yes, Diana. It’s a pretty name.”
“Huh? Isn’t that Mr. Reynolds’ car?”
Outside the window, I saw a familiar car and a cloud of sand. Logan Reynolds' car was speeding towards me. The man seemed unwilling to give up.
“Oh, really, how nice.”
Johanna hurriedly walked over to the full-length mirror and repeatedly tied and untied her hair.
“Tie it up.”
She tied her hair up high at my advice and stamped her feet. She was frantic.
“I told him not to come, but I’m really embarrassed.”
“His efforts are appreciated, so let me buy you a cup of tea.”
Johanna, who had been nodding and wandering around the room, gently tugged at the hem of my skirt with a bright red face.
“Diana, come with me.”
Why me?
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