SS1 10.3 – Bad News
In the side yard of detention center, I took out the HMV from my Inventory, and Bai In-nu immediately made a quick check up on it, starting from the dashboard, to the engine, and finally the rear section.
“This is a good car,” Bai In-nu said after completing the checkup.
“Yeah.”
“Where do we go?”
“A small healing quarter, located near the north guard post.”
“I know this healing quarter,” Bai In-nu said. “Let me drive the car.”
“As you wish.”
I immediately hopped up to passenger seat, while Ariel went up to rear section and sat behind me. Then, we put our sunglasses on almost at the same time.
After looking at me and Ariel in turn, Bai In-nu said, “Give me your sunglasses.”
Without delay I took out a box of new safety glass from my inventory. When I bought it for Kara, I bought additional pieces after learning that if I bought in pair of clear glass and black glass, I would get a discount and nice box to store it. And now, I had 10 pairs in my Inventory.
“Here,” I said as I handed over the safety glass to Bai In-nu.
“Nice,” Bai In-nu happily put the black glasses on while store the clear one in her Inventory. “One is for daytime, and another one is for nighttime.”
As Bai In-nu started the engine I asked her, “Can I ask something personal?”
“As long as you don’t ask me how many bastards have fucked me for the last few years,” Bai In-nu said as she stepped on the gas and drove the HMV. “You can.”
“Do you have plastic surgery?” I casually asked.
“No,” Bai In-nu casually said. “When I was still living and kicking in earth, I invest my money on something else.”
“Is ‘Bai In-nu’ your real name?”
“No,” Bai In-nu gave me another casual reply. “It is name of puppy in my parent story. This puppy lives in a small isolate courtyard, under shitty master. For the whole life, she tries her best to figure out a way to escape.
She fails many times and faces countless challenge, but in the end she manages to free herself and escape. My parent told me this stories since I was a toddler. It is part of the escape plan they built to get me out of North fucking Korea.”
“May I know its meaning?”
“Bai is white for Korean. Innu is dog for Japanese. It’s a roundabout away to remember my parent’s root.”
“I see.” I lightly nodded while muttered, ‘So, literally, she is Doggie-chan.’
“Anything else?”
“Nope.”
After a moment of silence Bai In-nu resumed our conversation. “Were you in the military?”
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“Yeah, IDF sapper.”
“What was your last rank?”
“First Lieutenant.”
“Did you graduate from military academy?”
“No, I took enlisted route before chain of commands sent me to take officer prep course.”
“I see.” After a short pause Bai In-nu continued, “Just so you know, I graduated from military academy as 1st place. Taking commando course after that, and then went to top engineering school in Switzerland as Japanese student, while sometimes carrying out a mission for West Europe and North Africa.”
“I see.”
I didn’t know how good military academy in North Korea, but entering top engineering school in Switzerland was not easy. I saw several of high school friends with good grades failed. Bai In-nu clearly had brain, look, and skill. She was a great asset. Kara really picked me a good one.
“What is your last rank?” I curiously asked.
“Major.”
“I also know how to fly and maintain MD-500.”
“That’s nice skill.”
Well, I also knew how to fly the military version of MD-500, but for now I would keep it to myself. A moment later, we already arrived at the healing quarter. I immediately finished the last piece of my burger while Bai In-nu parked the HMV in the side yard, just next to the side door.
---
Ariel asked me to come along to healing quarter. Bai In-nu told her to wait in the HMV with her, but I decided to take her with me. Then, we just about to enter the side door when an old nurse stopped us.
“You can’t go in with her,” The old nurse sternly said while pointing her finger at Ariel’s face.
“I see.”
Ariel instantly bit her lower lips, while trying her best to hold her sob. In the end of the day, she was only a kid and the rejection must have hit her so damn hard. Unfortunately, I could do nothing to change it. I had made a great mistake. I should listen to Bai In-nu earlier.
“Damnable custom and rule!”
A heavy cursed was suddenly echoed from the back room, and a moment later the healer I wanted to meet exited from there.
“Just let them in,” The healer sternly said.
“Healer Melker.” Panic instantly filled the old nurse’s face to the brim. “If you let a demi-human enter this place, no one will come here to seek medication ever again.”
“Fuck!” Healer Melker cursed one more time before turning her gaze to me, “Mr. Berg, please follow me, and I’m so sorry you have to receive a rude treatment.”
“Honestly, it’s my mistake,” I said as I followed Healer Melker to the side yard. “I should pay more attention to local customs and law.”
“It’s just damnable customs and law,” Healer Melker said while taking out tea and short bread from his Inventory and arranged it on stone table next to the HMV where Bai In-nu casually sat, and then he signaled me and Ariel to sit. “Please.”
“I guess you come to takes the remaining nursing money for Tamar,” Healer Melker said while pouring tea for both Ariel and me. “But before that, let me treat you with some tea.”
“Actually, I come to ask if the money I left for Tamar’s nursing is not enough.”
Healer Melker’s hands immediately stopped pouring the tea, while he turned his gaze to me. “It seems you have not heard it yet.”
“The next day after I brought Tamar here, I went for a hunt and just return a few hours ago,” I said as I prepared myself for bad news. “After submitting a direct report in House of Hunter, I go here right away.”
“I see. You really have not heard about it yet.”
“Healer Melker, what’s happen?”
After letting out a deep sigh Healer Melker told me. The night after she lost her kids, Tamar had a dream her kids return to her and while loudly crying they asked her why she didn’t save them from Old Jack. After that, Tamar cried for the whole night and the old nursed accompanied her.
In the morning, Tamar fell asleep and the old nurse left to make breakfast for her. When she returns to deliver the breakfast, the old nurse found Tamar had hung herself to the death.
“I’m sorry,” Healer Melker said while deeply bowing to me. “I should have be more careful when handle her.”
“Healer Melker, it’s not your fault,” I said after taking a deep breath.
Actually, I also came to tell Tamar that I had killed Old Jack to avenge her kids, but it was too late so I kept it to myself. After telling Healer Melker that I want put the remaining money for Tamar’s nursing as donation for his healing quarter, I and Ariel then left.
The journey to our living quarter went in total silence. It seemed Ariel and Bai In-nu realized my fool mood. A few minutes later, we already arrived at our living quarter and Bai In-nu turned her gaze to me.
“Bergstard,” Bai In-nu said while turned the HMV’s engine off. “As long as you don’t screw me without my consent, I will give you monster kill beyond your wildest imagination.”
“Got it.”
I had no mood for long conversation, so I just gave Bai In-nu a brief reply. After that, I stored the HMV in my Inventory and let Ariel and Bai In-nu to choose their room. I really needed a good rest.
*****