"Your chocolate."
Yemir held out the packet toward Irin.
Irin paused.
"Oh... I forgot about that."
She accepted it from him.
"Thank you."
Yemir gave a small nod.
"Okay. Go home safely."
"You too. Take care."
Irin turned and continued down the sidewalk.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Her cane touched the pavement at a steady rhythm.
After a few steps, she smiled faintly.
Yemir...
He’s a very polite and helpful boy.
She had met him only a few times, yet he had already helped her more than once.
For someone like her, such kindness was difficult to ignore.
Irin continued walking.
A few minutes later, she heard a small voice ahead.
"Miss!"
Irin stopped.
A little girl was standing nearby.
"Don’t go that way!" the girl warned. "There are lots of dogs ahead. They’ll bite you!"
Irin tilted her head.
"Really?"
"Yes! There are so many!"
The girl pointed ahead.
Irin smiled.
"Silly girl. Who told you that?"
The girl stared at her.
"It’s true!"
"Then come here."
Irin held out her hand.
The girl quickly ran over and hid behind her.
Irin adjusted her grip on the cane.
"Stay close."
She took a few steps.
The girl whispered from behind her.
"Careful! Your stick might make them angry."
"Are there really dogs here?"
"Yes!"
"How many?"
"About five. They’re right there!"
Irin stopped.
She reached into her bag and pulled out a packet of bread.
She opened it and broke five pieces from it.
Then she handed them to the girl.
"Tell me where they are."
The girl had already moved a little farther away.
"I’m scared!"
"Where?"
"There! Near your hand!"
Irin smiled.
She crouched slightly and extended one piece of bread toward the nearest dog.
The dog approached cautiously.
It sniffed the bread.
Then it ate it.
Irin waited.
Nothing happened.
She gave it another piece.
The dog took it again.
"See?"
Irin looked toward the little girl.
"This silly dog didn’t do anything."
The girl slowly stepped forward.
"But..."
She watched the dogs eating.
"They’re eating it."
"Yes."
"And they didn’t bite you."
"No."
The girl looked even more surprised.
"They didn’t even fight over the food."
Irin paused.
The dogs sat around their feet.
One of them opened its mouth and let its tongue hang out.
Irin released a small sigh.
"They’re different from people."
The girl tilted her head.
"Are you comparing people with dogs?"
Irin smiled.
"You have eyes."
She gently touched the girl’s head.
"Use them well while you can."
The little girl became quiet.
Then she looked up.
"Don’t be sad, Miss."
Irin’s expression softened.
She reached into her bag again and took out a lollipop.
"Here."
The girl’s eyes widened.
"Wow!"
She accepted it.
"You eat lollipops even though you’re so old?"
Irin stared at her.
"Who said I’m old?"
The girl giggled.
"Hehe!"
The dogs remained around their feet, watching them.
Irin smiled.
"Anyway, what’s your name?"
"Saba."
"Saba..."
Irin repeated the name.
"That’s a sweet name."
"Thank you!"
"Where do you live?"
"I live in Building Number Three with my mom and dad."
Saba proudly held up her lollipop.
"I want to become a pilot."
"A pilot?"
"Yes!"
Her voice suddenly became quieter.
"But..."
Irin reached out and gently ran her hand over the girl’s hair.
"There’s no ’but’ in life."
Saba looked up at her.
"Look at me. I’m walking by myself too."
Saba’s eyes widened.
The breeze moved through Irin’s curly hair.
For a moment, the little girl simply stared at her.
Then Irin smiled.
"I should go now."
"Okay."
Saba waved.
The dogs barked twice.
"Woof! Woof!"
Irin stopped for a moment.
"I live around here too."
She smiled in Saba’s direction.
"We’ll probably meet again."
Saba smiled.
"Bye, Miss Irin!"
"Bye, Saba."
Irin continued down the road.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Behind her, Saba remained with the dogs.
Far away, beside a massive road, stood an enormous building.
A canal could be seen in the distance.
The structure rose higher than the surrounding buildings, and above it stood a tall tower.
At the very top—
A young man sat with one leg raised.
His long fingers gripped a bottle filled with red liquid.
He lifted it toward his mouth.
Took a swallow.
Then lowered it.
"Nice taste."
Zacula stared across the city.
"My prey..."
His fingers tapped against the bottle.
"Why haven’t I found them yet?"
His foot moved impatiently.
"Where are they?"
He looked toward the roads below.
"Where are they..."
Wind passed around the tower.
A few bats flew across the moon.
Their faint cries echoed between the buildings.
Zacula’s long ears moved.
He suddenly stopped.
"Oh."
A smile appeared.
"I found them."
His red eyes focused on something far below.
"They’re moving fast."
He stood.
Then—
He jumped.
His body disappeared from the tower.
Zacula moved between the tall buildings surrounding the busy road.
Sometimes he traveled through the air in his human form.
Sometimes he disappeared into a swarm of bats, slipping through crowded streets without drawing attention.
He crossed above the surface of the canal.
Below him, vehicles moved along the road.
His attention remained fixed on one particular car.
He followed it.
Several minutes passed.
The car finally slowed.
Then it stopped.
Zacula landed near the entrance of an old, unused tunnel.
He remained in the shadows.
A few people stood farther away, checking the area.
"No one is around."
One of them handed a small box to a man wearing dark sunglasses.
Beside them stood a Rollty car, its polished body reflecting the streetlights.
The man adjusted his glasses.
"My pass card."
He took the card from the box.
"Here you go."
Another man looked toward the tunnel.
"Can we take the car inside?"
The man with the sunglasses nodded.
"Yes."
He pointed toward the tunnel.
"It won’t cause a problem there."
He gave a signal toward the car.
A driver immediately started the engine and opened the door.
The man entered.
The car moved into the tunnel.
As soon as it crossed the entrance, the lights inside came on one after another.
The lights ahead activated in sequence.
Behind them, darkness swallowed the road they had already crossed.
The farther they went, the darker the outside became.
The driver remained focused on the road.
After a while, the passenger spotted something on the wall.
"Stop in front of that poster."
The driver slowed down.
"Yes, Boss."
The car stopped.
A large poster was attached to the wall.
DRUGS AND ALCOHOL CAN CAUSE DEATH
Below it was another strange line:
There is a ghost hidden among everything.
The man smiled faintly.
He raised his card and placed it in front of the poster.
Beep!
Verification completed.
The road suddenly moved.
A section of the ground opened.
The driver froze.
His eyes widened.
"Lee Sir..."
"Don’t be afraid."
A sloping road appeared beneath them.
The man looked ahead.
"There it is."
He turned toward the driver.
"Take the car inside."
The driver stared at the opening.
Then at his boss.
"I-I..."
"Go."
The driver swallowed.
"O-Okay."
The car slowly descended.
The strange opening remained beneath them.
Then small electrical flashes appeared across the edges of the entrance.
The lights flickered.
For a brief moment, the driver thought he saw something above the car.
A figure.
Sitting on the roof.
He looked again.
Nothing.
Far above them, Zacula sat with one hand resting on his knee.
His red eyes followed the vehicle.
The road behind the car began to move.
The opening closed.
The surface returned to its original position.
Zacula smiled.
"I knew it."
His eyes remained fixed on the underground passage.
"Following their scent was the right choice."
The car finally entered a huge underground parking area.
Several other vehicles were already there.
Three more cars stood in different sections of the parking lot.
The driver looked around.
What kind of place is this?
He had never seen anything like it.
"Why are you standing there?"
The passenger stepped out.
"Move."
The driver quickly got out.
A large golden-colored gate stood ahead.
The man stopped before it.
"So this is..."
He smiled.
"The Golden Door."
He raised his card again.
Beep.
The gate opened.
The man looked inside.
His eyes immediately lit up.
"Interesting."
He took a step forward.
Then—
The lights flickered again.
A faint sound echoed somewhere above them.
"Chirp..."
The driver looked up.
"What was that?"
Another sound came from the darkness.
"Chirp... chirp..."
The driver glanced around.
"Are those bats?"
The man ignored him.
"Keep walking."
The driver followed.
They passed through the golden gate.
The place beyond it looked completely different from the outside world.
People were everywhere.
And almost everyone carried the same small box.
Some stood inside glass rooms.
Others were jumping around.
Some were striking objects repeatedly.
A few people were fighting each other.
The driver slowed down.
"What is going on here?"
The man beside him continued walking.
"You won’t understand yet."
The driver stared at the strange scene.
"Then what is this place?"
The man stopped.
He looked down at the small box in his hand.
Then he opened it.
The driver leaned closer.
His expression changed.
"These are..."
The man looked at him.
"Why are you so surprised?"
A crooked smile appeared on his face.
The strange lights flickered again.
Somewhere above them—
"Chirp..."
The sound of bats echoed through the hidden facility.
And from somewhere in the darkness, two crimson eyes watched them.