Convict Unit: Black Parade

The next day, Deck 10. The Rooftop landing strip.

“You have three days and twelve hours. Eighty-four hours, to be exact.”

Hae-eun checked her watch and smiled pleasantly. “Have a nice vacation, you two.”

Ghost and Jae-hee stood before her in civilian clothes.

Jae-hee was wearing the same outfit he’d been arrested in. The quarantine team had laundered it, but it was still singed and torn in places from the bank robbery. 

His windbreaker and combat boots were Gate Gear, which meant they couldn’t be taken off the ship. Jae-hee was secretly disappointed. They were the only nice, new things he owned.

“Whoa, my clothes! It’s been forever!”

Still, putting on his own clothes after so long felt strangely nostalgic, even if they were a bit shabby.

“We’re off, then,” Ghost told the commander.

She was dressed in a white short-sleeved T-shirt, a brown leather jacket, tight blue jeans, and combat boots. With her white hair tied back loosely, she pulled a baseball cap down low over her eyes, blew a pink bubble, popped it, and jerked her chin toward the transport.

“Let’s go, kid.”

“Ah, right…!”

As they were about to board, Hae-eun called out from behind them. “Oh, and one more thing. I’m sure you’re well aware.”

When Ghost and Jae-hee turned, she tapped the watch on her wrist.

“Be sure to stick to your return time, understand? No matter what.”

It went without saying that both prisoners had bomb collars—Guillotines—fastened around their necks.

If they made any suspicious moves or attempted to escape during their leave, a signal from Hae-eun would trigger the collars in Seoul’s high-connectivity zone, treating them to a spectacular decapitation show.

Ghost snorted and led the way onto the transport. “It’s not like I’ve got anywhere else to go back to.”

Jae-hee glanced between Ghost’s retreating back and Hae-eun, then gave the commander an awkward farewell.

“We’ll see you soon, Commander!”

“Right. Have fun.” Hae-eun gave a magnanimous nod.

Jae-hee hurried after Ghost and boarded the plane.

Thwup-thwup-thwup-thwup—

Hae-eun waved cheerfully as the transport lifted off.

Leaving the cruise ship’s rooftop behind, the plane flew toward Seoul.

Since the Mt. Gwanak and Gangnam Station missions, this was their third consecutive flight to the city.

***

Seoul, Jamsil Hangang Park.

Early afternoon, the Black Parade’s transport landed at a heliport managed by the military.

As they disembarked, Ghost saw the soldiers managing the facility and turned to Jae-hee. “Put those on.”

“Oh, right.”

Ghost slid the dark blue sunglasses she’d acquired during the Secret Service mission onto her nose. Jae-hee awkwardly put on the matching pair he’d received.

He scurried to keep up with Ghost’s long strides, feeling slightly intimidated as she walked right up to the guard post at the heliport entrance.

The officer inside glanced at the transport plane and let out a short sigh.

“Unit?”

“Angel Unit.”

“Business?”

“Classified.”

“Of course it is…”

The officer gave the two sunglass-wearing figures a cursory look and waved a hand to the side. The barrier at the entrance beeped and lifted.

“Be back here by the designated time.”

“Acknowledged.”

Ghost walked out of the heliport without a second glance. Jae-hee kept checking behind them, confirming that no one was following or watching them.

“Is—is that it? They’re really just letting us go free?”

“Yep.”

“I know it’s weird for me to say this, but we’re convicts. Awakened convicts, at that. And they just…”

“That’s why we have bomb collars on our necks and Null Cuffs on our wrists.”

This was why outing permits were such a rare reward and why the screening process was so strict. To even be considered, an inmate had to be a model prisoner with an outstanding mission record.

“Never mind the guards. For now, just breathe in this fresh air.”

Ghost stretched her arms wide, taking a deep breath of the Jamsil Hangang Park air. Jae-hee mimicked her, stretching and inhaling.

“Feels nice.”

“It really is different…”

The very texture of the air was different from the prison.

It even tasted better, somehow.

“The air in the prison must be kind of rotten, huh? But this is… sweet!”

He hadn’t noticed it while he was there, but the difference was stark now that he was out.

“An accurate assessment, kid.”

Ghost shrugged off her leather jacket and slung it over her shoulder. It was late autumn, with winter just around the corner, but she didn’t seem to feel the cold in her short sleeves.

“Come on. We need to drop our stuff off first.”

They had freedom of movement during their leave, but they were forbidden from leaving the designated city and had to stay at an assigned lodging.

They hailed a taxi to the hotel.

As he buckled his seatbelt, Jae-hee beamed with delight. “This is my first time in a taxi!”

“I guess it would be. Your feet were probably faster than any car.”

The hotel wasn’t far—a decent, budget-friendly business hotel.

After checking in at an automated kiosk in the lobby, Jae-hee took the card key and let out a gasp of awe.

“This is my first time in a hotel!”

“It’s just a normal business hotel, so don’t get your hopes up.”

They were assigned two rooms at the end of a hallway on a lower floor, directly across from each other.

“You take this one, I’ll take this one.”

After assigning the rooms, Ghost opened her door and stepped inside.

“Just drop your stuff and come right out. We have a busy day.”

But for some reason, Jae-hee was frozen silently in place.

Puzzled, Ghost paused in her doorway. “What’s wrong?”

“No, it’s just…” Jae-hee said honestly. “I guess I’ve been cooped up in that cramped prison for so long, I just assumed it would be a double room…”

A private room for each of them? What kind of luxury was this?

He meant it as a joyous exclamation, but Ghost gave him a mischievous grin.

“What, scared to sleep alone?”

“Th-that’s not it.”

“Let me know if you get scared later. I’ll sing you a lullaby through the door.”

“I’m not a kid anymore…!”

The single room was simple: a small space with an old bed, a faded TV, and a bathroom with cracked tiles.

But compared to the four-person cell he’d been living in, it was a palace. Frankly, it was much nicer than the abandoned house he’d been squatting in before.

He wanted to flop down and rest, but a knock from the hallway signaled that Ghost wanted him out. Since he had practically no luggage to unpack, Jae-hee came right out.

Ghost glanced at the worn watch on her wrist, then sized up Jae-hee’s ragged appearance with a frown.

She beckoned with a finger as she started walking. “We’re on a tight schedule, but first, let’s get you some new clothes.”

“Huh? I’m fine, really.”

“I’m not. Hurry up.”

Ghost led him to a shopping arcade next to the hotel, ducked into a quiet, empty shop, and started picking out clothes, tossing them at him. Jae-hee caught whatever she threw and took it into the fitting room.

He emerged transformed, wearing a simple, ordinary outfit: a baseball jacket, a sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers.

“Oh my god, oh my god!”

It was the first full set of new clothes Jae-hee had ever owned, and he was deeply moved. He kept burying his face in the fabric, sniffing the new-clothes smell.

It was heavenly.

“Wow, this is awesome! Seriously! This is the first time I’ve ever gotten to just breathe in that new-clothes smell!”

“Now you look like a person.”

Jae-hee cleaned up well; even in a simple outfit, he looked good.

Ghost nodded, satisfied.

Jae-hee was ecstatic but also a little regretful. “I won’t be able to wear these when we go back. You didn’t have to waste money on me…”

“It’s money I won’t be able to use when we go back. Why save it?”

“Oh, is that right?”

By the time their quick shopping trip was over, it was nearly five o’clock.

Ghost thought for a moment, then gestured. “It’s a bit early, but let’s get dinner. Sound good?”

Jae-hee, who had been making strange faces and posing in front of a full-length mirror, brightened.

“Of course! What are we eating?”

“We’re in a bit of a hurry, so…”

Ghost quickly scanned the street, spotted the restaurant she was looking for, and pointed. “Let’s go there.”

Where she pointed was a Korean institution. A diner that sold everything under the sun.

The famous Kimbap Cheonguk.

Jae-hee’s face lit up. “This is my first time at a Kimbap Cheonguk, too!”

Ghost couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Is there anything you have done?”

***

“Two Specials, coming up!”

A waitress announced in a bored tone, placing a large plate in front of Ghost and one in front of Jae-hee.

Jae-hee’s jaw dropped as he surveyed the magnificent spread.

A freshly fried pork cutlet, still steaming, was generously slathered in sauce. Around it, beautifully sliced kimbap rolls were arranged at artistic intervals.

On the side were kimchi, pickled radish, a lettuce salad, and, for the grand finale, a helping of spicy, chewy noodles.

Jae-hee hastily wiped a trickle of drool from his chin with the back of his hand.

“This is it…! The legendary Kimbap Cheonguk Special…! It’s even more incredible than the rumors…!”

“You’ve got a hell of a reaction for everything.”

Ghost laughed in disbelief and casually sliced her pork cutlet with a knife.

“Eat up. We’ve got more places to be tonight.”

Jae-hee promptly speared the entire cutlet with his fork, lifted it, and tore into it with his teeth.

It was just a generic frozen cutlet, but it was freshly fried and delicious. He followed it with a mouthful of kimbap and noodles, stuffing them all in at once and chewing happily.

“Is this what Seoul’s famous restaurants are like…? It’s so good…!”

“…This place is decent, but we’ll go to the really good places starting tomorrow. We only came here today because we’re short on time.”

Watching Jae-hee’s delight over the Kimbap Cheonguk Special, Ghost wore a complicated expression.

It was nice that he enjoyed everything so heartily, but it also made her wonder if there was any point in seeking out famous restaurants. He seemed to think everything was delicious.

“So, what’s on the schedule tonight that has us rushing around like this?” Jae-hee asked, finally curious after several minutes of nonstop eating.

It was already evening. Was there really time for anything else?

“Took you long enough to ask,” Ghost retorted. She’d been waiting for him to ask that question.

“Ahem. Listen up. Tonight…”

She slowly pulled something from her pocket and held it up for Jae-hee to see.

“We’re going here.”

It was a concert ticket.

Jae-hee blinked his wide eyes and read the text: Seoul Rock Festival 2050.

“A rock festival. Or rock fest, as they say.”

Jae-hee was a little surprised. Not by the ticket, but by Ghost’s face.

Her voice brimming with excitement, the cold exhaustion etched into her features by years of hardship seemed to melt away like a phantom.

“Boy.”

She looked like she was twenty again. Before his very eyes, he witnessed a smile bloom on her face—raw and genuine, a mixture of pure hope and youthful excitement.

“Tonight, we’re going to see a band!” Ghost declared once more, smiling as brightly as a child.