Seocheon Flower Garden had four entrances.
East, West, South, and North. Of these, this was the East Gate, a place meant for tourists from afar.
But in reality, only the group tours of The Dead, led by Grim Reapers, came through from time to time.
The grand iron gate at the center of the tall stone wall, covered with ivy, stood wide open. Standing in front of it, Mujae glanced outside the gate.
[WELCOME ZACK]
In Mujae’s hand was a Banner he’d made late last night.
He’d caught the Ggotgam Officer, who was about to throw out a surprise announcement and head home, learned the junior’s name, and then wrestled with the Interpreter Device until late into the night to make it.
Finally, I’m getting a colleague! His heart fluttered so much that he hardly slept, waking up at dawn and waiting for the promised hour. He dashed out to the East Gate, but…
‘It’s already been 50 minutes.’
This was the third time he’d locked eyes with the family of ducks wandering around nearby.
The ducklings splashing water between the newly planted rice shoots looked refreshed.
The breeze was cool, but the scorching sunlight was slowly roasting Mujae.
Still, as a senior by a week, Mujae began to wonder if he should start disciplining the new kid already.
“Zack?”
“!”
A sudden voice from behind made Mujae jump up.
But the person who appeared was nothing like what Mujae expected, and his eyes widened.
A boy around Mujae’s age, dressed in a fine hanbok with his long hair hastily tied up.
He looked as if he were made of black and white—nothing but pure white and jet black.
The boy’s sharp gaze landed disapprovingly on Mujae.
He was supposed to be an exchange student coming from the far West… The boy scanned the Banner up and down.
“You, are you from the Promotion Team?”
Look at him, dropping the honorifics with a stranger on their first meeting. Mujae barely restrained a twitch of his eyebrow.
“Yes.”
“Hmph, looks like you know a thing or two.”
An unpleasant snort. Mujae felt the blood drain from his face, and began to wonder where to start teaching this brat some manners.
But the boy was quicker than Mujae. Before he knew it, he approached the Camera that Mujae had set up in advance.
Surprised, Mujae finally lost it and shouted.
“Hey!”
“Ugh, lame. It’s just Heavenly Seal 20? Seriously, this guy….”
The boy seemed to know his way around Cameras, his hands moving with practiced ease.
He grumbled as he fiddled. Failing to keep a straight face, Mujae glared at the boy.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Just curious what kind of Camera you’re using.”
As if he saw no problem with his behavior, the boy shrugged.
That infuriating look almost made Mujae say something he’d regret. The boy before him was supposedly his first visitor from afar and his first colleague. Mujae managed to force a stiff smile.
“I’ll let you know later, senior. Brother. Isn’t that right?”
“Brother?”
“Yeah, brother!”
Mujae smacked his chest.
He’d meant to look reliable, but perhaps because he couldn’t hold back his anger, it looked more like he was bursting with frustration. Mujae took a deep breath and began his mantra.
‘I am a kind senior, a kind senior.’
But now, the boy’s face twisted. As if he’d just witnessed something disgusting, his twitching lips said…
“This one’s not right in the head either.”
“!!”
He crossed the line without a care.
Finally, Mujae could stand it no longer and was about to shout, determined to assert himself as the senior, when—
“Hello~”
A strange voice made Mujae look up at the sky.
Flap, flap—a man with wings on his head floated in the air.
As he slowly landed on the ground, Mujae noticed there were small wings flapping on the man’s feet as well.
A mischievous face turned toward Mujae.
“Are you Mujae by any chance?”
When this foreigner he’d never met before called out his name, a startled Mujae instinctively raised his hand.
“Uh, yes, that’s me!”
“Ohh~ I heard about you. I’m Hermes.”
Her…mes? Faced with this unfamiliar foreigner, Mujae’s brain froze up, refusing to process the word. But his body reflexively reached out a hand.
“I-I’m Mujae.”
“Hahaha, and this is Zagreus. You know Zack, right?”
Only then did Mujae notice the large figure standing behind Hermes.
It was amazing he hadn’t noticed before—a hulking boy, crouched as small as possible, peered out from behind Hermes.
Pale face, curly brown hair, green eyes.
He looked even more out of place than Mujae had imagined for a foreign exchange student.
But the drooping eyes softened the sharpness of his chiseled nose.
Bowing low, the real Zack greeted Mujae. Mujae, confused, bowed in return.
‘Then that brat from before…?!’
Whipping his head around, Mujae looked to where the fake Zack he’d just argued with had been. The fake Zack was already gone.
‘Of course!’
Of course my junior couldn’t be that kind of punk! Realizing the situation, Mujae was overcome with relief and happiness.
“Hello!!”
Flinch.
Mujae, so overjoyed that he nearly screamed, startled Zack into taking a step back.
Hermes stepped forward to hold Mujae back.
“Whoa, whoa, you haven’t heard yet?”
“Sorry?”
“We, of course, are wearing Interpreter Devices.”
Hermes pointed to a piercing in his ear.
It was a small, wing-shaped silver earring.
“I made it myself. I meet so many people, you see.”
“A-amazing.”
“Right?”
With a light wink, Hermes slung an arm around Zack’s shoulder.
“He’s wearing one too, so he’ll understand everything. However,”
Hermes’s narrowed blue eyes turned to Zack. Sensing his gaze, Zack’s shoulders twitched.
“There are a few issues. For now, he can’t speak.”
“Ah….”
Zack hesitantly raised both hands.
Tap tap, he started making gestures.
Mujae’s eyes widened at the sight, but Zack soon dropped his hands weakly.
Hermes just shrugged.
Then—
Mujae, lost in thought for a moment, spoke up.
“Hello…?”
“You’re quick on the uptake.”
As Hermes clapped his hands, Mujae tilted his head.
“But, it’s kind of strange. Normally, you’d stroke your arm and then do both fists like this….”
“You’ve done Sign Language before?”
“No?”
At Mujae’s natural denial, Hermes’s brow furrowed.
But there was no way Mujae had ever used Sign Language. He was a pitiful Dead who’d spent hundreds of years judging souls in the afterlife… he’d never met anyone who couldn’t speak.
Hermes asked again in a puzzled tone.
“But just now you spoke as if you’d used Sign Language before.”
“Did I?”
Gasp. Mujae belatedly realized his surprise.
He didn’t remember it, but why did Zack’s Sign Language seem strange to him? And why did he use the word ‘normally’ just now?
Lost for words at his own reaction, Mujae was left speechless, while Hermes grinned as if teasing.
“Mujae.”
“Yes?”
“If you mess with the gods, you’ll be severely punished.”
“What?!”
A god! When Sara said the exchange student was a pampered young master, turns out he was a god all along. Mujae frantically waved his hands.
“I didn’t mean any offense!”
“Hahaha!”
At this, Zack gave Hermes a few playful punches on the shoulder, as if protesting.
Every time his large fists hit Hermes’s shoulder, it sounded like rocks knocking together.
Hermes feigned pain.
“Ouch, okay, okay! I was just joking.”
“?”
“Zack says not to mess with Mujae. Actually, this friend only learned Sign Language recently too. And even then, it’s not the same as the Sign Language here.”
“Ah.”
“Mr. Goong said he had a solution, so try speaking with him. I have to go now.”
The wings on Hermes’s hat fluttered again. Despite their small size, they stirred up a strong breeze that whipped Mujae’s face.
“…?! Mr. Goong?”
“Yup! Mr. Goong! Take care of my cousin~”
Whoooosh….
Hermes disappeared high into the sky.
Mujae stared after his silent junior.
“…….”
“Well, let me introduce you to the boss first.”
Watching Zack obediently follow, Mujae thought of a giant bear.
“He can’t speak….”
The Ggotgam Officer sized up Zack in the office.
The look in his eyes was just the same as when they’d first met Mujae, and it hit Mujae that he hadn’t been the only one treated that way.
Compared to himself, the new junior had landed a far better position at Seocheon Flower Garden, but he was sweating buckets and couldn’t even meet the Ggotgam Officer’s eyes.
“Hmm. So, how long has it been since you lost your speech?”
“Three months.”
All Mujae could do for his junior was to quickly interpret.
The Ggotgam Officer stared hard at Mujae.
“Can only you hear his voice?”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m saying, you seem to understand him very well.”
“I’m just quick on the uptake.”
“That’s a relief.”
But the Ggotgam Officer’s face showed anything but relief.
As if reminded of something, he pulled out his phone.
“I was going to call him later… but oh well.”
“Call who?”
“Oh, my son.”
Beep beep… As the dial tone sounded, the Ggotgam Officer replied casually.
Mujae’s jaw dropped in surprise.
“Your son?!”
“Yeah. I have a wife too, you brat. Do I not look like it?!”
“No, no, it’s not that….”
He really didn’t look like it.
Always tying his hair in a topknot with no sense of propriety, loafing around like an idle wastrel… And he had a wife and son?
But that wasn’t something to say to a superior, so Mujae kept quiet.
Finally, the call connected and the tone stopped.
“Yeah. I’m in the Promotion Team office, so… what? No, just come for a minute. Hey. Well, I’ll be…”
“?”
-Beep… beep….
A son who hung up on the Ggotgam Officer just like that.
With a light sigh, the Ggotgam Officer glanced at Mujae.
“Are you laughing right now?”
“Me? No, of course not.”
Mujae’s liking for the Ggotgam Officer’s son increased.
Anyone who could make the Ggotgam Officer this sullen must be a remarkable person.
The Ggotgam Officer shook his head.
“Damn kid, his own father calls and he hangs up without even answering.”
“Maybe he’s rushing over before he could even reply?”
“What? No way—”
Knock, knock, knock.
There was a knock at the office door.
Startled, the Ggotgam Officer jumped up from his seat.
“…Did you hear that?”
“…Yes.”
Nod.
Zack nodded too.
With a tense face, the Ggotgam Officer carefully walked to the door.
Mujae couldn’t believe it.
“What are you doing?!”
“What do you think, I’m going to open the door.”
Knock, knock, knock.
Mujae was exasperated.
“What, do you think a ghost’s come? It’s your son at the door and you’re scared!”
“Don’t yell! You’re the ghost!”
Right. I am a ghost, after all.
Finally, the impatient Mujae strode over to the door.
Before the Ggotgam Officer could stop him, he threw it wide open.
“Hey…!”
“Huh?”
The three men inside, facing the person standing outside, all stared in shock, mouths hanging open.
Mujae, locking eyes with the young Shinsomi he’d never met before, gave an awkward smile.