“Who…”
“Come in.”
With a small sigh, Sara led the young Shinsomi inside.
Since she was the last to arrive, they brought out a separate chair just for her, while the rest squeezed together on the sofa.
Trying to fit on that small sofa with those burly men…
“Why, are you uncomfortable?”
“Yes.”
I’d rather stand. Seeing Mujae, Zack started to rise, all awkwardness written across his face, but Sara pressed down on Zack’s shoulder, forcing him to sit.
“Hey, you’re still a guest too.”
Then, as if already aware, she turned to the young Shinsomi—
“?!”
And lifted her hand to sign in Sign Language.
The young Shinsomi responded smoothly, her hands moving quickly as they conversed.
“You know Sign Language?”
At Mujae’s question, the Ggotgam Officer and young Shinsomi burst out laughing.
“Yes, Seyoung is my wife’s maid. Looks like my son sent Seyoung here instead of coming himself.”
After explaining the situation, the Ggotgam Officer communicated with Seyoung in Sign Language again.
Zack, unable to follow, simply stared blankly, but Mujae picked up on something once more.
“You said there’s a book?”
“…Yes. When did you learn Sign Language, anyway?”
“I haven’t.”
He just understood.
Mujae began mimicking the signs he’d just seen.
For someone who claimed he’d never learned, his gestures were surprisingly natural.
“Just now, you said, ‘They need to study Sign Language,’ and Seyoung replied, ‘I have a book I used to read as a child,’ I think.”
“Well, I’ll be…”
At Mujae’s words, Seyoung gave a little clap.
The Ggotgam Officer glared at Mujae in disbelief, then turned his head away.
“I’ve never met such a strange Dead one as you… Fine. Seyoung will bring you the book, so study together and learn to communicate.”
“Thank you!”
After sending Seyoung away, the Ggotgam Officer set up the meeting again for the welfare and progress of the Promotion Team.
Zack and Mujae each bit into the bright red plums he’d brought, wincing from the taste.
“These are way too sour!”
“They’re plums. Of course they’re sour.”
With an indifferent look, the Ggotgam Officer popped three plums into his mouth, spitting out only the pits with impressive skill, before suddenly turning a stern question to Mujae.
“So, how’s the upload plan coming along?”
“I heard Zack is taking [Reincarnation Class].”
But Mujae was in complete control! Even at this abrupt question from his superior, he spun his monitor around with pride and presented his newly revised upload plan.
“I heard Seocheon Flower Garden has mandatory classes for young Dead ones. I thought, if Zack—our foreign student—joins and we film the process, it’d make for some fun videos!”
“…And you already got Zack’s consent for this?”
“I’ll get it right now!”
With that bold reply, Mujae shot Zack an ‘absolutely-unrefusable, desperate gaze beam’. Faced with such urgency, Zack nodded in confusion. The Ggotgam Officer snorted.
“Well, sounds like the most entertaining idea I’ve heard so far. Though it reeks of personal motives.”
“Haha! That’s right.”
Mujae’s shamelessness had only grown. Then, he confessed the truth to his junior.
“You can’t take the class alone, you know.”
“……?”
“So I’m going to sneak in with you.”
“……??”
Of course, Zack had no idea what was going on. Mujae turned back to the Ggotgam Officer with another question.
“By the way, why did Zack come to Seocheon Flower Garden? Was it that ‘Mr. Goong’ who called him?”
“Goong?”
“Yes, Zack’s cousin mentioned it. He said, ‘Mr. Goong has it all figured out’…”
At Mujae’s words, the Ggotgam Officer gave a deflated sigh and, in an uncharacteristic show of frustration, buried his face in his hands.
“Unbelievable. That brat—there are limits to how much you can disrespect your father…”
“Uh… Don’t tell me—”
“That’s right. That ‘Mr. Goong’ is my son.”
The Ggotgam Officer let out a light sigh. As he looked at the round eyes staring at him, he thought he really ought to bring his son here as soon as possible.
‘Then things might finally balance out.’
The flower fields of Seocheon Flower Garden in the afterlife resembled the world of the living far more than the world of the dead.
They said it was because they had to adjust the weather to grow flowers, or because the person who created the place was human, or simply because it was a gateway between the living and the dead.
Whatever the reason, Seocheon Flower Garden was the only farming district in the underworld.
Naturally, everything in Seocheon Flower Garden revolved around farming. Even the way young Dead ones were educated was, of course, through farming.
After spending the night in the same hut and having a breakfast of steamed potatoes, Mujae and Zack hurried off for their first class.
Whether it was Mujae carrying Filming Equipment or Zack with his schoolbag, their loads were heavy, but excitement put a spring in their steps.
“Today’s class is at… the Great Celestial Treasure Storehouse.”
Mujae was reading the Guidebook in his right hand. Zack tried to peek, but Hermes’s earring didn’t translate the text, so he failed to read it. Seeing this, Mujae, ever the kind senior, decided to act as his guide. Zack shot Mujae a questioning look.
“Wondering what it means? Hmm, roughly, it’s ‘a huge treasure warehouse’.”
Zack shook his head.
Then, mixing Sign Language and gestures, he tried again.
This time, Mujae opened the Sign Language Book he held in his left hand—the well-worn one Seyoung had lent him.
“Oh, you’re asking what kind of place it is? Hold on.”
Switching hands again, Mujae began reading the Guidebook from the beginning.
“The Great Celestial Treasure Storehouse is… let’s see, a seed warehouse, a place with all the seeds in the universe. Amazing!”
As he exclaimed and looked up, Mujae noticed Zack frozen behind him, looking frightened.
“…Zack? What’s wrong?”
Zack shook his head.
Though he moved back beside Mujae, Zack still seemed withdrawn.
Anyone could tell something was off, but Mujae, in his seniorly fashion, changed the topic for him.
“They say about twenty Dead ones take the class at once. Since it’s the first class, we’ll be learning the basics… So, Zack, what do you want to learn at Seocheon Flower Garden?”
At Mujae’s question, Zack snatched the Guidebook. Flipping through the pages, he pointed to a picture. Mujae caught on quickly.
“Oh, wheat? You want to learn to grow wheat?”
Zack looked troubled. As if struggling to explain, he fidgeted, then pulled a Notebook from his pocket and wrote two words.
-perfect wheat
…‘Perfect wheat’? Even after running it through a translator on his phone, Mujae was still stumped.
‘He must really love wheat.’
Now, in Mujae’s imagination, Zack was a wheat farmer.
Smiling as if he understood, Mujae gave him a reassuring look.
Well, I don’t get it, but you can do it. Probably.
At that moment, Zack suddenly dashed forward.
Caught off guard, Mujae followed after him.
“Zack?! What’s—ah!”
Mujae spotted it too—a dazzling white building in the distance.
Their class venue, the Great Celestial Treasure Storehouse.
The seed warehouse said to hold even rare and extinct seeds.
As they passed through the massive white doors—impenetrable to even sunlight—groups of young Dead ones were already gathered in the yard, chatting in small circles.
“Zack, quick, get the camera.”
While Zack fished out the camera, Mujae attached his phone to the Selfie Stick.
As he glanced around the Great Celestial Treasure Storehouse, he spotted a familiar silhouette.
“…?”
The fake Zack was making a face at him—as if he’d just stepped in dog poop.
‘That guy!’
Mujae’s expression twisted in exactly the same way the moment he spotted him.
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