Rainbow City

[Opening.][Forcing open the accommodation of Dr. Seok, code number 310.]Someone opened the door, and Seokhwa, who had fallen asleep lying on the floor, was pushed aside. Seokhwa, his body pressed against the door, drowsily opened his eyes. Three men in military uniforms were looking down at him. On their armbands was an eagle mark that Seokhwa recognized well.They were military police from Rainbow City.“Dr. Seok, we rang the bell, but there was no answer, so we forced the door open. Please forgive our rudeness.”“It’s… fine.”“Now that you’re awake, we need you to come with us.”Could it be? Had the worries from yesterday become reality today? However, Seokhwa’s face remained as composed as usual. Two of the military policemen approached and helped Seokhwa to his feet.“Can I take a shower first?”“Yes, we’ll wait.”Since they weren’t dragging him away immediately, it seemed it might not be as serious as he thought.Seokhwa took out a chocolate bar from the drawer and ate it to gather his thoughts. The military policemen looked bored while he ate, but he slowly replenished his energy. He moved to the bathroom, took a cold shower, brushed his teeth thoroughly, and came out to find the military police opening the door, indicating it was time to go. Finally, he took three stamina pills in succession and washed them down with some bottled water.Seokhwa followed the military police into the elevator and descended to the third basement floor. This area was originally a parking lot but had been remodeled into offices and interrogation rooms for the military police. It had been a long time since Seokhwa had been there, and the damp atmosphere was still unfamiliar to him.After passing several offices, a heavy iron door came into view. Seeing the sign that read “Interrogation Room,” Seokhwa’s eyelids twitched a few times. There was nothing to be afraid of, nothing to be scared of. He hadn’t joined the rebels; he was only questioning Dr. Oh Yangseok’s death.“Please, step inside.”The heavy door to the interrogation room opened, and Seokhwa entered without hesitation. Inside, there were several rooms with iron doors. Seokhwa was guided into Room 3. The interior was divided into a waiting area and an interrogation room, centered around a two-way mirror. From behind the mirror, he could see a man sitting. Seokhwa was then pushed through another door.The man waiting inside stood up with a bright expression.“Welcome, Doctor.”From the inside, the two-way mirror only reflected the man and himself. The man, who had extended his hand for a handshake, had silver epaulettes.“I am Major Yoo from the military police.”“I am Seokhwa from the research department.”Ignoring the extended hand, Seokhwa immediately sat down in the chair that seemed to be meant for him. He pulled out the hard chair and sat down, placing his hands on his thighs.On Major Yoo’s neck was a tattoo of an eagle, identical to the one on the military police insignia. He must have immense pride in his unit to have it tattooed on his body.“Have you eaten? If not, I can have some food brought in.”“I had a chocolate bar.”“Haha, a chocolate bar, you say.”Major Yoo laughed, but it seemed like he was asking if that was all. Sitting across from Seokhwa, Major Yoo swiftly flipped the file on the table toward Seokhwa. Looking down, Seokhwa saw detailed records of his time connected to Mother and his report to Lee Yeontae.“You must have been surprised to be called to the interrogation room suddenly.”“I’m not surprised.”Haha, I see. Major Yoo smiled falsely at Seokhwa.“There’s nothing to worry about. We just brought you in to clarify a few things. After all, we can’t treat one of Rainbow City’s chief researchers poorly.”“Proceed.”Major Yoo had interrogated many soldiers, researchers, and rebels. Usually, he could read their emotions and actions, but he couldn’t get a read on this doctor. Seokhwa didn’t seem genuinely surprised or anxious.When the raid was reported over the radio, there was no noticeable reaction from him either.“You must have had a tough time yesterday. You were suddenly kidnapped. You were with Lee Chaeyoon, Yang Sanghoon, and Major Kwak Soohwan, the pride of Yeouido Shelter’s undefeated unit, and your car overturned, right?”“Yes.”“Major Yang Sanghoon was driving. It’s strange that he couldn’t avoid the incoming car. Even if the car overturned, how did three S-class personnel lose sight of you? Of course, you said you were unconscious, so you wouldn’t know the situation.”Could he be suspecting the undefeated unit now?Seokhwa sensed that he should be more cautious with his words from now on.“You were kidnapped to a place called Honeymoon Motel, and we rescued you via GPS. You said you didn’t see the kidnapper, right?”He needed to answer carefully. If he contradicted his statement from yesterday, it might raise suspicions against him.“I did hear the kidnapper’s voice.”Major Yoo frowned.“Didn’t you say yesterday that you didn’t meet them?”“I had a concussion, so my memory was confused.”“…”Major Yoo clasped his hands together and placed them on the table. The polite smile he had been wearing vanished, replaced by the sharp gaze of an eagle scouting its prey.“Continue.”“The kidnapper mentioned Dr. Oh Yangseok’s death to me. Honestly, my memory is still jumbled, so I can’t remember the details.”“Hey.”A threatening, low voice hit him. Seokhwa raised his lowered eyes and met the gaze of the military police major.“They say you’re smart, a genius even. So why is your memory so confused?”Seokhwa slowly closed and reopened his eyes.“A mild concussion was confirmed in the examination room yesterday. Memory confusion is inevitable.”“And yet, someone like that tries to access military police confidential documents?”“I had the clearance to view confidential documents. But I couldn’t access them yesterday. Who blocked it?”Seokhwa asked calmly. He felt that putting force into his words would drain his energy quickly.“Dr. Seok, it must have been blocked because you’re being suspicious and not honest.”Major Yoo reached out and pulled a steel cart placed beside the table.On the cart were various tools that looked threatening, like knives and pliers. Judging by the dried blood stains, they might not have been just for show. On the second shelf of the three-tiered cart was a truth serum developed by Dr. Wonho, still in use.“The higher-ups don’t suspect you, Dr. Seok, but you know ambiguous answers are not what they want. They said it’s fine to use the truth serum if necessary. But Doctor, you’re so weak that I can’t carelessly administer it; it might be fatal.”“You can administer it. I’ve only spoken the truth.”Bang! Major Yoo slammed the table hard. Then, he forcibly grabbed Seokhwa’s arm and fixed it to the table. Seokhwa did not resist during this time.“You say you’re weak enough to die from this? But Doctor, human life is tougher than you think. It doesn’t end that easily.”I know. That’s why I’m still alive.Seokhwa swallowed his sarcastic thoughts. Major Yoo placed the amobarbital solution on the table and injected the needle. He drew up enough solution to avoid a lethal dose.Why is the military police going this far? I’m the one who was kidnapped, so why am I being suspected and driven into a corner?After Dr. Oh Yangseok’s death, I came to Yeouido Shelter, and the higher-ups blocked my contact with the Doctor. But as soon as I arrived here, I went to Dr. Oh Yangseok’s residence… Maybe that’s when they started suspecting me.It’s as if they know the person who kidnapped me is from Eden and are pushing me to reveal the truth. But I haven’t told Lee Yeontae the full details of my conversation with the kidnapper.It felt like a trap was waiting under the leg he was about to step forward with. When Major Yoo brought the needle to his arm, Seokhwa spoke up.“Let’s disinfect first. And I’ll administer it myself.”“Oh, really? This is why I hate being around doctors. Just take it as it is.”Pressing hard, he inserted the needle into the crook of his arm and pushed the plunger.With a flick, Major Yoo threw the used syringe to the floor, grabbed Seokhwa by the collar, and slammed him onto the table. The impact made him cough.“Forgive me for being rough, Doctor? Just being brought to my interrogation room means the higher-ups don’t want to go easy on you. I’m known for being quite rough. Let’s wait for the drug to take effect.”“I can’t breathe.”A hand pressed hard on his back, making it hard to breathe.“What’s that?”The guy leaned in close, whispering to him to repeat himself.“You smell nice, Doctor. Is it because you eat well and sleep comfortably? Did you take a shower while waiting? After receiving all this good treatment, why are you trying to associate with rebels?”Anyone else would have vehemently protested their innocence. As Kwak Soohwan said, merely doubting the higher-ups could be seen as rebellious thinking.“How is it? This is supposed to make the drug act faster. Isn’t this also something the doctor bastards made?”“…”Major Yoo grabbed Seokhwa’s hair and yanked it up. As expected, Seokhwa’s face was pale, almost blue.“Did anything happen yesterday? Let’s get through this well, okay? Did you know? A long time ago, when I first joined the military police as a fresh lieutenant, I stabbed Dr. Oh Yangseok in the thigh about twenty times with an awl. That old man had such strong willpower. What’s his name, the old man who was executed for being a rebel? Wonho? Oh, right! Wonho! When we interrogated him—”“Major Yoo.”Seokhwa called out with his hair still being held.“What?”“My head is throbbing.”The man, who had been scowling, burst into laughter and released his grip. He even dusted off Seokhwa’s clothes after seating him properly.“If the Doctor says so, I have to let go. Now, shall we start again? What did you talk about with the kidnapper yesterday?”“…The kidnapper mentioned Dr. Oh Yangseok’s death. Honestly, my memory is still jumbled, so I can’t remember the details.”“Oh, really?”Major Yoo’s nose twitched in anger.Hearing the same exact words as before, despite claiming a lack of memory, made him feel mocked. Major Yoo held back his anger, waiting for the drug to take full effect. The dose he gave Seokhwa was enough to make even an elephant clearly recall its activities for a day.“What did you talk about with the kidnapper yesterday?”Although Seokhwa’s eyes drooped more than usual, his expression remained unchanged.“Shall I repeat it? The kidnapper mentioned Dr. Oh Yangseok’s death. Honestly, my memory is still jumbled, so I can’t remember the details.”Haa, with a dry mouth, Seokhwa managed to swallow. Major Yoo, sensing something was off, suddenly brought a bottle of water and placed it in front of Seokhwa. Despite the truth serum, Seokhwa’s story hadn’t changed, causing Major Yoo to feel bewildered.“Dr. Seok. Damn it. This isn’t right. You visited Kwak Soohwan early in the morning too. You think I don’t know about your strange schemes? What did you do? Huh?!”Although there were orders from the higher-ups to investigate Seokhwa, there was no authorization to push this far. But Major Yoo had seen countless individuals with rebel tendencies.Seokhwa’s inconsistent statements about encountering the kidnapper and his actions of digging into Dr. Oh Yangseok’s death were all suspicious. He hoped he could take down Kwak Soohwan, who had always been a thorn in his side, in one fell swoop.“What did you do, damn it! Are you trying to side with the rebels like Dr. Wonho and Dr. Oh Yangseok?!”“Did Dr. Oh Yangseok side with the rebels?”Seokhwa asked back.Bang!!!The door next to the magic mirror hung loosely after being kicked in by someone.“You can’t go in there right now!”“Major!”The military police tried to stop him, but no one in the shelter had the strength to restrain the man. Kwak Soohwan lifted the MPs blocking his way and slammed them against the wall.“State your name and rank, you bastard. Who gave you the right to arrest Dr. Seok?”“We know each other well, don’t we, Major Kwak Soohwan? Who are you calling a bastard? I don’t know why the higher-ups keep favoring you when you’re just a troublemaker going around bars.”The MP in charge whenever Kwak Soohwan caused trouble was always Yoo Jungkyung. Each time, Kwak Soohwan pretended not to remember him, which only aggravated him further.Anyone else would have rotted in a cell for years by now, but the higher-ups overlooked Kwak Soohwan’s actions because he was an S-class ability user. This infuriated Yoo Jungkyung, who worked tirelessly to protect Rainbow City.“Get up.”Kwak Soohwan grabbed Seokhwa’s arm.“Major Kwak Soohwan, even you won’t get away with this.”He looked down at the broken vial at his feet. Recognizing it as a truth serum, his expression grew fiercer.“So, what did you learn by injecting this crap?”“I was just about to find out, but then you came.”Seokhwa, held by Kwak Soohwan, looked at Yoo Jungkyung and responded.“Can I answer now?”Both soldiers turned their attention to Seokhwa as he mumbled.“You asked why I went to Major Kwak Soohwan’s room early in the morning.”“Dr. Seok, just keep quiet for now.”Knowing that Seokhwa might say anything under the influence of the truth serum, Kwak Soohwan lifted him up and held him tightly. Seokhwa continued to speak, still looking at Yoo Jungkyung.“I went to…”“What?”Yoo Jungkyung pushed the table aside and stepped closer, hoping to hear something that would implicate both men.“I went to… kiss him.”Seokhwa’s body was limp as he replied. Despite the context, what Seokhwa said was true, and it was better than being suspected of rebellion.***Ha ha, Kwak Soohwan let out a pleased laugh.Seokhwa leaned back against the wheelchair, too weak to even turn around. After causing a commotion, Kwak Soohwan had finally ordered someone to bring the wheelchair.As they made their way from the basement to their room, many people in the shelter took an interest. Kwak Soohwan loudly proclaimed that the MPs had done this to their doctor.Seokhwa stretched his hand toward the recognition pad at his door. It barely moved, so Kwak Soohwan grabbed his arm and pressed his hand against the pad. After closing the door, he lifted Seokhwa onto the bed.“Don’t be too upset. I won’t let Yoo Jungkyung get away with this.”Kwak Soohwan wiped Seokhwa’s face with a damp cloth, noting that some color had returned to his face since they were in the interrogation room.The truth serum used by the MPs was notorious for making even S-class individuals spill their deepest secrets. Yoo Jungkyung must have pushed too hard, eager to achieve results.If it hadn’t been for Dr. Kim mentioning that Seokhwa hadn’t shown up at the lab, it might have taken longer to bring him back. Even Commander Jang was unaware that Seokhwa had been taken by the MPs.“You don’t think I reported you, do you?”Seokhwa squinted, staring at Kwak Soohwan. He pulled the cloth away.“Get some rest.”Even so, Kwak Soohwan stayed by his side. He gave Seokhwa sips of water through a straw.“What did Yoo Jungkyung ask you?”“The same thing Lieutenant General Lee Yeontae asked yesterday.”Since he was under the influence of the truth serum, everything Seokhwa said would likely be the truth.Kwak Soohwan pulled a chair closer to Seokhwa. The drug made him clear-headed but stripped of self-control, so he wouldn’t fall asleep easily until it wore off.“I wonder if everything you told me yesterday is true.”Seokhwa stared at him with crystal-clear eyes.“Are you interrogating me now?”Despite his weak body, his mental strength was impressive. Kwak Soohwan was genuinely amazed.“You said you couldn’t hear all of Dr. Oh Yangseok’s last words because of the gunshot.”“Haa…”It was clear that Kwak Soohwan hadn’t handed him over to the MPs. Yoo Jungkyung seemed to have an inferiority complex about the Invincible Platoon and would have loved to drag Kwak Soohwan down with him.“Major Kwak Soohwan.”Seokhwa’s usual slow speech was now tinged with drowsiness, giving it a peculiar tone.“Amazing. You still address me formally even in this state?”The fact that Seokhwa spoke like this even after being drugged suggested he had no issues with Kwak Soohwan’s usual informal speech.“What should I call you, then?”“Call me whatever you want. You can even speak informally.”“I don’t want to.”“I said you could, so why not?”Without even thinking, Seokhwa responded immediately.“I don’t want to get close to you, Major Kwak Soohwan.”Veins stood out on Kwak Soohwan’s neck. The words were likely a complete truth, which irked him.“You said you volunteered for the military?”“Yes, I did.”He said he volunteered for the army because they promised to feed him well.“Is it… really hungry out there?”His unfocused gaze made it impossible to tell where he was looking.“Dr. Seok, you’ve never seen anyone living outside Rainbow City, have you? Yes, it’s starving and desolate. But inside, we’re like animals in a cage. We get libido suppressants and can’t have children freely; we’re bred within Rainbow City.”“That’s… rebel ideology.”Seokhwa echoed Kwak Soohwan’s words.“Honestly, I don’t care. I’d rather be a well-fed animal in a safari than a starving wild animal.”Kwak Soohwan, with his fierce, wild eyes, spoke words contrary to his appearance. He didn’t seem like a domesticated animal, but he spoke well.Wonho’s newly developed truth serum caused memory lapses once its effects wore off. Those injected with it couldn’t clearly remember what they had said or what questions they had been asked. That’s why those who were interrogated often trembled in fear once their minds cleared. Knowing this, Kwak Soohwan felt more comfortable speaking freely. Though he had nearly felt spiteful at Seokhwa’s earlier remark about not wanting to get close.“They say the population control policy is to protect citizens safely. That’s what we were taught at the Jeju Learning Center. Do you know why Dr. Oh and I researched mutants?”Seokhwa, pale as a corpse, only moved his lips.“The higher-ups said that 30% of future children should be mutants with abilities. There should be no one defective like me.”“Defective? In my eyes, Dr. Seok, you’re quite attractive. At least physically.”“Major Kwak Soohwan.”Seokhwa called him once more. Until now, whenever Kwak Soohwan was asked something serious, he would deflect or take it lightly.“The person who killed Dr. Oh Yangseok wasn’t an outsider… was it?”“Then who do you think it was?”Seokhwa lifted his blurry gaze to the ceiling. Kwak Soohwan leaned in and whispered into Seokhwa’s ear.