𝕎𝔸𝕐 𝔹𝔸ℂ𝕂 ℍ𝕆𝕄𝔼 ||𝐃𝐔𝐓𝐘 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐋||

Chapter - 09

Hee-rak and Tae-man sat on the floor in front of a refrigerator, munching on snacks they had taken from the shelves. The aisles provided them some concealment, but Yeon-hwa's patience was wearing thin. She stood behind them, her arms crossed, silently urging them to move along.

Just as Yeon-hwa was about to speak up and insist they leave, a series of gunshots echoed in the distance, startling all three of them. The sudden noise made their hearts race, and they exchanged worried glances.

"Gunshots," Tae-man whispered, his voice filled with unease. "Those are gunshots, right?"

"Seems like it. Did something happen?" Hee-rak asked.

"I don't know, but it doesn't sound good," Yeon-hwa replied, her concern growing.

"Let's head outside," Tae-man spoke up. "We would know then." Tae-man and Hee-rak grinned at each other. Yeon-hwa shook her head at the lack of seriousness of the boys.

Hee-rak grabbed a bag and quickly started stuffing the remaining snacks inside. "We need to check it out," he said, his voice determined. Tae-man nodded in agreement.

Without a second thought, the two boys turned to leave, leaving behind the empty wrappers and trash from their impromptu snack break. Yeon-hwa let out a frustrated sigh, her sense of responsibility compelling her to clean up after them. She bent down, gathering the discarded trash, and swiftly moved to dispose of it in a nearby trash can.

Just as she stood up, ready to catch up with Hee-rak and Tae-man, a piercing scream tore through the air. Yeon-hwa's heart raced, and she felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins. Without hesitation, she sprinted towards the direction of the scream, fearing the worst.

As she reached Hee-rak and Tae-man, her eyes widened in shock at the sight before her. There, standing in front of the two boys, was a strange, otherworldly creature. It had a slimy, purple body with little tentacles protruding from the center. Its body glowed with a strange blue green combination, and it stood up facing the three.

Hee-rak let out a chuckle. "Here I go," he said, ready to approach the strange creature. Tae-man quickly got hold of his hand.

"Hey. What the heck are you thinking, you idiot?" Tae-man looked at him with concern.

Hee-rak yanked his hand away. "Let go of me, you punk," he said and slowly approached the purple creature with his rifle.

As Hee-rak and Tae-man approached the strange creature, Yeon-hwa's voice rose in concern, "Hey, don't touch it. We don't know what it is." She knew better than to underestimate the unknown, but her words fell into deaf ears as their curiosity got the better of them.

Hee-rak, unable to resist his curiosity, cautiously extended his rifle towards the creature, gently prodding its petals. The creature held the rifle, almost like a pet, causing the boys to laugh in amusement.

Tae-man, emboldened by Hee-rak's actions, encouraged him to go further. "Hey, try it with your fingers."

Yeon-hwa looked at him in exasperation. "Hey, are you crazy? Just stop it and let's go." She said, causing Tae-man and Hee-rak to cast her a glance.

"Come on, Yeon-hwa. It can't be that dangerous. Look how cute this is." Hee-rak said, and reached out to touch the creature. As his fingertips made contact with the creature's tentacle, he quickly took back his hand. "That tickles. It really tickles." He said, looking at Tae-man, both laughing in joy.

Enchanted by the creature's beauty and apparent harmlessness, Hee-rak was about to touch it again when suddenly, with a screech, the creature lunged at him. Reacting swiftly, Hee-rak instinctively used his rifle as a makeshift barrier, blocking the creature's attack and pushing it away with a forceful shove.