CH 1

If you take a plane from Seoul to Jeju Island, there is a naval base in Jeju. Once you enter the naval base and submit your acceptance letter for the underwater base, after much verification and waiting, you can board a large ship. When you reach the point of wanting to vomit from severe motion sickness and not wanting to live anymore, you are told to get off the large ship and take a helicopter.

I had never ridden in a helicopter before, and it was only after getting on it that I realized it was like a motorcycle that could fly. After being shaken for a long time, I thought hundreds of times whether this helicopter might unfortunately crash into the sea and why I was riding it without life insurance, but eventually the helicopter landed somewhere.

After three days or so, you arrive at the artificial island. I spent all my time for two days vomiting, and when I finally got off the helicopter with difficulty, someone supported my arm.

“Welcome to the underwater base. You must have had a hard time.”

The woman, who seemed to be about 2 meters tall, grabbed my shaky arm. When I looked at her in surprise, the short brown-haired woman lifted the corners of her mouth.

“I’m Kang Soo-jung. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Park Mu-hyun.”

As we shook hands, Kang Soo-jung naturally took the suitcase I was holding.

“Are you the new dentist? I’ve been waiting for you.”

“…Do you have a lot of dental problems, Ms. Soo-jung?”

Seeing my pale face, Kang Soo-jung shook her head. If someone even touched my side, I felt like I would throw up immediately.

“I don’t think the doctor is very good at rings. You seem to have severe motion sickness. Do you need medicine?”

“I’ll feel much better now that I’ve gotten off the helicopter.”

“First of all, all medical facilities on this island are free. If you need medical support, you can go to the hospital anytime.”

Although I asked her to turn my suitcase around, Kang Soo-jung effortlessly lifted my suitcase that weighed over 30 kg, as if it was a handbag. We walked towards the building from the helicopter pad. It seemed somewhat bearable to walk on two feet.

“Soo-hyuk drives a bit roughly.”

It seemed like she was talking about the person driving the helicopter. I didn’t even know his name, and now this Soo-hyuk guy was my enemy. I managed to say, as I tried to suppress the nausea rising up to my throat.

“Is the helicopter doing a 360-degree turn?”

“It seems like you enjoyed it, sir.”

What is she talking about? I’ve never seen a helicopter do a 360-degree rotation while dropping vertically from the top to the bottom. Even a roller coaster at an amusement park wouldn’t move like that. Since the helicopter pilot told me to fasten my seat belt and enjoy the view, I had to scream until my throat was sore. The person sitting next to me seemed to enjoy screaming with me and lifted both arms.

“Sometimes we fly the helicopter from the naval base to the underwater base. You can go back to Korea at the same time when it comes. There’s a bakery in the 3rd underwater base where you can get some bread if you like.”

No wonder. This woman named Kang Soo-jung greeted the helicopter pilots and seemed to exchange some big paper bags with them. Maybe they were bread.

“What’s in the bag?”

“Those are packages that Korean people staying in the underwater base ordered and had shipped to Jeju Naval Base. The helicopter brings the packages when it comes. I don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for you like a delivery truck.”

“I see. So the packages were the purpose.”

“Hey, what are you talking about? Both the packages and meeting you were the purpose.”

But Kang Soo-jung couldn’t hide her pleased smile as she looked at the big shopping bag filled with several paper boxes.

“May I ask what you bought?”

What could be lacking in this underwater base? Most things can be obtained from there.

“I bought some cosmetics and a few comic books. Other people buy Korean snacks or instant noodles, and some people like Aeyoung bought a few earrings and clothes. Jihyeok said he bought some clothes, and Jaehui said he bought some sterilized banana milk, but it seems like it hasn’t arrived yet this time.”

Kang Soo-jung looked through the huge shopping bag with her big hands, but couldn’t find her own item.

“Can we get food delivered here?”

“It’s better not to order because we don’t know when it will be delivered and it costs a lot more than we expect since the helicopter comes and goes frequently. If you urgently need something, ask the American guys, they order from that side and the delivery is fast. They even fly a helicopter on a whim.”

“Does being here remind you of Korean food a lot?”

“I miss it all the time. I secretly make tteokbokki at night. If you have a hard time enduring it, I’ll give you some instant noodles when you come to my room.”

“Thank you.”

As we moved away from the helicopter pad, I saw two large buildings that looked like hospitals and one large building next to the hospital. Kang Soo-jung pointed to a distant building with her fingertips, but I was too busy staring at her muscular arms, which were exposed in a short-sleeved shirt in the freezing sea breeze. Isn’t she cold? Kang Soo-jung raised her head to look at the hospital building, seemingly shrugging off the cold.

“That building ahead is the hospital, there are three buildings. The one next to it is the operations building. Since it’s your first time here, there are a few forms you need to fill out. Once you’re done, you can go to Baekho-dong 38. I’ll put your luggage in the room. Go into the 1st floor building over there and you’ll meet Priya Kumari. She’s probably waiting for you.”

“What does Ms. Kang Soo-jung do at the underwater base?”

“She’s an engineer. Most people here are engineers, natural gas and petroleum extraction workers, and marine researchers. I’m in the engineering team. Just go straight and you’ll see a central elevator where I’m heading. Remember to take it down when you get there. See you later!”

“Thank you! See you later!”

I watched Kang Su-jung walk rapidly towards the hospital building with my luggage and large shopping bag, which quickly disappeared. I was left alone next to the building painted in olive green, shivering in the cold sea breeze. I quickly entered the 1st floor and easily found Priya Kumari’s room.