“That was a disaster alert just now, right?”
“They’re saying it’s terrorism, terrorism!”
May 4th, Disaster Day of Segwang Special City.
A moment from the past.
Near Hanbit Department Store, where I had burst out that morning, that busy street in Segwang City had not yet descended into utter chaos.
But it was ominous.
Right at the starting point, just before something enormous broke out, I could smell fear, a strange sensation.
Tension.
The atmosphere created by the disaster alert that said, “Biochemical terror attack near City Hall.”
“Look up nearby shelters.”
“Junseong, stop staring at that and let’s go home. Hurry!”
“Are we really just going to go take the subway? What do we do?”
“Doesn’t it sound like something’s been going on over there? Someone’s shouting. Over there, that way….”
At those last words, I turned my head reflexively.
Far off down the street, there was a rectangular glass building with only its upper portion visible.
The experience of having lived through a peaceful May 4th in Segwang Special City over and over for 613 days told me at once what it was.
Segwang City Hall.
But the City Hall building looked perfectly fine.
It was clean and intact, as though no attack had happened at all. The glass surface glittered in the sunlight.
That was why the passersby were sneaking glances toward City Hall too. They looked confused.
“What, was the alert just an error?”
“Hey, even so, they said it was a biochemical attack. Don’t go anywhere near it for now….”
But then.
Thud.
“…Huh?”
I felt it.
A strange vibration…