Wide Search

I kicked a few rocks and picked up some of the rubble. My arms felt weak but I kept going

"There must be something."

I said and kept searching and searching. The debris were all covered in blood. Even after three days the kaiju blood was still fresh and smelly.

"Just one thing"

I noticed a the frame of a picture sticking out so I rushed to it. Pulling it out I saw a picture of me and my sister.

"T-this..."

My sister... a person who I wanted to protect yet failed... someone who couldn't fend for themselves... I stood up right and kept searching

________________________________________

My search lasted about 46 minutes. I was on a bus ride to Seoul where my grandparents from my father's side lived. The whole way there I couldn't help but think about my sister, I even cried a few times

It was snowing outside. Yet amidst the snow I saw something. A beautiful flower. It was a red Anemone. Kyung-sook always loved flowers and talked to me about them.

"What you lookin' at kid?"

The man sitting next to me said. I was slightly surprised that he was talking to me

"I was looking at a flower"

I replied abruptly

"A flower eh? I always buy flowers for my daughter when I get back from work"

I glanced at the man again and noticed he was a kaiju exterminator. The skin tight body suit, the long black coat and combat boots. He had short gray hair. The kaiju exterminator insignia was right on his shoulder

"A kaiju exterminator?"

"I'm acting as a bodyguard in the simplest of terms"

"Simple huh?"

The bus came to a halt and the clock hit 7 A.M which meant it was about time. The bus had stopped right in the middle of the road, the rest of the road appeared to be cut out. But then the ground opened like two giants doors. Seoul came rising out the ground, massive white skyscrapers, advertisements swimming in the sky. Places like Seoul in this world were home to rich. My dad's parents were upper class so this was nothing to them. The bus soon got moving again.

________________________________________

Knock knock

"I wonder If they are even home... they better be"

I let out a sigh and knocked again, and again, and again till finally

"I didn't order anything damnit-"

My grandpa's words were soon cut off as he saw me

"Oh its you huh? My failures son! You should have gone to your mother instead"

"Whatever you say"

My mother... I haven't seen her after hitting 18. She is a scientist working for the kaiju exterminator's and apparently a pretty valuable asset to them. I walked inside and got greeted by the warm but sterile interior. The simplicity made my stomach churn for some reason but I kept walking.

"Hey grandpa... I'll use the bathroom for a bit"

Inside the bathroom I puked into the toilet while crying. No matter how casual I acted Kyung-sook's death still haunted me. I gripped my head tightly

"I need to forget... but I don't want to forget, gah- damnit! I should get over it already"

The knock on the bathroom door snapped me out of my trance

"Hey Jae-wook are you alright in there?"

It was my grandma's voice

"I'm- I'm fine"

I wiped my mouth and washed my face before making my way to my new room. I spent hours scrolling on my phone trying to distract myself from having to do anything. I'll do it later, I'll do it at that time specifically, Maybe ten minutes later. Before I realized it I had already spent three hours scrolling on my phone, countless of videos. But I didn't want to close my phone, I didn't want to be reminded of Kyung-sook. I searched for something else to do. Maybe I should draw! I quickly grabbed a pencil and my notebook.

"Hmm... what should I draw?"

Before I knew it I was already drawing a bunch of flowers. This was a brand new notebook

"Jae-wook's diary! That's what I'll call it"

I let out a sigh of exhaustion but I kept drawing and before I knew it I was asleep with my face laying on the paper.

My dream was strange. A giant wheat field that seemingly went on forever... and a few satellite dishes in the horizon.

But my dream was cut short. In the morning I had breakfast with my grandparents

"Hey kid... so what are you gonna do now that you are jobless? You gonna become a delivery boy?"

I glanced at my grandpa. It was true, I had no goal at all in mind. What do I even do? No aspirations, no dreams, no hopes. My goal was to protect my sister but I failed... no... maybe there is something

"If you want you can always work for my company"

My grandma suggested with her ear piercing and annoying voice.

"Nah that kid's hands ain't built for office work. He should do some construction work. That's where he belongs"

I didn't listen to them at all. I was focused in my own little world.

"I know what I'll do"

I took a loud gulp

"I'll become a kaiju exterminator"