"Skeleton!"

I met the Defender siblings on the way to Pangyo.

They were riding an old scooter, with the younger sister steering for some reason.

Noticing my puzzled look, the sister shrugged and glanced back at me.

"I'm better at driving."

Defender, awkwardly seated behind her, stared at my face.

"You not eating well these days?"

"Why?"

"You look thinner than before."

"I just don’t have much of an appetite."

The sister gave me a scrutinizing look and asked hesitantly, "Want us to share some food?"

"I’m fine. It’s just the appetite, nothing else."

Sure, "preserved food" might sound fancy, but after two years of eating it, just the smell is enough to make you gag.

Then again, maybe I’m speaking from a place of privilege.

"How much do you have left? Seriously, if you’re starving, we’ll share."

"I said I’m fine. What about you two?"

"Us? Maybe three months’ worth left."

Three months isn't much time.

But I wasn’t too worried. These two wouldn’t starve sitting still; they’d kill someone and take their food if they had to.

"Let’s move. Before the sun sets."

"Alright."

Dentist_Kim’s house-slash-clinic was in a luxury residential area in Pangyo.

The neighboring Bundang New Town had been almost annihilated during the war, and Pangyo’s downtown was so thoroughly bombed it was unrecognizable. But the suburban upscale housing district had somehow avoided the worst of the destruction.

That untouched state had allowed it to retain its status as a luxury area even after the war.

Before the National Committee left, a high-ranking official had commandeered one of the mansions. Later, the military took over and used it as official residences.

Contrary to what m9 believed, the generals chose luxury homes over apartments.

At the entrance to the neighborhood, soldiers stood guard.

Dentist_Kim had apparently informed the military about us in advance, but approaching armed soldiers is never easy.

Fortunately, it seemed the Corps faction still maintained discipline.

"Ah, Dr. Kim mentioned you. His house is that way," a well-groomed officer said, pointing toward a house with solar panels.

"Be careful. Oh, and one more thing," the officer added with a bright smile, fitting for his cool mask-like demeanor.

"It might hurt a little."

The neighborhood was tightly secured, as expected for the residence of Corps faction leaders.

Armed soldiers were stationed everywhere, and anti-drone jamming equipment sat atop air defense trucks.

We spotted a few civilians, but they appeared to be contractors or suppliers connected to the military rather than residents.

"Is it this house? Or that one?"

Coincidentally, the location the officer pointed to had two adjacent houses.

Both had exposed concrete in an industrial style, making them look like a single unit from afar.

"Aren’t they the same house? Looks like the same architect designed them," Defender's sister remarked while inspecting the houses.

"Could be," Defender agreed. "When rich people team up, they’re closer than brothers."

I examined the two mansions.

Their style was similar—courtyard-centered with tall walls surrounding the buildings.

But the atmosphere of each was starkly different.

The closer house had peeling paint, scars on the door from sharp and blunt impacts, and signs it had been forcibly closed off. Sandbags and barricades scattered around hinted at the storms it had weathered.

The other house was pristine.

Despite being of the same design, it showed no signs of damage. In fact, soldiers were stationed at its gate.

We decided to approach the run-down house first.

Defender pressed the doorbell.

A shadow flitted across the second-floor window before the door cracked open, revealing a woman.

Though she didn’t appear very old, her face was marked with a deep, sorrowful gloom.

"Who’s there?"

She spoke cautiously through the safety chain, her tone wary.

"Is this Dr. Kim’s house?" Defender asked cheerfully, flashing a salesman’s grin.

The woman muttered something under her breath before pointing to the other house.

"If you’re looking for someone called Dr. Kim, they’re over there."

"Thank you."

As the woman began to close the door, a child’s voice suddenly burst out from inside.

"That’s not Dr. Kim! They’re not at Dr. Kim’s house!"

The shout, tinged with desperation, was muffled as the door shut. Shortly after, we heard the woman scolding the child harshly.

As we walked toward the other mansion, we could still hear the faint sound of the child crying.

Defender’s sister glanced at me.

"Something feels off," she muttered.

Then, looking at me with a thoughtful expression, she asked in a small voice, "What do you think, Skeleton?"

"…Not sure."

Something was definitely wrong.

You’d have to be an idiot not to sense it.

But I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what.

My tooth still ached, and I wanted it fixed.

The sister slowed her pace to match mine, then suddenly shoved her phone screen in my face.

[See? Good thing we came together, right?]

Her notepad habit.

"Yeah, fair point," I admitted.

When things seem fishy, numbers are your best bet.

You need people to back you up, especially when you're about to put yourself in a vulnerable position like dental treatment.

With Dentist_Kim growing increasingly suspicious, having companions was no longer optional—it was essential.

With tense steps, Defender rang the doorbell again.

This time, the door opened immediately.

"Hello?"

A middle-aged man with pale skin and deep-set wrinkles greeted us warmly.

He wore a white doctor’s coat and had a practiced, friendly smile.

"Three of you? Are you from Viva! Apocalypse!?"

"Yes, I’m Skeleton."

"Ah, Skeleton! You’re younger than I expected."

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

"Haha, nothing at all. Anyway, I’m the user known as Dentist_Kim."

We shook hands.

His grip was unexpectedly firm, his fingers rough with calluses.

As we exchanged greetings, his gaze shifted to the Defender siblings.

"And these two?"

His wariness was evident.

Understandable, considering three strangers showing up unannounced.

But having a woman in the group worked to our advantage.

He seemed uneasy with Defender but visibly relaxed when he noticed the sister.

He even signaled to the soldiers watching from a distance that everything was fine.

Had it been three men, those soldiers might’ve approached.

"Yes, they’re my cousins. We live together," I said.

"I see. Well, all three of you are welcome. Please, come in."

Dentist_Kim led us to the living room.

The mansion was opulent.

It exuded luxury in every corner, from its open layout and refined color scheme to the polished surfaces that were rare in ordinary homes.

Seated on the plush sofa were a woman, presumably Dentist_Kim’s wife, and a young girl.

The wife’s outfit was out of place for the apocalypse—designer clothes, jewelry, and a delicate, expensive-looking watch on her wrist.

It reminded me of someone: Kim Daram.

The wife whispered something to Dentist_Kim.

"Before we begin, could I take a look at the goods?"

Defender pulled out the items he’d brought: pre-war luxury clothing and a handbag, all carefully wrapped in plastic and newspaper.

The wife inspected them meticulously.

"Hmm, this one’s a bit old."

She focused on the handbag, turning it over and examining it closely. I didn’t know much about high-end brands, but it had the logo of one of the most expensive ones.

After a while, she set the bag down and murmured, "Still, it’s genuine."

Then she looked at me.

"Where did you get these?"

"Uh…"

I hesitated. How was I supposed to know?

Before I could answer, Defender stepped in.

"London," he said smoothly.

"My mother bought it during a trip. She didn’t use it much—she liked something else she bought more."

"I see. And that other one?"

"She used it a lot, so it’s pretty worn out. We didn’t think it was worth bringing."

"Ah, makes sense."

From where I stood, it was clear the wife held the decision-making power in this household.

"Honey, the goods are fine," she said, giving the green light.

With her approval, Dentist_Kim led us to the basement.

The clinic was exactly as it had appeared on the forum—immaculate, state-of-the-art.

"Alright, who’s first?"

Defender’s sister waved her hands frantically, so I volunteered.

"Take a seat."

Dentist_Kim reclined me in the chair, inserted a suction device into my mouth, and shone a bright light inside. He prodded my teeth with various instruments.

"Ah, there’s a cavity here. No anesthesia, but can you handle it?"

"Yes."

I was in a defenseless position, but the Defender siblings were watching. Not that it mattered much—I’d already decided to trust him.

I was more curious about why he trusted us.

Three young adults barging into his house unannounced would make anyone suspicious. Yet here he was, welcoming us without hesitation.

WheeeEEEEEEEeeeee—

The dreaded sound of a dental drill filled the basement.

"Raise your hand if it hurts. Wait, I haven’t even started yet."

The procedure began.

I endured the pain by either clenching my fists or raising my hand at the right moments.

Drrrrrrr!

"Gah!"

"Hang in there. You’re such a wimp for someone who looks so stoic."

Eventually, the treatment ended.

The result? A resounding success.

Not only did he remove the cavity, but he also filled it with amalgam—an unheard-of luxury in these times.

I ran my tongue over the smooth, hardened filling, feeling an immense sense of satisfaction.

Next up was Defender’s sister.

She had a large cavity in one of her molars.

"Hmm, you’ll need a root canal for this," Dentist_Kim said.

At the mention of a root canal, the sister looked up at me with teary eyes and held up her phone.

[Help me, Skeleton ㅠㅠ]

"...”

I had a feeling.

Casually turning my head, I asked Dentist_Kim,

“...Can you do anesthesia?”

“Anesthesia requires some special meds. If you want it, there’ll be an extra cost. We usually reserve it for VVIPs, like the generals.”

“Will this work?”

I pulled out a vial of local anesthetic I had brought just in case.

“Oh. Do you have a syringe too?”

“Yes.”

Tears welled up in Defender’s sister’s eyes.

She tapped furiously on her tablet and held it up for me to see.

[ I LOVE YOU ]

"...”

As expected, her social skills were on par with a wild animal.

It took a great deal of effort to get the anesthetic injection done—she screamed and struggled, forcing me to hold her in place and keep her still.

Once the anesthesia took effect, though, she cooperated with the procedure, and calm returned to the clinic.

“I’ll step out for a bit,” Defender said, leaving the room.

I watched him as he walked out, and he shook his head at me.

Probably didn’t need any treatment himself.

In the quiet clinic, the faint hum of the dental handpiece filled the air. I let my mind wander, reminiscing about scenes from the past, as I waited for time to pass.

*

“Ah… m-my tooth… it’s not opening…”

We left the house with Defender’s sister, her cheeks puffed up like a chipmunk.

Dentist_Kim and his family escorted us to the front door with the utmost courtesy.

“Take care on your way home. If you ever need another treatment, feel free to visit! Viva! Apocalypse! members are always welcome!”

He remained polite until the end.

Though pragmatic and calculative, his treatment was competent, and seeing a family living with such composure during these chaotic times was strangely uplifting.

But when Defender approached me with a sly grin, it felt like all the suspicions I had brushed aside were now spreading open like a fan, laying themselves bare before me.

“As expected… he’s a fake.”

Defender had slipped away earlier and visited the neighboring house.

I wasn’t sure how he managed it, but he coaxed the somber woman there into recounting the tragedy that had occurred in this place.

The conclusion was exactly as I had faintly suspected.

To put it bluntly, the Dentist_Kim who had once shared his grand aspirations on the community forum and the Dentist_Kim who treated us were two completely different people.

“...Apparently, he used to work under the real dentist. Right after the war broke out, when rioters stormed this area, he came here claiming he’d help his former employer. But that was just the start of the tragedy for the real Dentist_Kim.”

The pristine equipment in the basement and the awards and plaques decorating the reception room did not belong to him.

The luxurious clothes and bags worn by his wife were not hers.

Even the high-end children’s clothes on their daughter were not theirs.

Nothing in that house belonged to them.

The murderer and his family hadn’t just taken the lives of another family—they had stolen their entire existence.

“...”

But the treatment I received was flawless.

That family didn’t pose any threat to me, nor did they treat me unfairly.

They were nothing but courteous and respectful to us from start to finish.

From a patient’s perspective, could there be a more ideal doctor-patient relationship?

“What do we do?”

Defender seemed ready to kill them. His sister, too.

Lacking any grand sense of justice, they merely wanted an excuse, and they sought my agreement.

“...”

I thought about it briefly, then sighed and looked at them.

“Let’s leave them be.”

“...You sure?”

That brief exchange carried an unexpected weight.

When Defender clenched his left molar tightly, it was likely an unspoken sign of his reluctant agreement.

There wasn’t any real need to kill them.

In some ways, the current Dentist_Kim and the dead Dentist_Kim were not entirely different.

In fact, the new Dentist_Kim might even be an improvement over the old one.

Perhaps Defender had thought the same in that brief moment of consideration.

And yet—

“Hmm?”

Something came loose in my mouth.

When I spat it out, it was the freshly inserted amalgam filling.

I stared blankly at the piece of amalgam in my palm, and Defender turned to me with a wry smile.

“So, what do we do now?”

“...”

The conclusion was the same, but for a moment, I hesitated again.