Room 38 in Baekho-dong is a typical small studio with a bed, desk, chair, and wardrobe. The room was clean from the moment I arrived, either because no one else had used it or because it had already been cleaned. Baekho-dong is said to be the most recently built building, except for Jujae-dong, which is the research building.
The excitement of having a new room still lingers in my heart even after five days. It's small, but with a bed, desk, chair, and wardrobe, it feels like the happiest place in the world when I lie down. Why is lying down so good? I wonder why humans have to walk on two legs when our bodies naturally seek out soft bedding.
Would I stop working if I had enough money? I don't know. No matter how much I think about it, I feel that working for a purpose other than making money would be more fulfilling. If I had a lot of money, I would first give some to my mother, pay for my younger brother's tuition, and then lie in bed without getting up. I would roll around on the bed, convincing myself that it's stretching, and then eventually get up to brush my teeth.
The 4th Undersea Base is shaped like a large cross. In the north, there's Hyeonmu-dong, where the mining teams live with their mining robots. In the east, there's Cheongryong-dong, where the engineering team lives. In the south, there's Jujae-dong, where the researchers and research facilities are concentrated. In the west, there's Baekho-dong, where special staff like me, as well as cleaning and cooking personnel, live.
Each of the four areas has accommodations, facilities, various equipment, escape pods, showers, laundries, and lounges. In the past, the accommodations were on the 0th floor of Daehando, and people would come down to the undersea base to work and then return to Daehando. However, as the undersea base began to operate with 24/7 shift work, temporary accommodations were built inside the base, and later, permanent accommodations were constructed. Eventually, most of the people working at the undersea base began to live there rather than on Daehando.
Before joining this place, I agreed to participate in data collection on mental and physical changes while living in the base. The data from the 1,000 people here at the North Pacific Undersea Base would likely be used for the construction of the Atlantic Undersea Base or for someone's research. While living here, I also had to collect data on the dental health of the people living in the undersea base, but not as many people came as I expected.
Most people work in 4 teams with 8-hour shifts, so they don't come unless it fits their working hours. During their free time, most people sleep, eat, and watch dramas or movies online. Some people make phone calls, play games, or exercise, as Sung Jung mentioned. I tried to take up exercise as a new hobby, but my new hobby became the jellyfish aquarium in the undersea base.
One research team said they were raising jellyfish for research. The first thing that came to mind was how beautiful it would be. Watching the glowing jellyfish was like looking at the lights on a Christmas tree. While admiring the jellyfish swimming in the water, I would think about how beautiful they are, but then practical concerns like how to clean the tank would come to mind, and I would move to another place.
Recently, I brush my teeth and walk to the aquarium to watch the jellyfish, then go to the central building's bathroom to rinse my mouth, and finally return to the aquarium before going back to my room. It's a luxury and a sight I would never see anywhere else. While brushing my teeth, I looked at the pad. In 5 seconds, I would officially be on vacation unless there was an emergency. I held the pad with my toothbrush in my mouth and started walking out of the dental office.
[Dentist Park Muhyeon * Working]
4, 3, 2, 1. 0.
As soon as it hit 0, "Working" changed to "On Vacation."
[Dentist Park Muhyeon * On Vacation]
Vacation. Ah, what a sweet word. It's not just a break from work, but a real vacation. Phew. It feels so good. I'm glad I don't work in 4 shifts like others. Of course, 4 shifts for 4 teams isn't bad, but as someone who is used to working 5 days and resting 2, it's nice to have designated days off.
However, I don't get the 10 days of vacation every 3 months that only shift workers get. I'll have to envy them when the time comes. For now, I'm enjoying my current days off. I was on my way to the laundry room to wash my orange whale stuffed animal, Naeul, along with my clothes.
After the laundry, I plan to go to the beach. I wonder if they sell beer around the beach. It would be nice if they did. I want to walk along the beach with a beer in hand. I remember someone saying they don't sell alcohol on the artificial island. Even just selling carbonated water would be nice. While thinking about this, I heard a voice from the multi-purpose room next to the laundry room.
"How expensive do you think it is!"
It was a harsh voice. I could only see the back of a man. I realized my translator could even translate profanity. The man, who looked over 180 cm tall, staggered, and I saw a woman standing in front of him.
Before the man could raise his arms in defense, the woman punched him in the jaw. The punch was so strong that the man's head tilted at a right angle. Unable to contain her anger, she punched his empty chest. In no time, the adult male was on the ground.
The person who threw the punch was a small woman, about 160 cm tall. She was wearing training pants and a sleeveless T-shirt, with her long hair tied up, and she looked agile like a squirrel. I stood there with my mouth open, and the woman, whose knuckles were slightly scraped, approached me.
The undersea base has CCTV in every area, but the spot where they were standing was out of view. I tilted my head like a bird to check, and the woman smiled brightly, raising her palms in an awkward manner.
"Hello."
She spoke clearly in Korean, probably because she saw the title of the "Undersea Base Guidebook (Korean Edition)" in my hand. No matter how I thought about it, the man had been beaten unconscious. The woman walked up to me.
"Since I'm seeing your face for the first time, you must have just arrived, right?"
"Y-Yes. Hello. I'm Park Muhyeon."
As soon as I said that, I thought I should have just run away. I couldn't help it; I had been greeting people I made eye contact with for the past five days.
"I'm Baek Ae-young. Nice to meet you."
She offered her hand, and I shook it without thinking. I pretended not to notice the blood on her knuckles. I wanted to let go of her hand in case she punched me, but I maintained a polite handshake and then made the most important request.
"Please, avoid hitting the teeth."
There's only me, the dentist, in the undersea base and Daehando. Baek Ae-young shook her small hand, indicating that I had misunderstood.
"What? No, I'm not the kind of person who hits people without reason."
I couldn't believe her, given what I had seen 20 seconds ago.
"Th-That man."
"Women have to use their fists for various reasons in life."
I almost let it go, thinking there was a justifiable reason for a moment.
"Does he need medical attention?"
I asked, looking at the man lying on the ground. Baek Ae-young shook her head and wiped her hand.
"I don't think he needs it, but he might."
"But he's unconscious."
"Are you part of Team A's engineering team?"
"Yes, I'm the new dentist."
"Right."
Is the engineering team known for solving things with their fists? Or is the undersea base's boxing team just called "Team A's Engineering Team"?
"You're the most famous person in the undersea base right now."
"Because I'm new?"
"That's part of it. No one thought a dental office would actually be built here. Not everything is made just because someone asks for it."
"Is that so? ...How is life in the undersea base? I'm curious."
I pointed at the man on the ground, using a double entendre. Baek Ae-young smiled wryly and shook her head.
"I'm just a bit... like this."
"Why?"
"You'll see. I'll come for a scaling later. You should go now."
"But there's an injured person."
What if he dies while I'm gone? I stood firm, and Baek Ae-young sighed deeply. It felt like my small courage was being crushed by her sigh.
"He was threatening me with his size and making dog sounds."
"If you're right, he was in the wrong. ...But what if he dies?"