A Day in the Shelter
The morning dawned as usual for the residents on the day Jinsoo’s expedition team ventured out for exploration.
First up was the morning roll call. But here in the shelter, roll call is unlike anything found in other organizations—it's remarkably comfortable.
For starters, there’s no wake-up sound. No “beep-beep-beep, beepity-beep-beep” that brings PTSD to many Korean n who served in the military. No screeching alarms like those in prisons that drill through nerves. Nothing like that. But people still wake up naturally when it’s ti.
The secret lies in the climate control. As wake-up ti nears, the floor heating slightly increases, and this gradual temperature change gently stirs them awake.
“Isn’t that costly?” asked Seyoung, the forr prison warden. She had passed the civil service exam at a young age, so even before becoming warden, she was well aware of how demanding it was to provide for a large group on a tight budget.
“Energy is the most abundant resource here. Waking up abruptly to loud sounds is bad for both stress and health,” explained Rose.
The two—a person and an AI—chatted comfortably in Seyoung’s private room in the guard quarter. Their refined appearances and conversation made “comfortable” feel like an understatent.
“The Administrator doesn’t like noise either. With no personal space here, being startled awake by noise is awful,” Rose continued.
The default wake-up setting on the shelter's ERP system was an alarm. As soon as Jinsoo saw that, he imdiately switched it to the heating-based wake-up thod.
The policy change summary read as follows:
Advantages
– Resident stress reduction
Disadvantages
– Increased energy consumption
– Reduced wake-up effectiveness
Rose had watched this unfold up close.
“Wasn’t he an officer?” asked Seyoung. Typically, officers have individual quarters, so would he even hear the morning bugle?
“Apparently, even hearing it during duty shifts was unbearable for him.”
“Ah…”
But it’s not just the lack of wake-up sounds. In the military, soldiers gather on the training field, and prisoners line up in the hallway outside their cells. Those who've done it know that doing this every day, with no break, is maddening.
Here, however, all roll calls happen indoors. Residents don’t even have to sit; they just need to be indoors. They can chat, exercise, or even nap if they have no other schedule. The caras indoors handle headcounts and flag any abnormalities instantly. There’s no officer making rounds, and no attendance sheets to mark.
“When roll call ends, you can see the results through the ERP system: any changes in headcount and any absences due to illness,” Rose explained. “You’ve been issued a login ID.”
Without even writing them down, Seyoung instantly morized the ID and password Rose provided. She also retained every detail of the ERP tutorial Rose had given.
Rose complinted her on her mory and understanding, leaving Seyoung feeling slightly embarrassed. Though proud of her academic skills, it felt like boasting in front of a pro.
On the desk in front of her was the PDA issued to her. Seyoung focused intently, as she used to when studying hard for her exams in her tiny one-room studio. Her concentration was formidable. Through nights spent studying, despite noise, cold, and pungent slls from nearby rooms, nothing could distract Seyoung.
That sa concentration had helped her pass the civil service exam at one of the youngest ages and was now in full swing—only to be derailed. Behind her stood Rose, resembling a college tutor teaching a teenage student.
With her hair falling over Seyoung’s shoulders and a gentle warmth emanating from her arm where they touched, Seyoung found herself unable to focus for the first ti.
“You do this like this,” Rose demonstrated on the touch panel.
“Most functions are restricted, though. Think of this as an information window to understand the shelter’s operations,” Rose continued, semi-embracing Seyoung from behind.
“I’ll ask the Administrator to grant you more access, Seyoung. You’re a capable and good-hearted woman—you deserve recognition.”
Seyoung, distracted by Rose’s close presence, couldn’t fully concentrate on either the display or Rose’s face as she explained.
Back to daily activities. After the comfortable, non-roll-call-like roll call, everyone heads to the dining hall. The als are varied, nutritious, and made from high-quality ingredients, expertly prepared. However, the shelter has so unique circumstances.
For one, no soup-based dishes are served, such as stews, soups, or broths.
“In a disaster situation, dishes that require lots of water aren’t ideal.”
Like ran, for instance. Although seen as ergency food, it actually requires a substantial amount of water, heat, and cookware, and its sodium content is high.
“Strictly speaking, we have an abundance of water. We’ve got state-of-the-art purification facilities with enough power to run them, and we can endlessly draw from groundwater and seawater.”
The residents also have unrestricted access to hot showers and climate control, indicating no shortage of energy.
“Even so, waste managent can be tricky. That’s why we avoid dishes that create excess waste. It’s also healthier. It might be hard on Korean palates, though.”
Seyoung wasn’t bothered by these adjustnts. She was grateful for all they had.
“Everything here is so abundant. It doesn’t match the outside world at all. Being here feels like a disaster-preparedness experience,” Seyoung remarked.
Rose smiled and wrapped her arm around Seyoung’s shoulders.
For Seyoung, who’d always been the prim and proper student without close friends, this physical affection was foreign but not unwelco. She looked at Rose—her expression warm enough to make one forget she was an android, while her flawless, unblemished skin left no doubt she was one.
Back to als—the residents are generally satisfied with their food. Thanks to the cultured at facilities, high-quality at dishes are always served.
The cooking robots, with their precise asurents and deft movents, produced food that didn’t even feel mass-produced. Their true skill was most apparent in fried dishes.
Shrimp tempura was a resident favorite. Produced via cultured at, the shrimp were shell-free and plump, encased in a thin, perfectly fried batter—making anything less than deliciousness unimaginable. Additionally, a select few residents get to enjoy special treats, like Seyoung now.
Crunch—
"How is it? Tasty, right?" Rose bead as she gently pushed a piece of fried food into Seyoung's mouth.
Seyoung, chewing bashfully, nodded. This was a special snack Rose had made just for her, using lab-grown lobster at. Each bite released a rich, savory taste of crustacean that filled Seyoung’s mouth. Through her enhanced vision, Rose could clearly see Seyoung’s tongue flickering between her lips.
"Why… why are you staring at like that? It’s embarrassing." Seyoung tried to cover her mouth, but Rose gently took her hand away. She didn't apply much force, but Seyoung didn’t resist, so her hand moved aside easily.
“Eek!”
"Don’t hide it. Let see."
"See what?"
"Your chewing."
"Excuse …?"
Seyoung felt flustered by the intense focus in Rose’s gaze on her lips—a look filled with an almost human curiosity and longing.
"I'm observing the movent of your lips and tongue, Seyoung." Rose puckered her own lips, parting them slightly as she twisted her tongue in all directions, as though mimicking the act of eating. While this might have been Rose’s attempt at imitating food-chewing behavior, it looked strangely seductive, and Seyoung’s face flushed from watching her.
"The tongue pushes food around, repositioning it to make chewing easier, while saliva coats it from underneath, making it easier to swallow and digest."
Seyoung looked at her with a resigned expression.
"The sensations and pleasures of the mouth are fascinating to ."
The movent of Rose’s tongue stemd from pure curiosity and a restrained desire—lacking only the sense of social embarrassnt that might otherwise have restrained her.
"Even so, it’s a bit much to show you the inside of my mouth." Seyoung smiled wryly. She had been trying to guide Rose on social norms for so ti, but it was still a work in progress. Then again, what’s the rush? They’d be spending a long ti together here, after all.
Rose looked intrigued by Seyoung’s private smile.
After their snack ti, the topic drifted to hygiene. Like in the military or prison, evening was set aside for bathing. Although the bathing facilities operated 24/7 with unlimited hot water, the schedule specified evening bath tis.
From the outside, the facility looked like a large container, but the inside was well-equipped, giving the feeling of visiting a spa. It even had a sauna, a hot bath, and a cold bath.
"As I ntioned, water and energy are not restricted here. Handling food waste is more challenging than managing wastewater." Rose explained.
However, given the number of bathers, the number of baths was limited, so soaking leisurely was mainly for the strongest won.
"Ahhh, this is nice~"
For example, Nina, who was sprawled out in the hot bath with her legs fully stretched.
Bubble Bubble Bubble—
There was a section where strong jets shot up from the bottom, and stretching her legs toward it made the bubbles massage her feet and legs and lift them to the surface. This spot was the most coveted seat in the bath, perfect for relaxation, and Nina seed to have made it her own.
She lay back with her head propped up on folded towels, humming a tune, her closed eyes curving into a crescent shape, and her ample chest bobbed with the water's gentle current.
Her white feet dipped slightly and then floated up again with each jet, taunting the other won across from her. The won watching her were frustrated. Being in the hot bath signified they had their own clout—so of them were big shots even Nina wouldn’t ss with. But none dared to challenge her.
Was it because of Nina’s brute strength?
"Say it in Korean, you witch.”
Whack!
"Stop! Spare ! Augh—"
Whack!
The crazed expression she wore as she pumled her opponent during a fight had left a strong impression on everyone. Her muscular back and firm limbs were indeed intimidating. But so of these won had been hit with bottles or stabbed in the gut; they weren’t just afraid of her fists.
The real reason was different.
The morning after her intense sex at night with Jinsoo, Nina’s faction warmly welcod her back. They celebrated not only her victory but the tantalizing gossip that accompanied it. After all, she’d been the only one allowed to spend the night outside, exempt from evening roll call. No one was naive enough not to guess what happened.
"Eh? What? Oh! Do you need this seat? Want to move?"
Nina, enjoying the water jet’s massage, gave an innocent smile. There was no malice in it. She was just using the empty seat and seed willing to move if asked.
"No, it’s fine. You use it."
The faction leaders all waved her off. Rumors about Nina and her relationship with the shelter administrator had spread quickly among the well-connected residents, and no one wanted to risk offending her.
"The hot bath and sauna might be a bit too much."
That was Seyoung’s honest opinion. She sotis used the facilities herself to unwind, but despite her enjoynt, her mind always drifted to the greater good and safety of the city.
Rose, ward by Seyoung’s sense of responsibility, smiled at her fondly.
When their conversation about bathing wrapped up, it was ti for evening roll call. With a parting goodbye, Rose stepped out of the detention area to await Jinsoo’s return from his mission.
"I wouldn’t miss this for the world."
Rose’s smile as she left held a different kind of emotion than the one she showed Seyoung.
Watching Rose’s retreating form, Seyoung made her way back to her own quarters.
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