CH 11.1

Inside room 38 in Baekho-dong, there is a typical small studio apartment with a bed, desk, chair, and wardrobe. The room was clean from the moment I arrived, and I wondered if it was because no one else had used it or if it had already been cleaned. Baekho-dong is the newest building in the underwater research station, except for the main research facility, Jujak-dong.

Even after five days, I still feel excited about my new room. It’s narrow, with only a bed, desk, chair, and wardrobe, but lying down on the bed makes me feel like the happiest person in the world. I wonder why lying down feels so good. Why do humans have to walk on two legs and search for soft bedding?

If I had enough money, would I still work? I’m not sure. Even after thinking about it, I think I would be happier working for a purpose other than making money. If I had a lot of money, I would give some to my mother first and pay for my younger brother’s college tuition. Then, I would just lie in bed and not get up. Rolling my body back and forth on the bed, I brainwash myself that this is also stretching until I realize that I need to brush my teeth and get up.

The fourth underwater base itself is in the shape of a large cross. To the north is Hyunmu-dong, where the mining team and mining robots live. To the east is Cheongryong-dong, where the engineering team lives. To the south is Jujak-dong, where researchers and research facilities are concentrated. To the west is Baekho-dong, where people like me who have special jobs such as cleaning and cooking live.

Each zone has dormitories, facilities, various equipment, escape pods, showers, laundry rooms, and lounges. In the past, people used to stay in the Daehan-do on the ground floor and come down to the underwater base to work, but after operating the base with 24/7 shift work, temporary dormitories were built, and then permanent ones were constructed as the facilities expanded. Later, most of the people working in the underwater base ended up living under the sea, not in Daehan-do.

Before entering here, I agreed to collect data on the psychological and physical changes of living in the base. Probably, the information of over 1,000 people living in this North Pacific underwater base will be used as research data for the construction of the Atlantic Ocean underwater base or someone else’s research. While living here, I also had to collect data on the dental status of people living in the base, but not as many people showed up as I expected.

Most of them seemed to not come because it did not match their work schedule of four teams working for eight hours. During break time, most people slept and ate, and many watched dramas or movies when the internet worked. Some people played games, made phone calls, or exercised, as Kang Su-jung said. I tried to make exercise my new hobby, but ended up turning the aquarium where jellyfish were collected into my new hobby instead.

I heard that one research team is studying jellyfish and raising them in the underwater base. I first thought it would taste good if they grow it well. Seeing the flickering jellyfish was so splendid, it was like looking at the Christmas tree’s light bulbs. It was beautiful to watch the jellyfish swimming in the water, but when I thought about how to clean the tank, practical concerns came to mind, and I went somewhere else.

“Where did you go?” she asked.

“I just went for a walk,” I answered, feeling a little guilty.

Recently, I walked from the dentist’s office to the aquarium while brushing my teeth, and watched jellyfish. After spitting out the toothpaste in the restroom, I went back to the aquarium and returned to my room. It was a sight and luxury that could never be seen or done if not at an underwater base. I looked at the pad while brushing my teeth and realized that unless it was an emergency, I was on an official holiday now. With the toothbrush in my mouth and the pad in my hand, I walked out of the dentist’s office.

[Dentist, Park Mu-hyun *working]

4,3,2,1.0. As soon as it became zero, my status changed from working to on vacation.

[Dentist, Park Mu-hyun *on vacation]

Vacation. Ah. What a sweet word. It’s not just [on break], it’s really [on vacation]. Ah, it’s so great. Unlike other people who work 4 shifts, it was nice not having to work on rotating shifts. Of course, it wasn’t a bad thing that four teams worked rotating shifts, but as a human being accustomed to working five days and having two days off, having holidays separately was more comfortable.

However, I don’t have the 10-day vacation every 3 months that permanent employees have. I’ll envy them then. Now, my current vacation is so nice. I was on my way to the laundry room to wash the orca named Noeul, who had suffered from a stomachache.

After the laundry, I’ll go to the beach. Should I sell beer around the beach? I’d like to walk around the beach with a beer in my hand. Did they say they don’t sell alcohol on the artificial island? I wish they sold at least soda. While thinking like that, I heard a voice from the multipurpose room right next to the laundry room.
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