“Alright, let’s go in, Hana!”
“Yeah!”
I went into the newly built building with Maru. It definitely looked way better than the old building. Well, it had to be. There’s no way a brand-new building and one that’s decades old wouldn’t have a difference. Sure, people complain about shoddy construction these days, but there’s no way they’d cut corners on a massive building like this.
I’d heard that when they build these kinds of buildings, they do the construction properly. Of course, I haven’t seen the construction myself, so I can’t be sure, but still, it’s gotta be better than other buildings, right?
“Welcome!”
The security guard greeted us. The first floor was undergoing major construction to make a fancy restaurant. Half of the first floor was probably going to be a dining area. I doubt any other building has a restaurant as luxurious as ours. Sure, other buildings might have places to eat, but they wouldn’t make it as high-end as a fancy buffet like ours.
“Hello~”
I greeted the security guard as I walked in. Since he’s the one guarding our building, it made sense to be polite. Plus, it’s important to build up some goodwill for when I need to sneak out later.
The security guard waved back, probably recognizing my face. Honestly, I think everyone in the company knows who I am. After all, I’m the core of Starlight Food. Some might call it an inflated ego, but it’s the truth. I’ve heard that without me, Starlight Food would collapse in a day.
“Hana, what are you doing?”
Maru called out to me as I stood in the middle of the lobby, looking around. I’d been here once before, but I really liked the lobby. Seeing the plants being cared for made me feel at ease. I thought I should ask the boss to bring in more plants later.
“I’m coming!”
Thinking about it, I felt a bit sad about the greenhouse we used for farming at the old building. I heard they spent a lot of money building it… but it’s fine. If I don’t go there forever, the plants will lose their strength and wither, but I plan to visit at least once a week. It’s not that far from here.
It only takes an hour by car. Compared to spending two hours commuting to school every day like before, going to the old building once a week is much more convenient. Anyway, with those thoughts, I got into the building’s elevator. My room was on the 10th floor, just like before.
As the elevator went up, I turned around and saw the view of Seoul. The elevator was made of something like glass, so the outside scenery was clearly visible. I pressed myself against the glass to enjoy the view. The old building didn’t have a view like this.
Back then, all you could see were mountains and trees. I’d never seen such a dense cityscape before. I couldn’t help but marvel at the sight of the Han River stretching out. I never imagined I’d have a Han River view, but now that I do, it feels profound.
People joke that the only way ordinary folks can get a Han River view is by jumping into the river, but here I am at 10 years old with a Han River view. Sure, I could see the Han River from the apartment I bought before, but it wasn’t as open and clear as this.
When the elevator reached the 10th floor, the doors opened. I stepped out briskly. Maru had been glancing at her phone the whole time without saying much. I wanted to ask her why she was so glued to her phone. Sure, it’s her choice to look at it, but she’d been acting like someone was chasing her. It wasn’t like her usual self.
“Ha… Hana, should we go to the office first?”
“Huh? I was going to my room first.”
“Come on, don’t be like that~”
Maru insisted so much that I ended up going to the office. I opened the office door. I didn’t get why Maru was so fixated on the office, but I soon found out.
*Pop!*
“Congratulations on Hana’s move~”
“Wow~”
The employees held up a big cake and set off some firecrackers. I screamed in surprise for a moment, but then I quickly understood what was going on.
“Wow!”
I smiled brightly and blew out the candles on the cake. Now I understood why Maru had been acting so weird earlier. I enjoyed the event the employees had prepared. It’s definitely more fun living with others than alone.
—————————————————
Kim Jeong-chil lit a cigarette and took a big puff.
He drank it.
“Ugh…”
It felt great, probably because it was the first cigarette he had smoked in two days. And for some reason, maybe because of the cigarette’s unique characteristics, the taste was strong. Compared to the cigarettes he usually smoked, this one seemed much better. Maybe that’s why Kim Jeong-chil really liked this Starlight Cigarette. He was convinced it was time to switch brands.
Of course, cigarettes aren’t good for the body, but this Starlight Cigarette felt different somehow. After all, the advertisement claimed it didn’t contain any chemicals or toxic substances. If he was going to smoke anyway, it was much better to smoke a “healthier” cigarette like this. Of course, the nicotine in cigarettes still wasn’t good for the body—it constricted blood vessels and caused other complications.
After smoking one, he automatically reached for another from the pack. It had been a while since he smoked, so it went down smoothly. Of course, the looks from people around him weren’t great. Here he was, in a hospital gown, smoking. Since this spot was a bit away from the hospital, there weren’t any other patients in gowns smoking like him.
Kim Jeong-chil casually finished his cigarette and headed back to his hospital room. After a long time without nicotine, his brain felt sharp and alert. With his surgery date approaching, he felt like he had found a good cigarette.
—
Kim Jeong-chil successfully underwent lung cancer surgery. The doctor said it was a “very well-behaved cancer.” Of course, there’s no such thing as a good or bad cancer, but at least it hadn’t metastasized and wasn’t in a critical area.
Cases like Kim Jeong-chil’s were spreading across the country. Stories of lung cancer patients successfully completing their surgeries were becoming common. Even patients with advanced lung cancer were having successful surgeries. Some patients with fairly progressed cancer were able to return to their daily lives without major complications, which was unusual since they would normally need extended recovery time.
At first, people thought it was just luck, but when it kept happening, it couldn’t just be luck. The hospital found one common factor among these patients: they were all fans of Starlight Cigarettes. Not all smokers got lung cancer, and some non-smokers got it too, but those who successfully recovered from surgery were avid smokers of Starlight Cigarettes. Patients who didn’t smoke Starlight Cigarettes or didn’t smoke at all had the usual surgical outcomes—long recovery times and severe side effects.
Word spread among patients that Starlight Cigarettes might actually help with lung cancer surgery. Doctors couldn’t confirm it and still warned against smoking, but they had a hunch about the cigarette’s effects.
[We can’t say cigarettes are good for you, but we can guess that Starlight Cigarettes might play a positive role in lung cancer surgery.]
The absurd claim that cigarettes could be good for lung cancer spread through cancer forums.
“I’m a smoker, but after switching to Starlight Cigarettes, I feel strangely healthier.”
“And the taste is so strong that smoking a pack a day is hard. I used to smoke a pack a day, but after switching to Starlight, I cut it in half.”
“I heard Starlight Cigarettes are good for lung cancer, so I tried them, and my surgery went well. I can’t quit smoking, so I’ll stick to Starlight from now on.”
On forums dedicated to lung cancer, the advice was clear: “If you’re going to smoke, smoke Starlight!” Even though hospitals denied that cigarettes could be good for health, the results spoke for themselves.
The demand for Starlight Cigarettes grew so much that people started hoarding them. They tasted good, had no toxic or chemical substances, and smokers had no reason to dislike them.
