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I’m uncomfortable.

It’s not that other people being around makes me uncomfortable.

Since it’s been a while since I’ve come home, there are some things that feel out of place.

“…”

“…”

I glance at Song Ah Rin and Jang Chae Yeon, who are quietly scooping their rice.

Since the fight earlier, they’ve been avoiding even speaking to each other.

Could they have really had a bad fight? That would be a problem.

I subtly shift my gaze to Yu Da On, who looks back at me with a puzzled expression and smiles.

Fortunately, it seems that Da On and I are the only ones feeling this awkwardness; my mother, who was also scooping her rice, glanced at me curiously.

“By the way, are the three of you in the same department?”

Now that I think about it, I just told my parents that the Management Agency is a large corporation.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Aha. You’re all coworkers?”

“Um…”

Honestly, Song Ah Rin or Jang Chae Yeon should be positioned higher based on their ranks, right?

As I pondered how to respond, Da On smiled brightly and spoke up.

“Jae Heon and I are entry-level hires. Those two are ‘transfers from other teams.’”

With her words, the two who were eating set their spoons down and stared at her.

Da On tilted her head cutely while making eye contact with them, and my sister, coughing as if she was about to choke, poked my arm.

“Water, give me water.”

“Why?”

“Why do you ask why? I feel like I’m going to die from choking. Hurry up and give it to me.”

As I handed her the water, she gulped it down without thinking twice.

“Bro, what kind of life have you been living since you got a job?”

“A lot of things have happened.”

It was a daily life where I narrowly escaped death often.

“Aha! Jae Heon, you’re entry-level with Da On, right?”

“Yes.”

“If there’s such a nice person, why didn’t you tell Mom?”

“Uh…”

“Hey, Mom. Let’s not say that…”

Da On’s lips curled into a smirk.

“Cough! Cough!”

As my sister drank her water, she started to choke as if she were having a fit and patted my arm, pointing at the food.

Jang Chae Yeon and Song Ah Rin were staring at Da On while chewing their food.

“Oh, then what about you, Chae Yeon?”

Before I could say anything, my mother blinked at Jang Chae Yeon, looking curious, and after a moment’s pause, Chae Yeon opened her mouth and slowly replied.

“I… came in right after Yu Da On.”

“Oh, I see! Where were you before that?”

“Um…”

Jang Chae Yeon seemed to be at a loss for words for a moment.

“So, um…”

What’s the usual way to explain the Isolation Team?

“Strength… working with strength…”

“Working with strength?”

At my mother’s question, Chae Yeon hung her head in embarrassment.

“Yes…”

“Oh… So Chae Yeon is strong?”

“…Yes…”

Her face turned as red as a tomato, clearly embarrassed by her own blunder.

“Pfft.”

At Song Ah Rin’s laughter, Jang Chae Yeon shot her a glare, still blushing.

Unfazed, Song Ah Rin covered her mouth and smiled.

“Bro, I think I’m going to throw up.”

“Then stop eating.”

“…Let’s not talk, then.”

“As for A-Rin…”

At my mother’s words, Song Ah Rin sat up straighter.

“Y-Yes.”

Such a rigid posture. Anyone would think she’s a new recruit.

“Where have you been working?”

“I-I was in the Emergency Response Team.”

“Emergency Response Team?”

“Uh, basically, a task force…”

“Oh, I see…”

My mother nodded as if she had no idea what I was talking about, and Song Ah Rin looked at her with a serious expression as if ready for more questions, but none came.

My mother turned to me, leaving Song Ah Rin, who looked a bit disappointed.

“Ah, that reminds me of old times.”

“Old times?”

“Remember, Jae Heon, there was that girl you always played with when you were little?”

“Oh.”

“That girl suddenly disappeared. I wonder how she’s doing? Do you keep in touch?”

“…No.”

I couldn’t say I sometimes feel like she bursts out of books, so I shook my head.

“Really? That’s too bad.”

My mother licked her lips as our conversation came to a natural end.

With that, my mother suggested we all stay over, but my sister, myself, and the three others made faces as if we were reluctant, yet in the face of her determination and experience, we had no other choice.

*

“No way, are you seriously expecting me to put them all to bed?”

“So, am I supposed to do it?”

As my sister complained after coming into my room, I casually answered and glanced up.

[Name: Kim Ah Rim]

[Age: 24]

[Specialty: X]

[Talent: Good intuition]

[Background: Known for having good intuition, but she herself doesn’t even realize it.]

[Weakness: No different from other humans. Attacking vital points will kill her.]

“You…”

“I see nothing unusual.”

Before I could finish speaking, my sister sighed and replied.

“Whenever I call to check on you, it’s like that every time. I’m totally fine. It’s just that constantly checking makes it seem that way.”

My sister stared up at me.

Our eyes met, revealing tiredness as if she were looking into a mirror.

“Are you okay?”

Concerned, she looked at me.

“I’m fine.”

“…Okay. It must be because I haven’t seen you in a while; you look a bit worn out.”

“Worn out?”

“How do I look?”

“Um… not that you look bad, but a bit tired? But yet, you seem to give off a better vibe than before.”

My sister squinted her eyes, staring at me as if she were mumbling her thoughts.

“What’s ‘better’ supposed to mean? If someone offers you a job from somewhere, definitely say no.”

“Who’s such an idiot to offer a job? Don’t you think they’d be suspicious?”

“…If I heard the amount, I might be tempted.”

“Probably a high-paying scam job.”

“…”

“Anyway, I’ll be careful.”

My sister nodded in response, then squinted playfully at me.

“But seriously, is there anyone in that group you’re actually dating?”

“Nope.”

“I thought they were all nice.”

“Who?”

“Isn’t everyone okay? If I pick one, I should at least have a sister-in-law soon—”

“That’s not happening yet, so get lost.”

“Ugh.”

With a heavy sigh, my sister nodded her head.

“Okay, I won’t tease you anymore. Call me if anything happens?”

“What could even happen? A monster might attack?”

“How would that happen? You just mean your colleagues fighting, right?”

“Why would they fight? We’re on good terms here.”

Honestly, the probability of a monster attack seems higher than that.

“Anyway, I’m off?”

Saying that, my sister waved goodbye and left my room, and now I was finally alone.

“Ugh…”

With a groan, I collapsed onto my bed.

But it’s nice to be home after such a long time.

Thinking that, I changed into my pajamas, and when I returned, the manual was already spread out on my bed.

Even open to the pages I often looked at.

[Manual for Office Staff]

[PLZ – Don’t waste the manual]

1. Manuals are delicate. Please handle them with care.

2. No matter how sturdy the manual seems, avoid using it as a shield.

3. Treat the manual like an old friend.

4. Don’t hit the manual over the head.

5. Remember that the first thing you received upon joining was the manual. It’s like your first companion in the Management Agency.

What exactly do you want to say?

Thwack, thwack, thwack!

I tapped the manual three times on the cover and quickly fell asleep.

That night, a kid with three lumps on his head appeared in my dream.

“Hey!!! I told you not to hit my head!!! Ugh, stop it, let go!”

I dreamed that the child, who tossed aside the usual mature tone, kicked my shin with all his might, and in my sleep, I grabbed the kid’s neck and tossed him far away.

When I woke up the next morning, the manual was lying far away from me. Did I throw it in my sleep?

*

In conclusion, nothing happened as the Branch Chief wanted.

My sister looked at me with a dazed expression, repeating that she would kill me more than a few times, but since I slept well, it didn’t really bother me.

Even in the car ride back, we all looked tense, scanning the area, and even Song Ah Rin scanned for any unusual spiritual activities but found nothing.

“…We really just relaxed, right?”

“It seems so…!”

Da On and I engaged in an emotional chat.

It was genuinely touching that we went out and nothing happened at all.

“From now on, should we rest at our house?”

“You know there are things you can and cannot say, right?”

Song Ah Rin opened her eyes wide and put her hands on her hips.

“I’m fine with that!”

“So am I.”

Yu Da On and Jang Chae Yeon nodded with smiles in response.

“Well then, what about just Song Ah Rin…”

“Wait a second.”

At my words, Song Ah Rin’s expression turned urgent, and she crossed her arms and mumbled.

“…Well, even if I have to go, I can’t help it. It’s just the way it is!”

And so, our holiday came to an end.