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“…Well, it’s nothing, but drink up.”

Song Ah Rin sat us down at the dining table and brought out the coffee.

“…Oh…”

Song Ah Rin’s house was an apartment. I had totally expected it to be a house.

“I’m not from the Isolation Team.”

“Isn’t it kind of similar?”

“That’s true. Still, it’s different.”

As if reading my expression, Song Ah Rin coldly replied and set the coffee down.

“Here, this one’s iced Americano for you.”

Soon, coffee was placed in front of Jang Chae Yeon and Yu Da On as well.

“Warm vanilla latte and warm cappuccino, right?”

“…Yeah.”

“Correct! How did you know?”

“It’s part of the job to know what people like, especially when you’re playing with their hearts.”

In response to Yu Da On’s question, Song Ah Rin shrugged nonchalantly and shot a glance at me.

“…So.”

“…Me?”

“Yeah, you.”

“Why me?”

“…What do you think?”

“Ah, it’s delicious? The acidity is just right.”

“No, not about the coffee!”

Whoa, please don’t shout all of a sudden!

Song Ah Rin yelled and pointed around her house.

“Our place!”

“Song Ah Rin’s house.”

“What do you think?”

“Ah.”

Only then did I start looking around in response to Song Ah Rin’s question.

It had a pretty cute arrangement.

Dolls were placed here and there, and the overall atmosphere of the room was quite warm.

All the doors in the room were wide open except for one.

A single door that was closed, unlike all the other open rooms.

Other than that—

“It’s nice!”

“Yeah. This is our home.”

What’s got her so pleased? Song Ah Rin tilted her head up and said with glee.

“There’s nothing special though.”

“Among us, it’s the most ordinary, isn’t it?”

“Who are you calling ordinary, with a single house living like a beggar?”

Song Ah Rin glared at Jang Chae Yeon and Yu Da On with a face full of irritation.

“Let’s just stop squabbling.”

We’ve been together for three days now, and it’s almost fascinating how they can keep fighting like this.

“But coming to such a well-equipped home…”

“You mean what? It’s too good?”

“No. There’s nothing to do?”

At Jang Chae Yeon’s house, we spent the whole day just drinking, and at Yu Da On’s place, I was busy holding down furniture, but now, in this perfectly stocked place, I found myself at a loss for what to do.

“…”

Song Ah Rin shot me a sharp stare, as if trying to convey her well-known intense gaze.

“It’s possible to have nothing to do.”

“Haha…”

Jang Chae Yeon had to say something, and Yu Da On also just managed a dry smile but didn’t stop her.

“…”

Thanks to that, only Song Ah Rin was left with her face flushed in anger, saying nothing at all.

“Alright, let’s wrap this up.”

It seems I’m the one who needs to step in.

With a sigh, I spoke to the three of them and looked at Song Ah Rin.

“Song Ah Rin.”

“…What?”

Is she sulking? She responded in a blunt tone.

“I really like your home.”

“…What’s that? I did put some effort into decorating it.”

Only then did her tone seem to soften somewhat.

“…”

“…”

“Can I take a look around the room?”

“Yeah, except for that room.”

Song Ah Rin pointed to the closed door.

“Why that one?”

“If I said don’t look, then don’t.”

“Got it.”

I’m curious, but if she says not to, there’s no helping it.

And so, the long-awaited housewarming party for Song Ah Rin began.

To be honest, there wasn’t much to report.

Jang Chae Yeon and Song Ah Rin bickered, while Yu Da On and I occasionally played peacemakers or teamed up to tease them.

The most surprising thing was that Song Ah Rin couldn’t cook.

“…Well, I can always learn later.”

That was her response.

And just like that, the day passed without incident.

Or at least, that’s what I thought.

*

“…Ugh.”

In the end, I once again fell asleep here without returning home.

Moreover, because I insist on sleeping on the sofa out of propriety as the lone man, my back was slowly but surely beginning to ache.

Is that why? When I awoke to check the time in the early hours, it was 3 AM.

“…”

As I blankly checked the time and tried to fall back asleep—

“…Huh?”

The door to the room Song Ah Rin had mentioned was now ajar.

“…”

I quietly observed the three sleeping figures within.

Three translucent windows appeared one after the other.

They’re all sleeping soundly.

“…”

Maybe I’m still half-asleep. My curiosity about the inside of that room overwhelmed my reason.

Yawning, I trudged towards the room.

As I grabbed the doorknob, a jolt of pain hit my temple, but I ignored it and opened the door.

The room wasn’t filled with many things.

It simply had a few books and a couple of pictures resting there.

“…”

Was there even a reason to hide this?

I picked up one of the books.

<How to Not Care About Others' Opinions.>

<He has the right to hate you.>

They were all self-help books.

“…”

What’s so remarkable about this stuff anyway?

I set the book down and looked at the wall.

“…”

All the sleepiness instantly vanished.

There was a picture.

One I had seen before.

“…This is…”

It was the painting I had seen in the art museum.

Could it be she brought it here? No, that’s not it.

After blinking multiple times to see the picture again, the translucent windows hadn’t opened.

And, more importantly, the feeling was entirely different.

There was no ominous energy like when I saw it in the art museum.

I looked back at the painting.

Standing among a myriad of shining people was Song Ah Rin. And,

“Gunhak Ilgye.”

A cold voice emerged from behind me.

Slowly, I turned my head.

“…Song Ah Rin?”

Song Ah Rin was crossing her arms and staring at me.

“Weren’t you told not to come here?”

“…”

“Why did you come?”

“The door was open.”

“If the door is open, does it mean you can go anywhere… No, forget it.”

With a heavy sigh, Song Ah Rin placed a hand on her forehead.

“Get out.”

“Wait a moment.”

“I said get out.”

“Song Ah Rin, is this painting a copy of the one from the art museum?”

“…”

At my question, Song Ah Rin’s words halted.

“…Yes.”

Soon, she nodded slowly.

“…Song Ah Rin, what on earth is this…”

“…”

Song Ah Rin slowly closed the door.

Silence descended.

A sharp pain flickered through my temple.

“…What is this sudden mental attack—”

“Mental abilities.”

Song Ah Rin interrupted my words with a cold voice.

“What do you think when you hear this?”

“…Uh. It’s dangerous?”

After all, controlling minds is tantamount to controlling bodies.

“Right. That’s the usual perception people have about me.”

Song Ah Rin continued with a sly smile.

“So, what do you think?”

“Huh?”

“Assuming you have no mental defense ability and see me, what would you think?”

“…I’d be cautious.”

“Exactly.”

A self-deprecating smile appeared on Song Ah Rin’s face.

“It’s not easy to be viewed with caution from the first meeting.”

“…”

“And I often face suspicion too.”

“…”

“For example, when I get close to someone, the others say:”

Song Ah Rin went on nonchalantly.

“Ah, that crazy girl brainwashed someone again to make friends.”

“That…”

“The problem is people like that exist.”

Still smiling, Song Ah Rin continued.

“So then what do you end up thinking?”

She gazed at me with a smile.

“I start wondering if the friendly feelings this person shows me were actually being manipulated by me without them realizing it.”

“…But we’re all close to you, right?”

“…Using the term ‘close’ for those two feels a bit off.”

Song Ah Rin scratched her cheek, looking somewhat ambiguous.

“No. In fact, the absence of a strong sense of closeness makes it more believable.”

Those hyena-like people, she muttered.

“In any case, they’re somewhat different.”

“…But there’s me, too.”

The one who doesn’t succumb to mental attacks.

At my words, Song Ah Rin froze and fixed her gaze on me.

“That’s right. You are different from the others.”

“…”

“You’re special.”

Her gaze was not the typical sharp glare she usually showed.

“The words you say to me, I can trust.”

“What do you—”

“Your expressions and words aren’t something I could ever manipulate.”

Song Ah Rin chuckled and opened the door.

“So that’s that.”

“Song Ah Rin, you—”

“Get out. I’m sleepy.”

Cutting off my words, Song Ah Rin pulled at my sleeve and dragged me out the door.

“…Song Ah Rin?”

“I’m going to sleep. Good night.”

With that, she yawned and stepped back into her room.

“…”

Should I call her? I wondered, but is it on purpose? The intermittent sharp pain in my temple seemed to indicate that she didn’t want me to.

So, helplessly, I welcomed the morning with my eyes wide open.

*

“Did you rest well?”

“…”

“Why does it seem like you’re even more tired after the housewarming party?”

“Shouldn’t you go next time, Team Leader?”

“Stay overnight at a female colleague’s house? Are you telling me to get a divorce right now?”

The Team Leader looked at me incredulously, then clapped his hands together.

Four pairs of eyes turned to the Team Leader.

“Alright, listen up. We have an intern joining our team starting now.”

“What’s an intern?”

“You’ll find out. Come in!”

As the Team Leader shouted, the door swung open and someone stepped inside.

With black hair and distinctive pink highlights, and a clearly youthful face.

“Hey, oppa, hello!”

“Team Leader, I don’t support underage employees.”

Ignoring Park Ye Eun, who waved at me, I looked at the Team Leader, who sighed and made eye contact with me.

“Yeah, I objected too. But she insisted she couldn’t join the Human Resources Team unless she got in.”

“…”

“Still, she’s just a guest intern. We won’t send her out for fieldwork unless absolutely necessary. We agreed to only take her when you really need her help.”

“I can do great!”

“Sigh.”

Resignedly, I looked at Park Ye Eun just as a message arrived on my phone.

[Eileen]

<Head to the Basement Isolation Room immediately.>

And that was the end of the message.

What I had asked Eileen was if there had been any changes in the Isolation Room. Her texting me means…

“Just a moment.”

I burst through the door and dashed down the corridor.

“Hey, where are you going!”

The Team Leader shouted after me, but it didn’t register in my ears.

Something is happening.