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“Branch Chief.”

“I have received the briefing.”

The branch chief, summoned by Song Ah Rin, nodded in response.

“It’s about Gangbuk Hospital.”

“Weren’t the university hospitals closed?”

“Gangseo University Hospital is closed.”

The branch chief answered calmly, looking at me.

“But Gangbuk Hospital is still operational.”

“Isn’t that just wordplay?”

“Pretty much.”

The branch chief sighed.

“Still, something feels off.”

“Yes?”

“To reiterate, during the incident at Gangseo Hospital, Kim Jae Heon and the Human Resources Team suffered a devastating blow, so the hospital can’t function properly for a while.”

The branch chief extended a finger as they continued speaking.

“These are normally individuals who wouldn’t show their faces.”

The branch chief picked up a piece of paper.

“This is a declaration of war.”

“A declaration of war?”

“Taking personnel from the Management Agency is akin to a declaration of war.”

The branch chief sighed and brushed off their clothes.

“Also, while the Management Agency won’t initiate an attack, they will thoroughly kill anyone who comes at them.”

The branch chief opened their eyes wide.

Her eyes glowed a bright red.

“…So there’s nothing to worry about?”

I stared at the confident appearance of the branch chief, who blinked at me.

“No? Of course, you should worry.”

“Yes?”

“First of all.”

The branch chief snatched the paper from Yu Da On’s hands.

“I’ll hold on to this. They usually call the hospital using this as a medium.”

“Understood.”

“And the Human Resources people, everyone stays here today. Including Team Leader Heo Chan.”

“Of course.”

The team leader looked at the branch chief with a slightly surprised expression.

“This is our team member. Branch Chief.”

“Yeah. I thought the Team Leader would be like that.”

The branch chief nodded contentedly with a smile.

“Anyway, we’ll be staying inside the Management Agency today.”

“Then we will be safe?”

“No.”

The branch chief shook their head.

“It’s hard to prevent being summoned somewhere.”

“…”

Then why are we here?

“But at least we can stay together.”

The branch chief looked at me, twisting her hair.

“It’s hard to explain, but the coordinates of the Management Agency are fixed.”

“Yes.”

“If you all stick together, you should be able to meet in one place.”

“Then shouldn’t you stick together too, Branch Chief?”

“That’s not a bad idea.”

The branch chief stretched and yawned.

“At times like this, we should strike first.”

“Strike first?”

“We’ll obliterate Gangbuk Hospital.”

The branch chief looked at me.

“I’ll go with the Isolation Team and organize the situation first.”

“I suppose being captured is a given then.”

“Honestly, it wouldn’t be bad to go together.”

The branch chief frowned slightly.

“Otherwise, it’ll be too late.”

“Too late, you say?”

“They probably did thorough preparations this time.”

The branch chief looked at me.

“Before we prepare, we’ll be the ones to attack.”

“The attack, you say…”

“Literally.”

The branch chief nodded.

“While I and the Isolation Team destroy things, Mr. Jae Heon, you should just prepare for any unexpected situations.”

“There won’t be an incident, right?”

“I can’t guarantee that.”

The branch chief replied with a bitter smile.

“But if we consider Mr. Jae Heon’s experience, it would be best to prepare mentally.”

“…Understood.”

You’re saying prepare thoroughly because you’re likely to get unlucky.

“Then let’s conclude the strategy meeting.”

Muttering that we’re running out of time, the branch chief stood up.

I opened my mouth, watching the branch chief rush out.

“Branch Chief.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

“…”

The branch chief looked at me with a smile.

“Receiving thanks from a child only warms the heart. The real gratitude will be when this is all over.”

With that, the branch chief waved and headed for the door.

Do they really need to flaunt their age like that?

After confirming the branch chief had left, I called out,

“Everyone heard that, right?”

Turning to confirm with the others.

Everyone nodded.

“Yeo Eun, did you bring what I asked for?”

“Yes!”

With nimble movements, Park Ye Eun placed a bundle in front of me.

As she unfolded it,

“Oh, Jae Heon. Are we preparing for war or something?”

The team leader sighed as he looked into the bundle.

Inside were a lot of guns.

“Wow! I’ve never seen a real gun before!”

“Don’t touch it.”

I glanced at Park Ye Eun who was fiddling with the gun while looking at the team leader.

“Team Leader, what about Ye Eun?”

“Um…”

The team leader closed his eyes and rested his chin on his hand.

“To be honest, I think it would be better to send her somewhere else.”

“What?!”

Park Ye Eun widened her eyes.

“I agree.”

“Hold on! Oppa! I’m now a legitimate member of the Human Resources Team!”

“Minors are prohibited from night shifts.”

“You can’t just bring up labor laws!”

“Make sure to return with the Labor Department’s consent.”

“No! Oppa!”

Ignoring the noisy Park Ye Eun, I threw a glance at the team leader, who nodded and then took Park Ye Eun with him.

“Come on, let’s go play with Eileen unnie!”

“Team Leader! I’m a high school student!”

After sending off the noisy duo, I turned to Jang Chae Yeon.

“Chae Yeon.”

“Yeah.”

As if she had been waiting, Jang Chae Yeon approached me.

“I’ll probably need your help a lot this time.”

“Okay.”

Jang Chae Yeon nodded with a blank expression.

“Use me as much as you want. I’m ready.”

“Not use, but…”

Is there even a need to choose such a word?

Seeing me mumble, Jang Chae Yeon gently smiled.

“Relax.”

“…Did I look that tense?”

Jang Chae Yeon pressed her fingertip against my lips.

“When you’re tense, your lips tremble.”

“I’ve never heard that before.”

“Just as you watch me closely, I observe you closely as well.”

“…”

“Don’t worry.”

Jang Chae Yeon nodded.

“I’ll do everything I can do.”

“…I’ll trust you.”

Once again, Jang Chae Yeon smiled gently.

“A-Rin.”

Leaving Jang Chae Yeon behind, I turned to Song Ah Rin.

With a click, she expertly checked the chamber of a handgun.

“This time will be different.”

“Yes?”

She turned to look at me with confidence written on her face.

“I’ve become a bit useful now, you know?”

“A-Rin has always been helpful.”

“Then a bit more, okay?”

Song Ah Rin grinned and playfully hit my shoulder.

“Anyway, take care of the black-haired one.”

“You mean Da On.”

“To be honest…”

Song Ah Rin shook her head while glancing at Yu Da On.

“I don’t like her.”

“Chae Yeon doesn’t like her either.”

“True.”

Just say you dislike her outright.

Song Ah Rin sighed.

“But I don’t want the black-haired one to be captured and tortured in some weird place.”

“If A-Rin were that kind of person, I would have kicked her out of the Human Resources Team. No, if anyone had such thoughts, I would have kicked them out.”

“…”

Song Ah Rin’s expression stiffened slightly but then returned to a smile as if nothing had happened.

“Yeah. Anyway, this time you can really trust me.”

“I’ve said many times that I have never doubted A-Rin.”

“Hey, sometimes just say you got it!”

“…Understood.”

“Great.”

Song Ah Rin smiled and lightly hit my shoulder again.

“Go calm the black-haired one down.”

At Song Ah Rin’s words, I looked at Yu Da On.

She seemed lost in thought, her eyes closed tightly.

She must be scared. She must be anxious.

I understood that feeling.

Slowly, I walked toward Yu Da On.

*

Yu Da On usually doesn’t feel fear.

Normally speaking.

She gazes at the hospital notice placed before her.

To relive that incident was nothing but a nightmare she wished to avoid.

And…

“Don’t worry.”

A voice reached her as she stared at the notice.

An unfamiliar yet comforting voice.

Looking up, she saw a man gazing at her.

A person entirely different from herself.

Someone who could do everything alone, unlike Yu Da On, who could do nothing by herself. And with others, he could achieve even more.

Whenever something happens, he’s the one to suggest the best course of action first.

So, the thought of standing next to him sometimes made her anxious.

“Da On will make sure no one can take you.”

The man forced a smile.

Probably a smile meant to reassure her.

But he could never know the truth.

What Yu Da On feared most wasn’t the hospital.

“Jae Heon.”

“Yes?”

A look of confusion appeared on the face of the man who had been smiling.

“Absolutely don’t push yourself.”

At the heart of all human fears lies a fear of death.

Fear arises from the possibility that the results of one’s actions could lead to injury or, worse, death.

In that sense, Yu Da On didn’t fear death.

To her, death was a non-existent concept.

Yet, even she had something she feared above all else.

She knew who Kim Jae Heon was.

He was the type to jump back into danger to solve the situation he got involved in.

She knew full well what that danger entailed, but for the sake of not giving up on someone like Yu Da On, he would walk into it.

That was her fear.

She reached out her hand.

What should she say?

That it will be okay? That she shouldn’t worry?

Numerous words swirled in her mouth before dissipating.

But she was neither Jang Chae Yeon nor Song Ah Rin.

She couldn’t touch the corners of his mouth to give encouraging words, nor could she pat his shoulder like a friend to cheer him up.

Her lost hand hovered momentarily before it fell gently.

“Do you understand?”

“That’s my line, Da On.”

“No.”

Yu Da On shook her head.

“Be careful, Jae Heon.”

Eternal suffering was something she could endure.

She could withstand decades’ worth of torturous surgeries.

No, if it was something she could withstand, Yu Da On was ready to accept it all.

Yet she could never accept the thought of the man who was trying hard to smile before her dying.

He was her beacon of hope.

“As long as you’re safe, Jae Heon, that’s all that matters to me.”

A look of bewilderment crossed the man’s face.

But Yu Da On didn’t care.

She hadn’t even intended to convey her feelings.

Just having him by her side was enough for her to be happy.

Gazing at his puzzled expression, Yu Da On smiled brightly and shouted.

“Shall we get ready!”

With her ever-energetic voice.

*

The night deepened.

Having dropped Park Ye Eun off with the Team Leader, the four of us spread out sleeping bags on the floor of the Human Resources Office.

“Team Leader.”

“Yeah.”

“Is it really okay for you to be here?”

“What does being a team leader mean?”

“In that sense… you’re in charge of the team, right?”

“Exactly. I’m the one responsible for that team.”

The team leader nodded.

“I get paid more. I have a higher rank than you.”

“That’s true.”

“So this is the responsibility I should rightfully bear.”

“…”

“What are you doing? Go to sleep. If this goes on, you’ll end up sleep-deprived—”

The team leader’s words cut off.

“Team Leader?”

“Jae Heon, something is coming.”

As soon as the team leader finished speaking, the pungent smell of disinfectant began to pierce our noses.

-Beep… Beep…

A cold, mechanical voice echoed, and we found ourselves in the hospital corridor.