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Creak!

Granite dust crunches underfoot.

My head feels dizzy.

Is it because there’s not enough oxygen?

I lower my gaze.

Countless stairs are visible beneath me.

When did I climb up this high?

“Kim Jae Heon?”

“Y-Yes, I’m okay.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to rest?”

Yu Da On looks at me with concern.

“…Should we take a five-minute break?”

“Ten minutes is fine.”

Yu Da On smiles and sits beside me.

As we share this moment, warmth radiates between us as we gaze ahead.

Old, dilapidated buildings come into view.

How did it end up like this?

*

The incident concluded well.

No, to be honest, it didn’t end well.

“W-What happened? I just came to the art museum…”

“Why did time end up like this?”

People mumble in confusion as they look around.

“What do you mean there’s a shortage of staff? Then, hire someone! Saying you’re dedicated to humanity but facing a manpower shortage— is that really dedication? What nonsense!”

Song Ah Rin, who was seriously annoyed, sighed deeply and looked at me.

“Wait.”

“You’ll have a hard time.”

“I’m the only one who can do this.”

Song Ah Rin mutters and extends her arm.

Her face turns pale, and soon her breath becomes ragged.

At the same time, many people, with blank expressions, arise and begin to walk away.

Soon, only the Human Resources Team members remain.

Song Ah Rin inhales sharply, sporting a bewildered expression.

“…This is strange…?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I feel exhausted but not tired.”

What does that even mean?

As I stare at Song Ah Rin, she lets out a small grunt.

“Remember when we met the Red Lady at the theater together?”

“Of course.”

What can’t I do?

As I nod, Song Ah Rin nods back.

“Back then, just hypnotizing everyone in the theater was so exhausting I thought I would die.”

“That’s true.”

She really had turned pale and was gasping for breath at that time.

“But now, even though I’m dying of exhaustion, I’m not dead.”

“What are you talking about?”

“If I had tried to hypnotize this many people in one go back then, it wouldn’t be surprising if I had a nosebleed or collapsed on the spot.”

“…That’s true.”

Thinking back, Song Ah Rin wouldn’t have been able to bear hypnotizing this many people back then.

“…Have I grown?”

“You haven’t grown taller, though.”

“Don’t tease me.”

Song Ah Rin smacks my back.

“Anyway, a good thing is still a good thing.”

“That’s true.”

Song Ah Rin sighs deeply as she looks around at the many people.

“By the way, I wonder what’s going on.”

“Does A-Rin not know?”

“How could I possibly know everything?”

Jang Chae Yeon pushes people away, and Yu Da On checks if anyone is missing.

“This way.”

“This way!”

The two of them guide others out, and I head over to the Team Leader.

“Oh, it’s Kim Jae Heon.”

“Team Leader, do you remember me?”

“…I don’t.”

The Team Leader shakes his head as he looks at me.

“But I can kind of guess what happened. I woke up, and the floor was cold, and there were your faces.”

“We don’t only appear when there’s trouble, do we?”

“Don’t you?”

“…”

I have no words for that.

“Anyway, I think I get what happened.”

With a grunt, the Team Leader stands up.

“I’ll help.”

“Thank you.”

With the help of the Team Leader and the team members, we somehow managed to resolve the situation.

“I’m going to the Management Agency.”

When the situation was finally settling down, the first to speak was Song Ah Rin.

“The Management Agency?”

“Even if the Management Agency is a crazy and pathetic organization, it’s not like they have no personnel to deal with incidents.”

Song Ah Rin mutters and starts to stretch.

“So, I’m going to the Management Agency. You guys go in first.”

“Yes! Then we’ll go!”

Yu Da On nods and waves goodbye.

“…”

“….”

On the other hand, Jang Chae Yeon and I exchanged glances.

“Let’s go together.”

“Me too.”

“H-Huh?”

Yu Da On looks blank.

“Just to be safe, let’s go together. If what A-Rin says is true, we might be in for big trouble.”

“…Well, it might not be a big deal.”

Song Ah Rin trails off lightly laughing.

“Alright. Then let’s go together. The one with black hair said they wouldn’t go home alone.”

“Ah, no! I’ll go with you!”

“Why? You said you wouldn’t go!”

“Kim Jae Heon didn’t say he wouldn’t go…!”

I watch the two of them bicker.

“Let’s get the car.”

“Should we?”

Leaving the two behind, I head to get the car with Jang Chae Yeon.

*

After sending the Team Leader away to recover mentally and physically with his family, the four of us were staring at the entrance of the Management Agency.

“But aren’t you all tired?”

“Honestly, I’m not tired.”

“Me neither.”

“Me neither!”

“Actually, I’m not either.”

Despite the massive ordeal we had just been through, none of us felt tired at all.

Normally, getting involved in such a situation would lead to sore muscles the next day.

I shrugged and stepped inside the Management Agency.

“…”

The lobby was lit, and people were chatting and enjoying coffee.

It looked like a routine late-night shift at the Management Agency.

“Did an incident really occur?”

“…I guess.”

Song Ah Rin also mutters in confusion as she looks around.

“What in the world could have happened that there are so many people—”

“What’s this?”

The voice that interrupted Song Ah Rin’s words was from a man wearing sunglasses.

“What’s this? I was just about to say, what do you mean there are no people?”

“…”

The man with sunglasses sighed deeply and looked at Song Ah Rin.

“I didn’t want to call in the Human Resources Team out of conscience.”

“You don’t need to call them now either.”

“The Gangseo Branch Chief and the Isolation Team have gone missing.”

At those words, Song Ah Rin’s expression turned serious.

“Why?”

“They went out for a mission this time.”

“Okay.”

“…The operation might not have gone well.”

“What operation?”

“…”

The man with sunglasses turned his gaze towards Song Ah Rin.

Then, he let out a small sigh.

“For now, the Gangdong, Gangnam, and Gangbuk branches have each sent support, so let’s leave it be for now.”

“Is that it?”

“That’s it.”

The man with sunglasses looked at us.

“Okay.”

And with that, Song Ah Rin shrugged and turned away.

“Are you really okay?”

“…”

The man looked at me in response to my question, and Song Ah Rin lightly slapped my arm.

“Never mind. That guy is saying that because there’s something we shouldn’t know right now or for various reasons; he just doesn’t want to tell us.”

“…”

“We’re going. Don’t go looking for us later when they call.”

With that, Song Ah Rin tugged on my sleeve.

“Let’s go.”

“…”

I glance over the man’s head.

When I first saw him, I couldn’t see anything besides the background.

The words I saw against that background still linger in my mind.

Don’t forget the dedication he made for humanity. Something along those lines.

A translucent window materialized above his head.

[Name: – ]

[Age: 64]

[Special Skill: – ]

[Talent: Perception]

[Background: A beautiful moon.]

[Vulnerability: – ]

A beautiful moon?

I felt a chill trickle down my neck.

Just as I was about to turn away to look out the window,

-Crack!

Song Ah Rin gripped my hand tightly.

“…”

Jang Chae Yeon stared at Song Ah Rin, while Yu Da On tilted her head, looking between us.

Then, the man chuckled softly and spoke to Song Ah Rin.

“Looks like your relationship has improved a bit lately.”

“Seems that way.”

Song Ah Rin lightly replied and released my hand.

“…”

I followed Song Ah Rin as we passed by the man.

Her hand was damp enough to feel.

Once outside the Management Agency, Song Ah Rin looked at me.

“Did you feel that?”

“…That strange sensation I just felt?”

“I didn’t feel a thing.”

“Me neither.”

Jang Chae Yeon replied, and Yu Da On nodded in agreement.

“I didn’t feel it either. But it felt strange.”

Song Ah Rin muttered as she glanced back.

In the peaceful lobby, people were chatting and enjoying coffee.

“…Hey.”

Jang Chae Yeon reached out her hand, pointing to the sky.

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

The four of us stared up at the sky.

“Call immediately.”

“Right. Who should I call?”

“Anyone who isn’t here right now.”

A person likely not in the Management Agency?

That means there’s no one except the dispatch workers, right?

Someone currently on a business trip who could help.

In my memory, there was only one person.

I grabbed the phone.

Soon, I heard a voice behind the dialing tone.

“Hello?”

The long-awaited voice echoed in my ears.

“Let’s talk.”

*

“Here we go!”

Ten minutes later, Yu Da On groaned as she stood up.

“Shall we rest a bit more, Kim Jae Heon?”

“No, I’m fine.”

Yu Da On looks at me with concern, then pats her backside off with both hands.

“Chae Yeon and A-Rin should be arriving soon, right?”

“I hope so.”

I can’t help but worry about the two.

“But are you sure the Branch Chief is really missing?”

“Who knows.”

To be honest, I’m not too worried.

If the Branch Chief were dead, we’d likely be finished as well. Probably.

However…

I look up at the dilapidated building.

The dazzling blue moon shone brightly.

Yeah, that’s the problem.

“Da On.”

“Yes?”

“The moon isn’t blue, right?”

“No, it isn’t.”

“Then why is the moon we’re seeing blue?”

“Good question.”

After all, what do we know?

While I sighed and gazed at the moon,

“Are you already that tired that you’re collapsing?”

A messy blonde came into view.

With tired eyes that belied her age, wearing a bulletproof vest and holding a gun.

“Aileen.”

“Get over here. There’s no time to rest.”

She pointed behind her.

“We’re almost to the rooftop, so hang in there a bit longer.”

“Understood.”

Aileen strides confidently ahead.

I lift my gaze and look forward.

The blue moon continued to radiate brightly.