Reality Closes In
No matter how much you try to ignore it, reality always catches up. ……………
Afternoon training time rolled around, and Baek Sehee gathered the team members again.
"We'll do two-person pairings for the afternoon training as well."
With a wave of her hand, the Dimensional Gate Special Response Team lined up once more. Baek Sehee raised her hand and pointed to two people.
"Ahn Kyungtae, Kim Taeyang. You're paired together."
……Again?
A bewildered air filled the training ground. They'd been paired in the morning too. And the result had been disastrous. The two had nearly come to blows, grabbing each other by the collar. Pairing them again? The team members' confusion was plain to see. They exchanged glances but stayed silent. Kim Taeyang and Ahn Kyungtae said nothing. They just nodded and headed to their positions.
The mock battle began.
Kim Taeyang charged forward. Flames wrapped around his fist as he smashed into the enemy's front line. The enemy rear launched a ranged attack, aiming for Kim Taeyang's flank.
Then—
Ziiing.
A beam shot from Ahn Kyungtae's glasses, intercepting the projectile. And that wasn't all.
"Left flank!"
"Got it!"
As Ahn Kyungtae called out, Kim Taeyang twisted his body left. At the same moment, Ahn Kyungtae's beam struck the enemy rear. Perfect synergy. Like a team that had trained together for years.
The mock battle ended quickly. Kim Taeyang and Ahn Kyungtae's team won overwhelmingly.
Whispers rippled through the training ground here and there.
And I sat on the bench, watching the whole scene.
……Perfect.
A swell of pride rose from deep in my chest. This was my doing. My achievement. Kim Taeyang and Ahn Kyungtae had finally buried their long-standing grudge and made peace. The Dimensional Gate Special Response Team's internal conflict was resolved.
Yeah. I can do this too.
Even with my disability. Even with one leg missing. I could still be useful like this. I could do meaningful work. I could be a valuable person.
I'm not some freeloader mooching off a salary while playing games on a handheld.
Prejudices? Shatter them with ability. I'll prove it.
……………
Afternoon training wrapped up. The team members dispersed in twos and threes. Kim Taeyang approached me.
"Man—thanks, really."
"No problem."
"This morning, I couldn't even imagine syncing with Kyungtae like that. Thanks to you, I feel like I've grown as a person."
"Haha……."
Kim Taeyang bowed his head and headed to the showers. In the distance, I spotted Ahn Kyungtae. Our eyes met as he looked my way, and he gave a small nod. No words, but the meaning was clear. Thanks. I nodded back.
Hehe.
My shoulders lifted with satisfaction. I felt good. Really good. I'd shown my employer and charge, Baek Sehee—the manager she'd handpicked herself—that I was this capable. The team's rift was mended, the atmosphere improved. It had been worth defying orders to play games and wandering the training ground instead.
Baek Sehee would be pleased too. No team leader hates seeing her group's morale rise.
Baek Sehee emerged from the office and walked toward me. I approached her, looking up with eager anticipation.
"Yujin, good work today."
Baek Sehee smiled. But……something felt off. Her lips curved up perfectly. The shape of the smile was flawless. Yet her eyes didn't seem to be smiling. I couldn't be sure.
"……The team's atmosphere seems much better. Thanks to you, Yujin."
"Right? Yeah?"
I replied, gazing at Baek Sehee. She was still smiling. But it felt forced somehow. My chest tightened uncomfortably.
Does she hate what I did?
But that didn't make sense. Why would Baek Sehee be upset? Her team's vibe had improved.
……No.
Just my imagination. Baek Sehee was a good person. I was being overly sensitive. Especially on my first day—tired and worn out, naturally on edge.
"Then……shall we head home now?"
"Yes!"
"I'll hold your hand. Let's go together."
"Huh?!"
"I said I'll hold your hand."
"……."
A smile that brooked no refusal. Helpless, I took Baek Sehee's hand and walked out of the training ground. It felt like being a child walking with his mom. Glancing back down the hall as we went. The special response team was prepping to leave. Kim Taeyang and Ahn Kyungtae were among them. They weren't chatting warmly, but at least they weren't avoiding eye contact like before.
Yeah. I did good.
Today, I'd done really well. No one else could have achieved this. Baek Sehee must think so too.
……Right?
……………
Training was over, and Baek Sehee had no more schedule today. We were about to head straight home when she suddenly stopped.
"Yujin, wait here a sec. I forgot some documents in the office."
"Ah, okay."
Baek Sehee turned back toward the training ground. I considered following but decided against it since she'd told me to wait. No place to sit in the hallway anyway. I just leaned against the wall.
The corridor was quiet. Past quitting time, most people had left. So right now, it was just me.
I did pretty great today.
Team morale up, Kim Taeyang and Ahn Kyungtae's conflict resolved nicely. All my doing. Even as an F-rank, proper use of my abilities made this possible.
The hallway was eerily still. No people, no sounds.
Then—footsteps echoed from down the hall. I looked up. Someone stood there. Black hair in a two-tone style. Kang Haneul.
"Wha—what……?!"
My heart seemed to stop. Kang Haneul spotted me too and froze in place. We stared at each other in silence for a long moment.
Kang Haneul? Here?
Baek Sehee had said she was in seclusion. Wouldn't show unless absolutely necessary. I figured we wouldn't cross paths for a while. I'd vaguely thought we might eventually, after a lot of time passed. But I'd consciously avoided dwelling on it.
Simple reason. I wasn't mentally ready to face Kang Haneul yet.
Frozen, unable to move. Then Kang Haneul started walking toward me. Cautiously.
"Yu, Yujin-ah……."
Her voice trembled slightly. Instinct screamed to back away. But with my prosthetic, my retreat was slower than her advance. The distance closed in seconds.
"Yujin-ah, I, um—I’m sorry."
Kang Haneul's hand reached out. It gripped my shoulder. In that instant, my mind flashed white.
Kang Haneul's office. Her face, pale as death in the fading light. Ignoring it, turning the doorknob. The impact. Bones shattering. Agony. So intense I couldn't breathe, couldn't even scream before blacking out.
And when I woke—the sight that greeted me. My right leg gone. Below the knee, nothing. And it still hadn't grown back.
"——!!"
My eyes bulged impossibly wide. My whole body shook. My heart pounded wildly.
"L-let—go!!!"
The scream burst out reflexively. Kang Haneul flinched back, releasing me. Her face went sheet-white.
"Hah, hah, hah……."
No exercise, no choking, yet I couldn't breathe. I knew what this was. Panic attack, probably. And the trigger? Obviously Kang Haneul.
Yeah, I definitely wasn't ready to talk to her.
"Right now……."
I forced strength into my voice, but it trembled anyway.
"I don't want to talk to you."
Kang Haneul approached again.
"Yujin-ah, please……."
"Don't come closer!"
I bellowed, squeezing every ounce of volume. Thankfully, she stopped this time. But she didn't retreat. She just stood there, staring.
"Yujin-ah, please……just once! Just let me talk—"
"I said don't come closer!"
My voice cracked. Even I could tell I was in bad shape. Heart about to explode, body shaking, my prosthetic right leg wobbling unnaturally. But Kang Haneul ignored my pleas.
"Yujin-ah, I'm really sorry. Truly. I……I messed up so bad."
Desperation laced her voice.
"I know. I don't deserve forgiveness. No excuses. Just……please, talk to me once. Okay?"
Kang Haneul took another step.
"Yujin-ah……."
Her hand extended. And—grabbed. She clutched my arm.
"Aaaahhh——!!"
Terrifying. Kang Haneul terrified me. Moon Yujin was terrified of Kang Haneul. Instinctively, I yanked my arm free and staggered back. Balance shattered immediately. My prosthetic right leg couldn't hold. My left alone couldn't compensate.
Thud.
I crashed to the floor, butt and back slamming into the cold tile. And then……click.
The belt unbuckled. The prosthetic slipped off. It rolled limply across the floor.
Clatter, clatter.
Silence.
I lay sprawled on the ground. My right leg……below the knee, nothing. Just the bandage wrapping the stump.
And Kang Haneul saw it. The prosthetic. My leg. Her face drained to blue. Her lips quivered.
"Yu, Yujin-ah……."
Kang Haneul dropped to her knees, reaching for the prosthetic.
"Sorry, Yujin-ah. I'm sorry, really, I never meant……."
"Don't touch it!!!"
I yelled at her, pouring in rage and humiliation. And then—
"So here you are."
A voice from the other end of the hall. Baek Sehee. She stood opposite Kang Haneul, holding a document envelope. Baek Sehee strode over quickly. Her high heels clicked against the floor.
Click, clack, click.
She reached me in seconds. Baek Sehee knelt and helped me up.
"Yujin, are you okay?"
Her voice was soft and kind. Soon, her telekinesis lifted my body, moving me behind her back. And Baek Sehee faced Kang Haneul. Their gazes clashed.