Rest and Relief
< p > < em > Hoo, hoo. Ah, this is the broadcast from the Situation Room. Work personnel... Correction, personnel from the Rest Quarter, please gather in front of the Situation Room immediately.
< p > The day remained unchanged even after Ji Yun-ah completely disappeared.
< p > At night, after going out on a sortie and barely keeping my dazed mind awake, the same sentence came through with the announcement to broadcast again.
< p > In the living quarter, the seniors who were on their phones started to stir from their seats while muttering, “It seems Jeong-hui really fell asleep.” This broadcast appeared to be for Jeong-hui.
< p > “What’s going on?”
< p > “I don’t know. It says to call work personnel, so maybe it’s for actual work...”
< p > Even if it was for work, they hadn’t called for actual work before.
< p > Of course, the other seniors probably knew. Just as I was about to ask, the broadcast came again.
< p > < em > Correction. Personnel from the Rest Quarter: two in total. Please come to the Situation Room immediately. End of broadcast.
< p > Two.
< p > It was so on the nose and clever.
< p > I shot up from my seat and activated my skills.
< p > “Ah.”
< p > And with a ridiculous scream, my balance tilted. Forcing myself awake felt awful.
< p > “Harang-ah! Are you okay!?”
< p > Seeing this, Jeong Seung-ah quickly supported my body. She had already finished preparing to leave.
< p > “Ah, sorry. I’m a little sleepy.”
< p > “There’s nothing to be sorry about. I already know everything you did last night.”
< p > Jeong Seung-ah supported me as we walked out of the living quarter. The seniors who saw us two heading out turned their attention back to what they were doing.
< p > As I took in the fresh air and steadied my mind, Jeong Seung-ah’s hand naturally brushed my shoulder.
< p > “Sorry, I can’t say ‘rest’ as a senior, but... since I can use my skills like this...”
< p > She continued and lightly rubbed my shoulder blade.
< p > “But, Harang-ah. To keep your condition good, you have to touch your heart... which means you inevitably have to touch your skin... are you sure it’s okay?”
< p > I heard what she was saying, but my concentration wasn’t there. It felt like my ears were wide open, letting the words escape.
< p > “It’s fine.”
< p > “...You said you’d understand? No making weird comments later, right?”
< p > “Understood. After all, there’s no way Superhuman Jeong Seung-ah would do anything weird...”
< p > At my words, Jeong Seung-ah stopped her hand. No, she stopped all her movements.
< p > “T-that’s right. Harang trusts me.”
< p > “Yes.”
< p > “Kuuu... kuu...”
< p > I wondered why she was more bothered than me, and Jeong Seung-ah let out a pained sound before carefully pulling my bra strap back up.
< p > Huh? When had this come down?
< p > “I’ll take my leave for a moment.”
< p > Jeong Seung-ah took my hand. Miraculously, my head felt clearer.
< p > “Oh... oh!”
< p > Is this healing? The longer time passed, the better my condition became. Even though I hadn’t slept, I felt as refreshed as if I’d had a full night’s rest.
< p > “It’s no joke! Superhuman Jeong Seung-ah! My body feels like it’s filled with oil!”
< p > “It’s just a temporary measure, so don’t get too dependent on it. Got it? If your condition doesn’t improve, tell the higher-ups right away. Got it?”
< p > Jeong Seung-ah seemed to receive answers twice, as if doubting my reliability.
< p > I didn’t have anything to worry about! Right now, my spirit was overflowing so much that I could do anything!
< p > With admiration for the replenished stamina and Jeong Seung-ah’s abilities, we headed together toward the Situation Room.
< p > Between computer operator Jeong-hui and the supply or personnel section personnel, the officer greeted us.
< p > “From the 1st Living Quarter?”
< p > “Yes.”
< p > “Do you know why you were called?”
< p > “I heard it’s for work.”
< p > “That’s right. A visit application has come from our unit this time. But you see? Our unit doesn’t have a visiting room.”
< p > The officer pointed outside. Beyond the window stretched a vast training ground with nothing but barbed wire—no other buildings.
< p > “At this point, even temporary fixes won’t do, so we’re making a visiting room even if it’s just temporary.”
< p > “A building, you say?”
< p > “Building... it’s a bit much, but first we’ll get the layout right. There was one used as a checkpoint back in the day. See that one over there?”
< p > A small building that could fit three people inside was visible.
< p > “Inside, clean it up, check if the electricity is on, put down the desk and chairs. That’s it. Simple, right?”
< p > It was simple.
< p > Accompanied by the officer, who confirmed our understanding, we headed to the building with cleaning tools.
< p > And the work wasn’t simple.
< p > Inside, which seemed to have been used as a warehouse, various heavy items were scattered messily.
< p > Inside, dust piled high.
< p > Walls with all the paint peeled off, eerie and desolate.
< p > The officer sighed deeply after a triple combo of chaos and brought over brushes and paint buckets.
< p > Until the sun was setting, the madwork.
< p > Yet, despite the groans and complaints, Jeong Seung-ah’s impressive endurance stood out.
< p > “Harang-ah.”
< p > “Superhuman Seo Harang.”
< p > “Are you okay? Are you tired?”
< p > “I’m fine.”
< p > “Amazing... I haven’t heard a single groan or complaint from you since earlier.”
< p > “Oh! I was thinking the same thing! I thought it was amazing that you didn’t make a single complaint, Superhuman Jeong Seung-ah!”
< p > “Really? Ufufu... I guess we get along well.”
< p > “What? Are you two dating? Euh.”
< p > The officer, who had moved slightly away from us as if genuinely annoyed.
< p > After all, the officer was also a woman like us. It wasn’t unreasonable for me to feel a bit annoyed.
< p > ...Still, it wasn’t like I had to avoid her so much.
< p > “Guess, guess~”
< p > “Aah... I can’t joke with you. I’m scared.”
< p > The officer looked around the somewhat organized room.
< p > “Still, it looks like we’ll just need to place the chairs and desk. Good work. You’ve inhaled a lot of dust and smelled a lot of paint.”
< p > “It’s fine.”
< p > “I’ll give you extra mileage later.”
< p > “Oh!”
< p > My eyes sparkled.
< p > Mileage! For the unit members, it was sweet honey, and the reason the seniors put on a grumpy face yet had to follow the officer’s orders!
< p > It was like Dragon Ball tickets where eight pages gave one day of vacation... I could receive them! I worked hard!
< p > Inside, I jumped with excitement, but my throat felt scratchy. After dusting myself off, I seemed to have drunk a lot without realizing.
< p > “Let’s finish quickly.”
< p > “Understood.”
< p > “Harang, bring the chair.”
< p > “Ah! I’ll carry the desk! I have a strength-type body, so I’m good at it.”
< p > “Really? Then I’ll leave it to you.”
< p > “Understood!”
< p > I quickly found the desk. Dust had piled up on it too, so I wiped it off in one go.
< p > “...Cough.”
< p > After coughing out the dust I’d eaten greedily.
< p > ...
< p > “Oh—good work.”
< p > Upon returning to the living quarter, one senior waved at us to welcome us.
< p > “Ah, Harang-ah. Dust in your hair. You should pay attention to these things. Your hair is a pride of our unit.”
< p > It was strangely kind. I hadn’t talked much with the senior.
< p > Deep down, it seemed like she was bothered by Ji Yun-ah. Even though she’d done unthinkable things, she was treating me well.
< p > ...Or maybe she was afraid I’d target her.
< p > Anyway, receiving such treatment from a thin-skinned woman felt a bit weird. My beast heart twitched.
< p > I didn’t feel bad, so I just stayed still.
< p > “Really, how is your hair like this? What shampoo do you use? What hair essence?”
< p > “Um... I use the ones sold at the store.”
< p > “Does it have to do with genes? Anyway, I really envy you... you got all the dust off.”
< p > “Thank you—cough.”
< p > “Huh?”
< p > Ah, it got stuck in my throat. Dust.
< p > Cough, cough.
< p > It didn’t come out. It got stuck in a corner of my prayer and kept irritating me annoyingly.
< p > Kuu, kehek.
< p > Only after I coughed strangely and coughed again did the dust finally fall.
< p > Just as I was about to apologize for the commotion, I noticed the surroundings had become a bit quieter.
< p > If it had just gotten quiet, I wouldn’t know, but the atmosphere felt oddly tense.
< p > “Are you okay?”
< p > “Ah? Ah, I’m fine. This is just...”
< p > “What’s fine! You were on the verge of death! So why did you go out late at night and challenge to a fight? Hey, lie down.”
< p > The senior from earlier said this with a pale face.
< p > Lie down.
< p > For someone like me, a junior, that was an outrageous power that shouldn’t exist.
< p > That statement shattered the junior law that you can’t lie in bed during duty hours from the front.
< p > “Ah, no! If I lie down, it’s big trouble!”
< p > “If you cause bigger trouble, who will take responsibility?”
< p > “I will take responsibility...!”
< p > “Just ignore Seung-ah. It seems your condition isn’t good with that cough. Hero Han Jihye, can I have her lie down?”
< p > Han Jihye, who wasn’t even looking this way, waved her hand casually. It meant do whatever.
< p > “Superhuman Kim Heejin! The one who seems sick, can I have her lie down?”
< p > “What are you saying? This one isn’t sick at all.”
< p > Kim Heejin said flatly. Of course, it was obvious just from looking at her face.
< p > “No. I saw it clearly. This one is really sick. What if it causes an outbreak? We have to prevent it in advance.”
< p > “...Whatever, do it yourself. I won’t be concerned.”
< p > The senior, having received Kim Heejin’s permission, quickly laid out the mattress for my bed.
< p > “Blanket too? It’s fine, right?”
< p > “No, I’m really fine. On the contrary, it’s burdensome.”
< p > “Is it burdensome for a senior to care?”
< p > “No! I’ll lie down!”
< p > In an Awakener unit where even goodwill was pushed aside by hierarchy, I lay on the mattress, feeling the juniors’ grief fully.
< p > Ah, how comfortable?
< p > The moment I lay down, fatigue rushed in. The side effect of forcing my body awake combined with the aftershock of the ability I received from Jeong Seung-ah...
< p > ++ +
< p > “Koo...”
< p > “Sleeping? What the heck is this guy?”
< p > Kim Heejin looked at sleeping Harang in an instant.
< p > She was sleeping as if she didn’t know the world, making a steady snoring sound that no one could ignore.
< p > “It’s because I forced my stamina.”
< p > Jeong Seung-ah poked Harang’s cheek and said.
< p > “Ah, you did it? Then it can’t be helped. She stayed up all night.”
< p > “Staying up all night makes you fall asleep? You really fell asleep.”
< p > “But didn’t Hero Han Jihye not sleep more than 8 hours right after arriving?”
< p > “Dehet!”
< p > Hearing Kim Heejin’s words, Han Jihye tapped her head. Her hair, three times messier than usual, swayed belatedly.
< p > “What about this guy?”
< p > Next, Kim Heejin pointed at the senior who had just been sweetly friendly to Harang.
< p > “Harang is about to eat him, so he suddenly acts close and pretends to worry?”
< p > “Ah! No, that’s...”
< p > “Wow, politics.”
< p > “No! Harang isn’t that bad! Superhuman Kim Heejin and Hero Han Jihye might get eaten if they’re not careful! She’s not scary at all from the start!”
< p > “What to eat? Harang isn’t that kind of girl. It’s because Ji Yun-ah crossed the line too much.”
< p > What Kim Heejin showed was trust. A sincere emotion I could express because Harang was asleep.
< p > Without knowing about the change in her mood, Harang was sleeping with the reins loose, missing the moment she would have melted in emotion and cried if she had heard it herself.