Day 1: Pink Skirt Squad and the Decoy Couple
Someone once said marriage is the grave of life.
"What even is a married couple...?"
According to that, does it mean a couple is just two people promising to head to the grave together? It's way too deep a topic for an inexperienced guy like me.
As I wrestled with my existential angst, the soldier across from me shouted.
"Hey, you crazy bastard! Don't just sit there—do something!"
Bang! Bang! Bullets rained down like they were about to shatter the concrete wall. Even in a situation where he could turn into Swiss cheese, the soldier fired back with everything he had.
Rat-tat-tat!
"...What does it mean to go to life's grave together?"
"You son of a bitch! We'll talk after this is over!"
I snapped out of my reverie. The soldier, unable to stand my muttering, hurled his spent magazine at me.
"Not gonna shoot? I'll smash this gun in your face!"
"Aigoo... What would you know, Uncle?"
"What'd you say, punk? I'm serious—I'll shoot!"
"Just wait 15 seconds."
I answered quick before he could frag me for more nonsense. The soldier—the guy I call Uncle—stared at me like I was an idiot.
"15 seconds? What the hell does that mean?"
"It's about the time those wall-banging enemies start getting frustrated."
"Huh?"
15 seconds up. I bolted out from cover and charged forward.
"What the— that crazy fucker's rushing us!"
"Shoot him! Light him up!"
But no gunfire came. In this spot, at this timing, to deal with enemies pinned behind cover—
Most players would lob a grenade. And sure enough, as I sprinted ahead, the enemies were yanking the pin right on cue. Panicking at the sight of me, they chucked it on instinct.
"Take this, asshole!"
"Die, you maniac!"
The grenades flew straight at me. I gently caught both in the wide flare of my skirt, holding it out like a pouch.
Then, like shaking out a military blanket, I whipped the skirt with force.
"Huh."
Ping! Clink-clink!
The two grenades boomeranged right back at them.
BOOM!
I yelled at the screen in front of me.
"See that? This is the power of the Pink Skirt Squad!"
"...You total nutjob."
Uncle appeared right after. He called me crazy, but his own lower half was clad in a long pink skirt too.
The chat was blowing up. Friend requests mixed with curses unfit for polite company.
...I canceled the friend adds too—they looked like the type to ask about my parents.
"Uncle, let's bail. If we stick around this public room longer, the players might swarm us IRL."
"You think? It was fun though—kinda sad."
Even Uncle, who'd been trash-talking me as a lunatic, looked reluctant to leave.
We left the Chasefield X public room and hopped into a private one. There's a spot there just for chatting. In Chat Room 1, I met up with Uncle again.
"So, Uncle—what is marriage?"
"What the hell's with your nonsense today? You drag me into a game at dawn Korean time just to vent?"
"I'm... serious, Uncle."
Uncle's tone turned grave at my expression (Chasefield doesn't do facial descriptions).
"...You get hit with a romance scam or something?"
"Guess I expected too much."
Uncle was no help, as usual. Uncle's ID is CutieUncleSam. We met in a private room and now do concept play like this whenever we're bored.
For the record, he was the one who suggested Pink Skirt Squad.
Uncle hiked up his skirt enough to show his hairy legs and plopped down on the floor.
"Never been married myself, so no clue."
"Not married? At your age, Uncle?"
"Hey! I'm still spry in my thirties! Why should I be chained to society's rules and norms? True freedom is...!"
I muted the audio. When his familiar long-winded rant wrapped up, I unmuted.
"...that's what I say!"
"Got it. Learned a lot today too."
"You muted me again, didn't you?"
"Ah! Gotta log out soon!"
It might sound like I was blowing him off, but it was really time to go.
As I went to log out, Uncle said,
"Hey... you thinking about getting a job yet?"
"Huh?"
"...Three years off now, right? With your skills, I could hook you up with something solid."
Was my job luck finally turning? Lately, folks were sniffing around this unemployed gamer.
I held up a finger proudly.
"Already got scouted—I'm working!"
"...Which idiot roped you in?"
"Conel."
"Oh."
Uncle suddenly shot up. He rushed me at top speed and said,
"You know I didn't mean Conel's an idiot, right?"
"Uh... Conel and I were just chatting briefly..."
"Nooooo! Mercy! I don't wanna get banned from privates! I'm bored!"
The grown man over thirty rolled on the floor whining at my joke.
"Kidding. See ya later, Uncle."
"Cool. Work hard, keep safe, B2."
Words I'd once thought were just fun banter, I now took seriously.
"You stay healthy too, Uncle."
I hit logout. The world went dark and silent.
"Phew... gotta wash up quick."
No time to savor the quiet—I got up, showered fast, threw on clothes. Dressed in a suit and ready to head out, there was Mother.
Father and my sister had already left for work.
"Suo, be careful out there."
"Sure. Souvenirs?"
"Don't slack off just 'cause it's a business trip! Be polite to the seniors, got it?"
I nodded at Mother's bone-deep advice and stepped out.
A long bus and subway ride later, a car waited in front of some house. I opened the back door to see Conel in a crisp white suit.
"Good morning."
"You're here. Quick check, Blackie."
No tails detected. No suspicious persons either.
"Let's roll."
The car started at Conel's signal. I just stared at her quietly. Sitting side by side, our arms nearly touched.
Conel scooted even closer, pressing against me.
"...Can't be shy about contact. It'll mess up the op."
"R-right."
I couldn't think straight with her apple scent right in my face. That's why I couldn't sleep and ended up gaming with Uncle at dawn.
Tension was building. Could I really pull this off?
"B2, you can do this."
"I'll try..."
"First, change into this. It'll be cramped, but we swap here."
"Huh?"
Conel reached forward and handed me an item from the front seat. A luxury suit at first glance.
"Italian designer label. The target's go-to. Belt, shoes, this watch—mandatory."
"Looks pricey."
She just nodded instead of answering. The watch alone screamed ten million won easy.
As I changed, Conel's voice came.
"Pre-op briefing refresh. Remember the chatter about shady forces gathering in Korea?"
"Yeah, high-level arms conference here with assassination threats? Buried under Blackie's yapping, but yeah."
Conel fixed my sloppy tie herself.
"Precisely: High-profile execs and pols staying in Korea are targets."
"...Shouldn't they cancel or relocate?"
"They did."
...Then why were we doing this? Conel's explanation clicked it together.
"Conference pushed back. Only the tiny circle of targets know. Everyone else runs the 'official schedule.'"
"...Decoy op, huh?"
Conel gave a curt nod and continued.
"Yes. Starting now, agents like us disguise as execs and pols to run the fake schedule."
"Assassination attempts incoming then. Seibyl too?"
"If our intel's right."
Op boiled down simple: Agents as execs draw out assassins, flip and nab 'em.
Conel pulled up her phone, showing pics. A woman in her forties and a handsome guy side by side.
"Nemesis CEO Rosalyn Johnson and husband Ben Johnson."
"These are the ones..."
Throat dry, I gulped water from the car.
From today, Conel and I would be...
"Standing in as the Johnsons, right?"
"Exactly. We cover their full public itinerary."
As I studied the photo, Conel reassured me.
"Between us, I'm the higher-risk target."
"That's what worries me more...?"
She smiled. She straightened my suit collar last, smoothed my messy hair.
"Don't sweat it. We're prepped. Key is nailing the couple act to lure 'em out."
The car had pulled into an airport, massive planes looming. Into staff-only zone, then a deserted spot—it stopped.
Conel checked her watch.
"Five minutes: Johnsons 'arrive.' We swap natural-like on timing."
"Got it."
"Don't get out yet. Prep first."
"Prep?"
Conel clung to my arm, gazing up. Her disguised face looked calm.
But her real face—bright red, eyes trembling—was plain to me.
"From now on... take care of me, honey..."
"Uh, y-yeah."
I braced my wobbly legs and stepped out. Far off, a man and woman led their entourage from a plane.
I matched steps with the close-pressed Conel.
The decoy couple op had begun.