Chapter 198
Chapter 198
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 198. Blueness
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Rustle!
Gravel crunches under my feet.
My head is spinning.
Is it the lack of oxygen?
I lower my gaze.
Countless stairs stretch out beneath my feet.
When did I climb all this way?
"Jaeheon?"
"Yes, yes. I'm fine."
"You sure you don't need a break?"
Yoo Daon looks at me with concern.
"...How about five minutes."
"Ten minutes is fine."
Yoo Daon smiles and sits down beside me.
I turn my gaze forward alongside Yoo Daon, close enough to feel her body heat.
Dilapidated buildings fill my view.
How did things end up like this?
*
The incident wrapped up well enough.
No, honestly speaking, it didn't go smoothly.
"Wh-what happened? I was just visiting the art gallery..."
"Why is time all messed up like this?"
People mutter in confusion as they look around.
"What do you mean we're short-staffed? Then hire more people! You claim to be devoted to humanity, but if you're understaffed, is that devotion? What a load of crap!"
Song Arin, who had been venting her frustration seriously, lets out a deep sigh and looks at me.
"Wait here."
"It must be tough on you."
"No one else can do it."
Song Arin mutters as she extends her arm.
Her face turns pale, and soon her breathing grows ragged.
At the same time, the crowd stares blankly into space before rising and shuffling away.
Soon, only the HR Team members remain.
Song Arin inhales sharply, her expression puzzled.
"...That's weird..."
"What's weird?"
"Well, it was tough, but not as tough as it should be."
What does that mean?
I stare at Song Arin, and she groans softly.
"I mean, remember when we met the Red Lady at the theater with you?"
"Yeah."
How could I forget.
I nod, and Song Arin nods back.
"Back then, just hypnotizing everyone in the theater nearly killed me."
"Yeah."
Her face had gone completely white, and she was gasping for air.
"But right now, it's exhausting, sure, but I'm not dying."
"What are you saying?"
"If I'd tried to hypnotize this many people at once back then, I'd be nosebleeding or collapsed by now, and no one would think it strange."
"...True."
Thinking about it, yeah.
If the Song Arin from back then had tried hypnotizing this crowd, she wouldn't have lasted.
"...Did I get stronger?"
"Your height didn't change."
"Don't tease."
Song Arin slaps my back.
"Anyway, good is good."
"Can't argue with that."
Song Arin sighs deeply as she gazes at the crowd.
"Still, what the hell happened?"
"You don't know either, Arin?"
"How would I know everything?"
Jang Chaeyeon herds the people away while Yoo Daon checks for stragglers.
"Over here."
"Here too!"
As the two of them usher everyone out, I head to the Team Leader.
"Oh, Jaeheon."
"Team Leader, do you remember?"
"...No."
The Team Leader shakes his head as he looks at me.
"But I have a rough idea of what went down. Woke up to a cold floor and your faces."
"Our faces aren't just for when something goes wrong, are they?"
"Aren't they?"
"..."
No words for that.
"Anyway, I get the gist."
With a groan, the Team Leader stands.
"I'll help."
"Thank you."
With the Team Leader and the team's help, we somehow resolved it.
"I'm heading to the Management Bureau."
Once things were mostly sorted, Song Arin spoke first.
"The Management Bureau?"
"No matter how insane and shitty the Management Bureau is, it's not so understaffed that it can't spare people for cleanup."
Song Arin mutters as she stretches.
"So I'm going to the Management Bureau. You guys head back first."
"Got it! We'll see you later!"
Yoo Daon nods and waves.
"..."
"..."
Meanwhile, Jang Chaeyeon and I exchange glances.
"I'm going too."
"Me too."
"Wh-what?"
Yoo Daon looks stunned.
"Better safe than sorry, so we'll tag along. Like you said, Arin, this sounds big."
"...Well, not that big."
Song Arin trails off, then gives a small smile.
"Fine. Let's all go. The black-haired one said no, so stay home."
"N-no! I'm coming too!"
"What? Didn't you just say no?"
"You didn't say Jaeheon was going...!"
I watch the two bicker again.
"Let's grab the car."
"Sounds good."
Leaving them behind, Jang Chaeyeon and I go fetch the car.
*
The Team Leader sent his family off to recover body and mind, leaving the four of us staring at the Management Bureau's main gate.
"You all aren't tired?"
"Honestly? Not at all."
"Me neither."
"Me too!"
"Same here."
Despite everything we'd been through, no fatigue at all.
Normally, getting dragged into this much chaos would leave me dying of muscle pain the next day.
I shrug and step inside the Management Bureau.
"..."
The lobby lights are on, people chatting over coffee.
Business as usual for the overtime-plagued Management Bureau.
"An incident really happened?"
"...Right?"
Even Song Arin mutters in confusion as she looks around.
"What could have pulled everyone awa—"
"What?"
A voice interrupts Song Arin from ahead.
A man in sunglasses appears.
"What? That's my line. What do you mean no one's here?"
"..."
The man in sunglasses sighs deeply as he eyes Song Arin.
"I didn't want to call HR out of principle."
"No need now."
"The Gangseo Branch Chief and Containment Team went missing."
Song Arin's face hardens at that.
"Why?"
"They went out on an op."
"Yeah."
"...Might not have gone well."
"What op?"
"..."
The man in sunglasses turns to Song Arin.
Then he sighs softly.
"For now, Gangdong, Gangnam, and Gangbuk branches sent support, so let's leave it be."
"That's it?"
"That's it."
The man in sunglasses looks at us.
"Fine."
Song Arin shrugs and turns away.
"You sure that's okay?"
"..."
The man looks at me in response to my question, and Song Arin nudges my arm.
"Forget it. When that guy's like that, it's because we shouldn't know, or whatever excuse he's using not to tell us."
"..."
"We're out. Don't come looking later expecting a call."
With that, Song Arin tugs my sleeve.
"Let's go."
"..."
I glance above the man's head.
The first time I saw him, only his background was visible.
I still remember the text from that background.
Something like, Don't forget his devotion to humanity.
A translucent window floats above his head.
[Name: -]
[Age: 64]
[Talent: -]
[Specialty: Detection]
[Background: A Beautiful Moon.]
[Weakness: -]
A beautiful moon?
A chill creeps down my neck.
As I turn to look out the window,
-Grip!
Song Arin grabs my hand hard.
"..."
Jang Chaeyeon stares at Song Arin, and Yoo Daon tilts her head at us.
The man chuckles softly and speaks to Song Arin.
"You two seem closer lately."
"Looks that way."
Song Arin replies lightly and releases my hand.
"..."
I follow Song Arin past the man.
Her hand is damp with sweat.
Only after exiting the Management Bureau does Song Arin look at me.
"Did you feel that?"
"...That weird sensation just now?"
"I didn't."
"Me neither."
Jang Chaeyeon chimes in, and Yoo Daon nods.
"I didn't either. But something's off."
Song Arin mutters as she glances back.
In the lobby's peaceful vibe, people chat over coffee.
"Over there."
Jang Chaeyeon points skyward.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Our four gazes lift to the sky.
"Call someone now."
"Right. Who?"
"Anyone who probably isn't at the Management Bureau."
Anyone not at the Management Bureau right now?
That'd be the field agents, right?
A field agent I could contact immediately who's on assignment and might help.
Only one name in my memory.
I dial.
Soon, after the ringtone, a voice answers.
"Hello?"
A familiar voice rings in my ear after so long.
"Let's talk."
*
"Heave-ho!"
Ten minutes later, Yoo Daon groans as she stands.
"Need more rest, Jaeheon?"
"No, I'm good."
Yoo Daon looks at me worriedly, then dusts off her butt with both hands.
"Chaeyeon and Arin should be fine, right?"
"Hope so."
I'm a bit worried about those two.
"But is the branch chief really gone?"
"Who knows."
Honestly, not too concerned.
If the branch chief I know is in mortal danger, we're probably done for too. Probably.
Still.
I look up at the dilapidated building.
A brilliant blue moon shines.
Yeah. That's the problem.
"Daon."
"Yeah?"
"The moon isn't blue, right?"
"Right?"
"So why is the one we're seeing blue?"
"Good question."
What do we know, anyway.
As I sigh and stare at the moon,
"Already tired and lagging behind?"
Dull blonde hair enters my view.
Eyes hardened beyond her years, tactical vest, gun.
"Eileen."
"Come on. No time to rest."
She points behind her.
"Rooftop's not far. Let's push."
"Got it."
Eileen strides ahead without hesitation.
I look up ahead.
The blue moon still gleams brilliantly.