The Perfect

“Even if we take responsibility for escalating it to E-grade, the complex and slow procedures that allowed it to reach E-grade are also a big problem.”“Yeah, if not us, we should blame the procedures. That’s why the higher-ups are trying to pin it all on us.”Damn, this is why all organizations suck. I was trembling in silence, and Byunghee glanced at me with a pale face.“Sir, if it’s because of that issue, we found a company that can help.”This guy. I glared at Byunghee, but it wasn’t necessary. The manager shook his head.“No. We’re handing that issue over to the E-grade department. Prepare the necessary documents.”It seemed real. We really had to resign. What started as a joke had become reality, but my mind was blank. Byunghee was the same, half-open mouth and all. The manager lit another cigarette, which he cherished like his life.“Don’t feel too bad. I might have to resign too.”Even the manager? Realizing the gravity of the situation brought me back to my senses. Byunghee swallowed hard.“Sir, are we getting fired right away?”“Not immediately. Officially, you’re being transferred to another department…”The manager took a long drag from his cigarette.“They’re transferring you to fieldwork. They’re always short-handed there.”Fieldwork is a place where even the toughest people can’t last a day without resigning. No matter how much we need to eliminate Heartless, they’re still people. Not everyone can easily kill another person. And the lower ranks are mainly for handling corpses. For office workers, a field assignment is like being sent straight to the corpse disposal team. Damn, they’re really telling us to resign. The manager avoided our pale faces.“Jemyung, everyone knows you’re scared of Heartless, and Byunghee, you don’t have the athletic ability for fieldwork. It’ll be hard for both of you to work in the field, right?”Of course. It wasn’t even worth answering.“I also told them I couldn’t do fieldwork, but they assigned me here anyway…”It was a clear message to resign. And I really would resign if I had to do fieldwork.“Give us a few days. We found a company that can help. They agreed to assist us. It’s a reliable place that even the higher-ups can’t argue with.”I handed the business card to the skeptical manager.“The CEO of 4K said so himself.”Byunghee was right. Whether it’s romance or admiration, without money, you’re worse than a stray dog. You need to make a living to have dreams and write them down. But the longer the phone rang, the more my dreams and fantasies shattered.[The person you are calling is not available. Please leave a message…]

Click. I hung up. Despair spread across Byunghee’s face as he watched anxiously.“What? He didn’t answer?”“No.”“What? Didn’t you save his life?”“Well… sort of.”Right? He would have died without me, right? Or maybe he would have picked up the gun and shot the other guy. So he didn’t need me? He’s supposedly the best Heartless hunter in the country. Suddenly, I was scared. I had boasted to the manager, but what if 4K didn’t take the job? I glanced at the manager’s empty seat. He had gone to report to the higher-ups, excited by my news. Damn, the manager is only diligent at times like this.“Sort of? He would have died without you, right?”“Thinking about it again, maybe not necessarily…”‘Ring-’The office phone suddenly rang. Byunghee and I both jumped and stared at it. The caller ID showed nothing. What? All calls to this building, which handles Heartless management, should show the caller ID. I picked up the receiver, puzzled.“Yes, this is the Special Disaster Prevention Agency, Management Section 5, Team 3.”[…….]“Hello?”[Is this Han Jemyung?]My heart sank at the familiar voice. It was him!“Yes, it is. I called earlier…”[I saw the agency number and wanted to check first. You work at the Special Disaster Prevention Agency. Is there something you need?]Absolutely. I licked my lips.“I need a favor. Please catch an E-grade Heartless.”I hadn’t felt this excited on my way home in a long time. I took a half-day off with the manager’s full support. 4K’s CEO, Na Jinwook—his name is perfect—asked me to come to his office in the afternoon since he couldn’t decide right away. I half-expected him to reject me outright, but he kindly offered to review the documents, making his perfection out of this world.His office was surprisingly close to my home, so I planned to stop by my place first. I wanted to dress well and buy a gift since the manager said he’d cover the expenses. He might still reject me after reviewing the documents, but I was grateful he agreed to meet. Of course, if he really rejected me… I didn’t know. I’d worry about that later. For now, I had to decide what to wear. I only had a few suits for work, but I’d wear the best one and the tie I got as a gift from the publisher…Huh? Something caught my eye as I walked quickly into the apartment. The security guard was grumbling as he took down a paper from a tree. I hadn’t noticed it earlier, thinking about going to 4K, but the same paper was posted all over the apartment. What’s that? Paper is precious these days, so if there are flyers, it must be serious. I took one down and read it.‘Looking for a witness. If you’re a man in your 20s who saw a handsome guy taking batteries from the emergency box at the apartment entrance, please contact us. We’ll reward you. Residents’ Association…’They were looking for me. The residents’ association must be those women. I guess 1406 wasn’t easy to deal with, so they needed a witness. What should I do? Should I contact them? Would 1406 really retaliate against me? The women must have been desperate, making so many spelling mistakes…“Give that to me.”The security guard held out his hand. It was a different person from yesterday due to the shift change. He already had dozens of flyers in his hand.“When did they put these up?”“Are the residents’ association looking for a witness?”“Residents’ association? No way. If they were, I wouldn’t be the one taking these down.”Not the residents’ association? I looked between the flyer in my hand and the security guard.“If it’s not the residents’ association, who put these up?”“It’s someone from 1406…”“!”The security guard continued talking, but I was too shocked, staring at the flyer again. 1406? The person with the grudge? They’re pretending to be the residents’ association to find a witness… to get revenge! It’s a trap!“Whoever it is, they’re in trouble. 1406 had a big fight with the residents’ association and was really angry. If they get caught, oh boy, tsk tsk.”The security guard clicked his tongue and turned away. I quickly grabbed his arm.“Shouldn’t we report this to the police for impersonating the residents’ association? And for being shameless enough to steal and then act like the victim?”“The police won’t help. There’s no evidence of the theft, and technically, it’s not even theft.”Technically?“And they’ll argue it’s not impersonation. Look here.”He pointed to two small dots next to ‘Residents’ Association’. What’s this? I asked, and he handed me the paper to look closely. I did. They weren’t dots. They were letters. Font size 1, as small as an ant’s nostril.‘Not the Residents’ Association.’“…”“See? 1406 isn’t someone to mess with.”Definitely not. Shameless and childish. What kind of person is this?“Is 1406 a Ha…”“Not a Heartless.”Got it. The security guard busied himself collecting the remaining flyers. But I couldn’t move easily. They wouldn’t really find me, right? How would they know who I am? If I don’t come forward and avoid the residents’ association ladies, Yangsimless will soon forget. Even if we live in the same apartment, what are the chances of meeting again?“CEO Na will be here soon, so just sit anywhere.”The young man working on the computer spoke dismissively and turned back to his monitor. 4K’s office wasn’t very big. It was on the third floor of an old three-story building, with no sign, in an alley full of commercial facilities, making it hard to find. Unlike other places with layers of security, this place was only blocked by a single iron door. And it opened with a turn of the handle. I looked around the signless interior, still doubtful. Is this really 4K?“Is this 4K?”The young man must have heard me, but he just clicked his mouse.“Excuse me. Is this 4K…”“If you don’t believe it, leave.”I couldn’t leave. My savior was here, so I’d wait all night if I had to. No matter how unfriendly the staff were. There was no sign, but the mouse clicker guy was using four monitors, and there was a large fish tank behind the waiting chairs. Fish had become the hardest animals to keep due to electricity costs. But this tank was big enough for dozens of fish.Though there were only three small tropical fish swimming inside. Showing off their money? Seeing how they used electricity freely, it seemed like 4K. I put my doubts aside and took out the E-grade documents from my bag. This one was classified as E-grade late because its aggression was directed at individuals, not the public. Most Heartless don’t show violence towards specific targets.But occasionally, one or two out of a hundred target specific individuals or groups. Some think this means Heartless retain some rationality, but medically, their rational areas are completely destroyed. Targeting specific people is like a headless chicken walking, driven by instinctual obsession. Heartless usually attack those they were obsessed with before.The target could be someone they wanted revenge on or someone they loved. Our department’s E-grade problem was attacking the family of an ex-lover. The ex-lover had married, had a child, and was living well until suddenly attacked. Now they were in a safe house, but since it was initially classified as C-grade, they didn’t get much protection. So we needed to catch the Heartless quickly.Clunk.The door opened. I quickly looked up. Was it the perfect Na Jinwook? No, it was a massive, muscular man in his 30s who looked like he could wrestle a bear.“What’s this? A peddler?”He mistook me for a salesman.“A guest for CEO Na.”Click, click. The mouse clicker guy answered absentmindedly. The muscular man frowned and looked me up and down. On closer inspection, he had a permanent frown due to wrinkles between his brows.“A guest? How do I know if you’re a guest or a Heartless? Stand up.”I hesitantly stood up, and he took out a safety light and shone it in my eyes without a word. I flinched and blinked.“Damn it, stay still!”He cursed harshly. I froze, not moving my eyes, and he finally seemed satisfied and put the light away. Without a word of apology, he went to an empty seat. Thanks to the friendly staff, my tension disappeared, and I felt like cursing too. The 4K staff, who had no tension about guests, started discussing important matters as soon as they met.“Manager Seo, look at this. Handmade fig jam is on sale. Let’s buy it together.”“Jam?”“Why? You eat jam, right? Stop eating just chicken breast and have something sweet. This isn’t even carbs. GM Week is coming up. We should eat good stuff in advance. Let’s buy it and split it. Okay?”The clicker guy urged, and the muscular man glanced at the monitor. He frowned like an accordion.“Hey, it’s sold in packs of 30 jars.”“That’s why it’s on sale! Do you know how cheap this is? Less than half the price per jar.”“No thanks.”“Too much? Then I’ll take 20 jars, and you can have 10. Okay?”“Get a grip. It’s fig jam, not rice. Who eats that much?”He was right. No one eats that much jam in a lifetime. They’d definitely regret buying so much.“You really don’t understand, Manager. Fig jam has so many uses. You can spread it on bread, use it as a sugar substitute in cooking, and even dissolve it in hot water to make fig tea. Have you ever had fig tea? It’s so good! And figs have enzymes that break down proteins, so they aid digestion after eating meat, help with constipation, improve health, and even help you lose weight.”Who’s going to buy 30 jars of fig jam…“Order it.”Muscly Man bought it. Clicker cheered and immediately placed the order. Watching the easily swayed Muscly Man and the impulsive Clicker, I realized once again that shopping is best done on the job.Clunk.The door opened again. This time, the perfect CEO Na… No, it was a scruffy man in his late 40s. He was dressed so poorly he could have been mistaken for a homeless person. A guest? A peddler?“Manager, where’s CEO Na?”He was an employee. The scruffy man answered Clicker’s question.“He’ll be here soon. Who’s this?”His gaze turned to me. He’s a guest for CEO Na. Clicker’s annoyed response came again, and the scruffy man approached me. Then he grinned.“A guest with atmosphere.”What? I was about to ask but stopped at the looks I got. Clicker and Muscly Man confirmed I had no “atmosphere” and returned to their monitors.“They seem a bit cold, don’t they? The guest with atmosphere understands. We deal with Heartless, you know. We’ve been through things the guest with atmosphere can’t imagine, so we’re defensive around people.”He was the friendliest person I’d met here, but I scooted back to create some distance. No matter how much he smiled and tried to clear things up, the smell of alcohol made me suspicious. And sure enough, Clicker and Muscly Man’s conversation continued.“Why does the manager talk nonsense when he’s drunk?”“Because he can’t when he’s sober.”“True, haha-”I should have known when he called me atmospheric. While I doubted, the drunk sat next to me and continued his nonsense. We’re actually all good people. Killing Heartless isn’t a hobby. Well, it’s fun, though. Thankfully, Clicker, who seemed to barely work, managed to divert the drunk’s attention.“Oh! It’s up, it’s up!”At that, the drunk and even Muscly Man got up and gathered around Clicker’s monitor.“It’s up to episode 87 already?”“Already? It’s only at episode 87. It’ll probably end around episode 300.”“It’s the same pattern every time. How many characters does it need for 300 episodes?”“The more, the better. There are lots of characters who need to come back.”“That’s true. There are definitely characters who need to return.”“Right, the one Manager liked went abroad. Why was that again?”They seemed excited about a webtoon or web novel. Episode 87 already? That’s a lot… Wait, my story is up to episode 87 too? Well, after more than a year of serialization, that’s about right.But I was more impressed by their setup. Bright lights even during the day, a large tank for just three goldfish, multiple large monitors, and leisurely web browsing. There was no sign of worrying about the astronomical electricity bill. It was like a world without Heartless.Wherever you needed it, you could turn on the lights, connect to the desired place with computers and smart devices, watch what you wanted, meet people, and easily get what you needed. Before Heartless suddenly spread, people couldn’t take their eyes off small screens even while walking. Heartless rarely caused problems, and everyone lived their daily lives forgetting about them.Electricity was plentiful, and it was a convenient world. Even if you were lonely, there was a bright screen to cover it. When the power went out, people panicked more about losing their handheld world than the actual darkness. Having to meet people in person and find someone to share emotions with was the hardest part.People adapted to the inconvenience. Despite huge losses and damage, people finally lived in the present, not in devices, on the ashes of the world. It’s ironic that those who survived the great loss could escape mental bondage instead of clinging to convenience.Yet, they still dream of the past. They miss the time when they couldn’t leave their computers and phones. They long for the convenient world where loneliness could easily be forgotten. Of course, 99% of my envy of 4K’s staff was their abundant use of electricity.“Wow, Manager Kim said something stupid again!”Clicker pointed at the monitor and laughed out loud.“Manager Kim said that in the office? I’d like to shoot him.”“I like Manager Kim.”Clicker and Muscly Man were shocked by the last comment from the drunk.“Please, stop drinking.”“If he were sober, he’d be hunting down the author.”Whatever they were watching, they really disliked the character Manager Kim. Wait, my story has a Manager Kim too? But my Manager Kim is cool.“You’re all too harsh. Manager Kim’s words are so emotional and romantic. Talking about how the papers fluttering in the office are like butterflies…”Butterflies? The drunk’s words sounded strange as the office door opened, cutting him off. My thoughts also stopped. Finally, the perfect Na Jinwook appeared. I jumped up to greet him. My heart raced. Would he smile and greet me? Or just nod coolly? I anticipated a few seconds of eye contact. Such foolish expectations.“Manager Hong, gather the data on 57-k. Chief Bae, Manager Seo, come in. Another company is chasing 57-k.”The three moved quickly at Na Jinwook’s command.“57-k can’t be active already. It’s only been two days in hiding, and it usually goes crazy after three days.”“Another company must have hit its hiding spot.”“Idiots. Do they think we didn’t know? Now it’ll escape again, and we won’t know where. Who were those idiots?”“A new company contracted by the Special Disaster Prevention Agency.”“Special Disaster Prevention Agency must be pushing for results again.”At Muscly Man’s words, Na Jinwook finally seemed to remember me and turned around.“Sorry. Let’s talk in 30 minutes.”I replied, “Yes,” but he didn’t listen and turned to Clicker.“Manager Hong, where is Director Kook?”There must be another director. Now that I think about it, there were two doors in the office. This company doesn’t seem to have many employees, but they have titles like director, manager, and section chief. All positions that don’t seem to involve much work.“He went to put up flyers.”I take it back. A director who puts up flyers himself. I heard 4K was doing well, but are they at the point of putting up flyers? But I wasn’t the only one surprised. Na Jinwook, who was about to enter the office, frowned.“Didn’t he put them up this morning?”“Yes. But someone took them all down, so he’s putting up twice as many.”Na Jinwook was silent, but I could almost hear him sigh. Somehow, even that looked cool. I imagined him silently staring at an employee who made a mistake and then saying a word.‘Let’s just let it go today since Wi Siwoo is here.’Siwoo, who had come for work, gave an embarrassed smile at his words. When he went into his office, the young employee who made the mistake thanked him with just his eyes, feeling ashamed. The other two employees teased the young employee.‘Your face is as red as fig jam.’‘The office brightened up as soon as Wi Siwoo came in, and now it’s warm too? Haha~’Siwoo’s face turned red at their teasing. The three employees who had been kind to Siwoo since he first entered the office paid a lot of attention to him. They apologized for leaving him alone, promising to finish the meeting within 30 minutes. Meanwhile, they gave him snacks and secretly let him look at the CEO’s photo album to keep him from getting bored.Siwoo pretended not to be interested but slowly flipped through CEO Na’s photo album alone. From his cute childhood to his seemingly model student school days and his stylish college days, 30 minutes passed quickly. Then the door to CEO Na’s office opened, and an employee came out to guide him kindly. Wi Siwoo, sorry to keep you waiting. You can come in now…“Hey, hey!”The real door opened, and Clicker’s voice called out. I looked up to see him standing outside CEO Na’s office, calling me. When I looked at him, he gestured inside with his chin. Hey, come in now. With that signal, he disappeared inside again. Angry at the arrogant behavior of someone younger than me, I quickly got up and went in before the door closed.Inside, people were sitting around a round table. They didn’t pay attention to me, busy with their work. The drunk was talking seriously with CEO Na, and Muscly Man was frowning at his smart pad. I clutched my documents and looked around before sitting in an empty seat.I knew I wasn’t welcome, but I had to find a way to join in to survive. Fortunately, CEO Na gave me a look that seemed to ask for a little more patience. They were still trying to find someone named 57-k, looking at maps and various screens to predict his next move.“He’ll definitely go back to the targeted place. If the new company saw him there, the routes are here, here, and here.”Muscly Man handed over the map he was looking at. CEO Na shook his head, disagreeing.“His seizures are getting faster. If he only has two days left, it’s impossible to get there in time.”“He’s a planning-type Heartless. He’ll find a way.”Planning-type Heartless are those who become active terrorists after infection. They plan and brainwash themselves from the early stages of infection. Even if they lose their rationality as Heartless, they execute their plans.“He might have created a decoy, knowing his information would be leaked. The real target could be somewhere else. It’s better to find another target within two days’ distance.”But the three employees disagreed with CEO Na, each giving their opinion.“The plan was too detailed to be a decoy.”“In his current state, he can’t distinguish and execute both a decoy and a real plan.”“Right. And even if the paths are blocked, that’s just the Special Disaster Prevention Agency’s delusion. Paths can always be opened.”CEO Na looked at the map again, considering their opinions. Then he slowly turned his eyes when he heard a similar opinion.“CEO Na is right. This is a decoy. Find another target within two days’ distance.”The three employees also turned their eyes. Feeling embarrassed by the attention, Muscly Man broke the awkwardness.“An outsider who knows nothing should keep quiet.”“Then I’ll speak as an insider.”“What?”“Excuse me?”Muscly Man moved his facial muscles. But I ignored his frown and repeated to CEO Na.“CEO Na is right.”“What’s your basis?”Because you’re handsome?“If the new company found 57-k’s hiding place, they must be very skilled or received a tip. If it’s the former, their skills would be on par with 4K.”“A new company as skilled as us? No way.”Yes. I nodded to the drunk.“Then the remaining case is the latter, they received a tip. But who would tip off a new company that’s not well-known? It’s rare. But if the new company acted, it means the information source was reliable.”“Who?”“The Special Disaster Prevention Agency. Since the new company is contracted with them, it’s more likely. So the question is where the Special Disaster Prevention Agency got the tip. Given the nature of government agencies, even if they received a tip, it would take more than a day to verify and approve it. But 57-k has been hiding for less than two days. So it’s like he tipped them off as soon as he hid. Only one person could tip off that quickly. Himself.”There was a moment of silence before the drunk spoke.“Sounds plausible.”“What’s so plausible about it? Nothing he said is confirmed. What does he even know about this? And what does he know about the Special Disaster Prevention Agency?”What do I know? A lot.“Manager Hong.”Before I could explain, CEO Na introduced me.“This is a member of the Special Disaster Prevention Agency.”All eyes turned to me again. Now I was not just an annoying guest but an annoying Special Disaster Prevention Agency member.“Was the help CEO Na received from a Special Disaster Prevention Agency member?”CEO Na nodded. He looked at me briefly, as if confirming that even he didn’t expect help from the Special Disaster Prevention Agency.“It’s quite a coincidence.”Exactly! That was what I wanted to say. What a coincidence! And to experience such a miraculous coincidence again, thinking of the same word, coincidence! This is a fateful encounter you can’t find even in my novel…“It just means there are many Special Disaster Prevention Agency members.”CEO Na concluded. His realism was also perfect. Damn.“Right. There should be many Special Disaster Prevention Agency members. If you bump into someone on the street, they’re probably a Special Disaster Prevention Agency member. There are tons of them.”“They’ve recruited a lot. I wonder what they’ll do with all those people once Heartless are gone?”I wanted to retort that they’d be the first to go down when Heartless disappear, but it was true that I’d go down first, so I swallowed my anger. If I couldn’t solve this, I’d really have to quit my job.“If 57-k really planned meticulously, he’d know about the slow administration of the Special Disaster Prevention Agency. There are so many people.”As I returned to the main topic, everyone looked at the data on 57-k. I thought they’d discuss 57-k again.“I apologize for the late introduction. This is Han Jemyung from the Special Disaster Prevention Agency, here for my help. Han Jemyung, please give me the documents you brought.”Suddenly, CEO Na reached out to me. 57-k? I looked around in confusion, but the other employees also put away the 57-k documents and focused on mine. What is this cool atmosphere?“We’re already so busy we barely have time to eat, and you brought an E-grade?”Clicker, who had time to buy 30 jars of fig jam, complained.“It’s clear they delayed and it became E-grade. That’s typical of the Special Disaster Prevention Agency.”Muscly Man added. They openly mocked me, but I wasn’t angry. Well, it was true. I was just puzzled. There was no outright rejection like “we absolutely can’t do this” or “why should we take this on?” They seemed annoyed but capable. 57-k was supposed to cause an incident in two days, wasn’t that urgent? Were they planning to think about my issue after solving 57-k’s?“We have to finish the 57-k issue within two days.”CEO Na said in passing. The others looked at the documents he handed over. I didn’t understand the situation.“CEO Na.”“With 57-k, we’re also taking on other tasks, so we don’t have time. Doesn’t the Special Disaster Prevention Agency want this resolved quickly too?”“Of course. But CEO Na.”“Yes.”He looked up from the documents. His gaze was steady and strong. Even though I was seeing him through the lens of my fantasies, I could tell he was a man of principle. So his words weren’t lies. That’s why I was more confused.“You’re really taking on this task I brought?”“I told you before, I’ll help.”“But…”“Of course, there are variables.”Variables? Yes, variables. He replied, flipping through the documents. His fingers were long and attractive.“As you know, we all have to go hunting for 57-k in two days. But we’ll split into Team A and Team B to track 57-k and handle your task simultaneously.”I looked at the staff again with new eyes. I thought they only had the talent to mistreat me, but they could catch an E-grade in just two days? I knew their reputation, but it was hard to believe since other companies had given up on this case.“Do you really think you can solve it in two days?”“To be honest? I think we can do it in a day.”Even with my thick fantasy lens, I couldn’t help but doubt his sincerity this time. A day? They could catch it in a day? The problem we couldn’t solve in weeks, risking three employees’ demotion, in just a day? I looked around at the staff again. You guys?“Look at his amazement. Something lazy Special Disaster Prevention Agency members can’t even imagine.”Clicker interpreted my gaze. Surprisingly, Muscly Man responded on my behalf.“That’s right. But Seungjae, you can’t imagine it either.”“Damn. Why embarrass me in front of a Special Disaster Prevention Agency guy? We all can’t do it anyway.”Can’t do it? Didn’t you say you’d do it in a day? Confused by Clicker and Muscly Man’s conversation, I looked at CEO Na.“Team B can do it.”“Who’s on Team B?”“An employee not here now.”I asked, recalling the office scene I saw.“How many employees does this company have?”“Five.”I looked around. No matter how I counted, there were four staff here.“Then Team B is…”“Yes, one person.”Oh, one person. Sure, one person can finish what others couldn’t in a day… as if!“Is that one person a superhero?”The four of them paused simultaneously. What? Is he really a superhero? I wondered if I was still lost in my fantasies when I saw CEO Na smirk. It wasn’t a full smile, just a slight curve of his lips. Even that smile seemed like something out of a novel.“He has a sixth sense that good.”Everyone nodded in agreement with CEO Na. How good could it be? But that wasn’t the important part.“But for Team B to handle Han Jemyung’s task, they need field support. The rest of the staff have to be deployed for 57-k.”“It’s hard to find people right away.”Muscly Man objected to CEO Na. Clicker chimed in.“Right. Even if we find someone, they need to know the job well to provide support, and we don’t have time for that. And who would take on this task for free? It’s ridiculous to spend a lot of money to find someone for a free job.”He looked at me, the one who brought the free job. I smiled at his accusing glare. Clicker frowned even more, but I couldn’t keep smiling because of what I heard next.“Then the atmospheric Special Disaster Prevention Agency member can do it.”It was the drunk. The man with a red nose smiled broadly at me.“He knows the job better than anyone, doesn’t need to be paid, and is passionate about the work. Perfect. Even his appearance is perfect.”No, it wasn’t perfect at all. Especially the appearance part.“Right. Perfect.”“Nice one, Section Chief Bae.”“Good suggestion, Section Chief Bae.”It seemed I was being decided as Team B’s support. I quickly raised my hand. This wasn’t just to show I had an opinion. Like animals puffing up to intimidate predators, I felt the urgency and tried to make myself bigger.“Sorry, but I can’t provide field support.”Why? Someone asked, and I answered everyone.“I’m scared of Heartless.”There was no reaction for a few seconds. I quickly added to gain their trust.“I have stress-related disorders due to my fear of Heartless.”Silence again. Then they turned away from me and started discussing the schedule. Am I being ignored?“Excuse me, I really can’t provide field support…”“You seemed fine when you helped me.”Because you’re so handsome, I lost my mind for a moment.“I was just frozen with fear.”CEO Na stared at me, not believing my words, then spoke.“It’s field support, but you won’t face Heartless directly.”“’Won’t’ means there’s a chance I will.”“Oh, come on! You can meet them on the street, so what’s the big deal about meeting them in the field?”Muscly Man shouted, unable to listen anymore. I felt a bit hurt. I’m scared, that’s why.“You don’t look scared. Are you just saying that?”“I never lie about being scared. I’m really nervous right now.”Clicker immediately sneered at my words. Nervous, my foot. I turned to him.“I’m serious. Otherwise, I would have been rude and disrespectful to you, who are being rude and disrespectful to the person who helped your CEO. I would have said, ‘Shut your damn mouth, you money-grubbing jerks. Special Disaster Prevention Agency members work hard for people’s safety despite low pay, while you only work for money.’”Not only Clicker but the others also suddenly went silent. I felt their stares and pretended to look at the table. Damn, my mouth. I said something stupid again. I can’t win a fight, but sometimes I can’t control what I say. I wanted to clutch my pounding heart but held back. Instead, I decided to accept the job.“CEO Na, I’ll provide field support for Team B. It’s my responsibility since I asked for this.”There was a moment of silence, even though they got what they wanted. Their expressions all seemed to pity me, but that must be my imagination.“Is there anything special I need to do?”“Special… The person you’re going with might have trouble communicating with the field. It would be helpful if you could explain things well.”Explaining is no big deal.“Is everything decided now?”“No. There’s still the variable I mentioned.”Wasn’t finding support the variable?“The person you’ll support in Team B is another director here. He has the right to refuse the job. But he won’t refuse without a good reason. He usually follows my lead in running the office. So please don’t cause any issues with him.”“What kind of issues?”“Just don’t upset him.”CEO Na added after a pause.“He holds grudges.”“…”“But he’s not someone who picks fights for no reason, so don’t worry too much.”Right, no need to worry. So why do I feel uneasy? I haven’t had many coincidences in my life. That’s why meeting CEO Na, who appeared like a miracle when I was in trouble, made my heart race. I thought nothing could surpass this coincidence. It had to be.“Not just a little. Director Kook is the king of grudges.”“Right. If there were a ranking for holding grudges, Director Kook would be number one.”Clicker glanced at me and added.“Unlike someone who says everything despite being nervous.”I couldn’t say everything, but for now, I had nothing more to say. I was confused. Surely, it couldn’t be. There are plenty of people who hold grudges, right?“But he’s also the best at his job.”CEO Na spoke to me as if to console me. The drunk man smiled at me.“He is the best. There’s no one who can match Director Kook in this field. But while everyone acknowledges it, they don’t say it out loud.”They acknowledge it but don’t say it? Why? The drunk man continued instead of explaining.“Hey, atmospheric Special Disaster Prevention Agency guy, you’re lucky. If Director Kook takes this on, it’ll be solved in a day.”The drunk man praised the director, giving a thumbs up, but it was too late. Hearing about grudges kept reminding me of Yangsimless with the flyers… Flyers? Wait, didn’t one of the directors here mention something about flyers?Clunk.The door outside made a sound. Speak of the devil. Someone murmured this, and simultaneously, the three employees straightened up, focusing intently on the 57-k documents, pretending to work. Is Director Kook a scary boss?Click.The door behind me opened. Footsteps came in and stopped at the entrance. I was about to turn around but got distracted by the employees, still focused on the documents, and didn’t look right away. Thanks to that, only CEO Na faced the vengeful and highly competent Director Kook.“Is the task finished?”“Not yet.”A response was heard, and moments later, a stack of papers was placed on the table next to me. I could clearly see the content.‘Looking for a witness. If you saw a handsome guy taking batteries from the emergency box at the apartment entrance, please contact us. We’ll reward you. Residents’ Association…’* * *Sharp eyes greatly influenced impressions. His face alone could be called handsome, but the elongated eyes made his expression cold and sharp. The owner of the eyes was far from gentle.“What’s that?”“There’s an issue with 57-k. A new company contracted with the Special Disaster Prevention Agency attacked 57-k’s hideout, and 57-k is on the run. Judging by the timing of his seizures, he’s likely to act in two days. Any idea where he’s headed?”CEO Na pushed a map towards Director Kook. A large, veiny hand reached across the table to grab the map. Without much deliberation, he pointed to one spot.“Here.”It was the direction CEO Na had anticipated. The other employees looked up for a moment and, realizing they were wrong, their eyes filled with bitterness. The newcomer had pinpointed a location without explanation, and there was no dissent. A new observer might find it fascinating, but the Special Disaster Prevention Agency member’s attention was on the stack of papers Director Kook had placed down.“What’s next to it? Why is there C-grade material?”“It’s actually E-grade. This is a request from a Special Disaster Prevention Agency member. But with the sudden 57-k issue today, we have to focus on that. So, you help him.”“Why me?”“I’ll give you two days. You can use any remaining time freely. It looks like you have other tasks.”There was no reply. But CEO Na looked at Han Jemyung as if he had received consent.“Han Jemyung, say hello. This is Director Kook.”“…Hello.”There was a few seconds of silence following Han Jemyung’s greeting. He didn’t get up from his seat, bowing his head low. Some employees were concerned. Why is he acting like that? CEO Na spoke up.“You’ll be working together, so properly greet him face to face.”CEO Na urged him, glancing at Director Kook. This man’s unpredictable nature meant even this might upset him. Of course, he wouldn’t let it slide, but Han Jemyung’s reaction seemed rude.“Han Jemyung?”CEO Na urged again in his pleasant baritone. Han Jemyung finally stood up, still bowing his head, glancing up only briefly.“…Hello.”He mumbled and turned his head aside. The employees were puzzled by the Special Disaster Prevention Agency member’s behavior. A stiff expression, slightly pale face, avoiding eye contact. Isn’t that a sign of shyness? Why? Why be shy in front of that jerk, Director Kook? While the employees were shocked by the Special Disaster Prevention Agency member’s terrible taste, Director Kook turned his head, meeting Han Jemyung’s face.“You look familiar.”“…I have a common face.”“No way! The atmospheric face of the Special Disaster Prevention Agency member isn’t common at all-”Han Jemyung turned to glare at the drunk as if to kill him. The drunk smiled at the burning eyes. No need to thank me so much. Han Jemyung was about to intensify his glare when suddenly, a strong hand grabbed his jaw, turning his head. Flinch. Han Jemyung tried to step back but froze under the predatory gaze that locked onto him.“Don’t you know me?”“No.”He answered calmly, different from how he had avoided eye contact before. He also grabbed Director Kook’s wrist, firmly demanding.“Let go.”The employees thought he was more determined than expected, not noticing his trembling knees. Let go, CEO Na intervened, and Director Kook reluctantly released him. He looked at him sideways and asked.“A Special Disaster Prevention Agency member?”“Yes. I’m Han Jemyung from the Special Disaster Prevention Agency, Management Section 5, Team 3. I have no relation to 4K.”Han Jemyung asserted firmly, pulling out his business card.“Where do you live?”He hesitated, his hand freezing midair. Director Kook took the card and asked again.