CNA BOOK 6 - 3

3. Signs: Good or Bad

"Taekjoo! Hey! Get up quickly . It's already 8 o'clock."

A familiar voice woke him up from his light sleep. He opened his eyes with a jerk. Slowly ,

his vision opened up, and a familiar ceiling filled his view . Then, his mother's face dug into the corner . He exhaled deeply and barely managed to sit up. A groan escaped him. He roughly ran his hand through his hair that had grown out of place.

"Why did you sleep without setting the alarm? Are you late for work?"

His mother was worried as she handed him a glass of water . He accepted it without saying a word and shook his head.

"No. I can take my time today ."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I came back from a business trip."

"Oh my . I guess the welfare and treatment are a bit different there because it's a foreign

embassy? Is it because it's a low-level position compared to where I was before?"

"...That's right, I guess."

He said he' s going to wash, and ran to the bathroom. His conscience pricked at him for lying to his mother so openly . He couldn't even be confident looking at her with his own eyes. His mother saw Kwon T aekjoo's appearance as he had just escaped from Cuba. If she had seen it, all his lies would have been exposed, but most of his injuries had healed on the way back to Korea. He was very fortunate that he had better stamina and recovery than others. It had already been four days since he arrived home. Zhenya said he was going to Russia for a while to finalise a deal with Matthias. Thanks to that, he was able to sleep soundly without any disturbance.

Even so, his face in the bathroom mirror was still very pale. It was because he had not been

able to rest properly because he had been hanging out with Zhenya until just before returning home. In the past, he had enough stamina to go straight to the next operation as soon as he finished a mission. He was confident. He wondered if the afteref fects of day and night with his lover would last this long. W as he going through an ageing curve like an athlete?

He yawned and took out his toothbrush. As he brushed his teeth absentmindedly , the journey

he had been on flashed before his eyes.

One late night, Kwon T aekjoo and Zhenya got on a helicopter that had been prepared and left Matias Island. The helicopter landed on a large ship. It was a car go ship that had departed from Panama and was heading to Busan via Mexico. At the time of landing, the ship had left Manzanillo, a port city in western Mexico, and was passing through the Pacific Ocean. From there, the long 17-day voyage to Busan began. The captain and crew of the car go ship knew Kwon T aekjoo and Zhenya as plainclothes bodyguards dispatched by an international logistics company . Thanks to this, they were never called upon to do any annoying work.

No one seemed suspicious even when they walked around the ship armed. The two men' s seemingly easygoing appearance also helped block interference and attention from those around them. The crew avoided them regardless of nationality or age. Even during

mealtimes, they would quickly leave the room if the two of them showed up. The wife, who

had been sleeping with the two of them, must have felt burdened by being watched by

bodyguards, aside from the unique sense of intimidation. The usual quarrels that occurred during long voyages were also someone else's problem.

Even though the crew members were about to bicker and become noisy , it didn't last long.

When Kwon T aekjoo or Zhenya showed up, everyone just dispersed with an embarrassed

look on their faces as if nothing had happened.

Zhenya would slap the wall in frustration whenever there was a loud noise outside. The entire ship would immediately become quiet. Most of the time, it was fortunate that Zhenya was having sex, but if he had simply been interrupted from his nap, he might have acted in self-defence and done something else.

Thinking back, it seemed like a miracle that we arrived from Korea without any major trouble.

Thanks to the National Intelligence Service, he didn' t have to go through any separate entry

procedures at Busan Port. It was a bit noisy , but he was given a few days of f in return for completing the given mission. Everything worked out as if it were a lie. This would have been impossible without Zhenya' s

intervention. The days he spent with him on some unknown island in Mexico felt like a

dream. He went outside after taking a shower and or ganising his thoughts. His mother had already prepared breakfast. He couldn' t refuse, so he sat down in silence. More than ten side dishes filled the table. The stewed gochujang stew whetted his appetite.

"What are you doing this morning?"

"If you can't eat Korean food even for a day , how much must you have suf fered living away

from home for almost a month? Did you eat properly? Y ou just sleep as soon as you get

home, and your face is so pale that it's useless."

"You too, mother . What use is a man's face?"

"Your useless face is even more damaged, you punk. Should I make you some medicine

instead?"

"Hey, what are you doing? Is medicine a big deal? This food that your mother made for you

is a tonic."

As usual, he dismissed his mother's worries with a sly smile. His mother glared at him as if

she was annoyed, but she placed the well-seasoned fish on top of Kwon T aekjoo' s rice. He silently scooped up a spoonful of rice and put it in his mouth. The combination of freshly

cooked, savoury rice and salty grilled fish was great. After taking a sip of the rich, deep-

flavoured gochujang stew , his stomach that had been feeling nauseous quickly felt refreshed.

"It's delicious. Mom, have some too."

"Mom, I ate roughly just now ."'

"I told you not to eat roughly ."

"You'll see when you get older . If you eat three proper meals, you'll be able to digest

everything."

His mother answered while putting the braised short ribs on top. The chilli peppers that she

always put in this braised short rib were gone. It was a change that came after she tasted the

one she had been suspicious of despite Kwon T aekjoo' s recommendation that it wasn' t spicy at all. It had been about a year already . At some point, it had become a natural part of Kwon Taekjoo' s daily life.

"This braised short rib. The ambassador really liked it."

He was lost in his own thoughts when his mother 's words stung. He quickly covered his

mouth with the back of my hand to suppress the cough that was about to burst out. His

mother, who didn' t know what was going on, told him to eat slowly and poured him a glass

of water . He held out his hand. While he was at it, he asked about Zhenya' s well-being.

"I wonder if your health is okay after a long campaign. So, when will you be coming back?"

"Well? When will I finish my work?"

"What about this guy? He' s called an attendant and doesn' t know his superior 's schedule?"

"What can I do if it' s personal business? Y ou want me to dig into his private life?"

"Originally , subordinates should know things without being told."

He pouted his lips at his mother 's nagging. His mother was no dif ferent from his late

grandfather and father , who hated their military-style thinking more than anyone else. He couldn' t tell if it was because of inertia or because she liked Zhenya too much and was taking his side.

"By the way , Ambassador . Are you going to spend your birthday in Russia?"

He stopped using his chopsticks at his mother 's monologue. Then he rolled his eyes and

looked at the desk calendar on one side of the table. Before he knew it, the calendar had

already turned to August. There was exactly one week left until Zhenya' s birthday .

"...Won't you come in before then? Y ou said you'd come soon."

"Really? Then should I prepare a birthday meal for the ambassador?"

"Mother? I can just buy him a cake or something. Why a birthday meal?"

"Oh. But that's not how people do things. The ambassador came all this way alone, so how

lonely would he be if he spent his birthday alone? W e've shared so much, so it's only right to treat him to a warm meal."

Everything is right. He used to call me over for no reason and treat me to food or tea. It was

strange that he found an excuse to call it a birthday .

"Well, I'll ask."

"Yeah, I'll tell him not to feel too burdened."

"I told you, he's not the type to go somewhere and feel burdened. Y ou don't know that even

after seeing him all this time."

"That kid? Y ou keep acting rude to the ambassador , calling him that guy , that guy ... Are you going to keep acting rude?"

"No, there's no one involved..."

"If you say no, it becomes a habit, right?"

The mother heard Zhenya' s retort as expected. She said she did it because she thought of her only son, but did Kwon T aekjoo himself really care about that guy? Even if he knew how much he suffered, he wondered. Not knowing was bliss. He made a hasty mistake, and continued eating. Come to think of it, he hadn' t heard from Zhenya in the past four days. He thinks he appealed to him enough last time, but he must have for gotten.

They say no news is good news, but it had nothing to do with him. He thought he should

contact him first.

After finishing his meal, he went into his room and picked up his phone. He hoped, but as

expected, he couldn' t see his name in the missed calls. What happened in Russia again? He must have been caught by his father , who was determined to get him engaged this time, or something. He said that he was banned from leaving the country because he helped Kwon Taekjoo at the bar . He keeps worrying him. That damn bastard, he said and pressed the call button. Then, before the beep sound, he changed his mind and sent a message first.

Hey. Are you still in Russia?

Why? Do you miss me already?

Surprisingly , the reply came right away . It meant that he could move his ten fingers just fine.

You said you'd be here soon.

Yeah. Soon.

When soon?

Taxi driver . What's going on? Y ou keep nagging me. Y ou're acting so cute.

The face of the bastard who was about to snicker caught his eye. He was about to answer with a 'who'.

A window popped up above the message, indicating an incoming call. It was a call from

headquarters. He took a deep breath in front of the door to the director's of fice. Reporting to the superiors was the final checkpoint to conclude the operation. The problem was that it was almost always broken. W as he going to have to write a report this time too? He knocked on the closed door , anticipating the obvious future.

"Oh, come in."

Director Kwak's voice was no dif ferent than usual. But still, he let out a long exhale. He

came. After clearing his throat, he opened the door and went in. Director Kwak moved his

gaze to the side, putting aside the documents he was looking at. It was dif ficult to guess his

thoughts just from his expression. If his predecessor , Director Lim, was a snake, Director Kwak was more like a mole. He

thought quietly and responded sensitively . He was a more dif ficult type as a superior .

He bowed and stood tall in front of his desk.

"Did you call?"

"Yes. Did you rest well?"

"Yes. Thanks for looking after me."

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"As you can see, you're fine."

"You don't know how to joke around."

"That won't make a dif ference."

"I learned it myself while working at the NIS."

"So you don't think you take on more work than others?"

"What can a public of ficial do? If they criticise you from above, you have to criticise them."

Director Kwak chuckled and praised Kwon T aekjoo's achievements.

"Anyway , you've worked hard. The US side I was considering intervening, but I didn't think

they'd act so recklessly . We almost lost a talented person. They must have some shame,

because they didn't protest about this incident separately ."

"Do you have any grounds for protesting? I just responded to the preemptive strike to protect

my right to survive."

"Yes. If you insist on making excuses, there's no end to it. The US is denying that the

commotion that night was something that had not been reported in advance. They say that the PMC, which is outside the government's control, acted strictly for their own self-interest. It seems that Cuba is also categorising their terrorism as the actions of international mercenaries. They also felt sorry for the attack that day . It would be bad if it was revealed that the perpetrator was not a simple civilian. If 'Electric Hammer' were to surface, would he receive anything but criticism? He probably wouldn't want an all-out war with the United States either ."

A mere individual sacrifice was easily for gotten in front of national interests. This time was no different. As a result, both Cuban hackers and American mercenaries were just discarded long-term partners. Perhaps Kwon T aekjoo's own fate would not be any dif ferent.

"Anyway , thanks to your secret activities, we were able to safely recover the data. The

damage from the leak wasn't that great. All of the hacked or ganisations and companies

demanded money from the crackers. The sphere was cut of f. Of course, the young hackers must have survived. If this incident dies down, the Cuban attacks might start again. The security system has been strengthened at the national level, so it won't be as easy to hack as before."

"...Young hackers?"

"Oh, you didn't have time to hear the details. The hackers of 'Electric Hammer' were all

children of that family . From the eldest who was said to have died, to the second who was

reported missing, and the youngest who suf fered from a congenital lung disease."

"All three?"

"Yes. Isn't that strange? Such geniuses were born one after another to ordinary parents. I don't know how the Cuban government found out about their use, but it seems like they've been keeping the two brothers locked up in the basement and intercepting the money they've made from hacking. They've been coaxing them into curing the youngest's illness, and they've been putting pressure on them by sending soldiers to guard them."

He thought about the boy hacker he'd encountered in the basement and the girl with the nose tube. He had assumed that the girl would have nothing to do with crime. So he didn't touch the girl's nose tube while spraying sleeping gas, worried that the child, who didn't know anything, would be in danger . Was it a waste of time? Now that he thinks about it, there's no way an innocent child would know about the existence of the basement room.

The enemies he encounters on the field often exceed your expectations. The tar gets he has to subdue are often women, the elderly , or, as in this case, minors. Every time, he put his

mission and duty first. For the sake of the country , to prevent greater damage. If he didn' t rationalise it like that, he couldn' t stay calm. Was this time dif ferent? No, it wasn' t different.

Even so, he showed unnecessary recognition. Of course, the goal of this operation was to

safely recover the leaked data. It was inevitable that there would be armed conflict with the hackers in the process, but it

wasn't necessary to eliminate them. In fact, the siblings that Kwon T aekjoo saved from the

brink of explosion were not dangerous people like terrorists. Nigo didn't resist very much. It wasn't like there would be any major problems for national security if those two were kept alive. But why did he keep feeling uneasy? He kept asking himself endless questions to figure out the source of his discomfort.

"There were some interesting things in the data you collected this time."

Director Kwak changed the subject.

"It seems that the 'Electric Hammer' was more active than I expected. It seems that not only

our country , but also Thailand, Russia, China, North Korea, and Japan were their prey . When

I decrypted the data secured at the scene, high-level information at the national level

overflowed. What the heck? A. Even the National Intelligence Service failed to detect

unusual trends in North Korea."

Kwon T aekjoo looked at the tablet that Director Kwak was holding out. A picture of a

middle-aged man filled the screen. W as he Korean? Or a North Korean? He turned his gaze back to Director Kwak as if asking for an explanation.

"Park Jeong-ho. He's a North Korean biologist. He's been studying the ecology and microor ganisms of Baekdu Mountain his entire life. I heard he's going to Vladivostok as a visiting researcher at the end of this month."

"That's the excuse, but what's the real purpose?"

"Well, I don't know that much yet. I can only guess. Park Jeong-ho is going to Vladivostok.

As soon as they arrive in the Kremlin, they will likely have a secret meeting with Russia's

largest defence contractor , Rostak, and the state-run pharmaceutical company , Parmzar Sita. Rostak is a place that researches and develops military technology . Parmzar Sita is under the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. Does something smell good? It's said that North Korea's State Security Agency agents will be accompanying Park Jeong-ho, especially Iza."

Director Kwak swept the tablet screen to the side. Soon, a picture of a man in a North Korean military uniform appeared. Judging by the rank insignia on his military cap and the medals covering his chest, he looked like a general-level of ficer.

"Who is it?"

"Sim Y eong-il. The director of the Operations Bureau of the North Korean General Staf f

Department. Y es. How is it? Are you starting to see the picture now?"

A North Korean microbiologist suddenly meets secretly with a Russian state-run pharmaceutical company . The pharmaceutical company , Parmzashta, recently attracted international attention by

purchasing a lar ge quantity of potassium iodide, which reduces the accumulation of

radioactivity in the human body . This was because it hinted at Russia's nuclear tests.

As is the case with most state-run companies, Parmzashta would follow the government's

instructions, so the meeting between them and a North Korean microbiologist could be seen

as the will of the Kremlin. Even Rostak, which develops Russian military technology , and an

officer leading North Korea's military operations were present. The two countries have long had a military relationship. It was not a good thing to see it as a private alley . That must have been the reason Director Kwak had called Kwon T aekjoo. Kwon T aekjoo

confirmed his intentions after cutting it short.

"So you want me to go to Vladivostok and see what's being said?"

Director Kwak smiled without answering. It was a meaningful smile.

"Before that, there's one thing I want to make clear . That Russian ambassador to Korea,

Yevgeny V issarionovich Bogdanov?"

Something completely unexpected came out of Director Kwak's mouth when the name came up. Kwon T aekjoo felt his body stif fen, but tried to act calm.

"Yes. Go ahead.?"

"As you know , the Bogdanov family is one of the most powerful people in Russia. It is no

exaggeration to say that they are involved in everything that Russia does. The Russian

ambassador's brother and the president's closest confidant, V asim Vissarionovich Bogdanov , is said to be an advisor to 'Lo Stack'. The hotel where the North Korean of ficials who will visit Russia this time are staying is also run by their family ."

He kept his mouth shut. It was such a reasonable situation that he could not properly protest. He was just worried whether Zhenya knew about the secret meeting and whether he was even a little involved in it.

"Didn't the Russian ambassador show up at the scene during the last Cuban operation?"

Director Kwak suddenly asked to confirm. His tone was gentle, but it was no dif ferent from a

reprimand. It was something that could be brought up at any time, since a foreign diplomat was involved in a secret operation of a national intelligence agency . Rather , it was not the first or second time that Zhenya had intervened, and he had been watching for quite some time.

"I can't figure out why he keeps helping you. It's only because of a personal relationship, and out of favour , as you said. I can't even accept the explanation. Even though his intervention has been beneficial to us, to be honest, I'm not happy about it at all. Once things get messed up, they can't be stopped. It's even more so when it comes to diplomatic issues. Besides, this incident isn't something that can be covered up with an excuse like he used to say , 'I happened to get involved in passing.' I'm the party concerned. Do you understand?"

He's never carelessly leaked job-related information to Zhenya. Every time, he just found out and interfered on his own. Even so, it wasn't something to feel wronged about. In any case, he didn't receive help from him.

It's true, and just a little while ago, Kwon T aekjoo felt relieved when he saw the guy who

came to save him. Before he knew it, he suddenly showed up at my operation site, and he had become used to it. He wasn't his colleague, but he had become reliant on him and had become lax. Just like Chief Lim in the past, if he was accused of colluding with a Russian diplomat and stealing state secrets, he wouldn't have been able to escape. That would be a danger not only to Kwon T aekjoo himself, but to Zhenya as well. He let out a deep breath and clenched his fists.

"I know what you mean. I won't let him interfere with of ficial business again. Don't worry ."

"Can I trust you?" "Y es."

"I'll do whatever I can, but please only move within the limits of what can be handled at any

time. The last Cuba incident was quite dangerous."

"Yes. I'm sorry ."

"Okay. You can go back today . I'll call you back when the operation is more specific."

"Yes, then.?"

He bowed and left. He kept a friendly face the whole time, but as soon as he closed the door

to the director's of fice, a deep sigh escaped him. His chest was uncontrollably suf focating.

It was not that he didn't know about Zhenya's family . He also knew well how they acquired the wealth and power they have today . Zhenya, as a member of that family , had also contributed to the expansion of the family's influence. Nevertheless, he accepted him. He doesn't think he has reformed. He just ignored him because he was distancing himself from my clan, and the Bogdanov family's evil deeds did not immediately go against Kwon T aekjoo' s own interests. T o be more specific, he didn't

have time to even think about that. He was helplessly swept away by the emotions that came rushing in like a storm in an extreme situation. For the first time in his life, he made a decision based on his heart rather than his head. W as he being complacent?

Contrary to recent concerns, the top secret meeting between North Korea and Russia could have ended in vain. It could have simply ended with the two countries sharing new information. If their agreement did not threaten the safety of South Korea, there was no reason for Kwon T aekjoo to feel uneasy . However , a corner of his heart still felt uneasy . As long as he kept Zhenya by his side, there was a high possibility that similar problems would recur . As long as Kwon T aekjoo continued to work for South Korea and Zhenya' s roots were in Russia, it was a shackle he could not escape. It wasn' t that he hadn' t anticipated it either . He accepted the guy even though he knew everything, so why did he keep feeling

complicated?

"That's the Russian ambassador to South Korea. Y evgeny V issarionovich Bogdanov?"

He should never have let the headquarters know about him in the first place. He should have known that he was helping Kwon T aekjoo himself. He always interfered without permission, but it was definitely a scheme.

It was something that should not be exposed to anyone. But he foolishly hung out with him under the pretext that he could not stop Zhenya. W ith the reasonable belief that he would not betray Kwon T aekjoo himself. Certainly , he deserved a warning from Director Kwak. For Zhenya's sake, he could not let him act for him any longer . The more he got involved in my work, the more he The situation would become. He had to be alert now .

"Haa... Come to your senses, Kwon T aekjoo. Y ou're crazy about love af fairs."

He tilted his head back nervously and chewed on his rising anger . At that moment, he heard a voice calling from behind him.

"Senior!"

When he turned his head, he saw Y oon Jong-woo waving his arms at the end of the hallway . He turned his body towards him and stood. Y oon Jong-woo also quickly ran to KwonTaekjoo.

"What are you thinking about so intently? I kept calling you, but you didn't hear?"

"Did you? Sorry."

"The director called you. Are you on your way to see him?"

"Yeah."

"Are you a bit shaky?"

"Do you think I get scolded all the time?"

"But why do you look so pale? I heard you were sleeping all the time while you were resting.

Have you not recovered yet? They say that no one can do anything about time, but even you,

senior, can't help it."

"What can't be helped, right, In Ma."'

He made a motion to kick Y oon Jong-woo's butt. Y oon Jong-woo also exaggeratedly moved his body and followed the beat. Y oon Jong-woo, who kept squirming and dodging here and there, finally surrendered after being put in a headlock. After playing around for a while, he even for got what he was thinking about.

"Ah, senior . I told you to go easy on me. I think my neck is broken."

"What a joke, you punk."

"How can someone who can break the necks of even the most voluminous men say such

things? Now you're acting like a punk to me."

"You're talking too much? Y ou've had your fill. It's not like your tongue is getting lighter ."

"Whenever you're pricked, you always harass me like this. And since it's been a while since

you came, why don't you just look at me and leave? W ere you just going to leave?"

"What are you doing seeing that face every time?"

"Wow, you're going too far . When you said you only trusted me, that was just words, right?

You always come to me when you're feeling sorry ."

"Why are you whining like this today? Are you hot?'

Yoon Jong-woo retorted with a rather disappointed expression at the nagging that followed.

"I was worried. As soon as I heard you drinking heavily , I thought something really bad

happened when the communication suddenly went down."

"Would I go that easily?"

"After that, there was no contact for two days. They say that none of the mercenaries

captured alive at the scene were Asians. How could you not be worried?"

"That makes sense..."

He tried to make an excuse but then closed his mouth again. The communication device was

broken in the explosion, so there was no way to communicate with headquarters. The

problem was that instead of finding another way , he just rolled around with Zhenya for two

days. Of course, if he hadn't shown up, he would have been taken away by the Cuban police or he would have been killed and never been able to contact him again.

"...No, that's okay . It's all my karma, karma."

"Don't do something reckless like that again.

You don't have ten lives as a senior , so I told you to live with a calm personality ."

He nodded roughly and patted Y oon Jong-woo on the shoulder . Yoon Jong-woo, who had been nagging, quickly calmed down. It was really funny and cute how he would get angry and then quickly calm down.

"You little brat, you're acting like your wife."

He smirked and ruf fled Yoon Jong-woo's hair . Yoon Jong-woo, who had been sighing openly ,

suddenly stopped and looked at his son-in-law . He kept looking around. Kwon T aekjoo also looked around.

"Why? Is there something?" "No. Just in case."

"Just in case?"

"What?"

"No matter how crazy the Russian guy is, he can't spy on the National Intelligence Service,

right?"

"Why are you talking about that guy all of a sudden?"

"Because he glares at me like he's going to kill me if I touch him. Does he cut people up with

his icy eyes?"

"It didn't get cut, Sal-eun."

"He's so obedient to his seniors that he doesn't even know how scary it is. Instead, tell him not to contact me, can't you?"

"You two contact each other? Do you want to be friends with me?"

"Oh, I don't want to!"

"Then tell that kid himself."

"Do you have to go to the funeral?"

"If you can't, just be friends. Surprisingly , you two seem to get along well."

Yoon Jong-woo gritted his teeth and swallowed. His weak fists caught his eye. He was shaking so much. He said calmly ,

"Do you think that kid would listen to me?"

and then snickered.

"If it weren't for you, senior , then what?"

"I didn't say anything?"

"I said I learned the art of mind reading?"

"Don't lie."

Yoon Jong-woo looked at Kwon T aek Joo, who was sulking, with a cold look.

"There's nothing really wrong, is there?"

"There must be something wrong. Oh, let's have a drink for the first time in a while instead of this."

"Right now? I haven't even gotten of f work yet."

"Tell them I'm going out on business. If something happens, I'll cover for you."

"What about the cover? It's like we're going to write a police report together ."

"Don't you trust your senior? I can protect you enough, so let's go."

He wrapped his arms around Y oon Jong-woo's neck and walked briskly down the hallway. Yoon Jong-woo, who had been struggling to let him go, quickly gave up and said,

"What are you going to buy me?"

Either way , they were partners who fit well together .

"Do you know that your senior is a really evil boss?"

Yoon Jong-woo grumbled as he spread

the table. Since it had been a while, there were a lot of regrets to let out and work-related stories would come up, so he came to his studio instead of the restaurant. Yoon Jong-woo's house, which he visited after a long time, was no dif ferent than before. It was a two-room villa facing the east, so the sunlight didn't come in enough, and even then, the blinds were drawn on all the windows, so it was dark even during the day . The laundry

was hung carelessly on chairs, hangers, and exercise equipment. The area around the

computer was also filled with all sorts of clutter , except for a space where he could sit. He thought,

"How can I eat and sleep in a place like this?"

Suddenly? he asked, throwing the laundry that was being stepped on into the laundry basket

one after another . Only then was the space for the two to sit face to face secured. Y oon Jong-woo kept grumbling while preparing the grill.

"Ha. 'Suddenly'? I've told you this many times before. Y ou always take away my personal

space and time without permission. And my property ."

"Hey, I don't know about anything else, but when did I ever covet your property?"

"Have you for gotten that last time you used my game character without permission? Y ou

even use my horse as a taxi. Y ou're still doing it now . I told you I'd buy you something

delicious, so why are you coming here? Y ou don't think of Ma's subordinates as real

subordinates, do you?"

"Why are you being so overbearing? Instead, I bought you something delicious."

Kwon T aekjoo nodded at the bags he had placed on the table. He had stopped by a nearby market on his way here and bought raw fish and beef. Both were foods that Y oon Jong-woo liked, and they were perfect as drinking snacks. Y oon Jong-woo even personally selected the raw fish and the meat parts. Therefore, his current sudden complaints could be seen as a result of another calculation. Y oon Jong-woo's eyes, suddenly lost, were proof of this.

"You're afraid I'll scold you right now , so Are you hitting me? So, kid, clean up and live. This

is a pigsty , not a place for people to live? I ventilate it in the morning and evening. When on earth are you going to do your laundry? Y ou eat and sleep in a place like this and you've

never gotten sick. That' s why you always act like a slob, Inma."

He easily figured out Y oon Jong-woo' s shallow intentions. Y oon Jong-woo whined at the unfailing nagging bomb.

"Why did you bar ge in without inviting me?"

"Don't you know that meddling also requires af fection? Y ou should be grateful when a senior

like you looks after you so thoroughly ."

"Unwanted attention is violence. T alking to my seniors makes me feel like I'm back in the

military ."

Yoon Jong-woo grumbled in a broken voice. His grumbling continued throughout the meal.

"They say that people who are favoured by their superiors shouldn't be kept as subordinates. I think I got of f to a bad start."

"Do I look favoured to you? There's probably no one in the palace who's written more letters

of recommendation than me."

"Are you bragging? That makes it worse. If you're going to be loyal to your superiors, just be loyal. A. Y ou always act according to your own temperament and judgement. It' s not like you just achieve your goal. How many times have you been called out and scolded after helping someone?"

"I told you I didn' t get scolded this time?"

"Is that the face of someone who hasn' t been scolded like that?"

"What's my face like?"

"You're always brooding, not like a senior ."

He absentmindedly wiped his face. Did Y oon Jong-woo' s dull eyes show his worries?

Certainly , since he had been warned by Director Kwak about Zhenya' s intervention, it was hard to say he hadn' t been scolded. His heart was heavy . Not only because of that.

In the meantime, Y oon Jong-woo put meat on a two-chambered grill and boiled water for

ramen. He prepared alcohol, raw fish, and a couple of side dishes to drink together in a hurry . Even so, he kept slurping. It seemed like he was really on edge.

"Honestly , senior , you're starting to get overwhelmed, right? When you try to do everything that many people do by yourself, you don't have time to relax and it becomes more dangerous. Why do you always run around out of breath and refuse to reinforce your team?"

"Of course, nothing will change even if you have teammates."

"Why won't it change? The amount of work for seniors will definitely decrease. At the very

least, they'll be there to protect you."

"On the other hand, it might get harder to take care of your teammates and go around looking

for them. And I wonder if there are any people who will completely adjust to my pace."

"Ugh... That pace is the problem. If you're the only one who's a workaholic and a perfectionist, who can say anything? Y ou're

trying to treat your coworkers like that, so you're making a fuss. Y ou even ignore the rules and act irregularly every time. It's because the other employees don't show it, but they all say they don't want to back you up."

"It's okay . I only have you."

"I'm not okay , I'm not okay!"

"It's disappointing, Inma. I've bought you so many meals so far . Who prepared the side dishes that are now filling up your refrigerator?"

Yoon Jong-woo clenched his fists, unable to find a proper response. He bit his lower lip and

trembled with resentment. In the meantime, he picked up the grilled meat and placed it in his bowl. Yoon Jong-woo looked at Kwon T aek Joo with a displeased look and steadily put the meat in his mouth.

"What I'm saying is that you should take it easy now , senior . It's not like your goal is to die in the line of duty ."

Kwon T aekjoo nodded dryly and poured himself some soju. When he tilted the bottle towards Yoon Jong-woo, Yoon Jong-woo quickly picked up his glass. He poured him a drink first and filled his glass as well. Y oon Jong-woo, who had been waiting for a moment, lightly clinked his glasses, saying,

"T an."

He chuckled and downed the soju in one gulp. It wasn't very stimulating. Maybe because he often drank strong alcohol with Zhenya.

He poured himself another glass right away . Yoon Jong-woo gave him a curious look as he

fiddled with his empty glass. It seemed that he knew from his long experience that this was a

common behaviour whenever Kwon T aekjoo had a lot on his mind.

"Jongwoo, you know? I've been running around without any hesitation."

"Of course. I was a heartless moth."

"I've never had any other thoughts while working. I didn't care if the enemy I encountered during a mission was a man, a woman, an old man, or a child. When I overcame an unexpected extreme situation and finally got what I wanted, the thrill was incredible. I may have become addicted right away because it was a feeling I'd never felt before. Sometimes, just doing nothing and resting was boring, like hell. That's why I thought this was my calling, this job."

"Huh... I guess that's my calling. No?"

"Is it because I'm older now , as you said? I keep getting distracted while I work. Sometimes I hesitate to pull the trigger . My attitude seems to have changed a bit."

Yoon Jong-woo, who was wrapping up a lar ge bowl of kimchi, paused for a moment. He

rolled his eyes and looked back at the context, then asked cautiously .

"Senior . Did something happen in Cuba?"

Kwon T aekjoo shook his head slightly and poured himself another drink. He then fidgeted

with his empty glass for a long time.

"It wasn't just that time that was the problem. It' s been a while since I saw him. He' s lost his

original intention and has become lax."

Yoon Jong-woo tilted his head and stuf fed himself with the soup. It was hard for him to

understand where and how Kwon T aekjoo had become lax. As far as Y oon Jong-woo knew ,

Kwon T aekjoo had never failed to complete his assigned duties. His recent activities were no

different than before. Rather , he thought it would be okay if he relaxed a little more.

Even while he was watching him out of the corner of his eye, Kwon T aekjoo was lost in his

own thoughts and emptied his glass one after another . It seemed like something was going on, but since he wasn' t telling me everything, it was hard to ask him carelessly . Yoon Jong-woo simply scooped up some perfectly boiled ramen noodles and placed them in front of him.

"Since you're throwing away your feelings, have some snacks. Do you think your body will

be made of cast iron for the rest of your life?"

For some reason, Kwon T aekjoo's eyes were fixed on the ramen. He stared at it intently for a while, but he didn't actually try to eat it, which was strange. After a while, he said,

"There's Kwon T aekjoo,"

and started talking.

"What if the two things you consider important can't coexist?"

"...Are you talking about your mother?"

"Huh? My mother?"

"Your mother wants you to be stable, and you still think this job is your calling. So, aren' t

you worried?"

It seemed like he was suddenly caught off guard. It wasn' t that he didn' t know about his

mother's long-standing concerns. He knew it clearly , but he didn' t think about her while he

was working. In fact, his affection or sense of duty toward his mother never once stopped Kwon Taekjoo. He rationalised that it was for the country and that it would benefit more people, so he had to do it above all else. He didn' t even feel guilty when he lied to make his mother feel better .

But why now? Because his mother and Zhenya are so different. It seemed that he would have to give up either Zhenya or Il someday soon, if not right away . Director Kwak's warning had ignited that vague sense of anxiety . When the moment came when he had to choose one side, what decision would Kwon T aekjoo make? His mind kept getting confused by things that hadn't even happened yet. The drinking party continued late into the night. Yoon Jong-woo, who had been rambling on

about his work-related difficulties, at some point began repeating the same thing over and

over again, and soon fell asleep, hugging an empty bottle of alcohol. He picked up his pillow

from the bed and placed it on the floor . He laid down. Then he sat down on the bed, leaning back, trying to calm his dizzy stomach. Suddenly , he thought of a cigarette, but he didn't have one right away .

Yoon Jong-woo is a non-smoker . It seemed that it had become a habit to always get a cigar from Zhenya and smoke it. He guessed he should go home soon. He'll stop by a convenience store on the way and buy a

cigarette. He just made up his mind to do that and didn't move. He just scrolled through his

phone without anything to do. You're doing some pretty cute things, aren't you? Don't be impatient. When I say 'soon', I mean really soon. He looked at the last message exchanged with Zhenya. The conversation ended without him being able to respond properly because of the contact from headquarters. If it's 'soon', will he come tomorrow? W ill he come before he' s deployed to a new operation?

There was something he needed to talk to him frankly and tie up before that. That might be why he' s getting impatient for no reason.

11 p.m. If he was staying in Moscow , it would be around 5 p.m. there. He touched the call

button without much thought. It was a long call. The phone call continued on and on, almost as if it would cut off. He could have just given up, but he stubbornly waited. His son-in-law was so quiet that the distinctive signal sound echoed even outside the phone. How long has it been? The signal sound suddenly stopped and the voice he was waiting for

was heard.

- Taxi driver?

[Y ou're late.]

Zhenya returned the nagging that was always on his lips. A small laugh erupted from the guy

who understood the nuance.

- Have you had a drink?

[Why. Do I smell like alcohol?]

- I told you. I know everything about you.

[That's not credible. The kid who thinks he knows everything hasn' t crawled out yet?]

- Did you sober up? Y ou're acting all whiny without saying anything.

He laughs with a groan, as if he' s in a good mood. He doesn't know why he' s been so happy to hear Kwon T aekjoo' s every word, glance, and gesture, but you haven' t been in touch for a while. He thinks he understands how ex-lovers who met briefly and then broke up feel. The breakups were always unilaterally announced by the other person. And every time he used to get criticised for being indif ferent. They say that what he sow comes back to him, and it really does come back to him.

[What are you complaining about? I told you that you always listen to what I want?]

He grumbled in a displeased tone. Even as he did that, Zhenya' s laughter never stopped. It

was like watching a cute animal or a child's talents. How could he be so peaceful on his own without knowing what others were thinking? He felt annoyed for no reason.

[Did you break your finger? Do you have to contact me first before you reluctantly respond?]

- Hmm... I really don't understand. It's common for us to lose contact whenever we're working, and when we're together , Do you miss me a little when I tell you to leave, but when I actually try to be alone, you're making me miss you? Miss me? Can' t you stand being alone for even a moment?

He could clearly see the bridge of his nose that must have been so high up in the sky . He

knew he would be arrogant with his shoulders wide open. He sighed involuntarily . He laughed coolly and added in a voice that was clearly filled with laughter .

- Yeah, Taekjoo. Keep whining like that.

[... You annoying brat. Stop whining and come here quickly . I have something to say .]

- I guess so. Y ou're doing something you've never done before.

Then he heard a faint, drawn-out exhalation. Here he comes. It seemed like Zhenya was

sitting somewhere with his back to him.

- When I go, you'll have to explain what you've been doing at that idiot' s house until now .

[What? Where the hell are you...!]

He straightened his upper body and looked around. He wondered why he was so relaxed, but it seemed like he could see where Kwon Taekjoo was and what he was doing in real time. Since he was watching his lover 's every move, he wouldn' t be particularly curious or

anxious. Even when Kwon Taekjoo was on official duty , he would watch him like that and suddenly show up. He had no idea where to start and how to fix it.

[Ha, that's enough. It's a waste of time arguing with you. Hang up.]

- See you soon.

Zhenya hung up the call with a grin on his face. As the surroundings became quiet again,

Yoon Jong Woo's wheezing breathing became more noticeable. He held onto the stilled cell phone tightly and tilted his head back. He let out a deep sigh. His head was dizzy and complicated, like a tangled ball of thread.

[... That' s why I guess I should go back now . My Zainka must be really upset that I left him

alone.]

Zhenya smiled at Basim, who was sitting across from him. Basim had an expression on

his face as if he had witnessed a strange scene. He had suddenly picked up the phone on speakerphone, wondering what was going on, but the content of the call was quite something. It was surprising that Psych was pretending to be in love, but the other person was a man with a deep voice. He had already guessed this with certainty , but hearing it with his own ears was a shock in itself. Basim, who was pale, muttered in a bewildered tone.

[That Korean spy ...]

[Not anymore, spy .]

Basim groaned, touching his forehead at Zhenya's easy going response. He had just come to see Zhenya after hearing the news that he had returned home. About two weeks ago, an unidentified terrorist attacked Cuban civilians, and Zhenya had appeared at the

scene. For some reason, he had actively helped the terrorist escape. That incident drew an unofficial protest from Cuba, a longtime ally , and the Kremlin was not happy either . Zhenya had to be cracked down on before the sparks flew to his family .

[Yevgeny. What are you really going to do?]

[What about me?]

[Why does a so-called ambassador keep getting involved in matters that have nothing to do with the national interest, much less your own?]

[You're wrong, Basim. I don't know about the national interest, but these are matters that are closely related to my own. If my lover is in danger , it's right to do whatever it takes to save her. Ask the Kremlin you support. If Natasha is going to be eaten by Baba Yaga, will you just sit back and watch?]

Basim couldn't bring himself to respond and fell silent. The Natasha that Zhenya mentioned

was an open It was the president's government. They did not hesitate to commit all sorts of eccentricities and illegal acts, riding on the president's favour . The Kremlin always covered up her mistakes and earned the people's ridicule, but the president used his authority to dismiss all the complaints. How can someone like that take issue with Zhenya's misconduct? Does he mean that he can do it but others can't? It was just funny how he was lowering his own prestige.

[I guess you heard the bitter criticism of chasing me like a hawk with its tail on fire. Go tell the Kremlin. Don't be anxious about such a small commotion and have some room for a great country . You don't care about what othe

people think anyway , right? Cuba's protest? The dog next door would bark. If you were going to harass me for that, you made a huge mistake in your calculations.]

[So. Are you going to continue to act like this? Are you going to turn the Kremlin into your

enemy?]

[When were we ever on the same side?]

Zhenya, who had been mocking, suddenly stood up from his seat. Then, Basim stiffened and tensed up. Even though they were brothers of the same age, he felt the same pressure as everyone else. It was because Zhenya was not bound by hierarchy or human feelings and only responded to his own feelings. The fact that his threshold for excitement was extremely low was no different from that of a wild beast. Zhenya looked down at Basim and urged him.

[Basim. You do your own work. If your dream is to become a loyal servant of the Kremlin, then you should just lick Lomonosov' s asshole faithfully as you are doing now . I told you so

many times. If you don't touch mine, we won't have to blush, right? Is that so difficult?]

He tilted his head as if he couldn't understand.

It was almost an artificial gesture. Zhenya, who had been locking eyes with Basim for a

while, suddenly got out of his seat. Then he started packing his bags without warning. He had been talking to his lover on the phone and said he would be there soon, but he really seemed ready to leave at any moment. In that infinitely light-hearted attitude, Basim raised his voice.

[How long are you going to act so arrogantly , Yevgeny! Where do you think all the conveniences you've enjoyed so far came from...!]

[Could it be the Kremlin' s grace? Or are you trying to say that it' s the halo of the family?]

Zhenya slowly turned to Basim. The strangely drowsy look disappeared, and the atmosphere became quite cold. His blue eyes were sharp as usual.

[I've paid off my debts enough, right? You're still being generous.]

[What?]

[Do you really think that the reason Lomonosov can't get rid of me even though he sees me as a thorn in his side is because of our family? No. He's lived his life purging everything that threatens him. Whether it's his family , his closest associates, or powerful sources of funding. 'Bogdanov*? It's not a problem or a concern for him. It might be a little regrettable, but he'll just kill them all and take what's left. There are plenty of people who can replace 'Bogdanov'. But he can't do that....]

Zhenya patted his chest, trailing off. Then he pointed at Basim too.

[Because this is engraved in my heart and in yours. I'm afraid that I'll stir up a hornet's nest

without even being able to solve the secret of 'Anastasia'.]

[You're underestimating him too much. He's the kind of person who thinks that if you lose

your pride, you'll lose everything. If you keep going against him, you'll be punished as an

example. How can you handle hundreds of thousands of troops?]

[You can't defeat him with troops. But what about firepower?]

[Yevgeny!]

[You still can't properly perfect a single hypersonic missile, right? In name only . They are talking big with missiles.]

He suddenly mentions missiles and chuckles. The development of hypersonic missiles was

one of Russia's major national projects. The missile travels 480 km in 5 minutes, which is so fast that it is difficult to intercept even with existing missile defence systems. The Kremlin

has been bragging that Russia has succeeded in developing hypersonic missiles based on its

own pure technology and that it is already in the practical stage. However , in reality , related research has been at a standstill for several years.

[You can't just show one side as an example, right? If you do something foolish, you will be

able to see the missile you want to perfect right before your eyes. Let's lighten it up.

Fireworks exploding in the Kremlin... How spectacular , right?]

That meant that Zhenya had a hypersonic missile in his hands. A gasp escaped from Basim. As far as he knew , Zhenya was not a person who would brag. The words that came out of Zhenya's mouth, even if they were absurd, could become reality at any time.

[Haa... I don't expect great loyalty from you. I just want you to pretend to be for the sake of

the family . I gave you everything you wanted. Is that not enough? It's hard to just keep quiet

and not let news of you reach the Kremlin.]

[For the sake of the family , Ra. I will warn you one last time, considering the great family

and brotherly love you desire.]

He approached Basim step by step. The huge shadow that was getting closer and closer

swallowed Basim up in one breath.

[From now on, do not enter this island without my permission. Do not continue to sneak in

like a thief and poke around here and there. It will all be in vain. If you ignore me even after

that, the gatekeeper will greet you from now on.]

For some reason, the gatekeeper did not seem human. Perhaps it was an anti-aircraft missile

that could blow away any uninvited guest without a trace. A vast snowfield spread out in all directions. Wherever he looked, everything was pure white. Not a single footprint was left on the snowfield where even the depth of the

accumulated snow could not be guessed. White snow was piled on the bare branches of the rare trees.

'This place again.'

He muttered to himself and looked around a little more. He was checking to see if it was

Ajinoki Island just in case. Suddenly , he laughed in vain. He had been thinking about Zhenya all day, and his subconscious had taken him there. He wanted to go. He walked somewhere. The overall terrain and atmosphere felt quite familiar . If only there

was a mansion near the cliff called Zhenya, it would be like Ajinoki.

However , no matter how much he looked around, he couldn't see a mansion, not even a hut. He couldn't find any traces of animals like reindeer or rabbits. Was it because it was a dream? He wandered aimlessly through the vast plains. Then he finally found small footprints. They were the footprints of a child, not an adult. For some reason, he felt happy . He smiled and hurried his steps after the small figure. Soon he found a boy crouching over there. He was heavily armed with a sapka, fur boots, and a fur coat. But he recognized him at a glance. 'Zhenya.'

He called him cheerfully , but he didn't respond. He didn't even look back or flinch. Maybe it was a dream that didn't get through to me properly .

'Hey. Why are you out in the cold? Where's your house?'

He asked, walking briskly toward him. The boy still didn't move. He just lowered his head.

He just stared blankly at something while lying down. When he observed closely , the little

guy's small body was shaking slightly . It didn't look good.

'Hey, kid. What' s wrong with you?'

He reached out and grabbed the guy's shoulder and turned him around. Only then did he turn around to see little Zhenya' s face covered in tears. He was taken aback by the unexpected sight, but stopped when he saw the being held tightly by the guy . It was a

corpse covered in blood. The face that had been blown away by the bullet was so tattered that he couldn' t see the neck. He could only guess who it was from the fingers, nails, and body shape that were visible on the outside.

He assumed that the identity of the corpse held by Zhenya was Kwon T aekjoo himself.

"Huh... Zainka. My Zainka."

Zhenya, who had been shedding tears, began to sob. He was so shocked that he couldn't even think of comforting him. In the meantime, the body became even redder . Blood gushed out from somewhere and formed a flood. Not only the body , but even young Zhenya was

gradually soaked in red blood.

'Huhhhhhhhhhh.'

Young Zhenya burst into blue tears. For a moment, the calm air flashed. Then, unidentified objects poured down like rain. There were countless shells. Instinctively , he reached out his hand towards young Zhenya.

'Zhenya!'

He shouted the boy's name at the top of my lungs. In vain, the shells that fell here and there

exploded, causing the ground to shake and split. He desperately moved my limbs, but the

distance between him and Zhenya only grew wider .

'Hwaaaaang, Hwaaaaang!'

The cries of young Zhenya grew louder and louder , eventually rumbling as if they would tear his eardrums apart. Immediately after , the snow on the ground all blew white, and thousands of shells buried in the ground flew into the air . It was gushing out. The shells collided with each other everywhere, causing flames. The tyranny that expanded enormously due to the chain of explosions instantly scorched the earth. In the end, even the child who had been crying sadly was oxidised without a trace.

"Huk...!"'

He opened his eyes wide. A familiar landscape suddenly appeared in my rapidly widening

field of vision, triggering a faint dizziness. Even if he closed his eyes tightly , the dizzy feeling

did not easily go away . He felt a severe lack of oxygen. He groaned and wiped his face with his palm. He was drenched in sweat right away . His limbs were aching from how much he had struggled during the nightmare. He covered his eyes with his arms for a moment to catch his breath, then slammed down on the bed in frustration.

"Ha, shit... I'm having such a weird dream."

He sat up straight. Cold sweat ran down his spine and sternum without fail. He clenched his molars at the horrible sensation. My neck, the insides of his elbows, and even my shins were all sticky and uncomfortable. He felt like he needed to take a cold shower . He opened the door and went outside. He could hear the sound of dishes coming from the kitchen. His mother was eating. It seemed like he was preparing. When he looked at the clock, it was already 1 1 AM. He had been preoccupied with various distracting thoughts until late in the morning, so he slept in late for once.

"Are you awake?"

His mother , who recognized Kwon T aekjoo' s presence, asked loudly from the kitchen. Since

all she had on her body was a drawer , he hurried to the bathroom across from her .

"Okay. I'll wash up first."

"Okay ."

After closing the bathroom door , he looked at himself in the mirror . Even though he had

rested like that, he still felt the oysters were really soft. He sighed and walked slowly under

the shower . For a while, he just stood there, getting hit by the pouring water . His hot body gradually cooled down and his cluttered mind felt calm. He doesn't give meaning to dreamlike visions. It' s just that my emotions and subconsciousness deep inside him are expressed on their own while his reason is asleep. He could tell just by looking at how they unfolded absurdly and without context.

However , the dream of a child who resembled Zhenya was strangely tangled in his heart.

Whenever he encountered him, he felt complicated emotions often remained as a lump and made him feel uneasy . Strictly speaking, the guy resembled Zhenya from his childhood, but there was no reason to be certain that he was the real one. Kwon Taekjoo just thought so himself. Even if he was the guy , it was just an illusion that would disappear when he woke up. Even though he tried to dismiss it as nothing, he couldn't shake off the image of the guy crying loudly .

"No way , something like that could happen."

He shook his head. Then he started to wash his wet hair . It was an extremely rough gesture, as if he was trying to wash away all the distracting thoughts in his head. He quickly finished showering and returned to his room. Before putting on his underwear on his bare body , he checked his phone. There was no separate contact from Zhenya. He explained it to him so he understood, but nothing changed. This is how he ended up talking against the wall until his throat hurt.

"pup...."

He stared at his poor cell phone and touched the call button. But before the beep sound, a

voice message came out saying that the customer could not answer the phone. Did they turn it off? No, did they even know that it was turned of f? He threw the cell phone on the bed in annoyance.

"Ah! Your size is just making me worry . No, I'm crazy too. Who the hell am I going to worry

about?"

He headed to the kitchen, tossing the back of his hair in annoyance. As expected, lunch was prepared on the table. He naturally snatched the ladle from his mother, who was about to serve soup.

"I'll do it."

He grabbed his mother's shoulder and personally led her to the chair . He then scooped up some hot soup and carried it to the table. He also used his big hands to move the rice and side dishes that his mother had already spread on one side.

"There are two of us eating, but you've prepared a lot. Anyway , I told you that our mother has big hands."

"She eats well when you make it for her ."

"That's right. I'll eat well."

"Okay. Eat slowly and eat a lot."

The mother and son sat across from each other and picked up their spoons. While eating, they said in a bright voice that it was delicious, and that our mother's cooking skills were the best, and they didn't spare their compliments. It was because they were worried that their mother would worry , saying that their faces were not good.

Fortunately or fortunately , their mother didn't look at Kwon T aekjoo very closely . She was

lost in thought. He was locked up and eating or not. He watched him quietly , wondering if he

was worried about something. Then suddenly their eyes met. His mother smiled awkwardly .

"I'll eat and go to the temple."

"A temple? Suddenly?"

Whenever his mother had a complicated thought or when she thought of his father and older brother, she would visit a nearby temple. It was to calm her mind while praying.

"Is something wrong?"

"...No, I just wanted to of fer some prayers for the first time in a while."

"What is it?"

When he gently urged her , his mother hesitated a bit more and then cried.

"Well, there's my Canadian aunt."

Her Canadian aunt was his mother's older sister , ten years older than her . She settled in

Canada right after she got married, so even Kwon T aekjoo only saw her a few times.

However , she was close to my mother , and the two of them talked on the phone almost every day. When his father and older brother died, she came running from a thousand miles away to stay by his mother's side for several months.

"Yeah. How is your aunt? It's been so long since I've seen her ."

"Auntie, do you know that she had brain tumour surgery before? They said it was removed cleanly, but recently , her vision has been blurry and it's been difficult to move. So when I went to the hospital, they said it had recurred... They said she' s have to have sur gery again, but they were worried because the location was not good. Even if the surgery goes well this time, the prognosis might not be good."

"Ah..."

"But there's nothing I can do for her here. I should pray that she has a safe sur gery and that she recovers safely ."

The blood relative whom you trusted and relied on more than anyone else was facing a life-

or-death mission in a foreign land. Dani, it was natural to be upset. Looking back, his mother

had been worried about the well-being of those around her all her life. Kwon T aekjoo himself had played a big part in that. He always lived with one foot on the ver ge of death, and he deceived her with the excuse that he was doing it for her , so he couldn' t have been this unfilial.

"I'll take you there."

"Hey, what are you doing? Mom, you can just go and come back quickly ."

"You'll be tired from driving back and forth. Since we don' t have anything to do today , let's go together ."

"You don' t like going to the temple, do you?"

"I also want to get some fresh air for once."

His mother looked at Kwon T aek Joo with a look of surprise. She met his gaze and said,

"Yes, come with me today ."

He urged him uncharacteristically . His mother smiled and said,

"Okay ."

"But is it okay for you to keep missing work like this?"

His mother made a worried expression. It seemed that her son, who she rarely saw in person, was very anxious as he had been

staying at home for several days.

"Why? Y ou used to say I work too much. Now , you're starting to get tired of seeing your

son's face?"

"No. Maybe you got fired from the embassy ."

"You got fired. The ambassador hasn't come in yet, so that's why ."

"Really? If he's not here, you have nothing to do?"

"Well, I guess? Y our main job is to support the ambassador ."

"Then what happens when the ambassador returns to his home country? Do you have to look for another job?

"Well, that could be true."

His mother's worry deepened at her weightless response. It's not that she didn't often ask him

how long he thought Zhenya would stay in Korea. She was already regretting that his term would end someday . She was also worried that her son would end up like a dog chasing a chicken.

"Don't worry . I'm afraid there won't be a place to work."

"I'm afraid you'll go somewhere dangerous like before. I think you're very stable and good

right now , Taekjoo. That's why I wish the ambassador would stay in Korea."

The work that his mother believed he had stopped doing never got a break. And yet, in his mother's eyes, Kwon T aekjoo looked comfortable. The only thing that had changed since then was that Zhenya was always by his side. He would fill in for Kwon T aekjoo' s empty spot, and he would interfere in the operation without permission, making things a lot easier . In the past, even if he had completed the mission safely , he wasn' t completely at ease. That' s because he couldn' t relax and rest even after returning home. There was no way he could act like he was doing well in front of his mother . If he got hurt somewhere, he would constantly groan alone, trying to hide it somehow . The guilt and heavy sense of duty subsided. Now , when work was over , the first thing that came to mind was that he had to hurry and go home. When he was buried in Zhenya' s arms, he felt a sense of relief that he had never felt before. His tired body and mind felt completely

relaxed. He had become so used to having him by his side.

"...Me too."

He muttered while deep in thought. In reality , Kwon T aekjoo himself didn' t even realise what he had said. Zhenya wouldn' t be able to live in Korea for the rest of his life, but he kept hoping and expecting. He couldn' t do anything right for his lover , and instead, he kept putting him in danger. Selfishly , he did.

"Son. What are you worried about?"

He came to his senses at his mother's question. He glanced at the room mirror absentmindedly , and my seriously stif f face was reflected. He quickly changed his expression.

"Me? No. Why?"

"You look worried. Y our expression is also very gloomy ."

"I think it's just because I couldn't sleep. Did I play too many games?"

He tried to lightly brush of f his mother's worries. His mother scolded him without fail.

"What? How old are you now? Are you still playing games all night? What's so great about that?"

"Hey, it's been a while since I've had a break. I'm just having fun to relieve stress, so please

be lenient."

"What about this kid? How can games relieve stress? They say it builds up more. If you're

constantly exposed to violent situations, your brain waves become unstable."

"I wouldn't go that far . Oh, I'm here."

He arrived at his destination with good timing. It was a weekday and it wasn't a famous temple, so the parking lot was deserted. He had to climb up a slope to get to the temple

entrance, so he parked his car as close to the entrance as possible. Da. The lush bushes provided shade, so it wasn' t that hot even though it was midsummer . Occasionally , a breeze with the scent of pine trees blew , refreshing my mood. It was such a nice place, but he had made excuses that he was busy and hadn' t been here many times. No, he didn' t bother to come here because he felt uncomfortable seeing his mother who was

always gloomy whenever he came here. If Kwon Taekjoo himself followed in his father 's or brother 's footsteps, he could see how his mother would live.

"Are you going to the mainland too?"

"Yeah. Since you're here, let' s go."

Kwon T aekjoo' s mother looked at him with a look of surprise.

"Let's go after seeing the state,"

he said, and walked ahead. He followed her slowly from three or four steps behind. He was enjoying the leisurely time while taking a deep breath of the rare fresh air , when suddenly a loud engine noise was heard from far away . He quickly turned around, wondering if some crazy person was disturbing the peace of the quiet mountain temple. Soon, the fiercely distorted eyebrows softened. It was because a Bugatti of a familiar colour had come into view . His mother also said,

"Oh, my ,"

wondering if he had seen it wrong.

"Isn't that the ambassador's car?"

"I think so."

"How did you find out about this place? Did you call me, Taxi Driver?"

"No."

"Really? Anyway , go quickly ."

"Uh. Then, Mom, go up first."

"Yeah."

He strode back halfway up the road. Bugatti, which went straight to the parking lot, stopped

somewhere without fail, ignoring all the guidelines. Finally , the driver's door opened and Zhenya got out. From head to toe, there was no change, but somehow it didn't feel real.

Zhenya wasn' t surprised to see Kwon T aekjoo coming out to greet him. He was calm as if he

knew exactly where Kwon T aekjoo was and what he was doing. He stared at the guy approaching with a displeased expression. The guy smirked at Kwon T aekjoo' s disgruntled

face.

[I told you, Joo? 'Soon' means 'soon.']

[When did you get here?]

[Just now .]

Did he come straight from the airport? The phone was silent the whole time they were driving. So he didn' t know Zhenya had already arrived in Korea. No, if he were going to come, at least give him a heads up. He always surprises people. When on earth is he going to act like a human?

[How did you find out about this place?]

[Does that matter?]

[It doesn' t matter , kid. Did you put a tracker on my phone? What, did you install a spy app?]

[Taekjoo, it' s your fault. Y ou never know when or where you'll run of f to, and you always

put yourself in danger .]

He still blamed others for his rudeness and excessive behaviour . Does the word "reflection" not exist in his dictionary? How dare he date a guy like this. Kwon T aekjoo' s eyes were shining with displeasure. He scanned the face and body of Jilhan Zhenya. It didn' t seem like he was hurt anywhere.

[What's your business? Did it end well?]

[What a surprise. T aekjoo, you're so busy with my business.]

[Well, it's because of me that you've been dealing with Mathias or something.]

[Well, it was quite expensive. The maintenance costs are so high.]

Zhenya nodded and muttered teasingly . He couldn' t stop smiling because he was so happy . He looked at the eyes of that guy one by one and asked carefully .

[.... Did you just go and take care of that?]

[Or?]

[What, you were called back to your parents' house again.]

Zhenya, who had been making an unexpectedly surprised expression for a moment, smiled again. His heart also puf fed out secretly . It was clear that he had misinterpreted someone else's words again.

[Taekjoo. Are you still worried about whether I will get engaged to you? Do you want to

monopolise me that much?]

The tone of his babbling sounded like he was singing a song.

[That' s not it...!]

He clenched his fists and got angry , then finally lost his strength. He let it go. Even if he tries to talk, it'll only hurt his mouth. He scratched the back of his head in annoyance.

[Ah! My head really hurts because of you.]

[I guess you were only thinking about yourself to the point that your head hurts? I told you

that you did something quite special.]

The way he was so arrogant and cocky was so ugly . Judging from his appearance, it seemed

like there wasn' t anything that could have caused him psychological damage. W e can check the situation inside his clothes later . Anyway , he didn't know who was worried about whom. He clicked his tongue and shook his head. At that time, the guy seemed to be looking for someone. He looked around.

[By the way , what about the little woman?]

[I told her to go up first. But how did you know that I came with my mother , even though I

am here?]

[Of course, I have been here several times before.]

[Here? Why?]

[The little woman often visits.]

Zhenya answered nonchalantly . And his mother . Even though he and that guy are close friends, why did you bring him to the

temple every now and then? If Zhenya goes back to his home country , his mother will feel

very empty , too. It was a moment of distraction. As the guy took another step closer , we were almost face to face.

[What? Why do you keep nuzzling me?]

[Are you the one who' s so desperate and not even giving me a kiss?]

Zhenya shamelessly pretended to look upset. He even tilted his half-asleep face toward me.

The guy' s scent had become even stronger . Was it because it had been so long? Or was he

really missing him because he hadn' t seen me for a few days? His fingertips twitched and his

neck trembled slightly .

[You crazy bastard. In front of a sacred temple. Regular .]

He grabbed Zhenya' s face, which was about to come down on him at any moment. Zhenya

did not back down, but resisted by putting his lips on Kwon T aekjoo's palm.

[Taekjoo, I didn't know you believed in God?]

[That's why . I'll get angry if you look at me even a little bit. My mother might see you

somewhere. She knows you're here.]

He nodded toward the upper entrance, telling her to go. Then, as he was about to take his

hand of f Zhenya' s face, the bastard grabbed his wrist. W ithout giving him a chance to stop

him, he licked his palm. When his palm got soaking wet, he couldn't help but the sesame

seeds were hard.

[Oh, what are you doing?]

[I need to taste something before I get hungry and get hurt, but why? Since my lips aren' t

allowed, I have no choice but to bite here..]

Zhenya stubbornly bit the bottom of his palm and let go of his arm. Looking at the clear bite

marks left behind, he felt sick.

[Does this really think he' s a dog?]

[I should be proud of him for enduring that much.]

[There are many things to be proud of. Don' t make a mistake in front of your mother .]

[You worry a lot. It' s not like I've seen the little girl once or twice. And the little woman likes

me.]

[W ell. I wonder if you'd like it if you knew that I'm sticking with your son day and night.]

They headed toward the temple, bickering. Their mother had already gone into the temple

and was nowhere to be seen. They didn' t even think about praying together , so they looked

around the quiet man.

[Why does the little woman keep coming here?]

Zhenya, who had been following them silently , asked with a bored expression. They occasionally accompanied their mother . Then, he didn't know the purpose of his visit. He

shrugged and gave an answer that the guy could understand.

[It's just like a church or cathedral. Sometimes you pay tribute to the souls of those who have

passed away , and sometimes you pray to God to find peace of mind.]

[I don't understand.]

[Why not? If you believed in God in the first place, you wouldn't have acted so cruelly . How are you going to settle that karma?]

["Karma"?]

[When you die and meet God or whatever ,

Ask him to send you a 'grim reaper'. Y ou're already human. Reincarnation? W ell, that's

wrong, and it suits your aptitude perfectly .]

[Taekjoo, are you going to keep saying things that I don't understand?]

[That's why I told you to learn some Korean, you brat.]

Zhenya narrowed his eyes in doubt. It certainly seemed like it would take a considerable

amount of time for a dark-eyed foreigner to learn words like 'karma' and 'reincarnation.'

[What about you?]

[Me.]

[Do you believe in God?]

[No. I don't believe it either ... There are people who can only endure if they believe.]

The smile on Kwon T aekjoo's lips that had been snickering slowly subsided. In the meantime, his gaze was fixed on the temple where his mother was praying.

[It is believed that if you remember the person who has passed away and pay homage to him

deeply and do your best, the soul of the deceased will be at ease wherever it is. Does that kind of belief provide comfort to the living? When I die, I think I would like those who knew

me to forget my existence as soon as possible.]

Is it because he is in a position where he is closer to death than life? While he is breathing, he is projecting his feelings onto dead people, not people. He used to say to Zhenya, "What

would you do without me?" as a habit. Kwon T aekjoo always kept his absence in mind like

that.

[...]

Zhenya' s gaze was fixed on Kwon T aekjoo. The dense tree branches swayed in unison in the wind that blew just in time. Following that, Kwon T aekjoo' s hair also swayed. The next moment, Zhenya suddenly reached out and grabbed Kwon T aekjoo, who was looking somewhere else. Kwon T aekjoo made a questioning expression, asking why . It

wasn't a particularly intentional action. He shook his head. Kwon T aekjoo grinned and

scolded him.

[You rascal.]

He took his hand of f his arm and slowly took it down. Then he slowly turned his gaze away

to get rid of the smirk. Zhenya tightly grabbed his hand that was entangled with his. Hard, as

if he would disappear if he didn't.