That damn (bomb) cluster should have been thrown into your room, not into this training area. Actually, from the very beginning, I shouldn’t have stepped into your room and taken any of those damn calls before. No, I shouldn’t have set foot on this damn island at all.

Everything started that morning with the sound of ill-omened footsteps. As soon as I heard the doorbell ringing incessantly along with those footsteps, I had a vague idea who was coming. But the biggest mistake was my foolishness in opening the door and letting my uncle into the house.

I told myself that, when I return home in a few months, no matter what happens, I must stay near my brother to avoid enduring such bad luck again.

From this morning, Taeui’s mood had plummeted uncontrollably. Even though his mood had been on a decline in recent days, this morning truly was the peak of the misery.

In a bustling place like this, rumors spread fast. With a hundred people cramped on this small island, nothing could be kept secret for long.

The first rumor that spread was about Taeui becoming the Assistant Instructor under the new Instructor. At least that was somewhat acceptable. Although members from other teams looked at him with resentful eyes, implying he got the position because of his connection with his uncle, his own team members laughed mockingly, saying: “You? A Assistant Instructor? Master of petty schemes, always annoying others, combat ability below average, but quick-witted enough to avoid complete defeat. Jeong Taeui?” However, despite the mockery, they somewhat encouraged him. In reality, the Assistant Instructor role wasn’t a prestigious position and no one was competing for it, so it wasn’t worth being concerned about.

But then, the second rumor started spreading, this time about the new Instructor.

Word had it that the new Instructor was coming from the European branch. As soon as the news spread, colleagues rushed to Taeui – even those not close from other teams – bombarding him with questions about whether the new Instructor was indeed ‘that bastard from the European branch.’

Taeui couldn’t answer, so he pretended not to know. “I’m just following my uncle’s orders, and I don’t even know what an Assistant Instructor does, so how could I, a mere member, know who the new Instructor is?” – His lying skills had become more refined. Those seeking answers from him left empty-handed. Up to that point, everything was still relatively calm.

But then, the final rumor spread. That the new Instructor from the European branch wasn’t an outsider, but a former member who had met all the requirements for the appointment.

When this rumor exploded, the entire branch became chaotic like a beehive. Among the European branch members who met the criteria for promotion, only a few had the necessary qualifications for that position. In fact, members subtly knew each other’s evaluation levels, even if no one spoke about it. Not everyone aspired for promotion, but these evaluation points were the basis for determining who could advance while working outside the branch. So, even though it wasn’t explicitly stated, everyone understood. This was true not only for the European branch but for all branches.

Among the members, almost no one had an evaluation score high enough for that appointment. In each branch, at most, one or two people had such qualifications. And in the European branch, only one person met the criteria.

Rick, that crazy Riegrow. Infamous throughout headquarters and its branches with the nickname ‘the craziest madman’.

Before Taeui realized how widespread the rumor had become and could escape, his teammates, eager to uncover the truth about the new Instructor, burst into his room and immediately grabbed his collar to interrogate him. This happened three days before the new Instructor’s arrival.

Given the situation, saying ‘I don’t know who is coming’ was no longer plausible. According to protocol, once a new Instructor is appointed, the Assistant Instructor has a week or ten days to meet and get acquainted to ensure smooth coordination. However, this time was an uncommon case; the new Instructor had personal matters to attend to, so the acquaintance phase was skipped. But at least, by now, they should know each other’s names to prepare mentally rather than being taken by surprise when the truth unfolds.

In the end, Taeui could no longer pretend he didn’t know. With only three days left, he realized that lying was no longer beneficial. He even thought it was better to prepare beforehand than to panic when a nuclear bomb was about to drop on his head*.

(*날아떨어질 핵폭: A nuclear bomb falling down. This means it is better to be mentally prepared beforehand than to be caught off guard when the truth is revealed.)

And so, the truth that the new Instructor was actually the madman from the European branch was revealed. Of course, there was a significant uproar within the branch. The entire branch nearly exploded in chaos, not unlike a riot.

Particularly strong reactions came from the members of Instructor Kippenhan’s team – the one who had passed away.

It was none other than the person who had killed the Instructor who was put into his position. Although the fault partly lay with the Instructor, putting a murderer into the vacant position of the deceased was morally unacceptable. They were furiously opposed, asserting that they would never work under that madman. Some even packed their belongings and declared their departure from UNHRDO.

And the person who helped ease this tense situation was none other than Taeui’s uncle.

Changin let those who wanted to leave, leave without trying to stop them. Then, he redistributed the remaining members of Kippenhan’s team into other teams to minimize the opposition. He convinced the other Instructors that the new Instructor needed time to get accustomed to the branch, so there was no immediate need for him to be in charge of a team. The other Instructors readily agreed, as there was clearly no better choice given the intense reactions from the members.

As a result:

Taeui had to ponder from whom he could acquire an ultra-small listening device to plant in his uncle’s room.

The team’s dissolution essentially meant that the team was now just the new Instructor and his subordinate – which meant that from now on, Taeui would have to face all challenges alone with that man.

“Should I ask Alta? That broker might be able to get a listening device. Right, might as well ask him to find a Colt too.” – Taeui mumbled to himself while sitting in the restroom.

He told himself that if only they had brought him in later and thrown him straight into the current situation. If they hadn’t given him any information about Ilay and just made him team up with someone hated by over a hundred colleagues. If he had to face daily tensions or conflicts without understanding the reasons behind them, perhaps he would have felt better mentally. But in this situation…….

“Darn it, where has my luck gone? Jaeui-hyung, Jaeui-hyung, please give me some luck.”

Taeui sighed and kept calling his brother’s name like someone praying for luck from a deity.

When Taeui sighed and walked out of the restroom, he saw his gaunt face in the mirror and sighed again. While washing his hands, the restroom door opened, and a familiar face walked in. Their eyes met through the mirror.

“Oh, Yuan Ho!” – Taeui greeted softly, nodding. But as soon as Yuan Ho saw him, he frowned, then abruptly turned away and quickly walked inside with a clearly displeased expression. *Bang* The sound of the door slamming echoed.

“…….”

‘Should he grab him and give him a beating? How dare this bastard look down on him like that?’

Jeong Taeui was momentarily stirred by such thoughts but quickly dismissed them. If he wanted to beat someone up to vent his anger, it couldn’t just be Yuan Ho. He would have to drag out the whole team — those who were once teammates but had since treated him like an outsider after he became an Assistant Instructor — and beat them all to his heart’s content.

Ever since the rumor about the new Instructor being Riegrow started to spread, the atmosphere had become tenser. Those who had been silent and didn’t ask him anything now looked at him like a traitor and didn’t say a word to him. Some even spat in disgust as if he carried bad luck.

Taeui just wanted to gather everyone and shout, “What did I do wrong to you guys!” But he knew that doing so would only backfire, so he endured it. He told himself that things would calm down eventually. But it didn’t. Day by day, the situation only got worse.

Taeui sighed deeply, stepped out of the restroom, and headed back to his room, encountering a few familiar faces along the way. But they were no different from Yuan Ho. As soon as they saw him, they frowned and hardened their expressions, as if signaling him not to come closer or start a conversation. These were the people who, just a few days ago, joked and chatted happily with him.

“The water here is really bad*……. Even when I had to work at Lieutenant Kim’s squad, it wasn’t this bad.”

(*거 진짜 물 안 좋네: a metaphorical way of describing an unfavorable situation or a tense atmosphere.)

Back then, Taeui could act according to his own temperament. When he was assigned to work at the annoying Lieutenant Kim’s squad, he was infuriated by the rude attitudes of the new recruits. Just when Lieutenant Kim was not around, he dragged them all out and gave them a good thrashing. Even rebelling needs to be done at the right time and place. Later, when Lieutenant Kim returned and learned what had happened, they had a conflict, but that no longer mattered to Taeui.

“I didn’t do it on purpose, I’ve been enduring this for days, so they should have cooled down by now. Why do they keep acting like a bunch of petty men…….”

He mumbled to himself while walking back to his room, just as he had been doing these past few days. He felt exhausted. Something seemed to be gnawing at his stomach.

‘Uncle, if I drop everything and leave, would it be okay? If this continues, I don’t know if I might throw the eavesdropping device into your room.’

He clutched his aching stomach and grimaced.

Honestly, he wanted to leave. Taeui was someone easily affected by stress. Back in the military, a few days of stress would have him relying on stomach medicine. And now, he felt the need for it again. Or maybe he didn’t even need the medicine, just leaving this place would be enough. He missed his peaceful home, the place he truly cherished and wanted to return to.

Although he had often felt unfortunate to be here before, he had never felt as exhausted as he did now.

He took a deep breath before stepping into his room. The first thing he did was take some stomach medicine, then looked at the clock. Just a bit more time before the daily work would start. But he wouldn’t be joining today.

Today was 9 AM. At exactly 9 AM this morning, the new Instructor would officially join the Asian branch. In just a bit, Ilay Riegrow would no longer belong to the European branch but would be an Instructor at the Asian branch, and Taeui would be appointed as his Assistant Instructor.

“Ugh……. my stomach…….”

Even after taking the medicine, the stomachache didn’t subside at all, making Taeui grimace and lie down on his bed.

By now, Ilay was probably in Hong Kong. Maybe he was on his way to the port to come to this island, or maybe he was already on the ship. The moment of meeting him again was drawing near.

Taeui’s stomachache partially stemmed from this. Not only was he facing the coldness of his colleagues, but he also had the burden of dealing daily with that man. He would have to be with that high-pressure man. Someone who always made him tense whenever they were together, always on guard because he could bite his neck at any moment.

The door of hardship had already opened, it had truly opened.* 

He murmured inside his mouth, calculating in the car, pondering how much longer he had to endure being here when the phone rang. Taeui frowned, sat up. The green indicator light blinked when the phone rang. It signaled an internal call.

“Hello, this is Jeong Taeui.”

[“This is the office. The appointment ceremony is about to begin, please be present at the Governor Management Room by 8:50.”] 

As soon as he heard the terse tone that went straight to the point, Taeui realized it was Xinlu. This made him feel even more exhausted.

“Yes, thanks for letting me know, Xinlu.”

[“…….”]

When Taeui responded with a weak thank you, on the other end of the line, Xinlu seemed to hesitate for a moment before hanging up. He looked at the phone for a while before putting it down.

Recently, for some reason, Xinlu had also been behaving this way. He didn’t come to see him, nor did he send any messages. Taeui had sent a few inquiry messages, but there was no response. Moreover, when they occasionally met at work, Xinlu only said what was necessary with a cold tone and then passed by.

“Really, becoming that guy’s Assistant Instructor has made me the most hated person.”

Taeui clicked his tongue bitterly. Then he looked at the clock, sighed softly, and stood up. With the time being 8:50 approaching, there wasn’t much time left. He had to quickly wash up, change into his uniform, and get to the Governor Department room on time.

As he prepared to leave, his mood grew gloomier. If this was how the morning started, he couldn’t imagine how the rest of the day would be. Moreover, since today was the day he officially became an Assistant Instructor and had to meet Ilay, his future from now on seemed even more bleak. Just thinking about it made him feel exhausted.

After getting ready and stepping out of his room, Taeui looked at the calendar. To fulfill the six-month promise to his uncle, he still had more than three months to go.

“No, I have to think positively. I just need to endure for about three more months!” 

He whispered to himself with a positive thought, but his voice sounded very gloomy.

The Governor’s office was located on the 7th basement floor, the deepest part of the building. It was at the center of a secluded area not visible from outside. To get here, from the ground floor, one had to open doors and turn corners four times, making it seem like a hidden place. Taeui had only been here once before, and only outside the door.

That time, he was called to move a heavy painting but wasn’t allowed inside. He had half-jokingly dubbed it the ‘castle in the clouds’ that regular members couldn’t set foot in. He thought he’d never get a chance to come inside this room until he left the branch.

Taeui arrived precisely at 8:50, not a minute off.

When he knocked and entered, he found the Assistant Instructor busy arranging the room. The room was already perfectly clean, but he still meticulously checked for any misalignments, no matter how minor. Witnessing this, Taeui thought to himself that he was surely unsuited for this Assistant Instructor role.

Forget it. If things got too difficult, he’d just do it his own way and endure for three months, then leave as soon as the time was up. He didn’t want to suffer from more stomachaches, so he felt relieved with this decision. But even so, whether he could actually follow through was still a question.

Taeui looked around the Governor’s office, a place he’d never entered and never heard a colleague mention they’d entered. The room wasn’t too special – a large desk, bookshelves, and cabinets made of high-quality materials, akin to executive offices in large corporations or government agencies. There was also a door inside, presumably leading to a restroom, with another door beside it.

“…….?”

Taeui tilted his head, wondering, and guessed: Perhaps it was the entrance to a bedroom.

As if to confirm his thoughts, the Governor stepped out from behind that door. Having arrived earlier than the Vice Governors and Instructors, he paused when he saw Taeui.

“You’re the younger brother of researcher Jeong Jaei, correct?”

Taeui raised an eyebrow slightly. Although this matter was so famous that everyone knew about it, usually at this branch, the first thing people often mentioned about him was – ‘Aren’t you the grandson of Instructor Jeong Changin?’ – before anything else. Hearing another relationship mentioned first this time made him feel quite novel.

“Yes, that’s right.” – He replied.

“Hmm, his twin brother, right?”

Taeui nodded. Even if he wasn’t a twin, he was still the only brother of his older brother. They had no other close family members, and it was just the two of them left in the world. Although they had an uncle, this uncle occasionally met Taeui like a family member, but more importantly, this was the very uncle who had dragged him to this strange island, plunging his life into a string of unhappy hardships……. Thinking about it made him sad again. He reminded himself not to be sad, to cheer up.

While Taeui was reassuring himself, the Governor was intently observing him. Taeui felt surprised but did not shy away, returning the man’s gaze. This man, even if he was just wearing a simple coat and fabric pants, and standing in the park pulling out weeds, would still exude a distinct aura that made everyone notice. People who had gone through many hardships and achieved high positions with their own strength often had this special quality – they attracted attention even when standing silently and calmly.

The man, with a modest but truly extraordinary appearance, observed Taeui for a moment, then suddenly smiled broadly like a Hahoetal mask*. He mumbled as if talking to himself.

“Yes, so you are ‘Gil-sang Cheon.’”

“…….?”

Taeui tilted his head slightly with a light wrinkle between his brows. A strange word had just escaped.

‘Gil-sang Cheon?’ – It seemed he had encountered this term while reading about world mythology. In Indian mythology, it might be Lakshmi*…….

But before Taeui could fully grasp the meaning of that statement, the door of the Governor’s office opened, and the Undersecretaries along with the Instructors entered one by one and lined up.

Seeing them enter and greet the Governor formally, Taeui suddenly realized he had made a small mistake. He should have greeted the Governor as soon as he appeared, instead of just standing there looking. He glanced at the Governor apologetically, but the Governor didn’t seem to mind, calmly accepting the greetings from the Instructors.

The last person to enter was his uncle. He greeted the Governor first, then took his place. The two of them briefly made eye contact, but unlike usual, his uncle did not smile at him, only looking straight ahead as if he didn’t see him.

‘That’s right, this is a public place, not a private one’ – Taeui reminded himself and nodded in acceptance. Then he suddenly remembered why he was here: Today was the day the new Instructor would officially be appointed to the Asian branch. And he would be the new Instructor’s assistant.

The appointment ceremony was simple, nothing grand. It was just the Instructors in the Governor’s office along with a brief greeting session. After that, they would meet the members of the branch during the official training hour……. Yet for Taeui, this was not the first time meeting that man.

Taeui’s face hardened. The short hand of the clock pointed exactly at a 90-degree angle. It was now 9 o’clock.

As if intentionally waiting for this precise moment, the door of the Governor’s office opened exactly at 9 AM.

Introducing the newly appointed Instructor!

The Assistant Instructor who had gone to pick him up from the airport announced. The man standing next to him stepped in.

A brief silence enveloped the Governor’s office. The atmosphere in the room suddenly changed, becoming quieter and colder.

Ilay Riegrow stood before them.

His face devoid of any expression, Taeui unconsciously clenched his fists, making sure no one noticed. A chilling sensation ran down his spine.

He hadn’t changed at all. Still the same neat appearance, with the fleeting smile that Taeui had seen the first time and the last time they met. Perhaps it wasn’t a smile, but merely his natural expression – an approachable calmness, leisurely like a satiated predator seeking some amusement.

Taeui silently clicked his tongue. It was surprising how tense he was. He thought he had gotten accustomed to Ilay’s presence, but after just a few weeks apart, the overwhelming aura of this man made him feel overwhelmed again.

‘From the beginning, I should have kept my distance to remain unnoticed’ – Taeui thought. Like fastening the wrong button, one misplaced step leads to countless mistakes. Now, it was impossible to undo and start over.

Taeui unconsciously turned away for a moment, then bit his lips tightly and decided to look straight back at the man. Ilay’s eyes scanned from the Governor, to the Vice Governors and the Instructors, finally landing on Taeui. As their eyes met, the smile on Ilay’s lips seemed to deepen. Perhaps it was an illusion, but Taeui felt like his eyes were slightly squinting, as if silently laughing.

Long time no see.

Taeui briefly frowned, but Ilay immediately turned and stood in front of the Governor.

The Governor was the first to greet Ilay. It was a formal greeting, nothing special to note. Next were the Vice Governors and the Instructors who greeted him in turn. During that time, Taeui quietly observed Ilay meticulously, as if trying to detect any changes, even just a speck of dust on him after weeks apart.

Ilay looked unchanged, as if directly transported intact from the past. Especially that enigmatic faint smile…….

Taeui felt uncomfortable seeing that peculiar smile, so much so that he clicked his tongue silently. Suddenly, his eyes fixed on Ilay’s hands. He still wore those clean, dark gloves. Originally, the UNHRDO regulations included gloves as part of the official attire, but for Ilay, the gloves held a different meaning.

Ilay once said that gloves were more inconvenient than bare hands, but he hated the feeling of blood on his hands, so he always wore gloves. True to his words, he even wore them while enjoying a peaceful breakfast. And of course, those peaceful mornings rarely ended peacefully. Even at this ceremony, he maintained that habit.

Did he consider getting blood on his hands so routine that he was nonchalant in this situation?

Taeui stared intently at the gloves. At that moment, after completing the formal greetings with the Instructors, Ilay turned to him with a look of amusement and unexpectedly extended his hand.

“Do you like these gloves? Or do you like what’s inside?”

“…….What’s inside is nicer, but I don’t want either. There’s nothing appealing about bloody gloves or those bloody hands…….”

Taeui frowned and responded stiffly. The atmosphere around them suddenly fell silent. Only one person laughed, and it was Ilay.

“Alright then, if you want, the offer still stands. Just say it anytime.” – He said with an enthusiastic tone.

Taeui muttered softly – “I don’t need a severed hand…….” – then suddenly held out his hand.

“Then give me those gloves. I don’t want to keep what’s inside, but admiring the gloves wouldn’t be bad.”

The man standing before Taeui was slightly surprised, he looked down at Taeui’s outstretched hand, then chuckled softly. Then he slowly removed the gloves.

“Alright then, if you want, these gloves are yours.”

He gently took off the gloves and placed them into Taeui’s palm. Taeui put the gloves in his pocket, then glanced at Ilay’s hands. They were still so pale, so beautiful……., but now carried something quite horrifying.

Taeui suddenly noticed a delicate silence enveloping the room, he turned his head and caught the strange looks from the Instructors looking at him. Perhaps taking a part of an Instructor’s uniform during the appointment ceremony was not a good thing. Or maybe it was wrong of him to speak informally with the person who would be his superior.

Sensing the heavy atmosphere, Taeui closed his mouth and remained silent, but amid those scrutinizing gazes, there was a snort of laughter. It was his uncle. His uncle turned his head, laughed quietly for a moment, then raised his hands and spoke softly: “Sorry everyone.” Then he turned to speak to Ilay.

“Rick—no, Ilay Riegrow. This young man will be your Assistant Instructor, the one to support you from now on. He was previously in my team, but from now he belongs to yours. His name is Jeong Taeui.”

Ilay’s gaze returned to Taeui, and a faint smile passed through his eerie eyes. Ilay extended his hand as if inviting a handshake.

“Looking forward to your assistance. In many aspects.”

“…….My pleasure.” – Taeui also responded, although the phrase “in many aspects” made him uncomfortable. Jeong Taeui tried to hide his expression as if he had swallowed a bug and shook hands with him. The pale hand gripped his own. They enveloped Taeui’s hand with their spaciousness and strength.

Taeui had thought those smooth, glass-like hands would be cold, but surprisingly, they were warm, which left him quite astonished.

***************************

*Hahoetal mask: from South Korea’s Hahoe Village, is used in traditional mask dances like the Hahoe Byeolsin Gut. Each mask characterizes a social archetype (e.g., nobleman, young woman, servant) and is used to humorously critique social hierarchy, embodying satire and human nature.

*Lakshmi: is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity, and fortune, as well as beauty and purity. She is the consort of Lord Vishnu and is often depicted with golden skin, seated or standing on a lotus, with coins flowing from her hands to symbolize abundance. Worshiped during Diwali, the festival of lights, she is one of the most revered deities in Hinduism, embodying both material and spiritual prosperity.