He almost let out a curse before realizing it. At the same time, his thoughts shifted instantly.

The place he needed to go wasn’t the landing two floors down. Before crossing paths with them, he had to quickly make his way to the first basement. But just as he made that decision, a familiar voice cut through the other two, cornering him instantly.

“But… it seems like someone’s coming down from the upper floor…..?”

However, his efforts to move quietly and sneak down toward the first basement proved futile, as the newcomer looked up and muttered. Once again, his footsteps halted. Damn it, I should’ve just gone back to the previous floor.

“Meeting someone on the landing when hardly anyone passes by just before training begins… well, isn’t that quite the coincidence? Why not invite the person up there down for an introduction…?”

Just two more steps and he’d be at the entrance to the basement, but he could clearly hear a soft laugh rising from below, making him seriously wonder.

The voice alone was enough to recognize.

He knew. He definitely knew the person standing frozen here was him. The man could be about 70-80% sure, maybe even more.

Where did he get that eerie intuition from?

“You’ve been listening in silence for a while now… Seems like you understand Korean pretty well, huh?”

Damn it. So that’s it. It wasn’t intuition – it was deduction. The man had surely known someone was standing motionless above him for some time.

He hesitated, glancing at the door in front of him, sighed, and took the next step. He passed through the door and reluctantly descended the stairs.

Finally, when he turned a corner, then turned again, the people talking below came into view.

Yes, he had guessed correctly.

On the landing below, three faces looked up at him. One with a blank expression, another with raised eyebrows in confusion, and a third with a faint smile on an otherwise calm face.

“……. It’s been a while.”

He left out the words ‘everyone,’ and said nothing more.

As he stepped down the final stair, the space around him fell into an oddly tense silence. The first to break it was Yoon Chang-oh, his friendly demeanor still intact, with that ever-bright smile as he greeted him.

“……”

“Taeui! Hey, it’s been a while! We’ve been curious about how you’ve been doing since we heard you were here.”

“A lot’s changed. You, on the other hand, seem to have gained some weight. Did you get married?”

“Yeah, last year. Haha, when the gang got together, they mentioned you a couple of times. You even made the news a few years back.”

“……”

That’s right, now he remembered. Yoon Chang-oh. This guy, either oblivious or just lacking tact, could bring up the most sensitive topics with a calm and carefree expression.

“Yeah, sure, there’s nothing great about making the news for bombing another country.”

At that moment, another voice broke the silence, dripping with sarcasm. While the statement was perfectly reasonable, coming from the person who said it, the words felt far from pleasant. Taeui frowned as he turned to look at the man glaring at him with clear disdain.

He hadn’t changed a bit.

Kim Jeong-pil. This man had been glued to Taeui’s life since their days at the Military Academy all the way through discharge. Taeui’s last memory of him was as Lieutenant Kim.

Now, he was a Captain, and that fact bothered Taeui. He clicked his tongue in mild irritation. Seeing this, Kim Jeong-pil’s gaze sharpened even further.

“You’re quite the celebrity, aren’t you, Lieutenant Jeong? Oh wait, not a Lieutenant anymore. Just a regular civilian now, huh? No, not even a regular one. You’re internationally wanted. Not an easy life, Jeong Taeui?”

“Yeah, it’s not easy at all. And you? You chose the easy path, yet you’re only a Captain? I thought you’d at least be a Major by now. Guess your abilities have limits too, Captain Kim?”

“You bastard! Do you think a few years of service is enough to plant bamboo leaves*? If you’d stayed, you’d probably only have a couple of diamonds on your shoulders by now. Who’s more incompetent, really?”

(*Planting bamboo leaves: a colloquial term in the South Korean military referring to the insignia of a captain, which features two bamboo leaves.)

In the face of Kim Jeong-pil’s anger, Taeui merely smirked. In his mind, he quickly calculated the number of years required for promotion and realized the man still fell short by a bit. However, the disdainful expression on Taeui’s face didn’t waver.

At that moment, purely by chance, his gaze landed on the man standing behind them, arms crossed, observing everything.

“……”

That man had a look of amusement in his eyes and gave a slight gesture, as if signaling Taeui to go on. Seeing that, Taeui’s mood plummeted completely. He stood still, his face dark with bitterness.

There was no reason for the man’s face to look any different after just a few days apart, but somehow, today, he appeared sharper – brighter even. It was probably just a feeling, though. He even looked somewhat cheerful.

…Oh, right. Entertainment.

This man had once called the work he’d be doing here “entertainment.” He must be finding this all quite amusing.

As Taeui’s expression grew darker, Kim Jeong-pil shot a glance at the man, momentarily confused, but quickly turned back, his gaze filled with contempt directed squarely at Taeui. And, of course, he didn’t miss the chance to mimic Taeui’s earlier mocking expression.

“You went and bombed someone’s capital too, huh? Disgracing the nation’s honor, right? Criminal. I heard you’ve been working with some foreigners around here. Don’t you feel ashamed?”

The foreigners he mentioned… could he be referring to the man standing right there…?

Taeui glanced back at the man behind him. The slight curve of his lips clearly hinted at a smile. And at that moment, Taeui was sure – though he didn’t know how much Korean the man understood – that he could follow the conversation at least enough to grasp what was happening.

As someone who never felt any shame under heaven or earth, Taeui was left speechless, struck with a deep sense of injustice.

The real bomber was standing right there, smirking without the slightest hint of guilt, while Taeui, through sheer misfortune, had his life spiraling into chaos, subjected to insults from this obnoxious man.

Kim Jeong-pil, seemingly interpreting Taeui’s silence as his victory, wore a smug expression of satisfaction.

“Hmm, looks like you’ve got nothing left to say, huh? You disappeared for so long no one heard anything about you, so I figured you were dead somewhere. But to show up now, looking like this… seems like you don’t have much to explain. But how the hell did you get pardoned, huh?”

“……How do you know I was pardoned? That was never in the news… or do you search for updates about me online every day?”

This time, Kim Jeong-pil went silent. It seemed Taeui had hit a sensitive nerve, and the man immediately glared at him with cold eyes before shouting in sudden fury.

“BECAUSE IT’S HUMILIATING TO KNOW THERE’S A TERRORIST AMONG MY COMRADES, SO I LOOKED INTO IT! A GUY WHO’S BOTH A TERRORIST AND A HOMOSEXUAL—I HAD TO SEE IF YOU’D PULL ANY MORE SHAMEFUL STUNTS! DISGUSTING! YOU SICK FREAK!”

“YOU’RE OUT OF THE ARMY AND WE’RE NEVER GOING TO MEET AGAIN, SO JUST LET IT GO! WHY ARE YOU STILL LOSING IT OVER THIS? BESIDES, I DON’T PLAN ON RETURNING TO KOREA ANYTIME SOON, SO GO LIVE PEACEFULLY THERE! STOP SEARCHING MY NAME ON YOUR DAMN KEYBOARD!”

Taeui yelled back, refusing to back down.

Just then, Yoon Chang-oh carelessly remarked: “Why are grown men arguing with words? Why not just settle it with fists and be done with it?”. Both Kim Jeong-pil and Taeui immediately turned and stared at him. Yoon Chang-oh, looking innocent, casually responded: “Huh? Why are you both staring at me?”

Kim Jeong-pil clenched his teeth, staying silent for a moment, then lifted his chin and taunted:

“So, you’re planning to stay abroad for good? Great. There are plenty of sick freaks like you overseas—plenty of fun to be had, huh? It’s the perfect place for people like you. So, have you found yourself a boyfriend over there yet?”

The response – “Yes, I have. Not satisfied yet?!” – almost slipped out of Taeui’s mouth, but he suddenly froze. A sharp gaze was fixed on his cheek.

The man, arms crossed and lightly tapping his bicep with a finger, seemed thoroughly entertained. When their eyes met, the man smiled and said: “Don’t mind me, go on.”

How much did this guy actually understand? What an infuriatingly mysterious person!

While cursing the man in his mind – though on second thought, it wasn’t entirely without reason – Taeui found himself unable to respond. Kim Jeong-pil didn’t waste the chance and continued hurling insults.

“What’s with the sudden silence? Too many guys to keep track of, so you’ve forgotten which one’s your boyfriend? You look like a fish in water—must be having the time of your life, huh, Jeong Taeui?”

Damn it. If only he was actually having the time of his life, then at least he wouldn’t regret wasting his youth.

As Taeui reflected on the years of his twenties, his mood sank for a moment before he slowly raised his head.

Looking back, everything began with this damn Lieutenant Kim. If he hadn’t done those ridiculous things, Taeui wouldn’t have had to leave the military. If he hadn’t left the military, he wouldn’t have left South Korea. And if he’d stayed peacefully in his homeland, he wouldn’t be living this miserable life.

Yet, in hindsight, it wasn’t like he regretted everything. Sometimes, he even thought his life wasn’t all that bad. But that didn’t mean his resentment toward this man had disappeared.

Taeui shot a cold glance at Kim Jeong-pil before asking in a low voice.

“You. Are you married yet?”

“……? What does that have to do with you?”

Kim Jeong-pil frowned, visibly confused by the sudden question. There was no ring on his hand. Taeui smirked slightly.

“Still haven’t cured your premature ejaculation? Or are you impotent? No woman wants to marry you, huh?”

“…—!”

Kim Jeong-pil’s eyes widened – “You bastard!” – as he raised his fist and charged forward. Taeui clenched his own fist, ready to strike back.

But just then, Yoon Chang-oh, seemingly anticipating the move, quickly grabbed Kim Jeong-pil from behind, holding him tightly. Taking advantage of the moment, Taeui didn’t miss the chance and landed a punch straight to Kim Jeong-pil’s face.

“AAAAH! YOU BASTARD! CHANG-OH, LET ME GO! WHY WON’T YOU LET GO?!”

“Hey, hey, Taeui! Why’d you punch him? You should stop too in a situation like this!” Yoon Chang-oh, genuinely flustered, clung tightly to Kim Jeong-pil, glancing back as he spoke.

Opportunists like Taeui lived far removed from notions of fairness, and he regretted not being able to throw another punch while he had the chance, but it was too late. Just then, the pager at his waist started beeping.

The *beep, beep* came in steady intervals—two times, then three.

Reluctantly, Taeui withdrew his fist and glanced at the pager. The number 16 blinked.

Room 6, first basement. Where was that again…?

But he didn’t need to think long. That was the room assigned to him. Taeui absentmindedly shook the key with the number 16 engraved on it, still held in his hand.

Ah, right…the Instructor.

Taeui frowned and clicked his tongue. Thinking back, he remembered he was supposed to be heading down to the basement to meet the Instructor in his office. By now, enough time had passed for him to have gone back and forth from the office to the basement at least a dozen times. The image of the Instructor furiously glaring and repeatedly pressing the pager button flashed in his mind, as if it were an inevitability.

“Oh man… I’m done for.”

Quickly, Taeui shoved the pager into his pocket and turned to leave.

“You bastard! Where do you think you’re going? Get back here!” – Kim Jeong-pil shouted from behind, but after landing a punch on him, Taeui had no reason to stick around any longer.

“We’ll be seeing each other for the next 15 days, so there’s nowhere to run. Just make sure that your fragile body doesn’t cause too much trouble during training.”

“JUST YOU WAIT! I’LL DEAL WITH YOU!”

Ignoring Kim Jeong-pil’s yelling, Taeui turned and began ascending the stairs he had just come down.

As he stepped onto the first stair, his eyes unexpectedly met with the man who had been standing behind them. Reflexively, Taeui grimaced, but the man simply squinted with amusement.

“See you later.”

His dark eyes seemed to be laughing.

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

Ronald Horgan was a man with an ordinary appearance, the kind you could find anywhere. Brown hair, blue eyes, average build – both in height and physique. For a man in his 40s, he looked decent, though considering he was in the military, he was a bit overweight. That wasn’t surprising, given that he primarily handled administrative tasks far from the front lines and only maintained a slight connection to the military through his position and rank.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Ronald Horgan.”

The man stood up, closing the laptop he had apparently been using to check his emails, and extended his right hand toward Taeui.

“Sorry for being late. I’m Jeong Taeui” – He replied, shaking the man’s hand.

Feeling the neutral gaze sweep over him from head to toe – neither friendly nor hostile – Taeui discreetly observed him in return.

Is this the man I’ll be protecting for the next 15 days?

The man smiled, but his eyes didn’t follow. Taeui recognized the emotion hidden in that gaze: caution.

He silently wondered what it was about him that made this person so guarded, and then let out a faint smirk. He remembered why he had been assigned to protect this man. Those involved in shady dealings tend to be suspicious and wary of everyone around them.

Although Taeui would be protecting him, there wasn’t much meaning in safeguarding someone who was up to no good.

“Jeong Tae-i…”

Hearing his name mispronounced, Taeui softly corrected him: “Just call me Tay, it’s easier.”

“Tay… OK. You can call me Ronald or Horgan, whichever you prefer.”

“Alright, Horgan.”

Without thinking much, Taeui chose to address him by his last name. Ronald nodded, falling into a brief silence before looking up to study Taeui once more.

“I heard you’re the younger brother of researcher Jeong Jae-i.”

“Oh, yes. But he’s no longer with UNHRDO.”

“I heard he went to the Middle East last year. You’re lucky to have such a brilliant brother.”

“I don’t know much about the genius researcher Jeong Jae-i, but my brother is a wonderful person.”

Taeui shrugged lightly. This was the typical conversation that happened whenever someone brought up his brother in first meetings. And just like most others, after taking a closer look at Taeui, Ronald seemed to lose interest. Taeui, the younger brother of a remarkable genius, but whose intelligence was worlds apart from his famous sibling.

“I heard you’re staying in Korea now.”

Next to the bed was an unpacked suitcase with an English-language magazine sticking out, probably something Ronald had been reading to pass the time on the flight. On the cover was the face of a Korean politician, someone who occasionally appeared in international news, making Taeui feel an odd sense of distance.

“You’ve been away from Korea for some time. How does it feel? Has life been inconvenient?”

Understanding that living in a foreign country wasn’t always easy, Taeui smiled more genuinely this time as he looked at the man in front of him. However, Ronald Horgan seemed to have never given it much thought. He simply raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

“Ah… it’s fine. Life in big cities is pretty much the same everywhere. Besides, I won’t be here for long.”

“Seems like your term is almost up. Have you been in Korea for long?”

“Well, my work has short rotations. I change locations every year.”

Horgan replied indifferently, briefly glancing at his laptop. Perhaps he had been in the middle of something before Taeui came in, and now his gaze had a slight urgency as he looked at the screen—or maybe he just didn’t want to prolong the conversation. This man didn’t seem to fit the ‘friendly foreigner’ type.

“Haha, maybe next you’ll be in Hong Kong.”

“No, probably not. I usually work where U.S. military bases are located. If I get transferred within Asia, I’ll likely head to Japan. So I’m glad to have had the opportunity to be in Hong Kong this time.”

Horgan gave a polite smile, as if Taeui were some sort of representative of Hong Kong. Taeui responded with a faint smile of his own.

“This opportunity…….”

The casual phrase sounded almost like a chance to gather ‘exclusive information’, and suddenly Taeui felt there was something deeper hidden in those words.

It seemed Horgan’s patience was wearing thin, as he spoke up: “Well then…”

This was probably his way of signaling that the conversation should come to an end.

“We’ve gotten a brief introduction……. I look forward to your help over the next 15 days.”

“I look forward to yours as well. You’ve just arrived, so you must be tired. Rest up well—starting tomorrow, you probably won’t have much time to relax.”

Taeui smiled, signaling his intention to leave. Horgan nodded, but just as Taeui reached for the door handle, Horgan seemed to remember something and called out: “Oh, by the way.”

“I’m here as an Instructor. Though the title is mostly ceremonial, I’ll still call on you when I need your help. Otherwise, feel free to handle your own affairs.”

Horgan smiled, playing the role of the lenient superior. Taeui smiled back.

The message was clear: ‘Don’t hang around me unless necessary’. Coming from anyone else, in any other situation, Taeui might have taken it as a considerate gesture. But not this time.

“That’s fine. It’s my job, after all. I’ll always be around to support you to the best of my ability. That’s what I’m here for.”

“You don’t need to do that. I really don’t like having someone around. I can handle everything myself, so there’s no need for you to be overly concerned. But if I need help, I’ll ask.”

Horgan shook his head and declined again. Finally, he looked directly at Taeui and emphasized once more: “So, just take it easy.”

Of course, Taeui wasn’t the kind of person who was overly rigid or diligent to the point of being inflexible. In fact, he liked to relax whenever he could, and in any other situation, he would’ve gladly nodded in thanks for such a considerate offer.

But this was different.

His job was to ensure that the man with a murky future standing before him returned safely. It wasn’t a job he particularly enjoyed, but it was one he was obliged to do.

Taeui responded with a smile just as firm:

“Thank you for your concern. However, I can only take that advice to a certain extent. I have a responsibility in my role and must take my duties seriously. As an Assistant Instructor, it’s my job to follow and protect the Instructor, not just to assist with work but also to respond to any unexpected dangers that might arise. This is a remote island, and sometimes snakes appear as well. I’ll be by your side to support you, so I ask for your patience with this inconvenience for the next 15 days.”

Taeui spoke with a bright smile and bowed slightly.

This guy. If I don’t do my job, both you and I will end up in trouble. You don’t realize it yet, but right now, you’ve become a source of entertainment for someone more dangerous than any snakes. And honestly, I’m not that different from you.

Horgan stared at Taeui with a hint of displeasure for a moment, then furrowed his brows. But he must have realized that refusing any further would only make things more suspicious, so he reluctantly nodded. His voice was a bit cold, but this time it was clear he wanted to end the conversation.

“Anyway, I don’t need any help right now, so you can go. I look forward to your support over the next 15 days.”

“I’m looking forward to working with you as well. As you know, my room is right across from the lounge, so feel free to call me anytime you need.”

The brief exchange ended, and Taeui bowed politely before turning to leave. He could feel the uncomfortable gaze drilling into the back of his neck as he stepped out of the room, but he didn’t look back.

Only when the door closed behind him did Taeui exhale in relief.

What a hassle. Having a superior constantly hovering around and assigning a bunch of trivial tasks was exhausting enough, but having a boss who keeps telling you to go do something else wasn’t much better – especially in this situation.

With that attitude of his, being stuck with Horgan for the next 15 days was not going to be easy.

Taeui scratched his head in frustration, then made his way to his own room, just a few steps away. To ensure that Horgan didn’t sneak out of his room and go somewhere else, Taeui left his door wide open so he could always keep an eye on the lounge.

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

The smile on Ronald Horgan’s face had completely vanished.

He sat quietly, thinking, his narrow eyes focused on the door Taeui had just closed. After a moment, his gaze dropped to his laptop, staring at it intently. Slowly, he opened it again. With a press of a button, the faint hum of the hardware powering on filled the room, and the screen lit up, displaying the email he had been reading earlier.

[‘……..There’s information that someone has been instructed to gather intelligence and investigate your work. Their identity has not yet been confirmed, but they are likely associated with the UNHRDO branch in Asia. Further updates will be provided as soon as concrete details are available, but until then, we advise you to be cautious in all your actions. We hope this transaction is completed smoothly.’]

“…”

Horgan read the short, terse lines appended to the briefing for the upcoming deal, and a faint crease appeared on his forehead.

This wasn’t a good sign. It was a bad omen, for sure. Perhaps it would be wise to skip this job altogether. From a short-term safety standpoint, that seemed like the safer option.

However, this job came with a very high payout. Moreover, getting the chance to infiltrate UNHRDO as an outsider wasn’t easy. He couldn’t be sure an opportunity like this would come again. Besides, if suspicion had already been raised, walking away wouldn’t prevent him from being watched.

It might be better to proceed cautiously and finish this job, collect the larger-than-usual payout, and then take a long break. No, that was definitely the best option.

“Jeong… Tae-i…ha”

After glancing over the email one last time before permanently deleting it, Horgan picked up the file that the Assistant Warden had handed him, saying it contained information about the Assistant Instructor. Although it only held basic details, Horgan read through it once again. Age, nationality, background…

He had heard that Taeui had recently returned from overseas. Volunteering for the role of Assistant Instructor was certainly unusual. When Horgan asked Kyoho about it, he explained that Taeui was familiar with the duties of an Assistant Instructor, was fluent in Korean, and was the best fit for Horgan, who was stationed in Korea.

But then…

“……..”

An Assistant Instructor has the authority to monitor all activities of the person they’re assigned to protect. It’s the perfect position to observe every move he made. If someone were indeed watching him, this would be the ideal role to do so. And the person in that position was a stranger.

Could there be a more fitting story?

Horgan pursed his lips and clicked his tongue. Trouble was brewing. He muttered to himself, his cold gaze fixed on the wall – on the other side of which Taeui stood.

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

*Major and Captain in  Republic of Korea Army: