Chapter 86

Which of the following is the most incorrect interpretation of the intent behind the words, “Let us finish the meeting first”?

1. Do not say nonsense during a meeting.

2. I have neither interest nor concern in that topic.

3. I will let it slide once, so shut that mouth.

4. Shall we meet separately after the meeting and talk?

It was not a particularly difficult question.

But that researcher confidently chose the wrong answer.

“Manager, about that……”

“…….”

When that researcher came to Kwon Mu-seop again, the Research Division people were already moving in a group toward the research wing.

The researcher had broken away from the group and was speaking while trembling.

“I…… promised I would definitely give you the number…….”

Kwon Mu-seop simply stared in disbelief at the researcher tormenting him.

He was a man, and he looked like he was still in his 20s.

And he was slender enough that if Kwon Mu-seop hit him the way he had struck Cha Si-eon, he might actually die.

Kwon Mu-seop seemed even more troubled because of that.

If some hot-blooded bastard had charged at him rudely, he would have subdued him easily instead.

But some little lamb was hovering around without malice, so he could not scold him and could not hit him either.

On top of that, Yoon U-jeong, who was snickering beside him, did not seem to have any intention of helping the Manager anymore.

Kwon Mu-seop smiled bitterly at this total mess.

Then he spoke as if teaching a lacking student.

“Sir, you know our regulations, right?”

“Yes…….”

“Please just follow those regulations.”

“Manager, she really is a good person…….”

“Thank you for thinking of me, but it is truly fine. I will politely decline.”

“Y-you never know. It might be a true connection…….”

“Then I would have recognized it, would I not?”

“But still…….”

Looking at the strangely persistent researcher, Kwon Mu-seop let out a sigh.

Then, still with a smiling face for the moment, he spoke again.

“It is because I do not have the leisure for that. You know our situation, do you not?”

“That is going to change now too…….”

“Change?”

“If the Special Zones stop this time, the situation will change a lot…… Then the Field Division will not be in an emergency state like now either…….”

“…….”

At the researcher’s words, the smile disappeared from Kwon Mu-seop’s face.

It was not that he froze in anger. Somehow, he seemed dazed instead.

“Then, little by little, would it not be all right to regain an ordinary life…….”

“Ha…….”

Kwon Mu-seop, who had looked surprised, burst into laughter again.

With a sigh mixed in, and with an expression where all kinds of feelings crossed over his face.

“That is true. Right, that is also true.”

Kwon Mu-seop muttered to himself and laughed a few more times.

Then, with a strangely relieved face, he opened his hand.

“Then give it here for now.”

“Pardon?”

“I said give me the number.”

At Kwon Mu-seop’s words, not only the researcher, but all of us were surprised.

On the other hand, Kwon Mu-seop had quite an amused expression.

“Of course, it is difficult immediately, but once this person returns home later, I will try contacting her once.”

“Pardon? Uh, ah, yes……!”

At Kwon Mu-seop’s acceptance, the researcher hesitated and held out the note.

But when Kwon Mu-seop grasped the other side of the note, the researcher began holding on and refusing to let go.

It was the same even when Kwon Mu-seop pulled the note a couple of times.

“Now what?”

When Kwon Mu-seop asked why, the researcher, still holding the note, muttered with a face full of agony.

“She is still in her early 30s.”

“She is?”

“…….”

“And?”

“Manager…… you are in your late 30s…….”

“……You are making that an issue now?”

Kwon Mu-seop looked dumbfounded again and pulled the note.

Then the researcher squeezed his eyes shut and held on.

Because of that, only the innocent note became crumpled, and Kwon Mu-seop forced a smile and shouted,

“No, what exactly do you want to do with me?”

“Hic……!”

The researcher was frightened and almost sobbing.

Even so, seeing him hold on to the note, we realized.

They say there are three things a person cannot hide.

Poverty, coughing, and love.

That person likes Observation Subject No. 26…….

The struggle continued briefly like that.

In the end, the one who gave up on the note was Kwon Mu-seop.

Of course, if he had truly wanted to take it, he would have twisted the researcher’s wrist and taken it.

But Manager Kwon Mu-seop was not particularly desperate for that number.

On the other hand, the researcher already deep in love was carefully holding the note he had barely defended to his chest.

It seemed the conclusion had been reached.

Apparently, this researcher had realized his true feelings of, “I tried to fulfill her request, but I cannot do that after all.”

Using none other than Manager Kwon Mu-seop as a stepping stone.

No, if this is how it ends, what sin did our Manager commit……?

As if she was thinking similarly to me, Yoon U-jeong flared up and cut in.

“Sir, what do you think you are doing right now? There is a limit to letting things slide. Is our Manager your friend?”

“That is not…….”

“You were saying irrelevant things in the middle of an important meeting. He went out of his way to let it pass nicely, and now you chase him all the way here and what is this? Does the Research Division deal with superiors like this? Is there no hierarchy over there?”

“I-I am sorry……!”

At Yoon U-jeong’s scolding, the researcher nearly teared up.

At that pathetic and pitiful sight, Yoon U-jeong clicked her tongue and added,

“And a person should be honest. Why are you dragging someone else into it when you are the one with feelings? If you are that concerned about her, go and tell her confidently!”

It would have been better not to say that…….

“Would…… would that be right?”

The researcher suddenly opened his eyes wide and looked at Yoon U-jeong desperately.

“……No, do not. Do not do anything. Just let me hear that the subject ran away because you confessed for no reason. Absolutely do not do it.”

Perhaps Yoon U-jeong realized her mistake too, because she warned him with a serious face.

At that, the researcher became dejected again.

The Research Division really is not easy…….

When living in the Bureau, one could often hear complaints about the Field Division.

“The Field Division people are too scary,” or.

“The Field Division thinks they are the only ones who matter,” or.

But look.

Above the Field Division stood the Research Division.

Yoon U-jeong spent a long time explaining why he must not confess to an observation subject.

The researcher nodded sadly and returned to the research wing, and all of us let out sighs together.

Once the situation had settled for the moment, Yoon U-jeong laughed incredulously toward Kwon Mu-seop.

“You held back well, Manager. You almost snapped about twice.”

“When he brought up age, I truly almost got angry.”

“Using age like that really crosses a line. Our Manager ended up like this while protecting the country.”

“What do you mean, ended up like this……?”

“By the way, what was his name earlier?”

“Go Eun-geon from Analysis Team 5. I will have Acting Team Leader Oh give him a warning.”

“No, Si-eon. Leave him be. If you poke them for no reason, the ocean sunfish might die off.”

Look.

Even though they had been toyed with by a junior member of the Research Division, the Field Division executives were gathered and busy watching the mood.

This was the dignity of the Research Division that stood above the Field Division.

And Kwak Jae-gyeom, who could not join that conversation, came toward me and whispered quietly.

“Hyung, is the biggest victim here not No. 26 noona?”

“…….”

I think so too, but let us just stay quiet.

“Anyway, this is a time when being tense would not even be enough, and then this nonsense…….”

Yoon U-jeong clicked her tongue again.

She had enjoyed Manager Kwon Mu-seop’s predicament, but separate from that, it seemed she was displeased by that researcher’s screw-loose attitude.

On the other hand, Kwon Mu-seop spoke with a strangely brightened face.

“It seems the Research Division is already talking about what comes next.”

“Exactly. Why are they getting ahead of themselves already?”

“Still, does it not feel good?”

“Feel good?”

“Only a few months ago, I thought we would be doing this forever, but now they are even getting ahead of themselves. Is this not enough to feel as if an entire age has changed?”

“Ah, I am only saying this because I am afraid we might jinx it for no reason.”

Yoon U-jeong seemed to read the mood too, and belatedly added in a softened voice.

Then Kwon Mu-seop laughed broadly and answered.

“I do not think we need to worry too much. My intuition has been very good lately.”

Kwon Mu-seop said that and looked at me.

“It will definitely go well.”

With eyes full of expectation.

Manager Kwon Mu-seop truly seemed to be in a good mood.

Only a few days ago, he had roared and grabbed Cha Si-eon by the scruff, but as if that had never happened, he had returned to being the kind neighborhood hyung again.

I did not dislike this warm atmosphere either.

But for some reason, I could not smile back.

Far from smiling back, I, for the first time in a very long while…….

Throb—

……felt a stomach cramp.

---

The execution date for the Special Zone closure experiment was set.

June 3.

10 days from now.

During that time, I focused on physical training.

Even that was only to the extent of loosening up and maintaining my condition, without overdoing it too much.

It was when I finished my morning exercise and was resting briefly in the break room.

“Otter Agent!”

A bright voice came from the entrance.

It was Ha Yu-ju.

Yu-ju ran over with little hops like a child out on a picnic and stood behind me.

Snap—!

Then she suddenly opened a tape measure and measured the width of my shoulders.

“……Why are you naturally measuring someone else’s body?”

“Hehe.”

“Do not make something strange.”

“I will not make anything strange.”

“Do not make anything, anyway.”

“…….”

“……What are you going to make?”

Yu-ju looked up at me with pitiful eyes, and I failed to hold out for even a few seconds before surrendering.

Then Ha Yu-ju smiled brightly again and showed me her tablet.

“This! A victory photo zone!”

There was, ugh…….

I placed a hand on my solar plexus and groaned.

“It is something strange, is it not…….”

“If you do not like this one, there are other drafts too!”

Ha Yu-ju showed me a new image, but to my eyes, they were all the same.

That image was what people called a “birthday café.”

A café-like space covered in a certain celebrity or character so fans could come and play.

It was implementing exactly that with some otter character.

The most shocking thing was the life-sized otter standee placed in the center.

And behind it, there was this slogan.

☆The Otter Has Stopped It☆

Ah, ah…….

“We could not properly celebrate during 「Ant Hill」. So this time, we decided to celebrate twice as much. When people come, we will hand out otter-shaped cookies too. Do you want to see the cookie samples?”

“……If you are going to put up an otter anyway, why did you measure my shoulder width?”

“You would not let us use your photo, Agent. So I was trying to at least match the size.”

It was a statement I could not understand even after thinking it over about three times.

No, more importantly.

“Where are you going to do this?”

“Here.”

When I asked in horror, Ha Yu-ju confidently pointed at the break room.

“I got permission from the managers. The managers like our activities too.”

Not the Manager, but the managers.

At the news that even the higher-ups had collectively agreed, my stomach began stabbing again.

Feeling cold sweat run down my nape, I urgently shook my head.

“No, what are you going to do if you make something like this in advance and the desired result does not come out?”

“Agent, this kind of thing is originally prepared in advance, and then we decide whether to use it or not depending on the situation. If we prepare after the results are out, it will be too late.”

“That is right!”

“Do not say weak things!”

At that moment, voices cut in from the other side of the break room.

They belonged to other Field Division agents who had been listening to our conversation and glancing at me since earlier because they wanted to act like they knew me.

At those spirited shouts, even passing employees joined in and cheered.

At the cheers pouring down like a landslide, I was left speechless.

Those people had been bristling with killing intent only last week.

As if that had never happened, they had become noisy again.

As if dying under defeat had become something from the impossibly distant past.

The current Bureau atmosphere was almost like the eve of a festival.

Yes, compared to that thin-ice time, now was much better.

I definitely thought so too, but…….

Throb—!

Separate from that, the pain in my stomach was growing worse and worse.