The Perfect

“Review Han Jemyung’s records again. Check for any fabricated parts and verify his career and past records through other sources.”“Understood.”“And keep this investigation a secret from Director Kook.”Seungjae hesitated before standing up.“Is there something you want to say?”“If Han Jemyung is suspicious, wouldn’t Director Kook be the first to notice?”Jinwook nodded.“Yet he only plays petty revenge games and keeps him around. Han Jemyung must not be a bad person. I don’t think he’s bad either, as long as he doesn’t make weird jokes.”“I agree. This is just a routine investigation. But you’re right, if something’s off about Han Jemyung, Director Kook would have noticed first. I should ask him directly. By the way, Director Kook went to help the lawyer, right?”“Yes. He’s been so busy we haven’t been able to reach him since yesterday.”“Is his work not finished yet?”“It was, but the lawyer gave him another task right away. Director Kook cursed in English, saying it was a conspiracy.”Seungjae shuddered, recalling the terrifying curses. Jinwook just chuckled. Conspiracy, huh? Still, it was odd. There shouldn’t be this much work before GM Week.* * *“I want to do it too. I’ll do everything.”Clicker’s voice echoed through the house again. I hadn’t slept much these past few days. Kissing Yangsimless in that hidden building and parting ways as strangers was a good move. But back in reality, I was haunted by regret and embarrassment, even kicking in my sleep.Kissing like strangers? This isn’t some teenage romance novel. I felt embarrassed every second. I spent days nervously wondering how to face Yangsimless.In the end, I didn’t see him for days. The gracious lawyer kept him busy, so I didn’t even catch a glimpse of him. I hoped the lawyer would keep working diligently until he was 100. Finally, I relaxed and managed to get some sleep.But less than an hour later, I was woken by chatter outside. I went to the living room and was shocked. They had gathered around a basket of fresh seaweed in the middle of the room. What on earth? The answer came quickly. Drunkard held up a piece of seaweed, marveling at it.“This is supposed to be great for your skin?”Clicker slapped a piece onto his face first.“Ew, it’s sticky!”“Shut up. That’s the good part.”“It feels like snot.”“Then inhale it.”Muscly Man was seriously cutting the seaweed with scissors. With GM Week approaching, they were trying all sorts of things. But sticking seaweed on their faces?“Han Jemyung, sit down and put some on. Your skin will glow after 20 minutes.”I quickly joined them. The cold, sticky seaweed on my face felt like an alien’s tongue attack. But that was nothing. Next to the seaweed was a device that looked like a laser gun from space.“What’s that?”“A hair remover.”“For arms and legs?”Muscly Man, half-covered in seaweed, looked at me with pity.“We’re just trimming the hair on our arms and legs. The hair removal is for other areas.”“Armpits?”Now the other two, faces covered in seaweed, looked at me with pity. What? If not armpits, then where? Hair… there? No way! My face must have shown my shock. Drunkard nodded.“Yeah, pubic hair.”Hearing it directly was even more shocking. Why remove that hair?“A man’s pubic area should be smooth to be loved.”I’d never heard that before. Who says such things?“Don’t you know that pubic hair removal is etiquette for your partner these days?”I didn’t know. I’d never been with anyone. I quickly smiled.“Oh, of course I know. That’s why I booked a waxing appointment at a shop.”“Really? These days, all the shops are fully booked, so we just bought a hair remover and wax. Wow, how did you manage to book it? Even paying extra doesn’t work.”“Oh, it’s run by someone who’s, uh, the eighth cousin of a second cousin I know, so I got lucky.”Everyone looked at me enviously, repeating, “Lucky you.” My flawless acting saved the lie from being exposed, averting the crisis. But at the same time, I was shocked. Ah, so you need to be smooth to sleep with someone, huh? I should use this in a novel.“Han Jemyung, you’ve been quietly preparing a lot, haven’t you? Well, other than Director Kook, there’s no one who wouldn’t prepare.”“Director Kook might not even attend GM Week this time.”I swallowed nervously. Was it because of me?“They say the meeting sponsor offered too little money.”…It was about money.“Oh, right. I heard Director Kook earns quite a lot from those events every year.”Clicker muttered enviously. I was envious, too. Getting paid just to attend VIP meetings sounded like a dream.“Even though all Director Kook does there is eat, everyone goes crazy just to exchange a word with him. Even when he’s being rude, they call it charisma and adore him.”Rich people have peculiar tastes, it seems.“I think Director Kook is charismatic too. When he catches Heartless, it’s incredible. If he were my type, I’d already have a crush on him.”Muscly Man’s tastes were peculiar too. As I stared at him in shock, Clicker sheepishly nodded in agreement.“Honestly, when Director Kook caught Heartless, I was so impressed I fell for him a few times. From behind, his broad shoulders are amazing. And his face—when he turns around with that blank look—it’s over.”The memory replayed itself in my mind. Just a few days ago, in the dark, I’d brushed against his shoulder. The vividness of that touch came rushing back, and I hastily shoved the memory away, like something hot. Then, a certain comment sharply rang in my ears.“Director Kook definitely has a great body. Not just his body—everything else is great too!”“Right, Section Chief Bae went to a sauna with him before, didn’t he? Was it that impressive?”The drunk man silently gave a thumbs-up.“Just seeing it felt like heaven.”“Seriously? No joke?”“Where do you think Director Kook’s endless confidence comes from?”Clicker immediately clapped in agreement.“Director Kook really is flawless on the outside. Now I understand why everyone at the meetings wants to sleep with him. With his personality, his stamina must be amazing too.”“Of course it would be.”“Honestly, I wouldn’t mind trying it once.”We all grimaced and turned to the drunkard. With seaweed packs on his face, he shrugged while downing soju straight from the bottle.“What? Don’t we all get curious? Regardless of preference, wouldn’t you wonder what it’d be like with a body like that?”Flinch. Everyone froze simultaneously. The memory of the evacuation drill came flooding back. If the siren hadn’t gone off to signal the drill was over…maybe things would’ve gone further. More than a kiss. The touch of his body and lips resurfaced, burning me with embarrassment. The seaweed plastered on my face felt like a lifesaver. Ahem. Someone coughed awkwardly. Soon, Clicker spoke in a stiff voice.“Don’t say things like that. He’s a colleague. And it’s Director Kook, of all people.”“What about me?”“Director Kook’s c-c… uh… gah!”Clicker yelped like he was about to keel over in shock. If I had a recording, I could tease him forever, but I wasn’t in a position to laugh. Yangsimless appeared with a large envelope, and everyone else silently screamed, their mouths and eyes wide open. Thankfully, the seaweed covered up the worst of our startled faces. I resolved to eat seaweed for three meals a day from now on.“W-when did Director Kook…?”“I asked what about me.”With sharp eyes, he scanned us.“We were talking about your body.”The drunkard opened his mouth. The three of us with seaweed masks turned to him with horrified expressions. What is wrong with this man? Is he drunk? Oh, wait, he is. So does that mean he’s going to spill everything?“My body, what about it?”“Your c-c… uh… you know…”He said it. Muscly Man looked at the empty bottle beside the drunkard like he wanted to knock him out with it. But once the drunkard started, there was no stopping him.“I told them. Director Kook’s c… uh… you-know-what is big.”He even gave a thumbs-up. Now we all glanced at the empty bottle with a different thought. Maybe someone should get rid of it before Yangsimless snaps and does something drastic. But no one moved. We all seemed to be thinking the same thing—run if things go south.Was the drunkard going to survive this? A red alarm blared in my head. I didn’t even dare to look back. Several tense seconds passed. But there was no reaction from Yangsimless. Feeling puzzled, I turned and accidentally locked eyes with him. The moment our eyes met, he quickly looked away and spoke.“It’s true.”A glance. He looked at me again.“It’s true. Director Kook’s enormous c… uh, you-know-what is the source of his confidence, his strength, his vitality! Haha, it’s the best I’ve ever seen.”Another glance. He held my gaze for about two seconds this time. Instinctively, I flinched. Come to think of it, this was the first time since the evacuation drill. As I averted my gaze, Yangsimless smirked and tilted his chin upward as if satisfied.“You talked about me behind my back?”The reprimand came. Was he finally going to scold the drunkard?“Next time, do it in front of me.”That was it. What about smashing the bottle? What about calling him an idiot? Nothing?“And Section Chief Bae.”Of course. Yangsimless called out to Drunkard with authority. Finally, he’s going to hold a grudge…“Did you get your GM Week bonus?”“No. Is there such a bonus?”“There is. Starting today. I’ll transfer it to your account right away.”The other two’s faces lit up.“CEO, does that mean we get a bonus too…”“What did you two do? If you don’t want to eat seaweed off your face for the rest of your life, stop lounging around and get to work.”“We’re off duty.”“Do you want to be off duty forever starting today? Why are you still here?”The other two received the harsh words and were kicked out. Only Section Chief Bae was escorted to the door by Yangsimless. That left just me and half a basket of fresh seaweed in the house. Once everyone left, the awkwardness set in.Damn, I can’t let on about what happened during the drill. I have to act like it didn’t happen, like I don’t remember. The more I resolved, the faster my heart raced. Then I thought, I can’t do this. I need to escape! But where? Yangsimless was seeing Section Chief Bae out at the door. Should I just hide under the bed?“What are you doing?”Gasp! I spun around at the sudden question. Yangsimless flinched.“Take that off your face.”“I need to leave it on for 10 more minutes.”I needed the glow, but more importantly, I needed to hide my expression. Honestly, I wanted to wear seaweed every time I saw Yangsimless.“Do you think 10 more minutes will improve that face?”I stormed off to the bathroom. I washed my face, hoping for a glow, but all I could do was return quietly. He was still standing in the same spot. Why is he just standing there? Then I noticed the envelope he brought.“What’s that?”“It’s not a lie.”We spoke simultaneously, then stared at each other, confused.“What do you mean, not a lie?”“Section Chief Bae. He always tells the truth.”“Oh… right.”I remembered what Section Chief Bae had praised and felt embarrassed.“He even tends to downplay the truth.”Stop it, you fool.“If you really want to confirm, I can show you…”“No. What’s that?”I changed the subject, pointing at the envelope. Yangsimless didn’t even glance at my gesture, confirming again.“Really? You don’t want to see?”“No, thanks.”When I firmly declined, he finally gave up and turned away. But he seemed upset, silently heading to the kitchen with the envelope. Following him, I saw a familiar scene. He was setting the table with dishes and food. A large steamer appeared. The smell announced its presence even before the lid was opened.“Lobster?”“What else?”“Why do you keep bringing lobster?”Yangsimless paused his setting and raised an eyebrow.“You said you wanted it.”“That was a while ago. And you already brought lobster.”“You didn’t eat it.”“…”“Eat.”It was both touching and scary. Does he mean to shove everything I ever wanted down my throat? I felt like I’d be attacked by lobsters in my dreams, so I sat down and picked up a fork.“I’m sorry about last time.”“Of course.”I paused and looked at him across the table.“Do you know what I’m apologizing for?”“For saving you during the drill without a safety light? Or for seducing me in the dark?”The first part, maybe, but the second? I didn’t want to bring up that incident, but I couldn’t help asking.“When did I seduce you?”“Your breathing was suggestive.”“What?”“That’s not all. Why do you use cucumber soap so much?”“It’s cheap.”“Is that the only reason? Not because you know it drives me crazy?”“I’ll use laundry soap from now on.”Finally, Yangsimless’s eyebrows relaxed.“Speaking of which, about what happened there.”“The conversation. I only talked to Director Kook there.”“Right. You only talked to me. I don’t know what you did with others.”I quickly spoke, fearing he’d bring up the kiss.“I was apologizing for what happened at the soybean sprout hangover soup place. I made a mistake then.”“…..”There was no response. At this point, shouldn’t he at least say, “I was wrong too”? I secretly hoped for it, but his eyes showed no emotion.“I don’t know what mistake you’re talking about. I said what I wanted to, and Han Jemyung said what he wanted to. Are you apologizing because you’re changing your mind?”“I’m not changing my mind. I just felt it was presumptuous advice.”“Let’s pretend I didn’t hear it. An apology just to make yourself feel better isn’t necessary.”“Then I’ll apologize with peaches.”Was it because of the lame joke? A cold breeze seemed to blow from him.“Like you said, it might just be to make myself feel better. So, I’ll give you some peaches.”“Are you saying I should eat and die if I’m allergic?”“Do you have a peach allergy?”“No, I eat everything.”“That’s a shame.”“…..”“Ha, just kidding.”“…..”“Hmm, then let’s make peace with peaches.”“Who said so?”“You said you’d eat them.”“…..”“I got carried away with my humor.”With the sincere apology, Yangsimless finally put down the fork he was holding. Is he planning to stab me with it?“Han Jemyung, your body is quite something. You might become a tree.”Did he just make a joke? Judging by his expression, it didn’t seem so.“Do you have a lobster allergy? Why aren’t you eating?”“Yes, I should eat.”As I shifted my focus to the food, Yangsimless spoke in a softer voice.“Feel free to apologize whenever you want.”“But an apology is just for my peace of mind, like you said.”“I know. So, do it if you want. I’ll just react however I want each time.”“…..”“Why are you smiling?”Because you’re being so kind. It sounds more romantic than lobster or any cheesy line in my novels. I must be crazy.“Just thinking about the past.”“From four days ago, during the evacuation drill?”I put my fork down with a thud.“No.”“No need to be so sensitive. We didn’t do anything strange.”“Right, we only talked, so there’s nothing more to say.”“Then what about with others?”“Who else?”I regretted asking. Wait, he read my novel, right? Could he mean that name?“James.”Damn it.“Was the person you met that day James?”“I don’t speak English. I wouldn’t talk to a foreigner.”“He’s a huge fan of Hallyu. He speaks Korean well.”That sounded plausible. I could use it in my novel. But I focused on reality.“Don’t worry about who I met or what I did. It’s not like we’ll meet again.”“You never know.”“Director Kook.”I intended to get serious and angry. But Yangsimless was staring at the clock. What’s he doing? I looked at the wall clock too, and suddenly the lights went out, plunging us into darkness. What’s this? A Heartless attack? I jumped up in alarm but was hit with a sudden realization. I glanced at Yangsimless. As my eyes adjusted to the dark, I saw his shape. Was it him? Then an announcement came from the outdoor speaker.“Due to an unexpected power outage, the electricity in the complex has been cut. Heartless attacks have not been confirmed yet, but please evacuate to the safety bunkers provided in each villa building. Once again, please evacuate to the safety bunkers in each villa building…”Soon, emergency lights flickered on outside. But the faint blue light, like moonlight, didn’t illuminate the interior.“Sit down. The power will be back soon.”“How do you know? Did you cut it yourself?”“Why would I?”At his question, I couldn’t think of a reply and awkwardly sat back down. Was I being too sensitive? I chastised myself, then heard his voice.“Unless it’s someone else.”“Who else?”“I don’t know. I’ve only been in Korea for a short time.”…Are you James? I gripped my fork tightly.“Director Kook, are you joking? If you intentionally caused the blackout, I’d be really angry. Does that make sense?”“What if it makes sense? This villa hasn’t had a single surprise drill in two years. Whenever the scheduled training date and time comes, we leisurely get up from our seats, evacuate to the safety shelter, and then return home to stretch out and sleep again. That’s the end of the training. Do you know what the biggest threat to safety is? Complacency.”“So, you deliberately cut off the electricity to raise awareness among the villa residents about their complacency?”“As I said, I didn’t do it.”“Director Kook. Please sto…….”“I wanted to see you.”The voice was so soft it was almost a whisper. That soft voice silenced me. Even in this darkness, I could vaguely make out the figure and recognize that it was Director Kook. My ears became more sensitive in the darkness.“You don’t even know what I look like.”He laughed softly. The comfortable laughter made him seem like a different person. His slowed and lowered voice also sounded unfamiliar.“It doesn’t matter what your face looks like. I know your skin, your scent, your body. That’s what drives me crazy.”He stood up. A large, dark figure walked towards me. I confessed my honest feelings to him.“This is too cheesy.”“I’m Italian.”I tried not to let him notice me laughing in the darkness.“But you have an English name.”“It’s a global era.”“Is that why you came to Korea?”“No. I came to see you.”This is really cheesy. I thought, trying not to laugh by tightening my lips. A red light went off in my head. Don’t go along with this. But my mouth moved on its own.“How did you plan to find me when you don’t even know what I look like?”“People who are meant to meet will meet even in the darkness. Though we didn’t meet in the dust pit after the bomb exploded.”It was an unexpected metaphor. But a scene came to mind. A view covered in dust so thick you couldn’t see an inch ahead. My gas mask was covered in dust, and I had to wipe it off with my hand, but I didn’t have the strength. I barely survived, but I thought I would die because I couldn’t get out of there. Then, a force pulled my body. In reality, a strong force lifted me up by my arm.“No one knows what happens here. We are just enjoying a moment with someone whose face we don’t know. Think simply. Just enjoy the moment.”He wrapped his arm around my waist. My head kept sending warnings. Stop. You know this won’t end here. The warning was quite strong, but my body responded to something else. I wanted to kiss again. Just pressing our lips together and rubbing them was enough to make the feeling linger for days. Honestly, I wanted to do it again.“You liked it last time, didn’t you?”He asked. His hardened member pressed against my stomach. I think I lost my senses at that moment. I reached up and pulled his shoulder towards me. Rough breaths covered my lips. His two arms tightly embraced my body. I couldn’t breathe. His hot tongue entered my mouth and stirred inside.I was clearly breathing, but I panted like someone lacking air. The darkness, once again, planted illusions in my mind. Do more. No one can see. Do what you want to do. His hand slipped inside my shirt and caressed my bare skin. His other hand pulled my hips closer. His lips moved from my cheek to my neck. I heard a whispered gasp.“I thought I’d go crazy wanting to touch you.”His excitement spread inside me like an infection. His hand slipped into my loose rubber track pants. When my excited member was grasped by his hand, I felt a moment of embarrassment. A warning light went off in my head. Don’t get carried away. But he didn’t give me a chance to hesitate.“I couldn’t think of anything but you for days.”Even in my sleep, you were there, he murmured, pulling my body closer.“Can we keep going? Huh?”He guided my hand to his member and asked. The member felt through the underwear was just as he said. I grasped the hot, hard member as he guided me. I felt proud of his excitement. I didn’t answer his question, but it was okay. He suddenly cursed softly and pulled down his underwear, revealing his member.“Fuck, touch me properly.”I didn’t mind the curse. I was also bursting with unspoken curses inside. He started moving my member up and down. Wow, shit, this is no joke. The first-time experience made my whole body tingle.I also rubbed his member that I was holding. The action was no different from satisfying my desires alone in a secret place, but doing it with someone else’s hand felt completely different. The shock and pleasure I felt the first time I masturbated swept over my entire body again. We both panted in the darkness like teenage boys. His lips sucked on my nape.Huh, huh, damn, huh, huh…….After a while, a familiar smell spread. It was the reality check that always made me feel embarrassed and hurriedly look for tissues. But perhaps because it was still dark, or because the hand that had touched my body hadn’t left yet, the heat didn’t dissipate immediately. His hand moved over my body again. His lips climbed up my neck and asked,“Shall we go to the bed?”I almost said yes. If the announcement hadn’t come on again, I would have. There was no Heartless, just a simple electrical issue, so the lights would come back on soon. Hearing the announcement, I pulled my hand away from him first. He still held my shoulder tightly. The silence lasted quite a while.Should I jump out of that window if the lights come on like this? I had a realistic worry when Yangsimless’s phone rang. The shining screen showed the name ‘Byeontaengi.’ It was the lawyer. The faceless benefactor had once again called Yangsimless at just the right time, saving me again. At this point, I thought I might really need to visit with a gift during the holidays.The lawyer’s office was always lit up late into the night. A person who boasted a high win rate and ran the top law firm in the country suddenly became known as a human rights lawyer just three years ago. It was rumored that the shock of losing his entire family during the war with Heartless three years ago had changed him, but the truth was a bit different.At that time, many people had experienced the death of their families, and the lawyer was just one of them. Even after losing his family, he still had no interest in social justice. What changed him was the truth. Behind his son’s death was a ugly political game. At the time, his son worked under the current president, who was politically persecuted.The lawyer found his son, who was completely different from him, pathetic and displeasing, but he was still his son, so he used his influence to help him whenever there was a problem. His son had never once thanked him, though. What a cheeky bastard. The lawyer always cursed when he thought of his son. To think he went before his father.Countless people died because of Heartless, but his son, who died because of a political game, was still pathetic. Even more pathetic was himself, who continued his son’s work. The door burst open, and a tall man with an angry face entered.“Why do you keep calling me?”The other person was 4K Director Kook, who looked so much like him, unlike his son. If he looked like him, he might have suspected he was a secret child.“If you’re old, sleep peacefully at night. If you called me again for nothing, I really won’t let it go.”No, he was definitely not his blood. The lawyer prided himself on not being that rude and crazy. Yeah, I’m not that bad.“Do you feel so sorry for me not sleeping? Well, you can’t do anything without me.”“You’re talking nonsense, so it must be another money-losing job. I told you, if you want to do charity, do it alone.”What a sharp guy. The lawyer hid his true intentions and smiled kindly.“Because of the Heartless variant, Special Agent has been putting a lot of pressure on me lately. I can’t keep being your shield. At this point, shouldn’t you tell me something?”“Don’t play games with me. To me, you and Special Agent are just political players. Don’t think you can get any information from me other than work.”“Is the information not good? Tell me, you don’t know anything important either, do you? You know the person spreading the Heartless variant, but that’s in the past, and you don’t know anything about him, right?”“Think whatever you want.”“Okay, then let’s say you do know something important. And since you’re not taking revenge, your past relationship with him wasn’t bad. There’s a high chance he got help from you. The variant that appears every time says, ‘It’s an honor to see the chef,’ which can only mean that.”The lawyer added as if it were obvious.“But the opponent is the Heartless variant? If they take an unknown drug and turn into a variant, it would be hard to catch them, even for you. But you’re just watching, aren’t you?”The lawyer’s words paused for a moment, as if waiting for a reaction, then continued.“It’s as if there’s a secret to the drug, and you’re just watching calmly. Even if you’re a selfish bastard, you wouldn’t just let your lifeline be cut off.”“Whether Heartless exists or not, I take care of my own lifeline. But there’s something right in what you said.”“What is it?”“That I’m a selfish bastard. There’s no secret to the drug, and maybe I just want to watch the world turn into more of a hell.”“No, that can’t be.”The lawyer shook his head firmly.“Someone who loves another person would never think like that.”Director Kook furrowed his eyebrows sharply. The lawyer ignored his expression and snorted.“You said you were rejected by the person you like and still haven’t dated anyone, right? So, would you just watch as the world turns into hell and the person you love has a higher chance of dying?”“Is it Na Jinwook?”“Does CEO Na have a kid? Well, I guess it’s possible he has a child he doesn’t know about. It’d be funny if a famous actress showed up claiming her son is CEO Na’s.”“There’s a higher chance of an older man’s hidden son showing up than Na Jinwook’s.”“I only have one son.”“So what? He’s dead.”The lawyer’s eyes gleamed fiercely. Director Kook smirked at him.“Keep living your pathetic life clinging to your dead son.”“Thanks to my pathetic life, you get to live recklessly. Without me, you’d be buried in lawsuits, rotting in prison, clutching the bars and crying every night.”Director Kook’s eyes narrowed. The lawyer’s eyes didn’t waver. After a moment, Director Kook spoke first.“Not every night.”“Not my whole life either.”An unspoken agreement was reached.“Why did you call me?”“Are you really not going to share information about the mutated Heartless?”“Nope.”“Why are you being like this? Come on…”“Whining won’t work on me.”The lawyer closed his whining mouth and twitched his face.“Fine. So, you won’t have any problems if the person supplying the mutated drug comes to Korea?”Director Kook’s expression subtly changed at this.“That guy is coming to Korea? Why?”“How should I know? Maybe to see you.”“Not me.”“Maybe he’ll meet you while he’s here.”The lawyer smirked and leaned forward.“From now on, the Special Agents will be watching you 24/7. Oh, right. There’s already a Special Affairs employee watching you. That employee’s life will be hell. Lucky you, giving hell to someone you like.”“Do you think I’ll let that happen?”“You don’t get it. Of course, you’ll get rid of any problems, as always, ruthlessly and mercilessly. But what will the Special Affairs employee think if they see that?”Director Kook’s expression didn’t change, but the lawyer took it as a sign.“If they’re a sensible person, they’ll think you’re horrifying.”“They already know everything.”“Seeing a non-Heartless person die is different. You always kill without guilt, right?”But the lawyer shrugged and offered an alternative.“If you divert the Special Agents’ attention elsewhere, that person will be safe, and your cruel nature won’t be exposed.”“Elsewhere?”“Me. Work with me for a few weeks.”“Damn it. I told you I don’t do unpaid work.”“I’ve got a profitable big shot.”Director Kook’s eyes narrowed with interest. The lawyer drove the point home.“A few weeks of work, and your debt will be gone.”Instead of answering, Director Kook suddenly stood up with a cold face. He walked to the document storage room inside the office and flung the door open. With a click, the light revealed the room filled with documents.“What’s wrong? What do you need?”At the lawyer’s question, Director Kook closed the door and turned around.“If you’re trying to pull something on me, I’ll pay you back tenfold, remember that.”He slammed the door and left the office. The lawyer clicked his tongue and got up, reopening the storage room Director Kook had checked. Suddenly, as if by magic, someone appeared in the middle of the room. It was the head of the Restoration Agency. The lawyer looked around in amazement.“Where were you hiding?”“The ceiling.”While the lawyer looked up at the ceiling in shock, the head of the Restoration Agency stepped into the office and asked,“Did it go well?”“In a way. The Special Agents will be working so hard for the next few weeks that they’ll be exhausted. That means your wish will come true. The Special Agents won’t approach Han Jemyung.”“Unless Director Kook goes around announcing he likes Han Jemyung.”The lawyer shrugged habitually.“He’s smart enough not to say that. He knows the Special Agents need to focus on him.”The head of the Restoration Agency looked down at the chair Director Kook had sat in.“Will Director Kook really go that far for Han Jemyung?”“No matter how reckless he is, he’s still a man. It’s a man’s instinct to want to impress someone they like. Now, tell me. Who is Han Jemyung that you’re doing all this?”“Let’s just say he’s like a hidden son.”The lawyer frowned. The person in front of him was the one who had revealed the truth about his son. How could someone who had worked at the Restoration Agency for over 20 years know that? At first, he didn’t believe it. But every time the person he helped faced a political crisis, the head of the Restoration Agency provided crucial information that was always accurate.It was as if he knew all secrets, like a magician who appeared out of nowhere. But he had never asked for anything in return. This was the first time. Han Jemyung, a hidden son? Ridiculous. He suspected Han Jemyung was related to the secret department that saved the current president three years ago. Even knowing that department was wiped out in political retribution, it was hard to doubt.“Recently, I saw something interesting. A person who was thought to be dead three years ago was living under a different identity, and the victim filed a lawsuit. It makes me doubt anyone who was said to have died three years ago.”“It was a chaotic time. I once saw someone find a dog they thought had died three years ago. The dog, named Ddolddoli, was living a luxurious life under the name Blanche in a rich household.”The lawyer forced a smile. This guy is quite the character.“One more question. When is the person supplying the mutated drug coming to Korea?”“They’re coming?”“…You gave me that information.”“Must be that trendy young dementia.”Not funny at all. The lawyer didn’t fall for his attempt to change the subject.“You have to answer one of two questions before you can go home today. Either tell me who Han Jemyung is or when the supplier is coming to Korea.”“I’ll tell you both. Han Jemyung is someone I taught before.”“What did you teach?”“Humor.”“…..”“I can confidently say he’s the best among those I’ve taught.”The lawyer thought of Director Kook’s face. What kind of taste does this guy have?“And I don’t know when the supplier is coming. Is there a specific date you’d prefer?”“Would you arrange it if I did?”“Of course.”The head of the Restoration Agency gave a bitter smile.“I have information that could make them rush to Korea anytime.”* * *“Hey, the person who pitched a tent up front came two days ago. Isn’t that crazy?”Byunghee, whom I met early in the morning, was fuming. We were lining up from dawn to apply to a popular matchmaking agency. This agency only accepted in-person applications, so we had to queue up. GM Week was just around the corner. Byunghee had been counting the people ahead of us repeatedly and got angry when people suddenly emerged from the tent.“Wow, isn’t that cheating? How do twelve people come out of a four-person tent? Did they sleep on their knees?”Fortunately, Byunghee wasn’t the only one upset, so it wasn’t too embarrassing. Everyone was on edge, worried about losing their spot because of the twelve people from the tent.“There’s a rumor that they draw 100 people each for heterosexual and homosexual groups. You’re in the 80s, but I’m exactly 99. If one more person shows up, I’m done.”“There are no more tents. Where would they come from? Here, even going to the bathroom means losing your spot.”“Who knows? Maybe some crazy person buried in the ground will pop up?”Byunghee was definitely on edge.“Calm down. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll go somewhere else.”Byunghee glared at me.“Are you dating?”“What? No. If I were, would I be applying for GM Week?”“Then why aren’t you motivated? You’re acting weird. You were never this proactive, but you never gave up on your perfect ideal type. Have you finally given up this year? Is everything crap now that you’ve faced reality?”“It’s not that…”“If it’s not, show some motivation. Damn it, Manager Kim bet again this year that we wouldn’t find a match.”What? Suddenly, I felt motivated. Manager Kim bet on that again?“Damn it, did our whole team join in again?”“Yeah. This year, everyone bet we wouldn’t find a match. They drew lots and forced two people to bet against it. Those two begged me to find a match this year.”In my novel, Manager Kim will get slapped by a seal on an island. As we discussed this serious workplace violence, there was a commotion up front. What was it? I looked and saw someone who had been sleeping in a sleeping bag suddenly appear in the middle of the line. Unlike the front, the back immediately erupted in curses.“Get lost! Do you want to die?!”“How dare you try to join this meeting with that face?! Shameless!”The worst curse came from beside me.“You’ll die attending GM Week meetings forever!”Byunghee, usually calm, was fired up. I momentarily forgot his gaming ID was ‘Agari Corn.’ But the sleeping bag guy wasn’t backing down. The people gathered to find matches suddenly became enemies, and chaos ensued. The solution came from an unexpected place. A staff member from the matchmaking agency came out and shouted,“We’re taking 200 people each for heterosexual and homosexual groups.”Peace was instantly restored. A few hours later, the line finally moved, and it was our turn. Byunghee registered first, then I gave my name.“28 years old, Han Jemyung. …Excuse me? Could you repeat your ID number?”I repeated the numbers one by one. The staff typed them in but soon looked puzzled.“You know our meeting is in the first week, right?”“Yes, of course. Why?”“Han Jemyung, you’re already registered for the first week.”What? I hadn’t applied for any meetings yet.“Check again. That can’t be right.”“I did. It still shows you’re registered. Look.”He kindly turned the monitor towards me. I leaned in close to the screen. He was right. What is going on?! Next to my name, the first week’s meeting was listed.‘S.P.48’A place I didn’t know at all.