Chapter 65

Soram could see the white walls and monitor screens as soon as he got off the elevator on the 10th floor where the individual training rooms were located. The monitor displayed who was using which training room. And there, Tae-un's name was clearly engraved. Training Room 3, User: Han Tae-un.

Soram went to the front of Training Room 3. As if he was just about to come out, there was a sound of movement right behind the door. Soon, the door opened.

"Han Tae-un, what are you working so hard on..."

There was no one inside the opened door. No, he didn't see because he was looking at the position where he assumed Tae-un would appear.

"Hey, don't block the door."

Far below the position where Tae-un's head should have been, the face of 155 cm tall Ga-eul was there. Ga-eul came out, patting her sweat-soaked hair with a towel.

He thought he had mistaken the training room, but Ga-eul pointed her chin inside.

"Did you come to find Chief Han? He's inside."

"But why are you coming out from here?"

"It's been more than three days since I helped Chief Han train. Since he's a power type, we match well."

More than three days?

"Uh... um, is Han Tae-un doing well?"

"He's doing freaking well. Even if his innate strength is like that, his movements and situation predictions are like someone who has been in the field for over a decade. ...Well, it's not as crazy as your airplane, but his application skills are really good too. In terms of skills, he's completely living a second life."

But seeing his personality, it doesn't seem like it. Ga-eul added in a low voice. For Tae-un to be living a second life, he lacked skills in all areas except combat power. Especially in terms of personality. Anyway, the fact that he made Ga-eul, who had incomparably more experience, breathless was proof of his tremendous skills.

Soram entered through the door Ga-eul had come out of.

Past the entrance, Han Tae-un was lying on the floor of the training room surrounded by reinforced walls. With a towel covering his face, his chest rose and fell greatly up and down.

The situation about 3 minutes ago could be guessed. He would nod his head stiffly to Ga-eul, who was saying goodbye and thanking him for his hard work, and after Ga-eul left, he would lie on the floor and catch his breath.

Tae-un, who was catching his breath, grabbed the hem of his t-shirt and shook it. His slender and firm-looking waist was exposed. As if to show that he had just fought fiercely, veins bulged on the back of his hand and arm. Under his hand placed on the floor was a long sword that now seemed to be completely familiar to him.

The white aura, the form of his ability, was flying around him. And the purple afterimage fragments left by Ga-eul's power were also mixed and floating together. Soram thought that combination didn't go well together.

"..."

He couldn't help but feel a sharp emotion. No, why don't you ask me, why did you ask Ga-eul?

Soram approached him with heavy steps. Even though he must have heard the movement, Tae-un didn't get up from his spot. He seemed to think it was just a passerby.

Soram squatted down in front of him. Then he lifted the end of the towel covering his face.

It was when his distinct nose bridge was about to be revealed after his cheek. Tae-un raised his hand and firmly grabbed the wrist lifting the towel. However, as soon as his eyes met Soram's, the strength in his hand loosened.

"...Ah."

"What do you mean 'ah'?"

"What brings you here? Are you using the training room after me?"

"No. I just came because I heard you were here."

"Did you come to find me?"

"Well, yeah."

Tae-un sat up from his spot. Perhaps because the effect of being out of breath hadn't subsided, various parts of his face were red. Although his body was facing Soram's direction, his gaze, with one hand on the floor, was looking somewhere other than Soram.

"Han Tae-un ssi, I have something to ask you..."

Tae-un, who was messing up his hair with a towel, turned to look at Soram, who had narrowed his eyes.

"You're not thinking of changing teams, are you?"

"No, I'm not."

Tae-un let out a deep sigh.

"Why are you avoiding my eyes while saying no? Wow, after I treated you so well, if you betray me, really, really...!"

Seeing Soram clenching his two fists angrily, Tae-un had an expression that seemed to say, "No, it's fine..."

"I'm doing this so I don't change teams."

"Huh? Why? Is someone saying they'll transfer you to another team if you don't work hard? Who!"

Phew, Tae-un got up from the spot where he was sitting. Soram also lifted his body from his spot following him.

"If the team leader is lazy and the team member is lazy, they'll try to tear us apart someday."

"There's no way..."

Honestly, right now, the director and deputy director seemed to regard Tae-un as an admirable line of defense that prevented Soram from causing accidents. Unless Tae-un voluntarily said he would transfer, there was no way they would first tell him to change teams.

It felt like he was hiding something.

Beep― Beep― Beep―

The dispatch signal rang without any consideration. It was Tae-un's wrist. Even though he was wearing training clothes instead of a suit, he diligently kept it on his wrist without taking it off. He went to where his shirt was hung, holding a towel and water in one hand.

"I'll be back."

What is it, what is it?

Soram's questions grew bigger and bigger.

* * *

A few days later, Soram could come to a conclusion. Han Tae-un is avoiding me.

And now he felt determined to really confront him about it.

In Soram's two arms, which were standing with determination, there were so many bottles that he could barely hold them. From the amber-colored liquor to unknown wine, kaoliang, soju, and beer, it was diverse.

Soram can't handle alcohol well. So he doesn't enjoy getting drunk himself. That's why the alcohol he received at some commemorative event or as a gift from time to time just piled up in his room.

Holding all those bottles, Soram snorted in front of the broken dormitory door. Now that it's come to this, let's have a heart-to-heart talk. Why do I suddenly seem uncomfortable to you?

"Han Tae-un. I'm coming in."

"Huh?"

Before he could hear a response, blue mist enveloped the door. The broken door slid to the side with a swoosh.

Tae-un, who was sitting in the living room, got up from his seat in an awkward manner. His eyes, which had slightly widened upon seeing Soram, became puzzled when he saw the numerous bottles in his arms. He approached Soram.

"I came to keep the promise we made about drinking on the guard floor."

"...Ah."

"It's not work hours now, so I'm speaking casually."

Tae-un's mouth closed for a long time as if swallowing something. Then he turned his body and stepped aside.

"Come in."

Hmm... Soram looked at Tae-un as if observing him and crossed the room.

"From 9 o'clock, the show we filmed before is airing, and during that, they said they'll have the first reveal of the CF we shot."

Originally, the start time of that variety show was 10 o'clock. It was moved up an hour under the name of a special episode. The broadcasting station said their intention was to schedule it at a time when as many people as possible could watch, but it was noticeable that there was an ulterior motive to keep other channels' dramas in check. The public's immense interest in hunters would be enough to stop the solo run of dramas.

Soram, who had entered with big strides, put down the alcohol he had brought on the living room table. Tae-un silently removed the water cups and remote control that were originally on top of it. Among the tremendous variety that could send many people into a coma and still have leftovers, there was a low-alcohol mango beer mixed in. That was what Soram had brought for himself.

Tae-un opened the refrigerator and looked around before saying,

"I only have fruits and snacks. If there's anything else you want to eat, tell me. I'll order and get it for you."

"No. You don't have to go that far..."

He had even come with the determination to confront him, but Tae-un's attitude was more docile than he thought. Is it not that he has complaints about me? Soram poked Tae-un one more time.

"I want to eat ramen."

"Ramen?"

"Yeah."

Without asking further, Tae-un opened the upper cabinet and took out a bundle of ramen. Soram got up from his seat and scurried to the kitchen. The water in the large pot in Tae-un's hand rose with a swoosh.

"You had ramen?"

"I bought it before."

"When did you even have time to eat ramen while having dinner with me and Ayoung?"

The bundle of ramen opened with a pop sound.

"That's why it's new."

Tae-un tore open the first pack and put the noodles and soup into the pot. Then the second, third... The fifth ramen plopped in.

"Isn't that too much?"

"You said you wanted to eat ramen."

"I did..."

"You said before that you need to eat hot soup to gain energy."

"You remember that? Well, since you already put it in, it'll work out somehow."

After all, there were two 1st-grades with strong stomachs and high basal metabolic rates.

Soon, a spicy and salty smell wafted through the air. Tae-un also cracked two eggs from the refrigerator and put them in the pot. While waiting for the noodles to finish boiling, he took out two plates and two sets of utensils and handed them to Soram, who was standing blankly.

"If you want to freeload, work. Move them."

"What? To a guest?"

Soram took the plates. Even while grumbling, as he placed the plates side by side on the table, Soram thought of the faint smile that had appeared on Tae-un's face a little while ago.

It doesn't seem like he had complaints about me. After all, given Han Tae-un's personality, even if he had complaints, there was no way he would express it by avoiding people.

The finished ramen was moved to the living room table, pot and all. As expected, Koreans sit on the floor with the sofa behind their backs. Soram and Tae-un sat in front of the table and moved a strand of ramen each to their plates. With good timing, the logo of the "Let's Go to Work!" program disappeared from the upper right corner.

The broadcast began with the cheers of the panelists. Hello, dear viewers, along with such a greeting, there was the slurping sound of noodles being swallowed and the sound of alcohol being poured into a glass. Soram, who had poured a shot for Tae-un, shamelessly opened a can of mango-flavored beer and stuck a straw in it. This was a fair distribution compared to the alcohol tolerance.

―Everyone, our production team has finally done it!

Fireworks exploded over the subtitle "Done it!"

―For the first time since the summer three years ago, our production team has captured the workplace of the most famous civil servants in Korea with a close-up camera.

―Who is the most famous civil servant? Is it the President?

―Ah, we haven't been able to cast that... person yet. We'll wait for a call from the Blue House...

Laughter spread among the panelists at the silly skit. A sip of alcohol passed through Tae-un's mouth.

―Let's go to work! Special episode. The job we followed closely today is none other than 'hunter'!

―Woohoo! Yay!

A famous comedian panelist showed an exaggerated reaction. Those hunters who were so difficult to serve were now leisurely eating ramen and watching the screen.

―After coming back from filming, our writers only talked about how they were in awe for several days.

―Actually, no matter which superstar comes, it's just work for the editing room, so they're usually indifferent. But this time, I heard the editing room was also very excited.

After continuing the lively conversation to build up the atmosphere for a while, the main MC held out his palm.

―Then, the story of the civil servants at the forefront of Korea's rifts, starts now!