Chapter 16

The hallway was dimly lit, with only some fluorescent lights switched on to conserve electricity late at night. As they walked, sections of the hallway alternated between light and shadow, momentarily plunging the two into darkness before exposing them under bright light again.

Each time they moved between these zones, Kang Yu-han silently counted in his mind—one, two, three.

He couldn’t say how much longer he would be staying with Seo Ji-hyuk. Perhaps the days remaining were fewer than the number of lights in this hallway.

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And in that time, could Kang Yu-han ever become someone meaningful to Seo Ji-hyuk? If anyone asked, Kang Yu-han wasn’t sure he’d have the courage to answer.

* * *

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The shared office was nearly empty. Kang Yu-han took a seat at a four-person table and immediately opened his laptop. Seo Ji-hyuk, meanwhile, sat diagonally across from him, stretching out his legs and propping them on the table. Without hesitation, he lit a cigarette.

Thick smoke quickly filled the room.

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From the corner of his eye, Kang Yu-han noticed other employees at distant tables glancing in their direction. However, upon realizing that Seo Ji-hyuk was present, they quickly packed up and left the office, clearly not wanting to be noticed by him.

Though the lingering chatter had been grating on Kang Yu-han’s nerves, their departure brought some relief.

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“Doesn’t it bother you?”

Seo Ji-hyuk suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

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“What doesn’t?”

Kang Yu-han replied cautiously, unsure what he meant.

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Seo Ji-hyuk didn’t elaborate, his cryptic words leaving Kang Yu-han puzzled. Was he asking if Kang was unbothered by witnessing the death of a Variant, or did he mean something else entirely? Kang Yu-han looked at him questioningly.

Seo Ji-hyuk let out a small laugh. Kang Yu-han probably didn’t realize it, but he occasionally made these blank, almost clueless expressions that Seo Ji-hyuk found amusing.

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Instead of clarifying, Seo Ji-hyuk pointed at the laptop. “Ampoule tests and reports? The thing’s dead. Isn’t that enough?”

“Testing the ampoule is part of our mission,” Kang Yu-han said.

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“Yeah, well, instead of wasting time on that, I’d rather just go out and take down all the Variants myself.”

Seo Ji-hyuk shook his head in annoyance. It was a sentiment Kang Yu-han could understand. After all, the first suspect had turned out to be a Variant, and the entire operation—from surveillance to elimination—had taken just two days. It had been relatively straightforward this time.

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But there was no guarantee future missions would go as smoothly. With over a thousand employees on the Center’s roster, the list of suspected individuals totaled forty. Tracking their movements and monitoring them would only get more hectic as time went on. The mission had only just begun.

“Next time, we should track multiple suspects simultaneously. It’ll be more efficient.”

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Kang Yu-han suggested as he typed up the final section of his report. The sound of his keyboard echoed in the quiet room.

Just then, the automatic doors slid open, drawing both their gazes to the entrance. Standing there was Kim Si-on, arms crossed, glaring straight at Kang Yu-han.

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“Major! Why haven’t you been checking your messages?”

“Ah…” Kang Yu-han trailed off, unsure how to respond.

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“I’ve been looking all over for you! Took me all day to find you.”

Ignoring Seo Ji-hyuk’s sharp glare, Kim Si-on strode over without hesitation and plopped down in the empty seat beside Kang Yu-han.

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“I’m busy right now.”

Kang Yu-han said, his tone neutral.

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“Of course you are.”

Kim Si-on replied dismissively.

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“Let’s talk later. I’m in the middle of something.”

“I went through all this trouble to find you. Can’t you at least give me some attention?”

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Though Kang Yu-han had politely refused, Kim Si-on persisted. Feeling cornered, Kang Yu-han’s eyes drifted toward Seo Ji-hyuk, silently asking for help.

Seo Ji-hyuk alternated his gaze between the flustered Kang Yu-han and the stubborn Kim Si-on before finally speaking up.

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“Lieutenant Kim, what exactly do you like so much about Kang Yu-han?”

Kim Si-on didn’t hesitate. He spread his fingers and began counting off points on them one by one.

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“What’s there not to like? His skin is flawless, his lips are so pretty, and his eyelashes are ridiculously long. Plus, he has such a great voice! When it rains, he always shares his umbrella with me, and he takes such good care of borrowed books. He never even gets mad when someone spills coffee on him. Do you have any idea how rare that is these days?”

Seo Ji-hyuk let out a scoff.

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“None of that sounds impressive.”

“What do you mean, not impressive?”

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Kim Si-on retorted, bristling.

Grinning, Seo Ji-hyuk leaned forward.

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“Looks aside, you’re telling me you like him for stuff like umbrellas, books, and coffee? That’s all it takes?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

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Kim Si-on shot back, his tone defensive.

Kim Si-on didn’t back down, despite the stark difference in rank between him and Seo Ji-hyuk. He openly snapped back, his indignation evident.

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The dynamic between them, as they bickered like children, left Kang Yu-han feeling an odd sense of exclusion.

It was ironic—sandwiched between the person who liked him and the person he liked, he felt utterly alone. While the two exchanged words, Kang Yu-han remained silent, unable to find a place for himself in their interaction.

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This subtle unease that had lingered in him ever since Kim Si-on reappeared began to crystalize. It was the fear that Seo Ji-hyuk and Kim Si-on might grow close again.

The possibility gnawed at him—what if the re-evaluation process determined that Kim Si-on’s best match was Seo Ji-hyuk?

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Even if Seo Ji-hyuk had resolved to retire, would he still cling to that decision if he found a Guide with a perfect match?

In the worst-case scenario, Seo Ji-hyuk could bond with Kim Si-on and settle into a stable life at the Center. That thought terrified Kang Yu-han the most—the prospect of having no place in Seo Ji-hyuk’s life.

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How would I even go on? I don’t think I could.

A deep ache spread through his chest, like an old wound being reopened.

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“Major, are you tired?”

Kim Si-on asked, his voice tinged with concern.

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“Just from finishing the report. I’m fine now,” Kang Yu-han replied.

Hearing that he was done, Kim Si-on brightened.

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“You finished? Does that mean it’s free time now?”

“I’m afraid not. I need to head back. You should too, Lieutenant.”

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“What? I’ve only been here ten minutes. You can’t just leave now. Stay a little longer.”

Kang Yu-han was at a loss. He didn’t want to leave Kim Si-on alone with Seo Ji-hyuk. If he were being honest, he hated how Seo Ji-hyuk’s gaze sometimes lingered on Kim Si-on.

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Every time that happened, Kang Yu-han felt a bitter, sour taste in the air, as if it had suddenly turned toxic. His stomach churned, and his mood soured.

“No, I can’t,” he said firmly.

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But Kim Si-on wasn’t deterred. He immediately countered, “Then at least walk me back.”

“Walk you back?”

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“Yes. I still don’t know my way around here. I keep getting confused about where my dorm is. Walk me back, please?”

Before Kang Yu-han could protest, Kim Si-on had already risen from his seat. The flow of the conversation was so natural that Kang Yu-han found himself standing and following him before he even realized it. He didn’t even think to grab his laptop.

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As the door slid open, the sound echoed through the room. Seo Ji-hyuk watched them leave, shaking his head in disbelief as he muttered under his breath.

“A late-night date now? Unbelievable.”

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Why did I even come out here to witness this mess? The bitterness in his chest felt like swallowing dirt.

* * *

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The autopsy on Sergeant Kim was completed, and a small, confidential meeting was convened with Dr. Yoon, the Center Chief, and a few select researchers.

“After analyzing tissue samples from various parts of the body, we confirmed cellular mutations in three areas.

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Just like previous Variants, this sample’s DNA sequence differs from that of humans. Its cell replication mechanisms are also entirely different.

In other words, this cannot be classified as human.”

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Dr. Yoon described Variants as a new species—one that had never existed on Earth before.

Seo Ji-hyuk reacted with indifference, as though this was exactly what he had expected. The Center Chief, too, wasn’t particularly surprised.

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But Kang Yu-han had a different perspective.

“Three areas showed mutations, but the remaining four matched normal human DNA, didn’t they?

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That DNA still belongs to a person—Kim Joo-ho. Are we certain we can completely disregard the human aspect?”

Seo Ji-hyuk scowled, clearly displeased with Kang Yu-han’s view.

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“And why does that matter?” Seo Ji-hyuk’s tone was sharp. “A monster is still a monster.”

“But isn’t it worth considering?” Kang Yu-han pressed. “If parts of him were still human, can we really dismiss the possibility that some remnants of humanity were left inside him?”

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Seo Ji-hyuk’s expression hardened further, his impatience barely concealed. For him, the distinction between human and monster wasn’t one worth agonizing over—what mattered was eliminating the threat.

The room was tense, divided between logic and morality, but Kang Yu-han couldn’t shake the memory of that tiny part of Sergeant Kim’s brain, still active and still fearful, until the very end.

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