By Zephyria 
In the deep darkness of dawn, while everyone slept, a black van entered a residential area. The men in the car were completely covering their faces with black balaclavas and were carrying sniper rifles.
“Kill the kids too?”
“Yeah. Every last one.”
“If there’s a pretty one? Can I play with them?”
“Jay, don’t do anything stupid. This is a warning.”
“You’re too rigid. That’s your flaw.”
A moment later, the car doors opened, and four men quietly got out. Their movements were incredibly agile as they crept towards the house, muffling their footsteps. Before opening the entrance, one man took a red spray from his pocket.
On the wall, he wrote the words, ‘Go back to your area.’ The client wanted it to appear as a hate crime. Then, they breached the door in an instant and entered.
The man in the lead signaled with his hand. Two went to the first floor, and the remaining two to the second. They scattered like shadows, moving to find their targets. The man who gave the orders headed for a room deep inside the first floor, as the information indicated it was where the homeowner stayed.
He quietly opened the door and entered. Someone appeared, covered by a blanket. He approached stealthily and aimed his gun. Pshew, pshew. A crimson flame erupted from the silenced barrel, piercing the blanket. As the man immediately pulled back the blanket, he sensed something was wrong.
“Damn it…”
He tried to call his colleagues through his earpiece, but felt a chilling sensation on the back of his head. The moment he turned, the lights in the ceiling flickered on. Standing before him was a young woman with her hair tied up, pointing a pistol with an indifferent expression.
“That’s a dangerous item for a young lady to use.”
Before she could even finish speaking, Anna pulled the trigger without hesitation. The man collapsed backward, a hole drilled right in the center of his forehead. As blood, brain matter, and fragments of his skull splattered onto the bed, she scowled. She had just had it washed the day before yesterday.
Just then, footsteps were heard from outside, and Anna hid behind the wall. Five, four, three, two, one. The intruder was right in front of her. As he opened the door, she was about to shoot but hastily lowered her gun. It was Matteo, his face smeared with blood, looking at her with a surprised expression.
“Anna, are you alright?”
“I’m fine… are you hurt?”
“It’s not me, but other people are hurt.”
After saying that, Matteo looked at the man on the floor whose head had exploded. His eyes looked troubled.
“Is he dead?”
Anna nodded and stepped outside. Behind her, she could hear Matteo praying for the deceased. When she emerged, the living room was filled with men lying around, covered in blood. They had already been bound with cable ties, and all their weapons had been confiscated and neatly arranged nearby. Matteo’s calm movements in such a situation felt somewhat unfamiliar.
“Why did you leave them alive?”
“We have to find out who’s behind this, don’t we?”
Anna belatedly realized that the man had been a core member of the rebels years ago. To subdue three contract killers and leave them alive… it was a different side to the man who always treated children with a gentle smile.
As she raised her gun to finish them off completely, Matteo grabbed her arm.
“Do you have to kill them?”
“Do you think they’ll talk if we keep them alive?”
Anna had been in the military and knew these types well. They wouldn’t open their mouths even under torture, and killing them cleanly was the best option. However, Matteo seemed to think differently. In the end, they agreed to call the police. Though it was uncertain how much they would handle.
Meanwhile, Matteo’s complexion grew darker, as if he could no longer stand the smell of blood. Although he had improved significantly, he still carried the characteristics of an infected.
“Are you okay?”
“It’s a bit difficult…”
Anna brought him a glass of cool water to help him relax. After drinking, Matteo looked around the messy house with a troubled expression.
“It’s a relief the children aren’t here.”
He nodded at Anna’s words. Sensing something was amiss, she had been having the children sleep at a neighbor’s house for the past few days. Fortunately, the neighbors didn’t seem bothered and told her to ask for help anytime. The neighbors, who had been wary when they first arrived, now offered their help proactively.
Anna slightly parted the blinds and peered outside. Her eyes gleamed sharply.
“There’s still a car. Shall we go take care of it?”
Watching Anna speak so calmly, Matteo understood why Kim Ha-yoon had sent her here. It was a world apart from how she usually treated children. He would have disliked meeting her as an enemy, but now, he found her reassuring.
“It’s dangerous without cover. The police will be here soon, so let’s wait.”
* * *
Kim Do-cheol sat in the back seat of the vehicle, his legs trembling. Damn it! Shit! Fuck! He couldn’t hold back any longer and slammed his fist into the back of the front seat. The subordinate driving glanced at him. Kim Do-cheol squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them, glaring outside. The car had now arrived near the research hospital.
He didn’t know how Kwon So-young had found Kim Ha-yoon in Area C and brought him here, but it was clear the situation was deteriorating. However, where there’s a will, there’s a way. According to the report, Kim Ha-yoon was barely conscious.
He got out of the car hastily and headed for the isolation ward. While waiting for entry clearance, Kwon So-young approached.
“You’re here?”
Kim Do-cheol hid his anger and put on a sorrowful expression.
“What happened?”
“It’s just as you heard. He was unconscious, so we rushed him into emergency surgery, and he’s in the intensive care unit.”
“Will he… wake up?”
Kwon So-young sighed and lowered her gaze.
“We don’t know for now. We have to do our best.”
Kim Do-cheol’s lips twitched for a moment before returning to their place.
“Where was he found?”
“He was abandoned on the street in Area C.”
He couldn’t understand it at all. They monitored all vehicles coming and going through the surveillance cameras in Area D. Who brought him out, and when? And precisely on the day Kwon So-young went to Area C. There were more than a few suspicious things, but confirming Kim Ha-yoon’s condition was the priority now.
When he said he wanted to visit, Kwon So-young readily agreed. Dressed in a gown and mask, Kim Do-cheol entered the treatment room. Kim Ha-yoon, his abdomen bandaged, looked thinner than before and was hooked up to various machines.
“Come out in 5 minutes. It can’t be long.”
After Kwon So-young disappeared, Kim Do-cheol glanced at the ceiling. There were no cameras. The pulse and blood pressure readings on the machines were also very low. If he could, he wanted to turn them all off and end his life completely. He sighed and hugged Kim Ha-yoon with a look of pity.
“Kim Ha-yoon. Hey, Hayun. Man, what happened to you? Huh?”
Kim Ha-yoon didn’t react. He whispered softly, grinding his teeth.
“To ruin everything at the last minute, what the fuck…”
Originally, the eldest son, Kim Do-cheol’s father, should have inherited everything. But he was a notorious degenerate, and thus naturally fell out of favor, so the succession passed to Kim Ha-yoon’s father, who was the second son at the time.
At first, Kim Do-cheol tried to accept it. He thought his younger brother was more suited for the position than he was. As time passed, he, too, became human and developed greed. It was mine originally, so why do you have it?
When he disappeared and his fate was unknown, he rejoiced, thinking his chance had finally come. But now, he was ruining his path again.
“You should have just died. If you had died there, you could have remained in people’s memories forever. Why did you come back alive and drive people crazy, you fucking bastard.”
Please don’t wake up, okay? Please just die like this. For the first time, he prayed to a god he didn’t believe in. If this bastard were taken, he would live the rest of his life virtuously. Just then, a knock was heard.
As he stood up, Kwon So-young announced from outside that visiting hours were over.
Kim Do-cheol tidied the rumpled blanket and let out a low sigh.
“I’m leaving. Get well soon.”
He held and then released Kim Ha-yoon’s hand and went outside. Silence filled the room. A moment later, Kwon So-young returned. She folded her arms and stared intently at Kim Ha-yoon before speaking curtly.
“You can open your eyes now that he’s gone.”
It was quiet. As soon as Kwon So-young said, “Huh? Irene?” Kim Ha-yoon opened his eyes and turned his head. Then, confirming no one was at the door, his face contorted. Kwon So-young laughed, finding it amusing. It was satisfying to get revenge, even in this way.
“Do you know how funny your expression is?”
Kim Ha-yoon sat up.
“Stop laughing. It’s starting to annoy me.”
“What did Kim Do-cheol say to you? Did he confess his love?”
Kim Ha-yoon reached inside his pillow and pulled out a miniature recorder. When he pressed the button, Kim Do-cheol’s voice flowed out.
You should have just died. If you had died there, you could have remained in people’s memories forever. Why did you come back alive and drive people crazy, you fucking bastard.
“Wow—you really had a lot of pent-up feelings, didn’t you? Well, you do have a way of making even normal people hold grudges.”
Kim Ha-yoon snorted and handed the recorder to Kwon So-young. She then shook the recorder in her hand.
“You trust me? What if I take this to Kim Do-cheol?”
Kim Ha-yoon grinned.
“I said I was sorry.”
Kwon So-young rolled her eyes. As if she was truly sorry. Despite the criticism, Kim Ha-yoon put on his characteristic nonchalant expression and closed his eyes.
“I want to rest. Please leave.”
Kwon So-young put the recorder in her pocket and hesitated.
“About Irene… do you happen to know?”
“Know what?”
“Doesn’t she tell you?”
“So, what?”
“She awakened.”
Kim Ha-yoon opened his eyes, which he had been keeping closed. Kwon So-young proceeded to explain in detail what had happened that day. The more he listened, the darker Kim Ha-yoon’s complexion became. He even cursed when he heard that she had bled profusely and nearly died. He had wished for her awakening more than anyone, but it seemed that was no longer the case.