I quickly changed the direction of the question, since I knew nothing.

“Why did you apply?”

I looked at the two rookies, one with brown hair, the other with red.

“Was it always your dream to become a Badger?”

“Of course!”

“Mm.”

Their responses split clearly.

Hesh answered in a confident voice, while Tom made a sound like he was still thinking about it, much like me. I blinked and turned my gaze toward Hesh, who looked ready to give an immediate reply.

Hesh poured cola into a paper cup.

“It’s been my dream since I was little. My family’s military, but I was the only one who hoped to become a Badger instead of a regular soldier. My younger brother followed our father and became a soldier.”

So there are still regular soldiers in this world?

Either way, I nodded, keeping my expression neutral.

The pizza we had just ordered was hot and savory. Before taking another bite of the stretchy, cheesy pepperoni slice, I asked another question.

“Was there a reason you wanted to be a Badger, specifically, and not a regular soldier?”

“I wanted to do work that saved people, and I respected Yehyeon. I grew up watching him on the screen since I was a kid, and I’ve always thought he was amazing. I still can’t believe I get to work under him.”

“Really? Why do you respect him that much?”

“Because he’s always been dedicated to saving lives, ever since I can remember.”

A pure kid.

Or maybe just idealistic. Either way, I thought it was an unusual motivation. Of course, I respected Yehyeon too—he had once shown me grace, risking himself to save me.

But could someone really respect a person that deeply just from seeing them on a screen?

I still had no clear sense of what kind of person Yehyeon really was. Sure, I could tell he was good, capable, and kind—the impression of goodness radiated from him—but beyond that, I had no feel for him as a private person.

Well. Knowing someone in detail and respecting them are different things.

Honestly, someone like Hesh might be the real type of person suited to being a Badger. Unlike someone like me, who just ended up here by accident.

I nodded silently.

Tom, sitting in his worn chair, put down his slice of pizza.

“I applied because I wanted to help others too.”

He stared into empty space for a moment before continuing.

“...Because it’s an honorable job. My parents always supported me too.”

“Ah.”

I answered shortly, because I didn’t know what else to say.

Then, thinking my reply seemed too flat, I added,

“So both of your families supported you.”

“That’s right. They can’t see their grandson, or watch their son grow old, but they didn’t even flinch. They understood. My younger brother opposed me at first, but later he cheered me on more than our mother did.”

“Did your family oppose you?”

Tom asked cautiously, sitting next to Hesh, who had answered proudly.

I blamed myself for not anticipating that the question would come back around, and gave a sheepish smile.

“Ah, I don’t have parents.”

The silence came instantly.

I shouldn’t have brought up family. Or at least, I shouldn’t have asked them that. Of course the question would boomerang back at me—how stupid of me not to realize.

I regretted it as I saw my rookies’ apologetic expressions. This was entirely my fault for steering the topic wrong.

“You don’t need to worry. I’ve been without parents for as long as I can remember, so for me, this is natural.”

Their faces only darkened more.

Damn...

“Really, you don’t have to worry. Come on, why don’t we change the subject?”

“Sorry. I was too careless to ask that....”

“No, it was natural. It would have felt strange if you hadn’t asked me back. Really, don’t think about it. Want more cola?”

“Uh? Oh—thanks.”

Tom, still unsure of what to do, took the cola I suddenly offered him.

Hesh, who had been watching me quietly, set down his pizza and scratched the back of his head.

“Hey. I’m really sorry. I just kept running my mouth without knowing your situation.”

“I said it’s fine! Relax and eat your pizza.”

But neither of them relaxed.

If I were in their shoes, I would probably feel the same. Still, right now, I wanted desperately to break this awkward atmosphere.

My eyes darted around the room. There had to be something to change the topic—some odd poster, maybe a brand of clothes tossed on the floor—anything....

My gaze snagged in the corner of the room.

“Is that a game console?”

At my mutter, both rookies turned their heads.

Hesh blinked his hazel eyes, then nodded.

“Yeah. Been playing with it since I was a kid. I still don’t fully control my strength, so I haven’t touched it much lately.”

“What titles do you have?”

I asked half-absently.

Strange fragments of memory stirred. A console in my hands. Titles scattered across a white floor. I was playing with someone else. When was that? The memory was foggy, like a window frosted over.

And beyond that whiteness, a voice. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

‘You really like games, huh.’

You’re better at them than me. ...The rest of the voice was muffled, indistinct. But it was familiar. Neutral, intelligent, calm, filled with kindness....

“I’ve got a lot. Want to play?”

Hesh’s voice pulled me back.

I looked at the console in the corner and nodded.

***

“Why are you so good?”

Tom’s mutter fell in astonishment beside me.

I came back to myself.

My focus slipped, and my senses crashed down. On the screen, my character slammed into an obstacle, the score filling the display.

Dead. Still clutching the controller, I stared blankly at the screen.

Then I looked up at Tom and Hesh.

They were standing beside me, staring.

“Sorry. Totally zoned out.”

“Hey, that’s a new record.”

Hesh wasn’t looking at me.

He was staring at the thin display with a dazed face. Tom, too, couldn’t take his blue eyes off the screen.

Feeling awkward, I followed their gaze.

I had just finished a round of the third title, a running action game.

“I’ve never made it this far before.”

“Guess I just got lucky. If you keep trying, you’ll get here soon enough. It’s not that hard.”

“I’ve been playing this since elementary school,” Hesh answered. I closed my mouth, left with nothing else to say.

Tom, his lips slightly parted, muttered to himself.

“Were you aiming to be an E-sports player?”

“...Mm. No.”

I wasn’t sure, but I picked the answer that sounded more believable.

Feeling embarrassed, I set the controller down. But my rookies still looked stunned. Hesh suddenly started searching for his phone in a hurry.

“Photo.”

He muttered as he grabbed it.

“Don’t turn it off. Let me take a photo.”

“...Sure.”

“That’s amazing.”

Tom looked down at me in disbelief at Hesh’s behavior.

“If you’d gone that route, you’d have been a global star! Ever think of changing careers even now?”

“Unfortunately, not at all.”

“It feels like your calling.”

Tom seemed genuinely disappointed.

“How did no one recognize you?”

They were overreacting.

I watched, unamused, as they snapped a picture of the score. Then I watched them ask my permission—why they even asked, I had no idea—and then take turns playing. With their enhanced bodies not yet fully under control, their scores were disastrous. Their jaws dropped as they complained the game was too hard.

It was almost 11 p.m. when our gathering ended.

Hesh pressed the console and game titles into my hands as I returned to Room 304, and I didn’t refuse.

***

Sunday night.

While I was immersed in the game, a low, grim voice dropped behind me.

“Hey.”

I nearly screamed, jolting up.

“What are you doing?”

“Uaagh!”

The scream burst late.

I barely managed to keep from dropping my rookie’s joystick. Staggering, almost falling, I turned around like I’d been struck.

A man was standing silently behind me.

I croaked out a hoarse voice at the chilling figure.

“Sunbae?”

Yun only rolled his eyes like a ghost, without moving a single brow.

“You... didn’t you say you’d never bother me on weekends?”

“Circumstances changed.”

His voice carried not a shred of apology.

He pointed his thumb at the door, still looking at me standing there like an idiot.

“We’re leaving now.”

“...Huh?”

“Outside the Core.”

Again, no further explanation.

“Get ready to go.”

“Now?”

I repeated in a dumbfounded voice.

But it’s midnight.... I glanced at the digital clock on the dresser. It had just switched from Sunday to Monday.

It’s midnight.

I turned my dazed eyes back to my mentor.

He was wearing a black windbreaker and carrying a duffel bag like mine.

“You’ll sleep on the way.”

It was as if he read my stupid expression.

“We’re taking a train. Just bring toiletries.”

“A train?”

“Need to resupply.”

Yun said flatly.

“Your rookies and their mentors are coming too, so don’t take too long.”

Hesh and Tom are going too?

Before asking more, I hurried to tidy up the game and grab clothes. I put on a windbreaker like his, «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» zipped it, and shoved toiletries and a towel into my duffel bag.

“Let’s go.”

Once I was ready, Yun turned.

I followed obediently behind. I had just prepared myself to sleep, and now this... Good thing I showered earlier.

The hallway lights came on as we stepped out. We crossed the empty hall quickly, descended in a few strides, passed through the dim lobby, and stepped outside.

The midnight air carried a cool, fresh scent. A group of people stood in the softened darkness under the streetlight.

Hesh and Tom. And other Badgers I had seen at the auditorium.

Among them was the blue-eyed man I had first met when I fell into this world.

“Loading complete.”

The blue-eyed man reported as soon as he saw Yun. His voice was as low as Yun’s, with a strange metallic undertone.

Yun nodded as he descended the steps.

“Head to the station in separate cars. Be there within thirty minutes.”

“Yes.”

“What about the rookie’s combat uniform?”

A brunette woman standing by Tom asked.

That must be Angela. I recalled how Ami had told Tom earlier, ‘You heard from Angela, right?’ Judging by the distance, Angela was Tom’s mentor, while the blue-eyed man was probably Hesh’s.

If I remembered right, his name was Carl Dow.

We hadn’t been formally introduced. Either way, I dipped my head slightly at the female senior.

Yun, hands in his pockets, answered dryly.

“I’ve got it.”

He pulled a cigarette pack from his pocket.

“Report departure. See you in thirty minutes.”

Angela, who had asked, and Carl, who stood silently, both nodded before leaving quickly. Hesh and Tom followed their mentors, still looking as bewildered as me.

At least I wasn’t the only one dragged out like this.

Relieved, I followed my mentor.

He stopped in front of a new white car, already smoking.

“Get in.”

“You bought this just now?”

“Yeah. Picked it up yesterday.”

Yun got into the driver’s seat without emotion and rolled down the window. I slid into the passenger seat.

The car slid smoothly forward as soon as the door shut. I watched as Yun blew smoke out the window, then pressed the cigarette into the ashtray.

The faint smoky smell drifted away in the wind. His black hair whipped around in the breeze coming through the window.

“You smoke?”

“...No.”

“You don’t remember, do you.”

“Yes. To be precise, I don’t remember.”

He nodded absently, eyes forward.

I waited for an explanation, but silence settled.

The car sped smoothly down the road. I gave up waiting and turned to the city rushing by. He would explain when the time came.

I kept my mouth shut, memorizing the passing view.

Current time: 12:05 a.m.

Since we were told to arrive within thirty minutes, wherever it was, we’d get there at dawn.