“No.”

Yehyeon answered simply.

“I have never faced you directly.”

I stayed silent.

I needed time to suppress a feeling I could not clearly name. Why did that flat answer twist my insides like this?

Perhaps my expression betrayed me, because Yehyeon’s gaze softened.

“But it’s a good question. If I had answered yes, everything would have wrapped up neatly for you.”

That was true.

If I had met Yehyeon before, it would have confirmed I had once stayed here, and Jaeyeon’s reason for mentioning December 26 would have made sense. It also would have explained why Yehyeon had information about me.

But his “no” threw everything back to square one.

I felt a little down. But it was not because I had failed to unravel the mystery of the texts.

I was just disappointed.

“Jaeyeon’s hatred for you has nothing to do with me. He probably just thinks hitting two people at once is efficient. Hilde. Do not be discouraged just because you do not understand Jaeyeon.”

“Yes. No, I am not discouraged for that reason.”

Ever since the day I met Yehyeon asleep on the sofa, since the moment he told me he would give me his sword, I had been harboring a hope.

It was simply,

“I only wished that the past me might have known you, Commander.”

Yehyeon stared at me with a startled face.

Silence filled the office, heavy and complete, as if everyone had been struck speechless.

Suddenly the sound of the computer’s fan pressed loudly against my ears.

I regretted speaking my heart so openly.

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

Yun broke the silence, raising his eyebrows.

“Why would you say something like that here?”

“No, I just... because the Commander is a good person...”

“And what does that have to do with it?”

“Why are you pressing him?”

Yehyeon glanced at Yun, embarrassed. Ska, meanwhile, crossed his arms and chuckled softly.

The aide-de-camp, his silver piercings gleaming, had erased any trace of unrest from his tone.

“It makes sense. If it were me, I’d prefer to have forgotten an old connection with Yehyeon instead of Jaeyeon.”

Yun scoffed.

I stared at Yun’s mocking face in silence. While we exchanged flat looks, the brown-haired man who had been quiet finally addressed me.

“Rookie, you’re getting along with Yun, right?”

Ska burst into laughter.

Even Yehyeon let a faint smile soften his formal expression. Yun arched a brow toward the brown-haired man, and I quickly answered politely.

“With Ami’s help, I’ve been managing well enough.”

“I’ve spoiled you too much. You’re starting to climb over my head.”

“I am learning a great deal under my exceedingly capable mentor.”

As I switched my tone instantly, Ska let out a quiet laugh.

The brown-haired man smiled faintly too. I watched their mild smiles, then turned my gaze to the Commander.

Outside, the city looked even darker. The view through the window seemed past midnight. A quick-witted junior would end things here, but I still did not want to finish.

There was one more thing I wished to ask.

“I apologize for dragging this on, Commander. May I ask one more question?”

“Ask as much as you want. I will only answer what I deem necessary.”

“Is Jaeyeon a Badger?”

The office froze. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

The faint smiles on everyone’s lips vanished like ghosts. Even Yun’s usual indifference slipped away.

Yehyeon simply stared at me.

“You always hit the core.”

His quiet answer made me lower my head slightly.

“Thank you.”

“What do you think he is?”

He asked in return. He seemed to want to weigh my answer.

Luckily, I had already thought of one.

“I think he is not.”

“Reason?”

“You mentioned Jaeyeon’s whereabouts being unclear. Ricardo said each Badger is managed like a gun with a serial number. Even my employment was problematic in that same context. In a place where every person is tracked so meticulously, there could not be a malicious employee whose whereabouts are unknown.”

“Exactly.”

Yehyeon praised me calmly.

I blinked slowly. I did not think it was some brilliant deduction—just something obvious if you thought for a bit.

Since becoming a Black Badger, I often pondered what being one meant. I mulled over what Yehyeon, Ricardo, and Yun had told me before bed.

After all, those were the only memories I had to chew on.

“Then what do you think Jaeyeon is?”

From here on it was just my one-sided string of guesses.

But when your highest superior asks, you cannot refuse to answer.

I just spoke my thoughts honestly.

“Assuming he is human, then an enhanced body. You said I could not have escaped on my own.”

“And?”

“And, if that assumption is correct, it would mean there exists someone who possesses an enhanced body but is not a Black Badger. From there it is pure speculation, but...”

I tried to arrange the thoughts I had when people were debating where a tracker could be placed on me.

As I sank into thought, my senses dulled. I rubbed my jawline with my hand.

“I was thinking it must be one of three cases. First: a rare case of illegal enhanced body transplantation. Second: an official group exists that counters the Black Badgers, and Jaeyeon belongs to it. Third—this may be me indulging too much in fantasy—but agelessness and superior regeneration are extremely tempting. They are things humanity has always yearned for. So perhaps there is a hidden privileged class, secretly granted enhanced ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) bodies, enjoying immortality in the shadows...”

“Enough.”

The sharp voice snapped me back.

My blurred vision cleared, sounds rushed back in.

I stared blankly as sensations flooded in. Silence pressed against my ears. The office was deathly quiet. No one moved, no one spoke.

I dropped my hand from my jaw.

Yehyeon stared at me with an unreadable face.

“You went too far.”

“...I am sorry.”

“Be careful. Outside this office, there are ears everywhere.”

I shut my mouth.

My heart beat faintly. My hand tingled strangely; I clenched and unclenched my fist.

For the first time since entering this office, I felt worried. I could not explain exactly why.

But if I had not completely missed the mark,

If I was not just being oblivious...

Then Jaeyeon was neither the first case nor the second.

Whatever method he had used to find my contact, it would not be strange if—

“Shall we insert a tracker?”

The Commander asked in a calm voice.

I stared blankly into the eyes of the handsome man before me.

“Yes? Yes. Of course, yes.”

“Good. Then we shall. And as you already know, do not speak of what we discussed here to anyone.”

“Yes.”

“Not even Ami or Ricardo.”

“Understood.”

“Good.”

Yehyeon lowered his gaze to his desk as if to write something down. Then slowly rose from his seat. I watched, dazed, as the Commander stepped out from behind the desk. Ska and the brown-haired man also stood.

Leaving for the night? It was late indeed.

Was I to return to the infirmary now?

“Well done.”

Yehyeon gave a brief order to Ska, then turned to me.

He smiled gently, the kind of smile that reminded me of when he had pressed a banana pudding into my sleepy hands.

“You did well. Impressive.”

“...Me? Thank you. Though I do not know what I did.”

“Go rest. Sorry for keeping you so long.”

Tomorrow’s schedule, hear it from Yun. His voice was soft. I only nodded eagerly. Then stayed frozen in place until the three leaders were ready to leave.

Yehyeon gestured Ska and the brown-haired man out first. The two seniors left, tossing me words of encouragement. I bowed and waited obediently. I meant to follow Yun out.

As soon as the Commander stepped away, Yun moved too. Yehyeon’s parting words closed the meeting completely.

His farewell hit so hard it blew away all my speculations about Jaeyeon.

“Recover quickly. You must go outside the Core.”

I squeaked out a yes in reply.

***

Hilde returned to the infirmary.

Samuel’s grumbling scolding could be heard, followed by Hilde’s playful, apologetic tone.

Yun liked Samuel. He also enjoyed watching the white-haired rookie get scolded. If nothing else had happened, he would have stayed to watch his cheeky junior get told off, then exchanged a few words with the doctor before heading home.

But not tonight.

He stopped, watching Yehyeon walk toward the car.

“Stay inside a moment. Ska and I will have a smoke.”

Yehyeon paused mid-motion as he opened the passenger door. He stared at Yun with his large eyes.

“You just want to bad-mouth me.”

“Yes. Sharp as ever. Lock the door and sleep.”

Yehyeon obediently got in the car.

Yun pulled a cigarette pack from his pocket and walked past. He did not respond to Yehyeon’s words as the passenger door shut.

Yehyeon’s quiet voice followed.

“Do not worry too much. It won’t be as bad as last time.”

Yun bit the cigarette instead of answering.

He climbed the stairs in the corner of the underground parking lot to the outside. Past midnight, the city air was cold against his cheek.

In the heavy darkness, the glow of a cigarette caught his eye. Yun shielded his lighter with his palm and lit his own.

Drawing in acrid smoke, he walked over to the aide leaning against the wall.

Ska exhaled smoke and looked at him.

“Hilde did well.”

He addressed Yun.

“People told me he was a good rookie, but I didn’t know he was that sharp. With the right guidance, we could make him our junior too.”

“He would not have been ordinary.”

Yun’s voice was dry and rough.

“No ordinary man could have crossed paths with Jaeyeon and survived.”

Ska put the cigarette back to his lips.

Silence became assent. The night wind filled the pause. For a while, they smoked without speaking. In this seldom-used smoking area, their embers wavered in the breeze.

Ska spoke at last.

“I don’t plan to sit idly while Jaeyeon runs wild.”

Yun turned his head to watch him.

Ska looked down at the cigarette in his hand, then crushed it in his fist.

“I will guard the Commander closely. You keep a close eye on Jaeyeon’s movements.”

“Yes.”

“And take care of Hilde too.”

Yun raised a brow. His expression said, Why bring that up now? Ska gave a wry smile.

The aide opened his palm over the outdoor ashtray.

“Anyway, he’s still a rookie. We don’t know his true nature, but he’s likable—and he’s also your first student.”

“He’ll be out of my hands soon. There’s nothing to entrust to me.”

Yun replied dryly, cigarette between his lips.

“I have no intention of leaving the Core.”

“Right. You won’t go. We need someone here to watch the Core, and someone who can stop Jaeyeon. The Personnel Director will find the right people to send out.”

“Ami will likely go with him, won’t she? Of the ones who know Hilde’s situation, only Sordi and Ami are suitable. But Sordi is scheduled to remain in the Core for now.”

“True. Ami will, and probably a Walker too. Depending on the situation... Richard Green will ask for Hilde, but depending on the order it might be Trevain. Maybe Aki too...”

Ska muttered to himself, frowning slightly.

After a long moment of thought, he breathed out a sincere sympathy for the peculiar rookie.

“He’s going to have a hard time.”

Yun agreed with silence.

Again, quiet settled between them. One cigarette burned down fast, another dropped ash black into the tray.

No more words were exchanged until the cigarette burned to its end.

Yun and Ska always kept a measured distance. They did not share private stories, but neither dismissed the other’s words.

At last, Yun walked to the ashtray, stubbed out his cigarette, and spoke flatly.

“If the kid comes back alive from outside the Core, I will look after him.”

Ska answered with a broad smile.