Leave this place, just like that?

Seoryeong paused, watching him as if trying to read his mind. It didn’t seem like he meant this monastery—or a brief leave of absence.

Her pulse throbbed beneath her throat. She said nothing, just stared at him, and his heavy gaze bore right back into her. Her answer had always been decided, but strangely, her mouth wouldn’t open.

“I...”

You know I can’t leave—not like this. The words stuck in her chest like a hook, so she simply took a step back.

At that, Lee Wooshin sucked in a shallow breath he hadn’t even exhaled, his brow tightening. His hand grabbed her.

“――!”

He clutched her tight, eyes anxious. That gaze—fervent, desperate—glued to her face made something churn below her sternum. His grip burned hot.

But... she hadn’t even held Kim Hyeon accountable yet. Swallowing the turmoil in her chest without hesitation, she stood her ground.

Until that was resolved, Seoryeong wouldn’t be able to take a single step forward. She turned the subject.

“...That wound. You should disinfect it before it festers.”

“......”

Lee Wooshin closed his eyes in silence. As if enduring something.

But the sharply furrowed line between his brows betrayed his sensitivity. Still, he refused to let go. Her trapped wrist throbbed.

Eventually, the team began loading the children into a small trailer prepared by the monastery. A few blankets, extra diapers, bottles of water, towels, and other small items went in with them.

Once the trailer was connected to the truck, the team instinctively found their spots, evenly filling the seats. Seoryeong hesitated for a moment, unsure of where to go—when Jin Hoje approached, chewing dried carrot sticks and holding out snacks.

“Looks like someone has to ride with the kids.”

“Then I’ll go.”

Seoryeong grabbed the dried veggies without thinking and answered. But as she was about to climb in, Lee Wooshin appeared, closing the trailer door, and gave a cold nod with his icy eyes.

“Agent Han Seoryeong, you're with me.”

“......”

Her expression locked up helplessly. Without thinking, she tilted her head back and stared up at the sky.

Watching the two of them, Jin Hoje quickly lifted the last child inside and jumped into the trailer. “Then I’ll go in!”

Seoryeong clenched her fists and climbed obediently into the passenger seat—but the way she fumbled with the seatbelt was anything but calm.

“Are you going to keep this up?”

Her voice was low, almost accusatory. Orders from a superior had to be followed. Yes—she should follow them. And yet, an inexplicable irritation rose inside her.

Ever since arriving at the monastery, his constant hovering and protectiveness had grated on her. Still, she’d endured it—knowing she couldn’t disobey orders just because of her feelings. But now this...!

“Is it too much for you?”

“No. Thanks to you, Instructor, I’ve been working so hard I didn’t even notice I was tired.”

She bit into a piece of carrot and replied flatly. But her last sentence had a bit too much bite in it.

He glanced her way and started the engine. Thump, thump—! Someone pounded on the trailer wall. Jin Hoje came around to the passenger window, scratching his head awkwardly.

“Uh, Team Leader... one of the girls peed herself...”

“So?”

“Well, one went, and now they all...”

“I’ll go.”

Seoryeong began unbuckling, moving as if it were only natural. But Wooshin reacted instantly—pulling her belt back tight and snapping it into place with a click.

The belt slammed across her body, stopping her from getting up. She looked at him in disbelief.

“Agent Jin Hoje, return to position.”

His steady breath brushed against her skin. Jin Hoje hesitated, then backed away in defeat. Seoryeong bit her lower lip.

Ah... this is fucking unbearable. This is how rigid he was going to be? Her frustrations, carefully layered until now, suddenly hit the ceiling.

“Instructor, I’ll go to the back. I can change a diaper without flinching. I used to do this kind of work before joining Blast Corp. I’ll be fast and efficient.”

“I said return to position.”

“I’m not even as experienced in cover tactics or firearms as the others. Why do you keep—!”

She finally snapped, raising her voice. Brushing her forehead back, she glared at him.

“Is this why? Is this why you told me not to do anything?”

“Agent Han Seoryeong.” 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

“You think just carting me around like luggage counts as treating me like a real operative?”

“Judgment is the responsibility of the team leader.”

“Yes, I know. That’s why I’ve been trying to follow your orders.”

She ground her teeth and turned her head to the window.

“Face me,” he said.

His hand forced her face to turn. Her cheek flushed with heat from the grip. Shaking, she finally let it out.

“It feels like you don’t see me as a proper team member. Just some kind of keychain.”

“Rookies aren’t expected to do anything. Just follow orders and sit where they’re told.”

“...!”

“You’re sitting there because that’s your job—keep your head down and stay quiet. But—”

He narrowed one eye and looked at her.

“Why do you keep trying to do something?”

Her temper flared, but she drew a deep breath and stayed quiet. This had been happening ever since Sakhalin. Come here. Stay back.

She’d heard those same “special treatment” words twice now—but still, she’d followed orders, biting down discomfort even when the others gave her strange looks.

“Do I need to explain every little thing to a rookie?”

“......”

“Fix your belt and sit properly.”

He scolded her like she was about to jump out of the truck. Their eyes met, tension crackling like electric wire. Seoryeong yanked off the seatbelt and threw open the door.

“Then just write me up for insubordination.”

“...!”

She walked away without looking back and swapped places with Jin Hoje at the trailer.

Her heart pounded as if Wooshin might chase after her any second, but the truck remained frozen in place—until it suddenly roared awake with a vicious blast of exhaust and jerked forward. He was driving like a man possessed.

Seoryeong pressed her throbbing temples. Since arriving here, nothing had gone smoothly. She'd blamed him for everything—but in truth, she was just as unstable.

She wanted to reject every word that came out of his mouth. Wanted to crush it all, violently. It wasn’t adolescence, so why did every sentence come out twisted?

The trailer rattled down an unpaved road. With a stony face, Seoryeong approached the children, reeking of urine. Mechanically, she fastened diapers or changed the ones already soaked through.

Maybe they hadn’t been properly washed in days—their skin was already chafed and raw. As she adjusted the wobbling bodies, she stifled a sigh. Her complexion dimmed to gray.

BOOM—! THUD—!

“――!”

A deafening blast exploded in her ears. Her body flew upward. The back of her head slammed into the ceiling—everything flashed white.

What... was that sound? It sounded like...

The trailer had been hit—violently. It disconnected from the truck and launched upward, flipping with a grinding screech. Seoryeong’s body crashed against the wall, but she reached out desperately for the children.

“Ugh...!”

Her scalp burned—blood was leaking somewhere. She clutched her heaving stomach and opened her eyes. One side of the trailer was caved in. Her mind dangled on the edge of blackout.

“Hhh... ngh...”

Even the slightest movement sent pain ripping through her bones, but she forced herself upright. She checked each of the scattered children, one by one, for a pulse.

They’re alive. They’re fine. Just unconscious...

Her lashes trembled. Then, her head snapped up.

The truck? The others?

“Hhh...!”

She swallowed a cry. Clawing toward the mangled door, she tried to shove it open—then kicked, hard, over and over.

Finally, the door gave. A wave of unnatural heat brushed her skin.

“――!”

Outside, the sky was streaked with rising black-red flames. Sticking out of the ground was a long, arrow-shaped grenade shell.

It had flown in from a distance, striking the joint between the trailer and truck—separating the two in an instant. The aftermath lay before her in a ruined, smoking wreck.

The front of the truck, still partially aflame, sparked along the ground as it slid upside down.

“Instructor―!”

She screamed with all her might. Her ears rang so loud she couldn’t even hear someone approaching from behind.

Rustle, rustle—someone pushing through foliage.

As Seoryeong turned toward the sound, something slammed into her, knocking her flat.

“――.”

Upside-down, her vision caught a clean jawline, gaping mouth, and eyes pulled into tiny pinpricks.

A familiar face—one that grinned with a vague, joyless malice—slung an RPG launcher over its shoulder like a fishing rod.

Her limbs went slack as she was dragged along the ground. The priest’s steps were light and springy. The uneven earth whipped across her legs like a switch.

She tried to flail—but her fingernails only dug pointlessly into the dirt.

Ugh... Instructor...—

Her vision blacked out.