The sound of Hyunji's footsteps echoed in the quiet lobby. She walked hastily, came out of the apartment building to approach a silver car that stopped a few hundred meters from the gate of the apartment complex.
She got into the car without hesitation, sat down, then massaged her temples which suddenly hurt.
"I told you to wait until morning," said the man in the driver's seat.
Hyunji shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Just a bit dizzy." She blinked a few times, trying to get rid of the dizziness that was wracking her head. The effects of alcohol seem to have not completely disappeared even though she had slept for two hours. Probably she had drunk too much.
"Hyunji."
Hyunji turned to the person beside her.
"Are you sure you want to see father right now?"
"Of course." Hyunji leaned back. "You also know that he's often out of base. So, it's better now than never."
The opponent, Hyunjae Min, had no other choice but to obey his younger sister's wishes. He took a deep breath and started the car engine.
But once again, he turned to Hyunji, confirming her decision for the last time. He didn't want Hyunji to end up regretting it later. "Are you sure?"
Hyunji rolled her eyes. She turned to Hyunjae with a tired expression. She stared at his face closely. Noticing how worried Hyunjae towards her, Hyunji chuckled. "South pole ice like you can be worried too, huh?"
Hyunjae snorted at that. "How can I not worry that your life is at stake in this mission?"
Smiling faintly, Hyunji confirmed his words in her heart. This mission is quite difficult. She had never faced this kind of mission before, so she didn't have any strategy for the future.
And that was also one of the reasons why she wanted to meet their father this time. "Don't worry. I'll make a direct complaint to father later."
"I will take your place on the mission."
Hyunji glared. "No need. Father won't let you do it anyway."
"We will just do it quietly."
Hyunji felt her anger rise suddenly. "You don't remember what happened to us last time?" Her voice trembled while her eyes stared intently at Hyunjae. "We almost died together."
Hyunji's words made Hyunjae out of words. He chuckled blandly. There was bitterness in his voice as he said, "Sorry."
Hyunji didn't respond. She leaned her head back against the window and closed her eyes tightly.
The memories flashed in her head again. The gloomy past comes back to haunt her. She could feel goosebumps all over her body. She can still clearly remember every pain she felt before. Likewise, the horror that often comes to her as a nightmare until now.
Hyunji's hands clenched into fists. She tried to get rid of the bad images in her mind. But instead of disappearing, the memories just got worse. Rotating and overlapping each other, as if they were laughing at the pain she was feeling right now.
Hyunji's body was sweating. Even though the temperature of Hyunjae's car heater is normal.
Meanwhile, Hyunjae turned his attention to the street. Trying to focus on driving in the silence and guilt that surrounds them along the way.
***
"I'll accompany you."
"No need. You better stay here until I come back later. Don't try to catch up with me!"
After saying that, Hyunji rushed down the cobbled streets of a narrow alley located on the outskirts of the city. The remote area was filled with shrubs and abandoned houses which added to the gloomy atmosphere around.
Only by relying on a phone flashlight, she walked towards one of the old houses there. To be honest, it wasn't the house that was the final destination, but the secret dungeon that was located right behind the house.
As soon as she arrived in front of the dungeon, she immediately pushed hard on the wooden door in front of her while shouting, "Father!"
Someone she called father looked up, taking his eyes off the pile of papers on the table. His smile was clearly visible under the only lamp illuminating the room. "You don't usually come here. What's the matter?"
Hyunji stepped closer to him. She grabbed her phone and threw it on the table. "What does that mean? Why all of a sudden?"
That middle-aged man, who was more than half a century old, stared blankly at the object that Hyunji had just thrown. "What do you mean?"
"You're handing me a mission like that? Are you kidding me?!"
In the dim light of the lamp, Hyunji's face turned bright red. Angry, sad, disapproved, and many other emotions she feels right now. The feeling was raging until it added to the tightness in her chest. Hurt her terribly. Her hands were tightly clenched into fists, resisting the urge to punch the man in front of her.
If the person in front of her wasn't someone she respected all along—no matter if she had to fight a man—maybe they'd be in a bloody fight by now.
"You're really telling me to go on that mission? All by myself?"
"Why? Are you scared?" The man's gaze sharpened, intimidating. "Or do you intend to betray me? Should I remind you of your promise to me?"
Hyunji's body stiffened. Her voice was low—almost like a whisper, "You know clearly I can never betray you."
"Then, what are you waiting for? Just carry out the mission. You will get paid anyway."
Hyunji was silent, staring at the man in front of her with a look that was difficult to decipher. Her feeling is indescribable right now. "You usually go on this kind of mission yourself. Why are you suddenly giving it to me?"
The person she was talking to did not immediately answer, but kept himself busy by arranging the things that were scattered on the table. "Think of it as a new experience."
"Ah, really?" Hyunji squeaked. "A new experience ... or you just want to see me suffer with your threats?"
Laughing out loud, the man walked over to Hyunji. The echo of his shoes filled every corner of the room, bouncing between the roof and the rotten wooden floor covered in dust and cobwebs here and there. He smiled lopsidedly. "Clever girl." His hand reached out to pat the top of Hyunji's head. "You know me very well. It was the right decision to raise you."
Hyunji neutralized her expression. Her gaze turned cold. "Crazy psychopath."
"I take that as a compliment." He handed her phone which was slightly cracked on the screen. "That's it. Make sure your mission goes well or you will get punished from me. Got it?"
Hyunji stared at her phone for a few moments, then received it. "I got it."
"Good. And also, I remind you one more time, you must address me politely when talking about work."
"Forgive my omission, Master." Again, Hyunji replied expressionlessly.
The man put his hands in his pants pockets. He looked at Hyunji from top to bottom, then signaled his eyes to Hyunji to leave immediately. "I'll let it go this time. I won't let it happen again in the future."
Hyunji just nodded in response. She turned around, approaching the door that had not been closed since she had entered.
Just as she had set foot outside, ready to close the door, she heard a voice wafting through her ear. "Anyway, what's your wish?"
Hyunji raised her head. Instead of turning to look at the opponent, she looked straight ahead. Without hesitation, she said, "Die."
And the door was closed.
Hyunji looked up at the sky. Letting the snow flakes hit her face which may have turned pale from the cold temperature. Her head still felt dizzy, but her chest hurt a lot more now. Even though she thought she had no feelings, but who would have thought she could still feel this much pain in her heart.
Hyunji laughed. But a second later, the laughter was gone, replaced by a look full of hatred.
She did not immediately leave from there—from the place she had been calling 'base' for years. She deliberately kept silent and pondered while staring at the line after line of writing that appeared on the phone screen. But between the rows of letters that are intertwined to form the words, there is a row of numbers that stands out.
COUNTDOWN
55 : 22 : 18 : 41