-It could be a disguise, so do a scan. Let's verify it through the system.

"Yes."

Number 11 felt no burden for this mission. The task wasn’t to eliminate the target, but simply to intimidate the VIP with a warning.

Though the team Leader ordered the verification, he didn’t believe the civilian was in disguise—after all, she was a woman with a slender build. Still, to avoid any mistake, he proceeded with the scan.

He moved toward the target, aiming to scan her with the camera hidden in the top button of his shirt as he brushed past her.

At that moment, even before he got close, the civilian woman locked eyes with him. Number 11's eyes widened slightly, his pupils trembling.

He quickly averted his gaze and briskly walked past.

Is it her? Is it really her? Yes, I’m sure. It's been ten years, and her face and vibe have changed completely, but I can tell. As the only survivor from our unit, I know. I'm certain. Did she recognize me? No, she never paid attention to others. She probably didn’t notice. But…

He rushed into the men’s restroom, frantically opening each stall to confirm they were all empty. Once inside a stall, he shut the door and spoke into his mic.

"Abort mission, abort mission, I just saw—"

Just then, a shadow loomed overhead. Before he could look up, two hands came down and grabbed his jaw and head.

Crack—

Too shocked to counterattack, Number 11 collapsed without resistance.

Slide—

Like a ghost, Haru silently entered the stall and pressed her fingers beneath his jaw to check his pulse.

He had only fainted; he was still alive.

Quickly, she removed the man's earpiece and placed it into her own ear.

-Why suddenly? What is it, who did you see?

He hadn’t yet said who he saw. Haru crushed the transmitter underfoot, searched his body, pulled out everything that could be a tracker, opened the restroom window, and threw them to the neighboring building.

She took the knife and sheath he had and strapped them to her inner thigh under her skirt.

Haru studied the man’s face. Yes. He was the only survivor from their unit, just like her. Of all people, it had to be him here, for some mission, and he had recognized her.

Closing the stall door, Haru quickly calculated. Since she had rushed out, Seo-eun would find her behavior odd. But she couldn't just leave this man here either.

Her thoughts tangled. Urgent and uncompromising priorities clashed in her head. First, she decided on the order.

Since he was unconscious, she would first go back to Seo-eun, say she had some business, and then return to handle the rest.

Step, step

As Haru opened the restroom door, she was met with a black shadow standing right in front of it. Her pupils quaked violently.

"What are you?"

Shin Haesu had left work early to shop for Haru’s birthday present. In a few hours, it would be her birthday. It was the same day he had pulled her out of the underworld for the first time.

"Hm?"

By coincidence, he spotted Ahn Seo-eun and Haru. They stood out so much that he couldn't miss them. The crowd’s eyes were naturally drawn to them.

Just as he was about to approach, he noticed Haru suddenly following someone. Curious, he watched as Seo-eun, seemingly unaware, vanished from sight.

She followed some man all the way into the men's restroom, then came out alone.

"What are you?"

Haru’s face had gone pale. It was fear. Haesu had never seen her look afraid before.

For the first time in her life, Haru had something she wanted to protect. And now, she feared losing it all.

Then she spotted Haesu. Shocked, her body trembled violently. Of all people, the one she mustn’t be discovered by was standing right there.

"I-I..."

Haesu held her trembling shoulders firmly, meeting her cold gaze with his own.

"It's okay."

He took her wrist and walked inside. Opening the closed stall door, they saw the man she’d followed had collapsed.

He was unconscious but still breathing.

"I didn’t kill him, but I must. If I don’t… it’ll be dangerous. For you, for me, for everyone."

At her cryptic words, Haesu fell into thought. He hadn’t dug into her past, but he’d always suspected she might be connected to high-level operatives.

He tried to interpret her words and assess the situation.

"...Does this man know about what you're involved in?"

"He doesn’t. I subdued him before he could see my face or hands."

"So if he contacts the outside, it’s dangerous?"

"Yes, that’s right."

Still with anxious eyes, Haru watched Haesu as he calmly continued.

"Alright, then let’s say this is my problem now. I’ll make sure this man can’t contact anyone. So don’t kill him yet. He didn’t even pull a knife, so we can’t justify killing him."

"..."

"Trust me. Stop shaking."

Haru slowly met his gaze and gave a deep nod.

"Yes, I trust you."

With that, they exited the restroom carrying the unconscious man. As soon as they stepped out, they ran into Ahn Seo-eun. Judging by her face, she had been frantically looking for Haru.

"Haru! Haesu?"

Her gaze moved from Haru to Haesu, then to the unidentified man.

Haesu, now carrying the man over his shoulder, said:

"Came to arrest a violent criminal. Enjoy your shopping."

"What? Wait—"

Haesu quickly disappeared with the man. Seo-eun, blankly staring at his back, came to her senses and grabbed Haru's hand.

"Haru, where did you suddenly go?"

"I had to use the restroom urgently... I'm sorry."

"I was really worried. Seriously."

"I'm sorry."

Haru also couldn't take her eyes off Haesu's back as he walked away with the man.

There’s definitely a team nearby. That man—Number 11—might have been on the same team, so he could’ve recognized him immediately. But if she moved hastily and the others recognized her too, things could spiral out of control.

She thought if she lived in a different world from them, she wouldn’t run into them. It was a dangerously naive delusion.

They wouldn't attack Haesu, a police officer, just to save a colleague. But still…

“Ahn Seo-eun-nim.”

“Yes, Haru-ssi.”

“I'm not feeling well.”

Having eaten and even slept together over the past two weeks, Seo-eun had grown close enough to know that Haru wasn’t the type to say something like this lightly.

Seo-eun’s already large eyes widened even more in surprise.

“Really? What’s wrong? Your stomach? Let’s go to the hospital first.”

“No. I think I’ll be fine if I rest at home.”

“Ah, I see. I’ll at least buy you some medicine. Let’s go for now. Come on, let’s go.”

“Yes, thank you.”

In the underground parking lot, people waited covertly where no one could see them. They were thrown into confusion when they saw Shin Haesu putting the man into the company car.

-What’s going on?

-Who is that guy?

-Is that Number 11 being extracted?

A middle-aged woman in sunglasses and a dress stepped out of a red compact car and began walking toward Haesu, when the radio cracked.

-Stop. That’s the detective. Detective Shin that the VIP mentioned. If we touch the police now, it’ll get messy. Fall back.

-Yes, sir.

Haesu drove around in circles to shake off any potential tail before entering the underground parking lot of the Reed Building.

He had to figure out who the man was and what his relationship was with Haru. But with no charges, he couldn't arrest him or even hold him at the station.

Judging by Haru’s reaction, he might be at an executive level.

Haesu shoved the man into a closed janitor’s closet at the far end of the underground lot. The door was a fireproof metal door with a sturdy lock.

The man opened his eyes and slowly looked around.

“Where is this place?”

“Not asking who I am first?”

“Who are you?”

“Who are you?”

His eyes shifted from Haesu’s shoes, to his outfit, and then to his face in order.

“A cop, huh. You’re the detective everyone’s been talking about lately—Detective Shin? I see. What are you doing, tying up an innocent citizen like this?”

Proving he wasn’t just some ordinary guy, he deduced all that in an instant from minor details.

“I’m still deciding.”

“What?”

“Whether to kill you or not.”

“Hah.”

Even with his hands and feet bound, his laugh carried ease and sarcasm. If he was of executive caliber, he could afford that—at least until he got hit.

“Your team’s withdrawn. They recognized I was a cop.”

Only then did a flicker of emotion pass through his eyes.

“You’re only worth that much—a disposable tool to be thrown away at any time.”

The man tightly shut his mouth, as if declaring he would speak no more.

“Fine. Take your time thinking. We’ve got plenty of time.”

As Haesu approached to gag him again, the man urgently spoke.

“A current officer attacking and imprisoning a civilian with no charges? Think you can get away with that once I’m out?”

Haesu scoffed in amusement.

“You won’t make it public. At most, you’ll run crying to your team and report it—that’s if you get out, which you won’t.”

Haesu gagged him again and stood up to leave.

Clang. Clunk clunk.

As the iron door shut, pitch-black darkness filled the room, not even a sliver of light getting through. The sound of the lock clicking echoed loudly.

“Mmgh, mmgh…”

Slide—thud—

Haesu even blocked the iron door with the police vehicle before heading for the elevator.

Beep—click.

10th floor penthouse of the Reed Building. Upon entering, only a chilly air lingered. Haru, who usually ran up to bow at the waist, was nowhere to be seen.

Haesu checked his messages again.

[Ahn Seo-eun: Haru said her stomach hurt, so we split up earlier. Please take good care of her.]

Judging by the time the message was sent, Haru should’ve arrived long before he did. But she wasn’t here. She wasn’t answering calls either. No—she’d left her phone at home.

He recalled her pale face when they ran into each other in the bathroom.

It also reminded him of when she disappeared after dealing with those robbers. Just like then, she hadn’t even left a note.

Haru seemed like someone who came and went like a mirage.

Feeling an undefined anxiety, Haesu left the house again.

She wasn’t at the children's home on the 9th floor, nor at the convenience store on the 1st.

“Where the hell did she go…”

Haesu stopped in his tracks as he exited through the lobby. Under the streetlight, he saw a delicate silhouette sitting on a long bench.

As he got closer, he saw she was holding a proper dagger in her left hand, its origin unknown. She looked like she was waiting to greet someone.

In her eyes were resolve, anxiety, resentment, and sorrow.

Seeing Haesu, she slightly hid the dagger behind her.

Haesu draped his activewear jumper over her shoulders and spoke.

“It’s cold at night.”

Haru’s shoulders trembled slightly. Looking at Haesu with uncertain, wavering eyes, she opened her mouth.

“I will speak. About my past.”

She hesitated, her small lips mumbling, before finally continuing.

“You can listen... and abandon me afterward if you want.”