As soon as the warehouse door closed, the air in the hallway changed.
It was quiet, yet loud.
Those ambiguous breathing sounds just before people start gossiping.
Jin-woo let Da-yeon go first and walked side by side with Mi-ra.
Mi-ra's heel sounds were clack-clack, regular.
Regular sounds are always suspicious.
Humans are irregular, so things that are regular are usually 'intention.'
"Chief."
Mi-ra asked with a smile.
"What were you looking for in the warehouse?"
"Dust."
Jin-woo answered perfunctorily.
"Because the most abundant thing in my life is dust."
"Haha. Chief, you really… say anything so well."
Mi-ra's laughter followed a beat late.
"But Chief. The Team Leader is really in a bad mood. I think you shouldn't joke today."
Jin-woo only nodded.
Jokes are originally made when the opponent is at ease.
Today, it's not a joke, but a shield.
In front of the Team Leader's office door.
Sound of hitting the desk was heard from inside.
Thud.
Sound of documents flying.
Thud again.
Mi-ra whispered while grabbing the doorknob.
"Shall I go in first and lighten the mood?"
Jin-woo tapped Mi-ra's wrist lightly and smiled.
"No. Today I have to untie it. The Team Leader raising his blood pressure hearing my voice… is routine."
As soon as the door opened, Team Leader Cha Do-il's voice popped out.
"Section Chief Kang! Are you in your right mind right now?"
Team Leader Cha's face was red hot.
"Contact came from the main contractor! They say our side attempted abnormal access to the server! A record was stamped!"
Jin-woo stepped in one step and bowed slightly.
Politeness.
In this company, politeness is not a weapon, but a survival tool.
"Team Leader, if I had time to hack someone, I would have clocked out first."
Jin-woo said with a smile.
"But a record? Let me see that too. Records can't lie."
Team Leader Cha thrust a sheet of paper toward Jin-woo as if throwing it.
Jin-woo scanned it with his eyes as soon as he received it.
Time.
Location.
Access path.
Jin-woo's mouth corner went up very minutely.
That minuteness was rather chilly.
"Team Leader."
Jin-woo tapped the paper with his fingertip. Tok.
"This is 1:15 PM."
"Right! Your account was stamped then!"
Team Leader Cha shouted.
"Explain! Immediately!"
Jin-woo nodded and said.
"At that time, I was on the rooftop."
And without looking at Mi-ra, spoke so Mi-ra could hear.
"Drinking canned coffee with my friend. There's a camera on the rooftop, right? You can check."
Team Leader Cha's eyes shook.
That shaking was not 'anxiety' but 'calculation.'
The shaking that comes out when a person who wants to look good to the main contractor gets suspected by the main contractor.
Mi-ra intervened softly from the side.
"Team Leader, perhaps the Chief made a mistake…"
The end of the sentence was very beautifully round.
But that round word is cotton wrapping a knife.
Jin-woo didn't cut off Mi-ra's words.
Instead, very naturally added one more sentence.
"And also."
Jin-woo tapped the paper. Tok tok.
"If you look here… the access location is caught near the 'break room'."
Team Leader Cha opened his eyes wide.
"Break room?"
Jin-woo nodded.
"Yes. Our office break room. At that time, in the break room… is there anyone who remembers who was there?"
The air stopped, snap.
Mi-ra laughed.
Laughed, but only her lips laughed.
"Chief is really…"
Mi-ra blinked slowly.
"You have rich imagination. At that time… I was organizing educational materials at my seat?"
Team Leader Cha looked at Mi-ra, then at Jin-woo.
Jin-woo didn't say more.
If he says more, it becomes a fight.
Now is not a fight, but time to leave a 'mark.'
Jin-woo quietly put the paper down on Team Leader Cha's desk.
"Team Leader, for now, let's answer the main contractor like this."
Jin-woo spoke calmly.
"To catch a person just looking at records… this side is burdened too. Verify first. That's the basic of security."
Team Leader Cha exhaled with a face struck dumb.
Mi-ra smiled more beautifully next to him.
"Team Leader, the Chief is right."
Mi-ra spoke softly.
"Let's verify first. If feelings get hurt for no reason… it's a loss."
'Loss.'
Mi-ra's favorite word.
A word of a person who touches profit, not people.
Jin-woo only nodded and came out of the Team Leader's office.
As soon as he came out to the hallway, Mi-ra's heel sounds moved away nervously.
It wasn't clack-clack.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Sound with strength in the toes.
Jin-woo walked pretending nothing was wrong until that sound completely disappeared.
And only after returning to the seat with the monitor did he exhale a long breath.
"Chief…"
Da-yeon had approached.
Eyes were red.
Eyes of a person who swallowed words.
"Are you really okay?"
Da-yeon asked quietly.
"The Team Leader getting angry like that… I saw it for the first time."
Jin-woo laughed.
The laugh he always used.
Laugh that reassures people.
Laugh that deceives himself and deceives others.
"Ms. Da-yeon."
Jin-woo spoke low.
"You know people with loud voices? Empty cans."
He tapped his temple with his finger. Tok.
"If there's nothing inside here, they raise the volume outside at least. That way it becomes 'pretending to have something'."
Da-yeon moved her lips.
A face wanting to ask something more, but holding back fearing her heart would be caught the moment she asks.
Jin-woo changed the subject first.
To not hand over the initiative of the conversation.
"Prepare to clock out."
Jin-woo said.
"Today… don't remain alone."
"But what about you, Chief?"
Da-yeon asked urgently.
"Chief too, together…"
Jin-woo shook his head.
"I need a moment."
And added very small.
"Need to organize the records a bit."
Da-yeon was about to nod but paused.
What those 'records' were, Da-yeon vaguely knew.
So she was more scared.
Jin-woo opened the drawer.
Deep inside the drawer, from a corner other people never look, took out a small storage device.
Outside was worn, but the moment he held it, it was strangely solid.
Da-yeon's gaze followed it.
"That…"
Da-yeon whispered.
"What is it?"
"Insurance."
Jin-woo said shortly.
"And… trap."
Da-yeon swallowed a breath.
Jin-woo didn't explain more.
Explanation only grows anxiety.
Da-yeon is a person who grows eating anxiety, so shouldn't grow it more.
Jin-woo placed his fingers on the keyboard.
Even though quitting time passed, the office didn't empty easily.
Not because people remained, but because 'records' remained.
Team Leader Cha disappeared early noticing the main contractor's mood,
and Mi-ra's seat was empty too.
But on Jin-woo's screen, 'active' traces remained.
Mi-ra's account was still scanning inside the office from somewhere.
Jin-woo scrolled down the screen slowly.
If you rush, it shows.
If it shows, the opponent erases traces.
Erased traces are hard to make again.
"As expected."
Jin-woo muttered to himself.
"You don't clock out."
He plugged in the small storage device and turned on the hidden surveillance program.
A small window popped up more on one side of the screen.
This is not the company system.
The company system is watched by the main contractor.
So another path was needed.
Jin-woo picked up the phone and called.
"Hey."
Voice heard as soon as picked up.
It was Park Min-su.
Always the guy quick to answer.
Guy who smells danger as fast as he is quick.
"You still alive?"
Min-su asked.
"Barely."
Jin-woo laughed.
"Fishing preparation complete."
"Acting alone again."
Min-su sighed.
"If the opponent is an individual, maybe, but if the opponent is a company… you really get hurt."
"Trying not to get hurt."
Jin-woo said looking at the screen.
"So it's a trap."
Min-su asked low.
"What did you throw as bait."
"Fake confidential."
Jin-woo said shortly.
"If opened, the record that it opened comes to me first. Not 'who', but even 'where'."
Min-su became quiet for a moment, then spoke low.
"Then you are now… just waiting for Mi-ra to bite."
"Doesn't have to be Mi-ra."
Jin-woo answered.
"Better if it's the guy behind Mi-ra."
Min-su exhaled a long breath.
"Hey, Jin-woo-ya."
Min-su suddenly lowered his tone.
"This time, really… don't drag the past."
Jin-woo's hand paused for a moment.
"You mean the mirror story."
Jin-woo said quietly.
Min-su sighed instead of answering.
"You, that…"
Min-su swallowed words.
"Anyway. Just verify. Don't fight."
Jin-woo laughed.
"I'll only verify."
And added.
"But while verifying, fights follow."
"This rascal…"
Min-su spoke as if swallowing a curse.
"Keep contacting. If cut off… I really run there."
"Don't run."
Jin-woo made the end of the sentence soft.
"This is where I run."
Hanging up the phone, Jin-woo looked at the screen again.
A trap needs pretty bait.
Enough for a person to be greedy.
Enough for a person to reach out.
Jin-woo deliberately made a folder with a name 'anyone would fall for.'
And put a file 'that leaves a trace if opened' inside.
Even after putting the file, he couldn't take his hands off for a long time.
'Must not be too obvious.'
'Must not be too hidden.'
Exactly in between.
That is hunting.
Night.
The office was empty.
Lights-out cubicles stood like graves.
Only Jin-woo remained.
Precisely, only Jin-woo's body remained.
Mind had already entered inside the network.
At that moment, the phone vibrated.
Short, hard vibration.
Vibration not a 'joke.'
Jin-woo looked at the screen.
'External forced connection attempt detected.'
Jin-woo's mouth corner went up.
This time it wasn't a smile, but an expression showing teeth.
"Bit it."
Jin-woo muttered.
He checked calmly.
Connection location.
Connection route.
Connection flow.
And… location popped up.
Near Sum-pyo.
Around the public phone booth.
Jin-woo checked one more time.
Why a public phone booth of all places.
That route was caught.
Entered riding the nearby public wireless network.
Very close distance to the cafe.
Place where people don't stand well, where camera blind spots occur.
'Standing there, watching the cafe… entered.'
Jin-woo picked up his outerwear.
Didn't even pack a bag.
Right now, not documents but people are urgent.
Regretting the time waiting for the elevator, ran down the stairs.
Footsteps rang loud.
Now there was no need to hide.
Stage to hide ended.
Street air was cold.
But Jin-woo's head was hot.
Hot head makes mistakes.
So he deliberately recalled 'numbers.'
Distance.
Time.
Path.
Minutes to the cafe.
When Sum-pyo came into view, Jin-woo raised speed more.
But.
Lights were on.
'Time closing should have ended.'
Jin-woo's heart beat big once.
Anxiety rose to the throat.
Two silhouettes visible beyond the glass window.
Da-woon.
Da-yeon.
Two people were organizing something at the counter side.
Da-woon's hands were busy, and Da-yeon was helping carefully next to her.
Both trying to laugh, but laughter wasn't light.
Fatigue accumulated all day remained as is under the cafe light.
"Unnie, wipe just this and go."
Shape of Da-woon's speaking mouth was visible.
"If we don't organize bean stock today, tomorrow will be chaos again."
Da-yeon nodding.
And waving hand small.
Gesture of a person saying 'It's okay.'
The moment Jin-woo saw that scene, his body hardened more.
'The reason those two are here right now… is because of today.'
Da-yeon scared to go home.
Hated leaving Da-woon alone.
So remained.
And probability was high that… Mi-ra knew that.
Jin-woo turned his gaze to the side.
Public phone booth.
There, yellow top stood out even in darkness.
It was Mi-ra.
Mi-ra was holding the phone to her ear.
But hardly spoke.
Instead, was listening.
Face of a person listening.
Jin-woo approached breathing hard.
"Ms. Mi-ra."
Jin-woo spoke low.
"Overtime should be done at the office."
Mi-ra turned her head slowly.
The fluster seen during the day wasn't there.
Instead, completely flat face.
Not lacking emotion, but face with emotion turned off.
"Chief."
Mi-ra spoke very quietly.
"You are faster than thought."
"I am originally fast."
Jin-woo spoke as if sneering.
"But you… why here."
Mi-ra put down the phone slowly.
Fingertips were neat.
No shaking.
"Bait Chief threw."
Mi-ra laughed.
"Was delicious."
Jin-woo's eyes narrowed.
"You verified."
"Yes."
Mi-ra nodded.
"Verified. What the Chief is really… hiding."
Jin-woo approached one step more.
Distance with Mi-ra became close.
Distance where breaths collide.
"Everyone lives hiding what they hide."
Jin-woo spoke low.
"Everyone lives like that."
Mi-ra tilted her head slightly.
"But. Chief."
Mi-ra's voice became softer.
"What I am looking at today… is not a file."
Jin-woo's gaze became colder.
"Then what is it."
Mi-ra pointed toward the cafe glass window with her finger.
"That."
Mi-ra said.
"Chief's weakness."
Beyond the glass window, Da-woon and Da-yeon were visible.
Da-woon laughing while organizing the rag, saying something to Da-yeon.
Da-yeon nodding and laughing small.
That ordinary scene, today looked like a dagger.
Jin-woo's voice became hard.
"Watch your mouth."
Mi-ra laughed.
"I am careful."
And spoke very slowly.
"So I do it like this… outside. Since the office has too many records."
Jin-woo gritted his teeth.
"Did you do it alone."
"Could be alone."
Mi-ra shrugged her shoulders.
"Could not be."
Jin-woo asked a beat late.
"Who did you talk to."
Mi-ra blinked.
"Those people Chief is curious about."
Then raised mouth corner.
"Main contractor. Security. Audit. Those words."
Jin-woo glanced at the cafe side.
Two people beyond the glass window haven't seen Jin-woo yet.
It was fortunate.
Yet.
Jin-woo looked at Mi-ra again.
"What do you want."
Mi-ra laughed.
"You, Chief."
Jin-woo let out a dry laugh.
"Don't know how many times I heard that today alone."
Mi-ra approached one step.
Then spoke very quietly.
"Chief is smart."
"No."
Jin-woo cut off immediately.
"I just endured long."
"People who endured long."
Mi-ra spoke as if whispering.
"Get exactly one weakness."
Jin-woo spoke low.
"People."
Mi-ra nodded.
"Right. People."
Jin-woo exhaled a long breath.
And laughed very slowly.
From now on, laughter shouldn't be a shield, but a knife.
"Good."
Jin-woo said.
"Then let me verify one too."
Mi-ra's pupils shook very minutely.
Jin-woo didn't miss that shake.
"You."
Jin-woo spoke quietly.
"'Where' did you bite the bait I threw?"
Mi-ra maintained laughter.
"Here. Nearby."
"Nearby where."
Jin-woo pressed one beat more.
"If you say that… whose side you really are comes out."
Mi-ra's lips hardened slightly, then relaxed again.
That interval was too short for ordinary people to miss.
But Jin-woo lived days dying if missing such things.
Mi-ra said.
"Chief."
Voice became lower.
"If you have many questions… you'll make mistakes."
Jin-woo nodded.
"So I'll reduce the questions."
He passed Mi-ra, threw gaze toward the cafe.
And made the end of the sentence very light.
"Ms. Da-yeon and Da-woon."
Jin-woo said with a smile.
"Today just late doing stock organizing. Right?"
Mi-ra laughed.
That laughter was the answer.
Jin-woo was certain at that moment.
'This is not coincidence.'
Someone set up the board.
Mi-ra moves too comfortably on that board.
Jin-woo stepped one step forward.
Mi-ra stepped half a step back unconsciously.
That half step was enough for Jin-woo.
"Ms. Mi-ra."
Jin-woo spoke low.
"Let's stop here today."
"Here?"
Mi-ra tilted her head.
"Chief is always… regrettable with cutting timing."
Jin-woo laughed.
"Being regrettable is surviving."
And added.
"If seen until the end, usually die."
Mi-ra's eyes narrowed.
"Then Chief."
Mi-ra whispered.
"What about tomorrow?"
Jin-woo threw a word instead of answering.
"Tomorrow…"
He looked at the cafe light one more time.
Warm light.
Person inside it.
And darkness aiming for that person.
Jin-woo turned his head and looked at Mi-ra straight.
"Tomorrow I verify first."
Jin-woo said.
"Not you. The guy behind you."
Mi-ra laughed.
"Try verifying."
And added very quietly.
"But Chief. While verifying… might lose precious thing."
As soon as those words ended, Mi-ra picked up a small envelope placed next to the phone. Tuk.
Naturally as if it was there originally.
"This… present."
Mi-ra said.
"It's 'record' Chief likes."
Jin-woo's eyes fixed on the envelope.
Seemed to know what was inside without looking.
Record.
Photo.
Printout.
Maybe… someone's movement path.
Mi-ra smiled.
"Then I'll go first."
And turned and walked.
Clack-clack.
This time regular sound again.
Jin-woo stood there, looking at the envelope for a long time.
Beyond the cafe glass window, Da-yeon lifted her head.
Like a person who felt something.
Just before those eyes met Jin-woo—
Jin-woo instinctively stepped one step back.
Not because he hated being seen,
but because if seen… from that moment this fight becomes 'fight of two.'
Jin-woo carefully put the envelope in his pocket.
And muttered very small.
"Now."
"From now on… is debugging."
Record started in the office,
was aiming for a person at the public phone booth in front of Sum-pyo.
And Jin-woo knew.
This time it's not just protecting the system.
Have to protect people.
That is hardest.
So most dangerous.