“Nightmare? …Right. Nightmares. I have them sometimes.”Ilrey paused as if recalling a dream, then frowned in displeasure.“Hmm. Opposite to me. I used to have nightmares quite often when I was young, but as I grew up I almost stopped dreaming. Well, I hardly dream at all, really. The only nightmare I still remember was one where my family died in an accident and I was left alone. I sobbed in my sleep and woke them all up, and my father scolded me—what a ruckus in the middle of the night—yet I remember feeling relieved it was only a dream. …Even if it’s just a dream, the sense of loss still hits you.”Taeui chuckled at the memory of long before he joined the unit.Yeah, that happened. My father had hugged me, laughing at the reason, and I felt such relief in his arms. The feeling of everything I loved vanishing at once, like the world collapsing.“…….”Taeui, lost in memory, looked up to find Ilrey staring at him and tilted his head in bewilderment.“What is it?”Ilrey shook his head. “Nothing.”“Sense of loss, huh. …Yeah. That must feel awful.”“Yeah, right…”Taeui nodded along, then, surprised, thought: why would you feel loss? He was about to ask, but Ilrey was already standing. Not wanting to dwell, Ilrey shook himself free of the past and pulled the cooler beside the table. He opened it—exaggeratedly larger than the table—and took out bottles of beer.That was why he’d come.Remembering his original purpose, Taeui watched the bottle Ilrey placed on the table with shining eyes. Before he could reach, Ilrey plunged his hand back into the cooler, pulled out another beer bottle, and set it beside the first. Again, and again—beer bottles and cans filled the table.It was like a jack-in-the-box. No matter how big the cooler, how had all that beer fit inside?Finally, Ilrey closed the cooler, leaving the table crowded with beer.…Good thing I came. Good thing I’m alive.Taeui beamed at the row of bottles and cans, feeling full just looking at them.“Did you go to a beer festival?”Taeui tried to sound calm as he surveyed every beer, sliding his hip closer to the table. Ilrey, sitting diagonally across, chuckled.“Hong Kong’s one of the easiest places to get anything if you’ve got the money.”Right, of course, thought Taeui, grabbing a can of stout right in front of him. The hiss of the tab was worlds apart from cola. The scent alone seemed intoxicating.“Stout… When I was in the UK years ago, I had a regional beer near Scotland that tasted similar. It was a bit heavy, but good.”“UK, huh? When?”“Oh. You know—when I was on the run from you a few years back, changing my name and wandering around looking for my brother—”Taeui, enjoying the sharp taste down his throat, responded cheerfully, then trailed off: wait, was it really wise to bring that up? It wasn’t much of a secret now, but still…He paused, eyes rolling back, and glanced at Ilrey. Reclining on the wide sofa, chin on his knuckles, Ilrey still smiled, urging him to continue.“…Just thought it’d be fun to tour local beers. That’s all.”“I see. Next time, let me know your destination.”“Sure,” mumbled Taeui, almost inaudible, and took another sip.Ilrey tapped the armrest with the other hand, as if willing to let it go.“Now that {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} I think about it, this was where we first met.”“Ah—right.”Taeui remembered it clearly. Every moment from those hard days stood out. Maybe tough days imprint more. Thankfully, time softens memories somewhat.“At the time, I wondered what kind of guy you were.”Ilrey spoke Taeui’s thoughts aloud, and Taeui laughed. Who would’ve known that the man who slaughtered so many would end up like this? And now, he didn’t regret meeting him—even sometimes felt glad—though it made no rational sense.He hadn’t even had a few sips, yet felt a pleasant buzz.“Ilrey. You—back then, when we’d just met—”Taeui suddenly opened his mouth. Ilrey raised an eyebrow.“Did you ever imagine we’d end up like this?”“Not really. …Or maybe it’s ambiguous.”Ilrey rubbed his chin, pondering. He rarely spoke ambiguously unless on purpose, so Taeui gave him a curious look and shook his can—beer sloshing inside.“I thought you were interesting. I’m not usually curious about people, but you seemed someone memorable.”Ilrey muttered as he traced old memories, and Taeui chuckled.“When did you think we’d become like this?”“When I couldn’t kill you.”Taeui choked on his beer, a few drops escaping. He wiped his mouth with his fist.He’d tried to kill him? When had that been… So many possibilities, he couldn’t pinpoint it.He murmured, recalling some unknown time: it was probably then. Ilrey, after a moment’s silence, turned the question back.“When did you know?”“Me? Uh—when was it….”Taeui shrugged, feigning thought. But he knew without thinking—he’d wondered when he’d fallen completely into this mire. It was in Seringe. He’d realized then: I have to return to this man.“…I’m sure it wasn’t here.”He mumbled, embarrassed to admit it in person. Ilrey simply gazed at him, but didn’t press further.Taeui looked away, awkward. The room’s layout was like his uncle’s: a solitary space, no shared quarters.“By the way, what rank is the lieutenant?”“There isn’t one.”“No? Why not?”“I’m not here as an instructor. I came as a regular trainee.”“…So you’re joining the training too?”Ilrey shrugged. Taeui stared, unblinking. Who in their right mind would put such a dangerous man into training, even apart from instructing?…But he thought he knew the answer.“Your uncle suggested you as an instructor, but a regular trainee can move more freely.”“…Then why is your room on this floor?”“They said it was out of respect for someone who once held an instructor’s rank.”Ilrey feigned humility with a grateful smile. Taeui echoed him, barely audible. This branch was generous—though the man had raised their insurance premiums, they’d probably owe him compensation if anything.“Have you greeted Hogan?”“Yeah—he seemed indifferent. Didn’t seem to like me much.”“Typical, it’s not like you came here to do good.”Ilrey gazed at Taeui, then tilted his lips.“He knows the situation. There are more enemies than friends here, so he’ll be careful. Well, with so many enemies, someone even hiring me to take him down makes sense.”“How do you live making so many enemies and doing dangerous things? To live peacefully you need no enemies.”Taeui suddenly fell silent, staring at Ilrey. If many enemies were a measure, this man would be second. Yet he lived oblivious to danger. No doubt many who’d sought revenge ended up worse off.“The world isn’t that just…”Taeui sighed. Ilrey’s eyes narrowed as if he could read his thoughts.“You have enemies too. More like rivals, but still.”“Huh? …Oh.”Taeui grimaced as he realized whom Ilrey meant.“Don’t bring him up—it spoils the beer.”“No, it was refreshing. I’ve rarely seen you show such blatant hostility. Was that ‘Lieutenant Kim’?”Taeui muttered irritably. Ilrey’s low chuckle grated on him.“What’s so funny? You were enjoying the show earlier.”“I was. Watching you show hostility, veins bulging, isn’t something you see every day. Didn’t you want me to step in and help?”“Don’t be absurd.”Taeui cut him off. He hated the thought of Ilrey butting into a fight—not to mention that Ilrey would confuse slaughter with justice. He wouldn’t want to see him butcher someone, even someone as despicable as Kim. If anyone died, he’d do it.“Don’t ever intervene. I’ll really get angry if you do.”Ilrey laughed lightly, as if he’d known Taeui would refuse immediately.“All right. Since we’ve met, fight your fill. It was quite entertaining.”

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