Some fool stood gaping and got clocked—Taeui’s first thought, tinged with guilt, as he frowned and pulled his arm back, then turned around.But something felt off.It was too quiet.Moments ago, the spectators had been chattering loudly enough that he barely heard them over the fight. Now they were still—yet they hadn’t dispersed, still pressed around him. Why was it so silent?No, not silent—frozen.Every face around him was staring past him, at the man who’d just been struck.……Beyond odd, a bad feeling settled in his gut.Slowly, slowly, like an old robot’s gears, Taeui turned his head. Where his elbow had smashed moments before, he saw someone’s midriff.His face hovered a span above Taeui’s own. He dreaded looking up to meet that gaze, unwilling to learn why the air had gone so cold.“—cough.”At last, the man who’d been struck in the pit of the stomach exhaled a low cough. Still looking down, Taeui withdrew his arm fully. The cough was horrifyingly familiar.“Good going—hitting someone uninvolved, are we?”Kim Jeong-pil’s voice cut through the hush as he mock-chided, glancing around spitefully. Then his eyes fell on the man Taeui had just elbowed. A small sound of recognition escaped him.“You… you’re the desk officer I saw at the stair landing the other day…”Damn it.Taeui forced the curse down from his lips. A bead of cold sweat formed at his temple.He couldn’t look away. He lifted his gaze inch by inch—and came face to face with Ilrey.……He hadn’t meant to strike him. It was an accident. He hadn’t been aiming for Ilrey. What should he say first? His mind raced. Ilrey rubbed his stomach and spoke quietly:“You need to be more careful. You could’ve hurt someone else.”Taeui nearly doubted his ears. The stunned spectators around them stared at Ilrey in disbelief, as if they’d misheard, too.That line… it didn’t suit Ilrey at all. And that elbow—it hit Ilrey’s solar plexus dead-on. Yet Ilrey merely coughed and patted his chest. No harm would come to him at that force.“I’m sorry.”Taeui bowed his head and stepped back. Ilrey’s eyes flicked down to Taeui’s bowed shoulders, then resumed watching Jeong-pil. Thank God—no sign he’d return a blow.Great. Thanks to Jeong-pil, I’m bleeding now. Probably the most effective way he’s ever screwed me over.“Are you all right?”It was Chang-o, anxious. He didn’t notice the crowd’s glares. Would anyone ever worry over the monster who could survive an ax to the skull? Yet here he was, being asked if he was okay.Chang-o hovered between them, blinking. Then, pointing at Ilrey, as if introducing him: “Taeui, this man’s on our team.”“What?!”So that unlucky teammate was you! (Apparently Jeong-pil was on the same team, too, but Taeui felt zero sympathy for his misery.)Jeong-pil blinked, surprised: “Really? Why didn’t I notice him today?” He cast Ilrey a sheepish look, as if apologizing.Ilrey half-raised an eyebrow and offered a faint smile:“I only sat in on the morning theory lecture. I didn’t join the afternoon drills, so you wouldn’t have seen me.”“Oh, is that so? No afternoon training? Can you skip like that?”Jeong-pil sounded playful, but Ilrey answered evenly:“I was in the infirmary. I submitted a doctor’s note—my health’s too weak for general drills. Probably won’t participate on weekdays again.”What a liar!Jeong-pil shrugged as the crowd’s angry shouts rattled behind them—Taeui heard their outrage in his mind: “Weak health, huh? They’re excusing him, aren’t they, the sensible instructor!” But Jeong-pil only nodded.“True, these drills are brutal… You haven’t done anything too rough back home, °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° huh? I could tell just by looking at you.”Jeong-pil smiled condescendingly, convinced Ilrey was just evening-duty staff. Chang-o nodded along, ignorant. Ilrey offered a gracious smile:“Thanks for understanding. I was feeling awkward—no one spoke to me, since I ducked out of training.”You know why no one talks to you!Again that silent uproar roared in Taeui’s head, but still no one heard.Taeui felt his energy drain away. His head pounded.He didn’t know what Jeong-pil had swallowed to act this way, but it wasn’t natural. It felt more than coincidence that Jeong-pil kept cozying up to them.“Ilrey.”Grasping his temple, Taeui groaned.“Don’t get involved. This isn’t your problem, nor yours—this is wholly mine.”“Me? Getting involved?”Ilrey snorted.“I was just watching. Who’s the one who elbowed someone innocent?”He spread his arms in mock innocence. Taeui fell silent—Ilrey was right. He hadn’t stirred things up, nor held him back.He clicked his tongue. Jeong-pil, eyeing them suspiciously, addressed Ilrey:“That’s your name? Il—”“Rick.”Ilrey cut him off crisply.“Rick? Then why was that guy calling you Il—”“Rick.”Again. Jeong-pil stammered and shrank into himself: “I see…”“By the way, Taeui.”Ilrey’s voice rose gently. Taeui looked up, suspicious.“Is the time all right? I saw Hogan finish up and head back to his room.”—!Taeui’s face twisted. Damn, he’d forgotten.A glance at his watch: he was long overdue. At least Ilrey was here—better than nothing—but it was still gross negligence.“Since you’re here, take your time eating and go at a leisurely pace. Hogan might even be happier you’re late.”Ilrey’s grin on this day felt especially infuriating.I should’ve hit harder… thought Taeui regretfully, then hurried off.“Hey, where are you running to!”Kim Jeong-pil’s shout recalled the half-paused fight, but the tension had fizzled. The crowd began to scatter.“Don’t talk about running away! You’ll have to face him again in drills—no whining, asshole!”Adjusting his torn collar, Taeui shot back over his shoulder as he practically sprinted to the stairs. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Ilrey smile—but he kept his head down and didn’t look back.Fortune’s always chaotic, fortune’s always chaotic… he muttered to himself.Hogan said nothing more. When Taeui arrived—late, disheveled—Hogan greeted him calmly: “You made it.”Expecting at least a cold glare, Taeui stood in the entryway, watching as Hogan flipped through the evening paper with no sign of concern. He scratched his head and mumbled, “Sorry,” then entered.He was heading quietly to his room when Hogan, finally noticing his state, called out:“What’s with your clothes? Did you get into a fight?”“Sir? Ah… yes. I had an issue with someone.”“Hm? If your relationship’s bad enough to fight, best not meet him face-to-face. Who is he? Someone from this branch?”Taeui hesitated. Naming names felt like tattle-tale territory, but then again, an instructor should know his deputy’s basic associations.“No, he’s external to this drill. Captain Kim Jeong-pil of the ROK Army.”“External? Jeong-pil? You’ve known him long?”Hogan seemed puzzled that he’d spar so fiercely with a non-colleague on day one. Taeui nodded wryly.“Yes. We attended the same academy. We’ve had bad blood since then.”“Same school?”Hogan folded the paper and gestured to a chair. Taeui sat.“A captain and a classmate—did you serve?”“Yes, sir. I commissioned as a second lieutenant after the academy, then resigned and became a civilian.”“Took your discharge soon after? Because of him?”Taeui let out a bitter laugh. Hogan hummed, regarding him thoughtfully.“After leaving the service, what did you do? Came straight here?”“Yes. My uncle’s stationed here, so I joined under him…”As he spoke, Taeui realized Hogan lacked even these basics. Unthinkable—surely someone in Hogan’s position would have done background checks? Then again, today was the first day.He nodded to himself. But still, Hogan’s ignorance of such fundamental facts was strange—Taeui must tread carefully.

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