PTT - 12

“I’ll be leaving now.” 

“You haven’t finished eating. Where do you think you’re going?” 

“I’m going home. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t call me unilaterally from now on. It’s quite unpleasant.” 

Siheon stood up and picked up the briefcase he had placed on the right chair. Chairman Baek, his eyes bloodshot, clenched his teeth so hard that the muscles in his jaw were visible. 

“Sit down! Who gave you permission to leave?” 

“I’m not one of your subordinates, am I? If you want to sever the already strained bond between us, I won’t stop you. Contact me if necessary.” 

After tightening the knot of his tie, Siheon turned toward the living room. He had no desire to hear anything about his mother from this man who called himself his father. 

Dark memories from the past flashed through his mind like a panorama. 

“That insolent brat…!” 

An angry voice echoed behind him, but Baek Siheon left the mansion without a moment’s hesitation. By now, the sun had set, and the surroundings were shrouded in darkness. 

Gazing up at the pitch-black sky devoid of stars, he wiped his weary face with a hand. Though less than 30 minutes had passed since he arrived, the time spent with Chairman Baek had left him mentally exhausted. 

If not for that incident, he wouldn’t have left Ra-on without even a word. 

Regretting the past now wouldn’t change anything. Letting out a low sigh, Baek Siheon took heavy steps forward. The wind howled particularly harshly that night. 

/// 

“Wow, this is it... So delicious! Babe, how did you find this place? I feel like I’ll be coming here every day from now on.” 

“I’ve been coming here occasionally for a while. It’s open 24 hours, and the prices are reasonable.” 

“I feel my hangover disappearing instantly. I should’ve come here this morning.” 

Baek Siheon wasn’t the only one who hadn’t gone home after work. Because of Mabel’s insistence on having dinner together, Ra-on had to send another text to the housekeeper. 

Watching Mabel devour spoonful after spoonful of the savory beef soup, Ra-on felt as though she was already full despite not eating much herself. Could it really be that good? She quietly chuckled to herself. 

“You’ve worked hard. Get some rest early tonight.” 

As expected during dinner time, the surrounding tables were packed with customers. At the neighboring table, office workers were practically pouring soju down their throats. 

Aware of her surroundings, Ra-on made sure not to mention any codenames. 

Mabel, her hair tied back tightly, picked up some bean sprouts with her chopsticks and popped them into her mouth. Glancing at the bottles of soju on the table next to them, she shook her head with a look of disgust, as if she might vomit just from looking at them. 

“If I ever drink alcohol again, I’m a dog, okay? Got it, babe? If I try drinking again, hit me on the back of my head. Anyway, starting next week, I’ll be too busy to even think about it.” 

“You sound just like my college friends. And then three days later, they’re drunk again.” 

“No, I’m serious this time. I’m old enough now. My body can’t handle it like before. You’re still in your 20s, right?” 

At Mabel’s question, Ra-on gently stroked her chin. Even among agents, sharing personal information was generally avoided. 

Given the nature of intelligence work, exposing one’s identity could lead to significant danger—especially for black operatives like them. 

‘Still, isn’t revealing an age range fine?’ 

As if reading her thoughts, Mabel grinned while scooping up a spoonful of broth. 

“Alright, secret, secret. But I envy your youth. I had those good times once too...” 

“You’re still young.” 

“Right? Of course I’m young, but lately, I’ve been having these random deep thoughts.”

Mabel, who had been talking as if deep in thought, truly seemed lost in contemplation. After continuing her meal for a while, she suddenly put down her spoon and chopsticks. 

Then, with crescent-shaped eyes curved into a smile, she looked at Ra-on. 

“By the way, babe. I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” 

“Yes? What is it?” 

“You and our team leader—did you two know each other before?” 

Ra-on, who had just unscrewed the cap of a plastic bottle to pour barley tea, froze momentarily. It felt as though dozens of thoughts raced through her mind in less than a second. 

How did she find out? Had Mabel caught her and Baek Siheon talking privately somewhere? When it came to anything related to Baek Siheon, maintaining a poker face was nearly impossible. 

Seeing Ra-on’s awkward expression freeze, Mabel tilted her head curiously. 

“Just a hunch, really. You two seem like there’s some history between you. It didn’t feel like you’d met for the first time recently, so I guessed maybe you worked together on the same team before or something.” 

“Ah…” 

“What were you two doing when you first met? If it’s too personal, you can skip it. Then again, asking about it now might be a bit too private since you haven’t known each other for long, right?” 

“...We just met while working at the agency. Nothing special.” 

As she answered, Ra-on unconsciously stroked the back of her right hand with her palm—a habit she couldn’t easily break no matter how hard she tried. Noticing her reaction, Mabel waved dismissively and went back to eating her soup. 

“I want to order another bowl, but that might be too much. Why don’t they sell extra-large sizes here?” 

While Mabel muttered what sounded like a rhetorical question to herself, Ra-on’s heart sank heavily. Memories she had suppressed for so long were resurfacing. 

How could she ever forget the moment she first met Baek Siheon? 

A chill crept up from the tips of her fingers, and the surrounding noise faded into the background like a soft hum. Despite being indoors, she felt as if a sharp, icy wind was biting into her skin. 

Just like that day. 

/// 

“Ah, it’s so cold...” 

Five years ago, at Korea National University. 

Yoo Sayeon, 22 years old, tightly zipped up her white padding jacket that reached her hips. The forecast had warned of an unprecedented cold snap compared to previous years, and this winter was unlike any she had experienced before. 

“Sayeon, aren’t you cold? Instead of that short jacket, why don’t you buy a long padded coat? They’re all the rage these days. They go down to your calves and are super warm.” 

“But they do kind of make you look like a rolled-up kimbap. Is that why you’re not wearing one—for fashion reasons?” 

To her peers’ well-meaning concerns, Sayeon could only muster a small laugh. Did they even realize she couldn’t afford to buy a new outerwear every winter? 

This jacket, though short and thin, was her only winter coat. 

“Cold, so cold.” 

The biting wind turned her earlobes red. Clutching her eco-bag, Sayeon hurriedly opened the building door and stepped inside. 

If only she hadn’t failed to register for classes, she wouldn’t have needed to take this seasonal semester. Both time and money were precious, but she couldn’t afford to delay her graduation any further. 

She had already taken a year off to earn tuition fees. Unlike her peers who would soon be juniors, she was still only a sophomore. 

“Why is she calling me at this hour…?” 

True to its reputation as one of the top national universities, the interior of the building was spacious and warm. Just then, her phone vibrated. Pausing mid-step, she swiped to answer the call. 

“Hey, Minji. It’s morning—why aren’t you asleep? Didn’t you say you’d sleep in every day during winter break?” 

- “Sleeping in isn’t the issue right now. Yoo Sayeon, are you at school?” 

“Yeah. I’m starting seasonal classes today. I’m at the liberal arts building now. It’s freezing today, so unless you absolutely have to, don’t come out.” 

- “I heard it’s really cold today. But... I feel like I want to brave the cold and go to school anyway.”

Hearing the voice through the speaker, Sayeon furrowed her brow in confusion. Minji had always taken breaks between classes as if they were a given, so this sudden talk of going to school didn’t make sense. 

“What are you talking about? Did you leave something in the department room or something?” 

- “No, remember that senior I told you about? They said he’s retaking a course this semester and attending seasonal classes. He could’ve graduated already, but seriously, he’s such a perfectionist.” 

“Which senior are you talking about?” 

- “You know… the ‘Thousand-Year Handsome.’“ 

“Ah… The one you saw last year and claimed you fell in love with at first sight?” 

By now, Sayeon had arrived in front of the elevator and pressed the up button. Staring at the numbers counting down from 10, she let out a small chuckle. 

“The way you keep talking about him, he must really be handsome. Of course, I had to take a leave of absence the one time you saw him.” 

- “I wish I could share my eyeballs with you. But… even if I go to school now, there’s no way I’ll run into him, right?” 

“But what about your boyfriend? Won’t he get jealous? You should be careful not to get caught.” 

- “What, let him get jealous… What’s wrong with saying someone’s handsome when they are?” 

Just then, the elevator doors slid open on the first floor. Typical Minji—always impossible to reason with. Stepping into the elevator, Sayeon glanced down at the watch on her left wrist to check the time. Had it really gotten this late already? 

“Alright, Kang Minji. I have to head up now. Class starts in five minutes.” 

- “Why do you have to take the mandatory freshman liberal arts class now? Fine, contact me after class.” 

Saying this, Sayeon pressed the red call-end button and raised her head. By the time she looked up, the elevator doors had already closed automatically. Reaching out to press her floor button, she absentmindedly turned her gaze to the right. 

‘When did he get on? He didn’t make a sound...’ 

And in that moment, Yoo Sayeon’s body froze completely.