PTT - 62

By the time lunch had long passed, even Ray and Rock—back from their external assignment—couldn’t escape the test. Mabel had refused to handle Rock, though she wouldn’t explain why, leaving Si-heon to deal with him directly. Fortunately, their reactions under life-threatening situations were as expected.

At 9 PM, after the workday ended, Si-heon gathered Ra-on and the other three at the bar “Hideout.” It was the same space where Special Team 4 had held their first team dinner. This time, however, instead of bottles of alcohol, the table was covered with documents and laptops.

Hours had passed, yet Ray still hadn’t fully recovered. Leaning back against the sofa, he chugged half a bottle of mineral water in one go before shaking his head. The icy cold liquid trickling down his throat offered some relief.

“I get that Auntie did her thing, but I never expected Sister Yeon to be in on it too. Seriously shocking.”

“…This is a procedure every black agent goes through at least once. Try not to dwell on it too much.”

“No way, Hyung wasn’t even fazed! I’ve never seen such nerves.”

“I was surprised, sure. But since I’ve done nothing wrong, there was nothing to fear.”

As Rock and Ray exchanged words, Si-heon reviewed the documents spread across the table. They contained all the allegations buried during Mayor Bang Won-gyeol’s election campaign. Tapping the table to draw attention, he began speaking.

“First, I sincerely apologize for the unavoidable method we used to verify your beliefs. I understand the shock you must have felt. But given how deeply Mayor Bang has infiltrated us with spies, this verification was essential.”

“…I almost passed out, but I get it. It must’ve been that important, right? Nox.”

“Yes, Mabel. This could shake up the entire nation.”

At his words, all four pairs of eyes focused intently on him. Taking a sip of water from a glass, Si-heon calmly recounted everything—from what they already knew to the intel gathered in Russia, and how Bang Won-gyeol and Min Young-nam had approached him.

Even Ra-on hadn’t heard some of these details before. As she listened, she inhaled sharply. The revelation that Chief of Staff Min Young-nam was pulling the strings behind Mayor Bang shocked her most. Using Bang as a figurehead while holding all real power in her hands was chilling.

“…That’s the gist of it. To catch them, we need to strike hard and fast. Any hesitation will give them room to escape.”

“But according to Nox, they’re already guilty of multiple charges—fraud, bribery, even murder.”

“Correct. However, until the investigation progresses, these crimes aren’t enough to detain them immediately. We need concrete evidence to act upon.”

“What do you mean? Are we provoking them into committing another crime so we can catch them red-handed?”

Mabel’s question earned a slow nod from Baek Si-heon.

“Exactly. We need a situation that’ll force Min Young-nam to self-destruct. I’ll be the scapegoat.”

“…Scapegoat? That sounds dangerous. You’re putting yourself at great risk.”

Listening intently, Ra-on wore an anxious expression. But Si-heon reassured her with a quiet smile, his gaze filled with trust as he looked at each team member.

“Don’t worry. I won’t let anyone get hurt. Your cooperation is crucial for the mission’s success.”

Leaning forward, Si-heon placed both hands firmly on the table. Under dim lighting, his eyes gleamed with determination.

“So, will you help me?”

Thus began Special Team 4’s perilous and monumental task.

---

Rustle. The sound of turning pages echoed through the director’s office. Kwon Jung-ah preferred minimalism; her workspace was sparsely furnished, making the modest ten-pyeong room feel almost hollow.

Yet her charisma filled the space entirely. With hair slicked back flawlessly, she uncapped her fountain pen. After signing off on the final report, Kwon Jung-ah raised her head to stare straight ahead.

“Must it really be you, Si-heon?”

“It sounds like you don’t trust me, Director.”

“…Sigh. It’s not about trust—it’s whether it absolutely has to be you.”

Standing before her desk, Si-heon clasped his hands behind his back. Shortly after meeting Min Young-nam for the second time, he’d reported everything to Director Kwon. Thankfully, Min didn’t know that Si-heon’s mother was the head of the NIS.

There were only two people within the agency Baek Si-heon trusted completely: Director Kwon Jung-ah and Yoo Ra-on. Thus, pretending to side with Min Young-nam, he funneled all information to his mother.

“This is extremely risky. She controls the mayor of Seoul and trains snipers, no less.”

“That’s precisely why I must do it.”

Si-heon tightened his grip on his clasped hands behind his back. Even setting aside his natural distrust of others, involving more people in such a dangerous operation would only complicate matters.

“Have I ever failed a mission, Director?”

“Baek Si-heon.”

“I’m speaking not as your son, but as the leader of Special Team 4. You know I’m the ace.”

Though somewhat awkward to say aloud, Si-heon chuckled confidently. He wasn’t without concern, but he didn’t want to unsettle his mother further. Sighing, she fiddled with her fountain pen before removing her silver-rimmed glasses.

When Si-heon turned twelve, she signed the divorce papers with Baek Moon-jin. Life as a single mother wasn’t easy, but thirty-something Jung-ah never let her tears show in front of her son. To survive as a mother—not just someone’s wife—she hardened herself like stone.

〈Mom, if you feel like crying, it’s okay to cry.〉

〈…My son. I don’t want to seem weak. Crying makes me feel vulnerable.〉

〈Why does crying matter? And even if you’re weak, so what? I’ll grow stronger and protect you. Whenever you feel like crying, tell me. I’ll hold you tight so no one sees.〉

It was her only child, Si-heon, who comforted her during the torment of Baek Moon-jin’s infidelity and gaslighting. Watching her young boy mature beyond his years, twenty years ago, Kwon Jung-ah swallowed her tears. Without him, she wouldn’t have survived those harsh times.

Now, the once-small boy stood tall before her. Mother and son had grown strong together amidst the world’s adversities. Smiling faintly at the memories, Director Kwon chuckled softly.

Looking back, Baek Si-heon had never broken her trust. Nodding in understanding, she gazed at her son affectionately.

“Alright, Agent Baek Si-heon. …Let’s give it a try.”

“I’ll count on your support from the rear, Director.”

“Find the spy hiding within our organization, arrest Min Young-nam and Bang Won-gyeol. This is my directive to Team Leader Baek and Special Team 4. Understood?”

“Yes. Leave it to us.”

It was time to trust Baek Si-heon not as her son, but as an NIS agent. Taking a deep breath, he smiled faintly and gave a slight bow.

“I’ll be back.”

After a prolonged silence, their gazes locked, Si-heon finally opened the director’s office door and stepped out. The weight of responsibility settled heavily on his shoulders, but his teammates had already vowed to share the burden. He wasn’t alone.

Once this mission was over, he wanted to take Ra-on on a trip far away. He imagined whispering sweet nothings and holding her tightly until she couldn’t breathe. Just thinking about the future calmed his heart.

He walked toward the elevator. The soft clatter of his shoes echoed quietly down the corridor.