The man was so battered that his face was a mess of cuts and bruises.
Kwon Taekjoo examined him silently
for a long time before giving his assessment.
"Hmm… I'm not sure you're much use, but it looks like I can put you to good work."
"...Excuse me?"
"Want to grab something to eat with me? What do you like?"
Yoon Jongwoo insisted it wasn't necessary, but Kwon Taekjoo dragged him along anyway, taking him out for barbecue.
Sitting across from him was awkward and uncomfortable, and Yoon Jongwoo only hoped he could leave soon.
Kwon Taekjoo probably felt the same, but even so, he prepared a lettuce wrap and offered it to him.
Yoon Jongwoo hesitated for a moment before accepting, only for Kwon Taekjoo to start lecturing him as if he had been
waiting for that exact moment.
"Stop picking at your food and eat. And start working out. Physical fitness is crucial for agents like us."
Then, Kwon Taekjoo stuffed an enormous bite into his mouth, his cheeks puffed out.
With his strong physical presence, his carefree, almost rude attitude, his adventurous spirit, his impressive skills, and even his strong leadership, Kwon Taekjoo seemed to have it all.
It was clear he was someone completely different from Yoon Jongwoo, even from birth.
Yoon Jongwoo felt his spirits sink at the thought of being paired with him for a long time.
He downed the drink Kwon Taekjoo poured for him in one gulp, convincing himself he would have to submit a resignation letter as soon as possible.
Kwon Taekjoo didn't take long to get Yoon Jongwoo, already completely drunk, into a taxi and wave him off to go home.
Luckily, he didn't join him, saying he'd stay for a few more drinks.
As Yoon Jongwoo gave him a halfhearted bow, Kwon Taekjoo leaned in, studying him closely.
Yoon Jongwoo feared he'd get another lecture, but Kwon Taekjoo just ruffled his
hair.
Even that gesture didn't sit well with him.
"You did a great job. It must've been chaos for your first time, but you worked hard to have my back. Things went perfectly for the first time in a long while, thanks to you. I look forward to working with you more."
Yoon Jongwoo still had countless complaints about Kwon Taekjoo, but that small gesture, along with his blunt encouragement, softened his feelings.
Maybe it was because he sensed no pretense or dishonesty in him.
And so, without realizing it, they had gone through their fair share of ups and downs together.
It wasn't long before Yoon Jongwoo began to gain the sympathy of his colleagues.
Although his role was supposed to be remote support, Kwon Taekjoo often dragged him into fieldwork whenever he felt like it.
Yoon Jongwoo had barely scraped by a few times.
Each time, he'd return swearing he would resign from the NIS.
He should have resigned back then.
Maybe then, he wouldn't be suffering the immense sadness he felt now.
Every time they finished a mission, he felt an odd sense of accomplishment.
He couldn't talk about what he'd done anywhere, and no one would ever know anything about his work, but he felt proud knowing he had done something important for his country.
He even felt a duty to protect the ordinary lives of people who knew nothing else.
It made him feel like he was someone significant.
But, would he ever feel that proud again?
Could he do things on his own without Kwon Taekjoo by his side?
He didn't have the confidence.
Yoon Jongwoo sobbed and curled up.
He had cried so much that his head throbbed, and his eyes were too swollen to open fully.
His body and soul were utterly exhausted, his eyelids trembled shut.
Having spent all his energy, he didn't even have the will to drag himself to his bed.
Just as a wave of drowsiness threatened to pull him under, Yoon Jongwoo's phone rang.
He was about to ignore it but then thought it might be Kwon Taekjoo.
He rushed to check his phone.
It wasn't who he'd hoped, but he quickly got up, too anxious to feel disappointed.
His body moved almost instinctively.
After clearing his throat a few times, he answered.
"Hello?"
["Hello, Jongwoo. I'm sorry for calling so late. Did I wake you?"]
The voice on the other end was Kwon Taekjoo's mother.
Hearing her voice made his eyes well up, his nose stinging.
"No, ma'am. How have you been?"
["Oh, I'm fine. But what's wrong with your voice? Are you feeling unwell?"]
He had tried to sound calm, even forcing a cheerful tone, but she saw right through him.
He let out a forced laugh and pushed his voice out.
"Oh, my voice? I just caught a bit of a cold."
["Oh, dear. Have you been to the doctor and taken any medicine? You need to take care of yourself, especially since you're completely alone. There's no one around to look after you."]
"It's fine. I've been taking my medicine and eating regularly. I still have a lot of the side dishes you prepared for me last time."
["You still have some? Jongwoo, you really don't eat much at home, do you?"]
"No, I eat very well, it's just that… you always make more than enough for me."
["I see. Well, just to be sure, smell everything before you eat it. If anything seems off, throw it out immediately. I don't want you to get sick."]
"Yes, I'll make sure to do that."
["Oh dear, here I go rambling again when you must be tired. I just wanted to ask… have you seen Taekjoo recently? I haven't been able to reach him these past few days. He mentioned he'd be busy for a while."]
Even before answering the call, Yoon Jongwoo knew she would ask him this; she often called to ask about Kwon Taekjoo.
All he had to do was give her another believable excuse, as he always did.
But this time, his lips trembled, refusing to form the words.
He pressed them tightly together, holding back the sob that threatened to escape before he began to lie.
"Oh, are you talking about sunbae? Well… I don't know all the details, but I heard he had to leave on an urgent business trip."
["Really? I couldn't get in touch with the ambassador either."]
"The ambassador likely took Sunbae with him. Apparently, there are some issues in Russia."
["Is it about the terrorist attack? I heard something terrible happened in Iran, or wherever it was."]
"Ah… yes, so you already know. That's right, ma'am. But sunbae didn't go to Iran personally. There was concern that the terrorists might target the Russian president, so all diplomatic representatives were immediately called back to Russia. Until that's resolved, I
believe both sunbae and the ambassador won't be returning. It's a sensitive matter, so you may not be able to contact anyone overseas for a while."
["I see."]
Kwon Taekjoo's mother accepted his explanation easily, but Yoon Jongwoo could still sense the worry in her voice.
He immediately tried to offer her a word of reassurance, as he always did.
"As soon as sunbae returns, I'll let him know…"
But before he could finish the sentence, his voice caught in his throat.
He quickly pulled the phone away, struggling to steady his breathing.
It took him a moment to regain his
composure.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I had a bit of a coughing fit. When sunbae gets back, I'll let him know you called and have him reach out to you right away. Please don't worry too much, ma'am."
["Would you? I'm always so grateful to you."]
"Oh, really, there's no need to thank me. But ma'am, I think I should go now. I have water boiling on the stove."
["Oh, alright then. Let's hang up."]
"Take care."
["Of course. You get some rest too. Goodbye."]
The call ended quickly, plunging his home back into silence.
A faint, bitter laugh escaped his lips.
He lowered his head and stared intently at his phone.
He knew it was absurd, but he started to
call Kwon Taekjoo.
Before it could even ring, the automated voicemail told him the person on the other end was unreachable.
His eyes filled with tears instantly.
But the moment didn't last long.
A loud, jarring knock echoed from the front door, making it shake.
Yoon Jongwoo was so shocked he couldn't even wipe the tears streaming down his face.
It was too late for visitors.
Could it be a drunk person who'd gotten the wrong door?
As he considered the possibilities, the intruder began pounding on the door again, relentless, as if determined to break it down.
"Wh-Who i…"
He was about to ask who it was, steadying his trembling voice, but before he could finish, the door burst open with a deafening crash, the security latch snapping with a sharp, metallic sound.
"Ahhh!"
The door flew open, revealing the intruder behind it.
Standing in the doorway was a tall man
whose presence radiated a hostile, menacing aura, his cold eyes glinting with a murderous intent.
"Mr. Yev…"
Yoon Jongwoo gasped in shock just as Zhenya stormed into the house,
immediately grabbing him by the collar.
Yoon Jongwoo didn't even have time to react before he was slammed against the wall.
His hands instinctively clung to Zhenya's arms in desperation.
"Sniff…geny."
"Where is Taekjoo?"
Zhenya asked bluntly.
It was clear he already knew that Kwon Taekjoo was missing.
Yoon Jongwoo looked back at him cautiously, his eyes brimming with tears.
"Sunbae is…"
Zhenya lost his patience.
He slammed Yoon Jongwoo against the wall again.
The impact sent a dizzying jolt through Yoon Jongwoo's head.
Before the pain could fade, Zhenya's fist
connected with his face.
Yoon Jongwoo swallowed his sobs and forced himself to speak.
"Sunbae… sunbae is…"
But once again, another sob choked him before he could finish.
A thick, bulging vein twisted on Zhenya's smooth forehead.
His eyes narrowed with such intensity that they seemed almost inhuman.
His grip on Yoon Jongwoo's neck tightened, the pressure so intense that the skin wrinkled under Zhenya's hands.
"Ughh… aghk, can't… breathe…"
Yoon Jongwoo writhed in agony, saliva dripping from the corners of his mouth as his eyes rolled back.
Zhenya squeezed him to the brink, then abruptly let go.
As he crumpled to the floor, Yoon Jongwoo clutched his bruised throat and let out a series of raspy coughs.
"Agh… haa, they can't… agh, find any sign of sunbae alive. He said… he'd see the mission through to the end… so he stayed… he stayed behind alone… and everything around him was reduced to ashes from continuous explosions. Ugh… even the car he was in was completely destroyed. They haven't found anyone resembling him among
the injured… and the recovered bodies are so mangled that it's taking a long time to identify them… w-what do we do? Mr. Yevgeny, what's going to happen to sunbae?"
Yoon Jongwoo rambled, his voice choked by sobs.
But his words were so jumbled and interrupted by his cries that Zhenya couldn't fully understand what he was saying.
He only managed to gather that Kwon Taekjoo had gone on a mission and encountered an unforeseen accident.
Zhenya slowly shook his head, as if refusing to believe it.
Then, without a word, he grabbed Yoon Jongwoo by the back of the neck and hauled him to his feet.
"Show me the way before I destroy everything here."
"Ugh… w-where…?"
Before Yoon Jongwoo could even hear an answer, Zhenya shoved him toward the door.
The cold barrel of a gun pressed firmly against his head.
"To the NIS."
It was latewhen Yoon Jongwoo's car crossed through the back gates of the NIS headquarters.
An armed agent stepped forward to block their path.
The vehicle followed his order and
pulled over.
The engine stopped, and Yoon Jongwoo got out of the driver's seat, hands raised.
Instantly, as if on cue, all weapons were aimed at the passenger side.
When Zhenya stepped out, the security agents surrounded him completely.
The tension only intensified at their
confrontation.
"Let's go, Mr. Yevgeny."
Yoon Jongwoo took the lead, guiding him forward.
As they moved, the security agents
stepped aside, clearing their path.
They had likely been briefed by Director Kwak, and they were also reluctant to act given the seriousness of the situation.
As NIS agents, they would be careful to avoid any action that could lead to a diplomatic conflict, especially in such a
delicate time.
The director's secretary waited by the entrance.
After a quick bow, he held out his hand to
Zhenya, requesting his cooperation.
"Apologies, but we'll need you to cooperate to ensure the safety of both parties."
"…Mr. Yevgeny."
Yoon Jongwoo looked at Zhenya with a nervous expression.
Zhenya shoved the gun he had been holding against Yoon Jongwoo's chest and extended his hands forward.
The secretary quickly secured his wrists with a pair of handcuffs.
"This way."
The two walked side by side down the dimly lit hallway, heading towards the director's office.
The security cameras were completely off—a clear sign that they didn't want high-ranking officials to know of Zhenya's presence.
This was a discreet meeting, one that carried considerable risk for Director Kwak.
However, if questioned, he could always claim that the visit was part of a quiet investigation into Zhenya's possible connection with Kwon Taekjoo.
After the secretary knocked on the office door, a distant voice granted them entry.
The security agents remained outside as Yoon Jongwoo, Zhenya, and the secretary stepped inside.
Director Kwak rose from his seat to greet them.
"Ambassador, it's good to see you. You've arrived just in time…we were about to request your presence in light of recent events."
"What happened to Taekjoo?"
Zhenya asked, getting straight to the point.
Despite the handcuffs on his wrists, the icy, threatening aura around him refused to fade.
It felt as though the temperature in the room was slowly dropping.
Director Kwak held his gaze in silence before responding.
"Information about our agents is classified. I'm afraid I can't disclose that."
"I'll ask again. Is Taekjoo alive?"
"I thought I made myself clear when I said I couldn't tell you that."
"If you make me ask one more time, this building won't be standing by the end of the day,"
Zhenya growled in a low voice.
Director Kwak was well aware that Zhenya wasn't a true diplomat.
He already knew of the man's reputation as a notorious FSB agent, as well as the long list of atrocities he had committed and the fact that even the Kremlin feared him.
Given that Zhenya had never cared
about consequences, one wrong move, and he might indeed blow up the NIS with his so- called "Anastasia."
Despite this, Director Kwak refused to back down.
He needed to understand why Zhenya
kept meddling in NIS affairs.
Quite simply, he couldn't allow him to interfere in their official operations, which needed to remain off-limits.
"Before we proceed, could you clarify what your relationship with our employee is? I believe that should come first."
Zhenya clenched his jaw.
Yoon Jongwoo's eyes darted nervously from side to side.
Suddenly, with a swift, powerful movement, Zhenya spread his arms apart, instantly breaking the handcuffs.
The director's secretary, caught off guard, lunged to restrain him, but Zhenya knocked him out with a single blow.
The sound of the secretary collapsing to the floor made the security team burst into the room.
Yoon Jongwoo hesitantly raised Zhenya's gun, pointing it at the guards, his arms trembling.
"Stay out,"
Director Kwak ordered the agents.
But they didn't move, frozen in place as the situation worsened.
"Let's not make a scene here."
At the director's warning, the agents exchanged uncomfortable looks and reluctantly stepped back, closing the door behind them.
Yoon Jongwoo exhaled a sigh of relief, lowering his trembling arms.
But Zhenya showed no intention of backing down.
Exuding a merciless aura, he advanced
toward the director.
Yoon Jongwoo frantically tried to stop him.
"Mr. Yevgeny! No! You can't resort to violence!"
Zhenya was about to brush aside the irritating Yoon Jongwoo when, suddenly, the phone on the director's desk rang.
All three froze, their eyes shifting toward the phone. Who could be calling at such a late hour?
Zhenya nodded toward the phone, signaling Director Kwak to answer.
This time, the director didn't resist.
He picked up immediately.
"Yes, this is Kwak Younghan."
["We're calling from Tehran."]
"Go on."
["We've found a body matching the description of your missing individual. You mentioned it was an Asian man, 1.83 meters tall, 76 kilograms, with blood type RH+B?"]
"... Where was the body found?"
["It was recovered in northern Tehran, near the recent bombings, right where your agent was last reported missing."]
"I understand. If you send us the report, we'll review it and be in touch."
After forcing himself to respond, Director Kwak pressed his forehead in despair.
Yoon Jongwoo, pale with horror, shook his head slowly.
"What was all that? Tell me now!"
Seeing their grim reactions, Zhenya grabbed Yoon Jongwoo by the collar, shaking him back and forth.
Stunned, Yoon Jongwoo broke into tears as he delivered the bleak news.
"They… they said they found a body in Tehran matching sunbae's description."