TS 037

The walls of the hallway, painted a sterile white, were almost blinding in their pristine perfection. Yoon Taehwa passed through the security checkpoint, exchanging a brief nod with the guard, a familiar routine. Access to Wing H, the Center’s medical facility, was strictly controlled, requiring authentication at every level. The top floor, where they were currently headed, was particularly secure.

“So, Pavel’s here?”

Han Suryeon’s question, laced with surprise, made Yoon Taehwa glance back at him. He’d been carrying a half-finished strawberry latte when they’d entered Wing H, but the pink drink had vanished. Sensing Yoon Taehwa’s gaze, Han Suryeon blinked, his eyes wide, innocent. 

“I just finished it and threw it away…”

“Good.”

Yoon Taehwa, his tone casual, resumed walking. He’d received a call from the medical team, summoning him to Wing H. They’d apparently analyzed the drug cocktail that had been injected into Pavel.

“Did you want some? You should’ve said something.” 

Han Suryeon, quickening his pace, caught up to him.

“I don’t like sweet things.”

“Ah, so that’s why you look like… well, you look like someone who only drinks Americano.” 

“Eighty percent of Korean office workers drink Americano.” 

“That’s not what I meant. You look…handsome.”

It was a strange time for a compliment. Yoon Taehwa glanced at him, finding him smiling, his eyes bright, expectant. 

‘Here we go again…’

He’d clearly picked up on Yoon Taehwa’s earlier remark at the cafeteria, the one about the strawberry latte being a ‘fitting’ drink for him. He was fishing for a specific response, something along the lines of ‘You’re beautiful’.

“I know.” 

Instead of indulging him, Yoon Taehwa offered a simple statement of fact.

“What about me?”

“Want me to say you look like a flower?” 

“Wow, ‘flower’ and… that other word… They sound surprisingly similar, don’t they?” 

He hadn’t meant it that way, but… he had to admit, the words did share a certain… phonetic resemblance. Not that he was going to call Han Suryeon… that to his face. He sighed. 

“Fine. I’ll say you look like your name.”

“Ah, so… pretty?”

“But I’m not really fond of flowers.”

“It’s fine. As long as I’m pretty.”

“It seems our Suryeon has a habit of interpreting my words to suit his own narrative.” 

“I have to be shameless if I want to win over Prince Charming.”

It was starting again. At first, he’d been shocked, but there was only so long he could stay unfazed by that way of speaking.

Yoon Taehwa casually ignored the Prince Charming remark and slowed his pace. The Esper standing in front of the patient room recognized him and bowed his head in greeting. 

“You’ve arrived, Team Leader.”

“Where’s the medical team?”

“Dr. Kim is waiting inside.” 

“Good work.”

“Yes, sir.”

Wing H housed high-risk patients, those requiring specialized care and constant monitoring. While the number of patients was relatively low, the security was tight, considering their… status: Espers, demihumans, and individuals deemed ‘high-risk’ by the Center.

The multiple checkpoints they’d passed through were a testament to the facility’s security protocols. And the presence of an A-rank Esper guarding the room… that wasn’t a coincidence.

The guard opened the door, allowing them entry. Yoon Taehwa heard Han Suryeon exchanging pleasantries with the man, his voice friendly, almost intimate.

‘When did he even become friends with the other team’s Espers?’ 

“Dr. Kim.”

The automatic door slid shut behind them. A woman, her hair streaked with silver, turned to face them. Yoon Taehwa nodded politely. It was Kim Sun-kyung, the head of Wing H.

“Ah, you’re here. And…?” 

“This is the new member of our team.”

He tugged Han Suryeon forward.

“Introduce yourself. This is Dr. Kim Sun-kyung.” 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Doctor. My name is Han Suryeon.” 

“Oh my, so this is the new recruit. I apologize, I didn’t recognize you. I rarely venture outside Wing H. Kim Sun-kyung.”

She extended a hand, and Han Suryeon, with a smile, shook it. 

“You’re the one who saved Yoon Taehwa during that last mission, right?” 

“Yes, I’m his savior. Though he seems oblivious to my affections…”

“Our resident heartbreaker strikes again? Stop flirting with the staff, Taehwa.”

“Am I not the only one he’s charmed, Doctor?”

Yoon Taehwa, who had been ignoring their banter, his focus solely on Pavel, finally frowned, his gaze settling on the curtained-off bed. 

“Don’t encourage him.” 

“Encourage him? How old is Suryeon, anyway?” 

“Six years younger than Team Leader.” 

Han Suryeon, now standing beside him, his arm casually draped over Yoon Taehwa’s shoulder, answered for him. Kim Sun-kyung, who was likely aware of their purpose, approached the bed. 

“Let’s see. Then, mid-twenties? He really is a baby. By the way, I wasn’t saying anything weird, right? It’s just that Team Leader Yoon, especially, has a knack for charming everyone in the Center. Lots of kids here joined because he saved them when they were younger.”

She drew back the curtains, revealing a man lying motionless on a medical bed, his body hooked up to various machines. Pavel.

Yoon Taehwa ignored her comment, his attention focused on assessing Pavel’s condition. The man was still in a coma, his only sign of life the steady beeping of the machines monitoring his vitals. 

“I thought I was the only one…” 

Han Suryeon pouted, leaning against Yoon Taehwa, his chin resting on his shoulder. Yoon Taehwa glared at him, but his annoyance was overshadowed by his concern for Pavel. He shifted his gaze back to the bed. 

“He shows no signs of waking up.” 

“It’s always more complicated with telepaths. You know they can… will themselves into a comatose state. We call it a coma for convenience, but it’s not the same as a regular coma.”

“Hmm…“

Han Suryeon hummed thoughtfully, the sound vibrating against Yoon Taehwa’s skin. Perhaps he had some insight, being an Esper himself.

‘But he can’t discuss it openly, not in front of the doctor.’ 

Kim Sun-kyung turned away from the bed, her voice brisk, professional.

“Director Shin wants to attempt a memory extraction.”

“I’m aware. She’s still waiting for authorization.”

“Extracting memories from a criminal… if that information leaked, it would be a PR nightmare.” 

She shrugged, picking up a file from a nearby table and handing it to Yoon Taehwa. He scanned the document. It was an analysis of the drug that had been injected into Pavel.

“A rampage trigger?”

He frowned. Had such a thing even been developed?

Han Suryeon, who had been leaning against him, reached out, taking the file. He bent down to read it, his chin brushing against Yoon Taehwa’s shoulder, his arm snaking around his waist, pulling him closer. 

It was a blatant attempt at intimacy, but Yoon Taehwa, his curiosity piqued, looked at Kim Sun-kyung, hoping for an explanation. He could have easily pushed Han Suryeon away, but the information about the drug took precedence. 

‘I’m getting used to it, I guess…’

It was like a dog nuzzling against its owner’s leg. A natural, almost expected behavior. Kim Sun-kyung, who had been watching them with a bemused expression, tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she spoke.

“To be honest, finding traces of the drug was the biggest challenge.” 

“Espers metabolize drugs quickly.”

“Exactly. So when I heard about the injection site, I wasn’t very optimistic.” 

He’d been unconscious, which meant Han Suryeon was the only one who could have informed them about the injection. He glanced down at Han Suryeon, who was beaming at him, his eyes crinkled in a silent ‘I did good, didn’t I?’

“Finding traces of the drug in his system… that meant it was potent, something designed to linger. It piqued my interest.”

“And this is the analysis.” 

“Yes. It took a while. We had no data on it.” 

“It’s designed to elevate an Esper’s stress levels.”

Han Suryeon, setting the file down, spoke, his voice quiet, thoughtful. Yoon Taehwa, nudging him away, asked, 

“You recognize it?”

“Not exactly…”

Han Suryeon stepped back obediently, his gaze drifting towards Pavel. A flicker of something – recognition? Fear? – crossed his features before he masked it, his expression returning to its usual playful nonchalance. 

“Rampages occur when an Esper’s energy becomes unstable. Stress is a… catalyst.” 

“That’s right. We need to analyze the chemical structure further, but it seems to be designed to… amplify stress.” 

“Someone’s definitely working on this.” 

Kim Sun-kyung shrugged, her hands tucked in her pockets.

It was only natural for research to progress in both directions: while scientists worked on minimizing the chances of Espers losing control, others were undoubtedly exploring ways to weaponize their volatility.

‘When persuasion fails, elimination is the only option.’

He wouldn’t be surprised if the Center itself was conducting similar research.

“Thank you for informing me, Doctor. I appreciate your efforts.”

“It’s my job, Taehwa. I’ll keep you updated. I was actually hoping to discuss this with you.” 

She gathered her files, turning to leave, her long white coat billowing behind her. 

“I’ll let you two… chat.”

“See you later, Doctor.”

“Goodbye, Dr. Kim.”

Kim Sun-kyung waved as she exited, pausing briefly to speak to someone in the hallway. The guard, snapping to attention, suggested it was someone of authority. 

The door, which had been unlocked via biometric authentication, began to slide shut when a familiar face appeared. 

“There you are.”

It was Shin Ae-hi.

“There’s nothing that would warrant a visit from the director to Wing H, is there?”

Instead of greeting her, Yoon Taehwa cut to the chase. She wouldn’t have come here personally. She would have summoned Kim Sun-kyung instead. 

“Of course there is.”

She approached them, removing her suit jacket, her tone brisk.

“We have an Ant to dissect.”