“No, what’s wrong with your face?”
At the worried tone of the question, Ji Seongchan let out a deep sigh while looking at the ground, then didn’t answer and asked what he’d like to drink.
It was after Ji Seongchan had opened his mouth that they sat facing each other in a corner seat, each holding a cup of coffee.
“I’m sorry, Surim-ssi.”
“…Yes?”
“About the plant that went to your research lab. There’s a recorder inside it.”
Surim stared blankly at Ji Seongchan. He hadn’t expected him to say that with his own mouth. When Surim stared blankly, not understanding the situation, Ji Seongchan bit his lip and continued.
“I know it’s hard to believe. But it’s true. If you dig through the soil, you’ll be able to tell.”
“…Why would Ji Seongchan-ssi to our research lab…”
“No, it wasn’t me!”
At Ji Seongchan’s excited voice, gazes from nearby tables gathered. Ji Seongchan bowed his head deeply and crumpled his body more toward the corner so he wouldn’t be visible from outside.
Then he gulped down his coffee with a tired face.
“I introduced you to the farm, remember? That place was a farm I also learned about by asking my father. And my father…”
Ji Seongchan, who had trailed off for a moment, squeezed his eyes shut.
“My father asked a friend…”
“By friend, do you mean the Senior Researcher?”
“…Yes.”
He’d already been speculating that the Research Lab 8 Senior Researcher was involved. However, he’d thought Ji Seongchan was also one of them, but that wasn’t it—he too had been used without knowing…?
Surim looked at Ji Seongchan in confusion. It didn’t seem like a lie. It was because there was no benefit Ji Seongchan could gain by lying about quitting and revealing this fact.
But it was also difficult to believe blindly. Because the gaunt cheeks and deep shadows under his eyes proved that Ji Seongchan hadn’t come to tell him immediately after learning the truth, but had come only after spending considerable time agonizing. Could the truth he’d come to tell after agonizing like that really be pure truth? Might there not be some other ulterior motive?
Seeing Surim’s confused eyes, Ji Seongchan made a groaning sound and irritably tousled his hair. Looking now, his hair seemed unwashed and somewhat matted.
“Please, at least let me make an excuse.”
“…Go ahead.”
“How this happened is… No, how I found out is this. Actually, there was one plant among those delivered that day that I couldn’t give to Surim-ssi.”
“There was one more plant?”
“Yes. I went down to the first floor and waited that day, but Surim-ssi didn’t come, so I kept it for the time being.”
That day, Song Hanyeong had been very angry about the security issue. He’d been thoroughly scolded, and afterward when he tried to carry the plants, Manager Lee Myeongho came out and told him to go into the research lab, so he hadn’t even thought to count the number of plants.
So he hadn’t even thought that one of the purchased plants hadn’t come up.
“I debated whether to apologize and tell you or not, but doing it right away seemed a bit… I thought Surim-ssi would also feel uncomfortable. So I thought I should tell you after a few days. But then I got busy with work and completely forgot.”
“I see…”
“Then last week I came to work a bit early and accidentally broke the plant, and a recorder came out from inside.”
“Ah…”
“So I asked…”
Ji Seongchan’s head gradually lowered. He couldn’t even make eye contact with Surim.
“Why is this here…”
Ji Seongchan, who had bitten his lip, continued.
“That means he knew what it was, why it came out from there, everything.”
“……”
“That person spied on Research Lab 5. Using me who’s close to Surim-ssi. I’m sorry for dragging you into something like this.”
His head was a complete mess.
Inside the plant wasn’t just a recorder but also a silver paper knife. Song Hanyeong had said that silver knife had a curse placed on it.
‘Could the Research Lab 8 Senior Researcher also be a vampire?’
He hadn’t thought of it until now, but otherwise, everything that had happened so far didn’t add up.
Come to think of it, today Song Hanyeong had told him to be careful of his conduct. He’d also added to be careful not to be bitten by others. It was as if there were more vampires in the vicinity.
Surim suddenly felt chills. There might not be just one or two vampires working at this research institute.
“…But actually, it might not even be that.”
“What? What do you mean…”
“When Uncle asked why the plant was here, it was a bit… strange. If you ask what was strange, I have nothing to say. But really something was… strange. As if what he was targeting wasn’t simply the research content but one of the researchers over there…”
Ji Seongchan, who had been rambling incoherently with a pale complexion, soon shook his head.
“No, no. Just pretend you didn’t hear that. Anyway…”
Ji Seongchan smiled faintly with a fearful face.
“I’m running away. I wish you would too, Surim-ssi. This research institute is definitely not normal.”
“Seongchan-ssi…”
“I know. It sounds strange. I know everything… But I thought I had to tell Surim-ssi before leaving.”
He hadn’t thought deeply about it until now, but for a secret research lab with the vampire Song Hanyeong as the head to exist, there had to be a superior who deeply trusted him. Wasn’t it said that Research Lab 0 was Director Na’s direct research lab?
‘Wait, Director Na?’
Could Director Na be Nasol? No, it was definitely Nasol. Why hadn’t he noticed that fact until now?
“If it sounds too strange, should I make a more normal excuse? I came here to work normally, not to participate in these factional fights or espionage activities.”
Honestly speaking, he looked more tired and irritated than fearful. In fact, looking at his disposition, wasn’t he the type of person who, if he made up his mind, would do better than anyone? That was also why Surim had felt betrayed.
Surim nodded without bothering to express his own feelings.
“Actually, I agonized a lot over whether to tell Surim-ssi or not. I thought about just leaving, but still… I felt I should at least tell you.”
Ji Seongchan smiled awkwardly.
“Thank y—”
Just as he was about to give his thanks, a familiar voice cut between the two.
“Jin Surim-ssi, isn’t it working hours right now?”
Song Hanyeong twisted his lips while holding a hot Americano. Behind him, Lee Myeongho was holding iced Americanos in both hands, not knowing what to do. Lee Myeongho, who had closed his mouth tightly, quietly shook his head with sympathetic eyes.
“Jin Surim-ssi, would you explain why you’re here without saying anything?”
“Th-that’s…”
Surim only then realized he’d come out without reporting that he was going to meet Ji Seongchan. It had been just recently that he’d said he would report everything about where he was going and who he was meeting. And that had been because of the incident related to Ji Seongchan, yet he’d forgotten to report while coming to meet Ji Seongchan.
It was all his mistake. Surim, who had turned pale, got up from his seat in panic.
“Manager-nim, it’s not that…”
“I was scheduled to come in until today, so I asked to meet briefly.”
Before Surim could even continue his excuse, Ji Seongchan cut in.
“I’m sorry if I called him out when he was busy. But we just talked briefly for the last time.”
Song Hanyeong didn’t respond and stared directly at Surim. His gaze was cold and chilly. Surim rolled his eyes while watching his mood, then stealthily took one step closer to him.
“Manager-nim.”
“Is the conversation finished?”
“Yes, roughly… Right?”
When Surim turned and asked, Ji Seongchan looked between Surim and Song Hanyeong in confusion before soon nodding.
“Then let’s go up.”
Before anyone could say more, Song Hanyeong grabbed Surim’s shoulder as if embracing it and began to walk. Surim, who was dragged all the way outside the cafe as if pushed, stealthily watched his mood.
Song Hanyeong’s expression was too cold to strike up a conversation. He seemed quite angry. Well, it made sense since he’d gone to meet someone Song Hanyeong had been wary of since last time. But when someone was quitting, he couldn’t not meet them. Besides, hadn’t he learned new information thanks to meeting Ji Seongchan?
Still, it wasn’t time to talk yet. Surim, who glanced at Lee Myeongho walking behind them, suddenly became conscious of the weight on his shoulder. Weren’t they standing too close in front of Lee Myeongho right now?
“M-Manager-nim, I think we’re too close right now…”
“So what.”
“N-no. I’m just saying…”
Surim decided to just obediently follow along at Song Hanyeong’s cold reply. Actually, he quite liked the body temperature embracing his shoulder, so it would be a waste to move away.
Song Hanyeong, who had walked silently while half-embracing Surim, only lowered his head slightly to whisper in his ear after arriving in front of the iron door.
“I told you. To be careful of your conduct.”
“…What? Then is Seongchan-ssi also that…, that?”
Startled, Surim asked in a small voice while watching for Lee Myeongho catching up from behind.
“No.”
“What, then why are you saying that?”
“Either way, what does it matter?”
“It doesn’t… matter?”
Song Hanyeong nodded calmly. He entered through the door Lee Myeongho opened and stopped in front of the break room.
Even when Surim, not knowing the reason, looked up, Song Hanyeong had no reaction.
