“—It’s him, right? The new guy?”

“......!”

What pulled Seoryeong out of her daze was the conversation of the employees who hadn’t gotten on the elevator with her.

“Yeah. I heard he was stationed in Africa for a long time? It’s a mess over there lately with the U.S., China, and Russia all tangled up. Apparently, he mostly trained local military and police forces.”

“Isn’t he only thirty-one? But the guy’s résumé... I heard he was with a South African PMC, rotated through ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) every major conflict zone except Antarctica—didn’t matter if it was government forces or rebels.”

“They said he enlisted the moment he turned legal and spent all his time in special forces...”

Only after overhearing the whispers did Seoryeong realize that the man she had just seen was the Special Security Team leader—the one who’d been the subject of constant chatter among the employees for the past several weeks.

Ah... It all made sense now.

***

“Wash it again.”

And of course, there were always things in the world that made no sense.

Hiss—steam rose from the hot iron in her hand, just as a warm yellowish liquid dripped down onto her dry knuckles.

It had already been a week. She couldn’t even count how many times this had happened. Today, yet again, that man brought her a training uniform soaked in food waste.

The petty harassment had started ever since “Food Waste Guy” tracked her down.

She stood out among the older women—one of the very few younger employees, tall and poised. Just her posture and figure made her noticeable.

The moment he found her, his eyes had gleamed with menace. At first, he screamed like a banshee, then slowly started pestering her over every little thing.

Training clothes that had already been washed were suddenly found dumped in mop buckets, name tags got swapped around, uniform issues interfered with training schedules. The soldiers’ complaints poured in.

Seoryeong responded with silence, sensing that the department head might be secretly hoping she’d just quit.

But: “I have to hold out as long as I can.”

Until she could set the stage for the hostage abduction and everything else.

So even when the punk sent her running around with his stupid errands like some mutt, she handled it all without protest.

Today was no different. Seoryeong took the reeking uniform with a blank face. And the one who crumpled was the man himself.

“You’re tough. You know that?”

“I’ll rewash the uniform and return it by four o’clock.”

“Don’t you have anything else to say to me?”

“.......”

“You even know my name?”

“It’s on the name tag. I can read Korean, too.”

“You’re pissing me off.”

Seoryeong stared at the immature boy.

“What’re you looking at like that? Your eyes... are really fucking—”

“I heard the older woman who fell that day was hospitalized for back pain.”

“So?”

“If that’s all you wanted to say, then I’ve got nothing else to say either.”

“.......”

“If we’re done here, please move. You’re in the way.”

“Are you always this cold?”

His gaze slid lewdly down the bridge of her nose and across her smooth brow.

If he had been nothing more than childish, she would’ve ignored the harassment. But the filthy curiosity in his eyes as they traced her slim frame—that tipped the scale.

It was a mixture of youthful competitiveness and kindled sadism. Seoryeong finally set the iron down and asked in her flat voice—low and calm, unusually deep for a woman.

“Do you want to sleep with me?”

“......!”

“I hope I’m wrong, but it seems like you do.”

“What the fuck? Who the hell just says that? Didn’t you learn manners or anything?”

“You trying to get laid?”

He gulped, his Adam’s apple bobbing. A moment later, he licked his lips with audacious composure.

“And what if I am?”

“Too bad. I don’t sleep with just anyone.”

“Then who do you sleep with?”

“Height over 188cm. Weight under 80kg. Smells like oud. And...”

She rattled it off like reading a block of Gothic-type newspaper print, devoid of emotion.

“I only take dicks that curve upward.”

“......”

“I’m not sorry, but if it doesn’t meet those specs, I don’t even get turned on.”

Seoryeong glanced briefly at his crotch, then met his eyes again. The boy—young to the point of looking juvenile—flushed red up to his ears.

“Curve... what?”

“It has to curve upward.”

“Are you some kind of hook-up freak with weird-ass conditions? Why even have rules like that?”

“Because that’s how my husband’s built.”

“Your...”

His mouth opened and closed, then shut tight. He stood frozen, completely speechless.

“You have a husband?”

“Yes.”

“Fuck, and now you’re telling me?!”

“.......”

“Fucking hell!”

He ruffled his own hair violently, fuming.

Seoryeong picked up the iron again and resumed pressing the uniform flat. It should have been a peaceful moment, but the sulky boy slapped the wide ironing board with a loud thud.

“Hey, I lost my necklace.”

He wiped his face and stiffened his expression. Embarrassment, shame—whatever heat lingered clung blotchily to his skin.

“I think I dropped my dog tag in the shower room. Go find it.”

It was the silver identification chain Blast issued to all soldiers. The sneer curling his lip made it clear: this was just another excuse to boss her around.

“Understood.”

Just as she finished her task and turned to go, he grabbed her arm.

“You seriously have a husband?”

This guy really was doing the most... She was starting to understand why the department head called them patients.

Always getting hurt, throwing tantrums, needing tons of injections... Seoryeong found herself really wanting to jab one of those needles into this jerk’s neck.

“......”

She said nothing. Just yanked her arm free.

Casual interest was laughable. The warmth of another person was still revolting. But more than anything, the answer she couldn’t bring herself to say aloud stung the most.

***

The shower rooms were attached to each team’s locker area.

Seoryeong rolled the laundry cart to a stop and entered the nearest one.

Silent. Not a drop of water. But the air was still humid, clinging to her uniform with damp discomfort.

She checked every stall looking for the silver necklace—but came up empty.

In and out of locker rooms and showers. Eventually, she made her way to the one furthest at the end.

Unwearied, she checked every stall again. Finally, on one of the soap trays, there it was: the dog tag necklace, left all alone.

“...Ha.”

A sigh escaped her lips. Time to get back. Just as she turned—

Whooshhh— Water poured from somewhere without warning. A sound that should never have existed in this space froze her spine.

Someone... had come in?

Even as she stiffened her shoulders, time kept moving. Then, suddenly shaken awake, she lifted her heels and turned around.

Unfortunately, the direction she turned was—

“......!”

She made eye contact with the man in the shower.

Shit...! Should’ve gone the other way!

Frozen in place by sheer dismay.

The man stood there, letting the water pour over him, then slowly brushed his soaked hair back.

Confronted with a naked man, her mind went completely blank.

“......”

“......”

His eyes were grey.

A quiet, involuntary gasp parted her lips. Thank god she was wearing a mask, Seoryeong thought.

She knew it wasn’t polite, but she couldn’t help staring. Under the slicked-back black hair, that pale forehead and straight nose—something about him felt strangely familiar.

While washing his face with one hand, he looked at her.

“Here to shower together?”

The man smirked. His face was damp like rain, drenched and heavy.

Seeing his broad shoulders and the clean sweep of his collarbones, her fingers twitched. Almost like she already knew that sensation. A strange thought.

She had seen countless men since getting hired here, but truly square shoulders were surprisingly rare. Most had oversized trapezius muscles, rounded frames, or drooping posture.

From the base of the neck to the edge of his shoulders—so clean and even. That shape was uncommon around here.

Her husband’s shoulders were just like that... Just like those, perfectly shaped.

But this man—his face, voice, demeanor—was nothing like her husband.

Maybe... part foreign?

Not just the light-colored irises, but his striking features, thick lashes, and sharply defined brow suggested it. Maybe, by now, finding Kim Hyun in strangers had become pure reflex.

“Get out before the rest of the guys come in.”

He glanced at her uniform and gestured his head toward the door. Clearly, even in a situation that should’ve been awkward, he wasn’t fazed at all. There was even a faint trace of amusement on his face.

Phew... Seoryeong exhaled the breath she’d been holding and gave a small bow.

“――!”

And then accidentally came face-to-crotch with him.