Extensive news coverage and testimonies of hyper-humans’ misdeeds enraged people day by day. The atrocities committed by hyper-humans were not limited to one place in Korea but occurred frequently around the world. Many incidents had not been publicized, but the recent Olympic Bridge bombing brought hidden stories to light.
Consequently, there was backlash against the existence of hyper-humans and even a petition for the dissolution of the Earth Defense Union. However, as long as Spacystro existed, the Earth Defense Union could not be dissolved. Additionally, with the possibility of an external threat at any time, they had to endure this situation and prepare future strategies.
Despite the 20 years of conflict, it did not instill fear in people. Spacystro did not engage in forceful invasions or cause more damage than hyper-humans, so public opinion towards hyper-humans did not improve.
A week had passed since the Olympic Bridge bombing, and the Earth Defense Union announced they would hold meetings regarding agreements with Spacystro. However, the delay of a week in starting the meeting was met with criticism.
Criticism was now directed at all hyper-humans, not just the Seoul Branch. The number of people in front of the Seoul Branch had significantly decreased, allowing easier access.
However, journalists were still everywhere, and teams other than HunterKiller and Guerrilla had to deal with them.
Team SpecialForce, known for their fame comparable to HunterKiller, was extremely busy. Although the absence of Team Guerrilla was unnoticed, the absence of Team HunterKiller had a significant impact.
Hyper-humans were known for battling Spacystro, but some also handled administrative tasks within headquarters.
Red, a member of Team HunterKiller, had handled all team matters alone until a few months ago. Recently, with division of labor, the team’s atmosphere improved, and they became busier.
Team SpecialForce was overwhelmed with media interactions. Three out of four members dealt with reporters, who relentlessly harassed them.
Nobody blamed Team HunterKiller. On the day of the bombing, HunterKiller prepared for battle near the Olympic Bridge, and Team Guerrilla caused significant damage to them, a well-known fact.
Constant criticism of Team Guerrilla emerged within the Seoul Branch.
Since Team Guerrilla was already notorious, nobody supported them from the start.
Spacystro was the enemy and needed to be defeated, but no one approved of breaking agreements and harming civilians.
Even if the Earth Defense Union and Spacystro leadership held meetings, immediate changes were unlikely, and evaluations of on-site hyper-humans remained unchanged.
“Headache.”
Silver, from Team SpecialForce, sat down in a lobby chair and rubbed his temples after successfully dealing with reporters.
“You worked hard.”
A woman with long blonde hair, who had brought two ion drinks from a vending machine, handed one to Silver.
“Thanks.”
Silver opened and drank the can, quenching his thirst.
“Any word from HunterKiller?”
“No. I tried contacting Blue, but got no response.”
After gulping down the drink, Silver asked the blonde-haired woman, who showed concern and shook her head.
Gold, leader of SpecialForce, also knew Blue from long activities in Seoul and tried to contact her first due to better communication with her compared to Red.
But she hadn’t responded in a week.
“Everyone must be shocked. Such an enormous event happened near their location. But why did Guerrilla do such things?”
“I don’t know. The boss isn’t talking, and there’s nothing from the media.”
Gold, despite being the leader of Team SpecialForce, had limited information.
There was no information about why Team Guerrilla carried out the bombing or why they attacked Spacystro Team 3 during the battle with Team HunterKiller.
They could only control reporters and handle work, feeling helpless in the endless situation.
“Where are the Guerrilla members?”
“I don’t know. Indigo is still in the lab, Gainesboro is missing. The rest aren’t helpful.”
On the day of the bombing, all members except Gainesboro were captured. Indigo, unconscious, was taken to the lab and hasn’t regained consciousness. Other members were interrogated, trembling like ghosts.
“It’s a relief Seoul wasn’t destroyed.”
“That’s true.”
That day, a massive disc-shaped flying object appeared over Seoul. Though not docked at the main fleet in the Pacific, Indian, or Atlantic Oceans, its size cast a shadow over the Olympic Bridge area.
Later, they learned that all team leaders from Spacystro Seoul Branch were present. After the leaders’ deployment, Spacystro and the flying object disappeared soon after.
The appearance of the large flying object created immense pressure, making everyone fear Seoul—or Korea—could vanish.
“…Is Spacystro really playing with us?”
“If they break the agreement and attack seriously, we won’t be able to defend ourselves. Initially, the agreement wasn’t mutually agreed but rather something Spacystro allowed.”
“Since we broke it, they can do whatever they want.”
Media coverage aside, the overall situation on Earth was dire. If Spacystro launched a major attack under the guise of this incident, Earth would surely lose, and humanity might perish.
“How mysterious. Why does Spacystro keep this agreement for 20 years?!”
Living with minimal damage due to Spacystro honoring the agreement was a mystery.
Tired of Spacystro’s inexplicable behavior, Silver stopped mid-sentence upon seeing someone enter the lobby.
“Green?”
“Huh?”
Green, heading straight to the elevator, turned at the voice calling her name. Silver and Gold looked surprised, and Green greeted them awkwardly.
“Hi. Everyone is struggling without our team, right?”
“No, it’s fine. You can come in? Reporters will make things difficult.”
“I came in because no one was here. Other teams are helping with our work, so I couldn’t stay away.”
“Really? How are the others?”
“I’m not sure.”
Green seemed troubled by Gold’s question.
HunterKiller hadn’t communicated for a week, and Green didn’t want to talk about it.
Instinctively sensing internal issues, Gold briefly replied, “I see.” Silver glanced at Green.
“Then I’ll go upstairs.”
“Yeah. Be careful when you leave if reporters are outside.”
“Okay.”
Answering Gold, Green took the elevator upstairs.
Gold sighed and noticed Silver watching the spot where Green had been.
“Why?”
“Nothing, just strange.”
“What?”
Startled by Silver’s comment, Gold wondered what was wrong.
“Did you see Green’s arm?”
“Arm?”
Distracted by Green’s face, Gold didn’t notice her arm or anything else.
“There were bruises. Recent ones.”
“Bruises?”
Arriving at the third floor, Green entered an empty office and then the conference room. Members weren’t there, so she went to the changing room.
The changing room was empty, and Green sat on a bench in the middle. The open cabinets contained clothes members had put in a week ago.
Following the police to the station in suit and helmet, Green and others were interrogated for hours before returning home.
Green’s suit and helmet were at home, and her cabinet contained clothes from a week ago.
Sitting quietly, Green lowered her sleeves. As Silver said, bruises covered her arm, and she stared blankly at it.
For a week, Green couldn’t forget the encounter with A. It was more shocking that A was part of another team and that she wasn’t unique to A.
‘It must be my fault.’
Initially confused and feeling wronged, her thoughts shifted.
Through A, she realized she could help and be needed, understanding her existence wasn’t solely harmful.
But when this happened, she felt responsible for the incident.
‘I’m only causing harm.’
Her old mindset resurfaced.
‘I miss my older brother.’
Without photos, she couldn’t see him, only imagining his face.
She came to headquarters under the pretext of taking over others’ work but had other reasons too.
Unable to stay at home, Green left, ending up at headquarters.
Even knowing A wasn’t there, she entered the building, leading to this moment.
Sitting, she clenched her fist and hit her hand. The sound echoed in the silent changing room. Pain didn’t change her expression.
Thinking A appeared when she was hurt, Green hit herself, hoping A would appear if she hurt herself enough.
But hitting herself didn’t hurt.
Though physically pained, it wasn’t emotional pain.
‘This isn’t it either.’
Silently sitting, Green left the changing room and returned to the lobby. Gold and Silver were still there. Meeting Green’s eyes after coming down in less than 10 minutes, Gold spoke.
“Sorry. I’m not feeling well…”
“Take it easy. Don’t push yourself.”
Gold advised Green to rest, and she left the lobby with an awkward smile.
Outside headquarters, it was quiet. Turning, she saw graffiti on the exterior wall.
Get lost, bastards. Tax thieves. Die. Garbage.
Ignoring the harsh words, she moved on.
After a while, she realized where she was.
“This is…”
A park. The park in front of her old house before moving.
Recalling the day she sat there, unwilling to go home, she remembered meeting A.
“Older brother…”
Whispering his name, she touched the bench where he usually sat.
Realizing how painful it was to not see the person she loved immediately.
Desiring him so much yet unable to see him.
Suddenly, she remembered meeting other members. Photos of the members from the day Indigo had scattered photos.
‘Does he dislike me?’
“!”
Thinking she was tired of meeting others, she sat down.
“Sob, sniff! Huff… huff… sob!”
Breathing irregularly, thinking A disliked her made her heart ache.
Holding her chest, she tried to regain her breath.
But the thought made her feel miserable, painful.
“Ack! Huff… ugh…”
Thinking A truly disliked her, her breath didn’t return, and tears flowed.
“Older brother… I… hurt…”
Struggling to speak through heavy breaths, the one who used to help her was gone.
‘It’s not bad enough yet.’
Having lived in pain all her life, she hoped slightly more pain would bring A back.
‘It’s my fault. I didn’t do well for him. That’s why he dislikes me.’
Thinking worsened her heartache.
“Sob! Ack, ugh…”
Thinking A truly disliked her, tears streamed, and she couldn’t catch her breath.
“Older brother… I… hurt…”
