After dispersing, each team successfully entered the interior through their respective entrances. However, no team found a passage leading underground, and searches were conducted separately by each team.
Though the warehouse was dark and unlit, everyone’s night vision allowed them to maintain clear visibility without any issues.
Esmeralda, moving with Green, was also observing her surroundings using the functions of her suit, just as Green was doing.
To guard against potential threats, Green held his sword and kept vigilant watch around Esmeralda without pause.
The atmosphere was not particularly good. Esmeralda remained silent, and beside her, Green also maintained a quiet silence.
Before forming the team, both had exchanged general information about each other with A.
“Since she’s quite shy, she won’t initiate conversation first. You don’t need to worry too much even if she doesn’t speak.”
Following A’s words, Esmeralda decided to only say what was necessary rather than forcing conversation.
“Since she’s meticulous in her work, she won’t engage in personal talk during operations. She’s a good person, so you don’t need to be overly cautious.”
Following this, Green decided to speak only when necessary for the operation.
As a result, there was no conversation between the two throughout.
Continuing to observe their surroundings, they felt each other’s presence constantly.
There were many things she wanted to ask, especially about the current situation that Esmeralda did not fully understand.
On the day the mission was decided, Esmeralda visited Yellow’s house for the first time along with the other team leaders.
She already knew from Red’s visit to headquarters that A and Yellow had a special relationship, but visiting Yellow’s house made her realize the current situation was beyond her imagination.
While maintaining a certain distance from A, she discovered that A had five girlfriends and was continuously researching hyper-humans for them.
“I have no regrets.”
She had long put aside her past feelings, or at least believed she had.
But knowing A had girlfriends and learning he had four more made her feel an inexplicable unease inside.
It wasn’t jealousy or envy. She knew very well that her past decisions weren’t good enough to evoke such emotions.
Esmeralda’s gaze, under her helmet, slowly turned towards Green. Green, who had been observing his surroundings, clearly felt her gaze and turned his head. Both recognized that their eyes met, but quickly looked away and resumed watching their surroundings.
“This is Team Five. Please report on your current status.”
A’s voice came through the communication device.
“This is Team One. We have successfully entered the interior and found nothing significant so far.”
Following Esmeralda’s report, the team leaders reported one after another. Since all teams had just entered, no significant discoveries had been made yet. Thankfully, it was confirmed that everyone had safely entered, and A sighed with relief.
“If anything unusual is found during the search, please report immediately. And…”
A trailed off, leaving everyone focused on him.
“…please don’t fight.”
Upon hearing this, Esmeralda chuckled. The request was not about fighting sudden enemies, but about the existing enemy, Spacystro officials and the HunterKiller Team.
From the planning stage, the atmosphere hadn’t been great. Though they didn’t openly show emotions, the coldness continued, and A had somehow managed to form the team and plan the operation.
Many uncertain factors remained, and A was most concerned about internal conflicts.
A trusted everyone’s abilities. He thought his own ability was the weakest among the ten involved, but he had no doubts about the other nine.
He knew everyone could handle unexpected situations well, but internal conflicts were a different issue.
“He may not be smart, but he’s not clueless either.”
Esmeralda knew A wouldn’t be someone to give up easily once he noticed something.
Hearing A’s natural response, Green couldn’t help but smile.
“Hmm?”
Turning her head at the faint laughter behind her, Esmeralda replied.
“Oh, sorry. It seems you know my older brother well.”
“You still do?”
“A little.”
Laughing again, realizing that the woman closest to A in the past and the current closest woman to A haven’t changed much over time.
“How is A these days?”
Seeing the opening, Esmeralda asked the question she had been curious about since the planning stage.
“He seems less stressed now. If he needs help, he asks us, and if he’s struggling, he admits it. It’s better this way.”
This part was different from what Esmeralda knew about A.
The A she knew was steadfast and wouldn’t complain about fatigue to others.
He would quietly work and focus on results, never taking care of himself until the job was done.
“I have a question too.”
“What is it? Feel free to ask when you can.”
Green also had questions and, encouraged by the permission, expressed his curiosity.
“What was A like before?”
He wanted to know about A’s past, something he was unaware of. Wanting to learn more about the person he loved was natural for everyone. Green saw A as an excellent boyfriend and someone he wanted to stay with forever.
Knowing A’s past wouldn’t change his feelings. Rather, he wanted to understand A’s past to strengthen his thoughts about him.
“He was kind. So kind it worried me. But because of that kindness, I couldn’t look away.”
Recalling the past, Esmeralda spoke with a pained expression about A back then.
“He wouldn’t notice things normally, but when something tough happened, he’d try to help in some way. Then he’d apologize, saying he couldn’t do much.”
Listening silently, Green didn’t respond, focusing on Esmeralda’s words.
“It’s strange, isn’t it? He helped others but felt guilty. Because of his personality…”
Esmeralda paused, realizing that her fondness for A stemmed from his personality. But she couldn’t bring herself to say it now.
Her past choice had become an irrevocable regret. Had she chosen A instead of family back then, would she be the one by A’s side now instead of the HunterKiller Team?
Silently shaking her head, she replied.
“A was always a good person.”
“…”
Observing her, Green noticed that A’s description and his brief impression of Esmeralda were slightly different.
Though she said she didn’t talk much about personal matters, Esmeralda seemed to want to express her feelings but struggled to do so.
Unlike her, who didn’t know how to express herself, she felt a strange kinship with Esmeralda.
Listening to her quiet words and the fleeting sighs, Green sensed her frustration with herself.
At times, she had wanted to express her feelings for A.
But Green believed that revealing his feelings to A was wrong.
This was a thought born from his deeply rooted low self-esteem. Although he couldn’t fully accept it, spending time with A, he had found ways to express himself.
And the Esmeralda in front of him seemed to be searching for a way to express herself as well.
“!”
Startled, Green felt he understood something. Without being able to see clearly, he could roughly guess Esmeralda’s feelings towards A.
For a moment, he considered offering advice, but if Esmeralda expressed her feelings towards A successfully, he might lose his place.
But this thought quickly faded. He knew A wasn’t that kind of person.
Green also supported A’s relationships. While he wasn’t entirely comfortable with the idea of more people, he hoped that if he reduced his desires, one more person could find happiness.
However, he couldn’t offer unsolicited advice to the woman who had known A longer and held dearer feelings.
Luche stared intently at Blue. Blue, sweating despite trying to avoid her gaze, couldn’t escape the intense, penetrating stare.
“Why?”
Unable to completely avoid Luche’s gaze, Blue spoke first.
“Do you live with your senior?”
Though they had learned some about each other during the meeting, they hadn’t fully explored personal details.
For instance, the female officers knew A had five girlfriends and a few cohabitants, but they weren’t sure if it was all of them.
Blue noticed that Luche was the only one who called A “senior,” which led her to assume Luche and A had a special relationship in the past.
The term “senior” itself had no particular meaning, but each time Luche called A that, she felt a sense of affection.
“No, I live separately. He provided the house.”
“Senior provided the house?”
Did A have that much wealth? Thinking about his long career and lifestyle, she realized it wasn’t surprising.
“Yes, there was a company grant… Ah.”
Realizing A was from Spacystro after speaking, Blue understood the source of the grant and that the woman in front of her was A’s direct superior.
“Grant? Ah!”
Hearing Blue’s words, Luche also realized the connection. She had once looked into the grants from Spacystro, hoping it might help A.
That grant was used to buy Blue’s house.
“Why are you using that money?!”
“At the time, I didn’t know he was in Spacystro. And if we got along well, I wanted to keep living there.”
Behind her helmet, Luche gave Blue a displeased look. Though she was taller, Blue seemed to dominate the atmosphere.
“Luche is his superior, so she looked into it. Thank you.”
With a warm tone, expressing gratitude, Luche couldn’t bring herself to get angry. Feeling her sincerity, getting angry would make her seem unreasonable.
“Let’s see how this operation ends.”
Having resolved her feelings towards A, Luche planned to reveal her feelings after the operation ended.
Even though A had noticed her feelings, Luche believed she hadn’t shown them yet.
“Keep going. I’ll support you.”
“Um? Oh… Thanks.”
Supporting Luche’s apparent plan, Blue responded. Facing encouragement from her rival, Luche couldn’t hide her confusion.
