“Who are you?”

Approaching Eun-chae with a feeling as if a thorn had stuck in her throat, the man showed his official identification.

“I have something to inform you. May I come in and talk?”

When the man gestured toward the house, Eun-chae turned and followed, thinking that there would be no reason for a government official to visit her.

Even though she didn’t express it, the tension made her neck stiff, as she led the two men into the living room for guest treatment, the man who had shown the official identification politely declined.

“It’s okay for the tea.”

“Oh, sure. But what brings you here?”

As Eun-chae cautiously asked from her seat, the man fixed his expression as if steeling himself.

“You might be very surprised, but I’ll get straight to the point. I’m truly sorry.”

“Yes? What…”

“Agent Kwon Giju has died during a mission.”

Eun-chae closed her open mouth.

A long silence followed.

She appeared calm, almost as if she hadn’t heard. The man, who had been sitting upright, lowered his head and continued.

“Agent Kwon Giju was working for the country as part of the National Intelligence Service.”

The man handed Eun-chae a NIS badge. Looking at it with dropped eyes, Eun-chae looked back at the man.

“During a mission to rescue a colleague, Agent Kwon died due to the explosion at the operation site. It was a significant accident, so even on our side…”

“Wait.”

“…”

“Wait. Just a moment.”

Interrupting the man’s words, Eun-chae touched her forehead with her hand and mumbled.

“It can’t be. What are you saying?”

She trembled as if her veins had been cut. Gradually, her shaking hand began to tremble, and Eun-chae’s eyes opened fiercely.

“Tell me straight. If he died, you should have brought his body at least. Without even bringing a strand of hair… You want me to believe that?”

“The explosion at the scene was so severe that it was impossible to recover the body. I apologize.”

“…”

Eun-chae laughed. Now she had to laugh. She had heard the horrifying words that not even a strand of hair remained. Why?

Her mind was in chaos.

“I can’t believe it. It’s impossible.”

“We understand that it’s unbearable and sad beyond our reckoning…”

Bang! Eun-chae stood up, slamming the table. Tears filled her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

The blood vessels on her opened neck throbbed. Eun-chae bit her trembling lips until they bled. She couldn’t feel the pain. The thorn-like sensation that had seemed to stick in her throat since earlier seemed to have pierced through her flesh.

The man, who seemed unaffected and unmoved, looked up.

“…We can’t provide detailed information on a national scale. Also, please be aware that revealing Agent Kwon’s death to the outside world could lead to severe legal consequences. Again, I’m truly sorry.”

“…”

Eun-chae gradually began to sink as if collapsing. In the crumbling sight, the man was no longer there.
Unseen and unheard. Nothing.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

A few days after going down to the countryside, the new employees found it a bit strange when the mistress returned to the mansion without any luggage. It seemed that she had come back not to recuperate in a good place but due to weak mental health.

In fact, Eun-chae returned and immediately cut off meals, wandering between the annex and the main building throughout the night, as if she would catch fire when exposed to sunlight, never going out.

No one spoke to her as if someone had sewn her mouth shut. Although the words of the lady of Haman seemed to be listened to, it was just an appearance, and no one had a conversation with her.

In reality, Eun-chae didn’t see her surroundings. She flowed like stagnant water, chasing after the traces of Kwon Giju.

A man who is good at deceiving and may be harsh in his attempts to torment her, such forced thoughts were crushed by the voice that intruded as she fought to survive each time.

‘The explosion at the scene was so severe that it was impossible to recover the body.’

The bed they lay in together, the garden they strolled through together, the clothes they wore, the watch, the passionately warm touch, the memories that were tenderly loved, the fragrance—everything remained like this. Why is it that only Kwon Giju is missing?

Today, Eun-chae, who visited the annex again, sat down alone in the room he used, staring at the ceiling. Then, she touched the floor with both hands, shaking her head.

“…H, hoo…”

Can she leave him like this? Even when she heard the news that he had died, tears that she didn’t shed then now flowed incessantly, and she wiped her face.

“Why, why, again…”

“Don’t worry. He’ll be back soon.”

“No. No. This can’t be! I didn’t abandon him, Kwon Giju…!”

Shouting and screaming, Eun-chae fell to the floor and, while crying and howling like a beast, pounded the ground with her fists.

“Who can die at will? Who can!”

After yelling like a beast, pounding the floor, Eun-chae, with her hands clenched as if her nails were embedded in her palms, stopped beating the ground and lay down, bending her back.

At least show up shamelessly.