The moment Min Yugeon realized that Seo Suho was on the surface, it felt like someone was choking him. His heart seized, and it felt as if the blood in his body had stopped circulating properly.
No matter how gifted Seo Suho was at taming beasts, what were his actual chances of surviving amid a swarm of rampaging monsters?
…He didn’t even know whether Seo Suho had left the ship wearing proper safety gear.
His heart pounded so hard with anxiety and dread that it felt like it might explode. After forcing his breathing to calm, he quietly slipped out of the data center, making sure no one noticed him. His face pale, he moved with determination. His destination was the hangar.
“Engineer Min Yugeon?”
As soon as he appeared, one of the guards stationed at the hangar called out.
Min Yugeon gave a brief nod in greeting and pointed subtly toward the direction of the fighter jets before speaking.
“I heard there was a mechanical fault, so I’m here for maintenance.”
His complexion was clearly off, but the blank, emotionless expression on his face was so steady that it didn’t even occur to the guard that he might be lying. The guard glanced over Min Yugeon’s face with a puzzled look.
“A mechanical fault, sir?”
“Yes. I heard the forward display system on Unit 6 was acting up.”
The guard hesitated at Min Yugeon’s reply.
“I haven’t been informed of anything like that… May I ask who made the request, if you don’t mind?”
“Colonel Sun Woosung. He said they could be deployed at any time, so he asked me to take a look right away.”
Min Yugeon answered smoothly, like water flowing. His facial muscles had frozen into a hard mask, incapable of expressing anything at all, and he found himself oddly grateful for that.
It helped him conceal the panic raging inside, the desperate urge to ignore all protocol and charge out of there.
“Ah, I see.”
The guard let out a quiet sound of acknowledgment and nodded.
Min Yugeon had worked on various sections of the ship, including the fighter jets, numerous times. There was no reason for the guard to doubt someone so familiar.
More importantly, the guard didn’t know that engineers typically received maintenance requests through the Engineer Center and not directly from the Reconnaissance Unit.
“Alright, go ahead.”
Technically, it was the guard’s responsibility to verify the maintenance schedule and cross-check the visitor log. He should have contacted Sun Woosung to confirm, given that this visit hadn’t been reported.
But apprehensive about reaching out to such a high-ranking officer known for his intimidating aura, the guard chose the easier path and simply believed Min Yugeon’s words.
Min Yugeon followed him into the hangar.
Once near the row of fighter jets, he approached the one he’d mentioned—Unit 6. After briefly checking the interior, he turned back to the guard.
“I’ll need to initiate launch procedures for maintenance.”
“Excuse me?”
“There’s a function that can only be tested midair.”
“Ah…”
The guard nodded again without resistance. Since the maintenance was under Colonel Sun Woosung’s directive, there was no need for separate launch authorization.
“Do you need a pilot to assist you? I can make a call if you’d like.”
“No, I’ll fly it myself. The issue requires direct observation from the cockpit anyway.”
Though he’d seen Min Yugeon pilot aircraft before for test flights, the guard still couldn’t hide his admiration. Min Yugeon was the only engineer on this ship who could fly a fighter jet.
Launch preparations went smoothly. Min Yugeon performed all pre-flight checks—including engine, power, and fuel systems—while the catapult crew towed the jet into position. He suited up and equipped all necessary gear.
Climbing into the cockpit of the fighter now moved to the deck, Min Yugeon gazed blankly at the control panel.
He felt no nervousness about flying.
From beginning to end, there was only one thought in his head.
“……”
Lowering the visor on his helmet, he looked back at the crew preparing for launch.
Once the jet was secured to the catapult, he increased the engine’s thrust. A shrill metallic noise rang out across the flight deck, vibrating through the bodies of the onlookers wearing hearing protection.
KUGUGUGUNG!
With a deafening roar, the jet shot across the deck. In just a few seconds, it broke free and soared into the sky.
The force of gravity pressed his body hard into the seat. Min Yugeon controlled his breathing and adjusted the aircraft’s climb angle.
Then, without hesitation, he set his course.
“Uh, wait—huh?”
“Hold on…!”
Those left behind, watching the jet vanish from sight in the blink of an eye, finally realized something was wrong. But by then, it was already far too late.
***
That was a fighter craft from the ship. I’d only seen them in manuals before—never in person—but I was certain.
…With the watch no longer functioning, I’d assumed our location couldn’t be tracked. But judging from how directly it had found us, that clearly wasn’t the case. And since it hadn’t attacked any of the monsters nearby, it was likely here to capture Lee Shin and me alive.
“……!”
Just then, the fighter that had been hovering overhead and observing us tilted its angle slightly and began to move—perhaps looking for a landing spot.
“It’s going,” Lee Shin muttered, having been tracking the aircraft’s movements just like I had.
I glanced at the alert, twitching monsters around us and whispered quickly to Lee Shin and Rai.
“We have to get there first. Before the monsters do.”
The ones near me might stay close for now, but the others—once they heard the fighter’s engine—would make a mad dash for it. I had to get there first to protect the pilot from what was coming.
Grumble.
“Yeah!”
Lee Shin nodded and, without warning, hoisted me up into his arms, then leapt onto Rai’s back.
Rai had already crouched low, as if inviting us to climb on, so getting atop him wasn’t difficult.
Lee Shin pressed himself down over my back, gripping Rai’s fur tightly. Thanks to his firm hold, I was secure in his arms, barely jostled as we rode.
The sunset-colored landscape blurred past us. A gust of wind swept over our bodies, rushing through us all at once. Sssaaa.
And in the silence that followed the passing wind, I noticed— The sound of the fighter had vanished too.
A creeping unease settled in.
“Hurry,” I whispered into the fur just behind Rai’s ear. “Just a bit faster, Rai.”
Growl!
As if spurred by my voice, Rai widened his strides and ran with newfound force. The speed now was nothing compared to earlier. My hair and clothes whipped wildly in the wind.
I curled in tighter, clinging to Rai’s soft back. Lee Shin’s chest pressed down against me, holding me firmly in place.
Soon, the fighter came into view.
It had landed not too far ahead—close enough that we could reach it quickly. The field was mostly clear of debris, but far from ideal for landing. Still, it had made it down.
Relieved to see no monsters had arrived before us, I exhaled a quiet breath—
Whooom.
With a gentle mechanical hum, the cockpit canopy opened.
The man who stepped out was tall. Too tall. Too familiar.
…Ah.
A jolt, like a hammer to the back of my skull.
I stared wide-eyed at the man.
No way. It couldn’t be.
It couldn’t be him.
“……”
The man removed his helmet.
Just then, a breeze swept across the grassland, tousling his white hair. A face pale as snow, eyes reddened with heat—
“Suho.”
He looked at me as though nothing else existed in the world. Like I was the only person who mattered.
My fingers began to tremble.
I tried to deny it, but it was useless.
It really was Min Yugeon.
