Chapter 15: Don’t Go.

-7 years ago-

“Aegis Support Unit Operations Officer, Sergeant Yu Seo Jin. Nice to meet you.”

“77th Reconnaissance Regiment, Alpha Company Commander, Captain Ceril Olsen. I look forward to working with you.”

The two clasped hands shook lightly.

Their fleeting glances briefly scanned each other.

A female officer with an atmosphere that was somehow difficult to approach.

A non-commissioned officer rumored to be favored by the ‘Strongest Aegis’.

Their first meeting was… like that to each other.

Seo Jin was awakened by the sunlight pouring in from the window.

He rubbed his eyes, which were still tired, and raised his head.

Looking over, the bed next to him was already empty.

He threw back the blanket that was only his and carefully went outside, but he only saw the empty house.

“Ceril?”

Even when he called, he couldn’t feel anyone.

However, he found something placed on the table.

A wrapped sandwich, something that definitely hadn’t been there yesterday.

Seo Jin read the note that was with it.

[Going to work, take care of the house.]

The simple sentence felt like her somehow.

Seo Jin slowly looked around the empty house and thought.

The interior was so clean that it was a little desolate,

And the furniture that only had the necessary things.

But even so, there was a strange warmth of people living there…

It was a space that seemed to resemble the personality of the owner who lived there.

In fact, her first impression was a little different.

The first time they met was at a joint mission 7 years ago.

It was a large-scale operation that involved several units cooperating. In order to exterminate a newly formed Encroachment species colony, Arcel at the time was assigned a company from the 77th Reconnaissance Regiment as a support force along with a solo mission.

That was Ceril’s unit.

She, who was the company commander, had a fairly stiff impression from the first meeting.

Contrary to her young and pretty appearance, she always maintained an attitude that had strict boundaries.

Thanks to that, Seo Jin had a little trouble at the time.

But after becoming acquainted by chance, Seo Jin was able to know Ceril’s real personality. Her stiff attitude was just a way for her to endure her own situation. She treated those close to her much more comfortably and was a person with deep affection.

That’s why she was readily showing this much kindness to the old friend she had reunited with after several years.

But at the same time, she was a personality that was even easier to be hurt inside her own fence. It had been like that since before. Whenever she lost someone close to her due to the inevitability of war, she always showed an appearance of being sincerely sad.

If such a Ceril were to know the fact that Seo Jin was going to die now, if she realized that she was helping him with that, what kind of reaction would come out?

It was a situation that he didn’t want to imagine.

Therefore, Seo Jin didn’t bother to mention his own condition.

He hoped that it would just pass by as a brief and welcome reunion with an old acquaintance.

He wanted to remember the acquaintance he was seeing for the last time with a smiling face.

The time to repay her kindness was not allowed to Seo Jin either.

At least, he didn’t want to make her sad.

That was all.

He belatedly grabbed the sandwich on the table.

He had been staring at the one that had been neatly packaged for him,

For a while.

Before he knew it, it was evening.

“I’m home.”

The front door opened, and Ceril, who had returned from work, came in.

She naturally took off her coat, but then looked intently at Seo Jin and said.

“It feels a little fresh when someone comes out to greet me.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s comfortable to live alone, but sometimes… it’s lonely.”

She took off her coat, organized it, and slyly asked.

“What have you been doing all this time? You didn’t go outside, did you?”

“Yes, I was just…. staying still.”

Even the waiting with nothing to do wasn’t very boring.

Time was passing quickly just by recalling this and that thought. It became the last opportunity to reflect on all the memories and experiences that had happened in this place.

But Ceril, who didn’t know that, tilted her head.

“If you’re bored, you can watch TV or something. Perhaps, you couldn’t find where the remote control was?”

“It’s okay. I don’t really watch it usually.”

Seo Jin shook his head.

In fact, he rarely watched TV or newspapers.

Because it was less than a year since the war had ended, the mass media often showed the appearances of the heroes who had been the main players in the victory.

Because there were many faces among them that evoked complicated feelings in many ways. Seo Jin had been deliberately avoiding such media.

It was an old guilt. Even though it wasn’t much time left… he didn’t have the face to look at their faces even beyond the screen. The children he had deceived….

But that was also the last time now.

Seo Jin, who had changed into comfortable indoor clothes and sat nearby Ceril, asked.

“When will the new identity be created?”

That was the same as asking when he could leave.

Ceril answered lightly.

“Huh? Ah, just wait a little longer.”

“Then-“

“Anyway, what are we going to do for dinner today? Is there anything you want to eat?”

He felt a little strangeness.

Ceril was somehow changing the subject. Was it just his imagination?

He couldn’t bring himself to ask again in the end.

Seo Jin had already received her excessive help. He had already incurred a great debt just for smoothing over what had happened at the checkpoint. Furthermore, if they parted like this, he wouldn’t even have the opportunity to repay that kindness later.

So, Seo Jin waited quietly. He thought that it was his duty to believe and wait, even if things didn’t seem to be going well.

Above all, Ceril had been a capable person since before.

He had the trust that she would somehow handle it well on her own.

But,

A day,

Two days,

Until a week had passed….

She didn’t tell him anything about the new identity.

She was just keeping Seo Jin at her house.

As if she wanted him to be here forever.

She treated him that much as if she was being dedicated.

“If you’re alone during the day, aren’t you bored? I don’t really know much about that side though… Would it be okay if I got you a movie or a book or something?”

“Is there any food you want to eat, or anything you can think of? I’m really not confident in cooking, but I can buy it on the way home from work. Tell me without feeling burdened.”

“I thought you would need more comfortable clothes, so I brought them. The size is, a good fit. It’s good on you.”

But Seo Jin felt an unspeakable burden from such kindness.

Because he was someone who had to leave.

No matter how much he waited, the moment of farewell would come in some way.

He hoped that it would be in a form that was a little less regrettable.

He didn’t want to make her a sad memory to his old friend.

So, he endured and endured, but Seo Jin couldn’t wait any longer.

So he said that he was going to leave.

Ceril didn’t say anything.

She was just blocking Seo Jin’s path with a pale face.

The light brown eyes that were facing him were swirling with an emotion that he had never seen before.

And after a long time, a small voice leaked out.

“Wait. Just a little, just a little longer………….”

She was tightly grabbing his wrist and begging like that.

But it was a wish that he couldn’t grant.

Ceril was a really good person. It was even enjoyable to be with her sometimes.

That’s why Seo Jin didn’t want to be dying in front of her at least.

He also didn’t want to see her face as she realized the death of a friend and was sad.

He had only hoped that it would end as a chance and welcome brief reunion……

Why had it turned out like this?

“I’m sorry.”

Seo Jin carefully released her grip, which was tightly grabbing his wrist.

And then he headed towards the front door, leaving behind Ceril, who had given up and lowered her head.

At that moment, a sound that was somehow eerie and familiar came from somewhere.

The sound of click-, made Seo Jin’s movements freeze as well.

Because he knew all too well what it was.

Slowly, he turned around slowly.

Then what he faced was a gun pointed at him.

And the voice that was trembling as much as the eyes beyond it……

“That’s an order. Don’t go.”

She had finally caught him.