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The Team Leader of Team 1, Lee Soo Hyuk, opened the still-lit office room's door.
It's already night outside, even though most people in his team handled monsters every so often and the area around shelters was safe, he didn't want them to risk their lives by going home too late so he makes a habit of checking the office before going home himself.
His eyes scanned around then found Choi Jung Soo still at his desk, tidying up paper in his hand.
"Hey, Jung Soo, what are you doing so late?"
"Oh, Hyung, I'm just finishing the last report from our last trip, is there anything you need?"
"It's late, go back first, you're the last one here"
"But you're still here too, Hyung"
"Oh, talking back on orders, now?"
"It's not like that... Uh, I must return this to the archive first"
"Then I'll come with you, hurry up"
"Alright Hyung"
Choi Jung Soo pout a bit because he was treated like a child but not complaining. After putting his report on Lee Soo Hyuk's desk near his and his fellow rookie, Kim Rok Soo, he takes his belonging and then follows his team leader out of the office room.
The archive room was a bit far away from their office since it was managed by different departments and electricity was still scarce so the corridors were not lit up properly, giving an eerie feeling. The company is also located near the ruined place so they need to be careful, especially at night.
That's why Lee Soo Hyuk and Choi Jung Soo were tensed up when they heard a weird sound inside the archive room. Lee Soo Hyuk gives his dongsaeng a sign with his eyes, his hand moving to his sword handle before hearing something fall with a dull sound.
Lee Soo Hyuk barge into the archive room and move straight to the sound source with Choi Jung Soo behind him. The room was small with rows of metal shelves that makes narrow corridors in between but it didn't hinder their movement.
After a few moments they heard a soft heavy breath, Lee Soo Hyuk frowned then stop moving in surprise when he find the source. Choi Jung Soo wants to ask why his team leader stop before following his gaze to find his fellow rookie who was lying weakly on the floor with red faces and dishevelled shirts.
"What the hell – Kim Rok Soo!"
"Rok Soo!"
Both of them quickly approached him, Choi Jung Soo tapped on Kim Rok Soo's cheek to wake him up only to find his body was burned up from the high fever and drenched with sweat.
"Hey, Rok Soo, wake up! Rok Soo!"
"... so noisy"
Kim Rok Soo opened his eyes a bit, his reddish-brown eyes were looking at the source of the disturbance. His body might be heating up but his mind is clear as ever so he recognizes them immediately
"Jung Soo... Team Leader... what are you doing here?"
"That's not important, we need to bring you to the medical office"
"There's no need"
Kim Rok Soo shakes his head weakly and then tried to stand before swaying, almost headbutting the shelf in front of him if Choi Jung Soo does not catch his body and then sling the young man's arm into his neck to support him, he could hear Rok Soo's heavy breath
"Fuck, look at you! How come you don't need it?"
"Let's put him down on the chair first, Jung Soo"
Lee Soo Hyuk examines Kim Rok Soo's condition with his eyes while Choi Jung Soo brings him to the reading area. There, they found a towel and half-filled water bottle on one of the tables along with a shabby familiar bag.
With one look at the items on the table, Lee Soo Hyuk realize what happened with his troublesome dongsaeng
"Hey, Rok Soo, how long you've been here? And how many times has this been happening?"
Kim Rok Soo only sit quietly, his head was lowered while his hand fumbled to open his shirt button since its suffocating. He knew his team leader realize what happened to him and it seems Choi Jung Soo also notice it.
Both Lee Soo Hyuk and Choi Jung Soo's abilities did not have side effects aside from decreasing their stamina but they do know some abilities have various side effects, especially the mental focused ability.
Rok Soo can't help to curse in his mind that he had been found out
"How many documents do you record to make you become like this? Huh? Answer me, Rok Soo"
"... from the shelf on the back to the six one from there"
"And you look at them one by one?"
"yes, sir"
Kim Rok Soo answered politely under his team leader's vicious stare, the tone of Lee Soo Hyuk's voice was sent a chill on his back although his body was still hot from the side effect of his ability.
Choi Jung Soo look at his friend with astonishment, he know that although their company archive was smaller than the one owned by the government and big guilds, there are still thousands of documents, reports and notes filled with detailed information about various cases of guilds, government, monsters and ability users.
He unconsciously flinches when his eyes meet to cold and emotionless reddish-brown eyes that look at him and their team leader.
Lee Soo Hyuk's lips were twisted up
"You bastard, how do you plan to use information from here?"
"I'm the rear support, sir, for doing my part I must gain more information. The knowledge about the pattern and weaknesses of the monsters, along with the government and guild deeds will make us more prepared to handle them"
Kim Rok Soo answers with a stoic face as if asking why he must answer this obvious question. Lee Soo Hyuk's gaze turned sharp as if he want to decipher Kim Rok Soo's mind. After a moment of staring contest, Lee Soo Hyuk pat Kim Rok Soo's head
"Do as you please but you must take care of yourself, you punk"
"I'm taking care of myself"
"Ho... you always have the answer to everything, you little punk, you're banned from the archive room if this happens again"
"Fine..."
Lee Soo Hyuk holds back a sigh when he sees Kim Rok Soo who not saying anything else as he drink the water from a bottle.
As a team leader, Lee Soo Hyuk knows really well the position of their 'company' and often meets unexpected situations. This punk is smart so this method is probably suited for him to prepare himself but he seems to not be aware of his limits.
Kim Rok Soo sweep off the sweat on his chin with his backhand while his laborious breath was steadying. Choi Jung Soo and Lee Soo Hyuk notice that Kim Rok Soo ability's side effect will end soon since the young man's complexion look better but they are still concerned while Kim Rok Soo seems to not notice their concerned gaze as he wipes his sweat off with towel nonchalantly
"I'll go back to the dorm after this, there are still a few documents I want to look at first"
"No, you're done today and I'll take you there"
"What? There's no need - "
"That's an order and we leave now, I'll buy you something for dinner on the way, you too Jung Soo"
"Huh? You don't have to, Hyung"
"I can't say no if you are the one who pays, Team Leader"
Lee Soo Hyuk smiled at both of his dongsaeng who react differently, he still wondered how both of them can be close with each other with almost polar opposite personalities.
He didn't know that this is only the beginning and he feels regret for not rebuking Kim Rok Soo, even dragging Choi Jung Soo in the process, more harshly that time for being reckless and knowing his own limits when they faced a Grade 1 monster that suddenly appeared in section C- 1 of Korea.
Lee Soo Hyuk can't help to let out a deep bitter sigh as he looks at two young men laying on a bed in the medical centre.
When those monsters come, he doesn't have any choice but to defend until the government takes over since their team lacked in number. Those bastards from the guild and hunters who are in charge at that area already save their asses first.
All of them were beaten up, he also has a few bandages on his body but not as much as these two rookies in his team, Kim Rok Soo and Choi Jung Soo in front of him. Although he knows its an unprecedented case and both of their wits were saving the other teammate's lives, he still can't agree with these two young man action
"Hey, Jung Soo, did your life multiply into nine right now? Hmm?"
Choi Jung Soo flinch as he tried to sit up while caressing his bandaged shoulder, the injury he got from following Kim Rok Soo's instruction and caught on falling debris after that
"That bastard Rok Soo - "
"Even so you followed him without getting drunk, hm? Also, Rok Soo, why the hell do you leave your post and come over to the battlefield? Rear support supposed to be in safe range"
"... I already said the reason before"
"What? About you notice the pattern? About that bastard was looking similar to the one in your record? if you want to move then learn to defend yourself properly, you punk"
"But we manage to hold on, team leader, we even able to take that bastard down and survive"
Kim Rok Soo answers stubbornly before moving his gaze away from his team leader who turns more vicious at every word.
Lee Soo Hyuk wants to smack both these punks who have the worse condition than the other team members that have an attack and defend ability. Kim Rok Soo suddenly charge in and then tells them the monster's attack pattern, his information was helping the team defend better but he was knocked out by the monster's attack.
He thought Kim Rok Soo was out so he send Choi Jung Soo to help his fellow rookie but he never thought that it was a bad decision as this crazy bastard dragging Choi Jung Soo for doing a crazy stunt.
Lee Soo Hyuk still remembers when he realize that Choi Jung Soo and Kim Rok Soo, the two that suppose in the back after getting injured, were stealthily moving around the monsters before launching an attack on the monster's leg joint that Kim Rok Soo presumes as the weakness.
Lucky for them, Kim Rok Soo was right about the monster's weakness so the other team member along with government people who come later manage to handle that monster. Their attack succeed and the monsters were dead but then Lee Soo Hyuk look at both of his precious dongsaeng almost buried alive when the building falls apart because the monsters fall.
That time, all of the team members almost have a heart attack as they watch large debris falls around the two young men in quick succession. They manage to rescue both of the troublemakers faster because Choi Jung Soo was screaming to wake up the unconscious Kim Rok Soo.
He also tells the others that Kim Rok Soo manage to push him when large debris fell above them, forcing both of them to curl up under a makeshift metal shield in Kim Rok Soo's hand to avoid fatal injuries, that's why Choi Jung Soo only suffered from shoulder dislocation and deep cuts in his tight while Kim Rok Soo must stay longer in medical wing due fracture in his rib along with broken leg and wrist.
Lee Soo Hyuk also found out that the blood in Kim Rok Soo's face including the nosebleed from overuse of his ability and his fever still remain, making it more unbelievable how far his idiocy goes. He then moves closer to his two troublesome but precious dongsaeng
"Hey, Choi Jung Soo"
"... What is it, Hyung?"
"And you, Kim Rok Soo, look at me, you punk"
"Team Leader, shouldn't you report about those bastards from guild and hunters who run away?"
"You always have something to say, you bastard, I said look at me"
Kim Rok Soo moves his head to face his team leader who seems to be quiet, no, really angry
"What is it?"
"Both of you know my motto right? Tell me"
"Did you get amnesia from those monster attacks, sir?"
Lee Soo Hyuk ignore Kim Rok Soo's disrespectful comment while waiting for them to answer, Choi Jung Soo sighed since he didn't want to argue with his angry Hyung
"Being alive is the best, isn't it Hyung?"
"Now, how about taking that to your heart as well, Jung Soo? And you too, Rok Soo, what do you say your dream is?"
"To be a slacker, Team Leader"
"Right, you will come to farming with me and Jung Soo, so better keep your body intact, you punk"
Kim Rok Soo frowned and sigh at his team leader's word but does not dismiss the idea while Choi Jung Soo smirked before Lee Soo Hyuk messed with his hair
"You too, Jung Soo, I will increase your training regime so you don't have any funny ideas like before and you better drag Rok soo with you, don't forget both of you need to write an additional report and clean the training ground for a month"
Both young men were agape at their 'punishment' while Lee Soo Hyuk smile viciously
"I'll make sure both of you have a proper defence and finish all of them before we got another business trip so rest and get better for now"
Lee Soo Hyuk pats Choi Jung Soo's healthy shoulder while his other hand strokes Kim Rok Soo's head before heading out from the medical wing, not giving a chance for his two dongsaeng to refute his decision.
As their leader and brother, he must make sure to teach both of them how to live a long life and protect themselves since being alive is the best.