Work Text:
Rustle.
Agent Choi dropped the freshly printed files he was holding onto the table.
“Ugh. Finally done with the paperwork…”
In his seat, he raised his arms and stretched, before taking a glance at the empty waiting room.
The room was dark with only the fluorescent light shining on his spot illuminating the scene. Desolate, quiet, cluttered. It was still the same clubroom-like standby area that Hyunmoo Team 1 had been using. But this time, it somehow felt bleak.
Agent Choi was the only one in the room.
“Aigoo… The Bureau is really short on manpower if they’re calling up someone on leave to process reports.”
He swiped a glance at the stack of papers placed haphazardly on the table, then turned his head to look at the digital clock mounted on the wall.
September 12 202X, 21:38.
“It’s pretty late already, I guess I’ll submit these tomorrow.”
The agent stood up and began tucking the sheets of paper into neat, proper stacks, muttering to himself that Jaekwan might scold him later if he left them in such a messy state.
After finishing the cleanup, he grabbed the bureau-issued jacket draped over his swivel chair, slung it over his shoulder and walked towards the door of the waiting room.
He reached a hand out to turn off the remaining light in the room, but he paused before he could press the switch. With solemn eyes, he turned his head back to check the waiting room one last time. It was still desolate, quiet, and cluttered, except for the neat stacks of reports on the table.
Click.
The light turned off and the agent opened the door to walk out of the room.
For a brief moment, the light from the hallway seeped into the dark waiting room before being plunged into darkness once again.
…
“Choi?” As Agent Choi was leaving, someone had called out his name.
It was Agent Haegeum who was also coming out of Hyunmoo Team 3’s waiting room.
“Only clocking out now?”
“Noonim… Ah yeah, you won’t believe how many reports they dumped on me…” He scratched his head to display his annoyance.
“You say that as if you didn’t volunteer for it.” She approached the younger man, placing a hand on her waist.
“What can I say? My two hoobaes on Hyunmoo Team 5 are swamped with work and I was relatively free. I can’t have them collapsing on me when they’re being worked to the bone because my team’s on a leave of absence.” Agent Choi shrugged his shoulders dramatically.
The older woman sighed. “At this rate, you’re going to be the one who collapses first.”
“You’re exaggerating, noonim…” He patted Agent Haegeum on the shoulder.
“I’m not. When was the last time you slept? Look at those bags under your eyes.”
“Hmm? I slept a few hours ago though?”
“For how long?”
“30 minute— Ouch!”
Agent Haegeum had smacked him on the head.
“Noonim, if you do that, I’m gonna pass out for real!” He said rubbing the spot she hit.
The older woman sighed again. This time, heavier. “Don’t show up at work tomorrow. Get some rest.”
“Oh, I was only planning to submit the files, then be on my merry way~”
“You have plans tomorrow?” Agent Haegeum asked, her curiosity clearly piqued.
“Yep. It’s Grapes-ie’s birthday and we’re gonna throw a party. Wanna come too?”
“Agent Grapes…” the woman said in a low voice.
“Grapes-ie didn’t even mention his birthday was coming up. I just found out while I was checking his files from a few days ago. He always hides the important stuff. Aigoo…”
Agent Choi grumbled his complaints.
“…”
“Noonim?”
“Alright, have fun tomorrow. I’ll drop by if my team doesn’t get dispatched on a mission.” Agent Haegeum smiled, eyes flashing with worry as she looked at the younger agent before her.
September 13 202X, 11:15 AM.
Agent Choi strode out of the bureau’s headquarters in large steps. After submitting everything that needed to be submitted, he bolted out of HQ as soon as he could to start with the party preparations.
It was his hoobae’s—Kim Soleum’s— first birthday as an agent of Hyunmoo Team 1. Of course, as his sunbae, Agent Choi wanted to pull all the stops for such a celebration.
First, party decorations and props.
Then, a birthday gift.
Finally, food and cake.
Hmm. Flowers? Sure, why not.
In that order, the ace agent of Hyunmoo Team 1 scrambled around the shops in Seoul to buy everything he needed.
He went to a nearby department store to get the first thing on the list— party decorations and props. He didn’t expect to take long there because everything he needed was crammed into a single section, but somehow all the candles in the birthday section were missing the number “2”.
Was everybody turning 20-something this month?
He didn’t know. But the numbered candle he was looking for was out of stock, so he spent a lot of time looking for one. Thankfully, he found this specific candle in a small supermarket near the department store.
Kim Soleum was turning 2▉ this year, so this candle was a must.
Next is the birthday gift.
Agent Choi spent a lot of time thinking what he should give to his precious hoobae—to the very competent rookie of Hyunmoo Team 1— who clearly does not have a shred of materialism due to his strong desire of going home.
So, for the last few days, Agent Choi pondered. Pondered and pondered.
Until today.
Taking a break at the cafe, Agent Choi stared at the item in his hand. It was small, about the average size of a man’s hand, but it was precious. The agent pulled his eyes away from the gift and safely tucked it inside the gift box, strapping it with a ribbon so the contents don’t accidentally fall out.
He put the box into his backpack, which was now filled with party decorations and other miscellaneous props. He made sure to place it at the very top so it doesn’t get squished from the weight of the other items inside.
Then, food and cake.
These ones were the easiest to get.
Agent Choi had specifically reserved a cake beforehand. He had already ordered and paid for it a few days ago. So today, he’s just picking it up from the bakery.
As for the food for the party, it was takeout from a restaurant that Hyunmoo Team 1 frequently visits after a long day of work or after a successful rescue mission. The veteran agent noticed that Soleum had taken a liking to the food there, so he had chosen this food for his hoobae’s celebration.
And on his way to the train station, he passed by a flower shop.
He stopped in front of the shop and turned his head. He could clearly see his reflection from the shop’s glass window decorated by the sight of flowers, arms holding bags of food.
Past that reflection, the vibrant hue of a cluster of flowers grabbed his attention. It was inside the shop.
With both of his hands occupied, he pushed the shop’s door open with his shoulder.
A light ding was heard as soon as he entered, and he greeted: “Excuse me! I’d like to buy a bouquet of that, please!”
…
Contented with his purchase, Agent Choi left the flower shop with a grin, carrying more stuff than he had earlier.
The bouquet was properly packaged into a paper bag on his right, while the food he tried his best to stack together without spilling was on his left. There was a weird sense of imbalance as he carried the items, but he didn’t mind. And with everything accounted for, he went to the station and boarded a train.
Due to certain circumstances, the party won’t be held at Hyunmoo Team 1’s waiting room. So, Agent Choi had to travel from Seoul to a certain province less than an hour away on a train.
Upon his arrival, he disembarked and grabbed a bureau-issued bike nearby. He strapped the bags he’d been carrying on both handles, securing them properly so it doesn’t spill or fall off the vehicle, before setting off towards the party venue.
As night fell, he finally arrived.
The area felt a little damp and humid, but it was alright. It was quiet, but not eerie— he could clearly hear the sound of running water nearby. He could breathe in fresh air without traces of smoke or dust. It was a little dark, so he had to light some lamps here and there.
Pulling out the things from his backpack, he started decorating the venue. He put up the backdrop, flag decorations, danglers, and the banner that said: “Happy Birthday, Grapes-ie!! ♡ ur sunbae’s from hyunmoo team 1” filled with animal drawings and other silly doodles and coloring.
On a makeshift table, the agent placed the food, the cake, the flowers and the present. He put the candles he desperately tried to find on the cat-shaped cake and lit it.
Agent Choi strapped a party hat onto Kim Soleum’s head and sat down on the hard floor.
…
He stared at the bodies of his two hoobaes, lying motionless inside this stony, cave-like space.
They were still breathing. They weren’t dead.
But you can’t say that they’re alive either.
Because they’re stuck in a dream they couldn’t wake up from.
He glanced at Kim Soleum, the star of this silent celebration, sleeping right next to Ryu Jaekwan.
“Happy Birthday, Grapes-ie… Next time, let’s go grab some hotpot together, yeah?”
“I bought all your favorite food today, but it’s already gone cold. This place is just too far from Seoul, haha…”
“This gift…” He opened the box and took out the present.
A picture frame. You could clearly see a picture of the three of them inside. Jaekwan was holding the camera and right next to him was the ace agent ruffling Soleum’s hair with a large grin on his face.
It was a photo taken on the day when Agent Grapes had officially been assigned to Hyunmoo Team 1.
“I hope you’ll like it.”
It was not a material gift, but more of a reminder.
To Kim Soleum, it was a reminder that he did meaningful work as an agent, despite being a spy sent by Daydream. A memory that he spent days in Hyunmoo Team 1’s waiting room, waiting for rescue calls and filing post-mission reports. A proof that he worked alongside his two sunbaes, Agent Choi and Agent Bronze— that he was an important part of their team and that he was a precious person in their lives.
Agent Choi pulled his eyes away from the picture frame and looked at the bouquet of flowers he placed on the side.
Sunflowers.
A symbol of longing and a promise of reunion. Just like how sunflowers chase the light of the sun, longing for its warmth.
“This sunbae will definitely come and save you, Soleum-ah, Jaekwan-ah…”
He heaved a sigh.
“So, hang in there and wait for me.”
293 days after being trapped in Sekwang Metropolitan Special City, Kim Soleum regains consciousness and returns safely through the help of Agent Choi. With this, the exploration of the annihilation-sanctioned Disaster continued until the day it was terminated. Until he had no choice but to send Kim Soleum back home.