Han Nayeon works as a ghostwriter in Hermes Tower, a prestigious company that offers solutions to problems. Choi Junhyub is the man she meets the day she arrives late for work for the first time, the man she's attracted to but has never met before...
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Truth's a double-edged sword. Consider Alice's slip about Yook Chan. It rattled the men's spirits and knitted Mi-eun's brows together. On one side stood fear, and the other, anger. When they clashed, only pain would bloom. Alice felt the air stiffen and bit her tongue. She wanted nothing to do with pain, but numbing herself now proved too late. She will never conquer her algophobia.
Mi-eun glared at her. "So he was a sacrifice."
Alice nodded meekly. "I can explain—"
Mi-eun held up a hand. "I only want to hear from Nayeon."
Nayeon wetted her lips and recounted the day thus far, sparing a few pointless details like her suspicions of Junhyub's feelings for her and why and how they got out of the crypt. Junhyub's face was unreadable. Yook Chan observed them with burning eyes before disappearing to play with the chinchilla outside, feeling its cold skin and noting its restless running on a tiny treadmill. Just like that, the room was divided into two types of tension: the gnawing tension between the humans and the purgatorial tension between the undead.
"I take it you were aware of the sacrifices." Mi-eun gave Alice a pointed look. "Your so-called lover was Ramiel."
Alice glanced away. "Only Ramiel can understand my pain. Maybe that's why he sent those two back. He knows how much we need Nayeon."
"That's not true," Junhyub said before calling for Yook Chan. "We have to go back now."
"Don't be foolish. You're still alive. If you die in there, no one can save you." Mi-eun grabbed his shoulder when he pulled Nayeon away by the arm while Yook Chan escorted the chinchilla to its abode. She let go when Junhyub reached for her hand. "Look, go if you want, but leave that zombie here. Nayeon too. We're still researching the side effects of the NecroTech. See? The chinchilla's dead again."
"That zombie is my friend," Junhyub spat. "I don't expect elitists like you to understand friendship beyond interest and T&C."
"Junhyub," pled Nayeon. "Chairperson Seo, I will go with him. He can protect me. Besides, Yook Chan's fine. And we can't abandon the ghosts. They deserve a chance."
"A chance at what? Necromancy?" Alice wrinkled her nose. "You're too naïve, Nayeon. How can you be fine with ghosts?"
"Then how can you be fine with yourself?" Nayeon tore her gaze from Alice and faced the door. Yook Chan leaned onto Junhyub for support. "Let's go. Some people don't see the value of moving on."
"Take care," Mi-eun mumbled as she restrained Alice. "Nayeon. And... Junhyub. I hope you know the repercussions of your actions. You will experience them." When the trio entered the corridor, she added, "And Nayeon? You're fired. Anything that happens to you will be on you."
