Between life & Death

🌺Falling🌺

-Somewhere else-

"Sir, we need to attend an emergency board meeting immediately. Even the director will be there," a woman informed her superior urgently. The man, known for his icy demeanor, replied without emotion, "It must be due to that chaotic team again." With a sense of irritation evident in his voice, he continued, "Let's go." He disliked having his routine disrupted, especially by a team that constantly seemed to cause problems.

Time Skip

In the boardroom, the atmosphere was tense as usual. The other team managers whispered among themselves, occasionally throwing pointed looks at Team Manager Koo. Despite their apparent attempts to unsettle her, she remained undisturbed, focusing her attention elsewhere as she waited for the director's arrival. The whispers mainly revolved around her origins from hell, questioning her place among them in Jumadeung.

"It's illogical for someone from hell to work here," one of the managers voiced out loud, aiming to undermine her presence. Koo responded with her usual calm, "If you have issues with my being here, I suggest you take it up with the one who brought me from hell in the first place." Her reply silenced the room momentarily. She continued, "I'm here to perform my duties, just like the rest of you. My role is to mediate between life and death situations; I'm not the one creating them."

The man with the cold demeanor, who had remained silent until now, spoke up, "I don't see the point of the Risk Management Team. The suicide rates haven't dropped since it was established." His eyes were fixed on Koo as he spoke. She replied swiftly, "The issue is our lack of staff. I've requested additional members, but someone keeps blocking those requests." She glanced pointedly at him.

"Why should we allocate resources to save those who have chosen to end their lives?" he countered coldly. "To me, suicide is an unforgivable act, equivalent to murder, deserving eternal punishment in hell."

Back with Seungmin

The conversation shifted back to the director's office where Junwoong and I were sitting. The director was explaining to Junwoong that he had two options: work for six months at Jumadeung and then resume his normal life, or remain in a coma for the next three years. As she spoke about assigning him to different teams, Junwoong suddenly interrupted, "I won't," he said, smiling brightly.

Surprised, the director and I exchanged glances. "Why not?" I asked. As a doctor, the idea of him waking up sooner rather than later was appealing, especially given his current condition. "This has to be a dream," he declared confidently. "The job offer, this entire scenario—it's too good to be true. I need to wake up."

The director sighed. "If that's your decision," she said, and with a snap of her fingers, Junwoong vanished. I was left staring at the empty space where he had been, shocked and confused. "What happened to him?" I managed to ask, my voice shaky.

"Don't worry, he's been sent back to his life," the director explained. "It's his last chance to reconsider working here." I nodded, still trying to process everything.

"Now, Miss Lee Seungmin," she continued, turning her attention to me. I felt a chill run down my spine as I approached her desk. "Yes, that's me," I responded, trying to keep my composure.

She reassured me about Junwoong's situation before diving into my personal details. "So, tell me about yourself," she prompted. I briefly summarized my life: my age, my profession, my estrangement from my family, and my somewhat peculiar nature.

"Are you married?" she inquired. I explained that my job left little time for personal relationships, resulting in my current single status. She nodded, seemingly understanding.

"Team Manager Koo mentioned that you're unaffected by our powers. You should be asleep from my influence, yet here you are, wide awake," she mused. Confused, I listened as she delved into topics of abilities and paranormal experiences, which to me felt like a scene straight out of a mystical drama.

Upon revealing my frequent encounters with the supernatural, the director declared, "Congratulations, you're a medium!" as if I had won an award. I was stunned. "A what?!" I exclaimed, unable to believe what I was hearing.

She patiently explained the concept of a medium, someone who bridges the living and the dead, which suddenly made sense of my unusual experiences. However, the realization brought me to one crucial question: Why was I in Jumadeung if I wasn't dead?

The director explained that mediums had worked with them in the past, assisting souls with unfinished business. While this new role seemed aligned with my abilities, I was overwhelmed by the idea of having a "life purpose" tied to the afterlife.

She presented me with a choice: continue my life as is, or join Jumadeung and gain benefits like better sleep, improved salary, and a more peaceful existence. The promise of restful nights was particularly appealing to me, given my long-standing struggle with sleep. "I accept! I'll do it," I declared, making my decision.

Pleased, the director prepared to introduce me to the various teams and their needs. As I left the office to wait outside, I couldn't help but reflect on the complexity of my new dual role. Being a doctor was challenging enough; now I had additional responsibilities as a medium. But the prospect of finally sleeping well was too enticing to pass up.

Lost in thought, I didn't watch where I was going and tripped over an unexpected step. Bracing for the impact, I closed my eyes, but the fall never came. Instead, I found myself in the arms of the cold-faced man from the previous morning. His expression was one of annoyance, and I realized I had just complicated my situation even further. What had I gotten myself into?