Between life & Death

🖤Death meat 🖤

I've been collaborating closely with Ice Cube for several days now. Since the Risk Management team has been faring well, the Director suggested I extend my stay with the Escort team to imrpove my understanding of their operations. Surprisingly, Ice Cube has shown a warmer side recently. He has been more accommodating, allowing me to interact with the souls before their final journey, fulfilling their last requests, and even treating me to meals and desserts. This marked change in his demeanor initially made me skeptical, suspecting it to be some form of prank. However, as time passed, I've come to realize his actions are sincere.

Currently, we're in his office. Remarkably, he managed to facilitate access to some of my hospital's paperwork at Jumadeung, enabling me to keep up with my medical responsibilities alongside my duties here. This thoughtful gesture showcases a level of consideration I hadn't anticipated from him. While I dig into the patient records, he's engrossed in his computer work. His newfound kindness and the collaborative atmosphere in the office suggest a budding respect and perhaps the early stages of an unlikely friendship.

"Are you hungry?" Ice Cube inquired, interrupting the silence. "Somewhat, yes, but I can hold on until we leave," I responded, continuing my work. "What's on the menu for today?" he prodded further, a hint of curiosity in his tone. "Considering you treated to cold noodles yesterday, how about I return the favor with some ramen today?" I suggested, looking up from my paperwork. "Sounds good to me," he answered, the corners of his mouth lifting in a genuine smile.

Lately, he's been more liberal with his smiles, at least in my presence. I suspect the Director might have nudged him to soften his approach towards me; otherwise, his change in demeanor seems uncharacteristic. Spending additional time with him has allowed me to peel back layers of his persona. I've learned that he prefers savory over sweet, except for cookies and ice cream, and he favors cold Americano. His punctuality is unmatched, he loathes disruptions during work, exhibits limited patience, and intriguingly, he never sleeps.

Why have I been cataloging these details? Primarily to avoid any further conflicts with him. The tranquility of our current rapport is something I've come to appreciate.

"What the...?" Ice Cube nearly let out an expletive. His sudden reaction prompted me to ask, "What's going on?" He tilted his computer screen towards me, revealing a chaotic display of strange messages and distorted images of the souls awaiting escort. "Looks like we're facing some sort of system anomaly," I observed, puzzled.

"I'll contact the technical support team to figure out what's happening," I suggested, reaching for my phone. Ice Cube gave a quick nod of approval.

After a brief conversation, I turned back to him, "It appears Jumadeung has been hit by a virus of some kind." Surprised by my own words, I added, "Is that even feasible?" Ice Cube, maintaining his composure, explained, "Given Jumadeung's connection to the mortal realm, such vulnerabilities are indeed plausible."

He then proceeded to outline the situation, "With this breach, my workload will skyrocket, and it could be perilous for you to accompany me. We're now unable to track the souls due for escort digitally, necessitating a return to more manual methods." Understanding the gravity, I nodded in agreement.

Ice Cube suggested, "I should get you back to the hospital. If there's any way you can assist, I'll come to fetch you, alright?" I countered, "You could assign someone else to accompany me, no need to go out of your way." But he insisted, "Even though you've been manageable lately, I prefer handling things directly rather than delegating trivial tasks." His choice of words made me question my significance in his eyes.

Resigned, I accepted his offer, "Alright, let's head back then." I gathered my things, preparing for the return to my familiar medical world.

~Time skip~