The doctor took a deep breath and reached out his hand. The nurses behind him swallowed in sync. It had been more than a year since the treatment ended, but he still remembered their expressions. Their terrified expressions.

He remembered hearing they gulped hard as the gauze that covered his face was slowly taken off. He remembered the doctor was trying to avoid looking at him like he was some kind of monster. He remembered one of the nurse turned around because she could not hide her disgust anymore.

The corner of his mouth slightly curved up because of facial paralysis, and he could do nothing about it. That was the first thing he realized.

A puppet.

That was all he could describe after looking at himself in the mirror. Luckily he still got the outline of his nose, but the brows, the eyelids, the lips, 50% of the skin, were either burnt or gone within the fire. He barely has his features now, not to mention any expression or emotion to show on his face. He can only express his anger and sadness through his eyes, but no one will notice due to that pathetic smile he will always wear from now on.

Just like a puppet.

“Knock knock”

“You ok there? Need some help?”

“I’m good.”

He was brought back to the reality and said to the guy at the other side of the closed door: “Wait me in the car. Don’t forget to grab the stuff we need.”

“Yes, hyung.”

He looked at himself one more time before putting on a pair of sunglasses. Now the story’s played out like this…I will not only be a shadow.

I will be a shadow that creates nightmares for all.

Three years ago, 2018.9.22

“Sir, the director ordered to give what they’ve been asking for…”

“The ? His last order costs us an agent! And hell, he’s not even the one who has to go and inform his family.”

The young agents watched as their unit chief trying hard to suppress his anger, the atmosphere there between everyone was tense.

It had been three hours since they got the call and rushed to this port. Agents and uniforms were discussing, slightly arguing and scurrying on the wharf, medical teams were treating the injured that got hurt in the shoot-out happened an hour ago. A tall man stood up from the edge of the ambulance and walked to his teammates.

“You ok?” Though he knew it was stupid to ask something like that because he could see how deep the cut on her arm was, he didn’t know how to say it better.

“I’m fine, don’t worry about me.” Jihyo’s eyes were full of exhaustion. “How about you, Minwoo? You and Jeongyeon were in the forefront of the team.”

“Yeah, how about you? I haven’t had time to check on you.”

Jeongyeon came closer and looked at him with concern. She also had bandage on her shoulder, a large bloodstain was manifest on it. Must hurt like hell, Jihyo thought.

“I’m not hurt, just the drumming in the ears is annoying.” He knocked his head several times but the buzzing did not go away.

“Hey, hey, stop it. Sit down and rest for some more time. This may be the only thing we can do right now.”

They all turned their head to the same direction. The chief was talking over the deputy, sweat dripping from their foreheads and they both hadn’t had their wounds cleaned. At that time, the swat were getting itchy fingers to get on the cruise where the five criminals holding at least 30 hostages, but once the crossfire happened, the hostages would be endangered.

According to the surveillance footage and information the unit managed to get, the five criminals included two brothers, a couple and a man who called himself K, seemed to be the head. They all had masks on and dressed in long windbreakers, the unit could not identify them and the relationships between them were roughly judged by their body language and interactions.

“Ringggggg”

Everyone’s attention was turned to the dedicated line. Their most senior negotiator picked up the phone after the technical analyst indicated him the recording had started.

“This is SSA Ok Taecyeon, I’ve been waiting for your call.”

“…I know it’s stupid to say so, but…”

Jeongyeon frowned, her eyes glued on the seniors. “Thanks god I don’t have to deal with those psychopaths. Hell, I might curse directly at them.”

“Me too.” Jihyo said.

“A helicopter? Well, I can certainly make some arrangements.” Ok Taecyeon said in a calm voice. “But you have to give us something to prove you are willing to cooperate.”

He was trying his best for the hostages. “Let the women and children go, K. K? Hello?”

The call ended out of expectation, they were all confused before being shocked by a sudden gunshot. It was from the cruise again, but not like earlier, none of them got shot.

“Here’s the child you want!”

Jeongyeon and Jihyo heard somebody yelled, the next thing they saw was a small figure being pushed to the sea from the deck.

“NO!”

Taecyeon dashed forward, he might have jumped straightly into the ocean if the officers failed to stop him.

“And the woman!”

“Bang”, with another gunshot, a woman fell off. The blood slowly spreading on the water surface, two bodies were floating in the middle of crimson red.