Between life & Death

⛓Punishment⛓

It's 6pm, and I'm finally off the clock, thanks to those extra hours I put in last night. Tomorrow's my day off, and I've got big plans: absolutely nothing but chilling and binge-watching the Netflix shows I've been neglecting. Well, that's assuming the whole Jumadeung situation doesn't decide to crash my lazy day.

I've checked in on the kid and the woman from the accident. She's still pretty shaken up, going through a tough time. But the kid? He's somehow keeping his spirits up and is doing his best to help his mom. Honestly, he's just too cute.

Speaking of Jumadeung, things have been quiet since my run-in with that grim reaper who almost had me for dinner. I'm crossing my fingers he's off my back for a bit. Facing off with him again? Yeah, not exactly at the top of my to-do list. But in this job, and with the extra side of supernatural craziness, who knows what's next? Here's hoping for a quiet day off.

~Somewhere else~

"I knew it would all work out in the end, but wow, you really cut it close," the director said with a bit of a tease. Ms. Koo, not in the mood for games, shot back, "And what's with all the sudden pressure and threats to shut us down? What's up with that?"

The director, leaning back, locked eyes with her and said, "Well, it's about time you met the one person who actually needs your help." Her tone was serious, no-nonsense. "And when's that supposed to happen, huh? Is this person even real?" Ms. Koo asked, clearly getting frustrated.

"You'll cross paths with them when the time is right. That's the key to getting what you're after," the director assured her. Ms. Koo just let out a heavy sigh, clearly not convinced.

Switching topics, the director asked, "So, how's our new recruit handling things? Didn't seem to do too badly from what I heard."

Ms. Koo quipped back, "Well, even a broken clock is right twice a day."

"Oh, so he's a bit of a goof then?" deduced the director.

"He's got his moments, but he's not entirely hopeless," Ms. Koo admitted, giving a little nod.

Just as the director was about to suggest something, probably along the lines of working more closely with the new guy, Ms. Koo cut her off, "Nope, not happening. I'm not working with him."

The director just shrugged it off with another sip of her tea, then added, "Alright, but do me a solid. I need to see Ms. Lee Seungmin and Mr. Choi for a chat. Can you arrange that?"

Ms. Koo got up, ready to leave, "Fine, I'll bring her. Just keep her out of my hair, okay?"

As she walked out, the director watched her go, a plan clearly forming in her mind.

~Time skip~ 

*SEUNGMIN POV*

Back to Jumadeung, and let me tell you, it was quite the entrance by Ms. Koo. When I say she was "kind" enough to escort me, I mean she practically stormed into my place, threatening the life of my dog if I didn't tag along. And anyone who knows me knows my dog is my world—she's practically my kid. So, yeah, I didn't really have a choice but to follow Ms. Koo, no questions asked.

The whole ride over, I couldn't help but nervously scan our surroundings, half expecting to bump into that icy grim reaper with the unfriendly face. Thankfully, we made it to the director's office without any unwanted encounters. Seems like Mr. Cold Reaper was busy elsewhere. Good.

Walking into the director's office, I found Junwoong and the director already cozied up on the couches. I stepped in, and Ms. Koo quietly shut the door behind us. "Welcome back, Ms. Lee," greeted the director, all formal. Junwoong chimed in with a "Welcome, doctor," and then hit me with, "How's my body doing?" Of all the ice-breakers, this one was by far the most bizarre. "You're all good, no worries. I've been keeping a close eye on you," I reassured him.