Perfect Mission Chapter 9 - The Start of a Double Life (3)

Chapter 9 – The Start of a Double Life (3)

 

Contrary to Director Kim Cheolsoo’s worries, Junho’s refusal wasn’t about the money. While Jo Gyeongcheol would have scoffed at $300,000 — pocket change to him — Kang Junho was different. It was a significant amount, over 400 million won.

He refused because of the risk. This ASA mission was distributed simultaneously to agents active in Korea, and every agent he encountered until the situation was resolved would become an enemy. It was essentially a real-life battle, and he had to protect an elementary school student on top of that.

If he had even half of Jo Gyeongcheol’s physical abilities, he might have considered it. But with his current physique, still bearing the title of “fatty game nerd,” he’d be dead before he could see his mother’s face the next day.

While he felt sorry for the young elementary school student whose life was in danger, his own life was more important, so refusing the mission was the right decision. Moreover, he had essentially become a double agent by providing information to the NIS, so he considered it his good deed for the day.

And crucially, he didn’t believe the mission details were entirely true. The most likely scenario was that it was a trap to lure out Gorilla, who was claiming to be alive.

“What are you thinking about?”

Daeseong asked, seeing Junho deep in thought with a serious expression.

“Oh? Nothing. Just… lost in thought…”

“Why? Are you having second thoughts about the bet?”

“No way. I’m going to win.”

“It doesn’t make sense for you, a level 6, to beat Suyeon… But why isn’t the physics teacher here yet?”

Daeseong glanced at his watch and muttered to himself. Junho replied as if it were obvious.

“He’ll probably be a little late.”

“Huh? How do you know?”

“Lunch was spicy today. The physics teacher is always late on spicy lunch days because he has to go to the bathroom.”

Junho answered casually, but Daeseong stared at him as if he were a monster.

“Holy shit… do you like physics?”

“Idiot. It’s just a pattern. It’s a basic pattern you need to learn when fighting boss mobs.”

“Is that the same as this? You’re saying you can even predict the physics teacher’s pooping schedule?”

“No… what the hell am I even saying?”

“You’re disgusting.”

“Fuck off, idiot.”

Junho realized he’d said too much and resolved to be more careful.

In fact, Junho had been observing everything around him with great interest, not just the physics teacher’s “bathroom pattern.”

Why? Because this basic observation skill was fundamental for an agent.

Junho, who wasn’t particularly interested in studying, spent most of his time at school observing. He might have looked like he was concentrating in class, but he wasn’t focused on the lesson. Instead, he paid attention to the teacher’s voice, tone, clothing, accessories, and other details. During break time, he listened in on his classmates’ conversations and analyzed their behavior patterns.

He created his own game within this setting. The rules were simple: someone in the class was a spy, and if he couldn’t find what was different about them, he would be assassinated by that spy after school.

So, finding one thing that was different about each of his classmates became Junho’s daily routine.

At first, it was easy. He didn’t know his classmates well, so there were no established patterns. He just had to find something different from the previous day. But as days passed, patterns emerged, and combined with his existing memories of them, he began to analyze their habits and personalities. From then on, simply finding something different wasn’t enough. He had to look for something more, something that deviated from their established patterns, making the game increasingly difficult.

If he were to meet that “detective” at Seunghwawon again, he would have immediately known, not just felt, that the man wasn’t a real detective.

Junho felt a sense of accomplishment as he saw himself improving day by day.

Today, something caught his eye. One of his observation targets, Jo Yongjin, had been rubbing his shoulder and stretching since he arrived at school in the morning. It looked like he’d injured his shoulder doing manual labor at a construction site. He was also talking and joking with classmates he wasn’t usually close to. It was definitely a change in behavior.

In fact, since Junho had beaten him up, Yongjin had become a laughingstock at school. The rumor that he’d been hospitalized after being beaten by a nerd had spread among the bullies, and he was now ostracized by both the bullies and the kids he used to bully. He was treated like dirt everywhere he went.

Naturally, his face grew darker by the day, and it was questionable whether he’d even graduate.

Just like Yongjin, who was now an outcast, the bullies in Hyeonuk’s group were also avoiding Junho.

The other students were happy that the bullies were quiet thanks to Junho, but he didn’t think this peaceful atmosphere would last. He knew that suppressed anger could explode at any moment.

It was the fear of repercussions that prevented weaker kids from standing up to the bullies.

Because of this, Junho observed the bullies more closely than the other students. They were a ticking time bomb, and being humiliated by mere high school students was unacceptable for someone with Gorilla’s reputation.

So, whether he liked it or not, Yongjin’s change in behavior was enough to put him on alert, and every single action grated on his nerves.

After the fifth period, Junho, on edge, went to get a drink of water. Suyeon approached him.

“Hey, did you see Yongjin talking to everyone today?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s all thanks to me. My older guy friends called Yongjin in and told him to just graduate quietly.”

Her eyes clearly expected a “See? I did well, didn’t I?” kind of reaction. Now he was curious.

“Who are these older guy friends of yours? What do they do that they’re so good at educating people?”

“Hey! I know you’re being sarcastic.”

She was as perceptive as she was beautiful.

“No, I’m genuinely curious. What do they do?”

“Oh, they used to… you know… be part of that scene, and now they’re dancers. You know I’m in the dance club, right?”

“Ah~”

“I still go there to practice sometimes. I told you that.”

So that’s why she hung out with that crowd.

“Right, it’s all thanks to you.”

“You make it sound like I’m forcing you to thank me.”

“More importantly, avoid Yongjin for a while.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Just… I have a bad feeling.”

Junho said that, patted Suyeon’s shoulder, and walked away. He had touched her casually twice now, once in the cafeteria and again today, and Suyeon blushed, dumbfounded.

‘That pig… acting all cool!’

She might have overlooked it if it were a handsome guy, but the fact that it was Kang Junho made it absurd. And what was even more ridiculous was that she hadn’t yelled at him. She should have said something at that moment, but now it felt awkward.

Annoyed, Suyeon gulped down some cold water and stomped back to her seat.

 

***

 

After all the classes ended…

“Now, you all know that the mock exam is tomorrow, right? The CSAT will be here before you know it. Use this mock exam to identify your weaknesses and strive towards your goals without giving up.”

“Yes!”

“Those assigned to cleaning duty, rearrange the desks after you’re done.”

“Yes.”

Junho fiddled with his earphones and phone, moving slowly. He kept an eye on Yongjin, whose breathing had become rapid. He was deliberately moving slowly so as not to turn his back on him.

This solitary game was becoming increasingly interesting and thrilling, and he felt a strange sense of excitement.

Yongjin rubbed his shoulder again and rotated it. It might have seemed like a trivial action, like someone trying to loosen a stiff shoulder, but combined with his unusual emotional state and the way he kept fiddling with his bag, it reminded Junho of a civilian nervously preparing for an act of terror.

If this were overseas, especially in the Middle East, that bag would probably contain a bomb. And in Korea…

‘A knife?’

“Phew… hehehe…”

Yongjin even started laughing, looking down at his desk.

It hit Junho like a lightning bolt. He remembered an Arab man in a restaurant in Kirkuk, Iraq, from Jo Gyeongcheol’s memories, who had thrown an improvised explosive device.

Junho stood up, pushing aside Daeseong, who was excitedly talking about going home to play games, and glared at Yongjin.

Click!

Something long and sharp emerged from Yongjin’s bag.

“Don’t come…”

He was about to tell Daeseong, who was standing nearby, not to come closer, when—

Yongjin lunged at Jeong Hyeonuk, who was about to leave.

“Die! You son of a bitch!”

Even with Jo Gyeongcheol’s memories and experience, Junho hadn’t anticipated that he wasn’t the target.

His reaction was a beat too slow.

“No!”

Hyeonuk collapsed, with Yongjin on top of him. Junho threw himself at Yongjin, tackling him to the ground, but he was met with a blood-smeared face, grinning like a monster.

“Fucking bastard…”

Yongjin glared at Hyeonuk, who was bleeding from his side, and laughed. Then, his hand trembling, he dropped the knife.

“Aaack!”

“Call 119! Call 119!”

The day before the mock exam, chaos erupted at school.