Sunlight filtered through the window, waking Hanna.
She was once the second strongest member of Team 7, and the closest companion to its former captain.
Upon waking, she didn't need to shower—being half-leviathan, she slept in a large bathtub that had a sort of bed built into its bottom.
With competent agility, Hanna grabbed her clothes and got dressed. Then she made her way to Mia's room to wake her up.
Knock knock knock.
No response.
Hanna opened the door without knocking again and found Mia sleeping like a rock on her bed.
As if following a routine, Hanna grabbed a bucket, filled it with cold water, then pulled Mia down from her bed. Once Mia was lying on the floor, she dumped the freezing contents over her.
"Aaaaaah!" Mia woke up with a yelp as the water drenched her from head to toe.
"Unbelievable... Do I really have to wake you up like this almost every day?" Hanna set the bucket down while Mia shook off the water like a soaked cat.
"The bed is just too good," Mia replied with a mischievous smile.
"You can't keep doing this. A new person is moving in soon, and I don't want him to find you snoring around the house. We don't even know what kind of guy he is... He might not be a good one, you know?" As she spoke, Hanna's voice shifted from firm to uncertain.
"Then why is it okay when Dinorat's around?" Mia asked—possibly out of genuine curiosity, or just plain stupidity.
"We already know him. I'm a hundred percent sure he wouldn't try anything inappropriate while we're asleep," Hanna answered, her tone returning to normal, more casual and less worried.
"Fair enough," Mia shrugged and headed off to shower.
Hanna glanced at her watch: 00:45 Daytime A.M. Seeing the time, she climbed the stairs to the third floor and opened Dinorat's room, but he wasn't there.
She headed back down to the first floor, intending to make breakfast, but was surprised to find Dinorat already in the kitchen—cooking.
"I thought you didn't know how to cook," Hanna crossed her arms, watching the bizarre scene.
"I'm giving it a shot. I want to be a more interesting man—so I can finally get a girlfriend," Dinorat said as he stirred something in the pan with a spatula.
"You'd already have one if your standards weren't straight out of a fantasy novel. Anyway, what are you making?" Hanna stepped closer to see the pan.
Peeking in, she found three completely burnt pancakes sitting in a container, while another three were well on their way to the same tragic fate.
"Let me handle it." Hanna took the spatula from Dinorat without hesitation.
Hanna took over the kitchen, and ten minutes later, breakfast was done. She sat down just as Mia came in and started eating. Meanwhile, Dinorat stared in silent grief at the pile of pitch-black pancakes on his plate.
After finishing breakfast, the three of them walked together to the Public Safety Company. Once there, they found the boss drinking coffee.
"Where's the new guy?" Mia asked, clearly excited.
"He'll probably arrive around 9 or 10. He hasn't moved in yet, and he lives pretty far away. Besides, he says he wakes up late," the boss replied, taking another sip of his rich, steaming coffee.
"What does he mean by 'late'? Normally, that means around one or two at the latest," Hanna crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed by Heo's sleeping habits.
"According to him, he wakes up at 8 a.m. Daytime, and also 8 a.m. Nighttime."
"You hired someone like that?! Someone who sleeps that long has no place here!" Hanna burst out, her voice rising with frustration.
"I said eight in the morning both times. He sleeps sixteen hours a day—which means we've got a member who can operate at night. In the end, it works to our advantage," the boss replied calmly, unfazed by Hanna's outburst, and continued sipping his coffee as if her shouting were background noise.
He stood up and patted Hanna on the back.
"Come with me to my office."
Inside the office, Hanna was visibly nervous, while the boss remained relaxed.
"You don't seem too shaken up," he said, this time with a trace of melancholy in his voice.
"We had time to process it during the return trip. Besides, I didn't sleep well... and I don't think the others did either," Hanna replied slowly, carefully choosing her words. The more she spoke, the heavier her heart felt.
"Do you remember what the castford that attacked you looked like?"
"No. That thing wasn't a castford. That's the only thing I do remember," she said firmly.
The boss stood up and approached Hanna, extending his hand. In it was a badge.
"I know it's a bit early, but... do you want to be the new captain of Team 7?"
"She'd scold me if I refused," Hanna said softly. She took the badge from his hand, a small smile forming on her lips as she remembered the times she had shared with those now lost.