The Algorithm of Spring

41

The bitter scent of dried herbs cloaked them as they emerged from the alley into Gyeongdong Market. Even at this late hour, steam curled from medicinal brew shops, mingling with the earthy sharpness of ginseng and the syrupy sweetness of preserved plums. Here, in Seoul's oldest medicine market, surveillance cameras were scarce and devices stayed buried in pockets—the elderly shopkeepers preferring cash and conversation.

Maya followed Jun-ho past closing stalls to a teahouse squeezed between two herb shops, the sweat cooling on her back now that the adrenaline had begun to ebb. Inside, the air thickened with jujube and ginger.

"No one comes looking here," Jun-ho said, choosing a corner table. "People who track corporate data don't venture into places selling deer antler and dried seahorse."

An old woman brought them battered metal cups filled with something dark and steaming, her jade ring knocking softly against the metal tray.

"So, that was... intense," Jun-ho said, exhaling once the woman had shuffled away. "They were waiting for us at the Hub. This 'Nexus' must be more important than we thought."

Maya pulled out her notebook, its pages crammed with frantic scribbles from their brief time at the terminal. "It's a backdoor into the entire corporate world," she said, her voice low. "But we still don't know who's behind it, or what their real goal is. All we know is that they're targeting employees."

"My sister," Jun-ho said. "They're shaping her."

"They're shaping a lot of people," Maya corrected gently. "But for what? 'Employee wellness' is obviously just a cover. There's something else happening." She looked up from her notes. "We're seeing the effects, not the mechanism. There's a gap we still can't see into."

Jun-ho was quiet for a moment, watching the steam curl from his cup. "I know someone," he said finally, as if deciding to open a sealed drawer. "A doctor at Severance Hospital — obstetrics, reproductive health. We've been talking. She's noticed irregularities in patient data—anomalies she can't explain. She's an insider. If anyone knows how this connects to people's actual lives, it's her."

Maya nodded. She reached for her cup but didn't drink. Before she could speak, the lanterns outside dimmed; a faint hum rose from the street as a towering LED billboard flared to life. On it, a sleek, smiling couple appeared, framed by HarmoniQ's signature pastel palette.

Find your perfect match. Build your future.

The words flashed across the night like a warning.