Chapter 3

"Where have you been, Geum Jandi? You just disappeared years ago." So Yijung said, freeing Jandi from his hug.

Jandi was lost for words. As she studied her laboratory partner seven years ago, Jandi tried so hard not to question his strange uniform which apparently looked like a prisoner uniform or the dangling handcuff on one of his wrists. Beside that nothing had changed, So Yijung was still nerdy reminding Jandi a lot of her old self.

"I just finally realized I didn't want to be physicist." Jandi managed to answer. Laughing awkwardly as she tugged her coat lightly, "I suddenly wanted to be a doctor."

"Impossible, you could have made great inventions but I have to admit you look stunning with your white coat." Yijung smiled impishly. If she didn't know him quite well Jandi would think he was flirting with her but Yijung wasn't flirting with her. It was in his nature as he was a smooth talking. No one would think there was a Casanova beneath those nerdy glasses and ladies had fallen for his charms so many times.

"Ehm!" Someone cleared his throat and Jandi pulled away from Yijung so suddenly then realized that the shirtless man had been there watching. Jandi almost sighed at the sight his bare chest. How she could ever perform the surgery with him around her Jandi didn't know.

"I hate to stop your reunion but I have to do this." Junpyo pulled Yijung's hand forcefully, taking him to nearest bench and locked him to the bench.

"Why would you do this?" Yijung complained. Junpyo of course ignored him and turned to her. And Jandi had the urge to turn around and walk away from him.

"I'm sorry for this inconvenience, Mam. He's a prisoner and I don't want to risk him running away." Junpyo sounded so in charge and it suited him well. She had barely returned from the shock of his confession for being a secret agent. God she had never given it a thought of him from being a law enforcer. She had only thought of him being a jerk.

"Mam?" His voice brought her back to reality, "Mam, do you understand this?" Though she didn't grab what he was talking about Jandi nodded.

"Good." Junpyo said shortly, muttering something she couldn't hear clearly before he asked for a leave and Jandi could only stare at his back as he walked away.

She thought she had time enough to forget him. She was a fool to ever think of forgetting him because right now she wanted to know more about him. She was curious. "How long have you known him, Yijung?" Jandi asked, never taking her eyes of Junpyo. She knew whatever his reason for breaking up with her would hurt her again but she had to know so she could free from her infatuation toward Junpyo.

"I barely met him this morning." Yijung answered.

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Junpyo was aware of his recklessness and had come to regret it. He was trained to keep his identity secret in any condition possible. He even had once been tortured but never had he succumbed and revealed who he really was. But today he had made grave mistake because he was too worried about his father who he had sworn to hate and also there was something about the doctor. She was beautiful all right but there was something more to her and Junpyo couldn't seem to point out what it was.

"I demand you explain your change of plan immediately, Mr. Gu."

Shite. Secretary Jung answered the call instead of Woobin and the man sounded upset which meant bad news. Junpyo hadn't had time to explain to Woobin about his father got shot.

"My father was shot and it's my duty to not ignore the wounded civilian." His father had long retired from his job to manage his family business.

Secretary Jung swore, "I knew I shouldn't have told him. The man was impossible." Another swore and the secretary continued, "Your father asked me about you, forcing me was the exact word. And I told him where you're imprisoned. I thought he would stop after he knew where you are. Of all days, why did have to visit you today?"

Junpyo agreed, "You could have told him another place."

"I know." The secretary chuckled. Both of them knew well his father would never stop, "Old habit dies hard I think." Secretary Jung had worked with Junpyo's father for fifteen years. His father had been his superior before Secretary Jung promoted to be the secretary of the bureau. "So, care to explain what your next plan is?"

The truth was Junpyo hadn't thought of the plan B. He could just leave his father here in the care of the doctor and brought the scientist to the bureau and returned to get his father back. Yes, it could work that way.

"Whoever behind this, they must have known or guessed it was us and I'm sure as hell they are on their way here now to get the scientist." Secretary Jung explained before Junpyo could explain, "Woobin has said about how difficult for him to find the island where you're now,"

"It means…" Junpyo almost smiled at his computer junkie friend and co-worker work.

"Yes, Woobin has made the island out of the radar as if it doesn't exist. You have your time to nurse your father to health while you get information from the scientist for whoever he works for until we can find another place to keep the scientist safe." Secretary Jung teased, knowing how Junpyo hated his father. "Just keep me posted every day to know your development."

"Yes, sir." Junpyo said, not knowing if he should grateful for the easy way out Secreatry Jung had given to him.

"Say my best wishes to your father son." Secretary Jung said before he ended the call.

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After Junpyo made sure the boat was well hidden he returned to the clinic. On the way there he studied the village. It was quiet, most of the inhabitants had closed their door only one or two villagers walking the street in a hurry only gave a slight glance toward him before they resumed their walk as if they couldn't wait to be home, to be with their family.

Junpyo stopped at the distance from the clinic when he found the scientist and the doctor sitting at the porch. A little girl was sitting on the doctor's lap, obviously sleeping. The three of them there made a good picture of a happy family. He smiled bitterly. Something tugged in his heart, never in his almost thirty years life had made him want to return home immediately just like the villager he just saw. Never had he wanted a family of his own. His job demanded him to be away from home and he didn't want to make his father mistake, abandoning his family for his work.

Junpyo walked closer, close enough to hear the doctor's laughed at whatever the scientist told her. He watched them talk and laugh and Junpyo somehow envied the scientist that he knew the doctor while Junpyo had only scared her since he rapped the clinic's door. The two talked to each other so comfortably, the doctor didn't seem to care about the handcuff. Just how close they were? Were they only friend or lover? He shouldn't have cared but he did care.

The doctor, Junpyo recalled the scientist call her name. Guem Jandi. It sounded familiar. He was sure he had heard it before.

The doctor laughed again. Damn. Closing his eyes, Junpyo cursed. He couldn't believe that for one second he gave a thought of exchanging place with the scientist so he could make her laugh like that again maybe forever for the rest of his life. What the f*ck? He must be insane.

Geum Jandi. The name bothered him again. He had this feeling that he knew it somewhere but where? When? Frustrated, Junpyo reversed his gaze away from her to the big three before the clinic. And why did the tree look so damn familiar was beyond him. He felt as he'd been here before or maybe a place with the same tree. Then it hit him. The tree. The doctor. He looked back and forth between the two.

"Tell me again why your parents named you Geum Jandi?" Junpyo remembered himself, his younger self, ask. He had known the answer but he liked to tease her. He liked how she would pout when she was irritated. It was on one sunny day six or seven years ago. They were carving their initials on the tree she had called it their tree.

"Why don't you answer me?" He said nuzzling behind her ear, inhaling her sweet and unique scent. She giggled. Her ear was sensitive and he loved to kiss her there.

They had finished the six letters, three for her and three for his name. She had rewarded him with long lingering kiss each time they finish a letter and now they was going to finish it with the heart framed their name. And Junpyo couldn't wait for another kiss she would reward him after he finished the heart and the arrow as she had suggested. It was childish, Junpyo knew but with her he felt it was okay to be childish.

"We've been here since the morning. You know I have class after lunch," She pretended to be angry though she liked to be here as much as he liked her here with him.

"I'm going to miss you." He pulled her closer and kissed her neck, "Why don't you skip the class today?" It was selfish of him to demand that from her but he couldn't help himself.

She nudged his ribs and he faked a grimace which made her laugh and he loved her laugh a lot, "You're really bad influence for me. I have skipped classes this week to meet you. I have to attend this class if I want to graduate and become a scientist, a good one."

Junpyo laughed at how proud she was of her dream to become a physicist. She was probably the smartest girl he had ever met. With a brain like hers she could be anything she wanted, "Fine, but promise me you'll tell me why your name is Geum Jandi while I finish this."

"Deal," She said and sealed it with a kiss on his cheek. She started to tell the story as he made the heart frame. She did kiss him later after he finished and he drove her to attend her class. They stayed in his car and made out and reluctantly he let her go.

Those were days when Junpyo had let himself carried away with sweet and innocent puppy love. She was only eighteen and Junpyo didn't mean to fall for her sweet and innocent character. He was on the mission and she was a diversion. A sweet diversion.

The warm current of air brought him back to present. No light shone at where he stood now but Junpyo knew that she knew he was standing there. She straightened her spine as their gaze met. Geum Jandi, now he knew why her name was familiar. He didn't tear his gaze off hers. Her eyes were as dark as the night and her pale face making her eyes look darker. Same eyes but something was different with her, the flicker of spirit she always carried with her was no longer there. The cheerful, sweet, and innocent Geum Jandi was no longer there, she had turned into a new woman Junpyo no longer recognized and he was curious to know her.

His mind trailed again to the night when he ended their relationship. Junpyo thought it was time to end it. He would be no longer around once he finished the assignment because he would be needed somewhere else. Her heart would break he understood that but that was normal in a relationship. Someone fell in love then someday they would break up. She was still very young, he had reasoned, her heart break would mend with time. And she had long time before of her to have relationships to fall in love with someone else. It wasn't fair of him to give her such a false hope because he was not in to relationship. His job demanded it and he had to let her go no matter how messy their break up was.

He watched her retreat. She said something to the scientist before she carried the sleeping little girl then walked into the clinic.

"Where's the doctor going?" Junpyo demanded.

The scientist looked up at him, "Would you free me of this shit if I tell you where she's going? I really need to go to the bathroom to relieve myself."

Junpyo frowned.

"Fine. She's going to take her daughter to her room to sleep."

"Her daughter?" Junpyo didn't know what to think.

He released the scientist from the cuff. The scientist chuckled, muttering thank you, then added, "She doesn't have a husband if you wonder."

"How do you…"

The scientist shrugged then wriggled his fingers, "See no ring on hers." That didn't answer but it somehow made him feel relieved. "He can be dead or maybe divorce her she didn't tell me but I'm sure as hell she has never been married before. Not ever."

How could the scientist be so sure Junpyo didn't know, he could only stare as the scientist left him, leaving him with a jumble of thoughts.