Summary: IRIS is the one thing you cannot destroy, and it is the one thing you cannot hide and escape from… alive. Or is it? What if the ending everyone thought happened was not how things really went down?
Timeline: The story takes place post-Season 1 of IRIS.
I'm going to make it clear that if you did not watch the entire series or you are not aware of which characters are still living and which characters already passed away, you will find it hard to understand what's going on in the story. Also, this fiction is written in a TV episode-like format. :)
Please review my work since I'm the first to attempt writing for IRIS here at :) Enjoy!
I want to thank Sooji-ya, my Beta, for all her time and effort. Love you, girl!
Disclaimer: IRIS is too awesome to belong to me so… although I wish Kim Hyun-Joon belonged to me – heh. Some 'lines' have been extracted from the drama and used here to add that K-Drama nostalgic effect.
Spoilers: Bits and pieces – from all twenty episodes.
Chapter 2:
In Silence, She Cries.
"You said it, remember? We promised..."
"Miss, I'm sorry but we have to take him away."
"Hyun-Joon-ssi, you promised..."
"Hold her. Can someone hold her, please?"
"You, hold this lady so we can take the body away."
"HYUN-JOON-SSI!"
Police cars. People. Stretcher. Kim Hyun-Joon's car. Broken car window. Ambulance. Choi Seung-Hee screaming and crying. White cloth over Hyun-Joon's bloody face...
"No!"
She opened her eyes, as if to wake up from the nightmare she witnessed, and three words of concern ran through them.
Where are you? – Park Chul-Young
She stared with contempt at the vibrating phone on her hand, tempted to throw it so it'd break. So it'd be useless.
Like her.
Hyun-Joon-ssi, she thought, what's the point in holding on now? I couldn't even stop you from dying…
She gripped her phone. Remembering the silences they shared, the wordless moments, the quiet tenderness, Seon-Hwa fought back the tears yearning to fall from her eyes.
Rubbing her eyes, she smiled - not because she was happy, but because she thought of what Hyun-Joon would have done or said at that moment.
He would have wiped away her tears.
Or he would have embraced her.
Or he would have thanked her.
She gazed at the rising, falling and swaying water of the fountain in front of her.
"Isn't it a little dramatic that out of all places, I chose to come here, Hyun-Joon-ssi?" she chuckled at herself.
"I like being nostalgic, that's why. You know, the first time... that you called me by my name? That was the time when my heart both imploded and exploded.
"It imploded from too much joy and exploded from a lot pain. The pain that reminds me constantly... of how alone I really am."
Seon-Hwa bit her lower lip, the tremor of her sadness striking her, weakening her. She clenched her fists and sobbed.
"Isn't this what I would always do, Hyun-Joon-ssi?" she asked, eyes pointing at her tensed knuckles. "I would always clench my fists. I'd clench my fists when I'm angry. I clenched them when I wanted to hang on to your arm. I clenched them when you hugged me. In sorrow and in jubilation, I trapped everything in these hands.
"Why couldn't I hug you back? Why did I just stand there unable to move? Now... no matter how much I wish for it, it would no longer happen. It can no longer happen…"
Tightly, she shut her eyes and listened to the faint rustling of the trees nearby, the gushing of the water streaming from the fountain and the Han River, and the footsteps of the man she knew too well.
"But... Hyun-Joon-ssi, why was it that we lived better in silence? Why was it that you and I understood one another better when we don't speak? And… and why was it that through those silences... I learned to love you more?
"But... isn't it unfair that now, that silence would no longer speak? That it'd no longer exist? Hyun-Joon-ssi... I'd rather die in chaos with you where we could share that silence no matter how convoluted, than to live in peace without you."
Slowly, she spread her hands on her lap. Seon-Hwa raised her voice, "Hyun-Joon-ssi, aren't I pathetic for crying like this when Choi Seung-Hee's the one who lost you?"
"Kim Seon-Hwa."
"But I don't think it's possible for me to be without you, Hyun-Joon-ssi!" she said even louder.
"Seon-Hwaya!"
"Hyun-Joon-ssi!" Seon-Hwa shrieked, writhing in tears and pain.
"Seon-Hwa, enough!" Park Chul-Young cried out, running to her side.
He put his arms around his subordinate, looking away at the sight of her weeping.
"Sir, I can't..."
"You can and you will," Chul-Young commanded. "If not for me, then do it for Kim Hyun-Joon."
"How can I possibly... what do I do now... I don't think I can..." Seon-Hwa muttered over and over, pulling the lapel of his coat.
"We owe it to Hyun-Joon to live, don't you realize that? All that has happened... aren't we desecrating his memories if we simply throw his efforts away? Seon-Hwa..."
In silence, Seon-Hwa continued to cry.
"I'm sorry, sir..."
"To live is indeed a struggle but only through that struggle can we continue to move forward. Endure everything, Seon-Hwa, for all is not lost," Park Chul-Young smiled, "You still have me, and you'll continue to have me... as long as you need me."
Despite the cold weather, warm moments fleeted between the two, remembering Kim Hyun-Joon and the place he had taken in each of their lives.
Seon-Hwa looked up, finally finding the courage to wipe her own tears.
"Hyun-Joon-ssi... would want me to stop crying now," she smiled weakly.
Chul-Young nodded. "It's time to find out the truth, Seon-Hwa. I'll expend my time and resources to help you with your initial plan."
"Thank you, sir. However, I'm afraid there would be some slight changes to our original plan. Please continue to guide me."
"Of course, you have my word," Chul-Young replied. "How do you plan to proceed?"
Seon-Hwa's tactical mind raced, calculating all probable scenarios and all possible subsequent actions she and Chul-Young would probably have to take.
"I'll need a team of at least a dozen men and weapons, lots of weapons. We need to intercept the ambulance carrying Kim Hyun-Joon."
---************---
"Sir."
"Oh, Tae-Sunga. What have you got for me?"
"Sir, Targets 1 and 2 are on the move. They have a convoy of at least three other cars with them."
"Are they armed?"
"From what I can see, sir, they are not but their movements for the past hour have been suspicious. Should I advise the support team, Section Chief?"
"No, there's no need. Let's see where they're headed first. What about Targets 3 and 4?"
"I'm still working on it, sir."
"Please search for them a little faster, Tae-Sung. We need to monitor all four. They're the only leads we have to finding out Kim Hyun-Joon's killer."
"Yes, Section Chief."
---************---
"It seems they're taking Kim Hyun-Joon's body downtown, sir."
"…"
"I don't think it'll be taken to NSS, sir. If it is, I'll do everything to stop it. I'll make sure to move swiftly, sir."
"…"
"I'm certain on who's on the hunt for me at this point but if they know my true identity or if there are more out there looking for me, which is right now very unlikely, they won't be able to catch me."
"…"
"Not cocky, sir. Just composed."
"…"
"Yes, Mr. Black. I understand."
---************---
"Everyone, gather up and listen," Park Chul-Young called out. "Now, first, has everyone loaded all firearms and artillery in all the cars?"
"Yes, sir," the soldiers clad in black and brown answered in unison.
"We cannot fail in this mission. You must all do your outmost to succeed. Your objective is clear and simple – retrieve Kim Hyun-Joon's body. Kim Seon-Hwa will be your Team Leader, Alpha, and Kang Young-Soo will be Bravo's. Maintain a zero to minimum casualties. Remember ladies and gentlemen that downtown Seoul will become vulnerable once again and the bloods of innocent lives are in your hands. Be careful. Most importantly, keep an eye out for any other suspicious vehicles tailing the target. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir," chanted all fourteen soldiers, saluting Park Chul-Young.
North Korea's finest are going into a mission that holds no guarantee over their own safety, their lives, and even over the success of this very mission, thought Chul-Young. What happens if they fail?
"Bravo Team," pronounced a tall, well-built man. His long black hair was tied up. Nothing else seemed distinct about him except for the two remarkable scars on his face. One was located across his left eye. The other can be traced from the left side of his neck, a few centimeters below his ear, ending millimeters toward the side of his lips. His name was Kang Young-Soo. He was only half a decade older than Kim Seon-Hwa but he was certainly centuries ahead of her with his experiences as one of North Korea's National Guards.
"Our mission is to assist the Alpha Team. We need to be their eyes, ears, and their extra hands if things don't go smoothly. Do not leave any traces behind and keep in mind that we might not be the only party interested in retrieving Kim Hyun-Joon's body. Understand?"
"Yes, Team Leader Kang."
Kim Seon-Hwa stepped next to Kang Young-Soo and prepared both teams.
"Bravo, you can head outside. Remain on standby until told."
"Yes, Team Leader Kim."
She turned to her elite six when Kang's team exited the room, and spoke to them quietly, "Alpha Team, I cannot stress enough the sensitivity and dangerousness of this mission. Mind your surroundings at all times. Everyone else outside this team is a potential civilian-potential casualty-potential enemy. Yes, that also applies for the Bravo Team."
Kim Seon-Hwa stood with confidence, her bulletproof suit on, handguns loaded at every pocket. She watched her team absorb her order and sensed that someone would raise a question.
"Yes?"
"But… Team Leader… Team Leader Kang Young-Soo's team…"
"…is the best in North Korea? Yes, it is. But you all surpass them in defensive fighting and tactical planning and formulations. Utilize it."
Her six men nervously nodded.
"Only if you need to use it, of course," she smirked. "Alpha Team, let's move out!"
---************---
"Section Chief, Targets 1 and 2 have split up. And as for their convoys, they seem to have disappeared."
"What?!"
"I don't know what happened, sir. An hour ago, they were all using black motor vehicles, and now only one car remains black."
"Scan the area, two, three blocks behind that black car. Follow anything strange. They're really clever, these people."
"Sir, do you think they know that we're on to them?"
"Maybe, but we're not the enemy and they know that."
"Do you think they've… do you think maybe they could have done it?"
"Done what? You crazy punk, that seems really unlikely. Just find the other cars, quickly!"
"Aish~ I'm just saying my own theories out loud. No need to yell at me…"
---************---
"We're now entering the highway," informed Alpha's driver, Park Du-Ho. "Team Leader Kim…?"
"If it weren't for you, I would have never made it to this point. Thank you for being with me. Seon-Hwaya."
Hyun-Joon-ssi, I'll fight for you.
Seon-Hwa weakly smiled, recalling Kim Hyun-Joon's words.
"Don't try so hard for me anymore."
Hyun-Joon-ssi, would you have wanted things to turn out like this?
A tear splashed her knuckles and Seon-Hwa realised she was no longer afraid.
She was no longer afraid to put her life on the line, no longer afraid to die.
Because it's worth dying for.
Love is worth dying for.
"Team Leader, are you alright?" Du-Ho asked, glancing at her from his rear-view mirror.
Kim Seon-Hwa nodded with a smile on her face.
"I'm fine, Du-Ho, don't mind me," she said, her tone reassuring. "What is Bravo's posi-"
A resounding gunshot interrupted Seon-Hwa's question and Du-Ho started losing control of the stirring wheel. He stepped on the brakes, sending their tires screeching.
"Du-Ho, drive!" Seon-Hwa yelled at the dumbfounded Du-Ho. "Du-Ho!"
"But Team Leader, one of the tires…"
"GET THE CAR AWAY FROM HERE, WE'RE TARGETS! DO YOU WANT TO DIE?"
Du-Ho frantically shook his head, stepping on the accelerator, sending their car soaring.
The minutes that followed became a big blur to Seon-Hwa as her senses panicked, her team members screamed, asked for orders and instructions, voicing out their concerns. She shouted for them to put their seat belts on, to scan the surroundings for who's suspiciously following them.
"Anything?"
"Nothing, Team Leader. There's no one behind us but it's really dark out there now. Where could they possib-"
A couple more shots were fired. Their vehicle involuntarily spun around as Seon-Hwa realised that the twin shots, this time, were aimed at Du-Ho.
"Du-Ho!"
Du-Ho was shot in the head and on the neck, his hold of the wheel, lost.
"Dong-Juna, take the wheel, and brake. BRAKE!"
At their speed, Dong-Juna failed to turn the wheel and decelerate on time, launching their vehicle against three other cars, propelling onto and revolving in mid-air, landing atop two civilian cars.
If this is my demise, Hyun-Joon-ssi, I'm gladly accepting it. I want to be by your side again…
Kim Seon-Hwa closed her eyes as she smelled, felt, and tasted blood all around her.
---************---
"Section Chief."
"What is it? What's happened?"
"Nothing's showing up on the CCTV screens, sir, but..."
"But?"
"Sir, I think Target 1: Kim Seon-Hwa… is dead."