Just a little extra revelation in this chapter, although it won't be a main focus, thought I'd slip it in ;)

Ciphertext – Chapter 23: Journey

Luciel shut down the PC and furrowed his brows, determined to get Eun-ji back as quickly and safely as possible. He'd inputted the co-ordinates that Mr. P had given him into maps on his smartphone. The GPS was indicating that his boss' location was in Jongno-gu, which was across the river and the other side of the city. Taking traffic congestion during rush hour into consideration, driving would be an unsuitable option, so his best bet was to temporarily trade his Porsche to ride the train. Although it was still a 45-minute journey away, he figured he could also spend the additional time coming up with a game plan to help him win against Mr. P. But that would be easier said than done.

He really knew nothing about how Mr. P was in real life. One thing he understood for sure was that his boss was a far more proficient hacker with what seemed like years of experience beyond logical comprehension. His personal life was a complete enigma, and Vanderwood could never unscramble the complex code that surrounded him either. In some small way, Mr. P's abilities had been demonstrated to him in the past, but never for anything serious. He was always just playing stupid games. A crafty boss, Mr. P had a knack for unlawfully accessing data outside the boundaries that public authorities like the police had put into place. But he would never allow himself to get caught. Nothing was too big a feat for this man. This time though, the challenge to Luciel was personal and it was time to get serious.

Luciel tapped out a quick text message to the number that Mr. P had provided.

ON MY WAY. I'LL BE 45 MINS.

JUST REMEMBER … HURT HER AND I WON'T GO EASY ON YOU.

- 707

As he sat in his cramped seat on the subway, he pouted boyishly as he tried to make himself comfortable with so many people around. The woman who was sitting next to him decided it would be a great idea to start messaging her friend and she was laughing out loud every five seconds. It was an irritating infectious laugh and she was completely oblivious to the fact that others were staring at her. He felt stifled in this hot, sweaty trap and suddenly realised how lucky he was, in some respects, to work from home. It seemed that everyone was in a hurry after finishing work for the day and would not hesitate to push their way into the carriage just to secure themselves a seat.

Several minutes passed and Luciel was decidedly bored while he wasn't driving. Not having prepared much for the unexpected journey, he tried to focus on the task ahead by slipping on his headphones and listening to some Mozart. Staring directly in front of him, he fixed his eyes on the material of the man's jacket in front of him. It had been slung over the man's arm and he was wearing a smooth black waistcoat over a crisp white shirt. Luciel's thoughts wandered to the quality of the fabric; it was certainly a well-made pin striped suit, and it smelled fresh and clean, like it had really been taken care of. At least, it would have been cleaner if it wasn't for the faint traces of white cat h-

In a sudden flash of recognition, Luciel looked up at the man.

"J-JUMIN?"

His mouth was open wider than it should have been, and his voice too loud. He covered his mouth as he realised this. A couple of people turned to look over to see what all the fuss was about. Some of the young women in the carriage exchanged whispers about how handsome the Director of C&R was. It was true, he was a miraculously good-looking fellow.

Jumin stopped reading his book and stared down at Luciel. His stern expression of concentration softened a little upon seeing the younger red-haired man. "Luciel! What are you doing sitting there?"

"Me? What about you? Why are you using public transport? Don't you have a personal chauffer to drive you around?"

"Hmm. Why are you on public transport?"

"I asked you first …"

Jumin sighed. "Truthfully, I can't stand having Driver Kim go through the hassle of making his way through all the traffic. So during rush hour, I always take the subway home instead."

"I see … so you do really care about the welfare of your staff after all." It was a nice thought.

"No. I just don't want to waste my money paying them for a journey," Jumin responded, in all seriousness.

Luciel was visibly confused. "Since when do you care about wasting money?"

"It was a joke. See, even I can make jokes sometimes." Jumin smiled, proud of his simple achievement.

"Oh …" Luciel laughed out of politeness, but it wasn't really all that funny. "… hilarious."

"So, you didn't tell me where you're going?" Then, he realised that something seemed off. "By the way, where's Emily? Wasn't she supposed to be with you?"

"Actually … her name is Eun-ji and … she's been kidnapped by my boss."

Jumin's face went pale. "What did you just say?"

"Yeah … she's been kidnapped. They're at a hidden location in Jongno-gu."

"So I did hear it correctly. And you're taking a train to go and rescue her? I must admit, it is a bit long-winded! Why didn't you just drive there?"

"What choice do I have? You said it yourself. The traffic is too bad to try and get through at this time of day. Even if I was in my Porsche I wouldn't be able to make it there any quicker."

Jumin pondered the situation for a few seconds in silence. "Is she going to be alright? Will you allow me to send some of my bodyguards down there to protect her?"

"No. Thanks Jumin. I appreciate your offer, but I just … need to face Mr. P once and for all … alone. He won't be satisfied until he gets what he wants, but … I don't know what he wants yet. This is why it's so difficult to know how to prepare for our meeting. There usually needs to be a problem that needs solving, but he won't give anything away until I get there. Even when I do arrive, who knows what's going to happen?"

"If it's any help, I always prepare for meetings by psychoanalysing the client. They need to be well and truly scrutinised before you can understand how to make a deal with them. Then, you try to find the perfect harmonious balance that is most suitable for both parties." Jumin straightened his tie, looking happy to dish out advice at a time like this.

"That kind of approach might work in business Jumin, but trust me, this is an entirely different situation and I don't have much previous experience with this guy. It all comes through Vanderwood so I have no direct contact with Mr. P."

Jumin scowled. "Vanderwood? You mean your house maid?"

Oh yeah …. I did say that, didn't I?

"Uh … no. I was just trying to have fun covering up his real identity. Plus, I would love a maid. But that's not the point. Vanderwood is actually a secret agent who works for Mr. P. Basically, he makes sure I do all the work the agency asks for."

"Oh … I should let Zen know. I think he might want to go on a date with her."

"Jumin, the only person who didn't understand the joke was you. Zen will be fine. He wouldn't date a guy anyway."

"But I would."

Luciel blinked a few times to try and make sense of what he was hearing. "What did you say? Sorry, I didn't quite catch that …" It was all crystal clear, but he just wanted to be sure.

Jumin coughed and muttered something under his breath, turning his eyes away from Luciel. His face was flushed in a light red and Luciel knew something was definitely different about his behaviour.

"Jumin … you can talk to me. I know I joke around a lot, but if there's something on your mind just say it." Luciel smiled at the businessman standing before him.

"I-it's too shameful …" he said, a look of emotional pain shooting across his face. "I don't know who will accept the truth."

"Why wouldn't people accept you? You are well-educated and well-respected. Isn't that all that matters?"

"But … I'm gay, Luciel." He paused. "I like men."

"That's what I thought you meant. Well, I have to say I'm not really surprised about it." This piqued Luciel's innate sense of curiosity. "So, is there a special someone in your life or are you ... just experimenting?"

Jumin coughed again. "It's actually … it's ... Driver Kim."

Luciel couldn't help but chuckle at his revelation. "Ooh … so you're sleeping with your personal chauffer?" A few curious women started whispering amongst themselves again.

Jumin blushed. "Please keep your voice down Luciel! This is private information," he warned. "We … haven't got that far yet."

"Yet?" echoed Luciel. "But you're obviously planning to! Let me help you prepare a nice romantic evening together – and by 'help', obviously I mean taking care of Elly for you!"

It looked like Jumin was going to be sick. "No, thank you. That won't be necessary. Elizabeth the 3rd will be joining us."

Luciel's mind went into overdrive. "Oh, how mean! But wait, does that mean ... you're having a threesome with your cat!?"

Jumin felt like giving up on their conversation. "If you're not going to be serious, then don't worry about it."

Luciel felt a little bit guilty. "Hey, sorry … I got carried away. You were helping me to take my mind off what I'm about to deal with. I guess I just needed some fuel, you know. My brain needs exercising and I gotta admit, it is pre-tty hilarious imagining you, Driver Kim and Elly all together in your bedroom-"

Jumin squished Luciel's head lightly into the plastic division that separated the seating area from the doors, messing up his hair. "DO. NOT. IMAGINE. ANYTHING". His fiery eyes looked as though they would burn holes through anything in their path.

Luciel couldn't taunt him anymore. "O-ok. You got me. I'll drop it now." He re-styled his hair with his fingers.

"This is my stop," declared Jumin, slipping on his suit jacket once again. "Luciel …"

"Hmm?"

"Not a word of our conversation goes beyond this carriage, do you understand?"

"Of course. After all, I enjoy keeping secrets," he confirmed, putting a finger to his lips and winking.

"Thank you." Jumin put a hand onto Luciel's shoulder. "I trust that you will do what's best for her."

And with that, the Chairman-to-be took his leave, sliding gracefully through the automatic doors and onto the platform, disappearing into the crowd.

Luciel's heart felt still and silent as he watched a new blur of people entering the train. His mind raced with thoughts about his mission. He didn't consider himself to be a hero. Maybe an antihero. But he was only mentally strong. That had to be enough to propel him forward and bring Eun-ji back alive. He studied the lines on the palms of his hands, looking at where each one intersected. They were all a mess, just like his life.

Please trust that I will do what's best you Eun-ji, even if I don't know what that is.

Wait for me.

I'm coming.