WhIP

by footfungus

nederlands verhalen over mijn otp

28. little women eight

Overpass

Liliumscribe

Summary:

Three months after the end of the drama, Choi Do-il is back in South Korea after receiving a tip that the Jeongran Society have regrouped and that Oh In-joo could be in mortal danger. Before he gets another chance to pick up where they left off with Oh In-joo, he finds himself embroiled in other people's criminal activities.

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Chapter 1

Chapter Text

"You men concern yourselves with the eternal verities but we women are content to ponder the petty things of life." Lady Harriet, Wives and Daughters (1999 Television Show)

It was almost too late when he caught a glimpse of the blade gleaming under the dim lit street lamp. A fisherman's dagger. He had no intention of being filleted like a fish possibility that he was walking into a trap had occurred to him but he had to come consequences be damned. For her he would tread minefields.

She was his Achilles' heel and too many people knew it. But there was no going back to yesterday. Choi Do-il was committed and it started a long time ago.

His masked opponent lunged forward. Do-il barely dodged the attack and felt a slight scratch from the tip of the blade as it penetrated his shirt and left a mark on his skin. Drops of blood oozed out of the perforation. His assailant gave him no time to nurse his wound and came at him again with a fast slashing manoeuvre that landed his shoulder. Do-il reeled from the sting of the cut which drew more blood.

I'm losing my touch. Do-il muttered a well-chosen expletive. He chided himself for his slow reflexes. His European holiday had come to an abrupt end after three months with a message from his local informant that remnants of the Jeongran Society were on the move again. Go Soo-im was still in the picture. She in particular was out for blood.

A part of Do-il wished he'd taken his own advice. Mixing business with pleasure was bound to end in tears.

Managing to dodge the next move, Do-il lost little time dwelling on what might have been if he'd been better prepared and retaliated instantly. Her survival would depend on his. An elbow strike followed by an arm twist and Do-il handily disarmed his opponent before landing a well-placed right hook across his masked face. His attacker gave a slight moan and before staggering backwards and falling to the ground lifeless. The mask fell off and under the glow of the street light Do-il managed to make out his features.

A new recruit. Another fool for the cause? Or just another nameless stooge who needs money?

It was time to make tracks. He had wasted enough time tangling with this poorly paid pawn. Perhaps that was the point of the entire exercise. To keep him from getting where he needed to be.

Time was of the essence. Their collective well-being depended on it. Do-il jumped into the rental vehicle and started the ignition. It was 1 am. At least he wouldn't be fighting traffic to get to his destination.

Don't let anything happen to her.

He got to her apartment minutes too late. He was parked on the street and about to head in when he noticed the bustle of activity at the entrance to the building.

Sometimes… I hate being right.

He made it just in time to see two burly men in black suits wrestling with a large body bag that seemed to have a life of its own and was fighting back with vigour. Unfortunately these villains had a head start. They got to her first.

Do-il heaved a sigh of relief.

Thank God. She's alive at least.

Then the door of a black van that presumably brought the kidnappers there, opened up. They threw the body bag inside like anyone would with a sack of rice. Do-il winced. Their hostage's welfare was low on their list of priorities.

Do-il slammed his fist onto the edge of the car door and felt a surge of anger rising from the pit of his stomach. More than anything he blamed his own tardiness. He regretted not being back sooner but he had wanted to give her more time to think… or... to miss him.

Tailing them was his only recourse. His mind was working furiously. It also struck him that this could be an opportune moment to deal with the people behind everything in one fell swoop — still how would he deal with his enemies once and for all. It didn't matter much who was behind it — Go Soo-im or some other crazed deadly fanatic. He didn't want to be running from them for the rest of his life. If he wanted a life that is.

But he couldn't do it alone. There would be more from where that mob came from. He whipped out his phone and with the greatest reluctance he made the all important call.

"Choi Hee-jae. It's me. Much as I hate to say this, I need your help."

The trail that went on for a good half hour ended at an abandoned factory on the outskirts of the city. It was one of those dilapidated monuments to the economic boom of the 1980s and 90s that eventually outlived its usefulness. It was scarcely surprising that it had been designated a makeshift shelter to those who would rather their activities remain unseen by prying eyes or the long arm of the law.

Father and son took it in turn to arrive some several hundred metres away from the site. With his night vision binoculars, Choi Hee-jae scanned the landscape and made a mental note of where the guards were placed and how many there were.

"You sure she's still alive?"

Do-il grunted affirmatively.

"You don't sound so sure." Hee-jae instinctively turned to look at his son even though it was too dark to see much.

Do-il wasn't sure but it was better to hope for the best than to contemplate the alternative.

"There's no reason for them to dispose of her yet. It's me they really want and she's just bait."

"More reason for you to stay put."

There was only one person in the world that could get a rise of Do-il. "Choi Hee-jae, if you don't want to do this say so. I'll pay you for the gear and you can be on your way. This is my fight. She's my problem."

"I know you don't like me playing father but let me ask you this. What is this woman to you?"

Do-il couldn't speak. In truth he didn't know what to say. Especially to his father. They didn't have that kind of relationship.

"Is this just about money? Like what she said last time? 70 billion won? Because your life is worth much more than that."

"It's not about money," was all he could muster. Why was the old man being so nosy all of a sudden?

The old man it seems was reading his mind. "If you and I are going to charge in there by ourselves, I need to have a good reason for doing it."

"I said that you didn't have to…"

"You called me. I came." Hee-jae paused before saying, "I want to."

Father and son were unaccustomed to these sorts of exchanges and fell awkwardly silent. It was getting too personal for comfort. For both men.

In the end it was the father who spoke up, "To you I may not be much of a father but you are still my son. I may not have done a good job protecting you or your mother but…"

"Don't go sappy on me, Choi Hee-jae. This is not the time or the place."

"I just want to know what this woman means to you that you're risking life and limb for her. Is this really just for 70 billion?"

Do-il sighed. He realised the old man was right in a way. Why the hell was he doing this? What was he saying to her, to the world if he went in guns blazing?

After some brooding, he spoke. "She is worth more to me than 70 billion won. Much much more. She means a lot to me. Good enough?"

His voice faltered and a cold pang of fear struck his heart at the thought of something untoward happening to her.

"So it's love then, eh?"

The son had nothing to say to the father. He was loath to admit anything especially to that person. The old man was not as uselessly unconcerned as he thought. Still it irked him that his father was becoming uncomfortably perceptive. Besides, why would he admit anything to the old man who was never there for him. Do-il's reticence, however, was an answer in itself.

"I knew it. I had my suspicions."

"Since when did you even care?" The belligerence was turning into a defensive posture.

"I always did. Whether you believe it or not."

"Whatever. I'm not going to waste my time here shooting the breeze with you."

"Don't be in such a hurry. Surely you can wait another 10 minutes?"

"Why?"

"I brought along some old friends to help. They'll be here shortly."

Do-il was torn so he said nothing. He didn't like owing anyone anything, least of all the old man but even he couldn't deny that extra manpower would be useful at a time like this. The pragmatic side of him was relieved — one, because they would have more hands making light work on and two, because the old man couldn't see how grateful he really was under the cover of darkness.

"This job is too big for the two of us." The old man was back to being businesslike as he went back to survey his own personal arsenal at the back of his truck.

The ex-military men from Choi Hee-jae's veteran group moved noiselessly like shadows around the perimeter and with expected efficiency caught the rag tag team of guards unawares. Against trained retired special forces guys, hired gangsters were no match regardless of build and size. Their quick work made things much easier for the Chois. When their companions agreed to keep watch outside. Do-il was eager to proceed inside the building to expedite what should have been a simple rescue effort now that the bulk of the enemy's strength was diminished. Looking through dust-covered windows, he could make out the faint outlines of a woman tied to chair guarded by two men with what looked like automatic weapons. He hoped, nay prayed that there were no surprises awaiting them. Regardless of what was in store, it was a gamble that he had to take.

Do-il put on his gas mask and set his face towards the woman who was being held prisoner with Hee-jae and two others in tow, similarly attired. Hissing sounds made by tear gas canister heralded their movements as the men closed the distance between them and the hostage. Several shots were fired and reverberated through the facility followed by silence. Do-il picked up his pace. His excitement to be reunited with her even under such circumstances was growing.

As he found himself closer towards his object, it occurred to him that something was amiss. It was too quiet. It was the hostage. The height and the form was right but there was something about her manner that didn't sit right with him. Then the awful and inevitable conclusion struck him. The woman sitting in that chair lifeless wasn't his. Immediately he came to a halt and scanned his surroundings with an expert eye.

A sinking feeling came over him.

"Choi Hee-jae, it's a trap."

"Let's get out of here now."

All the men turned around and ran as fast as they could towards the entrance as the boom of an almighty blast could be heard behind them.

"Someone really wants you dead. Tripwire attached to detonator."

No kidding.

They made it out of building by the skin of their teeth. At the speed they were running they could have broken records at the 100 meter dash at the National Championships.

"Why?" Choi Hee-jae was still reeling from the shock.

"Who knows?" Do-il had a few ideas but kept his thoughts to himself.

"Park Sang-jae's people are still after you, aren't they?"

"I can't worry about that right now."

"Maybe you should go off grid for a while."

"I don't disagree but there's something else I have to do first."

His father nodded grimly. "I wonder who that woman was."

"Whoever did that didn't give a damn about any of those people there tonight. They were just disposable items."

"To think that they were willing to go that far for you."

"Believe me, I'm very flattered."

Do-il was weary from jet lag and all the early morning exertions but he had to know that she was alright. Thankfully it was him they were after. This meant that her chances of being alive were high. Nevertheless he was uneasy. His network was compromised on this end and he didn't know who to trust. The irony was not lost on him that the only person he could turn to now was the father he hated and resented. Life was full of unexpected turns. A year ago he would never have imagined that he would go this far for a woman. Yes, a woman. Pretty but ordinary. Simple-minded and ridiculously impetuous. He didn't even know that she was his type until she was. A working class girl with no pretensions but with plenty of resolve.

On the way back to her apartment building, he didn't much feel like talking. The old man who was doing the driving seemed to understand his need for quiet introspection at this time. It wasn't the shock of what had just transpired but the enormity of what could have been. Do-il's headspace had no desire to go there at this time nor did it have any tolerance for depressing speculations.

He tried calling and but no one was picking up at the other end. He toyed with the possibilities but they were just possibilities. The turmoil that he felt would not be so easily calmed. Not until he was face to face with her in the same room. Holding her with his own hands.

Dead or alive.

It didn't take long for him to work out the passcode to unlock the door. People liked using birthdays. Luckily he knew the sisters well enough. In order of age. Their birthdates. That was the key after a bit of fiddling around.

Guardedly he walked into pitch black darkness with a certain amount of apprehension. He kept one hand in the side pocket of his bomber jacket hoping that he wouldn't have to use the K5 that the old man insisted that he brought along. The last thing he wanted was a fire fight on his hands escalating an already bleak situation. He dialled the number he'd been dialling all night with no response. He heard a ringing sound and began to follow the vibrating ring tone that led him to one of the bedrooms.

His hand groped around for a light switch as moved alongside the wall. Eventually he found one and flicked it. The living room was instantly lit up and he was greeted by evidence of a scuffle. He moved around cautiously avoiding objects along the way. Furniture and fittings not where they should be. The sofa cushions in disarray. A vase once containing a single gerbera smashed into pieces on the floor. Accounting books and magazines scattered everywhere.

The owner of the apartment was Do-il's biggest concern, however. Now he feared the worse. The ringing got louder as he approached the bedroom on the right. The door was left ajar which he promptly pushed wide open. The phone was lying on the floor just beneath the bed. He ran over to pick it up and saw his number on the lit up screen. A phone but no owner. He turned on the bedside lamp and observed the empty bed. It had been slept on but its occupant was gone. This was clearly her room. She had family pictures lined up on her night stand as if to remind herself that she was not alone in the world.

As usual he was one step behind. He felt the creeping sensation of fatigue overcoming him as he slumped onto the floor in despair. He thought about calling the cops but he didn't trust the cops. He certainly didn't know any that could be trusted. It had to be the old man. Again. As he was about to make the call, her phone started vibrating. Curiosity compelled him to pick up. His gut feeling told him that he should.

"Choi Do-il, I'm disappointed to see that you're still alive."

It was Go Soo-im on the other end and she sounded somewhat irritable. Do-il moved cat-like to the edge of nearest window and peered through the gaps of the blinds. Then he proceeded to do the same with each window in the apartment to see if his caller was surveilling him in close proximity.

"I'm disappointed that you are still up to your old tricks even though I warned you off at our last encounter."

"You should have stayed in Europe."

"Why? Do you think this country is still your playground?"

"I admit that things are somewhat limited at the moment but there are still those loyal to the Jeongran Society ideals."

"You mean there are more nut jobs like you?"

Go Im-soo was on the verge of making a curt retort but held her peace.

"You know, the Jeongran Society could always do with someone like you."

"No thanks. I'm not the least bit tempted."

"Would you be tempted if I guaranteed the safety of Ms Oh In-joo in exchange for your services?"

"So you have her then?" Do-il clenched his fist and it took all his self-control to keep the anger out of his voice.

"I'm keeping her safe." came the smug reply. "You know, I can't help wondering about the two of you all the time. I really thought you were in love with her and yet you went to Europe on your own. That was very irresponsible of you and it made things a lot easier for us."

"What do you want?"

Who is "us"?

"Money of course. The 70 billion won."

"I don't have it. I've spent it and gave the rest away."

"You.. gave away money? "I find that hard to believe." There was a pause. "Ah. You must have given it to Oh In-joo. Of course. Love has made you do foolish things."

"What do you need the money for anyway?" Do-il asked casually to derail her train of thought even if momentarily and distract.

"What does anybody need money for? To live the good life. To achieve power. Are you interested?"

"Only if I get a cut of the profits."

"But of course. We don't expect you to work for free."

"On one condition."

"What is it?"

"Ms Oh In-joo. I need to be sure that you're on the level. Anytime you're tempted to scratch that vicious itch of yours, the deal's off."

Unbeknownst to them, Ms Oh In-joo, who was within earshot, had regained consciousness. The chloroform was wearing off so she heard every word her captor was saying. As the words came spilling out of the other woman's mouth, In-joo was trying to piece all the facts together and make sense of it.

Choi Do-il. He's back in South Korea. Why? Did he know something was going to happen?

But our partnership was over once the money was divided up.

Another titbit sank in. It startled her.

He's… in love… with me? In-joo shook her head in disbelief. For a moment she thought it was the drug talking.

Not Choi Do-il surely? That can't be right.

It was too absurd for words. It had to be the drug that they gave her, making her hallucinate. She must have misheard. Yet he's on the phone with Go Soo-im.

She was never sure if he was just being extraordinarily kind or whether it was just the money driving his actions. It never once occurred to her that he had feelings for her.

All this time I thought he felt sorry for me. Me, the outcast of the 13th floor. A poor pathetic bookkeeper divorced before 30.

She thought about all the times when he came to her rescue.

But that was about protecting the money, right? Singapore too. The dress, the jewellery all of that. It was for the job.

Then her mind flew to the dramatic rescue at St Benedictus Hospital. His plan to help In-kyung. Her trial. The 25 billion won she got in the end.

She gasped.

Oh In-joo. You really are an idiot.

Her face brightened momentarily when he entered the room. Except for the tired look around the eyes Choi Do-il was a sight for sore eyes and as strikingly handsome as he was the first day she clapped eyes on him.

She remembered the last time they met. It was at the airport. She had been shaken by him. Before leaving he had flashed her this unforgettable smile after saying that he would be back again. But he wasn't smiling today. He looked frustrated, angry even, to see her. In that instant she regretted not having gone to Europe with him when he asked then.

It's my fault that we're in this mess again.

"I thought I said, not a scratch," remarked Do-il with a steel in his voice that boded horrors for the object of his wrath.

"She's fine. Look at her. She's a picture of health."

"Then what are those bruises around her neck and face?"

"Oh that? That was before our agreement," Go Soo-im said airily. "She's fine as you can see. In one piece."

If looks could kill, Go Soo-im would have died the death of a dozen cuts. But she was conveniently oblivious to the tension emanating out of her former associate. He, on the other hand, would have preferred to stare her to death. Larger concerns took precedence on this occasion. He kept his mounting fury to himself and his fists hidden.

Somehow Go Soo-im had found herself another abandoned building to set up shop in. This time it was a warehouse. He had no delusions that they were practically hostages but a man did what he had to keep his and his woman's heads intact.

"Manager Choi…" In-joo managed to say before she was rudely interrupted and dragged away by two sumo wrestlers. "Hey! What's going on?"

The desperate attempt to wriggle free of her captors seemed like a meaningless gesture but In-joo hated the thought she was being used to control Choi Do-il.

"I will keep my end of the deal as long as you keep yours." Go Im-soo was talking to Do-il as if In-joo wasn't there. As far as she was concerned the younger woman was nothing more than an insignificant bargaining chip.

Do-il had anticipated this. Go Soo-im was so predictable in that regard. He knew her better than he cared to but on this occasion he could use this to his advantage. She was a blunt instrument to be wielded, but never any great mastermind. Go Soo-im took orders. There had to be someone else pulling the strings.

"Ms Oh In-joo, we will talk soon." Do-il's managed a reassuring smile before he was not-too-subtly ushered to an office on the second storey of the drab building.

At his words, In-joo stopped resisting and allowed herself to be taken away. There was something in his tone and manner that reminded him of something he once said to her. Something about what lengths he would go to protect her. She didn't understand him then but now it was beginning to make sense. She sensed a certainty that she didn't have before that Choi Do-il would do anything to keep her safe.

Meanwhile Choi Hee-jae managed to place a tracker on the black passenger van before it drove off from the compound with In-joo. Father and son had come to some sort of tacit agreement and knew the part they both had to play. Hee-jae would keep an eye on In-joo while Do-il was trying to probe the inner workings of Go Soo-im's organization.

The tracking device led him to the late General Won's mansion. These people had a surprising bent for the theatrical but on some level it made sense because it became another haunted mausoleum. The country's greatest symbol of a rags to riches had been abandoned because no one in their right minds wanted ownership of it once the sins of the Park-Won family were exposed to the world. It was deemed a monument of bad luck destined for destruction.

Except by those zealots who were only too willing to see it as sacred ground. The mansion was their place of worship, the temple of a cult promising the fulfilment of dreams and fabulous wealth.

Hee-jae thought it was best to wait until nightfall. Darkness was his friend. The mansion had to be guarded despite the lack of activity or personnel surrounding the grounds. What he needed was a distraction.

In-joo woke up with a start. The sound of shouting and smoke alarms rang through the mansion and past her room door. Apparently the place was on fire. She was about to get out of bed when she experienced a light tap on the shoulder.

She was startled and was momentarily surprised to see Choi Hee-jae standing in front of her. Sprawling on the floor was her guard with a dart on his chest. Before she could ask him anything, he spoke in a tone of great urgency that commanded her attention.

"Daughter-in-law, I need to get you out of here."

In-joo did the only sensible thing she could and nodded. "How?"

"Out the window."

It made sense.

"I have a friend waiting outside to help us. You've met him before."

In-joo nodded and had a rough idea what was expected. She made her way to the window and stepped up onto the chair that was resting against it.

Lee Yong-gwi. She remembered him as he helped her down. It was convenient that they had locked her up in the housekeeper's room on the ground floor. It definitely made things easier. Not far behind her was Choi Hee-jae.

The entire mansion was now in a blaze of fire. There was something cathartic about watching that house of horrors burn.

"Did you do that?" In-joo queried.

"We did it. But don't ask us how."

"What now?" In-joo was more relaxed now that she was out the enemy's clutches. "I'm sure the fire trucks will be here soon. And I'm sure they'll be looking for me."

"I know another way out of here. Through the back woods."

"Please, lead the way."

They were safely ensconced in the getaway vehicle when In-joo piped up. A nagging thought had been on her mind from the moment she saw Choi Do-il.

"Ahjussi, can you do me a favour?"

"Hmmm… What favour?"

"I need to talk to Do-il."

"Why?"

"There are things I need to say to him before it's too late."

"He's going to be fine. He's always been able to take care of himself. Besides, I promised him that I'd take you somewhere safe."

"Please Ahjussi. It's important."

"Whatever it is can't be more important than you staying alive."

In-joo mulled over the implications of Hee-jae's words before answering.

"Yes, it is."

Hee-jae gave a non-committal grunt.

"Ahjussi, have you ever had any regrets?"

"Plenty. But does that have to do with this?"

"I.. him… it's complicated between us. I've been stupid and he needs to know how I feel."

"Why don't we just call him once we get to the safe house?"

"It's not the same. I have to be there to tell him. He needs to hear it from me in person that I love him. "

Hee-jae sighed. "Honestly, you two. You make things so difficult for yourselves. And others."

"I know. It's because I'm an idiot."

Hee-jae didn't disagree. He even momentarily wondered what Do-il saw in her. But then he noted the earnestness in her voice.

"Please. Ahjussi. Just this once. I'll never ask anything of you again. I promise to do everything you ask. Please."

At first when Do-il heard the sound of small rocks hitting the window he thought he was imagining things. But the noise persisted for some time. So he got up and did a bit of stretching and casually made his way to the window giving the impression that he was taking a break. He slid it open and gave a yawn. He leaned against the sill and stared outside. He did all this while mindful of the camera that had been placed strategically to monitor him. Someone outside was signalling to him with a flashlight — Morse code. The message was simple.

After about a minute breathing fresh air, he closed the window and stretched himself again. He strolled to the door nonchalantly and opened it. As he slowly took one step at a time down the stairs, he noticed that the guards posted to watch him were sprawled on the floor as if fast asleep. It was his cue. He quickened his pace and skipped down the stairs.

As soon as he reached the bottom, he immediately felt the impact of a small body colliding with his. A pair of bony arms found their way around to his back.

"I was so worried." Her teary voice was muffled as she buried her face in his chest. Reflexively he returned her hug.

"You shouldn't have come. It's dangerous." Turning to his father with a stern look he muttered, "Why did you bring her here?"

"She insisted."

"I insisted."

"You should leave." The austere tone shifted to one of urgency and concern. "Now. I insist."

"My daughter-in-law risked her life to come here to tell you something," said the old man with a hint of humour around his lips and eyes. "So at the very least, listen to what she has to say. I'll leave you two alone for a few minutes."

When the father disappeared out of sight, In-joo released her hold and looked up at the son with a searching gaze. Anxious for each other, their eyes met.

"In-joo. I'm fine really. You don't have to worry about me." Do-il was stroking her hair and wiping away her tears.

"I know. You are good at everything. I just didn't want to have any regrets."

"Regrets about what?"

"Us. You and me."

"It's fine. I know everything."

"I'm sure you do. Everybody seems to know what's going on except me. As usual."

He closed in for another hug. "It was to protect you too."

"If I had known I would probably have gone to Greece with you. If I had gone, this…"

"Are you blaming me or you?"

"I don't know. I can't think straight right now." She tightened her embrace.

"In-joo. The best thing for all of us right now is for you to be far away from here and safe."

"I want to be here by your side."

"I know. But for us to get to Greece, I have to finish what I've started."

"Can't I do something to help?"

"You can help by being safe. That's the best thing. Then I can be free to do what needs to be done."

In-joo reluctantly released herself and wiped her eyes. "I'll trust you one more time. You are my galloping horse, remember? You must stay alive."

"I promise." That unforgettable grin made another appearance and her heart did a series of flip flops. "Now, go."

Shyly, In-joo took two steps back as if to leave and averted her eyes. Then she turned back to face him, tip-toed slightly, leaned over and pecked him on the lips.

"I love you." She whispered as she turned to leave, not daring to look.

Before she could take another step, she felt the warmth of his hand on her arm. Before she could react to what was happening, In-joo felt a pair lips brushing against hers — gently first and then transformed into something that felt beautiful and terrifying all at the same time. What else could she do but succumb.

At that moment even with a threat hanging over their heads, Oh In-joo couldn't care less if she were dead or alive.

Chapter 2

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Part 2

"There is the great lesson of 'Beauty and the Beast,' that a thing must be loved before it is loveable." — G.K. Chesterton

When their lips collided. When the pent up emotions finally broke through the dam. When the emotions got the better of them. When they finally parted breathlessly for air. The look on his face afterwards was all she could think about for hours. Why hadn't she noticed it before? Why had she been so oblivious to what was right in front of her all those times? It was that same pleading stare, it was the same set of mournful eyes, vulnerable and transparent. The lingering tenderness that quivered around them. All those times when they begged her to trust him, it had meant something else. Something she had never until yesterday dared to entertain. The kiss was proof. Just like everything he had ever done for her was proof.

Oh In-joo had never been kissed like that before.

In-joo was resting her head on the ledge of the open window. The feeling of the wind on her face though refreshing was not what gave her that blast of exhilaration. It was dark when her journey to destination unknown started but as she dreamed of love the sun rose inch by inch. It's light reliably but slowly penetrated through the darkness. It wasn't a sleeping sort of night. Who could sleep after that mighty declaration of an idea she was afraid to say out loud lest it would disappear into the wind forever to never return. Or indeed be heard by unfriendly ears working mischief against them. She would not dare play games with fate once too often.

Poor girls had dreams too and she thought she would be sharing them with In-hye and In-kyung. They, however, left to follow their dreams and she was left alone in that apartment to live hers. 25 billion won was at her disposal and yet she had no idea what to do. She thought about Greece. More than once in fact. She thought about him too and dismissed the idea as crazy and delusional. She talked herself into believing that it was only ever the money he cared about. She was just the conduit. That's what she told herself. That's what she mostly believed. No man would want her least of all him. But then the confusion came — he protected the 70 billion won, hid it and divided it up. Why? That's what she asked herself.

Later she found herself waiting for that call… waiting for him to come back.

There were times when they were together she had thought that there might have been more. More than 70 billion won. Then she would slap herself in the face and tell herself that it was only in her imagination, that she was being stupid again. "It was only about the money" became her mantra. She dared not hope too much. But hoped a little. There was nothing about her that would turn his head. Not someone like him at least.

She was setting herself up for disappointment. Or so she believed.

"Daughter-in-law, you've been sitting in that position for hours. Aren't you uncomfortable? You could develop a sore neck from that." Choi Hee-jae ended several hours of silence between them.

"Have I? I haven't noticed."

"Did you get some sleep?"

"No. I haven't felt sleepy at all."

Choi Hee-jae glanced at her with a faintly amused expression on his face. He had an inkling or two about what transpired earlier but wisely said nothing about it the entire trip. He was relieved. And secretly grateful to the young woman sitting next to him. Without her, he'd never have talked to his son again.

"Will we be there soon, Ahjussi?"

"About an hour. Give or take a few minutes."

"I've never been out to this part of the country before. It's beautiful and peaceful."

"I have but not for a long time."

"Where are we going to?"

"You'll know when we get there."

The cluttered dusty office was nowhere for any man to lay his head down for a good night's sleep. It was a miserable looking dingy office that was worse than the inside of a detention cell. The furniture was functional and the only thing new in that room was a closed-circuit camera recently installed for his benefit. Of all the places in the world that his captors slapped him in, this would be one to forget. Making the best of a bad but-not-too-bad situation he stretched himself out on the grubby cushions and placed his hands behind his head before fully reclining on what was a poor excuse for a couch. It was a pointed reminder that he would have to earn his keep. Whatever freedom they deemed fit for a man in his position to enjoy was not his to decide. Still, they (whoever "they" were) were thoughtful enough to supply a clean blanket and even provide decent take-away. All in all it was a harbinger of interesting days ahead.

Do-il was slumming it but he was happy. Happy in his thoughts but unnaturally so, considering the accommodation that he was normally accustomed to. Still it was worth the near-death experiences. And her confession would be worth enduring the interrogation from Go Soo-im that he was bracing himself for.

Keeping things to himself was an art form for Choi Do-il which is why she never caught on. True he almost gave himself away once or twice but she had a hard time trusting him fully. At least at first. It was the price someone had to pay so she could be safe. His grin broadened further still when his mind flew to the day they first met. In the orchid room. She was standing on the large conference table achieving a balancing act. Or trying to. To think he had almost missed out on one of the most endearing things he'd ever seen. And he tried so hard not to laugh at that nervous sheepish look on her face.

Was it love at first sight? He had often wondered. Was it that moment? When was it? He couldn't pinpoint the time or place.

Does it really matter? But she was the game changer.

In all his years working for those lunatics he kept his distance from all the women in his acquaintance. Everyone was quick to play the game to get ahead but not her. Oh In-joo was a curious anomaly. The guileless demeanour was not just an act. Finding someone he could trust was much harder than keeping 70 billion won safe. Even when the murmurings of his own heart were prompting him, he held back. He was tempted more than once to confess but things got crazy and out of control. In the end her safety was always paramount.

Can someone like me be really happy? Do I have the right? Will I be allowed to after all the things I've done?

Even with a million things going through his head at hundreds of miles an hour, Choi Do-il eventually succumbed to the weariness that he'd been battling all throughout the day.

Go Soo-im was pacing up and down a plush executive's office located in a skyscraper like an angry cat. Hands on her hips, she turned to the owner of the oversized desk and practically screeched at it to show her displeasure in no uncertain terms.

"I can't believe he set fire to the Won mansion. I thought he had more respect for General Won than that. Didn't I tell you that he couldn't be trusted? Now we don't have a hostage to make him toe the line."

"The hostage doesn't matter. She's served her purpose."

"What are you saying?"

"Only Choi Do-il matters. I only wanted her to get his attention. And we did."

"How do we know he will stick to his end of the deal?"

The owner waved a tablet around. "He's still in the office. Asleep apparently."

"I don't like it. He's up to something."

"That's where you come in Ms Go. It's up to you to make sure that he doesn't get up to anything that will ruin our plans."

"Do I have the freedom to do what I want?"

"You weren't hired for your courteous manner."

"Good."

"Remember we can't afford to make mistakes this time. We've already lost some of our best people and the tax office is sniffing around at our doorstep. We're expecting another shipment in a few days so let's get this done without a hitch."

Choi Hee-jae took them through a windy road for at least 15 minutes before pulling over next to a restored homestead overlooking a large field consisting of what appeared to be spring onions. coriander, bellflower roots and perilla.

"I don't think she'll want to see me right now so I'll set up camp close by. I promised Do-il that I'd keep an eye on things while he's busy doing his thing."

"Who is she?"

"Just go up to the house. She'll be happy to see you, Daughter-in-law." Hee-jae helpfully pointed the way without any intention of answering the question.

The house was a postmodern oddity. It had been constructed in the traditional way decades earlier with hanok features but recently renovated with the addition of extensions and mod cons.

Bewildered by Ahjussi's need for mystery which left her in a trance, In-joo meekly obeyed orders despite any misgivings and cautiously made her way to the door. She knocked… softly first — for fear of intruding so early in the morning — and moments later much louder when there was no response forthcoming. Her patience was soon rewarded when she heard the shuffling of feet making their approach. The release of the latch followed by the turning of the door knob. Then a creaking noise to signal the opening of the door.

In-joo was surprised to be greeted by a joyful Ahn So-young. In-joo had been under the impression that Do-il's mother had gone overseas with him but here she was in rural South Korea growing vegetables to pass away the time. In-joo was happy enough to see her but was taken aback by the hug. They'd only met twice before.

For a child starved of honest-to-goodness parental affection, the simple gesture had profound ramifications.

Ms Ahn had not gained the full function of her speech due to the incident with the tongue but In-joo could make out "Ms Oh In-joo" and what she thought sounded like "welcome". She was evidently pleased to see her.

But the lady carried around a tablet and started scribbling on it. She was thankful to be reunited with her son and credited In-joo and In-kyung for making all of that possible. She was expecting In-joo and then wondered how she made her way to the property.

"Ahjussi, Do-il's father he drove me here."

The older woman stuck her neck out the door and looked around.

"He said that he was going to camp over there," In-joo pointed her finger in the general direction she saw the truck heading for. "He really doesn't want to impose on you."

The older woman turned to her device again and wrote. Even after all these years, he's still an idiot. Old habits die hard. Let's not worry about him now.

"You must be hungry," she managed to vocalise haltingly. She was alternating between vocalizing and writing.

"Starving, to be honest."

Come in. As long as you're here, make yourself at home.

"What the hell were you thinking setting fire to the Won mansion? Have you no respect for the dead? Think of what that family did for you."

"I had nothing to do with that." What did that family do to mine?

"Yes, you were conveniently holed up here while your father did your dirty work for you."

"What that man does in his spare time is none of my business."

"Is Oh In-joo none of your business too?"

"You look angrier than usual, Ms Go Soo-im," Do-il had on his most innocently cheerful face. "Babysitting me isn't the rewarding gig you signed up for, I imagine."

"What are you up to?" Go Soo-im narrowed her eyes. Nothing good I expect.

"Me? What else can I be up to? You people forced me here, remember? I'm here to do my master's bidding. Unwillingly of course."

"Aren't you the least bit curious about who's paying?"

"I would be dead not to be curious but as long as I get paid handsomely for this job I can be expected to be the soul of discretion. It comes with the hefty commission I'm expecting."

"You're really not interested?"

"Does it matter? It's someone with deep pockets who has plenty to hide. Unless there's a compelling life and death reason why I should take an interest in your paymaster. Is there?"

"You're full of BS, Choi Do-il. I thought I understood you once but it seems that nothing you say can be trusted."

"If it makes you feel any better I don't trust you too, Go Soo-im. In fact, I don't like you all that much either. Never have. You think with your fists and violence is your calling card. The reason Park Jae-sang kept you by his side was because you were a brutal but efficient lapdog. But he was smart enough to have you on a leash. I warned you once about messing around with Oh In-joo. You're lucky she's alive because if anything had happened to her, you'd be dead too. Painfully and slowly.

"For a guy who hates using use violence, you're… "

"Everyone has their limits. So don't push me."

It wasn't difficult to see that Go Soo-im was sounding him deliberately so Do-il paid her the compliment of playing the belligerent boyfriend role for whatever it was worth. Her suspicion of him was warranted considering their history but this was something else. It was a test undoubtedly… for someone else's benefit.

"Don't give me a reason to." Go Soo-im snarled.

In-joo couldn't remember the last time she had a home cooked meal that was this good. The side dishes — cabbage, radish, garlic shoots, perilla — bursting with flavour had an earthy quality to them. The gamja tang was cooked to perfection as the meat tenderly fell apart in her mouth. And the kimchi stew was to die for.

She took one last gulp of the soup, expressed her satisfaction loudly in no uncertain terms and fell flat on her back on the floor in sheer contentment.

I hope everything's to your taste. I haven't cooked this much food for so long so please excuse me if it doesn't suit.

"That was great, Ahjumma. Thank you."

"Have some more."

"I am stuffed. I don't think I can move now. If Ii have anymore I will explode."

But I've got some pork mandu steaming at the back.

"Sounds delicious but I honestly can't fit another thing in. Ahjumma."

As if she remembered something, In-joo bounced up suddenly from off the floor.

"Ahjussi! I almost forgot about him. He must be hungry too."

Ahn So-young pointed at a tray on the large dining table that was leaning against the wall. "I was going to take that to him."

"Let me get him."

In-joo got up albeit reluctantly, bowed and ran out the door. Her stomach screamed in protest.

Bad idea. You just ate.

In-joo slowed down her pace and used the time instead to take a gander around. No doubt it was a peaceful spot, a good place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the big cities. The air was certainly different here. A place to soak in Nature's assets. Green and lush. A place to lose oneself and a decent place to hide.

It wasn't long before the army style tent that Choi Hee-jae had set up was visible in the horizon of blue and trees.

"Ahjussi!"

"Something the matter?" Hee-jae got up looking concerned.

"Come and have something to eat. Ahjumma made us a feast."

Choi Hee-jae looked uncomfortable and torn. "So-young was always a decent cook. But I brought my own supplies. No need to trouble her."

"Will that stuff be anything as good as what Ahjumma made?' In-joo looked disdainfully at the vacuum sealed packets of morsels stacked beside his sleeping bag.

"No but…"

"Come on. She put some food aside for you too."

"It's awkward, Daughter-in-law. In 20 years we haven't spoken at all. She probably resents me still."

"There can't be that much resentment if she made your share of breakfast, lunch and dinner. Anyway, you don't have to do much talking. Just eat what's on the table. I'll do the talking. Besides you promised Do-il that you'd take care of me, right? Well, you can't do that if you don't eat properly."

In-joo coaxed and cajoled until the older man finally gave in. The combination of curiosity about his wife and the young woman's persistence wore down Hee-jae's half-hearted resolve. Before he knew what he was doing or where he was going, she had wrapped her arm around his and allowed himself to be marched to the house with no resistance.

The evening meal time was a quiet affair.

Everyone at the table however seemed indifferent to the lack of conversation with only the slushing of soup drinking filling the air. In-joo relished every slurp and every bite of what was on offer believing that she had arrived in paradise at last. Though they kept their thoughts to themselves, her companions were a comfort to her by virtue of being there. Eating alone never held much attraction for In-joo but with both sisters abroad, the apartment that she had dreamed of for so long, grew to be a mix of solitary confinement and self-imposed exile. Love them or hate them, family was everything. Once she thought herself poor but lately she'd been wondering if she wouldn't mind giving up the 25 billion won just to have everyone back at the dinner table breaking bread together in the old dingy place.

In-joo stole a glance at her taciturn companions when the feast had accomplished its magic. It was hard to believe that there was any animosity and resentment between them. No words were exchanged but she felt no hostility between them. Not even tension. It's as if they never separated. The passage of time had not been kind to either but they were like an old married couple who knew their place and were accustomed to one another's idiosyncrasies.

"Thank you for the meal." She broke the silence. "Thank you for letting me stay here."

In-joo was immensely grateful and the bow that followed was heartfelt rather than customary.

Ahn So-young reached for her trusty tablet and began writing on it.

Don't be so formal with us. We're family, aren't we? Feel free to do whatever you like and stay as long as you like. This is your home now too.

In-joo nodded diffidently, quietly appreciative. The mere mention of the word "family" touched something at her core. Tears welled up in her eyes. She took a deep breath and tried desperately to fend off her overwhelming need to burst into a sob.

"Are you okay, In-joo?"

"Yes, of course. The food is… it… just reminds me… It's so good. I… er… I just don't remember the last time… It's been so long since I had a meal with both my parents."

"Where are they?"

"They're in the Philippines. My father's erm…working there. My mother's working there too… picking fruit."

"I'm sure they're thinking of you too."

In-joo wasn't as sure that they were but she smiled and nodded obligingly. Talking about her wayward parents had the desired effect and it stopped her from embarrassing herself in front of her future in-laws.

Both sets of eyes were now on her and she didn't know what to make of it. The look was expectant. Were they both expecting her to make a speech? Or were they trying to be encouraging? She didn't know. It was awkward. It made her nervous. So she offered to wash the dishes and got up to collect them.

Do-il was onto his second glass of whiskey. The inventories were done, shell companies set up, so for being a good little boy he had been given a little downtime in his favourite water hole. The bartender was more chatty than usual and seemed to pay him more attention than was warranted not for lack of customers. The bartender (not a familiar face) besieged him with questions about Greece which sounded more like the Spanish Inquisition than small talk. The music playing in the background wasn't much to his taste and he was craving female companionship of a particular kind. He was thinking about the times when she set next to him or set across the table from him. The place was full of people and he felt lonely.

That would have explained why he seemed like easy pickings.

"Hello good-looking. Want me to buy you a drink?."

A tall slender female with long black hair pulled up beside him on a bar stool. Her hair looked like something out of a shampoo advertisement and her figure-hugging dress seemed to indicate that she was on the hunt.

"No offence, Miss but I'm already spoken for."

"Yet you are here all on your own."

"Force of circumstances. That's why I'm here drowning my sorrows. Alone."

"She left you alone to fend for yourself? What a trusting woman you've got."

"Trusting? She is that." Do-il couldn't deny the truth of what was said.

He was about to order another drink when the woman with the long black hair scribbled on an empty drink coaster and slid it over to him.

"Here's my number just in case you change your mind."

He was about to slide it back when noticed what she'd written.

You're being watched. Message from S. 6 o'clock.

Do-il flipped the coaster over and pushed it back to her. "I don't think my girlfriend would approve of me holding on to the phone numbers of strange women that I come across in bars. Thanks for the offer and it's nothing personal. I like my girlfriend too much."

"She's one lucky girl." The woman with the long black hair then turned her attention to the man on her right to work her charm on him.

Do-il had spotted Soo-im's lackeys the moment they walked in. Not only were they not very good at their jobs, they were on edge the entire time fiddling around with their ear pieces. He didn't mind being surveilled. It came with the territory. The lack of trust was mutual. He was only too aware that from the moment he returned to the country, he was walking a tightrope that could see him dead at any time.

He decided to give up on a third drink and paid the bartender. As he made a beeline for the entrance, a large caucasian man in a gaudy Hawaiian shirt who was already complaining noisily about services not rendered got tired of not taking being taken seriously by the staff started throwing punches around. It would've been comical to stand around and watch except that Do-il managed to get dragged into the scuffle in self-defence. In the chaos someone managed to land a punch right on his chin which sent him staggering backwards and then falling on some unsuspecting bystander who happened to be there at the wrong time and wrong place.

It was a recipe for mayhem. Things were made worse when Go Soo-im's people literally jumped into the fray to protect their charge.

Before the boys in blue finally made their entrance as he was making his exit., Do-il felt a hand slip into his pocket leaving something behind.

She could see nothing but trees ahead of her and yet she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. It was all she could do with the bad men gaining on her making up the distance between. She could hear them talking. Speaking a language she couldn't understand. But they were angry. Very angry that they didn't listen and do what they were told.

Linh, where are you?

No answer came because the question was only in her head. And she was all alone in the dark. She didn't know where she was. Her sister — where was she? They had escaped together from that terrible place. Those people were liars. Nothing they said was true. A job with plenty of money. Money that could help their family.

She remembered the big box on the big boat. They all had to stay inside in the box and be very quiet. It was hot. There was so little air. Some of the people inside got very sick. One girl a bit older died. They threw her into the water.

Running. Still running. If only the running could stop her remembering. Those men using their bodies. The smell, the pain and the feeling of being dirty. Every time afterwards she would cry and long for home. They did what they were told. Where was the money?

She was crying now. Her dirty hands were all she had to wipe away her tears. Scared, hungry and in pain. But running still because she would rather die of no food than go back to that place.

Linh, where are you?

Ahn So-young was staring at sky just as she had done every single evening since Do-il brought her to this place. It's one of the things she missed the most while in prison. The night sky. That day when they both arrived to take possession of the house, she broke down and cried. It was the house her grandparents owned and then their children sold it to divide up the inheritance, what little of it there was.

But her precious son was so thoughtful. He remembered this place and thought of everything. He bought it from the previous owners and rebuilt the place. The vegetable garden was her idea.

She remembered with clarity the day that same son brought her back to the house.

"Mother, there's something I have to do in Seoul. Will you be alright by yourself? I have friends… contacts I can call to check on you regularly."

Yes, of course. What's wrong?

"There's someone who is very important to me. Someone I promised to protect. It won't take long but…"

She had placed her hand on his as if to reassure him that she was fine with everything.

"I have to leave straightaway. I can't reach her and I'm worried that something's happened to her."

Is this someone you love?

Do-il had not answered immediately but he didn't dodge the question.

"Love? What's that? I don't know," he had said with an odd mix of confusion and cynicism. "All I know is that being with her makes me happy and if she's not by my side I can't rest easy. Is that love? I can't say for sure. But she's someone I have to protect with my life."

Go. When things are better, bring her here. I want to meet the woman my son loves.

When Ahn So-young saw her earlier today, she remembered her at once. Oh In-joo had been with her sister, the journalist Oh In-kyung at the visitation room. She never saw her son once during her stint in prison but these two women came looking for her determined to get to the bottom of the truth behind the murder. It seemed to be an act of reckless insanity at the time to go against the Jeongran Society but there was something about Oh In-joo's sincerity that moved her then.

Even now her untainted sincerity was plain to see.

"Ahjumma, it's a beautiful night," Oh In-joo had finished with the dishes and came outside to join her. "Wow. The stars. I can see them so much more clearly out here."

So-young took the younger woman's hand and squeezed it warmly. "It's nice to have company."

"I'm glad. I was afraid that I would be an inconvenience. Besides, you're still recovering." In-joo paused and continued as she gathered her thoughts together.

"I don't want to be a burden. While I am here, I want to be of use to you and Ahjussi. I don't know how long I'm going to be here. Even though I am stupid I want to learn everything I can from you. I'm not a bad cook and I have looked after orchids before. Anything you need, let me know. I have money."

A lot of it.

"You're a good woman."

In-joo shook her head adamantly and looked down. "I'm not. But you are Do-il's family so I want to help… any way I can."

So-young put her hand onto In-joo's cheek and gently caressed it. "Do you love him?"

The unexpected turn in the conversation rendered In-joo momentarily speechless and embarrassed. All she could do was nod slowly and mouth a barely audible "Uh-huh". She was inwardly relieved that no one could see her cheeks turning red.

"That's good."

For some reason In-joo instantly felt guilty.

"You should know, Ahjumma that I was married before. I'm divorced."

"I was a convicted criminal. I served prison time for 20 years."

"But you were innocent."

"It doesn't matter." So-young sounded like she was a million miles away.

We live with our mistakes. We learn from them. But they don't have to define our future.

It had been a while since he saw the inside of the police station and the last time he was in one, he was 11 when his mother was arrested. Do-il had little time for cops who to his mind were either useless or corrupt.

"Look officer, I was just about to leave and minding my own business when that idiot over there started punching anything that moved, like he owned the place. I'm sure he was drunk and lost control. He started it and I blame him for what happened in there."

"Fine. But you'll have to go into lock up until we check the cameras to corroborate your statement."

Do-il made a show of looking exasperated but still allowed himself to be led to one of the station's temporary detention cells. As luck would have it, he was put into the same cell as Hawaiian Shirt who was flat on his back snoring.

Do-il sat himself in the corner of the cell with his back against the bars. As if on cue, Hawaiian Shirt rolled on his side facing the wall.

"That was some punch, S." Do-il seemed to be speaking to no one in particular in English.

"Sorry, had to make it look real. Your faithful watchdogs were hovering around you." Hawaiian Shirt stopped snoring and responded.

"What do you have for me?"

"Not as much I'd like. Our contact over there confirmed that the shipment came from Vietnam. But we know that on this end that it's some local businessman with a lot of political clout."

"C'mon S, this is Korea. Local businessmen with political clout grow on trees here. You have to do better than that."

"That drinking establishment that we were at before? It's one of his."

"I kind of guessed that. The bartender was a give away."

"The couriers showed up in night clubs, karaoke bars, hostess bars a couple of high end restaurants, fried chicken places and even at cafes. The most interesting part was they all came out of a motel near the Vietnamese embassy. "

Do-il could hear footsteps approaching.

"Cops are coming. I need a full list."

"He's a friend. See you, K. Good luck." Hawaiian Shirt went back to snoring.

Just then the detective who had interrogated him arrived to open the cell door.

"Choi Do-il, your lawyer is here to get you out."

Notes:

Thank you for your interest and compliments. Nothing warms the heart of a fanfic writer than to be told that the story feels like a seamless transition from canon. I will take a few liberties of course but this fic is ultimately a celebration of my favourite character in Little Women who was undersold/ underserved in the finale.

Chapter 3

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Part 3

"The greatest evils in the world will not be carried out by men with guns, but by men in suits sitting behind desks." - C.S. Lewis

They… whoever they were… upgraded his accommodation. Quite considerably as a matter of fact. It wasn't exactly the Hilton but it was definitely a couple of notches up from the grimy office on the outskirts. At least he would be sleeping on a bed. With clean sheets and a pillow. The carpet though heavily deodorised with a sickeningly sweet fragrance was preferable to dust particles permeating the air. He must have passed the test… with flying colours, no doubt. Do-il surmised. Or they… whoever they were… had a perverse appetite for playing mind games with those in their employ. They sent along a complimentary corporate lawyer from one of the country's top firms as proof of their clout and reach. Much more importantly, this was that motel. The one S happened to mention during their brief exchange. The one that's within walking distance of the Vietnamese embassy.

It was a windowless room. Seems like no one was taking chances.

After he put away what little luggage he had into the built-in wardrobe, he scrutinised his surroundings in greater detail for any sign of surveillance devices. If he was being bugged, he had to know so that he could make the effort of pretending not to know. Or better still, make it work to his advantage. A half hour exploration in all the usual nooks and crannies yielded nothing. Evidently his new paymasters weren't the least bit worried about him making mischief here. Who can blame them? This was their territory after all, populated with their loyal foot soldiers from top to bottom. He observed cameras strategically positioned in all the right places ensuring a Big Brother-like presence lest anyone indulge in unapproved ideas within these four walls.

The only piece of artwork in the interior was nothing to write home about. There wasn't anything decorative about it. Was it right side up? Who cared? One of those modern abstract paintings that looked like a pale imitation of better pieces he'd seen in one of the larger European galleries. He took it down from its pride of place above the bed to check for hidden cameras or listening devices. And promptly hung it back on the wall. Nothing to see there. He checked the dressers, the lamp, telephone, night lamp and drawers and the bathroom running his hands along the surfaces — top and bottom — for anything vaguely resembling a bug. Again, nothing.

He did a complete sweep of the place. Not a peep. His search was done. There was nothing else to do so he automatically fell onto the bed.

Do-il yawned. Regardless of the improved decor he was still under house arrest. The day hadn't exactly gone as planned but Do-il was adapting quickly to his new circumstances. His paymaster was insistent in showing hospitality and it would be remiss of him, Choi Do-il, not to oblige.

Jang Ji-hyeok rolled over onto his side to reach for his phone. A part of him regretted leaving it in the bedside drawer and not powering it off. It was too early in the morning to get calls but this was an occupational hazard. Which explained why he was living alone. He wasn't paid enough to get calls at 4 in the morning but Ji-hyeok was not one to be driven by filthy lucre apparently. He had only gone to bed 2-3 hours earlier. The party had gone on for too long even if he barely touched the alcohol on offer. So naturally he was the designated driver. He wasn't one for parties but this one was for the chief who was retiring in a week. So the obligation to attend was compelling. While the man wasn't entirely trustworthy he could be handy in a pinch if you knew which buttons to press. More often than not he came through.

In a semi-state of consciousness Ji-hyeok picked up the phone, expecting the worst but was equally tempted to hang up immediately.

What's the point? They'll probably just keep ringing.

"This had better be important. Otherwise I'm quitting."

The voice on the other end protested with some energy. "Hyeong, what are you complaining about? At least you got some sleep."

"What is it?"

"A body." Ji-hyeok became alert immediately. "The body of a girl to be exact."

"Where?"

"Around the same area as last time."

"Who found her?"

"Some bird watchers."

"Come and get me."

"Be there in 10."

Ji-hyeok staggered to the bathroom, half awake. Stuck his head under the shower and turned the tap full blast on cold. He had to be wide awake for this. Fully awake. This was the third body in the past few months to show up.

After a good minute's soak, Ji-hyeok turned the tap off. He reached for the only towel hanging on the rack and vigorously dried off as much of the moisture as he could with it. He ripped off his semi-wet shirt and considered himself lucky to find a clean one hanging in his wardrobe. He had no idea whether he'd have any time to do his laundry soon. In fact he couldn't remember the last time he did any housework. As he walked past the kitchen, it was reeking of weeks old rubbish. Strange he didn't notice it last night when he strolled past. Too tired maybe. With the greatest of haste he threw as much of it into two large waste bags as he could. Apparently one person could accumulate that much waste. Even when he was barely home.

He would take the bags down to the collection area on his way out.

Another girl. Far from home. Dead. Who's bringing them into the country?

Her stomach growled again. It was the fourth time in a minute. Not that she was counting. She swallowed her saliva. She was desperately wanting food. She had gone without food for two days now. Even the cockroach she saw scuttling across the back alley was beginning to look tasty.

Food was what she needed. There was food everywhere in the shops she had walked past but no money to buy any.

When she was hiding among the trees she thought that not dying was the most important thing. But now that she seemed to have slipped away from the bad men and that sad place, not dying didn't seem all that great when there was no food.

She was hiding behind the rubbish bin. Waiting for someone to come and fill it. These eating places always had leftovers. People couldn't finish their food and nobody wanted it. Nobody but her. She didn't mind leftovers. So she waited.

And waited. Soon it got dark again. And very quiet.

The kitchen was closing up. Someone came out with one, two, three, four bags and dropped them in the very large bin in the narrow back alley.

When they left, her hands weak from hunger barely managed to rip the first bag open. She dipped her hands into the bag and grabbed whatever she could get with her small hand. Then she put what felt like rice into her mouth and chewed slowly at first. She put her hand back in the bag and felt something soft and still warm. She picked it up and looked at it. It looked edible. Into her mouth it went. She chewed again and chewed again. Tears streamed down her cheeks. When there was no more to chew. She put her hand back into the bag.

Soon the growling stopped.

It was a kingly feast for a hungry girl who hadn't eaten for two days. It was better than anything they were given in that sad place.

"Here's a new phone. Do-il got rid of your old one. Don't call anyone unless it's an emergency."

"What about calling my sisters?"

"Not unless you really have to. Best not to give away our location for as long as possible"

"But they'll be wondering…"

"Do-il said that he will take care of that."

In-joo was grateful but up to a point. Do-il was thoughtful but it was annoying too, having to follow someone else's instructions and being kept in the dark about anything of significance. Of course she understood the importance of discretion. But how long did she have to stay still? She was missing everyone. Mostly she was missing him.

Hee-jae sensed the young woman's frustration. All of this was new to her. Restrictions on her movements couldn't be easy. Comforting people wasn't Hee-jae's forte but for her he would make the effort. They were now virtually living under the same roof and he was aware that So-young was relishing having her around.

"I know it's hard but bear with it. I don't think it will be too long."

"How long is that?"

Hee-jae didn't answer right away because he realised in time that In-joo deserved better than a glib platitude. Especially coming from him. He looked intently at her and a flicker of recognition lit up his eyes.

"I think I'm beginning to understand what So-young and Do-il went through when I was in the army."

In-joo wondered where he was going with this. He must have realised that because he went on to say,

"I see it in your eyes too. That same look. Anxiety, disappointment and hope."

In-joo suddenly looked dejected. "Am I always this transparent?"

"It's not always a bad thing."

"Sometimes it is. I don't want anyone to worry about me. Not you, Ahjussi. Not Do-il."

"It is natural for people who care about each other to be concerned."

"I know. But still…"

"It is hard being the one who is waiting and wondering at home. But believe me when I say that the one who is away from home is waiting and wondering too." He paused momentarily before saying, "I speak from experience."

In-joo frowned briefly and then broke into a smile. "I'm sure you do."

"It must boring for you. Being here with no one else for miles."

"It's not that," was the quick response. "I've been thinking Ahjussi."

He stared at her wondering if he should be worried, wondering what harebrained scheme she was cooking up this time.

"About what I should do while I'm here."

His shoulders relaxed on hearing that. At least whatever the scheme was, it didn't include going back to Seoul right this moment.

"Are there any nurseries around here?"

"We passed by a few on the way here. But it would be a couple of hours drive from here. Why?"

"I'm thinking of growing flowers."

"Okay." Interesting. Not what I was expecting at all. "Do you have any experience?"

"Some. I used to care for orchids when I was working for Wonryeong."

"Sounds like you're planning to be here for a while."

In-joo was looking thoughtful. "Who knows? I just might."

There was really nothing much to see. It'd been were partial footprints but he couldn't imagine how useful that would be considering that this was a popular birdwatching hangout. Dozens upon dozens of feet trampling all over the sand-mud flats. The area in question was a dumping ground not the crime scene which had to be elsewhere. Where was "elsewhere? That was the billion won question. The answer would crack this case wide open. But the dumping ground had to be a clue. It seemed to hold some significance for the perpetrator. Distance? Convenience? An old stomping ground? Something a little more personal? Ji-hyeok was doubtful about the last question. These girls were just a commodity. Fresh meat for someone willing to pay the price.

"Anything Doc?"

"Same as the last two. Teenage girl age between 14-18. Dead for several hours at least. Foreign national. Taking her prints now but I don't expect her to pop up in the system. Like last time. She was chronically malnourished. Bruising around the neck and arms.

"Any sign of sexual assault too?"

"I can only be sure after the autopsy. But most likely, judging from the bruising in the thigh area."

"What sort of sick scumbag does this?"

"You're the detective, Jang Ji-hyeok. You tell me."

The detective fell into a contemplative trance. He surveyed his surroundings while observing his colleagues interviewing witnesses and sighed.

"Sometimes I really hate this job. Especially when kids are involved. A girl this young should be at school, hanging out with friends. Enjoying life and even falling in love for the first time."

"Sick scumbags are why people like you are needed to do this job. So that other girls can hang out safely with friends and even fall in love."

Brunch was good. The local hot pot place, of easy distance from the motel, served up some decent pork rib potato stew accompanied by a small side of kimchi, potato salad and fishcake. His hunger pangs were satisfied. Do-il downed the last spoonful of soup cheerfully and got up. He made his way to the cashier's counter and handed the appropriate amount of cash over to the proprietor who only stared indifferently and made no effort at being sociable.

He had woken up a good hour ago wondering initially where he was. But before long he had showered and changed before heading out. The lobby was quiet and the front desk was manned by an unprepossessing slender young man with shifty eyes who couldn't have been more than thirty. His companion was a heavy-built presence who would have been right at home at the front of the queue of a popular nightclub. Not the most welcoming sight for weary travellers. This however was not that kind of establishment. Weary travellers in search of a friendly face would be better off elsewhere. As he left Do-il had made a mental note that no one tried to accost him as he breezily sauntered out the entrance.

Do-il was only too aware that he was being watched from the moment he left his room His paymasters were keen to maintain some illusion that he had some modicum of freedom. He had none. He was on someone else's turf and while he wasn't assigned his own guard dogs, he wasn't allowed to forget his place. Everywhere he went eyes were boring down on him. Reminding him that he was an outsider — a figure of suspicion.

Some several hundred metres up from the hot pot restaurant, Do-il noticed a men's clothing shop and pushed the door to enter. It was an anomaly in a sea of eateries, bakeries, drink places and grocers. The selection of clothing, mostly high end, was limited with an odd mix of casual and formal pieces as if he was privy to someone else's private wardrobe. Someone with a very specific set of demands. He turned to exit and heard a polite cough. He turned round to look. The manager, on the other hand, was staring at him expectantly. It was the first smile Do-il had seen in two days. But it gave him little encouragement. He was eager to make a sale. Too eager. There was something about his eyes that looked unnatural.

"I've been expecting you."

Do-il's curiosity was piqued. He wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. Still nothing ventured, nothing gained. So he played along.

"I left home in a hurry so I'm looking for something to wear…"

"I have just the thing for you."

Do-il glanced at the rack behind the manager. It was a swanky three piece suit. A tux. Not exactly what he had in mind when he was thinking of expanding his wardrobe.

"I have no occasion to be wearing something like this."

"Trust me, Mr Choi. You will need it." The shop manager was very insistent. There was an unholy glint in his eye. "In a day or two."

I wonder how many of these shopfronts are theirs. The entire street? Several blocks in this area?

Do-il would not discount the possibility. From the financial records that were accessible to him, the operation was a large one. This was a precursor to an invitation. One that he couldn't refuse. Not that he was going to either. Since he was already inside the whale, he may as well make it all the way into the belly.

"I'll take it."

"You won't regret it." The shop manager declared with a certainty that made Do-il a little uneasy. "Please sign here, sir. We will deliver it to your motel room."

This new puppet master seems to have taken a leaf out of Won Sang-a's stage managing playbook. Is someone really trying to resurrect the Jeongran Society?

In-joo was brimming with excitement. Like a child who has been let loose in a sweet shop with a blank cheque, she embraced her latest project with a glee that astonished Hee-jae whose entire arsenal had to be put away to indulge her whim. Every kind of orchid that she could lay her hands on, she nabbed for this new greenhouse she was building. Considering recent events all that seemed a little macabre even for an army veteran like him.

"Aren't you leery of orchids?"

"No. Why? Should I be?"

"You're tougher than I thought. After all that drama with Won Sang-a and Park Jae-sang, the ghost orchid and Jeongran Society, I didn't think you'd want to be this close to another orchid ever again."

"But these are different. These are native species of orchids — cymbidium, phalaenopsis, oncidium, and dendrobium. There's nothing inherently dangerous about these. Besides it's not the only type of flower I'm planning on growing."

Listening to her prattle enthusiastically about the subject all the way to the car Hee-jae was astonished at the breadth of her knowledge.

"The cymbidium goeringii or the noble orchid which is a fragrant evergreen can be used as a herbal remedy. Varieties can also be found in India, Bhutan, China and Japan. The Japanese even use it as a tea flavouring because of its strong musky flavour."

"You seem to know a lot about orchids."

"When Hwa-young went to Singapore she left me instructions on how to care for Wonryeong's exotic orchids in the orchid room. Because of that I became interested in other kinds of orchids and went searching for more information about native species. Of course at the time I was too poor and didn't really have time to do anything."

"Is it okay to spend all your money like this? You don't know how long you'll be there."

"Money is not a problem and I can tell you what to do, Ahjussi."

"Me? Why me?" Hee-jae seemed taken aback.

"I'll be going to Europe with Do-il for a short time. I want to see my sister In-hye. But we will be back. When I'm not here, I'm counting on you to look after my flowers and Ahjumma."

Immediately Hee-jae's gaze fell to the ground. He rubbed his feet against the cement. He had nothing to say in response. Nothing positive at least.

"Is something wrong? Am I being too presumptuous?"

"I agree that you should both leave this country. But you should never come back. Anywhere but here. As for So-young… I can't promise anything."

"I don't think Do-il will want to be far away from his mother for too long."

"Then take her with you."

"I don't know her as well as the two of you but it seems to me that she loves being in this place."

It was an undeniable fact. Hee-jae knew that better than anyone.

In-joo moved closer and put an arm around Hee-jae. "You don't need to feel guilty anymore. Ahjumma doesn't blame your for what happened to you in the past. "

"But I blame myself. I wasn't there for her…"

"You are now. For her, for Do-il and for me."

In-joo thought she saw Ahjussi's eyes turn slightly reddish and moist. She changed tack.

"People think that just because you're grown up and you can pay your way through life that you don't need your parents. At a time when my sisters and I needed our parents the most, they weren't there. They were off in some foreign country paying my father's gambling debts. He's never been good with money and his addiction to gambling… it made us poor.

"The worst thing about having no money is not having no money. It's the fact that people shame you for it as if it is your fault somehow even when you try your best and work hard. They make you feel ashamed of your family. They use it to control you because you seem so desperate. Won Sang-a said she chose me because as a poor woman I was easy to control."

"No need to take the ramblings of a crazy woman seriously."

"I don't now. But Won Sang-a sure knew how to push my buttons. She believed that as a poor person I had no right to be hopeful. Sometimes I think she thought of herself as a queen."

"That family thought they were above everyone. All that money and power made them crazy."

"What I want to say, Ahjussi, is that you're lucky. Despite everything your family's back together."

"Not exactly."

"You have a second chance. Not everybody does."

Choi Hee-jae was not someone to talk about his feelings so he didn't. What could he say? In all probability she was right. But he felt uncertain and… undeserving. His past was checkered riddled with too many mistakes.

She went on. "A part of me would like to give my father another chance but I don't remember the last time I had a conversation like this with him. Honestly, I don't know how I feel about him right now."

"No one brings children into the world with the intention of messing them up."

"I know. But it's still tough on the kids when they do."

Jang Ji-hyeok closed the autopsy report and sighed. He looked up and was about to say something when he stopped himself in time. His partner and equally overworked team mate from Regional Investigation Unit for Organised Crimes, Lee Man-sik was barely able to keep his eyes open. He hadn't slept the entire night.

Folder in hand, Ji-hyeok whacked his colleague over the head with it. "Go home and get some sleep. There's nothing we can do about this right now."

"You sure?" The other man said sleepily.

"Go home. Your wife must be wondering whether you've got another woman on the side."

"Nah. She knows I'm married to this job… and to you." Man-sik picked up his jacket that was hanging over the back of his chair and slipped it on right arm first then left. "Sure you don't need me to stay around and hold your hand? The chief won't be too happy. Especially when he's this close to retiring. The commissioner's been on his case to get this solved ASAP before it becomes a public relations nightmare."

"I was doing this before you graduated from high school."

"Which was when? Last century?"

"Not that tired, are you? Go before I change my mind."

Ji-hyeok watched as Man-sik scurried out of sight and out of the office.

At least he has a wife to go home to.

Ji-hyeok used to have one. A wife, that is but she didn't like the long hours. The ones he was putting in. She got lonely. Met some other guy and left. It was as simple as that. He didn't like it but he couldn't blame her. She thought she liked the idea of marrying a cop but it turned out she didn't.

The autopsy report confirmed everything the medical examiner had said on site earlier. He had already come to the inevitable conclusion — these girls were trafficked. By persons unknown. From an unknown location somewhere in Southeast Asia. They were brought to this country as sex slaves. But where were they being housed?

That was all he had to work with. For now.

To take his mind off the unpleasantness and the lingering fatigue, he picked up the tv remote and hit the power button. Whatever's on the news couldn't be worse.

Today presidential candidate Assemblyman Park Byung-jun was out on the campaign trail with his sons Park Jung-ho and Park Jung-bin. He was about meeting his constituents in the electorate of M. where he's hugely popular for being a strong advocate of redevelopment, anti-pollution legislation and for spearheading the building of two well-regarded women's shelter for victims of domestic abuse. His sons both successful technology giants of this country, are throwing their weight and resources behind their father's candidacy. After the most recent polling, Assemblyman Park appears to be the front runner.

Ji-hyeok had some vague memory of meeting Park Byung-jun. Or was it one of his sons? All three looked familiar.

"Do you remember that big drug bust we were a part of about three years ago?" A voice from nowhere sprung up from behind him. "The one in South Chungcheong."

It was Team Leader Cho who had just arrived from a meeting with the chief.

"No way anyone could forget that. The loot was worth about 20 billion won."

"There were rumours flying around at the time that the youngest one Park Jung-bin was somehow involved in the syndicate. But they never found anything to substantiate that claim."

"No wonder they look familiar."

"It could have just been rumour. Park Byung-jun has a reputation of being squeaky clean. It's a badge of honour that even though he's been investigated twice in the last ten years, they've found nothing. He even boasted last year when he announced his candidacy that he doesn't need to take bribes because his campaign is funded by his loyal constituents and his kids."

"Doesn't mean he's clean though. Could be that he's good at hiding his tracks."

"Never thought you were such a cynical fellow." Team Leader Cho grinned.

"I've been doing this crap for 15 years and there's an immutable constant in this job — there's seldom smoke without fire."

"Would be nice if there's at least one politician that's clean. For a change."

"Keeping dreaming."

When Do-il left the clothing shop, he surveyed the busy street before taking a leisurely stroll around the area. The odd encounter confirmed in his own mind that he needed to be far more strategic than he had been. He had an inkling what he was stepping into. He had gone into this with his eyes wide opened. It occurred to him too that this was a well-organised outfit that he was dealing with. The enemy knew him better than he knew them and that obviously had him at a disadvantage.

From where he was standing he spotted what he thought looked like a fairly nondescript jewellery store across the street. He strode towards it intentionally. With the full knowledge that he was being watched, he decided that donning the mask of the bored tourist could work in his favour. He could kill two birds with a stone.

Like the men's clothing store, this establishment too was noticeable for their lack of patronage. It may have been too early in the day but the sales assistant didn't seem especially interested in any potential sales he could be offering. She shot him a bored look and promptly went back to the fashion magazine that was holding her attention. To her he was an intruder, not a customer. He scanned the glass cases with the eye of the expert and approved. Someone had good taste and the pieces were of good quality. Some seemed rather more expensive than a small shop would normally be carrying. Which begged an important question —what kind of customer were they catering to?

It wasn't the first time he was buying jewellery for her but Do-il was nervous. Unusually so. Especially now that a type of ring that had been foremost in his thinking caught his eye. He took a deep breath. It was a big step. He'd thought a lot about what his next move would be while gallivanting around Europe and basking under the Grecian sun. He missed her every single day he was alone. It was an exercise in futility pretending that it was only a flirtation. It had been more than that even before he realised it. She had become a habit and happiness. He knew it, she sensed it. But the money and the villains got in the way.

The diamond sparkled under the lights and seemed to call out to him. So he answered it as his hand dove into the inside pocket of his navy blue jacket.

She liked the look of the young woman who came out of the restaurant with the older man. She stood there and watched them. They were talking and the woman was smiling. The young woman made her think about her oldest sister back home. Was the older man her father? She wondered. She missed her father. She'd been thinking a lot about him. He died a while ago. He had been very sick for a long time before he died.

She followed the young woman and the older man as they headed towards their vehicle. The young woman stopped. She remembered something. She said something to the man and then ran into the supermarket. Some moments later she came out of the supermarket with two big bags. She handed one bag to the man and dug hand into the other. An an instant, she pulled out an ice cream block. Ripped it open and started licking it.

It looked good. She wanted some too so she stood there entranced and watched. There was nothing like this at the sad place. There was never anything good to eat in that sad place. Soon the young woman saw her staring and walked up to her.

She wanted to run away but her curiosity and craving for the ice block got the better of her. The young woman smiled. She stuck her hand into the bag and pulled out another one — pink and green — to give to her. The young woman said some words that she didn't understand but it seemed like she was giving it to her. Without a second thought she snatched it and ran away as fast as she could.

She found a place where no one could see her and sat down. She did what the young woman and tore off the paper. Then she opened her mouth and sank her teeth into it. She couldn't remember the last time she had ice cream that was this good.

It was after midday and Do-il didn't expect to see many users at the internet cafe. There were a few youngsters hanging around looking intently at their screens. They were most likely playing truant. He made a note of where the cameras were located before requesting his preferred seating. The weedy bespectacled lad that was in charge was eager to comply and take his money. All this meant that he would be watched regardless of which computer he was using. This hardly came as a surprise. He wouldn't be given access to computers unless they had some capacity to track his activities.

He was allocated a number and was directed accordingly. Do-il sat down and picked up the ear phones. He logged in and read the latest in local news. The presidential election was a month away and the front page contained a feature article about the main candidates. This was followed by shocking overnight report about a crowd crush in Itaewon. 150 dead. Next was an item about a small demonstration outside K Tech Global by former disgruntled employees who were retrenched but not properly compensated. As he scrolled down the pages he caught sight of a small article about the body of an unidentified girl found in the Seocheon wetlands. His curiosity was further aroused as he noted her status as a foreign national. Not much else was known. When he was done reading the news he turned his attention to the latest in stocks and share prices.

Do-il stretched out his arms before taking a sip from his drink. He looked at the time on his watch. He cracked his knuckles before logging into an international gaming portal.

Hey K-Man. Long time no see. Thought you'd forgotten about us.

No way. I've been busy taking care of personal things. How are things at your end?

Pretty good. Scored a hot date last night.

Hot date? He's messing with you. The only hot date he has is with a bowl of instant soup.

Speak for yourself.

Hey Dragonboat. What's going down in your neighbourhood?

Not much. Been a bit quiet.

Are you gents ready for me to kick some major butt?

You're the one who's going to get trashed, Beaver.

I really miss you guys. Things are rather dull around here.

You won't once I'm done with you.

Oooh… I like it when you talk trash.

I'm up for a challenge.

Don't get ahead of yourselves gentleman. When I unleash my troops you'll be begging for mercy.

Notes:

Life's been a little busy around here. It's a veritable juggling act of work, family commitments and obligations to community. Thanks for hanging on.

Chapter 4

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Part 4

"There are more things in heaven and on earth, Horatio, than are dreamt in your philosophy" — Hamlet, William Shakespeare.

Two days later…

"Any more updates on Choi Do-il?"

"There's nothing to report sir."

"Nothing? I find that difficult to believe."

"The situation is this. It's obvious he knows he's being watched. He keeps his routine simple. He wakes up. He leaves the motel. He has his first meal somewhere nearby. He walks for five or six blocks in the area, occasionally does some shopping and then goes into one of our internet cafe where he spends several hours there. Then he leaves to have dinner close by. After that he returns to his motel room and presumably goes to sleep."

"What does he do at the internet cafe?"

"Reads the news. Keeps an eye on the share prices. Does a bit of trading. Plays games. Chats to gaming friends online."

"Who does he talk to? Where are these friends located?"

"We've tracked their IPs to Holland, Russia, Australia and Croatia."

"Any possibility of them being fake?"

"Anything's possible sir. These days when anyone can set themselves up with multiple VPNs."

"See if you can find out who the IPs belong to. See if any of those IPs belong to VPN companies. Has he talked to anyone or met anyone these past few days?"

"No one face to face."

"It's curious. But so far he does live up to his reputation. And the distinction of being a graduate from Wharton Business School."

"Do you know him, sir?"

"Not personally. Although we did meet once."

"Maybe he knows how to keep his mouth shut."

"He didn't during Oh In-joo's trial."

"That's because she's his girlfriend. He was protecting her. A lot has changed since then. Now he has to stay under the radar to protect her."

"I certainly hope you're right although something tells me it's not that simple. Men like Choi Do-il are seldom simple. His history with the Jeongran Society is a cautionary tale. Whatever limitations Go Soo-im might have, she does have reason to be suspicious of him. We should never underestimate him."

"I can't talk long. My tracking jammer only works for a limited time. Just checking in and making sure everything is fine with you and Hyo-rin."

Elsewhere somewhere further away in his motel room, Choi Do-il was doing his due diligence blissfully unaware he was the subject of a serious conversation about motives. He was preoccupied with more pressing… family matters.

"Brother-in-law. We've been expecting your call." In-hye was looking well. Hyo-rin in the background was waving.

"Sorry to be out of contact for so long. How's school?"

"It's fine. We understand. School's great. Is In-joo eonni okay? Have you seen her? She hasn't posted anything on the family chat for so long."

"It's one of the reasons why I'm calling you. She's fine. But she can't talk. I saw her a few days ago. My contact tells me she's doing well."

"That's good." In-hye noticed the painting behind Do-il and became curious. "Where are you at the moment, Brother-in-law?"

"In a motel in Seoul. Why?"

"I thought you might have been hanging out in in an art gallery or an art shop."

"Me?"

In-hye was shifting her head from side to side to have a better look at the object behind him. Do-il turned to see where her line of sight landed. It was the painting. The lacklustre object. He gestured with his thumb.

"You mean that ugly thing?"

"That ugly thing, Brother-in-law, looks like a Picasso."

"Really? In this dump?"

"Yeah, let me check. Probably not the real thing. Most likely a print."

In-hye turned to look at her phone and her fingers flew all over the screen doing a quick search.

"I'm right, it is a Picasso. Le pigeon aux petit pois. Pigeon with peas. Or Dove with Green Peas in English."

"That can't possibly be the real thing, right? It's got to be a fake. The real thing must be in an art gallery or in someone's private collection."

"Actually the real thing was stolen from the Paris Museum of Modern Art in May 2020 along with 4 other pieces. That's why I remembered it."

"You're joking."

"Just Google it. The burglar was caught, claimed he destroyed them so the artworks were never recovered."

"I'll take your word for it." A thought struck Do-il. "Can you tell if this is legit or not?"

"I'm no expert, and it's impossible to tell over the webcam."

"Did you say that the pigeon painting was stolen with 4 other paintings?"

"Yes. I can look them up for you."

"No, it's fine. I can do it myself. To be on the safe side we should hang up now."

"Okay. See you. Take care. Take care of eonni too. Tell her I miss her. I hope to see you both soon. In person."

Do-il took the painting from the wall and placed it on the bed. He ran his hands over the edges. He stared at it for the longest about it until he ran out of ideas. He shook his head in disbelief. Surely not? Isn't it too much of a risk? Still, if true, the present owner of this stolen artwork smacked of a certain kind of arrogance and audacity. Hiding a lost Picasso in plain sight.

Laundering money through art work was not unheard of.

How the hell was he going to confirm his suspicions one way or the other?

She was excited. She recognised the truck and the number plate. She was always good with numbers. Everyone said so. The kind young woman who gave her the ice cream was back in the town shopping. It was good news. More ice cream. Not other people's leftovers. They were better than nothing. They kept her alive.

But the kind young woman didn't go to the shop to buy ice cream. She and the older man were buying big bags of something else. Rice maybe. Flour possibly. Were they going to make lots of tasty things? Her stomach growled. She shivered. The nights were getting colder. Her clothes were barely keeping her warm. The place she was sleeping was not keeping her warm. It was getting harder to sleep at night. She was homesick. She thought of her family every day. She was having bad dreams about the other girls. Bad dreams about the bad men chasing her. She was thinking of Linh. Hopeful sometimes. Scared sometimes. It was lonely without Linh. There was no one to talk to. No one to keep her company in this strange, unfamiliar place.

The truck. She saw them come and go from the truck. She stared hard at the truck. The doors were opened. No one was around at that moment. She had an idea. The kind young woman looked like her oldest sister back home. Her face was the kind that said that she could be trusted. The kind young woman looked like she would help anyone. If she was wrong it could be dangerous. But she was feeling tired and desperate. Something inside told her that the risk was worth it.

It was now or never.

She took a deep breath. Looked to her left and then her right. There was nothing to stop her. So she climbed into the truck.

When they arrived back at the house, Hee-jae got off and promptly began unloading the truck. In-joo had gone inside the house with a couple of smaller bags of food. While he was doing that he noticed a foul odour emanating from the storage area. He wasn't quite sure what it was at first. Rotting food? Animal droppings? Urea? Several-days-old rubbish? Then a sour smell hit him between the eyes. Vomit? Why would there be vomit in the truck? That wasn't possible. Maybe it was some dead animal that got in accidentally. But he hadn't heard any kind of movement. He went to his glove compartment and grabbed his flashlight. Then flung both doors wide open. With one hand he swung into the truck to investigate. The smell was definitely coming from the back of the truck. And it was becoming more obvious that someone had given up what they had for lunch.

Hee-jae was stunned to find that hidden behind a stack of boxes was a small human being sleeping in his truck. A girl child from the looks of things. Very thin, very dirty and emaciated.

"Daughter-in-law!" He started yelling. "In-joo!"

"Coming! What's wrong Ahjussi?"

All the shouting woke the girl up. She recoiled instantly and slid back towards the wall. She had terrified look on her face. The flashlight shining on her face did nothing to calm her down.

"Who is she?"

"How would I know?"

"Wait a minute. Why does she look familiar?"

"She must have got on at the township when we weren't looking."

In-joo motioned to Hee-jae to help her up into the truck. She crouched down and moved slowly towards the child.

"Her parents must be worried," In-joo surmised.

"Does she look like she has parents?"

"Don't be afraid. We won't hurt you." In-joo spoke in her most gentle voice.

There was no verbal response but the child appeared to relax a little.

"Where are you from?"

No response.

"Where's your mum or dad?"

Again, nothing. All they got in reply was a blank stare.

"I don't think she understands Korean," Hee-jae helpfully suggested.

In-joo tried the little bit of English she knew while pointing to herself. "What's your name? I am In-joo."

The girl said nothing but this time she got up and threw herself at In-joo. Only then did she mutter something in a language that In-joo didn't understand. She burst into tears.

In-joo was bewildered. The actions of this girl — not as little as she had thought — was baffling.

"She's calling you older sister. She's happy to see you."

"You know what she's saying?"

"I think so."

Hee-jae then said a few words to the girl. He looked as if he was asking her a question.

She didn't respond at first. Just staring at him with a surprised look on her face.

Then Hee-jae took out a sweet from his jacket pocket and gave it to In-joo, who understood his intentions. He repeated his question whlle In-joo offered her the sweet.

The girl responded excitedly. She was clinging on to In-joo as if her life depended on it.

"It's what I thought. Her name is Thanh. She's from Vietnam."

"You speak Vietnamese?"

"Just enough to get by during my time there. But I'm really rusty."

"What's she doing here?"

"Judging from the way she looks I think I know the answer to that question even without asking her."

"She's finally fallen asleep. Poor thing. I can't imagine what she's been through all this time."

Their young interloper had to be coaxed out of the truck but she held onto In-joo's arm as tightly as she could. She was especially afraid of Hee-jae and steered as clear of him as much possible. She eyed him with suspicion and fear every step of the way. Who could blame her, after all that she's been through.

Offers of food and drink were lapped up and she devoured everything ravenously. Later In-joo filled a basin full of warm water and soaked a small face towel in it. She took it out and squeezed the water out of it before gently wiping Thanh's grubby face covered in a mixture of mud and dust.

"She seems to have attached herself to you."

"The poor thing must have been so lonely. Did you say she mentioned a sister?"

"Yes."

"What are we going to do, Ahjussi? With her, I mean. If what you say is right…"

"Someone's looking for her. And they might find their way here. So much for a safe house."

"I'm not afraid for myself, Ahjussi. But I'm worried about Thanh and Ahjumma."

"I've been thinking about that." Hee-jae looked grim.

"Is there someone we can call? Should we call the police?"

"Personally I don't trust the police. But I have an old buddy who served with me in Iraq. He became a cop after he came back. He's retired now of course. He's a good guy. I'll call him. He might have some ideas."

When Hee-jae walked off to make the call, In-joo heaved a sigh of relief. She was thankful that there was someone around to do all the thinking. She had been anxious, on the verge of panicking, her head filled with the worst case scenario. But she felt nothing but pity for the teenage girl that hitched a ride in their truck. It wasn't her fault. She was far from home. Judging from her marked body she had been systematically abused. Scars, bruising. Newly formed scabs. No wonder she was leery of Ahjussi.

Suddenly In-joo felt helpless. And angry. She knew that hiding indefinitely wasn't the way to go. She was tempted. The way the girl Thanh was looking at her broke her heart. It wasn't something she could take lightly. It felt like she was pleading for help. What help could she, Oh In-joo give to a girl who had fallen into the clutches of unconscionable miscreants? She herself had been in such a position before so she had some notion. But for a child to endure such horrors… the comparisons fell short. Death would be too good for such people who would hurt the vulnerable. A chill went up her spine. Won Sang-a had been one kind of evil. This was another.

Inevitably her thoughts went to him. If only he were here. He would have a plan all worked out already. Where was he? What was he doing? How was he? Was he even alive? He'd better be. He left her with Ahjussi for good reasons but even he couldn't have predicted this.

An encounter that would change the course of even the best laid plans of mice and men.

When Do-il returned from his daily excursion to the internet cafe and evening meal, he found an envelop on the floor of his room. He picked it up, opened it and wasn't disappointed to find an invitation to the black tie event that was preempted days earlier. It was all very mysterious. And ridiculous. Over-the-top, in fact. He threw the invitation onto the dresser dismissively. He was inclined not to go. But really, did he have a choice? Probably not. He had a mission to complete. It was his idea to begin with. In fact he volunteered for it. This was an opportunity to get up close and personal. Meet the one behind the scenes. The puppet master. Whoever he or she happened to be. For him the shipment was of the utmost importance. The reason why he was wasting his time trying to ingratiate himself with these people. Finding out the number of the container would be mighty helpful. Otherwise it would be a case of looking for a needle in the haystack.

Do-il collapsed onto the bed. He massaged his forehead with his thumb and finger. Admittedly he was somewhat uneasy. The shipment was certainly due within a day or two. Shouldn't they be prepping for that? So why the black tie event now? From what he knew, they lost a substantial number of personnel previously. What were they celebrating? What were they trying to pull? He never liked not knowing where he stood with anyone. They had left him alone too long. Even if it was all a test.

His phone vibrated in his trouser pocket. He pulled it out and noticed it was the old man on the other end of the line. His first impulse was to ignore it. But then it struck him that this could be an emergency call. So he answered it sounding far more worried than he'd normally be with the old man.

"Why, is something wrong? Is Mother alright? Has something happened to In-joo?"

"It's nothing like that. They're both fine. For now."

"What do you mean "for now"?

"We may be heading for Seoul."

"I told you…"

"I know what you told me. But something's come up."

"It had better be important."

"Trust me. It is."

Detective Jang was in the place he least expected to be. At home. Lying on the sofa. Listening to the noise coming out of the idiot box. He was ordered to take a day off and occasionally he did follow orders. When it suited him.

In the latest news, the presidential candidates are all preparing for a televised debate. The current front runner Park Byung-jun ahead in the polls by 5 points says that he's raring to go head to head with his closest rival, Lee Bong-sik member of the Korea Progress Party. Park seems fired up and confident. And why wouldn't he if he's that far ahead.

At that moment his phone rang. It was a number he didn't know. It wasn't work anyhow.

"This is Jang Ji-hyeok speaking."

"Detective Jang," The voice though unfamiliar seemed to know who he was. "My name's Woo Daehan. I used to work at the West Seoul station. Retired now. Have been for a few years. I hear that you are the man to talk to. The Mad Dog of the RIUOC."

"I really don't deserve that reputation."

"As an ex-cop myself, I'm pretty sure you've earned it."

"I'm flattered. To what do I owe this honour?"

"I'm sorry to call you after hours. But I have a friend who's in a bit of a bind."

How many times have I heard about somebody's "friend"?

"I see."

"You sound sceptical but this is really about my friend. An old army buddy actually."

"What's his problem?"

"I hear that you're currently working on a case to do with people smuggling."

"I am." Ji-hyeok perked up. "What of it?"

"Well, my friend may have something for you."

"I'm listening."

"It's a long story and maybe it's best you hear from him."

"What's his number?"

"I hope you understand. He doesn't trust cops."

"Honestly, I don't blame him. I don't either."

The next day…

It was a surreal, eerie feeling that accompanied Do-il as he entered the elaborately furnished, overly decorated, dimly-lit premises of the black tie event. Candles lined up along the walls. A single candlestick with a candle at every table. Masked servers attired in black and white all set to follow their master's bidding. Chandeliers dangling from the ceiling functioning as ornaments rather than lighting. Silverware cutlery. Antique vases all on display. Velvet seating. Bushels of flowers at every table. It was a throwback to another era. He felt oddly out of place. He knew he was little more than an extra in someone's theatrical production with no script, no direction. The suit, the blindfolding, the transportation and the destination. And the mask. Was this supposed to be a masquerade ball? The carefully constructed atmosphere seemed calculated to impress perhaps even… intimidate. Plenty of money was behind this. He was only too aware of where the money came from to pay for all of this.

He was handed a blindfold after he was led into the black van. Evidently he wasn't supposed to know where he was going or how he was supposed to get there. The entire ride took roughly 20 minutes. He almost laughed at the absurdity of the entire exercise.

Was he now a bona fide member of yet another conspiracy? But a conspiracy to what end? It was bizarre. It was deja vu. It was perplexing. He was shooting blind. As much as all this kind of theatre might have amused him once, he was impatient. On edge. He was eager for all this to end. There was someone waiting for him now.

The director's stage was a large dining hall. At the front was an empty stage except for a lectern right in the middle. A speech was on the menu apparently. The usher also masked showed him to his seat. He sat down and was cheerfully greeted by a woman who despite the mask reminded him of someone he knew. Her make-up spelt out her intentions with clarity. She was there to bring attention to herself. To be admired.

"Are you Choi Do-il? I've heard all about you."

"Have you? Only good things I hope."

"Oh yes, I hear that you're an expert in money laundering."

"My reputation precedes me apparently."

The woman beside him giggled. "No one told me that you have a sense of humour too. I like you already. You are so much better looking in person."

Casually she put her hand on his lap which caused him to shift uncomfortably in his seat. Reflexively he moved her hand and placed it on the table top.

"I don't know what else you've heard about me. But you should know that you're not my type."

The woman convulsed into laughter. "You are really too adorable for words, Mr Choi. Normally I would ask about your type but Go Im-soo over there has already given me the run down. It really must be true love."

Go Im-soo was indeed present and seated two tables away. The woman waved to her and she nodded back in acknowledgement. Go Im-soo turned to Do-il and shot him a disingenuous smile.

The indignity of being the butt of this kind of low brow humour wasn't what bothered Do-il. Normally he would shrug it off. Today it rankled. Of late his entire life was feeling like one continuous test. He was being poked and prodded. His entire existence was put under the microscope. It wasn't just that everything he did was under scrutiny but that he was given an exam paper but had no idea what the questions or the criteria were.

Not long afterwards one of the ushers approached him with a message that the Chairman wanted to see him.

The Chairman? He's the one behind this operation?

Do-il, somewhat relieved to escape the attempts of the woman beside him to make small talk, got up and was led to the back of the room. They went through a door that led to a flight of stairs. They walked up the stairs to a narrow carpeted wallpapered corridor. After about a minute of walking, they arrived at what presumably was the chairman's office.

The taciturn usher opened the door and motioned for Do-il to enter the office. The chairman, however, was nowhere to be seen. So it was left to Do-il to explore. He cast his eye around the room and almost gasped. It wasn't the oversized desk that he was overwhelmed by. Nor was it the opulent furniture that took his breath away. Neither did the miniature vintage cars on display behind the glass case arouse his curiosity. It was none of those. What grabbed his attention was the 110 year old Cubist artwork placed perfectly on the wall behind the executive chair.

Le pigeon aux petit pois. Pigeon with Peas.

Is this the real thing then? Sitting in the office of the Chairman.

"I didn't realise that you had a bent for art." He heard a voice that exuded confidence travelling past him from behind.

"I don't." Do-il responded as nonchalantly as he could muster. "I'm just surprised to see a copy of this painting here. Looks uncannily just like the one in my room."

"Ah, yes. It's observant of you. Normally no one takes much notice."

"It is unique. Not the kind of decor that's usually found in motel rooms."

"I suppose not." The man in the mask offered a cryptic smile in response. "I'm the Chairman. It's nice to meet you again, Mr Choi Do-il." He offered his hand.

Again?

"Have we met before?" Come to think of it he does look familiar. Where have we met before?

"Not at Wharton but elsewhere. I'm a few years your senior."

Do-il took the offer of a handshake. "A fellow graduate. It's a small world."

"One that's growing smaller every day. Technology knows no bounds. Once the microchip took off, the sky was the limit. Artificial Intelligence. Now augmentation and human cybernetics are the talk of the town."

"Transhumanism?"

"Ah yes. We're not quite there yet. But soon. I'm confident that it will happen in our lifetime. It might be the answer to longevity or immortality even."

"I'm no art connoisseur but does this passion of yours have some relationship with that painting?"

The Chairman looked pleased. He broke into a smile before saying, "A man after my own heart. That's why I invited you here. To have a private conversation. Please take a seat."

"What kind of conversation?"

"You are an intelligent man, Mr Choi. You understand technology."

"Not as much as you obviously do, Mr Chairman. I'm more a finance guy."

"It's enough. I want to offer you a job in my organization."

"What organization is this? The newly revived Jeongran Society?" Do-il queried with no small amount of irony.

Luckily for him the Chairman seemed oblivious to the jibe.

"The Jeongran Society is old hat," the Chairman snapped dismissively. Did he take umbrage? "They were doomed to fail eventually. The future belongs to those who can shape the course of technology and set the stage for other more radical developments in Artificial Intelligence."

There was something unsettling about the direction of the conversation. Do-il had never been an idealist in any sense. He never once pretended he had lofty aspirations to change the world but the tone used by the Chairman was disturbing.

"Why me?"

"I need capable people who will share my vision in this brave new world."

Detective Jang was growing gravely concerned. He was certain after driving several kilometres that he was being followed. Finally he had a lead. Some kind of road map to work with. Unfortunately he now had to contend with some dirty rat in the police force who always had some compelling reason to play turncoat. He'd played his cards close to his chest. There could be no other explanation for why anyone would follow him on this occasion when no one was the least bit interested in tracking him yesterday.

Of course if they had planted a tracker on the vehicle there would be no easy way to lose the tail. All his efforts at secrecy would come to nothing.

From several hundred metres away he caught sight of a petrol station. A minute or two later he took a right turn making it look like he was making a planned pit stop. He spotted the vehicle that was tailing him out of the side of his left eye. Mentally took note of its model and make before grabbing the petrol pump and inserted the nozzle into his petrol tank. It was happily half-empty which gave his actions more credence. When that was done he proceeded to clean his vehicle which gave him the excuse his needed to look under his car. There was as he suspected a flashing tracking device on the left side.

He went into the store and ordered a large cup of cappuccino. He browsed around and picked up some chewing gum, cigarettes and an assortment of canned and bottled drinks as if routinely picking up groceries on the way home. Ji-hyeok paid the cashier and walked out with his coffee and bag of goodies. As he neared his car, he took a big gulp of his hot coffee and then dropped his cup and spilt his coffee on the ground. Then he stepped on the coffee and slipped onto the ground. This meant that his bag of goodies went down with him. With everything rolling under his car and scattering everywhere, this gave him the opportunity to remove the tracking device while trying to gather up the bottles and cans that had fallen. It took a good few minutes to collect everything even with a kind passer-by lending a hand. Giving him an opportunity to have a much better look at the licence plate without making it obvious.

Ji-hyeok turned on the ignition and moved the gear into drive. After sliding his seat belt across his chest and clipping it on, he stepped on the accelerator and drove off. Slowly at first but then steadily increasing his speed as he pulled further away from the station. From the rear vision mirror he could see the other car moving out. A short distance later he threw the tracking device out the window. He patted his jacket all over to make sure that no one had stuck a wire on him when he wasn't looking. He found nothing. That was another problem taken care of. He picked up his phone and hastily sent a text.

Finally he turned off his phone. Now he was ready to ditch the car behind him.

Hee-jae looked at his watch. They were at Lee Yong-gwi's place waiting. Another old army friend was present with his Vietnamese wife.

"He's late. And he's not answering his phone."

"You think something's happened to him?"

"Maybe. Who knows."

A notification appeared on Hee-jae's phone. A new text message.

"He's on his way. Slightly delayed, he says." His shoulders relaxed.

"At least he hasn't changed his mind."

Thanh was still holding tightly onto In-joo. She was wary of the men in the room but willing to converse with her compatriot now and again. She was 14. She talked about her hometown, her family and her missing sister but no one could get her to talk about where she escaped from.

Everyone else had their eye on their timepieces glancing from time to time wondering when the detective was going to arrive.

It was 10:05. Thanh was looking sleepy. The warmth of sitting close to In-joo gave her feeling of security and comfort. Her risky move had paid off. This older sister seemed to have many friends.

About half an hour later they heard the sound of brisk footsteps heading in their direction. Jang Ji-hyeok had arrived. The first thing he did was to apologize. He was profusely apologetic when he saw how tired everyone looked.

"Sorry I'm so late. Had to take a detour because someone was following me."

"You were followed?"

"For a short time."

He looked around at the company he was keeping. When he finally saw Thanh, Ji-hyeok stared and stared hard in disbelief.

"Good God. They look so much alike."

Back in his motel room Do-il had a lot to think about. The forebodingly charismatic Chairman gave him much food for thought. He was changing out of the three piece suit and into something more comfortable in preparation of a quick exit. The call from Choi Hee-jae had put him on alert lest a night excursion was needed. A night excursion unfortunately would break his pattern. It would arouse unnecessary suspicion. It could mean burning bridges. At this point was he ready to do that? A decision had to be made soon. It would mean calling in the troops.

So the Jeongran Society was just a cover story. A relic of the past. Go Im-soo was messing with him. Or possibly not. Maybe she like all the others believed the chairman was the sequel to that story. A new iteration. A soft reboot. Did he sell her the same brave new world malarkey?

Whoever the man was in reality, there's no doubting that he could give a rousing speech. He was like a general sending his troops off to battle. No doubt he thought of himself as one. Do-il could easily believe that the Chairman had fashioned himself as guerrilla fighter spearheading an inevitable revolution. He witnessed first hand the effect that he had on his audience. He had them eating out of his hand. They sat in awe, hanging on to every word. He offered hope and rather shrewdly never once mentioned money. He didn't have to. The cynical part of Do-il, however, saw the Chairman as a ruthlessly effective salesman for a financial scheme — Ponzi or something else. They were in effect called to be investors in his vision for the future with no idea about the details.

With not a lot else he could do, the identity of the Chairman continued to be a riddle that he pondered over. A Wharton graduate shouldn't be too hard to track down. The tech stuff wasn't all just babblings. Do-il had little doubt that his passion for AI was the real deal. The man was a true believer. The Picasso hanging on the wall of his office was proof of it.

Do-il pulled out his phone and activated a tracking app. He was relieved and even managed a smile. Now it was time to make that call. If a man couldn't protect his own, how could he think of saving the world?

Thanh had dozed off on her lap. The meeting with the detective was a strain. Hearing that her sister was dead saw her burst into heart-rending sobs. For the longest time she was inconsolable. Seeing how distressed Thanh was, In-joo found herself in tears. She felt for the youngster and she felt for herself. She too had sisters. Thankfully they were safe, presumably being well cared for. There was not a single day she did not think of them. Wondered what they were doing. Wondered if they were happy. Glad that they were far off somewhere safe from all this. She had more than one near death encounter herself that seemed like a lifetime ago but she had been blessed. She had someone to watch over her.

These girls had no one. No miracle. No last minute save. They were on their own. From what the detective had said, the girls were sexually assaulted, beaten and possibly tortured. In-joo thought about the unfairness of it all. All the times when she lamented about being poor came back to haunt her. Her life had been hard but what Thanh and Linh went through made her angry in a way she never felt. She'd been mocked, ridiculed and snubbed and that hurt. But these helpless girls who were playing in a field near their home never had a chance to fight back. There was no one to protect them. Girls who were forced into becoming little women overnight.

Hearing their story stirred something inside of In-joo. It wasn't just anger but an unfamiliar fervour that justice had to be done. Not just for Thanh but for Linh and all the other young women in captivity. This was new territory for her. Unlike In-kyung who was always sure of what she wanted and was confident in the rightness of her causes, In-joo was mainly concerned in keeping the family together and not being poor.

Detective Jang had agreed that Thanh would be safer with them. He couldn't guarantee her safety in his custody and certainly couldn't be sure that any of his colleagues wouldn't be party to something like this.

"Where are we going now, Ahjussi?"

"To another safe house. But first we will have to change vehicles."

It was five minutes to half past 3 in the morning. Do-il slipped all his devices into the spare Faraday bagpack that he had in his suitcase and waited.

Five minutes later the bedside light was out. He grinned. L and the others had to be close by. He heard some scrambling outside his door. Then some shouting about lost power. There was a minor commotion followed by silence. He heard knocks on the door. It was the agreed upon password. When he opened the door, L walked in and handed him a bag.

"You'll need this. It's dark out there."

Do-il opened the bag. He took out the night vision goggles, slipped it on, adjusted it accordingly. He put on the baseball cap that came in the bag. The two men swapped jackets and fist bumped.

"Good luck out there, K. You don't need me to tell you to take the stairs. Stay safe with your family for as long as possible."

"Thanks Beaver. Appreciate you doing the switch. Sorry for the last minute call."

"No problems. Anytime, man. This is what we're here for. Only a phone call away."

In-joo was wide awake. Thanh woke her with her crying and screaming. Another nightmare. It was a while before she could fall asleep again. After a large dose childhood songs and a glass of warm milk. But In-joo couldn't get back to sleep so she got out of the bed and made her way downstairs to pour herself a glass of water.

She turned on the stairway light. Half way down the stairs she heard the sound of the front door opening and closing. Whoever it was was trying not to disturb the quiet. The soft steady footsteps became clearer as they were getting closer. Who could be at this time of night? Ahjussi was asleep in his room. She could hear the snoring. Immediately she became alert. She ran back up the stairs and looked around for something to defend herself with. Then she remembered the pistol that Ahjussi left in her bedside drawer. Extra protection, is what he called it. In-joo ran back into the room to get the extra protection.

In-joo closed the door behind her, locked and waited. Her hands were shaking even while she had managed to disable the safety. The footsteps picked up their pace while her heart rate was going faster.

Then there was a knock on the door. A familiar voice — partly amused, partly frustrated cadence came through.

"Oh In-joo. What are you doing? It's just me."

Choi Do-il! What's he doing here?

"Is that you Choi Do-il?"

"Yes, it's me. Choi Do-il. Who else would it be?"

"I don't know. I thought it was a burglar. Or some kind of intruder. Kidnappers after Thanh. The bad guys. Anyone but you. I wasn't expecting you at all."

"Aren't you going to unlock the door? Or are we going to continue this conversation like this? With the door between us."

"Ah yes, okay. Sorry." In-joo slowly unlocked the door and walked backwards still waving the gun, pointing in the general direction of the open door.

Do-il sighed and barely contained his exasperation.

"Don't point a gun if you're not going to use it."

Like an obedient soldier, In-joo dropped the gun onto the floor like a hot potato. "Okay."

"I wish Choi Hee-jae wouldn't do useless things like this." Do-il leaned over and picked up the pistol. He proceeded to flick the safety back on. "It's just as well I'm here."

Do-il was palpably annoyed. This was the sort of thing that made him grumpy. This was not the reunion he had anticipated.

"Why are you here?" In-joo studied him curiously.

"Why else?" He was in full blown grouch mode. In-joo remembered that look distinctly. Singapore. At the hotel. The morning after he saved her from Won Sang-a and her goons. He'd been keeping watch overnight. When she woke up she accused him of watching her sleep.

Rather than intimidated, she found it endearing. Everything he now said and did held a different meaning for her. "Are you here for me?"

She was being coy now and hid a smile behind her hand.

That had the intended effect. His demeanour softened slightly. "I didn't come for the old man."

She flung her arms around him in girlish glee. "I'm so happy you're here. And I'm glad you're fine."

He didn't say anything but returned the embrace with a heartfelt hug. She buried her face in his shoulder and savoured the warmth of being so close. All the tension that was floating around between them gradually disappeared.

"I've missed you so much, Choi Do-il." Her speech may have been muffled but her sincerity was undeniable. Deep down he was grateful for her amiable personality.

He gently caressed her hair before saying, "I wanted this to be a surprise."

"I was surprised." In-joo looked up still beaming happily.

"Not the way I had planned." He took the opportunity to examine every feature of her face. "You were scared."

"I was stupid."

"Hey, nobody says that about my girlfriend." His lips broke into a smile. "Not even you."

"Finally," his girlfriend said.

"Finally what?"

"Finally you're smiling." She placed her right hand on his cheek. "I like it best when you smile. Like that especially. Your whole face lights up and I feel like…"

She stopped and blushed. The ramifications of what she was going to say hit her in time.

"Feel like what?" He was leaning ever so close. She could feel his breath on her cheeks and her own heart was thumping. The tip of his nose was rubbing against hers. "Tell me."

"Feel like… I'm... the most important person... in the world to you." The words came out slowly tinged with trepidation. She gulped at the end.

His gaze… that piercing gaze… the one that made her knees wobble and the rest of her tremble. The one that made her defenceless against all his charms. With a mix of tenderness, unnerving, unspeakable desire.

"It's so disappointing," he manage to whisper as his lips began to stroke against hers, "That you... still… don't know… that you're… the most important person… in the world to me."

"I don't mean…"

Before she say another word, all of the weight of his lips fell on hers, teasing her, feeling her, seducing her as a prelude to an invitation.

A momentary parting of lips. Breathlessness. Their eyes locked in unison. Full of longing. Choi Do-il was not done yet.

"It's almost as if you need me to prove everything to you. Again and again," was the last thing she heard him say before the strength of his lips caused her to fall in sync with the movements made by his.

Notes:

Human trafficking and present day human slavery is a world-wide problem. It is said that there are an estimated 40 million people impacted by this often neglected human rights issue. The two most common forms of human exploitation are forced labour and sex trafficking. Any kind of a commercial sex act (eg. prostitution) which involves force, fraud, or coercion, can be considered sex trafficking. According to Human Trafficking Search website, sex trafficking also includes the commercial sexual exploitation of children. While the vast majority of sex trafficking occurs in the Asia Pacific region, it happens anywhere including the country I call home. The country mentioned in this chapter was selected for continuity purposes only.

This is a work of fiction based on established characters from the South Korean television series Little Women. Any similarities to real life individuals is purely coincidental.

Chapter 5

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Part 5

"The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him." ― G.K. Chesterton

Daylight pierced through the room at its own convenience with no regard for any. He felt its presence creeping on his face but Hee-jae had no intention to rise. Yet. Clarity came to him slowly. Until a little voice from within reminded him minutes later that there were two young women in his charge. Still in bed, he surmised. It would account for the unearthly silence. He had a choice to make. Go back to sleep or get up. He chose to get up albeit reluctantly. Headed for the bathroom doing more grooming than would be necessary. He considered trimming his beard. But the right tools were not on hand. Nobody cared about an old man's appearance but he felt obliged to make the effort. The signs of old age weren't just felt. They could be seen. He was now ready to face the world. Thankfully this old man's to-do list was a short one. First, check on his companions and second, make breakfast. His had come a long way from a life of seclusion. These days he was little more than a glorified babysitter.

He exited his room ready to tread lightly across the corridor. The door to their room, however, was already opened.

Awake already? Unlikely. Much too quiet.

In a split second the worst case scenario collapsed on him like a ton of bricks. Which he shrugged off after applying some simple logic.

What's all this paranoia? Getting jumpy in your old age, Choi Hee-jae.

With a small measure of dread he peered inside the girls' room and immediately sank down into a squat. He gave a loud sigh of relief.

Almost gave myself a heart attack. For no good reason.

He stuck his head in again. For a much closer look. Thanh was on the bed already stirring. But In-joo was asleep on the floor, her head snug on the lap of his wayward offspring. Choi Do-il was sitting upright against the end of the bed with his eyes closed.

Two plus one.

That brat must have come in during the night. Unannounced. I guess he doesn't trust me with his 70 billion woman.

Hee-jae chuckled at his own joke. A hushed tone from the room kept his mirth in check.

"Choi Hee-jae. You don't have to be so noisy first thing in the morning. There are people sleeping in here."

It sounded more like an announcement rather than a rebuke. Hee-jae suppressed his desire to laugh.

"Breakfast will be ready in an hour and a half."

Father and son sat across the dining table working their way through rice, eggs and a palatable concoction made up of canned ham and green vegetables. In awkward, uneasy silence. Only the reverberations of chopsticks and bowls clanging mitigated the tension between them.

After a while the reticence became unbearable. Do-il was determined not to talk or look his father in the eye. He-jae was determined to break the ice.

"You're here. So, does this mean you've completed your mission?"

Do-il flung a dour look at his father's direction. "No."

"I see." Hee-jae turned to look to the stairs in search of a rationale.

"What do you see exactly?"

"No, nothing." Hee-jae picked up the last bit of rice and egg from his bowl, popped it into his mouth and chewed slowly. "It's not like you to give up on anything once you start."

"Don't act like you know me." Again Do-il's bark sounded worse than his bite. He huffed into his bowl of rice like a teenage boy suffering the indignity of small talk against his will.

"Fine. Fine. Let's not scare my daughter-in-law and our guest so early in the day."

"Stop…"

For the men it was In-joo to the rescue. She bounced into the dining area with Thanh holding her hand and surveying the landscape.

"Who's scaring who?" Showered and groomed, In-joo asked casually as she strolled into the kitchen to dish out breakfast for herself.

"No one," Do-il answered with petulant haste. "No one is doing anything to anyone."

"Did you sleep well, Daughter-in-law? You looked very uncomfortable sleeping on the floor."

In-joo blushed slightly and smiled shyly with her hand over her mouth. "I did actually. Sleep well."

"Will you stop calling her your daughter-in-law?" Hee-jae's offspring was firing off diabolical looks at his father.

"Why not? Isn't she?"

"I don't mind." In-joo smiled with an embarrassed twitch around her shoulders. She touched Hee-jae affectionately on the shoulder before taking a seat at the table. "It's fine. I quite like it."

The irritation on Do-il's face gradually changed into something more inscrutable.

"Besides, it makes me feel that I'm… part of this family." In-joo said it carefully and softly. "It's nice to belong somewhere."

The words underlined an unspoken uncertainty, noted in the quick glances she conveyed to father and son in turn.

Do-il observed her and then his father. Any lingering indignation he felt was immediately replaced by a wistful tenderness. His softened gaze finally settled on her as his mouth began to devour the contents of his rice bowl.

The father's eyes darted between his offspring and his future daughter-in-law. To gauge their response. A pang of regret swelled up inside.

"Of course you are. A member of this family. Daughter-in-law."

In-joo's eyes went red and a trickle of tears came tumbling down.

"For goodness sake. Choi Hee-jae. Don't make her cry."

The house they were staying in apparently came with a swimming pool. Thanh would not go near the water but found some consolation in the red-pink blooms in the garden. They were pretty. She liked looking at them. She was curious about the petals and the bees. In-joo, on the other hand, stood by the pool staring at the water, the bushes and the trees that surrounded her. She felt like she could breathe again.

"Do you like it?" She felt Do-il's arms wrap around her from behind as she heard the question hum past her ears.

"The house? Yeah, it's amazing."

"We can live here for as long as you like."

Then it dawned on her. "This is your house?"

"It's an investment property. I wasn't planning on living here at all. It's my nest egg. A small part of it anyway. Part of my long-term retirement plan."

"What can I say? Living in a two storey house in Seoul. It's a fairytale."

"You don't have to decide straightaway. I'm in no hurry to rent it out anyway."

"What about my apartment? The one that Great-Aunt left me?"

"You can always get a tenant for it. The location is good but of course that's up to you. It's not as if you need the money."

In-joo became quiet. She never once imagined the future would hold this many possibilities. For someone like her. Possibility after possibility. She went through them in her head. A mixture of emotions passed through her. Excitement, doubt, happiness and anxiety. The weight of making such decisions felt heavy on her shoulders.

"What about Greece?"

"What about it?"

"Don't you want to live there?"

"That was when I was alone. I have someone else to think about now."

"What about your mother? Didn't you want to live with her?"

The questions were coming furiously fast. He knew that they would come eventually.

"That was when I was a boy. What I wanted for her was to be out of jail and free."

"But…" In-joo hesitated. She sounded troubled.

"What's wrong?" He swung her round to face him.

In-joo sighed. "You had it all planned out. I've really messed things up. Haven't I?"

Do-il wrestled with himself inwardly. Her insecurity bothered him more than he would say out loud. Did she still not trust him? Did she not think he would do anything for her? After everything? He had to tread carefully

"I'm not complaining. Because it doesn't matter to me where I live. Here, Greece. Wherever." Do-il searched for the right words before adding, "As long as you're along for the ride."

It seemed to be the right answer. She seemed pacified by it. She even closed in for a hug. "Then it doesn't matter where I live either."

"Ahjussi, where are you going?" In-joo noticed that Hee-jae was all dressed up and carrying his duffle bag.

"Back to the farm. Back to So-young's place. You don't need me now that the brat is here."

"You've done so much for us. For me. Thank you." In-joo bowed before flying straight into Hee-jae's arms. "I will miss you."

Unaccustomed to public displays of affection, Hee-jae stiffened slightly at first. When the words and gesture finally sank in, he let his body relax. He patted In-joo on the back with undisguised pleasure. On further inspection his eyes contained a watery glaze. "It's fine. It's all good."

His son, on the other hand, shot him with a quizzical look.

"Daughter-in-law. I need to talk to the brat for a few minutes. Can you excuse us?"

In-joo nodded. She took Thanh to the living room and turned on the tv. She pressed the buttons on the remote to see what was available before settling on a children's programme.

The son sensed that something was amiss.

"What's this about? You don't have to go right this moment. Mum is staying with a friend from church."

"To be honest, I'm worried about her."

"Why? What's wrong?" Do-il saw his father's face turn grave and immediately assumed the worst.

"She hasn't said anything. She's been trying to hide it. But I can tell. She's in a lot of pain."

Do-il clenched his fists. His lips pressed tightly together. His colour of his face showed a darker shade of pale.

"I should have sent her to a nursing home."

"No, you did the right thing. She would rather be there than anywhere else. We all know that."

"Maybe we should all go…"

"No." His father shook his head. "Not this time. You have things to do. In this family we finish what we start."

"Choi Hee…"

"You can't be everywhere, Son. Do your job. Take care of your woman. I'll take care of mine."

Hee-jae looked away and muttered. "It's my second chance to get it right."

Do-il opened his mouth to make a retort but closed it again. Choi Hee-jae was speaking in earnest. There was something different about the old man. But it wasn't just him. There was something different about them too.

As he turned to leave, Hee-jae patted his son firmly on the shoulder and nodded. He even managed a reassuring smile. When he reached the front door, he raised his voice for the benefit of all within earshot.

"Daughter-in-law. Take care of that brat for me. And don't forget to message me about the orchids."

After seeing his father off, Do-il came back into the house. He sat down next to In-joo on the sofa who was glued to the tv, watching the news.

Assemblyman Park Byung-chun the current front runner in the presidential elections said he was confident that his oldest son Park Seong-min, the CEO of Global K Tech would resolve his company's financial issues very soon. He argued that the internal issues of Global K Tech had no bearing on his ability to govern if elected or was there any question of inappropriate use of finances. Some disgruntled former employees claim however that the company did not properly compensate them when their employment was terminated a month ago. These 4 employees who were working on a special secret project for Global K Tech are demanding a full payout.

Meanwhile Park Byung-chun continues on his campaign trail undeterred.

Footage of Park Byung-chun, his wife and sons accompanied the announcement. Park Byung-chun was certainly an old hand at retail politics. Mingling with the common folk on the streets. Shaking hands with local shop keepers and talking shop. His family walking behind in lock step seemed supportive, accompanying him at all kinds of events whether doing community service at a local hospital, an aged care facility and an orphanage. An unusually large security detail seemed to be hovering around the politician, the CEO and their family. It felt as if Park Byung-chun was already occupying the Blue House with secret service agents at his beck and call.

Were they being threatened?

Something about Park Seong-min felt like deja vu. Do-il couldn't place him straight up. But he was now more than a little curious. The mention of the secret project piqued his interest. Global K Tech was a household name. They were a publicly listed company and their share prices took a bit of a hit a week earlier. Recovery seemed to be taking its time. Rumours of financial problems spread through social media. Despite that Global K Tech's CEO seemed to be doing his bit for his father's campaign. Hovering around him assiduously was a well-built, heavyset minder. He had the vibe of a gangster rather than a security guard. Who was the security for?

What happened next took them both by surprise. In-joo's mind spun into a state of confusion. Thanh who had been very quiet the entire time suddenly shrieked and burst into tears. She pointed at the television muttering something in her native tongue. Her entire demeanour change from that of placid acceptance to one of terror.

The two adults in the room were wondering the same thing.

Do-il raced to the study and turned on the laptop on the desk. His fingers flitted around the keyboard. Park Seong-min. A disquieting character. Who was he? There was plenty on public record. Do-il pulled up a recent photo. A close-up. Clear and sharp. One look and a bolt of lightning struck him. To confirm what only began as suspicions, he went to Global K Tech's website and read the CEO's biography. Park Seong-min, a Wharton graduate. 5 years his senior. Married with one child. Hailed a tech start-up genius. Won "Young Entrepreneur of the Year" three times in a row. A graduate of the World Economic Forum.

A man… on the surface… who has everything. What more could he possibly want?

Then Do-il recalled their conversation. A I. Cybernetics for biological augmentation. Transhumanism.

Park Seong-min. Oldest son of a presidential candidate no less. Chairman of an extensive money-laundering operation. Moonlights as a people smuggler for some easy cash.

The man behind the mask. He bragged about his association with Wharton. Why expose himself that way? Ego? A slip of the tongue? Or was it another invitation?

Global K Tech's secret project. Now that had a different cadence. Disgruntled former employees. What were they doing? It was the sort of combination that invited inquiry from all kinds of unfriendly eyes.

He didn't know how long it was that he fixed his gaze on In-joo and Thanh. But he sat there watching them. Watching them interact. Watching her comfort someone she barely knew. Someone with no shared language. Despite the challenges she was doing her best. When he wasn't watching he was thinking. Thinking about how much his focus had changed. Thinking that his younger self would be laughing at him for being such an idiot. About a woman. A woman he had to protect with every fibre of his being compelled by a force he didn't understand. Even if all that foolishness meant putting his life on the line for her. It was insane. The insanity had a name. A name he dared not speak. A name he dared not claim for his own.

One thing was certain — he liked himself a lot more since she stumbled into his world. That was all it was. Or was it? He dared not think he had changed. He was the same selfish, money-loving Choi Do-il and his greed had become insatiable. He wanted it all. Money alone no longer satisfied him. The woman in front of him had to be part of the entire deal. That's all it was. The leopard could never change its spots. The insanity whose name he dared not speak — that was not him. That could never be him.

Protecting her. There was nothing romantic about that. He was protecting his own interests. Everyone knew she was his weak spot. It was his greed that put them in this predicament. The consequences were his to bear. It was selfish. And it came with a hefty price tag. The man that he was. That would never change. But he couldn't give her up now. Not now. Not ever. Greece taught him that. Every day there without her was agony.

His train of thought soon led him to Mother. Choi Hee-jae didn't say a whole lot. Not that he had to. Her time in the world would not be long. They both sensed that. The intensity in the old man's voice was unmistakable. He was right too. Choi Do-il could not be in two places at one time. It was regrettable. Guilt, resentment, distress. Which came first and what followed hardly mattered. A man torn by wanting everything had to stay ahead of the game. Work harder. Work smarter. Lest he fell prey to his own avarice.

While he was indulging in a rare bit of introspection, In-joo was watching him right out of the corner of her eye. The expressions on his face altered like shifting sand. The mood was grave and sombre. One minute he seemed unsure, the next minute he seemed troubled and frustrated.

As usual. I'm making things more difficult for him. For us. Will I only ever be a burden?

She had considered taking Thanh away somewhere, just the two of them. She remembered what Detective Jang had said too. But trouble always seemed to find her. And it always ended up endangering him too. When he came back this time, she swore to herself she would consider his feelings in every thing. Running away used to be her default position. No more. Not now. Never again.

In-joo got up and went to where he seemed to be gathering wool. She slid her hands over his. This startled him out of his pensive state of mind. When he realised it was her beside him, a smile instantly formed around his lips as he turned to face her. Deep down she was relieved. He seemed genuinely pleased to see her.

"What are you thinking?" It seemed to be the obvious question.

"What we should do next, I suppose."

This seemed to confirm In-joo's worst fears.

"Is it hard to be with me?"

"Why would you think that?"

"Bad things just seem to follow me everywhere I go. Even when I'm not trying."

"Oh In-joo. Why do you have so little confidence in yourself?"

"My track record isn't very good. As you should know. Better than anyone."

"What about me?"

"What about you?"

"Don't you think I'm a good catch?"

"Maybe," she answered awkwardly. "I suppose so." She was now feeling shy.

"You should trust my judgment, right? Everyone knows I'm a pretty smart guy."

"They must be wondering why you're with such a silly woman."

"Not that again." Do-il instantly turned sullen. "Who cares what other people think? Only my opinion matters."

In-joo saw that she had trampled on a sore spot. "Truthfully. I don't care what other people think anymore. If you don't."

"Good. Anyway, you're wrong about your track record. If there's anyone to blame, it's me. I'm the one who dragged you into all this. If it weren't for me, you'd be living your life happily in your great aunt's apartment."

"I doubt it. Not as long as Go Im-soo is around."

"See, you're catching on quick."

He was grinning and she was smiling in response. Eventually she remembered why she started the conversation in the first place.

"What are we going to do about Thanh? We can't just hide her here indefinitely."

"I have a plan but it could be dangerous."

"I never thought it wouldn't be. Besides, you and I aren't exactly strangers to danger."

"But would you be willing to put Thanh in danger?"

"I don't know. But if there's no other way…"

"It's the best way," he interjected. "And the fastest."

How did one solve the problem of Thanh? In-joo took her time to observe her subject. The onus seemed to be on her to make the call. Then she turned to Do-il. Her eyes showed greater determination to proceed.

"So what's the plan?" In-joo looked at Do-il expectantly.

"The media. We have to use the media."

"That's what Detective Jang said too," She muttered excitedly. "That was his idea too."

"Who the hell is Detective Jang?" The enthusiasm in In-joo's voice made him strangely uneasy.

"He's someone Ahjussi found to help us. To give us advice."

"I can't believe the old man trusted a cop."

"He's really nice. Very smart. And quite good looking too."

"Since when has that a qualification?" His voice had a note of irascibility. "A smart cop? I'll believe it when I see it.'

"I liked him." In-joo fixed a thoughtful gaze at Do-il. "In fact he does remind me of you."

"And what else did this good-looking Detective Jang say?"

The whiff of sarcasm in the question was lost on In-joo.

"Thanh came to this country with her sister. Her sister died. Killed." In-joo's voice dropped as if on cue. "They found her body at in the wetlands somewhere."

"Does she know?"

In-joo nodded. "Took a while to calm her down."

"I'm surprised your Detective Jang hasn't taken her into protective custody."

"He thinks he's being watched. He didn't think she would be safe with him."

Okay. The man's not stupid at least.

"Detective Jang also suggested that we get in touch with a human rights organisation specialising in this kind of thing. They have lawyers and social workers."

"Is there a way to contact this Detective Jang?"

"I have his number." She reached for her phone inside her skirt pocket. "He gave it to me just in case we needed his help."

Two days later…

"Are you going to be alright on your own?" Do-il asked as In-joo barged in to take over the task of doing his tie.

"Absolutely." She hadn't done up a man's tie for sometime and was trying to remember the sequence. "Are you making fun of me?"

The playful grin in front of her seemed to be mocking her rusty tie skills.

"You realise that I've been doing this since my teens, don't you?"

"I want to." Her answer was concise and final. There would be no negotiation. "Who knows when you'll be back."

"Why does it sound like you're sending me out to die?"

In-joo fired him a displeased look. "It's bad luck to talk about death."

"I'm a lucky guy. Nothing's going to happen to me."

"Make sure of that."

When she finally fastened the tie to her satisfaction, she leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. She whispered. "Be careful."

"This feels like practice."

"Practice? For what?"

For a moment or two Do-il wondered if he should say out loud what he was thinking. "Marriage. Practising for marriage."

In-joo instantly went bright red and became tongue tied.

"It's not a criticism." He quickly assured her.

"Then what…?"

"An observation." He returned her peck with one of his own. On her forehead.

In-joo was now too timid to say anything. Lest anything she said be misconstrued. Her eyes bored into the floorboards hoping they would rescue her. Open up. Swallow her and take her somewhere else.

"I like it though." Do-il was only warming up to this line of thinking. "I like the idea of you playing wife."

Wife. A word familiar to In-joo. Said by him, however, it came with a different set of resonances. The shock from the sound of it falling from his lips rendered her speechless. It flattered her. It shattered her.

He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a fist. Gradually, releasing one finger at a time, something like a necklace dropped from his hand. A diamond ring swung around at the other end of it. Knocking heads with a plain gold band.

His hand was shaking. If she had gazed into his eyes, she would have seen something unexpected. Flashes of doubt. of dread. And of fear.

"Think of it as a deposit." He deftly slipped the necklace around her neck. "A downpayment, if you like."

"Choi Do-il." A thousand thoughts and questions swimming through her head but that was all she could say.

"I don't expect an answer now."

"Do-il."

"You shouldn't sign a contract that you haven't read from cover to cover. Or consider every single detail from every angle. Think carefully of what you're signing up to. It's a lifetime contract. You won't be able to back out then." He let the words marinate before he saying with steel in his voice, "I won't let you."

"I really don't know what to say." She wanted desperately to say yes. But felt the force of his caution.

"Don't say anything." He put his finger to her lips. "Consider this time a cooling-off period. When the time is right, it's not too late to tell me."

Her reaction was entirely predictable. Torrents of tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Take good care of it. Guard it." He held the rings in his hand. "That's my heart that I've entrusted to you for safe-keeping."

Notes:

I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did writing it.

Chapter 6

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Part 6

"The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself." — Sun Zi.

"Sorry sir, I don't know how we lost track of him. One moment he was right there. The next minute he wasn't."

Go Soo-im and the bulky smartly dressed creature beside her apologised profusely. What else could they do. She was choking hard on humble pie. Flavoured with a strong taste of embarrassment and confusion. Baked in repressed outraged.

"He took advantage of the fight at the internet cafe to escape." The well-dressed thug nodded agreeably. "He must have sneaked in the toilet during the commotion."

The Chairman on the other hand, didn't seem to be present. His mind was elsewhere. No doubt roaming the proverbial streets and alleyways of his mind in search of answers. He seemed hardly perturbed by the incident. Instead he behaved like the schoolboy morbidly fascinated by the specimen in the laboratory jar.

"You said earlier that there was a power outage at the motel and for several blocks. The night before he escaped."

"Yes, sir."

"Did you check to see if he was in his room?"

"Yes, we did."

"He was there?"

"Yes, sir. I made sure he opened the door. The next day he carried on as normal."

"Did you see his face? Clearly?"

"Sort of. Maybe. He had a hoodie on so I didn't have a good look."

"What are you thinking, Mr Chairman?"

Go Soo-im stared hard at her superior for inspiration. What rabbit trail was he on this time?

"He must have had help."

"Makes sense." Soo-im nodded.

The Chairman's brows furrowed which suggested the opposite. "Why then? Why at that moment?"

"Which moment are you referring to, sir?"

"The power outage at the motel."

Go Im-soo seemed to have a eureka moment then. "Do you think he had something to do with that?"

"It's possible. It would be an interesting coincidence otherwise."

"What are you saying, sir? That he escaped during the power outage?"

One of the the Chairman's phones rang out at that moment. It startled him out of the trance he was in. "I have to take this call. It's from the company."

The Chairman didn't say much during the call. The person on the other end did most of the talking. He barely uttered a word. At times he rapped his fingertips on his desk. At times his hands clenched into a fist. His face seemed like a blank slate. Towards the end of call, he muttered something about seeing the other party soon. He hung up and put the phone down on his desk. He seemed riveted by his own ruminations. His underlings, on the other hand, stood in wretched suspense for many minutes.

Goo Soo-im and the bulky thug gestured at one other wondering if either of them should speak. After a while the silence became uncomfortable. Soo-im took a chance and spoke.

"Sir, what should we do about Choi Do-il? Do you want us to track him down?"

"All that doesn't matter now." He let the words land before continuing. "That was my PA. She's just informed me that Choi Do-il is now sitting in the lobby of K Tech Global waiting for a job interview with the CEO Park Seong-min."

The contortions on the Chairman's face settled on a grimace.

"What? That insolent b******. How dare he?" Bulky guy slapped his right fist against his left palm.

"Why? Is this his idea of a joke?

"Who knows? But what it might mean is that he already knows who I am."

"He can't be trusted in any case. Sir, should we get our people to take him out?" With a glint in her eye Go Soo-im looked ready to do some damage.

"In such a public place? I'm sure he's considered all the possibilities. The fact that he's come this far means that he's fully prepared. Not many know about both my identities. Besides we can't do anything that could potentially jeopardise Park Byung-chun's election chances. There can't be the slightest hint of a scandal connected to K Tech Global. The media attack dogs will be all over it in an instant."

"We understand sir." Bulky guy seemed glum at the prospect of a fight postponed.

"What are you going to do now, sir?"

"I'm going to meet him, of course. After all I did offer him a job."

"Is that a good idea? Let me go, sir." Go Soo-im acted like she was ready to do some serious damage to some unfortunate soul in her path.

"Let's just say that I'm burning with curiosity. I want to know Choi Do-il's intentions. I'm very keen to hear what he has to say and I'm quite impatient to find out what he knows."

"Eonni. It's you!"

In-hye who was rarely excited about anything could barely contain her excitement. It was pleasing to see.

"Yeah, I can't talk for long though."

"I'm just happy to hear your voice."

"In-hye. I thought I should call because I'm about to do something dangerous again."

"With Brother-in-law?"

"Something like that."

In-hye calls Choi Do-il Brother-in-law. Of course she should make things easier.

"I'm sure he has a plan."

"It's a bit crazy but it feels right."

"He won't let you get hurt."

"In-hye." In-joo changed the tone in her voice. And then began to have second thoughts.

"What is it, Eonni? Everything okay?"

In-joo took a deep breath. And then another. "Do-il… he proposed." She heard a slight tremor in her own voice. "But he didn't want me to give him an answer straightaway."

"Brother-in-law is very thoughtful. He thinks of everything." There was something soothing about In-hye's voice.

"I wanted to say 'yes' right there and then."

"Why didn't you?"

"I wanted to give him a chance to change his mind."

"I don't think he will, Eonni." In-hye fell silent. Then after some thought added "He's not that kind of man."

"What kind of man is he, then?"

"The kind that knows what he wants and will do everything to get it."

In-joo breathed out a big sigh. "You're a lot smarter than me, In-hye. You spent only a short time with him and already you could tell. I spent weeks with him and I still had doubts. Even when he asked me to go to Greece…"

"It's understandable, Eonni. You've been burnt before."

"But you worked it out much faster than I did."

"He helped Hyo-rin and I find a good art school and helped us get enrolled. He also found us a safe place to stay that's near the school. I'm now having French night classes at a language school that he found through a friend. He checks in with us every week and makes sure that we have enough money to live on. Even though he's already set everything up for us."

"He's doing a better job looking after you than our parents and I ever did."

Regret seemed to be a misplaced emotion for the occasion but In-joo didn't know why but she felt overwhelmed by a flood of regrets.

"He loves you, Eonni. He's doing all this for you."

"I know."

In-joo was now too busy fighting back tears and gulping down saliva to articulate a coherent response longer than that.

"Don't be afraid to love him back."

"So you approve?"

"You don't need my approval."

"But you are family. It's important."

In-hye didn't answer immediately. "I approve."

"Thank you, In-hye. This means a lot to me."

"And Eonni?"

"Yes?"

"You are a much braver and stronger person than you think."

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Please, take a seat."

"Thank you. CEO Park. I wasn't expecting such a warm welcome, truth be told."

"If your intention was to surprise me, Mr Choi Do-il, you've certainly succeeded. The last thing I expected was for you to show up after your dramatic vanishing act."

"I was returning the favour. Besides I never imagined that I could surpass ever The Chairman when it comes to flair for the theatrical."

"Mr Choi. Rather than beating around the bush and handing out flattery, maybe we should get down to business and you tell me why you're really here."

"Like I told your staff, I'm here about the job offer."

"I enjoy games as much as the next person, Mr Choi but…"

"In all honesty I liked your sales pitch and I bought it."

Park Seung-min looked over Do-il with a suspicious eye. Do-il seemed happily oblivious to the simmering animosity under the courteous exterior.

"It's obvious that you're a visionary. Bionic implants. Human augmentation. Transhumanism. All that. I agree that it's the way of the future. And I want in."

"Mr Choi, it isn't as simple as you think."

"Isn't it? Your company is in financial difficulties. And I'm putting money where my mouth is."

"So, what are you saying? You want to invest in my company?"

"In R and D."

"How much are we talking about here?"

"30 billion won."

"It's generous but our needs are extensive."

"It's 30 billion more than you had yesterday. Your share prices are the lowest in 10 years and I believe that there are former employees that you need to buy off."

"You've done your homework. I'm sure you didn't come waving money under my nose without thinking this through. What are your terms?"

"I want a place here. That secret unnamed project that you've been working on. I want to be a part of that. And a seat on the board to make sure my interests are being looked after."

"Why?"

"The longevity business is always good business. That's why anti-ageing products sell so well.. But CEO Park, you're far more ambitious than that, I'm sure."

"How…" Park Seong-min stopped himself in time. Either Choi Do-il knew too much or he was just fishing.

"It's not hard CEO Park. When a man is truly passionate about something, there's something in his voice that cannot be disguised. You're an idealist first. A businessman second."

"No wonder Park Jae-sang thought highly of you."

"Unlike you, Park Jae-sang, with all his abilities was a man with limited vision. In the end he was little more than a lap dog for Won Sang-a and the Jeongran Society."

"Is that why you betrayed him?"

"Betrayed?" Do-il averted his eyes briefly and then looked up with an affected grin. "That assumes that I owed them loyalty. It was always a mutually beneficial business deal. My mother paid a high price for that transaction. She gave 20 years of her life."

"Trust is earned, Mr Choi."

"That's why I'm putting my money where my mouth is." Do-il interjected. "There's more from where that came from too."

"I hear it's stolen money."

"CEO Park. Please. Don't insult me. You're the last person in this world who should be concerned about where my source of funding comes from. Frankly I doubt you'll get an offer as good as this one."

"In-kyung."

"Yes, Eonni?"

"I'm going to be busy for a while. I don't know when we'll talk again."

"Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine. I'm just going to be away from the phone."

"You sure? You don't sound too good."

"I'm just a little sentimental at the moment. I miss you and In-hye. A lot."

"I miss you too, Eonni."

"Are you eating well? Is Jong-ho treating you well?"

"We're both fine. We're both super busy with classes and assignments. But things couldn't be better for us." There was a pause. "Is everything alright with you and Choi Do-il?"

"Never been better." In-joo was deliberating whether to say more. "He proposed."

"Eonni. Congratulations!"

"It's a bit premature for that. I haven't accepted."

"Why not?"

In-joo heard the surprise in her sister's voice.

"Believe me, I wanted to. But he wanted me to think about it."

"There's no doubt that he does things differently." In-kyung acknowledged. "But you trust him, right?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I? After all that we've gone through together. I would be a fool not to."

In-kyung detected a tremor in her sister's voice. "Are you sure you're okay, Eonni?"

"Never been better."

Hunched over, Park Seong-min reluctantly opened the front door to his house and hobbled in. He kicked off his shoes and slipped into house slippers. The confusion in his mind. The heaviness in his heart gradually crept its way to his limbs. They became increasingly heavy to lift. It was as if someone had glued his feet to the floor. He felt the fear turn to dread as he crossed the threshold. Regrettably even his only place of refuge offered no solace.

"I'm home."

"You're back." The woman who greeted him as he walked toward the kitchen gave him a warm smile. "Dinner's almost ready. Mother and Father are here visiting."

Park Seong-min gave her quick hug. "How's Min-ho today?"

"The same as always."

"No change?"

"No change. Father and Mother are with him."

"It's been hard on you."

"Not at all. It's what I should do. How's everything at work?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. A offer of funding was made though."

"Are you going to take it?"

"Haven't decided yet."

"You look tired, dear."

"Do I? I have a bit of a headache."

The day had felt long. But it was far from over.

The latest shipment of girls and narcotics weren't going to be enough. He knew that better than anyone. The fact that Project Leon had suffered setbacks was not the worst of it. It was the mad race against the clock. Park Seong-min was a man in a hurry. Choi Do-il was the least of his worries. His fellow alumnus might well turn out to be a godsend or a harbinger of doom. The problem was Park Seong-min couldn't decide he was which.

His head was throbbing. Then there was Father's election campaign to think of.

The woman who had been beside him for many years quietly slipped her hand into his as if to reassure him. She read him like a book. She sensed that something was weighing him down. She was never a typical CEO's trophy wife. Eun-hye was the girl that he liked since high school and there was never anyone else who understood him the way she did. Through good times and bad ones, she'd always held his hand. At least whatever happened, she would never let it go. He could be certain of that.

Park Seong-min squeezed her hand appreciatively before walking further in the direction of their son's room. Now that he was home surrounded by family, that nebulous unease was evolving into a deeper awareness of dread. Dread of possibly failing. Dread of having his secrets exposed and the unbearable horror of letting his family down.

His gait from behind was proof of the conflict within. Eun-hye watched him take his steps. Something was different. Slow, reluctant, one foot dragging behind the other. A man feeling that every step inched him closer to an unknown calamity.

When he opened the door to Min-ho's room, he saw two doting grandparents standing by the bedside of their 8-year-old grandson. The sorrow in their eyes was a kick in the gut They talked to him as if he would talk back to them any moment. They leaned over and kissed him believing that he would one day sit up and kiss them back. They were waiting for him to call them "halmoni" and "haraboji". Despite what their eyes told them, they had to believe. They had to be patient. They had to hope. Or their hearts would have been broken a long time ago.

"Mother, Father. You're both here."

"Seong-min. You're home."

"You should both have a rest. You must be tired."

"Speaking of tired. What about you? You don't look well." Mother's razor sharp maternal eye didn't miss a thing.

"Nothing serious. Just a bit of a headache. Not sleeping that well."

"Are you having a hard time at work? Money issues still a problem?" The inevitable questions came thick and fast.

"Is it the undisclosed project?"

"Mum, Dad. Things really aren't as bad as the media makes it out to be." A roomful of journalists would have preferable at that moment.

"It's the election campaign. All that publicity is putting undue pressure on you. The media jumps on every little detail like hungry dogs devouring bite-size morsels."

"Dad. I mean it when I say that I want you to win."

"I know you do but the media attention…"

"It's nothing I can't handle. But the campaign funding might be a problem."

"I expected that so I've been in contact with some interested parties."

"Didn't we already discuss this…"

"Seong-min. I know you've been having a hard time. I don't want to have to rely on you. Besides, I've been contacted by potential donors. Don't worry I'm having them checked out."

"I'm just worried."

"I know you are."

"I'm really sorry, Dad."

"There's nothing to be sorry about."

"I just wish… Things just haven't been going as planned lately."

"That's just life." Park Byung-chun patted his son on the back and took his hand. "We just have to keep adapting to circumstances."

There was a gentle knock on the door. Everyone turned in concert to look. Eun-hye was calling them to dinner.

"You've worked hard, Eun-hye." Her mother-in-law was mopping up tears from her eyes with her hand.

"Father and Mother. Come before the food gets cold."

Seong-min made no attempt to move. "Let me say hello to Min-ho first."

Eun-hye nodded. "Don't be too long."

Park Seong-min gave his wife a grateful smile. The rest of the family patted Min-ho affectionately before filing out of the room one by one. Father and son were alone together at last. Seong-min found strength in these rare moments.

He checked everything before he spoke. Respirators, oxygen, the ECG unit, the NG tube and IV line. The routine gave him the motivation to soldier on.

"Min-ho. Daddy really missed you today. More than usual. You look a better than you did this morning. Was it because grandfather and grandmother were here to visit? You used to always like spending time with them. Daddy can still remember all the times you ran to greet them whenever they came. You used to be so excited about going to visit them.

"Daddy has a small problem at work so Daddy won't be able to spend as much time with you. I don't know how long that will take. You've been such a good boy and I know you'll understand. I hope you will continue to be patient and just wait a little bit longer. It will take time. But not too long. Daddy will fix you. So that you can talk again. Play again. Run again.

"I promise you."

Today in collaboration with human rights group, Koreans for Human Rights, HTN has put together a special report about a current worldwide scourge. Many believe that slavery is a thing of the past but it has been estimated that about 40-50 million people around the world are victims of slavery. It can happen anywhere and is all around us. Our focus today is on a particular type of modern slavery — human trafficking.

So what is human trafficking? It can be defined as such. The mechanism of entrapping human lives by deception, coercion and exploitation for prostitution and forced labour.

So what does trafficking look like? For young women it could mean being groomed for sexual exploitation. For men, this could mean that they are promised a well-paid job with a decent wage and end up as a forced labourer in a factory or a farm. Or a woman who thinks she is gaining employment in a private home only to end trapped and exploited. Trafficking doesn't just mean the transportation of people across borders. In fact, it can happen inside a country or a community.

Recently, it was brought to the attention of Kim Yoo-jin of Koreans for Human Rights or KHR that a 14-year-old Vietnamese girl was illegally transported to this country and was coerced into providing men with sexual favours in several locations. With the aid of an interpreter, the Vietnamese girl, Thanh was able to recount her experience with her captors.

Interviewer: Ms Kim Yoo-jin, what do we know about Thanh's experience?

Ms Kim: What we know is that she was kidnapped from her home country and brought here by a container ship. According to Thanh, she and the other girls (all aged between 13 - 20) were housed in a secluded location under squalor conditions. Every so often they would be picked up by a group of thugs that would transport them to various holiday homes — anything from an hour to 3 hours out of the city. This is a known tactic used by traffickers to cover their tracks.

Interviewer: Detective Jang, do we know how Thanh manage to escape from her captors?

Detective Jang: As this matter is related to an ongoing murder investigation, I am unable to divulge that kind of information. Thanh is a very brave child and needless to say, has experienced far more than she should have. She's still traumatised by this experience but incredibly has been able to provide us with useful information that will assist law enforcement agencies in apprehending these perpetrators.

Interviewer: Does the murder investigation have something to do with the dead girls that were reported to be found in the vicinity of the Seoncheon wetlands ?

Detective Jang: At this point we can't confirm or deny that the dead girls are related to Thanh's case. But we appreciate any help from the public that we can get on this matter.

"Jang Ji-hyeok! Why did you go to the media without letting us know first?" The chief appeared to be on the verge of exploding.

"It was for the girl's safety."

"Are saying that you don't trust your own colleagues?"

"You said it. I didn't."

"Jang Ji-hyeok. Too arrogant for your own good. You think you're too good for the rest of us, don't you?"

"Calm down, Chief. No one's accusing you of anything. I'm sure Ji-hyeok made a difficult call. As one of our most experienced detectives."

"I'm supposed to be retiring. Today's supposed to be my last day. Is that scumbag trying to send me to an early grave?"

"This case was mine. The witness was also mine."

"Fine. Fine. If this is how you're going to play it, I'll let the new chief deal with you. I can't be bothered with you now. Get lost before I change my mind."

"Enjoy your retirement sir. If you don't need me for anything, I'll be back at my desk."

Ji-hyeok got up. He walked out of the chief's office calmly. He closed the door behind him quietly.

Man-sik was waiting for him outside.

"You survived the chief's tongue lashing again. Good job."

"The man's losing his touch. He actually let me go after 5 minutes. Just as well he's retiring."

"Hyeong. I'm hurt."

"Not you too."

"I'm hurt that you didn't tell me either."

"What? Are you going to give me a tongue lashing too?"

"I wouldn't dare. But I thought we were partners."

"The fewer people know about this, the better. You should know this."

"What if something were to happen to you?"

"Nobody would miss me, that's for sure."

"I would."

"Sure." Ji-hyeok hit Man-sik over the head with the folder he happened to have in his hand.

"I would. Absolutely. Hand on my heart."

"You're too glib. Why ever did you become a cop?"

"To protect and…"

'Don't give me that BS. You should have gone into sales. What do you really want?"

"How did the trafficking case escape her captors?"

"You really want to know?"

"I'm your partner. Of course."

Ji-hyeok studied Man-sik's face. "You don't seem very sincere."

"Ask my wife. She'll tell you that I'm the most sincere guy in the world."

"I pity your wife." Ji-hyeok shot his partner a disapproving look. "Buy me lunch and I'll give you the whole story."

"When it comes to playing hard to get, you're the best, Hyeong."

He had picked everything up from off the floor and gathered them in a pile on the coffee and dining tables. Do-il found the vacuum cleaner from the laundry cupboard and began to work his way around Great Aunt's apartment. From what he saw, no one had been in there since they kidnapped her. He peered out of the window several times and saw Park Seong-min's flunkeys doing a mediocre job of keeping an eye on him. The possibility that it was done on purpose occurred to him. Either way, he didn't much care. He had expected to be tracked when he left Park Seong-min's office. It would only be a matter of hours before the CEO of K Tech Global would be on the phone to him. The next phase of their plan would make sure of it.

Do-il sauntered back into the laundry area and noticed that there were clothes in the dryer. It had been left there for more than a week apparently. He dutifully took everything out of it and took a sniff. No re-washing was needed. It felt nice to be playing house. But he felt her absence all the more. He had plenty of time to kill while waiting for the other actors to do their part. Again it felt like practice. A rehearsal for the real thing. The marriage thing. He was at her place doing the cleaning. Washing the dishes. Now he was doing the laundry. Oddly enough, he enjoyed himself. He dutifully folded everything as he had been trained to do from force of habit and put them away in the wardrobe.

As he was hanging up a dress, his eyes lit up as he saw a familiar green dress. Someone had paid for the drycleaning but it was still in its plastic sleeve. From the attached receipt it seemed like she hadn't worn it since Singapore. Did she not have any occasion to? He realised that he didn't know. He realised too that they hadn't talked much about those months when they were apart. What had she been doing… apart from hitting the accounting textbooks? Or buying ice-cream? He took down the dress to reminisce. It was then he spotted a note stuck around the hanger.

To be returned to Choi Do-il.

He shook his head baffled. Why would she think he would want it back? He wasn't in a habit of wearing dresses. Moreover it was meant to be a gift. But she obviously didn't know that.

He hung the dress back where it was. Then he looked around the room. Before she was dragged out of her apartment kicking and screaming, she had been at her desk studying and working on her goals. He became curious immediately. Without a second thought he picked up tan open notebook. He instantly caught sight of his name written at the bottom corner of the book.

I wonder how Choi Do-il is doing. Is he ever coming back? He said he was coming back but he hasn't called in 3 months. Hope he's okay. I wanted to ask In-hye about him but I didn't dare. I'm sure he's fine though.

He picked up the notebook and flipped several pages back. He saw his name mentioned again. At the top of the page with other plans that she had.

When he comes back, I should return Choi Do-il the earrings, the bracelet and the dress. I don't think it's right for me to keep them. Every time I look at them it gives me hope and I feel stupid hoping for something that won't ever happen.

Then he let his eyes drop further down the page.

I wish I had gone to Greece when he asked me. I wish had gone to Greece when the money came through. Should I go? But what if I get there and he's forgotten about me? I don't know if I can stand the disappointment. What if he's annoyed to see me? I'm scared.

Someone I met at yoga wanted to set me up on a blind date. I was tempted. I thought it would help me move on.

The thought that she could move on from him made him uneasy. And grumpy. He hastily turned the page and saw another mention of his name.

I went to that very expensive restaurant Hwa-young eonni took me to. All I thought about was him sitting across from me. Just like he did last time on my birthday. I don't think I can go back there again without thinking about him.

Should I go to Greece?

Do-il smiled as he read the entries. It was everything he had hoped. He was annoyed too… with himself mostly. He left her alone for too long. She was suffering in silence on her own. She had no one to confide in. It struck him forcibly then that her indecision and insecurity were the results of his own ego. He had made her wait too long. In the end she didn't believe she was important enough to him.

He stared at his phone wondering about his timing. She wanted clarity and he didn't give it to her. He felt a strong impulse to call and apologise. But how would this conversation begin? Before he could, the phone rang. It was a call he had been expecting.

"We're all set for tonight, K."

"What time is everyone gathering?"

"Just giving you the heads up. You know you don't need to be there."

"I want to be."

"Why?"

"Curiosity. Conceit. To see if I'm right."

"I'm sure you are."

"Anyway, it's better if I'm there. I know the way in."

"It'll be dangerous for you K, if someone sees you."

"Everything that we do is dangerous, S. How is this different?"

"Just wanted to give you a chance to stay out of this one. K-man."

In-joo was about to turn in for the night. Thanh was already in bed fast asleep. Suddenly two armed, masked men, dressed entirely black appeared in front of her from nowhere.

Stunned, In-joo's hands shot up in the air. "What do you want?"

The men said nothing. One went over to the bed, threw the blanket off. He grabbed Thanh's sleeping frame and slung her over his shoulder as if she were a rag doll. The other brandished a pistol in In-joo's direction and motioned for her to follow. With a gun pointed at her, she quickly complied.

As soon as they were out of the house, they were both led to a plain black van. The door was already opened in expectation that their agents would be successful in their kidnapping attempt. In-joo was pushed in with a peevishness that saw her propelled onto a seat near a closed window. Where she bumped her head hard. Before she could take a good look around, someone slipped a balaclava over her head. That same someone tied her hands with some kind of nylon rope. He seemed to know what he was doing. When she tried to wriggle free, they could barely move.

She immediately resigned herself to the inevitable conclusion. She was now their prisoner. She and Thanh. Thanh, yes. She had momentarily forgotten her. She wondered how Thanh was doing. She got up and turned her head from side to side trying to make sense of her surroundings.

"Thanh. Thanh" She whispered hoarsely. Turning her head in all directions. "Are you okay?"

"Shut up, Miss. If you want to live."

The voice seem to mean business. In-joo felt a sharp object pushing against her shoulder. She decided it was no time to play the hero — a role she was ill suited for. Besides she couldn't endanger Thanh in the process.

In-joo fell back in her seat instantly. But her anxiety for Thanh did not lessen. There was no sound from her. Not even a moan. That gave her more reason to be concerned.

Finally she heard the van's door slide across the entrance followed by the sound of the vehicle's engine whirring in the background.

Where are they taking us?

For some days Do-il had already worked out where the Chairman's office was located. Not the one in K Tech Global. But the other one. The one that was hidden in plain sight, rather snugly under the lobby of that motel. The motel that they had caged him in. The one that there were so desperately trying to keep his prying eyes from finding.

They needn't have tried so hard. The van that transported him to the venue had gone round the area several times on the pretext that they were travelling some distance away from the hotel. He had noticed a pattern — the speed bumps, potholes, sounds, and familiar smells. At the time the possibility that they were going around in circles occurred to him. The daily walks around the neighbourhood had proven to be useful.

Dragonboat or J had found the official blueprints. Hacking the city planning office was as he would say, a piece of cake. Searching for the unofficial blueprints was another matter entirely. J had to get out of his comfort zone for that. Befriending a K Tech Global employee in person through one of the online gaming groups yielded results.

The five of them were geared up like a ragtag team of burglars. For all of them it wasn't their first outing. They had been in other missions together or with others not currently present. Breaking into the Chairman's office was only the latest in a string of other break-ins that they would never take responsibility for in public.

One of their people who was outside waiting for them in a van, hacked the security system with false images and disabled the alarm system. The rest of the team went through the labyrinth of corridors safely before reaching the Chairman's office. J stood guard outside.

"Is this the Picasso Pigeon that you were talking about, K?"

"Yup."

"25 million greens for this?"

"Not this one. This is just a really good reproduction."

"So the safe is behind it?"

"I really hope so. Otherwise we're all wasting our time here."

S, who was leading the team, removed the Le pigeon aux petit pois copy from the wall. The first thing that jumped out at everyone was the face of a box protruding from the wall containing a numeric keypad and a dial.

Do-il gave a loud sigh of relief.

S waved his hand around like a magician cuing for applause. "Behold gentlemen. The treasure."

There were high fives all over the room.

"You're a genius, K-man."

"Z was right. You are the man."

"Alright guys. The real work starts now. You can flatter K as much as you like when he buys us all drinks later to celebrate."

"I bet you were quaking in your boots, K-man."

"Not as much as when I proposed to my girlfriend."

"Can't think why any woman in her right mind would turn down a stud like you."

The stench assaulted her nostrils the moment she stepped into the hovel. The odour of sweat, rotting food and even blood permeated the air around her. Even the word "hovel" gave It a certain respectability it did not deserve. The place was a squalor. A pigsty. When In-joo peered into every room she passed, she saw dozens upon dozens of lifeless eyes gawking at her while she was being herded down the corridor one or two steps at a time. Like sheep in an abattoir.

So this was where they kept Thanh and her sister before they escaped.

How was this a fit dwelling place for humans?

Then it hit her. That was the point. For monsters, these young women weren't human. They were meat. The bottom of the food chain. Fodder to be used. Exploited for the benefit of the powerful. And this was their lair.

Her heart wept. For all the little women she had just seen. For herself. For her ignorance. For Thanh.

Where's Thanh?

She suddenly remembered. The shocking spectacle had caused her to forget. Momentarily. She hadn't come alone.

Where's Thanh?

Before she could react, she felt the force of a powerful hand shove her into the nearest room.

She fell on her knees first. Before she completely lost balance, she instinctively placed her arms in front of her in a defensive posture. Her face was millimetres from the floor. She rolled over and glanced around. She was alone in the room with a bed.

"Stay here," was all she heard before the door slammed shut.

She got up eventually with some difficulty. A groan escaped her lips. But after a few attempts, managed to finally stand on her own two feet. After that she staggered to the door and twisted the knob. But it was dead locked.

She sank back onto the dirty floor unsure of her next move. She wasn't worried about herself. But her head was filled with thoughts for Thanh's safety. What were those monsters going to do to her now that they found her again? Her mind resisted going there.

Without any warning, In-joo was bombarded by a cacophony of noises in the background. On the other side of the door. There was shouting. There was screaming. There was the shuffling of feet all around. There was panic cries. Then she smelt gas. One that she had encountered before. Tear gas. It was coming through the gaps under the door.

Could it be? She ran to the door and pounded on it with her fists. "Somebody. There's somebody here. Help!"

Someone must have heard her because she heard movements around the lock and the jangling of keys. When the latch flicked the door swung wide open. There was gas everywhere. A man whose face was hidden behind a gas mask was her salvation. It was a sight for sore eyes.

It was Detective Jang,

"Ms Oh In-joo. You've had a hard time. Glad that I found you quickly."

In-joo took the spare mask from him and acted speedily. The air was already becoming hard to breathe.

"Where's Thanh? We separated. Have you seen her?"

"Ms Oh In-joo. I'm afraid I have bad news for you."

Notes:

Phew. That was a tough chapter to write. I realised afterwards that if I had plotted the story better, I would have done a better job with the details.

Thanks for reading.

Chapter 7

Chapter Text

Part 7

"Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own." ― Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land (1961)

Bewildered, Lee Man-sik stared dazed at the hive of activity in front of him. The yellow lights were on but he was in the dark. He'd been called to the docks at some unearthly hour. He had no idea why. The briefing prior to dispatch was light on the details.

He had been given very little notice. Before he knew it, he was dragged into the van. Until an hour ago he had been napping peacefully at his desk. Then out of the blue, a team from the RIUOC was dispatched and he along with them. Not only was his sleep rudely interrupted, no one he asked told him anything of any importance. No one he asked seemed to know much. The mission was very hush-hush.

His partner, Jang Ji-hyeok in particular had been out of character of late. Secretive. Vague. Uncommunicative. Recently the word "partner" seemed to be nothing more than a meaningless designation. Without warning, Ji-hyeok stopped taking him into his confidence. In his economy Lee Man-sik did not exist.

What scheme has that Mad Dog been hatching?

The sex trafficking racket. He was quiet about that. Does he know?

Man-sik tapped his jeans pocket. He had to make that call soon. All of a sudden Jang Ji-hyeok himself seemed to pop up from nowhere. Completely geared up for the occasion. With a box cradled in his arm.

"Oh good. You're here. Got your firearm with you? Good. Don't forget to suit up. These people have a lot at stake. They won't go quietly."

"Hyeong. What the heck is this about?"

"People smugglers. Arrived about four hours ago. The container just got unloaded."

"And you're just telling me this now?"

"I only just got the tip-off."

"From who?"

"An informant."

"Does this informant have a name?"

"No name. Just goes by the letter K."

"Is he reliable?"

"I think so. He was very specific on the details. Time. Name of the ship. Serial numbers."

As if remembering something, Man-sik stuck his hand into his trouser pocket.

"Hyeong. I need to make a call."

"No time for that now. Turn your phone off. The mission starts right now."

"But my wife…"

"Nothing's going to happen to you."

"You can't be sure…"

"I will personally babysit you and hand deliver you to your wife. Now turn the damn thing off."

Man-sik opened his mouth and closed it again. Not a single sound came out of it. He hesitated. He stared at his phone first and then gave Ji-hyeok the eye flip flopping in his head over what he should do.

"Now. Man-sik." Jang Ji-hyeok was not his usual easy-going self. "Stop dilly-dallying. This is not your first day. Throw that damn phone into the box. Or I will take that phone by force. We have a job to do."

The austerity in Ji-hyeok's tone threw Man-sik off-guard. Ji-hyeok was irate. Which was unusual. Even with repeat offenders, the generally mild-mannered Jang Ji-hyeok hardly ever raised his voice. Something major was going down and an ominous affair was in the wind.

Reluctantly Man-sik let his phone go. He watched it slide into the box with a gnawing unease. Ji-hyeok didn't look like he would take no for an answer. The senior detective proceeded to do the rounds ensuring that every single phone that needed to be in the box was in it. Man-sik tracked the movements of the box until it finally found its resting place in the boot of Ji-hyeok's vehicle. Locked up and going nowhere.

The foul odour coming from within the container hit them first. Instinctively everyone in proximity raised their hands to shield their noses. Not that it helped much. It was urine, vomit and night soil in various states of decay. A terrible unbreathable combination that was proof of the smugglers' callous fingerprints. A nausea inducing mix. They heard coughing and crying before they saw the thin pathetic figures cowering in the dark. The first team that went in shone their torchlights in all directions and immediately caught signs of life. Silent enough to hear a pin drop except for the sporadic reverberations of coughing. Women, young men and young women huddling together to keep warm. Who at the start of their voyage had learnt to fear strangers the hard way. On the filthy floor lay two bodies. Motionless. Separated from the rest of the terrified group. Ji-hyeok stuck his finger under their noses. An unexpected flow of warm air enveloped his finger. It was cause for hope. They were barely alive. But alive. They were the lucky ones.

"When are the emergency services going to arrive? These people need medical attention ASAP."

"Any moment now, Detective Jang. I can hear the ambulances."

"We should get these people out of here now. They'll need help. Some of them might be too weak to move on their own."

The head of the port authority nodded and signalled his people to mobilise and take charge of the recent arrivals.

"I'm glad we found these people in time. We've never been able to stop them at this point before."

"Yeah, thank God my informant came through."

It was more or less what he had expected. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Choi Do-il scanned the document in front of him with the lens of one who had done it many times before. Everything from the heading to the fine print seemed to dot the "Is" and cross the "Ts". It was a standard investment contract.

In a way, Park Seong-min's response surprised him. It was a simple, straightforward document. No haggling. No negotiation. Most surprising of all, he was amenable. Park Seong-min gave him everything he asked for without much quibbling. Desperation led him to this. The CEO was backed into a corner. It made sense. Still he predicted the other man would put up more of a fight despite recent losses — to make a show of it. A little posturing. But the tiny gestures, the way he was moving around in his own office, the barely perceptible anguish in his voice. All pointed to one thing. Desperation.

Do-il maintained his outward calm. Inwardly he was rejoicing at how easily Park Seong-min conceded. Despite what seemed to be a victory of sorts, Do-il felt a certain amount of disquiet. What if Park Seong-min had something else in mind? Would it be possible that he would renege on his promise? In the scheme of things, it didn't matter. It was up to him, Choi Do-il, to be prepared for any eventuality. He had entered the Minotaur's labyrinth and there would be no turning back.

Do-il took the pen he always carried with him out of his pocket and signed on the dotted line. The money was the least of his concern. Survival… that was his endgame. Besides a little digging showed that K Tech Global despite the recent financial haemorrhaging could be a viable concern. The number of apps that they had released into the market the last decade was mind blowing. Many of them hugely popular with the youngsters. No doubt the unnamed project had potential. With or without Park Seong-min. As long as he had the right people in place. He had a few ideas of his own.

Park Seong-min gratefully received his copy of the signed contract. He folded it and slipped it into his jacket pocket.

"I suppose you'd like to see the lab where our work on Project Leon is being done."

"That's what I'm here for."

"I will personally take you on a tour of our facilities."

"It's an honour."

"This way… please."

It was obvious to Do-il that Park Seong-min despite being on edge the entire time, was proud of this project. It was his child. Even from the most casual glimpse at the equipment and personnel, it was clear that CEO Park had poured his heart and millions into it. State of the art robotics. Bionic engineering — neuromorphic chips, bioelectric implants, exoskeletons. It was a passion project.

"Our project, Project Leon is named after William Godwin's novel St Leon: A Tale of the Sixteenth Century — a story about the adventures of a French noble, Count Reginald a spendthrift and inveterate gambler who goes through various upheavals due to his mismanagement of money. At some point he is offered the secret to eternal youth which changes his life forever. Most people know William Godwin as the father of Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein."

"The secret to eternal youth. Using technology as the gateway to immortality. Makes sense for a tech entrepreneur."

"Perhaps." Park Seong-min sounded non-committal. "In the history of the human race, immortality has eluded the best of us."

"Playing your cards close to your chest? Understandable. Considering what's at stake here."

"It's a hard thing for most people to understand. As you might expect, not everyone is on the same page. I've been accused more than once that I'm playing God. 'Insane' is a word that's been thrown at me."

Park Seong-min turned to face the nearest window for inspiration. From there both men were privy to the concrete jungle that was Seoul's CBD. At that height the population below disappeared into the hustle and bustle of transportation and familiar landmarks.

"Don't we humans already play God in so many ways? Genetic engineering, for instance. Gene therapies. Widespread use of surveillance cameras. Digital passports."

"You seem to understand."

"Me? I understand money only. I don't pretend to be any kind of deep thinker. Or idealist."

"But you don't seem repulsed by the idea…"

"From a business point of view, I'm naturally open to all kinds of ideas. Morality and ethics is an arena I leave to politicians, priests and intellectuals to battle it out among themselves."

"So it is purely about business with you?"

"Not entirely. Of course who doesn't want to live longer. A cure for cancer would be nice for starters."

"We're not there yet." Park Seong-min studied Do-il's deadpan demeanour before saying, "You know Mr Choi, you're not as indifferent as you'd like others to think."

"I suppose not. We all have families. We all have people we care about."

Before Park Seong-min could reply, his phone started vibrating.

"Excuse me, I have to take this call. It's important."

"Be my guest."

Park Seong-min strolled some distance away and then suddenly turned around to face Do-il. Judging from his mouth movements he said very little. His face which had been the picture of amicability became grave and agitated at once. Clearly he was the recipient of unwanted news.

When he hung up, he walked back to where Do-il was.

"I'm sorry to have to cut short this tour. Something's come up. I need to attend to it personally."

"Is everything okay? Can I help?"

"No." He sounded abrupt and then recovered quickly. "You've already been very immensely helpful." He pointed to the contract in his jacket pocket.

"You sure? You don't look or sound well."

"It's an internal matter. Feel free to look around for as long as you like."

"Thanks for the offer. I won't hang around for long."

Do-il watched as Park Seong-min's pace increased. When he reached the end of the aisle he'd already started jogging. The man was agitated and all the eloquence in the world couldn't hide that fact.

Thanh dead? How? When?

The last thing she remembered was Detective Jang's face. He had sprung some bad news on her. Then everything went black.

It's all a bad dream. Thanh can't be dead. He promised me that she would be safe. Choi Do-il did. Where's that man?

She was awake but drowsy. It took all the strength she had to keep her eyes open. She could barely make out her surroundings but it wasn't home. The fact she wasn't home was the only certainty she had.

Home. Where's that? She didn't know anymore.

It's a dream, right? All of it… just a dream.

She heard voices in the background. Unfamiliar voices speaking in low tones.

She heard a voice say that she, Ms Oh In-joo, was awake. She heard the word "sedation". She heard more voices. Male and female. Footsteps shuffling on the carpet. A door slid open and as the footsteps grew faint, she heard the the door slide again.

She realised then that she was in the hospital. The potent smell of disinfectant confirmed her train of thought. The smell… It reminded her of another smell… The women, the children. That revolting place. The place Thanh had been.

Before we found her.

Only one word escaped her lips. "Thanh." Was she really gone for good?

In-joo felt helpless. Just like the day she found out that In-hye was sick and she had no money. Now she had plenty of money. What good was it? She couldn't bring Thanh back from the dead.

Park Seong-min was back in his office. Go Soo-im and his well-built henchman were there already. Waiting for orders.

"We're sorry, sir. But the police got there before we did."

"How? When?" Park Seong-min took a deep breath. "How in heaven's name did they know about the shipment?"

"That's the problem. We just don't know. Even our inside guy didn't know until he reached portside. By the time he called us, it was all over."

Park Seong-min fell silent and thoughtful.

"He could have double-crossed us."

"No. That's not it. What it possibly means is that the cops now know who our inside man is. They were on the alert."

"How? On our side we've been very careful. Unless…"

"Unless he got careless." Well-built Henchman was unusually talkative.

"But it still doesn't explain how the police knew about the shipment. They had details. Our inside man didn't have that kind of information."

"The pigs knew about The Dollhouse too."

"That's been puzzling me too. 2 direct attacks on two sources of income in a matter of 24 hours"

"One of our people gave us away? Who?" Go Soo-im turned to Henchman with an icy stare.

"Don't look at me." Henchman scowled. "I've been with the boss far longer than you. Besides, I didn't even know when the boat was coming in. Or what the container number was?

In a calmer voice, Park Seong-min played the parent placating two squabbling siblings. "I know it's neither of you. We all had a lot riding on this."

"Then who?"

Park Seong-min did not speak. Possibilities were running riot in his mind. Only one fit all the facts.

"I've been wondering about Choi Do-il."

"Him? How? Why?"

"I don't know how but my gut tells me that it's no coincidence that our troubles began not long after he came back."

"But why? He doesn't have a happy history with the cops. That man only cares about money. And laughably… Oh In-joo. There's nothing in it for him to help the police.". The thought that Choi Do-il tipped off the cops made absolutely no sense to Go Soo-im.

"Being in love can't have made him completely crazy."

"You know him better than I do." Park Seung-min paused. "But I really can't think of anyone else."

"How did he get his hands on the information?" Go So-im.

After a moment or two silent contemplation, Park Seong-min's eyes lit up. "The motel. Quick. My office at the motel. Somehow he managed to get his hands on the shipping manifest."

"Should we call the guys there to check?"

"No, I have to see the scene for myself."

In his office at the motel, Park Seung-min looked through the safe.

"Anything missing, Sir?"

"No. Everything's in here. But…"

"But what?"

"Someone definitely cracked the safe and opened it."

"How do you know?"

"I tied a thread from the wire at the back of the painting to the dial. As a precaution."

"But we've got footage from the cameras in this office and the corridor."

Bulky Guy scratched his head.

"Nothing?"

"Not a damn thing."

"What about the car park?"

"Zilch, sir."

Park Seung-min slammed his desk with inhuman force. The table quaked. The lamp at the corner of the table rattled and tumbled onto the carpet.

"I'm sure it's Choi Do-il. It has to be. He asked questions about that painting the last time he was in this room. He must have understood its significance."

"I still don't understand why he went to all this trouble."

"Oh In-joo."

"He did all this for that woman? Why?"

"Don't you know, Ms Go Soo-im? Oh In-joo isn't just 'that woman'. She's family."

Good Evening. This is HTN's Nightly News. First up, an international human trafficking network unravelled just hours ago when police seized $10 million in cash and heroin from a cargo ship. They also took into custody three dozen foreign nationals, made up almost entirely of females, illegally transported in a large container ship that arrived earlier in the day. Police allege that these individuals were abducted and then brought into this country to be sold as slaves.

A joint operation that involved the Regional Investigation Unit and the maritime law enforcement agency received a tip-off from an unnamed source that a shipment of smuggled goods would be arriving in the country at a specified time.

As part of a large scale operation involving law enforcement in three regions, police raided 10 properties suspected of housing sex slaves and unregistered gangland-run brothels.

Retiring police chief, Noh Jeong-hui spoke at a press conference.

"I am proud that my final task as chief of the Regional Investigation Unit is to oversee and brief the entire nation on the capture of the heinous perpetrators of human slavers. This operation, which was conducted under the leadership of one of our best detectives, is a timely reminder of the dangerous and difficult tasks that our men and women in uniform have to undertake to make this country a liveable place."

The raucous lads from the RIUOC cheered and patted each other on the back. They had reason to good deeds were all over the news. Sleep was postponed yet again but no one cared. They were devouring expensive beef ribs and prime Wagyu cuts smoked over a charcoal fire. With their beer and soju. HQ was paying. They were carousing at the top of their voices. Much to the chagrin of other restaurant patrons.

"The chief looked dashing in his uniform. Speech wasn't bad too."

"Hey, Ji-hyeok. The chief singled you out for mention in his speech."

"Hail to the man of the hour: Lieutenant Jang Ji-hyeok." Man-sik raised his glass. His slurred speech contained a certain degree of irony.

"It was teamwork. Couldn't have done it myself."

"Don't be so modest, Hyeong. Take credit when its due."

"Slow down with the alcohol, Man-sik. You're guzzling it down like a man with no tomorrow."

"I'm celebrating. Our success."

"You don't sound or look like a man who's celebrating, Lee Man-sik. Take it easy."

"I am. I am. My partner here single-handedly took down a sex trafficking gang."

"I had help."

"Not from me."

"I see. You're still cross that I didn't fill you in earlier. It was on a need to know basis. Orders came from the chief himself."

"Since when were you this petty, Lee Man-sik?"

"Since the moment my partner decided that he couldn't trust me."

"Don't be such a wet blanket."

The rest of the team joined in the heckling of Man-sik who was now gulping down the soju like water. His craving for it had an unhealthy fervour.

"Take it easy man."

Ji-hyeok thought it was time to intervene. Man-sik resentful attitude was out of step with the festivities. It was bound to boil over.

"Team Leader. I'll take Man-sik outside. The fresh air will do him some good."

"Go ahead."

"I'm fine really. After what I saw last night or was it this morning, I needed a stiff drink."

Ji-hyeok co-opted the aid of two member to help him push Man-sik out the door.

When the two closed the door behind them, Man-sik collapsed onto the street front. Flat on his back.

"You're a mess."

In response Man-sik could only laugh. A hollow laugh. "You don't say."

"I should take you home. You're not in any fit condition to be socialising."

"Home? What home?"

"Yes, I forgot. You've been living in that cheap boarding house the past month."

Man-sik laughed again. "Nothing escapes the all-seeing eye of Detective Jang Ji-hyeok."

Not a word was said was by either of them for some time. They both fixed their gaze at the night sky.

"She called me. Your wife."

"Ex-wife, you mean."

"She's worried about you."

"She's the one who kicked me out."

"It's the gambling, right? She didn't say."

"How did you…?"

"You owe quite a lot, I hear."

"So you knew the whole time."

Ji-hyeok pulled out a cigarette out of his shirt pocket and stuck it in his mouth. He didn't light it. "Occupational hazard. I notice things. Then I have to know things."

"Does Team Leader know?"

"Probably. But not from me."

"You guys must think that I'm an idiot."

"Yeah. You are."

"Thanks.

"A pitiful idiot. That's what you are."

"No thanks. I don't need your pity."

"I suppose not. What you need is time. You'll have plenty of that in the future. To have a good long look in the mirror."

"Will you visit me in prison?"

"At least once a week."

The next day…

The room was quiet save for the squeaky wheels of a medical cart rolling towards the bed. The nurse, behind it came to a stop before she reached the bed. She scanned the room as if it was her first time in it. To get a lay of the land. From where she stood, the patient seemed to be asleep. Her surreptitious manner was the kind that sent alarm bells clanging. She reached for the syringe on the tray in front of her and picked it up with her glove-covered hand. Once it was in her grasp, she made quick steps towards the bed. With undignified haste.

She promptly emptied the contents of the syringe into the IV line. When she glanced at the bed she noted that the convalescing patient was in a peculiar position. The crumpled blanket over the head. The shape of the body. The parts seemed out of place. So she flung the blanket over to one side. It was one of those CPR mannequins.

"Were you looking for me?" The room's actual occupant came bouncing out of the ensuite, dressed in pyjamas.

Quick as a flash, the nurse charged at her prey with all the efficiency of a large cat. Two plainclothes female detectives moved in with equal swiftness to tackle the attacker and pinned her to the ground face down. Their captive tried to wriggle free and was finally overcome when a third police officer stepped in to make sure that she was fully incapacitated. Hands behind her back and in cuffs.

"I told you that she wouldn't be an easy opponent.

"Oh In-joo!" The shriek came from the nurse. It was a noise that Oh In-joo would've rather not have heard ever again in her life. Especially after their last encounter.

One of the detectives tore the mask off the nurse's face.

"Go Soo-im. I'm not surprised that you tried to kill me again. But you getting involved with human traffickers. That's a new low even for you."

Their senior detective walked in. He signalled for the others to take the perpetrator away. She, on the other hand, had no intention to go quietly. "Don't be smug, Oh In-joo. I'll get you some time."

"Enjoy prison. Go Soo-im. It will suit you down to the ground."

"Are you alright, Miss Oh?"

"Not bad. All things considered. It's a relief seeing her in handcuffs finally."

"She's a dangerous woman. I'm surprised you haven't died in her hands already."

"I've had a few close calls, Detective. Believe me."

"I believe you. You will need to come in and make a statement some time."

"Of course."

In-joo then headed straight for the wardrobe shelves to grab her things off her self.

"What are you doing? You should rest up. I promised your fiancé…"

"I'm fine. Really. I'm more worried about him. I've tried calling all morning. He's not picking up."

"Do you think something's happened?"

"I don't know." Anxiety was etched all over her pale face.

"Let me try."

He tried. But there was no answer.

"I'll go to my apartment. He might be there."

"It's still too dangerous for you to be on your own."

"But Detective."

"Listen. If he's really in trouble. The last thing we need is for you both to fall into the hands of these people."

The statement sounded reasonable to her. But she was torn between common sense and the need for certainty. Wracked with indecision, she sank into the nearest chair. A cloud of gloom descended over her.

Jang Ji-hyeok promptly made another call. "Bong-jun, if you're not doing anything important right now, help me trace this number."

Do-il sighed. Blood trickled down the cracks of his mouth. Blood seemed to be oozing out of everywhere. He spat out a mouthful. Playing bait was a necessary evil but not his idea of a good time. Do-il had healthy respect for Park Seong-min as he would a taipan or a cobra. Punishment was always on the cards. The Chairman was no fool even if the people around him weren't of the same calibre. They knew their place and they had talents that didn't require much or any brain power.

Park Seong-min's bodyguard. The hulking brute that followed him everywhere seemed determined to afflict as much pain as possible. But why was the servant not with his master? In fact, where was the master/

"The Chairman wants to know where you got the information from."

"Where's the Chairman?"

Do-il groaned. His cheeks were writhing in pain. Muscle Guy packed quite a punch. The added force of the knuckle duster on his ribs… well… he thought he heard a crack.

"I'm asking the questions here." Nobody could accuse Muscle Guy of not being a single-minded dutiful flunkey.

"I'm not obliged to answer."

Muscle Guy evidently didn't like the answer. He took another swing at his subject. This time he was aiming for the face. But Do-il made a calculated guess and dodged the incoming blow. Muscle Guy was not very creative even in his torture techniques. Nor quick-witted. Still Do-il had to marvel at the consistency and efficiency of Muscle Guy's fist power.

The dull ache in his jaw caused him to wince.

"I'm surprised that a guy like you would be working for Park Seong-min. You two don't seem to be a match made in heaven."

"It's none of your damn business."

"I agree. It wouldn't have been. Except you guys came after me first. Remember you people started this fight."

This conundrum caught Muscle Guy off guard. The reasonableness of Choi Do-il's stated position jolted some dim corner of his conscience still home to a lingering notion of justice. Thinking was not one of his strengths. Loyalty was.

"What CEO Park wants, he gets."

"What do you want, Mr…"

"I want whatever CEO Park wants."

Simplicity in such logic is hard to dismiss outright. Especially when said with so much unquestioning obedience undoubtedly came from a place of sincerity. An unexpected titbit but useful.

"He must have done a lot for you. For you to be this loyal."

Taking a different tack seemed to work. He seemed a touch more agreeable. More chatty.

"He's helping to pay for my mother's medical care."

"Sounds like he's a saint."

"You don't know the half of it."

"Tell me then. The other half."

"He's paying for my brother's university studies in the US."

Sounds like a familiar story.

At this point, Do-il could hear the faint sound of sirens in the distance. Muscle Guy didn't seem to notice. He was on a roll. Singing praises of his lord and master. A subject obviously close to his heart.

"He's my family's benefactor. We owe him everything."

"I see. So if I offered to pay you more than what he's paying you, you won't be interested."

"No chance in hell."

Without any warning Muscle Guy took another swing. This this time the knuckle duster landed on Do-il's nose. It brought new meaning to the word pain.

"I really hate violence." Do-il managed to mutter those words after reeling from the blow. Blood trickled down his nostrils.

"I'll stop the violence when you talk."

"Fine. Fine. I'll talk."

Muscle Guy relaxed.

"I broke into the Chairman's motel office and opened the safe behind the painting."

"How?"

"How? Like this." Instantly Do-il got up from the chair. The moment he stood up he felt the pain shooting up and down his body like fire darts. With no warning he lurched forward and head butted Muscle Guy in the stomach. They both fell to the ground with Do-il directly on top.

Muscle Guy was taken aback. Choi Do-il had found a way to escape his bonds. How? The truth was he didn't have too much time to think about the mechanics. Do-il rolled off to the side.

Muscle Guy reacted a second too late. Do-il stabbed a pocket knife that came out of nowhere into Muscle Guy's right leg. Both men gave shouts of agony almost simultaneously. One from the wound in his leg. The other from the injury in his chest.

"Sh**. You scumbag."

"Who's the scumbag? You're the one who brought me here. And did this, this and this to me." Do-il pointed to all the relevant body parts as he was trying to catch his breath.

The indignance was no act. He'd bought himself time. But the throbbing ache he was feeling everywhere including his head made him vulnerable to his larger opponent. His entire body had been someone else's punching bag. He was exhausted. Like a deflated ball that's been kicked around by merciless school kids.

Being less injured, Muscle Guy bounced back faster than Do-il would have liked. He was a fighter in nature as he was in name. It was pummelling time.

Before Muscle Guy could dish out his final blow, a bullet whistled past his shoulder and penetrated the wall in front of him. It had the desired effect. Muscle Guy stopped in his tracks, turned around warily to see a man pointing a 3.8 inch revolver in his direction. A woman stood next to him. He recognised her. Previously she had been scared but this time she looked like she was ready to commit bloody murder.

"Put your hands up. And keep them up. If I have to shoot again, I won't miss."

Muscle Guy believed him apparently. He too had no desire to die right there and then. His hands shot up obediently. Even he knew his fists were no matched for a firearm. Neither could he disarm his opponent at that distance. Disgruntled, however, he gave Choi Do-il one last kick in the leg in silent protest. He was rewarded with an involuntary moan.

The young woman who witnessed everything strode up to Muscle Guy and retaliated with a kick on behalf of her fiancé. Muscle Guy yelped. Her glare was a taste of things to come. The taser she was holding, she jabbed into his man parts. She did it to inflict maximum damage. Muscle Guy looked like a drowning man gasping for air. He keeled over and slumped onto the floor. Face down.

Now that the threat was defused, the young woman turned her attention to the man she came to save. He was flat on his back. Relieved that help had finally arrived. The spasms of pain from his injuries however rendered him immobile.

"Remind me never to make you angry, Oh In-joo."

The sardonic comment instantly reminded In-joo why she was there in the first place. She dropped the taser like a hot potato. Fished a handkerchief out of her skirt pocket. With it she started mopping the blood from his face. Fussing over him. And playing nursemaid.

"Why do you have to take such risks?"

The mournful look on her face triggered a pang or two of guilt. He really had not intended for her to see him in that state.

"What are you doing here? Detective Jang, I thought I told you…"

"Your fiancee here has a mind of her own. Anyway I thought it would be safer if she was where I could see her."

"You should be worried about yourself. Choi Do-il. Why did you let yourself get beaten up like this?"

"It's not like I had a choice. I was drugged. When I woke up, I was here. All tied up. With no place to go. That animal never gave me a chance."

Meanwhile Detective Jang was surveying the warehouse with the air of the professional.

"Where's Park Seong-min?"

"Right now? Don't know. Never saw him. He's probably done a runner."

"Probably."

"How did you two find me?"

"Someone sent us a message."

"Why did you let that brute do this to you?"

"I needed to find out where Park Seong-min was."

"Did you get much out of the brute?"

"No idea. Big Guy here wouldn't talk. Didn't like me asking questions."

"No point worrying about that now. Let's get the two of you out of here."

Chapter 8

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Part 8

"Life never gives us what we want at the moment that we consider appropriate." ― E.M. Forster, A Passage to India.

About a week later…

Her phone rang. It startled her momentarily. Hardly anyone actually called. She wasn't expecting anyone. Her sisters would also text first. But when she saw who it was, it made sense. She'd been wondering how he was. How Ahjumma was. How her orchids were doing.

"Oh In-joo. Daughter-in-law."

In-joo detected a slight quiver in his voice. "Ahjussi. Is everything alright?"

"I've been trying to call that brat the last two days but his phone is switched off. Both phones. Tried numerous times. If it weren't important I wouldn't…"

His voice faltered. Ahjussi didn't sound angry. Urgent perhaps. Melancholy possibly. In-joo assumed the worst.

"Is it Ahjumma?"

"The brat told you."

"Told me what?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"No." In-joo pondered a little before saying. "He hasn't said anything about Ahjumma. Is she very sick?"

"Yes." Hee-jae was partly relieved. Relieved of the burden of explanation. The burden of giving details that would bring the heartbreaking reality to the word "yes" barely came out. The rest were trapped in his throat. Emotions were not his forte. He had a spiel prepared but when the time came. His heart lost its will.

"Is she in hospital?"

"Yes."

Both were fighting back the desire to let the full deluge of their emotions show. They were feeling for each other. Feeling for Do-il. And feeling for themselves.

"Leave it to me, Ahjussi. Text me the details. We will be there as soon as possible."

Despite the perceptible warble in her voice, there was something reassuring about her manner. A feeling of pride surged. His daughter-in-law. More surefooted than he last remembered.

"Is the brat alright? Has he completed his mission?"

"There was an incident. A few broken bones. But he's recovering well. The police haven't arrested the main culprit yet. He managed to escape."

She was glad for the change of subject. The last thing Ahjussi needed was for her to break down in tears.

"I think I saw something on the news about a certain tech company."

"Yes."

"People in our family have a tendency to do crazy reckless things. I feel sorry for you."

In-joo broke into a smile that he could not see. "I am in good company then because people in our family do crazy reckless things too."

"Right. Of course." Hee-jae's lips widened into a grin she could only imagine. "The brat is a lucky guy."

"No, Ahjussi. I'm the lucky one."

Do-il woke up. His first thought was the same one he had every single day for the past week. Waking up with her beside him. It was becoming a routine to look forward to. Who would have thought? A host of feelings - familiar and unfamiliar - swept through him. An inexpressible joy. An indescribable pleasure. Even when asleep, face pressed against the bed, soft strands of her thick black hair were beckoning for him to touch. For his pining fingers to run through through them with cheerful abandon. To savour every second lest it all disappear in a cosmic joke. This habit could be his for the rest of his life. If he played his cards right. His 70 billion won woman would be his to wake up to.

Regret inevitably crept into his pensive state of mind. She wasn't his yet. What manner of a fool had he been when he proposed. He must have lost his mind. He should have insisted on an answer. Demanded it. No. Not that. He couldn't. Not a greedy soul like him. She shouldn't have to take those kinds of risks with him. Not until she knew exactly what she was signing on to.

The daylight broke in through cracks in the drapes. The hospital bed was scarcely an ideal backdrop for a romance between the restless patient and the resting the caregiver but he wished he could still time and frame that moment forever.

She stirred and shifted. The bubble burst. She looked up and offered the sweetest smile. There were other pleasures to indulge in.

"You're awake."

"Why don't you sleep on the mattress next time? It looks so uncomfortable. Your neck must be sore."

"I want to." Her answer was prompt and definite. "My neck's fine. If anything were to happen to you, I can respond straight away."

"Nothing's going to happen to me overnight."

"Park Seong-min is still on the run."

"Is that what you're worried about? The man would be an idiot to come after me here. It's crawling with cops here."

"I know but still…"

Do-il shifted slightly to the right and patted the space beside him for her to sit on.

She turned a bit shy and looked around to see if anyone was about.

"Should I?"

"You should. Everyone knows anyway."

She snuggled close up and her leaned on his shoulder. Suddenly an urge to kiss her overcame him. He leaned over and changed his mind. He settled for a hand hold. Much to his great dissatisfaction.

"You've worked hard."

"Not really. The nurses do most of the work."

He was of many minds. The proposal was foremost. He desperately wanted an answer right that moment. And yet he wanted to keep his promise. It was too soon. She wasn't ready. Would he putting too much pressure on her after everything she'd seen? What if she said "no"? What if she got angry? What if it came across as pestering?

He turned to look at her and she seemed to be in a good mood. So he moved in closer and put his arm around her shoulder. He felt a slight twinge in the chest area but bore it with all that his masculine pride could muster. He had to. His future was at stake here.

To his astonishment, she very adroitly manoeuvred herself to gently plant her lips on his. It was far too quick. But not unfelt.

"This is what you wanted to do right?"

It wasn't exactly what he wanted. But he wasn't going to start an argument over a kiss. Still it was moreish.

Instinctively he went for another kiss but the spasm of pain from moving his abdominal muscles was something all the pride he'd built up could not undertake at that moment to save face. He groaned. Louder than he would have liked.

In-joo covered her mouth, trying hard not to let her giggling come through but failing. She stopped when she saw how dejected he looked. She then repositioned herself so that she would be sitting across from him. For his sake, she reshaped her face into something much more sombre.

"Let's get married, Choi Do-il."

He was dumbstruck. Unsure if he had heard correctly. Had she now taken to reading his mind? He had no complaints on that count.

"Let's get married."

The penny dropped.

"Are you sure?" The moment he said it, he wanted to punch himself for saying it.

She reached inside her top and pulled out the necklace he gave her. She took it off and handed it back to him. With the diamond ring and plain gold band glittering in the sunlight. Still present and accounted for.

"I'm saying 'yes'. Dummy."

He took the necklace in robotic fashion while she stretched out her left hand and wriggled her fingers around under his nose.

"Why so slow? Have you changed your mind, Choi Do-il?"

"Change my mind? Are you crazy?" The clasp wasn't coming undone fast enough. His fingers were all thumbs all of a sudden.

"Then why do you look so nervous?"

"I'm… not.. nervous."

"Such a liar."

"I've never asked anyone to marry me before."

"That I believe."

"I didn't think you would agree so soon."

"It's an excuse. You were afraid I'd say "no" or something."

"Well, I thought it might be possible considering your… erm history."

"What sort of guy proposes to a woman and then tells her to think about it. Never heard anything so ridiculous."

"I wanted to give you a choice. You've had so few real choices in your life. Not that I would have given up after the first attempt anyway."

He finally slipped the ring on her third left finger.

"It's perfect." He watched her face light up. It was worth the wait to see that vision of her in utter bliss. The enchantress had cast her spell on him.

"Not as perfect as the woman I'm going to marry."

She blushed and fell against him in embarrassment. He grimaced. Cursed his injuries. And cursed the terrible timing.

"Ow, ow. Ribs, Ribs."

"Sorry." She pulled away away reflexively but was stopped by his good arm.

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere."

"Good. You are to stay right here and not move."

"Yes, sir."

"If only you were always this obedient."

"Don't you know by now, Mr Choi that I could never say 'no' to you?"

"You didn't go to Greece with me."

"You didn't tell me why you wanted me to go to Greece with you."

"Alright, alright. It's all my fault for being so slow to act. Happy?"

"If you had asked me to marry you on the first day we met, I'd probably have agreed." She said it matter-of-factly.

"Really?"

She nodded.

"We've wasted so much time."

She nodded again. This time with an added pout for effect.

"Let's not waste any more time then."

His words were meant to signal an epoch. A new chapter in their story. But the undertones were unmistakable. Each recognised the desire in the other's eyes. With a precision that could not have been better planned, their lips came together in perfect synchronicity. Even the spasms and twinges were soon out of mind.

"Ahjussi called."

Do-il was about to blurt out a "why" when the reason hit him between the eyes.

"Mother. Is she alright?" He quietly put down the fork he was holding.

In-joo's grave demeanour told him everything he needed to know. She met his gaze without flinching.

"She's in hospital recovering."

"Why didn't he…"

"He tried. You haven't been picking up."

It was the first time she'd heard him swear in front of her.

She tried to comfort him. "You cannot be everywhere at once."

His lips formed a grimace. "I haven't been a very good son. I should've been there."

"Stop Choi Do-il. Stop this right now."

The explosion of words caught him off guard. He was stunned. He was dumbstruck. The tirade however had a sequel.

"Think carefully before you say anything else. Don't say anything you don't mean. Don't make me regret saying 'yes' to you."

"In-joo." His voice had a timbre of contrition. "I didn't.."

Without waiting for what else he had to say, In-joo got up from her chair and dashed out of the room without turning back.

The cool breeze in the garden was just what the doctor ordered. She found a bench under the shade overlooking the artificial lake. The feeling of that gentle breeze caressing her was a soul soothing balm. She took uncounted deep breaths before calm returned. Gradually the tension in her neck, shoulder and arm muscles loosened.

She had already regretted her outburst of resentment. It was the heat of the moment that came out badly. But a powerful surge of fear gripped her. For a little while she'd been happy for herself. The thought that it was all just a temporary delusion struck sudden terror in her heart. She had a passing feeling of deja vu. She didn't want him to have regrets. About her. About them. She saw herself at the edge of a cliff clinging on for dear life. Didn't he say once that she was the most important person in the world to him? She didn't want to be in competition with a sick mother waiting to die. She was selfish. She was greedy. She was pathetic. And she hated herself for having these feelings.

In-joo almost shouted bitter laughter at the irony. Saying "yes" to his proposal had been her idea. A consolation to the son and the sick mother. She wanted for them to be happy. Both of them. Yet in a single sentence he was about to regret everything he'd done for her.

If she hadn't stopped him, he would've said it out loud. Once heard, it could not be unheard.

"Are you taking advantage of a man with a disability to run away after agreeing to marriage?"

He found her. As he always did in the end. Relief washed over her. And a certain amount of shame. She couldn't look him in the eye. Not just now.

He seemed to understand. He sat on the other side of the bench.

"I've already told you that I will never give up on you."

"You must think I'm such a simpleton."

"I'm the simpleton here."

He waited for her to reply. When she didn't, he continued.

"I keep forgetting that it's not just about me now. I'm sorry."

He let his words penetrate.

"Why are you apologising? I'm the one who lost it."

Do-il shifted slightly in his seat. An inch closer. He winced.

"If I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you, I've got to start practising. Besides, I did make you upset."

"You didn't."

He moved another inch.

"I don't mind. I've always liked your angry side the most."

"Now, you're making fun of me."

Another inch closer. It hurt to move those muscles. But he was half way there.

"It's true. I swear. Hand on my heart. It's terrifying to witness of course but it's the most honest and strongest part of you."

"Am I always so obvious?"

She didn't seem to notice but he was only a few inches away.

"Yes. Always. But it's how I like it."

Then she remembered something he once told her. Something about the fact that she took everything at face value. And he liked that about her.

Her momentary silence made him second guess himself. Did he say the wrong thing this time? Did he scare her off?

"I wasn't really angry. Really. I was just worried."

"I'm sorry that I made you worry."

His own fears were allayed. No pain no gain. The journey of a thousand miles had arrived at its destination. More or less. There was barely an inch between them now.

"As you know, I don't have a good history with men."

"That's because you haven't met the right one until now."

An eruption of tears followed. She started pummelling him.

What have I done now?

"Why do you always know the right thing to say?"

She leaned on his shoulders bawling her eyes out.

"Do I? I must really like you."

"You're doing it again." She broke into heartrending sobs. "I can never be angry with you. I can't even get angry with you about Thanh."

Soon her arms found their way around him. Her head taking refuge in his chest. She was blubbering. Her tears drenching the front of his attire.

He, on the other hand, never felt more at peace with the universe.

Good afternoon everyone. This is HTN news.

In breaking news, presidential candidate Park Byung-chul, who has been the front runner until now, has bowed out of the race citing the latest scandal concerning his oldest son, Park Seong-min the CEO of K Tech Global as his main reason. K Tech Global has not only been rocked by financial woes but CEO Park has become the subject of a full scale investigation by the police regarding his ties with organised crime. Assemblyman Park who has been holding out against pressure to withdraw his candidacy, finally made the announcement today at a press conference.

"It would be wrongheaded of me to continue on this trajectory when my son is now under investigation for such serious crimes. As a father, I feel that I have let him down and not taken my responsibility to parent him well. I deeply regret that I cannot continue to serve the people of this country with such a cloud of suspicion hanging over our heads."

The investigation into the human trafficking ring continues with the recent apprehension of two suspects with close ties to a mysterious leader known as The Chairman. The organization conducted its activities out of a motel on I _ Street. The 49 young females, ranging from ages 12 -25 who were abducted from their home countries were housed in a large warehouse outside Gyeonggi Province. The perpetrators referred to it as "The Dollhouse".

"Still not talking?"

"Not even a whisper."

"Hard to imagine her as the loyal type."

"I've been wondering a lot about Ms Go."

"Oh?"

"I wonder what's keeping her mouth shut."

"It's not money?"

"Money is not enough to take the fall for this."

"What about the big guy?"

"He won't talk either but we know his story. Family owes him big."

"So what? You think Park Seong-min's taken a family member hostage?"

"No. I checked. No family."

"What will you do?"

Ji-hyeok turned his team leader with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Look at her. Tell me what you see."

"She's very calm."

"Anything else?"

"She doesn't look like a woman who's worried about going to prison."

"I think she's waiting."

"For Park Seong-min?"

"Not necessarily. But something. Notice how she looks at the clock regularly. And the way she taps her fingers on the table."

"What is she up to?"

"Nothing good, I imagine."

"Mum. I'm sorry that we took so long to get here."

Do-il sank down in a chair by the bed. Seeing his mother once again in that condition made his heart sink. Was she destined to suffer all her life? For his sake.

Ahn So-young managed a smile. "I'm happy you made it. Both of you." Even her eyes showed some spark.

Still she sounded weak. Her speech was slow. "Miss Oh In-joo. It's been hard on you."

In-joo put on a brave face and shook her head. "No, not at all. Ahjumma. It's been fun actually. Also, you don't have to be so formal with me."

"Mum. Don't talk if it's too much. Rest."

"I'm fine. Really. Now that you're both here. I can leave in peace."

"Mum. You're not going anywhere. Yet."

"Ahjumma. I miss your cooking. I miss the farm. I miss my orchids. I'm going to come back and live with you."

"In-joo. The farm…"

At that moment Choi Hee-jae walked in. Father and son looked at each other. Father nodded.

"Mum, we have to get you out of here."

"It's not safe here, Ahjumma."

"Does it matter? I'm a dying woman."

"You can't die yet."

"This old body…"

"Choi Hee-jae." Do-il suddenly switched modes. He became more business-like.

"Everything's ready. The vehicle is waiting in the underground car park."

"How did you manage to convince the hospital?"

"I just gave them the facts. That detective guy helped."

Being on the run from the police was a new experience for Park Seong-min. His unshaven appearance and shabby apparel was the least of it. Meeting with his father covertly in a remote area near abandoned buildings was the stuff of fiction. Yet here he was — a fugitive. Made to feel like one but he wasn't ready to give up just yet. He couldn't. He was a man with an incomplete mission. Min-ho and Eun-hye were depending on him.

"I'm surprised you're not more furious."

"I was. At first. Your mother is my witness."

"I'm sorry. Dad. Truly. I am really sorry about the presidential campaign. I never meant…"

"That doesn't matter now. But I still don't understand why you got involved in that trafficking racket. It's not like you. None of this is like you. That's the hardest part. You've never been greedy. It's never been about money for you."

"It still isn't."

"Then why? Why would you take such a big gamble? Why would you get involved with these types of people? Kidnapping, buying and selling young women. I'm honestly disappointed."

"I knew you would be. That's why I didn't say anything. But I needed the money."

"So it is about money after all."

"It wasn't for me. It's never been for me. It was for the project that we were working on."

"So what's the hurry? Everything takes time."

"Min-ho doesn't have time."

At that moment the father looked his son squarely in the eye. A look of understanding flashed across his eyes. Understanding turned into disappointment. He wondered when it all began. Where it all went wrong.

"Didn't we have that conversation two years ago? I thought we agreed it was a bad idea."

"An opportunity came up and I took it."

"Opportunity? It was a disaster waiting to happen."

"Nothing's ever certain. Min-ho is my son. I thought you'd understand. You're a father too."

"I understand that part. What I don't understand is when it was that you started to believe that the ends justify the means."

"Dad." Park Seong-mi began his plea. "You don't have to go home everyday to a boy lying in a vegetative state. And you don't have to watch his mother suffer day in, day out caring for him. Looking after a child who will never acknowledge her again. She will never know if he will ever wake up and call her 'Mum'". You have no idea of what's that like. Living that kind of life."

Park Byung-chun's face visibly softened. His eyes, arms, even his voice — his entire body gave the impression that he was a man greatly fatigued. Once an energetic political figure, he seemed to have aged a decade overnight.

"You're right, son. I don't have any idea. Maybe I would have done the same thing if I had been in your shoes. Only heaven knows. But I will have to live with the fact that my oldest son. My pride and my joy. Went into business with slave traders. Who knows if my grandson will ever wake up despite his efforts. Those are the facts. The shame of that will remain with me until the day I die. The shame of where I went wrong as a father."

"If you know where Park Seong-min is, why haven't you arrested him already?"

"I made a promise to someone."

"Why so mysterious?" Team Leader Cho looked at him suspiciously. "Is it that Ms Oh In-joo?"

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Ji-hyeok glared at his supervisor. "What are you trying to say? She has a fiancé."

"You don't usually care what other people think."

"True. But this person's different. And I don't like owing anyone anything."

"What has this person done that you're so compliant?"

"Let's just say: Enough. We have eyes on Park Seong-min and we know where he's going. Besides, I'm much more concerned about Ms Go who is sitting in our holding cell and not doing a whole lot of anything."

"I hate leaving you two here by yourselves. But this hospital should be safe. I don't think they know about this place. We also have friends keeping an eye on things."

"We'll be fine." In-joo saw the hesitant look. "Don't worry."

"It's not that I don't trust you."

She rewarded his unspoken misgivings with a hug. "You are so adorable when you're like this."

His hands naturally found their way around her shoulders. "You are doing such a good job making me not want to leave."

"It's all part of my evil plan."

"It's a damn good plan." He buried his lips in her hair and closed his eyes. "I can't wait for all this to be over."

"Me too."

"But I do have to go."

"Don't take unnecessary risks."

"You don't have to tell me twice. I have a sick mother and a beautiful wife to come back to."

Then he finally let go of her. His reluctance was not at all for show.

She turned her gaze to the ceiling and smiled shyly. "I'm not your wife yet."

He grinned. Like a schoolboy in an athletics competition with a few tricks up his sleeve.

He gave her one more lingering gaze before making his move and heading straight for the exit.

Beaming she almost skipped back to her charge, who seemed to be sleeping peacefully in her bed. She did a cursory examination of the set-up before ensuring that she was comfortable under the circumstances.

"In-joo." The voice was weak but audible at that distance. Her eyes were barely open.

"I'm here. Don't talk if it's hard. Just rest, Ahjumma. I'm not going anywhere."

"The ring. I saw it before."

"Oh." In-joo had no idea what else to say. Did Ahjumma approve? Was she going to forbid the match? In-joo chided herself for being silly. Too many weekend makjangs were bad for the brain. Do-il's mother was not some chaebol matriarchal witch. Do-il wasn't some chaebol heir. Rather unconsciously she started rubbing the ring.

"It's a pretty ring."

"Do-il has good taste."

"Is this why?" Ahn So-young struggled to get the words out. "I can't die yet."

"Yes." In-joo took her future mother-in-law's hand. "That's the main reason."

"I'm glad." She was sounding more breathless. "To have a reason to live."

"I'm grateful, Ahjumma that you approve."

"I'm the one who should be grateful to you, In-joo."

It was becoming obvious that the older woman was flagging under the strain of speaking. She'd made a determined effort but she'd reached her limit.

"You should rest now. Get plenty of sleep. The men won't be back for a while. But I will be here the whole time if you need anything."

Do-il turned out the lights. He took the revolver out of the bedside drawer in the hope that he wouldn't have to use it. He slipped it into his jacket pocket and cautiously tip-toed to the door and closed it. He placed himself right next to it. So that when it was opened, he would not be seen. He surmised early on that his attacker would come through the door armed with a weapon. Something quick and efficient.

He hoped in earnest that detective — Oh Ji-hyeok — was right about the day and the time. Because that would mean that his entanglements with dangerous and crazy people would come to an end sooner rather than later. It would also mean that his long-running turbulent association with Go Soo-im would finally be over. They'd locked horns long enough. He was raring to farewell that part of his life. Before that he was sure that she would inflict as much damage as she could. A stint behind bars was no guarantee that her vindictive streak would be kept in check. It was too personal. The joke that she was able to garner a band of loyal followers never got old. That was the part that he never understood. But for some people viciousness has its own charismatic appeal.

Ten minutes passed. Twenty minutes. Thirty minutes. Forty-five minutes and then an hour. The second hand of his watch seemed to be moving in sync with the beating of his heart. Perhaps the errand boy wasn't coming after all. Perhaps Jang Ji-hyeok got it wrong. Still it was no reason to let his guard down. Vigilance was almost always its own reward.

About ten minutes past the hour, he came. True to form, Go Soo-im's messenger boy, lap dog came to do his master's bidding. He heard the sound of footsteps treading on the carpet. Do-il slipped on a pair of night vision goggles in readiness for whatever was coming through that door.

The door opened. A pistol came within sight of where he was standing. A silencer had been mounted onto the muzzle. It was pointed at the bed. Two shots fired. Pillow fluff floated in mid-air before succumbing to gravity. The nighttime intruder walked forward, curious about his own handiwork. As he bent over, Do-il thought it time to strike. He emerged out of his hiding place, aimed his right foot at his target's back and gave it a kick. Which saw the other man glide across the room and land with a thud. Though down, he was not out. Disoriented temporarily but recovered sufficiently to stand up and devise his counter-attack.

The noise must have alerted his companion who came charging in like a bull. Assailant #2 tried to strike at Do-il who easily dodged the oncoming blow and landed his own punch right in the abdominal region. Assailant #2 fell onto the bed and then rolled off onto the floor. That wasn't enough to incapacitate him so Do-il was obliged to deliver a knife hand strike that saw the end to his wriggling.

Before the first attacker could execute his makeshift plan of coming from behind, he felt a shock of electricity run through his body. He convulsed before falling forward hitting the floor. In his frantic activity he had failed to notice Hee-jae in the other corner of the room.

"Do you think there are more to come?"

"Let the cops deal with them. It's bad enough that we have to take care of this problem ourselves."

"I'm not worried about that. I'm just concerned that they don't do a good job and we have to clean up after them later."

"I just want to get back to my fiancee to care about all that."

Hee-jae moved to the window and looked out. He saw a bustle of activity outside. A rumble made up of cops and gangster-like creatures was in play.

"Looks like the fuzz are here. Earning their tax-payer funded salaries."

Do-il gave his assailant a kick. "Got anything to tie them up with?"

Hee-jae pulled out some nylon ropes from nowhere and waved them around.

"Well, no one can ever accuse you of not being prepared, Choi Hee-jae."

Park Seong-min tore through the hallway and bulldozed his way through the door into the boy's bedroom. He saw Do-il leaning on top of the bed rail, his chin resting on his arms, fixated with the unconscious motionless child.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"You took your time, Park Seong-min." Do-il did not flinch. Neither did he look up.

"You'd better not have done anything to him."

"What do you think I could possibly do to a boy who is barely alive?" Do-il broke his gaze to scan the room before his eyes returned to the boy. "Unlike some, I am not in the habit of hurting other people's children. The woman I brought along with me would kill me first.I don't even like violence as a rule. It's unnecessary. It's messy."

"Why are you really here?"

"To talk."

"What about?"

"You. Me. Family. The Real Pigeon Picasso."

"You broke into my house? Just to talk?"

"Technically I didn't break into your house. I introduced myself to your wife and she let me in."

"Under false pretences."

"I didn't have to lie. You're the one the police are after. She let me in to talk some sense into you. She's a smart lady. Besides I am really an investor in your company."

"I could tear up the contract."

"But you won't. The company is your other child. The board will find someone else to replace you easily enough."

"You've thought a lot about this."

"I've been waiting for some time. To have this conversation. Without all the muscle around. Before the police put you in cuffs or you turn yourself in. It'll probably be the last time that we meet like this. But who knows?"

"So you're here to gloat? To mock me. To judge me."

"I'm not qualified." He paused precisely at that point before continuing. "The truth is I wanted to see for myself what your excuse was. Now that I've seen Min-ho, a lot makes sense."

"You are mocking me."

"Actually I'm thankful to you. And Go Soo-im. Truly. Especially Go Soo-im. I used to believe that money was the most sacred thing in the world but of course I was wrong. There are far more important things in this world. So when I called you a visionary, I was sincere. You are. I read your paper in the Penn State's Journal of Posthuman Studies. It's full of fascinating ideas about bionics and AI."

"Why then did you…"

"Because you came after Oh In-joo. You picked the wrong woman to mess around with. You came after family. To save your family, you went after mine. I'm only doing what a man has to do."

Park Seong-min sank into the nearest chair. He slowly let his head drop into his hands.

"A word of advice. I won't insult you by preaching to you. I'm not a father but I am a son. Just like Min-ho. The funny thing about kids is that they just want their fathers and mothers just to be fathers and mothers. They don't want saviours or martyrs. My mother became a scapegoat. for me. I never wanted that. I just wanted her to be my mother and for me to be her son."

"Oh, and one more thing. The Pigeon Picasso. The real one." Do-il pointed at the only piece of artwork that had prominence on the bedroom walls. "I had an interesting conversation with my sister-in-law about Cubism. I get it. Just the right kind of art form for a man who believes that machines will save humanity."

Notes:

I'm so thankful that you're still following the story.

Not long to go now before I bring this to a close.

Chapter 9

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Part 9

"Everyone gets the experience. Some get the lesson." ~ T. S. Eliot

"Eun-hye, what should I do? I'm all out of options."

Park Seong-min walked into the kitchen where his wife was stirring the sauce. He closed in for a back hug and landed a peck on her right cheek. He relished these moments with Eun-hye. They were few and far between. A feeling of dread haunted him. He was at a crucial crossroad. He knew his life was about to change forever.

"She seems like a good person. Ms Oh In-joo. Without being asked or saying a word, she stood there and chopped up the onion and the garlic."

"Did she?"

"She did a good job. She knew exactly what to do without being told."

"She seems like the simple-minded type. I am surprised that Choi Do-il went for her. She doesn't exactly stand out."

"I'm a simple-minded soul too. Isn't that why you married me?"

"I married you because you are a good woman. Uncomplicated, quiet and confident. Entitled rich girls are too hard to deal with. They are needy. They are used to being pampered. They demand a lot of attention."

"In other words, I'm a simple soul."

Park Seong-min was about to object. His wife cut in before he could.

"I consider it a compliment. We've been married for 14 years and it has worked for us."

"You don't regret any of it?"

"No."

"Not even now? Not even now that you know everything…"

"I've known you since high school. I knew what I was getting when we got married."

"I'm sorry Eun-hye. I dragged you into this mess. Min-ho too. I will never be able to repay you. Even over several lifetimes."

Turning around to face him, Eun-hye stared him in the eye with an intensity that threw him off guard.

"Ms Oh In-joo apologised too."

"She did? Why?"

"She said it's because of her that Choi Do-il went this far."

"What did you say?"

"I said that she didn't have to apologise. A man who can't protect the people that he loves is worse than a murderer."

"You said that?"

"Ask her, if you don't believe me."

"Lee Eun-hye. I don't know what to say." Her husband locked his arms around her petite frame.

"Don't say anything. What's done is done."

"You're the most amazing woman in the world and I don't deserve you."

"Life is far too short to cling on to regrets. Or hold grudges."

Jang Ji-hyeok was astonished.

He looked out the window to see if the sky had fallen. It was an unexpected move. Despite hoping he would take the initiative, he didn't think Park Seong-min would come in to the station on his own accord. Choi Do-il had hinted that he might. He was right. What was more astounding was seeing the suspect trot in accompanied by his father, the former presidential candidate. Both were causally dressed. Like a couple of old chums off to have drinks in the local pub. They came in quietly. No fanfare. Not a word to the press. No media circus following behind. Just two ordinary guys walking off the street, burning to get something off their chest. The absence of a lawyer was suggestive.

It took a certain kind of courage. Ji-hyeok had to respect that.

Park Seong-min's hands had the bad case of the shakes. He didn't know where to begin. The father gently placed a hand over his son's. Much to everyone's relief, he took charge.

"My son, Park Seong-min, is here to cooperate with the police in any way possible."

"I am Detective Jang Ji-hyeok. I am in-charge-of Mr Park Seong-min's case."

"Is there somewhere we can talk, Detective?"

Ji-hyeok motioned for the Park father and son to follow him. The three quickly formed a line. With Ji-hyeok in the lead they filed down the corridor while the entire station held their breath gawking at the trio as they headed down to the interrogation room.

"Blow me down. Can you see pigs flying in the sky? An honest politician who wants to do the right thing. Consider me impressed."

"Admittedly they are a rare beast."

"So what do you think, sir?"

"What do you think, Jang Ji-hyeok?"

"I think Park Seong-min's on the level. Mostly. 95% of it is true."

"So what about the 5%?"

"Someone put him up to it. Someone gave him the idea. Why would a guy like him have anything to do with organised crime?"

"Who? The old man?"

"I don't think so."

"You think he's protecting someone. "

"Possibly. But I can't be sure." Ji-hyeok looked thoughtful. "Do you remember telling me a while ago about the younger brother from a drug bust we were a part of?"

"You think it's him?"

"I'm just considering all the possibilities."

Ji-hyeok put on his jacket. He rummaged his desk and found his phone. He checked for messages before slipping it into the back pocket of his pants.

Team Leader Cho looked amused. "Off already? That's not like you at all."

"It's in lieu of all the overtime I've been doing lately. I'm sure you can spare me. My phone is on at all times."

"Where are you off to?"

"I have an appointment."

"A date perhaps?"

"Me? On a date? You've got the wrong guy."

"Then?"

"I need a new suit."

"Really? For what?"

"I've been invited to a wedding. Day after tomorrow."

"Anyone I know?"

"I doubt it."

The day after tomorrow…

The wedding was held at a small country church. Until her incident which saw her in hospital, Ahn So-young had been a regular attendee there. The pastor, a short congenial figure with little hair, was amenable to officiating the ceremony at such short notice. The family did not expect nor invite many to the ceremony. The bride's side of the family were all overseas. Ahn So-young, two of her friends from church sat in the front row. A detective though looking more dapper than usual seemed to be distinctly uncomfortable in his suit, was fiddling with his tie intermittently. He sat in the back pew. In the back corner of the building, was the videographer setting up. The bride was nervously waiting to walk down the aisle with her future father-in-law by her side. He had been tasked with giving her away to the groom. Both bride and future father-in-law were in various states of anxiety. It was his first time. It was also her first time. The last time she tied the knot, there was no carpeted aisle to traverse. It was just her and the ex in the registration office signing away their lives. This church wedding felt more like her big day. Just enough pomp and ceremony. Enough to erase the memory of the disaster of the first marriage — a part of her life story best relegated to the ash heap of history.

The groom stood in the front of the church waiting for his bride. His face was harder to read. He showed complete mastery over his emotions as he was wont to do. He was impeccably dressed in a tuxedo. His confident posture gave his mother a reason to smile. She for one never thought she would be around to see such a day.

In the background the organist began playing Pachabel's Canon in D. The groom turned to look as did the various guests. His bride accompanied by his father came into view. A veil covered her made up face. The dress was elegant in its simplicity. Filmy white lace draped over a silky gown. A sweetheart neckline held up by capped sleeves. The chosen outfit flattered her natural curves yet it gave her room to breathe. The mounting excitement overcame the nerves. She surged forward in anticipation.

The sight of his bride caused his heart to skip a beat. The groom was transported to a location in the past and then returned. The ghost of a smile which took shape on his lips gradually broadened into a grin. There was so much to look forward to. Contrary to what he thought about the ceremony previously, the ritual of watching her glide down the narrow aisle was imbued with purpose that he had no words for at that time. His bride was coming to him. Just like when she came to him weeks earlier. This ceremony. He did it for her. He did it for his mother. The whole ceremony had been for them. The realisation that he needed it for him just as much shook him to the core. The insanity that afflicted him months earlier brought him to the front of the church, culminating in this event. One that he now embraced fully. Happily. In fact. And no one was more surprised than he was.

It was the old cliche writ large. It was the end of one journey and the beginning of another.

His father was comically solemn in his dark suit but the groom had too much regard for the occasion to lapse into merriment. The old man, to his credit put his best foot forward. The fact that Choi Hee-jae and he were on speaking terms would have been ridiculous to his 21-year-old self. It was all kinds of insanity that the old man had a major part to play in this piece of theatre. Which to his mind was the greater miracle. Choi Hee-jae was giving away the bride in place of her absent parents.

An unexpected calm enveloped the bride when the groom was within her line of sight. Her trembling hands stilled as if on cue. It was real. He was standing at the end of the aisle waiting. Every step she took brought her that much closer to giving their relationship clarity.

Ahn So-young recalled the conversation she had with her son, the groom. His words echoed in the space around her.

"Love? What's that? I don't know. All I know is that being with her makes me happy. If she's not by my side I can't rest easy."

No doubt Do-il found his answer. The certainty with which he gazed at his bride was worth its weight in gold. It was more precious than anything to a mother who had much to regret. She was grateful. Her beloved son had not only found his way out of the darkness of Jeongran's web of madness. In the moral cesspit of greed and corruption, he had somehow crawled his way out to find love.

Eagerly he took the hand of his bride as she sauntered up to him. There was none of her usual shyness. Perhaps the veil was the shield she needed to take this transformative step. Perhaps it was newfound confidence grounded in the certainty of being sincerely loved. Face to face, they were lost in the other one's eyes. Their smiles were for one another only. The weight of every single word spoken was felt. Promises were made. A solemn call to commitment was answered with oaths given in view of a lifetime of love.

"Now, you may kiss the bride."

A tear ran down the mother's cheek. Her son. Her daughter-in-law. Family. She, Ahn So-young had lived to witness the remaking of her family. Her husband felt the build-up of moisture around the eyes and promptly swept them aside for fear of completely embarrassing himself. Not that anyone noticed. For all eyes were on the jubilant couple.

Without a moment's hesitation, the groom lifted the veil and leaned over to put his final seal to claim his bride. A build up of anticipation quickly filled the space between them. She met him halfway with equal yearning. Months earlier their paths intersected. There were plenty of obstacles: Won Sang-a. Wonryeong. Jin Hwa-young. Jeongran Society. Danger brought them together not once but many times over. And danger kept them from being together. An untimely attraction was forged in life and death. The attraction grew and laid the foundations for something that would change them both. To bring them to this place. The bride and the groom both had their arms wrapped around each other as their lips locked into place, publicly affirming the commitment they had already made in their hearts.

"It's been a big day, Mum. It's been really hard on you."

Mum shook her head. "I'm feeling better than I look."

"Still you should rest up now."

"I'm sorry that you two…"

"Don't be. We're really happy. I'm happy. Really."

"I hope you know how blessed you are."

"Of course."

There was a knock on the door.

In-joo walked in with a tray. "Ahjumma. It's time for your medication."

"Don't you think it's time to stop calling me 'Ahjumma'."

"Sorry. Mother. Here's your medication. I've brought you some water too."

Do-il grabbed the tray from In-joo and placed it on the bedside table. He picked up the coloured cocktail of pills and handed them to his mother. With a glass of water in one hand and pills in the other, she gradually got through them.

Glancing at the newly weds, So-young sighed. "You two shouldn't have to wait on me hand and foot. On your wedding day too."

"Why not? I want to." The bride was quick to reassure her guilty-looking mother-in-law.

"Son, take your new wife out of here. This is your wedding night."

"It's okay. We'll wait until you fall asleep."

The blast of hacking that snuck up behind them made them all leap. It was the kind of cough calculated to get attention. A cough followed by exaggerated throat clearing.

"Choi Do-il. Take our daughter in-law out of here. Leave your mother to me. Go. Do whatever it is you have to do. Life's too short. You don't know when someone will try to kill you again."

"Choi Hee-jae. Dad."

"For once in your life… for heaven's sake… do what I say. You too, Daughter-in-law."

The family patriarch shooed his wayward children out of the room and literally shoved them out the door with both hands. Son and daughter-in-law experiencing a loss of balance, tumbled out of the room. The next thing they heard was a slam behind them and the door lock activated.

No amount of door banging or pleading moved Choi Hee-jae.

Soon a voice from inside the room admonished in no uncertain terms. "Consider it your duty. The best thing you can do for your mother is give her grandchildren."

At the mention of grandchildren the newly wedded couple turned to each other looking a little bashful. Do-il's momentary awkwardness lasted no longer than when he allowed his father's chastisements to sink in. With a mischievous smirk and a glint in his eye, he scooped up his new wife into his arms.

"Shall we?"

Trying not to appear too keen, she nodded slowly. While biting on her bottom lip.

Seeing that his bride was amenable, he carried her to the other side of the house and made a beeline for the bedroom.

He seemed to masking the agony he was feeling, discreetly nursing his abdominal region. Evidently his injuries had not healed completely.

"Are you okay? Does it hurt? Maybe we shouldn't have…"

"I'm fine. Really. Do you think I would let something like that stop me?"

His bride said nothing in response. The rhetorical questions served their purpose. She let the comment pass. She was entirely content to bask in the afterglow of their consummation. Now she could allow herself to celebrate the intimate connection made in the quiet of semi-darkness. She marvelled at how easily they found their rhythm. To tap into the right hum and beat. First their lips, then their hands. Bathing in pleasure as their bodies worked in concert to reach the climax of their musical piece. They both had wanted it more than they let on. They had been waiting a long time.

Her private unspoken contemplations were soon interrupted as she felt the warmth of his body slide over hers.

"What are you thinking?" His fingers were playfully twirling her hair and stroking her face.

Her mind was full. She couldn't find the right words for how she was feeling. Content. Yes, that was close enough. Contentment was adequate to describe what she was feeling. Had she been nervous? Yes. She kept her expectations low. Afraid? Possibly. But he knew her better than she had realised. He was considerate. He was careful. He was attentive.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Why? Did it not got the way you expected?"

Was he offended? She couldn't be sure.

"No. It didn't go the way I expected."

"Oh."

There was a detectable undercurrent of dismay. But also concern.

"It was better."

"Oh."

His relief was palpable. "Oh In-joo. Are you teasing me?"

"Maybe." After a pause, she said. "I didn't realise it could be so much fun."

"Really? I'll show you what fun really looks like." By some speedy sleight of hand, his fingers launched an attack. She could feel them tap-dancing on her waist.

She giggled. "Hey, I'm ticklish."

"That's good to know for future reference."

"Help. My husband is taking advantage of me."

"Shhh. There's no one around to hear you. Do you really want to rouse our parents?"

"If you behave, I'll stop shouting."

"Behave? I'm the perfect gentleman."

"Gentleman? I don't know. But perfect… hard to say. Truthfully I didn't have a really good look."

"That's a problem with an easy fix." That deadly grin of his surfaced once again. She had no defence against it. She would agree to anything now.

"Really?"

"I'm always up for another round."

When Do-il woke up the next day, he noticed that his bride had left his side. He jumped out of bed, hastily slipped on a shirt and a pair of shorts. He noted the time as he put on the watch. It was early — 7 pm. Considering it was the day after the wedding. As soon as he walked out the door, he heard noises coming from the kitchen.

He was instantly intrigued. What on earth would induce her to make such an early start?

He swung round for a peek and saw his new bride looking dishevelled over a large pot. She was stirring the contents and giving her undivided attention. She was so intent on what was in front of her that she failed to notice that she was being watched a short distance away.

Do-il was more amused than peeved. Not having her next to him when he woke up was a downer but this culinary scene brought its own set of delights. Captivated by her movements, he thought it best not to disturb this vision of domestic bliss.

Seemingly lost in her reverie she seemed entranced by the dish in front of her. She scooped up a tiny amount to taste. Not satisfied, she added a pinch of salt. She dipped the ladle back in to taste and gave a contented smile. She turned off the heat, walk two steps back and heaved a sigh of relief. Perspiration dripped down the sides of her face and rolled down her neck.

She was about to wipe off her perspiration when her newly minted husband made his entrance. A crucial part of his grand strategy to catch her off guard and sweep her off her feet. He succeeded with uncanny dexterity. She was startled and almost swiped the large pot from off its perch.

"Choi Do-il. What in heavens name…"

He lifted her up and sat her on the bench top.

"What the heck! You almost caused an accident in here."

"My timing is always impeccable."

She threw him an exasperated look. "Always? As if."

"What do you have to be annoyed about? I'm the one who woke up only to find that my beautiful bride had abandoned me for the kitchen."

"Abandoned? Really." She shot him a unimpressed glare. "Such a baby."

He put the wayward strands of hair back in their place. With his thumb he gently caressed her cheeks. "We're not living in Joseon. Why are you doing this?"

"I wanted to cook something for your mother. It's my best congee recipe."

"What about me? Your husband. What about what I want?"

"Such a big baby. What do you want?"

"This." He drew himself up towards her cheeks cupping them with both hands and smothered her lips with an intense morning greeting.

"Do-il."

"Hmm."

"The money."

"The ten billion won I borrowed from you?"

"The rest of it. Whatever's in the bank."

"What about it?"

"I want to start a charity. In Thanh's memory. For girls like her. For people who need it."

"All of it?"

"Can I?"

"It's your money."

"It's our money. All that time you were in Greece, I kept wondering what I should do with all that money. After going to that horrible Dollhouse place, I really want to do some good with it. It's not as if I need all of the money."

"You're thinking of sponging off me, aren't you? In truth, I was going to live off you."

"I'll bet you have an investment portfolio this thick." She made a gap between her finger and thumb that was at least 10 cm wide.

"Maybe. Not telling."

"Hey. I thought what's yours is mine."

"It is."

"I thought I married a financial genius."

"You did. Even if I do say so myself."

"So if you have all this money lying around, why did you borrow the 10 billion won?"

"I am asset rich and cash poor. Anyway it's for our investment company. It's symbolically significant. We are joint owners of the company. Anyway, it means that you will be a co-investor in K Tech Global."

"One of these days you will have to take me through everything. One at a time."

"Your idea of a charitable trust is a good one. There are tax benefits that apply. But there's something you should know about Thanh. Something I haven't told you yet."

"What?"

It was time to say goodbye to a friend.

The airport was packed to the rafters. They had to weave through large crowds of tourists to get to their destination. A group of the foreign nationals saved from the notorious "Dollhouse"were being transported back to their home country courtesy of the Vietnamese, South Korean governments and various non-profits. One face among the crowd stood out to In-joo.

"It was my idea. Ms Oh In-joo. To make you think that she'd died. It was to protect all of us. I'm sorry if it caused you distress."

In-joo was far too preoccupied to be angry. She had unleashed some of her fury on Do-il days earlier. What the detective said made sense. Of course. But she was far too caught up in the emotion of reuniting with Thanh (albeit briefly) to apportion blame. In-joo hugged her temporary charge tightly. Her so-called death had been weighing heavily on her heart.

The interpreter for the group hovered around. "Thanh is very grateful to you in particular, Ms Oh. You reminded her of her older sister."

"Is it possible for me to visit her in Vietnam?"

"She says she would love that. She says that she would love to see you and your husband again and show you around her hometown."

"She knows that we got married recently?"

"She watched a video of your wedding."

"She did?"

"She's really happy for you. You looked so beautiful."

"Does she like her new outfit?"

"You can see that she's a different person. On behalf of our organisation, we want to thank you for your contributions in making all of this possible.

"Honestly, it's what I should do."

"Detective. You didn't have to tell her that it was your idea. I agreed to it."

"Mr Choi. I've been married before. Trust me. It's for the best."

"So you don't think we should tell her about the body swap either?"

"Probably not. It's really police business anyway. We had to do it to find the mole."

"I suppose so. I don't think she'd be too impressed to hear that you used Thanh's dead sister to lure the gang out."

"I won't lose sleep over it. We got the job done. And saved lives."

"You certainly do things differently Detective Jang."

"So do you, Mr Choi Do-il." Ji-hyeok studied the other man before making his point. "I've been talking to a contact in Interpol. I've heard interesting things about you and your group of friends."

"Oh that. It's just a pastime for bored young men. But I'd rather not talk about it here. If you don't mind excusing me, I'd l like to see what my wife is doing."

"Of course."

Choi Do-il left the conversation and joined his new wife while she was engaged in conversation with the interpreter. Ji-hyeok gave attention to every gesture, expression, how they interacted with each other in those few minutes. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy now and again. Two people who genuinely liked each other. Body language was convincing in way that words could never be. Ji-hyeok watched the husband intently. It wasn't immediately obvious that Choi Do-il was smitten with his wife. Until it hit home that his eyes never left her the whole time she was talking to anyone or giving out hugs. His smile that appeared now and again was reserved for his wife and for her alone. When the husband finally took the wife's hand, the way hers slipped into his seemed like second nature.

Jang Ji-hyeok wondered too if Oh In-joo knew about her husband's pastime (as he called it). Probably not. Well, it wasn't any of his business. Choi Do-il certainly had a checkered past from all accounts. His mother. His connection with the Jeongran Society. That too was none of his business. The important thing, as the lead detective on the human trafficking case was that Choi Do-il held up his end of the bargain. Ji-hyeok readily conceded that without him or his friends they wouldn't have been able to bring down the human traffickers or Park Seong-min. Interesting guy, that Choi Do-il. It begged the question — how much of the man was due to the influence of the woman.

Next up on HTN news: the future of K Tech Global. Park Seong-min, the CEO of one of the country's top IT companies has resigned and sold his shares over to various entities. According to a statement that he put out after formal charges were laid against him pertaining to his entanglements with organised crime, Park Seong-min showed his determination to protect the company he built by withdrawing every bit of involvement, pleading with customers and investors to continue supporting the company that employs over 200 workers. A newly incorporated investment group known as J & I Investments has been said to have invested 30 billion won in the company after CEO Park's departure to show their confidence in K Tech Global's long-term viability. The director of J & I Investments who refused to be named, put out a press release saying that while he does not condone the criminal activities of CEO Park, there are many talented as well as skilled men and women who are working at the forefront of artificial intelligence and bionic engineering in Asia. Human augmentation and advances in prosthetics have enabled people with physical disabilities to enjoy a better quality of life. He asked for the public's and the government's continued support.

The board of directors have not ruled out a name change to distance it from its founder. An unnamed source has been reported saying that after recent upheavals and revelations regarding CEO Park, the company needs a fresh start. A new CEO will be appointed in next week's extraordinary board meeting.

While the rest of the world was speculating over the future of K Tech Global, the directors of J & I investments were busy pulling out large stalks of shallots on the family farm. Under the heat of the morning sun, they harvested several rows of the popular garnishing and bundling them together. They were to keep some for themselves and some to be gifted to So-young's church to be distributed to the members.

After a cold drink from a flask, they wiped the sweat off each other. The wife playfully threw some of her left over water at the husband. In his face. He retaliated by throwing water from his flask. She was quick off the mark and managed to evade the attack by running away. His mind went into gear. He spotted the hose lying close by, grabbed it and ran to turn the tap on full blast. Water came gushing out. He aimed the hose in her general direction and sprayed the water around. Not taking it lying down, half soaked, she poised herself for a head on for counterattack. She managed to head butt him to the ground where they both fell, one on top of the other. After a bit of a tussle, they sat up. Completely soaked to the skin.

Shrieks of laughter and feeble protests reverberated around the farm. All of it witnessed by a mother and a father taking a stroll on the other side of the field.

"This almost makes up for all the time that we lost."

"Yeah."

"Our son is married to a really special girl."

"Yup."

"As his mother, I'm really glad."

"You've been looking much better lately."

"I think I even slept well last night."

"This air around this place has always been good. But the young people bring a different energy."

"The congee tasted good."

"Not as good as yours though."

"Our son and daughter-in-law will do better than us."

"I think so too."

"Your hair's still wet."

"You've only just noticed?"

"I was otherwise preoccupied." She could feel the rush of his warmth breath down her neck. "Oh In-joo in wet attire is far too much of a temptation. Far too irresistible. For a man half-starved."

She was slightly distracted by her husband's nose, rubbing against her ear. But not distracted enough to be embarrassed.

"Why did we decide to stay here after the wedding? What must your parents think? In the middle of the day too."

"They're probably ecstatic. Didn't you hear what Father said the other day? He mentioned grandchildren."

"Yeah. I heard."

"I'm their only son."

"Yeah, Mr Obvious. Tell me something I don't know."

"Oh In-joo. I'm crazy about you. I can't get enough of you. I want a family with you. Take your pick."

"Choi Do-il." She sat up suddenly.

"And I love you."

"Do-il." Her eyes seemed to turn red in an instant. Her lips were quivering. Her voice overflowing with emotion.

"Is it so shocking?"

"It's just that… I've never heard you say that before."

"Does it come across insincere?"

She shook her head. "I'm just surprised."

"It took too long. I'm sorry."

"It's hard for you to trust people. I get that."

"Trusting you, Oh In-joo is the easiest thing in the world. I just… didn't think this could happen to someone like me."

"Do you really think that? Imagine how I feel."

"Is it so hard for you to believe it?"

"I know what people think even if they don't say it. out loud. How can a super smart guy like Choi Do-il fall for an idiot like Oh In-joo? I'm not blind. And I ask myself the same question too."

"Do you remember our first date?"

"Have we ever been on a date? Ever?"

"The first time we had lunch together. At Wonryeong. When you told me that you were divorced."

"That was a date?"

"To me it was."

"You didn't just say that to yank In-kyung's chain?"

"That part was fun. But no, I didn't say it just to annoy your sister."

"I thought you were just trying to pump information out of me about Hwa-young eonni."

"I could have done that over the phone. Sent a text message. Or sent you an email."

She looked at him flabbergasted. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to scare you off. Besides, walls have ears in Wonryeong."

"But afterwards?"

"I'd known Park Jae-sang and Won Sang-a most of my life. I knew what they were capable of. I knew about the power of the Jeongran Society. You were already in a precarious position because of your relationship with Jin Hwa-young."

"But why me? I'm the outcast on the 13th floor."

"It's precisely because you were the outcast of the 13th floor that I was curious."

"You're not messing with my head, are you?"

'Why should I? I've got you exactly where I want you now."

"Pfft. Yeah. I'm too easy."

"You, my lady, are just too adorable." He pulled her back down under the covers, nestling her against his person. She could hear the sound of his heart. Beating. Fast.

"But why me?"

"Because you don't play games. Because you are you. All the time."

"I have married a really smart man."

Notes:

While writing this part I realised that I had to split up all the content I had planned. It was too much for just one chapter and it would end up being a cramfest. So yes, there's another in the works. (At least in my head)

From the beginning it was always my intention to answer some of those nagging questions about the nature of Do-il and In-joo's complex relationship. I suppose for some people it seems incredible that an intelligent, street savvy guy like Do-il would fall for someone like In-joo. The answers to my mind can easily be found in the show itself. There's method in his madness. A rewatch of the first two episodes points to the fact that the attraction was mutual from the start.

Chapter 10

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Part 10

"The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference." ― Elie Wiesel

"Eonni. That dress was stunning." The youngest member of the chat group gushed over the photos.

"I agree. And you look really happy, Eonni."

"I am… very… happy." The oldest sister of the trio was beaming from ear to ear. "But it would've been better with the two of you here. Wish that you could've been here for the wedding."

"I wanted so much to jump on a plane the moment I heard but as you know, I had to complete a big project."

"Yeah, it was pretty short notice. Sorry."

"How's your mother-in-law doing?"

"She has her ups and downs. But much better than we expected."

"Must be hard taking care of her."

"Not really. I'm not the only one here. My father-in-law's around. When he's not in Seoul, Do-il spends a lot of time with her."

"What does he do in Seoul?"

"Mostly taking care of business. He's always looking for new investment opportunities and he's on the board of K Tech Global now called Cutting Edge Enterprises."

"I read about that. You know, I'm glad I was wrong about him." The second sister piped up. "He's one of a kind."

"I don't think you were completely wrong about him, In-kyung. I still don't know what he's thinking sometimes. That mind of his… it's pretty scary…"

"Is that even a bad thing? Especially when you're dealing with powerful people."

"In-hye is obviously a big fan."

"I just think it's nice to have a man in the family. Especially one so smart."

"Especially one that good-looking, right?"

"Eonni. What are you saying?" In-hye looked aghast. "Can anyone of us deny the fact that he's done a good job taking care of us? All of us."

The emphasis on the final phrase was accompanied by a defiant stare. The two older sisters burst out laughing. In-hye's indignance became more pronounced.

"In-hye, In-kyung's just teasing you. Not that anyone would blame you. Least of all me."

"Brother-in-law called us the day before yesterday."

"He did? He didn't mention it."

"He showed us the farm. It looks amazing. I can't wait to visit."

"He did that?"

"I love the orchids that you're growing."

"Yeah, that's my favourite place. When I want to be by myself."

"You're not bored are you, eonni?"

"Bored? No way."

"Really? A city girl now living in the country. How can she stand it? No shopping mall for miles."

In-joo thought about the good-natured gibe before cobbling together a reply.

"It's different. No doubt about it. Living here with the Choi family, I don't know, surrounded by people who care about me. It's such a breath of fresh air. I've realised a few things. People can live anywhere as long as they are loved… and if they're at peace with who they are. There's freedom in that."

"Eonni."

"It's weird, right? I used to think money was everything. I thought it would solve all our problems. No one would ever thumb their nose at us again. Once I had it —beyond my wildest dreams — I don't know, I didn't know what to do with it. But being alone for three months forced me to rethink everything."

"You shouldn't be too hard on yourself. Cleaning up after our parents was pretty painful. Not to mention hard work. Being poor isn't much fun."

"Poor? Were we really that poor? Or did we let the rich people tell us that we were poor?"

"What do you mean?"

"Won Sang-a and Park Jae-sang. Where did they get their money from? How did they earn it? They stole it. They did all kinds of immoral things for money. They even killed people for it. Why? To have power over people like us who were struggling to get by. So that Won Sang-a could thumb her nose at us. We allowed people like her to look down on us. Why? Envy. They had things we didn't. Envy is how the rich controls us. It makes us weak. It is how we become their slaves. And slaves to what they're selling.

"Won Sang-a said she had fun using people. Was she happy? How could she be? She was mentally unstable. What kind of woman lets the man she supposedly loves to commit suicide for her? Why should these crazy rich people shape our world and be our moral compass? They are just as lost as the rest of us. Or more so."

"That was an impressive presentation that you gave, Director Choi. You radiate charisma. I'm surprised that you didn't put your hand up to take on the CEO job."

The new head of Cutting Edge Enterprises' R & D department cut an elegant figure. Returned recently from her stint in the UK as an IT executive, she was recruited to fill the void left by the exit of loyal staff and to rebuild the team.

"Thank you. But that would cramp my style. And it would mean having to commute to Seoul regularly. Too much effort."

"With your resume, you could work anywhere and command any kind of salary."

"Probably. But that's not much fun. And after years of being at other people's beck and call, I like the freedom of being my own boss."

"You're too young to be withdrawing from the world."

"I'm not withdrawing from the world. I'm just choosing to deal with it on my own terms. I'm fortunate to be able to have that freedom. Not everyone does."

"You're a fascinating person, Director Choi. You certainly beat to a different drum." The woman looked at her watch. "I was wondering if you have time. Let's have drinks together."

"Thanks for the offer but I have a train to catch."

"What about the next time you're in town? I think we have a lot to talk about."

Do-il reflexively lifted up his left hand to show off the gold band on his third finger. "I'd rather not when my wife isn't around."

"You're surprisingly old fashioned, Director Choi. I would never have thought it."

"Am I? Maybe. It's nothing personal. Ms Shin. But I really like being married to my wife. After all the effort I've put into winning her over, it would be foolish of me to give her the wrong idea."

In-joo was in the greenhouse watering and tending to her charges. Her mother-in-law was lying on a deck chair a short distance away having a nap so In-joo took the opportunity of a few spare moments to look in on her precious plants. She had already begun preparing some of her more exotic species and hybrids for a showing in the next event on the horticultural calendar. Invitations were pouring in. She was building a reputation in the horticultural community. Not once did she imagine herself leading workshops and teaching others. But here she was.

She was so engrossed in observing and photographing her growing collection that she didn't even realise that her husband had returned. He was standing right next to the entrance. His arms crossed. Grinning and watching, wondering when to make his entrance. Oblivious, she reached for her notebook and scribbled down a few notes.

"It's so disappointing to come home and my wife's not crying her eyes out waiting for me."

Startled, In-joo turned to look immediately. She flashed him a bright smile. "You're back."

He offered his best impersonation of a curmudgeon. "What about a hug? I just survived a 2 hour train ride and then drove for another half an hour."

"Yes, yes. You've been working hard." She took off her apron, put it aside and embraced him. "You're turning into a grumpy old man."

"Old man? I'll have you know that I'm being accosted by women at work."

"That I believe."

"Aren't you worried? The tiniest bit jealous?"

"Should I be?"

"You're so cruel, Oh In-joo. Now that you've got me in the palm of your hand."

"You're such a baby." She tapped him on the nose. "But always adorable."

He heaved a sigh, acting like a man deeply aggrieved. "I think you love your orchids more than you do me."

"How is that even possible?"

"Speaking of orchids. I have a present for you."

He went back outside, then walked back in with an orchid plant nestled in the crook of his arm.

"Phalaenopsis noid! From Singapore?"

"Yup. Came in two days ago."

"You're the best."

"I'm glad you think so."

She carefully placed the pot in a empty spot among the benches and hastily ran back to reward her husband with a hug.

"Love you." She planted a quick kiss on the lips.

"What kind of kiss is that?" He drew her in for a tighter embrace. "It's only a 5 out of 10."

"You are so fussy today. So difficult to please."

"Let me demonstrate how you should thank me properly."

He lifted her chin and he let his mouth fall over hers lips with practised ease. With all the intensity he could muster, he let loose. In such moments she allowed herself to be lost in the moment. She forgot her orchids. She forgot she was standing in her greenhouse. She didn't much care. She would go where he led her. It was the logical response. She was grateful. She felt blessed. She couldn't take these moments for granted. Would these good times last forever?

Her arms and somewhat soiled dirty fingers had nowhere else to go and found their resting place around his waist.

Several weeks later…

Oh In-joo collapsed onto the sofa. She didn't much feel like moving. Her legs were like jelly. She felt like she'd been run over by a truck. Two hours in the kitchen and an hour in the greenhouse was all it took. It was only midday. In no time she was fast asleep. It wasn't the first time. She'd been this way for at least a week.

"You need to take her to the doctor."

"Why? You think it's something serious?" Her husband suddenly looked worried.

"I'm not a doctor. I can't say. But she usually has a lot more energy than this."

"At least let her get looked at."

"You two are scaring me."

"What's the matter with you Choi Do-il? It's not like you to be this spooked. There's no harm in seeing a doctor. When was the last time she had a health check? The doctor will be able to rule out this or that. Could be a lack of iron or some other nutrients."

"It's your job to take care of your wife properly."

"I don't think she has anything to complain about." Do-il knitted his eyebrows together. "Mum, you really think there's something wrong?"

"It's probably nothing serious."

He appeared somewhat mollified by the answered. "But it could be something."

"Discuss it with her when she wakes up."

"I'll call the doctor now.'

Do-il went outside the house to make the call.

Choi Hee-jae leaned over and spoke with a conspiratorial hush. "Maybe we should tell him."

"What if it isn't what we think it is?"

"True. They could both end up disappointed."

"It's not right to raise expectations."

"Leave it to the doctor to confirm it one way or another."

"Congratulations Ms Oh In-joo. You are pregnant. 6 weeks."

Oh In-joo opened her mouth. Nothing came out. She closed it. For a while she stared blankly at the doctor. She wondered if she'd heard correctly. She let the words penetrate the confusion swirling around her mind. Once she crossed that hurdle she turned to her husband in palpable excitement.

"Didn't you notice anything with your menstrual cycle?"

"I've been so busy. I just lost track of time. The orchid show. And various speaking engagements. I just thought I was just tired from everything."

"We'll do a blood test and an ultrasound to be sure. Please wait here."

"Choi Do-il. We are going to be parents." She was gleeful until she turned to look at her husband who was looking grave. "Why? What's wrong? Aren't you happy?"

"I'm just surprised."

"What's so surprising about me being pregnant? It's not as if you don't know how this stuff happens."

"Is this really what you want?" His reaction was not what she expected.

"Yes. Absolutely."

"But we haven't been married long. Don't you have things you want to do?"

"Of course. I want to have a family with you. Didn't you say you wanted to have a family with me?"

"I did. But I didn't think it would happen this soon. I mean, don't you have things you want to do. What about your orchid stuff? Your charity work?"

"I'm going to have a baby, I'm not going to prison."

"Let's not rush into anything. Don't do anything you'll regret later."

"I really don't understand why you're so negative."

"I'm not being negative. I just think you should consider this carefully. Let's talk more later."

"Daughter-in-law."

"Mother. Father."

In-joo had been sitting alone outside on the patio gazing at the night sky filled with stars.

"You were both really quiet at dinner. Is everything alright?"

"Were we? I didn't notice."

"You weren't your usual talkative self."

"Did you get bad news from the doctor?"

In-joo took a deep breath, counted to ten in her head before offering answer.

"Not at all. Sorry to make you worry about us."

"It's the job of parents to worry about their children."

"Tell us what's going on with you two."

"Has Do-il not told you?"

"He hasn't said anything."

"Did he upset you?"

"I don't know. I'm not sure how I'm feeling. Disappointed maybe. Disappointed more than anything probably."

"Is it about the pregnancy?"

The question took the wind out of In-joo's sails.

"Mother. You knew?"

"We guessed."

"You don't want the baby?"

In-joo shook her head. "I do. Very much."

"So the brat's the one who doesn't want…"

"He hasn't said that exactly."

"But he's not that keen."

In-joo nodded slowly. "I don't understand why. He gave me all kinds of reasons. Some of them make sense. But…"

"But you don't believe him."

"I don't know. Father. He says he's worried about my orchid business. Honestly all that doesn't matter to me that much. I'm not really that ambitious. I like growing orchids and helping people get into the hobby. It's fun but it's not the same thing as having our own child. There's no comparison."

"Do you think there's something else he's not saying?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe. I really thought he wanted us to have kids. So his reaction wasn't what I expected. The worst part is that I think he means well. I should be happy that he's being considerate but the problem is, I'm frustrated. In my simple mind, if he loves me, it wouldn't matter when we have kids."

"So you're now you're wondering…"

"Our poor In-joo."

"Sounds stupid, right? I'm sure there are thousands upon thousands of women in this country who would be thrilled that their husbands are this supportive of them in their careers. But as luck would have it, he's stuck with a very unambitious me."

"It's not you. Give him time to get used to the idea."

"I'm glad you want this baby."

"Very very much."

"Heaven is merciful. Before I leave, I may get to see my first grandchild at least."

"I can't tell if you're drowning your sorrows or celebrating the prospect of being a father. But it is customary to celebrate with the people around you."

Do-il narrowed his eyes in his father's direction and snorted.

"Choi Hee-jae. Can you imagine me… a father?"

"Is that a question in search of answer?"

Hee-jae waited for a suitable length of time. He let the silence guide him. None of the usual retorts were forthcoming.

"Yes. I can imagine you as a father. And probably a good one too. Well, better than me at least."

"Surely you can do better than that? That's not exactly inspiring stuff."

"Isn't this what it's all about? You and me."

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Psychology 101. A textbook case. A boy who grew up without his father. His father let his mother go to prison. Then he was sent to the US, groomed to be an expert money-launderer. He blames his father for abandonment. His father blames himself. They all lived unhappily-ever-after."

"For goodness sake… Choi Hee-jae… you're really not that important."

"Believe me I'm not doing this for you but for my daughter-in-law who is very upset."

"Don't drag her into this."

"It's too late. Choi Do-il. She's already in. And it's not fair on her that you suddenly have an attack of cold feet."

"I'm not having cold feet."

"Whatever is ailing you, I won't forgive you if you disrupt this nice family dynamic we've got going. I happen to like my daughter-in-law. Your mother likes having her around. If she ends up leaving because of whatever hangups you're having, I'll disown you and adopt her. In fact I'll show you the door myself."

Do-il slammed his glass on the table. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Then you should stop being ridiculous. You're not me. You will make mistakes but they will be your mistakes not mine. You know, for someone who hates me that much, you seem adamant on making the mistakes that I did."

"I don't hate you." Anymore.

Do-il suddenly wondered when he stopped hating his father.

"I don't care if you do. Just don't let your wife think that you don't love her anymore."

"It's absurd. Why on earth would she think that?"

"Ask her yourself, brat."

When Do-il woke up, he found himself on the sofa, in the living room covered in a blanket placed thoughtfully over him. He had a splitting headache from the dreadful hangover he was suffering. The drinking bout from last night was a bit of a blur. He did however have vague memories of something resembling a civilised conversation with his father. The pregnancy. Yes, that. Choi Hee-jae accused him of having cold feet.

Maybe it was cold feet. He couldn't be sure himself. Then he cast his eye in the direction of the bedroom. His reaction to the news upset her. Did she really say she was going to leave? His heart leapt into his mouth. A rare feeling of panic took hold of him.

This gave him the necessary motivation to leap into action. He ran to the bedroom but the wife was not there. In fact, it didn't look like anyone had slept in the bed.

He ran around the house looking for her but she was nowhere to be seen. No one seemed to be home as a matter of fact. He felt his heart rate go up. He recalled what Choi Hee-jae said to him the night before. He hadn't taken it seriously before. At that moment he felt obligated to do so.

He dashed around to all her favourite places on the property but she was noticeably absent from all of them. The study, the kitchen, the back patio, the orchid greenhouse, the garden. The field. No In-joo.

A thought struck him. He raced back into their bedroom and opened the cupboard doors. Her clothes were all there. Her bags. The suitcases on top of the cupboard. All her worldly possessions were present. She would never have left without them.

That Choi Hee-jae. Scaring him like this. Just like him to say something so irresponsible. Why did he even believe him in the first place?

Guilt. For not being as overjoyed as she wanted him to be. Guilt. That he allowed fear to overrule his emotions. Guilt. For breaking his promise. For letting her feel insecure.

He heard Choi Hee-jae's truck pull up on the driveway. All the panic dissipated in an instant. He ran all the way to the nearest window and peered behind the curtain. He saw his parents but still no Oh In-joo in sight. It suddenly occurred to him to look at the clock. It was quarter past 11. He realised he had slept the morning away.

The day was Tuesday, Orchid Club. Until 12.

"Do you need help in packing up?"

"No. There's not a lot to do really."

"Are you alright?"

"Fine. Much better than I've been for some time."

"Your colouring's better."

"Well, that's probably just make up."

"Your husband's waiting outside. So I thought there might be something. This is only my second time seeing him but I'm pretty sure it's him. He's a very memorable kind of guy."

"He's here?"

Oh In-joo stopped what she was doing and skipped outside. Do-il was leaning against the car staring at nothing in particular.

"You seemed surprised."

"He was still asleep when I left. Had a bit too much to drink last night."

"I can see why you would keep him hidden."

"It's not on purpose. He has no interest in orchids."

"What would a man like that be interested in?"

"Money. Making lots of money."

"Is he good at it?"

"Not bad. Pretty good in fact."

"I must be looking in all the wrong places. All the good ones seemed to get snapped up before I get the chance to have a look in."

"I wasn't really looking, to be honest. He just appeared in front of me."

"You're making me weep, Ms Oh. Please don't make me feel worse than I already do."

Do-il eventually realised that he was the object of intense gawking by the two women standing at the entrance of the shed. One, was his wife looking bewildered. He waved. She waved back.

"You didn't say he was interested in you too."

In-joo suddenly felt shy. "Aren't all husbands interested in their wives?"

"Not necessarily. That cannot be guaranteed. And I speak from experience. Here he comes. I don't think you will need my help now."

In-joo's conversation partner disappeared back into the large shed.

"Hi."

"Hi. I thought we might have lunch together." Do-il seemed a lot more restrained than usual. She speculated that he might still be a bit hungover.

"Sure. I'll go get my things first."

"Don't move. I'll go. Stay right here."

Somewhere along the way home they took a detour or the scenic route and ended up at the beach.

"I thought we're having lunch."

"I brought lunch along." Do-il pointed at the backseat. In-joo turned around and saw a large basket.

"I hope there's a lot of food. I'm starving."

"I … er thought... er realised that … er… I have never brought you to the beach before."

"As usual you think of everything."

"I wish."

"It's a really nice day to be outside. Warm. We'll be getting the midday sun though."

"There's a shady spot not far from here."

"Well, what are we waiting for?"

In-joo took a deep breath and got out of the car.

Do-il barely ate. In-joo hardly noticed. Her mind was too much concerned with the food. He was preoccupied with the future. His. Theirs. Some things foremost in his mind needed to be said. The right time couldn't come fast enough.

In-joo muttered a contented sigh. Then fell on the rug.

"In-joo. I was thinking we should go for a walk."

She sprang up sheepishly. "Are you worried that I might fall asleep?"

"It's not that." Do-il stammered. "I think we should talk."

She nodded. She had inkling that everything that they had done so far was leading up to the all-important conversation they had to have. Do-il was walking on eggshells around her. She felt it acutely. He was in agony. It was in his eyes.

"Let's go." She reached over and grabbed his hand. "We've wasted enough time."

"I'm so sorry. In-joo. I made you worry."

"I think I know why you reacted the way you did. Father-in-law and I talked about it."

"What did he say?"

"He said it's all his fault and not to be too hard on you. To give you time to get used to the idea."

"Oh."

"Is he right? Do you need time?"

"I need you more than I need time."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Aren't you angry with me?"

"I was. But I was worried more than anything."

"It's my fault for being so thoughtless."

"No. No. After I thought about it, I realised that it was a good thing that this happened."

"The trouble with you, Oh In-joo, is that you're too quick to forgive."

"I haven't said that I've forgiven you."

"That's a relief. I don't want anyone to think that my wife's a pushover."

"I don't care what other people think. You don't have to punish yourself over this. It's a big step. The thought of being a dad. I get that."

"The old man stole my thunder unfortunately. I was going to prostrate myself in front of you and beg for forgiveness."

"There's nothing to stop you from doing it now."

"Ouch. Underneath that gentle, cheerful demeanour is a whip-cracking hard task master."

"Glad that you've realised it in time. Our children will have to learn that soon enough."

"Children? So you won't be satisfied with just the one."

"Not at all."

"You can't be sure I won't screw up. Our family has a poor track record."

"My family doesn't have a great one either."

"So you still think that this is a good idea?"

"Don't go chicken on me. The past is the past. We have the chance to turn things around."

"Oh In-joo. Ever the optimist."

"You married me, didn't you?"

"Ah touche."

A year later…

"Did you like your surprise?" He felt her lips on his left cheek and then her head resting on his shoulders.

They were sitting in the house observing In-hye, In-kyung and Hyo-rin goo-ing and gah-ing over their little niece who was lying in her stroller out on the patio.

"When did you arrange for them to come?"

"About a month ago. It was In-hye's idea. She wanted to see the baby."

"Looking at them… I wish my parents were here too."

"We can make that happen too, you know."

"I miss my mother-in-law too."

"Yeah. Well, that's a lot harder to do."

"I still think about her sitting out there in her wheelchair. Right there. Exactly where they all are right now."

"I know."

"Her last moment. Holding on to the ultrasound picture."

Tears trickled down her face.

"She went peacefully at least."

"It's very thoughtful of you to bring them here at this time."

"I thought you might feel a bit lonely."

"I think I can survive a few weeks without you."

"Don't get too comfortable without me."

"I suppose you can't tell me where you're going again."

"You know the rules. I'll call when I can."

"Don't do anything too dangerous.

Her husband chuckled.

"So says the most reckless woman I know."

"Hey, we're parents now."

"Yes. Yes we are. Thanks for the reminder. What a terrifying thought."

"Even more terrifying than what you get up to in your spare time?"

"By far."