The chill of the autumn night bit at my exposed skin, but the cold radiating from the woman sitting opposite me was far more cutting. The dim, solitary light overhead only seemed to accentuate the distance between us, even though we shared the same hard, wooden bench.
"WHY DID YOU COME ALL THE WAY HERE..." I finally managed to ask, my voice rougher than I intended. "...WHEN YOU COULD HAVE JUST CALLED ME INSTEAD?"
The silence stretched, heavy and familiar. I could feel her eyes on me-the same calculating gaze that had haunted my childhood.
"I thought you'd visit me at least once after the surgery..." she said, her tone flat, not quite a question, not quite an accusation. "...BUT YOU NEVER CAME BY."
A fresh wave of resentment washed over me. "Make sure to take the anti-rejection medication... AND PLEASE KEEP YOUR PROMISE." That was the only reason I was here, the only thing that mattered. Her health, and the promise she had made.
She shifted slightly, the small movement drawing my attention. "IS THAT REALLY ALL YOU WANT? I WASN'T LYING WHEN I SAID I'D GIVE YOU HALF MY SHARES OF THE GOLF COURSE. LOOK, I'LL GIVE THEM TO YOU WHENEVER YOU'RE READY-"
"I DON'T NEED ANY OF THAT," I snapped, cutting her off, my voice rising in volume. "SO JUST APOLOGIZE TO AJIN, OKAY?!"
The words were wrenched from a deep, aching place inside me. My knuckles were white where I gripped the edge of the bench.
"HOW LONG WILL YOU KEEP TURNING A BLIND EYE?" I demanded, turning to face her fully. "IT'S YOUR FAULT THAT AJIN HAS BEEN LIVING IN MISERY!"
She just looked at me, a flash of something unreadable-perhaps fleeting guilt, perhaps annoyance-in her dark eyes.
"FINE..." she eventually conceded, her voice a low murmur. "WHO ELSE IS TO BLAME BUT ME? I'M THE ONE WHO BROUGHT HER INTO YOUR LIFE AFTER ALL."
She paused, and then, with a practiced subtlety, tried to shift the focus, a tactic I knew all too well.
"Do you think about your father at all these days?" she asked, a faint, almost nostalgic smile touching her lips.
I sighed, a long, weary exhalation. "SIGHH... NOT REALLY... I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE BECAUSE HE PASSED AWAY WHEN I WAS SO YOUNG."
"Then what about Mr. Kang?" she pressed. "HE USED TO DRIVE YOUR FATHER AROUND, REMEMBER? DO YOU THINK ABOUT HIM SOMETIMES...?"
"MOTHER!!" I shouted, the word torn from my throat, a cry of frustration and pain.
"What are you playing at?!" I stood up, towering over her, my hands shaking. "YOU WANT TO SIT HERE AND TAKE A NOSTALGIA TRIP WITH ME? IS THAT IT? I DON'T KNOW WHY I SHOULD SIT HERE AND ENTERTAIN YOU WHEN YOU MAKE ME FEEL SO UNCOMFORTABLE. I'VE NEVER EVEN FELT A SHRED OF LOVE FROM YOU!"
She remained seated, her composure irritatingly intact. "If your father had been alive, he wouldn't have let her keep you wrapped around her little finger. He really loved you, you know."
I watched as she slowly rose from the bench, her gaze distant, fixed on something I couldn't see. Her dark coat swirled around her ankles as she turned to walk away, leaving me alone in the cold, the echo of her words ringing in my ears. I didn't move, just stood there, watching her retreating figure until she vanished into the shadows, the silence once again settling in-heavy, isolating, and all too familiar.
The cold air clung to me even after I turned my back on her and walked away.
"YOU KNOW WHAT? I SHOULD GO." My voice was firm as I delivered my final ultimatum, not sparing her a glance. "JUST REMEMBER THAT I WON'T WAIT LONG... PLEASE APOLOGIZE TO AJIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IF YOU DON'T, I WILL NEVER SPEAK TO YOU AGAIN."
I didn't wait for her response, and moments later, I was back in the sterile, quiet sanctuary of my own space.
Shifting Focus
I stood by the desk, my thoughts a turbulent mix of anger and resolve. I desperately needed to wash away the feeling of that conversation, so I stripped off my clothes and stepped into the shower. The water beat down, a fierce, white noise that momentarily drowned out the persistent ache of my scars-the physical ones across my back, and the deeper ones her words always seemed to reopen.
While the water streamed over me, a familiar 'DING DING' signaled two new messages on my phone, which lay face-up on the desk.
I quickly dried off and walked over to check. The first email, from my Editor, brought a flicker of professional satisfaction: "Congratulations, Mr. Y! Your manuscript, 'Partners in Crime,' has been given the green light!"
Okay... That was good news, but my mind was already moving on. The second message, a text from Ajin Baek, was my priority.
I read her message, a direct instruction, a request that aligned perfectly with my own need for answers: "I need info on Inkang Heo. I'd like to know anything and everything that has to do with him, no matter how insignificant. As soon as possible."
I frowned slightly, the name clicking into place. "INKANG HEO? ISN'T HE AN ACTOR IN THE SAME ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY AS HER...?" The connection felt ominous, a dark thread leading back to the same woman who caused Ajin so much pain. My resolve hardened. If I couldn't get what I needed from my mother, I would find another way to strike at the root of the problem.
The Search for Mr. Ahn
The next step was immediate. I sat down and dialed a number I hadn't called in a long time-a 'Direct Solution Service'.
A man's voice answered with a practiced formality. "HELLO, THANK YOU FOR CALLING DIRECT SOLUTION SERVICE. BONGCHANG DO SPEAKING."
"My name is Junseo Yun," I stated clearly. "Is Mr. Ahn there...?"
There was a moment of silence on the line, followed by a surprised, "Oh, Mr. Ahn?"
Then, the new CEO, Bongchang Do, chuckled with a slight rustling noise that sounded like papers being shifted. 'RUMMAGE, RUMMAGE.'
"HE LEFT FOR HONG KONG A WHILE AGO AND WON'T BE BACK FOR A WHILE," he informed me. "YOU MUST NOT HAVE CALLED US IN A WHILE. I'VE BEEN HERE AS THE NEW CEO FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS NOW."
He paused, then asked, "HE SAID HIS NAME WAS..." He was clearly checking a caller ID or some notes.
I waited impatiently. Mr. Ahn was a valuable resource, and this was an unexpected hurdle. However, I didn't have time to worry about it. I needed to move forward. My focus remained on Ajin's request and my promise to her. The hunt for Inkang Heo had officially begun.
"HE SAID HIS NAME WAS JUNSEO YUN, RIGHT? LET'S SEE..." I could hear the new CEO, Mr. Do, rustling through files on the other end of the line.
"AH, THERE HE IS," he finally said, having clearly pulled my 'VIP CLIENT FILE'. I knew my history with this agency was... extensive.
As he flipped through the paperwork, I could imagine the notes:
NOTES: Became a living kidney donor for mother who was suffering from stage 5 kidney failure.
Previous Requests: Client asked us to monitor and bodyguard a woman in her 20s in the hospital for approximately two months. He requested daily updates.
I heard Mr. Do murmur to himself, a professional detachment in his voice. "AFTER THAT, HE'S ASKED US TO RUN SOME BACKGROUND CHECKS ON A FEW PEOPLE. WELL, IT DOESN'T MATTER AS LONG AS HE PAYS US WELL."
The New Target
The silence stretched on my end. I had pulled up a chair and was sitting on the floor, holding the phone to my ear, waiting for him to finish his private assessment.
"HELLO...? ARE YOU STILL THERE?" Mr. Do asked, checking in.
"OH YES, I AM," I replied. "You can call me Mr. Do from here on out. NOW, LET'S TALK BUSINESS. WHO DID YOU NEED US TO RUN A BACKGROUND CHECK ON THIS TIME?"
I took a deep breath, focusing on the task Ajin had given me. "He's a celebrity. His name is Inkang Heo, and he's with Longstar Entertainment."
I spoke slowly, making sure he understood the gravity of the request. "I'd like to know everything you can get on him, strictly off-the-record, in as much detail as possible. THE MORE PERSONAL, THE BETTER."
Mr. Do immediately grasped the situation. "Celebrities are easier to look into," he commented, the gears already turning. "WE'LL NEED SOME MONEY TO BUTTER UP THE JOURNALISTS, THOUGH."
I could hear him reviewing the file again. "WOW, HE'S ONLY TWENTY-THREE... AND HE'S A VIP? THE KID MUST BE LOADED."
I ignored the comment about my age and wealth. My only concern was getting the information Ajin needed, and I was willing to pay any price. Inkang Heo-I would find out everything about him. Everything that had to do with her. My silent promise to Ajin settled into a cold determination.
"THOSE BASTARDS KNOW THE NUMBER OF SPOONS AN ACTOR HAS IN THEIR CABINET," Mr. Do scoffed into the phone, a cigarette dangling from his lips. I could practically smell the smoke through the line. "ALRIGHT. I'D ALSO LIKE FOR YOU TO LOOK INTO HIS MANAGER AS WELL."
"Okay. WHEN WOULD YOU LIKE THIS INFORMATION BY?" he asked.
I gripped the can of soda in my hand. "AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, PLEASE."
"THAT SOUNDS GOOD. I'LL SEND YOU THE FILE AS SOON AS IT'S READY. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH..."
I hung up, the click of my phone disconnecting the call, and then placed the can on the desk. Just as I did, I heard Mr. Do's voice boom across his office at someone else.
Business at the Agency
Mr. Do glared as a younger man, one of his employees, walked into the room, holding a file. With a sound like 'THWACK,' he threw the file at the man.
"YOU DON'T PLAN ON SENDING ME... TO DROP OFF THAT FILE YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT?" the employee started to ask, clearly anticipating a horrible errand.
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, YOU LITTLE SH*T?!" Mr. Do roared. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT TIME IT IS?!!"
The young man, looking exhausted, sat down on the nearest couch. "UGH, DON'T EVEN. I tried to hand her the photos..."
"WHAT? WHAT DID YOU DO?" Mr. Do demanded, leaning forward.
"BUT THE LADY SUDDENLY SAID SHE COULDN'T TRUST THEM AND ASKED ME TO TAKE HER TO HER HUSBAND," the employee explained, rubbing his tired eyes. "SHE HAD DOWNLOADED SOME KIND OF GPS TRACKING APP ON HER HUSBAND'S PHONE... AND IT TURNED OUT THAT HER HUSBAND WAS AT A NEARBY MOTEL."
He continued the story, his voice a mixture of exasperation and adrenaline. "SHE TOLD ME SHE'D PAY ME DOUBLE, SO I GAVE HER A RIDE THERE... WE SPOTTED HER HUSBAND WALKING INTO THE PARKING LOT AS SOON AS WE ARRIVED. HE MADE A RUN FOR IT THE MINUTE HE SAW US, SO WE WENT ON A LATE-NIGHT, HIGH-SPEED MOTORCYCLE CHASE AFTER HIM. VRRRRROOOM."
Black Bean Noodles
After the adrenaline-fueled tale ended, the employee turned to his boss. "DID SHE COUGH UP THE MONEY?"
"OF COURSE SHE DID. I MADE HER PAY ME TRIPLE," Mr. Do replied with a satisfied grin, lighting his cigarette.
"SO WILL YOU ORDER ME SOME BLACK BEAN NOODLES? I'M STARVING."
Mr. Do waved a dismissive hand. "ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT. WHERE'D I PUT THE TAKE-OUT MENU...?" He began rummaging around his desk again.
The employee sighed deeply, leaning his head back on the couch and thinking aloud. "IT'LL TAKE HIM AT LEAST 30 MINUTES TO FIND IT. HE WAS ALREADY FORGETFUL TO BEGIN WITH WHEN WE WERE IN PRISON... HE'S BEEN GETTING WORSE LATELY."
I wasn't in the room, of course, but I imagined this exact scenario playing out in the agency office. The absurdity of their work life-a chaotic mix of high-stakes detective work and mundane, post-prison bickering-was exactly why they were so good at getting things done. I had put the wheels in motion. Now all I had to do was wait for the file on Inkang Heo and his manager. I knew their information would be dirty, detailed, and delivered as soon as possible.
The young employee, who had just finished recounting his high-speed chase, noticed the file Mr. Do had tossed at him earlier. He picked up the manila folder.
"HUH?" he muttered, his eyes widening as he read the name on the front. "JUNSEO YUN..?!"
He paused, a wry smile crossing his face. "OH, BOY. HE'LL SPEND HOURS LOOKING FOR THIS AFTER HAVING TOSSED IT AT MY HEAD..." He pocketed the file. Some things never changed, even with a new CEO.
The Delivery
A FEW DAYS LATER
The waiting was always the worst part, a stagnant calm before the storm of information. I had been restless, trying to work but finding my mind constantly drifting back to Ajin, my mother, and the actor, Inkang Heo.
Then, the silence of my apartment was shattered. 'DING DONG, DING DONG'.
I hadn't expected the file to be delivered in person. I opened the door, stepping back slightly in surprise. Standing in the doorway was the same young man from the agency-the one Mr. Do had been yelling at. He was wearing black gear, likely having just zipped through the city on his motorbike, a shadow-like courier of dark secrets. The remnants of his high-speed journey-the blurred helmet and the faint roar of an engine-seemed to follow him right to my door.
He was holding a plain manila envelope-the file on Inkang Heo. I reached out a hand to take it.
Then, his face broke into a knowing, almost unsettling grin. He pushed the door open further, his eyes locked on mine.
"SO IT REALLY IS YOU, JUNSEO," he said, his voice laced with a recognition that startled me.
I looked at him, confused, then shocked as a wave of memory hit me. The name, the face, the familiar aura of trouble.
"DO YOU REMEMBER ME?" he pressed.
My mind raced, dredging up a past I had tried to bury. The name slipped out, almost a question, a plea for this to not be true.
"NO WAY... JAEO...?"
The Ultimatum
The cold air hung heavy between my mother and me on that isolated bench. My patience was gone, replaced by a bitter fury.
"WHY DID YOU COME ALL THE WAY HERE... WHEN YOU COULD HAVE JUST CALLED ME INSTEAD?" I asked, my voice strained.
"I thought you'd visit me at least once after the surgery... BUT YOU NEVER CAME BY," she countered, her expression unreadable.
I stared at her, the recent kidney donation-my kidney-a fresh, throbbing scar beneath my clothes. "Make sure to take the anti-rejection medication... AND PLEASE KEEP YOUR PROMISE." That was all I cared about now: her health, and the apology she owed.
"IS THAT REALLY ALL YOU WANT?" she scoffed. "I WASN'T LYING WHEN I SAID I'D GIVE YOU HALF MY SHARES OF THE GOLF COURSE. LOOK, I'LL GIVE THEM TO YOU WHENEVER YOU'RE READY-"
"I DON'T NEED ANY OF THAT," I snapped, standing up. "SO JUST APOLOGIZE TO AJIN, OKAY?!" My voice rose, the anger finally boiling over. "HOW LONG WILL YOU KEEP TURNING A BLIND EYE? IT'S YOUR FAULT THAT AJIN HAS BEEN LIVING IN MISERY!"
She sighed, a familiar, theatrical gesture. "FINE... WHO ELSE IS TO BLAME BUT ME? I'M THE ONE WHO BROUGHT HER INTO YOUR LIFE AFTER ALL." Then she tried her old tactic, shifting the conversation to the past. "Do you think about your father at all these days? He really loved you, you know. IF YOUR FATHER HAD BEEN ALIVE, HE WOULDN'T HAVE LET HER KEEP YOU WRAPPED AROUND HER LITTLE FINGER."
"SIGHH... NOT REALLY... I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE BECAUSE HE PASSED AWAY WHEN I WAS SO YOUNG."
"Then what about Mr. Kang? HE USED TO DRIVE YOUR FATHER AROUND, REMEMBER? DO YOU THINK ABOUT HIM SOMETIMES...?"
"MOTHER!!" I shouted. "WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT?! YOU WANT TO SIT HERE AND TAKE A NOSTALGIA TRIP WITH ME? IS THAT IT? I DON'T KNOW WHY I SHOULD SIT HERE AND ENTERTAIN YOU WHEN YOU MAKE ME FEEL SO UNCOMFORTABLE. I'VE NEVER EVEN FELT A SHRED OF LOVE FROM YOU!"
I turned away, finishing what I came to say. "YOU KNOW WHAT? I SHOULD GO. JUST REMEMBER THAT I WON'T WAIT LONG... PLEASE APOLOGIZE TO AJIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IF YOU DON'T, I WILL NEVER SPEAK TO YOU AGAIN."
A New Focus
Back in my apartment, I sought refuge in the shower, the water beating down on the scar that stretched across my back. Just as I was toweling off, my phone signaled two new messages: 'DING DING'.
The first, from my editor: "Congratulations, Mr. Y! Your manuscript, 'Partners in Crime,' has been given the green light!" A flicker of pride, quickly extinguished by the second message, a text from Ajin Baek.
It was a clear mission: "I need info on Inkang Heo. I'd like to know anything and everything that has to do with him, no matter how insignificant. As soon as possible."
I frowned, the pieces clicking together. "INKANG HEO? ISN'T HE AN ACTOR IN THE SAME ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY AS HER...?"
My decision was instant. I grabbed the phone and called the agency listed on a local sign: "PROBLEM SOLVING," "PROVIDING DIRECT SOLUTION." 'RRRRING'.
"HELLO, THANK YOU FOR CALLING DIRECT SOLUTION SERVICE. BONGCHANG DO SPEAKING," a gruff voice answered.
"My name is Junseo Yun. Is Mr. Ahn there...?"
"OH, MR. AHN? HE LEFT FOR HONG KONG A WHILE AGO AND WON'T BE BACK FOR A WHILE. YOU MUST NOT HAVE CALLED US IN A WHILE. I'VE BEEN HERE AS THE NEW CEO FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS NOW." I heard the distinct sound of shuffling paper. "RUMMAGE, RUMMAGE. HE SAID HIS NAME WAS JUNSEO YUN, RIGHT? LET'S SEE..."
He pulled my 'VIP CLIENT FILE.' I knew what it contained: the notes on my kidney donation for my mother, and my previous requests to bodyguard Ajin. "WOW, HE'S ONLY TWENTY-THREE... AND HE'S A VIP? THE KID MUST BE LOADED," he muttered, reading the file.
"HELLO...? ARE YOU STILL THERE?"
"OH YES, I AM. You can call me Mr. Do from here on out. NOW, LET'S TALK BUSINESS. WHO DID YOU NEED US TO RUN A BACKGROUND CHECK ON THIS TIME?"
"He's a celebrity. His name is Inkang Heo, and he's with Longstar Entertainment. I'd like to know everything you can get on him, strictly off-the-record, in as much detail as possible. THE MORE PERSONAL, THE BETTER."
"Celebrities are easier to look into," Mr. Do confirmed. "WE'LL NEED SOME MONEY TO BUTTER UP THE JOURNALISTS, THOUGH. THOSE BASTARDS KNOW THE NUMBER OF SPOONS AN ACTOR HAS IN THEIR CABINET. ALRIGHT. I'D ALSO LIKE FOR YOU TO LOOK INTO HIS MANAGER AS WELL."
"Okay. WHEN WOULD YOU LIKE THIS INFORMATION BY?"
"AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, PLEASE."
"THAT SOUNDS GOOD. I'LL SEND YOU THE FILE AS SOON AS IT'S READY. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH..."
The Drive and the Detour
Later that day, I was driving Chaeyeong, one of Ajin's close friends, back home. We were chatting in the car, the city lights a bright, blurred stream outside. 'VROOOOOM. BEEP BEEP.'
"YOU MUST BE EXHAUSTED. I KNOW YOU DIDN'T GET MUCH SLEEP," she said warmly. "YOU SHOULD TAKE A NAP UNTIL WE GET YOU HOME."
"I'M MORE WORRIED ABOUT YOU, YOU MUST BE TIRED AFTER ALL THAT DRIVING. DIDN'T YOU SAY YOU MOVED TO YEONDU DISTRICT A FEW DAYS AGO?"
"OH, YEAH. I HAVEN'T EVEN FINISHED UNPACKING, TO BE HONEST."
"I'LL COME BY FOR A HOUSEWARMING SOMETIME SOON. TEXT ME YOUR ADDRESS! REALLY? THEN DO YOU WANT TO COME OVER AND GO OUT FOR FOOD ON ONE OF YOUR DAYS OFF? THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT RESTAURANTS IN YEONDU DISTRICT. DO YOU LIKE PHO?"
Suddenly, my phone vibrated with a text message. 'BZZZ'.
"OH, SORRY. GIVE ME A SECOND." I glanced at the screen. It was Mr. Do. "Y: I have what you asked for. Come by whenever you're free."
I put the phone down, a new tension in my shoulders. I couldn't wait.
"HEY, CHAEYEONG... I'M SO SORRY, BUT COULD WE TURN THE CAR AROUND? I HAVE TO STOP BY AT A FRIEND'S PLACE."
"A FRIEND'S PLACE? OH, IS IT THAT FRIEND WHO LIVES NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE? SHOULD I WAIT FOR YOU IN THE CAR?"
"IT'S OKAY. I THINK I'LL BE A WHILE, SO YOU CAN JUST DROP ME OFF AND HEAD HOME."
A Surprising Visitor
I was dropped off in front of a sleek, modern office building. 'DING DONG, DING DONG.' I knew the location wasn't Ajin's home, but another stop. As I waited for the door to open, a woman appeared, dressed in a long, red coat, ringing the doorbell repeatedly.
The door finally gave way with a 'SQUEAAAK'. Before I could react, the woman stumbled or was shoved inward with a 'THUD', disappearing from view.
My eyes widened in shock. I quickly 'CLICKED' the lock on the door and stepped inside, my heart hammering against my ribs.
"HEY, AJIN." I found her just inside the entryway, looking shaken, having clearly just opened the door to the unexpected visitor. The red-coated woman was gone, or at least out of sight. I stared at Ajin, trying to gauge what had just happened, what dark new layer had been added to this complicated situation.