Doctor. Can I kiss you? Is hugging okay? To think she’d heard all those embarrassing things Haeju had blurted out. He wanted to crawl into a mouse hole. Fortunately, Yang Sujin didn’t mention the call content.
- I know you’re not involved with the Rebels, but the Rebels might approach you first. Even if it’s not your intention, if you make contact with the Rebels, at that moment you’ll truly become a Rebel being chased by the government.
“I understand what you’re saying. I also understand what you’re worried about.”
- Please take care of your own safety first, Doctor. Don’t lose everything you have because of us. It must be heartbreaking and upsetting, but forget about Seo Haeju and just live normally as Dr. Min Yeojin of the Seoul Center. I don’t want to see you being chased by the government because of us.
Yang Sujin’s voice was tinged with moisture. Her trembling voice clearly showed her genuine concern for Yeojin.
“Sujin, but since you heard the call, you know—that bastard says he likes me. Cheerfully says he likes me.”
- ……
“How can I forget someone who says he likes me?”
He could hear Yang Sujin exhale a deep sigh.
“I can’t forget Haeju. I can’t abandon him. That kid went on a rampage trying to save me and ended up like that. How can I pretend I didn’t see that? And he’s a kid who became a child due to the shock of a car accident. He needs protection.”
- So you’re going to go find Seo Haeju?
“What else can I do?”
- I knew you’d say that.
“I’m sorry. You’re risking danger to help me.”
- What do you have to be sorry about, Doctor? I expected you’d say that. But be careful. You know? When we Transcendents are in danger, we somehow survive, so you need to take care of your own safety first.
“I know. I’m actually a pretty selfish bastard.”
- Sure sounds selfish.
Yang Sujin laughed as if incredulous. Yeojin laughed too.
“Thank you. I’ll definitely repay this debt later.”
- Please do. Later, I’m going to mooch a two-plus grade Korean beef meal from you, Doctor.
“Eat as much as you want. I’ll go to Hoengseong, Gangwon-do and catch a whole cow for you.”
- Doctor.
“Yeah?” he asked, but Yang Sujin paused for a moment before continuing.
- Don’t trust Seo Haeju too much. Seo Haeju might not be as innocent as you think, Doctor.
Yeojin laughed briefly. He could immediately understand what she meant. Yeojin had similar thoughts too.
“I know what you’re trying to say. But that kid lost his whole family and became an orphan in an instant. He only has me.”
- Seo Haeju is also an adult. He can take care of himself. You don’t have to be his guardian, Doctor.
“I promised to go get him. That kid will keep waiting only for me.”
Yang Sujin let out an even longer sigh than before. Just then, the doorbell rang, ding-dong, ding-dong.
- Ah, that must be the quick delivery I sent.
Yang Sujin must have heard that sound too.
“What did you send?”
- I understand your feelings, Doctor. I’m hanging up now. Dispose of your phone first as I said. It would be good for you to leave the house. The moment they confirm your phone location can’t be tracked, they’ll suspect you and the SP Special Task Force will storm your house.
That would be a problem. He had to go get Haeju.
“Uh, wait. Leave the house? Where should I go, then?”
- You’ll receive a separate contact.
“You told me to dispose of my phone, though? Then where will the call come to?”
But instead of an answer, the phone abruptly hung up. Following the doorbell sound, the delivery person who’d been waiting knocked loudly on the door. It seemed receiving the quick delivery came first, so he ran to the front door and opened it.
“You’re Mr. Min Yeojin, right?”
The delivery person handed Yeojin a box. He took the box inside, came in, and tore off the tape. Inside was a large document envelope with ‘NSP’ written on it. The envelope was plump and full, so he quickly opened it to see what was inside.
An old-style 2G folder phone and a gun.
Doctor. Be careful. Take care of yourself first, okay?
And a note that seemed to have been left by Yang Sujin.
Only then did he understand Yang Sujin’s words about receiving a separate contact. She meant a call would come to this phone number. But from whom? While his mind was thinking, his hands moved to pick up the gun and examine it from all angles.
It wasn’t a toy gun or anything like that. It was a real gun loaded with live ammunition. Where on earth did she get this?
How long had it been since he’d held a gun? He confirmed it was loaded and aimed it in the air. Say what you will, but Yeojin had been an excellent member when he was in the Special Forces. He flew around during his service, but would he still have the same skills now, years after his discharge?
That said, he couldn’t test-fire the gun inside the house, so he put it down on the table for a moment.
And as Yang Sujin said, to dispose of his existing phone, he put it in the microwave and turned it on. As the microwave ran, there were popping sounds—pop, pop. Then he turned on the power of the 2G phone Yang Sujin had sent. It was an antique that couldn’t even access the internet, only capable of texts and calls.
Then he quickly went into his room and changed clothes. For his outer layer, he put on a windbreaker climbing jacket with many pockets. He put his wallet containing cards and some cash and his car keys in his pockets, came out to the living room, and also grabbed the phone and gun left on the table. The phone in the outer pocket, the gun in the inner pocket.
Instead of his work shoes, he took out sneakers he used for exercise, put them on, and left the house. His heart was anxious, but he deliberately pretended to be calm and walked down the corridor of the corridor-style apartment at his usual pace. He happened to meet a neighbor waiting for the elevator.
“Oh my, Dr. Min. Are you hurt?”
The neighbor asked, looking at the bandage on Yeojin’s head.
“Yes. I got hurt while exercising.”
“Be careful. Even a doctor can’t do anything if he gets hurt himself.”
Getting on the elevator and chatting with the neighbor about this and that, they soon reached the first floor.
“That’s our spot, but someone parked their car there.”
The neighbor who went outside suddenly raised their voice and ran to the parking lot. It was an old apartment, so the parking lot was above ground. There wasn’t even a designated parking spot, but this neighbor was particularly obsessed with their spot and would fight over it.
Everyone knew they were the neighborhood troublemaker and avoided parking in that spot, but unusually, a car was sitting there boldly. He could see a driver inside. The neighbor who ran over and the car driver had a light argument. The driver and Yeojin’s eyes met. The sturdy build and the look in his eyes were not ordinary.
Yeojin immediately realized. Not a resident of our apartment.
They said the NSP Special Team would tail and monitor Yeojin, and it seemed to have already started.
Yeojin turned his head as if nothing was wrong and walked to his car. The moment he got in the car, he quickly started the engine and exited the parking lot. Around the time he left the apartment and entered the road, glancing at the rearview mirror, that car he’d seen in the apartment parking lot earlier was following.
Yeojin’s heart pounded.
Where should I go now? What should I do?
Yang Sujin said he’d receive a separate contact. She didn’t say where from or who would contact him, but it would definitely be a call that would give him direction on what to do next.
Suddenly, he had this doubt. Had Yang Sujin planned this alone? From what he heard, Yang Sujin was a regular office worker, but a mere office worker gets recruited to a special team? Not only that, but was assigned to wiretapping and surveillance duties for a major dangerous person? And how did she get the gun? No matter how he thought about it, it wasn’t something a regular employee could do.
With an intersection ahead, a sharp phone ring sounded. Yeojin quickly took out the folder phone he’d put in his pocket. From the other end of the phone, not Yang Sujin’s voice but a deep male voice flowed out.
- Turn right at the intersection ahead and head toward XX Department Store.
“Who is this?”
- Enter a crowded place if possible.
“I’m asking who you are.”
- Turn right.
At the man’s words, Yeojin first turned the steering wheel and made a right turn.
- Those SP bastards won’t attack recklessly in front of civilians. If they cause harm to civilians in a public place, there’ll be a flood of complaints.
“How can I trust someone who won’t even reveal their identity?”
- Would it be less unsettling if I said I know Yang Sujin? I’m a detainee who received a lot of help from Dr. Min when I was at the Seoul Center.
Who was it? So many detainees had briefly stayed at the Seoul Center before leaving that he couldn’t remember them all. But right now, who the caller was wasn’t important. In this situation, the only person he could trust was this man.
And the man’s words made sense too. The SP Special Task Force wouldn’t act recklessly in a public place like a department store either.
Yeojin turned in the direction toward XX Department Store as the man said. According to the navigation, he would arrive at the destination in 10 minutes.
“There’s a tail following my car right now.”
- Yes. I know. A gray car is following closely. It’s probably an SP Special Task Force member. When you arrive at the department store, go into the underground parking lot, park your car, and come up.
He knows. Is this man watching this whole situation? About 10 minutes later, the destination department store appeared before his eyes. Following the parking attendant’s instructions, he went down to the underground parking lot. The gray car tailing him also came in following the winding spiral entrance. As soon as he entered the parking lot, he parked in an empty space that came into view.
