Chapter 3: Aung San Mausoleum Bombing Incident

While I was lost in thought, the mourners had dwindled a bit. It wasn’t particularly because of me, but because my grandfather had moved outside.

It wasn’t strange that the conglomerate chairman father was getting more attention than the deceased youngest son, who should have been the center of the funeral.

My heart was burning. I wanted to seize power quickly too. The power that Chairman Yu Seongpil held, the power to save and kill so many people with a wave of his hand….

How long would it take for this tiny hand to control Korea?

I raised my head slightly and calmly surveyed the people. To those gathered there, I was just an extra.

Someday, the time would come for me to join that game.

I opened my eyes and ears wide, gathering information. I didn’t know when I’d be able to use it, but at least it would give me the minimum qualifications to join the game.

After some time had passed, I heard a familiar voice that I had been paying particular attention to earlier.

“Ah, I’m a little busy today, so I’ll just pay my respects to the deceased and leave.”

With those words, a middle-aged man strode forward.

His tired face, visible even through his glasses, and the neatly tailored suit seemed to show who he was.

I also knew his name.

Kim Haeik, Senior Presidential Secretary for Economic Affairs of the Blue House.

His political leaning was liberal, and unlike the development-focused Seogang School, he was stability-oriented. He was a distinguished economic bureaucrat who lowered the inflation rate from 28% in 1980 to 7% in just two years.

He was a rare bureaucrat who was not corrupt and had a great talent at a young age, but…

After failing to implement the real-name financial transaction system, his influence gradually weakened. Then, he died in the Rangoon bombing in 1983.

…Wait. 1983?

I was shocked as I went through my memories.

Isn’t today October 7th, 1983?

“…”

My mind was racing. A clearer and purer mind than ever before ceaselessly searched through past memories to find an answer.

Memories that remained as clear as a photograph were stacked up and neatly implanted in my mind.

The Rangoon bombing. A provocation and social operation by North Korea… It was originally an assassination attempt aimed at the president.

The date is October 9th, 1983.

That is, two days from now, Kim Haeik will die in a bombing in Burma.

There were 17 Korean casualties at the time. It was a large or a small number, but the list of casualties was too glamorous, with most of the victims being high-ranking government officials.

Seo Seokju, who was the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economic Planning Board, along with…

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, the Minister of Energy and Resources, the Chief of the Presidential Secretariat, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Myanmar, the Director of the Planning Division of the Overseas Cooperation Committee, the Vice Minister of Finance, the Vice Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Vice Minister of Science and Technology, a member of the National Assembly and Chief of Staff of the Democratic Justice Party, the President’s personal physician, the Public Information Secretary to the President, and a Presidential Security Guard…

And the Senior Presidential Secretary for Economic Affairs of the Blue House, who is right in front of me now.

The photographer who took their pictures at that time also lost his life in the incident, but fortunately a picture taken by another photographer remained, so it was easy to remember.

…Indeed. Some of them were faces I had seen in newspapers.

‘Should I stop it?’

The Rangoon bombing, although not well known now, had a significant impact on Korea’s capabilities.

Even in the 2020s, it would be difficult to fill the administrative void if that many people died at once, let alone in the 80s when there were so few people who had received higher education.

But… how can I stop it?

I didn’t think that saving them would prevent me from using my future knowledge. Anyway, the future will be messed up if I start acting properly. If I can form a connection with the core of power, I can use it as much as I want.

But how?

“Are you okay?”

At that moment, Senior Secretary Kim Haeik approached. I barely calmed my pounding heart and looked up at him.

This was an opportunity. I had to give him a hint, even if it was a bit of a stretch.

Somehow.

If he listens to me and survives, it’s a huge gain, and if he dismisses my words as nonsense, it won’t hurt me at all.

After all, he’s someone who will die if I don’t do anything.

I have nothing to lose if I fail, and it’s a huge gain if I succeed. I’d be a fool to miss this opportunity.

“…Yes. I’m okay. But, isn’t Burma dangerous? The adults said so. They said overseas was dangerous, that’s why my dad died too. Please be careful, sir.”

I said that and nodded like a normal child copying an adult.

As expected, Kim Haeik was not the kind of person who would say to a child who had lost her parents that your father didn’t die from a tragic accident, but just drank and drove himself to death.

Instead, he looked at me with a questioning gaze.

“How did you know? That I’m going to Burma.”

“……I saw it in the newspapers and the news. They said that the President will be very busy with overseas visits. People in suits were talking about it? I thought that someone like you, sir, no, the Senior Secretary of Economic Affairs for the Blue House would naturally follow. Looking at how busy you were when you arrived… I guess you’re leaving today, right?”

“That’s right. You said you were six years old? You’re smart, your grandfather will be pleased.”

He gave me a bitter smile with an expression that seemed admiring or pitiful.

“Thank you.”

I bowed my head. The shadow that fell over my head before I could even lift it had already disappeared.

Kim Haeik, who was rubbing his dark-circled eyes, was preparing to leave the funeral. He wasn’t a conglomerate chairman, and it was only the death of the chairman’s third son. He probably wanted to get some sleep since his departure was tomorrow.

…This is a little weak. Will my words just now really change the future?’

I pretended to be polite, but inside I was burning up.

Kim Haeik was still in the funeral hall because he thought it would be rude to just say hello and leave, but his mind was already on his next schedule.

‘What should I do? Should I just say it outright? What if I get on Chairman Yu Seongpil’s bad side for talking nonsense?’

As soon as that thought reached me, I realized one thing.

Ah.

That’s right.

I was a young child. The youngest granddaughter of a conglomerate family who no one cared about, no matter what I said.

No matter what I do here, it’ll just be a small incident that will be brushed off in a few days. They’d probably think I was just saying something that only I understood because I was a child.

I lost both my parents and became temporarily trapped in a sense of victimhood. I can use that as an excuse.

Dodo-do.

“…Senior Secretary.”

I approached him with my short steps.

Halt.

“Why?”

He looked at me with a questioning gaze, but still maintained his kind attitude. It was very rare for someone to be this kind to a young girl in the 80s.

‘Yeah. This is a golden opportunity.’

I put on a serious expression and opened my mouth in a clear voice.

“Please be careful of terrorist attacks. Especially since Burma is a socialist country.”

“Hahaha. Is that what you were talking about earlier? It’ll be okay. The Korean Intelligence Service isn’t that incompetent.”

Fortunately, he seemed to think I was just a child showing off, and he didn’t scold me too much.

Rather, other people were more upset. From the nanny to even my uncle, who had never paid any attention to me, they all stopped me.

“Oh my. I, I’m sorry. The child is still young, so……”

“Hayeon-ah, this is where the adults talk. It may be hard, but please rest inside. Okay? Haa. It’s a good thing that he found you cute-“

There were no people who actively scolded me, despite their frowns. It’s probably thanks to me being a child who lost both parents.

If that’s the case, then it’s time to use it more.

If something that binds me hesitates to approach me, I should move with lightning speed right away.

“Don’t you know? They said that even the intelligence service people and the Foreign Minister didn’t want to go.”

-Snatch.

“Hayeon-ah. Let’s go now.”

My uncle naturally lifted me up and took me inside.

“Haa. Hayeon-ah. You almost committed a discourtesy to our precious guest. Girls shouldn’t meddle in what adults do. Understand? Haa. It’s a good thing he thought you were cute-“

I lowered my eyes and let the nagging flow from one ear to the other while killing time.

‘Okay. Well, I’ve done enough.’

All that was left was to wait.

Since the terrorist attack was already scheduled, it would become clear who was right as time went by.

Two days later. October 9th.

“Tsk. I didn’t expect this.”

I grumbled in my small room, rubbing my red-tinged calf. It’s still like this.

That’s right. I was dragged out of the funeral hall and came to Yu Jincheol’s house. I even got hit with a cane 10 times on top of that.

First of all, the former wasn’t particularly strange. Funerals take a long time, and children usually don’t stay at funerals for long.

Even I was dozing off. It wasn’t good for anyone if a child who was not even ten years old stayed in the funeral hall for a long time.

Even so, it’s a bit too much to get hit. Did I overestimate the human rights awareness of the 80s too much?

‘Still, it’s good. I’m living at grandpa’s house anyway.’

I was a bit too vocal with my opinion, but I wasn’t just talking nonsense.

The foreign minister and other diplomatic officials also opposed the visit to Burma because of the threat of terrorism, so my opinion was just reiterating the opinions that already existed.

So, my grandfather also frowned once when he heard my news.

“Oh my, Miss. Are you okay?”

The nanny, who brought in my breakfast, pretended to wipe away tears as she looked at my still-red calf.

“Hey. It’s okay. What’s with all this?”

No, is she not pretending? Anyway, she cries a lot. It’s just that I lost both my parents at a young age.

…Thinking about it like this, am I objectively pitiful? If I wasn’t mentally strong, it might have been hard.

I ate my breakfast and then had it taken away, saying that I had no appetite. That wasn’t important right now.

-Beep.

Haa. This is why my grandfather’s house is great. I can use this precious TV alone.

I turned on the TV and focused on the news with an anxious expression. Today was the day of the attack.

Time passed slowly.

9 o’clock.

With the clock chime of ‘Ding,’ the 9 o’clock news began.

[Today, President Jeon Doo Gwang…]

News reporting on the president’s movements came first, as usual. It’s what adults commonly called the ‘dictator’ news. Usually, it was a drawback that they reported even useless news first, but at least that wasn’t the case today.

‘Hmm, the time of the terrorist attack was around 10:30… Considering the time difference, it’s                12 o’clock… ah.’

There was something I was mistaken about. There’s no way the news of the terrorist attack would be reported in this morning’s news!

I was thinking too much like it was the 21st century. I forgot that ‘breaking news’ was very rare in the 20th century. Even with perfect recall, it won’t activate if I’m not aware of it.

Besides, the time difference was greater than I thought. It’ll be a while before 12:30.

Haa.

Will it be in the evening papers? No, considering the press guidelines…

Damn it.

Tick tock. Tick tock.

Time passed, and the clock had passed 12 o’clock and was pointing at 1 o’clock.

-Static.

I turned on the radio next to me just in case, but it still wasn’t giving me any valuable news.

‘Should I just take a nap?’

I had been concentrating for too long, and my body was starting to give out. Even though my stamina was good, I was still tired.

Time continued to pass slowly, and my mind was filled with all sorts of thoughts.

Did Senior Secretary Kim Haeik die? Or did a butterfly effect occur and he somehow survived? What about the others?

-Knock knock.

At that moment, I heard a knock on the door. The clock was pointing at 11:20.

“The Chairman is calling for you. Miss.”

My grandfather’s bodyguard, wearing sunglasses, called me in a solemn voice.

Ah.

It had finally come.

The opportunity.