The Calm After the Storm

In the same hour that Nam Eunsuk and Do Hyeongjun had left the sea fog, others were having a different conversation related to K.
In a building in Naegok-dong, where the Taegeukgi was hung.

[Director Kang Younghu]

There was no one in the seat behind the neat nameplate.
Instead, three people were sitting around the table in front of it.
The silence that pours out when there is so much to say, but not enough can be said, filled the director’s office.
One side was guilt for having failed the mission, and the other was close to exhaustion from the cleanup.

“Hoo…”

The man who was sitting at the head of the table, holding his forehead and scanning the surroundings with sharp eyes, opened his mouth with a sigh.

“If you have a mouth, at least make an excuse.”
“……”
“Don’t you have a mouth? I said at least try to explain what the hell this is. Or why are you sitting here? You should be getting to work.”

The middle-aged man, who was clearly the owner of the nameplate, urged the two men and women once more.

“I don’t even know how to report to the VIP tomorrow. Do you even know how serious this is?”
“…I’m sorry, director.”
“…I have no excuse. I’m sorry.”

The two men and women bowed their heads and uttered the same words.

“Haa, whatever. Deputy Director 1.”

Of the two who had been bowing their heads all along, the woman raised her head and answered.

“Yes, director.”
“So tell me how you’re going to respond from now on.”
“First, we have canceled the order for Agent Lee Ilwoo’s return.”
“And?”
“For the time being, he is to gather information by Cha Yohan’s side as before, and act as a messenger, but to respond immediately in a crisis.”
“Hmm.”

Kang Younghu blinked slowly and looked at the 1st Deputy Director.
The 1st Deputy Director continued with the words she had prepared.

“…Furthermore, since there is a high probability of another terrorist attack, we plan to attach all non-operational personnel to K for the time being.”
“Is the number of personnel sufficient?”
“We are still in the process of identifying even the overseas dispatched agents, so it’s not yet accurate.”
“Use whatever you need. Even if you have to conscript them, and be sure to solve it. Don’t be picky about the means and methods.”
“…Yes. I will do so.”

The 1st Deputy Director answered with a resolute expression.
Kang Younghu waved his hand and turned his gaze.

“Then the 1st Deputy Director can go out and get to work.”
“Uh, director.”
“Do you still have something to say?”

As the Director of National Intelligence looked at her again, the 1st Deputy Director continued.

“How far are you allowing Agent Lee Ilwoo?”
“How far have you told him?”
“I told him he could do whatever it takes as long as he can capture him alive.”

Kang Younghu showed a sign of hesitation at the 1st Deputy Director’s words for a moment.
In cases like this, capturing him alive is always the priority.
Because there could be hidden remnants, and there could be remaining plans to be carried out in the future.
For example, a bomb.
But according to their investigation, capturing K was the top priority right now.
Because (K) was a person who would cause even bigger incidents if they dragged it on any longer.
Kang Younghu, who had been lost in thought for a moment, shook his head and opened his mouth.

“If there is a greater loss in the capture-alive operation, then I also permit a kill on the agent’s judgment. But in such a case, evidence. Tell him to take good care of the evidence.”
“Yes, director.”

The 1st Deputy Director bowed her head and left the director’s office.
She immediately called the person who would be waiting for this news.

There was a time when I marveled at the process of night turning into day.
When I was very young.
The moment the seasons became visible, I was curious about that.
In the end, I became an ordinary adult who was indifferent to the fact of revolution and rotation.
Nevertheless, there was always a new point every year.
Because the summer, the season with the longest days, and the winter, the season with the longest nights, each had their own smell.

‘Everyone laughs when I say that seasons have a scent.’

Now, winter was in full swing on the rooftop of Dike.
The cold smell of winter that would soon disappear.
I looked at the other side of the rooftop alone and drank the half-remaining beer.
My hand holding the beer was also cold because of the cold wind.
The wind, which felt like it was sobering me up even as I was drinking, was also fierce.

‘But it’s good.’

Because I had confessed all the things I had kept secret.
I felt as if a thorn that had been pricking me every time I saw Won Youngoh and Jeong Donghyeok had been removed.
We drank alcohol instead of coffee, as Won Youngoh had suggested.
Because of the situation, we couldn’t drink a lot, but we shared the events of the past with a light can of beer.

‘I’ve never seen those two with such an expression.’

Though it was also the first time I had seen Jeong Donghyeok down a beer in one go.

“It’s obvious that these are shocking stories, so we should at least relieve some of the tension. But can you drink, Lawyer Cha?”
“Hmm, I haven’t taken my medicine yet, so I think it’s okay.”
“But just in case, you should only drink a little, Lawyer Cha.”

Won Youngoh said that and brought a beer and finished a can first.
Even though he clearly wanted to drink more, Won Youngoh held back until the end.

“Have another can, Lawyer Won.”
“No. I’m afraid I’ll forget a single word in a drunken stupor.”

Every time my words continued, the can in Won Youngoh’s hand was also crushed a little more…
Maybe what he wanted to crush was me…
But as I recalled the serious faces of Won Youngoh and Jeong Donghyeok, a laugh that didn’t fit the situation escaped.
Even though I knew it was a laugh that would soon disappear, I just laughed.

‘How did the situation turn out like this?’

The beginning was just a sudden accident.
A unfortunate accident that no one expects or assumes will happen in their life.
But I didn’t die.

‘Instead, I got a new body.’

After that, I tried to live by the way I had lived, and by the beliefs I wanted to live by.

‘…As long as I don’t lose, I won’t die.’

And so I chose Dike.
Because it seemed like a better option.
Because it was the best among the options I had.

‘In the end, the work I’m handling is bigger than when I was at Justice.’

As a co-representative of ‘Justice’, and as a judge, I had seen countless cases of murder for hire.
Criminal design was also rare, but it definitely existed.
But they all left traces.
Crime always leaves traces, and that was the only lifeline that the victims could hold onto and pull them down with.

‘As long as there’s even a small clue, I can catch them. And…’

I had often seen attempted crimes, but a large-scale terrorist attack like this was a first even for me.

‘Don’t tell me you brought me here with this kind of situation in mind?’

[That really wasn’t my intention.]

‘Yeah, no way. There’s no crazy bastard like this.’

I let out a sigh and swirled the remaining beer.

“Whatever it is, the most important thing right now is to catch that crazy bastard quickly…”

I wanted to catch him quickly, and to quickly restore the justice that had been disturbed by him.
‘Justice’.
I don’t know how abstract of a word this is.

‘But dreams are always abstract.’

I hurriedly swept back my hair, which was blowing in the wind, before I could get lost in sentiment.
The night view, which was as sparkling as ever, and the feeling of the alcohol, all made me feel soft.

‘I’m starting to come to my senses now. Since everyone’s asleep, I should go down quietly.’

Vibrate.

Just as I thought that, my comfortable pants vibrated.
I knew he would call, but I didn’t think it would be this soon.
I answered the phone.

“Yes, this is Cha Yohan.”
[…Your voice is the same as usual. Even if you are Lawyer Cha, I thought you would be excited today.]

Im Suho’s voice was more subdued than at any other time I had heard it.
So I deliberately answered as usual.

“Because that doesn’t change anything. It just clouds your judgment. So you have to be calm at times like these. What’s wrong, Mr. Im Suho?”
[…Are you saying that to make me feel embarrassed? I don’t think that’s something a person holding a beer can should be saying.]

I looked around, concentrating on the other end of the line.

“I wonder. I didn’t say it on purpose.”
[Hoo…]

As I felt different emotions than usual in Im Suho’s sigh, I raised my hand in the air as if to greet the railing.

“Are you watching today too?”
[Yes, I received your greeting well. Do you like the night view too, Lawyer Cha? I don’t know why people look for it so much. Nothing changes just by looking at it.]
“Because nothing changes by looking at it. Because I wish at least one thing wouldn’t change.”

Am I drunk?
To think that words like this would come out of my mouth.

[Can you please not say that while leaning on the railing? Because it’s scary.]
“Why. Are you worried I’ll fall? How much work do I have to do.”
[No, because I’m worried someone will push your back. Just look at today.]
“Oh, that one is a bit of a possibility.”

I had just avoided a similar crisis today.
As Im Suho said, I moved a little away from the railing.

“So what’s the matter?”
[I’m just saying that I can’t help it if it’s uncomfortable and unpleasant to be watched. I’m in the middle of my own repairs.]
“Repairs?”

As I answered Im Suho, I checked the beer, which had about a sip left, with my eyes.
While I was drinking the beer along with the answer, Im Suho was silent for a moment.

[…I said it before. That I would take responsibility if my information was wrong.]
“Ah.”

I remembered Im Suho’s story and nodded.

[At that time, I said I would take on any trivial matter, so check it first.]

The voice of Im Suho in my head and the voice of Im Suho over the phone overlapped.

[And you almost died, Lawyer Cha. …You weren’t the only one who almost died. So to put it simply, I’m in the middle of AS.]
“Is watching me AS? Are you seeing if I’m dead or alive? Are you going to be watching me 24/7 from now on? That’s a bit much. I have a private life too, Mr. Im Suho.”
[Well, think what you want. And I don’t have time to look at you all day. I don’t want to either. Who does this because they like it? I’m just keeping my word because I said it.]

As expected, the reaction is good.
Im Suho answered in a huff at my even more playful reply.
Instead of suppressing my laughter, I just let it out.

“Haha.”
[I’m being very serious, so let’s not laugh. And besides, my pride is a little hurt.]

To think that a person who can’t live without his pride would admit it so easily.
My laughter stopped immediately at those words.
He must have been more shocked than I thought.

[I’ve never had a guy I couldn’t get before. But this time, it’s as if I’m the one who got had.]
“……”
[Thanks to that, even innocent citizens got involved. For those people, it’s the same as losing their livelihood, their home.]

I nodded.
Well, Im Suho was always a genius, and as such, he must have been a person who was always ahead of everyone else.
It was as if an unknown entity had appeared and trapped Im Suho in an unfamiliar trap.
This side of Im Suho, who was admitting his guilt, was new.

‘…He could have just pretended not to know.’

A lot of emotions were often contained in a voice.
Im Suho immediately changed his voice and continued.

[So I’ve changed my mind.]
“What do you mean by that, Mr. Im Suho? Are you by any chance thinking of quitting here?”

I looked at Im Suho, who would be watching me from somewhere, with the empty can in my hand.
I couldn’t see where he was watching from, but in the end, I would be visible.
Im Suho continued calmly.
For a person whose pride had been greatly cracked, he was calm and composed.

[No. I’m saying that this is now my business as much as it is yours. I called to tell you that.]