ITBF 09

CHAPTER 09

Haesom nodded slowly, as if she already knew what Jaehyun was about to say.

“You mean you never got to see the very last volume?”

Haesom nodded even more vigorously.

“That’s right…. Arong was attacked, went into cardiac arrest, and that’s where it ended. I was so curious about what happened afterward that I think I agonized over it for a whole year. I searched everywhere in the house, just in case there was another volume somewhere.”

Jaehyun immediately picked up Volume 21.

Then he placed it in Haesom’s hands.

Haesom looked at the final volume of Arong State in her hands as though she were overwhelmed with emotion, her eyes growing moist.

“…It really feels like a dream…. I think I could die happy now.”

Jaehyun couldn’t help but laugh at Haesom’s reaction, as though seeing the final volume of the comic she had enjoyed so much while living on the island had been her lifelong wish.

How can someone be this cute?

“Why are you laughing?”

“Nothing. Do you want to pick out more books?”

“No. I’m good with this.”

Haesom headed toward the checkout counter before he even told her it was time to go.

She must have really wanted to read it.

She’s simpler and more innocent than I expected. And incredibly positive.

Well, that was probably how she had managed to survive that insane life on the island.

Someone like me, whose mind never stops running, probably would have lost it on that island.

Part of him even envied Haesom’s straightforward way of thinking as he followed her adorable little figure.

Meanwhile.

At a secret facility accessible only to Black agents and deputy director-level personnel or higher within the National Intelligence Service, Taeju arrived at the entrance without anyone knowing.

A security officer opened the door for him.

The reason an ordinary Grade 7 employee like Taeju was allowed to enter was thanks to the Director.

When a terrorist attack occurred during an overseas NIS event, Taeju had thrown himself into danger to save the NIS Director.

After that, the Director had repeatedly told Taeju to come to him whenever he needed help.

And Taeju had sought the Director’s assistance to punish Kim Gyeonghae—the insane psychopath who had kidnapped his little sister.

“Director. There’s someone I don’t think I’ll be satisfied with simply sending to prison.”

After hearing Taeju’s circumstances, the Director had felt deeply sorry for him.

What must it have been like for parents to lose their precious little daughter?

Coincidentally, the Director’s youngest daughter was the same age as Haesom, which made him sympathize with and understand Taeju’s situation even more.

In fact, it made him angry.

“Lock her underground with Kim Hyeoncheol as his accomplice. You can interrogate them together. Even if she ends up dying, I’ll take care of the aftermath.”

Taeju headed straight for the underground prison.

As he passed Kim Hyeoncheol’s room, he could clearly hear the interrogation taking place inside.

Judging by how exhausted Kim Hyeoncheol’s voice sounded, it seemed he would soon confess where he had intended to sell the all-solid-state batteries.

However—

Creak.

When Taeju reached Kim Gyeonghae’s room at the very end, his mood darkened considerably.

“Hey. Where’s my daughter?”

Despite having refused food and water for several days, her voice remained sharp and clear.

“I said, where’s my daughter, you bastard?!”

On top of that, she was insisting that their beloved youngest daughter was her own.

Creeeak. Thud.

Taeju dragged the chair positioned outside the door toward Gyeonghae.

Then, with Gyeonghae bound to the chair with her hands and feet cuffed, he placed the toe of his shoe directly in front of her foot.

He rested both arms on his thighs, leaned forward, and glared coldly at her.

“Why did you kidnap my sister, Yun Haesom?”

He needed to know the reason.

What possible reason could she have had for kidnapping her?

Twelve years ago, Gyeonghae’s daughter, who was the same age as Haesom, had died at the hospital where his mother worked. But his mother hadn’t been the girl’s attending physician.

It seemed there was some connection to his mother, but they couldn’t determine exactly what it was from the limited information available in the hospital records.

They needed to uncover the reason behind the kidnapping and determine whether there was someone behind it.

Only then could they prevent a second incident.

They had finally found Haesom after twelve years. If she were kidnapped again or something bad happened to her, there was no doubt their parents would not be able to endure it.

As Taeju remembered how much his family had suffered for years after losing their precious youngest daughter, the tip of his nose stung and his eyes grew moist.

“You bastard, your blood hasn’t even dried yet! Bring my daughter back!”

“The time for that has passed. And thanks to you, Kim Gyeonghae, it dried years earlier than it should have.”

“Shut up and bring my daughter back!”

Taeju slightly raised his foot before pressing it down onto the top of Gyeonghae’s foot.

Deep wrinkles formed between Gyeonghae’s brows.

“How am I supposed to bring back your daughter when she’s dead?”

Gyeonghae’s once-intense eyes shook wildly.

“Kim Sujin. She died twelve years ago from acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Isn’t that right? Her attending physician at the time was Professor Bae Jaecheol. So why did you kidnap Professor Han Seonyeong’s daughter?”

Gyeonghae gave him a chilling laugh before abruptly changing her expression and asking,

“So? Was Professor Han unhappy?”

So she really did kidnap Haesom because she wanted Mom to suffer.

Then had she acted alone? Or had someone ordered her to do it?

Considering that she had managed to avoid being caught anywhere in South Korea for twelve years, there was a high possibility that someone was behind her.

Maybe someone at the hospital who had lost out to Mom in a promotion had held a grudge.

Or perhaps Mom, being an exceptionally ethical person, had incurred someone’s hatred by attempting to expose corruption within the hospital.

If that were the case, even if Kim Gyeonghae died, his family might spend the rest of their lives living in fear that they could lose Haesom again.

They had no idea what that person might do after learning that Mom had gotten Haesom back.

“I’m asking you! Was that woman unhappy?!”

Taeju did not give her the answer she wanted.

“She became one of the most respected authorities in her field. She earned the respect of countless people and saved the lives of numerous patients. Losing her daughter aside, she lived an admirable life as a woman and as a person. What reason would she have to be unhappy?”

“Shut up!!”

Gyeonghae began thrashing and screaming.

But before long, she suddenly fell silent.

Her chin trembled violently, and her eyes began to redden.

“Damn it!”

Taeju stood up, grabbed Gyeonghae’s chin, and forced her mouth open.

She had been biting her tongue.

Taeju immediately called for help from the staff outside.

Kim Gyeonghae still hadn’t willingly revealed why she had kidnapped Haesom, but one thing was certain: she had some connection to his mother.

Taeju decided that they needed to gather information not only on the patients his mother had treated but also on patients who had died in the same pediatric oncology surgery department.

Only then could they determine whether Kim Gyeonghae had acted alone.

And perhaps uncover the story behind his sister’s kidnapping.

Around 4 p.m.

Jaehyun and Haesom returned home.

They had only eaten lunch and stopped by a bookstore, yet the hours had flown by.

Of course, Jaehyun had eaten out and gone shopping with his family when he was young.

But perhaps because this was Haesom’s first outing since returning from the island, everything felt especially meaningful.

Above all, she had had even more fun because she was spending the day with her handsome older brother’s friend.

He had said they would prepare her for the equivalency exams within six months, even though it would normally take at least two years.

Would he tutor her every day?

Then would she get to see him every day?

No.

Taeju had said that morning that her brother’s friend would be staying at the house for the time being.

That meant…

Haesom took off her shoes at the entrance and entered the living room, then quickly turned around to look at Jaehyun.

Jaehyun, who had been about to finish taking off his shoes, stopped and looked down at her.

“Um… Oppa.”

“Yeah.”

“Are you staying here tonight?”

As his eyes narrowed, a heavy silence descended.

Someone’s heartbeat sounded unusually loud.

Haesom felt her breathing grow faster and realized with certainty that the sound must be coming from her own heart.

She tightly clutched the fabric over her chest with one hand and cleared her throat.

“I-I didn’t mean it in a weird way. Earlier… Taeju Oppa said that you’d be staying here for a while. To p-protect me… and help me prepare for the equivalency exams.”

“Oh. I was planning to, but not this week. I’m employed, so if I want to take some time off, there are things I need to take care of at the company first.”

Haesom’s eyes wavered anxiously.

“Are you… quitting your job because of me?”

Jaehyun gave a dry, incredulous laugh.

“Of course not. I was already planning to take some time off. It just happened that Geukju asked me to look after you.”

“Phew. I’m glad that’s the reason.”

With one hand still pressed against her chest, Haesom let out a long sigh of relief.

Her heart was still pounding.

But the sound seemed strangely loud to be coming from her own heart.

It almost sounded as though it were coming from right beside her.

Could it be… Oppa’s heartbeat? No way….

Haesom dismissed the absurd thought and spoke again.

“Ahem. Um… thank you so much for today, Oppa. We’ll see each other often starting next week, right? Ah, no. I mean, I’ll have lessons every day, right?”

“I’ll decide whether we’re doing five days a week or three and let you know. And could you move farther inside?”

“Huh?”

“You keep blocking the way.”

He frowned slightly as he asked.

“Weren’t you leaving?”

“Do you think I’d leave you home alone and risk getting an earful from the Taegukgi brothers? Of course I’ll stay until one of them comes home and take over. That way, no one can come and take away the precious daughter of this family.”

Haesom’s heart rate gradually increased.

It wasn’t because his words had made her feel romantic excitement.

Rather, she was overwhelmed by the realization that there were now so many people who would protect her.

Just five days ago, she had thought the heavens had abandoned her…

But that wasn’t true.

She had a family who treasured her.

And there was also her older brother’s friend, who was willing to make time to help ensure that they would never lose her again.

Her heart felt so full that she could hardly contain it.