Am I really such a cruel person? In front of someone who just woke up after severe injuries that were stitched up, it was as if something was trying to stop him… Even so, my mind continued to feel cold, while the blood in my body was uncontrollably hot.
“Even though I was also ruined, I’m still alive even though you often mocked me. But, you—Instructor—you’re too cruel. I never saw you attached to your wife or contacting her.”
“So, is this how they do mental torture now?”
“......!”
What did he mean by this? Lee Wooshin’s gaze, though it looked tired, still felt cold.
“Do you think I’d be affected by such unfunny words?”
“…….”
Seoryeong stared at him with a dumbfounded expression, her tongue feeling dry. What did he mean by considering her words mental torture? It felt like he was talking nonsense.
“The attempt wasn’t bad, but what class are you? It seems like you’ve even tried drugs on yourself. Special Security Team, who’s the leader? Sending someone like you clearly shows a lack of ability or good judgment.”
The leader is you… Seoryeong rubbed her forehead with her hand and sat down in a chair. The man’s instep, wrapped in a cast, was as big as a sandbag, and white bandages covered his upper body. Other small wounds were visible on his face, ears, and neck. Seeing this, Seoryeong’s spirit began to dim. After being anesthetized, some people could talk about indecent things, some even spoke in foreign languages. Looking for a wife they had separated from should be a common thing, right? Even so, the words that came out were completely different.
“Even though you pretended to be a faithful husband, you still slept with other women, didn’t you?”
“......!”
“Taking off your clothes, even giving me a magnifying glass to see everything.”
“.......”
“Instructor, do you know how often you spanked my butt?”
The man’s eyes flickered for a moment, as if trying to calm himself down, then his lips curled into a smirk.
“This is a bit much. But, why would I sleep with other women?”
“......!”
“Even if given an aphrodisiac, if it made me aroused in an inappropriate place, I would definitely break it first. Not a single wild bear would enter another’s den after leaving its own. Touching the heart of a married man is too low.”
“Hah…!”
Seoryeong sighed, squeezing her surprised and agitated face.
“But, Instructor, you were the one who liked me first… Hah…”
I don’t understand why I have to convince him of his own separation. It felt like a reversed situation. However, after realizing that he too had a difficult past to reveal, strangely a strong impulse arose in my heart. An awareness that came like an accident that shouldn’t have happened. What had I ever done with Lee Wooshin all this time was just business trips, running drills, water training, martial arts training, shooting practice, interrogation training, hell runs, alcohol training, hotel raids, torture by the Deputy Director of the NIS, escaping the monastery… But when… At that moment, Seoryeong’s head slowly drooped.
“Do your wife and I look alike?”
“......!”
“Because of that, you’ve been noisy, annoyed, and bothering me from the start?”
The words meant to tease turned out to be quite reasonable. With a sharp gaze, Lee Wooshin examined her, as if his blurry eyes had become clear. For a moment, the wrinkle on his forehead showed surprise.
“There’s no way anyone could look like my wife.”
“There really are such things… like this…”
“The question is completely absurd. Why am I being treated like a prisoner? This isn’t a celebrity news interview.”
“…Never mind, just give me the message for your wife. I’ll write it.”
Seoryeong pressed her throbbing forehead, feeling like she hadn’t gotten anything out of this conversation. This feeling, compared to Kim Hyeon, was definitely nothing. She stared with hazy eyes, determined in her mind. Never mind. Don’t think about it any further. This already complicated life shouldn’t be interfered with by Lee Wooshin.
“But your wife’s name…”
It was a question that came out naturally, without any other intention.
“Her phone number…”
“.......”
“It’s nothing, I just need to know correctly so I don’t make any mistakes.”
“The beautiful one.”
“Ah… okay, what message do you want to send?”
The man who had previously urged her to get his phone suddenly closed his mouth tightly. His eyes, staring at the ceiling, began to tremble. A heavy silence continued endlessly, and Seoryeong unconsciously yawned, trying to shake off the drowsiness that was coming. The soft light, like a frame in the middle of the wall, added to the effect. When he finally opened his lips after a long time, his voice sounded heavy.
“Today… don’t wait.”
Seoryeong immediately straightened up, even though at that moment Lee Wooshin was only looking at the small and clear pattern on the ceiling, as if choosing one out of thousands of words he could say.
“It’s too late. It’s very late.”
The man covered his eyes with his arm, as if unable to bear the fatigue, and murmured softly. Seoryeong tried to type the message, but her fingers felt stiff, unable to press anything. The feeling of so much hope in his words made her feel incredibly lonely. Suddenly, his voice began to tremble.
“Can you sleep warmly alone?”
Seoryeong’s heart beat uncomfortably.
“…I’m sorry.”
---
“Hey, you… what’s with your face? Where did you get hit?”
When Seoryeong visited her colleagues’ hospital rooms, Ki Taemin, who was eating an orange, was surprised. Even though she had carefully opened the door because it was late, a lively voice immediately greeted her.
“Ah….”
Seoryeong complained in confusion and rubbed her stiff cheek. She tried to get rid of the awkward feeling by massaging her tired neck.
“How’s the team leader?”
“......”
Even though it was just a simple question, her tongue felt heavy. As she hesitated, her colleagues’ expressions began to turn serious. Because they seemed to be thinking the worst, Seoryeong hurriedly explained.
“The stitching surgery went well, and he’s sleeping now.”
“Thank goodness…”
Yoo Dawit rubbed his face and then winced in pain. He had wrapped his body in bandages, starting from his neck to his shoulders, back, and arms, looking like he was wearing clothes made of bandages. Looking at his appearance, Seoryeong could imagine how hard Kiya had worked to take “Sonya.”
With an inexplicable feeling of guilt, Seoryeong approached.
“By the way, are you okay? Could it be that because of us, you couldn’t get proper treatment?”
Ki Taemin anxiously checked her condition.
“I’m fine, it’s all done.”
Even though she had a slight concussion and a wound on her head, she felt embarrassed to call it an injury. While he leisurely ate instant noodles, it felt like her colleagues were suffering. Just as she lowered her head, Ki Taemin spoke with furrowed brows.
“Han Seoryeong, have you been sleeping?”
“......”
She couldn’t sleep at all. Even though the company gave her a private room, after cleaning the room and changing her clothes, sleep still wouldn’t come.
“Since your arrival, I’ve had a feeling that crazy pastor was interested in you. Actually, shouldn’t you be resting in the hospital, not us? You were even kidnapped by that guy. Don’t forget that.”
“Yes, I learned a lot from that pastor.”
“What?”
“Ah… I’m fine.”
There was a slight confusion in the conversation, but those last words were sincere. The experience of being imprisoned didn’t have a significant mental impact on her. However, one thought suddenly popped into her head, and Seoryeong felt like she had bitten her tongue. Right now, looking for his wife isn’t cheating, is it? How contradictory these feelings were. Yet, she herself was so stubbornly pursuing Kim Hyeon. Seoryeong felt like she hadn’t gained anything and wanted to distract her thoughts. Suddenly, she saw Yoo Dawit and remembered something.
“Senior, I’m curious about something.”
Seoryeong tried to divert her annoyed feelings on purpose.
“What are the signs?”
“Huh?”
Yoo Dawit’s voice was already hoarse. This usually quiet and serious person now had a metallic, hoarse voice, as if he had used up all his energy at the crash site. Seeing this, Seoryeong could feel how dangerous the situation they had faced was. Her heart felt heavy again.
“The signs… of the beast, he said. That pastor said.”
“......!”
The dimple on Yoo Dawit’s forehead creased. Seoryeong added, “He also said it’s like in the Book of Revelation.”
Yoo Dawit took a long breath, but because of his broken ribs, he couldn’t move freely and only groaned in pain.
“Anyway, it means a symbol. The mark of the beast means…”
Yoo Dawit rubbed his long hair.
“It’s a prophecy that a country, or a ruler, will give that mark to people. I once thought it was a symbol accepted by Nazi members. Interpretations can vary. Especially when the world is changing so rapidly, concerns about the ‘mark of the beast’ are growing…”
“......”
“When barcodes first appeared, religious people overinterpreted them, and the same happened when vaccines were discovered. But if there’s an interpretation that encompasses everything, it’s—”
Seoryeong was surprised by the unexpected direction of the conversation.
“Chip verification, I mean. A chip implanted in the body.”