Side Story 31: Punishment... Don't I Deserve It? Spy, Criminal, Loser...
Lee Hyuk-jin relentlessly tested Jeong So-yeon's mental limits, pushing her to the brink. The ordeal lasted over five hours. Without a moment's rest, he bombarded her with the same words over and over, shattering her sense of self.
Her mind a chaotic wreck, she finally succumbed to self-hypnosis, fabricating false memories of herself attempting "spy activities."
"I... I am a spy... Urk!"
An intense rejection reaction hit her like her head was splitting open. Jeong So-yeon retched, leaning over the desk.
"Yes, that's right. Jeong So-yeon, you are a spy."
"Yes... I am a spy..."
She unconsciously realized that accepting it without resistance was the only way out of this nightmare. No one had ever left this interrogation room unscathed.
"Then let's go back to the beginning, Jeong So-yeon."
"Yes..."
Lee Hyuk-jin gathered the scattered documents from the desk and packed them into his bag. He placed only the very first document she'd seen—a single selfie photo she'd taken—on the table and tapped it with his finger.
"So, Jeong So-yeon. What classified information were you trying to steal with this photo?"
A sneer curled his lips as he secretly pulled out a recorder to capture her voice. The moment she confessed to the crime herself... her punishment was inevitable.
"I... I..."
It was just an ordinary selfie, no matter how you looked at it. There was no classified Shared Property Facility intel visible anywhere.
...He waited about three minutes.
Jeong So-yeon remained silent. With a sigh, Lee Hyuk-jin turned off the recorder and flipped the photo upside down.
"Jeong So-yeon."
"Yes..."
"Jeong So-yeon! Look at me."
Her lost gaze met his as they sat facing each other.
"Jeong So-yeon, you are a criminal."
"I am a criminal..."
"You dared to commit the crime of stealing classified information from the National Shared Property Facility."
"Yes..."
"You can never return to your old life. Since it's a sensitive matter, if you don't confess, you might even face the death penalty."
"Hic... Yes..."
"Your life is over. You're a loser. You've become the human trash you so despised."
"Loser... human trash..."
Jeong So-yeon's vacant eyes stared straight ahead as tears streamed down her face. Her mind was too dizzy. She just wanted to close her eyes and sleep. She didn't want to think about anything.
"I am a criminal... trash... loser..."
The brainwashing looped endlessly. Having sufficiently broken her spirit, Lee Hyuk-jin flipped the photo back over and tapped it again.
"Now, one more time. Pretending to take a selfie, what classified information from the Shared Property Facility were you trying to steal?"
"I... I..."
What was she supposed to say? It was just a plain selfie...
"Well, um..."
......
No. No, this isn't a selfie. I pretended to take one to gather some information... to leak it outside...
Plunged into self-hypnosis, Jeong So-yeon tremblingly extended her hand and pointed at something random in the photo.
"This..."
The first thing she pointed to was the paper towel dispenser next to the sink. Why this? Why did she choose it? She didn't know. Her hand moved before her brain. First, pick something—then justify it.
"I was trying to steal information about the toilet paper used in the Shared Property Facility..."
Assigning meaning to a utterly mundane object... Jeong So-yeon confessed her "."
"And this..."
Next, her finger pointed to the mirror reflecting her face.
"I was trying to steal info on the sink mirror's size."
Why the hell would that matter? What important intel could that be?
...There was no reason. She was just blurting out whatever came to mind. It was a confession full of contradictions anyone could see through... but Lee Hyuk-jin didn't question it. He smirked, jotting down her words by hand.
"And this..."
Now, the toilet floor tiles reflected in the mirror.
"I was trying to steal info on the floor tile color. And this..."
Jeong So-yeon kept pointing at elements in the photo, confessing one after another. Like she was playing spot-the-difference... not missing a single tiny detail, she built and proved the "evidence" that this one photo was for spy work.
"I see."
Lee Hyuk-jin nodded along as if convinced, listening with feigned seriousness. He asked no probing questions. Why did you do it? Who put you up to it? What did you get in return? Such interrogation was pointless. What mattered was that Jeong So-yeon had confessed to being a "spy" herself. That was enough.
"Understood."
The interrogation was over. With this, Jeong So-yeon was branded a spy attempting to steal Shared Property Facility secrets.
"To summarize: Jeong So-yeon, you dared to steal intel on the toilet paper used in the facility bathrooms, the mirror sizes, the floor tile colors... and countless other classified details. Correct?"
"Yes... Hic, yes..."
"Got it. Since you confessed so readily, we'll discuss a light punishment for you."
"Thank you..."
"Then stand up and follow me. Don't tell me you're going to resist...?"
"Yes..."
Even if she wanted to resist... she had no strength left. After hours glued to the chair, Jeong So-yeon stretched her legs to stand—and immediately collapsed as they gave out.
"You okay?"
"Ah... Yes..."
Grabbing Lee Hyuk-jin's hand, she rose and left the room with him.
Shared Property Facility main building, basement level 2, interrogation room. Along the flickering fluorescent-lit corridor stretched countless doors on either side. What people were trapped inside, being interrogated...?
Jeong So-yeon squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them and stared straight ahead as she walked. With her own future hanging in the balance, who had time to worry about others?
"We'll take the elevator to the 10th floor. HR is waiting."
"Yes..."
Her head spun. Her stomach churned. Barely steadying her staggering body, she entered the room where the HR manager waited.
Sipping coffee on the sofa, he looked at Jeong So-yeon and grinned widely.
"We meet sooner than expected. Come, have a seat."
"Yes..."
Jeong So-yeon sat across from him with a blank expression. On the table lay the resignation letter she'd written earlier and her employee ID.
"Jeong So-yeon, this is normally a case for immediate trial, but I pulled some strings to bring you back. Grateful?"
"Yes... Thank you..."
Why... show her mercy? She couldn't fathom his intentions. She was too numb to even ask. Pushed to her mental limits, she was little more than a living corpse.
"Resigners don't get second chances, normally."
"Yes..."
"But honestly, I think it's a waste to lose you. So I'm giving you one extra chance."
"Pardon...?"
A spark of hope. The tantalizing offer cleared her mind just a fraction; her eyes widened.
Escape from this despair? Rejoining the Shared Property Facility. Nothing else came to mind.
The HR manager waved her resignation letter teasingly.
"Here's the deal: Right here in front of you, I tear up this resignation and reissue your ID... You treat today's mess as a minor hiccup, forget it clean, and we're good. Simple, right?"
"Yes! Y-Yes, I'll do that... Please let me rejoin...!"
Jeong So-yeon pleaded desperately, tears welling up.
The HR manager smirked and shook his head.
"Mmm, not for free, of course."
"Pardon...?"
"Right now, I want to hear how you really feel about the Shared Property Facility. To judge if you're a good fit. Think of it as an entry interview for someone eager to rejoin."
"Yes..."
Just answer his questions. Easy enough.
"Then lean back comfortably, lie down, and close your eyes. Now we'll hear your true feelings."
"Yes..."
Following his instructions, Jeong So-yeon reclined against the sofa backrest, eyes gently shut in a relaxed pose.
"First question."
"Yes."
"Jeong So-yeon... what do you think of the Shared Property Facility?"
"I... well..."
Researcher success story, or branded spy and criminal? Her entire future hinged on her answer. Sensing his approach, she thought it over once more before responding.
"Ah..."
A sharp sting in her right arm. She tried to open her eyes at the pain, but the HR manager—now sitting beside her—covered them with his hands.
"No peeking. Slowly. Breathe. Answer the question."
"Yes..."
What did she think of the Shared Property Facility? No truths... embellish, make it as positive as possible.
"I think the Shared Property Facility is..."
......
Snap—her memory cut off.
......
Only after a long while did Jeong So-yeon regain consciousness, chilled by the stark, familiar-yet-unfamiliar surroundings. A dozen people encircled her. And a familiar face: Kim Jin.
"Eh..."
Strapped tightly to the operating table, limbs bound, Jeong So-yeon realized: this was the Shared Property Facility's Underground Processing Room.