Gi-joo's Kidnapping Incident 2
The English academy Gi-joo attended seemed to be a proper specialized one, occupying an entire floor of the building. As I looked at it, I thought, Should I send Joo-shin to an academy too?
For some reason, Joo-shin flinched, and Kyung-soo asked him, "Hey, kid, you cold? Want to go wait in the hamburger shop first?"
"No, I'm fine. This is the academy Gi-joo goes to."
When we entered the English academy, there was a reception area up front and classrooms in the back where lessons were underway. As we walked in as a group, a young woman who looked like a college student part-timer—probably assuming we were there to enroll—spoke to us. "Here to sign up? We only have classes up to elementary level. You looking to register your little brother?"
In response to my question—"How much is the monthly tuition?"—Kyung-soo and Jong-hyuk, who had been peering around with me out front, clutched their foreheads and groaned, but I ignored them and pressed on.
"It's 100,000 won a month. Class time is..."
"I came here because my little brother's friend goes here. Her name's Park Gi-joo."
"Ah... Gi-joo? She's in class right now... She'll be out in about an hour. Is it urgent?"
"No. I just thought it'd be good for them to go together as friends. So, we can see her in an hour?"
"Yeah... But it's weird. More people than usual have been asking about Gi-joo today."
"What?"
......
After confirming everyone had gone into the hamburger shop and sat down, placing their orders and waiting, I got another hot coffee from the counter.
Kyung-soo, who was devouring his hamburger and soda with both hands, said, "You're drinking coffee already... You'll never sleep."
"I'm fine."
"What if the kid picks up the habit too..."
"Caffeine addiction is scary stuff."
Kyung-soo and Jong-hyuk, who hung around me a lot, knew I liked coffee, but they also knew I never drank it in front of Joo-shin.
But as I failed to hide my anxiety, sipping my coffee and staring holes into the academy entrance across the street, they cautiously ventured, "What? You got a bad feeling?"
"Maybe..."
"When she said someone else asked about Gi-joo's class end time today, it gave me chills."
"Yeah, me too. Even if it's coincidence, stuff like that doesn't line up so neatly."
"No matter how worried Joo-shin is about Gi-joo, us jumping in like this—doesn't it feel like our instincts are screaming?"
"It's just in case, like you said, Jong-hyuk. The world's been chaotic lately, so better safe than sorry."
"Was that me? Nah, it was my dad. I just passed it on 'cause it made sense."
Joo-shin, who had been munching his hamburger heartily, looked worried at our conversation. Gripping his hot cocoa with both hands, he peered intently at the academy entrance.
"It's still a while till class ends, so take it easy. We'll take turns keeping watch."
I held back Kyung-soo and Jong-hyuk, who were about to complain, with one hand and asked Joo-shin, who was gazing anxiously at the entrance, "Why are you so worried about Gi-joo? You said the older girl she was with didn't seem bad."
"Yeah... But the uncle next to that sister looked kinda scary. Gi-joo's pretty brave. She probably talked to them to help the scared sister, and they didn't ignore her."
"Hm? Didn't ignore her? So she usually gets ignored?"
"No, not with friends. Mom told her not to answer strangers and just come straight home. Gi-joo taught us the same."
"Smart kid."
"The little one's got backbone."
"Gi-joo's dad must've really wanted a son. I heard she grew up almost like a boy until her little brother was born. Not from Gi-joo—her classmates told me. First time growing her hair out, too."
"What's so great about Gi-joo?"
Joo-shin's refusal to badmouth her made something cotton-candy sweet and fuzzy tickle inside me, but the three of us just watched his mouth intently, smiling at one another.
"Gi-joo's cool."
We were exchanging bewildered, baffled looks when Joo-shin suddenly jumped up from his seat. "It's Gi-joo!"
"What?"
I scooped Joo-shin up almost like a hug, and we divided up our bags—Kyung-soo and Jong-hyuk taking theirs and mine and Joo-shin's. We rushed out of the hamburger shop toward Gi-joo.
That's when it happened.
The young woman matching Joo-shin's description—a pregnant lady with a haggard face—approached Gi-joo. We could only watch anxiously as the light stayed red, stamping our feet in frustration.
Gi-joo's kind smile was visible even from afar as she naturally fell into step with the young woman. We started fidgeting even more.
That woman's weird. Slippers in the middle of winter? And way too thin clothes for a pregnant lady.
I couldn't wait any longer. I shoved Joo-shin at Jong-hyuk like passing a baton and itched to dash across the red light, but Kyung-soo's warning not to provoke them kept me waiting for green.
Screech.
As Gi-joo headed toward a dark green car illegally parked in front of the academy, Joo-shin yelled before he could stop himself. "Gi-joo!"
Gi-joo, following the young woman's lead toward the car, seemed to sense something off at the sound of her name and stepped back from the illegally parked vehicle.
Then two burly men from inside the car shoved the young woman and Gi-joo into the back seat and sped off.
Me and Jong-hyuk, in our panic, ignored the light and charged, but the screeching brakes only earned us curses as we watched Gi-joo get kidnapped right in front of us.
"Huff... haa..."
"Haa..."
Kyung-soo arrived late with Joo-shin at the spot where we'd lost her, his face frantic. "What now?"
"What do you mean? We report it."
"What?"
"No matter how you slice it, that's a kidnapping."
"You think they'll believe us?"
"Let's call Sergeant Heo Soon-kyung at Jungjangdong Station."
"Got his number?"
"No, but we can ask for the station's."
We dashed out so fast we'd left our table a mess, so we apologized to the hamburger shop part-timer, cleared up, and borrowed their phone.
"Jungjangdong Police Station in An-nam City."
"Sergeant Heo? I need to report something."
"Who... Wait, Joo-in?"
"Yeah. Emergency."
"Emergency?"
"A kid got kidnapped."
"Kidnapped?!"
From behind Heo Soon-kyung came the sound of quiet snoring suddenly jolted awake by him jumping up—crash, smash—and a shout of "What the hell!"
Heo Soon-kyung told us to stay put and raced over in his patrol car to meet us.
By the time he arrived, we were in total chaos.
"Waaah... It's... It's my fault Gi-joo..."
Joo-shin had cried out in panic when he saw the kidnappers force her into the unfamiliar car, and he couldn't calm down.
"No, Joo-shin, stop. It wasn't your fault. Thanks to you, we spotted the danger early..."
I knelt to his eye level, hugging him tight to soothe him, sweating bullets.
"Uh... Anyway, for the report, you'll need to give a detailed statement at the station."
"We all witnessed it, so Kyung-soo and Jong-hyuk can go first? I'll stay to calm Joo-shin till Mom gets here."
"Y... Yeah? Must've been a shock, huh."
Heo Soon-kyung knelt too, meeting Joo-shin's eyes, and pulled a candy from his pocket. "I'm really sorry as a cop that you had to see a crime like this. But you were so brave reporting it quick—we'll catch 'em soon. Don't worry, wait at home with your brother for good news."
I hugged Joo-shin close and bowed gratefully to Heo Soon-kyung.
He apologized for not driving us home, but I firmly refused. "If something happens during that short drive, not just me—Joo-shin couldn't take it. Please rescue Gi-joo as fast as you can."
Hearing that, Heo Soon-kyung took Kyung-soo and Jong-hyuk straight to the station.
I nodded to them. "Hang in there. I'll join later."
"Yeah. Get home safe. Joo-shin's shaken."
"Gotta stay till Mom's back."
"If they get pushy at the station, call your parents and have them there for statements. It's your right."
"Got it. It's just eyewitness stuff—should be fine. Careful going."
"You too."
"Yeah."
As they faded from sight, I said to Joo-shin, "Joo-shin, wanna save Gi-joo?"
"Sniff... Yeah..."
"Then can you wait alone for Mom at home just today?"
"Sniff... Where you going?"
"To find Gi-joo."
"Sniff... You know who they are?"
"No. But I know how to track 'em."
"Yeah. I can stay home alone then. I did before."
It hurt, remembering how I'd wandered outside while Dad was still alive, leaving him alone at home.
My karma.
I warned Joo-shin one more time to lock up tight and stepped out, gazing at the darkening alley.
Mom's due home soon. But if we run into her, she'll be stuck at the station giving statements.
Going to the station for a full witness report wasn't bad.
Just,