Things He Hadn’t Known (2)
Na Kang-hae needed to know.
He needed to know why his brother had developed cryptocurrency for a syndicate of trash who were barely better than filth, and for North Korea.
But Lee Jun-ho gave no answer to Kang-hae’s question.
Instead, he suddenly began to shake.
Rattle-rattle-rattle—
His pupils went slack.
White foam started spilling from his mouth.
Kang-hae understood at once that this was a very bad sign.
The drugs administered at Harmony Psychiatric Hospital, combined with the truth serum he had taken only moments ago, must have triggered a severe side effect.
Jun-ho’s breathing stopped.
Kang-hae pressed on Jun-ho’s chest and tried to perform CPR.
But a heart that had already stopped would not start again.
Lee Jun-ho died like that.
Kang-hae stopped the compressions.
Then he clenched his fists.
Rage surged up to the top of his skull.
He had learned things he had never known about his brother.
And yet everything still seemed riddled with unanswered questions.
Kang-hae took out his phone and called the owner of Smart Fix.
It was to arrange for the body to be dealt with.
But there was something else he had ordered him to do.
Not long after the ringing began, the owner of Smart Fix answered.
“Yes.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m in front of Harmony Psychiatric Hospital.”
Kang-hae had promised Kang Yong-sik that if he helped him get close to Lee Jun-ho, who was locked inside Harmony’s closed ward, and helped administer the new drug, he would be set free.
And Kang-hae had kept that promise.
But he had not let Kang Yong-sik go completely.
He had ordered the Smart Fix owner to tail him.
He needed to track down people connected to Jejeguk-pa.
“Did Kang Yong-sik go back to the hospital on his own?”
“No. It looks like he was brought here. And I’m not completely certain, but I think the Jejeguk-pa boss is with him too.”
“The boss...? Isn’t the Jejeguk-pa boss in prison?”
“That’s what I thought too, but...”
“Call the police.”
“What?”
“Make sure it really is the Jejeguk-pa boss.”
“Yes, understood.”
After ending his call with Kang-hae, the owner of Smart Fix dialed 119.
“Yes, this is 119.”
“Hello. I’m calling from Harmony Psychiatric Hospital.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I was hospitalized at Wonju Prison until recently.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve seen another inmate I was locked up with. He still had a long time left on his sentence, so...”
“Do you happen to remember the inmate’s name?”
“Kim Seong-han. I was told he’s the boss of the Jejeguk-pa syndicate.”
“Yes, we’ll check on that.”
After hanging up, the police called back before five minutes had passed.
“Yes, sir. We verified the report you filed, and the inmate in question had been granted permission to leave the prison for an outside medical visit.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Yes. Thank you for your concern.”
“All right. Take care.”
The moment he finished the call, the owner of Smart Fix phoned Kang-hae again.
He relayed the information to him.
As soon as Kang-hae heard it, he left the factory where Jun-ho’s body lay.
Then he drove straight to Harmony Psychiatric Hospital.
* * *
Harmony Psychiatric Hospital, closed ward.
Through the iron bars, a dull thud echoed, followed by someone’s screams that dragged on and on.
“Stop.”
The instant Kim Seong-han finished speaking, the Jejeguk-pa men halted what they were doing.
Kang Yong-sik’s face was swollen beyond recognition.
Blood had pooled thickly on the floor.
“P-please, save me, boss. I was wrong, I was... I was wrong...”
Kang Yong-sik forced the words out through cracked lips.
Kim Seong-han looked down at him in silence.
His gaze was cold.
There was not the slightest trace of mercy in it.
The Jejeguk-pa men stood tense and waiting for his next order.
Kim Seong-han disliked every part of this situation.
Not only had one of his own subordinates betrayed the organization, but the younger brother of Na Dong-hae, who had been thought lost, had appeared and wormed his way toward his organization.
And then he had kidnapped Lee Jun-ho.
How much did Na Dong-hae’s brother know?
His head throbbed.
For now, he would have to punish the traitor.
Would this have happened if he had been outside rather than in prison?
No—it would not have.
That thought came to him, and Kim Seong-han held out a hand toward one of the men carrying a baseball bat.
The man quickly handed it over.
Kim Seong-han wrapped his hand around the bat.
Then he brought it down mercilessly on Kang Yong-sik’s head.
Thud—
Thud, thud—
Thud, thud, thud—
The heavy sound rang out again and again.
But no screams followed.
Blood and brain matter splattered across Kim Seong-han’s face and clothes.
Everyone else held their breath and watched him in silence.
Bang—
Kim Seong-han threw the baseball bat, now smeared with blood and flesh, to the floor.
“Boss...”
The Wonju Prison guard who had come out with Kim Seong-han began hesitantly.
Kim Seong-han looked at him without a word.
The instant the guard met that stare, his knees threatened to buckle.
“A report came in a little while ago...”
“A report?”
“Yes. Someone said they saw you here...”
“Who?”
“The police called, but I couldn’t get that much out of them. I think you should head back for now...”
“Very well.”
Kim Seong-han left the closed ward.
Then he climbed into the ambulance parked in front of the hospital.
The ambulance immediately headed back to Wonju Prison.
The owner of Smart Fix, who had been watching all this, called Kang-hae and told him what had happened.
After hearing it, Kang-hae changed direction.
He drove straight for Wonju Prison.
He planned to catch Kim Seong-han before he went back inside.
The car Kang-hae drove tore down the first lane of the Yeongdong Expressway like a bullet.
But the gap, which had already grown to more than twice what he should have been covering, was impossible to close.
Kim Seong-han went back into prison.
Kang-hae stared at Wonju Prison.
Beyond the smog, the high outer wall came into view.
It looked like a medieval fortress guarding some hidden secret.
And Kang-hae made up his mind then and there that he would uncover everything connected to his brother.
* * *
One week later.
National Security Office.
After returning from leave, Kang-hae went to see Go Jeong-un.
“Have you thought it over?”
“Yes. I’m going to stay in the National Security Office.”
Kang-hae had changed his mind and decided to remain at the NSO.
His brother had not simply died after being beaten by some gangster.
His death had ties not only to Jejeguk-pa, but also to the cryptocurrency developed by North Korea.
And if he wanted to uncover the truth, it would be easier to do that from inside the National Security Office.
“A wise choice.”
“Thank you.”
“But there is one thing I want to make certain of.”
“What is it?”
“We’re going to track the cryptocurrency developed by North Korea, and in the process we may uncover things related to your brother. But this is the National Security Office. We handle all matters of national security, not just those involving North Korea, but those concerning the Republic of Korea as well.”
“...”
“I heard that before you took part in Operation Storm, Deputy Director Lee Woo-hyung called you in privately.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“And I’m told he said you didn’t have to participate in Operation Storm. Is that true?”
“Yes, sir.”
“But you took part anyway.”
“...”
“I’m not asking for much. Just work with that same mindset. A basic sense of responsibility toward the organization you belong to. That is what I expect from you.”
“Understood.”
“You may go.”
Kang-hae bowed to Go Jeong-un and left the director’s office.
The National Security Office was as busy as ever.
Kang-hae walked over to Seong Ha-yeong.
He called out to her while she sat at her desk and worked.
He wanted to let her know that he would be staying at the NSO.
“Um, Ha-yeong.”
Seong Ha-yeong, who had been working at her desk, turned her head.
“What is it?”
“For the time being, I’ll be staying at the National Security Office.”
“I see.”
Kang-hae told her, but Seong Ha-yeong showed no particular reaction.
Then she turned her attention back to her monitor.
But contrary to her words, she could not focus on work.
While Kang-hae had been away for a week, she had tried to forget him.
And even this morning, when she saw him return from leave, she had wanted him to pack his things and disappear as quickly as possible.
But now that she had heard he would be staying at the NSO, her thoughts had become tangled all over again.
Seong Ha-yeong shook her head.
Then she remembered the time she had met Kang-hae at the café.
That day, he had clearly drawn a line between them.
And Seong Ha-yeong had resolved that no matter what happened, she would not cross it.
So she forced her attention back to the monitor.
She still had two reports to finish before lunchtime.
Lunchtime.
Seong Ha-yeong was still writing reports while eating bread for lunch.
Bzzzz—
Her phone vibrated then.
It was a call from Miki Ho.
“It’s been a while, Miki.”
“Have you been well?”
“Yes. I’m always the same. Nothing much has happened.”
“Haha. Thanks to Ms. Jane, everything is going smoothly for me. Most of the shareholders who stood on my sister’s side have come over to me now.”
He was referring to the time Seong Ha-yeong had given him information in Hong Kong about Macau companies doing business with North Korea.
“That’s a relief.”
“How is Kang-hae doing?”
“He’s fine. But what’s this about?”
“Didn’t I mention it before? I said I’d have to visit Korea.”
“Ah, I remember.”
“Are you free this weekend?”
“This weekend?”
“Yes. I owe Ms. Jane and Kang-hae a great deal, and I’d like to treat you properly. I’ll take care of the plane tickets and the hotel.”
“Oh, that’s all right for me.”
“Do you have plans this weekend?”
“No, it’s not that, but...”
“Haha. Then I’ll see you this weekend. I’ll send the tickets right away.”
Miki Ho said that and hung up.
A short while later, two mobile tickets for a flight to Jeju arrived on Seong Ha-yeong’s phone.
Just then, Kang-hae returned to the NSO after finishing lunch.
And Seong Ha-yeong found herself wondering whether she ought to tell him.
But in the end, she said nothing.
* * *
Jeju International Airport.
11:35 a.m.
Seong Ha-yeong had arrived in Jeju.
Alone.
She had not told Kang-hae that Miki Ho had invited her to Jeju.
If Miki Ho asked why he had come alone, Kang-hae would probably brush it off by saying he had work to do.
When she came out of the arrivals hall, the hotel staff Miki Ho had sent were waiting for her.
Seong Ha-yeong rode in the Rolls-Royce he had provided and headed to the hotel.
The staff were waiting for her at the hotel entrance as well.
“Mr. Miki Ho is waiting for you in the restaurant.”
The hotel manager guided Seong Ha-yeong to the hotel’s upscale Chinese restaurant.
Knock, knock.
When the manager knocked, the door opened.
The instant Miki Ho saw Seong Ha-yeong, he broke into a broad smile.
And Seong Ha-yeong realized that he was not alone.
At the table, facing Miki Ho, sat a man with his back turned.
It was a back she knew well.
It was Kang-hae.
“Why is Kang-hae here...?”
Before she even realized it, the words slipped out of her mouth.
* * *
Last night.
Before going to sleep, Kang-hae answered a call from overseas.
“Baby. Have you been well~?”
It was a familiar voice.
It was the older sister of the twin sisters who had gone to Japan.
“What is it?”
“You’re as cold as ever.”
“Japan?”
“Yep. I moved over to Tokyo recently. I know you’ve been waiting for us, but we’ve been so busy~.”
“Sounds like you’re doing well.”
“More or less. Other than the food not agreeing with me, it’s fine. There are plenty of places to shop, too.”
Lin Xiaojing’s voice was bright with life.
It did not sound as if anything unusual had happened.
Kang-hae felt relieved.
“Then I’ll hang up.”
“How disappointing. Why are you in such a hurry to end the call~?”
“There’s a Korean saying: no news is good news.”
“So you were worried about us~?”
“How in the world did you arrive at that conclusion?”
“We’re worried about you a lot too.”
“You don’t need to worry about me.”
“We’re worried about your girlfriend, too.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Stacy Ho is gathering killers from Hong Kong.”
“...?”
“I looked into it, and apparently Miki Ho is going to Korea tomorrow.”
“...”
Kang-hae remembered the phone call he had had with Miki Ho a few days ago.
After hanging up with Seong Ha-yeong, Miki Ho had called Kang-hae as well.
And Kang-hae had learned that Miki Ho had invited both Seong Ha-yeong and him to Jeju.
But even after several days had passed, Seong Ha-yeong still had not told him about it.
Kang-hae had sensed that she felt uncomfortable being with him.
He had no intention of going to Jeju if that was what she wanted.
“Well, if it were you, I’m sure nothing would happen. But if it’s your girlfriend, that’s a different story, isn’t it?”
“Do you know who the killers are?”
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t find that out.”
“Call me again if you learn anything.”
Kang-hae hastily ended the call.
Then he looked up the earliest flight to Jeju.
---