The Fading Signal
He's coming... Jun-hee had dismissed the uneasy feeling as nothing more than paranoia, so he dialed So-yeon's number again.
The response was exactly the same. A few rings, then that familiar automated voice: "The subscriber you have called is currently unavailable."
Could it be? The thought sent his chest tightening painfully. Was So-yeon blocking him, or was there some other reason she hadn't picked up...?
Jun-hee stared blankly at the monitor screen still connected to his laptop, then finally stood up abruptly. He couldn't just sit there anymore. Even the strange sense of dread was enough to make him feel he had to see her at least once.
He grabbed his phone and wallet, threw on a thin outer jacket, and stepped out into the cold night air. Of course, doubt crept in: Was he really making a fuss over a nightmare or a prank call? Yet he couldn't help wanting to at least confirm So-yeon was all right. After all, what if something had truly happened to her? At the very least, that uncertainty was something he could write about, something he could act upon.
Using the app, he called a taxi and headed straight for the company where So-yeon worked.
////// It was bewildering. After arriving at the company, Jun-hei hesitated for a long time before heading to the lobby to find So-yeon. The answer he received was that So-yeon had already submitted her resignation.
That was simply baffling. This was a well-known web design firm, one with solid pay and decent benefits. He knew she had been proud of starting there. There was no reason she would quit so easily. Had she been offered a better position elsewhere? Or was something wrong at the company...?
Jun-hee stepped back outside, the unease only growing heavier. He tried calling again, but still no answer. The fear and worry intensified, making him stomp his feet and sigh repeatedly.
In the end, he pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a drag. Was he being too meddlesome? If nothing had really happened to So-yeon, then coming here at all was pointless. The fact that his sleep had been restless lately made any visit feel like an intrusion.
Should he just leave? The thought crossed his mind, but he couldn't bear to turn back now that he had come this far. At the very least, he wanted one look at her face, just to ease the knot in his chest.
Jun-hee took off his cap, ruffled his disheveled hair, and muttered, "Sigh... If I'd done things right from the beginning, none of this would have happened... You pathetic man."
His own helplessness made him feel even more worthless. If only he had handled things better back then, he wouldn't have divorced. A bitter sigh escaped him as he exhaled smoke.
"Excuse me, sir! Smoking here is not allowed!"
The security guard's sharp warning startled Jun-hei. He quickly stamped out the cigarette and bowed his head in apology.
"Ah, I'm sorry."
He immediately headed to the taxi stand at a brisk pace.
////// Because of the growing unease, this time Jun-hei changed the destination to So-yeon's apartment.
The taxi reached the quiet apartment complex after about thirty minutes. The atmosphere was eerily still. The cloudy sky added to the feeling. The wind was so cold that Jun-hei shivered despite the jacket.
Recalling the old address from memory, he wandered around the complex for about ten minutes before heading to the security office.
He knocked on the closed window. An older security guard appeared.
"May I help you?"
"Ah, yes... I'm looking for someone."
"Someone?"
"Yes... So-yeon. Here, this is a photo of her. She lives in this complex."
Jun-hei showed the old photo of his ex-wife to the guard. The guard took it, sighed softly, and nodded as if he knew her.
"You know her? Do you know where she might be?"
Jun-hei asked with hopeful expectation. The guard's expression suddenly hardened, and he gave Jun-hei a wary glance.
"Who exactly are you looking for? And you shouldn't be asking outsiders about residents of the complex."
"Ah, I see... It's just... So-yeon is my ex-wife. She's also my daughter's mother. The truth is, we've had some issues, and I can't get through to her on the phone. So I came looking."
"Ex-husband?"
Jun-hei forced a awkward laugh. "Is there a problem?"
The guard paused, carefully studying Jun-hei, then asked, "You haven't heard anything?"
"Heard what?"
"Hm... This person is missing. Didn't you know? The police were all over the place yesterday, but you didn't know?"
Jun-hei realized he had misunderstood. "Missing? What do you mean by missing?"
"No! You're the ex-husband and you don't know anything? She went out at night a few days ago searching for a lost child and hasn't returned since. That's why the whole complex feels so strange."
"I see... Ah, I've never heard such a thing."
Jun-hei scratched his head in confusion and scanned the empty complex. There wasn't a single person walking around.
"When something like this happens, residents usually stay indoors as much as possible."
"I see..." Jun-hei already knew So-hee had vanished. He had lost sleep worrying about her and had even tried searching for her himself just days ago. But now So-yeon was missing too?
His mind went blank. He ran a hand over his unkempt beard, looking utterly stunned.
"Really?"
"Of course. I can't lie about something like this. The mother of the missing person has been contacting the police daily, searching for her daughter and granddaughter. If you want more details, contact her directly."
"Her mother-in-law? ... She must be having a hard time with her knees. Thank you anyway."
Only now did Jun-hei understand why So-yeon hadn't answered. Missing... This was completely unexpected. He stood there, dazed, then slowly walked toward a bench in front of the playground.
"Missing, huh?"
He still couldn't quite believe it. Pulling out his phone, he hesitated before dialing So-yeon again. No answer.
Finally, scrolling through contacts, he found his mother-in-law's old number. Again, hesitation stopped him. What could he even say? Wouldn't it just sound like resentment?
Just then, the phone rang. Jun-hei picked up in alarm, the unknown number making his unease worse.
"Hello?"
"Is this Mr. Lee Jun-hee?"
"Yes, that's me. Who is this?"
/////// It was a call from the police. They had been contacting everyone who knew So-yeon to search for clues. After Jun-hei explained what he had been doing the night she disappeared, the officer asked if So-yeon might have been kidnapped.
However, the officer wouldn't give any detailed information, only saying the investigation was ongoing with multiple leads.
Regardless, the disappearance had happened about a week ago.
The police also sounded suspicious of Jun-hei's whereabouts. They asked if he had been with anyone else or at home at the time. After a moment's thought, Jun-hei admitted he had gone to visit his editor once.
The officer took his editor's number, then—seeing it wasn't enough—requested the address of the villa where Jun-hei lived. They seemed satisfied, but they offered zero useful information about what he wanted to know. It felt one-sided and unfair.
Still, one thing was clear: So-yeon's disappearance was real.
Upon learning the truth, Jun-hei finally called his mother-in-law without further hesitation. He needed to know the full details. No matter how much of an ex-husband he was.