Three Days Ago: Shattered Hope
Three days ago, Jeong In-ah left school early and headed home. She checked on the ice cream cake, clothes, and assorted gifts she'd bought yesterday to make sure they were all still there. They weren't going anywhere on their own, but she couldn't shake the nagging worry.
"Good."
Everything was fine. She nodded to herself, muttering aloud. Lately, she'd been talking to herself more and more. She had no idea why.
Without even changing out of her school uniform, she rushed out of the house and hailed a taxi nearby.
"Seoul East, uh..."
"Seoul East Holy Knight Command?"
"Hold on."
As she started to give the destination, Jeong In-ah pulled out her phone to check her messages. It was the one she'd read over and over last weekend, but she still felt that flicker of hope.
Details like which floor the team was on or who the investigator was didn't register. Jeong In-ah fixated only on "Seoul East Holy Knight Command" and "3/22 (Mon)."
March 22nd, Monday. Today. Seoul East Holy Knight Command. Right.
She nodded. "Yeah. Take me to the Seoul East Holy Knight Command."
The taxi pulled away. A faint cigarette smell lingered inside, overpowered by air freshener. Neither was a scent she liked. Her head spun a little, so she cracked the window. Wind whipped past with a roaring gust, the scenery blurring too fast to follow. Lunchtime traffic was light—mostly just the occasional bus or taxi.
"......"
The world felt eerily empty, like she was alone in a vast, deserted void. Familiar sights seemed strangely alien, heightening her anticipation.
"Here, please."
They arrived quickly. Jeong In-ah stepped out and took a deep breath. Her chest tightened, head dizzy. The cloying air freshener seemed embedded in her skin; she shook herself futilely.
The Seoul East Holy Knight Command building loomed impressively large—not as grand as Florence Academy, but the biggest knight command she'd seen. She swallowed hard and headed inside.
"What brings you here?"
A sour-faced holy knight greeted her first. His tone matched his expression—bored with the world.
"Uh, I've been here a few times before. My little sister's been missing, but they said they found her. Got a call over the weekend..."
Jeong In-ah showed him the message on her phone. Her heart pounded wildly from nerves or excitement, her words stumbling out in fragments. Her mind blanked, language skills regressing under the strain.
"Ah, that student. Have a seat and wait a bit."
The knight spoke indifferently. Jeong In-ah sat silently. Minutes dragged like hours or days.
"Jeong In-ah?"
"Yes? Oh, yeah."
"ID for verification—"
"Got it. Here."
The message had said to bring ID, so she'd prepared her student card. The knight scrutinized it with a furrowed brow. Even that brief scrutiny felt eternal.
"Alright, follow me."
He handed back the card and strode down the hall. Jeong In-ah hurried after him. The corridor was stark and barren, paint peeling in spots for a grim vibe. The dry air tickled her throat; she suppressed a cough.
The knight stopped at a door. Jeong In-ah glanced at the sign and swallowed.
"Wha—interrogation room...?"
Her eyes trembled with unease.
"Yeah, the guest room's occupied, so we have to use this. Sorry if it's a bit bare—"
Someone was in the guest room, so interrogation room it was. Understandable, if annoying. But it didn't matter; she wouldn't be staying long. Home, ice cream cake, gifts, a party. Guest room or not, who cared.
Creeeak—
The door opened with a chilling groan, revealing the room. Excitement swelled to bursting. A few more steps to her sister. She smiled involuntarily. Her heart thundered, eyes stinging, throat dry.
Thud, thud.
Each step amplified the pounding.
"Is this your sister?"
The knight pointed to a girl slumped in the corner chair, head down. Face hidden, limbs gaunt, hair pitch-black.
"......Wait. I need to see her face."
The girl jerked her head up. Eyes black as her hair, vacant and hollow. Sunken cheeks accentuated sharp jaw and prominent cheekbones.
Six months wasn't short. Faces change, hair and eye color too. Moles shift or vanish. Possible. She tried to convince herself optimistically, but her face hardened.
"N-not my sister. No. Mistake. Yeah, must be a mix-up. Wrong kid."
This girl wasn't Yun-ah. No resemblance at all.
The knight tilted his head puzzled, flipping through papers.
"No mix-up... sorry, take another look—"
"I said no! Not Yun-ah!"
"Still, just once more, for confirmation. Huh."
He glanced at her. Tears streamed down her face. Joy turned to despair in an instant. Swelling hope burst, shards lacerating her.
"No. I'd know Yun-ah's face anywhere... No!"
"C-calm down a bit."
The knight rubbed his neck awkwardly and left, returning with another.
They conferred in front of her, words lost on her numb mind.
They turned to her, bewildered.
"Damn, why not...? Miss, you sure? Absolutely positive?"
"......"
The new knight demanded shamelessly. Jeong In-ah stared through red-rimmed eyes. He seemed merely annoyed.
She recalled counting hours to this day—what to do first, eat, where to go. Sleepless excitement last night. Stupid, pathetic. Breath caught.
"No answer. Really sure it's not—"
Grab.
She seized his collar. He recoiled in shock.
"Wh-what the hell? Let go! Hey, let go—!"
"I said no! How many times? If you'd investigated properly from the start...!"
Her body trembled violently, fragile as glass.
He scowled, slapped her wrist away.
"Fine, whatever. Grab her."
"Y-yes. Uh, Jeong In-ah? Come with me."
The junior knight dragged her off. Legs leaden, body limp, she floated like driftwood in rapids.
Counseling room. She collapsed into a chair. The knight opposite droned on unheard.
Reeeeing...
Dry tinnitus echoed.
Ignoring her blank stare, he continued approvingly.
"Lately, with all these cults, voluntary disappearances are up. We wrap missing cases in six months usually. We've investigated eight—no leads, so probably—"
In short: They'd done all they could. No evidence Voodoo Revival Cult kidnapped her; possible voluntary joining. Further investigation unlikely.
Jeong In-ah stared blankly, unresponsive, voiceless.
She left, taxied home, slept.
"Ah..."
Woke at 8 a.m. Slept 18 hours from 2 p.m. Headache, vertigo, churning gut, sore jaw from grinding teeth.
"Teacher, yeah. I'm not feeling well. Hospital... Yeah."
Too late for school anyway. Felt too sick for class. Dizzy, stomach burning and nauseous. She lay back, seeking sleep.
Beep beep beep—!
Alarm jolted her. Mom calling. She steadied her queasy stomach, cleared her hoarse throat.
"Yeah, Mom."
"At school?"
"Sick today, resting. Stomach's... off."
"Really? Bad? Hospital?"
"No, no. Later..."
She checked the clock: 4 p.m. "Gonna go now."
"Okay. Get meds. How'd it go at the knights yesterday? Yun-ah okay?"
"Ah... that. Not yesterday—today. They said tomorrow."
She lied.
"Perfect timing. Was heading up anyway. Haven't seen your face much with work..."
"No, it's fine. Busy, don't come."
"Busy or not, gotta see my girls. What time'd they say?"
"Uh... 2 or 3? But Mom, don't get hopes up. Might not be her."
Her voice shook. Heart ached like stone. Tears held back.
"What? Either it is or isn't. Which command? Seoul East?"
"Dunno. Forgot. I'll call if it is."
"Don't worry alone... Fine, call and I'll come. Hospital now."
"Yeah... Got it. Heading there."
She bolted up—vision blackened. Acid surged, cold sweat plastered hair, ears rang, legs buckled.
"In-ah."
Mom's voice made her flinch mid-prep.
"Yeah?"
"Miss Mom and Dad? Say so—we'll come. Tell us anything. Got it?"
"......Not a kid~ Got it. Really nothing. See Yun-ah tomorrow anyway. Hanging up—hospital time."
She cut the call. Throat burned; gulped fridge water. Vomited it all soon after.
Spring breeze through the window felt winter-cold. She layered clothes thickly before leaving. Still chilled—core temperature low.
Hospital: stress-induced gastritis. Fast today; tomorrow, porridge or liquids. Low-grade healing circle eased pain; meds prescribed.
"Pain's down, but no solids. Could recur—rest three days absolute—"
Healing circles great for surgery, less for internals. Low-grade barely helped; still burned.
Home, sleep, water-vomit cycle. Forgot to buy porridge; boiled some—vomited. Tasteless anyway.
"Teacher, me today too—"
"Sorry, still bad—"
Another day, then two more off. Messages from Do Seon-woo, Gu Jun-hyeok, others ignored. Calls unanswered. No reason—just didn't want to.
Slept mostly, barely ate. Meant to boil porridge but too lazy. Pointless if tasteless.
But hunger gnawed.
"......Yeah. Buy some."
Finally ventured out: market for porridge. Two days' worth at once. Wouldn't recover today; needed it minimum.
"Ah."
Heading in, spotted Do Seon-woo. Her sigh drew his suspicious gaze. She turned to flee—ignored contacts, Monday fight; awkward.
Splat.
Fell. Hurt, but shame paralyzed. Pretend dead? Then footsteps approached, tapped her shoulder.
"You okay?"
No need to look—voice unmistakable. Better if she'd died on impact, she thought. Face burned crimson.
(To be continued next episode)