Chương 117: S.05 Time to Fly 08(02)

Scene 03.

After living through all the time that was sorrowful, even after forgetting the long stretch of time that cannot be undone, you will come back to me and show me the wingbeats I always traced so deeply, before the cocoon-thread clinging perilously to a single drifting breath of wind falls, before the cocoon-thread that finally dropped on a single scattered breath of wind touches the ground, show me you, who called to me, casting down your swaying wingbeats, hold me, you who guarded me, gathering the flower's stamen into your slender arms.

It is my plea that followed the wingbeats you spread before me, and it will be my vow toward the wingbeats I will spread behind you. Beyond the stream melting into blue, beyond the dirt path where a hot shadow has fallen, beyond the brown-tinged hill heaped with cold fallen leaves, beyond the silver mountain birds blanketing the jagged stone peak, along the field we will roam together, until I hold the flower seeds laid far away, Ji-young: Just wait a little longer.

A bleak wind was answering Ji-young's murmur to herself. Before the 시간수(Si-gan-su_The Chronostump), where even the air had stilled, Ji-young stood with composure, her hand reaching to rest among the knots of its wrinkled, ancient wood. Ji-young: It's only for a little while, but — So-hui and Si-yeon. And everyone at Headquarters, I leave them in your care. And of course, you — always be careful too. Ji-young's voice carried muffled through the fog. Ji-young: I won't come anymore now.

A wind carrying sound blew, but it couldn't quite push back the thick fog encircling the Chronostump. But Ji-young didn't mind. She paid it no heed. Ji-young: Because soon, I'll truly get to meet you. Scene 04_01. It was the serene sunlight of afternoon. As if a fair many flower buds now hung on the branches, the blossoming tree-lined street in the distance began to take on a pink tinge. The flowers hadn't burst open yet, but it didn't seem they'd keep you waiting very long.

The pink air mingled with the brown branches. Seong-hyeon, seated at an upscale café on the third floor, sat with two cups of coffee set down and threw a glance at the empty seat across from her. With a small sigh, she turned her gaze back and looked out beyond the large pane of glass. She'd asked why she'd been called out, but the answer she'd gotten wasn't a good one. As Seong-hyeon stared blankly outside for a long while, the voice of the person she was to meet reached her ears. Hee-jin: Seong-hyeon.

At Hee-jin's courteous voice, Seong-hyeon turned her head, rose from her seat, and bowed at the waist to Hee-jin. Hee-jin too received Seong-hyeon's courteous greeting in kind, then lowered herself into the chair beyond the table where the coffee already sat. Once the two had seated themselves at the same time, Hee-jin lifted the steaming coffee first and wet her lips with a sip. Hee-jin: My apologies. The road up was jammed, so even though I was the one who asked to meet, I kept you waiting.

Seong-hyeon: No, it's all right. Hee-jin: Have you perhaps heard why I asked to meet you, Seong-hyeon? At Hee-jin's question, Seong-hyeon nodded with difficulty. Her mouth was parched bone-dry—that was true for Seong-hyeon as well. Feigning composure over one trembling hand, Seong-hyeon too carefully lifted the coffee set before her and moistened her lips. Hee-jin's gaze turned toward Seong-hyeon's hand, hidden beneath the table.

As if conscious of Hee-jin's gaze, Seong-hyeon pushed her hand a little farther under the table. Hee-jin: Is it the ritual rope? Seong-hyeon: Yes. Back when we got rid of Kwon Su-jeong, I took it by stabbing Si-yeon sis, just like Si-yeon sis asked. So-hui sis told me to hold it when I meet the Strategist. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Hee-jin: I see. Seong-hyeon: She said that way, if the Strategist were to whisper, I'd be able to block it.

Hee-jin: I won't whisper. I've been given an order. The Oldest told me to persuade you well, to the very end. That is why I'm telling you this. Hee-jin's calm and lofty voice paused for a moment. Her lips, holding a small sigh, parted again at the end of a brief silence. Hee-jin: Simply — do not get in the way. Seong-hyeon picked up at once at Hee-jin's voice, as if flaring. It wasn't a raised voice, but it carried a guarded displeasure. Seong-hyeon: What am I getting in the way of?

Hee-jin: Jang Yeon-jin will, without fail, die. At Hee-jin's flat declaration of war, Seong-hyeon swallowed dry spit without a word. Hee-jin: Countless people have lost their lives to Jang Yeon-jin's atrocities. Lives — will yet be lost. Seong-hyeon: If no one does anything, they won't be lost, will they. Hee-jin: Who is it that won't be doing anything? Me — or Jang Yeon-jin? At Hee-jin's calm and courteous smile, Seong-hyeon was left at a loss for words.

Hee-jin: Not as long as with Si-yeon, perhaps, but I understand you spent a fairly long time together. In your eyes, then, does Jang Yeon-jin truly look like someone who would do nothing? Seong-hyeon: At least, if the Strategist doesn't give the order, if you'd only take back what you've planted, then she couldn't anymore — Hee-jin: You must have come through hard times — how is it that you're so kind? At Hee-jin's flat rebuke that cut Seong-hyeon's words off, Seong-hyeon raised her voice a little, as if bristling.

Seong-hyeon: I'm not kind at all. I curse plenty, I hit hard, Hee-jin: Si-yeon will, without fail, break Jang Yeon-jin. Seong-hyeon's voice, about to throw a childish tantrum, kept getting blocked by Hee-jin's flat disclosures. At Hee-jin's resolute voice, Seong-hyeon couldn't even bring herself to talk back. Seong-hyeon: … That, I know. Hee-jin: Jang Yeon-jin, to preserve her own life to the very end, will kill many more people. I am simply trying to light a small fire in advance, to stop a great wildfire.

Seong-hyeon: Even if everyone points the finger at Yeon-jin sis, I can't. Yeon-jin sis helped me more than the old Headquarters people ever did. Sure, she probably took me in because she figured I was useful. But still, while Doe Yu-seok and Kwon Su-jeong and all of them were only using me, the only ones who really helped me were Si-yeon sis and Yeon-jin sis. Of course, I know there's no one like that left at Headquarters now. Because Ji-young sis cleared them all out. And the Strategist helped with that.

Hee-jin: I'm not quite sure what it is you're trying to say. Seong-hyeon: I just — I don't want anyone other than Si-yeon sis to kill Yeon-jin sis, I don't want them to be able to. Si-yeon sis, I guess there's no helping that, but. Hee-jin: Seong-hyeon. Seong-hyeon: Yes. Hee-jin lifted the coffee before her again and carefully wet her throat. After drinking a fair amount of it, Hee-jin spoke to Seong-hyeon with the corners of her mouth slightly raised.

Hee-jin: What I called you out for today wasn't to hear your will or your wishes, Seong-hyeon. Setting the coffee cup down belatedly, Hee-jin looked at Seong-hyeon, still beaming brightly. Hee-jin: It was Si-yeon's request. It was The Oldest's earnest wish. They said they truly hope you'll stay safe, Seong-hyeon. So, please stand down. It's a courteous request. Scene 04_02. FLASHBACK Being trampled by Yu-seok didn't bother her. Getting trampled and oppressed by others, even giving up her body, was the job.

It wasn't enjoyable, but she earned money and never had to feel anything like the danger of death. After Yu-seok, who'd ground his heel into her neck, left, Seong-hyeon could hardly get up. Still lying there, she moved only her hand, just barely, fishing inside her risqué dress. She drew out the phone, lowered its lit screen over her face, and pressed a number. She had nowhere to pour it out. Recklessly, headlong, she pressed the number first. Scene 04_03.

FLASHBACK While So-hui drove, Si-yeon silently listened to the grief coming through against her ear. It wasn't that she had nothing to say. But she wasn't certain whether now was the right time to say it. Holding her words back, Si-yeon only took in the troubled voice on the other end of the phone. The one who opened her mouth wasn't Seong-hyeon on the other end of the line, nor Si-yeon. It was So-hui, waiting for the go-straight signal at the intersection, on the way back from the big-box store to the annex.

So-hui: You have to stop her. Otherwise she gets hurt. Seong-hyeon. And badly, at that. At So-hui's flat voice, Si-yeon only glanced over at her and said nothing more. So-hui: That's something you don't want, and I don't want, and Ji-young sis doesn't want either. It's something no one wants. Stop her. With her elbow propped against the driver's-side window, her gaze still on the signal beyond the windshield, So-hui delivered the words flatly.

She'd heard all of that troubled, tangled voice, but in the end couldn't answer it. The call seemed to cut off that way. With a small sigh, Si-yeon set the receiver down and mulled something over. She picked the phone up again and pressed a number familiar to her as well. Scene 04_04. FLASHBACK Ji-young: My apologies for calling so late at night. You said you're heading to the northwest region this weekend, yes? Do go a little early and carry out one more instruction from me before you go.

Hee-jin, who'd finally peeled off her face mask and stuck on a fresh one as she lay in bed, kept the phone's glow cast over her face, reading a text message inside it. After looking over all of its contents, Hee-jin flatly clicked the phone's buttons and sent a reply. Scene 04_05. Seong-hyeon: And if I refuse? Hee-jin dropped her gaze slightly, anticipating the 금줄(Geumjul_Ritual Taboo Rope to suppress power) Seong-hyeon must be gripping under the table.

Hee-jin: Of course, so long as you hold the ritual rope, my whisper won't reach you. But the same goes for you as well, Seong-hyeon. At Hee-jin's eerie smile, Seong-hyeon swallowed dry spit. Hee-jin slipped a hand into the pocket of the coat she wore and fiddled with something. After a small metallic sound rattled, a hazy white smoke began to give off a fragrant, heavy scent of wood.

Around the time Seong-hyeon felt her spine going cold with her own cold sweat, Hee-jin: So long as you hold the ritual rope, you won't be able to unfurl your white paper — so I'm curious how you intend to deal with me. Just before Hee-jin finished speaking, she drove the table up with her knee and toppled it to the side. Before Seong-hyeon could even cast a startled look, black ink conjured from Hee-jin's hand took the shape of a blade and in an instant leveled at Seong-hyeon's throat. But it didn't stab.

Hee-jin: Unless you'd have me strike you down, take the ritual rope, and wipe away even every memory of Jang Yeon-jin lodged within you, I'd ask that you obediently accept the request I'm offering you. At the end of the eerie yet gentle warning, Hee-jin lowered her gaze for a glance and looked at Seong-hyeon's hand. Seeing the ritual rope held in Seong-hyeon's hand, she pushed the blade-tip conjured from the black ink toward Seong-hyeon's throat, as if pressing her to choose.

Hee-jin: Both The Oldest and Si-yeon said they hope no harm comes to you, Seong-hyeon. If you press further, there's no road but getting hurt — The Seer must have passed that along to you. So, stand down. At the blade-tip that came close enough to draw a bead of blood, Seong-hyeon squeezed her eyes shut and agonized. She wavered, trying not to answer to the very end, but at last Seong-hyeon nodded her head slowly. Hee-jin carefully drew the blade away and let the ink gripped in her hand fade out.

With a small sigh, Hee-jin set the toppled table upright herself, then bent at the waist and carefully cleared the broken coffee cup off to one side. Seong-hyeon: Am I really not allowed to do anything at all? It was a café where a loud crash had gone off, but no one turned to look. They seemed to be treating the two as if they didn't exist at all. Hee-jin: There is something else for you to do. Even as Hee-jin tidied up the havoc she'd momentarily unleashed, Seong-hyeon could do nothing, only stare at Hee-jin.

Once everything was set right, Hee-jin straightened herself with a small sigh and met the gaze of Seong-hyeon, who held a dazed fear, with a steady look. Hee-jin: Because the only one who can embrace Jang Yeon-jin after death, the only one who can draw out her obsession — will be you, Seong-hyeon.