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THIRTY TWO | KNOW THY ENEMY
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CLIMBING OUT OF the taxi, Soo-Jin scrutinized the hugh school building standing before her. It had been quite a while ever since set foot inside the premises of a high school again. Looking around, she saw birds gliding in the wind, feathers glistening in the sunlight, and she smiled.
Winter trees stand amid twisting roots that writhe until each disappears into the frozen soil. Rough bark glistens with early morning frost, just enough to whiten the raised ridges. Dark cracks lie in the bark like scars, yet each woody crevice only serves to make them all the more bewitching. Far away from the buzzing urban setting was the Hansung Science High Scool, situated amidst lush greenery in a calm and serene atmosphere.
The school building was well- furnished and the atmosphere around was very delightful as there were lots of greenery and scenic beauty.
Soo-Jin then felt the presence of her lover beside her and wordlessly, she laced their fingers together. She knew he wouldn't reach out first as he was very reserved, so she took the initiative to do it. After all, it was her love language: words of affirmation, quality time, and physical touch.
A month had passed ever since Jun-Ho returned. Sang-Woo was finally released from prison after a year. They were together again.
"Why are we here again?" asked Sang-Woo, following her as they walked up the stairs.
"Didn't I tell you I planned to visit Minjun's previous school?" She reminded him. "This is it. This is where he attended high school. I only had the time to visit here today since we were all busy."
"I see. He told you that he attended here?"
"Yes, he told me after the second game. My contact also said that the only information he can get about him was that he studied here. The boy's like a ghost, Sang-Woo. He almost has no background."
It was true. Soo-Jin's contact and source of information told her that there were only five Yang Minjun registered in the system. The others were already adults and old men. This was the only Minjun that was close to the one she met. She found it very strange that they couldn't know more about him. It was like his background was wiped away clean.
"Why is that?"
"I don't know. We're going to find out."
The two made their way to the principal's office. Students from different grades came into their path newly lit day as bright and buoyant as any bird whom plays for the love of fun. Sooner than they expected, the principal of the high school greeted them with a warm welcome and bright smile, and Soo-Jin couldn't help think if the elderly woman would offer them to let their currently non-existing child to study here.
"Yes, what can I do for you, ma'am, sir?"
Soo-Jin swallowed. "Uh, I'm Chang Soo-Jin and this is Cho Sang-Woo. We're here because we heard that you had a student here named Yang Minjun? I kind of wanted to know some things about -- "
"Oh, Yang Minjun! Aigoo, that bright boy." fawned the principal, her eyes glistening. "He was very studious and active when he was still studying here." She sighed, clicking her tongue. "Such a shame he died very young. God bless his soul."
Soo-Jin blinked. How did the news of his death reach his school? "I'm sorry?"
"He died eight years ago, Miss Chang."
The woman felt her chest tighten and she squirmed in her seat. Eight years ago? But, didn't Minjun die just a year ago? This time, it was Sang-Woo who spoke up. He pushed up his glasses. "If you don't mind us asking, what was the cause of his death?"
"Lymphoma, stage four," the principal clicked her tongue. "The doctors couldn't do anything anymore since his cancer already reached the critical stage. It was also on its third return. Why? Is there something wrong?"
"No," lied Soo-Jin through her teeth. "Is it, uh, okay if we'll look at some pictures of him... if you have any?"
"Of course! Let me go get the yearbook for you two."
The brunette's toes curled in anxiety and she chewed on her bottom lip. She didn't want to believe that the boy who she adored very much fooled her. He had no reason to lie to her. Why would he do it? The principal soon returned with a hardbound book, turning it to the page where Minjun was.
"Ah, there he is! Yang Minjun!" the elderly woman picked up her glasses and pointed to a boy in a class picture. "Aigoo, look at that smile. He always had the most captivating smile."
Her lips fell agape, and she felt the wind in her lungs get knocked out as she stared at the picture of Yang Minjun. It wasn't the boy she met in the games. She still perfectly remembered his face.
This boy in the picture, she was certain it wasn't her Minjun.
"How-how old was he in here?"
"Oh, he was seventeen."
The woman was shocked beyond words that all she did was lean back and grip the arm of her chair. Her heartbeat increased, and she felt like she couldn't move. It was like an explosion of energy within and what could she just do was witness everything unfold before her.
How could he lie to her? What had she done for him to do that to her?
Soo-Jin abruptly stood up as she couldn't bear any moment longer in that room. Goosebumps rose over her skin as she shut her eyes, her body wracked with heaving sobs. Her whole world was breaking, crumbling apart around her. She didn't even shake. She just stood there in total paralysis without realizing what will happen after that.
A hand rubbed her back as she started hyperventilating. Sang-Woo soothed her by wiping away her tears and whispering comforting words. But, indeed, if this wasn't Yang Minjun, then who really was he?
"Soo-Jin..."
"Maybe we found the wrong Minjun, Sang-Woo. I don't believe -- "
"Jun-Ho and your contacts confirmed that there are only five Yang Minjun registered in the system. This is the only one that really matched his age. Didn't you say he told you he attended here?"
Soo-Jin didn't want to answer, but she still did. "Yes."
I'm not who you think I am. The brunette recalled. This is what they want us to see.
"It's okay, my love. It's okay." Sang-Woo straightened his posture as Soo-Jin wrapped her arms around him, trying to contain her sorrow. "We'll find out why he lied about his identity. Now, let's go find your relatives. What was your grandfather's name again? Oh Il-Nam?"
"Oh Il-Nam? You know him?"
The two separated from each other, turning to face the elderly principal. They were fortunate all of the students were inside their classrooms or they would really catch attention especially her since she was already breaking down.
"Yes," She gulped. "he's my... uh, grandfather."
"Omo! You're Chairman's Oh's granddaughter?" exclaimed the aging woman. "He's our school's biggest benefactor since his son was a student here before."
Chairman? Wasn't he in deep debt? No. Soo-Jin shook her head. He only said that he was waiting for his death to come. "What was the name of his son?"
"His name was Oh Young-Joon..."
Oh Young-Joon. That was her father's name. "Please, please." invited the principal. "Come inside, Miss Oh. Let us take care of you. Why did you introduce yourself to us differently?"
Sang-Woo inclined his head and she only looked down, knowing he'll get the idea that she didn't want to go inside anymore. "No, it's okay. It's okay." thinly smiled Sang-Woo, answering for her. "Were you able to meet Chairman Oh's son?"
"No, his son studied here many years ago. I wasn't the principal yet back then. Chairman Oh's son demise was very tragic. He died with his wife and their daughter was lost. She was never found by the police."
If her world hadn't crumbled earlier, it did now. It was spinning continuously from everything that was being revealed at the moment and she wanted nothing more for it to stop. She didn't really know the people she trusted and that scared her. Bowing her head, she said her thanks to the principal and walked out of the school, heaving. She needed fresh air, to think of why they lied to her. Her phone buzzed for a minute, but she ignored it. It was Gi-Hun. She shook her head and dialed her contact's number.
"Yes, Sam, it's me. I want everything you can find about Oh Il-Nam and his son Oh Young-Joon. I want news, family relatives, medical records, everything you can find. Thank you." the female then stared at the screen of her phone, pondering.
Oh Il-Nam, Yang Minjun, who really are you two?
"Soo-Jin!" called Sang-Woo, running up to her. His expression disturbed like he had just received a terrible news. "Gi-Hun wants us to come home immediately."
"What? Why?"
"I don't know. Come on."
The couple rushed to their condominium, panicking. Soo-Jin was worried for Hana's safety as she and Gi-Hun were the only ones left inside. Barging in, they immediately looked for their bestfriend. "Gi-Hun!"
"In here!"
"Hana! Hana!"
Sang-Woo and Soo-Jin pushed themselves to the living room where their attention was caught with the graffiti drawing in their investigation board. They had been collecting media from different sources, interconnecting them all with strings to mark connections. So far, they had gathered some of the missing people that was featured in newspapers and they all had one thing in common: they were in deep debt.
Sprayed on their board were the three shapes Soo-Jin will never forget in her lifetime. Triangle, square, and circle.
They knew they were coming for them.
"Hana! Hana!" She heard Jun-Ho scream her sister's name behind her, embracing her immediately when he saw her. "I came as soon as you called. Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm not. We're all okay. But, that..." She glanced at the investigation board. "That's not okay."
"What the hell is the meaning of that?"
Soo-Jin's eyes caught sight of three brown cards splayed on the glass table, an invitation, she assumed. Tapping her lover and bestfriend's shoulder, she jutted her chin towards the cards. They all glanced at each other, wary of it. The woman swallowed, and they all slowly picked it up. To say they were nervous of what was going to be written was an understatement, they were frightened beyond words.
DECEMBER 24, 11:30 P.M. SKY BUILDING, 7TH FLOOR.
All three of them had the same date and address written, but there was an additional text below Soo-Jin's card.
FROM YOUR GAJOK.
NIGHT SOON FELL and Soo-Jin watched as the snow started to descend from the dark sky. The tall building in front of her lit up one window at a time, ever changing though the starlit moments as if it were music for the eyes. She scoffed. Whatever was inside was surely not pleasant.
Once again, she reached out to grab her lover's hand. She needed him right now, she needed someone to hold onto for whatever was going to happen. She knew she could rely on him. He gave her a comforting squeeze, and nodded to encourage her.
With that, she heaved a sigh and she pulled Gi-Hun with her. They needed answers, answers as to why they lived, and many others didn't. Why they made people's lives as their playthings.
Upon arriving at the seventh floor, the first thing the woman noticed was the soft beep of a heart monitor and the silhouette of a man resting on a hospital bed. Soo-Jin felt as if the air moved like cool water and she had to put her hand above her chest to steady her heartbeat.
"It's the old man." voiced out Gi-Hun as he finally saw who was on the bed. Soo-Jin's muscles constricted, and she found it hard to breathe properly. She felt lightning crackle through his veins and time slowed down.
"Pour some water in there." exhaled Il-Nam, her grandfather. "Please, Se-Ri."
"Stop calling me that." mumbled the brunette, staying by her beloved's side.
"Gi-Hun, please, pour me some water."
He hesitated, but a second later, he gave the old man a glass of water and helped him drink it. "Who are you? Explain this." demanded her bestfriend as soon as her grandfather finished.
"You see him? That man down there?" breathed out Il-Nam. "He must be drunk… because he’s been sitting there for hours. He looks homeless too if I had to guess."
Sang-Woo narrowed his eyes, pushing back his eyeglasses. "You… Are you the one who’s behind it? You created the games?"
"He’s going to freeze to death if he stays out there any longer, and no one is going over to help or anything." her grandfather continued to muse, looking outside the glass window.
Infuriated by his nonchalant behavior, Soo-Jin let go of Sang-Woo's hand, and confronted him. "Why the hell did you do it?" bellowed she.
"Would you help out that guy, Se-Ri?"
"Answer me!" She hyperventilated. "Why did you do that to us?"
"You think that you will stop walking and help that disgusting, stinking drunk, little piece of trash?"
Soo-Jin shook her head and almost drove her fist to the wall in rage. "Tell me who you really are! Why did we get to live and no one else?"
"Listen, my little girl. Let’s play something tonight." he shakily breathed and there was sudden fall in the beep of his heart monitor. "That man out there… if he remains out there until midnight, I win. If anyone… goes to help the drunk before then, in that case, you all win."
"Cut the crap, okay?" Gi-Hun shouted, his face red in anger. "I could easily snap your neck right here."
"If you do that, then you won’t get to hear my explanation for all this."
"You still have the audacity to ask us to play with you after the hell you put us through?" tsked Sang-Woo, staring at him with disdain.
"Play this game with me and… I’ll give you all the… answer to your question."
They all needed answers and the only way they were going to get it was if they played with him. "And if we win, then I’ll kill you without a second thought."
"What will you three… bet on it with then, Se-Ri?"
She scowled, feeling goosebumps in her skin as she heard him call her real name. It sounded ominous now to her ears. "Anything."
"It doesn’t matter to me anymore. You might as well take everything I have." implied Gi-Hun, gritting his teeth.
Sang-Woo told, "What Soo-Jin said, anything."
The ticking clock may sound so smooth and soothing to another man's ears, but not for Soo-Jin.
"So then, was any of what you said true or was it all just a lie? Oh Il-Nam. Is that even your real name, huh?" her bestfriend asked.
"It is. Yes, that’s real. Oh Il-nam." he inhaled. "That tumor’s also real, and it also had gotten larger too. That’s true, and the house I used to live with my family in was almost exactly like that one in the alley. I lost my son and daughter-in-law in a car accident. My little Se-Ri went missing that night, and we never found her... until now. That’s all true."
Soo-Jin dug her nails once again in the fleshy part of her palm. "Se-Ri, let me ask you this. Can you still… trust anybody to be good even after everything you’ve been through?"
"Why did you send us a card?" countered Sang-Woo.
"I heard you were all looking for answers. Is it all just because you all feel guilty?"
"Guilt?" emphasized Soo-Jin. "Guilt? Shut up! We want justice, justice for what happened. You don’t feel any guilt for what you did, do you?"
"What else can you all want? That cash is your reward for your hard work and luck, and you have every right to use it now. Life goes by quick. In one minute… gone in a blink."
The heart monitor beeped and Soo-Jin set her hand on the bedside table to calm herseld down. "What else can I want? Why did you do something like this, grandfather?" She spat. "Answer me!"
Il-Nam grunted, his strength slowly leaving him. She knew then he didn't have much time left. "Do you know what someone who doesn’t have any money has in common with someone with too much money to know what to do with?"
"Why don't you tell me?"
"Living, Se-Ri, is… no fun for either of them. If you have too much money, then it doesn’t matter what you buy, or eat, or drink, or whatever."
He continued. "Everything, well, it all gets boring. All of my clients, started to eventually say the exact same things whenever we talked." he justified his actions, making Soo-Jin even more enraged. "Everybody felt… that there was no joy in their lives anymore. And so, we decided to get together. We did a little bit of thinking. What could we all do to… finally have some fun?"
"Some fun?" yelled Soo-Jin, gesticulating her arms in the air. Her face was ravaged with rage at what he just expressed. How could he justify his actions, his crimes? Boredom? He rationalized what he had done by believing that he was offering some fun in poor people's lives, thinking that they suffered as much as wealthy people in terms of lacking purpose. They lured people to their deaths.
"You put us through all of that so you can have fun?" She resumed, her eyes now brimming with searing tears. "People died! Minjun, Ali, Sae-Byeok, they're all dead because of you! The three of us almost died because of you!"
"Guardian angel."
Soo-Jin paused.
It couldn't be. He died. She knew he died. She heard the gunshot. Slowly pivoting, she hoped she was greatly wrong in recognizing his voice. Soo-Jin felt lightning crackle through her veins and time slowed down.
It was Yang Minjun. No, that was not his name.
How well do you know your enemy?