KTC | Chapter 17

Chairman Seo, his nose adorned with reading glasses, tilted his head with a puzzled expression. He knew well that his grandson wouldn’t volunteer for such services on his own.

“If Father Choi says do it or die, what choice do I have?”

[What are you saying? He forced you to do it under threat?]

“It’s not just that. I’ve been going around preaching with the priest for the past couple of days. Saying it out loud, it sounds absurdly ridiculous.”

[Even if he is a benefactor, there are limits. Everyone has their own beliefs, and I can’t just leave this priest be]

While Chairman Seo was sympathetically matching his grandson’s complaints, Choi Seonwoo briefly appeared on the video call screen and quickly came closer.

With one hand gently encircling Seo Jihan’s shoulder, Choi Seonwoo leaned his chin on the other and flashed a smile.

“Hello, Brother Theodore?”

As Choi Seonwoo greeted him cheerfully, both of them instinctively fell silent.

“Why didn’t you tell me Brother John has been tormented by nightmares almost every day? If I had known sooner, I would have helped with that too. Anyway, Brother John is doing very well, so please don’t worry too much. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me anytime.”

With a wry smile crinkling his nose, Choi Seonwoo made his farewells and immediately moved away, heading upstairs.

After he left, Seo Jihan and Chairman Seo looked at each other in silence for a while.

“Grandfather.”

It was Seo Jihan who broke the silence, his expression one of resigned enlightenment.

“I need an organ tutor.”

[…I’ll arrange for one as quickly as possible]

No matter what anyone said, Choi Seonwoo was the one in charge now.

＊＊＊

“It’s my fault… yes, it’s my sin.”

Go Changhyun murmured like an old man on his deathbed, chanting like a man reciting a sutra while Lee Juhee listened, unsure of what to say.

She didn’t intend to blame him entirely for this calamity. Though she had followed orders, it was she who had executed the mission, and she had failed to consider that Goo Seungjun might become possessed by a demon in Yunseul Village.

She had thought he would be okay. Goo Seungjun was young, but aside from her, he was the most mentally stable member of the team.

This wasn’t just her assessment; psychiatrists had agreed. She never imagined he would collapse so helplessly.

The SU Team had all honed their interpersonal skills when others their age were still in school. Particularly, Goo Seungjun, with his naturally excellent physical condition, had been almost weaponized. Thankfully, Lee Juhee had quickly subdued him with a Taser and called the special forces for emergency transport, narrowly avoiding a catastrophe reminiscent of the Jeonan County massacre in a civilian area.

“Sorry, Team Leader Lee.”

“…”

“Can’t you just say it’s okay for courtesy? This is driving me crazy.”

“It’s okay.”

She didn’t feel like blaming Go Changhyun alone, so Lee Juhee answered promptly.

“Good. You’ve accepted my apology well.”

Go Changhyun started smoking another chain of cigarettes. He rubbed his bloodshot eyes with bare hands, trying to sound resolute.

“The only powerful shamans I know were Yuksun and Naseong, but Yuksun is dead and Naseong has turned away from secular life, not even willing to talk. Who should we take Seungjun to?”

Having not slept for days, he still sounded hoarse. Lee Juhee wanted to say, ‘Why are you asking me?’ but remained silent.

“Should I just resign?”

However, she couldn’t stay silent at that remark.

“Who’s decision is that?”

Who says you can just pull your feet out of this mire alone?

Lee Juhee’s eyes sharpened.

Despite sometimes making reckless decisions, Go Changhyun, who had climbed to the position of director and led the SU Team, was undeniably a good superior. She felt it was a blessing to be assigned directly under him.

“Then think of something. We have to save Seungjun. It’s not like he killed someone; he’s just a victim of his superiors and the system. Are we just going to throw him away like that? Fuck, we can’t just discard these kids who survived that hell, can we?”

“Are you suggesting we dispose of him?”

“What the fuck are you talking about? We’re not in the 80s, and he’s not a spy to be killed inside the NIS. If this gets out, it’ll turn the country upside down. VIPs will be impeached, and my head will roll.”

Go Changhyun stubbed out his cigarette and dragged his hands down his face, the nicotine stains alone enough to add more wrinkles.

“But if we just lock him up as is, how is that different from disposing of him? Tying him up to prevent self-harm might seem like the best we can do, but if we leave him like that, he’ll eventually die.”

A weighty silence filled the space again, with cigarette smoke curling around Go Changhyun, who stood at attention like a soldier at ease, watching it snake up to the ceiling. It reminded him of an exorcism film he’d seen as a child, where possessed people clung to the ceilings.

“Director.”

Go Changhyun chewed on the butt of his cigarette and only raised his eyes. Lee Juhee, staring blankly at the ceiling, just blurted out whatever came to mind without a filter.

“What if we try inviting an exorcist priest?”

“…What are you talking about? If shamans can’t handle it and lie down, what can a priest do?”

Go Changhyun didn’t trust exorcist priests. Especially after seeing exorcist priests who visited Korea during the Jeonan County massacre ten years ago do nothing but sightsee. At least the shamans performed memorial rituals; those priests seemed like they were just on vacation.

“Just something… since you said we have to save Seungjun first, shouldn’t we try something?”

Lee Juhee spoke in a subdued tone. It was a desperate grasp at any straw.

Who knows? Among those straws, there might be a golden one.

“Right. Team Leader Lee has a point. Let’s try something.”

Go Changhyun crushed his cigarette in the ashtray and immediately picked up the phone, then momentarily froze like Lot’s wife turned to a pillar of salt.

“But if we’re going to hire an exorcist priest, who do we call? The Vatican Embassy in Korea? The Holy See?”

After a long pause, Go Changhyun frowned on one side and asked. Lee Juhee, not knowing herself, could only shake her head.

After setting the phone down, Go Changhyun gestured to Lee Juhee.

“Look it up, you’re young. Find out how and get in touch as soon as you can. Let me know if you need anything; I’ll support you as much as I can.”

Lee Juhee returned to her desk and immediately turned on her computer.

Searching terms like ‘how to invite an exorcist priest’ and ‘exorcist priest in Korea’ led to the conclusion that only the Vatican and each diocese knew the list of exorcist priests. Although internet searches aren’t entirely reliable, she had to try something.

Lee Juhee first contacted the Seoul Archdiocese and was advised to inquire at the Incheon Diocese. The bishop of the Incheon Diocese stated that the priests would need to observe the patient’s condition firsthand before deciding whether to send an exorcist priest, requesting quite stringent procedures.

Even after Go Changhyun personally intervened, stating the patient was a crucial NIS figure, the diocese only responded that at least a medically certified diagnosis was necessary.

Lee Juhee obtained the medical certificate and visited the Incheon Diocese. Despite the rigorous procedures, approval was surprisingly easy to obtain.

“Go to Shindo Catholic Church. While the diocese grants approval, conducting an exorcism is ultimately the priest’s prerogative, so you must explain the situation directly to him.”

The exorcist priest designated by the Incheon Diocese was Choi Seonwoo, the head priest of Shindo Catholic Church.

“Even the best shamans in the country have withdrawn, claiming it’s too risky. If there’s a hierarchy in exorcist priest abilities, I’d like to request the most experienced one.”

The bishop shook his head at Lee Juhee’s words.

“What I know is that currently, the only exorcist priest in Korea is Father Choi Seonwoo. If you want another exorcist priest, you’ll have to directly inquire at the Holy See, and it’s almost unheard of for them to dispatch someone from another country.”

It seemed there was no choice left.

Lee Juhee, with only approval for the exorcism in hand, headed to Shindo to meet Choi Seonwoo. Though she came grasping at this last straw, she wasn’t holding out much hope.

Lee Juhee looked up at the unlit cross against a cloudless sky, the morning sunlight shattering against the spire of the towering church.

We have to do something, anything.

With that silent mantra, she entered the church.