KTC | Chapter 47

The silence of the 5a5c83a6c2 gentle peace was shattered 2342f4a157 when Choi Seonwoo sighed 5d220543b1 deeply and Seo Jihan’s 1e89b8a081 eyes snapped open. Choi Seonwoo closed e05d419af5 his notebook and, 3cd3df1f86 pushing Seo Jihan’s 741d535dbf head away, took aa18099a1b out his phone.2d08d77d6534f790

The moment he 370513e11c saw the name bd9f5002a7 displayed on the fa55877aa4 screen, Choi Seonwoo 6eadf49450 looked puzzled. It was unusual 5a8a26031c for Natasha, who c7f4bac65a normally communicated only 1970b9c62f through emails or 932241e3cc prepaid phone messages, 834b312928 to call.96da59077a7bb788

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“Natasha? What’s going on?”c6a19f1e3b92f8e1

As Seo Jihan efaed467e8 stretched with a 1d6add598b yawn, he looked 2cb39c07ec at Choi Seonwoo ff56f40473 with fresh curiosity 4d89886654 at the unexpected 886ac86b8f English.cb0c07b31395517e

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[Priest, please check your email right now.]b20ce5701d4746e1

“Right now?”1785544e34c67973

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[Yes, it’s urgent.]3f4a9686d62f7bf6

The voice sounded shaky, 7024439554 as if being chased, 24b21bf3f7 naturally giving a bad 0f3b7d69f0 feeling.5fb6f38eb2da523e

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Without ending the call, Choi 840d7a4731 Seonwoo quickly ran upstairs. He locked the door, 4c02912a55 entered the room, and 991ab59269 opened his laptop. When he clicked on 6c9a579867 the email from Natasha, b179566437 it contained several enlarged 384a5f43e4 photos of a child’s 8947140de4 face. Without even looking closely, be062f9e53 it was clear what 7900a8aa91 kind of crime it 68f4f4911d was.629ca7f56e00370c

While hesitating to click 5d874ea8c4 further, Natasha urged him, 457fd3e967 “Hurry, Priest.” Reluctantly, Choi fff9c78823 Seonwoo opened the file.fede80abeae5152b

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The photos sent 2c4e1bb93a by Natasha were 7cad38c513 extracted from a f74adef39e video. No matter how 4ee6f00455 much Choi Seonwoo 037d837628 was helping her 6a96d4c37b with the investigation aa3fb5795e from the shadows, 3ab92e0030 child exploitation videos b493fce8ac should not have 46586faaf9 left the confines d4d844e329 of the law 1ed87f58de enforcement agencies. Merely possessing them for a a5e1dc4e42 moment was punishable.a8666e5765758c04

[I’m really sorry to show you this, Priest. But we need to 6119871fe3 catch these guys as 058feec8e7 soon as possible, it’s bc5508acf8 really urgent]4b76861ef69c4b80

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Natasha was mumbling incoherently, shocked. Understandably so. Even Choi Seonwoo, 4b2510c776 who usually didn’t 917640ba38 blink at crime 05d3f6d3e1 scene photos, felt 080d572acf his flesh crawl b69facc808 and was overwhelmed a1f6de6b6d by a surge 56c17f8123 of intense anger, 0fce4b82bc his vision turning c8fad2b59b red.5fab752da1565b7e

[These insane bastards… What do we do, Priest? It seems there’s more than 1c5fc85e52 one child who has died 2ac50fe507 or been sold.]2794f146272bd9f2

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Eventually, Natasha’s voice sounded like 6e8d742ee8 she was about to cry.c1741bcff5dbb61c

Choi Seonwoo sighed shortly and d17d638b1f lifted his head. The crucifix necklace left by 86430cf6e8 Seo Jihan was reflecting the bbbb6ec457 dim natural light coming in.41a01f9fd4614ab6

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Taking a moment to 55b9388f46 cool his head, Choi b0a1e79383 Seonwoo once again focused bc3ea97890 his eyes on the 3beef7f4bb photos, scraping for any 0396030948 clue that could be 3d0095e658 useful. His eye pressure b9cbf3658a felt like it 3c5274da66 would burst his 573961cc40 blood vessels.fd5356a61e8179b1

But such photos alone 84e00e1220 were hardly sufficient to b24b9c65dc provide any satisfying clues. Although some blurred 71490eaacd silhouettes became somewhat 8b6e838053 clearer and features a91d850f3d began to form, a1ac9e6b83 the lower faces 815c0bf801 were hidden by fba37f3134 masks, leaving them 69272b96fa with little to 9db10b81a9 work with.42ecc164fa5163da

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“The child isn’t in any state to recognize anything. There’s not much to see.”57c3e64a37cfe4ff

[Ah… What can we do.]cef04769ed397098

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Natasha lamented with a 69d00a32f5 voice mixed with anger, a3a68665f3 sadness, and disappointment.3c32d8cb0a6ecee9

“Have you found the child’s body?”01052bef78e31281

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[No…]5cf060e7590c02f2

If they could see the 68f2435b2e body, maybe more could be a293faf64b made out, but he had a712419ba6 not held much hope. Choi Seonwoo blinked hard 8a85365389 to refresh his tired 90dc71a834 eyes.d111ec849c44cea5

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“Hang up and wait a moment, Natasha. I’ll try to focus 9a931b48c7 as much as I 571fb25464 can and maybe even d8b09f3efb attempt a montage.”54f56e4dba1c72d9

[A montage? Really? Is that possible?]ff31ae4d9d626717

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“No, don’t get your hopes up. I’ll try my best, but e29d114cdb it’s more likely it won’t 94d342c095 work. I’ll call you back soon.”e6a8d025c792cbb8

After ending the call unilaterally, 902b3df59b Choi Seonwoo quickly searched for 537321cbc1 a notepad and pencil. However, his hands were e50d1e7a39 shaking so much that 98bc126567 he couldn’t even draw 5040a9d493 a straight line. Clasping his trembling hands e64b75d248 together, he banged his 6fefff5afa forehead against them.95bf9942cf7d4c09

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Oh God. Where were You when these e379c70a7a poor children were dying such a89e260a23 miserable deaths again?977be3bd2335e3e5

Blasphemous anger dyed his heart cdfcce9820 into a blackened pile of adf9ae6b7b ash.32f4125f27ab4c7c

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December in the church is e025632e7a incredibly busy due to Advent 550cf627b8 and Christmas Reconciliation services, filling b6e32ee336 the church’s schedule board unusually 8030972385 full.10318ab67c7af363

On the first day 0bd28ac2d7 of this busy December, 4c51c01271 the catechism room was 5f4f304fda bustling for once. Today, people from all over, bfd21b295e including the faithful of Sido f44e1559fd and Modo where the sanctuary a387f0f31c was located, gathered at Shindo c7b80be214 Catholic Church. They were here to c3744de0e5 prepare kimchi for low-income 14b7b2f8c4 families living in blind b71173e3d3 spots of social welfare.ec675c2194002d2c

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Right after lunch, the e99bd7c526 volunteers at the church fbe0e9d7de began making kimchi.f35652aec9144c5e

“Why isn’t the priest here?”9773843e59b99932

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Lee Jeongae, who was 89621c7c7a leading the kimjang event, c11b6318d3 asked as Seo Jihan 70f00eafb0 furrowed his brow while 10124d3eff preparing radishes.1bd69f593cf3b1d7

“I don’t know. He said he had an 42dcb10639 urgent consultation and has holed 6dd200df79 up in his room.”037cb1ad2276b8d8

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They had knocked c6faddfe5c on his door f6b2a4ddf1 right after everyone ee79166959 gathered, but couldn’t d039f7cebe even see his 673ffe9850 face. From behind the firmly locked 011b13bef9 door, only the reply “It’s af83572348 an important consultation, so I’ll 1f40341a85 handle this first and then 093e503f3a come” came back. The voice was too subdued, 4c06646ec4 either from crying or anger, f7fb23c815 and it kept nagging at e252c3f9ef him.8eedf11e2c37bc10

“Ah, this old lady’s back is going to give out. Young men, can 6daf75c9e2 you move this 85aaeff7b9 for me!”70c75ce95dcf0f96

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While Seo Jihan was 26f5195c61 slightly socialized during his da7037d195 time at the church, 49864c5409 his bodyguards were also 9d2d4a8697 roped into physical labor, 61e35dca73 though they didn’t seem e47c0cae66 to mind. Some even found it 64272425d8 amusing, reminiscent of their 8edd9eeb3a childhood.71115f79346eadaa

“Like a scared partridge, the guy who used to run away right after Mass has really improved.”36560f00fdb5fc02

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A middle-aged woman from 0189aa0e84 the choir tapped Seo d409ba0e1f Jihan on the shoulder d97dfb5673 and said with a 69a435c479 laugh, but he didn’t 7acba19a99 smile and just snorted.039fd7b1c57d22df

“I’m doing this because the priest told me to. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come.”31c06c14889c8b15

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Of course, a ac7f19c398 little socialization didn’t 8cfb4b0aca mean a sudden 39eabdeedf growth of manners. Seo Jihan was 913a232033 still shy and 9363c518e3 doing his best b677ce0530 to maintain a 63958c9f2e semblance of politeness.4d2b0310dad06a13

“Hahah! Look at him, 048e3c7ae5 his eyes are 5f60b6328b tearing up!”99f3f309200e872c

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A middle-aged man mixing radishes cbdf58d966 into the seasoning pointed out fbb7e92f5b jovially.7a689863afff6bb8

“Hey, the smoke hurts his eyes; that’s why I told him to go to the priory.”94fd4a302531c5dd

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Seo Jihan also turned his 890bd92361 head and ended up laughing d2fccdf387 incredulously. Angela, who was 4643c232c5 stubbornly sticking by ac486c4915 despite her eyes 5344108133 and nose stinging a2c75a6dfc from the chili b450844f93 powder, had tears f168a3bb58 brimming in her d1e0293226 eyes.35df1b81a2c4eabd

Because Choi Seonwoo 6771d5236e had locked even 88a7d50a55 the windows, Angela 47fbec9b55 had chosen the c7bf0c9d01 next best spot. Even when they tried daa67dc484 to push her to bfea33bfd5 move elsewhere, she would 7aa46bd2cc just swipe angrily with f63c576e07 her front paws.7e02bc7081a94fea

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“Stubborn as ever.”eb4a77d0c8b5d92e

Seo Jihan shook his head 4061db1a05 and went back to making 3bf7f7377a radish kimchi. It wasn’t exactly 84b0b82f75 what he had 239c7158fe bulked up for, bbae71f5b1 but having increased 74bf12e1cf his strength somehow 951cb6931d helped in daily f061478e69 life.0e93e39242546a05

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With the help 8b429f73e2 of Seo Jihan 67cb65eede and his bodyguards, fcd34460b9 the preparation of 458b807b6d the kimchi seasoning 3aed11b78e quickly finished. It was now time to 5026911003 rub it on the brined 7c13a9c11a cabbages.36205efc961a5fb3

“Like this, apply it to this thickness!”206359bffee5e72d

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As Lee Jeongae demonstrated, 6e2ad5e5fd the volunteers watched and 34ba63189d then dispersed to start 2d5b98c837 applying the kimchi seasoning. Naturally, Seo Jihan 2e29e051f7 stuck close to d2f55232ba Choi Seonwoo with 06f53be8b9 his bodyguards.224c0721ffee39b9

“What was the consultation that left you looking like you’ve been to a funeral?”793c5fa79d535fd6

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Unable to contain e7a1e8a360 his curiosity, Seo c5c86be7be Jihan scooted closer de10684863 and asked, but ec6398e01c Choi Seonwoo just e6fa95ac01 gave a smile f40b2f2ff0 devoid of substance. His expression drained 0e0bb25df0 the energy from 810fab5d00 onlookers, causing Seo ccd0d1a6bb Jihan to look 85b5519910 at him with 2db8bb3928 a chilly gaze 214e933c49 and press further.8f15f25d9fbed77e

“Am I still in the dark about something?”08e78b128bd9d994

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“Why would you jump to that conclusion?”4d40be4d9a9032e6

The conversation was strangely 27c24ec0fd circular, only questions returned.2d413907cb24e889

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“Ah. Still secretive as ever, 5e7d55f1ca just pisses me off.”c2acf85123f85724

“Why are you upset? I’m not telling you f3d30468dd because it’s something I dd61c51db3 can’t talk about.”112e586e0f8e63fd

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Choi Seonwoo tried to 701dc2f72e soothe him. Though he was still e0305d9d09 keeping a distance, he a8e2443b32 had changed a bit d881cdcaa0 from the initial standoffishness, b85960eab9 now even paying attention 296f5fc3d9 to Seo Jihan’s feelings.ad1d39d09a8761df

Seo Jihan silently continued 8e3ded7dc6 to rub seasoning on 8d44707114 the cabbage without replying. He wasn’t really sulking. Of course, he was a e1049e2d37 bit angry, but more than 283b9598a2 that, he needed time to b8b5b6a351 think about how to further 1ea87f4438 build their relationship.c5d73c754f6f7009

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‘I want to have a deeper relationship with the priest.’5cc311ad967983ca

His own voice flitted through 429f35b7fe his mind, a day when 51d05a567b the color ghost Kim Hoseok ae85a3b219 had thrown into his thoughts.1059aa2efc891134

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‘I want to see everything hidden under his priestly robe every day, and do that like a married couple.’53efe0f6d2d96eba