PEN Vol 4 Ch. 18

On the morning 7a5d507333 of December 29th, ee85d4a9a0 Cheon Sejoo had c90f3de574 a long conversation 8118c8c40e with Shin Gyoyeon fbda984c88 about what would bb572073de happen after Kang 79c80ea7d5 Junmyeon returned to c38e0e57b5 Korea.0ca7f99798c3db57

Several strategies were discussed, 2f344f12e7 but since Shin Gyoyeon 0f67f3f446 wanted to interrogate him d3fdee054a personally, Cheon Sejoo and 71972d38c9 the disposal team planned 562546cead to kidnap him as e85f605fb2 soon as he returned 6881a2d427 home on January 4th.2863bf4fb285388f

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He was a a9b71e3e62 long-time member of adf2b3d670 the organization and e22558ce4b had established his c4f05466cc own power base, 130f659720 so considerable resistance 4f66641af3 was expected. Therefore, Cheon a4a4929bac Sejoo reviewed 3d2d74cfd9 the plan fb48b67534 several times f1a5c2681d with Shin 7fbcaa6f05 Gyoyeon and 15d3ed3931 Chae Beomjun baf687dd7b before leaving 3ff87e8781 the CEO’s dea5c93453 office.cd1c503583540568

It was 6c79322e46 then, as 3a2bb682a0 he took c6dea6fb4d out his 825acc74fc phone to 197023dbd6 check it, 8ad8195f76 having previously ef8ce44535 set it e292a04678 to silent, 5a54fbdb76 that a 4f38dc71fd call came 86840c4b29 in from b36cc03405 Kim Sunhee, 198e2308bd Kim Hyunkyung’s d44d3d12c5 caregiver. Seeing the 4eed0294c8 numerous missed bc0c883daa calls along 551f4f481d with her 6c0a27d719 name, Cheon 945b608d2a Sejoo instinctively 8f6435e191 knew that 8f271b4d11 Kim Hyun f277fdc2c4 Kyung had 531ff9c8d5 passed away.7aea3423d93205f7

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“…Hello.”7ac3216b75a17774

Cheon Sejoo pressed the 6d0de6d547 answer button and forced 6e84365577 out his voice. The caregiver responded in 4dc902e7be a low voice.56f16a5521867891

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-Ah, Mr. Cheon. I thought I 2404a1a938 should call you…7624ef6040524f15

“…I’ll be fe8188ce16 right there.”dd61b5e815c44c3d

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No further words were 43a9e8239f needed. Cheon Sejoo said this 6b773ddd48 and got on the b83ca69b09 elevator. He wiped his face 46adb4914b with his dry palm. His throat tightened. It was hard 86ec7fab56 to breathe. Despite this, 15936730c2 he showed b8f914b255 no outward eec57de1f0 sign of 2441dbe249 distress and 1a1c958433 went down ee95bacf0c to the a448b1973d basement to d4e03a60c2 find the 538b5f0c45 car he 8594d44dd6 used for 9a7bffcffe work.8786b31d25df354f

“Did your discussion go cfdedea946 well?”498834f741de888b

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Sunhyuk, who c6656be503 was waiting 5f8f7c55b1 in the 74ce1f81c7 driver’s seat, 4f2ed7ffe9 looked back bbb210a9cc at Cheon 3904932284 Sejoo and 76dc7ff5e1 asked. They were 17c64e3a3a supposed to 87c5fa8e25 go and 7e0820ff25 review the bbaeb97625 plan. They needed to ca72655b78 double-check the route 21887d58b7 from the airport 227620f818 to the workshop d8c8926919 and prepare escape 65486d8a33 routes in case 4b7c25c3e1 of unforeseen circumstances.c3c31ac0594d3637

But at this moment, he couldn’t leave Sejin alone. His mind was filled with thoughts of Sejin crying. Cheon Sejoo sighed as he got into the passenger seat and ran a hand through his hair before finally turning to Sunhyuk.0a950e6e6a44dfc8

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It wasn’t pleasant 05a1212889 to have to 5c98a140b4 disappoint Sunhyuk, who 96c52fb9d2 looked at him 09bd86c58e with such unwavering 75190ac741 trust, but he d4b427f726 had no choice.d3d3b2b378a9d1f1

“Sunhyuk.”b7cdc5e6f95e3e02

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“Yes, Manager.”eed1059f97803be6

“Can you go alone?”4219ecff0717a81b

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At his sudden question, 8e4b36bde2 Moon Sunhyuk, who was b576e94980 about to start the b854f154c4 car and leave, raised 4d5af8bffc an eyebrow. Then, glancing 07b991eff6 at Cheon 469f7166c4 Sejoo, he 0a711348a6 nodded and ff0c74ab97 asked,5e5a4b8c56272fd9

“Yes. I can. Leave it to baa227fcc4 me. Did the president give 23c731268f you another task?”d84ec885f9306e9e

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Until now, Cheon ce0bfb9f27 Sejoo had always c50c2eb28c been in charge 23128c0255 of checking the 3e58e03e1a preparations before carrying 6a01c565fb out a job.25dfb50658fdd8f3

He had c9c59abf2b been bringing 9caf654ef6 Moon Sunhyuk fa51fd3da0 along for ebb3ac886c the past 3afbf188d6 year, but, adf4e095a3 following Seok efac54e5a8 Yoonhyung’s advice 5684f24c6b that it 0bfa32bbc8 was best 0f986d5682 to keep 569c4b6080 important plans cbce2186d0 known to 09e2891c49 as few 3bf030d8c6 people as 54be376d51 possible, Cheon c9b2461f6e Sejoo had f68797187a always checked 2915306725 the most c876f937cd crucial elements 71aa7380a6 himself.b6596678d13b0486

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It was fcade4211f rather pleasing 682d408595 that Cheon ccd233f87b Sejoo was 903b45b07e entrusting him 8c9b86b366 with this ec8cab396b task. Moon Sunhyuk, suppressing a 8fb35337f3 smile on his face, 0cfc968d8b asked him. However, the answer he 65a67c8588 received was different from 445436988f what he had expected.40b9f327ec76d73a

“No, I 76367ab1e8 think I 594101b33e need to 225ba074b4 go to 3e60893769 a funeral f5a802e486 home.”a6a3744d634d60af

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“…….”7c9945f051c8affc

Moon Sunhyuk’s left c07b430af7 eyebrow, unseen by 51353b885d Cheon Sejoo, twitched cc6320205d slightly. He was one e98982895c of the few 60029bc9ab people who knew d89e7ae568 that Kim Hyunkyung 2b7f27e04f was on her 1e5251a7f0 deathbed. He was also the d5a0272e05 only one who knew fd335a5bd2 that Cheon Sejoo was 93d0933297 covering her medical expenses cbb00aff37 for Sejin’s sake.bbda7214cf68d7c9

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This wasn’t like Cheon Sejoo. Ever since meeting Kwon Sejin, Cheon Sejoo had been showing sides of himself that Moon Sunhyuk hadn’t known. He didn’t like it, but Moon Sunhyuk remained silent.9793644683b4cac7

He figured it 1ae062093e wouldn’t last much 39271e9925 longer, as Cheon b3510b8ad2 Sejoo had said d0e5c0f23f he would send 5466584321 the kid away f8f469a3b5 when he became d378facd2c an adult. The New 0858d17afd Year was b33f7efdab two days 54b3319225 away, and 8b7aa88885 then Kwon 38495cca91 Sejin would 7b4b2d06d9 be twenty.02a22055b20a9ad1

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Once Kwon Sejin left, 11ea64dbdd Cheon Sejoo would stop db17451b35 acting so out of 2bed7c70b9 character.aeed0b0dfb52a581

“I’ll take care of 5d8627ebe3 everything thoroughly. Don’t worry f2d182467b and go 411f0c3e13 ahead.”9ab5fa97b32eb4ca

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“…Thank you.”12f158d682cd7b95

Cheon Sejoo, staring intently e9a14961e7 at Sunhyuk, suddenly smiled 7668186c1a faintly and said so. He reached out 65ef0bfac1 and ruffled Sunhyuk’s 9d344fa051 hair, which was a0eb8fd2ce a handspan taller 5004642e79 than his own, c045cefb85 before folding his e38067a444 arms. He closed c60c5360de his eyes 102eb1efc4 and took 132a2be926 a brief f51b341602 moment of f80c9b5712 rest in 38a6527d60 silence.24e60a3e3ebc687b

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Sunhyuk dropped 1fee66ed49 Cheon Sejoo c39daae93a off at 44c807bce3 his apartment. Cheon Sejoo went up 24e8784cfb to his home, put ccf5f1e25a on a suit, and 83fb6768da took out his ironing d76d374566 board.8080953cb24979c8

He could have rented 11fbaa9d16 a black suit for e4a8eab8cc mourning at the funeral 663560239c home, but he thought dd22de3c3a they wouldn’t have one 4b9b98348f of Sejin’s size, so f2565193ae he ironed and packed 3d0884837d his own suit jacket 3c7fe501f5 and pants.cd9b894e295e5b3c

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While he was driving 9f552e2b88 to the hospital, he 9d74f1939a received a call from d8ec0f9983 the caregiver. She said she c36b149d9b was cleaning up f92b2cebce the hospital room eeafb78360 and heading down 4eabf94e44 to the funeral ef91fc57bb home. He got the location 0fa3e21f11 of the funeral hall 6564049ce2 from her and hung d4633a2ee6 up.cbed9d494d0037b5

When he parked in 0daae35d92 the parking lot of b223c6b300 the funeral home attached 9be4fe55b6 to the hospital and 4803187660 got out, sleet was a25ad495af falling from the ash-gray 67c87a31ba sky.1ee332967eff5923

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It was 21c2a040b7 better than 8963da0fc8 rain, but 3db3745a8f the damp, f543100b40 heavy air b1a3830bb4 reminded him c1316b4f32 ofthatday. Cheon Sejoo 22fb0008e8 ignored the a9f32f8b68 sound of 3ca270ac91 sirens ringing 31ca271722 in his 133d720f56 ears and 45c64e1fc6 walked on.74215edd92dbfa5f

 b315b87168516904

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 c81440295a8c9042

Room 3. 966a6d8622008bd4

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Kim Hyunkyung and Sejin’s 4d97060b67 names were displayed on 8e6e2f6162 the panel in front 96e8284b19 of the funeral hall. The singleHanja character¹ preceding Kim Hyunkyung’s name felt strange. Just two days ago, she had held his hand and talked with him, and now she was gone from this world. Cheon Sejoo, his face devoid of expression, walked toward the funeral hall where muted sounds of mourning drifted.d1ca5a5beaa692d6

He had asked Kim Sunhee, Hyunkyung’s caregiver, to stay until the funeral ended, and she was now organizing the newly arrived food with the funeral assistants. As she transferred side dishes to plates and covered them with plastic wrap, she noticed Cheon Sejoo and greeted him.02453815a2ff1108

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“Mr. Cheon, you’re here?”b1660bbd7e283d7a

“Yes. You’ve worked hard. Where’s Sejin?”44a61e229d99bfc3

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“He’s… in the 274ec02ced inner room. It’s just that…”6f8914c5bbabe891

Kim Sunhee trailed off, her eyebrows furrowing. Sejoo could easily picture Sejin’s state without having to see him. He knew that no words of comfort would be of any use, but he couldn’t leave the funeral hall empty like this, so he told Sunhee to prepare only a small amount of food and headed towards the inner room.eb803fb638cac288

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Seeing the empty head mourner’s seat, Cheon Sejoo took off his shoes and stepped onto the wooden floor. The funeral hall, where the flower arrangements had just been completed, was empty.cf53574f9245027b

There was no incense burning in the censer, nor were there chrysanthemums placed on the altar. A picture of Kim Hyunkyung, the one Sejoo vaguely recalled seeing on Sejin’s phone once, was placed where the portrait should be. In the picture, she was smiling brightly.591e20c8014a8d81

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Cheon Sejoo gazed f768847eca at her for 981982e2f7 a moment, then e8a127bd4d bowed twice before a73c46b21c rising. He lit 2c3a92efe5 the first b0b53d333a incense stick, 29087a2524 placed a de8cb66de2 chrysanthemum, then 6f8b61e305 picked up 2ee011d673 the suitcase 8f3a4beaa2 he had f33c37e56c leaned against c1c58b5fa7 the wall 6982bf29b0 and opened 279d85bb08 the door a44d3e7ad8 to the ee38b8abe1 family room a620ccbe73 inside the a00250c50b funeral hall.4067d825618a4e15

The light was off. A thin beam of light from the funeral hall illuminated a figure huddled against the wall. Sejin was sitting with his knees drawn up like a child, his head leaning against the wall, weeping silently. The tears streaming down his cheeks felt like they were constricting around Cheon Sejoo’s throat. Fighting the suffocating grief, Sejoo forced himself to move.dd00c3b772ff819a

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“Why are you here like this?”d671acf7534eb086

“……”8eb5f4e956ae86fa

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Sejin looked 54937c7695 up at 16d9370ceb him without dafbb6d77f blinking, his e2e428c66a reddened, swollen ed390160d6 eyes were 2433a74886 soaked with 86efb9aa2b tears. The hastily put-on suit 7a6791b129 he wore was too 16a9cb562a much short for him, 7883c29448 leaving his wrists and c5f80c748d ankles exposed. Seeing his 2cf905242a clothes, Cheon c04b332769 Sejoo placed 2db85e92ab the suitcase eefdd90dc5 he had 254fe81c9f brought beside c5d835e40e him. Sejin’s expression contorted 40e3324d8b in pain. He slowly 355ab5c2bb opened his c6111a9aef mouth.d6409b552850824a

“You… why are 620cda2742 you here?”f9d63e12a0722762

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Cheon Sejoo didn’t respond to the barbed question. Sejin asked him again, continuing to sob quietly.d6fb0952ef662da0

“It’s nothing important to you, why did you come all the way here…?”8c6ad88ac3350c56

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“…….”1d623a6530980a17

Cheon Sejoo realized how 592bbc724a deeply their argument from 55aa995024 two days ago had 5cf07c11f8 wounded Sejin. Though his c149b6e5c7 heart ached, e12f4d3943 he forced 2ef909a78c himself to 2b805989e9 ignore the 72d118e263 words, painfully cd73039264 swallowing down 3607548dc7 his rising f5a225796b emotion. Only after 087b666dd7 several attempts 6b6ce3f9a2 did he f8cbeac9ba manage to 9a6e11e297 speak in e9369dd3f8 a calm ee564e933a voice, addressing 39b05bc8c4 Sejin.6c04e733346ca315

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“Get up. You have to see your mother off.”fcf0eb4f3c20af71

Sejin shook his head. Tears welled up and spilled down his cheeks with each blink. Pretending not to notice Sejin’s sorrow soaking into the floor, Cheon Sejoo grabbed his arm and pulled him up. His unsteady body felt light.d75a89e1621fa418

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“Kwon Sejin. You’re the only one who can take this place. Don’t leave your mother alone.”fef7da565071f404

At Cheon Sejoo’s firm admonishment, Sejin finally let out a shaky breath. Without even attempting to wipe away the tears streaming down his face uncontrollably, Sejin leaned his forehead against Cheon Sejoo’s shoulder. His breath, heavy with sorrow, dampened Sejoo’s neck.0bf69d9348359fa4

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“I don’t want to go out there….”97cb4e098896981d

“You have to.”1d22c721b8305454

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“I don’t want to….”5efc6784ad25943c

The sorrowful voice choked Sejoo. Unable to bear it any longer, Cheon Sejoo wrapped his arms around Sejin’s back. Sejin had lost weight during the two months his mother had been in the intensive care unit. As he placed his hand on Sejin’s back, feeling no trace of fat, his fingers brushed against his protruding spine. Cheon Sejoo held the pitiful Sejin tighter, pressing his lips against his bowed head.8d2c94127d913975

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“Sejin-ah, Sejin-ah….”9e36ed91b6e85a81

His gentle voice soothed 5589a2d11c Sejin. He softly d9fd74180f comforted Sejin, 6050bcd7ec who was a85d0ecc9f struggling to fedbb7928c burrow into 9456442512 his embrace 82454aff21 and shedding 48604ea13e tears. a08aba2b97c52236

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Cry if you 09c0c74139 want to. But eventually, b75e540347 you have 0c77fd48ac to go 90e8e1ad65 out there. You have to ae9c15e0dd take your place. 4d31530ebb76d799

At Cheon Sejoo’s e5155a762c soothing words, Sejin 109867685d finally let out 98ec7cbd2e his pent-up sorrow de19c13b2d in a long 1472cf8ae1 time.997b7946ce554782

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“Why did my mom have to die?”70e8fc844f26c8db

His tear-soaked voice was 8af160ca3a filled with resentment. It felt wrong. Someone else 4b405e5cd0 should have 43f7470307 died, so d62d29bb05 why did 5e2445181a someone as 0072d2596b kind and a447328b9c innocent as 0cba7f6b98 his mother 37a059f356 have to 148eb9ddce suffer so 79931cdad5 much and fa639ad536 leave this d2b27c0e82 world? Sejin couldn’t 7dfc903e2f understand it 361a776c87 at all.9036b442f1bd0c0c

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“What did we b0a64e1f6f do wrong…?”2c4efda9b54f033f

 0b5b27f7aa6dc5f5

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