Chapter 2 : Swearing Vengeance

Everything was pitch black. It was a space where light couldn’t enter. You couldn’t even determine the width or the height of this space, not to mention the shape. There was absolutely no information you could figure out about this place.

‘Where the hell is this place?’

He could only feel himself.

“Hmmm.”

LeeSoo was at a loss on what to do. The total darkness put him in an unpleasant mood. The darkness itself had the feeling of oppressing his body. He was distraught and had the sensation of suffocating. It was almost as if a water demon was grabbing his feet. No matter how hard he tried to shake it off, the darkness stubbornly latched on.

[Are you afraid?]

This Voice!

LeeSoo was startled. Wasn’t this the voice that asked him if he wanted power?

“Where are you? Show yourself!”

[I am in front of you]

Two balls of blue-green flames materialized. The sizes of these flames weren’t big, but because of the darkness he had sharp view.

‘They’re almost like… a pair of eyes.’

He couldn’t discern the identity of the mysterious voice. He didn’t know if it appeared to help or hurt him. Suppressing his fear, Lee Soo asked.

“Who are you?”

[Your power]

“Oh right, I remember you spewing shit about hidden power or what not. Did you trap me in here?”

[This is your dream world. Do not worry. I will let you out soon enough.]

“What?”

[I showed my face as a greeting this time. We will meet again after you recuperate.]

“Recuperate? What kind of bull sh-”

LeeSoo could not finish his sentence, as his world suddenly brightened.

“…….”

Rays of light slowly replaced the darkness. Eventually the darkness was gone. Instead, a ceiling came into his view. His mind was blank.

“Is this the hospital?”

He ripped off the annoying oxygen mask and look around his surroundings.

It was a hospital room.

“I was alive.”

Before he could sigh in relief, the scene of his dead girlfriend lingered in his mind.

“Junghee……!”

LeeSoo shut his eyes tightly. Yes, he remembered.JungHee died on the spot when the truck crashed into them. And he… he didn’t know what was going on but he somehow survived. He was revived after getting stabbed in the heart.

“How could this…?”

He tilted his head as he wondered. At this moment, the door opened without a knock and a girl came in.

As soon as LeeSoo saw her face, he was stunned. She looked almost the exact same like his dead girlfriend.

“….Junghee?”

“O-Oppa? Oh my god, you woke up? Can you recognize me?”

“JungHee!”

“I’m Chohee! Yun Chohee! I’m Junghee’s sister!”

What?

“Do you perhaps not remember? It-It’s O.K. The doctor said there might be temporary amnesia. No… you waking up in 2 months is already a miracle.”

….Two months?

LeeSoo was speechless at this unimaginable reality.

After carefully observing his reaction, Chohee continued.

“It’s been two months since the accident. You were barely alive when they found you. The doctors said that your recovery speed was fast but… for some reason you were in a coma.”

LeeSoo was expecting that much.

The problem was Junghee. What had happened to her body?

“My older sister… as you know, she died on the spot. Only her charred corpse remained. According to the coroner she was already dead before coming in contact with fire…..”

“………”

“The truck that crashed into you is still on the scene. But they said there was no license plate. It must have been a stolen vehicle. Of course the evidence is gone too.”

LeeSoo just quietly listen to Chohee talk.

After realizing that Junghee really had died, he felt like a hammer smashed his head. ChoHee was not expecting LeeSoo to speak after all this so she jabbered on by herself.The conversation went to the topic about the high school violence case.

Through Chohee, LeeSoo was able to deduce how the case went.

“After the evidence disappeared, they(bullies) were all acquitted of any crime because the evidence that you had was gone. They’re going to school even now. Funny, right?”

“……..”

“After the accident, there was a lot of attention for awhile. Anyone could see that it was intentional murder… But, the remarkable thing was there was no evidence of the culprit anywhere. Not even a strand of hair. That’s how this incident came to a pass, and my sister died and you became a vegetable….”

Yun Chohee covered her face.

Tears were streaming down her soft hands. She must have been feeling sentimental after telling the story.

LeeSoo stared at the ceiling lifelessly. Words could not come out. Declared not guilty. This was the result after all the hardship he went through, and even the death of Junghee.

‘What did I even fight for?’

***

The doctor was shocked after seeing LeeSoo because a person who was in a comatose state suddenly woke up.

“I heard you woke up.”

“Team leader?”

Yun Taesuk ran over as soon as he heard the news. LeeSoo made an awkward face after deciding how to say hello. Yun Taesuk was his boss, before that he was the father of Junghee. LeeSoo promised him that nothing would happen to Junghee. But what was the result?

He had nothing to say.

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”

“What are you sorry for?”

“Junghee died because of me. It’s no different than me murdering her.”

“…You bastard. I told you. You provoked the people in power. They treasure and protect their children like no other. You didn’t think they would use extreme methods?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Lift your head up.”

“Team leader, I…”

“Just listen. If you’re not afraid of talking to me face to face, look at me straight in the eye.”

Yun Taesuk was keeping his composure after losing his daughter.

Why would he not be sad?

It’s just that he was more adept at hiding his emotions than others.

“At first I resented you. I thought that you provoked the wrong people in vain and killed Junghee. I don’t know how much I wanted to kill you while you were unconscious.”

“Yes.”

“But then I realized, what made me even more vexed was that the people who truly killed Junghee is still alive out there living without a care in the world. Do you know what angered me even more? It was that I couldn’t catch those fuckers.”

“Team leader. No, Ahjussi.”

“Of Course I’m the police, I can’t exact revenge for personal reasons. I’m also staying put because they might harm Chohee too.”

“What?”

“Four days after the accident, a man called. He told me this. Don’t even think about doing something stupid, if you don’t want to lose Chohee too, And… if one in a million chance  LeeSoo happens to wake up, they told me to tell you this.”

“…..”

Yun Taesuk spoke to LeeSoo while looking at him in the eye.

“He thought that his stab missed the heart. But he was too lazy to come find LeeSoo and finish the job, so he told you to live as if you were dead if you happened to wake up.”

“….Haa (An annoyed sigh),  did he really say that? I just heard it correctly, right?”

“You heard correctly.”

“This… fucking bastard!”

This anger was directed at the man that killed Junghee.

Yun Taesuk sighed and continued talking.

“Haa(sighing)….you, leave the police for a while.”

“What?””

“I said don’t come back. Everyone will understand if you say you are still recovering. Right now…. Yeah, just take your mind off your anger.”

“How? Then Junghee’s death, you want to let it go like this?”

“Yeah.”

“Ahjussi!”

“Hey, you damned bastard. Haven’t you heard what I said earlier? Chohee is in danger!”

“……!”

“I know you’re anxious for revenge but let’s get this straight. I want revenge as much as you do. You  think I’m not doing it because I don’t want to? It’s because of Chohee. If I lose even her…. I would have no reason to live.”

“…….”

“Chohee, she’s a nice kid. She didn’t despise you. Instead, she took care of you so much that even the nurses were surprised. But… if you act rashly again, Chohee might die. Understand?”

“…I’m sorry.”

What could LeeSoo say. He couldn’t bring trouble to Yun Taesuk and Yun Chohee again.

“Go to the countryside as soon as you’re done recovering and live there quietly for a while.”

“Where?”

“A place that I grew up in, it’s a bit shabby but it’ll do for now. I’ll entrust you to a brother I know.”

“…..Alright.”

“As soon as the doctor says you can go outside, we’re leaving.”

“Yes, but Ahjussi, before I leave can I stop by somewhere?”

“Mmmm? Where?”

“I want to see Junghee”

“….She’s at the Suwon church cemetery. Let’s  stop by on the way.”

“Thank you.”

LeeSoo had no idea where Yun Taesuk was taking him, but it would be a long trip back to Seoul. (the city they’re currently at)

After a while, LeeSoo got discharged from the hospital.

***

Chohee led the wheelchair riding LeeSoo out. He covered his face. Due to the incident 2 months ago, his face was spread on the news. There might be a person that recognized him.

“This is the place.”

“Ah……”

This was where the ashes of Junghee lied. LeeSoo picked up the urn with a trembling hand. He could distinctly recall the smiling face of Junghee. But he couldn’t touch nor see her anymore for she was not a person of this world anymore.

Yun Chohee’s eyes were reddening.

“Sister, LeeSoo is here.”

“…… I’m sorry.”

This was an apology to both girls. He lost a person dear to him because of a moment of rashness. What could he do to pay off this guilt.

-slide

A stream of tear flew down LeeSoo’s cheek. Strangely enough, he had not  cried until now, but at this moment the tears flooded out endlessly.

“Euheukk. Kuekk. Eeeuuuuhhhh……..”

The sound of his mournful weeping streamed out of his mouth. LeeSoo was weeping while loathing, and trembled in hate while loathing. The guilt of not being able to save the person he loved was choking him.

But the cruel reality was that he couldn’t get vengeance upon his enemies and instead had to live as if he were dead.

“If only I had power….”

It’s because he lacked power. It’s because he lacked the damned power that he had to suffer this guilt and humiliation.

“Let’s go.”

Yun Taesuk looked at LeeSoo with a sympathetic look. He wanted to stay longer, but it would only make the pain worse.

“I will come back. I’m sorry for leaving you alone, Junghee. I should have died with you that time……”

“Are you gonna say needless things?”

Yun Taesuk glared at LeeSoo.

“Stop thinking needless thoughts, and live quietly for awhile. One day, you will have your chance. There is no law that says you will have to live with this unfairness for life.”

“…Yes.”

Yes, I will have my chance if I persevere patiently.  LeeSoo looked straight ahead and clenched his fist almost as if the man that killed Junghee was there. He was hiding now because of his lack of power. One day when he obtains enough power, he will make the people who killed Junghee pay a bloody price.

Szzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Unknownst to LeeSoo, a dark aura radiated from his clenched fist, lingered for a moment, then disappeared.