Sun-jun picked up the satellite phone. He cast a quick glance at the door, but all his attention was on the phone.
He dropped the phone on the table. Apparently, he was afraid of what he was about to do.
He picked up the phone again, holding it tightly with both hands.
He had developed obsessive hesitation.
This time, he placed the phone in the hidden box… and picked it up again.
His entire body was trembling.
More than ten years had passed since the last time he used this phone.
"I'm doing the right thing. What am I afraid of? … Even if something happens, I've lived my life. Up to now, I've been lucky to be alive and to have lived," he thought.
He knew that the first number he dialed would enter the system again.
"Ten years have passed from that hell; I don't think anyone is on the other end of the line," he reassured himself. Perhaps he was deceiving himself.
He made his decision. He turned on the phone.
Although it hadn't been used for years, the battery was still active.
A small monitor above the dialing screen lit up.
The monitor turned on, and the screen was red. A countdown from 9 to 0 appeared.
A few moments later, the screen turned blue and was ready for dialing.
He looked at the screen and realized he had forgotten which number to press. He quickly took a folded piece of paper from the hidden box, which appeared to be a manual.
He kept an eye on the door as well.
"Hope no one comes," he whispered.
He quickly studied the manual.
"Number 7… Number 7,"
He pressed number 7 on the phone and held it for a few seconds. The blue light blinked a few times and then stopped, and the monitor went black.
"So? … What's next?"
He waited for something to happen on the small phone monitor. But nothing happened. He pressed the power button, but still nothing occurred.
"Damn it… the battery must be dead."
He frantically pressed all the buttons on the phone, but nothing worked. It didn't even turn on again.
He placed the phone on the table and leaned back firmly in the chair.
"Damn it… damn , lucky man."
He had forgotten to pay attention to the door… Hearing a sound from the other side, he jumped up, quickly placed the phone back in the hidden box, and pressed the edge slightly. The box sank into the desk, and the keypad that had popped out from the top went back into place.
"It's useless… what should I do? … Why? What am I messing with?"
He shook his head in despair, leaning back in the chair and closing his eyes.
"There's no hope."
Kim sat in the vibration chair in front of the TVs, switching through the security camera feeds one by one.
Each time he changed a camera feed, he glanced at his phone and Whisper to himself.
"She was supposed to talk to her father… Did she succeed? Did she actually say it? Did her father agree? … Maybe she didn't say anything at all"
He looked at the phone. No messages or calls.
He locked the phone screen, placed it on the table, and sank into the vibration chair, feeling a calm sense of floating.
"Ah... How good this feels."
The phone rang.
Kim jumped out of the chair, thinking it was Sun-hee, and answered without looking at the screen.
"Darling , what happened?"
An old man's voice came through, struggling to speak.
"Uh… um…"
Kim looked at the screen. The caller was Mr. Lee.
"Oh, hello, Mr. Lee. Sorry, I thought it was my fiancée. How are you?"
Mr Lee greeted him. He apparently had a problem and wanted to discuss it with Kim.
"Hello, Mr. Kim. I'm fine. How are you?"
"I'm fine as well. How can I help you?"
Mr Lee coughed, softening and smoothing his voice.
"It's been a while since you've been here. I thought you wouldn't come anymore. That's why I called. Sorry if I bothered you."
"No, no, Mr. Lee. Not at all. On the contrary, it's good that you called. I'm free today. What's the matter?"
"I have a few orders. Can you come?"
Kim glanced at the time.
"Yes. I'll be there in an hour."
He left his house and headed to Mr. Lee's shop, which was located in an old, poor neighborhood. This time, he drove a vintage but refurbished and clean van.
Kim's house had been there for years, in the [Beautiful City Recycling Center].
He didn't have a stable job or fixed income.
Sun-hee always reminded him about this and said he should find a respectable, stable job.
Sun-hee had suggested several times that he apply as the personal driver for the company where she worked.
However, she had heard in advance about the problems the boss had with his personal drivers. He changed drivers every month.
Kim naturally had excellent driving skills. At this time, he was one of the best in this field.
The van stopped in front of an old shop. A worn, old sign hung above the door on the wall, [Appliance Repair].
Kim got out of the van. He had removed all extra seats and set up a mobile electronic and mechanical workshop inside the van.
Inside the van… everything was organized meticulously, and tools were arranged in proper places so that even during harsh movements of the vehicle, nothing would shift.
Mr. Lee sat on a chair, staring at the shop door. Inside the shop, broken and malfunctioning household appliances were scattered. Apparently, someone had deliberately messed up and broken some of them.
Kim entered the shop.
Mr. Lee struggled to rise from his chair.
"Hello. Welcome, Mr. Kim."
Kim smiled, trying to positively affect Mr. Lee's mood, although he wasn't used to smiling.
"Hello, old man. How are you today?"
He glanced around and whispered, "Who did this?"
Mr. Lee struggled slightly as he sat on the chair beside him.
"I'm fine, I'm fine, Mr. Kim," and gestured for him to sit. "Welcome."
Kim sat on the chair. Mr. Lee pulled a piece of paper from the desk drawer with five addresses and details written on it.
He handed the paper to Kim. Kim examined it.
"These people came about two weeks ago… They asked a few times whether you had come or not?"
Something disturbed Kim. The old man was speaking to him, but Kim again scanned the shop.
"I told them I don't know about you. Come whenever you can . But you know, man… as people get older, their patience decreases. I also waited until you came."
"But that doesn't apply to you," Kim said, somewhat upset.
"In what way, my son?"
Kim pointed to the items scattered in a corner of the shop.
Mr. Lee forced a smile. "I'll bring you a drink."
He struggled to stand and, as he opened the fridge at the end of the shop, Kim quickly slipped an envelope under a book.
Kim immediately stood up and headed for the shop door.
"Thank you, Mr. Lee. I won't drink. No more." And he said goodbye.
Mr. Lee stared at the shop door as Kim left, Whisper to himself,
"Thank you… despite all the rumors, you are a good person. I hope you follow the path of redemption and find peace."
There were many rumors about Kim. But no one in this neighborhood knew about his true identity. Mr. Lee was the second person who knew Kim's true identity—a brief and partial recognition.
But the people living in this area had a different perspective on Kim and were unaware of his dark side.