Chapter 123 - Chance Encounters

"This is going to be very difficult," Mirae commented. She and KJ were standing in front of Hann Constructions' head office. Both of them were wearing disguises. KJ was wearing a long brown beard and a bald patch while Mirae wore a blonde wig and big rimmed glasses. Her skin was tanned up using makeup. They had decided to hide their presence since they suspected Hann Constructions was infiltrated by the Cartel's men. 

KJ frowned as he remembered how the Mirae of the original timeline had easily broken into the building.

"I'm sure you can figure out a way to break in," he nudged her.

"Breaking in isn't going to be an issue," she said thoughtfully. "Breaking out will be difficult. Too bad they discovered the tunnel behind the  President's Office…"

"What?" KJ exclaimed. "How did they find out?"

"Secretary Lee stumbled upon it  a few years ago," she said. "And he had it sealed."

This is troublesome, KJ thought. He had counted on that route for a quick escape after they manage to break into the building.

"What exactly are we looking for though?" Mirae questioned him. "Will Grandpa Kwon really hide something as important as a clue to his son's murder in here? Wouldn't he wipe them out himself?"

"No," KJ said. "He only knew they were murdered by the Cartel's men but he did not know who the assassins were."

"How do you know that?" Mirae frowned. "Did he tell you? He may have taken care of them without your knowledge?"

But KJ knew Grandpa Kwon never found Sungmin's killers. The old man lived with the guilt of throwing away his child for the rest of his life. That guilt him in the end.

"I just do," he said simply. "I have a feeling…"

"You are risking all this on a feeling?" she scoffed. "You do realize that if one of the Cartel's infiltrators find us in there, they'll get suspicious!"

"They'll get suspicious if they see me," KJ corrected. "No one saw you."

"I can break in on my own," Mirae said. "But the Cartel will get suspicious if they see me entering the building through CCTV. I'll have to divert the current occupant of Grandpa Kwon's office away from there."

"You're not gonna break in," KJ said calmly. "You'll be invited in."

"How?" Mirae asked.

"You forgot Ms. Jung," he said. "You're EXOTIC's PA. I may not be able to enter without suspicion. But we both know someone who can."

Mirae frowned at him before it hit her.

"Ash?" she exclaimed. "You're gonna use him again? Didn't the Madam Hong incident teach you a lesson already?"

"That was different," KJ retorted. "We didn't know the territory we broke into and what Madam Hong did was unanticipated. This time, we know where we are breaking into. I know this place like the back of my hand. The tunnel behind the President's office may have been sealed, but there is another way…"

Mirae was skeptical. What if turned out to be like the last time?

Reading her mind, KJ assured her, "Don't worry. If there are Cartel's spies inside Hann Constructions, they won't be able to do anything here. Besides, your hacking skills are extraordinary. I have a plan which will use your tech skills to the fullest."

Mirae thought for a moment. "What's your plan?" she finally asked. 

"Call Ash and ask him to come over tonight," he ordered. Mirae nodded.

This time, she decided to put her faith in KJ.

….

Somi was sweating profusely. The weather was getting hotter and the sun shone directly above them. It was so difficult to shoot long hours under the scorching heat but the director wanted a completely sunny afternoon. 

"Director Joo, can't we take a break?" she requested. "It's so hot out here!"

"Break?" the porky director scowled. "Definitely not! We need to shoot now while the sun is up. Otherwise how else will we show a murder which took place in the afternoon?"

Somi groaned. They had been shooting for hours for a new detective drama she was working on. She had been very excited for the drama since it was the first time she is headlining a show on her own. Her character was of a rookie detective who used her wits and gritty outlook of life to catch criminals.

Unfortunately her director was a pain. He focused too much on the set design and screenplay rather than on the actual direction. 

"Director Joo," she said in a clear voice. "My staff has been working hard for the past two days. They haven't been able to sleep all night because of your silly demands."

"Not my problem," he sneered. "Either work properly or they can leave."

"We've been shooting for hours non stop!" she snapped at him. "If you don't give us a break now, I'll call up the Producer and tell him that I'm quitting! Just see how he's gonna fire you."

"Are you threatening me?" he shouted at her. "I can end your career in seconds! You young people thrown around tantrums and try to threaten us!"

"If you don't let us take a break, then I will file a complaint against you!" Somi warned. Director Joo's face was fuming red with anger. Nation's True Love or not, he would not tolerate disobedience from anyone.

"Why you-"

He raised his hand to slap her hard. Somi reflexively covered her face but someone grabbed his hand from behind. 

"Who the hell-"

The director turned around. Somi, who just saw the new arrival, was stunned. Hyun Jung was standing there, gripping the director's hand.

"Striking an employee is illegal," Hyun Jung stated. "That can lead up to six months in jail."

"Who the hell are you?" the director demanded but Hyun Jung ignored him.

"Overworking employees and depriving them of their basic need to sleep," he went on. "That's almost a year in jail."

"Who let you in?" the director screamed. "Who the bloody hell are you to tell me what I do to my staff?"

"I'm the consulting detective for this drama," Hyun Jung replied, holding up his badge. "You see, your Producer is a friend of mine. He requested me to come aboard as a consultant to make sure the drama feels as authentic as possible. He asked me to work with Miss Somi to help her get into the skin of her character."

"However, I saw that the director of the drama is abusing his own staff," Hyun Jung went on. "I should report this."

Suddenly the director's face lost its color. He did not expect an actual detective to turn up.

"S-sir," he stuttered. "I was just trying to explain that the scene needs outdoor shooting…"

"If it's a scene involving dead body inspection, it can be done during the night as well," HyunJung pointed out. "Crimes can take place at any time. Surely, you can accommodate a little?"

The director was sweating now. "Y-yes," he said. "We'll take a break."

He turned to the staff on the set. "Take a break everyone!" he declared. "We'll start again around 4 PM."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief. They were extremely tired as well and began to head back to the hotel they were staying at to take some rest.

Meanwhile, Somi was still stunned by the turn of events. What is he doing here? She wondered.

Hyun Jung glanced over at her but she gave him a cold look and started to walk away. 

Giving the director one last warning, he strode after her. He easily caught up with her.

"Why are you here?" she demanded in quiet tone. 

"As I said, I'm a consultant on the set," he replied, walking beside her. 

"You knew very well I'll be shooting for this drama!" Somi accused him. "It's all over the internet. And yet, you have the audacity to show your face to me!"

"You're right," he said. "I came here because I knew you were here."

She stopped in her tracks. "Why?" she asked.

"Because I want to talk," he said. "About us."

"There is nothing to talk about," Somi said flatly. She turned to leave but he grabbed her arm.

"I want to know what happened," he stated. "Why didn't you turn up that day?"

The question which I dread, she thought mournfully. How many times did she imagine that he will ask her about that day? She expected him to be angry and hurt. She expected him to hate her.

But his face showed no such emotions. He was pleading her through his eyes. He will only believe her answer and nothing else.

"I didn't feel like it," she lied. Please hate me, she prayed. Just go away.

But Hyun Jung could see through her lie. She will never tell him why she ditched him on their wedding day. I will find out, he vowed.

He loosened the grip on her arm. Taking her opportunity, Somi shook his hand off and fled.

Hyung Jung felt his heart sink with every step she took. Somi did not turn back, but her eyes were glistening. Seeing him after so many years was difficult for her. Her heart was beating erratically but she must reign it in. After all, it was too much to bear the pain again...