Chương 12: S.04 Memory of the Clock 03(02)

Scene 05. Early morning—as yesterday had been, as tomorrow would be. As dawn broke over the 본청(Bon-cheong_Headquarters), I-seon moved with slow steps toward Yeon-hui's quarters. Today, the hope was that her apology might be accepted, but even if it were not, there was nothing else to be done. I-seon, still wearing her 소복(Sobok_White mourning garments), tried to sense the presence of Yeon-su sleeping inside. But today, no presence could be felt at all. No shoes sat on the 댓돌(Dat-dol_Stepping stone) either.

She prayed Yeon-su had not simply left for good. She hoped she would at least be given the chance to apologize. Even if it was not accepted, she intended to keep trying until it was. If that became too unbearable, she would pause and try again later. Even by her own measure, what she had done was a monstrous thing. I-seon could not bring herself to open the door. Inside, Yeon-hui's traces and remnants would surely fill the room—a room Yeon-hui had used since childhood.

That was precisely why the door could not be opened. I-seon lowered her head and turned her steps away. Scene 06. Si-yeon sat still. The schedule was quieter than expected. The thought of wanting to stop—to be done with all of it—had begun to creep in. Sitting in her spacious hotel room, Si-yeon pulled her robe tighter and stared hard at the mirror on the vanity. The self reflected back felt unfamiliar today. She was looking at an empty schedule. The idleness was not unwelcome.

It gave room for thought, but she had no idea what, exactly, she was supposed to be thinking about with the time given. The bedroom was lined with lavish furnishings. Among the tasteful decorations filling her room, the thing that seemed most out of place was herself, staring back from the mirror. A single business card rested in her hand. She had never killed anyone.

If anything, she had memories of being cornered so badly she believed she was the one who had died—but those memories were treated as though they never existed, forgotten by everyone. Seong-hyeon never volunteered a word about it, and Yeon-jin waved it off with an irritated hand, forbidding anyone from prying. It felt like being the one always left out. Si-yeon lowered her gaze from the mirror on the vanity to the business card in her hand.

The name engraved on it—Ban Ju-hyeon—was a police detective she had never seen before in her life. This person had clearly seemed to know her. If asked, he might even give her answers. But she did not know what to ask. She wondered if she should simply ask, Do you know who Lee Si-yeon is—but the moment that question formed in her head, she could not help but laugh bitterly at herself. If she asked who Lee Si-yeon was, the answer coming back would be obvious. Si-yeon gathered the card, then tore it to shreds.

She was certain there would be no reason to call. The unease, the strangeness of everything—it was surely just from having been unconscious for so long. That was all. Si-yeon straightened her robe and stood up again. She entered the dressing room to change, rummaging around inside for a moment. Shortly after, she emerged in the everyday clothes she had worn in, tied her long hair back, and sat down at the vanity. The heavy makeup she had been wearing felt suffocating.

She wiped away the thick, colorless layers with a cotton pad, peeling back to her original face. After removing every trace, the phone she had placed on the vanity flashed. A call was coming in, but no sound or vibration accompanied it. Si-yeon picked up the phone and answered in a flat voice. Si-yeon: What. Yeon-jin: Busy? Si-yeon: Not busy, actually. Was thinking of heading in. What. Yeon-jin: You're going where during working hours? The Jiral is this. Si-yeon: Ah, forget it.

I checked and my schedule's empty, so don't come looking for me. I'm resting. I just got back from dealing with cops all day, I'm exhausted. Yeon-jin: Ah-ni, is this crazy bitch for real — Hey. You think this is your playground? Come when you want, leave when you want? Si-yeon: Then SSibal, fire me!! Yeon-jin: This bitch really runs her mouth like it's got no lid. Si-yeon: Yeah, well, since my mouth's got no lid, let me ask you something. Yeon-jin: What. Si-yeon: My schedule. Why is Ye-eun doing all of it??

Yeon-jin: Oh, now you're jealous?? Si-yeon: Are you gonna keep answering like an asshole?? That's how people get hurt!! Is there nothing in that SSibal head of yours but money? Are you seriously insane over money?? You SSibal bitch. I've spread my legs enough to keep your building fed — why are you trying to kill the new girl too?? I checked the roster — she's been alternating with Seong-hyeon taking junkies? Keep running them like that and they'll all die!

Grinding them down like — Yeon-jin: Because that's what was agreed on. Si-yeon: What? Yeon-jin: Forget it. Don't leave, stay put. You've got one booked. Won't take long. Ye-eun's busy right now, so you do it. This one's a very important guest. Si-yeon: I already took off all my makeup!! Ah, you SSibal bitch!!! Si-yeon screamed at the top of her lungs with genuine fury, then slammed the phone shut. The anger was not subsiding easily.

She was about to rush through preparations when the firmly shut door opened and an unfamiliar figure stepped in. A man with sharp features. Taller than Si-yeon, who was not short herself. The tailored suit and polished, expensive clothes made it clear at a glance—this was no ordinary person. But she was annoyed. And she had seen more than enough people whose outside and inside were two different things. Men and women alike, everyone who came to her carried at least two faces.

Si-yeon hauled herself up from the vanity chair and greeted the man entering. Si-yeon: Oppa, I'm sorry. I was just about to step out, and here you are. Seeing Si-yeon's business smile, the man returned a light smile of his own and shook his head gently. Yu-seok: It's all right. I only intended to have a brief word before leaving. Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. At Yu-seok's composed voice, Si-yeon stood still, unable to do anything.

Yu-seok lowered himself slowly and bowed deeply to Si-yeon. Si-yeon could not even think to stop him. After finishing the bow, Yu-seok straightened himself and spoke. The business mask Si-yeon had been wearing began to dissolve. Yu-seok: For now, I will do nothing. There would be no way to, in any case. On any other day, Si-yeon would have sneered at someone like Yu-seok, mocked him, and pressed the call button to have him escorted out. But Si-yeon did nothing. Yu-seok: However, I will — without fail.

The 단장 (Dan-jang_The Oldest) who carries the 전령 (Jeon-ryeong_Harbinger) — I will kill her. Without fail. Si-yeon simply stood, listening to every word Yu-seok spoke. She was not afraid. She was not frightened. She did not know what to say to his words, but even his grave courtesy and chilling resolve did not instill fear. Si-yeon: Do you know me? The business smile had vanished long ago. Yu-seok met Si-yeon's hardened expression and her question, then nodded with a quiet smile. Yu-seok: Of course.

I have longed to see you again. Si-yeon: Who am I. Yu-seok did not hesitate. In a clear, steady voice, he answered. Yu-seok: You were the daughter of the most virtuous, the most revered, the most magnificent and beautiful. At Yu-seok's calm answer, Si-yeon wept in silence. It was the same emotion she had felt not long ago—the day she opened her eyes again and went to the place called home, eating braised pork ribs. The tears came too fast to stop, and all Si-yeon could do was let them fall.

Yu-seok withdrew his smile, his expression pained, and lowered his head as he spoke. Yu-seok: But I am sorry. I could not let go of my own desire. I came to make my apology. I came to make my oath. Si-yeon watched Yu-seok in silence, tears falling one after another. Yu-seok: Once The Oldest has reclaimed every last fragment of will and memory, I will — without fail — see my desire through. She heard Yu-seok's absolute, unshakeable oath, yet all Si-yeon felt was a deep sorrow for him. She could not explain why.

The chaos of not knowing who she was—what she was—had begun to devour her mind. Scene 07. A late-night bus pulled in. Its doors opened at the deserted terminal. Few people waited in this cold. Yeon-su trudged off the bus, pulling her casual clothes—a rare departure from her usual attire—tighter around herself. She turned up her collar, wrapped a scarf around her neck, and despite the sharper-than-expected chill, offered no complaint. She walked toward the taxis lined up at the terminal exit.

She opened the back door of a taxi, settled in, gave the driver the destination she had been thinking of, and sank deeper into the seat. The driver, understanding where Yeon-su wanted to go, pulled the parked cab into motion to cut across the quiet late-night roads. The destination was not far from the terminal. About fifteen minutes by taxi. A familiar apartment building grew steadily larger in the window. Yeon-su stared out, her expression blank.

The driver stopped the car and checked the backseat through the rearview mirror. Yeon-su, registering the driver's glance a beat late, pulled out her wallet and tapped her card. After the brief chime confirming payment, she stepped out. She retraced her memories. She had to find out what Yeon-hui had been doing, why she had to be taken to the 시간수(Si-gan-su_The Chronostump). She needed to know. She wanted to know. And there, standing before her, was someone she had believed could not be here.

Someone unbelievable, standing upright, waiting for Yeon-su. So-hui: It is an honor to meet you for the first time. 밀정 (Mil-jeong_Secret Agent). Yeon-su could not utter a single word at the sight of So-hui. So-hui: Yeon-hui sis's mirror — 안내자 (Annae-ja_Guide), Jo So-hui. Scene 08. Yeon-su sat with her head bowed. Looking at So-hui—bearing Yeon-hui's appearance while not being Yeon-hui—Yeon-su had sunk to her knees, her gaze vacant and fixed on the floor, as though reason itself was slipping away.

The house where Yeon-su had first met Ji-young. The house where Yeon-hui had stayed while carrying out her work in the northwest. Yeon-su sat in that living room now. The large room carried the chill of winter wind, as though no one had lived here for some time. A soft living room light cast a dim glow over the darkened space. So-hui, with familiar hands, turned on the boiler for the entire house, then walked calmly toward Yeon-su.

She knelt down in the same way, lowering herself to meet Yeon-su, who could not even lift her head. Yeon-su could not bring herself to speak. So-hui unfurled a strand of 적사(Jeok-sa_Red Thread) and gently extended her hand, letting it drift into Yeon-su's lowered field of vision. Yeon-su realized then that So-hui was a different person from Yeon-hui, yet she still could not raise her head. It was not that she meant to deny it—but with her head still bowed, she squeezed her eyes shut. So-hui: Secret Agent.

At So-hui's calm address, Yeon-su managed to open her eyes and lift her head, slowly. But her young heart could not yet bear to face So-hui directly. She stared blankly at So-hui's knees, nothing more. Yet even So-hui's knees beneath thick jeans looked no different from how Yeon-hui's had always appeared when she sat. Yeon-su slowly lowered her gaze back to her own knees. So-hui did not rush her. A heavy silence hung between them. Yeon-su: I'm sorry. Yeon-su's voice was far from whole.

Having gone so long without conversation, her throat was hoarse beyond measure. Apart from hailing the taxi, she had not spoken a single word. Her own voice sounded foreign to her. She might have believed she had forgotten how to speak. So-hui: No. I'm the one who should apologize. I think I've done something terrible to you, Secret Agent. The question she most wanted to ask surfaced. She believed a Guide could answer it. She was certain that So-hui—indistinguishable from Yeon-hui in appearance—would tell her.

But the words would not come easily. So, in a voice that could not even remember how to be polite, she barely broke the silence. Yeon-su: My sis — why. So-hui: She is someone truly important. The most important. Even So-hui's composed explanation triggered deja vu. So-hui's voice, carrying the timbre of Yeon-hui's, was agonizing. It was hard to listen to, yet impossible to refuse. The need to understand the truth outweighed everything. Yeon-su offered the questions she had pieced together on her own.

Yeon-su: Then, is my sis really something like a 전령 (Jeon-ryeong_Harbinger), or an 사절 (Sa-jeol_Envoy) — So-hui: The third fragment. Yeon-su shook her head slowly. Yeon-su: I don't really understand things like that. So-hui: If there is a door and a key to 저승 (Jeo-seung_the world of the dead), then of course a door to 이승 (I-seung_the world of the living) also exists. Yeon-hui sis was serving as the door to the world of the living. Yeon-su: Who would put someone in that — So-hui: It wasn't me.

And of course, it wasn't Mother, and it wasn't Ji-young sis either. Yeon-su: When you say Mother — So-hui: Former 단장 (Dan-jang_The Oldest), Jeon I-sim. Yeon-su closed her eyes again. A tide of guilt and the memory of every moment she had failed in her duty surged back. The helplessness she had felt in her youth began to torment her anew. As Yeon-su tried to bow her head lower, So-hui leaned forward and cradled Yeon-su's gaunt upper arm with both hands. So-hui: It was Mother's choice.

A choice she made even deceiving me, in order to walk the path she chose. Yeon-su began to weep in silence. Yeon-su: I couldn't protect The Oldest. I couldn't protect my sis either. So-hui: None of us could. I'm sorry. I never wanted you to feel this kind of pain, Secret Agent. Yeon-su: I'm sorry. So-hui: Mother, and Yeon-hui sis, and Ji-young sis too — they all made their choices. Now, only our choices remain. Yeon-su: I don't know exactly what kind of person this Kang Ji-young is.

So-hui: She is the key that carries the Harbinger. It was what Yeon-su had already guessed. She had only wanted confirmation. Yeon-su: Then, is The Oldest truly going to forge the Harbinger and open the door to the world of the dead — So-hui: Yes. Yeon-su: Why. So-hui: Because nothing will happen. Yeon-su: What happened to my sis. So-hui: She's probably at the 태초 (Taecho_The Beginning). Most likely. At So-hui's calm explanation, Yeon-su lifted her head mechanically, as if struck, and stared at So-hui blankly.

Yeon-su: Then — don't tell me... So-hui shook her head at Yeon-su's vacant question. So-hui: No. Yeon-hui sis's path has remained visible to my eyes the entire time. That means she has not died, will not die, and will return exactly as I have seen. So-hui's tone was perhaps a touch cold, but composed and courteous in its persuasion. Yeon-su nodded, weak but slightly reassured. Only then did the follow-up questions begin to surface. Yeon-su: Then, everything we believed — was it all wrong?

So-hui: The broad strokes, yes. It was wrong. Yeon-su: Then what are we supposed to believe and follow? So-hui: Each person's own choice. Your own choice. The choice of the people you cherish. The choice of those who have walked with you, and those who will. Yeon-su exhaled a deep sigh. Yeon-su: I still don't really understand. So-hui gently patted Yeon-su's upper arm, confirmed that Yeon-su was calming down, and only then carefully withdrew her hands. Yeon-su: I'm sorry. So-hui shook her head slowly. So-hui: No.

It's all right. You have nothing to be sorry for, Secret Agent. Yeon-su: I just... want to find my sis. So-hui flicked her wrist lightly, spinning out a strand of 청사(Cheong-sa_Blue Thread). She lowered it gently before Yeon-su's hands. So-hui: The path that Yeon-hui sis and we — and you, Secret Agent — have walked. Do you want to see it? The road we'll walk together from here, too? If you hate spoilers, I'll cut it off midway.