Chương 23: S.04 Memory of the Clock 05(02)

Scene 04. FLASHBACK The Imaginary Number (虛數) — A path no longer walked. A path different from memory. A path that never was. The doorbell rang at the front door. When So-hui, taking her strained steps, carefully opened the door, standing before her was Ji-young with her familiar smile. Ji-young: Couldn't get a wink of sleep. Let's drink. There was no way So-hui could have missed the true intent laced into that playful voice. It was the only comfort Ji-young could offer to So-hui, who had to be having a hard time.

So-hui opened the door wider, received the bag packed full of liquor, and let Ji-young, who had been standing at the front door, inside. So-hui did not hide her weariness. With her back turned to the streetlamp beyond, Ji-young sat across from So-hui and gently took hold of her hand. Ji-young: It must be a rough time. For your friend Si-yeon, and for you too. But don't blame yourself. Truly, I can't hear a single sound. I think the scream you say you hear is your own will to save that friend.

So-hui: Sis, if I hadn't made my choice, would she have ended up that way? Ji-young: I'm sorry to say, but you are not at the center of every choice. Of course, it's true that all of us trust and lean on you. It is true that your choice played a decisive role, but every one of us has been making choices too, every moment. Our choices made your choice, and your choice will make our choices. It isn't a burden you carry alone. So I'll help. Everyone will help. As always. So-hui: I can't hear the scream now either.

Honestly, I can't tell the gunshots either. But it feels like I can hear it all, vividly. Ji-young: Then help her a lot. That friend. So-hui: Really, she's identical to you, sis. To a frightening degree. Ji-young: That's why she's a mirror. They said the key was always where a mirror exists. So-hui: Well, that's something you and that person would know better, sis. Ji-young: To Mom, you still haven't said "Mom" yet, have you? So-hui nodded with effort. Ji-young: That's all right.

Mom, and I, have always been waiting for you to say it first. We can wait any time, so don't worry. Don't rush yourself either. So-hui: How can you and Mom wait for me like that, sis? Me, even when I'm the slightest bit rushed, I get so anxious like I'm going to ruin everything. Ji-young: I don't know. I, um. Ji-young drained the glass filled before her. So-hui could not let go of Ji-young's held hand. Ji-young filled her own glass, then took another sip. Ji-young: I just decided to believe.

Because only then can I live. Because only then will we be happy. You, and I. Everyone we will meet. Scene 05. FLASHBACK Ji-young, cradling So-hui, laid her down in haste. At Si-yeon, who had come running in through the opened front door right after, Ji-young, in a composed but quick voice, asked for help. Ji-young: Si-yeon, help me out, please. From So-hui's mouth, a cough burst out together with a ripped scrap of her innards. Ji-young, rolling up her sleeves in haste, unfastened her bracelet.

She pulled white powder from her pocket, coated the tip of the roused wire with the white powder, and pushed the wire into the punctured wound of So-hui. So-hui thrashed with all her strength and cried out from the pain, but Si-yeon, not knowing at all what to do, only held So-hui down without thought. Ji-young drove the wire deep into So-hui's side, searching for the bullet lodged within. The white powder quickly settled So-hui's internal wounds, but she could not leave the bullet as it was.

Splitting finer still, the wire carefully wove its way through So-hui's body. The feel of metal caught against it. When Ji-young, with one hand feeding So-hui the white powder, pulled the bullet out in one sweep, So-hui jolted and put up the fiercest resistance of all. Ji-young and Si-yeon held So-hui down and gave her all of the white powder. As if having briefly lost consciousness, So-hui's body slackened. After settling every wound, Ji-young lifted her blood-smeared hand and wiped her forehead.

Ji-young, dressed in light workout clothes as though she had just stepped out of her house, stared at Si-yeon. Si-yeon met Ji-young's gaze with a look on the edge of tears. This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Ji-young: There's no time, so switch clothes with me. Si-yeon: What?? Why!! Ji-young: Si-yeon, you stay here and protect So-hui. I'm going to take on your role now. Otherwise they'll track all the way here. Quickly. There's no time.

Si-yeon hesitated a moment, but at Ji-young stripping off her thin windbreaker first with a sweep, she could not go on with any more words and began to switch clothes. Si-yeon: Why the SSibal do we have to go this far!! Ji-young: I'm doing this to protect both you and So-hui, so shut up and just give me your clothes, fast. Ji-young pulled off her clothes in a sweep, drew her bracelet off, and carefully fastened it onto the wrist of So-hui, who had not yet come back to consciousness. Scene 06.

FLASHBACK When Ji-yun pulled her hand free with a smile, the Ritual Taboo Rope touching Ji-young's ankle snatched Ji-young up with force like a fishing line. From behind the curtain of the room Ji-yun had been in, two men appeared, and bound the Ritual Taboo Rope that suspended Ji-young to the wall. When the dangling Ji-young bent her waist, flustered, trying to strip away the Ritual Taboo Rope, Ji-yun came closer and, with both hands, cradled Ji-young's inverted head with a warm gentleness.

Ji-young's tied-up long hair was pointed downward. Her clothes were torn here and there. There was no trace left of the wounds from the bullet. Seizing the hair of the resisting Ji-young, she struck Ji-young's face with her fist. Only after striking it several times with all her strength did Ji-yun settle for a moment, and stare at the face of Ji-young, who, inverted and hanging, had stopped resisting. It was strange. She had to confirm something. Ji-yun: They said it would definitely be black.

Ji-yun drew the knife from her waist and slashed broadly into the side of Ji-young's thrashing body. At the knife drawn down as if tearing, Ji-young let out a great scream. The wound did not close. Under the effect of the Ritual Taboo Rope, the Harbinger could not emerge. Ji-young hastily clutched her own wound with her hand. Ji-yun, after confirming the red blood, licked the knife with her tongue. Unquestionably, it was human blood. As if unconcerned, she slid the knife back into her waist. Ji-yun: Hold her.

At Ji-yun's instruction, the two came forward and forcibly held Ji-young's two arms. The more Ji-young resisted with her strength, the more blood flowed out from the torn flesh, soaking Ji-young's blouse. Ji-yun met Ji-young's eyes, then lifted her heels slightly and lightly stole the raised lips of Ji-young with her own. Ji-young severed Ji-yun's tongue with her teeth. Into her mouth she took Ji-yun's tongue, chewed, and spat it out.

Watching Ji-young, filled with hatred, Ji-yun — who had thrashed briefly in pain — conspicuously peeled away her two hands that had been covering her mouth as if performing a trick, and revealed a perfectly whole tongue to Ji-young. As if the blood in her mouth had sickened her, Ji-young spat to the floor one more time. The one holding Ji-young's arm struck Ji-young's face with his fist. Ji-yun: Ei. Enough. Can't ruin a pretty face. Ji-young began to laugh.

It did not take long for the empty smile that had begun as a vacant grin to turn, in the end, into a great, doubled-over fit. Ji-young passed the bracelet to the one who had been holding her. And then, placing her will into the bracelet, she severed the man's wrist along with her own ankle. Ji-young, fallen limp to the floor, fastened the bracelet back on herself, and then severed the necks of all the men.

And the black death of the black wire, which had hunted down and killed every rat still hiding outside and inside, blanketed the room. What remained were only Ji-young and Ji-yun. Ji-yun: What the.... Ji-young, having already settled every wound, raised her fallen body without making much of it. Gunshots sounded from outside. Bursting explosions and gunshots. The smell of gunpowder pushed its way inward. Ji-yun, pulling on — barely — a composure that was not flustered, glared hard at Ji-young.

There was no way Ji-young would be pushed back by Ji-yun. Ji-young spat onto the floor. It seemed a fair amount of blood had drained by now; Ji-young, placing a hand in her mouth to check for any blood left, made a displeased expression and looked again at Ji-yun as if to scold. Ji-young: Every last one. Nothing but trash around her. Kwon Su-jeong. Scene 07. FLASHBACK The Oldest faced the Kitchens staff coming in with the meal tray.

Behind them, Yeon-hui carefully followed in, closed the door, and then tidied the interior. With the side dishes on the tray having been properly portioned out, The Oldest spoke to the Kitchens staff and to Hye-ju at their head. The Oldest: For all this time, thank you for tending to my meals so well. Hye-ju: Not at all. It is only our proper work. The Oldest: I ought to have shared a meal with you one more time. Hye-ju: We are always in the Kitchens. Just say the word and we will have it ready at any time.

The Oldest: Thank you. I think today's lunch and dinner I shall eat outside, so do not set them out, tend to your own work. Hye-ju: Shall I prepare some side dishes? The Oldest: No. Do not worry, go on about your work. Hye-ju: Understood. Hye-ju slowly drew her body back. A still space remained with only Yeon-hui and The Oldest. Yeon-hui readied a cushion and sat composed across from The Oldest. The Oldest: Yeon-hui. Yeon-hui: Yes. I-sim: Today, if things go as Hee-jin has woven the path, tomorrow, will likely be.

Yeon-hui: Do not worry, The Oldest. I, I have resolved myself. I, I am all right. I-sim: Thank you. Yeon-hui: I shall be inside preparing. I-sim: All right. It will not take long. I shall make only what our eldest wanted to eat, and come down. Neither The Oldest nor Yeon-hui could bring themselves to pick up their spoons. I-sim: Do you think this is the right path. Yeon-hui: The Oldest. Even now, if you would say the word, I will protect The Oldest to the very end. The Oldest calmly shook her head.

I-sim: That is not what I mean. Yeon-hui could not easily go on. I-sim: The dreadful time I am about to pass on to you all seems too long. I, I will soon rest, but you all will remain and live through a long, bitter time. That is not a thing a mother should do to her children. And so I agonized, and agonized again. Yeon-hui: But, The Oldest. The one who has it the hardest, the one who is saddest. Is not us. I-sim: Mm. Yeon-hui: We can share. As we have shared, we shall share.

But The Oldest, you have gone this long time unable to pass it on to anyone, carrying it alone within yourself. That we could not lift that burden from you entirely — for that, rather, I am sorry. I-sim: All of you were wonderful children to me. Yeon-hui: Thank you. I, I am grateful I can be with you to the very end. At Yeon-hui's composed words, The Oldest began to settle the emotions that had been stirring. I-sim: If there were even a slightly faster path, I would choose it without hesitation.

Even if I must endure any disgrace, if all of you could suffer even one second less, I would walk it. Yeon-hui: I know. And I have believed. The Oldest slowly took up her spoon. The Oldest: Let us not be this way, and eat. We too must eat well, so that we can finish well. Yeon-hui: Yes. I shall eat well.