Chương 86: S.05 Time to Fly 02(07)

Scene 12_03. The doctor, who had attended to Soo-a, spoke with a somewhat darkened complexion to Ji-young, who was looking down at Soo-a lying on the bed. Doctor: There will not be a great problem. Fortunately, Eun-jae caught it quickly and held it back. Consciousness had not returned, but a steady breath went on. Ji-young nodded as if relieved, and turned toward the side of the infirmary bed, where the curtain was drawn.

Eun-jae's casual everyday clothes, the ones she had worn in to bring Soo-a, were stained with a handful of Soo-a's blood. When Ji-young arrived, Eun-jae, who had been seated and gathering her breath while putting down her own anger, sprang up. Eun-jae: The Oldest. At Eun-jae's plain address, Ji-young, rather, bowed her head and then lifted it. A question, with her sorry feeling not hidden, followed. Ji-young: Are you alright, Eun-jae.

Eun-jae: Me — I am a Goblin by birth, so even if I die, I just go to the Between World. Of course, the boss will not take me in.... Ji-young: I am sorry. About Soo-a. At Ji-young's deep apology, Eun-jae shook her head with all her might, as if to say no. Eun-jae: The Kim-seobang who did this is someone else. This is not something The Oldest should feel sorry to me about. Ji-young: Because the one who sent her was me. Eun-jae: That, too, was Soo-a's own affair.

If I blamed even that on you, I would be a wretched Goblin. But, The Oldest. Ji-young: Yes. Eun-jae: Only the East Kim-seobang was left to face the brigand. It may be that she alone will be hard-pressed. Ji-young: I have just confirmed that we cannot reach her either. Eun-jae: What do you intend to do.... Ji-young let out a small sigh. After thinking deeply about something, Ji-young's mouth did not move for a while.

Briefly glancing at Hee-jin, who stood behind her, Ji-young looked forward again and spoke to Eun-jae. Ji-young: Tomorrow, I will go directly to the Black Doctrine. Please, the Directors, take charge of the inside. Eun-jae: Why that Kim-seobang lot.... Ji-young could not bring herself to answer Eun-jae's question. She could only sincerely hope it would not unfold as she had foreseen. Scene 12_04.

Ji-young and Hee-jin, and I-seon, stood in the parking lot lit by In-bul, set in the place of the sun that had passed beyond. Jeong-seon and I-yeon, who had finished preparations to leave beneath the In-bul, sat in the car receiving the farewell of the three. Ji-young lowered to her knee to meet Jeong-seon, seated in the passenger seat, eye to eye.

Now that I-seon and Hee-jin were present, Jeong-seon, who could no longer cry, twitched her lips and, as if she had never wept, tossed out bright words even from her thickened voice. Jeong-seon: I will not be like that tomorrow. At Jeong-seon's child-like resolve, or pledge, or promise, Ji-young smiled and nodded. Ji-young: I will block it. Do not worry. At Ji-young's voice, Jeong-seon nodded with a face of relief. Jeong-seon: Let us have some infused liquor tomorrow. After it is all over.

The pear-blossom liquor Mom brewed — it is really, really good. At Jeong-seon's promise, this time Ji-young nodded. Rising again from her seat, Ji-young bowed to I-yeon in the driver's seat. Ji-young: On the way — if anything happens, please get in touch without fail. I-yeon: Understood. But — nothing will happen, right. Whether it was a wish or a certainty, no one could tell. At I-yeon's bittersweet expression that worked at a smile, Ji-young could only return a slightly heavier smile of her own.

As Ji-young bowed and conveyed her parting, the halted car began to move slowly. Until the car heading toward the opened north gate became a dot, the three could not bring themselves to move. Ji-young belatedly let out a sigh and conveyed instructions to Hee-jin and I-seon. Ji-young: Martial Director. I-seon: Yes, The Oldest. Ji-young: Tomorrow, please keep the Headquarters on standby in a state of alert. I am sorry to do this to the Captain of the Guard Corps, but please request that she come in urgently.

The off-duty leave she has missed — we can roll it into another day as paid leave later. I-seon: Understood. If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. Ji-young: And as for the Strategist — Ji-young's instruction, or her request, halted for a moment. Both Hee-jin and I-seon understood Ji-young's halted instruction. Without waiting to hear Hee-jin's answer, Ji-young conveyed only her own resolve.

Ji-young: I shall set out the moment day breaks tomorrow, and head to the Black Doctrine with my sisters. It may take some time, but please do not worry too much. I-seon: Considering what happened before, perhaps you ought to go with the Special Task Force.... Ji-young: There is only one gate there, so blocking it should be easy. Just in case, let us hold the Headquarters. Of course, Ji-young cut her words and resumed the steps she had halted. The walk back toward her own quarters looked somewhat heavy.

Ji-young, glancing at Hee-jin, moved her steps silently. Ji-young: This time, they will swarm toward the Black Doctrine. Scene 13. Hyang-rim was walking out to see off So-hui's party. Since Si-yeon's car had been parked outside the gate, it was rather a long walk they had come. So-hui briefly halted her step and politely held Hyang-rim back. The sun had already passed below. With the lights lit, the entrance of the gate where no one was about was illuminated.

As if Hyang-rim alone remained within the wide main hall of the Black Doctrine, not a single sign of life was felt. So-hui: Please go back in. It is cold. We can find our way well. Hyang-rim: Since I have grown old, my digestion has slowed as well. If I do not at least walk it off like this, the night will be uncomfortable. Si-yeon: You did not eat much.... Hyang-rim: When one grows old, the way of eating, too, falters. Having lived four hundred years, that is rather a lot of eating done, no? Si-yeon: Ah, really.

Bishop. You agreed not to talk like that. Hyang-rim: Ah. So I did. Indeed. Forgive me. When one grows old, one tends to forget promises as well. So-hui: Bishop. Hyang-rim slowly took the hand of So-hui, who had called her. Hyang-rim: Always, you all — you, in particular. How much you have suffered. To chase after a thing while knowing all that lies upon it — it is no kind of task to set upon a soul. Knowing is not a blessing. That, I have come to find, is closer to a curse.

All of it, in the end, has been laid upon your shoulders. So-hui: I — I am alright. It is the role I have been given. But — So-hui's words could not be carried through. At So-hui's short voice, Hyang-rim, without a word, held So-hui's small frame in her arms. Hyang-rim: Now that you have said you knew, I have no lingering regret. Having heard what you know, I have nothing left wanting. So, do not worry. So-hui.

At Hyang-rim's grave consolation, So-hui, held within Hyang-rim's firm embrace, only nodded without a word. It was an elder's embrace. An embrace that brought back the embrace of I-sim from some long-ago day. So-hui only nodded without a word. Hyang-rim let her firm embrace go. So-hui's eyes were brimming. Hidden by the dim lighting, they could not be seen clearly. Hyang-rim: Jeong-seon and I-yeon will arrive soon, so do not worry about this old one being lonely — go on in now, all of you.

At Hyang-rim's parting, all four lowered their waists deeply. So-hui: The meal — it was delicious. Bishop. So-hui barely managed to conceal her wavering voice, and delivered her remaining parting to Hyang-rim. Hyang-rim only smiled and nodded. So-hui: Tomorrow, I shall see you again. Hyang-rim: Be careful, all of you. Always. The lights of the wide main hall, this evening, looked unusually empty. There were no signs of life to obscure the lighting, and no walking footsteps could be heard.

Behind the silent main hall, only the loud engine roar was left, scattering, scattering away. Scene 14. So-hui was silently receiving the call. The voice of Ji-young that came through the receiver, though not particularly bright, was not the voice of someone urging or rushing either. So-hui, who had ended the long call, gave a brief parting word and pulled the earphone from her ear, putting it into the cradle.

At So-hui's small sigh, Si-yeon, seated in the driver's seat, glanced briefly at So-hui's bearing through the rearview mirror. So-hui's plain voice, neither simple nor light, came through. So-hui: The Director of the Inspectorate got hurt. Gyeong-seo, who had been seated beside So-hui, glanced back at So-hui. So-hui: Tomorrow, Ji-young sis will come with us. Probably, even now, she is staying somewhere nearby, waiting for Ji-young sis.

Gyeong-seo: Then — of the two-branched paths, So-hui could not answer Gyeong-seo's question-like murmur. A heavily settled air carried on for some time. Gyeong-seo, with a clearing of her throat, pulled the driver's seat back a little from the front and leaned her body slightly toward Si-yeon's back, speaking quietly to Si-yeon. Gyeong-seo: Hey, would you mind dropping me off at the Headquarters for a bit on the way? Si-yeon: Will they even let this car in? You said not everyone knows who I am yet.

Gyeong-seo, who had only now noticed the loud engine roar again, thought something over and spoke to Si-yeon once more. Gyeong-seo: Right. There are still a lot of people who do not know you or So-hui sis. Then, park a bit far off. I will just grab the things and come back out. Si-yeon: What are you going to grab?? Gyeong-seo: Your clothes, and So-hui sis's clothes. Scene 15. White vapor was drifting out through the humidifier's vent over the cozy infirmary bed.

Eun-jae, seated on the nursing chair with her arms folded, was dozing off in nodding pulls. On the bed set beside Eun-jae lay Soo-a, whose color, fortunately, had returned, and she appeared to be in a deep sleep. Through the paper-paneled door that slid to the side, Ji-young, in comfortable clothes, came in. Soo-a, oblivious even to Ji-young's presence and to the world-shaking snores of Eun-jae sleeping deep in her doze, only breathed steadily within her deep sleep.

Ji-young reached her hand carefully behind Eun-jae's deeply lowered head. The moment Ji-young's cool skin touched Eun-jae's back, Eun-jae, with her not-fully-roused eyes, sprang up and looked around in haste. Ji-young covered her own lips with her fingers. As if to say she would tend to Soo-a, who had not yet woken, herself, Ji-young moved Eun-jae — who had been mid-doze — to the empty bed beside them.

At Ji-young's suggestion, Eun-jae conveyed a nod that said she was fine, but, half-unaware of having moved, Eun-jae sprawled herself onto the remaining infirmary bed. After quietly drawing the curtain shut, Ji-young settled herself onto the nursing chair where Eun-jae had been sitting. It was a fork in the road she had faced while knowing. The guilt and self-reproach that came with knowing struck Ji-young more heavily and more bluntly than she had braced for.

The two-branched path So-hui had spoken of had hinged on Soo-a's condition. If Soo-a was hurt, it would be the worst-case state; if she was not hurt, then a state somewhat better than the worst — that had been the choice laid out. Ji-young, without a word, sat in the chair and watched Soo-a's condition a little more closely. But whatever the case, the outcome did not change. There was no difference in the fact that what was bound to happen would happen.

It was only that there would be matters to clean up along the way. She had known, yet the self-serving wish that the one she sent would still come back unharmed, and the misjudgment that went with it, were striking Ji-young hard. As Ji-young, blankly tending to Soo-a, sat there, a slightly warm and small hand settled over Ji-young's hand. Soo-a: The Oldest.... Soo-a, who had at some point recovered consciousness, took Ji-young's hand and held it tight.

Soo-a's face seemed layered with guilt and self-blame, and a denial that said it should not have come to this. Ji-young, holding Soo-a's small voice and hand, answered with a smile and a tilt of her head. The slow and heavy shake of her head carried within it the will to push back against Soo-a's guilt and her self-rebuke. Soo-a could not bring forth a word. Ji-young: I do not blame anyone. So — all the more, do not blame yourself. Soo-a: Please, give me one more chance.

Ji-young: Now that we have faced it, you know — if it had taken much longer, things would really have come to ruin. I am in this seat to keep everyone from being hurt. I will give you the chance. Repay it through a different task. This matter — it will be a heavy one for everyone. Soo-a: I am sorry. I did not listen, and — Ji-young shook her head. Ji-young: Eun-jae said something to me. Earlier. Soo-a: What was it.

Ji-young: Because the instruction to send the Director was mine, I kept feeling caught up that the Director got hurt. So, when I said I was sorry, she said — the one who did this is someone else, so why are you being sorry to me. That is what Eun-jae said to me. The Director is the same. The piece of shit who hurt you is someone else, so why are you sorry to me. So, hurry up and recover, and — Ji-young briefly glanced back and pointed beyond the curtain with her other hand.

Ji-young: Try doing something about Eun-jae's snoring. At Ji-young's banter, Soo-a, with the consciousness she had regained, let a laugh burst forth. The guilt had not lifted, but it was a feeling that had grown even a little lighter. Soo-a, lying as she was, nodded. Ji-young: It is no one's fault. So — tomorrow, please just hold the house well. Soo-a, who had taken a deep wound right beside her heart, nodded faintly.

Ji-young tucked the blanket a little more snugly over the small-statured Soo-a, and only then, as if relieved, slowly rose from her seat. As Ji-young was about to leave, Soo-a held her hand and spoke. Soo-a: Be careful. Inside Yu-seok Oppa, there was something else. Ji-young, having heard Soo-a's warning, let out a small sigh and nodded. Ji-young: Rather than worrying about me, look after your wounded body first. And, of course — from now on, do not get hurt, ever again. That is why I am in this seat.

Ji-young, having thought something over for a moment, twitched the corners of her mouth as if she were going to drop a banter. Ji-young: Besides — when was any of this ever easy. For any of us.