Chapter one
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Now,
you are probably wondering who I am, right? That goes for the same thing for me too, asking, Who am I exactly? How did I, of all people, get to the top of the FBI network, or the KCIA, (Korean National Intelligence Agency) as the Koreans call it. With my sarcastic personalityand top employment? Still figuring out my life twenty years later? To tell you the truth… I don’t know. I’m just a twenty-six-year-old man in Korean age, whose job is to fight criminals, that’s what Special Agents in my country are exactly. Well, kind of. They fight crime. Or at least I do.
I’m right now watching the last of this awesome American comedy horror movie on our flatscreen TV called American Psycho, in the moonlight from outside the window that’s shining in, which is ironic because I don’t exactly live in America; I live in South Korea, where all the magic happens I guess. Plus you get to eat hangover stew all day, their most prized dish of all in my opinion. I’m eating it right now in my hand-made bowl Chu made for me. Handcrafted, I tell you. He’s a genius.
Patrick is just about to say, “This confession has meant nothing”, which is my favorite part because it gives you a sort of hell-yeah-this-movie-was-awesome-when-is-there-gonna-be-a-second-one feeling, when my roommate, Kuk, interrupts my movie time, stepping out of my bedroom and onto the brown wooden floor that’s right next to our white front door, same as the TV and ugly mustard yellow couch I’m sitting on.
Oh wait, there is a second one… My bad.
Anyway. Kuk Sung-Hyo, or Sung-Hyo Kuk, my best friend since middle school; and has been ever since. He’s got dirty-blond hair and a dazzling charming smile he puts on almost every time, even when he’s arguing. Dirty-blond tan-ish hair on top of his soft light white skin, that’s short, recently cut above his slumped shoulders. He’s right now wearing a black and white button-down suit with a tie that wraps around his neck loosely, white color on the wrap-around, and this dark red-orange color that I can’t explain well on the two fabrics that split a little, into two separate things, resting on his white shirt that pokes out under his suit, all in his slim body.
He usually just wears a T-shirt and black jeans.
His precious teal eyes, and as same as mine, are curved in our Korean style. But right now, oomph, damn he looks sexy. I’m not gay though, don’t even go there. Kuk just looks rather nice tonight, is all I’m saying, in that suit he’s wearing, and all I’m wearing is a gray shirt and sweatpants. And he works in the KCIA with me; at the same job. He just started recently, so he’s not quite there yet at the moves, but he’s getting there.
“Tan, do you have any towels?”
I sigh, rolling my eyes, keeping my eyes on the movie. “Yes, Kuk, we have some in that closet. Our apartment ain’t that big, you should know because I’ve told you about a million times where they are,”
Yes, Kuk and I live in a small, duplex apartment, don’t judge. It’s just because we aren’t those “oh-I’m-rich-so-I’m-gonna-buy-the-most-expensive-house-on-the-lot”, no. We are savers of our money we own. Even though I’m literally the biggest FBI or KCIA agent on my team and the most experienced of all, no offense. I’ve been working on this gig for five years now? I can’t be the one complaining about spending money when I’m the one at the top who gets it everyday; big paychecks. I don’t really know what to get with the money I have though. Maybe a… new… hm, something.
I don’t know.
But you’re also probably wondering why I’m speaking English, and not Korean. Truth is, I don’t really like how I speak in Korean. I know it sounds weird, since I’m obviously fluent in Korean. I just came to learning English because it sounds good, I don’t know, but the ladies do know how to flirt when they hear the words roll off my tongue when I speak. And also I came to learning it—speaking it too—because, oh I don’t know, it just is interesting to learn, like how English-speakers come to learning Spanish. I— I guess…
Kuk and my other friends must've, not to use “I guess” again, taken the same route as me, the English-speaking thing. Everyone in my workplace and everyone obviously is going to speak Korean, so I’m just gonna translate it into English for you. You’re welcome. To be honest, I don’t know why I’d haven’t just moved to America already. Hm, I haven’t been there yet. But Sam did, well obviously, since she was literally born there.
Ugh…
Sorry, I’m rambling again. I’m out of breath. I always do this. I don’t know why, my brain is just on its own train and it’s going to the wrong stupid train station to pick up some ridiculous thoughts for me sometimes.
Let me take a breath here for a second from all this talking…
And… inhale… Blow it out…
Okay, ready.
So, with that, let’s get back on track here.
I get up from the comfy couch and shuffle over to Kuk, and turn off the movie, since it’s already done, setting down my bowl of food on the dark brown marble nightstand in front of me, leaning against the wall. Right next to the table-slash-wall, it’s a hallway that leads over to my bedroom. Kuk’s bedroom is upstairs. Most people call people in South Korea by their last name, first name. It’s weird to me, in my opinion, so I just call my buddies by their first—but only friends of course. Not coworkers or anyone else.
I do things differently around here I guess you can say; kind of American style. I guess you can say I am American at this point. But I’m not, so forget it. I already did explain it.
“So, why’re you in that suit?” I say, glancing at Kuk, eyeing him up and down, eyebrow raised.
“Uh. I don’t know. Just wanted to wear this suit?”
“At night? Okay. Well, it looks nice.”
“You sayin’ I’m not good enough for you at any other day; good-looking with my hair? Ha, I’m just kidding! Thanks.”
I chuckle. He doesn’t say anything else except for his perfect smile.
He and I were the first friends we had back in middle school, I was sorta quiet, to be honest. He came over to me at lunch when I was sitting by myself and asked if I wanted to sit with him.
Then some other kids, Samuel and Chu, came over and then after that we just sorta bonded, like grapes on a vine. And now, here we are, together still. Most people don’t have that connection like us; sticking together. I feel a sense of hope for those people.
I start, trying not to make the situation awkward like I always do, the quiet man I am. “So, why were you in my bedr—”
The doorbell rings then, interrupting what I was going to say.
“Tan, what’s that?” Kuk says, his voice skeptical.
I grin, wide and big, licking my stew that I had leftover on my lips away, clapping my hands together once and rubbing them together. All in one motion. “It’s the food I ordered.” My smile is wider than the whole Earth here and I’m not even embarrassed.
Kuk’s eyebrows rise up. “More food? You ordered more foo—”
“Relax, I’m hungry, okay?” I walk over to the white door and open it, looking down, and smile. I see my lovely dinner—kimchi—at our doorstep. I grab the styrofoam box and carry it inside, seeing Kuk’s face scrunched up, mean-looking. I close the door on the almost-black sky with beautiful shining stars outside.
“What? At least it’s healthy,”
“But you just ate food, Du-Ho! You just ate a whole bowl of—”
I roll my eyes. “Still hungry, I told you.”
“But—”
“Quiet. Go to bed.”
Kuk’s eyebrows rise up more, but he sighs instead of not saying anything. He walks up to his room, then says, I bet also rolling his eyes meanwhile while climbing, “Don’t whine when you get a stomachache, Tan.”
Humph, I don’t care.
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***
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The next day, I wake up to a shiny sky; the sun out in this June weather. I always love it when the sky’s like this in Bansu, Seoul, hot and sunny, but I hate the shivering cold in December. And it’s also blazing hot, too, today.
I’m still in my clothings from yesterday; my sweatpants and stuff.
I climb out of bed, rubbing my eyes and look at the clock. Seven-thirty-am. Nine hours ahead from the rest of the world, so ha, take that world.
Heheh…
I stumble to the kitchen to get a cup of tea and once I’m done with the tea I put it back in the sink… for Kuk to deal with, along with my stew dish I had last night. (What, can’t I be lazy?) Truth is, I don’t really care.
I go back to my room and pull out my fancy suit, black and white on the inside and out for my job. Just like Kuk’s wearing last night, that he got for fifteen won, but minus the collar thing.
I don’t really know why I have to wear this all the time, since it’s scorching hot, my mission today is just filing papers. Especially since it’s a Saturday and that’s my sleep-in time. But no, Kye said to come in today for all of us for some reason.
Sighing, because I have to go to work, of course again, I go to the front door and open it, (I heard the doorbell ring earlier) then to my surprise…
I find a letter resting on the welcome mat, which says “Welcome!” in my language; Korean, of course.
I make a confused face because I never get letters. Okay, that’s not true, I lied. I do.
I close the rusty door and stand in front of it, my gray shoes now on the fluffy pink rug inside.
It’s probably just one of those checks. I sigh for the fifth time and decide to open it later, checking my watch. Shoot, I’m gonna be late for work, I thought I was on time! I head out the door, grabbing my gun, slipping it into the pocket of my pants, yelling, “Kuk, I’m going to work!” to Kuk, which he’s usually sleeping until nine, so he doesn’t answer usually. He has to get on his mission today at ten-am while me seven-fifty. And it’s a thirty-minute drive to the thing.
I’m definitely going to be late.
I honestly don’t know why Boss Kye has to assign him a later time, when me and him are working together. Maybe because he’s new, but that doesn’t excuse it.
I head out to my car in the parking garage, keys in my hand, and open the drivers’ seat, sitting in the leather chair and behind the matching gray steering wheel. There’s all different colored and kinds of cars around me, this parking garage is packed. As it always is.
It’s time to go on my “mission”, I guess. Well it’s just filing out papers like I said. But something tells me I should’ve opened that letter…
Ah, what the heck. Like I said, it’s probably just some dumb, stupid check for the rent. But I could easily pay for it, not to brag or anything.
I put my black Kia Sedona car in drive, stupid BTSplaying when I start it up (like why are they playing BTSall the time on the radio? Ugh, I’m so sick of it) and back out of the big garage, heading to Rocky Agency. Don’t ask me why it’s called that. I swipe my almost-looking-black dark brown hair out of my face. I usually have a hat that Chu made for me but somehow it’s not anywhere. It fit perfectly on my head to wave away all the strings of my hair.
Now my hair just looks messy without it tucked in.
Oh, my stomach is pounding right now with a stupid ache; must be the stew I had.
Kuk was right about the stomach ache thing…
Damn him always being right.
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Chapter two
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“Du-Ho, why’re you late?” my boss shouts at me. Boss Kye always is a rotten boss, always stuck-up.
I smile nervously. “Traffic and slept in?” I should’ve woke up earlier. I wasn’t lying, there was traffic today, making me literally ten minutes more late.
My stomach is still hurting—well, not really hurting, just… like, urging me to do something I guess. Like I have to do something now, or else it’s gonna explode.
“Slept in?”
I nod. If he’s gonna yell at me, I swear I’m gonna yell at him this time. He’s always such a jerk to everyone. For no reason too!
Instead, he turns calm and smiles, which is a weird thing for him to do, and makes me a little anxious.
“Ah, well I’ll let this one slide. How’s your boy Sung-Hyo doing? Where’s he?” He’s talking about Kuk, obviously.
“Um…” I actually wonder why he’s not at work yet; he’s supposed to be here two hours ago. “I don’t know actually. He’s usually here now.” At least on normal days we’re here, I want to add.
Boss Kye shrugs. “Well, I hope he isn’t sick. We’ll get someone else to do it with ya. Uh…”—he looks around for a second, searching for someone to replace his mission with me—“Nan, you’ll take Kuk’s place. You’ll just fill out files with Tan here on the murders that’ve been happening recently. He’s very nice and…”
Boss Kye never acts like this; and it’s so strange to all of us. All of us are looking at each other like he’s really the serial killer on last night’s report we just got. He’s just a big guy, weight, and has a mean look on his face when you walk into the door, ordering you to get to work before you even put your things down.
Not today.
His head is round and he doesn’t have a neck because he’s… well… you know. His broad figure is about bold, in a Patrick Bateman outfit suit that looks too tight for his heaviness and shortness, but compared to my six-foot-one height I gradually win at his “who’s taller” contest.
He slicks back his black hair and turns to the girl that walks up to him, taking the papers from his hand.
The girl, Nan, walks away. I don’t really talk to her, but I heard she’s got a mean taste, and I mean everyone in this scope dislikes her. So I better not make anything awkward. Tall, skinny figure, with blonde hair on her round head, that is updo in a ponytail, with a woman’s suit, green, and baggy business pants, and way too high yellow high heels slapping against the tile floor. I swear, I bet she wants to quit this job already and be a model soon.
Boss Kye turns to me with a smile again, which ultimately makes me cringe, and says, “You’ll be working with Nan for now. I hope your friend is okay.”
I nod. As he walks away, which he shifts his feet to one another as he walks, I check my watch again.
It’s eleven-oh-nine. Where the heck is Kuk? I pull out my phone and walk into my office as I duck my head under the short doorframe. It’s only short because I’m so much taller than it, I like to say.
I sit down at my office chair, tapping on my buddy’s contact and my phone rings as well as vibrates, and it calls. And dials…
And dials…
And dials…
And dials…
Until…
Damn it. Voicemail.
I sigh and roll my eyes. Stupid Kuk, come on! Just pick up! I think. I puff out some air in anger. Probably sleeping, probably… probably doing anything right now!
Whatever, I’m getting all worked up about this. But something…
No. Stop it, me. He’s fine, I promise. He’s fine, he’s fine, he’s fine, he’s fine. He’s. Fine.
I put my phone in my pocket and tap my fingers on the desk for a minute, without noticing, spacing out.
Just then a co-worker, Angela, steps in, looking distant and worried. “Du-Ho, come now!”
I wonder what it is as she leads me into the computer office, where all of the tech guys are, and points at a computer monitor. I squint at the monitor and… oh my gosh. Oh my gosh!
I read the article that’s on the screen, reading the headline, 30 MILLION WON DIAMOND STOLEN FROM BLACKHOST MUSEUM, SUSPECT UNKNOWN.
I gasp. I look at Angela, with her red hair, which she’s as shocked as I am. Thirty-million won diamond?! That’s twenty-five thousand dollars in US bills! Not that that matters… Holy heck, man! The museum’s not far away from here, I bet we can catch the guy still… If we just get there in—
“Du-Ho?”
I snap out of my thoughts. “Sorry, yeah?”
“What should we do?” Her voice is panicked as her green eyes gleam at me. Why did she come to me anyway? Maybe because I’m closer to the main office, where the boss works, or high in business? My black, short-cut hair like Kuk’s is impressing her? Yeah, maybe the first one…
I shrug to her response. “We should tell Boss Kye,” I mean, obviously!
“Right, of course, Du-Ho.” She walks off to tell Boss Kye the news. I still have a knot in my stomach.
I roll my eyes at it and sigh. Now I have two things to worry about; Kuk—maybe—and a stolen diamond. I remember I have to work with Nan on the files for the murder trials that were held last week. Those guys sure have it coming with this evidence, as in video stuff.
One man murdered his fiancé with an axe to the head and back two weeks ago.
A lady stabbed her three-month-old baby with a kitchen knife because she couldn’t take the crying. She was on drugs.
A robbery was detected at the Roach Banks.
Sad stories indeed. It reminds me of the Lee Choon-Jae incident back in 1994, minus all the woman murdered.
Right when I start walking to meet Nan, Nan walks into the office. “Du-Ho, stop stalling and help me here!”
I smile, and say, “Sorry, Angela had to show me something. I’ll tell you later.”
She rolls her eyes. “Just hurry up and let’s get this over with. I wanna be done early.”
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***
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I get home around twelve-pm, because our work gets off early today (at least there’s that). I sigh and wipe the sweat off my face. The sun is beating down hard today, and I’ve had a long day at work; no thanks to Nan being all snarly. And my suit.
My car is back in the parking garage, the black Kia in the far spot at the entrance to the apartment.
But finally, the day is over almost and I can finally—
Wait. The letter! I drop my bags onto the tile and rush over to the kitchen counter, picking up the letter. I’ve been waiting all day, my stomach going haywire to get home! But before I open the letter, I yell, “Kuk, I’m home, you here?” I yell it in Korean too, just in case he forgot to speak English already. “Kuk?!”
Seconds pass. No answer.
I pass the letter onto the counter and run upstairs. Because he probably just slept in and was late for work. Yeah, that’s it. He’s just got headphones on now and listening to music… right? Oh, God, please let that be the answer!
I go into his room and pause. I look around. “Kuk?” I check his bed, closet, those two because they are the only places I can check in the empty room. No one is in here. His gun is on the bed and there’s a bullet hole in the wall next to the window. Maybe a misfire or his gun was jacked up?
But he never leaves anywhere without his gun, why would it be laying on his bed? I panic and run back downstairs, pick up the letter and rip it open. No time to waste, Tan! It’s obvious Kuk isn’t here. Maybe at the store I hope?
I open the folded paper, which says Tan Spiké Du-Ho, my full name on the front before I open it vertically. I’m shook at what I read on the paper. It’s in Korean but I’ll translate it for you all.
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Du-Ho,
You’re probably wondering if this is a bill for your apartment.
It’s not.
It’s much more sad and depressing, it is. Your friend is kidnapped. You know who kidnapped him?
Me.
Why? Well, that’s for you to decide. I don’t wanna take your precious time away here, so let’s just get on to it. Your friend is taken at… well, I’ll just have clues for you.
He could be anywhere…
I’ve also stolen the mystery diamond from that museum, so good luck. You probably heard about it already.
Rules for this “game”:
-You can’t tell anyone about this; that your sweet Kuk has been taken, or I’ll do some real damage to you and him. And the diamond.
-You can tell two people of friends or not to help you on this mission, but you must promise to let them know that to not tell anyone either, or the same consequences will be made.
-And don’t be suspicious. But I can’t really control that, can I?
So, I wish you the best, because you’ll only have a week to complete this, or your lovely friend here’ll be my dinner in a week.
Timer starts on 6/3/2019.
Good luck.
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Sincerely,
A Puzzled Psych
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My stomach is churning even more. The date was yesterday. I now know why I needed to open this letter. I cry inside, wanting to scream. Kuk has been kidnapped. Kuk has been kidnapped, I think and think.
Was it my fault he was taken just because I told him to go to bed last night? I should’ve been nicer to him. Was it my fault I didn’t think to check on him in the night, even though I was dead asleep? No, because I was dead asleep! Damn it.
All these thoughts that I could've done to save him from this keep flooding my mind. It doesn’t matter now. My stomach is hurting and I just have to focus on finding him and keep him alive as I re-read this paper letter with this cursive red text in my hand. It’s written so neat, and it’s obvious the person hasn’t used a computer like now with the technology we have today. The old fashioned way.
But… why? Why would somebody kidnap Kuk, my beloved friend, high-in-price? It doesn’t say on the letter, I guess I would have to find out myself then.
The person said I could bring two of my friends, or people, but why would I bring two random strangers with me?
Whatever. I just need to think of two friends to tell about this; because I can’t do this by myself. I don’t even know who this guy, or girl, is!
I think. And then I gasp at what my brain thought for me. Of course her! Of course him!
I pick up my phone and call my other two best friends.
The ringer rings as I put it up to my ear, my hand on the gun in my belt I hadn’t taken out of yet.
“Hello?” my familiar friend says.
“Hi, Sam, um, I need your help on something.” I say, swallowing a big bulge of fear in my throat.
“Yes? What is it?”
Samuel Codas, my best friend. I’ve known her since middle school, same as Kuk. She’s American, but moved here to enjoy the scenery, like, since she was three I’m guessing. She’s not sure either. Her hair’s a beautiful blonde hair, and a nasty look on her face; but although, she’s really sweet once you get to know her.
A purple jacket and same matching crop top and glasses she always wears when she’s out; resting on her nose like a librarian; black leggings on. Underwear…—I’m just kidding at that part. But of course she has underwear on, at least I think.
Ew, sorry about the last part.
But yeah, she’s a trouper. Sam doesn’t lead in our job, but she’s supportive and she also has some moves with her, that I taught her of course. I bought her a sword too, just in case. A year ago.
“Uh, soooo,” I long out.
“What is it?” I can hear the pissed-off voice she always has.
“Kuk’s been kidnapped.”
I even find it hard to believe it when I hear her gasp and she asks if I’m sure. I nod, and I tell her that I got a letter in the mail yesterday and what are the rules apparently.
“You said they… stole the diamond, the one from the BlackHost Museum, that one?”
“Yeah. It’s all over the news. It’s a big diamond, only two-hundred pounds.” It was true, the guy must’ve taken a wagon to carry that thing.
“I know.”
There’s a long pause as we both probably had dread in our stomachs, or at least I am.
“Meet me at my place so we can discuss this?” I ask. “I can call Chu, too.”
Samuel sighs. “Yeah, that’d be great. See you there in a min.,”
We hang up.
Well, time to deal with another disaster now.
Chapter three
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Chu and Sam come in no time to my apartment. To be honest, I’m surprised at how they are dressed up, in suits and all, like me, but then again, maybe they were just getting home from work like I’m. Samuel works in her own business.
Chu Sung, with his eyes stained vylet, with dark blood pupils, looks at me with worry as Samuel does too, and also maybe confusion, as we’re all sitting on my yellow couch. I had just told them about the Kuk and the letter incident again. I guess Sam already told him maybe but I explained it again.
Chu is slim, and again, I met at middle school, and he’s only two years older than me. I forgot to mention I think Sam’s one year younger… than me. Um…
Sorry, where am I going with this? Oh right, the incident. Of course. Sometimes my brain is stupid.
“Tan?” I guess I even forgot that my friends were even talking just now….
I look at Chu as he brushes his navy-blue dyed hair out of his pale face with his hat on top of his head. His bucket hat that I gave to him, that really suits him well with the rag-looking brown jacket under his light blue shirt, with a light brown glove on his left hand like he’s ready for war already, his pants that go down to his knees, dark gray. The hat, I gave to him on Valentine's Day last year, for a gift of course. His eyes, so deep with heart and love, caring, a light purple color. The way I can describe Chu is he was like me as a little kid, shy, but kind, and stands up for his friends when in need. Kind of like me still in a way now, but I’m just too paranoid about everything while Chu likes to smile the fear away, not letting anyone or anything get in his way, ever.
I just like to hide all the time.
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