Passion Novel - Volume 3 - Chapter 83 - End Vol 3

However, the door did not close even after a long wait. After waiting for a long time, counting from one to ten, and then to twenty, and still the door didn’t close, Jeong Taeui quietly sighed. It seemed that on this floor, the door would only close if the ‘close’ button was pressed. His finger lingered on the button for a moment. Jeong Taeui looked up at the ceiling. The elevator’s white fluorescent lights shone brightly. When he lowered his head, the wall still blocked his view like a partition in front of the elevator.

“There’s nothing good to know. I know. I know.”

Jeong Taeui muttered to no one in particular. On the other hand, he wondered. Perhaps the entire floor inside was decorated like one giant house, where the Director General lived leisurely. Although nearly a hundred members shared the sixth basement floor, no one would criticize the Director General for using an entire floor by himself.

Thinking such thoughts, Jeong Taeui sighed.

He didn’t actually think that would be the case. It was clear that this place was forbidden to ordinary people—and of course, to ordinary members as well. It was also clear that such a place would have its own reasons. But Jeong Taeui got off. Looking back later, he couldn’t understand why he had gotten off. If he hadn’t gotten off, at least the same safety as before would have been guaranteed, but if he did, he didn’t know what lay ahead. Jeong Taeui disliked such uncertain and unstable gambles.

Nevertheless, he must have gotten off because of the box contained within human instinct.

A few seconds after Jeong Taeui got off, the elevator door closed. He thought it was a waste to use an elevator designed to recognize weight for only two points, but that thought didn’t last long.

Jeong Taeui stopped, seeing the sight before him.

They had said it was 2,000 pyeong. The entire floor of that size was open. The opposite wall was visible in the distance. And in the vast space between that wall and the wall behind Jeong Taeui, large and small container boxes were regularly arranged. It was a large warehouse.

“Oh, dear… how can it reek so suspiciously at first glance…?”

Jeong Taeui murmured, like a sigh. And slowly, he approached the iron shelves where the containers were stored. The iron shelves reached the ceiling, which was about the height of a two-story building. The massive iron pillars, almost too heavy to be called iron shelves, were fixed to the floor and ceiling, supporting the tightly connected iron mesh in between. And on that mesh, container boxes were lined up.

The containers were varied. From ones as small as a drawer to ones as large as a small temporary building, they were neatly organized by size. The materials were also divided into wood and iron. The only commonality was perhaps that there were no markings on the outside.

“This isn’t good… Should I have just gone back up after all?”

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue. But the moment he stepped out of the elevator, it was as if he had given up on returning.

Thump, his footsteps echoed unusually loudly. The hard asphalt floor didn’t absorb the sound. Even though it was a full space and there was no reason for the sound to echo loudly, perhaps because he wasn’t confident or because he was alone, his own footsteps grated on his ears. Jeong Taeui approached a small container a few steps ahead. And he tapped its lid with his knuckles. He expected to hear something inside, but there was no response. He tried pushing the container with his fingertips, but it didn’t budge. When he put his whole body into it and pushed lightly, it only wobbled a little.

The box on the bottom shelf was nailed shut. But the one directly above it, the same size and shape, had a lid that was covered but not fixed. Jeong Taeui looked at the box for a moment, then placed his hand on the lid. And he quietly pushed.

The heavy lid resisted for a moment, as if wanting to stay in place, but then slowly slid sideways. The contents of the box came into view.

“……”

Damn it.

Jeong Taeui swallowed the nausea that involuntarily rose. No, words failed him.

He stared into the box for a moment, then closed the lid again. And then he opened the box next to it. The same thing was inside. He went a little deeper. The boxes here were about twice the size of the previous ones. Most of the lids of these larger boxes were nailed shut and couldn’t be opened. After looking around the nearby iron shelves for a while, he finally found one open box. Jeong Taeui didn’t hesitate this time and opened the box. Although he never wanted to, it contained exactly what he had expected.

“……This is getting worse and worse.”

Jeong Taeui moved on. He didn’t even close the lid of the box. Anyway, there were undoubtedly surveillance cameras installed all over this warehouse. It was impossible to leave no trace the moment he entered this place. When that thought occurred to him, he even felt a sense of ease.

He walked straight to the innermost part of the warehouse. Occasionally, as if remembering, he would open the lids of boxes to check their contents. Where Jeong Taeui stopped, there was a container the size of a room. It was the deepest part of the warehouse. This container, perhaps because of its size or for some other reason, was not closed. Like one wall of a temporary building had been torn off, one side of the container was completely open.

And inside, all alone, lay a mass of iron so heavy that it would be difficult for several strong men to even lift.

Jeong Taeui stared blankly at the container for a long time, as if mesmerized. To be precise, at the jet-black, gleaming mass of iron inside. The smooth curves, both sharp and gentle, made it seem as if this iron object could take flight at any moment.

“……Ha.”

How long had he been like that? Eventually, a short, hollow laugh escaped Jeong Taeui’s lips. His gaze was still fixed inside.

“Honestly… I’m going crazy…”

Jeong Taeui scratched his head, smiling foolishly. He couldn’t help it; he didn’t know what else to do. Thoughts swirled chaotically in his mind.

“Honestly, I’m the one who’s going crazy. How did I even end up here?”

When a troubled voice came from over his shoulder, Jeong Taeui turned without showing any surprise. There was no reason to be surprised, as footsteps had been approaching for a while. The voice, which had walked without trying to muffle its footsteps, stopped about ten steps away from Jeong Taeui.

“I thought you’d at least come by lunchtime, but you arrived earlier than I expected. Did you take a jet?” 

“I was already at the airport when we talked. They said there was an unfortunate incident at the branch, so I immediately wrapped up training and everything else and was called in.”

Jeong Taeui asked casually, and his uncle replied just as casually. He took another step closer, then directed his gaze to the container Jeong Taeui had been looking at moments before. He tilted his head slightly, as if admiring a sculpture, and after a while, he murmured nonchalantly.

“Beautiful fuselage, isn’t it?” 

“Yes. The most beautiful bomb I’ve ever seen.”

Jeong Taeui whispered, as if admiring or perhaps regretting. A weary sigh tinged his exhausted voice.

“This is the last thing Jaeui made.”

His uncle walked slowly, thump, thump, towards the massive fuselage. He stopped in front of it and stroked the jet-black iron with his palm. Jeong Taeui gazed at his uncle and the iron object, then quietly murmured.

“Did hyung make the things in the other containers too?”

His uncle silently ran his fingers over the jet-black sheen for a moment, then tilted his head ambiguously.

“Some of them. But most are not. They’re just generally sold goods.” 

“Goods, you say…? From UNHRDO?” 

“To be precise, they should be called joint products. And if half are goods, then perhaps the other half should be called donations.”

His uncle said calmly. He slid his fingers over the iron as if regretfully, then turned around with an indifferent expression. Their eyes met.

Jeong Taeui rubbed his forehead. A weak laugh escaped him. There was nothing else he could do but laugh.

“This is like, adding insult to injury in a mountain range… Goods and donations.”

Jeong Taeui muttered bitterly. His uncle said no more. But Jeong Taeui wasn’t foolish enough not to understand the meaning, nor was he so lacking in perceptiveness.

“Is the UNHRDO headquarters in the US?”

Jeong Taeui asked as if to himself. His uncle raised an eyebrow instead of answering. Jeong Taeui let out a short laugh.

“Are they secretly selling weapons to Iran again to arm rebel groups against other countries’ communist regimes?”

When Jeong Taeui made the weak joke, his uncle smiled faintly.

“UNHRDO is not an organization affiliated with the United States. While it’s heavily influenced, it’s a place where six countries share power equally.” 

“Indeed. An international organization where six countries equally… share power, you say. One for all, and all for one…?”

His uncle only laughed and didn’t answer. A little distance away, as his uncle walked over to the box Jeong Taeui had opened earlier and hadn’t closed, he said briefly.

“No comment beyond that.”

Jeong Taeui looked around. Containers were stacked from the floor to the ceiling. This entire warehouse was filled with containers, extending beyond what could be seen due to the containers themselves. And inside them, weapons lay dormant, ready to be used at any moment.

“Moler would go absolutely crazy if he saw this.”

Jeong Taeui mumbled a joke, trying to laugh. But no laughter came out. His strength drained, and he slumped to the floor. Amazing. He was definitely knocked out.

“To what extent is it a secret?”

When Jeong Taeui murmured, his uncle, while closing the lids of the boxes he had left open, briefly glanced at him.

“Among the people you might know, those above the line are within ten fingers. Among the Director General, Vice Director General, and instructors, only me and Rick. Other than that, Jaeui probably knows. Though he’s never said it directly.”

“……Aha.”

Jeong Taeui nodded. Nodding, nodding, his consciousness still felt like a dream, and he couldn’t properly grasp the situation, but his head kept nodding like a roly-poly toy.

Among the Director General, Vice Director General, and instructors, there were his uncle and Rick. And probably Jeong Jaeui.

Jeong Taeui briefly reconsidered that list. He could understand the Director General, Vice-Director General, and the developer. However, the reason for specifically naming only two instructors didn’t immediately come to mind. But he didn’t need to think for long. The reason for their involvement was soon easily guessed.

Indeed, that’s how it is. Now I understand Ilay’s strange privilege. Indeed, this is why Uncle was ‘a necessary person for UNHRDO.’ Jeong Taeui suddenly let out a small laugh. Starting with that, the laughter that he couldn’t manage to produce before now flowed out uncontrollably. A low, dry laugh continued for a long time.

At this point, all he could do was laugh.

United Nations Human Resources Development Organization.

Who would believe that this international organization, which everyone wanted to join, was secretly leading the way in committing illegal acts? If this were exposed, it would be the scoop of a lifetime. Of course, before it could be exposed, he would disappear without a trace, or it would be quietly suppressed before a single letter could be published on Earth. This was nothing compared to McKinsey.

“What are we supposed to do when an international organization violates international treaties? …No, perhaps it was established for this very purpose in the first place… Aha. Come to think of it, wasn’t the Asia branch the most recently established among UNHRDO branches?” 

“Taeui.”

Jeong Taeui, who had been muttering with a hollow laugh, fell silent. His uncle, who had cut him off and called his name, was silent for a moment, then shook his head in a troubled manner, forcing a difficult smile.

“What you imagine in your head and what you say out loud are very different matters. Imagination can turn into reality.”

This time, Jeong Taeui fell silent. Not foolish enough to misunderstand his uncle’s warning, he sat on the floor, silently staring at his feet, then let out another long, silent sigh.

It was truly a terrible feeling. This was the first time he felt so foolish. Jeong Taeui had, without realizing it, become a clown, dancing and singing in a place unknown to himself.

“What about hyung?”

Jeong Taeui asked abruptly. But his uncle, who seemed to know everything, slowly shook his head.

“I don’t know. I’ve searched everywhere, but I haven’t found a single clue yet.”

Jeong Taeui buried his face in his knees. His exhausted, limp body couldn’t move. It felt like he could turn into a fossil right there and it wouldn’t be strange.

What a ridiculous sight. Jeong Taeui thought to himself, mocking himself. He wasn’t particularly more moral or conscientious than others. He wasn’t a dreamy, naive young man who saw the world so purely. Whenever he heard about some corruption breaking out somewhere in the world, he would just pass it off as ‘that’s how people live.’ Perhaps even now, if he weren’t so exhausted, he might have gotten angry or scolded someone, then turned his head away, pretending not to know.

But now he was so exhausted that he felt like he would collapse if someone just blew a breath on him. The very fact of his presence here weighed him down like hundreds of tons of iron. And there was no need to mention that he was directly or indirectly involved in the system of this place.

“Even if Jaeui had been with you when I went to your house, I would have brought you instead of Jae-ui. From the beginning, I thought you were the one to ask for help, and I went to get you.”

Clack, the sound of shoes took a step closer. Another step closer.

“You certainly have skill, and you’re smart. Even if your surroundings operate independently of your efforts, that’s not your fault. At least in this environment, you were outstanding enough to be in this environment.”

“Uncle… that’s sophistry.”

Jeong Taeui said with a weak laugh. If his being in this situation was due to his personality or some trivial, perhaps non-existent talent, rather than his bad luck, then he was happy to discard such things. Jeong Taeui lifted his head from his knees. His uncle stood a couple of steps away, looking down at him. He would never apologize or make excuses to him.

“Uncle. I’m going back now.”

Jeong Taeui said. His uncle thought for a moment, then placed a hand on his knee and bent down. His uncle’s face approached Jeong Taeui’s head, as if checking on a small child.

“You could rise to any position you want here, too.” 

“Thank you for thinking so highly of me, Uncle. But I don’t want any position here.”

Jeong Taeui let out a small laugh.

A desired position, huh. How high could he go? An instructor position like that crazy guy who gets away with hitting people, or this sly uncle in front of him? A vice-director position, caught up in power struggles and factions? Or a Director General, wearing a respectable facade while contributing to killings happening somewhere in the world?

There was no position for Jeong Taeui to climb to anywhere.

“I’m tired.” 

“……” 

“I want to go home and sleep for about a week without thinking about anything. The bed here is so uncomfortable that I can’t get a deep sleep.”

Jeong Taeui muttered bitterly. His uncle gazed at him, weakly angry. Then, suddenly, playfully, as if joking, he spoke the truth.

“For a while, your home won’t be a very comfortable place to sleep either. Unwanted guests might come and go. This time, it won’t be Jaeui they’re looking for, but you, Taeui.” 

“What is that…?”

Jeong Taeui murmured earnestly, burying his face in his knees again. Yes, that might be true. No, his uncle’s words had never been wrong, so it was probably true nine times out of ten. Anyway, Jeong Taeui was involved in the unfortunate incident of the vice-director. There was no telling who might come looking for him, or for what purpose.

His peaceful home was gone. His heart had already left this place. So where should he go? He had nowhere to go.

“I’ve become homeless in an instant… Uncle, that’s too much.”

Jeong Taeui mumbled with his face still buried in his knees. He didn’t know if his uncle heard him properly. His uncle remained silent, looking at Jeong Taeui for a long time.

“……Taeui. When you first came here, we agreed on half a year, didn’t we?” 

“There’s not much time left anyway.”

Jeong Taeui replied sulkily, perhaps fearing that he would be told to complete the half-year. Even if he were told to complete the half-year, Jeong Taeui intended to leave. He didn’t want to be here anymore. His promise with his uncle couldn’t bind him.

“Then for the remaining period, work for me somewhere else, not here.”

His uncle’s serious voice fell from above. Jeong Taeui was silent for a moment, giving no answer.

How long had it been like that? Quite some time had passed, but his uncle patiently waited for Jeong Taeui’s answer. Eventually, Jeong Taeui slowly raised his head, then whispered like a sigh, looking at his uncle with tired eyes.

“Uncle. …You’re really shameless.”

His uncle laughed. Seeing his uncle’s eyes soften for the first time today, Jeong Taeui sighed.

“Uncle. I have no idea where hyung is. How can I find someone that even all the information networks everywhere couldn’t locate?”

When Jeong Taeui spoke, his uncle subtly raised an eyebrow. Then he burst out laughing. As if he had been unexpectedly hit, his uncle let out a low laugh, and without stopping, he stroked Jeong Taeui’s head. His nephew was even more intelligent and intuitive than his uncle had thought. He knew how to pinpoint the core with surprising accuracy, even with only a few clues.

“I don’t expect results. The process is enough. Until the given time runs out, you can remain as a special member of UNHRDO, and of course, you can claim all expenses incurred. Even money thrown to a passing beggar. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

His uncle gently cupped Jeong Taeui’s cheek with his palm and stroked it, as if talking to a very young nephew, just as he had done when Jeong Taeui was very young. Jeong Taeui looked at his uncle obediently, like a child.

“One or two months. That should be enough for things to settle internally. Those who are to be demoted will be demoted, those who are to be transferred will be transferred, and that much will be enough to silence others. After that, go back home. I’ll visit occasionally, even if not as often as now.”

“You haven’t visited once in three years since Dad passed away, so what do you mean ‘occasionally, even if not as often as now’?”

Jeong Taeui, even in his exhausted state, didn’t let go of the part of his uncle’s words that bothered him. His uncle’s low laughter brushed past his ears.

Jeong Taeui quietly tilted his head, his uncle’s hand still on his cheek. All the strength had drained from his body, and he wanted to collapse and sleep right there. If he closed his eyes, he felt like he wouldn’t wake up for a hundred years.

“Alright. Let’s do that. Two months. I don’t think I can find hyung, but I’ll look for him. I want to see him too now.”

Jeong Taeui mumbled in a quiet, sleep-drunk voice. His uncle listened silently to that voice, which might have been hard to understand. Jeong Taeui was silent for a moment, then continued.

“But I don’t need the identity of a UNHRDO special member. The identity of Jeong Taeui would also be dangerous. Give me a new name. An identity no one knows, no one suspects—one that actually exists in this world. …Give me a name even Uncle can’t know.”

So that nothing of the traces he left here would remain. Leaving no clues to find the human named Jeong Taeui. With a new name that no one knew—not even his uncle could find out.

His uncle gazed at Jeong Taeui. His hand, which had been resting on his cheek, began to move again. The calm, generous strokes on his head felt pleasant.

“Alright. Let’s do that. I’ll create an identity for you with the name you want, the nationality you want, age, and personal details. Then, I’ll put that record in an envelope without looking at it and burn it. …But I’d be a little sad if you, too, disappeared without a trace like Jaeui.”

“I’ll contact you sometimes. Anyway, it’s under the pretext of finding hyung, so I have to report on the progress.”

Jeong Taeui chuckled and muttered. His uncle stroked him for a while longer, then slowly nodded.

“Alright. Then shall we get up now? It’s time to start the day again.”

Jeong Taeui took his uncle’s hand, which was offered as he stepped back. And he got up from where he had slumped. He felt like he would never be able to get up from there, but at any rate, he had to get up and walk now. If he just sat there, he would have to stay there forever.

Following a couple of steps behind his uncle, Jeong Taeui looked at the elevator standing in the distance. When that elevator went up and its doors opened again, that place would be outside. The outside, no longer the UNHRDO branch, was waiting beyond that door. Everything was tiresome now, and he was exhausted. Everything that bound the human named Jeong Taeui was too heavy. Now, he was ready to shed them and leave. He would leave and never return.

His uncle said that with time, he would be able to go back home. But Jeong Taeui had no attachment to that place. Even if he could never return there, it didn’t matter to his exhausted heart now. At this very moment, if only he could rest his tattered, exhausted heart, a future sanctuary didn’t matter at all.

The elevator approached. His uncle entered the open wooden door and waited for Jeong Taeui. The moment he stepped inside and came out again, Jeong Taeui would have to say goodbye to Jeong Taeui. He hesitated for a moment at the door. His uncle waited silently. But what was there to hesitate about now? There was nothing to hold him back.

Jeong Taeui quietly raised his hand and patted his chest. As if to soothe his tired heart. And to stay somewhere else, he took a step.

End of Volume 3. Continues in Volume 4.