“How is Ilay?”

[“How is he? What could possibly have happened to him? He didn’t even get caught. Instead, you should be asking what’s going on with UNHRDO and T&R. Yesterday morning, while I was still enjoying my sleep, I was woken up by a barrage of urgent news, and I couldn’t go back to sleep.”]

His uncle’s voice, filled with exhaustion, echoed through the room.

Jeong Taeui frowned.

The fact that all the personal information of a man named Ilay Riegrow had been widely broadcasted on various news channels meant that in the near future, UNHRDO and T&R would have to face many troubles due to the wrongdoings of one of their members (or a relative).

[“Kyle must be completely overwhelmed. Anyway, this has gone beyond what can be covered up. Even the people Rick mobilized are members of T&R’s old Mobile Unit, so they will probably face difficulties for a while.”]

[“He’s had to go through so much just because he has a brother like that.”]

His uncle’s voice carried a certain helplessness for Kyle.

Hearing that, Jeong Taeui also felt sympathetic towards James, who was in a similar situation working under him, but he didn’t dare say it out loud.

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue.

“I tried calling him earlier, but I couldn’t reach him.”

[“Calling Ilay? How did you try to reach him?”]

“I have his phone number, the one issued by UNHRDO.”

When Jeong Taeui spoke dejectedly, his uncle let out an ‘ah’ and laughed.

[“That number is no longer in use. Because aside from UNHRDO officers, that phone number isn’t issued to anyone else.”]

“What do you mean?”

[“Rick is no longer an officer at UNHRDO. He was dismissed today.”]

His uncle spoke nonchalantly, as if he were merely discussing what to have for dinner. Jeong Taeui was speechless, he only sighed and whispered, “I understand.”

Thinking back, it made sense. After all, UNHRDO couldn’t admit that their organization had a terrorist holding an important position. This was easy to predict.

Jeong Taeui scratched his head. Suddenly, his heart felt like it was going to explode in his chest. Damn it. Why did he do that? If he said it was because of him, Jeong Taeui would just want to yell at him and strangle him to death.

Jeong Taeui rubbed his chest, which was burning and hot to the point of making it hard to breathe. Now, the man named Ilay Riegrow was on the run. Until yesterday, he was a proud, arrogant, and domineering man, regardless of what he did, but at this moment, he had to flee from the pursuit of others. In the future, he wouldn’t be able to do anything anymore, as it would be very difficult for him to move freely and go anywhere.

“……..”

Jeong Taeui gritted his teeth. Suddenly, his throat felt hot. He wiped the sweat with his dry hand.

In the silence of Jeong Taeui, his uncle spoke up.

[“By the way, Jeong Taeui. You’ve been like this before, and now again……. You are indeed very brave.”]

His uncle was silent for a moment before concluding. Jeong Taeui murmured dejectedly.

“Didn’t you want to use a different word instead of brave?”

Then his uncle laughed.

[“No, not at all. Not like that. But alright, thinking about it, there might be a more fitting phrase. How should I describe such courageous actions, huh?.”]

[“It was a bold move.”]

Jeong Taeui grumbled: “Brave? I was completely useless, being taken hostage by Raumaan and unable to escape.”

[“Reig did that to find you, and he even went back to Seringe and destroyed Raumaan’s mansion. Meanwhile, you were hand in hand with Xinlu and ran away with him.”]

“Who said that?!”

Jeong Taeui unconsciously raised his voice and glanced at Jeong Jaeui, who was closest to him. Jeong Jaeui raised an eyebrow and waved his hand. Seeing this, Jeong Taeui nodded and added, “Alright, my brother isn’t the type to say such things.”

His uncle replied.

[“Rick didn’t do it alone, so……. Jeong Taeui. You have to be careful and live well. Do you know that you’ve turned Rick into a dog chasing a chicken on the roof?”]

(닭 쫓던 개로: A dog chasing a chicken on the roof/ a dog can’t fly, so it can only stand below and chase the chicken without being able to do anything. Ilay the dog sees Taeui the chicken fluttering in front of him but can’t catch him to eat 🤣)

The smile disappeared from his uncle’s voice. Jeong Taeui remained silent in a serious tone.

A dog chasing a chicken, huh.

Jeong Taeui laughed bitterly. Each heartbeat brought pain. Too many strange things had happened to him today. From his heart to the information he had heard.

Such words were not wrong, and Jeong Taeui had no choice but to remain silent.

[“This matter. You don’t have much time left to regret it……. Also, I have a few words to say to Jaeui.”]

Jeong Taeui looked at the clock when he heard his uncle speak. Considering the time difference, it wasn’t the meeting hour for the officers, so it seemed like things were in turmoil over there because of what Ilay had done.

Jeong Jaeui was reading the newspaper. Hearing his uncle, he responded briefly, “Yes.”

[“You, return to UNHRDO.”]

Jeong Jaeui was silent for a moment. Jeong Taeui looked at his brother without saying anything. His uncle continued.

[“Uncle, I can’t guarantee that this won’t happen again, and I can’t let Taeui go looking for you again. If, this time, you have any organization backing you – even if it’s not UNHRDO – finding you will be much easier. And if you’re a member of UNHRDO, it will be easier to talk to Raumaan.”]

Even if Jeong Jaeui did that, it wouldn’t help if he was imprisoned somewhere else by Raumaan. Jeong Jaeui pondered for a moment, then softly spoke.

“Uncle, I don’t want to conduct research as required by UNHRDO.”

[“Who said UNHRDO only deals with weapons?”]

His uncle replied as if he already knew the answer. Jeong Jaeui seemed to think for a moment and then nodded.

“Alright then, I’ll rely on you.”

“Okay. Then, go to UNHRDO early tomorrow. I have work today and tomorrow, so I’ll be back the day after. Also, there’s a branch of UNHRDO in Johannesburg, you can go there. Even though it’s just for a few days, it will be troublesome if something happens before I arrive.”

[“I will contact the Johannesburg branch and have them pick you up early tomorrow.”]

His uncle continued speaking.

Jeong Taeui, who had been silently listening, felt a bitter taste in his mouth.

“Uncle. But right now, we’re still being held by Xinlu…….”

His uncle laughed and spoke with a hint of mystery.

[“Xinlu won’t care where Jeong Jaeui is.”]

Jeong Taeui was at a loss for words.

Sometimes he wondered what his uncle knew and didn’t know. Clearly, as his uncle said, once Xinlu achieved his goal, he would no longer try to take anything from Jeong Jaeui.

Jeong Taeui fell into deep thought.

What Xinlu wanted.

Jeong Taeui might know what he wanted. But he wasn’t sure.

While Jeong Taeui was lost in thought, his uncle’s voice came through the phone, [“Alright, call me next time.”] as if it was almost time for the meeting.

[“……. Oh, Taeui.”]

Just before hanging up, his uncle suddenly called his name. Jeong Taeui raised an eyebrow at the sudden call and replied: “Yes, uncle”, but his uncle just remained silent. As if he wanted to say something but hesitated. After a long pause, his uncle finally spoke.

[“Nothing. Take care of yourself.”] and hung up.

Jeong Taeui stared blankly at the phone that had just been disconnected. Suddenly, he felt like he knew what his uncle was trying to say. Maybe his uncle was trying to convey something that couldn’t be expressed in words.

Jeong Taeui smiled and whispered to himself: “It’s alright, uncle.”

The call ended. The room fell into silence once again.

Jeong Taeui sat on the bed and looked at Jeong Jaeui, who was still engrossed in reading the newspaper. Jeong Taeui asked,

“Where did you get that newspaper? I tried to find one, but all the shops were closed, so I couldn’t get one.”

“The shopping center on the first floor of the hotel. They have all kinds of newspapers in various languages.”

“…….”

Jeong Taeui licked his lips bitterly. Yeah, thinking about it, there was no way a big hotel like this wouldn’t have newspapers, but he had stupidly fooled himself.

Jeong Taeui scratched his head and then asked again.

“Are you going to join UNHRDO?”

“Yeah……. Uncle is right. Belonging to some place might be the easiest way to stay safe. If I’m a member of an organization, then this kind of kidnapping and imprisonment……. that won’t happen.”

Then, as if remembering something, Jeong Taeui looked at Jeong Jaeui.

“Your body. Where does it hurt?”

Jeong Jaeui recoiled, looking at Jeong Taeui with confusion. Jeong Taeui stared at Jeong Jaeui without saying a word. He didn’t back down, his gaze demanding an answer. Jeong Jaeui remained silent, but then, meeting his gaze, he sighed softly.

“I’m not sick. I’m really not sick at all. There’s nothing wrong with me.”

“Then why…….”

“As long as you’re okay.”

Jeong Taeui frowned in confusion, but Jeong Jaeui cut him off and responded briefly.

Jeong Taeui looked at him skeptically. Then he tilted his head and let out a sound of realization.

Jeong Jaeui looked back at the newspaper. But his gaze was not one of reading; it was a contemplative look, as if thinking about how to give an answer. Finally, his gaze fell back on Jeong Taeui, and Jeong Jaeui spoke in a low voice.

“I’ve told you before. If you die, I will die too……. You know, I’m not a normal person – in any sense, so there are times when I have to go through detailed examinations. And, well, the results are what they are. I can live, but my body isn’t like a normal human’s.”

“…….What do you mean?”

“Literally, what I mean is……. my body is in ruins. My internal organs and even my blood are so depleted that the fact that they still function normally is a miracle. Like an old man who’s about to die. So when I was younger, I often had to get tests done at the hospital, but they couldn’t always come to a conclusion. It’s just that my body can’t live carelessly.”

Jeong Taeui stared at Jeong Jaeui with a face frozen as if possessed. But Jeong Jaeui was just an ordinary person. Jeong Jaeui continued.

“So when you get sick, I get sick too.”

“I don’t know. I don’t know if what you’re saying now is different from what you said before, and I also…….”

Jeong Taeui frowned, staring at Jeong Jaeui without looking away.

Suddenly, a part of his memory resurfaced in his mind. It seemed like Jeong Jaeui had said similar things before, that if Jeong Taeui died, Jeong Jaeui would die too, and Raumaan had looked at him with a very strange expression.

And it seemed like now he knew why Raumaan had that expression.

***************

(This part might be hard to understand, so let me summarize it:

– All of Jaeui’s gray matter and energy are used to sustain his once-in-a-millennium genius brain, so his internal organs don’t have enough energy to sustain themselves (cells become aged, blood is depleted, etc.). This is the fair trade-off for Jaeui’s genius mind.

– Taeui – the appearance of Taeui is a non-physical factor. Taeui has the lucky ability to sustain Jaeui’s life. If Taeui dies, Jaeui will die too, but if Jaeui dies, Taeui will still be fine.)