Hotel Blue Moon (Inspired by Hotel Del Luna)

Chapter 24: As it unfolds

"How many Kim Yi Sooks could be in the Police department?" Ae Ra could not believe what she saw in the file. Chan Seong did a double-take himself but had a rather composed reaction.
"I don't think it is a coincidence that Yi Sook's name is on here. You are both connected to Do Hwan whether you like it or not."
"You're awfully cool about this, aren't you?" Ae Ra looked at Chan Seong who just shrugged. 
"I was expecting a link between the two because that is what the Guesthouse of the Moon does. It brings people who can help the owners achieve the peace they require." Chan Seong paused.  "At least, that is my understanding of it." 
Ae Ra tried to make sense of it all,  failing each time she did. She threw her arms up in frustration. Chan Seong started the car, ready to drive once more. Ae Ra started calming down and became incredibly quiet.
"What are you thinking?" Chan Seong asked, looking at Ae Ra and back at the road. 
"You were right." Ae Ra started. Chan Seong raised his eyebrow in confusion. "When you said we should focus on taking Aghui down, I mean." She clarified. Ae Ra clutched the file in her hand, glancing at Chan Seong. 
"I was too caught up on the details that I forgot to realize something. Our friends are in danger." Ae Ra paused, trying to judge Chan Seong's response. "I am going to put this behind me for now, at least until we can rescue Do Hwan." Chan Seong nodded at Ae Ra's words and turned to smile at her softly.
"If it makes you feel better, Do Hwan was trying to repent for his sins. He was looking to change." Chan Seong spoke in a quiet voice. "That is the important thing, isn't it? He wanted to become good."
"That doesn't excuse murder, however." Ae Ra laughed wryly. Chan Seong chuckled and shook his head. 
Ae Ra's phone rang right then. She clicked open to see Hyunijn calling. She answered the call right away.
"Hey, are you two okay? The detective at the scene told me you left." Hyunjin's voice was laced with worry.
"Yes, we did. We are on our way to Seoul right now." Ae Ra replied, composed.
"That's good. We will find some other way to get info on Kim Do Hwan, don't worry."
"Actually, he left us a file." Ae Ra replied slowly. Hyunjin sighed, presumably of relief. "We skimmed through it, and I think we have more than enough details in here." 
"Why? Is there something odd in the file?" Hyunijn questioned, possibly sensing Ae Ra's hesitation.
"Hmm, odd doesn't even cover it." Ae Ra leaned her head back. Closing her eyes, she wondered how she is going to explain this to Hyunjin when she cannot explain this to herself.

As the car turned into the hospital parking lot, Ae Ra felt like her heart would leap out of her chest. Chan Seong noticed her fidgeting with her phone and patted her shoulder. She nodded at him, forcing a smile out of her stressed lips. 
"It's gonna be okay. Whatever you decide, I am with you." Chan Seong reassured. 
Both of them exited the car and walked into the building in no hurry. Ae Ra beelined towards the ICU where Yi Sook is kept and peered in through the glass partition. Yi Sook looked banged up, with a tube sticking out his throat that went behind his bed frame. The monitors surrounding him beeped rhythmically, signaling the life inside his body. Ae Ra closed her eyes, unable to look at him any further. 
Chan Seong was in the visitor's room with Detective Han, explaining what he saw with Ae Ra at the Captain's house. Chan Seong left out seeing the Captain's spirit to Hyunjin, but the story was already unbelievable in many aspects.
"There is no way Yi Sook worked the case with the Captain. I would have known it! Hell, Yi Sook would have recognized him immediately without asking me to find out about him!" 
"That's the thing." Chan Seong tilted his head, confused. "Everyone involved in the case had their memory wiped off. It's a miracle he knew about it and kept a file on it."
"It's almost as if everyone was made to forget this massacre and Kim Do Hwan." Hyunijn bit his cheek. "But why?" 

*

Ae Ra finally had a chance to look through the file in the hospital cafeteria. She chose the corner-most table and got herself an iced americano. It was hard to look through such blood and gore again, but she had to if she wants to know more about Do Hwan. She lifted the straw to her lips, holding the cup with her hand. The coldness of the coffee sent a shiver through her fingertips and to her neck. Satisfied, she opened the brown police file once again, hoping to find something more.
She flipped the pages leading to the photos from Do Hwan's mansion.  Her stomach turned at the sight of blood and bodies. Most of them had bullet wounds, but Do Hwan's father was tied to a chair and had knife slashes around his body. It was absolutely revolting to even look at, but Ae Ra did, trying to recognize Do Hwan's father.
"If Do Hwan's mother is my godmother, then shouldn't I know him?" Ae Ra mumbled to herself but did not have any answer to her question. 
"Everything okay?" A familiar voice questioned her. Ae Ra looked up to find Hyunijn standing with a coffee in hand.
"I don't know... you?" She asked him back. Hyunjin just shrugged.  
Ae Ra slid the file across the table to Hyunjin who wordlessly flipped through it while Ae Ra looked at the pictures. Hyunjin looked up to see Ae Ra concentrating hard. 
"You like this Do Hwan guy, don't you?" Hyunjin asked, breaking the silence. Ae Ra looked at Hyunjin as if he had two heads. Hyunjin laughed at Ae Ra's face.
"Chan Seong mentioned in passing. Don't be angry with him." He looked at Ae Ra, smiling playfully.
"I do... I did.. I'm not really sure anymore if I'm being honest." Ae Ra laughed wryly. "He is a nice guy or at least he seemed to like it. Now seeing all of this, I cannot help but think I was wrong."
"Hmm.. we have all had worst dates, right?" 
Ae Ra chuckled. "Yeah right." 

Hyunjin shifted his focus to the case file. He tilted his head as he reached a certain page and scrunched his eyebrows. Ae Ra noticed this, puzzled.
"Do Hwan's father is a crimelord as well, huh? Do you think it runs in the family?" Hyunjin joked, but Ae Ra looked unsettled.
"Wait, what?"
"Yeah, it says right here. Captain was building a case against him for years apparently. He is also speculated to have killed his wife." Hyunjin looked disgusted. "No wonder Do Hwan was enraged."
"His wife... Do Hwan's mother?" Ae Ra felt her stomach turn. "She is my godmother, actually." 
"Okay, this is crazy. But you have never met her?" 
"Yeah.." Ae Ra paused, trying to gauge Hyunjin's reaction. "I know all of this sounds crazy but.. there is a reason for everything that has happened, until now. It's like someone is messing with us." 
"It certainly does. Look, Ae Ra, there is something I have to talk to you about." Ae Ra raised her eyebrow, Hyunjin continued.
"I know you think Kim Do Hwan is deserving of your help but what if he is in too deep? What if he puts both you and Chan Seong in danger? Do you really want to continue down this path?"
Ae Ra chuckled at Hyunjin's question, partly because even she didn't know why she is doing this.
"I don't about all of that, but I know this. This isn't just about me, it is about the whole world if you will. I cannot abandon all of this just because I might be in danger. I have to try." 
"I know." Hyunjin sighed. "I worry about you, that's all. No matter what your decision is, I will support you, alright?"

Yi Sook was shifted from ICU to his own room later that night. Ae Ra sat by his side all night, silently looking at him. He had passed the most critical stage but still had to be under supervision and a medically induced coma. Ae Ra held his hand, careful not to disturb the IV line. Chan Seong brought her something to eat from the hospital cafeteria and sat wordlessly beside her. Ae Ra looked at him and wiped her eyes, trying to tidy up her face.
"We should go soon, right?" Ae Ra suddenly asked Chan Seong, much to his surprise. "To Jeju?"
"Yeah... there is a flight at 12:30 am if you want to take that one."
Ae Ra looked at the watch in her hand. 10 pm. If they started now they can reach Gimpo airport by 11:30. 
"Yeah, let's go now." Ae Ra stood up. She leaned forward and kissed Yi Sook's forehead, silently whispering a prayer. That's all she could do now, pray that he'll be okay. Chan Seong walked out the room first, followed by Ae Ra, and she looked back at Yi Sook on the bed, wondering if she'd be able to see him again.

*
Ae Ra and Chan Seong cleared security and stepped out of Jeju airport. The air felt easier to breathe than in Seoul. Chan Seong took a deep breath and looked at Ae Ra who did the same. 
"Hyunjin contacted a few of his friends at the Jeju police. They will pick us up now." Chan Seong clutched his coat tighter. The winter was particularly harsh that day.
A black car pulled up beside Chan Seong and Ae Ra and a guy stepped out. Ae Ra felt herself tighten, but the guy showed a police badge out of his pocket.
"I am Do Chang Min. Detective Han from Seoul station asked our team to assist you both. Please." He gestured to the car. Ae Ra looked at Chan Seong and the two got on the car without a word. The car rolled out of the parking lot, riding into the Jeju's abandoned road.
"Why is everything so quiet?" Ae Ra looked out the window. "Like everything is abandoned?" 
"Yeah, after the accidents a few days back, people believe everything is supernatural." Chang Min chuckled. "I don't know what caused those but it sure as hell wasn't supernatural."
Chan Seong and Ae Ra looked at each other. "Yeah, you're right." Chan Seong shrugged.

Chang Min took them to gated police quarters to stay and shower for the night. Tomorrow they were going to search for King Jumong's bow and arrows in his temple. Ae Ra entered the modestly decorated room and made her way to the couch in the corner of the room. Chan Seong followed her, dropping the bags on the chair beside the lone bed.
"Take a shower if you want" Chan Seong nodded to Ae Ra. "I'll go out to discuss with Chang Min for a while."
He didn't wait for her response and left the room. Ae Ra slumped back on the sofa, thoughts rushing around her head. She did take a shower a while later and curled up on the sofa, slowly drifting to sleep. She welcomed sleep like a child welcoming a mother's embrace, falling deeper and deeper after the long day she had. Even when Chan Seong entered the room, she did not stir. Chan Seong himself slid into bed and closed his eyes, worried about what awaits them the next day.