Kang Chi: Beyond Life and Time

Chapter 1: Beyond Life: Who Is He?

Gwanghwamun Square, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 2013

"Kkomjjak ma!" Yeo Wool exclaimed with a loud and stern voice. She was short of breath from running, but she managed to utter the warning. She had her pistol pointed at a group of men on the ground, and another one on his feet. He seemed to be handing a purse to a lady in a blue dress caught in their midst.

"You there, put your hands in the air. Now!" She continued, mainly addressing the man standing with his back on her. The men on the ground raised their hands over their heads.

"Run!" One of the men shouted. All four men down scrambled to get up and ran off, still managing to snatch the purse from the standing man's hands. The lady ran after them. The standing man was about to do the same.

"I said don't move!" She repeated sternly.

"Ibwayo..." The man answered. "It seems like there is some misunderstanding. I just...."

The man turned to face her and was not able to finish what he was going to say. He fixed his gaze on her, apparently surprised. She slowly stepped forward to his direction, her pistol still in a pointing position. If he was thinking of attacking, she would be ready to defend herself. She shortened the five-meter gap between them by at least half. She noticed how the man's surprised look turned into anticipation as she stepped into the light. He slowly lowered his hands.

"Kkomjjak ma." She commanded.

He did not even blink. His eyes were still fixed on her as if he was trying to bore a hole through her. She returned the gaze with a poker face. But then, she saw a glimpse of a smile so subtle she was wondering if she really did see it.

"Yeo Wool-ah..." He uttered with a soft breath, in a deep, manly voice.

He knows my name?

She was taken aback; she almost lost her grip on the pistol in her hands. She was certain she does not know this man, nor had seen him before.

So, how come he knows my name?

"How did you know my name?" She asked apprehensively. She knew she must not let her guard down. But her curiosity overtook her common sense, and she lowered her hands with the pistol.

"Do you know me?" She continued.

Still staring at her, she was surprised to see his eyes beginning to tear up. He did not answer her question, and his expression confused her.

"Do you...know me?" she repeated.

"Geulsse..." He finally answered with a sad smile. "I think I know you, or maybe I don't."

His vague answer confused her even more. As her brain processed his reply, he broke his gaze from her for a few moments, and raised his eyes to the night sky, before gazing back at her. He was still smiling with teary eyes.

Wae?

They stood facing each other, motionless. For how long, she could not even remember. She was wondering why this man, whom she had not met before in her life, was reacting to her this way.

"Seonbaenim!" A man yelled from behind her. Oh Jung Ju, her rookie partner, came rushing towards them. As if knocking some sense into her, she was taken back to reality after a short trip to...nothingness?

"Hands up!" she shouted as she raised her hands with the pistol, aiming at the man again. He did as he was told. Jung Ju approached the man and cuffed him while reciting the Miranda rights.

"Jamkkanmaneyo..." the man pleaded. "It's a misunderstanding...I'm not with them. I don't even know them. I've never seen them before...."

"Explain yourself at the station." Jung Ju replied instead, as he pulled the cuffed man away and into the police car. She was left standing, still wondering.

How did he know my name?

"Seonbaenim..." Jung Ju called. "Kapssida."

"Eung..." She answered as she followed the two.

"Sonsaengnim..." Said the cuffed man. "Let me make a phone call, jebalyo. I have an important engagement tonight."

Jung Ju was already assisting the man into the police car, and his plea was still falling into deaf ears. Despite being ignored, he was explaining himself with all his powers, all the way to the police station.

"Let him make the call." She told Jung Ju when they reached the station.

"Kamsahamnida..." The man said, addressing her.

After the call, she asked the man for his statement.

"Ireum?"

"Choi Kang Chi..."

"Choi Kang Chi? As in the president of Baeknyeon Hotels?"

"Ye. Jeoyeyo."

"Impersonating a dead personality...." She muttered as she typed the statement onto her computer.

"Jamkkan! Jamkkanmaneyo...." The man pleaded with his hands raised in front of him to stop her from typing. It was as if he remembered something.

"Jwesonghamnida...Je ireumeun Choi Kang Cheol imnida."

She raised her eyes on him. He was staring back at her like he did earlier that night before he was handcuffed, sans the tears. There was definitely something going on in his mind.

Why does he look at me like that?

But she knew she should not be fazed, so she sighed and went back to the work at hand.

"Why did your group harass the lady in blue?"

"I told you earlier, I'm not with them. It's a misunderstanding...."

As he was explaining himself, another man came rushing into the station.

"Daepyonim!"

The man, still sitting on his chair, turned around to the source of the call.

Daepyo...nim?

The second man went straight to the Captain. And just like that, the first man was uncuffed and released, and left with the man who came for him, as quickly as possible. She was not even able to finish getting his statement, and he was not even able to explain himself clearly. Obviously, there was no need to.

He was probably home by now, but she just could not let go of what transpired earlier.

Is it just a coincidence that he knows my name? Perhaps he mistook me for someone else?

She will not be able to finish her work for the day if she keeps thinking about him. She shook her head to clear her mind and rid her thoughts of him. Then, she looked at her computer screen and saw his name.

Choi Kang Cheol...Who are you?