Love is Stronger than Blood (Snowdrop Oneshots)

18- he's gone

Set six years before the events of Snowdrop.

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"I'm sorry, but the number you are trying to reach is no longer in service."

"What...?" Hanna hung up the phone only to redial Kangmu's number.

"I'm sorry, but the number you are trying to reach is no longer in service."

"Lee Kangmu," Hanna muttered. "What's going on with your phone?"

"Hanna-ya?" Kim Hayun, Hanna's mother, poked her head into the room. "Is everything okay? What are you doing in your father's office?"

"Trying to call Kangmu," Hanna said, putting down and picking up the phone again. "Something's not working right, Eomma. Listen-"

"I'm sorry, but the number you are trying to reach is no longer in service."

Hayun frowned. "No longer in service? He didn't tell you he switched lines, did he?"

"Anniyo..."

Hayun tried dialing Kangmu's number herself, but she got the same automated response.

"Try calling his office."

Hanna nodded, dialing in a new number. It rang three times before someone answered.

"Yeoboseyo?"

"I'm trying to get in contact with Lee Kangmu," Hanna said. "Is he there? His normal telephone number isn't working."

"Agent Lee Kangmu? He just left early this morning."

"What do you mean, left?"

Hayun was just as confused as Hanna.

"He was reassigned to the German chapter of the ANSP," the voice said. "He flew out of Seoul this morning."

"No..." Hanna said, her head beginning to swirl. "You must be mistaken. Kangmu never mentioned anything about..."

"There is only one Lee Kangmu in our employee files," the agent on the other side of the line. "The one who left for Germany."

"He couldn't have..." Hanna didn't know what to say. All her words evaporated on her lips.

"Sorry, ma'am, are you a family member of Kangmu sunbaenim's?"

"I'm his fiancée," she said, her mind going numb in shock.

"Jang Hanna?"

"Yes... you know my name?"

"Kangmu sunbaenim talked about you quite often. But he said you two called off the wedding."

"We didn't," Hanna said, her voice cracking. "You're sure he left?"

"I saw him off myself, ma'am. You didn't know?"

"No... how could I have not known?" Han-na squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her mother put two comforting hands on her shoulders, but she barely felt them.