SOG (English)

#32

It was a printed blueprint of a time bomb design. The dismantling method and the maker's notes were densely written like a code book.

Next to the drawing lay the inside of the actual bomb in the briefcase.

[00:18:27]

Go Woo-Jin repeatedly disassembled and reassembled the bomb over and over, while roughly listening to the woman's voice. Throughout his stay at Mentosa Island, his fingertips, which had been practicing alone, separated the wires and metal tubes without hesitation.

[— Go Woo-Jin. Look at me.]

The woman on the screen kept talking to him because he felt uncomfortable. She should be around her late 20’s. Her slender face framed by lenses, with a dissatisfied expression, gave the impression of infinite confidence. Apart from the comfortable appearance of wearing a black beanie down to the top of her eyebrows and a hood over it, her eyes and attitude were as high-handed as if she were wearing the President's military uniform.

Go Woo-Jin faced the screen again. Do all people who were born into wealthy families and grew up being loved only like video-calls? The reason why he had such a sudden thought was because that person's habit of preferring video-calls reminded him of his stepmother.

[— Oh. Are you going to look at me now?]

At first glance, Sun Jae-Chan also came to mind. It was because he grew up with similar terms and conditions. Of course, he had never tried anything like a video-call before.

— …….

Woo-Jin, who had his eyes on the screen, lowered his gaze again. He also applied strength to his jaw muscles, relaxed until now. Only because he realized the illogical and absurd flow of his thoughts.

This was all due to the guidance from the other day. Since then, useless thoughts related to him* (SJC) have become frequent.

Bones bristled on the thick nape of the neck. He shook his head as if he could actually see it. It was time to shake off Sun Jae-Chan's thoughts, just as if he were brushing off the dust that stuck to his collar no matter how much he removed it.

[— Your stepmom really liked it. The bomb that our ‘Elder’* (it could also be senior) made.]

The voice from the other side of the cell phone got chirpier. Perhaps she was lying on her bed, since he could hear the sound of her body turning comfortably on the mattress over the receiver with the volume turned up to maximum.

[— She didn't even know it was bait thrown by her son who seemed so calm. Director Yoon must never have imagined in her wildest dreams that our ‘Elder’ would hold a 30th Anniversary Party there.]

Go Woo-Jin's fingertips, which had been smoothing the spring wires, stopped for a moment.

It must have been around mid-August. Around the time the kidnapping of the Guide of Team 5, to which Kim Geun-Won belonged to, took place. One evening a few days later, he had heard the real story behind the mission to subdue the pirates of Mentosa Island.

It was at a dinner table with President Gyeong Jeong-Seok.

<<— We're* (he speaks here in third person, referring to himself) going to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of our Inauguration on Mentosa Island.>>

The 69-year-old President would sometimes call Go Woo-Jin separately, in order to share personal affairs. This was because he maintained such a friendly and political relationship with Go Young-Chang, Go Woo-Jin's father; and he also cared for Go Woo-Jin, since he allowed him to receive twice the amount of cheers from the public while taking him alongside him.