Aeipathy | Ryu Shi-Oh and Tsetseg

Chapter 11

Tsetseg

"Even death feels easier when you embrace it, Tsetseg."

Tsetseg couldn't get a glimpse of sleep as Shi-Oh's words kept ringing in her ears, followed by the viciously inhumane incident she had witnessed in that video. That boy seemed so familiar, yet completely unfamiliar.

Could he be....? Tsetseg sat up her on her bed, running a frustrated hand through her long black hair. She had been laying on the bed from the past two hours, but was unable to fall asleep. Because her mind kept wandering back to the young boy, wondering who he was? How was he right now? Was he...alive?

However, the most important question that came into her mind was, why did Shi-Oh had these photos and video on his computer. Her mind was making unexpected and strange connections, but nothing could be proved to satisfy her brain. She couldn't help but compare the look in Shi-Oh's eyes to the boy's, when he talked about embracing death.

Her mother had told her about a Russian mafia organisation, which seemed to fund Doogo. It was still an assumption as she was still researching about it. But the language used in the video was definitely Russian. Could it be a sign to prove her mother's suspicion right?

Everything was simply muddled in her head. This mission was turning out to be something completely different and enigmatic. It had barely started, and she was already losing track of her initial goal. She couldn't believe she just lied to the detectives just like that. Even though it wasn't a complete lie.

Tsetseg did not know what came over her when she decided to keep the photos and video hidden from everyone. It felt like she was keeping someone's painful secret safe in her hands. And her heart would not let her betray the one who's secret she got to know without his permission.

Who exactly was Ryu Shi-Oh? And who was that boy? She had to get to the bottom of this, if she was already involved.

Feeling suffocated in her room, she found herself strolling in the garden to breathe in some fresh air. The night was beyond dark tonight, there was no light escaping through the rumbling grey clouds. It was like a blanket of confinement on the twinkling stars and the full moon that was supposed to shine tonight.

She adverted her eyes from the sky, casually glancing around the huge garden of her house. It somehow reminded her of the Mongolian fields she had grew up in. The comparison helped her anxious heart calm down a little, before she noticed a figure sitting quietly on one of the benches.

Tsetseg walked closer, just to find her mother sitting in silence while gazing at the sky with a melancholic expression on her face. She guessed it was because of Hwa ja, as her mother had visited the girl today after learning about the parking lot incident. She was very shocked and disappointed after knowing about the  murder attempt.

But Tsetseg convinced her to visit Hwa ja once, just to give her a chance to explain or apologize. And she could see on her mother's face that it was exactly what she wanted to do. She still saw Hwa ja as her daughter, as someone who had stayed by her side with affection and care.

“Eomma, what are you doing here at midnight?” Tsetseg asked, gaining her mother's attention who seemed a bit startled by her sudden presence.

“Namsoon-ah, why are you still awake? Is something bothering you?” her mother questioned with concern, before pulling Tsetseg down to sit on the bench beside her.

“I just couldn't sleep...it's not anything serious. What about you?” Tsetseg asked, though she already knew the answer, she still added, “Are you thinking about Hwa ja?”