Whispers Before Dawn

Chapter 20

I've been overloaded with work this past month. A fellow instructor had been acting completely out of line—not that it was particularly shocking. But the branch had seen him return to his vicious ways after a long period of restraint.

The same instructor quit UNHRDO last week and left, without much ceremony.

"Rick" I sighed and whispered to myself, leaning back in my chair.

Rick had been keeping one leg out of the bloody world he used to live in, ever since Tae-ui entered his life. I'd attribute that to my younger nephew. All the changes I've seen in Rick began at the same time he met Tae-ui. They started dating without anyone knowing, though I eventually figured it out.

I'd caught them one day in Hong Kong, a moment that told me everything I needed to know. It took me some time to fully accept the new side of Rick that I was seeing—a side that I hadn't imagined was there, buried beneath the layers of coldness and indifference.

I finally came to terms with it when they announced they were going to settle down together on the outskirts of Hong Kong. They chose a beautiful home, far from the noise of the city. I've visited them quite a few times now. In fact, whenever I'm in Hong Kong, I stay there. It's become something of a second home to me—a place where, surprisingly, I've found comfort. I never realized I needed that. After a lifetime of working, it didn't occur to me that I'd want something as simple as a home.

But more than anything, I was happy to see Tae-ui often. He's remarkable—smart, charming, and equal to his older brother, Jae-ui, in many ways. My younger nephew has always been someone I admired.

It's been six months now since Tae-ui went on his mission, and that's what's taken a toll on Rick. Patience was never one of Rick's strengths, but I've seen him cultivate it when it comes to Tae-ui. He's been holding on, waiting, even though I can see the strain it's putting on him.

I guess six months must have been too much for Rick. But even that didn't justify the killing.

Rick's assistant instructor at UNHRDO had quit and moved on to another organization. A new assistant instructor had been hired as his replacement. Everything seemed normal until Rick caught the new assistant going through his personal laptop—an obvious breach of security. Based on the evidence alone, the assistant would have been punished, likely fired. But Rick's response—the killing—wasn't justified.

The Board members were shaken by what had happened. They deliberated and decided to send Rick to detention, a disciplinary action that would have been severe but not career-ending.

But Rick denied the detention and, in an unprecedented move, requested a dismissal instead.

We were all shocked. An instructor at UNHRDO, requesting dismissal? That was unheard of.

I spoke to Rick alone, hoping to convince him to reconsider, to stay. But after hearing him out, I realized that I couldn't persuade him. Instead, I had to support his decision.

"I've snapped, and I can't do it anymore. I would like it if I don't go to the deeper end before he comes back" Rick had said, his voice steady but exhausted. There was a weariness in him that I hadn't seen before, a vulnerability that made me pause.

Hearing that, I almost felt the urge to ruffle Rick's hair, as I might have done with someone who needed comfort. But this was Rick—he wouldn't appreciate it. He wasn't the kind of person you could soothe with small gestures.

That's when I knew. It wasn't just about the killing. Rick was teetering on the edge, trying to hold himself together until Tae-ui returned. He was afraid of falling deeper into the old patterns, into the violence. I had to respect that.

After our conversation, I knew I needed to reach out to Kyle.

I also convinced the director to grant Rick's request. I assured the Board that Rick's departure wouldn't affect the relationship between UNHRDO and T&R. In the end, we framed it as Rick's resignation and let him go.

******

"You look stressed. I was hoping you'd be happy" Kyle commented, his usual casual tone carrying through as their video call connected.

"What are you talking about?" Chang In asked, frowning at Kyle's remark.

"Ilay left UNHRDO. That must reduce a lot of headaches for you, right?" Kyle said with a grin, clearly expecting relief on Chang In's part.

Chang In sighed, remembering Tae-ui's words. "You're clueless..." he muttered under his breath, shaking his head.

Kyle raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"By the way, Rick has always been hardworking when it came to his work." Chang In explained, his voice thoughtful. "He was not completely bad as an Instructor, and recently he had become almost normal"

"This is going in a different direction than I expected" Kyle said, the lightness in his tone fading.

Chang In leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. "How is Rick, though?"

"I don't know" Kyle admitted, his voice more serious now. "He doesn't pick up the phone. He's working remotely for the company, so I don't have to worry about that."

Chang In gave him a sharp look. "How can you be so heartless to your brother when he's clearly suffering?"

Kyle snorted. "Suffering? He's on vacation in Zanzibar right now."

"Zanzibar?" Chang In repeated, the name surprising him.

Kyle shrugged, unfazed. "Why would he suffer? He's got Tae-ui, which he doesn't deserve, and a home I didn't expect he'd ever settle down in. He's got everything."

Chang In's expression tightened. "Guess no one told you" he said quietly. "It's not your fault, then. But Tae-ui's been gone for more than six months now."

Kyle's casual demeanor vanished instantly. "What?? He's gone?" He paused, trying to process the news. "I thought he was just busy. I wanted to visit them a month ago, but Ilay flat-out denied it. No one answered the phone at their place either."

Chang In sighed deeply. "Busy... yeah, he's busy. Somewhere out there" he muttered, the weight of it clear in his voice.

"Six months is a long time..." Kyle said, his voice quieter now, the realization sinking in.

Chang In nodded. "It is."