You Are No Longer Alone

Return

Two weeks as the doctor promised and it's already two months after her discharge from the hospital. Kwonjoo find herself sitting on the couch inside her room looking at how the steam spiraling up like a soft tendril from her cup of coffee. The scent of it bitter on her palate.

Sticky notes and pile of papers from the cases she had been working still pasted on the wall and stacked beside her bedroom's door; names, photos, dates, locations, all ruffled like a mizzle of gentle paper applause as light breeze seeps through an open window at the end of the room.

The images from that day still nestle over her head just like how his voice threading deep into her ears every night she tries to sleep.

"Do not cry, Director Kang", she stood up with her last dredges of adrenaline and wobbled to the direction she hoped was right but the voice was gone, so was the man. Holding back tears, she tried to fight off the deep dolor caught in her heart and walked back to her previous seat, reaching for her cellphone. She dialed Agent Jin, ordered him to check all the cctvs near Poongsan University Hospital.

"Just... find a man who looks like Team Leader Do. He maybe wears black t shirt, or turtleneck? today's a lil' bit cold he maybe wears something thicker and..." her every words sounded like it ran into one another, and the person from the other side of her call gently calmed her down.

"Director Kang... what's wrong?"

She dropped onto the grass again. It felt cold and wet under her fingertips. Sliver of sunlight transuded from between the group of large trees, gleaming off glint of tears that was about to drop.

"Team Leader Do was here. He was here."

Days turns to weeks, weeks soon change to months and they are still clueless about Kangwoo's whereabouts. Kwonjoo is certain that he must be somewhere near, he must've observed everything from somewhere not too distant from them. Convenience stores, small library, busy intersections, packed restaurants; every cctv near to the the hospital had been checked numerous times but none of it caught him.

Kwonjoo asked Agent Jin if he ever tracked Kangwoo's cellphone and the young man said the phone was turned off even before the dispatch team reached the building that night. The moment when Kangwoo sent the address was the last time he turned the device on.

With those images being played again and again, her coffee begin to cool down and the steam becomes thinner but Kwonjoo still haven't touched the cup.

From where she has to start?

Her phone then buzzing a never ending pulse. When did she set it to vibration mode?

Agent Jin name is flashing on the screen. She hurriedly swipe the green icon.

"I found him." his voice is firm.

---

It's 112 Center and it is exactly the same as the last time Kwonjoo led the Golden Time Team from behind her table at the center of the room. The center has been taken care of by Eunsoo for the time being, but now, Kwonjoo said she is ready to come back. She thanked Eunsoo for being so reliable during her treatment at the hospital and the girl said Kwonjoo's health is what matter most to the team.

Agent Jin then shows her the footage from one of the convenience store about kilometers away from the City Hall. The man on the video wore a cap covering almost half of the face but the gait, the demeanor, is Kangwoo's.

Kwonjoo shoves her things back to her bag and is ready to leave. Agent Jin asks if she wants to be accompanied but Kwonjoo shakes her head.

"The one who is worried the most about Team Leader Do right now, must be Director Kang." Eunsoo says. A faint smile find its way on her lips.