The Sun to my Moon

Chapter 29: Hit the nail on the head

A moment later, the door swung open, and Dal-geon blinked.

Kim Sun-young stood before them, her arms folded across her chest as she assessed them critically. "Annyeong, Hae-rissi. Dal-geonssi. I don't suppose this is a social call?"

"Gwajangnim."

"Kim Sun-young Gwajangnim?" Dal-geon whispered.

"Joesonghabnida, Gwajangnim, I'm afraid not," Hae-ri said. "Can we come in?"

Kim Sun-young stepped back and gestured for them to enter.

Once they were inside and Dal-geon had gratefully accepted the offer of tea on behalf of both of them, the three of them settled on the battered sectional couch in the living room, Dal-geon and Hae-ri next to each other and Kim Sun-young diagonally across from them on the other section.

"Jal Jinaesseoyo?" Hae-ri asked Kim Sun-young. "It's been awhile since we've spoken."

"Can't complain," the former NIS Chief said. "We're finally getting settled in here, and I've got a good job."

"How are the kids?"

She smiled. "They're good. They're asleep now, or I'd have them come say hello."

"They're doing all right, though?"

"It's been an adjustment, but they're doing okay now. Oh-young's in a ballet class she likes, and Oh-ryung is on a soccer team, so they're making new friends, and they're in a good school."

She looked at Hae-ri. "How about you? No offense, Hae-rissi, but you don't look so good. Has this one finally worn down your last nerve?" she said, nodding to Dal-geon.

"Edward Park is poisoning her," Dal-geon informed her.

Kim Sun-young's eyes widened. "I see." She turned to Hae-ri. "Is that why you're here? Do you need a safe place to hide? You're welcome to stay here if you like."

"Aniyo. Thank you for the offer, but no," Hae-ri told her. "That's not why we came."

Kim Sun-young regarded her with her piercing gaze. "In that case, what can I do for you?"

"We'd like to talk to you about Edward Park," Hae-ri said. "Dal-geonssi mentioned something awhile back that I've been thinking about a lot, and I think you could shed some light on it."

"Mwoya?"

"Dal-geonssi made the point that Edward Park seemed extraordinarily determined to find you. He went to great lengths to discredit you, and when that didn't work, expended a great deal of effort trying to kill you."

Kim Sun-young shrugged. "I guess he doesn't like to lose once he sets his sights on something."

"That's what I thought at first, too," Hae-ri said. "But I'm not sure that quite explains his determination in your case. There have been other times we've foiled his plans where he's backed off as a result. If it ever looks like we're getting close, he usually cuts his losses and retreats for awhile. But he kept going after you even after Dal-geonssi helped you escape. At first we thought he set you up just because you were a convenient scapegoat. But if that was the only reason for targeting you, why would he keep going after you once you'd fled the NIS? Pretty much everyone thought you were guilty of Jo Bu-yeong's murder at that point. Edward Park should have been content to let you disappear quietly."

"Maybe he just didn't want any loose ends."

"But continuing to pursue you so aggressively ultimately exposed him even more than the original frame up," Hae-ri pointed out. "Can you think of any reason Edward Park would have wanted so badly to kill you, specifically?"