Chapter 11

Chaebol - Business conglomerate in South Korea. Eg - Samsung.

Investigative journalism -  A form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, such as serious crimes, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Eg - The Panama Papers

==

Taeyeon woke up the next morning (or rather, the next afternoon) with a dull pain at the back of her head. She winced and tried to open her eyes. She pushed herself from the bed but the dull pain soon turned into sharp throbs.

Ugh...shouldn't have drank so much last night.

That was when she realized that she was unclothed, with only a thin blanket covering her body. She frowned and smacked her forehead with her hand.

.

Turning to the bedstand, she found a piece of note tucked under her phone. It said, “I hope you had fun last night, Sunbae. You have my number, call me anytime. Xoxo. Love, Yoona.”

ing hell.

She cursed herself for the lapse in self control last night. Granted, last night was an especially rough night for her but she shouldn't have had done that. With her ex-girlfriend to boot!

She crawled out of the bed with her head still pounding and dry with the lingering taste of stale alcohol. Grabbing a random bathrobe she found, she puts it on and went to the toilet to wash up.

Taeyeon was disgusted at the woman staring back at the mirror. Messy hair, oily complexion, bloodshot eyes. She splashed cold water onto her face in an attempt to perk herself up.

Then her phone rang.

“Hello!”

Taeyeon groaned inwardly. It's too early for this. She grunted into the phone speaker.

“Good afternoon Taeyeon!” The person on the phone replied enthusiastically.

“Are you busy now?”

“Why?”

“I am at your Umma’s place now. We are making dumplings together. I was wondering if you would want to join us for dinner tonight.”

Since when did this chatterbox become so close with Umma?

“Don't think so.”

“Ah…but we made a lot.”

Taeyeon hears the subtle tint of disappointment in the younger’s voice but she had never felt this bad rejecting someone before. She exhaled and gave in.

“But I can try to see if I can make it back in time for dinner.”

“Okay!” Taeyeon could almost hear the excitement in Tiffany's voice. “I'll call you again later~”

She shook her head but couldn't help but let her lips curve into a wide smile.

“I wouldn't have picked up if I knew it was you.”

“Bleh. I used your Umma’s house phone. There is no way you wouldn't pick up.”

“Bye.”

==

Taeyeon had to pop an aspirin before she went into the office. Her head was killing her.

“Taeng, I have already submitted the South China Sea feature to Sooyoung. Pending approval.”

“Okay.”

“Noona, according to the planner department, the interview with Miss Hwang would be published next week. Should we inform her?”

“I’ll let her know.” Taeyeon cast an eye over at the door. “Close the door Jong Seok. And draw the blinders.”

After making sure the room was secure and that they were alone, Taeyeon took out a folder from her drawer.

“Now that the interview with Miss Hwang and our South China Sea feature is on their way to the printing room, we are free for the next two weeks.”

Yuri let out a cheer and high fived Jong Seok. She reached her hand out and wanted to highfive Taeyeon when she was handed the folder. She let out a groan instead.

“Well what I meant to say was that we are free to pursue another lead.”

“Taeng! I think we deserve some off days after rushing through the South China Sea on a last minute notice. All the research that we had to do, I almost died.”

“You will get your break, Yuri. But I really need this to be done.”

The woman said nothing more and began flipping through the folder. She had worked with Taeyeon long enough to know when to be serious and when to mess around.

She frowned at the list of names on the first page.

“What are these names?”

“Employees working for Daehan Steel Industries that have either passed away or went missing in the past 5 years.”

Yuri raised an eyebrow at the mention of the company.

“Wow the list is long.” Jong Seok quipped when he took a look at the page that Yuri was reading.

Taeyeon nodded. “Yes. Very, very strangely long. Even for a company of such a big scale.”

“And most of them are in their late 30s or early 40s.” Yuri observed.

“There seems to be something strange going on in that company.” Taeyeon replied.

“Wait. Isn’t that Mdm Hong’s husband’s company?”

“Yes. And I will tell you what's even more strange about this...Daehan Group owns both Daehan Steel Industries and has a majority in Daehan Daily.”

“Isn’t this a textbook style Chaebol? Daehan Group has business in almost everything this country produces.”

“I am guessing they had pressured Daehan Daily to report about Mdm Hong’s husband right before we published ours. So that they can report it from an angle which puts them in a good light.” Taeyeon replied.

“No wonder the report seemed to be heavily twisted in Daehan’s favour.” Jong Seok observed.

“But Taeng, how is this list related to Mdm Hong’s case? Didn’t her husband commit suicide due to his unfair dismissal?”

“I am not too sure about that anymore. I have thought about it again. Initially I too thought that he had committed suicide due to financial problems and his unfair dismissal. But after reading Daehan Daily’s report, I think we would need to dig deeper. Daehan Daily claimed that Mdm Hong’s husband was dismissed because of his deteriorating mental health. But after I dug the list out, everything seems fishy to me. We might have been focusing on the wrong things in that company..”

“Noona, doesn’t this mean that our earlier efforts were for nothing?”

“Not really. Unfair dismissal could be one of the many factors in play. After seeing such a long list of people dead or missing from the company, I am thinking there could be something more than that. Mdm Hong’s husband could very well be just one of the many victims.”

“That there is more to his death than just a suicide?”

“That’s what I want you to find out, Yuri. Go through each and every name on the list. If they are dead, find out the cause of death. If they are missing, check with their family or friends the time they went missing. Do it together with Jong Seok.”

“E-every single name...?” The intern groaned.

Yuri chuckled. “Welcome to the life of an investigative journalist. It is tedious, unglamourous digging.”

“And hopefully it pays off.” Taeyeon added on.

“It will. Your intuitions are almost always spot on.” Yuri declared confidently.

Taeyeon shrugged. That was the tension of being in this business. Her job needed her to prove things that she didn’t want to. She didn’t want to know how corrupt and merciless those blood Chaebols are. She didn’t need to know how cruel and ugly the world can be. But that was her job. To show the world how ugly we can be.

“Seok ah, can you send these documents to the printing room? I need them for tomorrow’s meeting.”

“Sure, Noona.” The young man nodded and left for the printing room, leaving the pair alone in the room.

And that was when Yuri decided to speak her mind.

“Daehan Steel…Taeng…”

She had made the connections in her head the moment she read Taeyeon’s papers but she knew better than to talk about it in front of Jong Seok. She knew the real reason behind Taeyeon’s relentless pursuit of the truth. After all, they have been working together ever since she joined the agency several years ago.

“Yeah.”

“Taeyeon. I know you’re a pro and I don’t want to doubt you. But are you sure about this?”

“Just do what you have to do. Leave the worrying to me.”

“I trust your judgements more than anyone else. But isn’t openly investigating them a little too risky?”

“Come on, Yuri. Do you think I would ever put you and Jong Seok in any risk? I will take all responsibility for this. Besides, everyone knows that I am in charge, and the two of you are just following my orders. If he wants to do anything, he will surely come for me.”

“You’re crazy.”

“And when the time comes, I would be ready for him. You’re right, I am crazy.”

The other woman could only shook her head. “Taeyeon, as a subordinate, I would do whatever you ask of me. But if this thing gets out of hand, as a friend, I would not hesitate to put a stop to it.”

“Do as you wish.”

==

After clearing several paperwork for the day, Taeyeon did a lazy stretch. It was approaching the end of her work day. She scrolled through her phone for messages and updates.

She smiled at a text from a certain person. Or rather a series of texts. (More stickers than words actually)

The person used a cute Kakao sticker that she really liked, followed by an even cuter message.

Unnieeeeee, call me when you’re leaving the office~

You’re not replying so I am taking that you’re coming home for dinner!

She ended off with a spam of 6 different animated stickers.

On normal occasions Taeyeon would have cringed at the excessive use of meaningless stickers and disgusting aegyo, but she found herself smiling unknowingly while scrolling through Tiffany's messages. She hated to admit it but she had to. There was something about Tiffany's perkiness that she was attracted to.

Taeyeon briefly considered replying but she pushed that thought aside.

==

The moment she opened the apartment door, she was met with a burning aroma and a smoky kitchen. She frowned.

And then came the noise. She peeked into the kitchen.

“Oh my god! So sorry!” A frantic mix of English and Korean came out of the woman's mouth as she tried to pull the pan away from the stove. The woman had her usual flowy, brown hair tied up in a neat bun and a pink apron was wrapped around her waist.

Taeyeon shook her head. “Umma, I'm home.”

Instead of answering her, her mother was kept busy by Tiffany. Both trying to salvage the pan of dumplings.

Soon after, dinner was served.

“Interesting.” She said as she surveyed that plate of semi burnt dumplings with narrow eyes.

“I swore I have made pan-fried dumplings many times before. They were the best. It's just that today…”

Before the woman could continue rambling, Taeyeon picked up the dumpling with her chopsticks, dipped it into the vinegar and ate it all in one bite.

It isn't terrible. Burnt, but not that bad.

“Don't eat it if it's burnt. Here, have some of the soup dumplings instead.”

Taeyeon shook her head and took another one of the pan-fried dumpling.

“Not too bad.” She uttered under her breath.

“Really?” Curious and surprised, Tiffany picked up one of the dumpling with her chopsticks.

this. Even the way she holds the chopsticks is cute. Taeyeon wanted to slap herself for having those thoughts.

She chewed the dumpling several times before she lets out a satisfied smile. “It isn't that bad after all.”

“Yeah.” Taeyeon nodded and quietly ate the remaining of her dinner, while listening to her mother talk to Tiffany.

“TaeTae”

“Yes Umma?”

“It seems like Miyoung is the only one that can effortlessly get you to come home for dinner. Looks like I would have to invite Miyoung over for dinner more often.” Her mother remarked teasingly.

“Umma…”

“I'm just kidding. I'm glad for Miyoung’s company.”

“Things at the agency are a little busy these days. I will try and make more time for you once everything is over.”

Tiffany sensed a family talk. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, wondering if it was time for her to leave.

Taeyeon instantly noticed the woman’s discomfort. “Umma, it’s rather late now. I think we should let Tiffany head home and rest. Tomorrow’s a weekday after all.

“Yes, yes. Don’t worry about the cleaning up, I can do it myself. Miyoung ah, you should go back and rest.”

“But the dishes…”

“Nah, I can just throw them into the dishwasher. No more arguments from you, you’ve helped me out enough today. Taetae, walk her back.”

==

“Thanks for spending time with my mother today. I really appreciate it.”

“No problem. I was just going to pass her some cakes and pastries when she invited me in to make dumplings with her.”

“It is okay to reject her if you’re busy.”

“Nah. I enjoy spending time with her.”

Taeyeon nodded quietly as they walked down the stairs.

They reached the entrance of Tiffany’s apartment. The pair stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do next.

“Do you want to come into the apartment for some coffee? My friend just sent some over from the States. It is really the best coffee I have ever drank.”

Taeyeon weighed her options carefully. For starters, she wouldn’t mind spending more time with Tiffany. But---

“It’s okay if you're busy! I was just wondering if you wanted to. It is late and you're tired.” Tiffany quickly added on when she did not get a response from the other woman. A tint of pink coated her cheeks.

Taeyeon had to smile. “Sure why not.”