∞∞∞∞∞

Park Chorong was an Interpol Agent most known for busting an underground arms trading triad. Over 26,000 illegal arms had been smuggled over Chinese borders into Russia, the news had caught worldwide attention, even from the UN. It was during the of that year that Kim Joonmyun became a wanted man. She didn’t know about until she landed back in South Korea. The only thing that struck her mind when she caught the news the next morning was regret.

The victim was a renowned businessman, his name high in the oil sector. His law team had been cautious and adamant with the press in order to protect his family and his reputation. After some digging Chorong found that the victim, Kim Yongchan, had a high level of methamphetamine in his system. He had been beaten, most likely after a blitz attack which smashed his skull before getting stabbed ten times – the work of a group.

If there was one thing she remembered about Joonmyun, it was that he liked doing his work independently. Work had been hectic, requiring her to fly out of the country on numerous instances. Keeping up with South Korea’s news had been difficult, but she had read up whatever she could on the most wanted man. Police evasion was a serious matter, even more serious because Joonmyun worked under the FBI crime unit. And then a year ago after stealing a vehicle with his accomplice, he went missing. She had watched the fireman pull the stolen vehicle out from the depths of the Han River live on television news days after.

It had been a deploring year. Chorong had pondered over and over in her head that if she had been stronger back then, Joonmyun’s fate would be different.

“You couldn’t have changed anything,” best friend Bomi comforted, but it wasn’t good enough.

When the hunt for Joonmyun became overridden by other crucial crimes that was when Chorong began her own personal search. Flying from province to province she traveled to various districts, but no one claimed to ever seeing Joonmyun. That man was smart. He had left no trail to follow, had maybe even possibly changed his name; gone somewhere quiet. Over the year she had even persuaded her tech analyst friend Bomi to help widen her search.

Still nothing.

That was when the call came. Kim Namjoo, the accomplice that had ran with Joonmyun. Chorong had heard of her. They’d met several times. After all, they were colleagues under the Interpol. After the vehicle crashed into the water news of her completely quieted while Joonmyun’s news still rang nationwide before being swallowed under – perhaps the work of the FBI. Chorong had been suspicious of it, because the government worked in many shady ways. Maybe she had died Chorong had thought, but she was alive and on the phone and asking for help.

“Namjoo?” she repeated into the phone. The office area was currently buzzing with co-workers. Many at their computers, others on their phones. Sliding her chair back Chorong escaped to a quiet hallway and into an unused conference room. Closing the door she resumed, “Is this really Namjoo?”

“I need to meet with you,” she breathed urgently. “Is now possible?”

Her eyes darted toward the clock. An emergency could come up any second and she would be called out. She needed to make haste if she wanted to see the person her ex-boyfriend had last been with. “Where are you?”

∞∞∞∞∞

The heart of Seoul was prominently known for its window stores and coffee shops. Always full of life and thrills. Many entertainers came here to put on shows in hopes of getting some money or to get recruited by large companies. Today was as cliché as any other day. Tourists, peoples on vacations, and others stopping for food in between meetings crowded the outside.

Leaving her car near a bike rack Chorong stepped through the parting crowd in search of Holly’s Coffee. People only cared about crimes when they first break out. After a while they became boring and people moved on with their lives. Chorong assumed that by now people had forgotten that Kim Namjoo’s face had once been plastered on TV, because there she was sitting at the window with an untouched cup of coffee among so many other lively customers. No one cared about her. No one even shot her a glance.

Heading inside Chorong joined her, curious why she chose to call now and curious to know what she knew about Joonmyun and where he was. As she sat down she caught the expression of bewilderment on Namjoo’s face – something she had not expected.

“What’s going on?” Chorong quietly asked.

“I need a favor,” Namjoo looked into her eyes.

“What can I do for you?”

“I need money.” It seemed like she had thought things out well. When she caught the look of question in Chorong’s eyes she said, “I need somewhere to go.”

Unable to sympathize with her situation Chorong told, “You’re still a wanted person. They won’t stop looking for you. Where have you been?”

Namjoo shook her head unable to discern the big situation, “I can’t…I can’t explain right now, but you have to trust me. I didn’t do anything wrong. Joonmyun and I…” as if on a nervous streak she didn’t know what else to say. She looked troubled and on the edge of a mental breakdown. Chorong quietly watched while she struggled to collect herself.

Where is Joonmyun was what she wanted to say, but she waited.

“I need to find him,” Namjoo finally said, “can you help me?”

Shock split through Chorong. Speechless for a minute she asked quietly, “You don’t know…where he is?”

Namjoo shook her head, “That’s why I need to find him before they do. Can I trust you to help me?”

Staring at her with a stony face Chorong quickly weighed the cons and pros in her head. There was one thing for sure; she wouldn’t be able to find the last of Joonmyun without Namjoo.

∞∞∞∞∞

By the time Chorong returned to the office she had to ponder, yet again, about whether she had done the right thing. She just wanted to find Joonmyun, sit and have a talk with him. If he brought himself in the higher-ups might go easy on him, might listen to his side of the story. She wanted him to turn himself in. That way there would be fewer hindrances for him and he would be able to come back to work.

As soon as she sat down her desk phone rang. Bomi was instantly put through.

“What do you have?” Chorong asked.

“There’s been a hit in South Jeolla province,” she quickly spoke, “down in Haenam County. Up north where they used to grow hallabongs – there’s been suspicious activity. News says a man has been occupying the abandoned farm – kids think he’s a ghost. Is that a pass or a go?”

Make haste, the voice at the back of her voice spoke.

Urged by the limit of time she had Chorong immediately replied, “Book me a flight.” After a second she added, “Make that for two.”

∞∞∞∞∞

The wind howled. Floorboards creaked. Critters scattered throughout the shadows and into holes in the walls. The wheat long overdue had been left behind, blown and tossed about by the ravaging breezes. In the distance the yellow farm building that once held crates of hallabongs harvested by farmers and their workers loomed like a haunting shadow.

Kids were there again. Their voices were quiet murmurs daring each other to enter the farm haunted by the old man who last lived there.

How annoying.

Quietly creeping up from the old mattress in the cobwebbed corner he peered out the oval window. Four kids exactly, all in junior high probably. Scrawny looking brats, Joonmyun thought to himself. They were coming in.

Crawling away from the window to the side railing he stared down below through the dim darkness. A flow of dust swirled in the air from the cracked roof overhead giving him a perfect view of the first to enter. He was noisy, this kid.

Laughing triumphantly he exclaimed, “I told you guys! Wimps! There’s nothing here!”

“Hey, look at this!!” one of the little ones scurried to a sharp tool against the corner. “This is dope!”

A sharp smile crept up Joonmyun’s face before he moved from the fragile railing and searched the chamber. Discovering the perfect toy he quietly crept down the ladder he discreetly dropped down at the back. Winding up the button at the back Joonmyun released the cackling white faced clown, watching as it appeared from the shadows into the light. The drums in its hand were broken, but its manic laughter was the key point to arousing the fear in young ones. Joonmyun nearly felt like cackling himself when the boys began screaming at the smudged, cracked face clown. To add to the event that ended his boring days he punched the wall of the building and watched dust shatter down like dark rain. Adding to that, from his hidden corner he let out a ed laugh and that was the last of it before the boys ran out screaming for their mommies.

Laughing amused Joonmyun climbed up the ladder back up into the secret second floor chamber and withdrew the ladder. He’d discovered this place after taking a bus and walking from city to country village. From the rice fields he’d discovered this building in the distance after hearing friendly villagers who had given this shabby young man free meals tell him of a ghost in the village. Stay away from that area, they had advised, if you’re on your way it’s best to go south but Joonmyun had stayed up north.

The abandoned farm where someone had been rumored to be killed was indeed was just a barn as normal as any. Old, dry, overdue, and abandoned as well as overrun by the uninvited pests and rats. The interior was falling apart. Everywhere was dusty and in every corner spiders ran rampant, but Joonmyun had been able to make a home after discovering the secret ladder that led up to the secret second floor. Miraculously there was also a bed and it was without mites.

Food was not difficult to search for. Sometimes he would go back into the village and have friendly talk with the elders. Those kind old ladies had no suspicion of him and would always offer him something to eat, even give him free food because they thought he was just like them poor and without nowhere to go. Other times he’d take food left behind on the side of the roads after a long day of toiling in the fields – only after making a silent prayer for forgiveness because he didn’t actually mean to be a thief. A year had been quietly spent like that. Of course he didn’t plan to stay in this barn forever. He needed to get back to his son and Aejung. The right time just hadn’t come yet.

Joonmyun turned when he heard light footsteps and moved over to the railing to peer down below. That little girl was back – his other source of food income. Dropping the ladder he made his way down.

He had first been discovered by her – on accident, maybe. There was one day she had come crying, asking the ghost that lived here to take her away. Joonmyun’s cover had been blown when he came down to approach her.

This scrawny thing of eight was just a little younger than his Hyunsu. They could be friends someday.

“Uncle Suho?” Dahee called out. A bowl covered with aluminum foil was tucked close to her chest. “Uncle Suho?”

“Hi, Dahee,” Joonmyun stepped out from the shadows. “What are you doing here?”

“I saw the boys outside. Did they give you trouble?”

A smile lit up on his face, “We played…a bit.” Gesturing toward the back he said, “What do you have with you?”

“My grandma made some pancakes,” she followed him. “Uncle, do you like pancakes?”

“I sure do,” he cheerily replied. Sitting on a stack of wild grass he watched her remove the aluminum foil.

“My grandma makes the best pancakes in the village,” her eyes shone proudly. “You’ll love them, too.”

Taking a piece Joonmyun put it in his mouth and savored the taste. Eyes lightened up and with a grin he agreed, “They’re delicious, Dahee! They taste even better than my mother’s.”

“Uncle,” she asked, “why are you here? You don’t live with your mom and dad?”

Joonmyun thought for a moment then said, “It’s like this. When you grow up, you go off to explore the world. Sometimes, mom and dad can’t come with you. It’s like…opening a new chapter and finding a new you. I’m like that, I’ve opened a new chapter and I’m going to be stronger.” He glanced at her and grinned, “Like you.”

Dahee’s parents had died inevitably in a motor accident. It was what had brought her here, crying for death.

The young girl’s gaze turned soft for a moment and Joonmyun feared that he had said the wrong things to make her cry, but a second later she cheerily smiled and gobbled down another pancake.

When she left Joonmyun returned upstairs and sat by the window, watching as night fell. He woke up in the middle of the night when drops of water splashed on his face. The roof was leaking. Dark clouds had crowded overhead. It was raining ballistic. Great.

Grabbing an old blanket he had dusted outside Joonmyun huddled in the corner wrapped in it, listening to the thunder roar. He wouldn’t fall asleep again he knew. He never slept when it rained. Something about water had become disturbing after sinking into the depths of the river.

Something strange had happened below the surface. After getting Namjoo out through the window Joonmyun was sure he was going to die. He only remembered blacking out for a brief moment before his son called out for him. When he opened his eyes Hyunsu was below with him in the sunken car. “Dad, wake up! You need to get out!” Dazed, Joonmyun just stared before his son shook him awake again. When he finally regained consciousness he swam out with Hyunsu leading the way. He made it to the surface that night, but he wasn’t anywhere near where he and Namjoo had dropped off.

Joonmyun walked for miles underneath the moonlight until he got to the train station and managed to buy a ticket. That entire night he had felt like he was in some trance. Strange as it may be, it was still unexplainable to him.

Here in this small place where news was difficult to reach, he’d heard nothing about current events in Seoul; whether Namjoo had made it, if she was in jail or not.

∞∞∞∞∞

“Uncle Suho! Uncle Suho!” it was the loud calling of Dahee that woke him up the next morning. Getting up groggily from the floor Joonmyun crept over to the railing and peered down to see the little girl searching for him.

Ever since he’d come to Haenam he’d gone by the name Suho. Going by real name basis was too risky. He hadn’t wanted anyone associated with him, but it was a little too late for that.

“Uncle Suho!” Dahee called again.

Dropping the ladder Joonmyun stepped out from the shadows. The sun was shining heavily from the cracked roof. He could feel the eerily warmth battering his skin as he walked toward her. “I’m here, Dahee.”

“Uncle,” she stared up at him with wide eyes, “there are people talking about you.”

He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“They know that you’re not a ghost,” Dahee told, “and they’re going to come get you.”

Ok, maybe it was time to have a plan b, but he didn’t have a plan b!

“Hurry! You need to leave!”

“Did someone come?” Joonmyun calmly asked. “Dahee, did strange people come into the village?”

“Uncle Dae said he saw a car on the road. It’s coming into the village,” Dahee said. “They asked about the haunted barn.”

Joonmyun’s eyes shot toward the large opened doorway. Were they here for him? Who was it? Had the feds caught trace of him here? How?!

His attention turned when Dahee grasped his hand, “Uncle, come with me!”

What if he got Dahee in trouble? But he had nowhere to go. There was no sanctuary for him here. Joonmyun didn’t want to get any of the villagers twisted up into his messy business with the feds.

“Uncle, I can hide you. Grandma isn’t home. No one will know.”

The amazing thing about kids, Joonmyun thought, was that they knew when trouble brewed. The mature ones never asked too much personal questions, they sought action to help and save. Instead of debating about the various consequences that would come about after helping someone like an adult would, young Dahee was willing to help him.

“Ok.” he nodded.

They took a long shortcut through the woods as quietly as possible until the path wound up behind the village. Creeping through the tiny gaps between each home they made it to her grandma’s home with dogs yapping noisily behind them. It was just as she promised. Old grandma wasn’t home and the house was as still as ever. Neither of them made a sound after locking the door. Whoever had come wouldn’t go door to door they’d gone straight to the barn. Joonmyun just needed to wait it out until they left.

Turning to look around Joonmyun noticed the photographs on the wall. After Dahee’s parents passed away her grandmother had taken her in. Even though her old age limited her in many ways, Dahee had taken up a big part of helping around the home. Being forced to become mature at such a young age made Joonmyun feel for her.

“Where did your grandma go?” Joonmyun glanced down at Dahee.

“To help the auntie next door. You know she owns a stall at the market, but her son is sick today,” Dahee explained.

Why this village, he wondered. Had news about the haunted barn really gone that far? Had he put himself in danger like a fool?

Joonmyun hurried to the window when a car noisily passed by. Peeking out of the window cautiously he spotted a handsome black BMW – obviously not a vehicle from around here. Had the feds really come for him?