∞∞∞∞∞

Right after breakfast Aejung went off on a trip to the store and promised to be back as soon as possible. An avid silence drifted in the home. Namjoo didn’t look or say anything to him as if to offer him space to deal with his grief. They sat separately in the living room like strangers in a bar who didn’t want to poke heads into each other’s business.

Joonmyun’s eyes browsed the walls. The space was occupied with pictures of Hyunsu as a baby, a toddler, and a young healthy child with the brightest smile. None of them were of him in the hospital, as if to keep only the good memories.

“Maybe you should stay for a few days,” Namjoo suggested.

“There’s no point in that,” Joonmyun objected. “We shouldn’t waste time now that we’re here.”

They turned to look at each other, their eyes coming to a level of agreement. Namjoo finally picked up her duffel bag and ped it. He thought she might put some makeup on, but instead she pulled out a black handbag. Guns.

Handing one to him with a chamber she said, “Then, lets not waste time.”

Aejung shortly arrived with fresh clothes she’d just bought for him, telling him to wash up before leaving again. It was heaven under the shower. Joonmyun had forgotten how good it was to be clean and dirt free. He expected this might be his last one for a while. Namjoo took her turn after he stepped out in his new clothes feeling fresh and brand new. It really almost felt like he was home again leading a normal life. Joonmyun could imagine that he’d just gotten up, taken a morning shower, and was on his way downstairs for a fresh cup of coffee before starting his day at work.

He searched the home and found Aejung scrubbing the counter clean in the kitchen. He’d thought this over very carefully, weighing both pros and cons while Aejung had gone out. More than anyone else now he worried most about her safety. She was a regular citizen and led a very normal life. She didn’t deserve his turmoil.

“Aejung,” he called from the table, “can we talk?”

Dropping the damp rag she brushed her apron as she walked over and took a seat opposite him. Quiet and lips firm she clutched her hands on her lap, waiting for him to go on.

“I don’t think you should stay here,” Joonmyun said. “Can you get out of the country? Stay in China, Japan, or Thailand.”

“Joonmyun,” she sounded determined, “I’m not leaving. I can’t.”

“You can’t stay here,” he urgently pointed out, “those men you met are dangerous. If something crops up they could find you any time. I can’t always be here to help you. You need to go somewhere safe, where no one knows where you are.”

“What about our son? How can I just leave him behind,” her lips trembled, “it’s too soon.” Shedding tears she wept, “He’s so scared by himself. Joonmyun, I can’t go.”

His heart ached. He wished they had all the time in the world to go over the good memories, to just be normal, but he couldn’t. The feds would still be searching for him and this chase wouldn’t end until he caught whoever had murdered the corporate head. Aejung would be caught in his line of fire if ever the drug dealers used her to lure him out. Worst case scenario would be their dead bodies in the ravine. Those men wouldn’t guarantee the safety of her and he wouldn’t risk that. Joonmyun hated that he couldn’t even properly grieve with her for their lost son. Circumstances just gave him no choice.

“Please,” Joonmyun begged. “Hyunsu wouldn’t want anything to happen to you. Do it for him. It’s dangerous here. Very soon they’ll know I’m in Seoul and the feds might come for you, they’ll think you’re hiding something you didn’t tell them a year ago. You need to go somewhere safe until I figure this all out. I’ll come for you as soon as I can, I promise.”

His ex-wife cried for a minute before nodding. Joonmyun wished he could smile to comfort her, but he couldn’t. He missed his son and just wanted to lie in bed and cry. His insides felt ripped, gnawed apart by some beast. Aejung must have had it worst, sending their son off alone. Joonmyun was disappointed and disheartened that he hadn’t been here with her. There was much to make up for, but he would have to set that aside as cruel as it sounded. He could only hope that Hyunsu had gone peacefully, not painfully.

Moving quickly he helped Aejung pack her necessities along with photobooks and memos of Hyunsu – possessions she couldn’t bear to leave behind. By the time Namjoo stepped out they were waiting for her downstairs.

“Are you ready?” Joonmyun asked.

“I’m ready.” She nodded.

They took Aejung’s car and with haste, drove toward Incheon International Airport while she reserved a flight ticket through her mobile app.

“Will you two be ok?” Aejung worried.

“We were trained for this,” Namjoo confidently replied from the backseat. “Don’t you worry uh….Mrs. Kim…”

“Aejung,” she chipped in.

Laughing foolishly Namjoo continued, “You don’t have a thing to worry about, Aejung. Joonmyun and I will nail these guys.”

“Take the car,” Aejung offered after a moment of silence.

Joonmyun turned to her surprised, “Aejung…”

“Take it,” she repeated. “No one will know. That tracing stuff,” she looked to Joonmyun for guidance, “it’ll be dangerous if you take your car. If you have to travel distances, it’ll help.”

 “Did you call your workplace?” Joonmyun wondered.

“I haven’t been to work for a while,” Aejung quietly admitted, “so it doesn’t matter.”

Joonmyun glanced at her sympathetically. Had her life totally fallen apart like his and Namjoo’s?

∞∞∞∞∞

“They missed her?!” Sehun yelled. He slapped the papers in his hand onto the desk frustrated. He’d spent the entire night at the bureau waiting for news and trying to come up with a strategy to persuade Namjoo to turn herself in. If she was from Interpol, chances were that she was way more knowledgeable than him. He couldn’t be outdone. Not now.

“Yes, sir. I just received a call from Haenam Police Department. They scouted everywhere, but there’s been no sign of her.” the young slim man reported unaffected by Sehun’s exasperation.

“Okay, I got it. Leave,” he swatted his hand and listened to the man walk away. Leaning forward and biting onto his thumb he wondered where she would be now. Hiding in Haenam? Or had she slipped out of the county? Where was she going?

It wasn’t until late that morning after he’d just come back from getting a cup of coffee that he got the answer to his question. About to return to his seat the earlier slim man, Im Jungha, rushed over. “Sir, there’s been a hit! We’ve just been alerted that there’s been activity on Kim Joonmyun’s checking account. He’s at Incheon Airport.”

∞∞∞∞∞

Oh Sehun, 29, born in Seoul and raised in Seoul. Graduated from the National Police School with exceptional grades and was later scouted by the FBI. Now he worked for the CID – Criminal Investigative Division.

Chorong stared down at the information in front of her and tapped the paper with a finger. If the purpose of his job was to ensure public safety and incorporate a mode of justice, then why was he only going after Kim Namjoo? Was he not worried about Kim Joonmyun, criminal and starter of this case?

Her eyes narrowed on his picture and turned when her phone rang. Quickly snatching it up she listened to the analyst report, “He’s on the move.”

“To where?” she quickly inquired.

“Lets see,” Bomi hummed and pounded the keyboard a few times, “looks like he’s entering the major highway. Perhaps the airport?”

“Got it,” Chorong replied then hung up. Grabbing her keys and bag she dashed toward the front exit.

∞∞∞∞∞

While Aejung picked up her ticket Joonmyun withdrew money from the ATM nearby.

“Are you crazy?” Namjoo hissed underneath her breath, her eyes darting toward the automatic doors that continuously opened and closed as people came and left. “Are you asking to be found? The cops would have asked the bank to notify them if there’s activity on your account. They’ll trace you!”

“Will you shut up?” Joonmyun whispered. “I know that, but we’ll need something in the long run.”

“I have cash,” Namjoo reminded.

“We’re going to need more if we’re on the run,” Joonmyun said. “Withdrawing cash now won’t hurt. This is the only trail I’m going to leave, it’ll work for us later.”

“I sure hope you’re damn right,” she breathed. Some fifteen minutes later Aejung finally walked over after dropping off her luggage and receiving her flight ticket. “She’s coming,” Namjoo shot her eyes to the side and they turned when Aejung approached.

“I’m going to stay in Japan. It was the third to the last option on our choices of locations for our honeymoon,” she coded, so he would know where she’d be.

Joonmyun nodded and became usurped by surprise when Aejung hugged him. They hadn’t been intimate with each other since the early stages that led to their divorce or after their divorce. He didn’t believe there was any warmth left between them, but feeling glad with her display of affection he hugged her in return.

“I’m sorry, Joonmyun, for getting you into this mess,” she apologized. “Please be safe.”

Withdrawing, they peered at each other before Joonmyun finally managed to smile. “Don’t worry about me.” Then he glanced at the clock. By now the cops would have been notified about the activity on his account. They’d be tracing his location already. “I can only send you up to here.”

Firmly pressing her lips together, Aejung nodded. They glanced at each other one last time before Joonmyun turned to dash out the doors, Namjoo on his tail.

∞∞∞∞∞

Speeding up Sehun raced down the highway zipping in between cars. Was Joonmyun trying to fly out of the country? If he was here in Seoul, what was Namjoo doing down in Haenam? Did the two of them have separate agendas?

The brakes screeched when he abruptly turned into the parking lot of the airport, stepping urgently on the brakes before grabbing a ticket from the booth. Proceeding into the parking lot he drove around, eyes shifting from right to left observantly studying people leaving their cars. None of these here resembled him, so where was he?! Already flown off or was he pulling a stunt?

He’d never met Kim Joonmyun before, but rather had studied him closely when he became a wanted person last year. From his biography to his career, Sehun had memorized all he could about the man. Kim Joonmyun was a young wit, very intelligent. From surpassing the expectations of all police teachers at the academy he immediately got into the FBI’s Violent Crime Squad without difficulty. Everyone praised him, but had been quick to doubt him when news of Kim Yongchan’s homicide broke out. A murderer was one of the worst beings in the eyes of the FBI, no excuse. All agents at the Federal Bureau were determined to make him pay for his crime and were up for the chase, however long it took. Sehun had been recruited into the hunt last year – his fresh eyes, they’d said, would come in handy. His role upped when Kim Namjoo was discovered floating on the Han River. Priority had been to watch her until she regained her memory, but now she was gone too.

Driving past the front exit Sehun narrowed his eyes, staring in hopes of spotting Joonmyun through those glass doors. Today, he judged, must be a busy day for planes taking off and coming in. Considering the populated line leading to the front receptionists Sehun decided he would park his car and head in to investigate. Then turning right into the next lane he immediately stomped on the brakes. Adrenaline pumped through him when he stared out the passenger window to get a better view of the woman running down the lot. He was confidently sure he recognized her even from behind. Bolting out of the car Sehun ran after her as fast as his long legs allowed.

When he neared he paused and shouted, “Sohye!”

Crap.

He shouldn’t have called her that. Damn it, he’d gotten too used to calling her that.

The woman slowed and came to a halt before swiveling around to stare him. Attention perked, Sehun stared back.

Yes, it was her. Kim Namjoo had really left Haenam.

He should have strutted toward her and recite her rights to her before bringing her in, but he didn’t. Handcuffs would work better for this situation, but he didn’t have any on him.

Crap.

Namjoo’s stare intensified into a low level glare. Tightening her jaw she asked, “Who are you?”

“Where are you going?”

Her stare burned into him before she calmly walked toward him. He couldn’t read her. That gaze in her eyes was not the soft, innocent gaze she’d had until recently. Namjoo felt like a totally different person from the one he’d spent the past year with, exuberating danger and caution.

Sehun watched her reach up to rip the chain from her neck before shoving it against him. His hand flew up to catch the pendant and further watched her rip off the ring he had inquired from the jewelry store – the perfect façade to their sham marriage – and slammed it into his hand.

“Stay away from me,” she warned then began backing away. “Don’t you dare follow me.” then turning she dashed off.

Sehun clamped his hand around her abandoned possessions, staring into the emptiness combating with himself about his blankness. Finally collecting himself he hurried forward to follow when she finally disappeared. When he finally reached the end of the lane she was nowhere to be seen. From here on out were the ticket booths and beyond that the highway. Namjoo couldn’t have disappeared so fast, but she really was nowhere.

He about turned to head back to his car, but turned when a vehicle drove up to the ticket booth. As the BMW neared he narrowed his eyes upon recognizing the Interpol agent he’d seen the other day. Noticing him she stopped her car and stepped out.

What was she doing here? Jamming the pendant and ring into his pocket he turned to face her.

“We meet again,” Park Chorong cheekily greeted.

Sehun observed her suspiciously, “What are you doing here?”

Avoiding his question wittily she asked, “Are you here to send someone off?”

“Perhaps,” he replied, “and you?”

“Here to send someone off as well,” she firmly smiled. Sehun’s eyes jotted toward her car. Upon noticing she excused, “My cousin is waiting for me inside. Till next time.” With a polite nod she returned to her car and drove toward the building. Sehun turned to watch her car become smaller in the distance. Not for a second did he believe her.

∞∞∞∞∞

Chorong cautiously peered into her rearview mirror to make sure Sehun was gone before stealing a spot in the parking lot. Turning her engine off she dialed for Bomi.

“If you’re going to yell at me because I guessed wrong, you shouldn’t because you assumed it too,” Bomi quickly breathed.

“The FBI agent was here,” Chorong confirmed. “Did you find out why he came?”

“Yes, after some digging around with my ultra intelligent data base and quick hands,” Bomi went on, “I found out that Joonmyun withdrew a humongous amount of cash from the airport’s ATM.”

“He what?” Chorong asked unsure if she’d heard right. Joonmyun, as she knew, had always been a frugal spender. He didn’t waste money, food, or anything.

“You heard me,” Bomi emphasized. “About four hundred dollars worth, and considering that that’s an ATM and not a bank, it’s still a lot of money.”

“They left Haenam,” Chorong muttered to herself.

“What was that?” Bomi asked.

“Nothing,” Chorong piped up. Then she looked around, “Bomi, can you access the airport’s security cameras? If Joonmyun was able to get to the airport he must’ve taken a cab or something. Get me the license plate and which station the cab is from.”

“I’m on it.” Bomi promised before hanging up.

∞∞∞∞∞

“Who was that?” Joonmyun asked speeding down the highway back to Seoul. Luckily, he’d reached the car first and drove around the lane just as she came in his direction.

“No one,” her eyes shifted to stare out the window. She wanted to punch herself for reacting to that awful name Sohye.

“Your ring’s missing,” he noticed. Namjoo instinctively turned to look at him defensively, but Joonmyun easily added, “People wear rings there sometimes. I just noticed yours isn’t. I wasn’t going to say anything funny, if you think I was.”

“I must’ve dropped it,” Namjoo said maintaining her composure. Staring down the road she asked, “Then tonight, we’re on?”

Joonmyun’s eyes flared, “Lets bust those guys.”