09 October 2013 9:15 AM

“Excuse me, sir. I’m being transferred where?!?” Joong Ki almost shouted at his company commander. “Beijing? China?! I’m being posted for duty at the South Korean embassy in Beijing?! But…but why?  I had requested to be posted to the DMZ.”

Captain Kim raised an eyebrow but did not saying anything, silently warning Joong Ki that he was dangerously stepping over the line at the moment. Frankly, the captain didn’t have an answer for the young recruit. All he knew as that Private Song Joong Ki’s post-basic training assignment had been changed suddenly. The new orders had come directly from the Office of the Chief of the General Staff of the Army, without any explanation. The highly unusual move left the captain with plenty of questions, but he was a career soldier, and he knew when to ask and when not to ask…and this situation definitely belonged in the latter category.

“Do you have a problem with the orders, PRIVATE SONG? Do you have a better idea of where to best serve your country than the Department of the Army?!” Captain Kim asked…emphasizing Joong Ki’s name and rank. When his question was met with silence, he inwardly breathed a sigh of relief as any prolongation of this conversation would only result in more questions for which he had no answers. “Good…you leave tonight for Beijing. I suggest you give your family the good news. I’m sure you’ll do an outstanding job representing our country in China.”

With that, Joong Ki knew that he had been dismissed and saluted smartly before leaving the captain’s office. Frankly, the last 48 hours had been a blur to him, and this was just the icing on the cake. It would have been ridiculous if it had also not been so overwhelming. The image of Hye Kyo kissing…KISSING…In Sung was still seared into his memory. But that wasn’t the most jarring thing that he remembered from that night. It was the cold, almost robotic reaction that Hye Kyo had given him in answer to his question. While In Sung had snapped out of whatever moment he and Hye Kyo had shared, and had immediately pulled out of her grasp as if he was burned by fire, Hye Kyo made no attempt to hide or even explain what Joong Ki had just seen. Instead, she had calmly turned to Joong Ki and asked him to leave, saying that she would explain things to him later.

Joong Ki didn’t quite remember all the details of what happened next, but he did remember lunging at and grabbing In Sung and demanding an explanation, only to be tackled by the bodyguard and face-planted on the floor. Joong Ki felt himself roughly dragged to his feet by more bodyguards to face Hye Kyo and In Sung. Rather than seeing the woman that he loved and the best friend who had helped him win her, he felt as if he had come face-to-face with 2 complete strangers. In Sung looked like he was in shock, but Hye Kyo was more terrifying as she looked completely calm, and completely cold and distant.

“Song Joong Ki,” Hye Kyo started, stunning him as she addressed him in the formal tone, “You have to leave now. Please trust me…I will explain this…all of this…to you. But not now…right now you have to leave and not come back.”

And with that, Joong Ki was half-carried out of Hye Kyo’s house. Two of the bodyguards escorted him back to his own flat in silence, making sure that he was safely behind his own front door before leaving.

SJK SHK | SJK SHK | SJK SHK | SJK SHK | SJK SHK | SJK SHK | SJK SHK | SJK SHK | SJK SHK |

12 October 2013 2:30 AM

The old man sat patiently in the living room of the guest house, waiting for the others to join him. As he caught a glimpse of his image in the mirror above the fireplace mantle, he reflected on his life. By all accounts, it was a life well-lived. He had married his high school sweetheart, despite his father-in-law’s objections early on in their relationship, had raised a wonderful family, and are now surrounded by loving children and grandchildren. He had built a successful career in the electronics business, helping South Korea become the economic powerhouse that it was today. He had served his country and his community when needed and had been rewarded with countless recognitions of achievement. And he and his wife were now enjoying their golden years, enjoying the retirement that they had so richly earned.

There was only one blemish, one black mark in his life. And no matter how much he had tried to make amends, tried to make up for the sins of his eldest son, it seems that Fate would not let him. It was all the more painful that he was not the one actually suffering at the hands of his eldest son, for they had parted ways some 30 years before when he and his wife had disowned the boy. They could not condone what he had done in college to his friends, could not understand how he corrupted and twisted he had become, could not stand by and watch as the boy tried to destroy the lives of his friends. How could his son, his own son, turn out to be so completely different from him, from his wife? How could his son lead such a horrible life of crime and immorality? How could he ever make up to his son’s victims, who are still suffering today? To the rest of his family, this eldest son had died in a car accident years ago, but the man knew better. And he had thought that the nightmare was over, but all that changed 6 weeks ago when the NIS called him.

The sound of the front door opening jarred him out of his daydream, and he turned to see 2 men enter the house. Detective Lee looked haggard and worried while In Sung looked gaunt and exhausted. Both bowed politely to their waiting host before sitting down on the opposite couch.

“Joong Ki is safe. We arranged it for him to be transferred out of the country. He’ll be protected at our embassy in Beijing.” Detective Lee stated. He was about to go on, but he realized that the old man was not really listening. Instead, he was looking, staring at In Sung. And In Sung was looking back, as if carrying on a silent conversation.

“I…I need to ask for your forgiveness, again.” Song Il Woo stated as he moved to kneel in front of In Sung, bowing his head. “It’s my fault. You…your family…Hye Kyo…you have all suffered so much because of my son. I didn’t raise Alan properly, and you have paid the price for my failure.”

“There’s nothing to forgive, Honorary Grandfather,” In Sung replied as he hurriedly moved to pull the elder Song up and give him a hug. “You have done more for me, for my family, than anyone. We…we wouldn’t be alive today if it hadn’t been for you.”