“I’m sorry.” Detective Oh Tae-ok grimaced. The missing woman’s husband was obviously not even hearing him but staring at what was left of Lee Areum's vehicle. 

Their initial assessment of the scene led him to believe that the victim had lost control of the car and driven off the side of the road and into the woodlands alongside the road. In his opinion, it was unlikely she’d survived. In his opinion, they were looking for a body.

“President…” Secretary Park prompted. They were soaked through from standing in the rain, “What happens now?” He asked Detective Oh when Jungkook didn’t respond.

“Well, hopefully we will find your wife…we are checking the river and the embankment…but I don’t think she got far….” he needed to find out who the unidentified man was, it was heartless, but this was his job, “She was not alone. Do you know anything about that?”

Jungkook blinked, “She has some friends…” he couldn’t think. “Maybe it was Se-young, Minah…Ha…” he in his breath, realising that one of them could be dead. Hana, who’d just found out about her father and wanted to set things right…

“This was a man.” Tae-ok made it clear. He saw the young man’s expression change and grow confused. It was always like this, the other half never suspected. They were always the most shocked when the affair was revealed.

“Was there any identification?” Secretary Park asked. Detective Oh shook his head, “But I’m sure you will have more information when you can process everything?”

“Correct.”

“Tae-ok!” someone called out to him.

“I suggest you head home. As soon as I have a better idea of what we’re dealing with, I’ll be by the house to update you.”

“Is there anything we should do?” Jungkook asked.

“A clear profile sort of picture that we can use just in case we need to put out a missing person profile.”

Secretary Park nodded, “I’ll send one right over.” He accepted the business card from the Detective.

“Go home and wait. I know it’s hard, but that’s all you can do. Your wife might even turn up or try to call, so you should be there.”

Jungkook wasn’t listening again. Everyone turned and watched as the team carefully carried the stretcher of the unidentified man into the ambulance. What were you doing Areum? Why were you with this guy? Jungkook’s fists clenched.

Detective Oh noticed the reaction. It wasn’t strange that he should be angry and confused in this situation. It was a natural emotion to reach for anger instead of grief.

1 year later 
“Oh My God!” the woman grasped Areum’s hand, “you saved my life.”

“I didn’t really do anything.” Areum pulled her hand back and quickly slipped off the glove, “I just happened to see you struggling. I always swim here. Think of it as just luck.”

“Yeobo, honey, are you okay?” the young woman’s frantic husband rushed down the side of the hill and to the shore, “Kwenchana?”
“I’m fine. This agassi saved me.”

“Kamsahamnida.” The man bowed profusely and slipped a protective arm around her shoulders, “what happened?”

“I was fine, I always swim back home…” she told this to Areum, feeling embarrassed in front of the impressive woman who’d saved her.

Areum smiled as she straightened and picked up the bag of crabs she’d caught that morning, “Are you guys here on holiday?”

“honeymoon. On a daytrip from Jeju” The man grinned. His wife whispered something to him, “I know this may seem weird, but could we get a picture with you? Just something to remember the woman who saved Ji-a?” 

Areum shrugged, “Sure. I don’t see why not.” They took the picture then Areum told them to enjoy the rest of their time on the island and went off.

“She’s so nice!” Ji-a gushed, watching Areum walk up the path in the direction of the town.

“And pretty.” Her husband added, “do you think she’s one of the fisherwomen of Udo?”

Secretary Park used to be the first one into the Executive Department of Taeyang Group, but ever since Lee Areum went missing a year ago, the President came in earlier. Sometimes, the President slept on the couch.

Profits were up, Taeyang was stronger than ever, but the lab division had been closed and the President was never the same.

“Good morning President.” He greeted the smartly dressed man, so good looking, so capable, so gifted and now all of that was wasted.

Jungkook looked up, greeted him emotionlessly but polite and went back to reading the document.

Secretary Park lingered at the door, “Would the President like a coffee?”

“Please carry on.” Jungkook didn’t look up.

Secretary Park sighed; he was depressed. Taeyang was an amazing company to work for but he saw the President every day and it was just so sad to look at. The President acted fine in front of everyone else, he smiled, he made sure he ate his meals, he kept in shape, dressed well and maintained his relations with family and close friends but he spent most of his time at work, because here he didn’t have to lie. Here he could sit in his office and drop the mask.

“The President is already in?” Ji-a asked.

Secretary Park nodded to his Admin assistant, “Welcome back by the way. How was Jeju?”

“You should go oppa. It’s amazing! I must thank the President for gifting us the holiday for our wedding.”

“Maybe I should get married too…” Secretary Park mused as he placed his cup in the coffee machine and pressed the button for caramel latte.

“It’s the best!” she showed him her phone, “I wanted to show the girls the photos, but you can be the first.” She knew better than to hover beside him, so she handed the phone over at the right folder.

He scrolled through the pictures, giving out the proper responses, telling Ji-a how pretty she looked and how much fun they must have had. Right when he was getting bored and he thought how he could give her the phone without hurting her feelings, another assistant arrived and wanted to see the pictures.

Secretary Park gratefully left them and returned to his office.

"Who is this woman?"

"Ani, it's not something strange. This is the woman who saved me from drowning." 

Secretary Park smiled when he overheard their animated conversation. Ji-a was a welcome addition to their team. She was always smiling and greeting everyone. As he passed Jungkook’s office, he caught the President, his forehead pressed to the desk, his eyes pressed tightly closed.

Secretary Park quickly returned to his office and closed the door.  He needed a moment, cause sometimes looking at the President, he felt so sad and helpless seeing that man trying to pretend that everything was just fine.

 “I got it, crazy” the mysterious man smiled at her. His eyes were bright and full of mischief. Who was he? She never saw his whole face. She never could make out what he really looked like. She saw his eyes and that was it.

He always appeared in her dreams. Whenever she was scared or lonely, his image, the sound of his voice, the feel of him…somehow, she could feel his warmth, his power. She felt that he must be a man of purpose.

Areum sat up in bed and ran a rough hand through her unruly curls. She really hated dreaming about that guy. Here she was having fantasy dreams about the guy who was most likely her attacker.

Mika knocked on the door, “Hey. Morning. Don’t you have a big day at the lab?”

Areum slapped her head, “, the presentation. Where’s unnie?”
“Must have slept at the lab. Her bed is unmade.”

Mika shook her head, watching Areum trying to get ready for work, “Sometimes I think about how peaceful my life would have been if I didn’t find you on the side of the road. Omma always said, don’t give lifts to strangers.”
“Even half dead ones?”

“Especially half-dead, identity nabbing ones.” Mika pointed an accusatory finger, “My life was so normal before that day.”

“Nothing about unnie is normal.” Areum stopped and smiled, “Gomawo unnie for saving my life.”

Mika rolled her eyes, “Anyway wish Seuli good luck and I’ll leave a list of the catch I need for tonight’s service. You can go fishing after the presentation, right?”

“Sure. Shouldn’t be a problem. Unnie and Dae-hoon sunbae are needed for the presentation. I’m just a lowly research assistant.” She rushed into the bathroom, “See you later!”

Mika sighed. It was exhausting listening to Areum put herself down. Mika remembered that night like it was yesterday. The woman who’d crawled up the hill with the man chasing after her was no ordinary woman. She had been determined; she had been strong. Mika shook away the memories. She couldn’t think about that night and what they’d done to get away from the man.

Jungkook pulled on his coat and stepped off the plane. The team from Taeyang were visiting islands as part of a scouting mission for potential new sites for development.

“Secretary Park and I will handle the visit.” Yong-san told the President, “It is the final stop before returning to Seoul so the President can feel free to explore the island.”

Jungkook didn’t agree or disagree. He breathed in the fresh air, there was nothing like the smell of the ocean and the that fierce breeze that demanded your attention. This is it Areum. I promised I’d protect this place because you loved it so much, but after this – we’re done.

Jungkook walked ahead.

Secretary Park watched m. He knew this visit was harder than anyone knew.

“Is it true that this is where the President came on honeymoon?” Yong-san asked.

Secretary Park nodded, “And that is all we will discuss on the matter.” He approached Jungkook, “The car is ready President.”

“Drop me off in the town.” Jungkook said.

************************

They’d spent a day here four years ago on their honeymoon. “Dated” for two, married for four and counting. No one expected him to move on – yet, and to be honest, since he was here staring at the ocean and there was no one for miles, he coul