Dear Mr. Kim Wonpil of the ICT department,

Look here, it’s not as if I’m asking too much. Everyone in my department has access to the company’s fast and stable internet connection---every single one of them, EXCEPT ME. Some of my colleagues are probably even watching god-knows-what in HD as I type this, while I CAN BARELY SEND A ING EMAIL. So I can’t comprehend how it is so difficult for you, an "expert" in the field, to ensure that I am provided with the same reliable service. Or perhaps, it’s also included in your job description to make my life a living hell?  Do I really have to call you into my office EVERY SINGLE TIME, because I’m starting to get sick of your face. And as much as I don’t want to be the bad guy here, I'm going to report you to your superiors, if that’s what I have do to get that internet access.

Don't make me email you again.

Park Sungjin

Account Manager, Sales Department

"You don't have to do this just to prove your point Sungjin." 

"It's just random words Younghyun. They doesn't mean anything."

"It's going to mean something to him..."

"I told you, my internet's too slow! He's not gonna receive this."

‘Sending…’ appeared on top of the window.

Sungjin began tapping his finger on the mouse. Eyes closed, eyebrows furrowed.

“What if it sends though?” Younghyun spoke again. He was just a spectator, but he was the one feeling nervous for both parties.

"It won't okay! It'll just go in my out-“

‘Your message has been sent.’ popped up, replacing the previous notification on the screen.

"HOLY F-“

“Sungjin!” Wonpil’s head appeared from behind the door to Sungjin’s office.

Sungjin slammed his laptop shut making Younghyun and Wonpil cringe. "What?! What is it?!" He sounded agitated, but it wasn't anything off the norm, Wonpil would be the one to know.

"Right, I dropped by to let you know I’ve fixed your internet connection.”

“Y-You did?"

"Sorry it took so long, I was busy with... stuff. But this time I promise you, I've fixed it for good."

"Really...?"

"Yes, really! Okay, I guess my job here is done. Have a good night Sungjin, Younghyun!" Wonpil did a salute on top of his signature wide grin.

"Wonpil! Why don't you have dinner with us?" Sungjin blurted before Wonpil could completely close the door behind him.

"Sungjin... I can't tonight..." Younghyun whispered.

"Oh... It seems like Younghyun has an emergency. How about the two of us then? As a... As a thank you! For always fixing my internet connection." Sungjin knew he sounded overly enthusiastic, but he had to make sure Wonpil wouldn't go back to his desk and find that email he sent.

"Oh wow... Really? Sure, I'd love to! I'll just go get my-"

"No! No, we have to go leave right now. My reservation was for 7 PM."

"It's still 5:30 PM though... I'll be really quick-"

"Wonpil! Are your things more important than having dinner with me right now?"

Wonpil locked eyes with Younghyun who could only shrug apologetically. Sungjin couldn't act to save his life. What should have been a simple invitation, turned into coercion. He would have been better off telling Wonpil the truth and apologizing offhand. But then again, there was this dangerous beast called pride.

"Okay, I guess my things can wait then..."

"Wait for me. Just stand right there, outside my room. Don't go anywhere! And if you could just make sure the door's closed properly. Thanks!"

As soon as Wonpil was out of sight, Sungjin grabbed Younghyun by the collar. "You have friends over at the ICT department, right?!" Sungjin spoke hurriedly in a hushed voice. "What's that guy's name again?"

"Jae...?"

"That's right! Him!"

"He's probably leaving already..."

"Go after him! Get him to delete my email! And you must, Younghyun listen to me, you must, come for Wonpil once you're done."

"What do I get out of this?" Younghyun said plainly.

"WH-WHAT DO YOU-" Sungjin fumed, but the realization that Wonpil was just outside the room, made him lower his voice immediately. "What do you get out of this?! First of all, I will let you live."

"I'm not doing it."

Sungjin's eyes burned through Younghyun's, but Younghyun didn't show any signs of backing down either.

"Okay! Fine! What do you want?!"

Younghyun eyes moved to his still crumpled dress shirt. Sungjin took the cue and removed his hands, straightening out the creases on the previously crisp white shirt.

"Say please."

"Are you kidding me?!"

"Bye Sungjin."

"Please Younghyun," Sungjin said stifly.

"Okay Sungjin, I'll do it since you asked me nicely." Younghyun savored being able to rub salt into Sungjin's wounded ego. For Wonpil.

"Seriously though Sungjin, it won't hurt to try and be nice to him... Just this once."

++++++

It turned out there was no reservation. Not for 7 PM, nor any time for that matter. To make matters worse, Sungjin had no idea where the good restaurants were. Luckily, Wonpil didn't mind and instead took the liberty to choose.

"I like this place," Wonpil said as they stood outside a small and unassuming restaurant. "My brother and I used to come here often."

The scent of kimchi stew wafted towards them as the door opened. The ahjumma who welcomed them in smiled warmly as she recognized Wonpil.

The place wasn't packed unlike other restaurants at that time of night. The murmurs of the few people chatting and occasional clinking of chinaware made the atmosphere feel comfortable; homey even.

It was just the way Sungjin liked it too.

"So..." Wonpil broke the awkward silence between them. "Should I start pouring the soju?"

"I don't drink."

"Buzzkill."

Sungjin had the urge to punch him, if only the ahjumma weren't smiling in their direction.

Wonpil poured himself a drink and drank it one shot. "You sound just like my brother."

I'm not going to regret this... I'm not going to regret this... Sungjin chanted in his head.

It was going to be a long night.

"Hyung..." Wonpil drawled. 

Ever since he started getting drunk, Wonpil had been calling Sungjin, hyung. Something he never had to do ever since Sungjin himself insisted that they treat each other as same-aged friends; a plot to establish good relations with the guy from ICT who was in charge of his unit.

"What Wonpil?!" Sungjin retorted as he checked his messages for the umpteenth time. His annoyance, unintentionally directed to the person within the nearest proximity.

Younghyun's last text message had been a whole hour ago.

Jae dragged me to the club. Says he's not deleting anything til I get drunk and start grinding. Sungjin, help me!

No way in hell was he going to help that guy out.

"Hyung, I'm a pencil! I'm a Yeon. Pil. Get it?" Wonpil giggled.

"Yeah, yeah, you can be whatever you want to be," Sungjin replied mindlessly as he tried calling Younghyun's phone again.

"And hyung is a bear!"

Sungjin took a deep breath. He had been convincing himself that it was no use arguing with someone who was way in too deep in their alcohol.

"You used to laugh at our jokes... Hyung, why are you being so mean?

"You're just like someone I know at the office... He's finally had it with me. Look at this."

Wonpil took out his phone and pulled up the email Sungjin sent him. He started laughing, but his eyes were watery; nose, red. He sniffled and drank another shot.

Sungjin's blood ran cold. Of course, Wonpil would have had access to his emails on his phone.

"Wonpil I didn't mean it. I-"

"I know! I know it's my fault... I've failed him a lot of times. But I had to do it! He reminds me so much of you hyung... And I-I can't let it happen again!

"I've been trying to be a better person! I-I'm doing the best I can... But here I am, still a failure. Hyung, I'm going to make it up to you. I promise you!"

Sungjin sighed. He took a shot glass and poured himself a drink.

He looked around. Everything about the restaurant reminded him of home. How an ahjumma would greet him warmly when he arrived from school. How the kitchen smelled of his favorite food, when she cooked. How it was quiet. How it was empty...

Something stirred in his chest.

Was it the drink?

Or guilt? 

Maybe it was that he was feeling sorry for Wonpil but couldn't comfort him---not after what he had done.

He didn't want to admit it but perhaps there was also something about listening to Wonpil's confessions that made him long for someone who would also confide in him, as Wonpil would to his brother. 

Whatever it was, it was tugging at Sungjin's heartstrings.

Maybe Younghyun's right...

"We've got to go Wonpil. You've had too much to drink..."

"But I missed you hyung... Let's stay for a while longer. I still have something to tell you..."

"Why don't we continue this conversation at home Wonpil?" Sungjin tried to convince him, patting gently the hand which had been refusing to let go.

Just this once.

Before he could help Wonpil up, a cellphone began ringing. It wasn't his; the screen on his phone remained unlit, idle. It was Wonpil's, and the guy had already answered it in his drunken state.

"You've got the wrong number. Get lost!"

Wonpil attempted to throw his phone but it just fell right in front of him.

"Kim Wonpil!" The person named Chief was still on the other end.

"Hello? This is Wonpil's officemate, Sungjin. I have to apologize, he's too drunk right now."

"God that kid. I should keep him on a leash. Wait- Who did you say you were?"

"Sungjin... Park Sungjin."

There was long silence before the man spoke again.

"Check the phone. I sent you something. I need you to confirm if you recognize that person."

Sungjin's heart started racing.

"Y-Yes... How-"

"Now listen to me."

++++++

Wonpil stretched out his arms and yawned. He reached out for his mug mechanically, lifting it to his lips, only to realize it was already empty---the coffee consumed hours ago. He kept forgetting.

The office was quiet. There was barely anyone left now. The remaining few, who, like him were stuck behind their desks, looked like the living dead. People avoided the night shift like the plague, but there he was staring at his computer, as if his report would type itself out. He hated doing reports; he never had to do one before. Another punishment for having a "jolly good time" while his team was busy cracking down a big ticket.

The screen on his cellphone suddenly lit up and his eyes immediately left the blinking cursor on the screen.

A message from an unknown number.

Hi! Are you a friend of Sungjin's? Could you possibly fetch him from my place and bring him home? He's too drunk to go anywhere and I don't know where he lives. I'm just taking a shot in the dark here. You're the first person on his logs and the next one is 'Mom'. I don't think Sungjin would be too ecstatic to find out that his mom was the one who brought him home, no? Please let me know. I'll send you my address. Thanks!

Wonpil sighed. How can Sungjin, who claims he doesn't drink, get drunk for a second consecutive night? At someone else's place at that. Last night was such a blur, he couldn't even remember how he got home. All he was sure of was that he could still feel the hangover from the previous night.

"Chief, I'm going out for coffee."

It wasn't a complete lie, he convinced himself. He really was planning to go out for coffee since he finished his first cup; the instant coffee from the vending machine was becoming too bland for his taste. Maybe he should order one for Sungjin, it would help with the hangover.

"Make sure you come back and finish that report, rookie."

Wonpil's fingers curled into his palms. He also hated being treated like a rookie just because he was the youngest in the team. Everyone knew damn well his skills were beyond his age.

"Yes boss!" He saluted lazily and left.

Wonpil hated everything about his job, but it wasn't like he had any choice in it.

++++++

Wonpil checked the number of the unit twice; thrice. He didn't want to make the mistake of knocking on some random person's door who was not Sungjin's friend. If he were reported to the police for loitering he'd be dead meat.

"He could have just let Sungjin sleep in..." he mumbled as he rang the door bell.

The door buzzed open immediately.

"Hello..." he called out. It was odd that no one welcomed him in. "This is Kim Wonpil. I'm here for Park Sungjin..."

The house was dark except for a portion that was dimly lit. He approached slowly, worried he may have entered the wrong house.

"Sung...jin."

His heart began beating heavily in his chest.

Wonpil found himself in the dining area. And there was Sungjin, sprawled out on one end of the long dining table. Unconscious. Drunk. Drunk? But there were no signs of alcohol. No bottles, nor cans. Not even the pungent smell of liquor. The only tell tale sign was a wine glass knocked over on the table, its contents spilled out on the floor.

Something was wrong.

"What took you so long Wonpil?"

A woman's voice spoke from a corner of the room. Her back was turned as she poured herself a glass of wine. Wonpil didn't need to see her face. He knew exactly who she was.

"Y-You... But I..."

"Oh nothing can come in between true love, sweetie."

It was her---the woman Sungjin was having a fling with at the office. The exact same person he was trying so hard to keep Sungjin away from.

He had pulled all the stops he could think of. Sungjin's frequent problems with his internet connection at the office, all his doing. He had even gone to the extent of tapping Sungjin's phone.

So how was it possible for her to be there---with Sungjin?

She drank the glass of wine in one sip before taking out a gun. "Sit down." She pointed to the seat at the opposite end of the table. "Are you deaf?" She pointed the gun to Sungjin's head and Wonpil finally started moving.

"What did you do to him?"

"Oh, nothing more than a drink... yet." She walked behind Sungjin and tied his hands behind him as he began to regain consciousness.

"Sungjin!"

"What are you doing?! Let me go!"

"I know it's me you want! Why did you bring him into this?! Let him go!"

"W-Wonpil..." 

"Hyung..."

"I'm sorry Sungjin, I had no other choice." The woman touched Sungjin's cheek, but he turned away in disgust.

"Don't touch him!"

"Why can't I Wonpil? I loved him! We had something going for us, but you just had to ruin it!"

"Love?! You're not capable of that! Look at what you're doing to him! You criminal!"

"I am! And so are you!"

Wonpil caught Sungjin's eyes, the fear in them felt like stabs to his heart.

"I-I am not anymore!"

"Is that why you're trying to get close to Sungjin?! So you and the police could use him as bait to catch me?!"

"That's not true... Sungjin don't believe her! I did my best to get her away from you!"

"He's working undercover for the police," she whispered in Sungjin's ears. "One of the most skilled hackers, caught by the police... Such a waste of talent if you ask me. He went by the alias Eraser. Didn't you Wonpil? Creative. I loved it."

"And what she does best is manipulating people, to steal from! Sungjin, please, I never intended to harm you! I-I was going to tell you the truth!"

His heart sank, Sungjin wouldn't even look at him anymore.

"Except you didn't! And now he's here, with me.

"A year of lying low, I even found myself a decent desk job, then you suddenly appear. I was so ecstatic! I thought to myself, I could finally retire, start over, if only I could get you to work one last job with me. But then I realized what you were there for. God, I hated you! You have no idea how hard it was for me to behave while I figured out how to get to you... 

"Then Sungjin happened. And you took the bait just like that."

"Stop this! I'll do whatever you want me to do! Just let him go! I'm begging you!"

"You're becoming too soft Wonpil. I heard you used to demand a hefty sum, but now it only takes one man..."

"And you're becoming the monster you truly are!"

"Oh! I'm going out with a bang!

"A million dollars in my bank account."

"What?! W-Where am I going to get that?"

"Do I have to put a bullet through his head to rack your brain?" The woman placed the barrel of the gun to Sungjin's head.

"No! Don't!"

She placed a laptop infront of Wonpil. "Work your magic! I know you can do it in a minute but I'll be nice and give you an hour. Do anything stupid and he dies."

"The police will be able to trace this sooner or later. You're just setting up a trap for yourself."

"Stop stalling!"

"I-"

"Just do it Wonpil!" Sungjin suddenly shouted, raising his voice above theirs. "J-Just do it... Please."

"Aww... Look at him beg." The woman grabbed a fistful of Sungjin's hair and raised his head. His tearful eyes were pleading; his quivering lips, bitten down on. "Don't you feel sorry for him? He just might die because of you."

"No... No! I-I'm going to do it now!" Wonpil fought back his tears and took a deep breath. He steadied his hands over the keyboard and began typing.

"Good boy. Make it quick! Time is ticking."

It didn't take him more than hour to do what was asked of him. He pushed the laptop towards the woman as a proof.

"Done. Now it's your turn to hold up your end of the bargain."

"I expected nothing less from you Kim Wonpil." The woman shut the laptop, grinning. "But I don't remember promising you anything. Did you Sungjin?"

The woman whipped out her gun and pulled the trigger.

"NO! HYUNG!"

Time stood still. 

Sungjin's body remained motionless on the chair. Wonpil and the woman, both on their feet, stood unmoving, waiting---Wonpil, for someone to wake him up from that horrible nightmare; the woman, for Wonpil's tears, the denouement to her elaborate plot. 

But then Sungjin suddenly drew in a long breath and started coughing.

Time resumed. Events unfolded quickly, one after the other, as if making up for lost time.

"What?!" The woman grabbed Sungjin by his jacket. Not a single drop of blood stained the shirt beneath. "A bulletproof vest... Y-You... The both of you were planning this all along..."

"What...?"

There was suddenly pounding on the door, until it sounded like it was being broken down.

With the woman completely flustered, all it took was for Wonpil to hit her across the head with the laptop and she had crumpled to the floor.

"You're going to regret this Kim Wonpil!"

Wonpil quickly ran to Sungjin and shielded him with his body.

"Wonpil! No! Move out of the way!"

"No!"

Three gunshots rang in the air.

++++++

"Wonpil would you stop and listen to me for a minute?"

Wonpil wasn't having any of it. He hadn't stopped walking as soon as they stepped out the police station up until they reached the main road, where he immediately hailed a cab.

"We need to talk!"

Wonpil opened the passenger's seat of the car which stopped in front of him, but Sungjin slammed the door shut.

"He's not going anywhere. Sorry for the trouble." He handed the driver a bill and the cab went on its way.

"What?! What is it you want from me? Do you want me to fall to my knees and thank you for your kindness?"

Wonpil started getting on his knees, but Sungjin quickly stopped him, yanking him by the arm to stand.

"Why are you being like this?!"

"I didn't ask for your help."

"What?"

"I said, I didn't ask for your help! I didn't need it. And I didn't want it. I could have done it myself."

"How?! By cutting off my internet connection? By re-routing her calls? What made you think-"

"And what went into your head and made you do it?! You could have died!"

"But I'm not dead! Look at me!"

"And if you did?! Oh wait, you won't have anything to say because you'd already be dead!"

"What are you acting up for?! I only did it for you! I agreed to do it because they told me they'd clear your records and relieve you from your duties. You don't have to work for them anymore."

"Really? Are you sure it was for me? Or for your conscience? Was it satisfying? The redemption? That you did more than just apologize for an email and even went on to the extent of putting your life on the line for... for who exactly?!"

"Wonpil it's not even that! I was genuinely-"

"Sungjin. That weak image you've created of me in your head... That's not me. I'm not who you think I am. I was a criminal! I lived a dark life. I have more scars than you think. Your email was nothing."

"Stop putting up a barrier! I can see right through you! And you talked Wonpil! You talked while you were drinking. You talked while I drove you to your apartment. You talked until you fell asleep! You thought I was your brother and you talked!"

"Those were lies. I was drunk."

"Tell that to your brother." Sungjin dared to say.

"Do you know how my brother died Sungjin?"

Wonpil suddenly spoke so calmly that it scared Sungjin.

"Do you know how it feels to watch your own brother die through a computer screen?"

Wonpil tried to mask his pain with a smile, but the tears found their way down his face.

"T-They said that the plan was foolproof... That everything was going to be alright... Did they tell you that too?"

"Wonpil..." 

"Do you know how helpless I felt when I saw you there?! I was just as helpless as I was before! What if I didn't arrive?! What if the police were late?! If another person died because of me I won't be able to live with myself anymore Sungjin..."

Wonpil's knees buckled, but Sungjin caught him. "It's okay Wonpil, it's okay. Everything's going to be alright," he hushed the inconsolable soul. "I'm alive and you were the one who saved me."

"I was so scared... I thought she had killed you." He cried onto Sungjin's shoulder.

"I was scared too, but I knew you would come for me. And you did. Thank you Wonpil. 

"And please forgive me... I was stupid and selfish. I had no idea what you went through. I only intended to help, but I hurt you instead. I'm so sorry... for everything..."

"Hyung... Sungjin... c-can I call you hyung?"

"As long as you're not drunk..."

Wonpil smiled.

"You may have lost your brother Wonpil, but you have another one in me."