Hotel Keizerskroon
No Hesitation
City street, evening twilight, people walking both directions. The sound of cars passing by. Multiple police sirens in the distance.
Yoona stops. She looks up at the sign above a door.
The sign reads:
"ANTIQUES"
Yoona takes a step forward but somebody bumps into her from behind. A woman, she rushes up to the door and walks in first. The bell above the door clatters.
Yoona waits for a second. She goes to the door and opens it. The bell rings again.
Interior, poorly lit.
The bell is ringing, Yoona enters.
Paintings cover one wall, some more are lying on the floor next to it. Crammed bookshelves everywhere around.
Somebody is looking at Yoona from behind the counter, it's Sooyoung. Another woman is standing by the counter, facing Sooyoung but looking down.
Yoona turns to look at the paintings.
"Thank you," the woman mumbles. She turns to the door. She takes a step and stops, her bag drops to the floor.
Yoona sees that. She reaches down, she wants to grab the bag but the woman picks it up herself.
They both stand up. The woman is bending her head down, her hair covers her face. She walks out. The bell rings. Yoona turns around.
Sooyoung is looking at the door.
"Busy day," Yoona says. "Is it?"
Sooyoung looks at her. She's not saying anything.
"What, did I come at the wrong time?" Yoona says, glancing at the door.
"It took you a good damn while to come that's for sure," Sooyoung says finally.
Yoona walks up closer, saying, "Do you know how many antique shops there are in this city?" She leans on the counter.
"What, they didn't give you the address?" Sooyoung says.
Yoona shakes her head. They look at each other. "Did I miss anything?" Yoona says.
Sooyoung turns around. She starts replacing some books on the shelf. "A bunch," she says. "You missed a whole bunch of stuff."
Yoona looks around the place. "How long have you been here?"
"Almost as long as you," Sooyoung says and turns to Yoona again.
Yoona smiles. "Waiting for me?"
"Oh don't worry," Sooyoung says. "I get around."
"Yeah that's what I thought." Yoona nods. "So that explosion, over by the palace..."
"Yes."
"That was us?"
"No, that was the mountain gnomes. Listen..."
"Ahhh, so I did come at the wrong time," Yoona says. She smiles. "This uniform, it really is a bother sometimes."
Sooyoung gives her a long stare. Then she says, "Listen to me. There was news you're having a vacation. Is it still on?"
"Oh, yeah. Why? I'm going to..."
"No," Sooyoung says. "You will go to Port Town. Tomorrow."
"What?"
Sooyoung sighs. "This is urgent, listen." Yoona takes off her cap. Sooyoung walks out from behind the counter. "Our group over there..."
"But why me?" Yoona says.
"Oh just take it easy," Sooyoung tells her. She turns away to the shelves.
"What?" Yoona raises her eyebrows behind Sooyoung's back. "I don't understand."
"Cut it out," Sooyoung says. "No need." She's arranging some books on a shelf. "I got word, Yoona," she says. "They told me where you come from. I know you're just trying to protect yourself but we're partners now. And I don't mean just the two of us here."
Yoona is watching her. "What if I hadn't come?" she says.
"Then I'd never hear the end of it." Sooyoung turns to Yoona again. "This is the last moment anyway. This job has been up for too long now. They were about to send someone else. So it's good you're finally here. Look," Sooyoung leans down on the counter next to Yoona. Yoona is looking at the paintings. "Port Town has been under their complete control for a long time. The climate isn't the same anymore. You know that right?"
Yoona nods her head.
Sooyoung says, "Yeah. But it's ideal for an officer. The place is swarming with officers. And it's still the same town anyway, you should know it well enough."
"Okay," Yoona says.
"So instead," Sooyoung comes up to her, "Instead of trying so hard to make new friends here..." They look at each other. Sooyoung says, "Maybe you could make some use of your old ones."
"All right, all right," Yoona raises her hands in the air. "I'm sorry about that."
Sooyoung nods. "Okay, here's the deal. The group in Port Town is paralyzed." She lowers her voice, "The boss, or... Number One as they called him. He's dead. And it looks like an inside job." Yoona frowns, she looks away somewhere. "Listen to me," Sooyoung says. "This Wednesday, at Hotel Keizerskroon, room 217, at six PM. Number Two will be there. The boss's backup." Sooyoung shrugs, saying, "But we don't know who Two is. You have three days to decide if you can go there."
"Wait. Who reported all that?" Yoona says.
"You will meet him... But, uhhh, that's why I was hoping you'd come too," Sooyoung says. "You see, this guy, he isn't known all that well, not to us anyway. He is only loosely connected with us. Local guy, he worked for the boss separately. Wears the wrong uniform. Lower ranked, his name is Max Changmin."
Yoona isn't saying anything.
"Max Changmin," Sooyoung repeats. "You know him?"
"I've heard of him," Yoona says. She says, "A long time ago."
"Good things?"
"Bad things." They look at each other. Yoona smiles. She says, "Really, really bad things."
Sooyoung smiles too. She says, "That's what I wanted to hear... Okay," She looks at the wall. "See..." She holds out her hand in the air, Yoona watches it. Sooyoung says, "When you exit the train station, look at the big town map over to the left..."
Sign reads:
"PORT TOWN
Main Train Station"
A crowd of people are going down the narrow stairs leading from the platform to the underpass. A lot of soldiers and uniformed personnel around. Yoona walks along, holding a suitcase.
The same crowd of people, on their way back up, a soldier saying, "Excuse me Lieutenant."
Yoona stops. The other people walk on.
"Documents check Lieutenant."
Yoona puts her suitcase down. She reaches inside her uniform and gives the soldier her ID, saying, "Here."
"Thank you." The soldier opens it. He looks at it, then at Yoona. "Vacation?" he says and looks down at Yoona's ID again.
"You can read, Sergeant," Yoona says. "I hope?"
The soldier smiles. "All right, Lieutenant." He gives her back the ID. "Have a pleasant stay."
"Thank you." Yoona picks up the suitcase.
Outside the station, Yoona looks around. She heads left.
She stops by the town map and studies it.
On the outskirts of town, next to Shepherd Street, right by the sea, somebody's drawn a triangle with a black pen.
Hotel reception room.
"To the shelter, please," Leeteuk is saying. He is dressed in an elegant suit. Some people are running past him.
The receptionist is sitting at his desk in the back, watching.
"Please, this way," Leeteuk is saying. "Quick, quick," he waves his arms in the air, showing people the way. Then he moves over, some people are coming down the stairs. He calls out to them, "Everybody to the shelter please. Here. This way."
People are going inside the long corridor.
Leeteuk tells them, "Please go down to the shelter."
Some more people are running downstairs from the upper floors.
Leeteuk is saying, "Quick, quick, please, quick." Then he moves over to the desk. "You too, Jaedong."
The receptionist, Kim Jaedong, says, "But somebody has to stay here."
"I will stay," Leeteuk says.
"But don't you need to go to the roof?"
"Good evening," Yoona says.
Leeteuk and Jaedong both look towards the entrance.
Yoona is there, with her suitcase, she says, "I would like a room."
Leeteuk walks up to her. He says, "Lieutenant, please go immediately to the shelter!" He shows Yoona the way. They start walking. "This way please. You will find a room of course but for now please..."
The warning siren blows, a long steady sound.
They both stop.
"Oh," Leeteuk says and raises his hand. The siren keeps sounding. Leeteuk smiles. "Thank God," he turns to Yoona. "It's over. And I am really sorry, Lieutenant," he shows Yoona the way towards the desk, saying. "I'm sorry. Please." Jaedong stands up. "Jaedong, take care of Lieutenant," Leeteuk tells him. He looks at Yoona again and smiles. "I need to go tell our guests, that the air raid alert has been cancelled." He walks away.
Yoona puts down her suitcase and leans down on the desk.
"Good evening Lieutenant," Jaedong says. "Looks like we got off lucky today." They both smile. Yoona takes off her cap and her right glove. Jaedong says, "So what can I do for you? I would recommend a suite. Bathroom, direct phone line." Yoona nods her head. "Well, the other rooms all have a phone too, but connected through the switchboard. And of course," Jaedong smiles, "there's a price difference, you understand that Lieutenant."
"I'm just here for one week anyway," Yoona laughs. "Let's try an appartment."
"Good choice, Lieutenant," Jaedong says. "Let's see..." He turns around. "I'll give you 222, first floor." He walks up to the cabinet behind him, he's limping. He grabs the keys and limps back to the desk. "Oh, and you need to fill in this card here Lieutenant." He opens a pen and gives it to Yoona.
Yoona starts writing.
Outside room 222.
An older woman in an apron raises a pair of boots to her face. She blows on them and wipes the tops with her sleeve.
She knocks on the door.
Inside, Yoona is standing in front of a mirror, in uniform trousers and a sleeveless top, with a towel hung over her neck.
"Who's there?" she says.
"I brought the boots," the woman's voice says.
"One second." Yoona closes the perfume bottle.
She goes to the door and opens it.
The woman gives her the boots and smiles.
"Oh, thank you, really well cleaned," Yoona says. They smile at each other, the woman bows her head. "Thank you very much." Yoona closes the door.
She takes a step and then stops. She looks back at the door.
She comes up to it and opens it.
The maid is still there.
"I'm terribly sorry," she's saying, "I forgot to ask, when could I come and clean the room?"
"Soon. And I am also sorry," Yoona says. "I forgot to thank you." She reaches inside her pocket and gives the woman a coin. "Here."
"Aahh, thank you very much," the woman smiles and bows. She closes the door.
Yoona throws the towel back in the bathroom, she goes to the room.
She puts on her boots. Then she grabs the uniform jacket and puts it on, she starts buttoning it up, walking towards the table.
She picks up the phone. She places it at her ear, then looks at the door. She stands there for a second, looking. Then she puts the phone back down and walks to the balcony, she opens the window.
She looks outside from the balcony. A street crossing with a lot of trees around, several people moving along the sidewalks. A tiny stall selling cigarettes. A phone booth.
Yoona walks back inside her room and grabs her cap.
Hotel reception.
Yoona is coming downstairs, holding the keys. She passes some people on the stairs.
She comes up to the desk, Leeteuk is there reading a record book.
He smiles. "Good morning Lieutenant," he says. Yoona gives him the keys and puts on her gloves. "I hope you had a good night's sleep," Leeteuk says. Yoona looks at him. "Those damn foreign scoundrels finally let us have some peace for a change."
"If there's more air raids," Yoona says, "if it happens at night, don't wake me up please."
Leeteuk keeps smiling. "In theory, everybody should go to the shelters Lieutenant," he says. "But for officers who are here on vacation we usually make an exception."
Yoona nods her head and walks away. Leeteuk watches her with a smile. Then he turns around and puts the keys in the cabinet.
Inside the phone booth, Yoona dials a number.
She holds the receiver to her ear.
"Is this Max speaking?" she says. "I'm calling from the train station by the harbor... Correct." She looks outside somewhere. "In one hour, in front of the cathedral," she says.
The hotel maid walks out to the balcony of Yoona's room, she's whipping the tablecloth in the air. She notices Yoona walking out of the booth.
Yoona walks away down the sidewalk and disappears behind the trees.
Street in town.
Yoona is passing the entrance to a massive brick building with long windows. A soldier is guarding it. An officer walks out and goes the other way. Some more people walking down the street.
Yoona slows down, she stops and looks ahead.
There are several people by the fountain in the middle of a small square.
Yoona turns around. She looks at her watch. She puts her hands behind her back and takes a few steps towards the building entrance again. A young lady passes her and looks her over.
Yoona turns around. She stops.
She looks right at the man in the black leather uniform trenchcoat and a black NSS cap, standing next to the fountain.
The man stands there for a moment. Then he turns around. He is holding a folded newspaper behind his back.
Yoona steps forward.
She's watching the man, he starts walking away. Yoona follows him. Some passing soldiers salute her, she salutes back. She follows the man, he's walking faster now.
They turn a street corner. Yoona looks both ways. She starts walking again.
A river flows at the end of the next street, the man turns left there. Yoona walks on.
There are more buildings on the other side of the river, barely visible through the mist .
The river. Town buildings in the background, a fog horn sounds in the distance.
The man in the black coat jumps off the ferry when it comes in contact with the pier. It's Max Changmin, he starts walking away.
Several people jump off after him, they're all walking away.
The fog horn sounds again. Changmin slows down.
He sits down on a bench by the end of the pier, still holding the newspaper in his hand.
The last passenger gets off the ferry, it's Yoona.
She approaches the bench.
She says, "May I?"
"Please," Changmin says. He turns to look at the river.
Yoona sits down next to him. "Excuse me," she says. "Could I have a look at your newspaper?"
"Well I'm really sorry," Changmin looks at her, "but it's yesterday's."
"Do you have matches?" Yoona says.
Changmin looks towards the river again. He reaches into his pocket.
Yoona holds out an open cigarette case in front of him. "Would you like to smoke?"
Changmin looks at her. He puts a box of matches in the cigarette case and says, "Thank you. But I only smoke cigars."
"What brand?" Yoona says. She puts a cigarette in .
"Before the war I used to smoke Don Pedros."
Yoona is lighting her cigarette. "Nice weather," she mutters. She looks up at the sky. Some people walk past their bench, walking down the pier to the ferry.
"Yeees," Changmin looks up at the sky too. "A year ago today it was raining," he says.
Yoona looks at him. She opens the cigarette case and holds it out to him again. She says, "It was snowing too."
They look at each other, Changmin smiles. "All right." He grabs a cigarette and puts it in his mouth. "I thought I got it all wrong," he says. "Cathedral used to mean the old castle," Yoona lights his cigarette. "And in these parts, in one hour means immediately. But you weren't approaching." Some more people pass them by.
"I know all that," Yoona smiles. "Can't ever be careful enough," she says.
Changmin nods.
They smoke, waiting for a few more people to walk away.
Changmin gets up.
They walk up the stairs to the street and turn left. They start walking along the river. Some people run to the ferry, Yoona watches them for a moment.
"You have notified central that the boss got busted," she finally says. "How did you know?"
"The usual way," Changmin says. "In the box that I used to communicate with Jihoon, the boss, I found a note saying that he is dead and that the flat that he rented under the name Kim Jeongsan..." Changmin pauses. Somebody walks past them. Changmin waits, then he says, "Is burned."
They walk on. Yoona says, "Who else knew about the box?"
"Only number Two."
"Do you know who that is?"
"Unfortunately not. You know how it works." They stop and face each other. Yoona takes another drag off her cigarette. There's some more people walking down the other side of the street. Changmin says, "All of us... well all five of them, they only knew the boss, and not one another." Changmin looks down. He opens his mouth again but there's another woman coming.
They both watch her until she passes them.
Yoona takes a drag. The ferry behind them is on the move again.
"And anyway," Changmin says, "they might have known him under different names, he used at least three." Yoona looks down. "Number Two knew everybody. But only the boss knew who number Two is."
Yoona nods her head. "And who are those people?" she asks.
"Our people," Changmin says. "A gymnastics teacher, a nun, a businessman. A cafe owner in the center of town. And a uniform tailor over at the harbor."
Yoona says, "Okay, what about the boss. What do you know about how it happened."
"I don't know anything yet. And according to the instruction, the one that Jihoon gave me some time ago, as soon as I found the note I stopped everything and notified central."
Yoona is looking at him, smoking her cigarette. A man passes them, Changmin watches him go by.
He says, "I drew the triangle on the map and waited."
They start walking along the river again.
Yoona says, "Okay." She says, "Listen, our job for now is to find out who ratted on the boss. And number Two might know more about that."
"We can't rule out an accident," Changmin says.
Yoona says, "Of course. But for now it doesn't matter. What move can we make without number Two?"
Changmin stops. "And what if it was number Two?"
The fog horn sounds again. Yoona takes a drag off her cigarette, watching Changmin's face. "Then I wouldn't be talking to you right now," she says. "Not outside the NSS interrogation room at least."
"Yeah," Changmin nods his head and looks away. "You've got a point," he mutters.
A car passes and turns into a side street next to them. Yoona looks at the river.
Changmin says, "Uhh, haven't you got a meeting scheduled? With number Two?"
"Oh, yes," Yoona says. "I came a bit earlier, to have a look around." She salutes a passing soldier.
"Okay," Changmin says. "I'll check the whole network."
"For tomorrow," Yoona tells him. Changmin nods. "We need to find out if nobody's missing. But without any risks of course." Changmin nods again. "Check if anybody changed their address, stuff like that."
"All right." Changmin looks down the street. "I'll leave you a message at the cemetery, the one in the west part of town. If you walk past the bridge and turn..."
"I know which one."
"All right. Grave of the Song family." They start walking away. "When you've passed the main gate, turn right..."
Small kitchen. A lot of utensils hanging from the wall. Something is cooking on the gas stove.
The hotel maid runs up to it, wearing a stained apron. She takes the cover off the pot and looks inside. She stirs it.
The doorbell is ringing.
The maid puts the cover down. She wipes her hands in the apron.
Still ringing.
The maid starts shouting, "I'm coming."
She runs to the hallway. She opens the door.
Lee Jooyeon walks in, smiling, holding a paper package in her hands. There's a scarf tied around her head.
The maid exclaims, "Miss Lee!"
"Good evening, good evening," Jooyeon says.
"Please, come in, please." The maid follows Jooyeon to the kitchen. "Would you like some tea? Please sit down."
"Yes, thank you." Jooyeon sits at the table. She gives the maid the package. "And here's some cake for the kids," she says.
The maid takes it, saying, "Oh, miss Lee, you're really spoiling my kids, I don't even know how I could..."
"It's nothing. But where are they?" Jooyeon says.
"Oh, they're still at school." The maid puts the package down on a cupboard. She moves over to the stove and checks the boiling pot again. "I need to make dinner for them, they're coming back soon. And, oh, I'm sorry for the mess in here, miss Lee, you know how it is, no time for nothing, work all day, dinner for the kids..."
"It's okay," Jooyeon says.
"But maybe I could find some time," the maid is saying. She's pouring tea into a cup. "You always bring my kids those presents, maybe I could go clean at your cafe some time? Or at your house?"
"Oh, really," Jooyeon says. "It's nothing. Forget it, come sit down."
The maid puts the tea cup in front of Jooyeon. "Here."
"Thank you. Sit down, really." The maid sits down. "You see," Jooyeon says, "I wanted to ask you something. Remember you told me about that guy who sometimes visits the hotel, the trader who comes from abroad? That soap trader?"
"Ahh, yes. Mister Moon Heejun, the soap dealer," the maid says. Jooyeon takes a sip of the tea. "Yes, a very nice guy, he always gives me a few bars. And you know miss Lee, these days it's..."
"Exactly. I just ran out of soap myself," Jooyeon says. "And the stuff they got in shops is..."
"Oh that's good for nothing," the maid laughs.
"Yeah," Jooyeon says. "See I was wondering, maybe if I had a chance to meet this mister Moon, do you think I could somehow... work something out with him?"
"Oh but he's not around right now miss Lee," the maid says. "But of course, as soon as he comes I will let you know immediately."
Jooyeon smiles, saying, "I'd be very grateful."
Park alley, by a small pond.
Changmin is reading a newspaper, sitting on a bench, dressed in his uniform coat and cap.
A nun stops a stroller by another bench. It's Kang Minkyung.
The child in the stroller drops a small beach ball on the ground. Minkyung takes the child in her arms and puts him down. The boy starts walking around, he grabs the side of the bench for support.
Changmin turns the page.
Minkyung grabs a small bag from the stroller. She moves to the bird feeder next to a tree. Changmin turns his head a little to glance at her.
She puts some crumbs into the bird feeder. Then she reaches inside with her hand. She pulls it back, empty.
Changmin looks away.
Interior, uniforms hanging on the wall. A huge mirror.
"Please, Lieutenant, please," Daesung is saying. He walks in, a tape measure around his neck. "This way, please."
Yoona follows him, with a big package in her hands. She looks around the room.
Daesung stands by the table and says, "What can I do for you Lieutenant?"
"Oh," Yoona looks at him. "I lost a bit of weight. I need to have this uniform adjusted." She gives Daesung the package.
"Ahh, certainly," Daesung says. He puts the package on the table and opens it.
Yoona walks around the room and looks at some other clothes hanging there. Next to the mirror there's a few small cupboards and a closed curtain leading to another room.
"Beautiful uniform," Daesung says. "Looks like new."
"Such times," Yoona says. "There's hardly an occasion to wear ceremonial uniforms these days."
"Right." Daesung puts the uniform down. "Let's do a measurement." He comes up to Yoona. He helps her get out of her coat. "You're on vacation, Lieutenant?"
"Indeed," Yoona says.
"In that case." Daesung puts Yoona's coat on the table. He says, "Wouldn't you prefer to change into casual clothes for a couple days? I could find you something nice. For sale, or rental."
Yoona looks at all the clothes hanging around the room. "Yes, I sometimes long for casual clothes." She smiles at Daesung. "But I'm not sure I could wear that stuff anymore." She turns to the mirror.
"Ah yes, I understand," Daesung says. He walks up to Yoona. "We can't do without uniforms, can we. In this country." He takes the measuring tape. "Well, yours will be ready for tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? Great," Yoona says. Daesung reaches around her waist with the tape. Yoona is saying, "So you are not overworked I suppose." Daesung pulls the tape back and turns around to a small table. "Seeing how half the country is wearing unif..." Yoona doesn't finish.
The curtain is moving.
Yoona glances at Daesung, he is writing something in his notebook, not looking.
She looks at the curtain, it moves again.
"Well you said it yourself, Lieutenant," Daesung is saying.
The curtain keeps moving.
Daesung turns around, still holding the tape in his hands. He moves it towards Yoona's hips.
Yoona steps forward, she throws the curtain open.
A dog is sitting on the floor.
"Aaah." Yoona smiles. She crouches down next to the dog, she pets its head. "Beautiful doggie," she says.
She gets up again. Daesung is standing in front of her.
"I'm sorry," Yoona says. "It's nerves."
"I understand," Daesung says. He reaches out with the tape but then stops. He looks at Yoona again. He says, "I understand, I really do."
Cemetery alley. Birds singing, patches of sunlight on the ground.
Yoona is carrying a flower. She looks around.
She walks up to the gravestone and puts the flower down. There's some more flowers lying here. She picks them up. They are wrapped together with a piece of silver foil. Yoona opens it.
Applause.
The stage lights go out, the audience starts getting up. Yoona stops clapping, she gets up too.
Everybody moves to the exits.
In the hallway. Yoona looks around, there's a lot of people moving this way and that, talking in loud voices. Officers, men in suits, ladies in cocktail dresses. Cigarette smoke floats in the air.
Changmin comes up to her, wearing his black uniform, and smiles. "Hello," he says.
They move to the side and stand by the pillar. More people are coming out of the theatre.
"Here we can talk freely, just pretend you're having the time of your life," Changmin says with a smirk. "And nobody will pay attention. Good spot."
Yoona looks around with a smile. "Yes, great idea." She looks at Changmin. "Anything new?"
"Eeh." Changmin keeps smirking, watching all the people in the hallway. "Just a few things. About Hotel Keizerskroon." He looks at Yoona. "Uhhhh, it looks like the boss had a suite over there, that he visited every month." Changmin reaches into his pocket. "A rich nobleman mister Choi." He opens a cigarette case.
Yoona looks down at it, she shakes her head. She smiles at Changmin, saying, "Which room?"
He frowns, saying, "Uhhhhh, 217?" Yoona nods her head. Changmin takes a cigarette and closes the case. He says, "My informer also reports that those guys at this hotel are still waiting..." He keeps smiling, watching the crowds of people walking all around. "Waiting for mister Choi." He looks at Yoona. "And that would suggest... Well I tried to check it but I wasn't really sure. But it seems it's like I thought." He puts the case back in his pocket. "It seems the NSS indeed hasn't linked mister Choi with mister Kim yet. The mister Kim who committed suicide in his flat." He lights his cigarette.
"That's news," Yoona says. "Isn't it?" She looks all around with a great smile, then at Changmin.
Changmin exhales some smoke. He moves his face closer. "I got a note from number Two," he says. "It appears that just moments after the NSS got there, after they reached the boss's flat, an ambulance arrived. And then... The corpse was transferred to the St. Mary Hospital. Characteristic symptoms of cyanide poisoning."
Yoona is smiling. "Let's go to the bar," she says.
They walk down the few stairs and stand in line at the snack bar.
"And how are our people doing?" Yoona says.
"Well, Kang Minkyung..." Changmin stands in front of Yoona. "She hasn't changed her address or anything like that. She's still taking care of the Inspector's kid. I saw her, she checked her box today. And Lee Jooyeon is running her cafe as usual."
"I'll go see her," Yoona says. Changmin takes a drag. Yoona laughs a little. She says, "I found the tailor. He's working on my uniform."
"Mmm." Changmin smiles.
"And, uhhh," Yoona says. "That informer, at the hotel." She looks at Changmin. "Dependable?"
Changmin frowns, looking somewhere. "Just an assistant in the kitchen. Got a family." He sees Yoona looking. "Well he's not the sharpest I heard. But he's got a good pair of ears on him. That hotel pays well, even in the kitchen."
Yoona nods her head. She looks at the line in front.
"You know." Changmin frowns again. He says, "He said one more thing, and I don't really know what to make of this. He said that he heard one of the waiters insulting the manager of the hotel, and the manager listened to him, calm as a lamb. Even though he's known for being strict with most people."
"Interesting, huh?" Yoona raises her eyebrows and smiles. Changmin is looking at her. "You should have a closer look at this waiter," Yoona says.
Changmin says, "From what I have learned, he's lazy, he's a drunkard and, uhh, he almost never leaves the hotel."
"You need to find out..." Yoona says. She's looking somewhere. Then she looks at Changmin. "When he got that job."
"You are underestimating me," Changmin says. "He got the job on the 16th of the previous month."
"So two days after Jihoon..." Changmin is smiling. Yoona smiles too. She says, "So maybe the NSS did link mister Kim Jeongsan with mister Choi after all. Huh?"
Changmin stops smiling. He takes a drag off his cigarette.
"Listen to me," Yoona says in a low voice. "The day after tomorrow, at around six PM, you will need to deactivate that waiter. Nothing much, just getting him drunk would do."
Changmin nods. "You just told me... a lot," he says.
Yoona smiles. "I trust you."
"Nah. Not really."
"Absolutely," Yoona says.
Changmin is looking somewhere. They both stand in silence for a moment.
"Well," Yoona says, "the intermission is almost over so..."
Changmin touches her shoulder. "Please look discreetly towards the stairs," he says. "It's her. Lee Jooyeon."
Yoona looks over there. Lee Jooyeon is coming down the stairs, in an evening dress, linking arms with an NSS officer.
"One and two and three and four! Left!... Left!..."
Kim Jongkook is holding a soccer ball, he's walking alongside a group of boys in gymnastics uniforms, marching in pairs.
He's yelling, "One and two and three and four! Left!... Good!... Left!..."
"Bravo!" Yoona walks up in her coat and cap.
Jongkook stops and turns around. The boys keep marching.
"They could go to officers school right now," Yoona says.
"Aren't they great?" Jongkook smiles. He plays with the ball in his hands. They both look at the boys.
"Oh yes," Yoona laughs. "You are a great teacher mister Kim."
Jongkook glances at her, still smiling. "You know me?" he says. He plays with the ball some more.
"I would like to talk to you. Could you leave the boys for a moment?"
"Of course." Jongkook turns to the boys. "Team!" he shouts. "Stop!" The boys stop. Jongkook throws the ball high in the air. "Dismissed!"
The boys start shouting, they run after the ball.
Jongkook turns to Yoona. "Yes?" he says.
"But not here," Yoona says. "I am an ArmPol officer. You will come with me."
"Certainly," Jongkook smiles. He points towards the school. "I just need to go get my jacket, can you wait a moment?"
"Sure," Yoona says. "I'll wait for you over there," she points with her hand, "by the car." Jongkook nods his head. "Please hurry up." Yoona salutes him.
Jongkook runs towards the school.
The kids keep shouting back in the school yard.
Yoona approaches the car. Changmin is sitting in the driver's seat.
Yoona leans down. "The big guy's tough," she says. "Didn't even blink."
"Yeah," Changmin nods. "And what if he comes with us?"
Yoona says, "Then, umm..." She looks over towards the school and then back at Changmin. "We could try and get something out of him... maybe?"
Jongkook grabs his jacket.
He glances out the window. Yoona is standing next to the car. He moves back inside and stands back against the wall.
He runs downstairs.
He slows down, there's somebody coming up the stairs.
It's an older man in glasses. "Oh, mister Kim," the man's saying, "some officer asked about you."
"I know," Jongkook says. "Yes, I know. I'm sorry could you tell the headmaster that I had to, uhh, to get away? For a couple days." The man nods his head. "Important family affairs," Jongkook says.
"Yes, certainly."
"Thank you." Jongkook goes downstairs.
He turns around to look, the man is gone. Jongkook jumps out the window.
Front of the school. The boys playing in the background.
"Mister Kim left ten minutes ago Lieutenant," the man in the glasses is saying. "You can't have missed him."
"Uhhh, is there some other exit here?" Yoona says.
"There is, through the old boiler house," the man says. "But I don't understand, why would mister Kim go through the old boiler house." The man says, "He had to go away, for a few days, but he will be back. Would you like me to tell...?"
"No, no need. Thank you."
It's raining, town street next to a small park.
Jooyeon and the hotel maid are walking down the street, with open umbrellas over their heads.
"So we are set, right?" Jooyeon says. "Oh, and, ummmm. Do you work at the hotel in the afternoon tomorrow as well?"
"No, just in the morning miss Lee," the maid says. "If you would like to..."
"No no, please hug the kids for me, and..." Jooyeon reaches inside her purse. "Please buy something nice for them too." She gives the maid a banknote.
"Oh miss Lee but what are you doing," the maid protests. "You are really so good for us. If you'd ever need anything just please..."
"Goodbye, goodbye," Jooyeon tells her. She walks to the other side of the street.
"Goodbye miss Lee," the maid calls out. "I will be waiting."
Piano music playing. A couple guests at a quiet cafe.
Yoona is standing by the counter. She takes off her gloves.
Son Naeun in a waitress apron is pouring coffee into a porcelain cup. "With milk?" she asks. "With sugar?"
"With sugar," Yoona says.
Naeun reaches for the sugar.
"And," Yoona says. Naeun stops and looks at her. Yoona says, "With a smile too."
Naeun giggles. She grabs the tray.
Yoona says, "Wait a moment." She looks at the room and then back at Naeun. "I would like one more coffee please."
"One more?" Naeun looks at her. "Are you waiting for someone?" Yoona smiles. "It will get cold," Naeun pouts.
"I'm waiting for you," Yoona says.
Naeun looks down.
"Coffee with sugar and a smile is on offer," Yoona says.
Naeun is still looking down, smiling. She says, "But only for a moment."
They walk up to a table. Yoona sits down.
"Here you are," Naeun says and puts the two coffee cups on the table. She sits down next to Yoona. "If miss Jooyeon saw me here..."
"Jooyeon?" Yoona says.
Naeun looks at her. "We are in Cafe Jooyeon," she says. "The owner is Lee Jooyeon."
"Really?" Yoona says. "Well that's funny. That's what my friend's wife was called." Yoona looks away. "He died during the war..." She pauses and then smiles. "Well, common name I suppose."
Naeun is looking at her. "But miss Jooyeon's husband also died during the war," she says.
"Well my friend's name was Hyungmin."
"Hyungmin?" Naeun opens her eyes wide. "Did you say Hyungmin? Captain Lee Hyungmin?"
"Yes," Yoona says.
"Oh you have to see miss Jooyeon. That's her husband's name."
"Well," Yoona says. "Of course, I'd be pleased to meet my friend's wife." She says, "He must have loved her a lot. He even showed me photographs. Isn't she pretty?"
"Oh," Naeun laughs. "Yes, yes she is. But you have to..."
The door opens.
"Oh here she is," Naeun says. She gets up.
Jooyeon comes in.
"Miss Jooyeon," Naeun says. Jooyeon comes closer. Naeun says, "Lieutenant knew Captain Hyungmin." They both look at Yoona, Yoona stands up.
Jooyeon takes off her coat. She says, "Take my coat Naeun." Naeun takes it and walks away. Jooyeon says, "So are you here to see me Lieutenant?"
"Well, not exactly," Yoona says. "But miss Naeun mentioned your name. And I told her about my friend. And so..." Jooyeon is looking down. Yoona smiles, "Well at least the photographs didn't lie, you really..."
"Did he show you my photographs?" Jooyeon looks at Yoona.
"Yes. We fought together near the capital, you see..."
"Oh, please sit down Lieutenant," Jooyeon points to the table. "Please."
"Thank you." They both sit down.
"Yes, poor Hyungmin," Jooyeon says. "He was here on vacation just three weeks before he died. He didn't want to go back..." Jooyeon trails off.
"Yes, I remember that," Yoona says. She pauses for a moment. "Well. It can't be easy, having to come back after a vacation," she says and smiles a little. "And I'm about to find out exactly how it feels like in a couple days myself." She looks down and then back at Jooyeon. "That's why I'm happy that we met. I don't really know anybody in Port Town."
"Well, if you wouldn't mind," Jooyeon says, "I could be your guide around Port Town."
Yoona smiles. She says, "I wouldn't dare ask."
Jooyeon turns around towards the kitchen. "Naeun," she calls out. "Bring me some tea."
"Yes, ma'am."
Jooyeon says, "My husband's friends are my most welcome guests. His close friends in particular."
"But when could we see each other?" Yoona asks.
"Well, if you're free in the evening..." Jooyeon says, "Maybe even tonight?"
Quiet street in town. Puddles of water by the curb.
Yoona crosses to the other side. She turns to look behind. Changmin is following some distance behind.
They walk on.
There's some noise, three cars approach from a side street, they turn the corner, coming towards Yoona and Changmin. They're slowing down.
Changmin stops and looks at them.
All three cars are pulling over.
Yoona stops and turns around. Changmin is watching the cars.
Armed NSS soldiers are jumping out.
Yoona is standing in place, they're crowding behind her.
"It's this building, Chief Superintendent," one of the soldiers shouts. "Number sixty-six."
They move right behind Yoona, running to the building entrance.
They're gone.
Yoona starts walking again.
Yoona is leaning by a pillar, she puts a cigarette in . A bicycle goes by.
Changmin walks up, he takes a cigarette too. Yoona lights them both.
"Thank you," Changmin says. He exhales some smoke. "You thought it's me, admit it."
"And you thought it's me," Yoona says.
"For a moment," Changmin smirks. "I have cyanide," he says.
"Moments like these I don't even think of cyanide," Yoona says.
They look around.
"How's our people," Yoona says.
"I got a message," Changmin says. "Two will be there tomorrow."
Yoona is smoking her cigarette.
"Our teacher," Changmin says, "straight from the school he ran to a different safe place. He must've got in touch with his landlady from his first address, because when my man asked her she told him he's gone to his family for a few days, to the country or something."
Yoona is looking around. A car passes. "Get a message in his box, or whatever, get in touch with him," she says. "He should go back to that school." Yoona starts walking. "Next."
Changmin walks a bit behind her, saying, "That tailor, Daesung, he's hardly leaving his shop. He lives there. He didn't even try to phone. Our people in NSS have a bug on his line. I don't have anything on Lee Jooyeon. And Moon Heejun works for a foreign chemicals company. So he moves around the country a lot. No recent information about him right now."
Yoona takes the cigarette out of . She says, "Go on."
"And Kang Minkyung has a free day on Wednesdays." Yoona puffs out a lot of smoke. Changmin looks at her. "Tomorrow is Wednesday." He takes a drag.
Yoona tells him, "Report immediately if any one of them tries to contact someone else." She says, "Whoever does, must be number Two."
A newspaper spread out in the air.
Kim Jaedong closes it, he gets up. He says, "Good evening Lieutenant."
Yoona comes up to him with a smile. "What's new mister Kim?" she asks.
"Well, it's all the same in the papers," he says. "We are successful on the front lines once again."
"Yes," Yoona says. "They only cover one thing nowadays, the front line. Must be boring for civilians."
"I am not a civilian, Lieutenant," Jaedong says. "I remember the war twenty years ago. It was short but to the point, that one."
They both laugh.
Jaedong says, "But let's not talk about that right now. We will have all the time in the world to discuss the war. After our victory."
A man walks up and gives Jaedong his keys.
"Thank you, mister Moon," Jaedong says.
"Thank you," the man says and goes outside. Yoona watches him.
"223..." Jaedong mumbles.
Yoona turns to him. "223?" she says. "My next door neighbor."
"Oh, yes." Jaedong smiles at her. He chuckles a little. "You see Lieutenant, back in the day," he says, "before the war." He limps over to the cabinet behind him. He puts Moon's keys there and grabs another pair. "We used to leave 222..." He walks up to Yoona. "And 223, we reserved those two rooms for pairs that wanted to be together but couldn't." He smiles at Yoona. "You understand what I'm talking about, Lieutenant."
"Hmm?" Yoona says. "But I haven't noticed..."
Jaedong gives Yoona her keys. He says, "The balcony, Lieutenant. The balcony."
"Aaaahhh," Yoona says. She lowers her voice. "It's, uhhh..." She glances at the door and then back at Jaedong, "It's really good to know that."
They both laugh.
"Good night," Yoona says. She heads upstairs.
"Good night, Lieutenant. Good night." Jaedong keeps smiling, he opens the newspaper.
Yoona comes upstairs, she enters the corridor.
She walks up to her room and opens the door. She goes inside. It's dark, she doesn't turn the lights on.
She goes across the room.
She opens the balcony window and walks out.
The lights from the street hardly penetrate through the trees.
Yoona looks to the side. The other balcony is right next.
She climbs over.
The balcony window to the other room is open, it's dark inside. Yoona wants to come in but there's some noise.
Somebody's coming.
Yoona steps back. She tries to hide behind the corner.
A flashlight goes on inside the room, Yoona is watching.
It goes from the wall, to the bed, then to the floor, and to the desk. It stops there, illuminating the desk, there's a small suitcase lying there.
A hand opens the suitcase.
Somebody is searching through it. Looking under clothes, inside a small box, something's there.
The person is still for a moment, examining it. Then puts it back. Closes the suitcase. The flashlight goes off.
The sound of footsteps, the person's running out.
Yoona moves. She climbs back to her own balcony.
She runs through the dark room.
She opens the door.
In the corridor, there's nobody there.
Yoona walks towards the stairs, looking around.
She reaches the stairs, she looks down.
She comes back to the corridor. She's heading towards the other end.
A door opens.
It's the hotel maid. Yoona stops.
The maid says, "Is anything wrong Lieutenant?"
"Haven't you seen anybody? Passing here?"
"No," the maid says. "No, I haven't."
Yoona looks down the corridor again. "Where is the staff staircase."
The maid points, "There, Lieutenant."
Yoona runs over there. She opens the door and looks down there. Then she runs down the stairs.
The maid walks up to that door. She closes it.
She runs up to her own room and glances inside.
Outside, Yoona walking down the empty street.
She turns around, there's some noise.
A dog is running at her. Yoona steps back.
"Wolf!" a man shouts. "Come here." The dog stops moving. It starts barking at Yoona.
A man comes up to Yoona. It's Daesung, wearing a hat and a long coat.
"Aaah, it's you Lieutenant," he says. "What a meeting." He points to his dog. "Wolfie must have recognized you. He looks really glad." The dog keeps barking.
"That's very nice of him," Yoona says.
"Your uniform is ready Lieutenant," Daesung says, "I thought you'd come today, I waited, but what a coincidence! Here we are." The dog is sniffing Yoona's leg now.
"Yes," Yoona says, "A coincidence indeed."
"Oh we come here every night," Daesung says. He's watching his dog. "Our evening walk. Wolfie likes to use some space." He looks at Yoona. "When would you like to come get your uniform Lieutenant?"
"I'll be there tomorrow." Yoona looks at the dog, it starts barking again. "Great dog," Yoona says. "Really well trained. Good night." She walks away.
Daesung takes off his hat. "Good night Lieutenant!"
Yoona enters the reception.
"Lieutenant here?" Jaedong stands up behind his desk, folding a newspaper. Yoona stops and looks at him. "Oh I really have it bad it looks like," Jaedong says. Yoona walks up to his desk. "A woman just went outside that I could swear, Lieutenant, that I have never seen her entering, and I have seen you coming upstairs and now here you are. Coming from outside." They're looking at each other. "Must be those air raids," Jaedong says. "Can't get enough sleep."
"Could be," Yoona says. She points at the phone on the desk. "Can I make a call?"
"Of course," Jaedong says.
Yoona picks up the phone, she puts it to her ear. She presses the cradle with her other hand. She presses it again and looks at Jaedong. "No signal?" she says.
"Must be blocked again," Jaedong says. "Breaks down all the time. Manager Park wanted to get a new one, but... You know how it is nowadays Lieutenant." Jaedong shrugs.
Yoona puts the phone away. "Don't worry," she says. "I'll call from upstairs. Thank you." She walks away.
Jaedong picks up the receiver. He listens for a moment, presses the cradle. He sighs and puts it down.
A cramped bar.
A band is playing a slow jazz melody. Several tables, a crowd of people dancing. A lot of officers. People talking at the bar.
Changmin standing a bit to the side, takes a sip from his glass.
He glances at the people by the bar.
"What would you like to drink," an NSS officer is saying.
Moon Heejun turns to the woman next to him. "What would you like?" he says.
"Cognac please," she says.
"I'll have cognac as well," the woman standing next to the officer says.
Moon Heejun turns to the officer, saying, "Two cognacs and a beer then."
"Two cognacs and a beer," the officer tells the waiter.
Moon Heejun starts telling the woman next to him something.
The NSS officer says, "How's business, mister Moon?"
Heejun turns around. "Oh, thank you, thank you. Not bad."
Changmin drinks some more.
"Here," the officer is saying. "To our victory!"
"To our victory!" everyone repeats. They raise their glasses.
Changmin turns around.
Over towards the door, Yoona and Jooyeon enter. Jooyeon is wearing her black evening dress.
The band starts playing a faster melody.
Yoona and Jooyeon make their way through the bunch of dancing pairs. They walk up the few stairs. They pass next to Changmin. They find an empty table.
"Shall we have another drink?" Yoona is saying.
Jooyeon looks at her. "You aren't letting me off easily, are you Krystal." She laughs, "Do you know how many food rations you could get for all this cognac?"
"My vacation is ending," Yoona smiles. "It's no time to worry about all that." She turns around. "Waiter!"
They sit down at the table.
"And where are you going?" Jooyeon asks.
"Two more cognacs," Yoona tells the waiter. She looks at Jooyeon. She says, "You know, we sometimes say... To wherever my unit is stationed, that's what we usually say." Jooyeon nods. "But..." Yoona moves a bit closer. "I think I could tell you where I'm going. Since we're friends. I'm coming back to the capital."
"Oh, there," Jooyeon says. "I don't envy you. Gloomy city."
"Yes," Yoona says. She moves a bit closer to Jooyeon. She says, "But you know. Because I am going away, I would like to ask you something." They look at each other. "I would like to know if you could maybe... spend tomorrow evening with me as well?" Jooyeon smiles. Yoona says, "I hate being alone. And in any case, that would make the best day of my vacation."
Jooyeon starts saying, "It's my pleasure..."
"Thank you."
"But..." Jooyeon says. "Unfortunately. That was a bit sudden, Krystal, you understand. I already have a couple important things to do tomorrow. How about the day after that."
"Oh it really is a shame then," Yoona says. "The day after tomorrow I can't make it. But maybe we could..." Yoona trails off.
The waiter comes up. He puts the two glasses on their table.
They both take the glasses in their hands.
"It's getting late," Jooyeon says. "Let's make this the last one."
They smile at each other and drink a little.
"Krystal." Jooyeon puts her glass down. She says, "Do you know why I agreed to meet you tonight?"
Yoona drinks a bit more. She doesn't say anything.
"It's... because I like you." Jooyeon smiles. "I like you enough to ignore certain things. For instance... lies," Jooyeon stops smiling. "All the lies that you are feeding me."
"Lies?" Yoona says. She tilts her head to the side. "I don't understand."
Jooyeon smiles. "My husband wasn't here three weeks before his death, Krystal."
Yoona looks down.
"We haven't seen each other since the start of the war. We didn't live with each other at all. And he couldn't have shown you my pictures simply because..." Jooyeon lowers her voice and looks down. "Because he hated me."
Yoona blinks a few times. She's looking at the table. She says, "Jooyeon..."
"I'll go now, Krystal. Please drop by at my cafe," Jooyeon says. "To say goodbye." She's getting up. Yoona wants to get up too but Jooyeon says, "No, please. No need to." She gestures Yoona to stay seated. "Please excuse me Krystal, but I think I've had enough of your company for tonight." She gets up and walks away.
Small pond. Swans sitting in the water.
Changmin is saying, "NSS got a report that there's somebody with a lapsed gun license in that house." He says, "They went to the wrong floor."
Yoona and Changmin are standing on a small bridge in a park. Birds are chirping in the background. Some children's voices are coming from a playground nearby.
Changmin puts a cigarette in his mouth. He says, "Jihoon had bad nerves. When he heard them outside his door..."
Yoona lights his cigarette. "Is that certain?" she says.
They walk off the bridge. Changmin takes a drag. "Like all my information from the NSS," he says. He exhales smoke. "Rather certain."
They stop. Somebody is coming along the path. It's a man, they watch him as he passes by.
They start moving again.
Changmin says, "I got a new note from Two." Yoona looks at him. "Moon Heejun got back, he stopped at Hotel Keizerskroon."
"I know," Yoona says. "Room 223."
Changmin takes another drag. He glances at Yoona. "Correct." He looks ahead again, they walk on. He says, "You see, the way it was supposed to look like, the day after that day the boss got arrested..." Changmin gestures with his cigarette, "After the day he committed suicide." He rubs his chin a little. They walk a few more steps. Changmin says, "Moon Heejun was to meet him the next day and deliver some important microfilms to him. Microfilms from... Well that's not the important part." They stop and look at each other. Changmin says, "Two knew about this meeting. It's obvious that if it was Moon who ratted, he wouldn't have those microfilms with him now. Two checked that. Moon has those microfilms." Changmin turns around.
They start walking the other way.
Changmin stops. He sits on a bench, Yoona sits down next to him.
Changmin puffs out some smoke.
Yoona sits closer to him. They're both looking at the park ahead. Yoona says, "Max, listen now. If I don't come to our meeting tonight at seven..." She looks at him. "That means I got busted. Contact central immediately." Changmin takes a drag and nods his head. "They won't get anything from me. You will shut everything down and break all ties with all five of them."
"Yes... But I hope you got some insurance?" Changmin glances at Yoona.
"I'll go in there at the last moment." They both look away again. "Pulled up curtain means danger."
Changmin smirks. "Like a novel." He takes another long drag. "And that Lee Jooyeon, you got something from her?"
Yoona smiles. "Rather the other way round."
Changmin nods. "You remember that Chief Commissioner she was with in the theatre?"
"Yeah?"
"She's probably his lover."
Yoona smiles again. "Good observation post," she says. "The Chief Commissioner's bed."
"You were drinking again idiot!" The Chief Commissioner grabs Lee Taemin by the shirt, he pulls him up.
"Listen..."
"Shut up." He lets him go, Taemin sits down. "I gave you this chance only because you're my brother." The Chief Commissioner grabs a cigarette from the desk. "An NSS officer who allowed our forced labor camp to be photographed, and allowed those photographs to get leaked overseas deserves only one fate, the firing squad! Do you understand?!" He lights the cigarette. He looks at Taemin again. "Only my merits saved you then. My loyalty to our Leader."
"I told you, I didn't know..."
"I read the reports. You were drunk like a pig then! If you don't stop drinking Taemin..."
"I promise," Taemin says. They look at each other. "But you have to understand..." Taemin goes up to the desk. "You could die of boredom in this bloody hotel." He grabs a cigarette and lights it. "It's horrible."
The Chief Commisioner walks up to the window. "Calm down," he says. "And remember, this is your chance, I am sure of it. Innocent people don't take cyanide." He nods his head. "Yes, this idiot Kim died before he could tell us anything." He walks to the middle of the room. Taemin is watching him, smoking his cigarette. "We don't even know who he worked for. We have no idea what his function was, who his contacts were. But if we catch whoever comes to this room, then we will have them." He looks at Taemin. "We will get them all, understand? And it will be thanks to you Taemin. And I will tell the Inspector that. You will be back in business in no time." He comes closer to Taemin. "But you must stop drinking."
Taemin is looking down. He keeps looking down. Finally he says, "But when will this guest come?"
The Chief Commissioner says, "Don't be an idiot Taemin. He might come today!" Taemin is still looking down. "Or he might come a month, two months, or three months from now, but he will come! He will definitely come." The Chief Commissioner picks up the phone receiver from the desk and pulls it up to Taemin's face. "And then you make one simple phone call."
Rain falling.
Yoona standing by the tiny cigarettes stall.
She watches a man wobbling along a street like a monkey, going side to side, heading towards the front door of the hotel. A couple moves out of his way as he approaches, he almost falls down.
The man inside the stall gives Yoona a newspaper and a pack of cigarettes.
Yoona looks at her watch. 5:50.
She looks towards the entrance. Lee Jooyeon is there, entering the hotel.
Reception.
"Get him back in order," Leeteuk is saying from behind the desk. "Before somebody sees him. Christ. And if..." he stops talking.
Jooyeon stands in the door.
Jaedong is wrestling with Taemin, trying to pull him away.
Jooyeon watches them as they move towards the corridor.
She walks up to the desk.
Leeteuk looks at her. "Yes, ma'am?" he says. "I am terribly sorry but there are no free rooms right now."
Jooyeon says, "I am here to see mister Choi." She smiles. "Is he here yet?"
"No," Leeteuk says. "No, he hasn't come yet."
"But mister Choi has... let you know, hasn't he?"
"Aaah, right, right..." Leeteuk raises his head and nods. "Indeed he has," he says. "Mister Choi said I should give the keys to anyone who mentions his name."
Jooyeon smiles.
Leeteuk goes to get the keys. He gives them to Jooyeon, saying, "Here, room 217, first floor. Bathroom, direct phone line." He smiles. "Are you intending to spend the night ma'am? If so please," he puts a registration card on the desk. "Could you fill this in please."
Jooyeon says, "If I decide that I'm staying I will fill this in later, thank you." She smiles. "Oh, and if somebody else asks about mister Choi, could you please direct them upstairs?" She opens her purse. "And here, this is the payment for the next three months." She gives Leeteuk an envelope. "Mr Choi told me to give this to you."
Leeteuk takes it, saying, "Ahh, I'm most grateful to you, ma'am." He puts the envelope in a drawer.
Jooyeon flashes him a big smile. She moves to the stairs.
She passes Jaedong on her way. Jaedong gives her a look.
Leeteuk runs up to Jaedong. "And?" he whispers. "Taemin? What's with him."
"He'll be fine," Jaedong says. "In the morning."
Leeteuk frowns and shakes his head. He runs up to the desk. He picks up the phone and puts it to his ear. He looks at the clock on the wall.
The clock says 5:53.
Leeteuk starts hitting the phone cradle with his hand. He hits and hits and then he slams the receiver down.
"God damn this phone!" he shouts.
He goes towards the door. Then he turns around. He looks at the stairs. He walks over there and goes up the stairs.
Jaedong is watching him. "What's the matter," he mumbles to himself, "mister Park..."
Outside room 217.
Leeteuk knocks on the door. He waits. He grabs the doorknob.
The door opens. Jooyeon is looking at him.
"Excuse me..." Leeteuk says.
"Yes?" Jooyeon is holding onto the door.
Leeteuk says, "I am terribly sorry that, uhh, that I'm coming early but... I am scared that..."
"Please come in," Jooyeon cuts him off.
Inside, Jooyeon closes the door. She looks at Leeteuk. Leeteuk is standing with his arms straight down along his body.
"What's the matter?" Jooyeon says.
"There are some people sniffing around here," Leeteuk says. "I am afraid they might know something."
Jooyeon is staring at him. "Are you the one," she says, "Who has got ivory coat buttons on offer for me?"
Leeteuk says, "Yes."
Jooyeon blinks. She opens in a big smile. "Ahhh, I'm sorry," she laughs. "I took you for someone else, I thought you're a, uhhh, a trader and well, you're the hotel manager, I'm really sorry..."
Leeteuk isn't smiling. "It's me," he says.
Jooyeon stops smiling too. She looks at him. She's not saying anything.
"It's me," Leeteuk says, "who should be sorry." He turns to the door. "Excuse me."
Jooyeon opens the door, Leeteuk walks out. She closes it.
Jooyeon walks across the room, she grabs the curtain and pulls it up over the open window.
She turns around. The door opens.
Reception.
The clock on the wall says 5:59.
Jaedong is standing by the key cabinet.
Somebody is coming, Jaedong turns around.
It's Leeteuk. He comes up to the desk and opens a record book. He starts leafing through the pages.
Jaedong walks up to the desk.
Leeteuk flips through a few more pages. "Oh, that's right," he mutters. He shrugs and slaps his hand down on the record book. "And I forgot all about it," he says.
Jaedong says, "What's the matter, mister Park?"
"Go check up on Taemin again," Leeteuk says, still looking down.
Jaedong looks at him for a moment, Leeteuk keeps browsing through the book. Jaedong turns away.
"And, uuhhhh," Leeteuk says. Jaedong looks at him. Leeteuk points at the phone. "What's the number for room 217?"
"17-297," Jaedong says. Leeteuk picks up the phone. "But this phone..."
"Oh, no no, it's good again," Leeteuk puts the phone at his ear. "Go see him and come back in a minute," Leeteuk says.
Jaedong walks away.
Leeteuk dials the number.
Outside, Yoona walking towards the hotel.
She looks up at the window.
"Are you there?" Leeteuk says. He's frowning, holding the receiver to his ear. He shouts, "But why are you screaming? What's going on there?!... Hello... Hello?" He looks towards the stairs. "Are you there?!" he shouts into the phone.
He puts it away.
He goes to the stairs, Jaedong is coming from the corridor.
Leeteuk tells him, "Something happened in room 217!" He starts running up the stairs. Jaedong grabs the rail, he starts limping up there too.
First floor corridor.
Jaedong limping on, Yoona appears behind him. She runs up to him.
They open the door.
Inside, they walk in, Leeteuk is standing there. They stand next to him.
They're all looking down.
Jooyeon is lying on the floor. There's blood, a bullet wound by her ear.
"A man," Leeteuk says, "There was some man, I think he ran towards the staff staircase." He looks at the door.
"Too late," Yoona says. "He got away." They all look down again. Yoona says, "Close proximity shot."
"We haven't heard anything," Jaedong says.
"Right?" Leeteuk says. "Not a thing."
Some people are crowding at the door, murmuring.
Leeteuk walks over, saying, "Please, leave the room everyone." He starts pushing the people outside. "Please, stay out, leave the room."
He closes the door and walks up to Yoona and Jaedong again.
"Who is she?" Yoona says.
"She came here just a couple minutes ago," Leeteuk says. Yoona glances at him. "She said she would only fill the registration card in the evening," he says. "But we've had inspections here lately." Leeteuk looks at Yoona. "So I called, to ask her if she could come and take care of those formalities now." He looks at the body again. "Suddenly she started screaming. So I came running here and..." Yoona looks down too. "The murderer must have... He must have waited for her here."
Yoona says, "Let's go, mister Kim." Jaedong limps over to the door. "And you mister Park," Yoona says. "You will have to repeat all what you've just told me. I am not the homicide squad. Call the police immediately and do not touch anything."
"Yes. I know, Lieutenant."
Yoona and Jaedong come down the stairs. Jaedong holding onto the rail.
"What dirty times, Lieutenant," he's saying. "Such a nice woman... And..."
"Have you seen that escaping man too?" Yoona says.
"I haven't seen anybody." They stop at the bottom of the stairs and look at each other. Jaedong says, "The corridor was empty when I got there. And by that time you've already caught up with me anyway Lieutenant. And now I'll have to wait for the police."
"Yeah, well..." Yoona says. She looks at her watch. "Oh, it's five past already," she says. "I just dropped by for a moment, I'm meeting someone a quarter past six." Yoona glances up the stairs. "And now this whole thing..." She looks towards the desk. "Well I need to make a call. This phone is still blocked?"
"No, it's good now," Jaedong says.
Yoona walks up to the desk. She takes off her cap and picks up the phone.
Jaedong comes up to her.
"Looks like it's not so good," Yoona says. She gives the receiver to Jaedong. "No signal."
Jaedong takes it. He listens for a moment. "I don't get it," he says. "The manger called the, uhh, the deceased from here, if I may refer to this poor woman that way." He gives the phone back to Yoona, she puts it down. "And you know, Lieutenant," Jaedong says, "Remember I told you I thought I saw a woman here yesterday? Who I had never seen entering, but she was leaving the hotel? Well I bet it was this lady."
Leeteuk comes down the stairs. They both look at him.
"The police will be here in a moment," Leeteuk says. He looks at Yoona, saying, "Lieutenant, could we uhh... talk for a moment please?"
They take a few steps away from the desk. Jaedong is watching them.
Yoona comes closer to Leeteuk, listening.
"Are you the one," Leeteuk mutters, "Who has got ivory coat buttons on offer for me?"
"Buttons?" Yoona says and smiles. Leeteuk glances at her. Yoona says, "What are you talking about?" Leeteuk looks down again, there is sweat on his brow. "I think this whole thing has got the better of you mister Park," Yoona says, smiling. "You should go and have some rest."
"Yes, uhhh, yes indeed," Leeteuk starts saying. "I am a bit shaken. I'm sorry, Lieutenant."
"I have to go." Yoona turns around. She comes up to Jaedong, saying, "I came here after it had already happened." She grabs her cap and puts it on. "In case the police asked I hope both of you can attest to that." She salutes and walks out.
Leeteuk says, "Yes, of course Lieutenant."
It's getting dark.
Changmin is leaning over a rail at the quay, smoking a cigarette, wearing his black coat and cap. He is looking out at the sea.
Footsteps, Changmin turns around. He walks forward.
They stop and face each other.
Yoona says, "Good you're here already."
"I was getting worried," Changmin says.
"Two was murdered."
"Who?"
"Jooyeon."
"Do you know who..."
"Yes, I just don't know why yet," Yoona says. "But it's certain now, it came from outside."
They're looking at each other.
Somewhere, far away, a steamer horn sounds.
"Listen Max," Yoona says. "I will leave you a message, at that cemetery. The last message." Changmin looks down at the ground. "You will find a phone number. Do not contact central, contact this number directly. I found it. It was an old emergency number, for Jihoon, never used." Yoona pauses. She says, "Do you understand?"
Changmin looks at her. He smiles and salutes. "Roger."
Yoona turns around.
Night.
The hatch to the slanted rooftop opens. Leeteuk crawls out. He's holding a fire extinguisher and a search light.
There's a distant explosion. Leeteuk stands up. He climbs up the roof, looking around.
The sky flickers somewhere. Leeteuk takes a few steps further up the roof, he reaches the top. Then the sound of the explosion comes from the distance.
Leeteuk puts the search light and the extinguisher on the roof vent. He is looking up at the sky. There's another explosion somewhere.
Behind him, Yoona crawls out from the hatch.
She starts climbing up, she reaches Leeteuk.
She smiles, Leeteuk turns around and sees her. "Oh," he says. "It's you, uhh, Lieutenant." He looks at the sky again. Yoona is watching him from behind. "They wouldn't let you sleep, those damn intruders, right?" Leeteuk says. He laughs, "You came to have a look at their little show, huh?"
"No," Yoona says. "I came to talk." Leeteuk stops laughing. Yoona says, "I deal only in nacre buttons."
Leeteuk moves his hand. He reaches inside his jacket.
Yoona jumps forward, she knocks the pistol out from his hand.
They grab each other.
Leeteuk tries to twist and throw Yoona down but he can't move her legs, she's got a hold of Leeteuk's face with one hand.
They struggle some more, Yoona starts pushing his face away. Then she punches Leeteuk in the gut.
Leeteuk bends forward. Yoona pushes him away, he grabs a hold of the air vent and sits down on the roof.
He's trying to stand up.
"Easy, Park!" Yoona is aiming a gun at him. She comes closer. "We'll have a chat."
Leeteuk is sitting on the side of the roof, he's no longer trying to get up. He tries to move away.
Yoona steps closer. "Why did you kill her?"
"S-she was an NSS agent," Leeteuk says.
"You're lying," Yoona yells. "It's you. You are an NSS agent," she says. "You betrayed mister Choi."
"I didn't, no," Leeteuk starts shaking his head. "No, I swear, I didn't." He starts saying, "T-that Commissioner said they found him by accident. He had a key, to room 217. They searched every hotel that night. Then they took me. I swear." Yoona is still aiming at him. Leeteuk says, "But I didn't say anything. I-I always did what mister Choi told me to, I always obeyed. I would never betray..."
"But why would you obey him?" Yoona says.
Leeteuk is breathing hard. There's more explosions somewhere.
"Don't want to talk?" Yoona says. "I'll help you. The late mister Choi knew something about you that you would rather the NSS never found out about." Yoona raises her voice, "And so you killed this woman, you thought she knows that too." She takes another step forward. "What was it!"
Leeteuk isn't saying anything, he starts cowering on the ground.
"Intelligence, right?" Yoona says. She points with her head, saying, "Those guys over there? The intruders?" A huge explosion sounds in the distance.
"Yes," Leeteuk finally says. "I worked abroad. Choi knew everything. H-he blackmailed me. And that girl would've been caught by the NSS." He screams, "She would've spilled everything!"
"About you?"
"And about all of you as well!"
Yoona says, "I don't want to kill you, you will do it yourself."
Leeteuk watches her.
Yoona reaches inside her pocket.
Leeteuk swallows, he starts shaking.
Yoona pulls her hand out of the pocket. She shows Leeteuk a small pill. She holds it out to him. "Take it."
"No," Leeteuk gasps. He moves further away, grabbing onto the roof with his hands.
Yoona takes a few steps back. She puts the pill on the air vent. "I'm putting it here."
Leeteuk gasps, he mutters some more words, he starts writhing.
"One minute," Yoona says.
"No!" Leeteuk shouts. He's trying to get up. "No! No!" He wants to grab onto something and get up, he's losing his balance. He grabs the roof tiles with his hand but he slips, he can't hold on, he lets go and falls, he drops down the slanted roof and starts sliding towards the edge. "Aaaaaaaaahh!"
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