Act 2, Scene 1

The boy is in the backseat, handcuffed at the hands and ankles. Kibum is not really sure what he’s doing at this point, but he knows that he cannot afford to linger in the large house while contemplating why he cannot bring himself to kill this one kid.

Kibum drives them out of the city and into the suburbs on the edge of Seoul, where he knows of enough abandoned vacation homes to be able to finish off the job. He checks the boy in the rearview mirror meticulously, but so far his mark has been unresponsive. He has been staring out of the window and, apart from shivering slightly, made no visible movements.

The road takes them up a hill and around a large pasture, and when they turn the corner, the night sky is speckled with stars. The Milky Way is visible in all her glory and even Kibum slows down to enjoy the sight. Suddenly, there is movement in the back. The kid has scooted the driver’s side and pressed his face against the window, amazement writ large across his umblemished features. In that moment, he looks as beautiful as the night sky he is admiring, and Kibum feels the unwelcome stirring of his conscience.

Act 2, Scene 2

“Have you seen anything like this before?”

The kid’s voice startles Kibum fractionally. For a moment, he contemplates remaining silent, but decides that he is not so unprofessional as to be rendered incapable of completing a job simply because he has exchanged a few pleasantries with the mark. He knows this from experience.

“Once, a long time ago.”

“In Seoul?” His voice is as soft and silky as his hair.

“No, in Dadohae Haesang.”

There is no response from the kid. “That’s all the way south, near Wando.”

“I know where Dadohaehaesang is.”

“Well, pardon me. Clearly the reports about the education system going down the drain are all lies.”

“There was a school trip in my second year.” The kid’s voice is small and sad. “I couldn’t go because Appa wouldn’t sign my consent form.”

Kibum doesn’t really know what to say. A missed school trip is nothing in the grand scheme of things, but it must have meant enough to this kid for him to still be upset about it. He could say that the Appa was a bastard for not letting him go, but he doesn’t want to risk undamming the tears that the kid must be holding back.

“Please can we go to Dadohaehaesang?”

Of course not. No way. It would take weeks. What the hell is he thinking? Kibum opens his mouth to ask him if he is stupid, but the boy continues, speaking so fast that he stumbles over his words.

“I know you’re going to kill me and I know you must have other things to do and I don’t have any money to give you, but hyung, please, please let me have this one thing.”

And now he sounds on the verge of tears anyway and Kibum cannot deal with tears, so he says “Alright.”