Chapter 5.2

Chapter 5.2

The end of a long tunnel seemed to be in sight at last. After weeks of hearing ambiguous stories that couldn’t be found, suddenly something tangible seemed to be within reach.

She clenched the edge of her shirt tightly. It was a definite step forward. She was getting closer bit by bit to the real Kim Hyun. Now, if only she knew who he really was…!

“By the way, what kind of person is Kim Hyun?”

Jeong Pilgyu asked suddenly, his tone turning cold. In the somewhat aggressive atmosphere, she stiffened her face.

“He almost drove a woman crazy, then left. Bought an entire villa, controlled everything within 200 meters around it, and left no witnesses. With this scale, it’s not just an ordinary agent, it’s not just an ordinary operation either.”

She clenched the end of her shirt tightly. It was a definite step forward. She was getting closer bit by bit to the real Kim Hyun. Now, if only she knew who he really was…!

“Moreover, you’ve been in a 6-month relationship and married for 2 years. This is definitely not ordinary. Han Seoryeong spent her time in an elaborately designed set, practically no different from being in captivity. The control methods are unconventional. Unless it was a government agency deliberately plotting… ”

“….”

“Do you have a better sense of it now?”

Jeong Pilgyu gulped down the water on the table as if his throat was dry.

But Seoryeong really didn’t understand. She had grown up in an orphanage, and due to being cast out into society early, she became independent earlier than others.

During her school years, she was even expelled from the gymnastics team, failed the college entrance exam, and now, her marriage had failed. She just lived because she had to, repeating dull days.

In this kind of life, what could be special… She used to fight frequently with friends when she was young, but that was just a personality issue.

She truly wanted to ask. After making her dependent on him for a lifetime, breaking her world like this, was there a justifiable reason for him to disappear like this?

“Miss, a Black Agent has been assigned to fool you for whatever reason it was.”

“…Bl-Black Agent?”

Kim Hyun is a black agent?

Her heart sank as if it had been struck. The fingertips chilled with an ominous premonition.

“Ah… in a long career at the National Intelligence Service, there were often times when one had to rely on intuition. And this kind of thing… I felt this discomfort only once during my tenure.”

“….”

“So, I can’t take this. Honestly, it’s impossible.”

Jeong Pilgyu sighed heavily as he spoke.

“I absolutely can’t find him.”

“….”

It felt like a death sentence had been passed. Absolutely can’t find him… Her jaw clenched at his resolute declaration.

Although she felt like throwing a glass in her fit of anger, she had no strength to lift a finger.

Her knees had already given way, and her eyelids trembled beyond her control.

“Except for the top officials of the National Intelligence Service, no one knows the identity of a Black Agent. These people are literally spies when they go abroad. Even if their identity is revealed, the country doesn’t acknowledge it. So if they get caught overseas, they serve their sentences, and they might even face execution.”

“….”

“You can never find him.”

Static flowed, and her ears felt stuffy. In the sensation of time slowing down, she couldn’t tell how long she had been frozen.

It seemed like she had just been listening to the man’s pouring words one-sidedly. The words spun around in her head, making her feel dizzy.

They had tried to trace Kim Yeonmi’s son, but the trail had already gone cold. Considering the long period Han Seoryeong had worked on, it was unclear whether she had received an award or something…

The following words made her chest flutter increasingly. The impulse to shut that mouth and press it down forcefully surged violently.

“Just think that you were bitten by a damn dog, forget it, and live on. Giving up is better for your mental health.”

***

“That’s the most horrifying thing I’ve heard since my husband went missing. Even a suggestion like ‘maybe you should go to the hospital’ would have sounded kinder.”

“Surely you’re not thinking of a one-person protest. Don’t even dream about it. Do you know how many people have protested in front of the National Intelligence Service? Have you ever seen any articles about what happened to those people?”

“….”

“That’s right. It’s because of what they do. We’ll back off here. We’re operating with government permission, and we don’t want to draw unnecessary attention. Still, it feels like we’ve earned our money.”

Jeong Pilgyu sprawled on the sofa after pouring out everything he wanted to say. Though it had been a short time, for some reason, his palms were damp.

Without moving, he pitifully looked at the frozen Seoryeong, then suddenly grabbed the ear of the energetic Channa who was still talking. Rising from his seat, he added one last remark.

“How can an ordinary person find a Black Agent? Their expertise is hiding their faces, hiding their names, and not getting caught. Moreover, Kim Yeonmi’s son wouldn’t have been related to that side of your husband. That’s just a tuft of grass that a chameleon passed over, merely that much.”

Seoryeong, who had been forcibly suppressing overwhelming emotions, let go of everything at his words.

While she tried to understand and accept reality in her head, an intense longing to see him just once more clung stubbornly to her heart.

Her once shattered heart was barely maintaining its form, like a wilting flower against the freezing cold.

“I have one thing I want to ask.”

At that moment, Seoryeong raised her cane to block Jeong Pilgyu, who was about to leave. Frozen in place, she looked straight into his eyes.

“Is the former National Intelligence Service employee mentioned in the leaflet you?”

“Yes, that’s correct… but…”

Seoryeong nodded calmly. This was a significant harvest. Despite the throbbing pain from the consecutive strikes, it was satisfying to be able to deduce Kim Hyun’s identity.

However, if she couldn’t find him…

If it was truly impossible…

The contemplation was brief. Through conventional means, she wouldn’t be able to pick even a single strand of his hair.

“If he’s someone who never leaves a trace, let’s try the opposite.”

“What…”

“What if I stir things up a bit?”

“…What do you mean miss?”