As True as a Dream

“[No. How could I, I don’t even know the old man].” “[Then why did you go all the way to that remote forest road?]” “[As I said, I heard that a child I knew was playing in the village, so I went to look for her].” 

A cold sweat ran down Hae-Joo’s back.

 

This was a criminal investigation, not a handwritten statement.

 “[How can I believe that? Tell me who the child is.]” 

Hae-Joo pursed her lips but then tightened them.

 

The way the officer was acting, if she talked, he’d drag Eun-ho in here too.

 

She rolled her eyes and wondered what to do.

 

Someone knocked on the door of the investigation room, and soon the door swung open.

 

A man in his mid-thirties with a fresh complexion stood in the doorway.

 “[Sir!]” 

The sergeant jumped to his feet and saluted the man.

 “[Let her out.]” 

The man looked at her without a second thought and said,

“[What? But there’s still an investigation… This body has something in common with the previous cases. Even the order says to catch the killer quickly…]” “[What kind of investigation is this? Do you think she’s strong enough to cut off a man’s legs? Forget it, let her go when you know how she found the body].” 

The man’s attitude of not tolerating protest eased her heavy heart a bit.

 

As the deputy left the room, the officer who brought her in snapped his fingers in disapproval.

 

Hae-Joo immediately got up and followed the officer out of the examination room.

 

The dark, damp hallway was soaked with water.

 

An officer emerged from another room carrying a wooden barrel and walked past her.

 

A quick glance revealed a pool of blood in the barrel.

 

Hae-Joo made a face of disgust.

 

She didn’t look any further.

 

As she turned and left the corridor of the examination room, she saw a familiar figure standing lazily in the middle of the dreary station.

 “Ban…Yi Ho…” 

Hae-Joo realized how she had gotten out so easily.

 

The fox-masked figure turned around at the sound.

 

Dressed in a dark navy blue suit with a striped pattern, Yi Ho’s head slowly moved up and down along her body.

 

His eyes flushed as he examined her, as if checking for injuries.

 

The frustration, fear, and anxiety she felt in the dark, damp lab turned to frustration, and her nose wrinkled.

 “Come here, I need you.” 

His voice, cold and soft, seemed to warm her frozen heart.

 

She went straight to him and stood beside him.

 

Her tense nerves relaxed a little at the relief of his presence.

 “Wasn’t it your goal to live a long, long life full of resentment that your life was wasted? What are you doing here?”

He said, half teasing, half reprimanding.

 

Hae-Joo swallowed a bitter laugh.

 

Who would have thought this would happen.

 “How did you get here?” 

She asked and Yi Ho replied bluntly.

 “I came to pick you up.” 

“Hae-Joo… I’m sorry… your mom… can’t… pick you up… anymore…”

 

Hae-Joo suddenly felt a lump in her throat.

 

Mommy can’t pick her up anymore.

 

But Yi Ho came to pick her up.

 

The inside of her chest hurt and her vision blurred for a moment.

 

Hae-Joo quickly lowered her head in embarrassment.

 

***

 

Meanwhile, Yi Ho suddenly dropped his head and looked down at Hae-Joo, who was now as quiet as a mouse.

 “[Mr. Ban, you can now go without worrying about what will happen later, and also, congratulations on your engagement].”

Said the police chief from the other side of the station.

 

Yi Ho nonchalantly shook his head, then grabbed Hae-Joo’s wrist and left the headquarters.

 

He felt weak, so he tried to send Hongo to help her, but he ended up coming himself.

 

For some reason, he was reminded of Hae-Joo on the train, when she had been overly rigid and timid in front of the inspectors.

 

He wondered if he would be like that again.

 

He didn’t say anything and she was quiet as they walked through the narrow alleys that led out of the embassy and onto the main street.

 

The dim streetlights and buzzing insects filled the silence between them.

 

Then, as they approached the main street, Yi Ho suddenly stood upright in his seat.

 

He looked down at Hae-Joo, who was still bowing her head.

 

A few moments ago, warm drops of water had fallen on the back of his hand.

 

It wasn’t exactly raining, so it was obvious that it was something that would drip.

 “Are you crying?” 

Yi Ho let go of Hae-Joo’s wrist and used his hand to grab her chin and lift her face.

 

Hae-Joo’s eyes widened at the sudden action.

 

Her eye sockets were swollen, the whites were red and bloodshot, and the corners of her eyes were smeared with tears.

 

Her red nose and drooping eyebrows made her look pitiful, like an abandoned cat.

 

Yi Ho frowned as his mind wandered.

 

‘Since when was an abandoned cat so pathetic?’

 

Thinking his idea ridiculous, he wiped away the unsightly tear marks on Hae-Joo’s face with his index finger.

 

She blinked a few times, then suddenly burst out laughing.

 

Her eyes, crescent shaped, looked up at him with deep tenderness.

 “Thanks for picking me up, boss. You moved me to tears.” 

At that moment, Hae-Joo’s face was as delicate and bright as a spring flower that blooms when the weather warms up.

 

Yi Ho felt slightly dizzy.

 

He didn’t know if it was because he didn’t feel well or for some other reason.

 

He just knew in the back of his mind that she looked much better smiling than crying.

 

***

 

As she stepped out onto the main street, she saw a familiar Buick and a man in front of it, dressed in a Song Yue staff uniform.

 

Hae-Joo ran to the car and opened the back door, looking at Yi Ho as if she had never cried so hard before.

 

As he got into the car, Hae-Joo followed and spoke again.

 “I’m sorry for the trouble.” “I can’t help it, you’re my fiancée.” He replied, taking off his mask, and Hae-Joo smiled. “Yes, well, if you weren’t my fiancée, I’d be in trouble, but really, how did you know?” 

Yi Ho snorted at Hae-Joo’s smirk, then slowly answered.

 “Your sister came running into the Song Yue Pavilion, crying and screaming.” “My sister… Eun-sil?” “Well, I don’t know. I didn’t ask Master Hongo her name.” “It must be Eun-sil because there’s no one else like her.” 

Hae-Joo suddenly clung to the front seat as if she remembered something.

 “Hey, where are we going? There’s a place we have to stop first, so why don’t you go there first?” 

At Hae-Joo’s request, the staff looked at Yi Ho in the mirror.

 

When Yi Ho nodded, Hae-Joo told the staff the location of Eun-sil’s house.

 

She then explained to Yi Ho why she had to go there.

 “I have to show her that I’m okay, she’s sleeping alone and she’s probably worried.” 

Yi Ho tilted his head and looked at Hae-Joo who was grinning from ear to ear.

 

Her mental state seemed fine, as if her sudden burst of laughter earlier had erased all negative emotions.

 

However, her face, which looked like that of a tabby cat, was definitely not fine.

 “Tsk.” 

He suddenly clicked his tongue, and Hae-Joo looked at him curiously.

 

When she realized that his gaze was on her face, she raised her hand and rubbed her cheek.

 

Watching her, Yi Ho suddenly raised his eyebrows and tugged at Hae-Joo’s right arm.

 

He pulled up her sleeve, revealing a red handprint on her thin wrist.

 

Embarrassed by his behavior, Hae-Joo pulled her sleeve back down.

 “Did you do this at the embassy?” 

Yi Ho frowned at the large handprint on her white wrist.

 “No. Nothing really happened there.” “Then what about this?” “You heard why I went to the station, didn’t you?” “I heard you found a body in the clearing.” 

Hae-Joo nodded.

 “It wasn’t a very pretty body, and I wanted to get out of there, but when I tried to leave, the man in the shantytown told me to wait because he’d called the police. After some pushing and pulling, here we are.” 

With her left hand, Hae-Joo touches her right wrist, which has a handprint.

 “It’s not ugly, it’s okay.” 

Just then, the car comes to a slow stop.

 

Hae-Joo quickly looked out the window.

 

In the darkness, she could see Eun-sil’s thatched alley.

 “I’ll be right back, I’m sorry, please wait a minute.” 

Hae-Joo opened the car door, got out and ran into the alley.

 

After watching her for a moment, Yi Ho also got out of the car.

 

After walking for a while, he saw Hae-Joo hugging a woman in front of a thatched hut in the middle of the alley.

 “I was worried about you. What happened to your face? Did something happen to you?” “No, nothing happened.” 

As Hae-Joo answered, the door to the right of the thatched roof opened and a small shadow jumped out, grabbed her leg and sobbed.

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