TDIMEH Chapter 06

 

6. An Unwelcome Encounter

Of all the countries in the world, why did it have to be the Philippines? And of all the cruise offices, why did it have to be the one where I work? I felt as if I had the worst luck in the world.

It became clear that the nightmare I had at dawn was a prelude to this incident. No wonder his face had seemed so vivid.

So vivid, in fact, that just remembering being with him at a distance close enough to feel his breath still gave me chills.

No friends, acquaintances, or anyone else knew I was here. The thought that Junhyuk, of all people, almost discovered me sent shivers down my spine.

What would his reaction have been if he had realized it was me?

He might not have laughed at me outright, but he definitely would have looked down on me. That thought alone brought a bitter smile to my face.

Living in a world where only the strong survive, I had always been 'strong.' But now, I had fallen not just to 'weak' but all the way to the underground. How ridiculous I must seem.

Unlike me, Junhyuk and his companions were neatly dressed. Thinking about it, I felt a sense of relief that I had avoided being caught.

‘Surely the boss wouldn’t have mentioned my name, right?’

Even if he did mention it, it’s not like they’d recognize me right away. Unless they saw my face, they wouldn’t be able to connect it to the Jin Se-ah they knew before.

Should I be grateful for that or not?

Haaa…

“[Coco!]”

Louis, who worked at a nearby office, spotted her and waved. Se-ah quickly forced a smile, hiding her gloomy expression.

“[Hey, Louis. Were you working the weekend shift this week?]”

“[Yeah. Aren’t you off today? I heard everyone else in the office is off.]”

Louis walked over to where Se-ah was sitting, apparently frustrated with having to shout over the noise of passing motorcycles.

Since Louis wasn’t that tall, Se-ah could look up at him while seated without much effort. Thinking back, Do Junhyuk had always stood a head taller than everyone else, which had seemed odd.

“[Yeah, it’s my day off, but I had a bit of work to do.]”

“[So, are you done now?]”

“[Yeah.]”

“[We’re all planning to go to Chinatown this Wednesday. You’re coming too, right?]”

Se-ah had been about to nod at Louis's expectant question, but she hesitated for a moment.

“[Ah, no. I have somewhere to be, so I don’t think I can go.]”

“[Really? What is it? Is it something important?]”

“[Yeah, it’s something really important.]”

There was nothing more important than catching Director Kim.

“[Is your husband coming to visit or something?]”

Perhaps believing that no news could be better for a woman living alone like a widow, Louis immediately jumped to talking about a husband.

Se-ah barely managed to control her expression, which had nearly crumbled under the weight of his sharp question.

If he meant 'husband,' then he was already here.

He was sitting right in the other office.

She swallowed those words and instead shook her head.

“[No. I have to find someone.]”

“[Well, that can’t be helped, but it’s a shame. Everyone, including me, was looking forward to you making soju bombs for us.]”

“[Next time. If things go well for me this time, I’ll treat you all to drinks for several days in a row.]”

If she could just track down Director Kim and get the hidden account number, she could bring a whole truck of alcohol and make as many soju bombs as they wanted.

“[Wow. I’m going to start fasting and praying from today. I’ll pray for Coco to succeed.]”

“[Thanks, Louis.]”

“[I’d better get going before they start nagging me for being late. See you next time.]”

“[Take care.]”

After waving goodbye to Louis, Se-ah stood up from her seat as well.

The people of Manila weren’t particularly reserved, and after working in the same spot for three years, she had naturally built up relationships with the locals.

Her usual work involved selling cruise tickets and providing guidance in the evenings on weekdays. But during bad weather or off-seasons, she also took care of miscellaneous tasks in the office. This had led to her building up quite a few acquaintances around the office and Manila Bay.

At first, people had been intensely interested in her, thinking she was a single woman living alone. But after seeing her wedding photo, that interest quickly faded.

She remembered that photo, where she had looked so blissfully happy. Because of it, everyone assumed she was the type of wife who would do anything for her husband.

It had been a pretty effective strategy, she thought, nodding in satisfaction. But then, mid-nod, her chin froze in midair.

Come to think of it…

Everyone had seen our wedding photo!

The realization hit her like a freight train, and her face turned as pale as the dust rolling around on the ground.

Her boss and everyone around her knew what Do Junhyuk's face looked like. It suddenly hit her. People had admired how handsome he was and passed the photo around. It was rare for anyone not to have seen it. In fact, she started to feel certain that there might not be a single person in the city who hadn’t seen it.

What do I do?!

With both hands pressing hard against her cheeks in a pose reminiscent of Munch's The Scream, Se-ah spun around in circles like a carousel.

What if the boss recognized him?!

Did he ask if it was Jin Se-ah’s husband? Did he ask when he arrived from Africa? No, no, he wouldn't have, right?

Should I call him right now and tell him not to say anything…? No, that would make it even more suspicious.

At this point, she couldn’t erase the memories of those who had seen the photo, nor could she deny it was her. It was too late for that.

After about ten laps around the same spot, her steps finally came to a stop. Her stiffened face slowly started to relax.

“Even if Do Junhyuk figured it out, it’s not like he’s going to come looking for me, right? It’s not like I did anything using his name.”

If anything, he’d be more likely to avoid me, thinking I’m coming to borrow money.

He was definitely not the kind of person who would seek her out first.

Not Do Junhyuk.

Knowing his personality, he was more likely not to care about her at all.

Besides, since she was about to take vacation leave starting tomorrow, there was no chance of crossing paths with him again.

With that conclusion, the restlessness in her heart eased just a little.

‘For now, I’ll go home, get cleaned up, and call to request vacation leave starting tomorrow.’

It was fortunate that the reservations weren't fully booked since the rainy season was about to begin.

But still…

Why does it feel like I’m forgetting something important?

Feeling as though she’d missed something crucial, Se-ah searched her pockets. Instead of her phone, all she felt was a mask.

Her wallet was in the other pocket.

Did I drop it while running?

She glanced around the street but eventually remembered she had left it in the boss's car. She recalled putting it under the console after it had kept ringing.

Nothing is going right today.

With a deep sigh, Se-ah slumped her shoulders.

She couldn’t go back to the office where Junhyuk was to retrieve her phone. She had no idea when the boss would return, and she couldn’t just wait in front of his house.

She had no choice but to go to the office tomorrow morning to get it.

Se-ah boarded a passing red jeepney, her face as gloomy as the gray exhaust fumes in the air. She felt as if someone was watching her, and it made her bow her head even lower.

Realizing that she wouldn’t be able to use her phone or access the internet even after going home, she decided to get off the jeepney mid-ride. Instead, she wandered from place to place to check the schedules for ships and flights to Zamboanga.

Tickets were available everywhere, but everyone advised against going there.

“[Coco, I don’t think you should go there. Even the locals have been avoiding it recently. Why are you even trying to go there?]”

Even a friend working at the passenger ship ticket counter at the port shook his head as soon as she mentioned it, saying it had been a restricted area until recently. Se-ah knew there were ongoing religious conflicts there, but she hadn’t realized it was still this dangerous. Her head throbbed.

“[Someone I know is there, so I was thinking of visiting.]”

“[You’re going to that dangerous place alone?]”

“[I didn’t know it was that dangerous. Marino didn’t mention anything like that.]”

“[Well, Marino goes anywhere without a care, so he probably didn’t realize. It’s not technically restricted for locals. But if you really have to go, maybe you should stop at Davao instead. If the person you’re trying to meet is Korean, there’s a better chance they’re in Davao rather than Zamboanga.]”

Listening to him, Se-ah also started to think that maybe Director Kim, who had been in Zamboanga a month ago, might have moved to a different place by now.

But still…

Why on earth did Director Kim go there? Was it ignorance or intentional?

Did he go there because he knew someone?

If he had arrived earlier than her, his visa would expire soon. What was he planning to do?

Se-ah had also reached her third year of work this year. By the end of the year, she would have to return to Korea. Even if she didn’t have to, she didn’t want to stay any longer.

Having come here alone, she had experienced homesickness more than a hundred times. But every time it hit her, she gritted her teeth and endured, motivated by the thought of catching Director Kim as soon as she got any leads.

But she had never planned to go to such a dangerous place.

No amount of money is worth my life, she reminded herself.

‘I’ll just go as far as Davao. If I can’t find anything there, I’ll give up and return to Korea.’

She also needed to check on her father, who was still in the hospital, and her younger brother, Sejun, who had been a 22-year-old university student but had now turned 25.

There were so many things she missed about Korea.

Yeah… this will be the last time…

Se-ah planned to talk to the boss tomorrow when she went to retrieve her phone, and she intended to leave according to the schedule they agreed upon.

By the time she returned home, carrying some street food, it was already well past dinnertime.

I should pack my bag now since I’ve got time after a quick shower, she thought, opening her backpack.

She avoided packing clothes that would make her look too much like a tourist, as that might make her a target for crime. Instead, she stuffed her bag with a few wrinkled, shabby-looking clothes. Since it was a place where it could rain at any time, she packed a small umbrella, basic medications, and slippers. By the time she finished, her bag was completely full.

With her tasks done, she set the stir-fried noodles and skewers she had bought on the table. Just as she was about to sit down, a knock echoed from the front door.

The clock hanging on the wall pointed to 8 PM.

‘Who could it be at this hour?’

Her heart tensed. Se-ah grabbed the golf club she had left leaning by the bed and slowly approached the front door, gripping it tightly.

🌼; Red jeepney, a common mode of public transport in the Philippines.

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