CH 127.2

Kang Chan had never seen Heo Eun-Sil drop her gaze before today.

“I’ll stay out of preparing for the festival,” Heo Eun-Sil accepted.

The moment he heard her response, he felt like he had made a mistake; after all, he didn’t have any authority over the festival or over her, to begin with.

Kang Chan always felt drained after meeting these two.

“Sure, whatever,” he replied.

Kang Chan walked away.

“Where’s the hospital?”

However, Heo Eun-Sil stopped him again.

Kang Chan doubted that Heo Eun-Sil was asking so she could go and throw a fit in Shim Su-Jin’s room, not unless she didn’t fear for her life anymore. He figured an apology from Heo Eun-Sil couldn’t hurt Shim Su-Jin’s recovery.

“Bang Ji Hospital.”

Listening to Heo Eun-Sil’s uneven breathing, he hoped for the first time that things would work out for this rude girl.

Go and beg for forgiveness. Ask for forgiveness every time you come across someone you hurt.

Kang Chan hoped she would have at least that much courage to face her past.

“I’ll tie up loose ends with Su-Jin first. If Su-Jin accepts my apology, promise me you’ll help out with the festival,” Heo Eun-Sil requested.

Why was she so intent on their club’s participation in the school festival? It wasn’t like she was getting paid for it.

Kang Chan smirked. As he did, the bell rang, marking the end of class.

He left the clubroom and walked over to where the senior classrooms were.

It was probably the break between the second and third periods now, but students were still dashing for the student store. A few students spotted Kang Chan and flinched before stopping in their tracks.

Those same students had avoided his gaze like the plague not too long ago. Now, however, they seemed to be wanting to start up a conversation with him as they stole glances at him. As they peeked at him, they couldn’t help but stare at the bandages on his left hand.

How adorable those little kids are.

Kang Chan moved past them and climbed up the stairs. The commotion instantly died down, and a wide path was made in front of him like before, but the atmosphere wasn’t as stiff as it used to be.

“It’s Kang Chan!” one female student even whispered.

Having finally reached his classroom, he found the back door open because it was currently break time.

Kang Chan poked his head inside and looked for Kim Mi-Young. Students crowded around him and gazed up at him with fascinated eyes.

However, although the noise in the classroom suddenly quieted down, Kim Mi-Young didn’t look up from the textbook she was studying.

“Hey, Snow White!”

Kim Mi-Young jumped in surprise before looking back. As she did, Kang Chan’s heart sank. She had lost so much weight that her cheeks were half the size they used to be.

She floundered up from her desk and ran over to Kang Chan.

“Why did you lose so much weight?”

“Did you come to pick up your admission certificate?” Kim Mi-Young asked.

“Don’t try to change the subject. Are you not feeling well?” he chided.

Kim Mi-Young grinned. Seeing her smile made him miss her light “hehehe” laughter.

“I’m going to apply early to the Seoul National University. I’ll attend school with you no matter what,” Kim Mi-Young said firmly.

“Do you still practice French?” Kang Chan asked.

“Yup!” she replied eagerly.

“You hopeless girl!” Kang Chan ruffled her hair. A few female students around them covered their mouths and shrieked.

Kim Mi-Young had grown up so fast. She had completely lost her baby fat and seemed like a real young lady now.

“I said I don’t like girls who are too thin, remember?”

“Then buy me a lot of yummy things once finals are over, okay?”

Kang Chan thought about having Kim Mi-Young take a break from her studies soon. It was a shame they were at school. He would’ve patted her on the back if they were elsewhere.

Ding, ding.

The bell rang, signaling that classes were resuming.

Kim Mi-Young could neither let go of Kang Chan’s hand nor look away from his face. That was how much she liked him. Even so, she had delved into her studies without contacting him because she was determined to go to the same school as him.

“I’ll get going now. Text me when you have time, okay?”

“Okay!” Kim Mi-Young replied energetically.

Kang Chan felt more at ease after hearing her voice. He nodded and turned to leave the classroom as classes resumed.

***

Upon returning to their apartment, Kang Chan left his special admission certificate to the Seoul National University on the dining table. He then made some scrambled eggs for himself and changed out of his school uniform.

This was where things would really begin.

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He picked up the breastpin and thumbtack-shaped transmitter before leaving the complex.

Kang Chan took a taxi and headed straight for the embassy. When he arrived, an agent was already waiting for him to guide him inside.

“Mr. Kang Chan!” Lanok greeted.

Lanok was the same as ever. However, Kang Chan thought he could catch the small differences in his facial expressions now.

As always, they sat across from each other at the table, and tea was served.

“He’s scheduled to arrive at six in the evening on Friday. They requested for the exchange to happen at the airport so Vasili’s plane can fly straight to Japan afterward.”

“I’ll inform my colleagues about it,” Kang Chan replied, finding no reason to say no to that request.

“Vasili said he wants to have dinner together. I’m not looking forward to dinner with that guy, but we have to listen to what he has to say, so I hope you take that into consideration as well.”

“That’s fine,” Kang Chan replied, then pulled out the breastpin and thumbtack-shaped transmitter from his inner pocket and laid them on the table.

“They’re transmitters, I see,” Lanok mused.

Damn it.

He hadn’t expected Lanok to be stumped by what they were, but he felt the enthusiasm in him being drained when Lanok guessed what they were so effortlessly.

“Ambassador Lanok, if you keep one of these two transmitters on you, I’ll be able to know where you are on my phone,” Kang Chan said.

Lanok watched Kang Chan with a careful gaze.

“I don’t know exactly what being friends with you means, Mr. Ambassador, but I also don’t know what I might do if I fail to protect you. I won’t be able to do anything if I’m not certain I can protect the people who are special to me,” Kang Chan added.

A smile slowly drew on Lanok’s lips.

“There is nothing more dangerous than revealing my location in real-time to intelligence agents.”

I suppose so.

Kang Chan thought that made sense.

“Are you getting bad feelings as you did last time?” Lanok inquired.

“Not to that extent yet. However, I want to prepare as much as I can before anything happens.”

Lanok took a sip of his tea as if he was trying to mask his contemplative eyes.

He put his teacup back onto the saucer with a click, then looked back at Kang Chan as he rubbed his index finger and thumb together.

“I’ll connect a transmitter used by the DGSE to your phone, Mr. Kang Chan. However, I can block the transmissions whenever I want to. Moreover, should I find myself in a predicament that would require your assistance, I can use it to contact you immediately.”

It was a better transmitter than what Kang Chan had prepared for him. Kang Chan had no reason to refuse.

“Thank you, Ambassador Lanok.”

“I should be the one thanking you. That aside, I’m certain there’s a reason why Vaisili insists on meeting you during his trip.”

“Based on what you said, it seems like you already have a guess about what that could be, Mr. Ambassador,” Kang Chan conjectured.

Lanok made a curt nod at him.

“There are all kinds of messy intel going around right now. The problem is that your name keeps getting mentioned at the core of it all. The United States managed to find you with the results of the biopsy, the French government is attempting to naturalize you as one of our citizens, and Vasili himself wants to meet you. However, the reason behind all that hasn’t been exactly revealed yet.”

Kang Chan let out a deep sigh.

“Among the information that we’re constantly picking up, some are extremely absurd. That’s why I’m eager to see what Vasili would bring with his arrival,” Lanok added.

“Is Xavier still in South Korea?” Kang Chan asked.

“Yes, he is. His original mission was to receive military intelligence from Huh Sang-Soo, but I’m assuming his aim now is to keep an eye on what you do, Mr. Kang Chan.”

“That’s a little ridiculous,” Kang Chan scoffed.

“Well, that’s information warfare for you. The moment the parties learn what it is that each other really wants, countless lives will be sacrificed. And the greater the profits that come with the intelligence, the more lives will be lost,” Lanok explained.

That wasn’t just the case for information warfare.

The many mercenary lives that were sacrificed from participating in Africa’s civil wars were all a result of who could profit more as well.

“There are now two days left before Vasili arrives. We’ll learn the reason behind all this then,” Lanok declared.

“I see.”

“Will you be coming directly to the airport on Friday?”

“I’ll let you know about that tomorrow morning,” Kang Chan replied.

Lanok smiled, wrapping up their talks of Vasili.

“Mr. Kang Chan, don’t turn down the offer if you’re designated as South Korea’s representative for the Eurasian Rail.”

“I heard you would be recommending my appointment for the position. Is that correct?”

“I received a request from the Korean government’s National Intelligence Service.”

Lanok lifted the teapot and poured them some more tea.

“Of course, naturally, I said I would,” Lanok said.

It was time to come to a decision now. Kang Chan looked Lanok directly in the eye.

“Ambassador Lanok, do you think I can do a good job as South Korea’s representative?”

“I know you’re the best suited for that position, Mr. Kang Chan.”

“But if I accept, I can say goodbye to being naturalized as a citizen of France.”

Lanok chuckled, amused, at what Kang Chan said.

“At least you won’t become an enemy of France,” Lanok said with a smile, but for some reason, Kang Chan didn’t get the feeling that the ambassador was joking.