Chapter 52
Chapter 52
“Please fasten your seatbelts in the back as well. It’s night, and we’ve got a long drive ahead, so make sure it’s nice and tight.”
“Right. Wan-yi, fasten your seatbelt properly.”
“Ah, I already did.”
“Then we’ll get going.”
If we were on the outskirts of Seoul—or even somewhere in Gyeonggi Province—it might take about four hours to get down to Gimhae Airport if we sped. But realistically, it was safer to assume at least five hours. I just hoped Dad and I could make it to the airport safely.
As the car began to move, I leaned my head against the window and fixed my gaze outside, eyes scanning back and forth. I kept wondering if someone might be hiding somewhere, secretly watching me leave. But no matter how much I searched, there was no one else around. Just us.
3XX 5972.
3XX 5972.
I stared blankly out into the pitch-black winter night, with no streetlights in sight, silently repeating the license plate number in my head. It felt like a magic spell—one that might bring Shin Chi-woo back to me. Maybe, if I kept chanting it, my little wish would eventually come true.
When that day finally comes, even if the impulsive feelings we once had are long gone, I hope we’ll still be able to smile and greet each other like old friends. Yeah, that would be ideal. But to be honest, even if I forget him… I hope he doesn’t forget me. It’s a selfish wish, but I can’t help wanting it.
“…”
Since the motel was tucked beneath a hillside, we eventually reached a paved road, and the ride became smoother. But even though the car was gliding now, my whole body was restless and uncomfortable.
It had been that way since I first sat down—the stinging pain from the sensitive wounds kept bothering me. I thought it would get better over time, but I was wrong.
Instead, the ache in my lower abdomen seemed to worsen, and there was a dull, throbbing discomfort between my legs. Even though I had cleaned up thoroughly, I could still feel a bit of lingering wetness, like traces of semen slowly seeping out. Whether it was at a rest stop or the airport, I’d need to buy some panty liners or pads soon.
My body was in pain, and my mind was a mess. Naturally, my posture started to shift little by little—enough for Dad to notice.
“Wan-yi, you’re not sick or anything, are you?”
“Oh, Dad… I think I slept in a weird position earlier. My back’s really sore.”
“You’ve always been picky about where you sleep. Must’ve been the pillow or the mattress.”
“…Yeah. You know how particular I am.”
This wasn’t some cheerful early-morning ski trip. I must’ve been fidgeting a lot. Lying like this made my heart race—I was terrified Dad might catch on to something.
“But Wan-yi… are you cold in the car? You’re still wearing your scarf.”
“Ah… it’s just that… my throat’s starting to hurt when I swallow. I think my tonsils are swelling a bit. You know I always catch colds through my throat first.”
“Oh no… You can’t get sick now. I wonder what time the pharmacy opens. Let’s see if they sell cold medicine. Driver, turn off the heater, will you? My girl has a sensitive throat.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Turn on the seat warmer, Wan-yi. It’s… that button there. Yep, that one.”
I pressed the button on the door like Dad told me. A red light came on, and soon I felt warmth beneath me. It felt like catching a lucky break—it seemed like the gentle heat might ease the pain a bit.
But why was Dad so sharp-eyed today? The car wasn’t even brightly lit, so how did he notice?
He tilted his head and casually asked me, “What’s that ring? I’ve never seen it before. You used to hate wearing rings. Necklaces annoyed you, earrings were too heavy for your ears, and you only collect watches—you don’t wear them.”
“Ah… I found it by chance on the island.”
“Really?”
“Yeah… you know the golf course? After lunch, I went for a walk around it—to digest, think a little… yeah, that’s what I did.”
“The golf course… So you really were dragged to the factory.”
I managed to brush off the question about the ring, but it seemed like Dad had been uncertain all along about whether I’d truly been taken to the factory. That explained why he hadn’t tried to rescue me before contacting Shin Chi-woo. Since the rumor about me being on the island could’ve been false, I guess Dad wanted to cross-check the info first.
Knowing that melted a bit of the resentment I’d held toward him. After all, each of us had received different information in different circumstances. There was room for understanding.
If Shin Chi-woo hadn’t let me hear Dad’s voice on the island, I wouldn’t have believed him either—no matter what he said about having met Dad. The same was probably true for Dad as well.
“Was Chef Kwak doing okay? Still can’t quit the meds?”
“I never really talked to him about that, so I’m not sure… Oh, right. He promised to make me a Christmas cake, but I left before I could eat it.”
With the two guards sitting up front, I couldn’t say too much about the island. But this conversation confirmed that Dad knew all about the factory, the island, and the people living there. It was clear—behind that gentle smile, Dad was no pushover.
Still, to me, he was just the doting father who always got scolded by Mom. Seeing his expression darken as he listened to me, I could guess how he felt—and I didn’t even dare to comfort him.
“It’ll be hard, but hang in there a little longer, Wan-yi. At least Shin reserved business class tickets for us.”
“Well, that’s something to be thankful for.”
“If you look at it that way, this is practically a luxurious escape—no, I mean, a trip.”
Maybe he felt awkward with the serious mood, because Dad joked to lighten the atmosphere. He probably felt uncomfortable saying words like “escape” or “runaway”—since it would be like admitting his own guilt.
Still, for him to say “luxurious” at a time like this… Honestly, if Mom were alive, she would’ve smacked him at least twenty times.
“So, what do you want to do in Taiwan, my daughter?”
“I don’t know… just lay low, I guess. Given the situation.”
“I want to eat mango shaved ice. To cool down the fire burning in my chest.”
“…Dad, please stop.”
“Uh…”
I take back what I said earlier about Dad not being someone to mess with. The two people sitting in front, currently listening to our conversation, must be cursing us to hell and back in their heads. Mango shaved ice, really? While on the run?
Dad could be going strong and then suddenly lose all sense of awareness like this. Which just makes me even more embarrassed. Like now.
“But still, I’m just happy I got to see my daughter again and be with her.”
“Me too.”
Dad must’ve realized he was being a bit too much, judging by the awkward expression that crossed his face. Watching him scratch the back of his head sheepishly, I couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle in disbelief.
To think a man like this is considered a traitor… If I were Chairman Pyeon Jae-ho, I’d be reeling too. It must feel like getting bitten by the gentle guard dog you trusted to watch your house. No wonder he’s flying into a rage—it’s that whole “betrayed by your most trusted blade” kind of fury.
“…”
After that brief exchange of nonsense, the car fell silent again. Only the sound of tires humming along the road remained, but the peculiar stillness in the air was enough to make anyone tense.
I crossed my arms and tucked my hands into my armpits, thinking I might try to catch some sleep. But even with my eyes closed, sleep wouldn’t come. An uneasy feeling kept crawling over me.
So I gave up and just stared out the window. Occasionally, I could feel the woman in the front passenger seat glancing at me through the side mirror, but I pretended not to notice.
Highways don’t offer many options for detours if anything unexpected happens. That’s why, the morning after my birthday—when they were transporting me to the factory—we took the national road heading south.
Hmm…?
What was that place we just passed on the road sign? I didn’t recognize it. I mean, it’s not like I know the name of every town and city in Korea, so I could only tilt my head in confusion.
Every now and then, when I looked forward, I noticed the car’s built-in GPS was turned off. That made me want to check whether we were actually headed for Gimhae Airport. A few signs with place names flashed past, and eventually, I spotted one I recognized.
Gimpo…? Really?
Did going to Gimhae Airport mean we were flying there on a domestic flight? I had assumed, like last time, we’d be driving south on the national road through the night. This caught me completely off guard.
“Dad… are we flying to Busan? I mean, the airport and all.”
“We’re going to wait near Gimpo Airport and catch the first flight down.”
“…I thought we were going by car.”
“Chief Shin is driving down as we speak.”
“…”
“You understand what I mean, right?”
“Yeah. I get it.”
I hadn’t considered that Shin Chi-woo might deliberately act as bait to throw off any pursuers from Chairman Pyeon’s side. If he drove all the way south with a tail on him, even if someone realized we were hiding under their nose, it would buy us enough time to escape.
