studiobondurri Chapter 48
Chapter 48
"...!"
Buried deep within the entrails of the goldfish was something small and inconspicuous.
Baek Saeon pulled out a tiny USB drive.
Returning to his office without delay, he inserted the USB into the computer’s port. Inside was a single video file.
He slipped on his earphones and pressed play.
『Hey, sis. How’ve you been?』
“...!”
The lively, energetic voice of a young man filled his ears, almost bursting with vitality.
An unfamiliar face leaned in close to the camera.
『Long time no see, call boy. It’s been a while.』
“....”
『Oh, right. Are you still using my phone?』
The blindingly blue sky stretched endlessly behind the man, his bright smile glowing like a midsummer’s day.
His curly hair slightly shadowed his eyes, but his distinct features were unmistakable—playful smirk, mischievous tone, and glinting eyes.
『Keep making calls, sis. Just keep going.』
『You’ll keep being my voice, won’t you?』
『You have to be my messenger.』
『Just like how you want to hear those divorce words, I have something I want to hear, too.』
The man seemed to be on a swing, his face drawing closer and then pulling away in rhythm.
The moment their eyes met through the video, Baek Saeon’s complexion turned ashen.
If ― had survived, he would have grown up to look just like this young man.
『There’s something I want to hear from you, too.』
The sound of crickets chirping on a summer night, the sticky air by the riverbanks, the cabin near the fishing spot...
Old memories rushed at him like a torrential flood.
The slap of water against the surface. The desperate splashing and thrashing—
And the eerie silence that followed when someone’s struggling began to fade.
Every sensation came crashing down like a thunderstorm.
The end, and the beginning, of everything.
It felt as though he was suffocating.
At last, the pieces of the puzzle seemed to click into place.
“You... you were alive.”
And now, he began to grasp what—or rather, who—Heeju had become entangled with.
***
“Interpreter, over here!”
A staff member from the workshop eagerly waved her arm, signaling Heeju. When Heeju approached, the woman added apologetically, “I’m sorry if I kept you waiting. My head’s all over the place today... whew.”
She placed a hand over her knit sweater as if to steady herself.
“Something really disturbing happened earlier.”
“...?”
Heeju tilted her head slightly, her large, attentive eyes encouraging the woman to continue. The employee, seemingly disarmed by Heeju’s calm demeanor, lowered her voice.
“Well... there was this really creepy delivery sent to our office today.”
The woman shivered, visibly unsettled.
“A bunch of severed goldfish heads.”
“...!”
Goldfish?
Heeju froze momentarily, but the staffer quickly changed the subject, trying to brighten the mood.
“We’ll wait here for now. The President’s speech just wrapped up, and the spokesperson will be down shortly.”
The briefing room was packed with journalists from various media outlets, each occupied with their laptops, making calls, or hastily tying back their hair. The air was sharp with anticipation.
Suddenly, a ripple of murmurs spread through the room, and heads turned in unison.
“...!”
What’s happening?
Heeju unclenched her trembling hands, only now noticing how pale her palms had become.
She flexed her fingers and looked up again—
“...!”
Her eyes met In-ah’s.
When had her sister started staring at her?
It wasn’t a random glance. In-ah’s gaze was steady, as though she’d known Heeju’s location all along.
The abruptness of their locked eyes left Heeju frozen, unsure of how to react. What expression should she make? Should she say something?
And then, unexpectedly, In-ah signed.
“...!”
As the microphone shifted to another reporter’s question, her sister’s gestures were subtle, meant for no one but Heeju.
“I’m sorry I’m late.”
Heeju couldn’t comprehend what those words truly meant.
***
Heeju fled before the briefing ended, her footsteps quick and erratic.
By the time she reached the parking lot, rain was steadily falling, soaking her clothes as she ran. Her breaths came short and fast, as if her tangled thoughts were physically choking her.
“Hey, didn’t you check the weather forecast today?”
“...!”
Someone grabbed her arm abruptly and tilted an umbrella over her head.
“What the hell are you doing, running around like this?”
The voice was unfamiliar yet natural, like a forgotten memory that had resurfaced. Heeju froze, her eyes widening as she registered it.
Her sister’s voice.
“In-ah...”
It was time to stop avoiding it. She had to face this moment. Swallowing her hesitation, Heeju lifted her hands and began to sign.
“Where have you been all this time?”
While Heeju continued to sign, In-ah responded aloud, speaking directly.
“I was in Germany. See?” She gestured toward her ear, giving it a light tap.
“I had surgery. Risked my life for it.”
“...”
“It was experimental. Illegal.”
“Are you okay now?”
At the mention of “illegal,” Heeju’s hands moved rapidly, her expression brimming with concern. She scanned her sister’s face, searching for traces of strain or pain.
Up close, In-ah’s face seemed more gaunt, her eyes shadowed with exhaustion—she looked different than she had three years ago.
“I’m fine now. But you...”
In-ah’s gaze sharpened, her brows furrowing slightly.
“Why can’t you speak yet?”
“...!”
“I thought once I was gone, you’d be able to talk again.”
Heeju’s face turned pale, her hands trembling as her sister’s words struck deep.
“You didn’t think I’d figure it out? That you faked your muteness because of me?”
The tremor in her hands intensified.
Now, her secret had been uncovered by another—first Baek Saeon, and now her sister.
A cold wave of shame swept over her, leaving her shivering like she’d caught the flu.
“I knew all along,” In-ah said, her voice calm but cutting. “I just pretended not to notice.”
Turning her face away, she stood on the edge of vulnerability, her profile sharp as a blade.
“You didn’t want to be the only patient.”
“...!”
“You were scared.”
“...”
“And I... needed you. Desperately.”
Their eyes met again, and In-ah let out a small, self-deprecating laugh.