NOVEL NEXT Ch145 - It’s You, Right?
On Saturday, Ji-heon visited the funeral home of Judge Chae Seo-bok with Jae-gwang. In the mourning hall, there were only Eun-bi and Seo-bok’s wife. Eun-yeob was nowhere to be seen.
Eun-bi looked extremely tired, yet she surprisingly exhibited a composed demeanor. It seemed she no longer had any feelings left for Ji-heon.
Although there was no commotion inside, they were exposed to several reporters guarding the front of the funeral home. The reporters kept pressing for Ji-heon’s thoughts on the situation and the ongoing lawsuits, but he didn’t respond. The 30-minute visitation felt as long as a day.
Once Ji-heon got into the car, he pulled at his tie, feeling stifled.
“It’s quieter than I expected. There’s not much sympathy out there.”
“Everyone feels bitter. They only learned about Chae Seo-bok during the confirmation hearing, and now he’s gone without a chance to truly understand him.”
Jae-gwang clicked his tongue, wearing a troubled expression.
“But it seems your mother isn’t coming?”
“She’s not feeling well.”
“Is she very ill?”
He wanted to say that she had been bedridden for a long time and that she probably needed to be examined, but Jae-gwang held back. Instead, he voiced a small hope.
“Why don’t you ask your mom to come for a bit while she’s still around? Even if it’s just you.”
“…”
“If you reach out first, I’m sure your mom would accept it, even if she pretends not to.”
“Not yet. Maybe after things settle down a bit.”
The son refused. But his expression was a little strange.
“Settle down?”
Noticing Jae-gwang’s confusion, Ji-heon smiled and added a word.
“I’ll tell you later.”
.*. *. *. *. *. *.
Monday.
Ji-heon visited a hypnosis therapy center with Jeong-o. He wanted to tell the doctor that some memories had started to resurface.
“On Friday night, when I saw my wife’s pregnancy test, memories came flooding back. The scenes were as clear as yesterday.”
“That’s great news! Could you share a bit more about that time?”
Ji-heon shared everything that had happened on Friday with the doctor. After hearing Ji-heon’s story, the doctor fell into thought.
“The events from the day before the accident seem scattered like puzzle pieces. But perhaps we can organize them? Meeting with Jeong-o, what happened after you separated, when you bought the ring, when you visited the flower shop… Then you mentioned preparing to propose to Jeong-o the next day. What might you have done? You also thought about the child that would be born; what kind of plans did you have?”
Ji-heon nodded at the doctor’s suggestion and then added another thought.
“Oh, doctor, there’s something else that’s come to mind.”
“Yes, please go ahead.”
“I mentioned before that the man who caused the hit-and-run accident passed away recently. But it keeps bothering me that he felt quite wronged. I can’t shake the feeling that someone might have framed him, even though it seems unlikely.”
“Are you saying you hope to recover memories from the time of the accident as well?”
“Yes. It’s a related incident that happened around the time my memories returned. So I thought it might be possible.”
“…”
“I have vague memories of regretting not treating Jeong-o well at the time of the accident. Since I have memories from the day before the accident and from when I collapsed immediately after, I think I might be able to recall what happened during the accident as well.”
Ji-heon understood the significance of the puzzle. Seeing his determination, the doctor felt compelled to give it his all.
To recover the memories of that day seven years ago, Ji-heon closed his eyes at the doctor’s instruction.
“Let’s return to November 2nd, seven years ago. I found my girlfriend’s pregnancy test. There was one on the desk and three in the drawer. My girlfriend seemed very flustered, but I couldn’t comfort her and left her house right away. I had a promise to keep. What promise was that?”
“…I went to a charity event.”
“And afterward?”
“On my way back, I bought the proposal ring and stopped by a flower shop… I ordered the proposal flowers from a shop called ‘Flower Dream.’ I made a reservation for the next day and used my card…”
“Did you go straight home after that?”
“…I went home and called Jeong-o…”
As Ji-heon recounted things that Jeong-o also knew, he slowly added a new memory in a hushed voice.
“…I suggested we go to the hospital and told her to get the mother’s health record. And I said I was sorry…”
“What were you sorry for?”
“I said I was sorry for holding her back when she must have wanted to do so much.”
It was a story they had never shared before. Jeong-o, who had been quietly observing from another room, felt warmth well up in her eyes. Her heart raced.
His memories were returning.
“We agreed to meet at three the next day.”
“Then did you fall asleep right away?”
“I had trouble sleeping, but… I tried to fall asleep anyway.”
“Then shall we talk about the next day? What did you do after you woke up?”
“…I texted Jeong-o that I’d come pick her up.”
“…”
“She replied, ‘I’ll see you,’ and I smiled.”
“Why did you smile?”
“Because it was so cute.”
At that response, the doctor momentarily forgot his professional demeanor and chuckled softly. Jeong-o also smiled, her eyes glistening with tears.
“…Then my mother called next. She mentioned my brother… that he had been egged. So I told her not to worry… I also mentioned that I had a friend to introduce her to.”
“What was your mother’s reaction?”
“She asked who it was, but I only said I’d get back to her.”
“Well, it sounds like it’s about time for you to leave home.”
The conversation slowly continued, and they were nearing the moment of the hit-and-run accident.
The doctor checked Ji-heon’s body temperature, breathing, and pulse before continuing. It was a tense moment for the doctor as well.
Jeong-o’s heart raced as if it was squeezing her entire body, making it hard for her to watch. Nevertheless, she resolved to stay in her seat.
“You must have taken the elevator down to the parking lot. What were you thinking on the way to your parked car?”
“I was thinking about the baby that was about to be born. I was thinking about all the things I wanted to do for the child.”
“And?”
“Then…”
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“…”
“I couldn’t think anymore…”
Ji-heon’s hand clenched tightly, the veins on the back of his hand and forearm standing out. He tried to open his mouth but hesitated, his face contorting in anguish as he gasped, releasing a harsh breath.
It felt like he was experiencing the shock of the accident all over again.
Jeong-o shot up from her seat, thinking that recalling any more would be dangerous.
The doctor made the same judgment.
“It would be better to open your eyes. I’ll count to three, and you’ll come back to the present. One, two, three.”
Ji-heon’s eyes shot open. The urgency in his expression indicated that he had hastily emerged from hypnosis, leaving traces of pain in his gaze and breath. His chest heaved heavily.
“It’s okay. You did well. Take your time and breathe. Hoo… slowly…”
The doctor tried to stabilize Ji-heon, who was exhaling harsh breaths with a dazed expression. Ji-heon, still unable to calm down, cautiously blurted out a disjointed question.
“…Have I heard of it before?”
“What did you just say?”
“…While talking about something, he asked me if I had heard of it. That man.”
“That man? Are you saying the man who caused the accident spoke to you? To Ji-heon?”
“The man got out of his car and asked me if I had heard of something.”
“…”
“What could that have been?”
Frustrated by the lack of additional memories, Ji-heon asked. It was a question he directed not at the doctor but at himself.
.*. *. *. *. *. *.
Guk-soon headed to the academy. After nearly 20 years, he was starting to study again. While it was challenging to keep up with the pace of younger students, he also felt a sense of joy and excitement at feeling rejuvenated.
As Guk-soon arrived at the academy, someone approached her and spoke.
“Hello, ma’am. How have you been?”
“Oh my, who is this! It’s been a while.”
To her surprise, it was Kwon Bae-il, wearing a hat pulled low over his face, making it hard to recognize him at first. Guk-soon greeted him warmly.
“I heard you’re coming to my house tomorrow. My son-in-law told me.”
“Ah… there’s been a bit of a problem with that…”
Bae-il trailed off, seemingly in a difficult situation.
“Why? Are you busy?”
“Yes. Something came up for tomorrow. I have to go back to Jinju urgently.”
“Oh no, what should I do? Both my son-in-law and Jeong-o, and even Ye-na, were looking forward to it. That’s disappointing.”
“I’ll drop by when I come back to Seoul next time. Oh, but I do have some time today.”
“Really? Then how about we have dinner together today? I’ll prepare something delicious for you. I want you to keep thinking about it even when you’re in Jinju.”
“Is that alright?”
“Of course! Come by around seven. I’ll have a nice meal ready.”
“Yes. I’ll do that. I’ll contact Ji-heon.”
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“Could you? Thank you. I’ll see you later then.”
Guk-soon bid farewell to Bae-il and headed straight into the academy building. Bae-il watched her back for a long time.
.*. *. *. *. *. *.
“Kwon Bae-il.”
Last night, Chae Eun-yeob had visited Bae-il. How she found him and tracked him down was a mystery.
“You know me, right? You must know. There’s no way you wouldn’t.”
Eun-yeob had a smile on her face. It hadn’t been long since she lost her father, yet she appeared surprisingly vibrant.
No, it was more like a fierce determination.
Eun-yeob’s eyes sparkled with intensity, as if she had come knowing everything.
“You’re the one who did that to Kim Jin-goo seven years ago, right? It’s you.”
“……”
“You used your police status to take out both Kim Jin-goo and Jeong Ji-heon at the same time. You’re a scary guy.”
Eun-yeob was certain.
She had tracked down the traces from 24 years ago. After moving from Seoul to Namwon, the process of finding a deceased unwed mother had been arduous but not impossible.
The clue of “a Go player from Namwon” was useful. The famous Go player Lee Kang-ho was from Namwon. Eun-yeob researched the village where Lee Kang-ho lived and the elementary school he attended.
After much effort, she discovered the name Yoo Soo-il. He was a boy of the same age as her. After his mother died, he was adopted by his aunt and changed his name from Yoo Soo-il to Kwon Bae-il.
Kwon Bae-il was a police officer at the Yongsan Police Station seven years ago, sharing the same height and similar build as Kim Jin-goo.
And, astonishingly, he was also a classmate of Jeong Ji-heon from elementary school. He was part of the gifted Go class.
After figuring out Bae-il’s background, Eun-yeob became convinced of everything.
Kwon Bae-il clearly held a grudge not only against Kim Jin-goo but also against Jeong Ji-heon.
“What kind of grudge could you possibly have against Jeong Ji-heon to do something like this? Huh?”
“……”
“You tried to kill Jeong Ji-heon while living next to Lee Jeong-o and spying on her, huh?”
“……”
“Are you totally infatuated with Lee Jeong-o or something? Huh?”
Eun-yeob noticed Kwon Bae-il flinch at the mention of “Lee Jeong-o.” She had thought she would never smile again after losing her father, yet the thrill and excitement bubbled up, making her grin. Eun-yeob spoke in a cunning voice.
“How do you feel knowing that guy is still doing well? Don’t you want to kill him?”
“……”
“How about we get rid of Jeong Ji-heon together? What do you say?”
She had found a tempting proposal to fulfill her wish.
“I’ll give you 1 billion won if you just do as I say.”
“……”
“What do you think? Does that pique your interest?”