Chemistry

17. 24h of troubles(1)

「…A few days ago.」

50km west of Seonyudo island in Jeollabuk-do.

It was a dark night with no moonlight. A high-speed patrol boat, moving as if guarding the sea, illuminated the front with its searchlight.

“Situation room, situation room. Three fishing boats, which were operating, are not responding to inspection and are fleeing.”

Beep.

-Detailed report requested.

“Currently observing. One 90-ton fishing boat and two transport ships. The names of the fishing boats are confirmed to be in Chinese.”

-90 tons? Damn bastards. How much are they planning to scrape this time?

Determined to be illegal fishing violating entry procedures, the patrol boat sounded its sirens. At the same time, the three boats ahead turned in different directions.

“They’re scattering. The Saemangeum Patrol will chase the boat that fled towards the island.”

Creating white foam, the patrol boat also increased its speed.

Escaping the pursuit of the maritime police, the “Yoyeong 3031” reached the outskirts of the island and turned off its engine, dropping anchor near the coast.

『Quickly, set the nets!』

Following the captain’s orders to minimize any potential fines if caught, the crew members busily moved.

Amidst the crew members indiscriminately throwing illegal fishing nets and tools along the coastline, a dog with brown fur staggered out.

Whine—

The dog whimpered in pain, then collapsed in front of the ship’s water supply system. The captain frowned.

『Kung Ming! Haven’t you thrown that thing away yet? Unlucky.』

In the uproar, a young crew member suddenly grabbed the dog in surprise.

With a squeak, along with the noise, a radio signal came into the captain’s cabin.

-They’re right behind us. We can’t escape.

『Damn it.』

Upon hearing the news that the transport ship, filled to the brim with catches, would soon be caught, the captain furrowed his brow.

『Hurry up, before the maritime police arrive!』

While witnessing Kung Ming opening the faucet to give water to the dog, the captain spat and approached.

『Are you out of your mind? You’re wasting pity on a dying dog!』

The captain grabbed the dog’s hind legs and threw it directly into the water. Kung Ming reached out desperately, but it was too late, the dog had already plunged into the dark sea.

『No…!』

『Do you want to join it? Throw away the sick ones!』

A crew member looking from the roof confirmed distant lights.

『Captain! They’re here!』

『Let’s go!』

Splash—

A dog was pushed up onto the shore, where large and small rocks and gravel were scattered along the coast. The dog, with patches of fur missing, lay still as if dead, but opened its eyes wide in surprise at the waves crashing against its body.

Startled by the crashing waves, the dog jumped up as if struck by lightning, shaking off the seawater it had swallowed. After trembling for a moment, it struggled to its feet with a whimper. Upon hearing voices from nearby, it reluctantly got up and disappeared into the trees and bushes on the inner side of the wooded island.

「Sunday, 9 AM」

A black van raced along the costal road that stretched out into the middle of the sea.

“Yoon Yi-seol. How does it feel to come out to such an open place after a long time?”

At Ji Seong-jae’s voice, Yoon Yi-seol, who was sitting in the back seat, turned her gaze towards the window. The shimmering blue waves were reflected in her clear eyes.

After admiring the scenery for a while, Yoon Yi-seol finally spoke up.

“Well… it’s nice.”

Upon hearing her unenthusiastic response, Ji Seong-jae inwardly sighed. The past week had been like this continuously.

“When the schedule is over, do you want to go on a trip? The weather is nice, and the fine dust isn’t that bad now.”

“What’s the point?”

Yoon Yi-seol sighed and murmured softly while stroking the white cat sleeping soundly on her lap.

“Some people rest only on weekends, and some people have a lot of work only on weekends. And it’s going to be like this for the next three weeks. If we were in Seoul, we could meet even late at night. Isn’t that right, Kiki?”

Ji Seong-jae smirked at the voice who was lamenting about their dependency on their pets. The reason was clear as day.

As the van that had been traveling along the Saemangeum Breakwater finally turned towards Seonyudo, the pace slowed down as it began to get crowded. Ji Seong-jae turned his head towards the back seat.

With the gentle May breeze came a salty scent, filling the car instantly.

Meow―

Even the cat Kiki lifted her head, sniffing the sea scent. Ji Seong-jae chuckled upon hearing her meow.

“Hey there. Did you wake up thinking about fish?”

Yawning loudly, Kiki stretched around before raising her pink paw onto the window sill.

Yoon Yi-seol, who was scratching under Kiki’s chin as she meowed, turned her head towards the driver’s seat.

“What time do you think we’ll get to Seoul after we’re done?”

“Probably around dawn, don’t you think?”

“Ugh.”

“Yi-seol, your tone has gotten a lot rougher lately.”

“You told me not to hold back my temper and express it openly.”

“I didn’t think I’d be the target back then.”

As they crossed the bridge connecting one island to another, the car’s speed slowed down as traffic started to build up. Ji Seong-jae turned his head towards the back seat.

“Traffic jam. It’s a long weekend, so it’s going to be crowded. We should refrain from sneaking around even after we arrive.”

“I don’t feel like sightseeing. Rather, it would be better for couples to come and just…”

In a fit of frustration, Yoon Yi-seol cursed, catching the eye of Kiki, who was staring at her intently.

“Sorry. Just pretend you didn’t hear that.”

Meow―

Ji Seong-jae chuckled softly at the meow, as if Kiki was understanding the situation.

“Oh, did you say your parents are coming back on Wednesday?”

“Yes.”

“They seem to be enjoying their trip thoroughly.”

Ji Seong-jae, who estimated the date, said.

“If you’re going somewhere during the holidays, I’ll take care of Kiki until Wednesday.”

“It’s okay. Since she’s my first pet without any conditions, it’s less lonely with her around. But, Manager Ji, why do you keep trying to send me away? Are you tired of being a manager now?”

“Anyway, you’ve become more rough.”

Yoon Yi-seol glanced at Ji Seong-jae through the rearview mirror.

“It’s not like being kind will make me like you more.”

“Who are you saying that to? I don’t think it’s me.”

“It’s you, the one who confuses me.”

After the identity was revealed a bit, Ji Seong-jae quickly moved forward and glanced at his phone on the cup holder. The message indicator flashed, so he pressed the confirm button.

[I’ll leave now.]

It was a message from a young man who hadn’t shown his face for over a month, putting Yoon Yi-seol in such a state.

Checking on Yoon Yi-seol playing with Kiki, Ji Seong-jae quickly typed a reply with one hand.

Ziiing.

[Surprise events are nice, but come quickly. It’s getting harder to handle.]

Reading the text, Jeong-woo couldn’t help but smile. He could imagine her face, stern but undoubtedly beautiful.

Park Soo-chan, who was driving, glanced at Jeong-woo and asked.

“What’s making you smile like that? A message from Yi-seol?”

“Let’s just focus on driving and get going. Will we be able to arrive safely?”

“Don’t worry about that. Our Laura is still strong.”

The red sedan merged onto the West Coast Expressway. Jeong-woo, checking the estimated arrival time on the navigation system, felt his excitement rise.

‘We’ll be there in three hours.’

After driving in silence for a while, Park Soo-chan glanced at Jeong-woo discreetly. Jeong-woo, who had been gazing out the window, spoke up.

“If you have something to say, go ahead.”

“Are you dating Yi-seol?”

Glancing briefly at Park Soo-chan’s serious expression, Jeong-woo answered calmly.

“No.”

“Damn. I’m not really shocked. You’ve been doing a lot of unreasonable things lately, so nothing surprises me anymore.”

“That’s not it.”

Park Soo-chan gave him a look as if to say, “Yeah, right.”

“Ridiculous. Then why are you following her for the shoot?”

“I have my reasons, so stop asking. It’s complicated.”

“Are you worried about rumors of a romantic relationship? Okay, got it. I’ll keep quiet as your best friend.”

“Whatever.”

As Park Soo-chan, who had been silently focusing on driving, suddenly sighed.

“Hey, Jeong-woo. This is serious.”

“What’s going on now?”

“Eun-sil asked me if you have a girlfriend, and I flatly said no.”

“Why is that such a big deal? She probably just asked out of curiosity.”

“You’re funny. It’s obvious she’s interested. She didn’t even ask me if I had a girlfriend.”

Park Soo-chan has no idea that he carries a genetic modifier that makes him unable to be close to anyone.

‘He wouldn’t understand even if I explained.’

Jeong-woo shook his head and remained silent. But not long after, Park Soo-chan started another question.

“I saw on ‘Channel Chemistry’ that you filmed with a blonde beauty? She’s like a Barbie doll. Are you expanding to the international stage again?”

“Kaya is the same age as my brother. Are you going to flirt with every female idol you meet at events?”

“I would if I had the ability, like you.”

“Not me. I can’t handle hurting someone’s feelings.”

“Whoa, deep. Who’s that about?”

“Enough. I’ll be sleeping, so wake me up when we arrive at Seonyudo.”

A van with the mark of “Bongbong Animal Hospital” on it appeared at the entrance of the island village surrounded by the sea on three sides. Traveling up the gravel-strewn newly constructed road, the van stopped in front of a rural house with a small stable and a sheepfold in the front yard.

“Veterinarian sir! Over here, over here!”

As soon as the director of Bongbong Hospital, Lee Du-seop, got out of the car, he quickly ran towards the urgent voice with his examination bag in hand.

The homeowner stood in front of a cow with a concerned expression and said.

“Our Suni hasn’t been eating well lately, and she can’t even walk properly. Is it a serious illness?

Lee Du-seop put down his bag and put on rubber gloves. He approached the cow slowly and assessed its condition.

“Temporary loss of appetite can have several causes. It could be fever, inflammation in the nose or eyes…”

As Lee Du-seop examined the cow’s mouth, he paused.

“…or ulcers in the gums. How long has she been like this?”

“About a day or two?”

“Has she been drooling a lot?”

“I’m not sure.”

Lee Du-seop, with a slightly serious expression, delivered the diagnosis.

“Sir, don’t be alarmed, but listen carefully. It’s suspected to be foot-and-mouth disease, so we need to start with a detailed examination…”

“What, what is it?”

Lee Du-seop raised his hand to calm down the alarmed homeowner.

“It’s not confirmed yet. But we still need to close the barn to prevent harm to other animals.”

Meanwhile, Lee Du-seop glanced at the chicken coop and widened his eyes. There was a chicken with avian influenza. The other chickens were all nodding off.

“When did you feed these chickens?”

“This morning.”

The amount of feed consumed had significantly decreased.

“Could this be possible? I suspect it’s avian influenza. We need to report this instead of speculating.”

The homeowner was shocked when avian influenza was mentioned. Lee Du-seop raised his phone and called the relevant department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

After a while, Lee Du-seop returned after explaining the symptoms.

“Sir, listen carefully. No livestock, humans, vehicles, or waste should leave here until the test results are out.”

“What on earth is happening…”

「1 PM」 – Crisis Level ‘Attention’

“Wow, this coastal road is amazing. Is it safe to drive on?”

“Keep it at 80.”

In response to the anxious tone of Jeong-woo, Park Soo-chan chuckled.

“Don’t get scared.”

“I’m not telling you to slow down because I’m scared, okay?”

“Alright, alright.”

After driving on the straight road for a while, the navigation signaled to turn towards Gogunsan.

“It’s only 1 PM. After dropping you off, I can take a look around, right?”

“Where did they say the local event was again?”

“In Jeonju. Right next to us.”

It was when they turned the direction following the navigation. Park Soo-chan’s chin lifted slightly as they saw a long line of cars on the distant road.

“It’s crazy crowded because of the holiday until Tuesday. No wonder Seoul felt empty.”

About 30 minutes of slow progress later, the car finally reached the entrance of the island.

“What’s this? Is it even more congested because of that?”

Jeong-woo, who had been texting, shifted his gaze at Park Soo-chan’s surprised voice.

On one side of the road, a signboard saying [Disinfection in Progress, Drive Slowly] was set up, and people in raincoats were spraying liquid on passing vehicles.

“What are they spraying?”

As Park Soo-chan wondered, Jeong-woo glanced at the transparent liquid.

“It’s chlorine dioxide. Looks like they’re disinfecting. Be careful because it contains a small amount of chloroform and haloisetonitrile, which are toxic.”

“Oh, um… then is it dangerous for our Laura?”

“Not for Laura, but for you. Make sure to wash your hands if you touch the underside of the car.”

“I see.”

Understanding only now, Park Soo-chan nodded, then turned his head abruptly.

“Why are you looking at me like that? You clearly know my level.”

“Sorry. I underestimated it.”

Maintaining a somewhat serious expression, Park Soo-chan chuckled at Jeong-woo’s somewhat sulky reply.

“Just go to the point. You know I’ll believe anything you say.”

“I’m actually three years older than you. Call me ‘hyung’ from now on.”

“You’re crazy.”

As the car left the designated area, it passed over the bridge connecting the islands. Finally, after passing through Sinshido and Munyeodo, they arrived at their destination, Seonyudo.

“Here looks good. Let’s stop here for now.”

As Park Soo-chan stopped the car on one side of the road, he whistled.

“Look at all the people on this small island. I might need to leave soon in case I get stuck in traffic. Ah, I can’t believe I have to go without seeing Yi-seol’s face.”

“I’ll pass on your regards.”

As Jeong-woo got out of the car, Park Soo-chan opened the window.

“Truly, thank you for the ride.”

“I told you anytime. See ya~”

Jeong-woo waved his hand to Park Soo-chan, who drove away.

A crescent-shaped, picturesque sandy beach stretched out at Seonyudo Beach, where a commemorative photoshoot for the 10th anniversary of the fashion magazine “Daisy” was in full swing.

“Let’s change outfits!”

At the photographer’s shout, the staff members hurriedly moved around.

Yoon Yi-seol, who had changed into a new dress inside the van, stepped out and her gaze lingered towards the people strolling along the coast.

Under the spring sun, as she quietly observed the couples enjoying their outing, she let out a short sigh.

“Yi-seol, the sunlight is really bright. Let’s make some adjustments to the makeup.”

“Yes.”

Makeup director Jeong Soo-yeong sat Yoon Yi-seol down on a bench with various beauty tools laid out.

“Why do you look so gloomy when the air is so fresh here?”

“Who knows.”

As Yoon Yi-seol closed her eyes briefly so they could apply pink eyeshadow, she quietly spoke up.

“How do I look today?”

“Well, you’re bursting with beauty.”

“Oh, I’m doomed.”

Jeong Soo-yeong gave a puzzled look.

“Why? It’s the 10th-anniversary special, so you should look as beautiful as possible.”

“In the next three weeks, I need to save up all this beauty.”

Jeong Soo-yeong, who was giving Yoon Yi-seol’s hair a voluminous look to match the elegant dress she was wearing, asked.

“Is there a fan meeting or something?”

“Something similar to that.”

A staff member, who was checking the reflection from the mirror, chuckled at the conversation between the two, who treated beauty as if it were an object.

“We don’t often see Yi-seol shining like this. It’s a shame.”

With a satisfied expression, Jeong Soo-yeong added a red jewel to Yoon Yi-seol’s ear for a touch of glamour and then stepped back. Then, upon seeing Yoon Yi-seol’s innocent eyes, quickly changed her words.

“Now that I think about it, this isn’t the best. I’ll definitely take care of your skin for the next three weeks.”

“Really? You promised.”

The photographer approached Yoon Yi-seol.

“Ms. Yi-seol, are you ready… Oh! This outfit you’re wearing today is the best among all. It’s perfect for the cover, right? Let’s shoot quickly.”

The photographer, fully satisfied, adjusted the camera angle. Yoon Yi-seol, who was pointed out by him, turned to Jeong Soo-yeong and asked.

“Isn’t it the best, according to Mr. Song?”

“He’s just being polite. It’s not the best. Not at all.”

“Really?”

Before the conversation could finish, a series of admiring comments came from the onlookers.

-Wow, her beauty potential. Was Yoon Yi-seol always this beautiful?

-Look at her skin, it’s unbelievably fair.

As Yoon Yi-seol stood on the sandy beach for the shoot, her shoulders relaxed. Of all days, why did it have to be today, when celebrity makeup looks so well? The timing was truly unfortunate.

“Ms. Yi-seol, shall we begin?”

“Yes, I’m ready.”

With the transparent and fine white sandy beach as the background, the photoshoot continued.

“Try flipping your hair over with your right hand. Okay.”

Click.

“The dreamy look is perfect. Camera focus!”

Click.

As the shoot continued without a break, sweat gradually formed on Yoon Yi-seol’s forehead. It wasn’t particularly hot, but the accumulated heat from the reflectors made it quite warm.

“Feeling hot?”

“I’m fine, Mr. Song.”

“Let’s take a 2-minute break. Everyone, rest!”

At the photographer’s declaration, Jeong Soo-yeong rushed over. While meticulously fixing her makeup with a makeup sponge, Yoon Yi-seol cooled her flushed face with a hand fan.

Amidst the bustling staff, Yoon Yi-seol wanted to drink water.

“Manager Ji, my throat…”

“Here.”

A bottle of water appeared unexpectedly before she could even make the request.

“Oh, thank you.”

Taking the bottle and taking a sip, Yoon Yi-seol realized that Manager Ji suddenly started using honorifics, and she turned her head in surprise, thinking, “What’s going on?”

And then.

Her eyes met with a young man whose laughter was evident at the corners of his mouth. As if he had seen something Yoon Yi-seol couldn’t see, his eyes widened as they met hers.

“…Jeong-woo?”

“How have you been?”

Jeong-woo’s voice echoed faintly.

“Why are you here…”

“Manager Ji said he had to go somewhere for a moment. You haven’t forgotten that I’m still your manager, have you?”

In a firm voice, Jeong-woo continued for her, who couldn’t properly articulate her thoughts.

“The Daejeon SBC interview scheduled for tonight has been canceled, Yoon Yi-seol. Today’s schedule will wrap up around 5 o’clock.”

Manager Ji, who had been insisting that she go out and have fun somewhere, knowing everything but pretending not to, would take care of the details.

“Oh, by the way. I heard from Jeong Soo-yeong that you were stunning today. Should I be preparing for something as your temporary manager?”

Jeong Soo-yeong, who was applying transparent lipstick to Yoon Yi-seol’s lips, burst into laughter at this question.

“Do you think so? Without any notice.”

Seeing Yoon Yi-seol being a bit petulant, Jeong-woo smiled gently.

“I came here to do what we talked about as soon as possible. There’s something I need to tell you.”

The invitation for a date on that day was not just empty words. Yoon Yi-seol looked at Jeong-woo with a puzzled expression.

“Let’s resume the shoot!”

Despite the signal from the photographer, Yoon Yi-seol’s gaze didn’t leave Jeong-woo.

“Me too.”

Jeong-woo said as he received a water bottle from Yoon Yi-seol.

With a sudden sense of reality, Yoon Yi-seol looked at Jeong-woo.

“What did you say?”

“I said, work hard.”