At some moment in the early dawn, the rain began to pour down like a torrential flood. It seemed to clear up briefly by the morning, but in the afternoon, thick raindrops poured again. There was no sign of stopping; the rain came crashing with the wind, and raindrops relentlessly stuck and trickled down the window glass.
It had been raining frequently for the past few days. After each rainfall, the temperature dropped, making it cold enough even though spring was nearly over. After this rain stops, it would still be cold for another day or two.
“Unusually heavy today...”
Jeong Tae-ui muttered suddenly, staring blankly at the raindrops frantically pounding on the glass door that led to the courtyard from the living room. It rained once every few days, but today’s downpour was particularly fierce.
Still, it was nice.
The sound of raindrops hitting the thick glass door outside couldn’t be heard inside. Only the water flowing silently, blurring the glass, was visible.
It felt as if the world had been submerged in water.
And beneath that, deep down, quietly and languidly, Jeong Tae-ui lay. Behind the sofa, under the thick curtain where people rarely noticed.
The curtain, which had been washed and dried softly in the clear weather just yesterday, faintly gave off a fresh, clean scent. It was a crisp, pleasant smell that fit perfectly with a rainy day like this.
It was a spot where Jeong Tae-ui often rolled around.
Although now no one in the household didn’t know that Jeong Tae-ui liked lying there, it was still a perfect place where he was not easily seen by others, sunlight flooded in generously, and if the sunlight became too strong, the curtain could be drawn to cast a shadow.
At first, when Rita caught him, she scolded him two or three times not to lie in such a tucked-away corner on the floor. But after witnessing Jeong Tae-ui twisting his body painfully in that narrow spot to avoid being caught, she either felt pity or disdain and stopped nagging him. So the corner behind the living room sofa became Jeong Tae-ui’s territory.
It was satisfying.
In the afternoon, when the chick-like soft sunlight shone down, opening the glass door and taking a short nap in the shade of the curtain while feeling a faint breeze was the utmost pleasure. Or, on a rainy day like now, feeling the slightly cool floor and listening to the faint, almost inaudible sound of rain was also good.
Occasionally, Illey, who was holed up in the study or his room doing something, would come out and sit on the sofa, flipping through a newspaper or something, and unless he deliberately pressed down hard on Jeong Tae-ui from behind the sofa with his arm, this place was a very satisfying resting space.
“Nice…”
Jeong Tae-ui murmured to himself with a languid sigh and closed his eyes.
Today was “just the right kind of stable day.”
It wasn’t a bright day that made his heart float, nor was it an unstable day filled with thunderstorms and lightning. Kyle had come home early today, so everyone who should be home was there, leaving no empty seats. There was no urgent work to do, no troubling incidents or accidents.
“Nice, just nice.”
He murmured once again.
Was there any other lazy lodger as lucky as this?
Jeong Tae-ui, who had become so accustomed to this house that he didn’t even consciously think of himself as a lodger anymore, was lying around carelessly.
Thinking about it, Jeong Tae-ui had spent several years living like this here. Unless he decided to take a vacation, he rarely left this neighborhood. The boundaries within which he could walk freely were limited to this nearby area. Though mostly symbolic, Jeong Tae-ui was still unfortunately an internationally wanted man.
The truly malicious fugitive living in this house, however, went out freely without any hesitation. Sometimes he would say he had work to do and disappear for days, even going quite far.
At times like those, Jeong Tae-ui felt the unfairness of the world, but it wasn’t so upsetting for him. He wasn’t the type to feel stifled just because he stayed inside the house. Anyway, the tasks Kyle dumped on him — which people like Kyle’s skilled assistant James could finish in half a day — took Jeong Tae-ui several times longer. Unfortunately, Kyle’s company seemed to grow steadily, and those tasks never stopped.
Yeah, thinking about it, I’m not that shameless a lodger. After all, I work hard to help.
Jeong Tae-ui nodded proudly, recalling the file bundle he had processed late into the night yesterday and handed over to James this morning.
So what. In this long life, even if I serve a few years in prison, where else could there be a prison as comfortable and luxurious as this? It was a bit disappointing not to be able to meet the faces he wanted to see whenever he wished, but they were all busy people anyway. Besides, on rare occasions, someone came to visit him. …Like his uncle, who came two and a half years ago and stayed only for a day.
Jeong Tae-ui shifted his body, thinking, “Come to think of it, it must be vacation season soon. I wonder if he’ll come this time.”
Although shifting, he only twisted his body slightly in the space.
“Not a cat, after all.”
Suddenly, a voice came from above his head.
A shadow faintly appeared on the glass door where the raindrops formed wave patterns.
Turning his head slightly, there stood Illey Riglow, the malicious fugitive and internationally wanted terrorist who had been locked in his room, typing on his laptop since around noon.
“It’s not as cramped as it looks. Though it’s a bit… cramped for you to lie down. If you can lie down, go ahead and try.”
Jeong Tae-ui shifted and made a gesture to give up a little space in the corner barely half a handspan wide. A careless gaze silently descended into that narrow spot.
“…”
“…”
“Well then, let me lie down for a bit—”
“Sorry. That was thoughtless of me.”
Jeong Tae-ui quickly spoke and twisted his body back before Illey, who was about to step in and lie down, could do so.
That space was tight even for him, who was much taller and bigger than Jeong Tae-ui.
He had made the joke with the intention of teasing, but upon saying it, he realized Illey was not the kind of person to get such jokes. If Jeong Tae-ui hadn’t quickly backed off, Illey would have actually laid down.
Illey laughed softly when Jeong Tae-ui lay down stubbornly, refusing to move. Then he sat down on the sofa obediently. He didn’t seem to intend to disturb Jeong Tae-ui’s rest, and the rustling sound of him flipping through a vinyl-wrapped daily newspaper delivered about half an hour ago could be heard.
“Anything interesting in the news?”
“Not really.”
The brief conversation ended there.
Jeong Tae-ui turned again and lay facing outward.
He could see the courtyard where the rain was still pouring heavily. The short trees Peter had neatly trimmed just yesterday looked pitiful.
The courtyard, enclosed by an old-fashioned iron fence and a low wall, overlooked the street outside. This house was located deep inside an alley in a quiet, spacious residential area, so hardly anyone passed by because of its location. If someone came close enough to see the courtyard, they were most likely visitors to the house. Usually, the only visible people were those passing by a small intersection two or three blocks ahead.
But today, probably because of the heavy rain and wind, no one was seen on the street. Well, on days like this, anyone would want to be inside a warm house drinking tea.
“…”
He thought about making some pancakes, but since dinner would come in an hour or two, he could easily imagine Rita’s displeased glance. Besides, the dongdongju (rice wine) he had stocked the other day was almost gone. Pancakes and beer weren’t a bad combination, but they weren’t a perfect match…
Jeong Tae-ui sighed with some regret.
Around that time,
Beyond the fence, a shadow flickered in the rain drenching the street. The figure appeared turning the corner at the end of the alley and gradually approached.
He was a tall man, wearing a black umbrella pulled low, so his face was almost unseen. Dressed in a sleek black suit, black tie, and black shoes, with only an ivory dress shirt breaking the dark ensemble, the man nevertheless gave no dark or sinister impression. Perhaps because his steps were so leisurely, as if enjoying a stroll even in the fierce downpour.
He must be a visitor to this house.
For some reason, Jeong Tae-ui thought so without reason.
“A guest must be coming.”
He muttered abruptly, almost like talking to himself. Although that voice must have been heard, no response came from the sofa. Only the rustling sound of the newspaper flipping as if unaware.
Then, the pendulum clock placed in one corner of the living room began to chime. Heavy and slow, it shook once more and struck five times with a familiar sound.
When the slow reverberation of the last gong faded, the intercom rang. Light footsteps came from the kitchen side as Rita approached. The voice of a short conversation with the security guard followed. Apparently, the guest would soon come inside.
Jeong Tae-ui thought it would be better to get up since the guest had arrived but hesitated, still lying in that tucked-away spot.
He hadn’t lain down long. He was feeling just right. Above all, the guests who came to this house were different from those at other houses. Visitors from outside coming every day was a daily routine here, so he didn’t feel anything unusual.
No, no matter what, basic manners require me to get up.
Just as Jeong Tae-ui was about to rise, putting strength into his stomach, suddenly a newspaper flew over his face.
Illey, having finished reading the paper, threw it over the sofa behind him; it rustled and covered his face. It wasn’t painful, but the thin sheets fluttered from his head to the floor scattering quietly.
“What the hell—”
“Here already?”
Before Jeong Tae-ui could grumble grumpily, the sound of Kyle descending from the study upstairs was heard. The wooden stairs creaked faintly.
When he stepped off the last stair onto the first floor, the front door opened.
Still sitting slouched on the floor behind the sofa with the newspaper covering him, Jeong Tae-ui saw the man who entered, bringing a fresh scent of rain with him.
The man who entered hung a black umbrella in the umbrella stand outside the front door, slowly raised his head and looked at Kyle. Then at Illey sitting on the sofa.
A slow smile spread across the man’s otherwise calm face. His eyes and mouth curved very slightly. Only then could Jeong Tae-ui properly see the man.
The strongest impression was how solid he seemed. Like cold stone, it looked like you couldn’t pierce him even with the tip of a needle. The only slightly loose feature was that smiling face, but even that gave off a feeling of “not easy.”
Jeong Tae-ui scratched his head.
Among Kyle’s friends and the others who visited this house, there were sometimes people like that. This one seemed like no easy person.
That man was probably no less, if not more, difficult than any of those.
Still, comparatively better, the man had a much better impression than other formidable people Jeong Tae-ui had met. The black attire suited for funerals might look gloomy on others, but on him it was sleek and neat.
It was rare for such a formidable aura to be paired with such a good impression, quite something.
Jeong Tae-ui looked at the man with a feeling bordering on admiration. Although from where Jeong Tae-ui sat, pots and ornamental stones blocked a clear view.
While thinking that, Jeong Tae-ui missed the timing to get up.
“Welcome. Long time no see. Must have been tough coming in this rain.”
“Not at all. It’s been a while since I saw rain, so I deliberately got off at the main road ahead and walked. How have you both been?”
“Hmm? It seems it rained quite often recently, but you didn’t get rain there?”
Kyle guided the man to the living room and sat down at a right angle to Illey on the couch. The man sat opposite them.
Jeong Tae-ui, now out of view of the man’s position, blinked quietly and sighed, leaning against the sofa. Sitting with his back to Illey across the thick sofa backrest, he looked out at the pouring rain again.
The man’s somewhat slow and unique accent had a subtle Austrian twang, but it suited his appearance and was pleasant to hear.
“I didn’t know eastern Germany was so vast. Berlin had heavy rain four times this month alone, but Dresden didn’t see any rain…?”
Illey snorted and muttered from just behind him.
He really had a hard time speaking politely.
Jeong Tae-ui lightly tapped the sofa with his head, but no response came.
But if the man was right, it was strange that a place less than 200 kilometers from Berlin had no rain for a while.
“No, I was in Riyadh from March. Just came back a few days ago.”
The man spoke casually, as if he knew Illey well, and smiled. Jeong Tae-ui yawned, closed his mouth, and rolled his eyes.
Riyadh... he never thought he would hear that painful place name again.
Wasn’t that the place where the incident that upgraded the international wanted terrorist to that status happened?
“Ah, indeed. The rain in Germany probably didn’t reach the Middle East.”
But Kyle, the terrorist’s older brother, responded calmly with a smile, and the terrorist himself didn’t seem to mind.
“Riyadh, huh. Come to think of it, the anniversary is coming soon.”
As Kyle spoke as if it was news, a clear sound of a small tea cup clinking rang. Warm tea fragrance brushed the nose with a slight delay. It was tea brewed by Rita.
If only I stood up and asked Rita to brew me a cup now… No, better not. I’d be killed by her stare.
Everyone seemed to be drinking tea at once, and the conversation paused for a moment.
Jeong Tae-ui inhaled deeply the faint aroma of tea and closed his eyes.
Come to think of it, Illey, who usually never cared whether Kyle had guests or not, was drinking tea with them today. Or at least it looked that way. Or maybe the guest wasn’t Kyle’s but Illey’s.
Before Jeong Tae-ui’s question could conclude, Illey broke the lukewarm silence and spoke.
“So, what about the succession issue?”
He clearly showed he wanted to finish the conversation quickly. The man who had just sat down showed no awkwardness and leisurely put down his teacup.
“There are a little less than four months until the decision day.”
“Four months… It seems like the successor has already been decided, so waiting might be unnecessary, but well, those are the rules.”
Kyle spoke with a slightly calm smile.
“Well, we won’t know until it goes all the way.”
The man’s voice was equally calm.
From his polite and smiling tone, Jeong Tae-ui grasped one thing from this incomprehensible conversation:
The man held the upper hand in a decision that was about to be made, almost absolutely.
Kyle was usually kind in speech but never gave excessive praise that didn’t fit reality.
“So, who will take the position?”
Finally, the man spoke.
After a brief silence, the atmosphere grew thick again. Jeong Tae-ui felt it getting harder and harder to leave.
He thought about pretending not to notice and quietly getting up as if just waking from sleep, but the atmosphere was strange. Sitting like this felt like eavesdropping, which wasn’t comfortable.
...Well, at least the person sitting behind me knows I’m here, so I don’t have to feel that awkward.
Imagining suddenly shouting “Surprise!” and jumping out, Jeong Tae-ui shook his head. In such a strange silence, doing that would only get him endlessly mocked.
“I’ll do it.”
After a slight pause, Illey spoke up.
“If you don’t mind.”
Illey added this, tapping the armrest of the couch slowly with his fingers, as people do when deep in thought.
Jeong Tae-ui sighed while glancing at those pale, long fingers out of the corner of his eye.
Something... this fragmentary conversation made no sense to him, but somehow Illey was going to do something.
It felt strange. It was very rare for this man to comply so willingly with another’s request. He even added a polite phrase like “If you don’t mind.”
Feeling moved, Jeong Tae-ui leaned back against the sofa and watched the wave patterns forming continuously on the glass door. In the reflection, he saw the man nodding.
“Either way is fine. Then I’ll leave it in your hands.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the man stood up without hesitation, nodded to Illey, then looked at Kyle.
“Well, I’ll be going now.”
...Huh?
Jeong Tae-ui stared at the man’s reflection on the glass door and blinked.
He had only just arrived at the house. It had only been enough time to finish one cup of tea. After exchanging a few words without much talk, he was already standing to leave. Faster than an insurance salesman or a door-to-door salesperson.
Why didn’t they just talk on the phone? How strange... Jeong Tae-ui thought as the man headed for the front door. Kyle accompanied him, as if expecting that.
A few words of farewell were heard near the front door, then the door shut with a clack. Soon after, the man’s figure was seen outside beyond the glass door in the courtyard.
He walked leisurely through the heavy rain under his umbrella, heading toward the main street along the fence. Suddenly, he stopped and looked at something.
Jeong Tae-ui, who was watching the man without any particular meaning, followed his gaze. The man was looking at the climbing roses along the fence.
The small yet splendid rose clusters, layered with deep apricot and bright scarlet petals, grew along the fence. They swayed in the gusty rain and wind.
The man looked at the flowers lovingly. With a smile in his eyes, as if admiring the small, splendid flowers enduring the storm.
A man who loves flowers. How romantic and nice.
Jeong Tae-ui nodded contentedly, watching the man enjoy the beautiful flowers Peter had planted carefully. Seeing someone relish the small beauties around them lifted his spirits.
The man switched the umbrella to his left hand and gently touched the flowers with his right. A warm smile spread across his face.
The handsome man on a rainy day, the beautiful roses, the warm touch — Jeong Tae-ui was watching this scene with satisfaction when suddenly he froze.
The man’s fingers stroking the petals were crushing them. Still smiling gently.
“...Peter…”
Jeong Tae-ui could only think that Peter would be heartbroken.
While Jeong Tae-ui was staring blankly, the man pressed a petal and rubbed the red juice that oozed out on his finger, then tapped the petals lightly as if finding them cute and moved on.
Watching the man’s figure slowly disappear, Jeong Tae-ui scratched his head with his mouth open.
“Well, damn.”
Kyle, who was returning from the front door, looked surprised and widened his eyes when he saw Jeong Tae-ui getting up.
“You were there?”
“Ah, yes. I was about to get up, but the atmosphere was weird... I accidentally overheard your conversation with your friend. Sorry.”
Jeong Tae-ui bowed slightly to Kyle.
But thinking of Kyle’s unusual attitude, who didn’t even try to stop that man, maybe the man wasn’t really Kyle’s friend but someone he secretly disliked and only came to discuss business.
“Still, he had quite a good impression…”
The man had an impression good enough to be considered a mild and decent friend of Kyle.
Jeong Tae-ui muttered to himself, and Illey glanced at him.
“Good impression? That guy just now?”
“Yeah, he was. Quiet and polite, too.”
“...”
Jeong Tae-ui wondered if he had said something wrong because Illey looked at him with narrowed eyes.
After staring at him for a while, Illey clicked his tongue softly.
“He was like that even when he was a little Chinese brat, and you say he has a good impression despite that perverted bastard... You really have a sharp eye for people...”
Jeong Tae-ui was about to shout, “My eye for people?!” but Illey was already looking elsewhere, tapping the armrest again with his fingertips.
That pervert? The man from earlier? He looked perfectly normal and neat.
Jeong Tae-ui suspiciously recalled the recent memory. The man who had briefly come to the house and left was polite and sensitive throughout. He didn’t look like someone who would be cursed.
Well, appearances can be deceiving. Even this man sitting right here looks quite decent at a glance.
As Jeong Tae-ui gazed blankly at Illey, Kyle sat in front of him. Kyle was as silent as Illey, who tapped the armrest deep in thought.
Jeong Tae-ui stared blankly at the two men, each lost in their own thoughts.
“Looks like he wasn’t a very welcome guest. I thought he was Kyle’s friend… But maybe he knew Illey too.”
Sitting between them, Jeong Tae-ui spoke. Illey gave him a glance.
“Troublesome guest? Something about succession. Looks like he went to Saudi too.”
As Jeong Tae-ui continued, Illey looked at him quietly and raised the corner of his mouth.
“Ah, now you understand German pretty well, huh.”
“Huh?” Jeong Tae-ui replied, making a face like it was nothing new.
“I’m not fluent in speaking yet, but I can manage listening and reading... I’ve been here long enough that if I couldn’t adapt to that, what else could I do?”
“Yeah, living surrounded by a foreign language, you can’t help but get good at it. But…”
Illey’s eyes narrowed. His faint smile seemed unusual, so Jeong Tae-ui narrowed his eyes in response and shut his mouth.
“Everyone probably speaks only English at home, but isn’t your German too fluent for that?”
Hearing that subtle tone, Jeong Tae-ui was momentarily dumbfounded. Then he frowned and glared at him unhappily.
“Why are you suddenly picking fights about things I never did? Do you think I only stay at home? I go for walks sometimes. Besides, I don’t know how long I have to stay like this, so naturally, I learned German.”
“Alright. Then don’t go out for a while.”
“...What?”
The conversation, which had been flowing naturally, suddenly came to a halt. It had gone smoothly, but then suddenly got cut off.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’m going to be away from home for a while, so I’m telling you to take care of the house.”
“Huh? Where are you going?”
In the flow of the conversation, the real point was the “don’t go out,” but Jeong Tae-ui was distracted by the earlier words. No answer came about that.
Illey stared at the void with a strange light in his expression, as if anticipating something exciting. His long fingers tapped rhythmically.
Damn, he just stopped talking mid-sentence...
Jeong Tae-ui thought briefly about tapping his fingers to get his attention, but gave up. This guy wasn’t the type to be distracted by anything around him. Even while thinking hundreds of thoughts at once, he would watch everything around him.
In other words, he wasn’t interested in answering. And no one in the world could make him do something he didn’t want.
Well, he wasn’t the type to report everything either.
Jeong Tae-ui sighed lightly and scratched his head.
Wherever he’s going and whatever he’s going to do, I hope he’s lucky. Most bad luck would probably flee from that ominous touch.
Jeong Tae-ui looked back outside. The rain seemed to have eased slightly, but the world was still flooded.
And in the midst of it all, the guest in black who had come suddenly and vanished suddenly left his traces clearly on the climbing roses.