Thinking back, Jung Tae-ui wondered if the man had been safely taken to the emergency room. Even if no ambulance had come, since this wasn’t an abandoned church, surely someone must have found him.
Shaking his head at how turbulent the day had been, Jung Tae-ui stopped walking just outside his home.
He realized that since leaving the church, he hadn’t thought once about his past life’s karma. He’d gone straight home through the rain, called the emergency room, then Kyle had collapsed, leaving no time to dwell on such thoughts.
When there’s an immediate problem right before your eyes, other worries just don’t surface, it seemed.
Besides, with Kyle lying down and holding his place, how much could that guy really matter? …Though it did matter, he wasn’t here at the moment.
Jung Tae-ui thought about going to his own room but changed direction toward Kyle’s bedroom.
He felt he should check on Kyle’s condition and ask how he was doing. It felt heavy knowing someone under the same roof was unwell. If Kyle was still barely conscious later, he’d come back again.
Kyle’s bedroom was just left down the hall from the study.
Quietly approaching, Jung Tae-ui nearly knocked but noticed the door was slightly ajar, and voices leaked through.
“...? Kyle, are you awake?”
He spoke softly and pushed the door open silently.
Inside was a large bed with someone sitting up on it.
Kyle was sitting on the bed.
Just as Jung Tae-ui was about to say something again, he stopped. Kyle was holding a phone and talking to someone.
“No, seriously, how can someone just come and go when no one’s around, huh? You know how much I value guests, yet you—no, that’s not it.”
Kyle’s low, pleading voice on the receiver was almost certainly directed at that troublesome visitor.
Jung Tae-ui held his breath.
Kyle seemed to notice Jung Tae-ui entering but gave no sign of being bothered, focusing fully on the call.
“Do you know what kind of books those were?! …And yet you just took them all! Hey, Christina… wait! Don’t hang up! I won’t call you that anymore!! I said something stupid, okay? So, Chris, please... those books...”
Leaning against the doorframe, watching Kyle clutch the receiver with both hands, Jung Tae-ui concluded that Kyle must have been seriously blackmailed by that guest. Otherwise, how could he sound so weak after almost having his books stolen?
“Hey! Don’t give in!!! You can’t! If you do, I’m dead!!!”
Now Jung Tae-ui understood the reason for Kyle’s agitation.
He recalled that Christina was supposed to be Illay’s childhood friend and even a former coworker.
“Wow… as expected of Illay. Always hanging around with someone like me.”
Muttering that it must have been hard to track her down, Jung Tae-ui shook his head.
As Jung Tae-ui thought of sayings like “birds of a feather flock together,” Kyle’s expression grew more serious.
“They say to come and get them. Even if I go, they won’t just hand them over easily. The rare book fair was just a few days ago, and if I go now, James might actually quit. Hey, hey! …Okay, how about this? I can’t go myself...”
Listening to Kyle’s urgent words, Jung Tae-ui nodded.
Of course. It’s the busy season with midyear financials, and if Kyle leaves now, James will probably disappear for good.
While Jung Tae-ui nodded, the door opened. Rita came in, carrying medicine or vegetable juice.
Jung Tae-ui smiled faintly at Rita as she mouthed that she’d give it to Kyle after the call and took the tray.
Anyway, Kyle was sitting up and talking on the phone. Though mentally shaken, there was nothing seriously wrong that worried those around him.
After Rita left with a worried look, Jung Tae-ui turned toward Kyle with the tray.
Kyle seemed to have finished the call, setting the phone down and glaring at it fiercely, like staring down a sworn enemy.
“Finished your call?”
“...”
Jung Tae-ui offered a cup, but Kyle, deep in thought, didn’t respond immediately. Only after mechanically drinking the water did he reply, “Yeah, thanks.”
Jung Tae-ui asked casually, taking back the empty cup.
Kyle, still staring hard at the phone, suddenly whipped around and glared at Jung Tae-ui. Startled, Jung Tae-ui stepped back.
“...Why?”
“Tae-i, you know what books went missing.”
“Yes? Yeah, roughly... but not exactly.”
“Even if you don’t know exactly, you’ll know once you see them.”
“Yes, I guess I will.”
Though they were among rare books, the missing ones were especially rare, so Jung Tae-ui figured he’d recognize them.
Thinking of the empty space on the shelf, Jung Tae-ui scratched his chin, then suddenly flinched as Kyle grabbed his hands tightly.
“Tae-i. I want you to go and get those books back.”
“W-what? Books? Me? No way...”
Trying to pull his hands away, Jung Tae-ui was held fast by Kyle, who stared intently.
“I want to run and get them myself, but it won’t be easy. They won’t give them up so easily. A week, maybe a month of hell before they relent. If that happens, James will really quit.”
“Yeah, if you’re gone for a month, James will be ecstatic, clearing out his desk and vanishing.”
“Exactly, Tae-i. That’s why I’m counting on you.”
Shrugging, Jung Tae-ui blinked at him.
This didn’t seem like a joke.
His shoulders sagged. Feeling it, Kyle loosened his grip on Jung Tae-ui’s hands.
“I don’t mind going... but if they won’t give the books up easily to Kyle, do you really think they’ll give them to me?”
“Yeah, it won’t be easy. If things go south, just find the books and run off. I’ll tell them beforehand someone else’s going instead of me.”
Kyle’s face was very serious. His complexion had darkened dramatically in half a day. Maybe he even looked thinner.
Jung Tae-ui tilted his head.
Actually, he didn’t mind going instead. Even if it was hard, since it was Kyle’s request, he was willing to try.
But he wondered if he could really pull it off—and one more thing...
“Will it take a long time?”
“Probably. They won’t give them up easily...”
Jung Tae-ui nodded again, lowering his head.
If it took too long, he’d be reluctant.
More than anything, it was right after his rough call with Illay yesterday.
Though he had shouted impulsively, saying he’d leave before Illay returned, he hadn’t seriously planned to follow through.
If he left now, it would mean his words from yesterday became reality.
“... ... ...”
Is it okay to risk my life like this?
But on the other hand, having said it so boldly, maybe he had to leave after all. It’d be ridiculous to just wait quietly at home for Illay’s return.
Jung Tae-ui struggled between comfort and pride.
Normally, he’d lean toward comfort.
“Tae-i... can’t you change your mind?”
Even without talking about paying back favors, helping close friends in trouble was natural.
“Of course not. I’m worried if I can really do what you ask, but I’ll try my best.”
Jung Tae-ui smiled broadly and nodded. Kyle’s face immediately brightened.
“Thanks. I’m counting on you.”
“No problem. I hope I can help.”
Since he’d already said it, and had boldly told Illay he’d leave, maybe it wasn’t bad to assert himself a bit now.
He could already see himself regretting it later, but surely Illay wouldn’t kill him...
...He wasn’t very confident.
As Kyle eagerly started jotting down addresses and contacts, Jung Tae-ui gently interrupted.
“By the way...”
“Hm? What is it?”
“About Illay... When things got rough before, he said if I ran away, he’d kill me for sure.”
Kyle paused writing and looked up at Jung Tae-ui.
Feeling sorry for not being more confident, Jung Tae-ui continued hesitantly.
“If he misunderstands that I left without notice, I’ll be left with nothing but bones...”
“Ah, don’t worry about that. I’ll handle it. Though I doubt Illay will ever think you ran far away from him.”
Kyle, understanding immediately, assured Jung Tae-ui he’d keep him safe.
Though memories of last night left some unease, Kyle’s assurance brought some comfort.
At worst, his life would be saved.
Muttering quietly for luck, Jung Tae-ui seemed pitiful, and Kyle gave his shoulder a comforting pat.
“If he calls, I’ll tell him not to worry.”
“Please, thanks. Otherwise, I’ll die...”
Speaking stirred a faint sadness, but Jung Tae-ui decided to forget it for now.
Though he hadn’t expected things to turn out like this, it seemed he’d have to leave this house for a while.
Worries about being a fugitive wandering freely crossed his mind, but Kyle would handle that.
How many days had it been since he left the house for several days?
He felt no great regrets or inconveniences but was somewhat excited thinking about going somewhere else for a while.
Still, he hoped Illay might contact him once more before he left.
Regardless of Kyle’s messages to Illay, the harsh ended phone call and silence made Jung Tae-ui uneasy. But since the call came suddenly after months, hoping for contact within a few days before leaving was a stretch.
Jung Tae-ui scratched his head.
Meanwhile, Kyle, scribbling fast on the note, tore the paper off and handed it to Jung Tae-ui.
“It’s a bit urgent, so leave as soon as you’re ready.”
Overwhelmed by Kyle’s urgency to send him off immediately, Jung Tae-ui thought, “No chance Illay will contact me before I leave,” and looked down at the note.
It probably had the troublesome visitor’s home address written in detail.
Not knowing the neighborhood or street names, Jung Tae-ui only confirmed the place marked Dresden and folded the note.