Memorize - Episode 28
28 Meeting Familiar People
"We did see a woman on our way here. However, we can't be certain that the woman we saw is the person you say was kidnapped."
This was meant to minimize the shock. However, the woman's eyes still held conviction. She quickly nodded at my words and replied.
"That's okay. Right now, I'm willing to grasp at any straw. If it's long straight hair, I'm not sure, but if it's a yellow dress, it's almost certainly her."
"Even if it was a yellow dress... it was torn to pieces, so we only confirmed part of it."
"What... did you say?"
At my words, the woman momentarily stumbled over her speech. Woo Jeongmin, Seon Yu-un, and Cheon Seung-hyun, the three men, were already clenching their fists, probably anticipating what would come next. However, her eyes still hadn't given up hope. Finally, in a trembling voice, with a tone filled with hope that it wasn't true, she opened her mouth.
"Why, why was her clothes torn?"
"When we found her, the woman was collapsed, leaning against a tree. And when we approached to check... she was already dead."
"Won Hye-su...!"
The woman called Won Hye-su became dazed as soon as I finished speaking, then staggered and sat down. Cheon Seung-hyun, who was next to her, quickly caught her, but her legs had probably already given out completely. Knowing the pain of losing a loved one better than anyone, I felt sorry for the woman called Won Hye-su.
For a while, silence fell.
"How was Hye-yeon found dead?"
However, as if he had already accepted reality, Woo Jeongmin asked me in a calm voice. But the complex emotion heavily lacing his voice suggested his heart was considerably shaken. I kept my mouth shut for a moment. He still seemed to be waiting for my answer and opened his mouth.
"It's okay. I kind of expected it. Just tell me exactly as it was."
"...There was a blood stain on her mouth. She probably bit her tongue and committed suicide."
"No. Wait. That can't be. She wouldn't commit suicide."
"When we found her, she was almost naked. And... fluid presumed to be from those monkey monsters was flowing from her genitals."
As soon as I finished speaking, the atmosphere sank coldly. That's how truly angry Woo Jeongmin was. His eyes were filled with killing intent and he was clenching his fists so tightly, it looked like he might explode at any moment. Even Seon Yu-un, who had been listening quietly beside him, had bloodshot eyes, vividly conveying the sense of loss and anger they were feeling.
That's when it happened. Having heard my words, Won Hye-su, who had been staring blankly into space with unfocused eyes, let out a scream.
"Ha... haha... ha... haaaaaaaaah!"
"Hye-su! Get a hold of yourself!"
"Aaaaargh! Aaaaaaaaargh!"
The force was so fierce that even Cheon Seung-hyun, who had been showing a relatively mild attitude, took a step back. Unable to overcome her sense of loss, Won Hye-su began to scream, clawing at the ground with both hands.
"No! Hye-yeon! Hye-yeon can't be dead! It's a lie! A lie! Hye-yeooooooon!"
"Won Hye-su! Pull yourself together! We lost Jin-tae too, remember? You told us then to look at reality coldly without being swayed by emotions, so how can you be like this now!"
"Shut up! Hye-yeon! Hye-yeon!"
Won Hye-su, who had been looking around like a madwoman, made eye contact with me. She revealed her anger-twisted mouth and then suddenly stood up and rushed at me. Seon Yu-un and Cheon Seung-hyun, startled, quickly grabbed her arms, but despite this, she still shouted at me.
"Liar! Don't lie! She can't be dead! It's a lie, right? Right? Huh? Tell me it's a lie...! Tell me it's a lieeeeee!"
"Hye-su... Let's go and check first. Okay? Calm down."
Although Cheon Seung-hyun kept trying to soothe her, Won Hye-su was already in an almost half-deranged state, so she probably couldn't even hear him. I stared at her blankly and then spoke in a quiet voice.
"You'll find the body if you follow the path stretching out behind here for about 30 minutes. There aren't many trees in that area. I'm sorry about your sister."
"You bastard! You killed Hye-yeon! Dead, you say? Don't lie! No. You cowardly ran away while watching Hye-yeon being assaulted, didn't you? You could have saved her but you ran away, right? You cowardly dog bastaaaaard!"
"What did you say? This crazy bitch... Oppa?"
Lee Yoo-jung was about to step forward, unable to tolerate her cursing at me despite feeling sorry for her. I grabbed her shoulder and quietly shook my head. Lee Yoo-jung made a displeased expression, but seeing my stern face, she obediently backed down. At that moment, Woo Jeongmin, who had been quietly looking at the sky, raised his right hand high with a calm face.
Slap!
Won Hye-su's face, which had been cursing me as a coward, suddenly turned to the side. With a reddened face, as if in disbelief, her eyes were fixed on Woo Jeongmin's hand. Woo Jeongmin looked down at Won Hye-su with a face full of disappointment.
"That's enough, Won Hye-su. It's disgusting to watch anymore."
"Wh-what?"
"Reality... Sigh, never mind. Anything I say to you now, you probably won't listen. Don't take out your anger on innocent people and accept reality."
"Ha... Right. It's all useless. It's not your sister, is it? Yeah~. That's right. It might just be a 4-day acquaintance to you, but I, I, I! I'm different. We lived together for over 20 years. And what? Accept reality?"
Seon Yu-un looked at Won Hye-su, who was speaking with a venomous voice, with sympathetic eyes. And finally, he turned away from her gaze. Seeing him turn his head, Won Hye-su began to sob again. Even to a third party, she seemed so crazy that disappointment, frustration, anxiety, confusion, and all sorts of negative emotions were swirling around her.
"Won Hye-su, are you crazy? I shouldn't be the one to say this after throwing that dagger, but you shouldn't be like this! Let's calm down and get a grip first. What's wrong with you?"
"Yeah. I'm crazy. I'd rather go crazy. So let go of this. I said let go!"
She was becoming increasingly hysterical. Woo Jeongmin let out a deep sigh and then opened his mouth in a heavy voice.
"I don't think you're crazy. We lost Jin-tae here too. So we understand how you feel losing a sister you were so close to and cherished. If anyone had seen even once how you and your sister spent these 4 days, they would sympathize and pity your feelings. And... there's still no guarantee that person is Won Hye-yeon."
"Don't lie. Right! They could be lying right now, couldn't they? They only saw part of the clothes, right? I want to go check now. I'm going. Maybe, no, surely it's not Hye-yeon. It can't be."
They say humans are animals of self-rationalization. Won Hye-su, who had been so certain at first, was now changing her attitude 180 degrees. She pleaded, then despaired, then got angry, then hoped again. She was literally going mad. Unable to accept her death, she was interpreting everything in the most hopeful way possible. It wasn't the first or second time I'd seen people like this, but I couldn't help feeling complicated.
"Stop it. You saw Hye-yeon being caught by those monkey monsters back then too."
"If you don't go, I'll go alone. Let go of me now. I have to go. I'm going now."
"...Jeongmin. Let's go check too. We'll go and confirm... if there's a body..."
Cheon Seung-hyun, who had started to speak cautiously, quickly shut his mouth, probably sensing Won Hye-su's eyes sharpen. When Cheon Seung-hyun and Seon Yu-un released her arms, she glared at me fiercely and then started running in the direction I had pointed. They looked at each other awkwardly before following her with quick steps. However, Woo Jeongmin still remained in place.
"I got you involved in an unnecessary situation. I'm sorry. Even though I only knew her for 4 days, Hye-su and Hye-yeon cared for each other that much."
Ahn Hyun nodded with an understanding face. He was holding Ahn Sol tightly with his right arm, probably feeling uneasy. Woo Jeongmin, watching the two with a bitter face, then turned his gaze to me and spoke in a serious voice.
"Anyway, thank you for avenging on our behalf. You saved us the trouble. But... surely what you said wasn't a lie, was it?"
"What did you say?"
Seeing Lee Yoo-jung suddenly flare up, Woo Jeongmin turned his gaze to Kim Han-byeol and Ahn Sol. Then he smiled slightly and opened his mouth.
"Well... you don't seem like the type to lie. I apologize. I should be going too."
"Once again, I'm sorry about what happened to her. Regrettably, we're in a hurry too. So we'll be taking our leave now."
"Ah, wait a moment. You with the crossbow. Come here for a second."
Hearing him suddenly call me, I glanced at him and slowly walked towards him. When I was in front of him, he looked at his companions and then spoke to me in a voice low enough that only I could hear.
"It's not much of a reward but... I'll give you one piece of information. You're heading to the central warp gate, right? Don't answer, just nod slightly."
As soon as I nodded, Woo Jeongmin whispered something into my ear in a subtle voice.