Three years ago........ (Continued)
"President," the team leader began, his voice somber yet steady, laced with the exhaustion of days spent searching in vain. "We've scoured every inch of the coastline. We've searched for the waters, combed through every possible area, followed every lead—every whisper of hope." He paused, his eyes meeting Youn-Jae's, the unspoken understanding between them thick and heavy. "I want to be honest with you, President. After seven days… the chances of finding Ji-Won alive are slim. We've done everything we can." He hesitated, lowering his gaze as if the words themselves were a burden. "We're here to seek consent from the family on whether we should continue the operation."
Youn-Jae felt his heart clench, his entire body tensing as the words landed on him like a crushing weight. He fought to hold onto a shred of hope, but reality was tightening its grip, suffocating him. The air in the room felt thick, pressing against his chest with every passing second.
The team leader continued, his voice faltering slightly as he struggled to soften the blow. "We understand the pain of loss, the need for closure. But we also need to be realistic. We have to consider the resources… the safety of our team… and the possibility that—" He broke off, unable to finish. Instead, he placed a stack of documents on the table—maps, sonar scans, debris reports, and records of false leads, each a stark reminder of the exhaustive, fruitless search. His eyes met Youn-Jae's once more, filled with the weight of unspoken grief. "It's now your decision whether to continue the search or end the operation."
Youn-Jae's hand trembled as he reached for the documents, his fingers brushing over the cold, lifeless paper. The words blurred before him, but their meaning—the finality—was crystal clear. He could feel Uncle Baek's gaze on him, tear-filled and pleading. Guilt gnawed at him, but somewhere deep within, a fragile ember of hope flickered, refusing to die. The flicker was all he had left.
"I... I need more time," Youn-Jae murmured, his voice cracking, barely above a whisper. "We need to talk first."
The team leader nodded solemnly. "Of course, President. Just let us know your decision." He bowed respectfully before leading his team out of the room, their footsteps heavy with the weight of unspoken grief.
As the door closed, the silence in the room thickened, wrapping around Youn-Jae, Uncle Baek, Byeong-Ho, and Secretary Min. The grief in the air felt almost tangible, like it was suffocating them all, pressing in from every corner. Youn-Jae's hands shook as he reached toward Uncle Baek, who sat hunched over, his face etched with sorrow and exhaustion.
"Uncle…" Youn-Jae's voice broke, his remorse spilling out with every word. "I'm so sorry, but I still want to—"
"President," Uncle Baek interrupted softly, his voice raw and trembling, breaking with the weight of his anguish. His frail hands reached out to grip Youn-Jae's, his fingers unsteady but filled with determination. "Let's stop here."
Youn-Jae's breath caught in his throat, shocked by the resignation in Uncle Baek's voice. He hadn't expected this. His heart raced, torn between the need to keep searching and the painful reality in Uncle Baek's eyes—the anguish of a man confronting the unimaginable.
"Uncle..." Youn-Jae's voice cracked, filled with disbelief and a desperate sincerity, his gaze searching for any sign of hope.
Uncle Baek met his look with a steady, though grief-stricken, gaze. "I know this isn't what you want to hear," he whispered, tears slipping down his face, each one heavy with years of love, memories, and sorrow. "But everyone is tired… hopeless. We have to pray and trust that Ji-Won is safe, wherever he is. Someday… somehow… he'll come back to us. Smiling, just like he used to."
"I can't accept that," Youn-Jae said quietly but firmly, his voice laced with the same grief that clawed at his chest. "I can't give up on him, Uncle."
Uncle Baek's gaze softened, and he reached up to gently touch Youn-Jae's face, his hand shaking. "You're so tired too," he said, his voice thick with sorrow. "I believe… I believe that somewhere, Ji-Won will find his way back to us. I have to believe it. But, right now… we need to let go."
Tears blurred Youn-Jae's vision as he watched Uncle Baek break down before him, the older man's frail body trembling with the weight of his grief. Youn-Jae knew Uncle Baek was right. He knew it with every fiber of his being. But even as reality pressed in, the fire inside him refused to be extinguished.
Later that night, after Uncle Baek had retired to his room, Youn-Jae sat alone, lost in thought. His mind raced with unfinished promises and relentless questions. He wasn't ready to give up—not yet. Quietly, he turned to Secretary Min.
"Hire private investigators," he whispered, his voice hoarse with desperation. "I don't care what it takes. Find out who the gunman was."
Secretary Min nodded, recognizing the unwavering resolve in Youn-Jae's eyes. It was clear that, despite agreeing to Uncle Baek's wishes, Youn-Jae would never truly stop searching. Not until he found the answers he needed.
***
The morning sun filtered through the tall windows of Youn-Jae's penthouse, casting harsh light over the chaos that consumed the room. It had been one week since they had stopped the search and rescue. Crumpled bottles of expensive whiskey lay scattered across the polished floor, shards of broken glass crunching underfoot with every step. Youn-Jae stood in the center of the wreckage, chest rising and falling in rapid, erratic breaths. His trembling hands reflected the turmoil inside him. With a savage motion, he hurled another empty bottle across the room, the satisfying crash as it shattered against the wall echoing his inner pain.
The door creaked open, and Secretary Min stepped inside, his eyes flickering around the room before settling on Youn-Jae. His expression was a mix of concern and frustration. "President," he said, his voice steady but carrying the weight of the situation, "we need to talk."
Youn-Jae spun around, eyes wide, bloodshot, filled with desperation. "Talk?" he snarled, his voice rising, raw with emotion. "All I get is nonsense! You couldn't find the gunman, and Ji-Won is still missing!" His words were a storm of grief and anger, a desperate cry for control over the situation that was slipping through his fingers.
Secretary Min took a slow, steadying breath, his posture unwavering despite the chaos. "We've exhausted every lead. There's no evidence, no way to trace him. It's like he vanished into thin air—just like Ji-Won." His voice softened, speaking the painful truth carefully, as though each word were fragile.
Youn-Jae's fists clenched at his sides, fury bubbling like a beast within him, ready to break free. "What do you mean, 'vanished'? You're telling me we've got nothing?" His voice dropped to a guttural growl, full of disbelief and anger. "Are you telling me to give up too?!"
"President," Secretary Min pressed gently, yet firmly, "please, you're destroying yourself."
"It's easy for all of you to tell me to move on! You're like Father! How the hell do you know what I'm feeling right now?!" Youn-Jae's voice broke with a mixture of fury and anguish.
"But President, you're Father—"
Before Secretary Min could continue, Youn-Jae cut him off, his frustration mounting. "Stop! Just tell me—have you found Andrew and James?"
"I've tried to reach Andrew again," Secretary Min responded, his tone filled with regret. "But it's like he's vanished too. I went to the Vice Chairman's house, but he's not there, nor is James. There's no record of them leaving Korea. Even James's hospital records have vanished, and I know he was shot."
Youn-Jae's face drained of color. A bitter laugh escaped him—a hollow, disbelieving sound. "How the fuck can Andrew and James be missing too? I need him to explain what happened that day. Did you ask Hyung about them?"
"Yes, President," Secretary Min replied softly, sensing the tension tightening in the room like a storm. "He won't communicate with me either."
Suddenly, in a burst of rage, Youn-Jae grabbed a glass from the side table and hurled it across the room. The sound of glass shattering filled the air, a sharp echo of the destruction within him. Secretary Min flinched, stepping back instinctively.
"President, please, regain your composure!" he urged, his voice a mix of concern and command.
Youn-Jae rubbed his hands over his face roughly, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "How can I regain composure?" he muttered, voice hollow, broken. "Every night I dream of him, fading away. He runs, and I can't chase him. His voice—his voice—rings in my ears, as if he's calling for help from the depths of the sea." His voice cracked, the raw pain flooding the room, as though it had been building for far too long.
"I understand, President," Secretary Min said gently. "But the Chairman is concerned about you. He called me, worried."
Youn-Jae's eyes darkened as he rubbed his nose, holding back the tears threatening to spill. "Worried?" His voice trembled with frustration, the hurt cutting deep. "He thinks I'm losing my mind, wants me to go to Germany to see a psychiatrist. All he cares about is the damn family's reputation!"
"It's because you're acting this way, President," Secretary Min said, his voice steady with sympathy. "You're sleepless, always drunk, neglecting your duties, crying every night with nightmares. Isn't it best to go back to Germany, as the Chairman wishes?"
Youn-Jae didn't respond. He exhaled deeply, a weary, heavy sigh that spoke volumes of his internal battle. The people around him couldn't understand—how could they? They were moving on, while he drowned in the agony of losing Ji-Won, a loss that he didn't know how to bear.
The story doesn't end here...
Hi dear readers! 💛
If you're enjoying the story, your support means everything to me! Whether it's a comment, a vote, a kudos, or a simple "I'm here", each one brings a smile and fuels the next chapter. 😊✨
Your feedback keeps this world alive, and your presence reminds me why I write.
If you have a moment, leave a comment, add to your library, share, or vote—it all helps more than you know. 💬🧡
Thank you for being part of this journey. Let's keep walking this path together. 🌙📖
— MidnightCaesar