Fate in the Rain

The Ghost in the Road

The rusty pickup truck’s headlights cut through the dark Korean countryside, illuminating the woman standing in the road, her auburn hair glinting like a beacon. Soo-jin’s gasp—“Mother?”—echoed in Min-jae’s ears, her voice raw with disbelief and hope. Kang Min-jae’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, the truck’s engine rumbling as he slowed, his heart pounding. The woman’s face, eerily similar to Soo-jin’s, was older, etched with lines of hardship, but her raised hand signaled them to stop. Behind them, the black SUV’s headlights loomed closer, Joon-ho, Lee Soo-kyung, and the scarred man—Soo-jin’s uncle, Lee Min-soo—hot on their trail.Soo-jin clutched her backpack, the USB drive and documents inside their only leverage against her father’s empire. “It can’t be her,” she whispered, her eyes locked on the woman. “My mother’s been gone for years. My father said she left us.”Min-jae’s mind raced, the letter from Hye-jin to his mother, Eun-ji, flashing in his memory: The evidence is in Busan. Ji-hoon’s claim that Soo-jin’s uncle was alive, hiding in Busan, had already upended their understanding of her family’s secrets. Was this woman truly Hye-jin, Soo-jin’s mother, or a cruel trap set by Choi Enterprises? The gunshot that had silenced Ji-hoon’s shout back at the gas station gnawed at Min-jae, a reminder of how close their pursuers were.“Don’t stop,” he said, his voice low but firm. “We can’t trust this.”Soo-jin’s hand grabbed his arm, her eyes glistening. “Min-jae, what if it’s her? I need to know.”The SUV’s engine roared closer, its headlights flooding the truck’s rearview. Min-jae’s gut screamed to keep driving, but Soo-jin’s plea—the raw hope in her voice—held him. He eased off the gas, the truck rolling to a stop ten meters from the woman. She stepped forward, her movements cautious, her eyes locked on Soo-jin through the windshield.“Soo-jin,” the woman called, her voice soft but carrying a weight that made Min-jae’s skin prickle. “It’s me. Hye-jin. I’ve been waiting for you.”Soo-jin’s breath hitched, her hand fumbling for the door handle. “Stay here,” Min-jae said, grabbing her wrist. “If it’s a trap, we’re done.”She shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I have to know,” she said, pulling free and stepping out of the truck. Min-jae cursed under his breath, grabbing his bag with the Choi contract and following her, his eyes scanning the darkness for Joon-ho’s SUV. It had slowed, idling at a distance, as if waiting.The woman—Hye-jin, if she was telling the truth—stood under the streetlamp’s faint glow, her auburn hair catching the light like Soo-jin’s. Her clothes were simple, a worn coat and jeans, nothing like the polished heiress Min-jae had imagined. “Soo-jin,” she said, her voice breaking. “I never wanted to leave you. Your father… he forced me out. I’ve been hiding, trying to protect you.”Soo-jin’s hands trembled, her backpack slipping to the ground. “Why didn’t you come back?” she asked, her voice raw. “All these years, I thought you abandoned me.”Hye-jin’s eyes glistened, her hands reaching out but stopping short. “I couldn’t,” she said. “Your father’s empire—it’s built on blood. I tried to stop him, with Min-jae’s mother. We had evidence, but he found out. I had to run, or he’d have killed us both.”Min-jae’s heart lurched, his mother’s name hitting like a wound reopened. “You knew my mom?” he asked, stepping beside Soo-jin, his voice rough. “You worked with her?”Hye-jin’s gaze shifted to him, recognition flickering. “Eun-ji’s son,” she said softly. “You have her eyes. Yes, we were friends. We found proof of your father’s deals—bribes, smuggling, worse. We hid it in Busan, but Soo-kyung got to Eun-ji first. I’m so sorry, Min-jae.”The words cut deep, confirming Ji-hoon’s documents and the letter’s truth. Min-jae’s mother hadn’t just died—she’d been silenced, caught in the Chois’ web. He glanced at Soo-jin, her face crumpled with grief, and felt a surge of protectiveness. “Why now?” he demanded. “Why show up here, in the middle of nowhere?”Hye-jin’s expression tightened. “My brother, Min-soo, told me you were coming. He’s been watching, trying to keep you safe. But your father’s people are close. Too close.”Soo-jin’s eyes widened. “Uncle Min-soo? He was with Soo-kyung. He’s working with them.”Hye-jin shook her head. “No. He’s playing a dangerous game, pretending to be loyal to your father to protect the evidence in Busan. But we’re running out of time. Give me the drive, Soo-jin. I can get it to the right people.”Min-jae’s instincts screamed trap. The SUV’s headlights flared, its engine revving as it closed the distance. Joon-ho stepped out, Lee Soo-kyung and Min-soo beside him, their faces grim. Ji-hoon was nowhere in sight, his fate a gnawing question. “Enough family reunions,” Joon-ho called, his voice dripping with mockery. “Hand over the drive, Soo-jin, or this gets ugly.”Soo-jin’s hand tightened on Min-jae’s, her eyes flicking between Hye-jin and Joon-ho. “Mom,” she whispered, “if it’s really you, come with us. To Busan. We’ll finish this together.”Hye-jin’s face softened, but her eyes darted to the SUV. “I can’t,” she said. “They’re watching me too. The drive—it’s your only chance. Give it to me, and I’ll make sure it’s safe.”Min-jae’s gut churned. Hye-jin’s words felt sincere, but the timing, the SUV, Min-soo’s presence—it all screamed betrayal. “Soo-jin,” he said, his voice low, “we keep the drive. We go to Busan ourselves.”Soo-jin hesitated, her eyes locked on her mother’s. The pain of years apart, the hope of reunion, warred with the danger closing in. “I want to believe you,” she said to Hye-jin, her voice breaking. “But I can’t lose this. Not now.”Hye-jin’s expression crumpled, but she nodded. “Go,” she said. “Find Min-soo in Busan. He’ll take you to the safehouse. But hurry—your father won’t stop.”Joon-ho’s laugh cut through the night. “Touching,” he said, stepping closer, Soo-kyung’s g*n still raised. “But you’re not going anywhere.” He nodded to Min-soo, who hesitated, his scarred face unreadable.Min-jae didn’t wait. He grabbed Soo-jin’s arm, pulling her back to the truck. “Now!” he shouted, diving for the driver’s seat. Soo-jin scrambled in, her backpack clutched tight, as a gunshot rang out, shattering the truck’s side mirror. Min-jae floored the gas, the tires screeching as they sped down the road, Hye-jin’s figure shrinking in the rearview.The SUV pursued, its headlights blinding. Soo-jin’s breath came in gasps, her eyes glistening. “Was that really her?” she whispered, more to herself than Min-jae. “All this time, she was alive?”Min-jae’s heart ached for her, but he kept his eyes on the road, weaving through the countryside’s narrow lanes. “We’ll find out,” he said. “In Busan. We’ll get the truth.”The road stretched toward the coast, Busan’s lights a faint glow on the horizon. The SUV fell back, its pursuit relentless but slowed by the twisting paths. Min-jae’s mind churned—Hye-jin’s sudden appearance, Min-soo’s double game, Ji-hoon’s silence. Someone had betrayed them, tipping off Joon-ho about the train. Was it Han? Min-soo? Or Hye-jin herself?They reached a coastal road, the sea’s salty tang mingling with the night air. A sign for Busan flashed by, the safehouse their last hope. Soo-jin pulled out the burner phone, her hands trembling as she dialed her uncle’s number again. This time, it connected, a gruff voice answering. “Soo-jin? Where are you?”“Near Busan,” she said, her voice urgent. “We’re being followed. Joon-ho, Soo-kyung—they know.”The voice—Min-soo’s—tightened. “Get to Haeundae Beach. There’s a warehouse, old and unmarked, near the pier. I’ll meet you there. But trust no one else.”The call cut off as the SUV’s headlights flared again, closer now. Min-jae pushed the truck harder, the engine groaning. Soo-jin’s hand found his, her touch a lifeline. “We’re close,” she said, her voice fierce. “We’ll make it.”But as they neared Haeundae, a police roadblock loomed ahead, lights flashing in the pre-dawn gloom. Min-jae’s heart sank—Choi Enterprises’ reach extended even here. He slowed, his eyes flicking to Soo-jin. “What now?” he asked.Before she could answer, the truck’s radio crackled to life, a voice cutting through the static. “Kang Min-jae, Choi Soo-jin,” it said, chillingly familiar—Soo-kyung. “Pull over, or we burn the safehouse to the ground. With your uncle inside.”