chapter-6
706 Words
Taejin didn't speak.
Juhan watched his face.
Whatever the man on the phone had said, it had affected him deeply.
“Where?”
Taejin finally asked.
A pause.
Then:
“You know where.”
The call ended.
Juhan stepped closer.
“Was that your fathchapter er?”
“Yes.”
“But your father is alive.”
“Yes.”
“You told me he was missing.”
“I lied.”
Juhan laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
Taejin looked at him.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
Juhan's voice cracked.
“Everyone lies and calls it protection.”
Taejin lowered his eyes.
“You're right.”
The simple admission silenced Juhan.
Taejin walked toward a cabinet and removed a black folder.
Inside were newspaper articles.
Photographs.
Police reports.
Juhan looked through them.
The first article was dated seven years earlier.
BUSINESS TYCOON INVOLVED IN MYSTERIOUS CRASH.
The second:
TEENAGER PRESUMED DEAD AFTER LAKE ACCIDENT.
Juhan stopped.
“Presumed?”
Taejin nodded.
“My brother's body was never recovered.”
Juhan looked at him.
“You said he died.”
“I believed he did.”
“Then why does the article say presumed?”
“Because nobody found him.”
Juhan's heart began racing.
“Then Taehyun might be alive?”
Taejin didn't answer.
“That was seven years ago.”
“Yes.”
“How could he survive?”
“I don't know.”
“Then why are you convinced he's dead?”
Taejin's face became hard.
“Because I saw the blood.”
Juhan remembered.
The lake.
The water.
The hand.
He shivered.
Suddenly, a sound came from the hallway.
Someone knocked.
Three times.
Taejin immediately reached for the gun hidden beneath the table.
Juhan stared at him.
“You have a gun?”
“Yes.”
The knock came again.
Three slow knocks.
Taejin moved toward the door.
“Stay behind me.”
He looked through the security screen.
No one.
He opened the door slightly.
A small package sat outside.
No sender.
Taejin picked it up.
He brought it inside.
Juhan watched.
“Don't open it.”
Taejin ignored him.
Inside was a USB drive.
And a photograph.
Juhan took the photograph.
His blood froze.
It showed Taehyun.
Older.
Alive.
Standing beside a woman.
Juhan recognized the woman.
His mother.
“No.”
Taejin stared at the picture.
His face became completely blank.
“When was this taken?”
Juhan turned it over.
A date was written on the back.
Six months ago.
Taejin's hand tightened around the photograph.
“She knew.”
Juhan shook his head.
“My mother knew Taehyun was alive.”
Taejin inserted the USB into his computer.
A video appeared.
The screen showed a dark room.
A man sat in a chair.
His face was hidden.
Then he spoke.
“Juhan.”
Juhan's blood ran cold.
“You have spent seven years believing the wrong story.”
The video continued.
“Your mother didn't erase your memories.”
Juhan looked at Taejin.
“She erased the truth.”
The man leaned toward the camera.
“Ask yourself why you survived when Taehyun disappeared.”
The screen went black.
Juhan couldn't breathe.
Taejin stared at the monitor.
Then another file appeared automatically.
A single word.
LAKE.
Taejin clicked it.
A video from seven years ago appeared.
The image was blurry.
Two boys stood beside the lake.
Juhan and Taehyun.
Then another figure appeared behind them.
A man.
Taejin's father.
Juhan's heart stopped.
The video ended.
Taejin whispered,
“That night wasn't an accident.”
Juhan nodded slowly.
“We were followed.”
“Yes.”
“By your father.”
Taejin's face hardened.
“Yes.”
“But why?”
Neither of them had an answer.
Then the computer screen turned on again.
A final message appeared.
Because Taehyun discovered what the family had been hiding.
Juhan stared at the words.
“What was he hiding?”
Taejin didn't respond.
His phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
Come to the old lake tomorrow at midnight.
Underneath it:
Bring Juhan.
Taejin stared at the screen.
Then another message arrived.
Or we'll send him his mother's body.
Juhan's face went pale.
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