Red Obsession

2. Forgotten Roll

The night was falling behind the western mountain chain when Hyejeong sat down in front of a box that was carrying the roll of ancient parchment. Chebol Lee was piercing through her as if trying to analyze if she indeed was good enough to handle the challenge. Mr. Kim, the closest assistant of the billionaire's daughter was standing behind his employer's chair as still as a statue.

"Can I?" Hyejeong pointed at the wooden box.

"Yes." Chebol Lee became impatient. "I must warn you though, it couldn't be opened by anyone."

Hyejeong trembled, the legends circling along since early Silla times could frighten someone fifty times as brave as her. Still, she played it cool opening the box, taking the roll of ancient parchment out carefully. The sweat made the white gloves she was wearing stick to her palms.

The curious glances of all three men in the room, Chebol Lee, Mr. Kim and general Min were fixed on her so Hyejeong gulped investigating the roll from all sides, the parchment moved under her fingertip but her inner voice was telling her to keep it a secret. 

"You're right gentlemen, it's not possible to open." Hyejeong placed the roll back into the box inhaling sharply.

"It's useless." muttered Chebol Lee.

"I'd like to investigate it with special equipment.” Hyejeong pointed at the roll.

"We have scanned it with the newest technological toys the army has to offer.” General Min spoke for the first time.

"I believe the person I can ask for help has technology your army can only dream about."

General Min's laughter filled the room.

"This here is confidential Miss Cheon." Chebol Lee was looking straight at her.

"Do you want to find your daughter?"

The question hung in the air like a knife for long moments.

"Yes." Chebol Lee sat back taking a loud breath.

"So please anticipate my methods." Hyejeong was playing calm.

"You'll have general Min's whole resources, if you'll need more soldiers or weapons I gladly provide."

"Thank you, but I just need this one man, I assure you with the connection of his technology and my historical knowledge we can not only find your daughter but even Pak Mountain."

"Pak Mountain." This time it was Chebol Lee who burst out with laughter. "Ok Miss Cheon, but I advise you to watch your words so you won't speak it out in the wrong hour."

It seemed as if it has become oddly cold in the room.

"So I'm taking this for investigation." Hyejeong reached for the box observing the billionaire only.

"We will escort you to a safe place, the National Library, which from today is widely open for all your needs." General Min's bowed slightly.

A cold shiver that was building up in Hyejeong’s neck reached down to the edge of her spine. All resources she has ever dreamed to have were widely open, yet it meant playing the riskiest game in her life. Worse then that, it meant she’ll need to ask for help, ask someone she has wished to never ever see again. 

"General, I'll need to ask you for just one thing. I believe your men can find someone if they like."

"Who is it?" The general became livelier.

"The only name people know him under is Drone Master, his real name though is Lee Dongwoo."

The watch Hyejeong has placed on the long table, carved out in the seventh century for ruling king Yongjo from Jeseon dynasty, was showing midnight when the door banged.

That sound seemed so foreign, especially as Hyejeong has spent the past 36 hours in the long reading-room of the National Library. The box with the parchment roll was lying open next to hundreds of books she has dug herself through staying awake by drinking endless amounts of Americano only. She hasn't tried to open it though, as she couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched.

The last hour her concentration went down the hill, her eyelids were falling every few seconds, so the sound of the opening door caused her to almost fall off the chair she was napping at.

General Min came in assisted by two soldiers, both dragging a handcuffed man inside. Hyejeong’s heart jumped uncontrollably at the sight of the tall heartthrob in his mid twenties, getting it all in in a spun of a second, from his torn night black hair, the drunken gaze to the opened up leather jacket exposing perfect abs, as he had no shirt under.

"Untie his hands.” said Hyejeong ruffling her hair nervously.

"He's highly dangerous Miss Cheon." General Min was serious.

"I assure you he won't cause any problems, you have my word for it."

"If it's so. Have you been a Russian roulette player in your past life?" General Min raised a brow.

Hyejeong felt sweat dipping down her forehead when the soldiers took the handcuffs away.

"Can you leave us alone?" asked Hyejeong.

"I shouldn't.” General Min wasn't convinced.

"How many people do you have here?"

"Three hundred."

"You see, you have three hundred armed people, he's just one man." Hyejeong was trying to cover her palms as they might give her out, the way they were trembling.

"I hope this bullet case is empty Miss Cheon." With that words general Min nodded towards his soldiers, so they took the handcuffs off then all three left the room in a small formation closing the door firmly.

The silence that fell seemed to ring in Hyejeong’s ears like a dozen of mosquitos.

"Hi, it's been some time.” muttered Hyejeong.

Five years to be exact since she has seen Dongwoo walking down the long Yonsei university hall while cuddling to a French girl, an exchange student with hip long red hair. That sight has broken Hyejeong’s heart then, as much as Dongwoo’s uninterested expressions was causing things right now.

“I need your help. I need to find Chebol Lee’s daughter Yuna.” Hyejeong felt her throat is so dry it was difficult to speak.

“300 armed man, yes? Forty seven bulletproof vans armed in ballistic laser guns, 599 weapons in total including 70 grandes and 4 highly infectious biological weapons. 9587 bullets, 47 radars scanning each piece of that building and one not so sober man, who has been disturbed while becoming high in a club. One man and 6 drones.” Dongwoo chuckled walking along the huge bookcases. “Six drones that had already read through every page in that library, so I can tell you it’s all crap, nothing you’re looking for, muster student Cheon. We can as well set it all on fire.” Dongwoo took a lighter out playing with it dangerously close to the nearest book cover.

“Stop that! Are you insane!” Hyejeong jumped to him trying to reach the lighter when Dongwoo closed it bursting out with laughter, stumbling a few meters forward until he fell on the floor with a loud bang. A second later Hyejeong heard him snoring. Priceless.

Dongwoo wasn’t moving curling up on the floor, snoring from time to time when Hyejeong sighed walking back to the desk, trying to concentrate on a very long document from early Silla times, that was supposed to have references to king Hyeong’s ruling, but her attention has been drawn back to the sleeping man.

How many times had she imagined to see Dongwoo again, to maybe convince her cowardly heart to confess, but imagination never contained a meeting like that.

The time seemed endless, the document too boring to get through when Hyejeong sighed getting up rubbing her sore neck. 

The library lights flickered like by a sudden lack of electricity when a cold shiver ran down her spine.