When The Phone Rings

I had a good sleep...

When Heeju woke up, she found herself leaning on Baek Sa-eon's shoulder. During the whole journey, the man had made no effort to move or stop her.

Embarrassed, Heeju didn't know where to look. But all Baek Sa-eon did was stare down at her in silence. Unable to withstand the intensity of his gaze, she hurriedly got off the bus, almost fleeing.@@novelbin@@

Autumn leaves glow with vivid colours. Under the bright blue sky, fiery hues covered the entire mountain like a dazzling blanket.

Wow...

Everywhere she looked, there was a splash of red. Her heart, which had been pounding since earlier, thumped even harder.

It was a company retreat, attended by the head of public relations, the spokesperson, secretaries and aides. Judging by their clothes and bags, they all seemed to be used to such hiking events.

Heeju, on the other hand, was wearing loose athletic clothes that made her look like she was going for a casual jog.
At that moment, the man in charge of the group walked up to Heeju and opened her bag without hesitation. After inspecting her minimal and insufficient belongings, he frowned slightly.

"I knew it."

Baek Sa-eon opened his own bag and quickly packed a few essentials: water, a towel, chocolate and a first aid kit. He even took off his windbreaker and tied it around her waist.

"Wear it if you get cold."

The fitted black top clung to his sturdy frame, accentuating it. The muscles in his shoulder blades flexed every time he bent over to secure the windbreaker. Everything was happening so fast.

"Spokesman Baek! You were never so attentive to the rest of us!"
"Yeah, what about checking my bag?"
"Are you playing favourites with the staff?"

Playful teasing came from all around.

The usually stoic spokesperson's thoughtful concern for the new sign language interpreter drew curious glances from all.

"Yes, I play favourites," Baek Sa-eon replied curtly as he finished tying his windbreaker.

Without another glance, he returned to the front to lead the group, leaving a self-conscious Heeju behind.

Thus began the trek.

***

"Huff... huff..."
"Why do I do this to myself every year...?"
"I wonder..."

The staff were now practically crawling up the mountain. Gradually, the conversations stopped, leaving only the clanking of the walking gear.

Winding rocky paths... Exposed tree roots and dense undergrowth... Steep slopes lined with rugged stairs; for Heeju, who often found herself on the fringes of conversations, this retreat was strangely appropriate.

She followed Baek Sa-eon's back the whole time, his steady pace setting the rhythm for her steps. Her ability to keep up with the pace allowed her to easily outpace others.

The head of public relations, who was getting on in years, widened his eyes in surprise.

"Wow! Our rookie is so fit!"

Embarrassed, Heeju could only smile. Soon, even the senior had fallen behind.

"Heeju, don't put your foot there."

He warned her to avoid a sharp rock sticking out of the ground. Now only the two of them were left at the front.

Baek Sa-eon turned around from time to time to look at her. Even he was surprised by her stamina. Heeju's legs were burning, but she felt an inexplicable sense of freedom.

"I didn't think you could keep up..."

She had never imagined that it would be so easy to match Baek Sa-eon's stride. Walking suddenly became an activity she enjoyed.

"You haven't complained once," he said abruptly, pausing to swallow some water.
"Heeju, am I making you uncomfortable?"

Startled by his sudden question, she blinked.

"What do I have to do to get you to speak up?"
"...!"

Irritated, he ran a hand through his sweat-soaked hair.

"Lately, probably when I saw you interpreting, I wondered what you would look like when you spoke. I feel like an idiot for tiptoeing around you."

"From the moment you started crying loudly, I should have started questioning things."

The passing of the bottle had turned into a mini tug-of-war between them.

"Just so you know," he said, his voice deep and foreboding. "A person who has learned the hard way will not fall for the same trick again. So you should know when to give up."

A gust of mountain wind blew past. Heeju finally got the bottle free and opened the cap. She thought Sa-eon's irritation was caused by the blackmailer.

"Just remember that."
"..."
"Stop getting yourself into trouble."

As she drank, something else flickered across the man's face.

***

At last they had reached the summit.

The hike that had begun in the morning culminated in the afternoon as they stood at the top.

"Wow-! It's finally over-"
"Ugh..."
"The view is breathtaking... And so am I- because the lack of breath is going to kill me..."

At the top there was nothing but the endless sky. As Heeju listened to the groans of the employees who arrived later, he stole a glance at Baek Sa-eon. The man had been unusually quiet for some time.

Having been the first to reach the summit, he put on his headphones and concentrated on his work.

Is he working? Even up here?

"All right, everyone, let's pose for a picture with this fantastic view!"

The head of public relations began to gather the scattered staff. One of the assistants immediately pulled out a camera, clearly ready for this moment.

"Let's take a souvenir photo! Hold up the banner! Watch the cliff! Don't push the people behind you. Front row, crouch down a bit..."

The staff, clearly used to such activities, quickly took their positions. Feeling slightly out of place, Heeju moved to the back row, hoping not to stand out too much. She blended into the group and shyly stuck her head out.

"This is the final retreat for the Blue House PR team. Seeing everyone here together is really moving! I'll count to three! Let's do a cheer with our right hands up - 'Fighting!'"

Against a backdrop of gnarled trees meeting the sky, the staff energetically raised their arms and the picturesque moment was captured on camera.
 

Just then -

"Ahhhhh!"

A bloodcurdling scream tore through the air. All heads turned in unison towards the source of the sound. Baek Sa-eon, who had been holding the banner, moved quickly towards the commotion.

"Someone has fallen!"

A desperate cry tore through the air. The staff fell to their knees and peered over the edge of the cliff.

Whoosh!

Only the autumn leaves continued to sway. The eerily silent cliff had apparently swallowed someone whole.

"Hong Heeju!"

A man's hoarse voice echoed through the silence like a desperate cry.

***

The PR office was thrown into a state of emergency. A newly recruited sign language interpreter had accidentally fallen during the workshop.

"How long have we been trying to contact 119?!" The PR secretary shouted into his phone, "Do you know who I am?!"

There was nothing he could do but let his anger boil over.

It was unthinkable that such an incident would occur at the end of the President's term of office.

In a politically charged environment, there was no room for error. Safety lapses on the part of government employees were prime ammunition for opposing parties.

"The rescue team said they would be here soon."

The answer came in a voice hoarse with strain. It was Baek Sa-eon, his bloodshot eyes a testament to his anxiety.

The old man asked him carefully, "Have you calmed down yet?"
"..."

Baek Sa-eon gritted his teeth in silence, the metallic taste of blood seeping into his mouth. He spat it on the floor, knowing full well how inappropriate his behaviour was.

For someone so normally composed, this loss of control was unprecedented.

The staff hovered at a distance, unsure how to approach him.

He remained on the summit even after the first helicopter rescue attempt failed. He just stood there in an inexplicable daze.

"Sa-eon, the staff still doesn't know about your connection to Heeju."
"..."
"You look terrible right now. Pull yourself together."

Watching Heeju disappear had been a nightmare he had never dared to imagine.

"Still no contact?"
"Her phone is switched off."
"Any other means of communication?
"......"

A feeling of nausea overcame him. Helplessness was something he hadn't experienced since his turbulent youth. The defeat crushed him, bound his entire body like chains.

A hollow laugh escaped him.

Why had he tried so desperately to climb higher?
Who had driven them to this point?
What had made them disappear like this?

Baek Sa-eon swallowed the rising bitterness and closed his eyes.

If my suspicions are correct...

The sun dipped below the ridge, painting the mountains in a fading light.