When The Phone Rings

"Hide...!"

At Heeju's urgent sign, the children quickly ducked into the bushes.@@novelbin@@

The headlights of a military jeep swept across their hiding spot before moving on.

Haah…

Heeju wiped the cold sweat from her brow and let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Two months had passed since her arrival in Argan.

Thanks to her sister’s connections, she had safely entered the country through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But what came after had been an endless struggle.

Where could he be?

She had moved on the faintest possibility, with no clear plan or direction.

At first, she tried asking foreign correspondents about any sightings of an East Asian man. The effort yielded no results.

Given Baek Saeon’s background as a former war correspondent who had risen through the ranks to become an anchor, she thought he might be in the heart of the conflict zone.

But after witnessing children being gunned down in a fiercely contested area, she couldn’t bring herself to return to the frontlines.

Deaf children, in particular, were the most vulnerable.

Not being able to speak meant they couldn’t voice their protests. It also meant they were often the first to be subjugated. Heeju, more than anyone, understood the weight of that reality.

That was why she had started teaching international sign language.

Her days as a teacher were hectic, and searching for Baek Saeon felt increasingly out of reach.

Occasionally, she would ask the facility director, who went to town for supplies, to inquire about a handsome East Asian journalist.

But each time, the director would return, shaking his head apologetically.

At first, she would cry, consumed by disappointment. But over time, even despair became familiar, her resilience strengthening like a well-worn muscle.