CHAPTER 02
Three hours earlier, at the boarding gate of Namdaemun Station, two men were standing.
“Ah, perfect weather for independence,” said one of them, a short man with a mustache.
The taller man looked up at the sky, clear and cloudless.
“Joseph, mind your words,” said the taller man.
“It’s just us here, what harm could there be, Michael?”
The man called Michael frowned in displeasure but said nothing further.
Among comrades, he was called by the alias “Michael,” but his real name was Lee Dowoon.
Dowoon’s mind was wholly focused on the success of the mission. If even one police officer overheard their conversation, everything would be ruined.
“Remember. The tunnel is the signal.”
“Ah, understood, Michael. Don’t worry! No matter how distracted I get, I won’t forget.”
Ignoring Joseph’s muttering, Dowoon stepped onto the train first. Joseph followed, his expression hardening as he boarded.
“Good luck,” Dowoon said.
Joseph nodded, and the two walked to separate compartments, backs turned to one another.
Dowoon moved carefully toward the front of the train, out of sight. He secretly loosened a particular joint he had scouted beforehand.
His mission was simple: to separate the train compartments before the train reached Sinuiju Station.
Because he had supplied parts for this train, he was the only one capable of handling this task.
The rest would be handled by other comrades already on board.
By the time the train neared Pyongyang, Dowoon could release his hands from the final joint. The linkage rattled precariously, and he exhaled a short breath of relief.
Now, all he had to do was stay hidden until he could disembark.
To do so, he had to avoid the eyes of patrolling police officers.
He had decided to hide in first class. Since it was reserved for Japanese passengers, the police patrolled there less frequently.
“Jackpot.”
His eyes fell on a sleeping woman and the compartment she occupied.
Chohee struggled to suppress a scream at the sight of the stranger.
Could he have boarded late?
She had thought she was alone. Perhaps not.
She recalled what her former colleagues had said:
[Did you hear? Laura is getting married! To the man she met on the train to Busan!]
[Yes, they sat together. It’s rare, but sometimes people meet and fall in love at first sight.]
Though she had never taken a train herself, it seemed from their stories that sitting next to a stranger wasn’t unusual.
Hearing about Laura’s romantic engagement had even made her a little flutter inside.
Chohee tried to calm her racing heart as she studied the man sitting in front of her.
Was he asleep?
He had his arms crossed and his head slightly lowered.
His neatly parted pomade hair revealed a straight, high forehead.
A strong, straight nose descended from thick eyebrows, followed by a jawline that radiated masculinity yet remained smooth.
Round glasses with thin rims covered his eyes, but they did not hide his handsomeness.
A slightly worn suit clung snugly to his frame, outlining his muscular upper body.
When her gaze reached his broad chest, Chohee blushed and quickly looked away.
“I shouldn’t be staring at a sleeping man!”
She lightly slapped her own cheeks to regain composure.
No matter how handsome the man in front of her was, it had nothing to do with her.
“But… is this man even alive?”
If he were asleep, he would at least breathe. But he remained utterly still, like an assassin lying in wait.
“…Where—!”
“-Go!”
Suddenly, sharp Japanese voices came from outside the quiet compartment. Chohee turned toward the door. Footsteps grew louder as they approached.
“What’s happening?”
Then, the man who had appeared to be asleep snapped his eyes open.
No, he had only been pretending.
Before she could react, he was already beside her. Chohee turned, but he was too close.
What—
Before she could scream, he covered her face with both hands. The firm touch of his hands against her cheeks felt strange.
“Hmph!”
Her gaze met his dark eyes through the glasses. He leaned so close she could see her own reflection in his eyes.
From the outside, it might have looked like an intimate kiss.
But in reality, he had only used one hand to cover her mouth and the other to wrap around her waist, bringing his face close.
His large hand fully covered her jaw.
Realizing she was being restrained, Chohee grabbed his wrists with both hands, trying with all her strength to pull them away. But his grip did not budge.
For a moment, his eyes flickered with surprise.
“Wait.”
He whispered urgently in Japanese, then used the hand around her waist to pull down her struggling hands.
“Keep your mouth closed for a moment.”
The footsteps outside paused in front of their compartment. Someone peered through the window.
Tsk tsk. In broad daylight too.
Faint voices were heard outside. Chohee tried to scream.
“Ugh! Uhh—”
But her cries were muffled to weak murmurs by his hand.
“If you don’t want it reported that you had inappropriate contact with a stranger, stay quiet.”
He growled, low and menacing. Goosebumps ran down her spine.
Realizing resistance was futile, Chohee stopped struggling. Instead, she glared at him with full contempt.
Soon, the people inspecting the compartment had moved away.
“Haah…”
The man exhaled in relief and slowly removed his hands.
“Excuse me.”
Freed, Chohee shoved him and threw punches wildly.
Thwack!
His glasses flew into the air, landing somewhere.
The man, covering his right eye with one hand, recovered his composure.
Did I hit him properly?
“You crazy man! You shameless bastard!”
Chohee clenched her fists again, ready to strike his left eye if needed. Her hands shook.
“Come any closer, and I’ll hit you again!”
Startled, she raged in Korean rather than Japanese.
“Wait!”
The man, covering his right eye, picked up his glasses, put them on, and raised one hand in surrender.
“You… a Korean?”
“Korean or not, who are you? Why are you doing this—”
“I thought anyone in first class would be Japanese. My apologies.”
This time, his tone was slightly softer, not cold and commanding.
Realizing he spoke Korean, Chohee felt slightly relieved. If he were Japanese, he might have sought revenge for her hitting him. Being Korean, the situation was different.
“You said I should stay quiet to avoid being reported for inappropriate contact. Why threaten me first?”
“You screamed, so I had to. I apologize for that.”
“But you made me scream in the first place!”
“That too, I apologize. How shall I make amends?”
He spoke calmly while she fumed. His playful attitude made her angrier.
Perhaps that’s why she blurted out something she normally wouldn’t.
“Be honest. You just wanted to touch a woman’s hand, didn’t you?”
“Why do you jump to that conclusion?”
He laughed, seemingly amused, lifting one corner of his mouth. His handsome face lit up even more with the smile.
“Do I look like a man who would do that?”
Confident, he seemed.
Chohee glared at him coldly.
“Judging by your appearance, you look like the type who might.”
Her icy reply made his smile fade slightly.
“What do you mean?”
“Never mind. I won’t say your annoying face and your shabby clothes make you look like a beggar.”
“Hah!”
He raised an eyebrow, exhaled briefly, then smiled again.
“I didn’t come here to do anything to you. It’s just coincidence that our places and times overlapped.”
“Shameless men always say that.”
“Then what should I say for you to believe I’m innocent?”
“First, disappear from my sight.”
Chohee snapped. Expecting a brazen reply, she was surprised when he fell silent, only frowning slightly.
“I sincerely apologize. I did not intend to startle you.”
“I’m not accepting an apology, so don’t bother.”
“Pity. Then how about you apologize to me?”
“What—?”
Chohee was furious at his audacity. Why should she apologize?
He just laughed, lifting the corner of his mouth, seemingly amused.
Finally, he lowered his hand from his right eye.
“You didn’t hit me?”
“Don’t expect an apology. It was self-defense!”
“Understood. Then let’s end it without apologies from either side.”
“Some nerve you have.”
Chohee muttered angrily, glaring at him. He didn’t even seem affected.
Train romance stories are lies. Only weird people exist on trains!
She glared for a long while. The man, perhaps tired of her gaze, put on a fedora and stood.
“Then I’ll leave, uninvited guest.”
“Go quickly.”
“See you again.”
“Maybe in the afterlife.”
He left the compartment before she could finish speaking.
The train raced endlessly across the fields.
The unfamiliar landscape of Pyongan Province stretched out. Sinuiju was near.
Chohee read the address on the note her brother Chihun had given her, over and over. It was worn from repeated reading.
Though she had memorized it perfectly, anxiety made it impossible to look away.
Then, the firmly closed door was violently flung open as a patrolling officer suddenly entered.
“Quick, inspection. Stand up.”
