217. Ghost Ship 1

As the two slowly acknowledged each other’s clear presence, the host appeared on the stage. First, Cheon Geon-young turned his head toward the empty exhibition stand. Yoon Tae-ha spoke to him, looking at his profile.

“Did you say there was something you wanted to buy? In Part 2.”

He nodded lightly.

“Would you like to choose it together?”

She willingly linked her arm through Cheon Geon-young’s. Feeling like she had to build a relationship from scratch with a stranger, she moved forward where he led.

The auction in Part 2 generally started at higher prices than Part 1.

Cheon Geon-young kept letting the exhibited works pass by until he participated in the auction for a painting that appeared almost last. He competed with the president of a biotechnology company, known as an ardent follower of that painter, but Cheon Geon-young won the bid by a slight margin.

Yoon Tae-ha knew that the president was also one of Cheon Geon-young’s operational targets. So, when Cheon Geon-young tilted his head as if seeking her opinion during the auction, she answered earnestly and pretended to deliberate with him.

People were curious about their appearance. She also felt Chairman Cheon occasionally watching them.

When the auction ended, people divided into groups based on their acquaintances. Those who felt the need for more private and secret conversations moved to pre-booked locations through their secretaries. Cheon Geon-young also had a prior engagement with the man he had competed against for the artwork.

“You must be tired, go in and rest.”

Recognizing that the distance to the Director-General’s bodyguards was not too far, he said formally and left. In the end, Yoon Tae-ha had no chance to speak first. There were many eyes in the corridor.

But even if there were fewer onlookers, would he have tried to talk to her? Knowing the feeling of being intentionally excluded from the operation, she didn’t have the courage to readily step into his surroundings, which felt like they were surrounded by thorny vines.

“Let’s return to the room. There are many targets of interest nearby.”

A bodyguard waiting in the corridor approached her, urging her to move to the room. Yoon Tae-ha, who had been monitoring the chimera with the operation team through surveillance cameras hidden throughout the banquet hall, already knew that the bodyguard who spoke to her had received guiding by kissing the chimera.

“Come closer.”

“Not here.”

Yoon Tae-ha openly scoffed.

“Why are your expectations so obvious? I won’t touch you, just stand in front of me.”

Imitating the chimera who imitated her was not difficult at all. The aggressive little girl who had struggled to survive in the white room was still alive and breathing inside her.

As the bodyguard approached slowly, Yoon Tae-ha playfully traced his slightly loosened tie with her fingertips, then suddenly gripped it firmly and pulled him towards her. As their bodies pressed close, the bodyguard coughed awkwardly, not knowing where to look.

“Ahem.”

“I don’t know who’s worrying about whom. Everyone here willingly walked in with an expensive noose around their neck. Name one person who attended this event without a tie or necklace.”

“...There were many agents from Lee Hae-kyung’s side inside.”

“Lee Hae-kyung also dies if you break his neck.”

The bodyguards, flustered by her hostile tone, hastily looked around. People had already left. Yoon Tae-ha released the bodyguard’s tie.

“I’m tired of catering to a demanding man. You’re not thinking of following me to the room, are you?”

“You’ll meet us again tomorrow morning.”

“Dress well when you come out. You’ll stick out too much if you’re drab among those peacock-like humans.”

She retorted cynically and ascended to the suite, feeling the persistent gaze of the bodyguards following her.

________________________________________

After the Charity Gala, the cruise sent by the Director-General carried the invited guests out into the vast ocean, beyond the sight of land. All entertainments, such as deck parties, concerts, and casinos, were opened free of charge.

The money for gambling, of course, came from each person’s wallet, but the passengers were simply delighted to see the soaring stakes. There were quite a few families, including young children. They enjoyed swimming on the deck when the weather was good, and ice skating at the indoor ice rink when the weather was bad.

Their ship seemed to be heading for paradise.

While enjoying a peaceful journey like the other passengers, Yoon Tae-ha felt a corner of her heart grow heavy as the aquatic city drew nearer. It wasn’t just due to her feelings about what would happen in the aquatic city.

She was so worried about Cheon Geon-young that it was driving her crazy. Not being able to have a serious conversation because she didn’t know where surveillance cameras might be was only a small inconvenience.

Cheon Geon-young, as a partner, did his best, accompanying her to every event they had to attend together. But that was all. Like someone whose minimal bond with a colleague who embarked on the same task had evaporated, he treated her as a stranger.

She knew it was appropriate, yet her stomach churned. If this situation continued like the horizon even after the operation ended... Such a poisonous thought stiffened her heart.

Fighting was familiar. Yoon Tae-ha knew her own immaturity, often raising her voice with those close to her. And also that it hurt the most when things they couldn’t give up for each other clashed.

She would avoid it until pushed to the limit, then steel herself and confront it, and eventually get hurt. But the process of mending the fight was not meaningless. It was like that when she argued with Chertan, and even in her younger days when she bickered with Seo Do-jin.

Could she do that again this time? Could she demand the same reaction from someone whose family was sacrificed by Yoon Jung-hoon?

She pondered. That’s why her forehead had been hot like someone suffering from a fever ever since she boarded the ship.

Of course, completely engrossed in her partner aside, Yoon Tae-ha diligently followed the Director-General’s demands. After making appearances at the dinner banquet and the romantic late-afternoon concert, she began to build friendships with the cruise guests.

Among them were those who collaborated with the Director-General, and also those who were not collaborators but whom the Director-General intended to evacuate from Korea to solidify the post-rift system. It seemed like a kind of selection process had been carried out.

One afternoon, two days before arriving at the aquatic city.

Yoon Tae-ha received an invitation to a gathering of collaborator and non-collaborator families. It was a request to share tea and dessert in a lounge overlooking the swimming pool. Since the non-collaborator family included the family of Song Jun-tae, the child she had rescued from the subway earlier, she readily agreed to the appointment.

Yoon Tae-ha, dressed in a long, narrow, dark-colored long skirt, a shirt, and a jacket with translucent buttons, strode briskly across the deck.

Above her head, small, fluffy clouds floated fragmented, and the weather was much milder than when they had set sail, feeling pleasant all over her body. Thanks to this, people were actively engaging in outdoor activities.

“Tae-ha! You’re early, please sit here.”

The parties to the appointment were sitting under the awning and on the fabric chairs beneath it.

Assemblyman Song Ji-seok and his wife, Song Jun-tae’s parents, were very happy to see her. Song Jun-tae, who had been glumly staring at the sea, immediately broke into a bright smile of welcome when he saw Yoon Tae-ha. Assemblyman Song’s wife spoke warmly.

“Jun-tae has been waiting for today since yesterday evening. He kept urging me, saying he really wanted to eat his favorite cake with you, Tae-ha...”

Sitting opposite Assemblyman and Mrs. Song Ji-seok were the president and his wife from the biotechnology company who had lost the art auction to Cheon Geon-young. With stern expressions, they slowly scrutinized Yoon Tae-ha.

“Hello. It’s my first time greeting you directly. My name is Yoon Tae-ha.”

“It’s a pleasure for me too. Everyone at the Charity Gala was talking a lot about Ms. Yoon Tae-ha.”

Cheon Geon-young seemed to have gone to the casino with the president’s son again today. Rather than suddenly developing a taste for gambling, it seemed he intended to use the president’s son as a kind of bridgehead, as the son belonged to the same group as Blackwood’s successor.

“Song Jun-tae. We brought a busy person here, aren’t you going to greet her?”

“Hello.”

The boy bowed respectfully and then glanced at Yoon Tae-ha, who was sitting beside him. Assemblyman Song said,

“It was so impressive that you saved the child on the subway that the child, who wanted to be a pilot, changed his future dream. He said he wants to help people who, like him, have faced difficulties because of the Rift.”

Assemblyman Song, a non-collaborator, was unaware of what happened inside Ark. He didn’t realize that the woman who saved his son at 23 and the current Yoon Tae-ha were officially different people. The collaborating president, however, was different. He exchanged glances with his wife and pursed his lips.

While casually chatting about the cruise program, well-dressed staff approached and placed desserts on the table. There was cherry pie with a jewel-like shine and pavlova topped with soft whipped cream.

“Noona. Let’s go see the fish together.”

To grant Song Jun-tae’s sudden request, Yoon Tae-ha rose from her seat. Assemblyman Song’s wife said worriedly,

“Jun-tae. You shouldn’t bother your noona too much, okay?”

“I’ll hold onto him safely. Please continue your conversation.”

Yoon Tae-ha took the child’s hand and headed towards the railing, which had a glass barrier for safety. Crouching to meet the child’s eye level, Yoon Tae-ha and Song Jun-tae watched the dolphins that occasionally leaped from the sea.

“Those kids. They said they’re going to have a race to the cliff with lots of coral reefs tomorrow.”

Song Jun-tae, who had been intently following the dolphins’ movements, whispered quietly. According to the information Yoon Tae-ha had secured beforehand, Song Jun-tae had recently developed the ability to understand animal speech.

“Really? I hope I can watch. I like races too.”

“They’ve been talking to me since yesterday, but Mom doesn’t seem to hear them.”

The boy looked a bit more downcast than when she met him at the hospital. It seemed he had realized that he had become different from his parents.

“I’m different from Mom, aren’t I?”

Song Jun-tae, who had been staring at the sea for a long time, asked thoughtfully.

“Dad doesn’t know how to do this either.”

“My dad doesn’t know how to do most of the things I do either. Probably, I guess?”

Song Jun-tae chuckled softly.

“My friend says it’s gross that I can understand ants. Do you think it’s gross too, noona?”

“No. Not gross at all.”

The boy stared intently at her face, which showed no hint of falsehood, then puffed out his cheeks and turned his head sharply. His reddened cheeks were adorably plump, and Yoon Tae-ha smiled. Just then, a familiar voice came from behind her.

“What are you two talking about so interestingly?”

Yoon Tae-ha turned her head and found Cheon Geon-young. A gentle breeze blew, and he swept his hair back. Dressed in a sky-blue shirt and light-colored cotton trousers, he seemed to be submerged in transparent, watery light. At his even ethereal appearance, Yoon Tae-ha remained silent until he sat down next to Song Jun-tae.