Chapter 212: My Kind of Country (2)

Kang Chan and Michelle talked for about thirty minutes before he stood up and went up to the seventeenth floor. He then sat by the window, took out his phone, and looked for Kim Mi-Young’s number. However, he suddenly had second thoughts about calling her.

Why am I hesitating? I’m just going to ask to meet her.

Kang Chan called Kim Mi-Young.

- Hello?

He heard Kim Mi-Young’s clear voice over the call.

“Can you talk right now?”

- Of course. Did your training go well?

“Yeah.”

Kang Chan grinned when he heard her voice, suddenly remembering her smile.

“What are you doing right now?”

- Me? I was just reading a book.

“You’re just reading even though it’s Christmas?”

- I see nothing wrong with it. I wrote down a lot of places that I want to visit and things to do with you when you return. Let’s check them out when you get back to South Korea.

“Where would you want to go first?”

- Hmm…

Kang Chan then heard Kim Mi-Young rummaging through her notes.

- I heard there’s an elegant coffee shop just a few minutes walk from Seongbuk-dong. I was hoping we could go there and have coffee, then stroll along the trail behind it.

Kang Chan glanced at his watch. It was three in the afternoon.

“Are you free right now?”

- Huh?

Kim Mi-Young grew silent after she unconsciously answered. It was as if she had become mute.

“You’re not, then?”

- Where are you right now?

Kim Mi-Young sounded surprised.

“I’m probably just around thirty minutes away from your house.”

- Really? Are you back in South Korea already? Will you really be in front of my house in thirty minutes?

“Yes,” Kang Chan quickly answered. She sounded as if she was going to cry.

- Should I head out in thirty minutes, then?

“Yeah.”

After hanging up, Kang Chan told Lee Doo-Hee to give him a ride to his apartment. After being dropped off, he immediately made his way to Kim Mi-Young’s apartment.

He arrived ten minutes earlier than the time they agreed upon, yet he found Kim Mi-Young already sitting on a bench, wearing a thick coat.

“Mi-Young!” Kang Chan called and held up his hand. Kim Mi-Young quickly stood up and ran over to him. Her hair had grown quite a bit.

Whoosh!

Even though a lot of people were watching them and they were still in front of her apartment, Kim Mi-Young still jumped into Kang Chan’s arms. The smell of the body wash and shampoo that she used made him emotional.

“Have you been well?” Kang Chan asked.

“Yeah!”

Kang Chan stroked Kim Mi-Young’s head while she was in his arms.

“Let’s go. You want to go to a cafe to have coffee with me, right?”

“Yes. There’s a cafe I want to visit with you now that you’re back,” Kim Mi-Young still looked excited.

The two walked out of the apartment complex and got in a taxi. Kim Mi-Young then told the driver where they were going.

“When did you return?” Kim Mi-Young asked.

“Yesterday,” Kang Chan answered.

“Why did you only call me now?”

“I had a lot of things to take care of.”

“I see.”

Would Kim Mi-Young understand that he missed her while he was nervous because he felt as if he was going to die?

They didn’t talk when they were in the taxi. Kim Mi-Young just tightly held Kang Chan’s hand.

“Was it really difficult?” Kim Mi-Young asked Kang Chan.

“Huh?”

“Your training. I mean, you just got off a very long flight. If you’re too tired or going to the cafe is too hard for you right now, we can just visit it next time and just have tea in front of our house today.”

“Don’t worry, I’m fine. Let’s visit it.”

“Alright.”

After going past Jongno, the taxi headed to Seongbook-dong and stopped on an empty road. The two got out and walked to the cafe that Kim Mi-Young found.

Kang Chan felt awkward but happy at the same time. He could finally breathe easily again.

“It’s that place!” Kim Mi-Young exclaimed, pointing to a circular sign, after over fifteen minutes of walking. They were in an alleyway now.

How does she find cafes in places like this?

The two headed inside the cafe. It was quieter than Kang Chan expected.

A man with gray hair greeted them. He was wearing an apron.

Kang Chan and Kim Mi-Young ordered an americano, caffe latte, and two slices of cake. Kim Mi-Young then smiled at him, her eyes still full of excitement.

When their orders were served, Kang Chan had a sip of the americano.

“Is it good?” Kim Mi-Young asked.

“It’s delicious.”

Before they met up, Kang Chan wanted to tell her what happened in the Intelligence Bureau and, if he could, about his reincarnation. However, seeing her big and clear eyes completely erased those thoughts.

Chatter chatter.

While listening to Kim Mi-Young talk about their exams and the festival, he thought that she would be too flustered if he talked about those things.

“I was actually about to get a part-time job because I wanted to go to France,” Kim Mi-Young said.

“What were you thinking of doing?”

“Tutoring.”

Kang Chan nodded in response. He didn’t know much about it, but if Kim Mi-Young became a tutor, a truckful of parents would want to entrust their children to her.

Fascinatingly enough, while listening to Kim Mi-Young, he felt the emotions weighing down on him dissipating.

Is it because she held my hand inside the taxi on our way here?

Now that she had lost her baby fats, Kim Mi-Young was so pretty that he wondered if she had always been this beautiful. He would have trouble breathing whenever he saw her smile or she looked at him.

Is it because I’m taking a breather?

“I think I perfected the exam,” Kim Mi-Young said.

Kang Chan was surprised. He was more confident that he could hit the bullseye of three hundred targets than get perfect marks on an exam.

“I double-checked my answers when I got back home. It looks like I got all of them right,” Kim Mi-Young continued. She seemed happy to see Kang Chan so amazed.

While they were talking, two more groups of customers entered the cafe. Its food and drinks were a little expensive, but it did seem like a good place to talk since it was quiet.

“Where did you hear about this place?” Kang Chan asked.

“It was featured in a magazine that was published about a year ago. I wrote down the address when I saw pictures of it. I did good, didn’t I?”

This kind of small talk was natural as well.

Their conversation lasted for about an hour. They never went into deep topics like about their love or desperate ones like missing each other.

In the middle of their conversation, Kim Mi-Young looked straight at Kang Chan.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Kang Chan asked.

“Do you want to go for a walk?”

“Sure.”

They stood up, left the cafe, and walked along the alley again.

Kim Mi-Young slightly swung Kang Chan’s hand while holding it. The way she acted made it clear that seeing him made her happy.

How can I pull her into the pit that I’m living in?

It was cowardly, but Kang Chan couldn’t stop thinking of the wife and young daughter that his fallen comrade had left behind. Introducing Kim Mi-Young to a life of guns, knives, and death felt like a crime.

She might change her mind once she’s in college anyway, so I should just watch how things turn out for now. I should occasionally meet with her, though, especially when I’m having trouble enduring the weight or when I want someone to console me.

Slowly walking, Kang Chan remembered what he thought when he saw Kim Mi-Young for the first time.

While walking along the alley for quite some time, they came across a large restaurant and a nicely decorated trail.

“Do you want to have dinner?” Kang Chan asked.

“That restaurant looks expensive.”

Unless she asks me to buy a restaurant, it’s really not going to be a problem.

“Can we walk a bit more before we eat?” Kim Mi-Young asked.

“Of course.”

While strolling, Kim Mi-Young talked about how happy she was to go to school with him and about getting to travel all around the world with Kang Chan if she became a diplomat.

At the end of the trail were a few pieces of workout equipment and a good view of Seoul. Kim Mi-Young sat on the bench near the hill and leaned her head against Kang Chan.

Since it was winter, the sun was quick to set. It seemed farther away from them than any other time of the year, too.

“Did you want to do this as well?” Kang Chan asked.

“Yeah!” Kim Mi-Young sounded delighted.

“You know…” she started, suddenly sitting up and looking straight at him. “... I really missed you.”

Her big and clear eyes made Kang Chan stop breathing for a moment.

𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

“I missed you too,” he replied.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Thanks. Huhuhu.”

Kang Chan remembered wanting to hear her laugh when he was deep in the mountains of France and when he was in a valley in North Korea.

Kang Chan raised his hand and tousled Kim Mi-Young’s hair.

Buzz—Buzz—Buzz—. Buzz—Buzz—Buzz—. Buzz—Buzz—Buzz—.

As he did, the phone in his pocket rang. Nothing was better than this at ruining the mood.

Kim Mi-Young looked at him with curiosity as he took out his phone.

Anne was calling him.

“Ello?”

- Mr. Assistant Director, sixteen South Korean citizens have been kidnapped near Sangar, Afghanistan.

Kang Chan cocked his head.

Shouldn’t she inform South Korea’s National Intelligence Service first about things like this?

- We inform you and the Ambassador first when it comes to international disputes in that area.

Anne seemed to have guessed what was on Kang Chan’s mind.

“Does South Korea’s National Intelligence Service know about this already?”

Ah, shoot! What if Kim Mi-Young understood what I just said?

Fortunately, Kim Mi-Young looked like she didn’t really understand what he said since he spoke very quickly and used a special word.

- The Shiite militia were the kidnappers, so I doubt it. They will probably release a video within the next twelve hours about their demands. As far as we know, only the Algerian media has this information right now.

Kang Chan frowned. He saw that organization very often in Africa. If it was the Shiites…

- On another note, we should be able to find Wui Min-Gook’s location in two days. We have also made preparations to have Gerard be appointed to South Korea. Your orders, sir?

“I’ll contact you after I see how things go here. Have you reported this to the Ambassador?”

- Since he has a different hotline, I’m sure he has already received the report.

Kang Chan wasn’t aware that France’s DGSE conducted such a wide range of activities.

After hanging up, he looked at Kim Mi-Young while pretending to be calm.

“We should go. Aren’t you busy?” Kim Mi-Young asked. She was the first to stand up.

What should I do? I should have enough time to have dinner with her, at least.

“In return, treat me to delicious food next time,” she added.

“I will. I’m sorry.”

Kang Chan followed Kim Mi-Young and walked back down the trail.

“My dad said that you’re one of the few people who can decide South Korea’s future,” Kim Mi-Young said.

“Am I?”

“Yeah! So he kept telling me not to bother you when you’re busy or having a difficult time.”

“I haven’t even met since I saw him at the hospital, though.”

“My dad just nodded when he heard that you’re going to France to receive training.”

Does her father know what I do?

They walked a bit past where they had coffee before they found a taxi. On the way home, Kim Mi-Young held Kang Chan’s hand, their fingers intertwined with each other.

They reached the apartment complex at around six in the evening.

“Can I start calling you again?” Kim Mi-Young asked.

“Of course.”

“I’ll get going. Take care of yourself.”

Kang Chan cocked his head at what she said, but before he could say anything, Kim Mi-Young waved and was already running toward her house.

Does she know something about what I do too?

Kang Chan found it possible, but he didn’t have time to think about it right now. He immediately called Lee Doo-Hee and headed to Samseong-dong.

- Mr. Kang Chan, it’s Kim Hyung-Jung.

Kim Hyung-Jung answered as soon as Kang Chan called him.

“Manager Kim, I heard that sixteen South Korean citizens have been taken hostage in Afghanistan. They’re going to make their demands in twelve hours.”

Lee Doo-Hee’s head snapped toward Kang Chan.

- Mr. Kang Chan! Where did you get that information?

“Where are you right now?”

- I’ll go to you. Where are you?

After exchanging questions and deciding to meet up at Samseong-dong, Kang Chan dropped the call and dialed Seok Kang-Ho.

- It’s me.

“Is Cha Dong-Gyun or Kwak Cheol-Ho with you?”

- I’m going around with Cheol-Ho. What’s wrong?

“Tell him to have the entire special forces team on emergency standby and that this isn’t an official command.”

- Phuhuhu. Alright.

How can this fucker laugh after hearing what I just said?

After hanging up, Kang Chan called Anne.

- Please go ahead.

“How long will it take to have a plane be ready in Osan?”

- If it departs from the Subic army base in the Philippines, it'll arrive in… approximately six hours.”

“Mobilize it.”

- I’ll have it done. Do you have any other orders?

“Can we have the plane on standby all day?”

- You’re the assistant director. You don’t have to worry about running out of time.

“Thanks.”

After finishing all the necessary phone calls, Kang Chan glared ahead.

The Shiite having sixteen hostages was bad. That organization would decapitate a few of them to make an example out of them.

Damn it! Life just won’t give me a break.

Kang Chan planned to check out what he should do for the Eurasian Rail after knocking down Wui Min-Gook, too.

When they arrived at Samseong-dong, Kim Hyung-Jung welcomed Kang Chan in. He looked like he just arrived as well.

“Mr. Kang Chan! We have secured the list of people who entered Afghanistan. Unlike what you said, there are seventeen names on it.” Kim Hyung-Jung handed over the list to Kang Chan.

“They’re young,” Kang Chan commented.

“They seem to be volunteers.”

Damn it! There are too many women.

“I have directly reported this matter to the Director and the President. We’re thinking of discussing the countermeasures. Can you attend that discussion with me?” Kim Hyung-Jung asked. When Kang Chan just looked at him, he immediately continued, “We still haven’t confirmed that they’ve been kidnapped, but we doubt you would be misinformed about something this grave. Either way, your cooperation right now is essential to whatever decision we’ll reach.”

Kim Hyung-Jung didn’t ask how Kang Chan got that information. It seemed he had already assumed that it came from the DGSE.

“Let’s go,” Kang Chan said.

“Thank you, Mr. Kang Chan.”

Kang Chan and Kim Hyung-Jung immediately went down to the basement, got in the car, and headed to Naegok-dong. When they arrived, they went around the building and entered through the back entrance of the parking lot.

“Mr. Kang Chan, please wear this.” Kim Hyung-Jung clipped an ID on Kang Chan’s chest.

They got out of the car in front of two elevators facing each other. However, Kim Hyung-Jung just walked past them and entered the hallway on the right.

Going through the iron door, they came across an agent guarding another elevator.

Seeing them approach, the agent briefly bowed and pressed the button for the elevator.

“Let’s head in,” Kim Hyung-Jung said. The interior of the elevator didn’t really have anything to indicate what floor it was heading to.

Ding.

When the elevator door opened, they walked down the dark hallway. There were doors on both the right and left, and also at the innermost part of the hallway. Agents who were wearing helmets and bulletproof vests were watching Kim Hyung-Jung and Kang Chan in front of the doors and in front of the elevator.

Click.

An agent opened the door for them.

Kang Chan sighed softly as he went inside.

Moon Jae-Hyun, Hwang Ki-Hyun, Jeon Dae-Geuk, and three other people whom Kang Chan hadn’t seen before were sitting on a round table. A large screen was on one of the walls of the room.

Kim Hyung-Jung and Kang Chan bowed and greeted them.

Following Moon Jae-Hyun’s lead, everyone stood up.

“Welcome,” Moon Jae-Hyun greeted Kang Chan. Kim Hyung-Jung then introduced the three people Kang Chan didn’t know as the first, second, and third deputy directors.

“Let’s sit down.” Moon Jae-Hyun sat down as the screen changed.

“On the screen is Sangar, Afghanistan. We confirmed that seventeen South Korean citizens have entered Afghanistan through a South Korean volunteer group on the twenty-first. However, we haven’t confirmed the kidnapping that Mr. Kang Chan told us about yet. We haven’t been able to talk to them either due to bad connections,” the first deputy director coldly reported. “To start off, we have to determine whether they’ve been really kidnapped.”

Everyone sitting at the table simultaneously looked at Kang Chan.

The fact that Moon Jae-Hyun came here himself and even called the NIS director, even though Kang Chan only told them one thing, showed how much they trusted him.

Now that they had done all of this for him, Kang Chan thought it would only be proper for him to show them what he was capable of in return. For the sake of Jeon Dae-Geuk and Kim Hyung-Jung, who tirelessly looked after him, and Moon Jae-Hyun, who trusted him, it was the least he could do.“I recently went to France to receive training from their Intelligence Bureau,” Kang Chan explained.

The three deputy directors looking at the documents turned their attention to him.

“After the training, I was appointed as the DGSE’s assistant director,” Kang Chan said.

Hwang Ki-Hyun, the three deputy directors, and Kim Hyung-Jung simultaneously stiffened as if they rehearsed to do so.