Kwon TeakJoo muttered boredly. In general, no news means good news, but Zhenya is an exception. When he was silent, Kwon Taek Joo started to worry about where he was and what he was doing. Even if it's just a little bit, it's still worrying. Because Zhenya's identity is quite sensitive. The Bogdanov family itself has many enemies, and Zhenya is the type of person who likes to make enemies. Not long ago, Zhenya was also "kidnapped' because of 'Anastasia'. Thinking about it again and again, it's really impossible to say.
That was when Kwon Taek Joo went on a long business trip to China for about a month. But somehow Zhenya didn't show up all that time. He wondered if Zhenya had heeded his request not to interfere in his work. However , Kwon Taek Joo received a phone call at the end of the mission. The strangers suddenly said that they were holding Zhenya, and if they wanted Zhenya to be safe,
they should obediently bring Anastasia.
The call ended unilaterally . Kwon Taek Joo blankly looked at the silent phone and then burst out laughing. No comedy is this funny. In all his life, he had never heard anything so absurd. They kidnapped Zhenya, and in exchange for 'Anastasia' was 'Zhenya's safe return'.
From the beginning, he couldn't believe that something like this would happen to Zhenya. Even if that's true. It's the kidnappers who need to worry, not Zhenya. So Kwon Taek Joo didn't pay attention. Completing the job safely was his top priority at the time. After completing the mission, Kwon Taek Joo tried calling Zhenya. Don't pick up the phone. Can't send messages either. A vague thought appeared in his mind. No way. No matter what, he couldn't paint a single picture of Zhenya being kidnapped. Kwon Taek Joo repeatedly denied that there was no way that was the case and left to return home.
Why is a two-hour flight so long?
When Kwon Taek Joo arrived home, even his mother was worried that she hadn't seen Zhenya. Until then, he still believed that this was not the case and asked Yoon Jong Woo to find the other guy's whereabouts. With no confirmed exit documents, he frustratedly went to Zhenya's house. The house is empty. The Bugatti was also quietly parked in the garage. After a while of searching, Kwon Taek Joo found a bottle of soju
under the car. Around that time, whenever Zhenya went to the convenience store, he always bought it along with ramen.
Are you really caught? That kid's name? While Kwon Taek Joo was fighting fiercely , the kidnappers sent a photo of Zhenya. The guy was tied to a chair and had his eyes closed, not knowing whether he was sleeping or unconscious. Zhenya's mouth was sealed and his body chained. The chains were tied from the neck to the wrists and then to the ankles, so it seemed difficult to move. As soon as the unimaginable image became clear, Kwon Taek Joo's spine suddenly tensed.
Even if it was Zhenya, it would be difficult to survive if attacked or drugged. In an instant, it was possible that he was overwhelmed by many people. After making such a trivial assumption, Kwon Taek Joo didn't even rest and immediately set off. He traveled all the way to Jakarta, Indonesia to
find Zhenya. Before that, Kwon Taek Joo stopped by Ajinoki Island for a while to pick up the item that Zhenya gave him, 'Anastasia'. After such a long time traveling, it's surprising how the heck they managed to drag Zhenya to such a remote place from Korea.
Their base is disguised as a parts factory
for an international company . Wherever he went in Indonesia, security was tight, and especially there. From the main gate, tight surveillance cameras are installed at each door and wherever you go, you have to face guards armed with heavy weapons.
They are all elite agents. After manipulating each person one by one and silently controlling
them, Kwon Taek Joo's physical strength was greatly depleted. He found a secret exit leading to the building's basement with many guards guarding it. That is the main production site of
the factory , if Zhenya was caught it would most likely be there. But for some reason, the hallway there was empty. Except for one room where the access system was operating, other places showed absolutely no trace of humans. Maybe this is a trap.
Feeling suspicious, Kwon Taek Joo climbed into the ventilation hole on the ceiling. He carefully crawled through the narrow , dusty passageway and entered the access control room. Trying not to make a sound made his whole body tense, the sweat that had accumulated almost turned into paste along with the dust.
There were sparse human sounds as he crawled closer to the room. There were occasional screams or groans, and Kwon Taek Joo sighed in despair as he saw movements below through the grate of the room's ventilation hole. Zhenya noticed and looked up. He rushed in front of Kwon Taek Joo.
[I'm late.]
Those were the first words Zhenya uttered. The guy didn't seem to be injured by even a hair, let alone a finger. Those who claimed to have kidnapped Zhenya were lying everywhere with their heads blown off or their bodies strangely twisted. That was the moment when all the worries about him became useless.
[What? Late what?]
[There is a golden time for violent incidents such as kidnapping. I was almost in danger .]
[It seems like the people who captured you are the ones in danger .]
[Hmm? This... Anyone can see that this is legitimate defense, right?]
Zhenya responded blatantly and then gently twisted the last kidnapper's neck. The trembling man drooped down with a groan of despair.
After cleaning up, the guy looked at Kwon Taek Joo from top to bottom and suddenly smiled. A mocking smile.
[What were you doing there that was so dusty? Crawling through the ventilation hole again?]
Kwon Taek Joo felt his body temperature drop sharply . He was worried about that bastard and came all the way to this far away place without even resting. Your ability to evaluate things is too bad.
[Ha, you're such an idiot for believing it right away. Did you have fun?]
[What fun? I don't want to be kidnapped either.]
[Really? Kidnapped? You? Don't you follow people on all fours? Is it easy to kidnap someone like me?]
[What? I was scared because I didn't know when I would be saved.]
The bastard continued to provoke. If I scared him again, maybe even a platoon would disappear.
[Say. The threatening phone call telling me to bring Anastasia was also what you asked for, right?]
[Why do you speak as if I instigated a kidnapping?]
[Otherwise, why was there such a call? Shouldn't they call the embassy?]
[Isn't it normal to demand ransom from a guardian? The other side got the wrong person, so I'll just correct it.]
[Guardian of an adult child? So are you injured anywhere?]
Kwon Taek Joo looked at him with dissatisfied eyes. Zhenya was stunned as if receiving an unfamiliar question.
[What injury?]
[So, being forced to drink drugs or being tortured...]
[Are you worried about me now?l
After all, Zhenya's only strong points are his beautiful face and body. Kwon Taek Joo cleared his throat to regain composure, then he gently tapped his neck.
[Why is that area scratched?]
[What's up? If you knew who made the tea, would you scold that person? If I knew this, I should have let them live.]
Zhenya looked around regretfully . The bodies were in such bad condition that it was impossible to determine whether they were alive or dead. Bored and don't want to talk anymore.
[Even if you are an immature child, you still have to have moderation. Why are you challenging such a busy person?]
[It's not a challenge. I thought you wouldn't come.]
Zhenya shrugged as if he didn't expect much
[Several days passed without any news so I gave up.]
[Ya, you must have been captured somewhere else. Do you know how hard I worked outside while you were having fun here?]
[If you hadn't come, I wouldn't have died. Even though I was alone, Iescaped safely. Even so, I'm getting bored so I think I'll deal with this guy and leave. And then he came.]
Is Zhenya too leisurely? Kwon Taek Joo angrily brushed off his wrinkled shirt. It's useless. The speckled dirt clung tighter as he slapped his hand against it. Furthermore, even that was ripped apart by Zhenya. The guy did not change his behavior at all and still used other people's clothes as handkerchiefs to wipe blood and bodily fluids from his hands. Looking at him, Kwon Taek Joo's mind went blank.
[...Sigh... Because of a brat like you, I'm getting older.]
It seems like the accumulated fatigue is coming down all at once. Kwon Taek Joo stroked his face and sighed deeply.
[But are you really okay?]
Right at that moment, even Kwon Taek Joo couldn't understand why he was so worried
about Zhenya. Even though he knew it was the most useless action in the world. he still kept an eye on him. In any case, Zhenya was still human, so he didn't know if he had suffered a mental attack or not, because internal injuries were inherently more dangerous than external injuries when exposed to strong shock. And as expected, Zhenya looked puzzled.
[What else?]
[People who go through really bad things often experience trauma, right? Even the most highly trained agents will be threatened if they are captured and detained or tortured. It can have a big impact later.]
Zhenya listened carefully then sighed as if laughing.
[You're unexpectedly overprotective. There's nothing to worry about. I'm quite used to things like this.]
[Are you familiar with it?]
For a moment, Kwon Taek Joo thought he had heard wrong. Because he couldn't immediately realize what "getting used to being kidnapped" meant.
[ Was it when you were six years old? It could be a little before or a little later. I'm on my way home after a horse riding lesson. The driver was killed instantly by a bullet flying from somewhere. The car immediately lost direction and crashed into the river. I just swam out of the water but there were already many people waiting there. Then a mask
was immediately placed on her head. When I woke up, I was locked in a musty warehouse. Don't know what they require at home. It could be money , it could be some kind of right, or it could be benefits or power that cannot be measured in money ... The
more things you have, the more enemies you have, right? Maybe it was evil acts during the crime, or simply because of the greed of those who covet other people's things. I'm definitely the easiest person to bully in their eyes, because I'm still young. No matter how infamous the family was, they must have thought that the bloodline would be
precious. It was a mistake because the Bogdanov family values pride and pride more than mere blood.]
Zhenya is someone who likes to express things abstractly , so Kwon Taek Joo couldn't understand what he was saying.
[...What are you talking about?]
[That's just an obvious story. Kidnapped by adults' wishes and abandoned by adults' calculations, things didn't go as expected, so they began to get stressed. She was starved, bullied, and never slept. They gave me a stethoscope so I could cry and beg
for help. I have endured it. I don't want to beg. I didn't listen to what they wanted but bowed my head and went home to beg for my life.]
[The family saw their actions as a challenge to the Bogdanov family and, moreover , to the Kremlin. They wanted to use that as an example, so they started using force to completely wipe them out. They poured artillery shells in as if they forgot I was still in the hands of the kidnappers. Dozens of hundreds of bullets and bombs flew through the
walls and ceiling. The heads of those who threatened her were blown off and their limbs were torn everywhere. Incredible.]
Zhenya nonchalantly recalled that moment. How could such a chaotic thing happen to a
child only 6 years old?
[Pitiful the survivors did not surrender in the end. I've been playing with grenades since I was little. Maybe it was the first time. Taking the lives of others with these two hands.]
The story is so cruel. At that time, Kwon Taek Joo was about ten years old. The time when he went to school without worrying about anything but just hanging out with friends and playing soccer . He
didn't know how to comfort someone who lived in a completely different world from him. He didn't expect Zhenya to grow up in a normal environment, but he didn't know it would come to that.
[You don't need to be sad, Taek Joo. Every family has its own traditions, and everyone adapts or resigns to it. Even though it's a bit cruel and inhumane, who knows, maybe that's why the current Bogdanov family exists. People give birth to people, animals give birth to animals. Monsters will give birth to monsters. To not be overlooked among
monsters, you must be stronger than anyone else. That's how I became the person I am today. First it's my peers, then it's my adults, then my family, and finally, even the world can't look down on me. It's all thanks to Anastasia.]
Surely, who would dare to touch a state employee Psych. Even Zhenya's family couldn't treat him arbitrarily . Zhenya always lives according to his wishes, but is that good? Olga's words suddenly appeared in Kwon Taek Joo's mind: "How long will you live alone?". Kwon Taek Joo looked at Zhenya, he looked lonely and tired because he had never been at peace.
[Don't you think that Anastasia makes you more tired? Like Olga said, why don't you give it to those who want it? If so, at least there won't be any trouble like this. These bastards also wanted that, so they kidnapped me. Now I don't need that anymore, so whether you take it back or leave it, you know how to do it yourself. Anyway , if I can
confirm that you're safe, I'm planning on handing it over to these guys...]
[Ah, that's right. Taek Joo. I gave it to you. He blew one up before. I hid one at my parents' house and one at Ajinoki. Come to think of it, I did give one to the little woman] (He's talking about Taek Joo's mother)
Gave "Anastasia" to mom? Kwon Taek Joo's eyebrows furrowed.
[What are you talking about? Why do you keep saying such incomprehensible things?]
[I told you, Taek Joo. Anastasia may or may not exist. I'm the only one who can prove it. If what I gave you was called Anastasia, everyone would think it was Anastasia. Also, if you name that pistol over there Anastasia, it will be Anastasia. Anastasia is ultimately in the mind of the person who desires it, and whether it exists or not is up to you. You are the only one who knows this secret.]
[What? Is that a lie to preserve life? I thought if that disappeared, something big would happen to you.]
While Kwon Taek Joo was angry because he thought he was tricked, Zhenya took a step closer. His face was filled with blue eyes.
[Right. Your breath. My weakness. And the secret weapon that makes you the strongest person in the world. Now Anastasia is before your eyes.]
The hair on the back of Kwon Taek Joo's neck stood up. Zhenya is very good at spewing that goosebumps-inducing sound in people's faces. At such times, the cold, reptile-like eves also become soft with unprecedented warmth.
[Taek Joo]
[Why. Why are you so close?]
[If you come to save the princess trapped in the castle, then that's the end result isn't it?]
(He's talking about a princess trapped in a castle and 'the end' would be a kiss to wake the princess up or something)
[Who is the princess? Don't make fun of me.]
Kwon Taek Joo didn't want to rub his lips like that in a place filled with the smell of blood, but Zhenya showed a pitiful look.
[Actually , I was waiting. I tested my patience every day, every hour, every second.]
Even though he was determined not to get carried away, Zhenya always opened Kwon Taek Joo's latch with absurd ease. It was strange that he couldn't act strong when looking at that gentle face. It's all just a mask, just a trick like a fox trying to trick you. No matter how you think about it, it doesn't mean anything.
[..Damned. Come here, Yevgeny .]
(He's getting babied right now hahah)
[Taek Joo, my Rabbit.]
So, that face is very...
"Argh!"
Kwon Taek Joo shivered as soon as he remembered the memory of kissing in a place
where corpses were scattered. He scratched his head in frustration. Or is it because the inside is soft that the brain is also soft? He didn't know if Zhenya's madness was contagious or not.
Kwon Taek Joo couldn't say his life was always peaceful anywhere, but after getting entangled with Zhenya he really didn't have a good day. It's not that he doesn't know what kind of person Zhenya is, but it's also his fault for holding such a bomb.