KTS Ch 21

The sound of Sa Gongjun’s footsteps was unmistakable.

Woojung turned his head toward the stairwell entrance. Sa Gongjun, now on the fourth floor, was staring at him from across the courtyard.

“You must’ve been screwing around so much you can’t even walk.”

Bang! A dull explosion rang out, and the entire fourth-floor railing vibrated with a hum. Woojung stepped back from the railing, pressing his back against the wall. The pressure felt like it was crushing his heart.

“I’m feeling… really pissed off.”

Woojung’s body stiffened more and more. Breathing was a struggle, and he couldn’t move. Three minutes. Maybe four at most. If he could just hold out that long, the police would come. If he could just endure a little longer. But he felt like he’d suffocate long before that.

Clinging to the wall, Woojung sidestepped. It was an instinctive move to escape a terrifying opponent. Seeing this, Sa Gongjun tilted his head mockingly.

“You’re really trying to escape until the end. But since you’ve come this far, I’m not letting you go easily.”

With that, Sa Gongjun quickened his pace toward Woojung.

“Gasp, ugh!”

Limping, Woojung dashed toward the elevator. He checked the display first. Luckily, it was on the fourth floor. Stretching out his arm, Woojung frantically pressed the down button multiple times.

As the door opened about a hand’s width, Woojung squeezed his body inside. He pressed the first-floor button and then the close button.

Just before the door shut, he saw Sa Gongjun approaching closely. A murderous intent seeped through the narrowing gap.

He was serious. Sa Gongjun genuinely meant to kill him.

Fortunately, the door closed, and the elevator descended. Woojung slid into a corner, pressing himself against the wall.

Four, three, two…

The old elevator descended slowly. Woojung pressed his fingertips with his nails, waiting anxiously.

First floor, the door opened.

He planned to rush through the wrecked courtyard to the hotel entrance. But the surroundings were too quiet, making it hard to move.

Peeking out of the elevator, he scanned the area. No one was there. Suddenly, a stinging sensation hit the back of his neck. It was the same murderous intent he’d felt on the fourth floor.

Woojung looked up at the sky. Sa Gongjun was staring down at him from the second-floor stair railing. Cold sweat, soaking his neck, chest, and back, seemed to pour down to his toes all at once.

“What are you doing, not running? You’ll get caught quickly like that.”

Woojung turned and ran blindly. He crossed the courtyard, stepping on debris from the crashed jeep. He ran frantically. The compression bandages on both thighs tightened, and his lungs felt like they’d burst. Still, he ran with all his strength.

“Haa, ha… ah.”

He felt debris catching on his feet and ankles. He ignored it all. The other slipper had long since disappeared. Barefoot, Woojung moved quickly.

“Ah, ugh!”

Suddenly, his right shoulder felt like it touched fire. Clutching it with his left hand, Woojung looked ahead. A few steps away, a stainless steel rod was lodged in the ground, having pierced a flowerbed.

“…….”

A tree hit directly by the rod was broken, rolling on the ground. If it had hit him, it would’ve been Woojung’s body broken, not the tree.

This is real. This man is really trying to kill me.

Woojung pushed off the ground and ran forward blindly.

“Argh! Haa…”

Immense pain shot through his knees and wrists. Coming to his senses, he realized he’d tripped and fallen.

He could barely see, and sounds were muffled. Only his ragged breathing was clear. Woojung wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. His palms, soles, and knees were scraped and torn, a mess.

Instinctively, Woojung looked back. Sa Gongjun was still watching him from the second floor.

“Done already?”

Then Sa Gongjun grabbed the railing and leaped down to the first floor. Landing on the jeep’s hood, a loud screech of metal splitting rang out.

He’d followed to the first floor. If Woojung stayed still, he’d be caught soon. Closing his eyes tightly and opening them, he dashed to a corner of the first floor.

“Haa, haa…”

Stupidly, he realized he’d run the wrong way. He should’ve gone the other direction to reach the exit.

With trembling eyes, Woojung scanned the surroundings. He saw the storage room where Todd kept the trash.

He closed the door, locked it, and wanted to barricade it with heavy furniture, but the room held only a few trash bags. Backing up, Woojung crouched among them.

“Hic, sob…”

Cold sweat drenched his pale face. The terror, unlike anything he’d ever felt, stiffened his body. His heaving chest, from running frantically, showed no signs of calming.

His breathing was rapid. Woojung covered his mouth with both hands and buried his head between his knees. He curled his grimy toes, pulling them close.

A creak, and the door opened with a loud noise. Tears streamed from Woojung’s tightly shut eyes.

If only Sa Gongjun would pass by.

Please, please just leave.

As Woojung held his breath, a foul smell came from the trash bags beside him. He covered his mouth and nose with one hand, placing the other on his belly.

Not now.

Please, let Dad live just this once.

“…Ugh.”

A single dry heave sent chills down his spine.

Footsteps drew closer, consuming Woojung. His body trembled uncontrollably, his teeth chattering.

With a rustle, the trash bags hiding him were tossed aside.

“You should’ve behaved when I was treating you well.”

Sa Gongjun knelt in front of Woojung.

Woojung curled into a ball, unable to move. Sa Gongjun lifted Woojung’s chin with his fingers.

An unbearable pressure overwhelmed Woojung. He swatted Sa Gongjun’s hand away and crawled backward.

“Sob, argh!”

Sa Gongjun grabbed Woojung’s ankle and pulled.

Woojung’s mind flickered as he slid across the storage room floor. His right shoulder burned, and the ankle in Sa Gongjun’s grip throbbed with pain so intense it felt like it could snap.

“Haa, haa… haa…”

His breathing grew rougher. His vision blurred. Each time he closed and opened his eyes, his consciousness flickered. Woojung clutched the trash bags as if they were a lifeline. But they were soon taken away.

Even as his consciousness faded, Woojung clung to his backpack. Through his dimming vision, he saw people rushing in. For a moment, he hoped they were Todd’s help. But then he heard them speaking Korean.

He’d tried so hard not to get caught, but he was caught in the end. He couldn’t go on. Following Sa Gongjun with his eyes as he moved away, Woojung finally lost consciousness and collapsed.