Free Web Novel“Director.”
At the sound of someone calling him, Kang Taejun, the 4th Bureau Chief in charge of the International Crime Center of the National Intelligence Service, lifted his eyes from the monitor.
“Oh, yes. What is it?”
Without a word, his subordinate handed him a folder.
“What’s this?”
“Please have a look first.”
“Hmm...”
Kang Taejun opened the folder. As he read through the report inside, his brow furrowed deeply.
“What the hell? Is all this true?”
“Yes, sir. We confirmed that they entered through Incheon Airport yesterday.”
“What the hell are these bastards doing in Korea? What do they think they can get here?”
With a sharp motion, Kang threw the folder down onto the desk. The clipped-together photos scattered across the floor, but no one moved to pick them up.
Staring at the face on the topmost photo, Kang muttered,
“What are such big names gathering in Korea for...?”
For a while, he tapped the desk with his fingers, lost in thought. Then he spoke.
“Did you put people on them?”
“Yes, but we’ve been ordered to pull them back from above...”
“What? What the hell do you mean?”
“The order came from the Chief of Planning and Coordination.”
“...What? For fuck’s sake, what kind of bullshit is this now?”
Kang couldn’t hold back his curse. The subordinate, unflinching, continued speaking.
“If it came from the Planning Office, it’s probably political. But the ones who entered are among the worst of the international crime syndicates. Drugs, human trafficking, contract killings—you name it. Should we really just let bastards like that run loose in Korea?”
“No. I’m going to meet the Chief myself. Don’t pull anyone out yet. Keep them in position until you hear directly from me.”
Kang’s tone was firm, but his subordinate hesitated.
“But sir, it’s a direct order from the higher-ups...”
“It’s fine. I’ll take full responsibility for whatever happens. Just keep surveillance. Track where they go, who they meet. I want hourly reports.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Tell our guys to keep a safe distance. No unnecessary confrontation. You know what I mean. Get to it.”
After his subordinate left, Kang picked up the phone.
“This is Director Kang. Is the Chief of Planning in?”
— “Yes, sir. He said to have you come up right away if you called.”
What kind of nonsense is this again? Kang silently cursed and replied curtly,
“Got it. I’m coming up now.”
He hung up, straightened his clothes, and stepped out of his office.
As he made his way toward the Planning and Coordination Office, his thoughts were a tangled mess.
“Chief, Director Kang Taejun is here.”
When the secretary opened the door, Kang entered and bowed politely.
As he greeted, the man tending to an orchid turned his head toward him.
“Oh, Kang. Been a while, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good, good.”
The Chief smiled amiably and gestured toward a seat.
“Sit down. Relax, man. Don’t look so sour.”
That easygoing demeanor made Kang grit his teeth. The Chief of Planning and Coordination—Yang Duseong—was one of the few even the Director of the NIS couldn’t treat lightly.
Still, he had never stopped an operation before.
“Didn’t you hear me, Kang? Sit down.”
When Yang pressed him again, Kang finally took a seat.
“Why the long face, coming here to see me? Want some coffee?”
“...You know exactly why I’m here. Do you even have the authority to halt an operation, sir? You’ve never done this before, Chief Yang.”
Even at Kang’s sharp tone, Yang merely smiled.
“Come on, Kang. If I didn’t have the authority, you could’ve ignored it, right? But here you are. So clearly, I do have it.”
“...”
“Instead of complaining that I stopped the operation, you should be asking why. Isn’t that what’s really important?”
“Sir... when did you become like this?”
Kang’s voice was low, tinged with disappointment. Yang only raised an eyebrow with faint amusement.
“Haven’t heard you call me ‘sir’ in ages. Kang, my friend, what you need right now is to ease up. You’re too damn passionate. Why get all worked up over what those guys are doing here, huh?”
“These are top-level international crime syndicate figures. Not one, but two entered at the same time. Failing to monitor them is negligence, sir. Please withdraw that order.”
Yang sighed uncomfortably at Kang’s bowed posture.
Just then, the secretary entered with coffee and set the cups before them before quietly leaving.
Yang lifted his cup first.
“You want me to withdraw the order, huh...? It’s not that simple, Taejun. Things aren’t as straightforward as you think.”
“Sir! What could possibly be complicated about keeping tabs on criminals?”
Kang’s voice rose. Yang’s once-easy expression turned cold.
“I told you—it’s not that simple. What if you stir things up and they start shooting in the middle of Seoul? What if civilians die? You’ll say you’ll take responsibility, sure—but you can’t fix the fallout with that.”
“...And if we leave them alone, that means they won’t shoot?”
“Exactly. They won’t. Those bastards have no reason to start a firefight here. So leave them be.”
Yang’s words made Kang frown.
“What’s going on, sir? What’s really happening? How can you be so sure?”
“You don’t need to know that. Just watch from a distance. No wiretaps, no bugs. They’ll only stay a few days and leave. Got it?”
“...Does the Deputy Director know?”
“Deputy Lee? Of course. I already informed him.”
“Then if I ask him—”
Yang cut him off sharply.
“Taejun. Why can’t you just listen? Don’t get involved. If you do, you’ll only get burned. You want to lose your job?”
“Sir, I’m an NIS officer. My duty is to protect the nation and its people. No political pressure will change that. That’s why I’m here—and that’s what this agency stands for.”
“...”
“Those were your words to me once.”
Yang clicked his tongue quietly before replying.
“...You know about the gang war in Japan, don’t you?”
“Yes. That’s exactly why I’m concerned about them entering Korea. If they caused chaos there, what stops them from doing the same here?”
“Calm down. They came to Korea to end that war. Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi’s boss is here too.”
“What? Yamamoto Ken is in Korea?”
“Yes. The Cheonha Group is hosting him.”
Kang’s expression froze.
He stood silently, processing Yang’s words.
“...Why is the Cheonha Group involved? What the hell is going on here?”
“Why do you think the Triads and the Russian Mafia stopped drug operations in Korea? You haven’t seen drug scandals in the news lately, have you?”
“That’s because...”
“Because it was all agreed upon between organizations. The Cheonha Group gathered them here to resolve ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) the Japanese issue. There’ll be a meeting soon. We can’t interfere with that. You get it now, Taejun? Staying out of it is protecting the country.”
Though Yang’s tone was patient, Kang couldn’t shake off his unease.
“But still—”
“Shut the hell up! I told you not to get involved! You think I’m joking?”
“N-no, sir.”
“Then stop testing me. Before I have the Audit Department crawl all over your bureau. Got it?”
“...”
“No answer?”
“Yes, sir. Understood.”
Yang ran a hand through his hair, visibly frustrated.
“Go. Keep your people under control. If they get caught snooping, it won’t just be you—my head and the Director’s will roll too. Stay put.”
He waved him away.
Kang stood, bowed stiffly, and turned to leave—his lips tightly pressed, his jaw trembling with suppressed anger.
Yang sighed deeply.
“Taejun... this is for your own good. Just stay still.”
Kang didn’t answer. He simply walked out.
As soon as the door closed, Yang pulled out his phone and made a call.
* * *
My car was heading south toward Busan.
The only sound in the quiet vehicle came from Chief Ma’s phone conversation.
After finishing his call, Ma turned to me.
“Boss, Chief Yang just contacted us.”
“That man? What did he say?”
“He said someone named Director Kang has been troublesome and asked for your understanding. He’s already withdrawn the agents assigned to the targets.”
“Director Kang, huh... Who is he?”
“He’s the one in charge of the international crime division. He’d already put surveillance on those who entered the country, but Chief Yang pulled them back.”
So the man acted quickly, even if he was in the way. This Director Kang... interesting.
“Chief Yang’s working hard. We promised him a position at Black Secret after retirement, right?” ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
“Yes. He’s been informed he’ll be brought in as a consultant.”
“So that’s why he’s bending over backward. Makes sense. Once the administration changes, he’ll lose his footing anyway. Fine. Tell him to keep things quiet.”
“Understood. I’ll pass it along.”
“Then there’s nothing left to worry about, is there?”
Trouble always comes when I leave my seat for a moment. Resting my chin on my hand, I asked, and Ma replied calmly,
“For now, the surveillance has been called off, but they say Director Kang is quite headstrong. We should keep an eye on how he reacts.”
“Hmm... really? I like that.”
“They say he’s an expert in international crime. How should we handle him?”
“Set up a meeting when I return to Seoul. I’ll decide after I see him myself.”
Some might find stubborn types annoying, but to me, a capable one was always welcome.
After our conversation, I glanced down at my wristwatch. About an hour left until arrival.
I couldn’t wait to see Grandma—yet at the same time, a faint unease lingered.
We’d spoken just yesterday, and she hadn’t said anything unusual.
Maybe that’s why I was more anxious. Myungsoo’s words echoed in my mind.
— “Elders’ health can decline suddenly. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”
Even after returning to the past and saving her, guilt still clung to me.
No matter how much I did for her now, I couldn’t stop thinking about what I hadn’t done before.
She was my only remaining family—and that made it all the heavier.
We arrived right on schedule.
Grandma was already waiting by the door, as if she’d known I was coming.
The moment I stepped out of the car, she smiled brightly.
“My Muhyuk’s here? Oh dear, you must’ve been tired from the trip. Come here, let me see your face.”
“Why are you already outside? Since when have you been waiting?”
“I just came out. Oh my, you’ve lost weight. Come on, hurry inside.”
She looked me over, and I looked at her.
Just as Myungsoo had said, time had left deeper marks on her face.
But the warmth from her wrinkled hand gripping mine was the same as ever.
That alone eased something in my chest.
“What are you standing there for? Come in.”
“Huh? Oh. Yeah, let’s go in.”
Guided by her hand, I followed her inside.
The moment I took off my shoes, she headed straight for the kitchen.
“Go wash up quick. I’ll set the table.”
“It’s way past mealtime already, though.”
“Did you eat?”
“No.”
“Then you’ll eat now. Go wash up. The stew just needs reheating. Hurry!”
Her fussing over feeding me hadn’t changed at all.
Smiling faintly, I nodded and went to wash up.
When I came out, the dining table was already full.
In that short time, she’d prepared an entire feast.
“What’s all this? You made too much.”
“Too much? Pfft. This is nothing. Eat this first, I’ll make a proper dinner later.”
Even this “nothing” was enough for three people.
I remembered my doctor nagging that every time I visited Grandma’s, I gained weight.
“What are you doing? Eat.”
“Oh—yeah, yeah. I’m eating.”
At her urging, I sat down and picked up my spoon.
Her soybean paste stew was just as delicious as ever.
“Nothing beats Grandma’s stew.”
“Stop your flattery and eat.”
She smiled softly from across the table, and I couldn’t help smiling back.
After endless chaos and strain, this quiet, ordinary moment felt like true rest.
