Chapter Text
The sunset is visible from atop the tallest building in Daegu. She always liked the sunsets. It feels like the fire is slowing down to rise again and engulf everything that blocks its path. She likes fires. It's warm, it's friendly. It has always been there for her. She picked up the matchstick and ignited the edge of a cigarette. She then placed it in the matchbox and placed the matchbox at the center of her miniature city. She watched as the fire slowly gained momentum and turned into a monstrous flame that swallowed everything. In its destruction, she felt peace. She felt happy. She felt warm.
"Sweetheart, are you ready?" She heard someone say from behind her. She nodded and stood up to be with the person. "Oh my, you made a mess on the balcony again. Bad girl." She quivered upon these words. She knows she's going to pay for the mess. But it was worth it.
2018. Monday.
Yong's Residence, Hyeonpung, Daegu
It was a slow, summer morning in downtown Daegu as Kim Yongsun sits in the living room, browsing the television from one mundane channel to another. She settles on a news channel and decides to cook lunch while the TV is running in the background.
"Good morning, what's for breakfast?" Moon Byul Yi, also known as Moonbyul among their peers and her girlfriend for almost ten years, asked while hugging her. "Hey, sweetheart. It's already lunchtime. I'm going to prepare your favorite bulgogi. You can take some to work this afternoon." Yongsun replies planting kisses on her girlfriend's forehead and cheeks. "It's a slow day at the hospital today. It's almost 10 and I still don't have a distress call." Moonbyul huffs and noted the lack of calls.
"Consider it a good break then. We can go to that lovely café we saw the other day!" Yongsun states. Moonbyul smiles. She loves it when her girlfriend gets excited about something. However, before she can even reply, their attention is turned to the TV. The news channel has cut their morning program for breaking news.
"This just in." The presenter announced. "Live telecast from Dongseongno, the city's biggest real estate developer Sunny Lands announces the retirement of their CEO and passes down the position to Lee Sun-mi. The original CEO, who is now 90 years old, declined to attend the ceremony citing his illness as his reason. Listen to the official announcement of the company lawyer." The camera panned to the podium and focused on the middle-aged man holding a piece of document. Yongsun and Byul move to the couch to catch the scoop.
"As president and chief executive officer of Sunny Lands Corporation," The company lawyer reads. "I hereby declare my youngest daughter Lee Sun-mi as the next president and chief executive officer of the company." And with that, Byul turns off the television and sits back on the couch. "Huh, that's it? That's the breaking news? I swear journalism nowadays is all about who and not about what's happening."
"Well it is kind of breaking especially when the city plans a massive 'rehabilitation' and Sunny Lands are the ones commissioned to actually do the city rehab," Yong explains while carrying Daebakkie, one of their corgis, and goes back to the kitchen.
"I still sense something funny in this rehabilitation project that they're trying to do. I mean, why now? And why tie-up with a private corporation? What's the catch?"
"Now you're asking the real questions. I --" Yongsun's reply was cut short by the echoes of a blaring siren of a fire truck. The couple rushed to the balcony to get a glimpse of the whereabouts of the fire. "Another one? That's the second fire case the city has this week." Yongsun observed.
"You keep tabs? It's probably because it's the dry season. See, it's 35 degrees." Byul shrugged and turned on the air conditioning while Yong continued to stare at the direction in which the fire truck headed. Now, she's the one who is starting to feel funny.
Yong is about to resume her cooking when their phone suddenly starts ringing. She sighed, who could it be? Everyone at work knows how to reach her on her work phone in cases of emergency. Byul eyed the phone and looked at her. "Hello?"
“Is this Miss Kim Yongsun?”
“Yes, who is this?” Yong answered, a bit annoyed by the fact that some stranger got hold of their personal number. “One moment please, Miss Kim.” The person on the other line said curtly. Panic starts to kick in but she suddenly remembers that there is one person who has the gall to do business with her by calling her personal number.
“Hi, Yongsun, dear. Miss me?” A female voice appeared from the other end of the line, an innocent voice albeit dripping with sarcasm. Yong rolled her eyes and looked at Byul. “Bae Joohyun. To what do I owe the honor?” Yong replied voice dripping with equally vicious sarcasm. Byul snickered in the background and proceeded to continue cooking the dish.
“I’d like to consult something with your little sleuthing fan club. See you on Wednesday morning, alright. I’m available by 10 AM. See you.” And with that Bae Joohyun disconnects the call leaving Yongsun shocked and trying to process what had just transpired. “That bitch.” She murmured and placed the phone back into its cradle harshly. She looked at Byul and sighed. "We need to call the team."