Pick Your Poison (HIATUS)

chapter nine-

chapter nine-

Kyung Soon

2 days earlier

This is by far the most unnatural karaoke session I've been in. Although colorful lights dance throughout the room, the atmosphere was awkward and rigid. Everyone looked so out-of-place; there was Chairman Jang, Mr. Kang, our company janitor who should be retired, Mr. Lee, Jae Hee's supervisor, Jung, the Chairman's assistant, a man I've only seen today, and I sat in a circle. We looked like we were part of a weird support group.

"I called you all here because I need your help." Chairman Jang says. He's a mess; his hair is disheveled and his eyes sleep-deprived

"Can you first tell us why we're meeting here, in a *noraebang?" says a man in an expensive trench coat. He doesn't bother to take it off as if he plans to leave the moment he gets a chance to do so. I already hate him.

"My br-" the Chairman clears his throat, "My boss leaves me alone when I tell him I'm out drinking. I'm not under surveillance, for now."

I look at him incredulously. "Your boss? I thought you were the boss. Aren't you the Chairman?"

"It's a lot more complicated than you think." Mr. Trench Coat responds irritably. He eyes me from head to toe, his face rife with judgment. "Anyway, what is this meeting for? Hurry, because I have deadlines."

Chairman Jang takes a deep breath. "We need to kidnap Dr. Jae Hee."

For a moment, everyone stares at him like he grew another head. He hesitates before continuing, "Dr. Jae Hee's life is in danger. My boss wants her dead-"

"So kill her." Mr. Trench Coat intervenes. I glare at him, but he remained unfazed. "Isn't our company known for its dirty works?"

"Hate to break this to you, but she's an actual human being," I say through gritted teeth. I can't believe his audacity to suggest such a monstrous act. I turn to Chairman Jang. "I don't understand. Why does your boss want her dead?"

"I tried to stop her," Mr. Lee finally speaks. "But she insisted."

I look around the room, still confused. Everyone wore a grim expression on their face. I feel anger rise to my throat. It feels as if they're already mourning, and she isn't even dead yet. Part of me doesn't want to believe she's in any danger. Jae Hee would never do anything stupid. She's the smartest woman I know! But then again, this is Babel. Any misstep done, and you're out.

"I still don't know what's going on." I point at Trench Coat. "I don't even know who that man is, and why he's dressed like the Grim Reaper."

Everyone chuckles except him. He raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms. "My name is Hyun Woo. I am the co-founder of RDU-90; the project your friend is so desperately trying to expose." He says smugly. "She knows too much now. She's a risk, a liability. That's probably why they want to cut her off."

"If you were the one who made it, then why are you here?"

"He's someone I can trust. We've been friends since high school." the Chairman speaks up. "Anyway, we wouldn't kidnap her for real. It'll be staged. My boss has eyes all over Babel, and he'll see this for sure. He'll think she's been taken away."

He explains the whole plan in detail. The plan will push through once she submits a resignation letter, as suggested by her supervisor. That way, she would have been packed and ready to go. We'd take her to a safe house in the outskirts of Seoul, where she'll be kept until it's safe for her to leave.

"We should tell her, at least," I say. It seemed fair to let her in on the plan, besides, it's for her safety. But Hyun Woo shakes his head.

"She wouldn't agree. Plus, we need to make sure the whole thing looks believable."'