Beyond Evil

Alternate Ending

"Ji Hwa is already there. We should hurry up."
-" and others? Jae yi? Oh ji hun?"
"They must also be there already. Did you hear anything from Dong Sik?"
-"...no."
"I wonder if he will come. We haven't seen him since he got released from jail. His mother's condition suddenly deteriorated so he had to take her to another hospital right after he came out. I hope she is better now.
-"she is."
"Huh? How do you know? Did he contact you?"
-"...no."
"...Inspector Han...are you stalking him again?"

If glare could kill, Jeong je would probably be dead by now. Today was Chief Sang Bae's death anniversary and everyone decided to meet at Manyang butcher shop. Everyone but Dong Sik, he had not contacted anyone since the arrest nor did he receive anyone's call. Han Ju Won would know, by now he even lost count of the times he tried to contact Dong Sik but not a single reply. But that could not keep him away. He has his ways of getting information. It need not come from Dong Sik himself. He knew how he was, where he was and what he was doing but not once did he try to approach Dong Sik. If he doesn't want to be contacted then so be it, was the thought but the wish was to see his phone ringing with caller ID of Dong Sik.

"I hope he comes. He will hear an earful from everyone though."
Jeong je tried to joke but the truth was that everyone was sad and worried. They wanted to help him but they couldn't. Everyone was trying to move on but how could they, knowing that one of them is still fighting his battles, alone.
Silence fell through the whole apartment. No further words were spoken. Everyone and everything grieving his absence.

"Aigoo! What is this depressing air floating in the apartment?"

The clock stopped ticking, no, the air stopped moving, no, the earth stopped rotating or maybe just Han Ju Won had stopped breathing. Air left his lungs and didn't come back for what felt like an eternity.
Is it him? Is it really him? Is it a dream?
Han Ju Won looked at Jeong Je. His stare was fixed at the door. It was really happening.

"Inspector Han you have not changed your passcode. Were you expecting me to come?"

These words snapped him back to reality.

Expecting?? Expecting?? I was hoping and praying and wishing for you to walk through that door, you bastard!

That is what inspector Han wanted to say but he didn't. He wanted to shout and scream and punch Dong Sik for not picking up his calls and not meeting him and leaving him alone. He wanted to hug him so tight and not let him go. He had so many questions and so much to say. But nothing would come out. So he just stood there staring at the man. All those emotions bottled up inside his heart making him feel miserable and there he was this man, standing there, saying nothing, doing nothing just smiling. This smile that he waited to see for so long was finally there. So the dam broke, so much of anger, so much of frustration, so much of confusion and so much of love, all the emotions boiled down to a single tear that trickled down his cheek accompanied by silence, a long silence, waiting and wanting to be broken.
"You are here," said Ju Won.
-"yes", replied Dong Sik

Jung Je was also quite. He just stood there watching the two men in front of him. He knew them too well to interrupt this moment. He understands the feelings of Ju Won. How could he not, he also felt the same. But he also knew Dong Sik. They had been together since forever and he knew that he had come for Ju Won. Jung Je was there just by chance. All those emotions behind that smile was for Ju Won. He can just watch them from side.

The evening at the Manyang butcher shop was eventful. Half were busy deciding the dress code for Ju Won and Dong Sik wedding, half were still in shock of seeing them holding hands.

"I knew it!! I knew it since the start".
-"yes yes our Jae Yi is very intelligent but for the last time we are not announcing our marriage"
"marriage! You guys already decided for marriage??"
"Yah! ji hun! Why are you so slow? How are you still in police?"
"Um...can we not discuss our relationship?"
"Inspector Han! This is a matter of utmost importance. You can not keep us deprived of it."
-"yah! Oh Ji Hwa! You are drunk. Go home!"
"I saw them kiss"
"..."
"..."

The sound everyone made after hearing that, still haunts Ju Won in his dream.