𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 ➨ 𝒋𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒌-𝒋𝒖 (𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒂 2023)

six. focus

"Yes?" The waitress replied as she walked back over.

"Could I get the ketchup on the side and make mine with no onions? I'd also like a cherry soda instead." The high-school girl requested.

"Sure. I'll get that started for you." The waitress said as she wrote down the orders on her notepad before walking away.

Ok-ju took a sip of water from her glass before looking at the high-school girl, hoping that she will answer her now.

"How long have you been there?" She asked her.

"You know they call us slaves?" The high-school girl asked back.

"Slaves?" Ok-ju questioned.

"'It'll be over after this.' 'Refuse?' 'I could leak the video to all your classmates.' 'Wanna be recognized by the whole nation?'" The high-school quoted. "They're probably grooming so many more girls too. If we don't do what they say, they'll upload it all."

"The fucking USBs..." Eun-kyung muttered, leaning the back of her head against the back of the seat.

A realization had hit her.

If Min-hee's situation was anything like the high-school girl's, it was possible that Choi was harassing Min-hee and forcing her to come back to him, threatening to leak the tape he recorded if she didn't.

"You found them?" The high-school girl asked.

"The man with the long hair... he keeps them in his house. Like a personal stash." Eun-kyung stated, gesturing to her hair.

"What did you do with them?" The high-school girl asked.

"Nothing." Ok-ju answered.

"We had a plan to sneak up on him. We couldn't take the USBs or destroy them because it would've put him on high alert." Eun-kyung explained, lowering her head and looking at her lap.

"You're not like the rest of us." The high-school girl whispered softly in thought. "It's okay now." She said with a chuckle and a smile. "You're the ones who are gonna save us all."

Eun-kyung tensed up at the use of the word 'save'. There was so much hope in that sentence. So much pressure.

"I prayed, you know. I prayed for someone to show up. My plan can work now 'cause you two are here." The high-school girl said.

"You have a plan?" Ok-ju asked her.

The high-school girl's smile widened. "They're all gonna die. I must have killed them hundreds of times in my mind."

. . . . .

The next day, Ok-ju had taken Eun-kyung and the high-school with her to meet up with an acquaintance of hers; someone who had trained her back in her days of bodyguard work.

While the high-school girl sat a good distance away, the two women spoke to Ok-ju's old instructor, Mun-yeong, over coffee.

"It's nice to finally meet you." Mun-yeong said as she passed Eun-kyung a glass cup full of coffee. "Ok-ju's told me about you before. A lot of things."