Alchemy Of VENGEANCE

Chapter 1

February 14, 2012
The cold mid-February air hit the old man's face the moment he stepped out of the manufacturing complex. He had just finished a grueling, twelve-hour shift supervising heavy machinery in the industrial district of Gasan. Exhausted, with his heavy winter coat draped over one arm, he blended into the sea of tired commuters shuffling toward the platform during the late-night rush hour.
As he walked, he pulled out his phone and dialed.
"Son? Yeah, I just wrapped up my shift," the old man said, his voice warming despite the freezing air. "How are things at the base? Make sure you're eating well... I know the training in the 707th is tough, but don't push yourself past your limit."
He stepped onto the platform just as the Line 1 train bound west for Incheon and Juan Station pulled up, screeching against the rails.
"I'm getting on the train now. It's going to be a long ride back to the house, so I'll talk to you tomorrow, alright? Stay safe, son."
He ended the call, slipped the phone into his pocket, and stepped inside the crowded carriage. Finding a rare empty seat, he sat down, leaned his head back against the wall, and closed his eyes. Within minutes, the rhythmic sway of the train lulled him into a deep, heavy sleep.
A sudden, sharp tug on his collar tore him from his sleep, followed by a piercing scream that shattered the quiet carriage.
"이봐요! 지금 뭐 하시는 거예요?! 손 안 치워요?!"
(Hey! What do you think you're doing right now?! Get your hands off me!)
The old man blinked, disoriented and bleary-eyed, only to find a young woman in her mid-twenties gripping his shirt collar tightly. Her face was flushed with panic and rage, tears welling in her eyes.
"사람들이 다 보고 있는데 어디서 슬쩍 만져요? 미쳤어요?!"
(With all these people watching, where do you think you're touching me? Are you crazy?!)
Gasps echoed through the crowded car. Dozens of eyes instantly locked onto him. Blinking rapidly, the man reached up with trembling hands, trying to pry her fingers off his shirt.
"이, 이게 무슨... 뭐 하시는 거예요?! 손 안 놔요?!"
(Wh-what is this... What do you think you're doing?! Let go of me!)
"저기요! 이 사람이 아까부터 자꾸 몸을 밀착시키고 다리를 만지잖아요! 도와주세요!" she shouted, her voice trembling as she looked to the surrounding passengers for support.
(Excuse me! This man keeps pressing up against me and touching my legs! Somebody help me!)
"나 자고 있었어요! 내가 당신을 만졌다니 무슨 말도 안 되는 소릴 하는 겁니다?!" the old man pleaded, his voice cracking as shock turned into terror.
(I was asleep! What kind of nonsense are you talking about, saying I touched you?!)
"실수였다고 거짓말하지 마세요! 피하려고 해도 계속 따라오면서 만졌잖아요!" she cried out, tightening her grip.
(Don't lie and say it was an accident! I tried to move away from you, but you kept following and touching me!)
"이것 보세요, 사람들아! 나 아무 짓도 안 했습니다! 일단 이 손부터 좀 놓으세요!"
(Listen to me, everyone! I didn't do anything! Just get your hands off me first!)
"가까이 오지 마세요! 다들 이 사람 좀 봐요! 지금 당장 지하철 경찰대에 신고해 주세요!"
(Don't come any closer to me! Everyone, look at this creep! Someone call the subway police right now!)
Passengers began whispering furiously, pulling out early-generation smartphones, filming, and shouting insults at him. Before the old man could gather his thoughts, two station security officers barged through the crowd as the train slowed down.
"Break it up! Step back, everyone!" one officer barked, grabbing the old man's arms while the other escorted the distraught young woman.
When the train came to a complete stop at Guro Station, both of them were marched straight off the platform and into the Guro Station Subway Police Office.
After brief initial questioning, the transit officers transferred the case to the municipal precinct. Within an hour, they were brought through the doors of the Seoul Guro Police Station.
The fluorescent lights of the interrogation floor hummed overhead. An officer slammed two intake forms onto the metal desk in front of them.
"Alright, give us your statements," the officer said coldly, barely looking up from his computer. "And call your guardians or family to come down to the station."
The young woman, still visibly shaken and fighting back tears, picked up her phone with trembling hands and dialed a number.
Meanwhile, the old man sat frozen on the wooden bench, staring blankly at the floor. His hands were shaking in his lap. A hardworking, honest man who had spent his entire life working late shifts to support his family was now sitting in a police station accused of a crime he never committed.
He couldn't even bring himself to pick up the receiver.
Light fades.