Chapter 104
- The Man Who Resembled Him
2023.08.12.
'Ah.'
So-eun, adjusting her glasses and getting a proper look at the man's face, quickly turned her head and rubbed her eyes.
Having passed by so many people on campus, she had reacted with a start at just the sight of an Asian hair color. The man she had briefly encountered couldn't possibly be Kim Tae-joon. Embarrassed, So-eun quickly gathered her belongings and hurried away.
She considered just going home, but she quickly changed her mind, feeling like she would be defeated if she became timid like this.
That's right. I got a library pass, so I should go to the library at least once.
I stepped foot on this land to have new experiences like that.
Finding a nearby map, So-eun located the main library. It wasn't far from where she was standing. There was no reason to hesitate.
The entrance system of the main library was not much different from Korean libraries. After checking her pass and entering the building, So-eun was overwhelmed by its size even before reaching the reading room. High ceilings, various exhibits, introductions to historical figures, and more. Its grandeur, more like a museum than a library, made her hesitant to step inside.
The reading room was also different from Korean libraries. Sunlight streamed warmly through large windows into a spacious area with a variety of seating options, from stiff desks and chairs to large sofas where one could lie down. So-eun's eyes darted around busily. She was tempted by the sofa seats, but she reminded herself of her initial determination to study properly and took a seat at a desk, reopening her book.
Essential professional English for immigrant engineers in English-speaking countries. She had certainly learned quite a few of the technical terms back in college, so they didn't feel too unfamiliar. Speaking face-to-face was a different matter than seeing it in writing, but she felt encouraged that she might be able to get a job if she studied hard for a couple of months.
After studying in one spot for several hours, her body felt stiff. She decided to go to the restroom, got up, and left the reading room. She had heard that you shouldn't leave your belongings unattended in foreign countries like you do in Korea, so she became anxious. She hurried back to her seat, but she couldn't sit down right away and stopped a few steps away. A man was hovering around her seat.
Had he found out that I wasn't a student at this school?
It was suspicious since the book she had left was an essential English book for engineers. So-eun thought she should move to another seat.
"Excuse me," So-eun said, pushing past the man, who then spoke to her in Korean.
"Are you Korean?"
Was this the same person she had seen in front of the Burghers of Calais statue earlier?
So-eun turned her head to face the man. White skin, gentle features. He had a resemblance to Tae-joon in build and appearance. That made So-eun even more nervous.
"Are you an undergraduate or a graduate student?"
"Ah, I'm..."
"May I ask what your major is?"
When So-eun hesitated, the man pointed to a drawing in the corner of So-eun's notebook, looking embarrassed.
"I'm sorry. I happened to see Korean in your notebook, and my eyes naturally went to it, but this drawing is so cute."
It was a drawing she had done as a warm-up before starting to study. A useless drawing of a machine she wished existed.
"It doesn't look like a simple doodle. Are you planning a business?"
What business? So-eun felt a little uneasy at the man's great interest in a drawing she had made without any thought. In Korea, people like this had often approached her to solicit her for religion.
"No. It's just a simple doodle."
"Then could you explain what kind of doodle it is?"
"..."
"Ah, I'm..."
The man, embarrassed by So-eun's silence, rummaged through his pocket and handed her a business card.
The card was imprinted with the company name 'Outrailway'. So-eun's head tilted slightly, as if she had heard it somewhere before.
"My name is Kwon Ji-wook. I work at a startup in Silicon Valley, and this is my alma mater and close to my home, so I come here sometimes when I don't have work."
"Yes... hello."
"Do you have time to talk for a moment?"
"No, I'm actually not a student at this school. I got a pass from a friend who goes here and was just studying for a bit."
"Ah, that's not relevant. I'm just interested."
She had received the business card, but she was still suspicious. Business cards could be easily made if you went to a print shop.
"I'm sorry. I'm uncomfortable."
So-eun, refusing politely and firmly, immediately packed her belongings and left the library.
I should go home now. This was enough for my first day studying outside. As So-eun left the library, she went to the exit and swiped her pass as the other students were doing. Strangely, the machine didn't work.
It was definitely fine when I came in?
While So-eun was standing there flustered, a security guard approached.
"Don't you know how to check your pass?"
The man came up from behind and took So-eun's pass, swiping it at the graduate student exit.
"There's no problem. My friend hasn't been to school in a long time, so she must have forgotten."
At the man's excuse, the security guard immediately turned away. So-eun was able to leave the library safely thanks to the man.
Kwon Ji-wook smiled as he returned the pass. So-eun took the pass with a blank expression and bowed.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"..."
"Which way are you going? I brought my car. I can give you a ride."
"I can walk from here."
"Ah, so your house is close by."
Having received help once, it wasn't easy to shake him off. So-eun ended up accompanying the strange man for quite a while.
"So-eun!"
While continuing the uncomfortable conversation and hurrying along, Hyun-ji, running from the opposite side, came into view. She had found So-eun while trying to move to the library after finishing class.
So-eun's face lit up at finding someone she knew in someone else's ridiculously large school. So-eun also ran to Hyun-ji. Ji-wook followed behind them with his long legs.
"Were you studying at the library?"
"Yes."
"But who's this?"
Hyun-ji, after greeting So-eun, glanced to her side and asked. Ji-wook took out a business card from his pocket again and handed it to Hyun-ji.
"My name is Kwon Ji-wook."
"Oh! I know you!"
Hyun-ji's eyes lit up as she checked the business card.
"This is the company that won the grand prize at the graduate invention contest this time, right!"
"I'm embarrassed."
"Wow, nice to meet you! But what's the matter with my friend?"
"It's nothing."
So-eun interjected when Hyun-ji asked Ji-wook again. Hyun-ji put her arm around So-eun's and pulled her away.
"Excuse us for a moment."
Hyun-ji, turning her back to Ji-wook, walked a few steps ahead and explained to So-eun in a low voice.
"'Outrailway' is a famous startup founded by graduates of our school. It's a promising company that received series B funding from a portal company just one year after its founding. If you want to get a job in Silicon Valley, this is a good opportunity! If you search the Korean community, you'll find someone who knows him through one or two connections, so it's not difficult to investigate him. I'll find out everything today, so at least get to know his face."
Hyun-ji's rapid-fire explanation sounded like a rap. While So-eun was dazed, Hyun-ji immediately turned back around and greeted Ji-wook with a welcoming smile.
"Hello. My name is Choi Hyun-ji, and I'm a law school student."
"Ah, so you're her friend."
"Did you hear about me? Oh, I'm honored."
Hyun-ji, smiling sweetly with the expression of a sophisticated princess, very smoothly brought So-eun between Ji-wook and herself.
"My friend is very shy. But once you get to know her, there's no friend as lovely as her. If it's not too much trouble, shall we talk while walking?"
So-eun would walk with them as advised by the homeowner Hyun-ji, but she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. Whether Hyun-ji knew So-eun's state of mind or not, she was excited and her eyes were shining.
Ji-wook explained how he became interested in So-eun.
"I happened to see Korean in the library, and I happened to see the drawing you made in your notebook, and I was impressed, so I spoke to you."
"What drawing..."
"It was a drawing of a doll inside a bottle. The doll was cleaning the inside of the bottle, and there were coding commands next to it. I thought you were preparing an invention."
So-eun had to explain to the two about the doodle that had no special meaning.
"It's just a doodle. It's difficult to clean the inside of a bottle with a narrow opening, so I just had a useless thought that if a small robot that could fit inside that bottle was developed, it could clean it all."
Hyun-ji's eyes rolled around. Even Hyun-ji thought that commercialization was uncertain, but it was a cute idea.
And, Silicon Valley is where everything started with all sorts of cute ideas.
"No, So-eun, how is that a useless idea! That's all future assets! The founding member of a famous startup here is interested!"
Hyun-ji, having done a little calculation, raised her voice to So-eun. And she turned her head and smiled sweetly at Ji-wook again.
"I'm sorry. My friend is still pure. It's a simple idea, but it's copyrighted, so if you're interested in developing it, please contact me separately. If you can't communicate with Han So-eun, I'll represent her."
"Ah, so her name is Han So-eun."
Ji-wook nodded, repeating the information he had just learned to himself.
Hyun-ji scolded So-eun.
"You haven't even introduced yourselves yet?"
She's a brick wall. She's a brick wall.
There was no need to recall it, but she thought it was amazing that Tae-joon had managed to hold onto the heart of a woman like this even for a moment.
*
The information that So-eun had gone to the western region via Chicago and the transcontinental train only came into Tae-joon's hands 20 days after So-eun disappeared.
He had only confirmed that she had taken a train to the western region, but he could not confirm where she had gotten off.
Finding Han So-eun in America was more maddening than finding Kim Seo-bang in Seoul.
Since he couldn't get any information, he had no choice but to investigate all 33 stations between Chicago and Emeryville Station. Tae-joon's gaze, scanning the map of the California Zephyr train's stops from Chicago Union Station to Emeryville Station, reached the far west side.
If she wanted to go to the place farthest from New York, would she have gone to San Francisco? Since she's an engineer, wouldn't she try to settle in Silicon Valley?
Tae-joon, staring at the map of Silicon Valley for a long time, picked up his cell phone. He remembered that Choi Hyun-ji was attending Stanford University Law School.
After a short ringing, Hyun-ji answered the phone.
[Hello.]
"Choi Hyun-ji. How have you been?"
[Yes. How have you been, Director Kim? Is So-eun doing well?]
It was a matter of pride to say that they had broken up or that she had left him.
But he had to tell the truth.
"Actually, it seems that Han So-eun is in the United States. It's a long story, but my grandfather sent Han So-eun to the United States without my knowledge. So I'm looking for Han So-eun."
[Oh my. What should I do? You must be very heartbroken. Do you have any clues?]
"She got off at New York Airport and seems to have taken a train to the western United States..."
[The West... that's vague. This is also the West.]
"..."
[I don't think so, but if I hear any news about So-eun, I'll contact you.]
Tae-joon felt a little relieved at Hyun-ji's promise.
[But, Director Kim, weren't we supposed to never contact each other again?]
But behind that flimsy promise was a dry and cold message like the western desert.
[To be honest, Yang Hee-wook is such a terrible person that I'm afraid that if you find me, Yang Hee-wook will come after me like crazy. I wonder if I gave you my contact information for nothing. You didn't tell Yang Hee-wook about me, did you?]
"You don't have to worry about that."
[Yes. I'll trust you, Director Kim. Please find Han So-eun.]
The call was cut off from the other side first. Tae-joon stared blankly at the cell phone screen where the call had ended.
