101. Five on forty-seven
Two months ago, on August 18th at 5:35 PM.
Tokyo University Library, Japan.
The elevator stopped on the 4th basement floor, where there was a constant-humidity and constant-temperature warehouse.
When the elevator door opened, In-cheol and a woman working as a librarian came out.
The librarian walked down the narrow hallway, and Incheol followed her without a word.
The librarian who was ahead turned his head and opened his mouth with a blunt tone toward In-cheol.
“(What if I come so late?)”
At her words, In-cheol said with an apologetic expression.
“(I’m really sorry. I apologize once again. I just got out of the lab under the direction of Professor Michihito.)”
Professor Michihito is a chair professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Tokyo, and was an authority in the field of pulp and paper analysis.
In his laboratory, through joint research with the University of Tokyo Library, a research project was underway to determine the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by analyzing vegetable fibers from ancient documents.
The librarian still spoke in a blunt voice.
“(By the way, what the hell is Professor Michimoto doing?)”
“(What… do you mean?)”
“(I don’t know what kind of chair professor is giving the librarian every little detail by e-mail.)”
“(Ah…! Our professor is a bit like that. Haha–!)”
“(Still, this is too harsh! Waiting without leaving work on Friday… No, I’m not even my graduate school! Aren’t I really doing it too much?)”
At her dissatisfied words, Incheol nodded and said.
“(Haha–! Please understand. Maybe it’s because the analysis equipment is only available on Monday mornings.)”
Incheol and the librarian stood in front of the door located at the end of the basement hallway, and the librarian opened the heavy door in search of the key.
“(Wow—! It’s warmer than I thought.)”
“(Unlike other materials, paper books need to be stored at 18-20 degrees.)”
When the librarian turned on the lights, hundreds of bookshelves appeared in the warehouse.
The librarian said, pointing to the table in the center of the warehouse.
“(Please wait over there. I will find the requested material and bring it.)”
After a while, the librarian placed a thick file on the table, and In-cheol opened the file and slowly turned the old paper over.
Each piece of paper was littered with intricate contours, as well as countless arrows, numbers, and various markings.
While In-cheol picked up a magnifying glass and checked each piece of paper, the librarian opened his mouth.
“(Finding a paper to take as a sample to be analyzed, does it take a long time?)”
In response to her question, Incheol nodded and said.
“(Yes, I have to check the texture of the plant fiber, so it will take a lot of time.)”
The librarian sighed and said.
“(Ha—! Please do it asap. I have an appointment for dinner.)”
“(Yes, I am. I also want to finish it quickly.)”
After about 15 minutes, the librarian opened his mouth, checking his watch.
“(It’s already 6 o’clock. Do you still need more time?)”
“(Yes… I’m sorry.)”
“(By the way, why do you need a document made in Korea? Is there a reason why it is also a GH-1876-0227 document?)”
Incheol shrugged and said.
“(I don’t know, because Professor Michihito decided.)”
again after 15 minutes.
“(Not yet?)”
To the librarian’s question, Incheol answered with a weeping smile.
“(I’m sorry.)”
“(I have an appointment at 6:30.)”
“(I think it will be difficult until then. Maybe… can I take it home and check it out, and bring it back as soon as the library opens on Monday?”
At Incheol’s words, the librarian put on a perplexed expression, checked the watch again, and opened his mouth in a low voice.
“(Then… you must return it to me. It is impossible to borrow the material, so returning it to another employee for nothing can complicate matters.)”
At her words, Incheol nodded with a firm expression on his face and said.
“(Yes, I will.)”
In-cheol came out of the library with a heavy bag on his back, and a large man started following In-cheol.
As In-cheol came out of the gates of Tokyo University, a large man spoke to In-cheol.
“Choi In-cheol! It’s been a while.”
your own name… .
At the sound of calling himself in Korean instead of Japanese, Incheol immediately turned his head and opened his mouth with a surprised expression.
“uh… ! mister? Team leader Kim Jung-soo, right?”
The big man said with a smirk.
“You remember.”
“Wow—! mister! Nice to meet you! I saw a person who looked just like you a while ago, and that was really you! Wow—! I heard that the world is really small, and meeting you in the middle of Tokyo… Wow! Jin— It’s amazing!”
“I’ll talk more about it later… .”
Team leader Kim Jeong-soo spoke towards the alley opposite.
“Let’s go this way first.”
Team leader Kim Jung-soo said as he opened the rear door of the black car parked in the alleyway.
“Tara. I have something to talk to you in the car.”
Manager Kim Jeong-su, who sat in the back seat with In-cheol, said to the man in the driver’s seat.
“Consul Park, let’s go right away.”
“all right.”
As the car started moving, Manager Jeongsu Kim opened his mouth to Incheol.
“In-cheol, are you good at memorizing numbers?”
“My memorization skills are pretty good. But, why?”
“00-7605269X.”
“00-7605269X… ? What number is this?”
“It’s your military number.”
At the words of Manager Kim Jeong-soo, In-cheol smiled and said.
“a—! mister! Just kidding, right! ha ha ha—!”
“Consul Park, show me your weapon.”
“all right.”
The man in the driver’s seat took a pistol from the inside pocket of his suit and looked towards the back seat.
In-cheol’s expression hardened as if he had poured cold water on him for a moment.
“Can you understand the situation now?”
At the words of team leader Kim Jeong-soo, In-cheol quickly nodded.
“00-7605269X. did you memorize it?”
In-cheol quickly nodded once again, and team leader Kim Jung-soo handed In-cheol a passport and an envelope and said,
“Listen. Until you get to Busan Port, you’re not Choi In-cheol, you’re Kim Geun-sik. Kim Geun-sik’s Korean address is here on the envelope of the ferry boarding pass.”
In-cheol nodded, and team leader Kim Jeong-soo continued.
“Kim Geun-sik is a retraining student, but to change his mood ahead of the entrance exam, he came to Japan on his own for 3 nights and 4 days without his parents’ knowledge.”
“then… Choi In-cheol… What happened?”
“Yeah, it’s quick to understand the situation.”
Team leader Kim Jung-soo continued with a smile.
“Choi In-cheol lost his passport on June 26. But while reporting the loss, he finds out that an enlistment warrant has been issued. So on June 28th, I returned to Korea via Gimpo Airport, and on the 30th I enlisted in Nonsan.”
“I… But isn’t there a record of entry and exit?”
“You don’t have to worry about that. Because your photo bag arrived at Gimpo Airport on June 28.”
“My photo bag… huh?”
“Well, there is something like that.”
“And I… I went to Okinawa last week… .”
“Your lost passport was passed on to a fictional North Korean agent Ri Su-sik through a Japanese Chochongryon-related, and Ri Su-sik booked a flight ticket to Gimpo on September 2nd to infiltrate South Korea.”
In-cheol nodded, and Manager Kim Jeong-su continued.
“The Korean National Intelligence Service did not inform the Japanese government of the loss of Choi In-cheol’s passport in order to arrest Ri Su-sik directly in Korea. Meanwhile, Ri Su-sik visited Okinawa and collected information on strategic bombers of the US forces in Japan.”
“then… Choi In-cheol did not go to Okinawa.”
“right. Around August 10th, the recruit training will be over in Nonsan, and it will be around the time of the second half of the military school.”
“A military school?”
Manager Kim Jung-soo said, taking a candy out of his pocket.
“Would you like to hear more about the story after arriving in Busan, and give me a candy?”
“no. it’s okay.”
Manager Kim Jung-soo said as he put the candy in his mouth.
“You are going to Osaka now, and you are going to catch the ferry to Busan tonight. And when you arrive at Busan Port, you just have to do what our staff tells you.”
“Hold on, uncle. So you’re saying I’m going to Osaka right now?”
When Manager Kim Jeong-su nodded, In-cheol said with a perplexed expression.
“Can I stop by my bedroom for a moment before I go? There is one thing I must bring.”
“It is difficult. Boat time is short. More than anything else, we got a report a little while ago that the situation was urgent.”
“mister… Please, please.”
At In-cheol’s words, Team Leader Kim Jeong-soo shook his head and said to the man in the driver’s seat.
“Consul Park, I would like to drop you off at the next intersection and take good care of our student Kim Geun-sik to the Osaka Ferry Terminal.”
“all right.”
When the car stopped at the intersection, In-cheol caught Manager Kim Jeong-soo trying to get out of the car.
“mister! Wait.”
In-cheol handed the key to Kim Jeong-soo and continued the conversation.
“You know my bedroom? There’s a desk… .”
Manager Kim Jeong-su cut off In-cheol’s words and said:
“computer? That’s lost. The consulate staff will take care of it later.”
Incheol shook his head and said.
“It’s not a computer. There is a black cassette tape in the second drawer of the desk. It’s a cassette tape with the Honjo Police Station mark.”
Incheol continued speaking with an earnest expression on his face.
“I’ll just ask for that. Please take care of it.”
Manager Kim Jeong-su got out of the car without answering, and In-cheol’s remaining car started to move.
3 hours later.
Consul Park, who was driving, checked the rear seats through the rearview mirror.
In-cheol had been motionless for three hours and was drawing something on the yellow paper.
“Kim Geun-sik, would you like to rest for a while at our rest stop?”
“I am okay.”
“I have to add oil anyway, so I’m taking a break… Would you like to go to the bathroom?”
“no. it’s okay. I have to finish this from now on.”
“Then can I buy you some simple food?”
“Well… If there is curry bread at the convenience store, I would like one, please.”
Consul Park changed lanes in the direction of the rest area, and In-cheol seemed to remember something, raised his head again and spoke to Consul Park.
“ah… ! right. Can I ask you just one thing?”
“Yes, ask.”
“What is the photo bag that team leader Kim Jung-soo talked about earlier?”
In response to In-cheol’s question, Consul Park smiled and said.
“It’s nothing… When Choi In-cheol’s photo bag entered Korea, it means that our employee entered Korea with Choi In-cheol’s passport. To be precise, it means that Choi In-cheol’s departure record at a Japanese airport and entry record at a Korean airport remain.”
again after 3 hours.
Osaka International Ferry Terminal.
Consul Park called Kim Jeong-soo, team leader.
“This is Manager Kim, Seokjin Park.”
– Yes, Consul Park. Did you arrive safely in Osaka?
“Yes, customer number 1 boarded the ferry to Busan safely.”
– Yes, yes! I had a hard time driving.
“no.”
– But the hardships are the hardships… bet is bet I have to buy lunch on Monday.
Consul Park said with a sad smile.
“under—! Because I didn’t go to the military… I don’t recognize toy guns.”
– He’s so talkative and blunt, and without that toy gun, explaining the situation would have taken a couple of hours.
“haha–! is that so? He doesn’t seem to have much to say… . ah! Manager Kim, I think I’m going to be a little late for work on that Monday.”
“why?”
“Customer #1 asked me a favor.”
“Request?”