Chapter 219.1

Chapter 219.1

It was her second time setting foot on that land.

Fortunately, the journey to Thailand wasn’t difficult. The real challenge, unexpectedly, was Lee Wooshin’s backup agent, who was still adjusting.

Na Wonchang was adamant that she return safely to Korea instead of heading to Thailand, but everything fell into place once Channa appeared.

She didn’t ask nosy questions about why she had to go there. She simply helped, quietly and efficiently.

“Thank you.”

Seoryeong stepped out of the airport, greeted by the thick, humid wind. After several days of exchanging messages with them, she had quickly realized how capable these two were.

With only a photo of the bracelet she sent, they had managed to uncover a surprising amount of information.

The bracelet was a cheap trinket sold mostly around the outskirts of tourist areas, often the only source of income for a few locals living on the island.

Not all the bracelets had engraved patterns, and among those that did, there were five main designs commonly used.

Diaspora.

Was it a coincidence that the number five made her think of that word, “diaspora”?

Rigay had once muttered that unfamiliar word like someone gripped by anxiety. During one mission, Lee Wooshin had explained that it referred to a people living away from their homeland.

The memory pressed on her heart again, painfully tight.

“I feel like I’ve only been taking without giving back.”

When she said it apologetically, Na Wonchang immediately flailed his hands.

“I’ve known you for years, ma’am. Don’t say things like that!”

Not exactly… in a normal way, though. Seoryeong gave a strained laugh.

She melted naturally into the foreign scenery, blending into the crowd. Unlike before, when the idea of leaving Russia without Wooshin had terrified her, she now felt as if she was getting closer to him.

‘Just stay alive, Instructor. I’ll take care of the rest. Just keep breathing.’

Her gaze hardened with resolve.

“Ha…”

Seoryeong twisted her hair up irritably under the blazing sun. The first day was a bust. The second day too.

She had waited all day in the city where Channa had taken her, hoping to spot the child who sold bracelets. But maybe it had been a needle-in-a-haystack search from the start.

The child never appeared.

Still, with no better plan, she stayed put and waited until sweat streamed down her back.

On the third day, she finally gathered the empty water bottles around her and began moving through the crowded streets and alleys.

This was the place. She was sure of it.

She squinted against the harsh sunlight and combed through the area around the tourist spots like she was searching for hidden treasure.

She even chased after passing kids to check their faces and asked local shopkeepers, but every time they gave her the same curt response, they didn’t know.

Even when she kept asking, desperate, their reactions didn’t change. The once-friendly vendors would suddenly shut down, their faces stiff. Still, she refused to give up and kept running until her breath tasted sour.

She skipped meals, ignored the restroom, afraid she’d miss something if she looked away even for a moment. When a light rain finally began to fall, Seoryeong ducked under a flimsy sheet of plastic for cover.

“Haa!”

What was she even doing here, in the middle of nowhere? She rubbed her tired eyes and looked up at the gray sky. Still, this bracelet was the only clue she had left.

Then, as a couple passed by, laughing brightly, she lowered her head. Despite the warmth and humidity, a chill crept into her chest.

I wanted to understand you, and Solzhenitsyn properly. Why did my biological father apologize to your family? Why?

“Pretty lady!”

The clear, bell-like voice cut straight through her thoughts. Her body froze. It was clumsy, but unmistakably Korean. Her head snapped up.

The child she had searched for so desperately was clinging to people like a puppy, thrusting a basket of bracelets toward them.

The same clothes as before; worn and old, but her face was clean. Seoryeong’s heart nearly stopped.

She stumbled out from under the roof, the pounding rain snapping her back to her senses. The child, smiling brightly and calling out to customers with practiced ease, seemed to have some local blood in her, but at the same time, there was something hauntingly familiar about her.

Seoryeong held out both hands to shield the girl’s head from the rain.

“Can I take a look at your bracelets?”

“Ah, boss lady! Don’t just look, buy a lot! Cheap, very cheap!”

The girl proudly showed off bracelets in shades of jade, pink, and crimson. Pretending to think it over, Seoryeong sifted through the basket until she found one with a pattern similar to hers. She picked it up and asked,

“Did you make this?”

The girl’s eyes went round, and she quickly shook her head.