Chapter 117 - The Supreme Chessplayer

VOICEOVER: "Watch now scenes from the moment of the rescue in the karaoke box, provided by an amateur filmmaker," said the professional narration on television.

Ji Hyeon could barely see her twin, as the footage made with a cell phone camera was shaky and there were some people in front. She barely saw Jun at a glance, helping to get a girl in school uniform on the stretcher. "Aish, why don't you get out of the way?!" The person whose head almost completely hid her brother in the fuzzy and blurry scenes irritated Ji. "And about him? Did he get hurt?!" it was what she really wanted to know.

"According to the medical report, the two victims are doing well. Witnesses later identified the doctor who helped the rescue as plastic surgeon Kim Jun Hyeon. He gave a brief statement over the phone to our reporter Sarah Lee."

KJH: "Fortunately, when I got into the cabin, there was still time to provide first aid. The a.d.u.l.t victim, even after suffering a shock that left her disoriented, tried to rescue the teenager. It possibly saved her life, as the singer was able to turn off the power before significant damage occurred. I regret the incident because I know the bazaar organizers and I know that they are serious and dedicated people. This fatality must be investigated carefully, to avoid further accidents."

REPORTER: "Thank you, Dr. Kim."

ANCHOR: "The firefighters and the police are investigating the cause of the incident, with the help of the organization of the event. All permits and inspections had been carried out previously. It's suspected that the noraebang booth suffered sabotage, because minutes earlier, the security team expelled an unidentified man from the scene."

"And now, news of the weather for tomorrow in the capital."

It was good to hear her twin's voice. Jun was being kind, but he was angry, Ji knew. She was relieved that no one had been hurt, and most of all, that Jun hadn't been hurt.

Ji Hyeon started looking elsewhere for more news, although she knew Jun had given the interview because Sarah Lee had been their neighbor before they got rich. No other channel would repeat her twin brother's recorded statement.

The door locks opened one by one, as usual, and Ji Hyeon fidgeted. Dae Won greeted her from the stairs, carrying bags. She just looked up, not moving at all.

"I brought the cake you saw on TV," Dae Won said in a cheerful tone, placing the packages on the table. From one of the bags he took out personal care products and opened a bottle of shampoo to smell the contents.

"Aren't you sick of this shampoo? It doesn't seem to do well for your hair, either," he commented, putting the product aside.

"My hair looks like this because it lacks sunlight and D vitamin, Oppa," she reminded him, feeling her blood boiling up.

"This is a myth, dear," Dae Won smiled looking at her, but when he saw Ji Hyeon's annoyed face, he also became serious. "You are being cruel and arbitrary, but remember that you used to be indoors and kind locked up all the time. Avoiding the sun and seeing people. You never wanted to go out with me, no matter how hard I tried. You said the sun would aggravate your scars. You even fought with me several times, when I was very insistent about it."

"I was depressed at the time," Ji Hyeon replied, cautiously. She hated it when Dae Won spoke of the past, her depression and her attempted suicide,

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, neither do I. Have you made any progress in writing the song yet?"

"I don't feel inspired," Ji Hyeon realized that Dae Won was demanding progress because that project should be very important to him. Perhaps he was becoming ambitious now that the song she wrote would appear in a film. Since Dae Won seemed to need her, maybe she could take advantage of it. He had already allowed Ji Hyeon to leave the bas.e.m.e.nt before, and stay hidden to see her brother. She hadn't been able to get away or communicate with Jun, but at least she can see him. Perhaps in a new opportunity, Ji Hyeon could finally escape and be rescued by her brother. Then she dismissed, 

"Did you see that Jun Hyeon was a hero today?"

Just from the way Dae Won raised his eyebrow, it seemed like he didn't know. Then she said,

"It's on the news! He saved a singer and a girl from an accident!"

"Uhn… Really? The singer must be Ye Rim, who is always suffering accidents or into some trouble. She always needs to be saved ... Like you, I think. Is he making up for his double neglect in the past? Hope not. I also hope that your brother is not creating situations for Ye Rim to need him," Dae Won sounded taciturn, and Ji Hyeon worried. He was well aware of this girl's life. This has happened to herself in the past. Dae Won had been involved in just about every aspect of her life.

"Why would he do something to harm her, Oppa?" of course, Jun Hyeon was not a psychopath like Dae Won. In fact, she always suspected that her kidnapper caused the accident at the cottage. She never had evidence, of course, and she felt bad about distrusting the person who had saved her. Dae Won saved her and even got hurt because of it. But Ji Hyeon still had that uncomfortable feeling, and she remembered the episode in the kitchen. She and her brother stayed in the kitchen and heard a strange noise, but they thought Dae Won had tripped in the dark. It was possible that he had sabotaged the gas supply. But she would never be sure, would she?

"I don't know. You know that Jun Hyeon wants to save the world," he replied, looking annoyed. Then he went over to the piano and began to carelessly rummage through the drafts he found tucked under the lid.

'No, I don't know. The only one here who fantasizes about being a hero is you, you batshit crazy demented!' she wanted to scream, but that would only make him treat her like the psychotic one. But a plan was taking shape in Ji Hyeon's mind. And it would not do to conflict with Dae Won. She couldn't just do everything he wanted. If she played right, maybe she could convince him to let her out again, 

"I read the script, but the singer's character looks so cliche and flat! I can't convince myself that she would give her life for the protagonist. I can't get inspired. Is it really a sure thing? Will the role really be Ye Rim's?"

"She will sign with the agency," he commented. "She texted me today. Now, she needs to rehearse and prepare for the audition. Ye Rim's talented, but she loses focus quickly."

"It shouldn't be difficult, since the role is simple. But Oppa… I miss my brother! I'm in a bad mood and bored here. Why don't you take me to see him, like that time at the squash game? I think it would be good for my mind…" she started trying to involve him. "I would certainly feel more refreshed and inspired."

But Ji Hyeon noticed that Dae Won seemed distracted, with his mind lost in thoughts.

"Oppa? What is it?"

"Yes, it's a very simple role. And she can do it easily…" he murmured to himself, but Ji Hyeon had a great hearing. The prisoner shivered. 'Why doesn't it look like he wasn't totally happy about it? Why does it seem that deep down, he doesn't want her to get the role, if he's working so hard for it making it happen?"

"Oppa? What are you saying? I can't understand. But… wouldn't it be possible to take me to see Jun? I know you said earlier that it's not easy, that he is always busy and never has time for old friends, but you couldn't try, just one more time?"

In anticipation, she watched him slowly come back to reality, from his plotting moment. Dae Won then turned to Ji Hyeon,

"Ji, you gave me a fabulous idea. That will resolve all points at once."

As Dae Won now smiles very pleased with himself, Ji Hyeon felt a sudden nausea. She needed to know what she had triggered in that sick mind.

"And what are you going to do?"

"Well, you need to find inspiration, and the one-dimensional character disappoints you. Ye Rim needs some motivation for her audition. Just like Jun Hyeon needs to be in the place and time we need, so you can see him."

"Uhn. Yes. So what?" she still didn't see the connections.

"Ji, if the singer character needs to tap dance, it will create the need for a tap dance teacher. If Jun Hyeon teaches Ye Rim for the audition, I will make you see him easily, as he will have to make room in his schedule to accommodate Ye Rim's lessons. And more than that, it will inspire you, as you need. I just need to convince the screenwriter that the character should be tap dancing. It won't be difficult because she listens to my musical advice and also because it matches the period of her drama.

Ji Hyeon had no doubt that Dae Won was Machiavellian. She also knew that he was a persistent and quite efficient manipulator. Two things that terrified her deeply. She needed to look excited, even when she felt that there was still a part Dae Won hadn't told her. Ji Hyeon clapped her hands,

"Are you really going to be able to do both? I thought Jun had abandoned the dance altogether… Do you think he would do that?" 

"If he doesn't, then he will deeply hurt Ye Rim…"

Ji Hyeon realized that Dae Won had all the plays on his chessboard well planned. It was a win-win situation for him.