Choi Sung-Hyun began to explain what he had planned to do with Lee Jun-Sung, whom he had kidnapped. "I was thinking of placing Jun-Sung in a better home, like mine. A home that desperately wanted a child, just like my adoptive parents did." "Then... don't tell me..." "Yes. I intended to take revenge on Mr. Park Dong-Joon, but I never planned to hurt any of the kids. The children did nothing wrong," Choi Sung-Hyun let out a sigh and continued. "And since I'm a cop, I had access to lists of children under seven in our jurisdiction who were suffering from abuse or domestic violence. Jun-Sung was one of them." "So you only planned to abduct those children?" "Yes. I had a few more besides Jun-Sung. I intended to stage them as missing and send them to adoptive parents in other areas who truly wanted children. In Jun-Sung's case, his father had basically abandoned him at an orphanage and kept visiting with lies... so I was going to introduce him to adoptive parents in Jeju Island." It was an answer I never expected. I had assumed the crimes were random, but there was a clear intention behind them. Which meant that, in the previous timeline, the reason the missing children were never found was because the adoptive parents who finally got a child they longed for never spoke up. "There are really parents like that?" "Yes. Adoption requires certain conditions, and those who don't meet them don't even get a chance. Even if they didn't have much money, I believed that if they were kind and loving, they would never abandon a child once they had one." He said he even compiled a list of adoptive parents who would never give up a child no matter what. "How many children were there?" I asked. "About five. That's how many I had identified." At last, I understood why there had only been five serial disappearance cases before the regression. I had assumed the kids hadn't been found because they were all murdered, but that was a mistake. "Still, I don't think that excuses my crimes." "T-then... What were you planning to do with the private investigator?" "Honestly... I hadn't figured that out yet. If anything, I might've created fake evidence pointing to another suspect and released him. I thought, as a police officer, people would believe me over whatever he said, especially since he never saw my face clearly." This was the difference between someone with emotional blunting and a true psychopath. Choi Sung-Hyun had an intense aversion to killing. Only then could I, like Park Dong-Joon, begin to feel sympathy for him. I now knew he wasn't a true murderer. "Understood. I'll explain everything to Jun-Sung. Don't worry." The bitter expression on Choi Sung-Hyun's face relaxed just a little. "Thank you, Mr. Jung." Just then, my phone buzzed and Everyday sent a new alert. [Notification: Today's Fortune of the Day has been updated.] Curious about what it said, I checked the app immediately. [Date: February 12, 2021] [Fortune of the Day: A blessing in disguise. As much as you've suffered, good things will come. The rest of your day will be filled with happiness. (Deleted fortune: What you see on the surface isn't everything. Do not hold prejudices.)] The corners of my mouth lifted slightly at the message that all the hardship would pay off. Today was the release date for Lee Tae-Poong's Jiri Mountain film, and also the launch day for THE Best, a product I had poured my heart into. But more than that, what made me happiest was that I now knew the truth about what Choi Sung-Hyun had planned and that his life had been saved. If he had died while in a weakened mental state, both Park Dong-Joon and Lee Soo-Yeon would have been heartbroken. After putting my phone away, I smiled softly and spoke to Park Dong-Joon. "Mr. Park, shall we head out now?" "Sure. I'll lead the way, so please support me." With Choi Sung-Hyun, I helped support Park Dong-Joon as we slowly made our way out of the abandoned house. Outside, the SWAT officers were on full alert with their guns drawn. However, once they saw Choi Sung-Hyun walking out in handcuffs, they all looked visibly relieved. "Sung-Hyun turned himself in!" When Park Dong-Joon shouted, Commander Sung Dae-Hyun raised his hand to call off the operation. Then, with a slightly playful tone, he said, "Mr. Park. If you were going to handle this all by yourself, you shouldn't have called us out." Park Dong-Joon clutched his left shoulder and replied cheerfully, "I called you out because there's a place near the base of this mountain that makes great duck stew. I'll treat everyone, so let's all eat before heading back." "Wow, Mr. Park! Sounds like you're in a good mood after wrapping up a big case." "Yeah, I am. And I'm even happier because Sung-Hyun is still alive." Sung Dae-Hyun cleared his throat. He had realized what Park Dong-Joon meant was that he had stopped Choi Sung-Hyun from taking his own life. Seeing his reaction, Park Dong-Joon chuckled. "Why are you taking it so seriously? Don't kill the mood. Everyone should eat before going back. Even the SWAT team's gotta eat, right?" Sung Dae-Hyun nodded. "Ahem. Alright then. We'll really take you up on that. We were called out suddenly and didn't get to eat yet." "Good. Order two bowls each." At that moment, I brought up what I had asked Park Dong-Joon about earlier. "Mr. Park, about Comfort Orphanage..." Park Dong-Joon clicked his tongue and turned to Sung Dae-Hyun. "Ah, yes. Let me ask you a favor." "Comfort Orphanage. We need to check that place out. Turns out that kid Lee Jun-Sung was being abused there." After explaining more about Lee Jun-Sung's situation, Sung Dae-Hyun replied with a smile. "We'll handle it after we eat. Don't worry." Then Park Dong-Joon mentioned the other four children whom Choi Sung-Hyun had planned to abduct. He said those kids were also being abused and the police had overlooked it. "Got it. We'll look after them too." "Good. Then I'll take Sung-Hyun to the station first and head to the hospital." "Leave Lieutenant Choi Sung-Hyun to us and go to the hospital first." "Yeah... that's probably best." Then, the SWAT officers surrounded Choi Sung-Hyun. With his head lowered, Choi Sung-Hyun quietly allowed himself to be escorted. "Sung-Hyun, I'll get you a lawyer, so just wait. Don't worry." "I'll be fine. You just take care of yourself, Mr. Park." After saying that to Park Dong-Joon, Choi Sung-Hyun boarded the transport vehicle. At that moment, I called over Lee Soo-Chan. I had decided to personally take Park Dong-Joon to the hospital. "Soo-Chan. Use this to get food at the duck stew place. And let me know as soon as Jun-Sung's father is found." WhenI handed him a card, Lee Soo-Chan gave me an awkward smile and whispered, "Hyung-nim... Are you really telling us ex-gangsters to eat duck stew with the SWAT team?" Lee Soo-Chan avoided eye contact. Well, I couldn't blame him. It would be uncomfortable eating next to those muscular, intense SWAT guys. Then Lee Ho-Jae came up beside him and whispered, "Let's just eat. And we're not gangsters anymore. You think they'd beat up innocent civilians like us?" At Lee Ho-Jae's words, Lee Soo-Chan hesitated but then answered, "You're right, they won't arrest us just for being ex-gangsters. And I am starving after running around all day. Fine, I'm in!" Lee Soo-Chan's reaction made me laugh, and I told him, "Be sure to take a picture and share a review later." Honestly, I was curious to see how that meal would go down. After that, I headed to Gwacheon M Hospital with Park Dong-Joon where Lee Soo-Yeon was waiting. In the Comfort Orphanage director's office, Director Choi Tae-Yong had been in a foul mood all day after meeting Jung Yoon-Ho. It was because he had been threatened with an audit request. Still, since the orphanage was under the Comfort Foundation where his cousin was the chairman, he wasn't too worried about getting fired. Instead, he was planning to take out his frustration on Lee Jun-Sung once the boy returned. "That little brat Jun-Sung. I swear to god when he comes back I will..." Just then, there was a knock on the office door. -Mr. Choi. It's me, the facilities manager. Manager Choi was in charge of all the maintenance at the orphanage. "What is it? Don't tell me that punk Jun-Sung actually came back?" -N-no, it's not that... Suddenly, the door opened and four sturdy police officers barged in. "Are you Director Choi Tae-Yong?" "You are under emergency arrest for child abuse and embezzlement of sponsorship funds!" Officers looking as rough and tough as gangsters rushed in and grabbed both of Choi Tae-Yong's arms. At that moment, Choi Tae-Yong shouted, "You think you'll get away with this? Do you know who I am?!" The officer standing at the front smirked and asked, "Do we know who you are? Of course we do. You're a criminal." "You little...! The chairman of the Comfort Foundation is my cousin! Do you know how much the foundation s to the police?! My cousin and your chief are basically brothers! They eat together and go to the sauna together!" The officer chuckled. "Yeah, I know Mr. Choi. He built this orphanage with his own money and supports both struggling children and the police. A truly honorable man. But what happened to you?" "What did you just say?" Then, Choi Tae-Yong's phone buzzed. It was a call from his cousin. "See? You're all done for now!" As the officer loosened his grip, Choi Tae-Yong shouted, "An-Rak hyung-nim! The police are storming in right now and..." However, an unexpected response came back. -Where do you get off calling me hyung-nim? And what? You've been stealing the kids' food budget? How dare you call yourself human! Choi An-Rak, who had lived a life of dignity, was raising his voice for the first time in his life. The panicked Choi Tae-Yong hurriedly spoke. "It's a misunderstanding, hyung-nim! Besides, if the police storm in , it'll harm the foundation's image... Just please call the police chief and I'll explain everything when I see you in person..." -Misunderstanding? You're the one who's mistaken! The police chief came to me first and explained everything. I'm the one who reported you, you bastard! I told them to lock you up immediately! Then, Choi An-Rak shouted so loud it burst through the phone. -Please, officers, get rid of that weevil of a man right now! Immediately, the officer at the front shouted, "You heard him! Per the chairman's request, haul this weevil bastard out of here! Move!" At that, the officers grabbed Choi Tae-Yong's arms even rougher and dragged him out like he was trash. It was as if they refused to acknowledge him as a human being. "Aaagh! My arms! They're coming off! Take it easy! Aaagh!" Choi Tae-Yong screamed in pain, but the officers didn't even blink. After all, the children he abused must have been in even more pain. We arrived at Gwacheon M General Hospital. Park Dong-Joon was admitted to VIP Room No. 7 and diagnosed with a dislocated left shoulder through a CT scan. When Lee Soo-Yeon, who had also been brought to the same hospital, saw Park Dong-Joon with his shoulder wrapped, she immediately began to cry. "Dad, what did you do to get hurt ? Huh?" Park Dong-Joon quickly looked at me and said, "Oh, this? I just fell while running and landed on my arm wrong. Right, Mr. Jung?" When I confirmed it, Lee Soo-Yeon just sighed without pressing further. There was something more important to discuss, after all. "Dad... and, um... What about Sung-Hyun oppa?" At Lee Soo-Yeon's question, Park Dong-Joon sighed and began to explain. "Well, what happened was..." A little later, Lee Soo-Yeon listened to everything that had happened with Choi Sung-Hyun and all she could do was cry. "Sung-Hyun oppa... he really did that?" "Yeah. He was a victim too. Fortunately, he regained his emotions and he said he committed an unforgivable crime against you." As Lee Soo-Yeon fell silent, Park Dong-Joon gently held her hand. "Soo-Yeon, I won't tell you to forgive him or not. But let's try to leave the past behind. I just want you to be happy." Without replying, Lee Soo-Yeon let her tears fall again. But seeing her face, it seemed she might follow her father's wishes. I could see her expression carried sadness, not anger. Meanwhile, news arrived that Choi Tae-Yong had been urgently arrested. He was charged with seven different crimes including embezzlement, breach of duty, and child abuse—meaning a heavy sentence was likely. Thanks to the news, the anger over what Lee Jun-Sung had suffered began to ease a little. Just then, Lee Jun-Sung entered the VIP room with a mobile IV drip. He wasn't seriously injured, but was being treated for mild malnutrition. Thanks to the food Choi Sung-Hyun had fed him the night before, his energy level was decent and his expression looked bright. Dragging his IV over to the bed, he saw Park Dong-Joon lying there and spoke first with concern. "Mr. Police officer, are you hurt?" "Oh, not at all~ I'm just tired, so I'm lying down." "I see. Then get better soon!" Despite his own poor condition, Lee Jun-Sung was a kind kid who worried about others first. Feeling warmed by that, I smiled and asked him, "By the way, Jun-Sung, how are you feeling?" Jun-Sung lifted one arm and flexed a small muscle. "I'm fine!" "Then Jun-Sung, do you want to go see your dad?" "Yes! Let's go right now." Jun-Sung started to pull out his IV to leave, but there was no need. The door opened, and in walked a man in his 40s with a haggard face, accompanied by Lee Soo-Chan and Lee Ho-Jae. Another team from the agency had found him in Suwon, and Lee Soo-Chan and Lee Ho-Jae had picked him up on the way from the duck stew place. Lee Jun-Sung blinked. "Huh? Dad??" Lee Jun-Sung's father ran in and hugged him. He had heard what happened on the way, and now he sobbed uncontrollably while stumbling over his words. "I... I'm sorry, son. I couldn't get a job... I just... I didn't want you to be disappointed in me... I'm sorry..." Lee Jun-Sung shook his head with a big smile. "No, Dad. I shouldn't have left the orphanage. I'm more sorry. I won't leave again. I'll wait until you come get me!" As soon as Lee Jun-Sung said that bravely, his father clutched his hand, collapsed to the floor, and began to cry out loud. It was a wail of anguish. He was devastated by his inability to support his child. He had sent him to the orphanage because he had no money, but he had nearly lost him forever. At that moment, I locked eyes with Lee Soo-Chan. Lee Soo-Chan nodded and then turned to Jun-Sung's father before saying, "Sir, would you consider working at our company? I heard you have carpentry experience and can handle boilers and other equipment. We're looking for someone to manage building maintenance. How about it? The salary is about 3 million won plus some bonuses. And we'll provide a two-room apartment where you can live with Jun-Sung..." Lee Jun-Sung's father froze for a moment, then dropped to his knees and grabbed Lee Soo-Chan's hands. "P-please hire me. I'll do anything if it means I can live with Jun-Sung!!" Lee Soo-Chan awkwardly helped him back up. "Sir, your son is watching. Please don't do that. A father should be his child's Superman." Lee Jun-Sung's father stood up with eyes full of tears. "A-alright. And thank you." "There's no need to thank me. Actually, it was Chief Jung Yoon-Ho over there who suggested this. He's the one you should thank. We honestly didn't think it through that deeply." I had offered to cover the expenses, but Lee Soo-Chan insisted they needed someone anyway and that they would take responsibility for Lee Jun-Sung and his father. Yet here he was, giving all the credit to me. Just then, Lee Jun-Sung's father came over and grabbed my hand tightly. "Thank you, Mr. Jung. I heard you even saved my son. I don't know how I'll ever repay this debt. I'll never forget it for the rest of my life." As he bowed his head repeatedly, I held his hand and said, "Please raise Jun-Sung well. That's all I ask." "I promise... I'll do exactly that." The moment I heard that promise from Lee Jun-Sung's father, the fatigue of the day melted away. At the same time, my heart filled with contentment. Thanks to Everyday, I have been able to change both Lee Jun-Sung's and his father's fate. 'Thank you, Everyday.' With that thought, I slowly turned around. I wanted to get a hospital room and rest tonight, but I couldn't. Tonight, there was still something important left to do. After helping Lee Jun-Sung's father get a new job, I left the hospital and returned home. By the time I arrived, it was a little after 3 p.m. I had driven through heavy rain all the way to Gwacheon since morning, running around all day. It was only natural that my whole body ached. First, I took a hot shower and threw myself onto the bed. At midnight tonight, I had to attend the premiere event for Jiri Mountain. Without even pulling the blanket over me, I passed out almost instantly. But the moment I closed my eyes, the alarm began to ring. Lately I had trouble waking up, so I changed the alarm sound to a high-pitched ambulance siren. Yet even with the loud noise, my eyes wouldn't open right away. "Ugh... ugh... just five more minutes..." Muttering the words I never even used as a kid, I reached for my phone to turn off the alarm. Then suddenly, the alarm stopped. As someone else turned off the alarm, I heard Miso's and Yoo-Jin's voices near my ear. -Mom, I turned off the alarm. For a moment, my hand froze in midair, unsure where to go. Then I heard their voices again. -Oh, Uncle Yoon-Ho stopped moving. I think he went back to sleep, Mom. -But Mom, does Uncle Yoon-Ho really have to go to the event today? Can't he skip it? I hate seeing him worn out! -Me too. After all he went through today, he really shouldn't be going to another event... How did he end up busier than a celebrity? -Right! Then let's just tell Uncle Taekwon to go alone. As Miso and Yoo-Jin's conversation continued, my mind slowly sharpened. Then from the foot of the bed came Jung Sang-Bong's voice. -Um... But Mr. Jung told me to be sure to wake him up? I had told Jung Sang-Bong to come just in case I couldn't wake up on my own, and it seemed Miso and Yoo-Jin had come along. Now they were the ones trying to stop him from waking me. It caught me off guard a little, but I knew it was because they were worried and my heart felt full. However, I couldn't skip the premiere of Jiri Mountain tonight. The opening weekend's box office numbers would determine how long the film would remain in theaters. In other words, today's stage event and promotions would determine how many screens the film would get next week. So I forced my eyelids open, as heavy as lead. Miso and Yoo-Jin were squatting by my bedside. I asked, "What time is it... Miso?" The alarm was originally set for 5 o'clock, but I couldn't see the time because Miso had my phone clutched tightly to her chest. Miso stared at me and said, "I'm not telling you!" She shook her head firmly, hugging my phone even tighter. She seemed to be insisting that I take the day off because I looked so worn out. "Miso. Today is the official release day of Uncle Tae-Poong's movie. I have to be there." Miso let out a deep sigh as if worried. "Then promise to rest tomorrow! Pinky swear!" She stuck out her pinky finger. Tomorrow was her kindergarten graduation, and she was pushing me not to do anything else. I had no choice but to agree for now, as I had to get my phone back. "Uh... okay... pro... mise!" Miso hooked her pinky with mine and shook it. Only then did she hand my phone back. "It's past 5:20 p.m.!" The time was 5:22 p.m. It looked like I hadn't even heard the alarm that had been ringing every five minutes since 5. 'I must've really been exhausted.' As I got up, Miso suddenly said as if she remembered something. "By the way, Uncle Yoon-Ho. Auntie Soo-Yeon called earlier from Gwacheon. She said you almost got really hurt today." Yoo-Jin nodded. "Yeah, oppa. We heard you were running all over Gwacheon today, so we wanted to make you rest. Work is important, but if you collapse, it's all for nothing. You need to take care of yourself too." 'Yoo-Jin, don't say that with a smile. It's terrifying.' Yoo-Jin's smile did not even look like a real smile. However, I had already prepared for something . "Geez, I didn't expect Ms. Soo-Yeon to exaggerate like that. It wasn't even dangerous. Oh, and about what happened today..." I immediately shifted their attention to the story of Choi Sung-Hyun—how he was actually Lee Hyun-Sung, son of Lee Tae-Gil from twenty years ago. The moment I brought it up, both of them clasped their hands and leaned in to listen. For over ten minutes, they were completely absorbed in my story. The way the entangled fates and grudges in Missing – The Lost Ones unraveled was quite compelling. "...And that's how it all happened." Miso and Yoo-Jin exclaimed in awe. "Wow~ So what's going to happen to Mr. Choi Sung-Hyun, no, I mean Mr. Lee Hyun-Sung? Especially with Soo-Yeon unnie?" "Yeah! What about Auntie Soo-Yeon and the police officer?" Their faces clearly asked for the story afterthe ending. At that moment, I glanced at my phone and sat up. "It's 5:40 p.m. Time really flew. I've gotta go~" Miso and Yoo-Jin stared at me with a flustered expression. Even Jung Sang-Bong looked dumbfounded. "Oppa. Seriously? You're ending it there?" "Uncle Yoon-Ho! That's just mean!" I smiled at the three and shrugged. "I'll tell you the rest next time." Nevertheless, the three of them trailed after me into the living room, demanding to know what happened next. I couldn't tell them though, because I didn't even know Lee Soo-Yeon's exact feelings. After all, the man she loved turned out to be the son of the person who killed her mother and had used her for revenge. But knowing her, I had a feeling she would forgive everything, just like her father Park Dong-Joon. Raised by a man with such integrity, Lee Soo-Yeon had grown up to be kind and strong enough to overcome her past scars. And from what I heard, there were times when she genuinely felt a connection with Choi Sung-Hyun. Even if he had suffered from emotional blunting, deep inside, a piece of the kind boy he once was had remained. And so had his love for Lee Soo-Yeon. Anyway, thanks to me, the film Missing 2 – The Story of That Day, which could've drawn twelve million viewers, would never be made. However, I had no regrets since I had saved a life and helped many people escape the chains of their past. In fact, I felt proud to have changed someone's fate and saved a life. My steps toward the bathroom were confident. And it was absolutely not because I was running away from three people begging to hear the rest of the story. As I closed the bathroom door, I heard thumping sounds. -Oppa~~ tell us the rest later~ -Uncle Yoon-Ho~~ you have to finish the story later~ Just as I was about to reluctantly say okay, I received a message. The sender was Director Ahn Jung-Hae. And the message he sent held something completely unexpected.