The Place Where No One Dares To Go (2)
The restaurant owner, appearing curious, asked as she served our food, What is the na of the person that youre looking for?
His na is Choi Sang-Ho. Hes about the sa age as myself.
The owner of the restaurant shook her head, indicating that nothing sprang to mind. Of course, it would be strange if the owner did rember him just from hearing his na.
Auntie. Could I possibly display sothing in your store? I asked, while pulling out two cheques from my wallet.
Id like to put up a flyer at the entrance to your store, looking for anyone who might know Choi Sang-Ho.
Of course, thats fine with . Would you like to get you a pen and paper?
The owner soon returned with a piece of A4 paper and a permanent marker. While I was preparing a simple flyer, Chief Kim slid the side-dishes across the table towards the children.
For now, why dont we just eat. Since the young master has put these feelers out, we could be contacted at any ti.
Thats right. Now that weve done all this, sothing has got to turn up, Ji-Hye comforted Sang-Beom with a deliberately upbeat tone of voice.
When the children were almost finished eating, my cellphone vibrated. It was a ssage from the situation room. They had found Sang-Hos last recorded location.
Whats this?
I looked down at the phones screen with a frown on my face. I thought that Id be getting a simple address, but a map had been sent instead. And on that map was a small dot in the middle of the sea.
Then another text ssage arrived.
[Detective Go. The results of the location tracking have co out. However the results led to this small island, so Im afraid that I cant send you a specific address. According to the administrative records, the island is labelled as Saktam Island.]
So its Saktam Island. For so reason, the na seed familiar.
I asked the taxi drivers beside , Excuse sirs. By any chance, Do you know anything about Saktam Island?
Saktam Island? Is that near Jeju?
It seems like I might have heard it from sowhere, but it also kinda feels like I havent.
I cant say that I have.
Since the na seed familiar to , I had assud that they would all recognize it, but unexpectedly no one seed to know anything about it.
Hmm. And I couldnt even zoom in on the map with my handphone. Should I just head to the local district office?
Saktam Island? Hold on a mont. Could you possibly be talking about Sakgui1 Island? Do you have a map I can take a look at?
I do, but its hard to make out.
I handed him my cellphone.
Putting on a thick pair of glasses, the taxi driver held the phone up to his nose. Soon he nodded his head as if he had just confird sothing.
I was right. These coordinates are for Devil Island. Dont you all recall? The island where its said that the people who go there never co back.
Ah, that place?
Expressions of dawning awareness spread across the taxi drivers faces.
Although there are even people living on that island, it unfortunately doesnt have a very good reputation. Maybe its all just because of its na.
No way. After my grandmothers friend visited that island, all contact with her was imdiately lost.
If its your grandmother were talking about, isnt she over a hundred years old? From which era does that story of yours co from?
The taxi drivers gossipped as they sipped their after-lunch coffees.
The na Sakgui Island definitely didnt have any pleasant connotations. So for administrative purposes, could it have just been labelled Saktam Island instead?
I prompted them to keep talking, So youre saying that people do live there?
Thats right. However, since its such an isolated place, I havent heard it ntioned anywhere. Though in the past I think so rumours might have spread about it among the surfing community.
But these days, no one pays any attention to such a small island. There are all sorts of easier-to-reach sources of entertainnt.
Ah, thats right. Now that I think about it, rember when I went island fishing last week
The taxi drivers began chatting about other topics as they lit up the cigarettes I had given them.
With a face filled with dread, Chief Kim crept up beside . The others seed to have finished eating, as every bowl except for mine was licked clean.
Young Master. Could you possibly be thinking of going
His expression twisted in fear.
I turned to look at Sang-Beom.
Youre willing to go there to look for your hyung, right?
Of course. Weve already co this far.
too. I always wanted to go on a tour of an island.
When even Ji-Hye stood up, raring to go, Chief Kim stumbled and looked like he was about to collapse. Seeing as he had such a weak body, no wonder he looked scared. I patted him on the shoulder.
Lets go, do it for France.
You, really
Leaving the resentful Chief Kim alone, I picked up my spoon. Although the stew had already cooled down, as expected of a diner, the taste was still amazing.
To Chief Kim, who was standing there frozen, While I finish eating, you all should go looking for a boat to take us there, okay?
o-okay.
Okay!
Theyre youthful constitutions having already finished digesting, the children excitedly pulled Chief Kim along, one on each arm. Sang-Beoms face was overflowing with the anticipation of being able to et with his brother soon.
***
Footnote:
1 Sakgui ans devil or imp in Korean. You can see why this is an ominous na.
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