Chapter 194.2: Things Never Go As Planned (1)
Moon Ki-Jin followed after Kang Chan with a happy face. They were currently standing in front of the athletics club room.
Students who came out to eat lunch walked past Kang Chan as they stole glances at him as if he was some sort of a celebrity.
Kang Chan kept his eye on the entrance where the third-years were coming out. After a while, he smiled widely. Neatly cut bangs, doe eyes, and slim cheeks that had lost baby fat. He could easily spot her even from afar.
The other students just kept staring at him.
Wondering what the fuss was all about, Kim Mi-Young turned her head, her eyes widening upon seeing Kang Chan. Although he was standing some distance away from her, he still saw her eyes becoming bigger.
“Oh, Noona’s coming over,” Moon Ki-Jin remarked.
But Kang Chan had already seen her approaching before Moon Ki-Jin informed him.
Kim Mi-Young quickly walked over to Kang Chan and just stood there, shocked that he was really right in front of her. She couldn’t even say a word.
“We should go and eat lunch,” Kang Chan suggested.
“Yup,” Kim Mi-Young blankly replied.
She probably missed me.
Or at least that was what the emotions that Kim Mi-Young’s eyes showed. Kang Chan now felt glad that he had come here.
“What brings you here?” Kim Mi-Young asked, still looking flustered.
“I said I was going to come over and eat lunch with you, didn’t I?” Kang Chan replied.
The two—no, the three of them, including Moon Ki-Jin, walked together. Students kept sneaking glances at them as they made their way to the school cafeteria, which Kang Chan found quite strange.
“Did you come because of me?” Kim Mi-Young asked.
“Yup,” Kang Chan replied.
“Hehehe,” Kim Mi-Young let out her signature laughter when she saw Kang Chan’s smile.
“How are your studies?” Kang Chan asked.
“I’m enjoying myself,” Kim Mi-Young replied.
They reached the end of the line for the school cafeteria.
“Sunbae-nim!” Cha So-Yeon exclaimed as she came running over. The other students in the athletics club walked over one by one to greet him. Ironically enough, the students who were in Kang Chan’s class weren’t able to muster the courage to say hi to him.
“Sunbae-nim, your outfit is really nice today,” Cha So-Yeon remarked.
“Really? I’m wearing this because I have an appointment after lunch today,” Kang Chan responded.
“Is that the same outfit you wore at the conference a while ago?”
The hospital had already torn apart and thrown away the clothes he wore back then, but there was no need to tell them that. After waiting for quite some time, they finally got to enter and sit down at a table.
Michelle was usually the one drawing the attention to them, but today, the cafeteria was quiet because everyone was staring at Kang Chan. Even the cafeteria ladies were straining their necks to glance at him.
“Enjoy your lunch,” Kang Chan told Kim Mi-Young.
“Yup! You too!” Kim Mi-Young replied brightly.
.
She was finally back to the Kim Mi-Young he knew.
Kang Chan couldn’t help but think that coming to school today was the right move.
Kim Mi-Young’s exams were right around the corner. Since Kang Chan would be able to make calls anyway, he probably didn’t have to tell her that he was going to France, which would only make her worry.
“Have you decided on your major yet?” Kim Mi-Young asked.
Kang Chan looked up at Kim Mi-Young in confusion, wondering what she was talking about.
“For college. Are you going to choose international relations?” Kim Mi-Young asked.
Kang Chan doubted he would be able to follow the pace of the classes if he chose that major.
“I was thinking of majoring in physical education,” Kang Chan replied.
“I thought you said you wanted to be a diplomat.”
It sounded as if Kim Mi-Young’s goal was to major in international relations.
“What about you?” Kang Chan asked anyway.
“I’m going to take the same major you do,” Kim Mi-Young replied.
They would have to enroll in different years by one year at the most. He didn’t want to mention going to France because he really didn’t want to stir up any trouble.
“All right. Let’s do that,” Kang Chan agreed.
“Really?” Kim Mi-Young brightened up.
“Yes.”
They chatted about various topics as they ate but soon left the cafeteria and sat at the stands.
“Can we use your car for a day after my exams are over?” Kim Mi-Young asked.
Cha So-Yeon and Moon Ki-Jin were seated a reasonable distance apart from them, allowing Kim Mi-Young and Kang Chan to speak more comfortably.
“I imagine myself going for a drive every day after my exams are finished. Christmas is coming soon, too,” Kim Mi-Young said.
Should Kang Chan tell her about going to France? If he burst her bubble and brought her unnecessary worries, would he mess up her exams?
“We only have a bit of time left, huh.”
Kang Chan couldn’t bring himself to tell her. Kim Mi-Young could come and visit him in France once her exams were over anyway.
They grow up so fast.
When Kang Chan looked at her from the side, she looked as if school uniforms no longer suited her.
“Good luck on your exams,” Kang Chan encouraged her.
“Yeah!” Kim Mi-Young replied, turning to look at him. “You’ll come see me the day before the exam, won’t you?”
“Hm?” The question took him by surprise.
“As per tradition, you have to buy rice cakes and tissues for me,” Kim Mi-Young said.
“I will,” Kang Chan responded.
Could he buy rice cakes in France?
Their conversation hadn’t even lasted that long yet, but time passed by so quickly.
“I’ll go back in now,” Kim Mi-Young finally said.
The look she had in her eyes as she hesitated was the same as when she asked him to hold her that one time.
“Study hard,” Kang Chan encouraged her.
“I will.”
It was now time for her to go back and for Kang Chan to go to the French embassy to meet Lanok. Cha So-Yeon and Moon Ki-Jin left first, and Kim Mi-Young chased after them after turning back to look at Kang Chan a few times.
Why couldn’t I tell her that I was going to France and that I missed her?
That wasn’t like him at all.
***
Kang Chan arrived at the French embassy feeling as if he was going straight into a serious operation after finishing a pleasant meal. At least he was refreshed.
Following the agents, Kang Chan headed upstairs. Lanok welcomed him in.
“Why don’t we sit down first before we talk?” Lanok offered.
Once Kang Chan took the seat that Lanok offered him, Raphael prepared the same tea, cigars, and cigarettes that they always provided.
Glug.
Lanok had a heavy expression as he poured Kang Chan a cup.
“We just received a report that Ethan is likely telling the truth,” Lanok began.
To Kang Chan, that just sounded as if Lanok was telling him that the likelihood of him dying had just increased.
“The DGSE is currently investigating the potential consequences of destroying the subterranean shock device,” he continued.
“If Ethan really is telling the truth, then he probably wasn’t lying when he said it would be difficult to predict the outcome of this situation, was he?” Kang Chan grimly asked.
“That would be correct,” Lanok replied with a nod.
What in the world is Lanok thinking?
Kang Chan couldn’t help but be most curious about it.
“Mr. Ambassador. What are your thoughts on this?”
‘Hmm,” Lanok mused.
It wasn’t easy to give a straightforward answer. Kang Chan understood that. Nevertheless, he still had to give him one.
“For now, we will make a decision after inspecting the UK’s facilities,” Lanok said.
“Do you think that will change anything?”
Lanok lifted his cup of black tea and looked at Kang Chan. “The first case we have to consider is what happens if you die. In that situation, we won’t be able to determine where the energy inside you would go.”
How would they even prevent the earthquakes if I died in one of the previous operations?
“And what I’m about to say next is probably something only you and I will understand. If we were to extract the energy from your body while you are still alive, we have no idea what kind of phenomenon that could cause in you. Even so, this isn’t something we can tell the UK or the DGSE about.”
Lanok picked up a cigarette and offered it to Kang Chan.
Click.
It was common courtesy to wait for the other to light up their cigarette first.
“That’s why we should first conduct an inspection. We have to determine whether they are trying to kill you to acquire the energy or if they can extract the energy from you while you are still alive. Once we’ve answered that, we also have to find out how much energy they can get from you,” Lanok continued.
Would they have enough time to consider all of that?
Kang Chan extinguished his cigarette and then sipped some of his tea.
“Mr. Kang Chan, if it’s alright with you, what do you think about leaving the country tomorrow?” Lanok asked as if he was reading Kang Chan’s thoughts. “Our highest priority is preventing the earthquakes if we can. However, I don’t intend to force you into a one-sided sacrifice. Please trust me on this.”
Lanok looked Kang Chan directly in the eyes as he spoke. Kang Chan would rather fall for Lanok’s lie than suspect the sincerity in his gaze.
“If, as Ethan said, an earthquake occurs, it will claim the lives of at least a hundred million people. It’s impossible to determine the other casualties and economic losses that everyone will suffer as a result. Unfortunately, the majority of the people who will die are innocent civilians,” Lanok added.
Kang Chan let out a long sigh. Things never went as smoothly as he hoped. Why did life have to be so complicated and difficult? But there was one last question that Kang Chan wanted to hear the answer to.
“Mr. Ambassador,” Kang Chan began. He had one last question in mind that he needed an answer to. “If I have to die to save the lives of a hundred million people, what would you do?”
Asking the question made Kang Chan realize that it wouldn’t be farfetched for one to never have an answer to it. Surprisingly, however, Lanok spoke up without a moment’s hesitation.
“If you have to kill a hundred million people to save me, what would you do, Mr. Kang Chan?” Lanok asked, his eyes glinting sharply.
Although Kang Chan was the one to ask the question, Lanok put him in the position to answer it himself.
“That’s the kind of person you are to me,” Lanok said firmly.
Well, guess I’ll have to go. Looks like I’m gonna be leaving the country tomorrow after all!
Seeing Kang Chan smirk, Lanok smiled in a way that reminded Kang Chan of a court jester’s mask.
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