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Chapter 29
“Are you okay?”
In-hye’s worried gaze fell on Seong-jin as he scrambled to his feet, breathing heavily.
“H-H-H-Where… where is this? What just happened?”
His shock hadn’t settled yet; his eyes were wide as he frantically scanned the room.
“We’re at the hospital. And you’ve just been ejected from the memory.”
In-hye guided Seong-jin back into the chair, handing him a glass of water.
“…Ejected?”
After downing the entire glass in one gulp, Seong-jin leaned back and exhaled deeply, finally calming a little.
“Did you… come into contact with Chief Choi?”
“Ah—that… I didn’t mean to. Sorry.”
Seong-jin looked embarrassed as he met In-hye’s gaze.
“It’s normal for your first time. Are you feeling okay otherwise? No dizziness, nausea, or anything?”
In-hye checked him carefully, trying to reassure him.
“I’m fine. But what about Chaerin? Is she okay?”
Seong-jin’s gaze darted around, searching for Chaerin. His lips were dry with worry, wondering if anything had happened because of him.
“I’m fine. Are you okay?”
Chaerin, sitting nearby, approached Seong-jin and asked gently.
“Yeah, I’m fine. You’re alright?”
“I’m fine too.”
Seeing Seong-jin unharmed, Chaerin sat back down, sipping the tea in front of her, as if nothing had happened.
“You didn’t know you fainted, right? Open your eyes wide.”
In-hye examined Seong-jin’s eyes with a medical penlight.
“Fainted?”
Seong-jin squinted at the sudden bright light.
“Entering a memory for the first time must’ve been stressful enough. And on top of that, being ejected… fainting makes sense.”
In-hye stowed the penlight in her gown pocket, retrieved her pen again, and began noting observations on the chart.
“And what about the Chief? Is he okay?”
In-hye gestured silently toward Choi, her expression heavy.
There he was, slumped in the hypnosis chair, almost like a hollow shell, head bowed, unmoving—his body weighed down by sadness and anguish.
Seong-jin, seeing Choi’s distress in the memory, wanted to offer some comfort. He opened his mouth carefully.
“Chief… are you—”
In-hye shook her head, stopping him, as if to say, Don’t.
“Chaerin, how was it going in together? Was it too hard?”
She shifted the conversation naturally, in a bright tone, to give Choi time to regain composure.
“No, it was just like usual. Nothing really different.”
But just like Seong-jin, Chaerin’s gaze kept drifting to the Chief, clearly concerned.
“Was it more tiring? Did the memory world distort in any way?”
“No. It was the same.”
“And you, Detective Kim? How did it feel to enter a memory for the first time? You might not have noticed much since you fainted, but did anything stand out?”
Expecting something extraordinary, In-hye looked slightly disappointed at Chaerin’s mundane reply. She shifted her attention toward Seong-jin.
“……Detective Kim?”
“Yes?”
But Seong-jin’s attention was still on Choi; In-hye’s question barely registered.
Even though he thought he knew Choi well, this was a first: a look of despair, almost as if he had given up on life.
“How was it, going into the memory with Chaerin?”
“Ah, that? Incredible. I never even dreamed something like that could be possible.”
Recalling the memory, the serious expression Seong-jin had worn moments earlier melted into that of a child filled with wonder.
“Right? It’s usually unimaginable. Any unusual differences from reality?”
“No, it felt exactly like reality. Touch, smell—everything. Totally amazing.”
Repeating it a few times still wouldn’t capture how unbelievable it felt.
“And communication with Chaerin? Could you recognize that it was a memory?”
In-hye had opened her laptop and typed, her expression serious.
“It felt exactly like reality. Really amazing.”
Seong-jin now gave a thumbs-up, voice brimming with excitement.
“Can you explain in more detail?”
“Detail? There’s nothing to say except that it was so real, so amazing, I can’t put it into words.”
“Ah… I see.”
In-hye’s smile faded slightly.
“Sorry, I want to explain more, but it’s my first time going in.”
Seong-jin scratched his head and smiled awkwardly.
“Don’t worry. You’re not dizzy or seeing things, right?”
Perhaps they had expected too much from someone entering a memory for the first time. With a sigh, In-hye closed the laptop and stood.
“No, I’m perfectly fine.”
“Good. First time, well done.”
Seong-jin’s words finished, In-hye moved back to the desk and opened the laptop. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, reflecting her mixed feelings—disappointment at less than expected results, yet relief at discovering something new.
Then.
“Chief, are you okay? Any pain?”
Seeing Choi struggle to rise from the hypnosis chair, Seong-jin rushed forward, voice full of concern.
“You’re overreacting. Of course, I’m fine. I just closed my eyes for a moment.”
Choi smiled as if nothing had happened, looking at Seong-jin and Chaerin. Yet his eyes still carried lingering sadness.
“You’re always dramatic. I almost thought something was wrong with you.”
Seong-jin joked lightly, though he had many questions he didn’t ask—now wasn’t the time.
“Enough drama. Chaerin, you okay? No pain?”
“Yes.”
“Good job.”
Choi smiled faintly, revealing nothing about the memory they had entered—an unspoken request for silence.
“Still, it proves that one can enter a memory with someone else. Chaerin won’t have to struggle alone as much now. Though I imagine she’ll be disappointed that the person going with her is this guy. Hahaha.”
Trying to lighten the mood, Choi gave Seong-jin a hearty pat on the back.
“Why me? And why assume I have to be the one? You could go with the Chief. I haven’t even officially joined this team yet.”
“Even a year younger, you’re better than me. And once you step in here, you can’t leave until death.”
“Wow, Chief… that’s a bit of a scary joke.”
Seong-jin chuckled.
“Anyway, everyone’s probably tired. Let’s wrap up. Dr. Jeong, okay?”
“Yes. Everyone did well today.”
Choi’s remark prompted In-hye to finally lower her hands from the laptop and rise.
“Alright, let’s rest for today. Dr. Jeong, see you next appointment for Kim Seung-beom.”
“Yes. Take care, Chief. Wait a moment.”
As Choi opened the door, In-hye called him back.
“Go wait in the parking lot. I’ll follow shortly.”
“Okay. Take your time.”
Chaerin and Seong-jin left the office. In-hye approached Choi, her face apologetic.
“Anything you want to say?”
“I didn’t do it intentionally… it’s just that the incident in your memory was so prominent. Sorry.”
In-hye bowed slightly, apologetic.
“Don’t worry. It’s your memory, after all. Nothing you can do about it. Let’s see you next time.”
Choi gave a bittersweet smile and left the office.
A few days later, on Wednesday, the three were back in In-hye’s office.
“You said you’d come today, right? What time?”
Choi nervously glanced at the clock.
“Five o’clock.”
In-hye’s pen traced anxious circles, reflecting her nervous anticipation.
“They’ll be here in about 30 minutes. Shall we get ready?”
Seong-jin, confident as ever, looked full of energy.
“Remember the precautions. Just observe. Don’t rush like last time and touch anything, understand?”
“Don’t worry. That won’t happen today.”
Entering the memory as a team for the first time, In-hye reminded Seong-jin repeatedly, just like a recording device.
“Chaerin, how’s your condition?”
“Fine.”
Chaerin fidgeted with her phone, pretending calm.
“Alright. Let’s go to the next room and prepare. Dr. Jeong, please take care of things.”
Choi led the two to the adjacent room, waiting for Seung-beom.
At exactly five, the office door opened, and Seung-beom entered with a bright smile. He shook hands with In-hye and settled comfortably on the sofa.
“How have you been? I was going to come a bit early, but the performance ran late.”
“You were scheduled for five. A performance?”
In-hye placed a cup of coffee before him, curious.
“Yes. I was coming from watching a musical.”
“A musical? I love musicals! Which one?”
“Jekyll & Hyde.”
“Really? The original cast touring? I wanted to see it but it was sold out! How was it?”
“You should have said earlier. I’d have gotten you a ticket. Want me to try now?”
Seung-beom, as if having studied In-hye’s tastes in advance, smoothly led the conversation, subtly revealing his intention to meet her.
Meanwhile, In-hye welcomed his words with her characteristic smile, creating a relaxed atmosphere suitable for hypnosis.
In the adjacent room, Seong-jin watched via CCTV, shaking his head.
“Unbelievable. They could be actors. How can they hide their true feelings so naturally?”
“And it’s taking forever.”
Choi, observing, nervously wiped sweat from his hands, worried that the prolonged conversation might jeopardize today’s opportunity.
“Talking with Seung-beom, time flies. Shall we start?”
In-hye, anxious like Choi, glanced at the CCTV, then quickly diverted Seung-beom’s gaze as she moved toward the desk.
“It’s been a pleasure meeting someone I can talk to so well. Are we doing hypnosis today?”
“Yes. Lie down on that chair.”
In-hye guided Seung-beom to the hypnosis chair.
“There’s a CCTV here?”
Seung-beom’s sharp gaze flicked toward the camera, then he smiled.
“Oh, it’s just a dummy. Better than nothing. You were fooled, weren’t you?”
“Okay… just lie here comfortably?”
“Yes.”
‘Hope he didn’t notice…’
In-hye calmed herself, maintaining a smile.
“Then today, we trust the doctor.”
Seung-beom clasped his hands on the hypnosis chair, eyes closed in comfort. In-hye’s soft voice guided him into hypnosis.
A few minutes later, as his hands relaxed, In-hye nodded lightly toward the CCTV.
