Souvenir - Chapter 7.4
Suu had likely told you everything—without hesitation, without filtering her emotions.
Tommy must have sensed that their dynamic was shifting.
But he never imagined it would unravel so suddenly.
Like a puzzle, forcibly broken apart before he had the chance to finish it.
He had hoped for more time.
But with You stepping in as a mentor, everything was coming to light far too quickly.
How much did You suspect?
He had a habit of touching his earlobe—a subconscious gesture.
And right now, his fingers brushed against it again.
“For instance, have you considered dissolving the parent-child relationship?”
You’s voice was calm, but those words hit Tommy like a punch to the gut.
“…You’re joking, right?”
“Does it sound like a joke?”
You met his gaze, fingers still grazing his earlobe.
Tommy recognized that look.
Whenever You was analyzing something, whenever he was subtly guiding someone toward a conclusion he had already foreseen—he made that same gesture.
“…That’s absurd.”
“Is it?”
You’s lips curled slightly, as if he already knew what answer Tommy would arrive at.
A smile not of amusement, but of certainty.
As if Tommy’s decision had already been made.
Just waiting for him to realize it.
Then, a vibration broke the tension.
You’s phone buzzed against the table.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
He picked it up, the conversation briefly paused—
But the thoughts lingering in Tommy’s mind refused to be silenced.
Yo stepped away from his seat and quietly spoke with someone for a few minutes before returning in a flustered state.
“I’m sorry, Reeves. Something urgent just came up. We’ll have to continue this conversation another time…”
“I see…”
Watching Yo leave, I absentmindedly stared at the coffee left in my cup.
The truth is, I have feelings for Sue as a woman. But at the same time, I also want to raise her into a respectable adult as a parent. Which one is the right choice? To me, both feel correct. Yet, with the way Sue has been acting recently, I’ve started losing confidence in my ability to fulfill my role as a parent. Where am I supposed to go from here? Is there happiness waiting for me at the end of this path?
And on top of everything, I have a mountain of work to deal with. For now, all I can do is focus on the tasks right in front of me. It looks like I’ll be working later than usual today.
Just as I was wrapping up my work and getting ready to leave, Alex came into the office.
“Tommy, you’re heading home again today, huh?”
“Yeah, that’s the plan. Why?”
“You’ve been turning me down a lot lately. Come on, let’s grab a drink for once—just the two of us.”
“Sorry, I’m exhausted today. I’ll have to pass.”
“Is everything okay with you? You don’t look too great today either.”
“Alex, there’s something I need to ask of you.”
“What’s this?”
Alex pulled out the documents from the envelope and stared at them for a while. Then, for a brief moment, his expression shifted to something close to fear—an emotion he rarely displayed. When I saw that look on his face, I knew for certain. He was still on the rational side of things. And more than that, I could trust him.
“Hey, what the hell is this? Explain it to me. Now.”
He grabbed my shoulders and shook me hard, making me feel a little dizzy.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t explain everything just yet.”
Alex remained silent for a moment, deep in thought, before nodding firmly.
“Alright. I’m sure you have your reasons. We’ve known each other a long time—I’ll trust you and wait.”
“Thank you.”
“By the way, your secretary passed by earlier and left a message. Maria wanted to thank you.”
“I see. Thanks for letting me know.”
On my way home, the monotonous voice of a news anchor drifted from the car radio.
“…Today, it has been confirmed that two missing teenagers from within the state remain unaccounted for. This marks the 14th case of youth disappearances in the past six months. Authorities are investigating possible connections, and there are suspicions that these cases may be linked to an organized human trafficking ring.”
As I waited at a red light, I gripped the steering wheel and listened quietly.
“Most of the missing individuals are between 16 and 18 years old, with a significant number being orphans or children from households with little parental involvement. According to some witness accounts, a gray van was seen in the vicinity before they disappeared…”
A gray van.
That phrase sounded familiar.
Now that I think about it, there were rumors more than six months ago about a similar vehicle frequently coming and going late at night in front of the TT Lotus Lab facility. Back then, a newspaper article had dismissed it as part of a “logistics expansion,” but there was never any mention of what exactly those trucks were transporting.
And there’s one more unsettling detail.
Many of the missing individuals had allegedly applied for job openings at TT Lotus Lab.
With the rising popularity of their organic products, Lotus Lab had recently been hiring temporary part-time workers.
“Research Assistant” — the job description appeared to be simple herb sorting and sample organizing, but the details provided were unusually vague.
However, during a legal consultation case, I had come across a copy of the employment contract by chance.
Applicants were required to stay overnight at the facility for the duration of their contract, and access to areas beyond designated zones was strictly prohibited.
Even more suspicious was the clause stating that, “For research purposes, the use of communication devices is strictly forbidden.”
Normally, such security measures wouldn’t be out of place in a corporate research facility.
But considering that some of the missing teenagers had applied for this job, the situation seemed far from ordinary.
Was it just a coincidence, or…?
The voice from the radio grew distant.
“Lotus Lab’s…”