It felt like a monstrous darkness rising from the depths, threatening to consume us all. 

“I’m not feeling well today, so I’ll head home early.”

I said, gathering my belongings. Pausing for a moment, I picked up my homeng-i (the sharp hand tool used by haenyeo) and tucked it into my bundle. 

No matter how kind or trustworthy someone might seem, it was foolish to trust a stranger blindly. 

And since I had to meet him secretly, away from everyone’s eyes, I had all the more reason to be cautious. 

Looking out the door, I noticed the man who had been eating abalone porridge was already gone. 

A sudden wave of anxiety washed over me, and I hurried out of the Haenyeo’s House, heading toward the central gate. 

The central gate was where boats docked to unload goods for the market. 

Walking through the gate, the market stretched out on either side, lined with vendors selling the day’s catch and fresh seafood. Stalls were packed with dried anchovies, monkfish jerky, seaweed and stone laver. 

From dawn to dusk, the market was always alive with activity. 

When I reached the central gate, there was no sign of the man. 

Had I been tricked by a ghost? 

Should I send a telegraph to Jae-yeol? 

Biting my lip, I scanned the crowd anxiously, my eyes darting around. 

Then I saw him—stepping out of a shop. 

“Ah…” 

I quickly moved toward him. 

But he ignored me, turning away and heading deeper into the market. 

I hesitated for barely a second, but I didn’t have much choice. I had to follow him. 

Sliding a hand into my bundle, I gripped the handle of the homeng-i tightly as I quickened my pace to keep up. 

The familiar sights and smells of the market enveloped me: the sharp splash of saltwater hitting the ground, freshly caught fish wriggling in basins, and the pungent aroma of dried fish piled high in baskets. 

Occasionally, someone who recognized me called out a greeting. I barely nodded in acknowledgment, muttering a quick “Yes, yes,” as I stayed focused on him. 

The man continued to ignore me, striding forward with his long legs, weaving deeper into the market. 

Where on earth was he going? 

Near the far edge of the market, where smaller fish were laid out on the ground for sale, he suddenly turned and slipped into a narrow alleyway between two shops. 

Biting my lip, I followed, squeezing through the tight gap. 

My heart pounded so hard beneath my ribs, it felt like it might explode. 

This better not be a lie. If it is, I’ll make him regret it. 

I tightened my grip on the homeng-i. 

But then, suddenly, the man disappeared. 

I glanced around in shock, my eyes darting through the crowd. All I could see were vendors selling sundae and jokbal, along with their busy customers. 

What happened? 

Confused and disoriented, I froze, unsure of what to do next. 

Then, out of nowhere, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me into a shop. 

“Gah!” 

I screamed in surprise, the sound echoing in the small space. 

Instinctively, I pulled my hand—with the homeng-i—out of my bundle. 

In the chaos, whether by reflex or intent, the sharp edge of the homeng-i nearly struck his neck. 

By mere inches, I stopped just before it could touch him. 

“Ugh!” 

The man gasped, his face pale with shock. 

If I had stretched my arm even slightly further, it would have been a disaster. 

Our eyes locked—his wide with alarm, mine frozen with fear. 

“What are you doing?” 

His voice was cold and steady, but I could feel the tension in his tone. 

I knew I should answer, but my mind was completely blank. 

My hands trembled as I gripped the homeng-i tightly, trying to calm myself enough to respond. 

“I… I thought I knew who you were… I… I…” 

“Soon-young.” 

The sound of my name made me turn in surprise. 

It was Jae-yeol. 

It was really him.

*** 

Jae-yeol was sitting in a corner of the market, leaning weakly against the wall of a small room. 

He looked emaciated, his skin pale and gaunt, and his face covered in bruises. It was clear that his injuries extended down to his neck. 

Seeing him like that… My heart sank.

All the strength drained from my body, and a wave of dizziness overwhelmed me. 

“Brother!” 

I pulled away from the man and rushed to Jae-yeol’s side. 

“Soon-young.” 

“Brother, what is this… what happened…?” 

I was trembling so badly I could barely get the words out. 

“Soon-young.”

He said again, trying to calm me. 

“What happened? Who did this to you? Huh?” 

His condition was heartbreaking—he had clearly been brutally beaten. The bruises on his face were severe, and his arm looked broken as well. 

He was someone who had never been hurt or mistreated, someone who had always been praised for his abilities and who was proud of himself. 

Seeing him in such a state left me completely shaken and disoriented. 

“Don’t worry too much. I’m fine.” 

“Is this what ‘fine’ looks like? What on earth happened?” 

I felt as if the world had crumbled beneath me. 

*** 

“De…mo?” 

What does “demo” mean? It was a word I had never heard before in my life. 

“Yes. Did you know that the government recently signed a treaty with Japan?”

I didn’t. For someone like me, a high school dropout, words like ‘government’ and ‘treaty’ were as unfamiliar as ‘demo’. 

Even the expression on my brother’s face as he said those words seemed strange and distant to me. 

“Our country has suffered so much at the hands of Japan, and we have yet to receive an apology or proper compensation. But now, our government has secretly signed a false treaty among themselves.”

My face grew more tense with every word. 

What does it matter what the government does? 

Whether they make secret deals with Japan or sign some treaty, what does that have to do with us? 

When have politicians ever cared about the struggles of ordinary people when making their decisions? 

No, why was my brother so upset about this? 

“Soon-young, calm down.”

Jae-yeol said, reaching out to steady me. But I forcefully pushed his hand away, my frustration boiling over. 

I was so dumbfounded, I wanted to scream. 

What on earth is happening right now?!