Introduction

In a dark cold room with one bed and minimalist shelf could be spotted a little boy who was weeping on the corner of the bed.

[NOISE]

His hands were covering his ears. The boy wanted to cry loudly but he couldn't. Because, whenever he let out a sound

[Whack]

[Thud]

"Shut the fuck up, bitch! Just do as I say!"

—he would be ended up like the person behind the door.

He knew what happened behind the door, but he couldn't do anything. He ever tried to resist, but he was met with a miserable end.

He is stubborn. But when he knew that everything he had done was futile, he stopped resisting and accepted all the things happened.

No one blamed him. After all, it is logical to think that a little boy won't do much against adults. But, he doesn't think so. He keeps blaming himself, telling that it was his mistake.

[Bam]

Knock before you enter someone's room!

It is a rule that everyone knows. It is to let people know that someone from behind the door wants to meet them. But depends on the occasion, a simple knock can be so terrifying. Not to mention that you got a bang instead of a knock.

"Open up, Kid! I know you're awake. Get out!"

The boy who had been weeping since before started to tremble. His body was shaking and his eyes were full of tears. He didn't want to obey the violent man's word. But if he do so

"Don't make me barge into your room! You won't be able to sleep peacefully for the rest of your life if I do."

—he wouldn't be able to survive.

***

[Beep]

[Tap]

"Another dream, huh. I thought I was able to get rid of it."

I was mumbling while my hand was still positioned on top of the alarm. The sound it produces isn't very loud, but thanks to what I had been through, I am still aware of my surroundings even when I sleep.

But that's the kindest way to speak about my condition. The truth is, I have never slept peacefully. Luckily I don't need to concern about it too much as I am already accustomed to it.

I uncovered myself from the bedcover and stepped down from the bed. I stretched out my hands and did some simple stretching to ease my tense muscles.

After I finished the stretching, I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. I looked at the mirror in front of me and couldn't help but feel strange.

Who is this guy?

Why does he look so empty?

But

"No wonder this guy has so many girls chasing him."

—he resembles me.

It's just kind of a habit to me. I don't know why did I turn this way. But I know when I developed this habit. It was when I use mirror for the first time. I had seen people using mirror before, but I haven't used it.

No. I avoided it. Whenever there was a mirror I always did my best to avoid it. I was afraid of it. I was afraid to accept my self. I was afraid to see my self. I was afraid to bet met with someone that I had never seen before, mimicking my every move.

Some time passes and I finally able to overcome my fear. I finally able to see my self. But still, I was pretty shocked back then. Even up till now.

"Sexy!"

I slicked back my hair and posed. When I compared myself to those models, I think that I could match them easily.

Oh crap! I need to stop. I can't afford to be labeled as a narcissistic guy, can I? I wiped my wet face and put on my training suit. It was consisted of black jacket, and black short training pants.

I zipped the jacket and put the hoodie on. I took my iPod and got out of the apartment. It was only 5 a.m. but there was already some amount of people rushing here and there in the lobby.

Some of them were from real estate agencies and some were the residents. I passed by without caring much about them, but regardless there was still someone called out to me.

"Good morning, Mr. Seo. Morning run?"

The receptionist is in her mid-twenties and she often greets me whenever she sees me. Not just me, though. She does the same thing to the others.

"Yeah, as usual."

"Then, have a good time, sir!"

"You too."

I merely nodded at her and turned my back. I wasn't good at communicating with people, even up till now. People might see me treating them coldly, but that's not the case. I am just simply don't know how to react.

When I got outside, I sucked in a deep breath. The air filled my lungs and blood slowly binding the oxygen as it released carbon dioxide in the process.

"It's refreshing."

I like morning run the most. In the morning, oxygen level is still high and pollutants are still not much. Whenever the fresh air coursed through my body, I feel my soul is shaken of its shackles.

It is a good feeling.

Because,

I can feel that I am FREE.

***

"Our department works in secrecy. Not everyone knows of it. It has been four years since it is first established. We have done many jobs and solved many problems. But this proposal will be the first time for us."

"It seems that you are overthinking it too much. Don't worry about it. I can guarantee you the quality of my agent."

A middle aged woman and man were talking to each other in a spacious room with an elegant setup. They were talking casually, but what they were talking about was something that not everyone even in their peers know.

These two are undoubtedly big shots. One of them is a Minister of Justice, while the other one is a Commander of Japan Special Forces Group.

They knew each other since young, therefore the way they talk is different from the other big shots when they are talking to each other.

"That's what I am worrying about! It's you who we are talking about. I can't believe that normal people would be working under you."

"Hahaha. You're funny Miko. Being a Minister of Justice seems pretty hard for you. Don't worry! He is a collected person. He wouldn't move unless he deems it as necessary."

"That's not my point, Hiroda. He's just a teenager! How can we leave it to a mere boy? It's not an easy job you know."

"Ha-ha. That's why I told you don't underestimate my subordinates. He went to Iraq two years ago and he managed to come back in one piece. Not only that, he got the most 'trophies' there. So, please reconsider your words!"

".... The way you say it, 'trophies' it's like you treat it as something worth to be proud of."

Miko went silent as she observed Hiroda's facial expression. Much to her expectation, he kept the same triumphant smile on his face. This is what makes her feel insecure. To regard someone's life as 'trophy' is not something anyone can do.

She knew that it was futile to talk about it with him. But still she tried. And much to her expectation, in the end she had to give up.

*Sigh*

"Four years ago we made a history by making a cooperation relationship between Minster of Justice and Japan Military Force, furthermore it's the special one. The idea is good and it goes well up till now. But, this is no easy matter.

"Your proposal is interesting, but it's easier said than done. You may have a good soldier, but there's a reason why I am called the Minister of Justice. It's to ensure the Justice that all Japanese get. And... The way we achieve our Justice is different. Peaceful way is preferable in my case. But you—"

"Do you think we achieve our Justice by violence?"

Hiroda looked at Miko strangely before letting out a scoff.

"Hah. Laughable. There's no standard in the so called Justice. The one with more power can easily achieve Justice. When someone robbed a bank, people easily called him a criminal. They didn't care about his reason doing it."

"That's indeed a crime. He took something that shouldn't belong to him. It's no Justice if you violated the law, regardless of your circumstances."

"Crime is akin to law. The only difference is the label. The latter is labeled as a good thing, and the former is a bad thing. The one who put the label is people. We agreed to put bank robbery as a crime, and make a law to punish the robber. But in the end, it's just a mere agreement.

"People —majority have the most power. They can decide anything. As long as they unite, no one could beat them. It's a good thing. But on the other side, it can also be a bad thing. What if every criminals in Japan unite themselves?"

"What do you want to say? Crime is a crime. It has nothing to do with the amount. Wherever you are, whenever it is Justice will be given to those who commit crime."

Miko couldn't help herself to hear Hiroda anymore. They live in a different way and environment as well. Of course, the way they think is also different. Miko waved her hand as if to say that she was tired of it. But in actuality, she thought that the talk was pointless.

"At least hear me out first. I know how bored you are, but I believe you will change your mind after you hear what I am about to say."

"..."

She looked at him blankly and nodded faintly.

Given the signal, Hiroda started to talk again.

"What you say about crime is true. Regardless the amount, crime is crime. But, the label we put to crime might change if the amount of the people commiting it surpassed those who didn't. At first, crime is deemed as an atrocity.

"But at the increase of the occurrences and criminals, it might be labeled as something normal. Gradually, it would be treated as a moral. And soon, it would turn into rule. The only reason why we can overcome crime is because we still have the power to reign.

"It won't be the case if they started to stand on an equal ground to us. What I wanted to say is, our belief of the so called Justice is a mere bias. We believed that what we do is Justice, but in truth we only make people think that it is just. There's no standard in the so called Justice.

"But still, I don't like criminals. Therefore, I made my own Justice. You might think that my way to achieve Justice is wrong. But the law that you believe so much often does Injustice to many people."

[Sip]

There was a cup of tea on the table. He had never been once sipped the tea since the first time he came here to talk with her. But after the unusual long talk, strangely his throat felt dry.

The room fell silent as none of them spoke. Miko was deep in thought, while Hiroda enjoying his tea peacefully.

"Fine. I'll let the Minister of Education see your proposal. But, don't expect much. I'm not sure whether he would accept it or not."

Only after some time past did she speak again.

"Hah. It's fine. I'm just delivering my subordinate's aspiration. Nothing much."

Hiroda waved his hand and smiled nonchalantly as if what he had said was just a mere chitchat.

"Wait. Your subordinate's? This proposal... isn't from you?"

"Yeah."

"Who is it from?"

"It's him."

"Him? Is he the same person as the one from four years ago?"

"Yeah, and it's him."

Hiroda pointed his finger on the document that was put on the table. In the document could be seen a photo of a young man with furrowed eyebrows and menacing glare.

"What? It's him? He's also the same person from four years ago?"

How?

She couldn't believe it. She thought that everyone under Hiroda have a twisted mind and violent. But, shockingly this young man has an amazing thinking ability.

He's different!

But something was off. She couldn't pinpoint it, but she knew that something was definitely off.

Regardless, it is worth to give it a shot.

Hiroda stood from his seat after he finished his tea. He bade his farewell and exited her office. The room fell silent once again.

"Seo Jun-seo. What is your purpose of doing this?"

Ever since she heard Hiroda's word, she was stucked in a deep thought. The boy whose identity had been covered for years finally decided to expose his self to society once again. But not only that, he also decided to move by himself now.