Chapter 9- The unknown

After studying the entire folder, Seon still couldn't make sense of a single thing. The maps, the strange language—none of it was familiar to him. Yet, he had an undeniable feeling that this was important, far more than he could understand in that moment. So, instead of giving up, he carefully memorized every detail he could—each map, every odd symbol, the shapes of the letters in the unknown language. It was strange, but Seon had always been able to remember things once he saw them. It was as if his mind locked onto the images, never allowing him to forget.

He hadn't taken much notice of the orphanage's strange habits, especially its lack of communication or awareness among the children. To him, it had always seemed normal, even though he now realized how isolated he truly was. He hadn't questioned the routines, the lack of information, the strange faces. After all, no one else seemed to care, and he wasn't one to make waves. But now, with the folder burned into his mind, he understood something had been terribly wrong all along.

Once he had everything committed to memory, Seon carefully closed the file and placed it back on the shelf. His heart raced as he glanced at the clock—it was 2:25 PM. There were only five minutes left before the Dean would return. Without wasting any more time, Seon scrambled up the old air conditioning duct, his movements quick and silent. He needed to get out before the Dean came back and everything fell apart.

It seemed almost impossible for anyone from the outside to enter the orphanage unnoticed, especially considering the tight security and the ever-watchful CCTV cameras. Yet, Seon had managed to do just that—sneak past the eyes of the guards and slip into the Dean's cabin undetected. How? It all started when Seon had discovered something peculiar one day while playing with the other kids. His curiosity led him to a ventilation duct outside the building, one small enough to accommodate a child of his size—about six or seven years old. Driven by a sense of adventure, he crawled into the duct, following a sliver of light that beckoned him forward. He never expected to find himself crawling right out of the orphanage, into the open air.

From that day on, Seon would sneak out through the duct whenever he had the chance, always following the light. But one day, he decided to go in the opposite direction, driven by an urge to explore the unknown. After crawling for some time, he came across a split in the path—two directions to choose from. He chose the left path, which led him to the common sleeping area of all the kids. Above them was a metal grill, the kind that looked like it could be moved with a little force. Seon shook it gently, and to his surprise, it came loose. With a quiet thud, he jumped down onto the beds, careful not to make any noise. Feeling a rush of excitement, he crawled back to the duct the next day, eager to explore the unexplored.

This time, when he crawled through the duct, he found himself in a completely different area. It was dark, and Seon couldn't see what lay ahead. But his hands brushed against something solid—a steel wall. He felt around, discovering screws along the edges. Frustrated, he tried to open it, but the screws wouldn't budge. Determined, Seon even tried to pry them loose with his teeth, and eventually, his persistence paid off. One screw came free. Then another. But just as he was about to unscrew the last one, he felt a sharp pain in his tooth. He stopped for a moment, disoriented, but when he heard a faint light from the other side, he couldn't resist.

He carefully twisted the last screw loose and peeled away the steel plank. Slowly, he crawled through the opening and peeked out. What he saw nearly stopped his heart—an empty, dimly lit bathroom. after slighly the door what caught his attention even more was the figure sitting in the middle of the room: the Dean. Seon froze, his pulse quickening. The Dean sat at a table, his back to the door, unaware of Seon's presence. Seon's heart dropped, and he quickly shut the door, crawling back the way he came.

After that day, Seon never ventured into the duct with the same sense of innocence. He knew too much now. The secrets of the place were no longer a mystery to him. He continued sneaking into the Dean's office, but now with a new purpose. Armed with the knowledge of the duct's layout, Seon used it to sneak in and drug the Dean, his plan slowly taking shape with each passing day.

After crawling back to his room, Seon quietly watched as the other kids filed into the sleeping quarters for their nap. He joined them, slipping into his bed, but his mind was restless. As the room filled with the soft sound of breathing, signaling that the children had fallen into a deep sleep, Seon lay there, wide awake, his thoughts racing.

Then, the faint sound of the Dean's voice and the nanny's footsteps broke the silence. The door to the sleeping quarters creaked open, but oddly, none of the children stirred. They remained deep in their slumber, just as they always did. Seon's eyes narrowed as he watched the Dean approach the bed of the chubby girl, the oldest among them. The Dean spoke softly, his tone gentle, coaxing her awake.

Seon's heart skipped a beat. This was unlike anything he had ever seen. They never took the kids when they were awake, not in the middle of the day. It was always done in the dead of night when everyone was asleep. But now, in broad daylight, this girl—innocently coaxed—seemed to be happy. She smiled, her confusion replaced by a sense of joy, and stood up, ready to follow them.

Seon's pulse quickened. He had to know what was happening. He slipped out of bed as quietly as possible, careful not to make a sound. Moving stealthily, he crept towards the window, watching as the girl walked, unresisting, toward the Dean's office. Without wasting a moment, Seon scrambled out of the window, using the old pipes outside to climb down. He quickly made his way to the air conditioning ducts and crawled inside, heading straight for the Dean's cabin.

Once there, he moved carefully, staying hidden, until he reached the bathroom. He cracked the door open just a sliver, peeking inside. The scene before him sent a chill down his spine. The Dean, the nanny, and the chubby girl had entered the room. The girl looked dazed, just like the others had when they listened to the classes. Seon's stomach twisted in unease. Something wasn't right. He had never seen the Dean act this way, taking a child during the day and with such a strange, almost hypnotic calm.

The Dean spoke then, his voice low but commanding. "Keep an eye on the door," he ordered, signaling the security to stand watch and not allow anyone inside. The nanny nodded and moved toward the desk. Seon's eyes widened as he watched her reach for a locket around her neck. She removed the pendant and pressed it to the edge of the table, causing the furniture to shift. The curtains in the room closed, dimming the lights, and slowly, a staircase appeared beneath the table.

Seon's breath caught in his throat. The Dean nodded toward the stairs, and the nanny followed his lead, guiding the girl down the steps, still dazed. "Only walk on the illuminated steps," Seon heard the Dean instruct, his voice firm and cold. They descended into the darkness, leaving Seon alone in the dimly lit room.

Seon's curiosity burned. As soon as they were out of sight, he tiptoed toward the staircase and carefully descended, following the path they had taken. He moved cautiously, keeping to the shadows, until he came upon a room filled with bright, sterile lights. The walls were lined with files and books, and a whiteboard stood against one wall, covered in scribbled notes.

Seon's heart raced. What was this place? And why had the Dean brought the girl here? He couldn't afford to make a sound as he stood there, watching and listening. The secrets of the orphanage were finally beginning to unfold before him, but now, Seon knew he was deeper in than ever before.