when the phone rings novel

On his way to work, at the red light, Baek Sa-eon rested his forehead on the steering wheel. Listening to the morning news broadcast was a fixed habit for him, but today, he couldn't concentrate at all. His patience was slowly wearing thin. While receiving a threatening call like this had taken him by surprise, seeing her doing her best to respond had made him laugh at times, and at other times, it ignited something within him.

Even though he was the one who initiated it, gradually, he began to feel dissatisfied. Every time he saw her tightly sealed lips — did she truly want to end this marriage that badly? The veins stood out on his hand gripping the steering wheel.

While Hee-joo was asleep, he rummaged through her bookshelf, wardrobe, dressing table, and bag, trying to find that second phone, but found nothing. Finally, his eyes landed on the blanket. Without hesitation, he lifted the blanket.

Pale ankles, calves, and smooth thighs were exposed in front of him...

'......!'

The thought of the phone was instantly thrown out of his mind. He had an overwhelming urge to bite into that skin.

Beep, beep —! Beep, beep —!

The sharp sound of a horn snapped Baek Sa-eon out of his daze, and he slammed his foot on the gas pedal. The morning irritation surged through him like a low-grade fever. Suddenly, cultural news came on the radio.

"To improve accessibility for disabled audiences, barrier-free initiatives are underway. The play 'The Prince and the Pauper' provided Korean subtitles for the first time in the country for two weeks and completed all performances. The National Theater plans to actively produce sign language translations, audio descriptions, and Korean subtitles in future performances. They will also be invited to attend next week's special screening of the late Baek Jang-ho's documentary..."

Hearing his grandfather's name unexpectedly mentioned, his expression instantly turned cold. He erased the fleeting smile that had appeared when he thought of Hee-joo, and he immediately turned off the radio. The way he turned the steering wheel seemed somewhat forceful.

"Ah—!"

Upon entering the PR office, a sharp scream echoed in the room. He frowned and quickened his steps.

"What happened?"

"Ah, spokesperson, it's... it's..."

Someone sobbed, struggling to speak coherently. He scanned the panicked faces, pushing his way through the crowd. In the spot surrounded by staff members was a sturdy transparent plastic bag, the kind used to carry tropical fish.

"This... we found this when we arrived..."

One of the staff members had their hand over their mouth, looking as if they were about to vomit. Inside the plastic bag filled with water floated dozens of severed goldfish heads. Their white eyes were stiff like plaster, and the jagged cut surfaces looked eerie and terrifying.

"And, on the spokesperson's desk as well..."

An employee, unable to keep their eyes open, continued speaking. Baek Sa-eon's expression remained stern as he walked straight to his desk. This time, the plastic bag contained only the bodies of the goldfish.

"Ugh...!"

The person who followed behind covered their mouth. The goldfish bellies had been sewn together with fishing hooks, but the stitches were so poorly done that it was difficult to look at them. Blood had seeped out, making the water murky and reddish. While everyone else turned their faces away, frowning at the gruesome sight, Baek Sa-eon alone had a long, faint smile on his lips.

Finally, you've come out.

This was the message from the true threat he'd long awaited. The man regained his composure, reassuring the employees.

"I'll take care of it. You can all go back to work."

Baek Sa-eon immediately grabbed the two plastic bags and headed to the restroom. He locked the door first, then opened the bags and took out the dead goldfish bodies. His face showed no emotion as he touched their mangled remains.

"Fishing hooks, huh..."

He stared at the hooks, his gaze colder than ever. He expertly pulled out the hooks and opened the goldfish bellies again. His hands were slippery, covered in blood, but he dug out the organs without hesitation. He was all too familiar with the stench of fish. Baek Sa-eon repeated this until all the goldfish were inspected. Finally, his hand paused. In the organs, he found something.

He pulled out a small USB.

After returning to the office, he inserted the USB into his computer. There was only one video file in the folder. He put on his headphones and played the video.

"Hey there, it's been a while, sis."

"...!"

A lively, innocent male voice came through. A stranger's face came close to the camera.

"It's been a while, Call Boy, a long time no see."

"......"

"By the way, are you enjoying using my phone?"

The sky was blindingly blue, bright like summer. The man smiled brightly. His curly hair slightly covered his eyes, but his features were easy to recognize—his playful smile, his tone, his sparkling eyes.

"Keep calling, sis. Always."

"From now on, you will always be my voice."

"You will become my messenger."

"Just like you wanted to hear about the divorce, there are also things I want to hear."

The man in the video seemed to be on a swing, his face coming in and out of focus. When his eyes met Baek Sa-eon's through the screen, Baek Sa-eon's face turned pale. If that person were still alive, he would probably look like this.

"There are also things I want to hear."

The sounds of summer nights—chirping insects, buzzing mosquitoes, the damp riverside, the fishing hut... Old memories rushed back like a torrent. The splashing of water, the desperate struggles... and that terrible silence when someone finally stopped struggling. All the sensations crashed down like a heavy storm. It was the end and beginning of everything. His breath felt as though it was blocked.

At that moment, it all seemed to come together.

"You... are still alive."

The truth about Hee-joo and "that person" tangled together.

"Translator, this way!"

An employee from the seminar waved their arm high. Hee-joo approached, and the employee added apologetically.

"I'm sorry I'm a bit late. My head's a bit scattered right now, whew..."

The employee rubbed their chest over their sweater.

"Something really unpleasant happened today."

"...?"

Hee-joo's eyes widened, and her deep gaze made the employee instinctively let their guard down.

"It's like this..." she lowered her voice.

"This morning, our office received something very disturbing."

Recalling it, the employee shivered.

"It was a fish head, a severed goldfish head."

"...!"

Gold... fish?

Hee-joo paused, but the employee switched the topic.

"We'll wait here; the president's speech just ended, and the spokesperson will be down shortly."

The briefing room was packed with reporters from the Blue House. Some were glued to their laptops, some were making phone calls, others fixing their hair—sharp eyes focused intently on their tasks.

Then suddenly, the reporters in hushed conversation all turned their heads in unison.

"...!"

What's going on?

The red lights of a row of cameras turned on instantly, their sharp gazes now directed over here. Hee-joo and the assistants leaned against the outer wall, beads of nervous sweat forming. She glanced back to see Baek Sa-eon, tall and imposing, standing right behind her.

"Ah..." she let out a soft exclamation without meaning to. He did not lower his haughty gaze, adjusting his tie.

"Didn't I tell you not to call me?"

"...!"

The sound of him clicking his tongue was something only Hee-joo could hear. She shivered involuntarily as a cold remark landed on her shoulder.

"Don't just stand there. Find a chair and sit down."

He walked towards the podium alone. The camera flashes sparked, and the atmosphere instantly tensed. Standing at the blue podium, he spoke in a sharp tone.

"During the president's special address, he candidly shared his views on governance and major issues from his past term. Please raise your hands for questions."

His voice was stern and commanding. In the tense atmosphere, Hee-joo swallowed hard. As expected, many hands were raised. Questions and answers began to bounce back and forth like a game of ping-pong. Baek Sa-eon's smooth responses made people unconsciously start nodding along.

'If only I could stand beside him—' she thought, reminding herself to practice more on matching his rhythm.

Just as she was fully focused, a female reporter stood up. It was the reporter who had kept her head down. Hee-joo's eyes naturally shifted towards her.

"Hello, I am reporter Hong In A from Myeongji Daily."

"...!"

...What?

"The government's joint investigation into real estate speculation has been ongoing for over two months now."

Hee-joo felt her breath catch. Sister...?

It was the first time in three years that she had seen that face since her silent disappearance the day before the wedding. The slightly upturned eyes, the long hair casually tied up—the beautiful features of the past remained unchanged. Hee-joo stared at her in a daze. What felt even more unfamiliar was that her sister had joined a rival newspaper instead of Sankyung Daily.

Unnie...?

"Despite the widespread presence of illegal speculation, the investigation appears inadequate. There are concerns that it may not yield significant results."

After her ear injury, her sister had almost stopped speaking entirely. She used to communicate so fiercely with sign language that her hands would be bruised from hitting each other—disliking her own clumsy speech so much.

She, who once struggled, now spoke more fluently and clearly than anyone else. Her sister's transformation made my heart skip a beat. It was both surprising and moving. And also... a sense of loneliness. A sister who no longer needed Hee-joo's help—a perfect sister. Now, it seemed like Hee-joo was the only one still incomplete.

"What is the government's stance on this matter?"

"..."

Baek Sa-eon's gaze met Hong In A's in midair. Even that brief moment of silence was significant.

"Spokesperson Baek Sa-eon, please respond."

The man's brow twitched unconsciously.

"Hong In A, reporter from Myeongji Daily."

His fingers tapped rhythmically against the wooden podium, and the tips of his nails were an unnatural shade of blue. It seemed like Hee-joo made eye contact with him for a split second, but she was too tense to notice. Once again, she felt—

The feeling of being pushed aside.

"The Special Investigation Headquarters has currently questioned over a thousand individuals. Of those, 113 have been referred to the prosecution, and 27 have been arrested."

"How many of those thousand are high-ranking public officials?"

"Twenty are high-ranking officials."

"Only twenty?"

"There has been no undue delay in investigating high-ranking officials. The process has been more strictly compliant with legal procedures than before, which has led to some delays."

He answered without a hint of change in his expression.

"The investigation is still ongoing. Please be patient. The government aims to establish proof through extensive investigations before the end of the term."

"Yes, you should do just that."

Hong In A put down her microphone with a rough gesture. As soon as she sat down, the person next to her mouthed, "Are you crazy?!" and gave her a hard smack on the arm. Her sister looked thoroughly exasperated.

"Hoo..."

Hee-joo's palms were so pale from tension that there was no color left in them. She rubbed her hands, then looked up again—

"...!"

She met Hong In A's eyes, which had been watching her the entire time. She didn't know when her sister had started staring at her. Her gaze was calm, as if she had known Hee-joo's exact location from the beginning. The sudden eye contact left Hee-joo frozen. She didn't know what expression to make, nor what kind of greeting would be appropriate.

At that moment, her sister began speaking in sign language first.

"...!"

Just as the microphone was turned to another reporter for a question. Only those who understood this language could follow along.

"Sorry, I'm late."

Hee-joo had no idea what that meant.

Before the briefing ended, Hee-joo hurriedly left. Unlike when she had arrived, it was now raining lightly outside. Without worrying about getting her clothes wet, Hee-joo ran straight to the parking lot. She didn't know what she was afraid of, or why her emotions were so tangled, but she ran until she was out of breath.

"Hey, didn't you check the weather today?"

"...!"

Someone suddenly grabbed her arm, and an umbrella tilted over her head.

"Why are you being so foolish, what are you doing?"

That voice—so natural it seemed as if it had never vanished from her memory. Hearing it again, it still felt unfamiliar. It was her sister's long-forgotten voice.

"Sister..."

Now was the time to stop running away and ask for answers. Finally, Hee-joo, still hesitant, used sign language first.

"Where have you been all this time...?"

Hee-joo continued using sign language, while In A spoke directly.

"I went to Germany. As you can see—my ear." She lightly patted her ear, shrugging.

"I had surgery. Fought with everything I had."

"......"

"It was a clinical trial, illegal."

"Are you alright now?"

The word "illegal" made Hee-joo's hands move quickly, and she looked anxiously at her sister's face. Seeing her up close, it was clear—her dark circles were even deeper than three years ago, and her face had thinned considerably...

"I'm alright now. But you..."

Hong In A frowned slightly.

"Why can't you still speak?"

"...!"

"I thought you would start speaking again after I disappeared."

Hee-joo's face turned pale.

"Did you think I didn't know? You pretended to be mute because of me?"

Her fingers trembled. This was the second time her secret had been exposed, following Baek Sa-eon. She felt like she had been stripped bare, a cold shiver running through her.

"I've known for a long time, just pretended not to."

She turned her face away, beyond the umbrella, looking as though she might disappear at any moment.

"I just... didn't want to be the only one who was the patient."

"...!"

"Afraid."

"......"

"Because I needed you. Desperately needed you."

She met her sister's gaze again, a self-mocking smile appearing on her face.

On his way to work, at the red light, Baek Sa-eon rested his forehead on the steering wheel. Listening to the morning news broadcast was a fixed habit for him, but today, he couldn't concentrate at all. His patience was slowly wearing thin. While receiving a threatening call like this had taken him by surprise, seeing her doing her best to respond had made him laugh at times, and at other times, it ignited something within him.

Even though he was the one who initiated it, gradually, he began to feel dissatisfied. Every time he saw her tightly sealed lips — did she truly want to end this marriage that badly? The veins stood out on his hand gripping the steering wheel.

While Hee-joo was asleep, he rummaged through her bookshelf, wardrobe, dressing table, and bag, trying to find that second phone, but found nothing. Finally, his eyes landed on the blanket. Without hesitation, he lifted the blanket.

Pale ankles, calves, and smooth thighs were exposed in front of him...

'......!'

The thought of the phone was instantly thrown out of his mind. He had an overwhelming urge to bite into that skin.

Beep, beep —! Beep, beep —!

The sharp sound of a horn snapped Baek Sa-eon out of his daze, and he slammed his foot on the gas pedal. The morning irritation surged through him like a low-grade fever. Suddenly, cultural news came on the radio.

"To improve accessibility for disabled audiences, barrier-free initiatives are underway. The play 'The Prince and the Pauper' provided Korean subtitles for the first time in the country for two weeks and completed all performances. The National Theater plans to actively produce sign language translations, audio descriptions, and Korean subtitles in future performances. They will also be invited to attend next week's special screening of the late Baek Jang-ho's documentary..."

Hearing his grandfather's name unexpectedly mentioned, his expression instantly turned cold. He erased the fleeting smile that had appeared when he thought of Hee-joo, and he immediately turned off the radio. The way he turned the steering wheel seemed somewhat forceful.

"Ah—!"

Upon entering the PR office, a sharp scream echoed in the room. He frowned and quickened his steps.

"What happened?"

"Ah, spokesperson, it's... it's..."

Someone sobbed, struggling to speak coherently. He scanned the panicked faces, pushing his way through the crowd. In the spot surrounded by staff members was a sturdy transparent plastic bag, the kind used to carry tropical fish.

"This... we found this when we arrived..."

One of the staff members had their hand over their mouth, looking as if they were about to vomit. Inside the plastic bag filled with water floated dozens of severed goldfish heads. Their white eyes were stiff like plaster, and the jagged cut surfaces looked eerie and terrifying.

"And, on the spokesperson's desk as well..."

An employee, unable to keep their eyes open, continued speaking. Baek Sa-eon's expression remained stern as he walked straight to his desk. This time, the plastic bag contained only the bodies of the goldfish.

"Ugh...!"

The person who followed behind covered their mouth. The goldfish bellies had been sewn together with fishing hooks, but the stitches were so poorly done that it was difficult to look at them. Blood had seeped out, making the water murky and reddish. While everyone else turned their faces away, frowning at the gruesome sight, Baek Sa-eon alone had a long, faint smile on his lips.

Finally, you've come out.

This was the message from the true threat he'd long awaited. The man regained his composure, reassuring the employees.

"I'll take care of it. You can all go back to work."

Baek Sa-eon immediately grabbed the two plastic bags and headed to the restroom. He locked the door first, then opened the bags and took out the dead goldfish bodies. His face showed no emotion as he touched their mangled remains.

"Fishing hooks, huh..."

He stared at the hooks, his gaze colder than ever. He expertly pulled out the hooks and opened the goldfish bellies again. His hands were slippery, covered in blood, but he dug out the organs without hesitation. He was all too familiar with the stench of fish. Baek Sa-eon repeated this until all the goldfish were inspected. Finally, his hand paused. In the organs, he found something.

He pulled out a small USB.

After returning to the office, he inserted the USB into his computer. There was only one video file in the folder. He put on his headphones and played the video.

"Hey there, it's been a while, sis."

"...!"

A lively, innocent male voice came through. A stranger's face came close to the camera.

"It's been a while, Call Boy, a long time no see."

"......"

"By the way, are you enjoying using my phone?"

The sky was blindingly blue, bright like summer. The man smiled brightly. His curly hair slightly covered his eyes, but his features were easy to recognize—his playful smile, his tone, his sparkling eyes.

"Keep calling, sis. Always."

"From now on, you will always be my voice."

"You will become my messenger."

"Just like you wanted to hear about the divorce, there are also things I want to hear."

The man in the video seemed to be on a swing, his face coming in and out of focus. When his eyes met Baek Sa-eon's through the screen, Baek Sa-eon's face turned pale. If that person were still alive, he would probably look like this.

"There are also things I want to hear."

The sounds of summer nights—chirping insects, buzzing mosquitoes, the damp riverside, the fishing hut... Old memories rushed back like a torrent. The splashing of water, the desperate struggles... and that terrible silence when someone finally stopped struggling. All the sensations crashed down like a heavy storm. It was the end and beginning of everything. His breath felt as though it was blocked.

At that moment, it all seemed to come together.

"You... are still alive."

The truth about Hee-joo and "that person" tangled together.

"Translator, this way!"

An employee from the seminar waved their arm high. Hee-joo approached, and the employee added apologetically.

"I'm sorry I'm a bit late. My head's a bit scattered right now, whew..."

The employee rubbed their chest over their sweater.

"Something really unpleasant happened today."

"...?"

Hee-joo's eyes widened, and her deep gaze made the employee instinctively let their guard down.

"It's like this..." she lowered her voice.

"This morning, our office received something very disturbing."

Recalling it, the employee shivered.

"It was a fish head, a severed goldfish head."

"...!"

Gold... fish?

Hee-joo paused, but the employee switched the topic.

"We'll wait here; the president's speech just ended, and the spokesperson will be down shortly."

The briefing room was packed with reporters from the Blue House. Some were glued to their laptops, some were making phone calls, others fixing their hair—sharp eyes focused intently on their tasks.

Then suddenly, the reporters in hushed conversation all turned their heads in unison.

"...!"

What's going on?

The red lights of a row of cameras turned on instantly, their sharp gazes now directed over here. Hee-joo and the assistants leaned against the outer wall, beads of nervous sweat forming. She glanced back to see Baek Sa-eon, tall and imposing, standing right behind her.

"Ah..." she let out a soft exclamation without meaning to. He did not lower his haughty gaze, adjusting his tie.

"Didn't I tell you not to call me?"

"...!"

The sound of him clicking his tongue was something only Hee-joo could hear. She shivered involuntarily as a cold remark landed on her shoulder.

"Don't just stand there. Find a chair and sit down."

He walked towards the podium alone. The camera flashes sparked, and the atmosphere instantly tensed. Standing at the blue podium, he spoke in a sharp tone.

"During the president's special address, he candidly shared his views on governance and major issues from his past term. Please raise your hands for questions."

His voice was stern and commanding. In the tense atmosphere, Hee-joo swallowed hard. As expected, many hands were raised. Questions and answers began to bounce back and forth like a game of ping-pong. Baek Sa-eon's smooth responses made people unconsciously start nodding along.

'If only I could stand beside him—' she thought, reminding herself to practice more on matching his rhythm.

Just as she was fully focused, a female reporter stood up. It was the reporter who had kept her head down. Hee-joo's eyes naturally shifted towards her.

"Hello, I am reporter Hong In A from Myeongji Daily."

"...!"

...What?

"The government's joint investigation into real estate speculation has been ongoing for over two months now."

Hee-joo felt her breath catch. Sister...?

It was the first time in three years that she had seen that face since her silent disappearance the day before the wedding. The slightly upturned eyes, the long hair casually tied up—the beautiful features of the past remained unchanged. Hee-joo stared at her in a daze. What felt even more unfamiliar was that her sister had joined a rival newspaper instead of Sankyung Daily.

Unnie...?

"Despite the widespread presence of illegal speculation, the investigation appears inadequate. There are concerns that it may not yield significant results."

After her ear injury, her sister had almost stopped speaking entirely. She used to communicate so fiercely with sign language that her hands would be bruised from hitting each other—disliking her own clumsy speech so much.

She, who once struggled, now spoke more fluently and clearly than anyone else. Her sister's transformation made my heart skip a beat. It was both surprising and moving. And also... a sense of loneliness. A sister who no longer needed Hee-joo's help—a perfect sister. Now, it seemed like Hee-joo was the only one still incomplete.

"What is the government's stance on this matter?"

"..."

Baek Sa-eon's gaze met Hong In A's in midair. Even that brief moment of silence was significant.

"Spokesperson Baek Sa-eon, please respond."

The man's brow twitched unconsciously.

"Hong In A, reporter from Myeongji Daily."

His fingers tapped rhythmically against the wooden podium, and the tips of his nails were an unnatural shade of blue. It seemed like Hee-joo made eye contact with him for a split second, but she was too tense to notice. Once again, she felt—

The feeling of being pushed aside.

"The Special Investigation Headquarters has currently questioned over a thousand individuals. Of those, 113 have been referred to the prosecution, and 27 have been arrested."

"How many of those thousand are high-ranking public officials?"

"Twenty are high-ranking officials."

"Only twenty?"

"There has been no undue delay in investigating high-ranking officials. The process has been more strictly compliant with legal procedures than before, which has led to some delays."

He answered without a hint of change in his expression.

"The investigation is still ongoing. Please be patient. The government aims to establish proof through extensive investigations before the end of the term."

"Yes, you should do just that."

Hong In A put down her microphone with a rough gesture. As soon as she sat down, the person next to her mouthed, "Are you crazy?!" and gave her a hard smack on the arm. Her sister looked thoroughly exasperated.

"Hoo..."

Hee-joo's palms were so pale from tension that there was no color left in them. She rubbed her hands, then looked up again—

"...!"

She met Hong In A's eyes, which had been watching her the entire time. She didn't know when her sister had started staring at her. Her gaze was calm, as if she had known Hee-joo's exact location from the beginning. The sudden eye contact left Hee-joo frozen. She didn't know what expression to make, nor what kind of greeting would be appropriate.

At that moment, her sister began speaking in sign language first.

"...!"

Just as the microphone was turned to another reporter for a question. Only those who understood this language could follow along.

"Sorry, I'm late."

Hee-joo had no idea what that meant.

Before the briefing ended, Hee-joo hurriedly left. Unlike when she had arrived, it was now raining lightly outside. Without worrying about getting her clothes wet, Hee-joo ran straight to the parking lot. She didn't know what she was afraid of, or why her emotions were so tangled, but she ran until she was out of breath.

"Hey, didn't you check the weather today?"

"...!"

Someone suddenly grabbed her arm, and an umbrella tilted over her head.

"Why are you being so foolish, what are you doing?"

That voice—so natural it seemed as if it had never vanished from her memory. Hearing it again, it still felt unfamiliar. It was her sister's long-forgotten voice.

"Sister..."

Now was the time to stop running away and ask for answers. Finally, Hee-joo, still hesitant, used sign language first.

"Where have you been all this time...?"

Hee-joo continued using sign language, while In A spoke directly.

"I went to Germany. As you can see—my ear." She lightly patted her ear, shrugging.

"I had surgery. Fought with everything I had."

"......"

"It was a clinical trial, illegal."

"Are you alright now?"

The word "illegal" made Hee-joo's hands move quickly, and she looked anxiously at her sister's face. Seeing her up close, it was clear—her dark circles were even deeper than three years ago, and her face had thinned considerably...

"I'm alright now. But you..."

Hong In A frowned slightly.

"Why can't you still speak?"

"...!"

"I thought you would start speaking again after I disappeared."

Hee-joo's face turned pale.

"Did you think I didn't know? You pretended to be mute because of me?"

Her fingers trembled. This was the second time her secret had been exposed, following Baek Sa-eon. She felt like she had been stripped bare, a cold shiver running through her.

"I've known for a long time, just pretended not to."

She turned her face away, beyond the umbrella, looking as though she might disappear at any moment.

"I just... didn't want to be the only one who was the patient."

"...!"

"Afraid."

"......"

"Because I needed you. Desperately needed you."

She met her sister's gaze again, a self-mocking smile appearing on her face.