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Chapter 3 - the TLR. part3

"Look at it from a practical standpoint. I mean, we can barely get within ten feet of him. Tell me, how the hell do you start a relationship with someone surrounded by bodyguards who'll tackle you if you get too close?"

Hyun-Joo inhaled deeper than before, pulled the tie from her pony tail and let the stray hairs cascade to the carpet.

"Can I tell you about one more dream?"

"Oh geez…is it more voyeuristic shit?"

"No, it's kid-friendly."

"Fine."

This time, Hyun-Joo turned her attention to her own reflection. It was helpful; she'd rehearsed this entire exchange dozens of times in her bathroom mirror, so seeing herself was oddly comforting.

"There's this tiger prowling the streets of Daegu. He's searching for something, but the city terrifies him. It's all too much, and he gets lost. I find him slumped against a dumpster, defeated. I reach out to him; that's when I see I'm an animal, too. Judging by my white fur and how small I am compared to him, I think I'm a rabbit.

"Anyway, I take his paw and lead him out of the alley. I gallop ahead and he follows. We dodge cars and pedestrians and make our way down into the metro. As a train screeches into the station the tiger trembles and cowers, but I touch his shoulder. It calms him down. We head down the tunnel once the train pulls away."I know where to go. I point at a rusty door and he bashes it down. Beyond is a small, filthy maintenance room…and in the corner is a snow leopard. She's tied up, but the ropes are no match for the tiger's claws. Freed and full of gratitude, the leopard nuzzles the tiger — and the dream ends."

Min, still dizzy and now even more at a loss, flaps her lips. Hyun-Joo continued.

"You're absolutely right, Min. There's no way we can get to Beom. We need to find a way to bring him to us, to give him purpose. He needs to save you."

"Okay, I'm lost."

"We stage it all. You're the damsel in distress, kidnapped by a dark figure. We send Beom messages online. Videos of you in a basement. Tied up. Beaten, if you're willing. The figure demands Beom comes for you, that the police stay out of it. The clues lead him to me, and then I help him find you. The criminal is never caught because he doesn't exist, but no one will know but us. We all go on the news together, recounting how brave Beom is, how he rescued you, and how we've become friends. He'll get out of that stupid band and launch his solo career, which deep down he'll know is because of us. Once the frenzy settles, we court him…or better yet, he courts us."

(N:B:-to be continued in the TLR.part4)