EPISODE 31
| ~ | Strangely enough, the Correspondent was willing to answer anything. |
Ren-Bo is asleep on the sofa. The clock reads "22:00".
Listen to Kang Chul: Yeon-Joo, Soo-Bong, Yoon-Hee, Wang Shin and Do-Yoon.
|
| - | Too bad Moon Mi-Ra couldn't ask more questions. |
BRZZ! Kang Chul's smartphone rings, displays: "Eomeoni".
|
| - | It's your mother. (about to pick up--) |
Yeon-Joo snatches the smartphone from Kang Chul's hands.
|
| - | ??! |
BRZZ! She looks at the smartphone, distressed, looks around...
... fixes on Do-Yoon, who becomes uncomfortable.
| - | Do-Yoon! You're the most diplomatic person here! |
| - | Excuse me? People always say that I'm stern and uncompromising! |
|
| - | No, no! The proof is that Ren-Bo loves you. And you're as down to earth as my mother! |
Yeon-Joo sticks the smartphone in Do-Yoon's hands. No choice for him!
|
| - | !! |
|
| - | Answer, quickly! |
|
| - | (picks up) Hello? |
| ~ | Do-Yoon? Is it Do-Yoon? |
|
| - | Yes, how are you, Eomeoni? |
|
| ~ | I called Yeon-Joo earlier, but some crazy, insolent girl hung up on me! |
|
| (listen... points to Ren-Bo) |
|
| - | ... It must be Ren-Bo, Soo-Bong's girlfriend. She's nice but sometimes moody. |
|
| ~ | Aigoo, I'm not surprised that this clod found such a disrespectful girl! |
| - | !! |
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| ~ | I thought Yeon-joo had her cell phone stolen. Is my daughter here? |
Yeon-Joo makes big negation signs with her arms.
Kang Chul snatches the smartphone from Do-Yoon's hands and puts it in Yeon-Joo's!
|
| - | !!! |
|
| - | We have to go. |
FZZT! Colorful interference, Kang Chul and Do-Yoon disappear!!!
Yeon-Joo, intimidated... puts the smartphone to her ear...
Mi-Ra is dressed as a businesswoman, chic suit and black stockings, high heels.
She puts on black lipstick while looking at herself in the mirror.
She slides her finger on her lip to spread, or... to remember...
A sign of pain on her face, then...
She puts the lipstick in her purse and goes out.
Prosecutor Go enters, carrying a package.
| - | Mistress, are your wounds already healed?! |
| - | (points to the package) The twelve extra outfits? |
|
| - | Yes, my dark Queen. (puts the package on a table) |
|
| - | MoAh ah, you remind me of someone. Hand these out and order a hundred more. |
|
| - | Your wish shall be done. |
Prosecutor Go pulls black suits from the package.
The shadow killers take off their Joseon outfits and dress in the modern suits.
Mi-Ra calls someone with her smartphone... It picks up.
|
| - | Publisher Kwon ? |
| ~ | ..... (speaks, excitedly, at once--) |
|
| - | (impatient in a flash) No need to explain! Collaborate with Publisher Park, this will only be temporary. |
|
| ~ | ... ?? |
|
| - | No, my hand was forced. But I guarantee you that we will soon destroy them. |
(Note: there was an error in the drama W. On one shot, the replica number is also 39-5.)
Tik.tik.tik.tik.tik... Sound of someone typing on a keyboard.
Tik.tik.tik... Sitting at the desk, he types on the computer...
Worried, listening to him: Yeon-Joo, Do-Yoon, Soo-Bong, Ren-Bo, Yoon-Hee, Wang Shin.
|
| - | ... So, we'll have to investigate in "W". |
|
| - | Are you going to stay there? |
|
| - | No, I have to investigate here too. Do-Yoon will supervise. |
|
| - | We will start the investigation where it all begins. |
She runs to Kang Chul, sitting injured at a bus stop.
Then, Sung-Moo is annihilated. Kang Chul collapses. Yeon-Joo disappears.
| ~ | This is from four years ago. |
In the middle of the avenue, the car has no occupant.
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| - | Security camera footage has been erased. |
|
| - | We need to find this car and check the black box. Find witnesses, interview people living nearby. |
|
| - | There won't be enough of us. And there are all the newspapers to check too? |
|
| ~ | I'll get help from former "W" team specialists. |
|
| - | I need you to organize this. I won't be here always. |
|
| (nods "yes") |
|
| ~ | Everything is ready, President Kang. |
|
| - | Come back here, I have to bring you to the real world. |
|
| ~ | Is it so important? Here, I could-- |
|
| - | I'll try something risky. You have to witness this. |
Kang Chul hangs up. He stands up and looks out of the window thoughtfully.
On the computer, this title:
|
| ~ | W Report No. 354. |
The beginning of the report:
|
| ~ | It is only a matter of time to find the Correspondent. Thanks to Moon Mi-Ra, his former identity is 99% confirmed. |
A black limousine drives towards luxury residential districts.
The sunset colors reflect on the dark windows of the car.
|
| ~ | It is broadly what I wanted... |
A "modern" shadow killer is driving.
Mi-Ra is sitting in the back seat, next to prosecutor Go.
She is looking at a file he hands her.
|
| - | I just made it more coherent. That will be enough to fix your legal issues. |
SWROMPH! A shadowy turbulence, Mi-Ra becomes the Queen of Darkness.
(!!) Prosecutor Go shows a combination of fright, respect and enjoyment.
In the Queen of Darkness's hand, a shadowy smoke materializes... an ominous mask.
| - | (holds the mask next to Prosecutor Go's face) Mmmh, that might fit you. But you don't need this. |
|
| - | ... ?! |
A puff of shadow in her hand, and the mask disappears.
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| - | You won't make a good sword fighter. But you could be exceptional in another department. |
SWROMPH! A turbulence of shadow, the Queen of Darkness becomes Mi-Ra.
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| - | A ruthless warrior of law and finance... |
|
| - | This is too much honor, your shadow splendor. |
Mi-Ra examines Prosecutor Go's satisfied face. She smiles.
|
| - | What I like about you... I barely need to manipulate you. So little effort to do, and it keeps your abilities intact. |
|
| (proud) |
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| - | It frees me up to manipulate more people simultaneously. ... It sounds like you've been waiting for this your whole life. |
|
| - | Since I was a child, I've always-- |
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| - | Tttt! Don't tire me with your sterile biography. Only what you do for me from now on matters. |
|
| - | My whole life is devoted to you, priestess of the abyss. |
|
| - | Avoid politeness in end of sentence. That was for my former self in Joseon. |
|
| - | Yes, my Queen of-- Yes! Yes! |
|
| - | I have great plans for you. |
|
| (growing hope) |
|
| - | As soon as possible, you will resign as prosecutor. Then you will run my empire, at the head of the Moon Company. |
|
| - | (hiding his immense joy) It is my dearest desire. |
|
| - | Of course! You will be paid a hundred times more. |
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| - | Money doesn't matter, only serving you matters. |
|
| - | I need a right-hand man like you, unknown to the bunch of vermin who dirty the company's chairs with their stinking asses. |
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| - | (hands her a sheet of paper) Here's my first report on these... vermin. |
|
| - | (takes the sheet, reads) Heol! These two asked you to forge my uncle's will. |
|
| - | Since then, I have forged the forgery. You will become the majority heir. |
|
| - | In such a short time? You are really efficient. |
|
| - | It wasn't much to change. |
|
| - | We'll put things in order tonight. Then I can delegate this mess to you, and finally take care of the most important thing... |
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| - | More important than the Moon Company?! |
|
| - | My manhwa. |
The clock reads "21:00". Beginning of Kang Chul's speech.
Listening to him: Yeon-Joo, Do-Yoon, Soo-Bong, Ren-Bo, Yoon-Hee, Wang Shin.
|
| - | The Correspondent is the worst enemy we can have. |
General anguish...
Suddenly, a white light bursts out of the tablet.
The killer appears, with the face of Oh Sung-Moo.
... from the screen of Yoon-Hee's tablet!
|
| - | The light stream was yellow, not white? |
|
| - | Yes, I was scared, and then... |
|
| ~ | Who are you? |
| - | This correspondent can't answer this question. |
|
| - | Does he refuse to say who he is? |
|
| - | No, I think that... He was really unable to answer. |
|
| ~ | Explain yourself anyway. |
The tablet turns yellow. Black letters appear randomly.
No words. No meaning. A rain of letters, until a completely black screen.
The black becomes white. The usual pale yellow frame appears.
|
| - | This correspondent explained in the most meaningful way possible. |
|
| - | There were a few times when he was sincerely unable to answer. |
|
| - | And when he could, he always answered? |
|
| - | Yes, always. But sometimes it was hard to decipher... |
|
| ~ | How are you here? |
|
| - | This correspondent died once. |
|
| - | He resurrected twice, without knowing it. |
|
| - | Then he was awakened. |
|
| ~ | The truth is hidden. |
¤ Han Chul-Ho in his office, forced to commit suicide with a gag over his mouth!!! "POW!!!"
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| ~ | Moon Mi-Ra had every reason to deduce that the Correspondent was a resurrection of Han Chul-Ho. |
|
| - | But she was mistaken. Han Chul-Ho was an ordinary human. He had no supernatural abilities to perform such a miracle. |
|
| - | And since the Correspondent has a strange habit of telling the truth... ... It does not match. Han Chul-Ho would have one resurrection, not two. |
The two men shoot at each other and Kang Chul kills Han Sang Hoon.
|
| ~ | The faceless killer also died because of us. |
|
| - | The death of this correspondent was caused by three people. |
|
| - | Kang Chul, Oh Yeon-Joo, and Oh Sung-Moo. |
|
| ~ | A first resurrection when he merged with Oh Sung-Moo. |
|
| - | When it comes to the second resurrection, and what followed... |
|
| ~ | ... it certainly happened that way... |
In the middle of the avenue, the car seems to have no occupants, and yet...
The faceless killer, naked, without his old costume, almost invisible.
|
| ~ | After Oh Sung-Moo's death, and because of his supernatural essence... ...the faceless killer is released in his original shape, undergoing a trauma. |
The spectral shadow opens the car door and gets out.
|
| ~ | Again without identity but also without purpose, amnesiac. No longer connected to the plot of W after the end. |
The faceless killer walks through the night, towards the woods along the road.
|
| ~ | Unable to teleport, not knowing his abilities. |
|
| ~ | For four years, he is a wandering specter, without consciousness. |
¤ The spectral shadow walks along the Han River, unseen by passersby.
|
| ~ | A strange ghost similar to the wind or clouds, seeking nothing. |
¤ The spectral shadow walks in circles in the yard of a farm.
|
| ~ | And one day, by chance... |
|
| ~ | Woken up by whom? |
|
| - | A character named Park Soo-Bong. |
|
| ~ | ... During the three months Do-Yoon trained Soo-Bong... |
The faceless killer, an invisible specter, in the shade of a tree... sees Soo-Bong!
|
| ~ | The faceless killer sees Soo-Bong. He recognizes him in a new context. |
He watches Soo-Bong terrified begging for his life, then disappears.
|
| ~ | Inconsistent, compared to the context when he saw him before. |
|
| ~ | At this moment he wakes up. He remembers the real world. |
He teleports into the store and steals a tablet. Then teleports to another location.
|
| ~ | He is able to use his supernatural powers again. |
Spectral faceless killer draws on the tablet with a stylus.
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| ~ | Like a reminiscence of Oh Sung-Moo, he becomes a drawer. |
|
| ~ | How do I make a deal with someone I don't know and have never seen? |
|
| - | This correspondent is unable to meet you. |
|
| - | He talks about himself in the third person, "this correspondent", autistic. Limited memories, unable to introspect, no self-awareness. |
|
| - | Hyung, you mean... It's like nothing happened to him? |
|
| - | Probably... He can remember it, but without identity. He can't own those memories and feel them. |
|
| ~ | Who can you be... I want to know. |
|
| - | Be? Do you want this correspondent to be? |
|
| - | By accident, Moon Mi-Ra asks him an identity. He becomes aware that he could exist. |
|
| - | (flabbergasted) Nobody is able to draw so fast... |
An eerie colored fluid comes out of his palms and prints on the screen as drawings of faces.
|
| ~ | Maybe he has a superpower to draw so fast. |
|
| ~ | As a cartoonist, he can draw his own identity. But without a past, it's hard to find. |
His appearance changes at the same speed as the drawings and reproduces them in real.
He growls with impatience and pain, as he successively metamorphoses...
... into abstract, hallucinogenic, impossible bodies and faces.
The strange and frightening face of the Correspondent.
|
| ~ | He is inspired by the morbid work of Moon Mi-Ra to succeed. |
... covered with a horrible yellow skin with scars, tears and holes.
An abominable head similar to his face on the tablet. A half-ghost, half-real hybrid monster.
The eyes, the mouth, and other orifices reveal the specter's nothingness.
|
| ~ | He becomes able to speak in the first person, "I". He is aware of his own existence. |
| - | How do you find me, Moon Mi-Ra? |
|
| - | ... !!! (goose bumps) |
|
| - | I am satisfied to have created this ideal representation of myself. |
|
| - | (scared) Hyung... Is he able to travel between worlds? |
|
| - | (scared) Could he threaten us here? |
|
| - | Unlikely, unless he can override this rule... ... Only one protagonist can travel after the end of the manhwa. |
|
| - | ... Over... OVERRIDE A RULE??! |
|
| - | I don't think revenge is his goal. He has lost the parameters and goals dictated by "W". |
|
| - | But... Now that he has an identity, he could appropriate his memories? |
|
| - | If he could come here and want revenge, he would have done it already. We'd all be dead for days. |
|
| - | I am in the same situation as you. I can't reach your tablet anymore. |
|
| - | (?!!) What does that mean?! Someone has sabotaged my tablet?! |
|
| - | If that were the case, you could still teleport. The real world is simply inaccessible. |
|
| - | He couldn't access the real world during the Time Stop. He was not here, neither in "Queen of Darkness", nor "Butterfly Girl". |
|
| - | Where are they then? In the real world? In "W"?! |
|
| - | Kang Chul cannot go to "W" from your world. And only you could send them to the real world. |
|
| - | He always uses the expression "your world". He's not in the real world, he's still in "W". |
|
| - | But how does he change our manhwas? |
|
| - | I have a hypothesis... |
(?!!) The gun materializes in his hand.
|
| ~ | Han Chul Ho was not a true author, but could materialize objects. Because they were images recorded by the true author, Oh Sung-Moo. |
|
| - | This confirms that Han Chul Ho cannot be the Correspondent. He was unable to produce anything new. |
|
| ~ | The faceless killer is now able to produce something new. |
¤ On his tablet, Oh Sung-Moo's zombie draws a copy of his tablet.
|
| ~ | All he needs is a way to pretend to be a true author. |
¤ The tablet materializes in Han Sang Hoon's car trunk.
|
| ~ | Maybe he asked Oh Sung-Moo to draw something else before that. |
¤ Oh Sung-Moo's zombie destroys his tablet with a hammer.
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| ~ | A device that Oh Sung-Moo didn't remember. As a precaution, in case we could use another tablet. |
|
| - | An extra copy of tablet? Who would have stayed in W? |
|
| - | I'm thinking more of an interdimensional hacking system. something that would connect to a tablet. |
|
| - | (?!!) What does that mean?! Someone sabotaged my tablet?! |
|
| - | No, the interface is still there. But blocked, or one way. |
The Correspondent puts his hands over the tablet. A colored fluid comes out of his palms...
... and prints itself on the screen, forming drawings at a supernatural speed:
Mr. Ladybug, a yellow frame, a cartoon weight engraved with "20 tons".
On the black box gauge, a yellow light flashes.
|
| ~ | He draws on a tablet in "W". Then he sends this into the real world. |
|
| - | !! |
A glitch! Briefly, a yellow screen.
|
| - | ?!! |
|
| ~ | He must connect to our tablets. Through this device communicating from one world to another. |
On the tablet: Ren-Bo and her friends. Mr. Ladybug. A yellow colored frame shapes itself.
|
| - | A disturbing element has appeared. I'll take care of it, don't let it distract you. |
Behind, pavilions lose their precision... become blurred, simplified architectures.
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| ~ | The device is imperfect, affected by interdimensional interference. This creates artifacts, graphic inaccuracies, with real impact. |
|
| - | Only a true author can modify the manhwa. Does this device also override our authorial privileges? |
|
| - | That, or more likely... |
|
| ~ | Cha Yu-Sun secretly meets the King in a garden at night. |
Mi-Ra draws the silhouettes of the characters. Suddenly--
|
| - | ... !!! (surprise, stops drawing) |
The rest of the drawing forms itself. Same style as the manhwa!!
|
| ~ | The faceless killer imitates your drawings to perfection. His supernatural power manages to fool the manhwa. |
Do-Yoon is fed up and runs his hand over his forehead. Wang Shin doesn't understand anything, but tries.
|
| - | There is only one mystery for which I have no explanation... |
|
| - | The out of context events of "W" were not published. This part of the manhwa is downloaded to the tablet now. |
The tablet's screen flashes frantically between a red and a pale yellow background.
|
| ~ | How did he get a full version of W's last episode? |
¤ Oh Sung-Moo annihilated in his car, "I love you my daughter. Farewell". With the word "END".
|
| ~ | Something the manhwa would have generated but didn't publish? |
|
| - | Maybe... this device was already working at that time? |
|
| - | There was a copy of the tablet in the real world!!! The images could have appeared in real time? |
|
| - | Then the manhwa does not publish them because they are out of context. |
|
| - | However, the killer has time to download or copy them first. |
|
| - | This confirms that the device was already working before the end of W. He could access a real world tablet from W. |
|
| - | The tablet would have come out of sleep mode to display the images? But was it in sleep mode or turned off? |
This picture: A copy of the tablet!
| - | What are you drawing? |
| - | I'm a bit worried... |
|
| - | The last one to use this tablet was Oh Sung-Moo. ... Soo-Bong, did he turn it off afterwards? |
|
| (remembers...) |
Threatening, he grabs terrorised Oh Sung-Moo by the collar.
|
| ~ | After being terrorized like this... |
|
| - | Professor Oh was systematically turning off his tablet. |
|
| - | Are you sure? Did you see him do it? |
The tablet sizzles as colored lines, then disappears.
|
| ~ | I was the last one to see this tablet. |
|
| - | There was no standby light. The tablet was off. |
|
| - | ... !!! |
Moment of anxiety, they feel the thrill of a paranormal and unexplainable phenomenon...
"Rrrr.. zzz... rrrr... zzz...", Ren-Bo snores lightly, asleep on the sofa.
Kang Chul looks at her tenderly... the only one involuntarily relaxing the atmosphere.
Mi-Ra's limousine stops in front of the compound of a secured residence.
High walls, cameras. Inside the compound, a modern resort, a light on upstairs.
Mi-Ra looks out the window... the lighted window of the resort.
SWROMPH! A turbulence of shadow, Mi-Ra becomes the Queen of Darkness.
PFWOM... The Queen of Darkness disappears in a puff of shadow.
On the wall, pictures of military friends, weapons, a stuffed tiger head.
Sitting behind a desk: LIM JI-HO (50s), head of NIS, the Korean secret service!
He consults a file with written on the back "Top Secret".
WOMPF... The Queen of Darkness materializes in a puff of shadow, near him.
| - | (sees her) !!! (startled) |
He opens his desk drawer to get a gun but--
Shriiimm... Dark strings come out of the Queen of Darkness' eyes and--
They penetrate Lim Ji-Ho's eyes, and he stops moving.
The strings dissipate... Lim Ji-Ho stares into the void, absent, hypnotized.
|
| ~ | I will arrive in half an hour. |
|
| - | Ok. (hangs up). |
He walks out of the office, thoughtful...
|
| - | Okay, W doesn't have an explanation, but why did it happen again? |
|
| - | I don't know. It's like the rules of manhwa dictate a sequel. |
|
| - | (ironically) "W season 2". |
|
| - | Since W was finished and couldn't have a sequel, it just started somewhere else. |
|
| - | A saga from "W" but not in the world of "W". One new manhwa was enough, why two? |
|
| - | (pleasantly surprised by her smartness) ... No idea. |
|
| - | She is smart... |
|
| - | Oh yes, she's smart. The problem is more... ... Pretentiously smart! Making you feel stupid. |
|
| - | ... !! |
|
| - | This scenario doesn't make sense?! This character is loyal, why would he choose to love-- |
|
| - | Idiot!!! She represents his shadow. Do you know what it is? |
|
| - | His... his shadow? |
|
| - | Basic psychology. If you don't know, shut up!!! |
A "modern" shadow killer is driving, next to Mi-Ra, pensive...
|
| - | Why didn't you do this for all of us? |
|
| - | (hesitating) If I could have... I mean... It's because... (sternly) Kang Chul, what do you want?! |
|
| - | Fire!!! |
An illusion appears next to the Queen of Darkness, Mi-Ra as a child.
| - | Not her!!! |
|
| - | ... (doesn't listen) |
The shadow arm shoots out with unimaginable speed but--
The illusion is now Mi-Ra adult!
|
| - | NO!!! |
The shadow arm stops.
PFWOM... The Queen of Darkness disappears in a puff of shadow and--
WOMPF... She reappears so fast it seems she never left.
The shadow arm hits the pit... with no one in it.
Kneeling, Kang Chul holds her chest from behind, her head against his chest.
SWROMPH! A shadowy turbulence, Cha Yu-Sun becomes Moon Mi-Ra.
In her sexy evening dress. As mortally wounded as Cha Yu-Sun.
|
| - | !X!X!X!! (epileptic fit) |
Mi-Ra stands behind Kang Chul and looks at him, unhurt.
|
| - | (calm) You will not disappear. |
Behind Mi-Ra, answering in unison...
| - | We know. |
|
| - | We know. |
Cha Yu-Sun and the Queen of Darkness vanish into shadow dust.
Mi-Ra smiles peacefully...
|
| ~ | It's contradictory... but maybe... |
Despite the distance, Kang Chul and Mi-Ra recall the same memories...
|
| : | ... The Queen of Darkness now has a positive influence in her? (looks at the garden, keeps remembering...) |
|
| - | ?!! (sees a strange phenomenon...) |
... Mi-Ra's wounds bleed... and smoke a shadowy vapor.
In Kang Chul's arms, Mi-Ra's warm blood flows through his clothes...
|
| - | (looks up to him) Kang Chul... |
|
| - | ... ? (looks at her... eye contact, "something different about her") |
|
| - | (smiles tragically) Finally, you take care of me... ... Like a real gentleman... |
|
| - | ... (more moved than he would like, feels a sincerity, her hatred gone) |
|
| ~ | Is it because of that? Or has it been longer? |
|
| - | I have one condition, non-negotiable. |
|
| - | ... What? |
|
| - | A kiss. |
|
| - | ... ?!! (unexpected!) |
|
| - | (tenderized, embarrassed) What idiocy... I don't even know why. |
|
| - | (smiling derisively, embarrassed) What idiocy... Whatever the outcome, I had to refuse. |
Kang Chul looks at her, unable to remain unmoved.
|
| ~ | Why did he accept? |
Mi-Ra regains consciousness for a short while, her eyes half closed...
... and feels his benevolent presence.
An impression of sadness and loneliness. No desire, strange...
|
| ~ | Sad and without desire. A request for a kiss with no reason. |
Then, the desire comes, she pinches her lower lip with her tooth...
... looks in front of her, an imaginary mouth that would approach.
Until the last moment, Mi-Ra looks at his eyes, his mouth, his eyes.
Then slowly, tenderly, they kiss, eyes closed.
|
| (opens his eyes briefly, surprised) |
On his face, a pleasure too intense, painful to bear because he refuses it.
|
| - | A moment too difficult to bear... |
|
| (opens her eyes briefly, frightened) |
On her face, the feeling of a much too intimate and real sharing.
|
| - | ... unless you give in to it. |
Kang Chul runs his hand through her hair, and stops her from backing away!
|
| ~ | It was already too late. In a way, I wanted to hurt her for that indecent request. |
|
| - | (bitterly regrets) I should have pushed him away. |
She gasps, feeling again what she felt.
She runs her hand through her hair, as he ran it through...
... What amplifies disproportionately what they feel.
She caresses the back of Kang Chul's neck, and clutches his hand tightly on the bed.
He struggles painfully to forget, but squeezes his hand as she squeezed it.
|
| - | (bitter) What was she looking for with that stupid condition? |
|
| - | A tender and sincere kiss. Like the one you would give to the one you love. |
|
| - | (realizes) Or she didn't know what she would find? |
Mi-Ra stunned, as if she heard his question.
Her expression is the same as in the memory...
... confused, unable to understand, petrified, lost.
|
| - | (realizes) ... And he didn't either? |
Kang Chul stunned, as if he heard her question.
His expression is the same as in the memory.
Mi-Ra's eyes wander, she breathes harder and harder.
Kang Chul squints his eyes, winces, breathes hard.
They struggle to get through it, but...
The next memory floods them, breaking the dam of their will...
They lost control of themselves. Possessed by a greater force.
Kang Chul grits his teeth, clenches his fist. "This must stop!!!"
In vain, the memory recurs, obsessing, real...
... coming to torture them, to seek them in depth.
A kiss whose effect is beyond physical sensation...
... a mysterious velvety flavor unknown to both of them.
(A stroboscope of flashes growing more and more intense and fast until--)
|
| - | (hands on her head, pulls her hair) (shouts) That's enough, stop!!! |
|
| - | (slaps his head with hand palm) (shouts) Get out of here!!! |
|
| - | (pain) Just a good night's sleep... |
|
| - | (pain) ... and this insanity will be forgotten. |
|
| - | (rage) Kang Chul, I will need to hate you much more. |
|
| - | (rage) This can't make sense. |
... A picture of him, Yeon-Joo and their son Chul-Moo.
|
| - | (tender smile) That's what makes sense. |
He clings to the picture like a lifeline.
Then he breathes heavily.
|
| - | Hate you and YOUR FUCKING WIFE!!! |
She looks out, anxious, dispelling doubt.
Then she breathes heavily.
A white limousine is waiting in front of the entrance.
A DIRECTOR A (50s) comes out of the building, goes to the limousine.
A servant opens the back door, the Director enters.
The limousine drives off...
Director A is sitting next to DIRECTOR B (60s) and speaks first.
| - | (annoyed) How dare she summon us like this! This little upstart has boundless nerve. |
| - | Just an embarrassing moment. She's in legal trouble. And she'll be revoked when the Will becomes public. |
|
| - | Okay, she's nothing. But the assassination of President Beak-Soo? |
|
| - | I've done my investigation, it can't be her. But nothing is going right in this case. |
|
| - | Someone wants to take over the company?! |
|
| - | I'm going to believe the rumors... |
|
| - | What?! The secret service? We never had any dealings with the NIS. |
|
| - | The horror of this murder is enough to chill the blood. Only a major network could have done this. |
|
| - | Traitors in the company with secret contracts? |
|
| - | Let's get rid of this bitch first. Then we will take radical action. |
The white limousine passes through the gate of Moon Beak-Soo's residence.
The white limousine parks next to other luxury cars.
The two directors get out of the limousine and see (!!) ...
... lit by car headlights, a group of other directors standing.
Guards surround them, twice as many.
"Modern" shadow killers, in black suits.
Facing them, lit in backlight by car headlights...
... The sexy figure of Mi-Ra, next to Prosecutor Go and Lim Ji-Ho.
Clap! Clap! Mi-Ra claps her hands towards the two directors, as if they were children.
|
| - | (mocking) Chop-chop. Hurry up. Let's get in the row! |
About to protest, the two directors are brutally pushed by guards.
Brought by force in the worried herd of directors!
FLASH! A guard turns on a spotlight illuminating Mi-Ra.
|
| - | (haughty, points to Lim Ji-Ho) I guess you know Lim Ji-Ho, head of the NIS? |
Among the directors,"Ooh", "Aah", "Lim Ji-Ho?", "The secret service?"
|
| - | Director Lim, summarize the situation. |
Lim Ji-Ho stares blankly, static, monotone voice, hypnotized!
|
| - | After the investigation of my department and Prosecutor Go... ... Miss Moon does not suffer from any legal charges! |
|
| - | !! |
|
| - | The NIS is taking over the investigation of Moon Beak-Soo's death. This villa has no more clues and Miss Moon can use it as she pleases. |
Uproar of scandalized voices among the directors...
"This is nonsense!", "She hasn't inherited anything yet!", "The NIS doesn't have to order us!".
|
| : | (weary, annoyed) Tsss, no difference with the palace nobles! Presiding over a company is as painful as being Queen of Joseon. |
|
| - | Director Lim, continue. |
|
| - | What happens here tonight will be kept secret for state reasons. For your own safety, it's better that you don't know more. |
|
| - | Thank you Director Lim, you can go home. |
Director Lim Ji-Ho goes to his car... starts up and drives away...
|
| - | (cruel smile) I'll tell you a nice little story. (vocalizing) ~~ Once ~ upon ~ a ~ time... |
|
| - | ... I had a sweet, dumb friend whose favorite pastime was watching stupid dramas on TV. Thanks to her, I saw some of them. |
|
| - | What are you getting at? |
|
| - | (peremptorily) LET'S SHUT UP until I finish talking! |
A guard clutches the director's neck, and he stands still, transfixed.
|
| - | In these dramas, we always find regiments of directors who are hypocritical, conspiratorial, cowardly, greedy, in a word... PAINFUL!!! |
|
| - | ... This gives me the idea of how I should treat you. |
| - | (shyly) And... and... how? |
|
| - | In the opposite way to the dramas. MooAh Ah Ah! |
Rumor of general disapproval among the directors.
| - | Scandalous, she's crazy. |
|
| - | How dare she call herself the president! |
|
| - | She is nothing, she inherited nothing! |
|
| - | We should all leave immediately. |
Mi-Ra relaxes, smiles and savors the moment, listening to the derisive remarks.
A few directors try to leave...
... The guards put them back into the herd, like sheepdogs.
|
| - | She sequesters us?! |
Mi-Ra's voice becomes loud, supported by a sepulchral echo.
A light halo of shadow surrounds her, her eyes are blurred with a bright mist.
In a subliminal way, she is terrifying...
|
| - | I am the legitimate heir of the Moon group, as the Will will certify. The real Will, not the version that some of you have doctored! |
|
| - | (shaking, whispering) She... she knows it's us? |
|
| - | (shaking, whispering) The prosecutor betrayed us. |
|
| - | (loudly) I have absolutely every right!!! |
All the directors are frozen in awe.
|
| - | (finger to the sky) I'll show you what I want from you. |
Snap! She snaps her fingers with her raised hand.
vvVrrRRR... An unmarked tanker truck arrives...
... goes towards the villa, crushing the bushes, the lawn.
The directors, !!!, feel that the truck will drive into the villa.
SkriiK!! The truck stops, and two guards get out.
They unfold hoses attached to the tank and then...
... They open the valve and spray the villa. High pressure liquid jet.
Like firemen putting out a fire.
|
| - | It doesn't make sense. |
|
| - | What does she want? |
Suddenly all the lights go out, frightening the directors.
|
| - | You will learn what it is to be faithful to the company! |
Tshik! Mi-Ra lights a metal lighter, whose flame is the only light here.
She gives the lit lighter to a guard.
|
| - | Show them what a model employee is. |
The guard walks towards the villa with the lighted lighter.
|
| - | It's not what I think? |
|
| - | It was a truck full of gasoline? |
|
| - | He's going to throw the lighter on the villa. |
Impassive, the guard arrives near the villa, without throwing the lighter.
Without hesitation, he continues walking and enters the villa!
Some directors are panicked, some calm down...
|
| - | It wasn't gasoline, but water! |
VROOOOF!!! A monstrous fire conflagration ravages the villa.
The guard burns alive without uttering even a whisper.
The directors scream. The heat of the flames is so intense that they feel it.
The guard's body chars and then dissipates... in shadow smoke.
|
| - | AAAAaaahhh. |
|
| - | No! Nooo! Aaaah. |
Symphony of screams and hysteria among the directors.
Mi-Ra advances towards them, the burning villa behind her...
... She is like a dark evil demon, in front of a fire storm.
|
| - | This is how much you should be involved. |
The directors tremble and cry.
|
| - | If I ask you to jump into a fire, you jump into that fire! ... As simple as that. |
Some directors collapse on the floor, out of nerves.
The immense and sumptuous villa, of astronomical price, goes up in smoke...
|
| - | Prosecutor Go, distribute the confessions. |
Prosecutor Go goes to give a paper to some directors.
|
| - | Among you, there are some fucking scumbags who were close to my uncle. You sign these confessions that send you to rot for 10 years in prison. |
|
| - | And that's a small price to pay! |
As soon as the paper is in their hands, the directors sign it without reading it.
Then Prosecutor Go collects the papers and the guards escort them to their cars.
Director A and Director B are among them.
|
| - | These confessions will explain why the company suffered from corruption. Those who remain will rebuild the group on a good basis. |
The directors bow down respectfully several times, tears in their eyes.
Some of them kneel down and prostrate themselves with a groan.
|
| - | As you are not trustworthy, you will each have two bodyguards. |
Immediately, two guards stick to each of the directors.
|
| - | They will watch you all the time, in your office, outside... ... and even while taking a shit, or fucking your wife!!! |
Mi-Ra goes to her car. She gets in, and before closing the door--
|
| - | If any of you are causing a problem, I have other houses to smoke. All that's missing is the cigarette lighter... |
KLAM! She slams the door.
|
| - | With Moon Mi-Ra, we have two enemies instead of one... |
|
| - | She could be in danger too. |
| - | So what? She made her choice. |
| - | !! |
|
| - | Let's focus on the Correspondent. His purpose is not clear... |
|
| ~ | What do you want in exchange? |
|
| - | Nothing. |
|
| - | ... !!! ("this is not possible") |
|
| ~ | Nothing? |
|
| - | So let's just say... an occasional artistic collaboration. The study of phenomena is a motivation in itself. |
|
| - | He just wants that? |
|
| - | That was before he had an identity, but now? We need to know more. And quickly! |
|
| - | How? |
|
| - | Maybe it's enough to just... ask him? |
|
| - | Ask him... How to contact him, Hyung? |
|
| - | You'll do it Soo-Bong, get ready to draw. |
|
| - | !!! |
Kang Chul connects a microphone to the computer next to the tablet.
He starts an audio-text translation program, connected to the tablet.
Kang Chul pulls out his gun. They all look at him surprised.
|
| - | Step away from the tablet. |
They walk away... Soo-Bong is hesitant, pale. He swallows.
|
| - | Soo-Bong!! |
Soo-Bong sits down fearfully in front of the tablet, picks up his stylus.
Ren-Bo looks at Soo-Bong, on the verge of tears, afraid for him.
Then, she looks at Kang Chul with a pleading face, but the mood dissuades her from protesting.
|
| - | As soon as an unknown phenomenon appears, go away too. |
|
| - | ... What do you want me to draw? |
|
| ~ | The Correspondent was cunning to prevent Soo-Bong from helping us. |
zzooOOH... A big weight falls from the sky on Mr. Ladybug...
SPROTCH!!! And crushes him!!!
SPLATS! Blood and mushy organs spurt out from underneath!
|
| ~ | Killing a character in front of Ren-Bo. Provoke an emotion making her invoke Soo-Bong. |
Ren-Bo is horrified... unable to endure the shock and surprise.
| - | (heartbroken) No!!! No! Aaaah!!! (broken voice) Soo-Bong, why?! |
KZZT! Soo-Bong materializes! The stylus still in hand.
|
| ~ | A convoluted maneuver, particularly clever. |
|
| (sadly remembering this) |
|
| - | Or maybe... Was that the only way he could use? |
|
| - | Why did he choose Mr. Ladybug? |
|
| - | ?? |
|
| - | Mr. Ladybug is not friendly, and his presence is irregular. To be sure of success, he could have killed someone Ren-Bo prefers. |
|
| - | Do you think Mr. Ladybug wasn't chosen by chance? |
|
| - | If so, let's use that. Soo-Bong, draw Mr. Ladybug. |
|
| - | But Hyung... He's dead now?! |
|
| - | Present it as a fake death, that it was a joke. |
|
| - | Uh... He digs a hole to get out from under the weight. With a big bump on his head? |
|
| - | Perfect. |
Chik-Shak!, Kang Chul cocks the breech of his gun.
Soo-Bong draws...
Heavy atmosphere. Soo-Bong finishes drawing Mr. Ladybug.
Suddenly-- A glitch! The screen turns yellow briefly.
|
| - | !!! (startled) |
Then... The drawing frays, is erased...
|
| - | Soo-Bong! Get out of the way! |
Soo-Bong moves away, while Kang Chul points his gun at the tablet.
A stream of yellow light comes out of the tablet, dissipates, and...
... The frame on the yellow background draws itself, the Correspondent's face too.
|
| - | Put down your stylus, Park Soo-Bong. You are not allowed to change this secondary arc. |
The deep voice with the cavernous echo freezes everyone's blood...
... More frightening than they imagined, as much as the terrible face.
|
| - | You should stop pointing that gun, Kang Chul. You might damage your precious tablet. |
|
| - | You can't get out through the tablet, right? |
|
| - | A question you already know the answer. |
|
| - | (unexpected, intrigued) Are you willing to answer my questions? |
|
| - | You have drawn me in for this sole purpose. |
|
| - | Do you remember your identity? |
|
| - | Yes. |
|
| - | Who are you? |
|
| - | Nobody. |
|
| - | (!!!) Are you from "W"? |
|
| - | Maybe from somewhere else. |
|
| - | (?!) You were in "W"? |
|
| - | Exact. The first place I remember. |
|
| - | What do you want? |
|
| - | No longer to be hindered by your harmful actions. |
|
| - | Are we enemies? |
|
| - | Obviously, we have become so. |
|
| - | Weren't we enemies in the past? |
|
| - | I was not hostile to you. But you started to meddle in my business. |
The correspondent's voice becomes colder and colder...
|
| - | Your inconsistency has come at a great cost to me. Beyond anything you can imagine. |
|
| - | The limits of my patience are now exceeded. |
|
| - | Why did you kill Mr. Ladybug? |
|
| - | To get rid of Park Soo-Bong. |
|
| - | Why this character rather than another? |
|
| - | Would you rather I killed Ren-Bo? |
|
| - | I doubt that you would be able to. |
The answer does not come immediately...
|
| - | How do you conclude that? |
Clouds of flames, projection of bricks, wood, shredded corpses.
|
| ~ | No one could have survived such an explosion. |
The debris falls, and slowly... the dust falls down...
In a hole dug by the explosion lie...
|
| ~ | And yet, we had no injuries. |
Kang Chul, Do-Yoon and Wang Shin, blackened by smoke.
...sore, groaning... but miraculously alive!
|
| - | You don't have the power to kill main characters. |
|
| - | Always so smart, Kang Chul. |
|
| - | What do you gain by helping Moon Mi-Ra? |
|
| - | Didn't she strike the final blow for me? |
|
| - | How do you manage to influence several manhwas? |
|
| - | I have only one way to answer that. |
The tablet turns yellow. Black letters appear randomly.
No words. No meaning. A rain of letters, until a completely black screen.
Black becomes white. The usual pale yellow frame appears, then the Correspondent.
|
| - | !!! |
|
| - | I wish I had the ability to laugh. Your facial expression is certainly funny. |
|
| - | Just some silly scribbles without the slightest sense. Smoke and mirrors to impress the naive people. |
The atmosphere becomes tense. The tone rises, both Kang Chul and the Correspondent.
|
| - | What an arrogant character you are. |
|
| - | This is my last warning. Don't ever get in my way again. |
|
| - | You can't act in the real world or kill main characters, and you would have me believe this kind of ridiculous threat? |
|
| - | Your best option is to burn all your tablets. Definitely forget about the existence of manhwas. |
|
| - | What is your goal?! |
|
| - | Don't try to change stories that are no longer yours. The consequences would be unimaginable. |
The tablet shuts down, in sleep mode.
Everyone here is clearly frightened.
|
| - | (worried) Now we know what he wants... |