As minutes continued to fly by Chung Il Hoon, passed several glances at the door. He expected any moment his master to walk in with the (prodigious) child, but not such thing happened. It was nearly time to end class and his master did not return.
There was much noise coming from outside and it no longer sounded like the noise students made when they were practicing. Chung Il Hoon grew concerned and opened the door to take a peek. He was very shocked with what he saw; several students were frantically running around. Ahn Hyundo looked white as a sheet as he stood in the distance shouting instructions to everyone.
Chung Il Hoon immediately dismissed his class and walked over to Ahn Hyundo.
“You two! Come here!” He called out to two students who were shouting ‘Sora’.
The students looked at Hoon and quickly walked over – who didn’t recognize the second in charge.
“What is going on?”
“Respected teacher! It seems as if a boy that Master Hyundo brought over has disappeared!”
Chung Il Hoon couldn’t believe what he heard. He made the student’s repeat what they said. ‘What rubbish!’ Hoon decided to check the details with his Master.
“Master! What happened! Is everything alright?” Chung Il Hoon asked – there was a certain tone of worry in his voice seeing his Master’s lifeless expression.
“Hoon!” The Master cried out. “The boy has disappeared!”
Chung Il Hoon didn’t know how to react. How can someone just disappear? How can a child be so reckless and irresponsible?
“Master, don’t worry! He must be somewhere in his Dojang!” Hoon reassured his master. “Isn’t it was his first time to Korea? Surely, he isn’t foolish enough to step out of the Dojang!”
“I hope so too…”
Everyone in the dojang was soon employed to search for this boy under Hoon’s guidance. Hoon was confident that they would find him immediately. Nobody knew what he looked like but any stranger in the dojang not wearing the dojang’s uniform was to be reported.
Even with Hoon watching over the search for the ‘boy’ had already exceeded half hour. The dojang was big but not so big that it required thirty minutes to find one boy. Even though the students had an eye for detail and teachers had trained in tracking - there were no signs of this child’s existence.
As time crawled by, Chung Il Hoon personally joined the search; checking each room, behind door, on the roof, in the basements, in the furnace etc.
Soon they went from searching the Dojang to search the neighbouring streets. Grocery stores were visited and dark alleys were checked. Minutes turned into hours and there were no signs of that ‘boy’
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
***
Ahn Hyundo and several teachers sat in a room. The situation was quite stressful at the moment; from noon to dusk they were searching for ‘the boy’ but so far nobody saw him.
Hoon’s temper was rising by the hour. Surely, no one would be foolish enough to kidnap the child! If he found out that the boy was kidnapped he would tear the kidnapper’s soul into two.
“How will I face Hiromasa now.” Ahn Hyundo spoke in a depressed, lifeless manner.
His situation was the gravest and his student’s could only helpless look on.
“We must inform the police.” Hoon suggested.
“Wait big brother! If this is a kidnapping, it may be better that we speak to Brother Jin!”
“Disciple Jin?” Ahn Hyundo asked as he heard a familiar name. A faint glimmer of hope had been restored in Ahn Hyundo’s eyes.
Hoon didn’t miss out on the opportunity. “Of course Brother Jin! Is not heading the Secret Police Seoul?”
“No I believe he went on to become the youngest Director of the Intelligence Services!” Someone else exclaimed.
“We can get brother Jin’s help! He has limitless manpower and intelligence gathering service, we will find Sora in no time!” Hoon said.
Ahn Hyndo nodded.
Hoon leapt for the phone and punched in the number. Three dials and Hoon got through. Hoon hurriedly began to narrate the events to Jin when midway Hoon stopped speaking. The floor panel in the middle of room rose up in the air and a boy’s head popped up.
“Ah Sensei! I was just going to come look for you.” The boy said staring at Ahn Hyundo.
“I don’t understand this scroll ‘The art of fighting without fighting.” The boy asks as he produces a golden scroll from his shirt.
“Am I reading this correct?” He asks – completely oblivious to the situation around him. Everyone in the room was frozen like a statue.
“Hello? Hello?” There was a muffled voice on the other end of the phone, brother Jin was panicking, thinking the dojang had been attacked.
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Author's note:
This chapter has been dedicated to lamblamb and [email protected] for doing what they did :)