CODENAME: ANASTASIA

The Zhenya helicopter landed in a meadow near Moscow. The day was quite warm, although there was still a little snow left in places where the sun didn't reach. The ground where the snow had begun to melt was covered with mud as if ready to cling to his clean shoes. Zhenya looked at his feet and immediately gave up trying to cross the mud. He decided to wait for the appointed person at a nearby stable.

Dozens of horses were tied inside. Thanks to high-quality food and regular care, they all have shiny, shiny coats. When Zhenya appeared, the normally polite horses became visibly agitated. It is unknown whether it is because they are wary of strangers because of their sensitive temperament or because that visitor is Zhenya. As Zhenya slowly moved through the central walkway, nearby horses scratched their hooves against the floor in surprise while some raised their front legs in excitement.

The innermost position is a horse with dark brown fur whose ransom alone is equivalent to a supercar. Zhenya held the fence with both hands and looked at it. It didn't buck up like other horses but just hesitated and backed away a bit.

"Is that it?"

Suddenly someone was approaching the entrance. It was his brother, Bazim, who summoned Zhenya to this place. Bazim calmed the aggressive horses and approached. His hands became more serious as he stroked the brown horse that Zhenya was observing.

"It refused to eat anything. It's been a few days now..."

It's like worrying about an anorexic child. Since the listener was Zhenya, it didn't seem like he was discussing or looking for advice to get his favorite horse's appetite back. It was just like a sigh. Normally Zhenya wouldn't care but for some reason today he suddenly came up with a solution.

"Because he can always eat delicious food, he is full. You should feed it things it doesn't like and then occasionally throw something it likes, it will be obedient and run after you."

It's absurd. He gave advice to a horse lover when he himself had never even raised a blade of grass. And that method is not breeding but abuse.

"Are you raising tigers?"

"Well, it's the same."

Another vague answer. Zhenya smiled strangely as if thinking about something. Bazim didn't know what he was doing or where he was. He asked again.

"Where have you been living recently? I heard you didn't even go to headquarters."

"That's not what I'm really curious about."

He avoided the answer and smirked, his eyes curling up as if mocking. Bazim looked towards the entrance for a moment and sighed. He opened his mouth again, his voice low.

"What have you done to him? Don't tell me you took care of him yourself?"

"Let's see."

"In that case, bring the body here."

Bazim added. In fact, that seemed to be the real purpose of summoning Zhenya to this place.

"Can we announce Anastasia now?"

One person or another is just because of Anastasia. Zhenya burst out laughing as if it were silly.

"Suddenly you told me to throw away my life?"

"I'm asking you to give it to me. There are rumors that the Americans have obtained the blueprints of 'Anastasia'. I don't know what the truth is, but of course the Kremlin is very worried. And because you're still holding that Korean spy, I'm very embarrassed. The parliamentarians also agreed that we should punish him as an example. The President also wants to reaffirm your loyalty. This could be the Kremlin's last generosity."

Zhenya smirked at the warnings that threatened his life. Then with a smile on his face, he took a step closer to Bazim. He blinked nervously even though he was his blood relative.

"Go and tell them. Don't pay attention to the Korean spy or 'Anastasia' anymore. If you continue to covet my things, I will throw 'Anastasia' into the Kremlin."

The smile disappeared from Zhenya's face. He wrinkled his nose threateningly and walked past Bazim.

"Yevgeny!"

He harshly called Zhenya. He walked away without looking back. Left alone, Bazim angrily kicked the fence.

——

Before returning to the island, Zhenya stopped at a shopping district. There are many things you need to prepare for your stay on the island in the near future. He intended to buy daily necessities and medicine and then turn back, but a grocery store suddenly caught his eye. A picture of a Korean flag is drawn on the sign.

This was an area Zhenya often frequented when he needed to buy sundries, but for the first time he knew that such a store existed. The unpleasant smell wafting throughout the store made his forehead naturally wrinkle. Zhenya stood there for a long time without going in or leaving. The shop owner saw him and ran out.

"Please come in. What do you need?"

The shop owner who was greeting kindly was an Asian. Zhenya glanced at the products displayed behind her, they were full of things that he couldn't tell what they were.

Finally Zhenya pointed to the familiar wrapping paper. The shop owner quickly understood and brought out the ramen in the box.

"Do you need anything else?"

Zhenya shook his head as he accepted the box. He was about to pay, but the store owner took advantage of that moment to introduce other products.

"This is a product that has just been imported from Korea and everyone's reaction is very good. I sold it all just yesterday and now only have this left. If you are interested in Korean food, buy a bag. Very delicious."

She emphasized by pronouncing the word 'very' long. Zhenya's eyes, which were glued to the wallet, suddenly shifted to it. Doubt was evident on his face. The shop owner quickly picked up a bag for him to take a closer look at. A wrinkle formed between Zhenya's eyebrows. There is an unpleasant odor.

"…Koreans are crazy about this?"

"What? Oh, of course! Koreans cannot eat without this. Apparently there's a whole song related to this. Living abroad, everyone wants to eat this dish so much that they miss home. How about I get you a bag?"

She asked while packing half of the things into his bag. Zhenya reluctantly nodded.

***

"What are you doing there?"

Zhenya looked up at the tall birch tree with a silly expression where Kwon Taek Joo was hanging from a branch. On the way back by helicopter, he saw a dark parachute fluttering. Zhenya came to check and found it like this.

Kwon Taek Joo remained silent and did not answer. Zhenya looked at the knife sticking straight into the ground right below his feet. It was flapping helplessly every time the wind blew. His rudimentary paraglider became entangled in a tree, and Kwon Taek Joo must have dropped the knife while trying to escape by cutting the tether.

Seeing through the entire situation, Zhenya smiled. Kwon Taek Joo impatiently shouted not to laugh, but in a situation like this, he couldn't threaten him.

"Don't move."

Zhenya took a knife out of his pocket and warned. Kwon Taek Joo grasped his intention after a while, then Zhenya without hesitation threw a knife at him. The blade quickly flew around Kwon Taek Joo's head and cut the puppet string. He fell freely and hit his butt violently on the ground. If the accumulated snow hadn't been as thick as a mattress, somewhere on his body would have broken.

Kwon Taek Joo couldn't believe that Zhenya was just staring at a falling person. After all, it will be a long time before he becomes human. He groaned and stood up. Zhenya immediately grabbed the parachute and dragged him away. The boy didn't ask anything but just told Kwon Taek Joo why he failed.

"If you want to grasp the wind direction of this place, it will take at least 20 years."

Kwon Taek Joo thought he had fully grasped the island's terrain and wind direction for a few days, but all of that seemed to be temporary. He successfully slid down the snow and glided powerfully, but he was helplessly swept away by a sudden strong wind. It was like that for half a day.

As soon as she returned to the villa, Kwon Taek Joo didn't even take off his clothes but sat down right in front of the fireplace. His whole body trembled from the cold wind all day, as if the wind had penetrated his bones. I didn't expect he could be so unlucky. Even the sky resents you?

Zhenya went straight to the kitchen to cook ramen but after a while he turned back to look curiously. Kwon Taek Joo should have smelled the scent and appeared, but he was still nowhere to be seen. He must have had a cold combined with disappointment, so his appetite also disappeared.

Zhenya reduced the heat on the stove and approached Kwon Taek Joo.

"Don't you eat ramen?"

"I won't be eating."

Kwon Taek Joo refused without any hesitation. He struggled with just one ramen dish, but he wasn't that crazy about ramen. Right now, his stomach is bloated, his limbs are weak and Kwon Taek Joo just wants to lie down and rest.

Zhenya didn't ask any more questions but just shrugged and returned to the kitchen.

"Then I guess I'll have to get rid of this stinky thing."

What is that stinky thing? Kwon Taek Joo slowly turned his head. Just then, he saw Zhenya's thumb and index finger holding a red bag. Kwon Taek Joo doubted his eyes for a moment. He rubbed his eyes. The shape of what was about to be thrown into the trash became clearer.

Kwon Taek Joo ran to Zhenya in an instant. He caught the bag of kimchi on its way to the trash. He didn't even know where that speed came from when just a moment ago Kwon Taek Joo didn't even have the strength to lift a finger.

He took out an empty bowl and carefully put kimchi in it. Then, Kwon Taek Joo added it to newly cooked ramen noodles and ate it. People say that if you eat kimchi, you will feel less homesick, those words are certainly not meaningless. There are definitely drugs in it.

Kwon Taek Joo looked satisfied after quickly eating all the ramen. He rubbed his belly then leaned back in his chair and met Zhenya's eyes. Suddenly he felt embarrassed even though he hadn't done anything wrong, he coughed and looked away. Zhenya smiled faintly.

"You… really are interesting."

"Please get fed up with me, please."

Kwon Taek Joo responded as if begging. Zhenya didn't pay attention and just stared at Kwon Taek Joo. He missed the time to stand up because his gaze was too intense. There's nothing special to say, so if you just sit still like this, you'll feel even more embarrassed. Kwon Taek Joo asked seriously.

"Have you eaten yet?"

That means he should stop sitting here and do what needs to be done. Is your expression strange? Zhenya's smiling face suddenly turned bewildered. He didn't seem uncomfortable, instead he had a strange expression.

Just as Kwon Taek Joo tried to get his attention by saying "Hey!". Zhenya suddenly said strange words.

"…Anastasia, can I give it to you?"

"What?"

"Do you want it?"

Kwon Taek Joo didn't know what he was talking about anymore. He was frowning in confusion when Zhenya turned away and left the kitchen.

"What is this crazy bastard talking about?"

Kwon Taek Joo scratched his neck in confusion.

Zhenya did not appear in the bedroom until later that night. Thanks to that, Kwon Taek Joo can sleep comfortably on a spacious bed. It seemed like there was a contrabass sound echoing in his faint consciousness. The flowing melody is still as quiet and peaceful as before, but somewhere there is a hint of sadness.