Soft Landing With You ( a 'Crash Landing on You' fanfic)

Bonus Chapter: Out of the Shadows

Hi, I'm Jeong Man Bok. Don't worry, it's safe for me to grant this interview. Trust me, I checked.

I'm sure a lot of people know all about my life by now; I am married to a wonderful woman and we have a son. Apart from my immediate family, I have a mother and two sisters. I have never been a confident person. I am intelligent but I got average grades in school so that I won't stand out, I never played a sport to avoid attention. I was always made to run errands by bullies in school so my service in the army naturally was easy to choose.

Rather than talk about these things today, I will answer the questions you probably want to ask me.

How did you feel when you betrayed Mu Hyeok and he died? Honestly, how would one feel watching a train wreck but being powerless to stop it? I felt like a killer, I hated myself. I was tortured mentally for what I had done but I was too much of a coward to kill myself for it. Comrade Mu Hyeok was my family, my source of comfort. Nobody understood people like me, The Rats. Even we hated ourselves and didn't interact outside of work. We were all cowards in the shadows who had no chance of seeing the light... But Comrade Mu Hyeok was that light for me and...

(Off camera: would you like a moment sir?... No, I'm fine. I'll be fine)

As, I said I was a coward because I had crippling responsibilities; my mother, my sisters, my wife, my new baby (at the time). Cho Cheol Gang had made my life a living hell so I knew he was not joking with all his threats. So, I lived everyday after that drowning in guilt, hoping that a new light will shine in the shadows and set me free.

Who became that light for you?
Sigh... It may seem like an obvious answer but that light was Ms. Yoon Seri. Yes, not Comrade Ri Jeong Hyuk, Ms. Yoon Seri. When I first started listening in on her (sorry once again, Ms. Yoon), I felt like she was an odd character; flighty, simple, playful, sometimes scared but willing to show kindness to others. I wondered what kind of person she was, how she had that kind of energy. Then, I realized, I will give a lot to be that free with people, to be able to play games and share my opinions. It was thanks to her kindness towards my son that I found the courage to approach Comrade Ri Jeong Hyuk and tell him all I know and give him the evidence I had with me.

How was your short time in the South?
It is almost a dream now; everything seemed so vibrant, so... free. I know a lot of dark things happened while we were there but for that short period of time, I lived a full of life. I had friends, I could play, I got asked my opinion about things like an equal... It was a dream, my dream.

What is your life like now?
My life now is closer to my dream. For the first time, my wishes can be fulfilled, they are no longer just things I say to keep hope alive. I have a job I like, my wife and son are no longer looked down on, my son can have light to do his assignment, I have friends, I can worry less about my family and even have hope for others. I currently have three wishes; that my life can continuously get better, that Pyo Chi Soo will be accepted by the Ahjummas (Pyo Chi Soo: Comrade Jeong Man Bok, what are you saying? Everybody loves me!)... (Clears throat)... And that Ms. Yoon and Comrade Ri Jeong Hyuk's dreams come true. These two have brought light into my shadows, now I hope they too can shine together, side by side.

A/N: short chapter, sorry. I'm writing these bonus chapters to get a glimpse at the mind of the side characters in the book. If you would like me to write about a side character interview style, drop a comment with their name. Till then, live and love!!!