1 A squirrel stopped at the edge of the north side of the athletic field and momentarily surveyed its perimeter. Although a pheasant frequently ventured down following the skirt of the mountain, it was the first time he had seen the squirrel. The spring sunlight falling on the fur of that little devil looked so cozy, Mingu nearly stretched his hand outside the window, He opened his chest and took a deep breath. He was still dizzy from the emotions stirring in his heart. "Paijen. It's Pai…" he continued to repeat as he slowly nodded his head. As the technology to decipher the genome of living organisms developed during the latter part of the 20th century, costs dropped rapidly. At last, the human genome had been deciphered. The genome of chimpanzees naturally became the next target. Chimpanzees were the closest species to human beings. It had been merely five to eight million years since human beings had evolved from chimpanzees, and human beings and chimpanzees shared 98% of the same genes. Naturally, the deciphering of chimpanzee genomes would greatly aid in the understanding of humans. Among many teams were devoted to that work, an ambitious Texas venture business group filled with ambition was the first to accomplish this objective. "If Gilseong is able to complete bonobo's genomes…" he said while licking his lips, rubbing his hands together. He felt heavy in the chest as if his heart was actually inflated with expectations. His friend, Professor Gilseong Choe from Eonjae University, was in the process of deciphering bonobo's genomes. Bonobo, a subspecies of the so-called pygmy chimpanzee, originated from south of the Congo River. The Congo River caused the differentiation of the chimpanzee and bonobo. Although the data of bonobo's genomes were sufficiently important in their own merit, it was possible to exchange it for the data of the decipherment of the chimpanzee genome. Whether it belonged to "Paijen" or another research institute in Gyeongju which had lost to "Paijen…" If one was in possession of both the chimpanzee and the bonobo genomes, one could compose the genome of the bonobo and chimpanzee's common ancestor. From there, utilizing the composition of that ancestral chimpanzee and using human genomes, one could compose the common ancestral genome of chimpanzees and humans. In other words, the genetic form of the "missing link" could be revealed. He and Professor Choi had already made concrete plans for this work and the Nangok Institute where he worked had already received funding. Although the deciphering of chimpanzee genomes was useful, the work of composing the genome of the "missing link" was useless at the moment. Although this work was intellectually stimulating, very few organizations were willing to support such research that appeared to have no useful purpose. The Nangok Institute was one place that backed such research. Bak "Nangok" Seonhu was an amateur archaeologist who dabbled in various researches; he established with the fortune he had inherited an institute that supported the research of intellectually stimulating yet seemingly useless research projects. Thanks to the Nangok Research Institute, undertakings that reputable research institutes ignored were pursued, and commonplace paleontologists/failed poets could find respectable work in this institute. Fortunately, the business of composing the genomes of the "missing link" did not require a lot of money. It did not require a large staff, and excluding computer time, there were no other additional expenses. His long-ago ancestor appeared vividly before him- a hairy anthropoid walking on all fours in a place in Africa filled with a plethora of tall trees. His longing for a remote era that was eternally gone made his heart ache. As soon as the chilled wave that made his heart ache settled down, he exhaled a long sigh. And he focused on the athletic field in daze without really looking at it. The lazy spring sunbeams were the same but the squirrel was nowhere to be found. 2 "Director," said Jeon Sinji cautiously. "What?" replied Mingu who was looking at the snow covered field; he turned around. "Take a look…" The woman showed him the copied papers. "I thought you should take a look at this." "Oh yeah?" He casually nodded his head. He was exhausted- both mentally and physically. The undertaking of composing the genome of the "missing link" was approaching the end, and he was devoting every waking hour to the project. Because there many people actively engaging in the same work, he did not have time to spare. Coming in second really had no meaning at Gyeongju. Suddenly the fear clutched his heart. She was holding copies of a newspaper article. He looked at his young assistant's blushing and worried face. "I thought you should take a look at this as soon as possible…" Her hands trembled faintly. As soon as he saw her slender and long fingers, the wave of a longing that bordered on pain touched his heart and passed. A long time ago, in another place, from the hand of another woman… His first love was a deep, carved seal, something that he could not erase even as time passed. Recover, abiotechnology company based in San Francisco, had announced in today's paper that they had succeeded in composing the genome for the common ancestor to chimpanzees and humans. People called this common ancestor the "missing link," and seeing that humans and chimpanzees had diverged sometime between five and eight million years ago, they presumed (this "missing link") had lived at least eight million years ago. Led by Dr. Susan Cronin, using the "Gussman Formula" regarding the speed of genetic mutation, the research team at Recover composed a genetic model of the anthropoid they assumed lived 6.4 million years ago. Dr. Susan Cronin said her composed anthropoid was very similar to the actual appearance of the "missing link." Inside his numb heart, he felt his energy escape through some distant hole in his body. Although he felt like collapsing right on the spot, he felt Sinji's worried look, and he fabricated a smile. "Looks like we lost, huh?" She chuckled uneasily and slightly nodded her head. The emotions were wavering in her eyes. His heart was suddenly overcome with restlessness. Compassion? Worry? Or… She boldly accepted his gaze. She had eyes that seemed to grow deeper the more he looked into them… like the ocean. She looked familiar. A long time ago, in another place, from another woman's eyes… "Yes, we've lost." His deep sigh that came without warning was not that heavy. "We have to finish the work we started." She nodded her head with a slightly happier face. An emotion that was not compassion or anxiety revealed its pearly body. Occasionally, talking about common, accepted facts can be helpful. What other kind of conversation would be possible in such a situation? "Do the others know?" "Not yet…" she replied as she shook her head. "Then inform Yongsu and Michelle of this. And have them meet here at 5:30."He shook the photocopied articles. "We're going to talk about this." "Okay." "Hold on, make reservations at Balhasi. We can talk about this over dinner." "Okay." She smiled radiantly. The blossom of her smile withered and went into the eyes. As she was gazing at him in a way that was sucking him in, she impulsively stood in front of him. "Director." Her aroma, the fragrance of a young woman hijacked his senses. It was a familiar smell that revived his memories. A long time ago, in another place, it was the smell of another woman. He patted her on the back. "Sinji, thanks. Now go and tell the others." "Okay." A moistness was in her voice. As soon as she left the room, he read the rest of the article. Since the genome of the "missing link" had been composed, the next goal would be to make the actual DNA of that genome and substantialize the missing link; when considering the rapid development of genetic engineering, the article concluded that this would become reality in the near future. Considering this kind of work could endanger the dignity of man, it posed an ethical problem and sparked a fervent controversy. Dr. Cronin did not mention personally regarding the creation of DNA for the "missing link" but remarked instead, "Scientific research has its own logic." "Its own logic…" While savoring the smell of the young woman that still made his skin tingle, he repeated it to himself. That's right, science has its own logic, and he was a creature that moved according to that logic. From the very beginning, he had no other choice. 3 The young people were gathering at the athletic field. Every Wednesday afternoon, the research institute showed some consideration by letting employees stop their work and exercise. As expected, soccer was the most popular sport. There was no better sport than soccer for pleasing the body by running at full speed and kicking the ball on a grass covered field. Somebody kicked the ball. As the ball passed by the goalposts, somebody rushed after the ball. With a heart filled with envy and sorrow, he looked at the young people in uniforms through the open window. It had been a long time since he had kicked a ball on that athletic field. He kicked the ball until he was over his forties, but as he began to grow two left feet, he became increasingly conscious of his own age and the looks of others. He retired from the athletic field after hitting his head while fighting for the ball with a younger person and receiving nose surgery. In my own way, I retired with a bang. It's already been ten years… When people give up an intense sport like soccer, they change to lighter sports like badminton or ping-pong. However, this seemed so pathetic to him, he gave up (sports) all together. Running in the morning and hiking mountains on his off days were enough exercise. Fifty-five. What do I have to show for at this age… As if someone was standing in front of him, he spread both his hands. Since I don't even have a child… Somebody was blowing the whistle. People started gathering at the middle of the athletic field. Not having kids… For a living organism, this could be considered the greatest failure in many ways. He looked down at his hand. They were emaciated hands, embodying every bit of the fifty-six years. Fifty-six was not too late to have a child. However, he knew his chance to have a child was long gone. He might get married to a very elderly woman when he got older and lonelier. However, the time to marry a young woman and have a child had passed. Even if such a woman would appear before him, he lacked the confidence to bring a baby into the world and raise him or her. What about Sinji… He did not call this thought but it slyly reared its head, and he rushed to pushed it back in. Whatever might happen, he could not covet Sinji. If Sinji would act more aggressively, there would be no other way except to send her back to her mother. He looked at the athletic field to stop his thoughts from inclining to her. After hearing instructions from the referee, members from both team shook hands with each other, gathered, and yelled "Let's go!" before running to their respective positions. The institute had four soccer teams and today "Bio" was facing off with "AI." As the name suggested, "Bio" referred to the biological research departments and "AI"referred to the computer and artificial intelligence departments. It appeared as if Gim Inhak from the administration office was working as the referee. His eyes turned again to his two hands. Ultimately empty handed…my family line ending here… The whistle sounded and the game started. The "Bio" team wearing the blue uniforms started to attack first. They made several passes before losing the ball. The "AI" athletes wearing yellow uniforms screamed as they pressed forward. The thought of his family line ending with him filled his heart with the haze of a guilty conscience. He was always moved by the fact that for four billion years since the beginning of life not one of his many ancestors had failed in having children. He would be the one to sever the long and resilient family line which had continued for hundreds of millions of generations. "Director," said Yi Yongsu cautiously. "What?" While casting his dark thoughts aside, he turned around and looked at his chief assistant. Yongsu who had majored in computer modeling was the senior research engineer. "The results are in. They say 'ALL COMPATIBLE.'" Yongsu's voice was thick, as he attempted to suppress his excitement. "Really?" A hot current of excitement rose inside of him and spread to every corner of his body. The sounds reverberating from the athletic field faded away, and he heard the sound of his violently pounding pulse. "Yes." Yongsu smiled cautiously. "We've finally succeeded." He responded to his reserved smile with a radiant laugh before heading back to the lab. As soon as he returned, Sinji and Michelle Chang who were looking at the main computer's monitor stepped aside. Both of their faces were flushed with excitement, and their eyes sparkled. "Let's see." He mumbled to himself as he sat in front of the computer. Composing the genome for the "missing link"was not such a difficult task because the genomes for chimpanzees and humans were so alike. Similar to other anthropoids, the chimpanzee possessed 24 pairs of chromosomes. Humans possessed 23 pairs of chromosomes. Two pairs of anthropoid chromosomes fused together and became the second pair of chromosomes for humans. Without that pair, there would be very little difference between chimpanzees and human genomes. When considering chimpanzees to be the mainstream and humans to be tributary arising from a very small group, by applying the appropriate weights, one could compose without much difficulty the average genome of the "missing link." The only problem would be the possible conflict between genes that would make up the average genome. It was difficult to verify this. Because the relationship between genes was so complex and on top of the fact that genes created many proteins, knowledge about this area was still scare therefore, the task of creating a program that could verify the compatibility of genes was a difficult and lethargic process. He was still in the process of developing a verification program. It took approximately twenty minutes for the verification program to confirm the composed genome. At last, the result splashed across the screen. "ALL COMPATIBLE. CONGRATULATIONS." He pointed to the word "CONGRATULATIONS." "Who put this in?" "I put it in." Ashamed, Yongsu scratched the side of his head. "Do you know what people call this?" The three people looked at one another. Yongsu retorted while bumbling. "I don't know." "That's called forcing a compliment by 'poking the computer in the ribs.'" Laughter erupted and the lab turned into a party. 4 Mingu realized that unknowingly, a song permeated through his heart and he was humming the melody. He momentarily scrambled for memories. Love is a Many-Splendored Thing was the name of a theme song from the 20th century. Although a century had passed since its release, people were still singing the song. He hummed the melody. As if strings were playing in his heart, longing reverberated for a long time and left a long lingering resonance. Although the composer and writer of this song had long since passed away, the song did not fade away from time but continued to ring in the hearts of humans. The thought that he has nothing of worth to leave behind transformed into a melancholy wind that brushed by. "Do you like this song?" asked Sinji as she was holding a cup. "Yeah." "What song is it?" "It's the theme song from a 20th century movie. It's called 'Love is a Many-Splendored Thing.' And it's exactly as the title suggests. It's a song that celebrates love." He and Sinji celebrated the success of composing the genome for the "missing link" at Balhasi. Yongu and Michelle who were engaged the previous month left early because they were going to meet Yongsu's parents and have dinner. She sang along with a serious look in her face before saying pensively, "I also like (the song)." "The movie's also pretty good. Even though it does look a bit awkward because the movie making skills were so primitive at the time…Sinji, do you want something to eat? Or do you want to drink some more before getting a bite to eat?" "After having some more drinks…" She emptied her glass. "Okay." He picked up the grape wine and filled her glass. "By the way, director, why do you hate me?" She abruptly asked the question as a new song started to play. He stared at her for a long time. "What are you talking about? Why would I hate you?" "You do hate me! I express my feelings for you very clearly but you don't respond!" She looked at him with daring eyes. Her red, blushed face looked like a ripe tomato. "That's different, isn't it? I like you." An overflowing carnal desire stirred from his underbelly. Was there anything stronger than love mixed with guilt that could stir powerful carnal desires? "I care about you. I'm not lying when I say I love you, but umm… I don't love you as a woman…" "Then, what is it?" "Umm…I guess you could say," he (stammered) while sighing unknowingly and continued by saying, "As a friend of your mothers, you could say I care about you." "But I want to have you as a lover. I want to hold you tight so that I don't lose you." She pressed her hands together and squeezed tightly. "Director, I lack sex appeal, right? That's why you distance yourself from me, right?" "This has nothing to do with sex appeal. You are no different from being my daughter. And your mother trusted me with your care, didn't she? She sent you hear for me to teach you, not to seduce you!" "I don't belong to my mother. I am a grown woman now. Director, don't keep hiding behind my mother. It's pathetic." "I'm not hiding behind anyone. It's just… Sinji, in reality, I was planning on handing you over to your mother tomorrow." "What?" she replied in shock. She spoke again very clearly. "That doesn't make any sense." "Whether it makes sense or not, now that the "missing link" project is over, you…" As he brought up the topic, it felt as if his heart was hurt in a new way. So, he mumbled the end of his words and looked out the window. The view from the lounge at the top of the 20th floor was always beautiful and mysterious. Is there no place in that darkness where I can take Sinji with me and hide… "Director." "What?" She stared straight into his face. "Do you know what your problem is? You are out of touch with the times." He shook his head in agreement. "You're right." "I am me and my mother is my mother. What's so important about the fact you dated my mother? What's the big deal that you lived with my mother for two years?" This time, he was shocked. He did not know that Sinji was aware of his relationship with her mother. He briskly got his mind in order and tried to appease her in a low voice. "Sinji, listen to me carefully. You are pretty and sexy. I like you and I love you. My relationship to your mother, as you said, doesn't matter. Although people may talk badly about it once they find out, but does that really matter? But, Sinji, I cannot be a good partner for you. That's the ultimate problem. I am fifty-six years old. I have no assets nor do I have any social status. You have a responsibility to your future children to provide them with a good father. Do you understand?" Even though he had finished speaking, she continued to look out the window lost in her own thoughts. "Because I love you, I have to place your well-being above my own. Isn't that right?" While tasting the pain of departure in advance, he implored her: "That's the paradox of love. I am currently your greatest threat. There's a limit to how much I can control myself. In order to protect you from me, I have to send you back to your mother." "Because of that 'paradox of love,' did you set my mother free?" He stopped to think. "There was a little of that. Your mother told me that someone with better circumstances had entered her life, and that was the reason I left your mother's house. Your mother's judgment was right considering she gave birth to such a beautiful, intelligent, and kind daughter such as yourself. And she was able to fulfill her political aspirations by having a husband with money and social status. If she lived with me, would your mother be a government minister?" "Didn't you hate my mother for throwing you away? I heard you walked my mother to the podium on her wedding day, right? After introducing yourself as her closest brother, right?" "She even told you that? Your mother expressed that she still loved me in that way. Although she had no choice but to discard me to find a better partner for her child…" She suddenly laughed. The sound of her laughter was lucid. She raised her glass and motioned to him. They touched glasses. "Director, do you know this?" After taking a gulp of wine, she continued to speak earnestly: "If you had ardently refused to let her go, mother would have married you…" An unforeseen pain struck his heart suddenly. "What are you talking about?" "I asked my mother. While being attracted to dad's superior qualifications, what would she have done if you had been in an uproar about losing her. This is what mother said. Ifyou had not let her go, she said she would have settled down. You were the one she really loved. But she said you packed your bags without even uttering a single complaint." After pausing for a moment, she hammered the nail in the coffin with a resolute voice. "When she said that, she let out a long sigh. Do you know that?" He knew what she was saying was true. Suyeon might have screamed for him to grab hold of her, to help her overcome the female instinct to find a good partner. However, he could not hear her pitiful cries. He only tried to cover his wounded pride and ruminated over the paradox of love. Although he was overcome with waves of regret, he had work to do in his own right for thirty years and was able to gird himself. "To tell you the truth, I didn't know that." He emptied his glass. "It's the same situation now." She filled the glass. "I love you, so I have to send you away. That doesn't make sense." "It does make sense." After thinking about it shortly, he spoke firmly. "If people don't do that, this world would be filled with children of stalkers and rapists. Although I failed in having children, there is nothing that indicates stalkers and rapists have more children than average people. So Sinji, I want you to clean out your office tomorrow and go with me to your mother." She silently drank her wine. He made an impulsive decision. "And I will tell your mother that it's time for her to retire from being a government minister. There's not that much time left for her to spend with her daughter. I will tell her to go on a vacation with you." 5 An elderly man sitting to the left of the moderator spoke in a heightened tone of voice: "That's exactly what I am saying. Those people are creating by force life forms that never existed and do not have the right to exist. In short, they want to create monsters." The man sitting to the right of the moderator responded: "You go too far when you call it a monster. The substantialization of the "missing link" is a scientific effort to create a life form that possesses the average genome of the common ancestor to the chimpanzees and humans. If we were to collect all the information regardingthe genes of the human race in one place and calculate the average, the result would be ahuman form with average genes. Can you call this average person a monster?" Last month, the Japanese MBR that had composed the genome for the "missing link" announced they would substantialize that genome. Soon after, Recover, which was the first to compose the genome for the "missing link," announced they would start that project, as well. The common ancestor of chimpanzees and humans would cometo life with blood and flesh from the bundle of genetic information contained inside a computer in no time. Naturally, the entire world was engulfed in debate. Of course, religions showed the strongest resistance. The international broadcasting company AIS's current events program, the Julie Sejal Show, was in the process of debating this issue. "Of course it's a monster. It is not listed in God's list of living things. Why is it a problem to call it a monster?" spoke a religious philosopher named George Mannheim. "One thing that's for certain is that humans should not play God. That will result God's curse." Mingu raised his glass and drank his brandy in one breath. First, his throat burned and then his stomach warmed up. However, in an empty corner of his heart, a cool wind shouted as it brushed by. What is Sinji doing now? 6 He lifted his murky eyes and looked out the window. Snowflakes were flying around. He got up and approached the window. The snowflakes were rather abundant. In no time, the athletic field was covered in snow and only dried strands of grass poked their heads through the snow. He stretched and massaged his shoulders with his own hands. His entire body was throbbing after spending the entire day in front of the computer. Shouldn't I be a little more relaxed? He asked himself. I can't help but to feel anxious as this is the last hurdle but in times like this… He was in the process of finishing the "Lucy genome" project. Lucy was an Australopithecine woman that lived 3.5 million years ago. Her fossils, which were discovered in Ethiopia, had been well preserved. Australopithecus was situated somewhere between the "missing link"and modern human beings. Therefore, if one composed the genome of the "missing link," the composing of Lucy's genome would naturally be the next objective. In reality, nearly a century prior evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins predicted that genome research would decipher the genomes of current humans and current chimpanzees compose the genomes of the missing link, Lucy and substantialize Lucy's genomes. Lucy's genome had already been composed. As with the case of the "missing link," developing a verification program to check the compatibility of genes was a difficult and lethargic process. The abundant snowflakes gently soothed his weary and melancholy heart. He let out a deep sigh, approached his desk, and opened the drawer. Mr. Jeong Inhyeong and Mrs. Gim Hyeonsil's Second Son, Jeong Subin Bak Suyeon's First Daughter, Jeon Sinji It was Sinji's wedding invitation. He received it today. He had already taken it out on numerous occasions and read it because of the writing at the bottom of the invitation. Dear Uncle: I asked my mother for one favor: I wanted to choose the person who would walk me through the wedding hall. When I mentioned your name, my mother was shocked and stared at me for a long time. It was the first time I had seen my mother surprised. I want to lean on the arm of my uncle who has guided me so well as I start a new chapter of my life. Sincerely, Sinji He looked out the window, the invitation still in his hand. The snowflakes had gotten bigger. Will there be a day when snowflakes that big will fall in my heart? 7 As soon as Mingu opened the door to the lab, Yongsu yelled "Bingo!" Yongsu smiled radiantly as soon as he saw him. "Director, I think we've done it." "Really? Can I take a look?" He approached the main computer. He saw the words "ALL COMPATIBLE. MISSION COMPLETED" splashed across the screen. Booming music was playing in the air. It seemed Yongsu had added some sound this time. 8 A chime sounded. He went to the food dispenser and picked up a glass. He took a sip and it was honey-water. The cool honey-water moistened his dry throat. He drank too much tonight. Only five people from the room had agreed to celebrate but as rumors spread, other researchers and even people from the administration office found their ways to the celebration; he was barely set free after moving to three different locations to drink. He leaned his head against the sofa, the room light a bit hazy. Music started to play. It was a song he had never heard before. He guessed it was a song from the 20th century. The room searched and carefully introduced music suitable for his taste. It had been six months since he had moved, which was enough time for the room to know (his tastes). Through the sensor he wore in his clothes, the room could guess with surprising accuracy his physical condition, what he wanted in that state, what foods he wanted to consume, what beverages he would crave, what kind of music he wanted to listen to, and what room temperature, humidity, and light intensity would be suitable for his condition. The room knew more about him than he himself. Under the influence of the rosy liquor, he felt like he was floating. His past blew like the wind, cleansed his skin, and buoyantly vanished. His remaining life lay under the late autumn skies like a vacant field. This elaborate work of flesh and blood that took billions of years to perfect faded away too quickly. No, it is not that life fades too quickly. We are nothing more than one gourd of water scooped from the lake. If one was lucky, one would be able to return several gourds of water to the lake. Some people would spill it without stopping. He thought about Sinji who had returned from her honeymoon. She could have easily returned the water she had taken from the lake. The aging flesh is this regrettable The shadow of youth is that dark As his buzz gradually subsided, his body calmed down again. He turned his head towards the window. As the light inside the room dimmed, the window became clear. The starlit sky pushed its way into his heart. When he was young, stars were hard to see because of the thick pollution; so a lucid night sky always approached him in wonder. He thought about the phrase "MISSION COMPLETED" which popped up on the main computer screen. Those words oddly stayed in his mind and he kept thinking about it. That's right, the mission has been completed. Lucy's genome had been made and he had reached the stage where genes did not crash into each other and an actual physical body could be created. Now, Lucy had become an existence with a unique identity. Of course, the next step would entail substantializing Lucy's genome. However, this was something way beyond the capacity of him or the research institute. Creating an actual genome using DNA, inserting it into an egg without a human nucleus, putting this back into a woman's womb and raising it was a massive undertaking. The Nangok Institute lacked the funds and the technology to proceed with such an undertaking. On top of that, they had to take into consideration the fierce opposition from the religious world. It's highly likely Lucy will remain as an information package inside a computer forever… She will never experience this world, the world where the sun shines and the wind blows… He suddenly felt stifled. The image of Lucy trapped in the computer- the image of a trapped and hunched Lucy in the machine who had run through green fields 3.5 million years ago in Ethiopia popped in his mind. Lucy was a shrewd woman. She could grab hold of objects with her thumb, first finger, and middle finger and throw over handed with accuracy. Chimpanzees could only throw underhanded without aiming. Although she could not speak, she could relay her thoughts through her fingers. The alcoholic buzz swept through his body again. That wave suddenly retraced 3.5 million years of time. A profound longing swept through his flesh. His soul, which passed through a remote world, heard a misty song. My trapped body longs Fresh raindrops that wet the grass The wind soaked in salt, which brushes by my head Sweat saturated scud at high noon I am trapped like this in this place My tightly folded soul longs For the ones I have loved Their names, their voices Four billion winters and four billion summers embodied in my flesh Longing for the sunlight which radiates on the sweat soaked flesh The dirt cracking from the wind and frost 9 "Do I sign here?" Mingu pointed to the line at the bottom of the contract. "Yes, Mr. Gim. That would be fine. The manager will sign above that,"said Choe Seokhyeon who was in charge of international affairs at the administration office. He carefully signed both copies of the contract. Although he made an effort to conceal his voice and face, he felt proud. The program he had developed was being sold for a large sum of money to a foreign country. Only accustomed to doing research while spending some money, he felt a little flustered. He had been hunting for a place that could substantialize the "Lucy genome"he had composed. The work was tedious and required a lot of money; yet, its practical use was not clear. In addition, it was atime when ethical debate regarding the substantialization was fierce. In America, the attempt to substantialize the "missing link"had come across hard times because of opposition mounted by the religious world. Even though he was willing to provide it at a low cost, nobody was eager to commit. Discouraged, he was about to give up before a Chinese pharmaceutical company offered to buy it for the price of a million dollars. Northeast Pharmaceuticals in Harbin, China seemed very interested in the verification program for gene compatibility. They wanted (the program) to be included in the deal. So, an additional $200,000 was added to the total cost. "Incentives are 30% which amounts to $360,000,"said Choe as he received the contract. Although he looked as if he was smiling, Choe's voice was full of envy. "Thanks for all your help…Manager Choe, you were especially helpful. When I receive my incentive funds, I will buy drinks… one round of drink won't be enough to thank you." He responded with a chuckle and bowed his head. "Thank you." As soon as the door closed, he went to the window. The early winter sunlight was barely melting the frost that covered the dried grass of the athletic field. "Marrying her off to a good place," he mumbled to himself as he nodded his head. He discovered that Northeast Pharmaceuticals was a stable pharmaceutical company. Although it was a new venture business, it possessed many patents and delved into many ambitious research undertakings. He thought about the remote past, when he walked into the wedding hall with Suyoen. At the time, Suyoen whispered into his ear: "Thanks, dear. I love you." When walking into the wedding hall, Sinji whispered into his ear: "Thanks, uncle. I love you. I will love you forever." The word "forever" rung in his heart for a long time. Nothing lasts forever for living beings that have short lives. It was time to send Lucy. In a time so remote that was difficult to imagine, a woman ran on a grass field under the scorching sun while perspiring- that woman was leaving to start a new life. Holding my arm like Suyoen… like Sinji… My trapped body longs Fresh raindrops that wet the grass The wind soaked in salt brushes by my head Sweat saturated scud at high noon Now, she would be able to experience fresh raindrops and salty winds. She was going to run with her long hair flowing in the air through a world which was better to live in than to die regardless of how bad the world seemed. In this gloomy virtual land You, who waited hunched over My fertile daughter Come now While throwing your long hair in the sky 90000 ri units away Come as the rain moistens my dry flesh After letting out a long sigh, he looked back at his room with a renewed look. Twenty-nineyears had passed since he had called the institute his home. In reality, he had spent his life as an intellectual in this place. Now, his life in this place had come to a conclusion with the departure of Lucy. It was a significant thought embodied in the phrase "MISSION COMPLETED," which had popped up on the computer screen- it was a thought Yongsu had not considered The door was open. Jeonghyeon looked at him with a smile. Her erect posture was indescribably elegant. Humans are animals that stand on two legs. Humans became humans thanks to those who stood on two legs in the fields of Africa millions of years ago. Her puerile face in a moment was overlapped with the faces of three women in order. "Director, the manager says he has time now." "Really? Got it." He looked at her with eyes filled with laughter. She was pretty. 3.5 million years of sex selection had created this woman starting from Lucy. He nearly added: "You're very pretty." He opened his drawer, took out the white envelope, and placed it in the pocket of his coat.