Yom Sang-seop - Three Generations

Sang-hun thought it would be better if the child died, but if she did, his link to Gyeong-ae would be cut forever. He didn’t want that to happen.

He said, “I don’t mean to say that you should give up on her, but don’t you think it would be good for her, too, if you put all the misunderstanding and bitterness behind you and tried to move on? I don’t care either way, but it can be solved right now if you just change your mind, Gyeong-ae.”

“What are you talking about? You can’t deceive me with such superficial words — my situation doesn’t permit it,” she retorted, although she did think she could hem and haw to get what she wanted from him.

“What do you mean?”

Gyeong-ae’s reply was totally unexpected. Sang-hun wondered if she had a man in her life. The young woman couldn’t have been on her own all this time. How had she supported her family? It was too late to delve into the question, but who was the man? It couldn’t possibly be Byeong-hwa. But then, judging from what happened yesterday, he just might be the one. Though penniless, he was young and personable. From his experience he knew that neither Gyeong-ae nor her mother was particularly obsessed with money. There was no reason Gyeong-ae shouldn’t be able to get along with Byeong-hwa merely because he had no money.

If this were true, it was impossible to think that she kept company with those who frequented Maedang House. She had probably become a Marxist girl, playing the queen among the ideologists. If so, all the more reason for Sang-hun to do something about the situation.

“How long have you known Kim Byeong-hwa?”

“Why do you want to know?” Gyeong-ae knew what he had in mind, and a contemptuous sneer rippled across her face. Her smile fanned his fiery suspicions.

“I know you were drunk yesterday, but how could you act the way you did, knowing that he’s a friend of my son?”

“Am I expected to keep track of who is friends with whom? It’s your fault for going around drinking with friends of your son’s.”

“He spotted me in the street and dragged me along with him. He was drunk already, so there was nothing I could do,” he replied. Then he added in a stern voice, “But what an ugly act you put on! We were dragged to the police station because of that kiss of yours.”

“What ‘ugly act’ are you talking about? Who drove me to behave like that?” Gyeong-ae’s words stung.

“Don’t go on like this — just tell me clearly. Please don’t embarrass me.”

“What do you mean, tell you clearly? What embarrassment? You talk about embarrassment all the time, but why did you commit such acts yourself?” Sang-hun winced. His suspicions deepened.

“To speak frankly, do you mean. ”

“What?” Gyeong-ae glared at him and then snickered. Her expression seemed to say, What are you dying to know?

“Not to beat around the bush — you seem to be living with someone. Do you mean that I should do something for the child because she’s in the way?”

“Why so many ‘do you means’?” Gyeong-ae retorted, lighting a cigarette.

A calm discussion was out of the question.

“You’ve ignored me for years. Why are you now dying to know every single detail of my life? What do you care about me or how I live or whom I marry? Just put the child in your civil registry and set aside a portion of income for me, enough to raise her and last my lifetime. I’m not asking you to take her home with you and raise her.”

“Is putting her in my civil registry that important?”

“If she’s not in it, I wouldn’t be able to bury her. If she survives and goes to school like other children, what can I do without her name in a registry?” Gyeong-ae stood her ground, seeing that the man was eager to hold on to her.

“Well, that’s not difficult, but are you really planning to marry?”

“I am.”

“Who’s the man?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“Well, I just thought how thrilled you must be. ” The words spilled out of him, with an idiotic smile in their wake.

Sang-hun figured they’d better say good-bye for now, realizing that they would be talking at cross-purposes no matter how long they were at it. But he wanted to find out whether she’d marry for sure and whether she was living with someone already. If there was no chance of winning her back, there was no need to make the effort. Desire raised its head again, although that hadn’t been the case while she’d been out of sight. He knew that it would be difficult to find another woman of Gyeong-ae’s caliber, though he hadn’t had a lot of experience with women. There was no reconciling with his wife, and he couldn’t lead a celibate life waiting for her death. If he wanted a woman, Gyeong-ae would be best, all things considered, and the matter of the child would be solved smoothly as well. But if there were another man behind the scenes, Sang-hun could get hurt by making a hasty overture. He could even end up worse off, with nothing but the child on his hands.

But there couldn’t be a man in the picture; she was working at a bar. A man had probably just come into her life or was about to make an appearance. Was it Byeong-hwa? Even if she didn’t care about money, it would be impossible for her to go out with him, a penniless loser.

“I’ll accept the child,” Sang-hun said firmly, as if his mind were made up.

“What do you plan to do after you take her to your house?”

“Whatever I do, isn’t it natural that I take her in because she’s mine? If things go the way I think they will, it won’t be good for her, and she’d be in the way of the newlyweds.”

“You’re so considerate, aren’t you?” Gyeong-ae didn’t trust a word he said, for it was hard to believe that he suddenly considered the child important. However, it would be troublesome if he asserted his rights out of spite and didn’t make concessions.

“If I do this, it will be good for all concerned, right?” he asked in an attempt to draw out her response.

“No. Where’s the law that says that the child belongs only to the father and that the mother has no rights?”

“Of course children belong to their father! The law recognizes it, and ethics and custom dictate it. There’s nothing to discuss.”

“I don’t care what the law and ethics say. I can’t give up my child. Is your plan to take her and then ignore her?”

“You thought I’d offer you money if you gave up the child. You’re playing a game, right?” Sang-hun was provoking her deliberately, though he bore no grudge against her.

“What nonsense is this? How much of your money did I spend? How dare you throw such insults at me? I would never make a living by sacrificing my child. Your money stinks! You’ve said all along that she’s not yours. Why on earth would you try to claim her now?”

“Since you haven’t gotten any money yet, you’re clinging to the child in order to put your hands on some, right? You said you’d marry soon. What other reason is there to hold on to someone else’s child with a new husband in the wings?”

“Stop it! Are you human at all? If I wanted money, do you think I have no other way to get it? I could sue you for violating my virginity. I could claim a settlement if I wanted to. I could seek patrimony. Do you think I care in the least if you tell me to give her up? Go ahead! Do as you please! I’ve put up with you long enough. I’m not going to sit back with my arms folded. I’ll do everything in my power to stop you!”

The conversation escalated into a senseless quarrel. Gyeong-ae atremble, adjusting her hat to leave.

Sang-hun tried to calm her. “Do you think I batted an eye when you acted the way you did? I don’t know who’s behind all this, but stop talking nonsense. Let’s discuss the matter and find a reasonable solution.”