Yom Sang-seop - Three Generations

If this were true, Deok-gi would be in an absurd situation. It was one thing to read about it in Kyoto in a joking letter and quite another to witness it. It was obvious that the two had grown close, and it made him ill at ease. But he knew there was nothing he could do if they liked each other. When Deok-gi considered his father — not to mention Gyeong-ae’s daughter — he didn’t know what to think. Perhaps it would be best for Deok-gi to turn a blind eye, to simply avoid being present when the two were together.

Conversation between Deok-gi and Byeong-hwa was strained, and it appeared that Byeong-hwa had actually come to the bar because he had something to discuss with Gyeong-ae. Deok-gi rose and said, “Come and visit me tomorrow if you can.”

“All right. I’ll come if I have time.” Byeong-hwa’s response sounded halfhearted. In the past, he would have replied earnestly, promising to come around at a certain time. Was it because Byeong-hwa was no longer short of change? In dismay, Deok-gi grinned sardonically.

The next day, Deok-gi’s grandfather was admitted to the University Hospital. Deok-gi and his father were against the old man’s hospitalization since his illness didn’t call for surgery. The doctor appeared to share their doubts. The Suwon woman was more enthusiastic about the move, while the patient himself, though not entirely pleased with the idea, was of the opinion that it might be helpful.

Deok-gi and his father couldn’t oppose it, though they were anxious about dragging the barely breathing old man to the hospital in such cold weather, and afraid that he might die there, away from home. The Suwon woman hurried home from the hospital and described to Deok-gi’s wife what it was like there, with a sugary smile on her face. The lines deeply etched on her forehead for the past three months had disappeared.

“Why don’t you go and see him sometime tomorrow morning?” she suggested.

“Yes, I will.”

“As long as you’re out of the house, take the opportunity to visit your parents and offer them a bow before New Year’s.”

Deok-gi’s wife found the Suwon woman disgusting and wondered how she could change so suddenly now that her husband was out of the way. Still, the young woman couldn’t object to the suggestion of visiting her parents.

Seeing the main room suddenly bright again enlivened the Suwon woman’s face. Even her body seemed lighter. She picked up a broom and a mop, which she’d never done before, and gave the room a good cleaning.

“It is so much better for him there than in this gloomy room. Everything’s so clean and quiet, and the room is kept warm with a burning steam stove, and pretty young women come and go,” she explained to no one in particular.

The maidservant giggled and asked what use pretty young women were for an old patient. She was as happy as her mistress. But Deok-gi’s wife couldn’t help but furrow her brow, for it was clear what the Suwon woman and the servant had in mind.

The Suwon woman went on to say, “I think he’s going to get better there in spite of himself. We wouldn’t have been able to prepare food for New Year’s while he was sick, so it’d be ideal if he gets better soon. That way, we can have a big feast before the fifteenth of the month.”

Later that evening, the family gathered in the main room and ate dinner. The Suwon woman aside, the others in the house felt they could breathe again, as if a heavy burden had been lifted, and it truly seemed that the gloomy atmosphere had been dispelled. But how could the Suwon woman whirl around the house so, how could she act as if an aching tooth had been pulled out? One might think she’d dance for joy, not at the news that her husband might get better and come home before the first full moon of the year, but rather if the ritual wailing for the dead drifted out of the house and mourning lamps were hung at the gate.

After dinner, the Suwon woman went out with the maidservant in tow, saying she was on her way to the hospital. Around midnight, she came home with Deok-gi, leaving Chang-hun and a servant behind to keep an eye on the old man. Deok-gi had intended to remain overnight at the hospital, but there wasn’t enough space for him to stay. According to him, the Suwon woman had arrived at the hospital around ten o’clock, though she’d left home at seven.

“Where had she been?” asked Deok-gi’s wife.

“How would I know?” said Deok-gi. Clerk Choe had arrived at the hospital thirty minutes before the Suwon woman, and it looked like they had been busy hatching a plot or two.

At dawn, Deok-gi rushed back to the hospital; the Suwon woman soon followed him, saying that she’d return before breakfast. Before leaving, she said to Deok-gi’s wife, “You’d better hurry up if you want to visit your parents. Clear away breakfast and get ready as soon as you can before I come home.”

Deok-gi’s wife began to make preparations for the outing, though she found the Suwon woman’s sudden generosity suspect.

When the Suwon woman returned, she prompted Deok-gi’s wife to take her leave right away, reminding her that she might not have enough time to visit her parents. “Your husband had his breakfast at the hospital. Hurry up. I heard your grandfather might have an operation this evening or tomorrow.” Then she added, “With your grandfather not home, it doesn’t look like we’ll be able to hold the New Year’s ancestral ceremony. I wouldn’t mind if you returned from your parents’ house after the New Year’s celebration. Ask your husband how he feels about it when you see him at the hospital.”

When Deok-gi’s wife arrived at the hospital, she felt overwhelmed by all the visitors flocking in to pay their respects to the old man. They had been arriving since early morning. Although there wasn’t much to do, she couldn’t just leave while the elders were still around, so she sat with the guests until her husband arrived.

“Grandfather says we should go ahead with the New Year’s ancestral ceremony. We’d better go home right away and prepare a simple offering,” said Deok-gi. They decided to go home with Deok-gi’s mother and gave some money to Secretary Ji to go shopping at the Baeugae Market for some bargains. Deok-gi looked for Uncle Chang-hun, hoping he could send him along with Secretary Ji, but he was nowhere to be found.

The sudden decision to hold the New Year’s ancestral ceremony had been made on the arrival that morning of an uncle who had come to Seoul from the countryside. He thought it was not a good idea to have an operation on the last day of the year and advised that it be put off until two days after New Year’s. When the patient heard that it was actually the last day of the year, he turned to his grandson and asked, “Is today already the last day of the year? Have you prepared for the ancestral ceremony tomorrow?”

“Would it matter if our ancestors didn’t receive any offerings this year, in light of your illness?” asked Deok-gi.

The old man lost his temper. If they acted this way while he was still alive, what did they intend to do after his death? Deok-gi agreed to do as his grandfather wished and left.

When the three family members pushed open the gate of the house and entered behind the maid carrying Deok-gi’s baby on her back, the maidservant rushed out from the servants’ quarters and shouted, “Who’s here? Egu, what brought you back so early? The mistress is getting ready to go out.” Making this announcement as if she were obeying her mistress’ order and anxious to prevent unwelcome guests from entering, the maidservant darted into the house ahead of them.