Yom Sang-seop - Three Generations

“It’s the name of the former owner, but I’m told we’ll keep it for a while so as not to lose the regular customers.”

Deok-gi agreed that this was a good idea. But where did the money come from?

While they were talking, they noticed two young men in shabby Western suits peering into the store from a distance and then moving away, out of sight. A bit later, one of them, with sharp, darting eyes, barged in and asked roughly, “Is Satoh home?”

His ratty clothes and long hair, and his crude walking cane (thankfully, not a menacing cherry stick), did not give him the aura of a police inspector. Rather, he resembled the Byeong-hwa of old.

“Satoh has sold the business,” Pil-sun replied.

“Who’s the owner now?”

“Hong Gyeong-ae.”

“Hong Gyeong-ae? A man or a woman?”

“A woman.”

“Who’s her husband? Does she have a husband?”

“There’s an attendant.”

“Who is he?”

“Kim Cheong.”

“Where is this Kim Cheong fellow?”

“He’s out.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m an attendant, too.”

“Are you Kim Cheong’s wife?”

“No.” Pil-sun frowned, a blush rising to her cheeks.

“Then when do you expect him to return?”

“I don’t know.”

The hostile young man left the store.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Pil-sun asked, following him outside, but the stranger strode away without answering.

“I’m not convinced that he was looking for the previous owner,” Deok-gi commented. “At first glance, I’d say he looks pretty shady — one of those radicals looking for trouble.”

“That’s what I was thinking.” Pil-sun was pensive, her face pale, her eyes blinking from fright.

“Do Byeong-hwa’s old friends still come to see him?”

“Not really. He says he wants to stay away from them for a while.”

“Is that why he’s calling himself Kim Cheong? What about the police inspectors? Do they come?”

“Yes. They joke that they’re like doctors who have nothing to do except swat flies after all their patients get better, and that they can’t make a living since Byeong-hwa turned over a new leaf and is doing what’s good for him. They say they’re thankful, anyway, and talk about opening accounts at our store for their families and maybe even bringing some of their friends to shop here. I guess they’re satisfied.”

“Oh, really! I bet they go around spreading the news that Kim has renounced his ideology and is now busy making money. His friends won’t keep quiet about his betrayal.”

“You’ve already guessed all that?”

“Well, yes.” Deok-gi was afraid that Byeong-hwa might find himself in unexpected trouble. But had he really changed his way of thinking? Deok-gi just couldn’t be sympathetic to Byeong-hwa if he had really turned his back on his comrades and was getting help from the police. It was possible that, having fallen head over heels in love with Gyeong-ae, he was now delivering groceries just to please her, like a bankrupt yangban playing both master and servant. He could have done pretty much anything in order to make a living. It could also be that Byeong-hwa hadn’t intended to enlist the inspectors but realized that it wouldn’t hurt to make use of them if he could. Those who were hostile to Byeong-hwa might actually have a bone to pick with him.

“Did Hong Gyeong-ae give him the money for this place?” Deok-gi asked, remembering that Pil-sun had said that Gyeong-ae was the owner.

“I guess so.”

Though he didn’t know how much it would cost to buy such a store, Deok-gi wondered if Gyeong-ae had enough money of her own to launch something on this scale. Had she gotten it from his father? If so, where did that leave Gyeong-ae’s relationship with Byeong-hwa? Deok-gi couldn’t bury this thought, as much as he’d prefer not to get involved in the affair.

“How is it for you?” Deok-gi asked. “It must be exhausting working here.”

“Not really. I’m just a little nervous because I’m clumsy and inexperienced.” Pil-sun was startled to realize that she and Deok-gi had grown familiar enough with each other to chat comfortably like this.

After a long pause, Deok-gi spoke again. “You know, I was considering helping you continue your studies. On the other hand, it wouldn’t be bad for you to gain work experience, whatever it may be, but — ” He stopped, remembering what Byeong-hwa had written — that Pil-sun should be allowed to decide for herself what she wanted. He didn’t want to confuse her just when she had found something she liked.

Pil-sun hoped to draw him out, and said, “I’m in no position to study, and anyway, how can someone like me get an education?”

“You can always ask for my help if you need it. Let me be your sounding board if nothing else.” Was he being too bold? Deok-gi was concerned that Pil-sun might misconstrue his intentions.

Pil-sun seemed to welcome his suggestion; blushing, she muttered something that Deok-gi didn’t catch. It sounded like a thank you.

Parking his bicycle at the door, Byeong-hwa walked in and called out loudly, “I am so honored that you’ve come to grace our store with your presence!” He looked very clean-cut in his Western suit and overcoat.

“I see that you’ve abandoned a respectful form of speech, now that you’re dressed as a gentleman.”

“That’ll change if you’ve come here to buy something.”

“Then give me one-jeon worth of edamame beans,” Deok-gi said as he took out his wallet.

“Thank you, sir, but we don’t carry goods handled by tiny stores.”

“By the way, a stranger came by a while ago. He was as rude as a police inspector. I have a feeling he’ll come again.”

Before Pil-sun had a chance to go into details, Byeong-hwa cut her short. “That’s all right. Don’t worry about it.”

“Did you run into him on your way back?”

“No, I didn’t, but it’ll be all right.” Byeong-hwa managed a feeble smile but seemed perturbed.

Lightheartedly, Deok-gi said, “He threatened to come back and beat you up and said that you opened the business with money from a Japanese detective or something.”

Byeong-hwa smiled and said, “Bull’s-eye!” Taking Deok-gi inside, he led him to a back room with an ondol floor. Pil-sun’s mother’s face lit up at the sight of Deok-gi. She scrambled to her feet, put down her sewing, and offered him a bow of condolence before taking her leave.

Why had Pil-sun’s family moved here? Deok-gi wondered. Byeong-hwa was acting like the family’s son-in-law.

“Where did you hear that rumor?” Byeong-hwa broached the subject after Pil-sun’s mother left.

“So it’s true?” Deok-gi asked with ill-concealed surprise.

“Far from it. But some people actually seem to think it is. I’ve just been to the prison, and the fellow I went to see already knew that I’d started this business.”

“But Byeong-hwa, wasn’t it wrong of you to drop your friends? You should have sought their understanding.”

“How can I expect them to understand? And anyway, the ones that go around speaking ill of me without any grounds aren’t even of my own group. They’re just a bunch of blackmailers.”

“Then what about your group?”

“There aren’t many left, but the few that remain are saying nothing in my defense. They’re passive, no one’s said a word to me. For all I know, they’re pleased to hear others bad-mouth me. Maybe they’re cheering them on.”

“Then why did you distance yourself from them all of a sudden? It’s no surprise they suspect that policemen are helping you out.”

“I don’t care whether they suspect me or come and beat me up. Look, let’s change the subject. I need to ask you a favor.”