Yom Sang-seop - Three Generations

The next day, when there was a lull at the store, Pil-sun sat by the stove with Gyeong-ae.

“I would have never guessed it, but Auntie Pil-sun is not shy at all, sitting in the main room of a house she’s never visited before, devouring a whole bowl of rice-cake soup,” said Gyeong-ae in a teasing tone.

“What could I do? They told me to eat and I wanted to eat. What would you have done in a situation like that, Big Sister?”

“I’d have asked for food if I had been hungry.”

“Do you think I’m too shy to do that? The first time I met Deok-gi, I went to a restaurant and slurped my noodles without thinking twice.”

“How interesting to learn that Auntie Pil-sun has no shame!”

“You can say that again. After three years at a factory, I have none at all.”

Gyeong-ae had never heard Pil-sun talk back, even jokingly. Pil-sun couldn’t stand being teased about what she had kept from her own mother and guessed that the information had come from Won-sam’s wife. Pil-sun was on edge. True, she usually didn’t get enough sleep while staying overnight at the hospital, but she had had even less sleep the night before, managing to doze off for a few hours at best.

Gyeong-ae continued to tease her. “You’re too young. If you want a man in your life, I’ll find you a good bridegroom. But you’d better treat me to wedding noodles when the time comes!”

“What? Who said I’m looking for a man, now or ever?” Though Pil-sun knew that Gyeong-ae was just joking, she didn’t like to hear her friendship with Deok-gi branded “a man in her life.”

“I know better than anyone else, you know,” Gyeong-ae said with a sisterly air. Her words seemed to contain a stern message: “Listen well, for I’m older than you, even if only a touch. Look at what I have become.”

“It’s nothing. I just took some fruit because Mr. Kim asked me to.”

“You know I am kidding, but be careful anyway. Deok-gi is a good man, there’s no doubt about it, and I know him well. But I’ve been where you are now, and you should take care. I can’t just look on and say nothing, like a stranger. If you don’t want my advice, I won’t repeat it.”

The two fell silent, as if they had had an argument. Pil-sun knew that Gyeong-ae was not wrong, but she couldn’t bear to hear her speak this way.

What does he want to talk to me about? Pil-sun’s mind strayed back to Deok-gi. Is he going to ask me to go study with him in Japan? This flight of fancy brought color to her cheeks, and she quickly mocked herself. Why would he take someone like me with him, if not to keep his house?

The third day after her visit to Deok-gi’s, Won-sam said quietly to her, “The master wants you to come by tomorrow.”

Her heart sank. She had a premonition that some kind of change was about to happen to her. She didn’t know why, but the idea of going there weighed heavily on her. She decided not to go: he’d come to the store after he recovered, and she would see him then.

The next day, Won-sam reminded her of Deok-gi’s request. “Aren’t you going today?”

“I’m too busy. I just don’t have the time.” Pil-sun pushed away her complicated feelings.

She felt no relief, however, at her decision not to see him. Dazed, she was unable to concentrate on her work. But no matter how many times she reconsidered, she just couldn’t bring herself to visit him.

“Hey, Deok-gi, have you forgotten about that thousand won — you know, the money you told everyone you gave me?”

“Didn’t I give it to you? It’s recorded in the police report. What better proof do you want?”

Byeong-hwa egged his friend on. “So how about making good on your pledge?”

“I have no such intention.”

“Maybe I should show you a pistol.”

“Haven’t you decided not to use Korean money — white money, that is — in the first place? Aren’t you an international trader who sells food with red money from abroad?” Deok-gi laughed.

“Do you call nickels white money and copper coins red money?” Although Byeong-hwa laughed at the joke, he was startled by Deok-gi’s comment. He must have heard something from Pil-sun — you couldn’t trust women with their loose tongues. It would have been better if he had told Deok-gi himself.

“Look at you! You’re really frightened! You couldn’t have used up all your capital already. If I’d really given you a thousand, I might have to go to jail with you.”

“A three-year jail sentence comes to more than a thousand days. If you were to pay one won a day, you’d have paid a thousand won by the end of your sentence. How about you just give me a thousand now?”

“No, no, how about you pay it back daily for a thousand days, with interest?”

“Since when did you open a debt-collection business? Or is that among your inherited assets, too?”

If it came to light that the thousand won was indeed “red money,” Deok-gi might find himself in trouble.

“I know that you’re skilled at manipulating people, but how can you cause trouble for me and then blame it all on me like this?” Deok-gi was willing to help Byeong-hwa, but a thousand won was out of the question.

“You’re being very stingy. Okay, I’ll pay you back daily for a thousand days, with interest.”

At last, Deok-gi agreed that after he got better, he’d go to the rice refinery and try to find the money to lend Byeong-hwa.

“There’s a strange rumor going around these days,” Byeong-hwa said as he was hurrying to take off, now that he had accomplished what he came for.

“What’s that?”

“I’m warning you, it’s going to sound nasty. Did you bribe the doctors?”

“What did you say?” Deok-gi sat up straight.

“They say your grandfather died because the wrong medicine was used and that you bribed the doctors after the funeral.”

“Who said that?”

“There’s no need to name names. ”

“Tell me exactly what you heard.”

“Was the wrong medicine really used? Did you actually bribe the doctors?”

“What crazy bastard is saying this?”

“Won-sam heard it from his friends and was so shocked that he rushed over last night to tell me.”

“Who did he hear it from?” Deok-gi wondered why Won-sam hadn’t come to him directly but realized, after a moment, that it would have been difficult for his servant to do so.

“It wouldn’t be good if the rumor spread.”

“Who’d go around talking such nonsense? Tell Won-sam to come see me.”

Byeong-hwa was about to leave, but Deok-gi held him back.

“I have a question.”

“What?”

“How long will you be in business?”

“As long as possible. Why? Is there a deadline? If business is good, I’d like to entrust it to Pil-sun’s family.”

“You’re beginning to see profits, I gather?”

Deok-gi now sounded more willing to provide capital, and Byeong-hwa answered eagerly, “It’s doing pretty well. It’s been less than a month, but all of us are making a living from it, and I’m sure we won’t lose money.”

“That’s actually why I’m bringing this up; shouldn’t you find a trustworthy person to settle down with?”

“What do you mean? All of us working at the store are trustworthy.”

“I mean how about taking this opportunity to get married?”

“Don’t be ridiculous! I didn’t start this business to have children and rub my fat belly flaunting how well-off I’ve become. This is not private property. I’m planning to turn the store into a source of livelihood for my comrades. Whatever you do, you have to eat. I went into business to prevent Pil-sun’s family from starving, as well as to use it as temporary protection for myself, but I’m also hoping to build it up as an organization of our own as it grows. Anyone can come in and take turns tending the store, but beyond feeding ourselves, we are not going to hoard the profits. No one is going to take away even a penny. That’s the kind of group I’m in.”