Hwang Sok-Yong - The Guest

You — who are you?

It was a woman’s voice. I could hear another woman call from behind, Stand him up. Let’s have a look.

The woman who’d been sitting on my back got to her feet, still holding on to the back of my neck. I sat up, brushing the dirt off my clothes. Both women were soldiers of the People’s Army. They wore the yellowish brown army uniform with the wide insignia on the shoulder and the baggy army trousers. Their lips were blue from the cold, and the stitching along their shoulders and the material around their knees were torn. Neither of them appeared to be armed. They were probably around high school age. Now that I’d sized them up, I found myself gaining a bit of confidence. After all, what could these girls possibly do to me, I began thinking. One of the two was small in stature and very thin — she would be, at most, two years or so older than myself. The other one, though, with her thick wrists and sturdy shoulders, might have been able to pass for something closer to twenty. Whatever the case, they both had twinkling black eyes, and it struck me that I hadn’t ever seen such pretty girls in my village or anywhere nearby. The big one spoke.

Where do you live? Why did you come here?

I live down in the village. I’m here to check my rabbit traps.

They looked at each other for a moment, then the big one spoke again.

Did you come alone?

Yes, today I did.

Are there security agencies in your village, too?

I knew only too well what they were afraid of.

Sure. There’s a sentry box at every alley.

The big one grimaced. Responding to the frown, the little one hurriedly pulled up her companion’s torn pant leg and checked her feet. The big one’s ankle looked awfully swollen.

Is it hurting again?

Yeah. I think I twisted it again trying to catch him.

Well, what do we do now? Where can we go from here?

There was a short silence. I was the first to speak.

Where are you from?

The South.

It was the little one who replied. The big one got up, broke a branch off a tree, and snapped off the twigs. Using it as a walking stick, she tried taking a few steps before she flopped back down on the ground.

Oh man, just taking a step hurts like crazy.

You know, this place — it’s dangerous during the day. People come here for firewood, and for walks, too.

Oh! Really?

There’s an orchard a little farther down. No one goes near there until spring rolls around.

The little one looked at me.

What’s your name. student? You’re a student, aren’t you?

Yes. I’m in middle school — it’s my first year. My name is Ryu Yosŏp.

She put one hand on her chest.

I’m Kang Miae, and her name is.

The big one, smiling for the first time, said a bit shyly, Hong Chŏngsuk.

Yosŏp, you won’t report us, will you?

Inform? No.

Why not?

I don’t like people getting killed. Did you sleep here last night?

We’ve been here since the day before yesterday.

And you haven’t eaten anything?

Acting tough like a man, Hong replied, Just water. That’s why we were trying to stay near the stream.

You must be hungry. I’ll go home and bring you back some food.

The two women hesitated for a moment and exchanged looks. Her face contorting anxiously, Kang Miae asked, Would that be. safe? If you’re caught by a grown-up, you’ll get in big trouble.

Are you afraid I might go down and report you?

It was Hong who answered.

No. We trust you, Yosŏp. Ah, do you like. singing?

Singing?

Later, when you come back for us — what song will you sing?

Let me see. do you know this song? This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears .

I then hummed the first bar. Kang’s response was immediate.

Oh, that’s a hymn. All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.

Promising them that I would be back with some food, I came back down the ravine. I was to start singing at the bottom of the hill when I returned and keep it up all the way to the top. At home I found both my parents, on this day of all days, going about their business in the main wing of the house. Of all places my mother could have been, she was bustling around in the kitchen, breaking dry twigs in front of the fireplace to use later when she cooked lunch.

Ma, have we got anything to eat?

Mother turned around to glance in my direction as I stood on the threshold of the kitchen.

Listen, these days we’re lucky to have three square meals a day. I’m making lunch soon. Why don’t you go inside and wait?

Instead of responding I just rushed around the stone fence and went over to the separate wing that stood behind the main house. Sister-in-law was in the last month of her pregnancy, so she spent most her time lying in her bedroom. I opened her kitchen door quietly, crept inside, and lifted the lid of the big cauldron. It was still warm, and inside was a big bowl covered with a piece of hemp cloth. Lifting up the cloth, I saw that the bowl was full of steamed sweet potatoes. Sister-in-law had probably steamed them for my little nieces to snack on. I took the bowl, hemp cloth and all, and got out of there. Shooting out of the house like an arrow, I checked to see that no one was watching and made a run for the hills. When I got to the ravine, I picked my way up through the rocks, thinking to myself again that the place really wasn’t a very good hideout. When everything was said and done, they just really needed to move someplace more suitable. I began to sing.

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears

all nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought

of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; His hand the wonders wrought.

I made my way back to the same spot, but when I got there the girls were nowhere to be seen — I searched all over, pushing aside the bigger branches and straining to see past the smaller trees. Finally, I let loose a great shout into the empty air.

Girls! Big Sisters! Where did you go?

Hush! We’re right here!

Kang’s face appeared from behind a big boulder, and then Hong rose up from a patch of clover bushes, much farther up the hill. As one climbed down the rock and the other walked out through the branches, I could hear them talking.

He wasn’t followed, was he?

He’s alone. I’ve been watching him.

Proudly, I offered them the bowl, still covered with the hemp cloth. Then, like it was some fantastic magic trick, I snatched the cover off with a flourish.

Help yourselves!

Wow! Sweet potatoes!

I sat a little bit apart from them, watching them with a distinct sense of satisfaction as they clutched the sweet potatoes in their hands and began stuffing their faces. A little belatedly, Kang turned to Hong.

Slow down, Big Sister, or you’ll get indigestion!

Hong laughed out loud. Then, as her eyes met mine, she awkwardly held the half-eaten sweet potato out to me, still smiling broadly.

Yosŏp, you should have some of this, too.

It’s okay. I’m going home for lunch soon — we’re having rice.

Then, feeling a bit guilty about my thoughtless reply, I added, We should move out of here tonight. I’ll bring you some rice too, later this evening.

After they’d finished eating, the two girls cupped their hands and drank from the mountain stream. For the first time, they both looked comfortable and lighthearted. Kang brought out the black leather case that she had left lying under the trees. I was expecting it to be full of guns, or at least something in that general category. Instead, she opened the case in a way that looked as if she were splitting it in two and took out a violin — something I’d only seen in pictures until then.