Friend

by Paek Nam-nyong

  He began to think, not about Yeong Il, but about Ho Nam—the child who had been soaking in the rain, crouched in a fetal position, coughing frightfully as he waited for his parents to come home; the child who got on Jeong Jin Wu’s back with a high fever; the child who felt embarrassed about leaving wet footprints inside Jeong Jin Wu’s apartment. Whose fault was it for instilling fear and anxiety in a little child’s heart and thwarting the hope of a young flower before it even had a chance to blossom? Just as people needed water to live, a child needed love from both his parents. But the parents who needed to nurture this child, how were they living their lives? Were they even aware that the love for a child came from the love between a mother and a father? And yet both of them would say that they loved the child and would be able to raise the child on their own.

  Jeong Jin Wu and the schoolteacher approached a crossroads, one road leading to Seok Chun’s factory and the other leading to their apartment complex. Jeong Jin Wu thanked the schoolteacher for helping him.

  “Aren’t you going to take these home?” the schoolteacher asked.

  “Yes, but—”

  “Then take the sand to your friend quickly. I will take these with me and leave them in front of your apartment door,” said the schoolteacher politely. Then she made her way home with the bucket and shovel.

  Jeong Jin Wu watched the schoolteacher walk in the other direction. He knew she was no ordinary schoolteacher but an extraordinary human being. She possessed the secret riches of humility, gentleness, and virtue that won the respect of her colleagues, students, community members, and husband. She was a pure, dignified, and honest woman who valued the worth of her students and the nobility of her occupation. She understood that sacrificing her life for the students of this generation was fulfilling not merely her duty as a schoolteacher but her destiny. Her love for the nation and her compassionate spirit for the people were admirable qualities that forced Jeong Jin Wu to reflect deeply upon himself and reassess his own state of mind. The schoolteacher was a beautiful woman, both inside and out. She wore the same old sweater from a couple of nights before, but today a soft aura of grace illuminated her entire being.

  12

  Jeong Jin Wu saw the factory on the horizon.

  He desperately wanted to rest, but he knew that if he did, he would not get there before closing time. He picked up his pace. The backpack was weighing down his shoulders as heavily as ever. His wet pants and shoes were getting muddy from the dirt path.

  Suddenly, a man called out, “Aren’t you Judge Jeong Jin Wu?”

  Jeong Jin Wu recognized the thick voice.

  He saw Chae Rim holding a suitcase. It was the man for whom he had been waiting, the man from whom he could gain more insight into the investigation on the fraudulent science fair. It was quite a coincidence to meet him on his way to see Seok Chun. Jeong Jin Wu lowered the backpack onto a patch of grass.

  Chae Rim approached Jeong Jin Wu with a pompous air of confidence. Chae Rim sported a fashionable suit and a light gray necktie with colorful polka dots. It was fastened to his shirt by a clip so that even if he had to run, it would not move. Chae Rim looked suspiciously at Jeong Jin Wu’s wet pants.

  “Did you fall into the river?”

  “Are you just now returning from your business trip?” Jeong Jin Wu responded with a question of his own.

  Jeong Jin Wu’s response was supposed to be a greeting, but he could not force himself to say it in a warmer tone. Furthermore, he did not want to explain why he had been in the river collecting sand. Animosity toward Chae Rim was brewing inside Jeong Jin Wu as he thought about the embezzlement scheme.

  Avoiding the judge’s penetrating glare, Chae Rim put his suitcase on the grass as well.

  “I’m coming from the train station. Instead of going to my office, I decided to go home and rest. But I thought I should call the office to check for any messages, and my secretary said that you had stopped by to conduct an investigation and had asked for me. So then I went to your office, but your assistant said that you might be going to the factory. So that’s why I’m here.”

  As the old saying goes, a criminal always returns to the scene of the crime, Jeong Jin Wu thought.

  “Well, it’s not that urgent. You could just come by whenever we call you,” said Jeong Jin Wu, subtly cutting Chae Rim down to size.

  But it did not affect Chae Rim, who coolly responded, “I don’t feel comfortable pushing back unresolved issues. They should be dealt with right then and there.”

  “Is that right? Then let me get right to the point, Comrade Chairman. Did you tamper with the science fair evaluations?” Jeong Jin Wu said sternly.

  “Ah, I see what this is about. No, I did not tamper with the evaluations, as you put it. The evaluations were handled by the judges at the fair. But I did process the paperwork for the cash prize and tax waiver, which have already been approved and signed by the board members. You must have seen those in my office.”

  “Let me rephrase my question. Do you value the inventions that were presented at the exhibition? And do you believe that they will enable progress in our society?”

  “Progress in our society?” Chae Rim repeated. “Well, we’re going to have to wait and see about that. But, overall, I do value the inventions. Yes, I do.”

  “Liar,” Jeong Jin Wu scoffed.

  “Excuse me?”

  “You’re a thief!”

  “I would watch what you’re saying, Comrade Judge,” Chae Rim warned.

  “Isn’t it true that you took the cash prize and used it to purchase office furniture and build a new fence around your office building?”

  Chae Rim averted his eyes from Jeong Jin Wu’s face and replied, “We redistributed the funds.”

  Jeong Jin Wu was utterly confused.

  “What do you mean by we? Who else was in on this?” asked Jeong Jin Wu, raising his voice.

  “Let’s just say that I had to pay up … uh … forget what I said … let’s just say it was me. Anyway, Comrade Judge, what’s the problem here?” said Chae Rim in a tone that indicated a desire to terminate this conversation.

  Pay up … thought Jeong Jin Wu. He realized that Chae Rim was involved in a conspiracy worse than he had imagined. He was so enraged that he could not breathe properly. He nearly lost his senses and wanted to yell at Chae Rim.

  “Comrade Chairman, as you know, the government distributed the exact amount for each of the inventions and the inventors. However, you decided to control those funds on your own. You pocketed the cash prize that was meant for the inventors and instead handed out vases and plaques. Please explain to me why you did that.”

  Chae Rim, evasive and shifty-eyed, hurriedly searched his pockets for his pack of cigarettes. For some unknown reason, as soon as he found it, he put it back. Chae Rim cleared his throat and regained his composure.

  “There are two reasons. First, a portion of the cash prize was an allocation for us to refurbish our office and put up a metal fence around our building. However, we may have overdone it by using more than originally allocated. Second, instead of awarding our inventors with just a cash prize, we commended their work with a vase and a plaque. We did this to encourage our inventors to work harder. If they produce better machines, then we will give them more next year. Moreover, I realized that this year’s inventors did not care about a cash prize. These were the kind of loyal people who care only for the progress of our society. I figured there’s no need to give out cash prizes to these kinds of noble-minded inventors. Comrade Judge, that’s the reason we used the funds to do some work on our office building. I did not put a dime in my pocket.”

  Chae Rim was so amazed and satisfied with his own logic and reasoning that he pulled out his cigarettes and smoked one slowly.

  Furious and extremely irritated, Judge Jeong Jin Wu fired another charge.

  “You cunningly sabotaged the noble minds of the inventors.”

  “What are you talking about, Comrade Judge?”

  �
�You’ve not only sabotaged them, but you’ve insulted them and trampled all over them,” added Judge Jeong Jin Wu, piercing Chae Rim with his acerbic words.

  “Comrade Chairman, do you know what Comrade Lee Seok Chun went through in order to produce his machine? Do you have any idea what kind of days he has had to endure for the past five years? Have you seen the hundreds of blueprints that he went through to build that machine? Did you know that he basically slept at the factory and paid for every experimental failure out of his own pocket? He could not bring home a decent salary because of all this, but he persisted and finally succeeded. Did you know that?”

  Jeong Jin Wu did not skip a beat.

  “The country desires precisely this kind of loyal worker and considers his efforts to be valuable. And that is why the country holds these kinds of exhibitions to honor these types of workers, and that is why the country rewards them with cash prizes. The country tries to support the technicians and experts with the prizes so that they can enjoy an abundant life. However, you, Comrade Chairman, took the cash prize and refurbished your office with an expensive desk, luxurious sofa, and comfortable chair—the kind of furniture that you can’t buy from just anywhere. How is that different from putting the cash prize directly into your pocket?”

  Chae Rim appeared uncomfortable and loosened his tie.

  “You, Comrade Chairman, stole from the people, who have spilled blood and sweat for their work. You have abused your authority. You have insulted the energy and talents of the people who participated in the exhibition, and you have hindered the Party’s demands to improve technology and the country’s economic advancement! You have committed a crime, comrade. And I will do everything in my power to prosecute you!”

  “Um … Com- … Comrade Judge. Wait a minute, now. The other offices are furnished with the same kind of furniture.” Chae Rim’s face turned red.

  “No more excuses! Criminals like you need to receive a harsh sentence. Our penal law clearly states that anyone who intentionally violates the socialist principle of equal distribution and infringes upon the people’s efforts, creation, and inventions will be duly imprisoned. The penal law applies to everything you did.”

  “How … how does it apply to me?” Chae Rim’s bright red face had turned a ghostly white.

  “I’m actually taking your case lightly. Lee Seok Chun’s marital problems are, of course, his own. However, you are also responsible for insulting him by not awarding him a cash prize at the exhibition, thus mocking his years of suffering over his invention. You fanned the flames of his marital discord by convincing Chae Sun Hee to think of her husband as a lowlife. You will also duly receive punishment for interfering with another family’s life.”

  Chae Rim drew an awkward smile as he stuttered, “Comrade Judge, I … I just came back from my business trip. I … I don’t know what’s going on.”

  “What is there not to know here? Sun Hee is your second cousin, and so is Seok Chun. Why would you sabotage family? You were also once a technician. And now you are a man of executive power. You should have helped him. If you knew that he was struggling with the engineering aspect of his machine, then you should have called some professional engineers to help him or encouraged him to enroll at the Engineering College. Isn’t it your duty as a chairman to increase the expertise level of the workers rather than to increase profit?

  “Comrade Judge, allow me to think about this for a few days, and then I will come see you at your office,” replied Chae Rim, wiping the beads of perspiration off his forehead.

  “Fine. You do that.”

  Jeong Jin Wu picked up his backpack and headed toward the factory. He no longer wanted to converse with the repulsive man. It was obvious to Jeong Jin Wu that Chae Rim had manipulated the science fair and profited from the scheme, a hypocritical gesture from someone who claimed to appreciate the toil and effort of this generation’s inventors. When he cornered Chae Rim and did not allow him to slip away, Jeong Jin Wu felt the sublimity of justice reign over humanity. His heavy backpack felt light, and he walked with a spring in his step.

  Meanwhile, Chae Rim picked up his luggage and trudged in the opposite direction with his shoulders slumped.

  Clouds of greasy smoke billowed from the casting area as molten metal was poured into the molding container. The metal did not solidify in the molding container and remained golden. Bits of molten metal had splashed onto the walls, leaving a burned scent. The fan from the air ventilation system was spinning, but Jeong Jin Wu still felt the heat of the molten metal and smelled the stale air.

  Jeong Jin Wu lowered his backpack, disappointed and unnerved. He feared he had come too late. The factory was lifeless. He did not see nor hear anyone working. The empty molten metal basin held to the ceiling by long steel beams was inactive, and moldings were scattered across the floor of the casting area. In the corner, there was an untouched pile of scrap moldings. The factory was empty; the machines were soulless.

  Jeong Jin Wu searched the factory for workers on the night shift or workers about to start the night shift, but none was to be found. He went to the lathe sector, then to Seok Chun’s station and tool cabinet, and then to the factory recreation center. He felt more and more helpless as he roamed the seemingly abandoned factory. His backpack felt heavier and heavier with each step. Just then, he heard movement in the back part of the factory. He made his way there and found Seok Chun sitting in front of the furnace, chipping away at a brick. Seok Chun rested his chin on his hands, deep in thought. A long ladle, a pair of tongs, and a scraper-like tool used to remove metal bits were scattered on the floor next to Seok Chun.

  Then Seok Chun got up without realizing that Jeong Jin Wu was standing there. He opened the furnace and shoveled some fuel inside. Afterward, he sat back down on the stack of bricks. The golden blaze of the fire from the furnace was reflected on Seok Chun’s pitiable face and disheveled hair. His entire body was covered in ash and soot.

  Jeong Jin Wu was relieved to find Seok Chun after restlessly searching the factory.

  “Comrade Seok Chun, why are you sitting here alone?” asked Jeong Jin Wu warmly.

  When Seok Chun saw Jeong Jin Wu, he stood up immediately. He tried to come up with some excuse. “The night shift workers will arrive soon. I volunteered to watch over the molten metal by managing the furnace heat.” But this was an obvious lie.

  There were dark circles, traces of his exhaustion, around Seok Chun’s eyes.

  “Does a lathe worker know anything about working the furnace?”

  “I’ve been working on the casting for a while now, so—”

  “So you’ve learned the ropes. Were you successful in making the remote control?”

  “It’s such a sensitive piece that if it bubbles or if there’s a rupture, then you have to just throw it away. The sand I’m using is also pretty old, so it causes additional problems.”

  “Speaking of which, I brought some sand. Would you care to have a look?”

  “You did? From where?”

  “If it’s of any use, I’ll tell you.”

  Jeong Jin Wu lowered his backpack. His shoulders and lower back ached intolerably, but he did his best not to reveal his pain. He did not want Seok Chun to be concerned. Seok Chun quickly unzipped the backpack and picked up a handful of sand. He spread the soft white sand on his hand and brought it in front of the furnace for a better look. Then he turned around and looked at Jeong Jin Wu’s wet and muddied pants and shoes.

  “So, will it be useful?” Jeong Jin Wu asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

  Seok Chun was careful not to spill any of the sand on the floor. He put the handful of sand back inside the bag and stood up. Tears welled in his eyes.

  “Comrade Judge, the sand is really good. Did you get this from the river?”

  “You guessed correctly. I got it from under a large boulder below the small footbridge.”

  “It’s really deep there and really cold,” muttered Seok Chun, trying to hold back his tears.
/>   “Nonsense. It was actually quite refreshing. Never mind that. So, then, you’re telling me that it’s useful?”

  “It looks better than the one they haul by train from the other factory. I will go with the other workers to the river and dig up some more.”

  “Great! Then my efforts were not in vain,” Jeong Jin Wu exclaimed.

  Jeong Jin Wu had hesitated to bring the sand to Seok Chun at first, but now he felt relieved and lighter on his feet. From his backpack, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a match. He had wanted to smoke a cigarette ever since he had gotten out of the river, but the cigarette and match were soaked.

  Seok Chun quickly offered one of his cigarettes. Then he grabbed a long wooden stick and got a flame from the furnace.

  “You’re quite talented,” said Jeong Jin Wu, complimenting Seok Chun as he brought his cigarette close to the flame. “Why don’t you smoke one, too?”

  Seok Chun smiled glumly and returned to the furnace.

  The two sat for some time without saying anything, and it seemed as if only the furnace listened to their deep thoughts. The radiance from the blaze reflected on the faces of the two men.

  Seok Chun carefully broke the awkward silence.

  “Comrade Judge, I don’t know what to say. You’ve been so helpful and …”

  “No need to say more. I know how you feel.”

  Jeong Jin Wu picked up a steel ladle and twirled it around. “But I do want to know if you’ve been thinking about what I said in my office the other day.”

  When Seok Chun did not answer, Jeong Jin Wu said, “Something still seems to be bothering you.”

  Seok Chun remained silent.

  “Before you think about divorcing your wife, you have to consider what she wants from you. Don’t be so antagonistic. It’s time for you to think objectively about how she feels about you. I was deeply moved by your tireless efforts on the lathe without coveting awards or recognition. However, you cannot apply the same kind of fervor you have for your work to your family. A family may be small, but it’s connected to one’s world. You cannot think that yesterday’s feelings for your wife will remain the same today. You need to constantly renew those emotions, your vows, and continue to paint your ideal family—those make up your world. But what are you doing in this respect? You have not changed with the times. You love Sun Hee the press worker and not the renowned mezzo-soprano of the performing arts company. She has progressed and become a new person. Times have changed, and so must you. Our entire society is actively progressing toward becoming intellectualized in scientific technology and the arts. But you, comrade, have fallen behind the times. Your so-called love for your wife is outdated. You’re trying to measure your wife’s love for you with a yardstick used in the old days, tallying all the good and bad things she has done for you. And then you try to work on your invention with all this baggage. How well do you think you will be able to perform your duties at the factory? If you had listened to your wife and gone to the Engineering College, then you would be a technician by now and would not have wasted all those years trying to figure out the complex engineering components of your invention.”