Big Life

Chapter 296: True Story (2)

‘It feels kind of off…’ The public office, which he had driven past before, slowly came into view. Even the Gyeoja Bathhouse was still standing in the same shabby area. Having lost its initial purpose, the building, which now had a new owner, had become a storage or even the neighborhood children’s secret playground.

‘The siblings I met before must have grown quite a bit. The older brother must have become a middle school student by now… is the younger sister still a crybaby?’ Ha Jae-Gun kept driving on through the familiar town following the navigation for a few more kilometers.

He drove until he was surrounded by farmland. Even the sporadically placed buildings he saw were mostly single-level houses, so he could see everything in view. The mist-covered mountain served as a backdrop like a folding screen.

‘Drive past Cheonpo Elementary School and take a right turn…’ Residences lined up as the road narrowed quickly on both sides. They looked relatively old but still left a lyrical impression on people. Ha Jae-Gun checked the navigator for the remaining distance left to travel and slowed down.

‘…Is this it?’ Ha Jae-Gun stopped in front of an old house surrounded by an earthen wall that came up to his nose. Peering over, Ha Jae-Gun only saw overgrown bushes sticking out. Behind them, the ash-gray tiled roof was faintly visible. The fairly well-kept exterior hinted that the house was currently being maintained by someone.

‘Is she home?’ Ha Jae-Gun looked around the blue gate but did not spot a doorbell.

Clang, clang, clang!

Ha Jae-Gun rapped on the door, but the only response he received was the chirping of birds. He pulled out his phone as a last resort, calling the number that Seo Sang-Do had given him, but no matter how many times he dialed, the lady, Kang Yeon-Ju, did not answer.

Creaaak.

Perhaps it was due to the wind, but the blue gate creaked open slightly. Ha Jae-Gun hesitated for a brief moment at his naivety before deciding to peer over the gate. A large pond was revealed amidst numerous weeds, and a chill went down his spine.

‘Seeing how well-maintained the roof was, someone must be living here, but this…’ Just as he hesitated again before what resembled an abandoned house, a woman suddenly appeared in the courtyard.

Seemingly in her late twenties, the lady was dressed in a short-sleeved t-shirt and jeans. Her outfit seemed too early for the still chilly season. Her face was flushed, and her apron was covered in dust, indicating that she had been busy working on something.

“...?”

“Ah…Um…” Ha Jae-Gun was flustered as their eyes met.

The moment he was about to explain himself, the woman asked, “Are you perhaps Mr. Ha Jae-Gun?”

“Ah, yes. That’s right.”

The woman set aside the weeds she had gathered and crossed the pond, approaching Ha Jae-Gun. She smiled and greeted, “Hello, I am Kang Yeon-Ju. I saw your call earlier but was too busy organizing the library that I couldn’t check my phone for a while.”

“It’s fine. I should apologize for showing up out of the blue.”

“Come on in. I’m sorry for the shabby state of the house.”

“Ah, then… please excuse me.” Ha Jae-Gun followed after Kang Yeon-Ju, passing the courtyard. The hanok that wasn’t visible from outside came into view.

Kang Yeon-Ju took off her shoes first and placed down a pair of slippers on the floor. “Please wear this. The house is in a mess, so you'll get your feet dirty.”

“Thank you.”

“The things are prepared for you in the library, where the back annex is located. Follow me. You can keep the slippers on from here on.”

Ha Jae-Gun realized how spacious the house was as he followed Kang Yeon-Ju around. On top of that, a vaguely strange feeling became clearer. The old, perhaps even old-fashioned-looking house was in stark contrast to the young lady’s bright demeanor.

‘It doesn't seem like there are any other family members around here.’

As if reading Ha Jae-Gun’s mind, Kang Yeon-Ju turned around before opening the door to the annex. “You must be hurting to see the house so shabby, right? People must live in it to make it look like a house. It’s been empty since my mother passed away. I can come down once in a while to clean it, but it’s too big for me to clean the entire place alone.”

“So you live somewhere else?”

“Yes, I live near the fork road, and I'm running a small piano lesson studio. You should have driven past it on the way here.”

Ha Jae-Gun nodded silently as they entered the annex. The old wooden floor creaked with every step, and Ha Jae-Gun’s curiosity grew even more.

“Um… Ms. Kang Yeon-Ju, there’s something I’d like to ask.”

“Please speak.”

“I’m curious why Mr. Seo Gun-Woo’s possessions are here.”

“Ah, they say he’s a student of my grandfather.” Kang Yeon-Ju replied in a heartbeat. As she opened the sliding door, she added, “My grandfather was a university professor and writer; he also has many students.”

“Sorry, but may I ask for your grandfather’s name…?”

“His name is Kang Byeong-Ha.”

The sliding door revealed a huge pile of books that caught his eye. At the same time, the book written by Kang Byeong-Ha flashed across his mind.

“By any chance…” Ha Jae-Gun swallowed nervously. “Was he the writer behind Middle of Jongno?”

“Oh my, you know that book too? Not many have read the book since every single copy of it has been recalled.”

Thud!

Ha Jae-Gun stumbled, feeling slightly faint. The fact that he had come to Kang Byeong-Ha’s house was shocking. He had been wanting to meet his family and had even approached Oh Myung-Suk for help, but it was futile. He couldn’t believe that he was able to get in touch with them thanks to Seo Sang-Do.

“Mr. Ha? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Um… So what you said earlier…” Ha Jae-Gun slowly looked around the library in disbelief. “The late Mr. Kang Byeong-Ha… is Mr. Seo Gun-Woo’s mentor?”

“Yes, that’s what I heard from my mother…” Kang Yeon-Ju seemed intimidated by Ha Jae-Gun’s change in attitude.

Ha Jae-Gun couldn't even excuse himself for the sudden change in behavior and fell to the ground. He recalled the day when he first read Middle of Jongno. Even though it was his first time reading it, the familiarity of its content had vividly shocked him.

‘Then did… the mentor… plagiarize his student’s…?’ It was a question that he couldn’t bring himself to mutter out loud with the late writer’s granddaughter present.

After reading the novel at the time, Ha Jae-Gun speculated that either the late Kang Byeong-Ha and Seo Gun-Woo were the same person or Kang Byeong-Ha had plagiarized Seo Gun-Woo's work.

“Mr. Ha? Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?”

“I’m sorry. I just needed to get some stuff straightened out in my mind…” Ha Jae-Gun trailed off, his shoulders moving as the agitation in him surged.

Kang Yeon-Ju did not probe further but pulled out a wooden box that was kept away in the corner toward him.

“The things you’re looking for are all in this box. It’s everything we’re to give him when Mr. Seo Gun-Woo comes looking for them.”

“Thank you. But…” Ha Jae-Gun stared at the box, which was wrapped with box tape, and asked carefully, “It doesn’t seem like anyone has opened it before.”

“Yes, you’re the first person to see this box ever since my mother passed away. I don’t know what’s inside the box either.” Kang Yeon-Ju smiled bitterly at Ha Jae-Gun and added, “My mother cried a lot after seeing what's inside the box, and she even regretted looking inside it. That regret lasted until she died, and she said that it only made the burden on her heart heavy, so… I never thought of opening it.”

“…” The silence around them grew heavy.

Kang Yeon-Ju retreated and looked down at her toes, fidgeting them. Some time passed until she spoke again, saying, “I don't know what's the story, but I thought that maybe Mr. Seo Sang-Do had the same thoughts as I do. He did not open the box either.”

“...?”

“I was shocked when he came looking for me a few months ago. He was drunk when he told me that he had known of the phone number and address to this place for a long time, but he had just found the courage to retrace his father's footsteps.”

“Please share more with me.” Ha Jae-Gun pleaded, stumbling. These were things that Seo Sang-Do would never have shared with him.

“He toured the entire house alone and did not say a single word. My mother had contacted him a few times when she was around, but it’d be funny if she asked why it took him so long to come.”

Kang Yeon-Ju’s eyes landed on the wooden box. “After looking around the annex, I took out this box for him and said that this was left behind by my grandfather for Mr. Seo Sang-Do’s father. However, he began sniffling, burying his face in the wooden box, even though I was there.”

“So that’s what happened…” Ha Jae-Gun muttered as he grazed a hand on the wooden box.

Kang Yeon-Ju placed a pair of scissors on the box and turned around. “Take your time. I’ll bring you a cup of tea.”

“You don’t have to.”

”I’m thirsty, too. Take your time to look and leave whenever you want, so don't feel burdened. Please sign my book, too,” Kang Yeon-Ju said.

Ha Jae-Gun was surprised.

Kang Yeon-Ju chuckled and explained, “I've actually been a fan of yours since Foolish Woman. I'm sorry I didn't get to tell you earlier.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“I’ll be back later.” Kang Yeon-Ju left the annex, leaving Ha Jae-Gun alone.

Ha Jae-Gun's hand holding the scissors was shaking. A whirlwind of anguish seemed to be stirring in a corner of his mind. Was it okay for him to simply open up the box that even the Elder's son couldn't open?

Ha Jae-Gun lifted his head backward and let out a sigh. Just then, he spotted a small photo album slotted on the bookshelf beside him. He staggered toward it as if he were possessed.

“Sir…?!” Ha Jae-Gun muttered, his voice cracking.

The familiar looking face appeared in the photo. It was the same old man in a custom-made hanbok, whom he had met several times back when he was writing The Malice.

“Mr. Ha, are you okay with red tea?” Kang Yeon-Ju asked with a tray of teacups in her hands. However, Ha Jae-Gun only stood there stunned; he seemed to have lost all of his energy.

***

“I think I'll be going back tomorrow. Yeah, no. The place where I wrote Gyeoja Bathhouse is nearby. I just felt that the composition is coming around better when I'm here. Yeah, I'm sorry. Stay with Father and Mother-in-law.

"I'll go pick you up at your parents’ tomorrow evening. My voice? No, it's just because it's night. Yeah, goodnight.”

When the call with Lee Soo-Hee had ended, Ha Jae-Gun immediately burst into tears, which he had been holding back for a while. He held the box tightly in his embrace, sobbing violently.

“I'm sorry, Elder…! I'm really sorry…! I'm ashamed to face you. I didn't know this happened… I didn't know something like this had happened… I'm so ignorant, sobbb…!”

Ha Jae-Gun gnashed his teeth, grabbing onto his chest tightly. The button on his shirt was pulled off as a result

“How upset you must have been when I showed Five Dreams to you… I finally know why Rika reacted that way. I finally know that Rika, a cat, was much more considerate to you than me!” Ha Jae-Gun's hot tears fell on the purple carpet.

Ha Jae-Gun couldn't stop sobbing as he laid his forehead on the floor. He finally knew everything about the Elder, and it was all thanks to what Kang Byeong-Ha had left behind.

Kang Yeon-Ju was right. It wasn't a burden that anyone could take up so easily.

“...!” Ha Jae-Gun gnashed his teeth and looked up to see the old man in a custom-made hanbok sitting on the sofa. He looked at the old man and stood up. He did not feel any fear, as he had finally discovered the old man's real identity today.

He was neither a ghost nor a soul.

Ha Jae-Gun looked at the old man and asked, “This is just my vision of you, right?”

“Don't give up on writing, no matter what ordeal you are going through.”

“And… this is something you've been wanting to hear from your mentor, right?”

“You're a talented inkslinger. Forgive this rotten mentor who was envious of his own student.”

The question and answer felt awkward and out of place. It resembled a conversation, but it felt more like the monologue of two people.

Ha Jae-Gun no longer had any more questions. His eyes were on Kang Byeong-Ha, but his words were directed at Seo Gun-Woo.

“Please relieve yourself of the burden in your heart, Elder. Please leave everything else to me and rest in peace,” Ha Jae-Gun said as he clenched the letter in his hand.

It was the letter written by Seo Gun-Woo’s mentor to his student when he was still alive. Unfortunately, his student had passed away without being able to read the letter. It was only today when the student of that student had finally opened the letter to see the first words “I’m sorry” at the opening.

Kang Byeong-Ha's figure faded gradually. Ha Jae-Gun swallowed his sobs and steeled his resolve once more, vowing to complete the work so that Kang Byeong-Ha would never appear again.

Ha Jae-Gun stayed up until the next morning, and he called someone the moment daybreak arrived. The call crossed the mountains and reached Chuncheon in the blink of an eye.