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GUESET LITERATURE – KOREA “I’ve heard that some ministers will take people like us to South Korea for free,” mutters Aunt Chu-hyôn to herself. Hearing her, Mr Pak’s eyes take on the cruel sharpness of a lion fighting another for prey. “Well then, let’s forget about the whole thing!” he yells, jumping up. Aunt Sun-dôk grabs him by the sleeve. Mr Pak’s face seems burning with fury. “I’m so sorry, Mr Pak. Chung-sim, you must apologize, now!” demands Aunt Sun-dôk in an almost tearful voice, pulling Aunt Chung-sim by the knees. Frightened, the boy takes a couple of steps back to hide himself behind the adults. “I’m sorry for making such a fuss,” apologizes Aunt Chung-sim, finally. Only then does Mr Pak sit down again. After everyone gives him an envelope, he looks at the boy. “The child stays behind, of course?” he says, addressing Aunt Sundôk. “Yes,” says Aunt Sun-dôk in a weak voice. Aunt Chung-sim glares at Aunt Sun-dôk. “We must take him with us.There will be no one here to take care of him,” she protests. “What about his parents?” asks Mr Pak, after throwing another glance at the boy. Now it is Aunt Sun-dôk’s turn to glare at Aunt Chung-sim. All the while, Aunt Chu-hyôn is scribbling something on the floor with her finger and Uncle Man-bok keeps picking up some strands of hair from the floor with a wet finger and dropping them in the ashtray. “To tell the truth, his parents were in the group that left for Mongolia last winter, you know, those poor people who ran out of luck on the plain,” says Aunt Chung-sim in a whisper, conscious of the child’s presence beside her. “Oh, I know.You mean the group that followed the Korean guide?” Aunt Chung-sim nods to Mr Pak. “It’s not right to leave the poor, motherless child behind alone here. It was wrong of us not to consult you about it earlier, but we must take him with us,” said Aunt Chung-sim in a calm voice. “He is only a child, but it will cost the same amount of money to take him with you. Let me level with you. A child will only be a terrible burden. He is unable to follow instructions, crying and making all kinds of trouble. In that sense, helping a child can be more expensive. If you insist on taking him along, there’s nothing I can do about it. But you must pay his fee as well.” 152 BANIPAL 43 – CELEBRATING DENYS JOHNSON-DAVIES
page 155
JEONG DO-SANG Listening to Mr Pak,Yông-su starts to bite his thumbnail unawares. “This isn’t my business. Chung-sim, you take care of it,” says Aunt Sun-dôk coldly. “I don’t even have enough for myself. Perhaps you can collect his fee once we arrive in Korea?” asks Aunt Chung-sim hesitantly. Mr Pak’s usual deer-like eyes turn into those of a jackal. “As you can’t trust me, I can’t trust you, either. Why don’t you write an IOU on his fee?” There is ice in his voice. The boy is now biting his fingernails and his thumb is bleeding. However, he doesn’t stop biting. “An IOU? What’s that?” asks Aunt Chung-sim. “It is a note saying that you’ve borrowed money. By writing it, you promise that you will pay it back by a certain date. If you fail to pay it back on time, you go to jail.” “But I’ve never borrowed money from you, Mr Pak.Why do I have to write such a thing?” At her question, Mr Pak bursts out laughing: “I know I’ve never lent you any money. Still, if I don’t collect the money from the boy now, it will be like I’m paying his fee out of my own pocket, which is the same as lending it.” “I don’t understand.” Aunt Chung-sim shakes her head unconvinced. “Well, there’s nothing I can do about that,” says Mr Pak, jumping to his feet again. Everyone looks at him in surprise. Aunt Sun-dôk grabs his sleeve again and implores him not to go. Nevertheless, he shakes off her hand coldly and leaves the lodging house. Continued online . . . To read the whole of this novella please go to www.banipal.co.uk/selections Jeong Do-sang was born in 1960. He made his debut with a short story “The Story of 15-Room”. He won the 17th Tanjae Prize with “Numang – the Thread Hope”, one of his novels. Among his collections of stories are “Friend Far Away” (1988), “Silsang Temple Stories” (2004), “The Woman in the Peony Market “(2005), “Wild Rose” (2008) and “Camel” (2010). BANIPAL 43 – SPRING 2012 153

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GUESET LITERATURE – KOREA

“I’ve heard that some ministers will take people like us to South Korea for free,” mutters Aunt Chu-hyôn to herself.

Hearing her, Mr Pak’s eyes take on the cruel sharpness of a lion fighting another for prey. “Well then, let’s forget about the whole thing!” he yells, jumping up.

Aunt Sun-dôk grabs him by the sleeve. Mr Pak’s face seems burning with fury. “I’m so sorry, Mr Pak. Chung-sim, you must apologize, now!” demands Aunt Sun-dôk in an almost tearful voice, pulling Aunt Chung-sim by the knees. Frightened, the boy takes a couple of steps back to hide himself behind the adults.

“I’m sorry for making such a fuss,” apologizes Aunt Chung-sim, finally. Only then does Mr Pak sit down again. After everyone gives him an envelope, he looks at the boy.

“The child stays behind, of course?” he says, addressing Aunt Sundôk.

“Yes,” says Aunt Sun-dôk in a weak voice. Aunt Chung-sim glares at Aunt Sun-dôk. “We must take him with us.There will be no one here to take care of him,” she protests.

“What about his parents?” asks Mr Pak, after throwing another glance at the boy. Now it is Aunt Sun-dôk’s turn to glare at Aunt Chung-sim. All the while, Aunt Chu-hyôn is scribbling something on the floor with her finger and Uncle Man-bok keeps picking up some strands of hair from the floor with a wet finger and dropping them in the ashtray.

“To tell the truth, his parents were in the group that left for Mongolia last winter, you know, those poor people who ran out of luck on the plain,” says Aunt Chung-sim in a whisper, conscious of the child’s presence beside her.

“Oh, I know.You mean the group that followed the Korean guide?” Aunt Chung-sim nods to Mr Pak. “It’s not right to leave the poor, motherless child behind alone here. It was wrong of us not to consult you about it earlier, but we must take him with us,” said Aunt Chung-sim in a calm voice.

“He is only a child, but it will cost the same amount of money to take him with you. Let me level with you. A child will only be a terrible burden. He is unable to follow instructions, crying and making all kinds of trouble. In that sense, helping a child can be more expensive. If you insist on taking him along, there’s nothing I can do about it. But you must pay his fee as well.”

152 BANIPAL 43 – CELEBRATING DENYS JOHNSON-DAVIES

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