Sun Hee thought that a person who was ambitious, like Eun Mi’s husband, required only a little support from his wife to excel and achieve his goals. Sun Hee envied Eun Mi because she was also a great singer and dearly loved her husband with the kind of innocence that had not yet seen the harrowing reality of married life. The couple’s intimacy was evident, and harmony dwelled in Eun Mi’s family. Sun Hee felt empty and bitter. She walked ahead to be apart from her husband and son, but Eun Mi walked alongside her husband and daughter. This sight was too much for Sun Hee to bear, so she picked up her pace to avoid running into her.
However, Eun Mi called out Sun Hee’s name and ran toward her. When Eun Mi examined Sun Hee’s gloomy face, she said in a quiet, nearly reproachful tone, “You’re walking alone again.”
Sun Hee did not respond.
Eun Mi said, “I was about to congratulate you on something, but it doesn’t seem like you’re up for it.”
“On what?”
“On Seok Chun’s getting third place at the Provincial Science and Technology Fair.”
“Whatever.”
“Oh no, did you two fight again?”
Sun Hee continued walking without saying anything. She had always known that Eun Mi had a caring disposition. Eun Mi looked out for Sun Hee’s best interests, but this morning Sun Hee couldn’t deal with Eun Mi’s advice. Word about Sun Hee’s marital problems had spread like wildfire among the other singers. While the others had grown distant, Eun Mi stood by Sun Hee, attesting to their true friendship. Eun Mi had known about Sun Hee’s marital problems, but she never shared them with others and kept her silence on the matter. However, Eun Mi did not know that Sun Hee had gone to the courthouse to file for a divorce. Sun Hee wanted to tell Eun Mi about it and get her advice, but she thought that Eun Mi would immediately reproach her and force her to retract the divorce petition.
After walking in silence for some time, Eun Mi spoke. “Sun Hee, it’s about time you let it go. You can’t perform under these circumstances.”
“I know. That’s why I’m thinking of quitting. I heard that our deputy director is also thinking the same thing.”
“Get out of here! Where did you hear that?” asked Eun Mi. “It’s just a rumor.”
“Not from what I heard.”
“No, it’s not true. It’s because you act like you don’t care about singing anymore and because you avoid everyone.”
Sun Hee did not care for Eun Mi’s attempt to come up with excuses.
“Talk to me and get it all off your chest. I hope you’re not looking down on Seok Chun just because he’s a lathe operator, right? And you feel superior just because you’re a celebrity singer, right? Because if that’s what it is, then you’re wrong. It’s wrong to think like that. Sun Hee, it’s not that, right? It’s because he yells at you and insults you, right?”
Sun Hee did not respond. Eun Mi’s words were plain and simple, but they somehow stung Sun Hee’s conscience. Sun Hee began to question whether she had been belittling her husband because of her superior occupation. But she shook head. No. Had she not been supportive of her husband for the past ten years? It was not due to a pompous attitude. What right did a singer have to belittle a factory worker? And what was the point of doing that now, anyway? Sun Hee quickly dismissed all those thoughts. But then again, she could not convince herself that she had never had such thoughts either.
“Just give in to him, for Ho Nam’s sake. Did you know that my husband thinks highly of Seok Chun?”
“You’ve said that before,” replied Sun Hee indifferently.
“Well, listen to me again. You will never fully know your husband even if you live under the same roof.” Eun Mi wanted to continue, but she realized she was lecturing Sun Hee. “All right, I’ll stop since it’s not right to talk about someone else’s husband.”
Eun Mi lifted her eyes and saw her husband approaching from a distance with their daughter. She turned to Sun Hee and said, “Do you think that my husband is always charming and respectful when he comes home from work? When things don’t go well at the factory, or when I make a mistake, or when things just don’t go his way, he throws a fit. He shouts till the house comes down. He throws tantrums and yells at me when he’s had a few drinks. When he’s like that, I just shut my mouth, keep my thoughts to myself, and continue doing whatever I was doing. Sure, I want to yell back at him, but I just take it all in. There’s no point in arguing with the sky for sending a thunderstorm. But when I give him some alone time, he eventually calms down. And then the house becomes peaceful again. After a few days, we talk to each other about the issue. Now, we don’t fight anymore. I’m not trying to brag or anything. But I was hoping that it would help you because your situation seems to be getting worse.”
“You have no idea.”
Sun Hee said the words without thinking, but her heart was still bitter. She envied Eun Mi’s simple marital problems, which Sun Hee did not even consider real problems. Arguments between partners who still have feelings for each other are like spring showers, a welcome visit after a long wintry season. What Eun Mi had never experienced was the kind of argument that would lacerate her heart, the ice-cold words that would paralyze and suffocate her to the point of excruciating death.
Around eleven o’clock that morning, the trial against the director of the electrical plant ended. Those who had attended the trial flooded out the door of the courtroom. The mood in the hallway was austere. The law did not forgive or compromise with the criminal. The cross-examination, accusations, and harsh sentence instilled fear in the attendees. As they walked out, no one made a sound. Only nervous coughing and footsteps echoed in the hallway.
Judge Jeong Jin Wu secured all the legal documents under his arm and walked back to his office. As soon as he sat down, someone opened the door.
“I’m from the Provincial Industrial Technology Commission Board,” said the man in a coarse voice. He was obese, but he entered the office with easy nimbleness.
Though Jeong Jin Wu was exhausted from the morning trial, he got up from his seat and stuck out his hand.
“Hello, I’m Judge Jeong Jin Wu.”
“I’m Chae Rim.”
Jeong Jin Wu glanced at the man again and was relieved that his guest was not the man whom he had divorced six years ago. It was just a coincidence that they had identical names. If the man whom he had divorced six years ago came to see him today, it would have been most unpleasant for Jeong Jin Wu.
Chae Rim’s heavy body fit snugly in the armchair. He unbuttoned the blazer that was wrapped tightly around his body and loosened his brown necktie. He rubbed his heavy chin as he surveyed the office. It was a condescending look from a man full of arrogance. He did not have many wrinkles on his face despite his age, and his complexion was smooth and bright, evidence of his concern for his appearance. He had a large square forehead and a tasteful hairstyle, meticulously combed to one side. Chae Rim’s imperious demeanor told of his satisfaction with his wealth and accomplishment. Nothing seemed to worry him. This speculation arose from Jeong Jin Wu’s many years in his profession.
When Chae Rim realized that the judge was waiting for him to explain his visit, his face took on a solemn cast.
“The reason I’m here, and I’m not trying to interfere with your work—”
Chae Rim bore in mind his telephone conversation with the judge the other day and proceeded cautiously.
“I came to ask you for a reasonable favor. I feel as if I’m representing the divorcée.”
“Comrade Chairman, are you related to Chae Sun Hee?”
“Yes, she’s my second cousin. I know it’s not the closest of family relations, but she has no other family in this city. She just calls me ‘cousin’ to keep it simple. However, I’ve been so busy with work that I haven’t been able to look after her. Even though I knew she’d been fighting with her husband for some years now, I just thought that they would get over it someday …”
Chae Rim’s words seem to drift off into a
vast empty space. Jeong Jin Wu had no interest in this discussion and stared blankly at Chae Rim, focusing only on his moving lips. This was not the first time that a relative had come to him as an advocate for a member of a divorcing couple. An urgent curiosity, though, occupied Jeong Jin Wu. Chae Rim. Perhaps it was the identical name that continued to linger in his thoughts, the name of the man whom he had divorced six years ago.
What kind of woman did Chae Rim marry after the divorce? His son must be much older by now. Probably around thirteen. If his stepmom had turned out to be a nice woman, then he surely hadn’t had any problems growing up.
“That’s why,” continued Chae Rim, “I’ve decided to roll up my sleeves and do something about Sun Hee’s marital problems …”
Jeong Jin Wu remembered that day in the courtroom six years ago. Chae Rim’s wife. The woman who wiped away the tears that were streaming down her freckled cheeks, the one who ardently cried out for someone to respect her dignity as a woman, the one who had lived in the deep mountains with her two children, the one who had planted trees to support her husband financially. Then there was the daughter, who refused to be separated from her younger brother and who requested to live with her mother. These were all matters that did not concern the law, but these thoughts distressed Jeong Jin Wu. He could not escape a haunting concern for that family. Was it wrong for me to divorce them? Had there been a problem with the division of their property or with the child custody arrangements?
Jeong Jin Wu was exasperated with Chae Rim’s seemingly endless explanation. He sighed deeply and asked, “Comrade Chairman, you say that you know Sun Hee’s marital problems well. What do you think? Who do you think is at fault?”
Jeong Jin Wu did not ask Chae Rim because he wanted legal advice but to get him to stop talking.
Chae Rim straightened his posture and smirked. “Comrade Judge, do you ever go to the theater?”
“Yes, every now and then.”
“Then you must have seen Sun Hee’s performances.”
Jeong Jin Wu nodded and said, “She sings well.”
“It’s sublime!” corrected Chae Rim. “As a mezzo-soprano, her voice is bright and soft with depth and richness, very distinct from her colleagues. Whenever she sings about the nation, I, along with the rest of the audience, fall in love with our country all over again.”
Chae Rim spoke as if he were a music connoisseur, gesticulating with his arms to the cadence of his excitement.
“Comrade Judge, don’t you agree that the relationship between a family and the nation is interlinked? Think about it. Can a woman who sings so passionately about the nation be the source of her family’s troubles? No, she can’t. She would be a hypocrite, and we all know that a hypocrite cannot move her audience the way a genuine singer can. Sun Hee sings genuinely and, therefore, cannot be the cause of her failed marriage.”
Jeong Jin Wu was impressed with Chae Rim’s rational analysis and remained silent.
“Sun Hee is the kind of woman who lives her life as nobly as she sings. She has a bright future ahead of her. The problem is with that husband of hers, Seok Chun. He is the source of their marital problems. I’ve never seen anyone who lives as pathetically as he does. At my factory, we accept young, intelligent workers. But Seok Chun has no aspirations or ambitions. He just remains a lathe worker. He lives his life like a tree, stationed in one place with his roots deep down in the soil. He either stays home or by his wife’s side. He’s always so clingy and always nagging. How can a celebrity walk around town with an annoying man like that?”
Jeong Jin Wu withheld his thoughts until Chae Rim finished.
“Sun Hee just couldn’t handle it anymore, so she suggested that he attend college and change his profession. She even tried to change his appearance, you know, make him look presentable. But then he would frown and yell at her, asking what was wrong with the way he dresses. He would mock her for this and that and yell at her for no reason. That imbecile screwed up his work and his family. He’s a failure. Do you think it’s right for him to talk back to his wife and flex his patriarchal muscles?”
Jeong Jin Wu sensed that Chae Rim’s bias was getting out of hand and cut his words short. “I, too, have met with Comrade Seok Chun.”
“Ah, really? Then he must’ve said some nonsense like how hard he’s been trying to finish his project.”
“That seemed to be the truth.”
“Of course. He has to tell the truth. Who does he think he is? He has to tell the truth in front of a judge.” Chae Rim uttered these words to gain Jeong Jin Wu’s confidence, but he did not believe in those very words. Chae Rim adjusted his position and quietly asked, “So, did he request a divorce as well?” Chae Rim held his breath in anticipation, trying to read Jeong Jin Wu’s eyes.
“Yes.”
“That’s a relief! I was a bit worried that he would back out.”
Chae Rim took a Silver Bell cigarette pack from his pocket. He effortlessly peeled off the packaging, put a cigarette in his mouth, and offered one to the judge.
Jeong Jin Wu pushed an ashtray in front of Chae Rim without a word.
“Comrade Judge, since they both want a divorce, isn’t it a simple case now?”
“I have to investigate Sun Hee’s side of the story a bit further.”
“Come now, you met with them. Is there a reason to make this so complicated? Let’s just divorce them here and now. Just sign the papers.”
“Comrade Chairman, please do not misunderstand me. The Superior Court does not divorce couples based on some legal documents or on advocates like yourself.”
“Of course, I’m familiar with the procedures of the court.”
“I’m not just referring to the procedures but more to the importance of the divorce issue. Comrade Chairman, I’m sure you know that when a man and a woman fall in love and decide to marry, it’s their free decision. But they have to register for their marriage license. The law protects the entity of the family, as it is a component of society. It’s not an easy matter to destroy a piece of the nation. Divorce disconnects the relationship between a husband and wife. It’s not a personal matter or a matter that can be decided by executive administrators like you. The family’s fate as a unit of society is intimately connected with the greater family of said society. As a result, the court will carefully assess the divorce case.”
Chae Rim straightened up, as if he had heard enough, and raised his chin to tighten his necktie.
“Comrade Judge, I am well aware of the law.”
Jeong Jin Wu also straightened up.
“Comrade Chairman, I’m sorry for lecturing you. Please don’t be offended. Comrade Chairman, as someone who oversees one of the sectors in this province, I was hoping you would understand my position. Don’t take Sun Hee’s divorce case too personally.”
Chae Rim guffawed cynically. “Do you think what Sun Hee has is a family? Let’s look at the reality of her situation. If I may speak frankly, my cousin lives not in a family but more like in a boarding house. They share a single kitchen, but they sleep in separate rooms. It’s really pathetic. Do you still think they are a family? Is that how a family of this great nation lives?”
Chae Rim glared at Jeong Jin Wu and said, “It would be in your best interest to divorce them quickly and quietly. I don’t want their divorce to be fodder for gossip in this city and have it ruin Sun Hee’s reputation or, certainly, mine. And you had better not come up with excuses to reject their divorce case. Just know that you’re dealing with an explosive man here. That is, once I’m set off, there’s no telling what will happen next.”
“Are you threatening me? Or expecting me to guarantee their divorce?”
“Isn’t it the job of the court to foresee future events and prepare necessary measures?”
“Don’t borrow trouble. If there is enough evidence, then I will divorce them. Just wait patiently,” said Judge Jeong Jin Wu.
Chae Rim stood up to button his suit and then reached out his hand to Jeong Jin Wu.
It was not a gesture prescribed by etiquette but a sign that the conversation was over. As Chae Rim approached the door, he stopped. It appeared that he was unsatisfied with the result of his visit. He was disappointed that he was not able to bring the judge over to his point of view.
“Comrade Judge”—Chae Rim’s voice was serious—“I’m asking as a favor. Please, handle this issue rationally and not only according to the strictures of the law.”
Jeong Jin Wu cracked a smile at Chae Rim’s comment, not because Chae Rim thought that rationality and the law were separate entities, but because Chae Rim thought that Sun Hee’s divorce case was something exceptional.
Judge Jeong Jin Wu walked Chae Rim out to the front of the courthouse.
7
After Jeong Jin Wu paid a visit to the neighborhood leader of Sun Hee’s residential area, he went to the Gang An Factory.
The musty air in the factory smelled of metal machinery and grease residue mixed with steam from the cooling water. Enormous green lathe machines occupied one side of the factory, while massive blue boring machines and planing machines lined the other side. If one did not have a good sense of direction, one was liable to get lost in the jungle of machines. The cleaning apparatus clanged, and the pressing machine stamped out huge metal sheets in a jarring rhythm.
A forklift carrying metal parts roared up behind Jeong Jin Wu. He stepped out of the way so it could pass. The female driver nodded a greeting at Jeong Jin Wu and made her way to the boring machines. A technician with blueprints under his arm hopped on the forklift for a free ride. The female driver nonchalantly raised the fork high, elevating the technician perilously close to the boring machine. The technician recognized the imminent danger and hopped off, waving a fist at her in anger. The female driver laughed.
Jeong Jin Wu could not help himself and laughed along. It was refreshing for him to leave his office with its piles of dull legal documents and come to an exuberant factory.
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