Jeong Jin Wu had not regretted divorcing Chae Rim and his wife six years ago. Yet the schoolteacher was telling the truth about how the children had become the victims of the divorce, and that alone stung his conscience. The verdict was the correct one, but there was still a lingering concern that he could not get past. It was more than a legal matter; it was a societal problem. Although finding happiness in a new family and the son’s healthy development were problems that existed outside the court, he felt deeply responsible. This was also the responsibility of Chae Rim and his ex-wife, and he felt that he needed to reprimand the parents, who still caused problems for the family. He was distressed by the thought that there might be other divorced couples out there who had not completely settled this issue about the welfare of their children. But what made him even sadder was the fact that many of these divorce cases repeated themselves under the same pretenses—irreconcilable differences.
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.