GBH 69

“You, you insolent…!”

The secretary and Lee Mi-kyung, standing behind the chairman, were aghast. The chairman himself, however, scrutinized Song Yi-heon carefully, as if surprised by the pointed criticism. His illegitimate child, whom he hadn’t seen in nearly half a year, had changed a lot.

In the past, whenever the chairman would shout at the pathetic sight of the boy’s weakness, Song Yi-heon would be startled into illness. That was partly why he hadn’t sought out Song Min-seo, disliking that sight.

Even the last time he saw him, when he made a comment about disliking Yi-heon’s timid eating at the table, the boy couldn’t touch his food afterward, just sitting there trembling. He couldn’t believe such a feeble person was his seed. Whenever Song Yi-heon cowered and fawned, trying to read the chairman’s mood, it infuriated him.

When he first saw his son from his mistress, Song Yi-heon was supposed to be the chairman’s stronghold to escape the fate of a toothless tiger.

He had planned to use the boy to sway the board of directors and reclaim the company shares he had lost, but the son turned out to be less capable than his three daughters combined. His three daughters from his legal wife all had tiger-like eyes and never lost to others, but Song Yi-heon, born in between, was utterly useless.

After 18 years of observation, the chairman had concluded that Song Yi-heon was worthless. He had cut ties, not wanting to see the increasingly insane Song Min-seo, but now the boy’s eyes looked different, as if he had finally come to his senses. The chairman was intrigued not by the provocateur’s enjoyment of the challenge, but by the aggressive gaze of someone certain of victory.

However, it was still not enough to acknowledge Song Yi-heon. He deliberately showed anger to suppress Yi-heon’s spirit.

“How shameless, not even knowing to be ashamed of what happened to you. How pathetic must you have looked for those punks to look down on you.”

The chairman had been informed of the bullying Song Yi-heon had endured. While no one had actively reported the incident of Song Yi-heon jumping from the pedestrian bridge, this time Jung Eun-chae hadn’t stayed quiet. Although surprised to learn that Song Yi-heon’s biological father was alive and well, to Jung Eun-chae, who had decided to protect Song Yi-heon, the chairman was just another parent. One who abused his child, at that. Neglect was also abuse.

Having heard the details of the bullying, the chairman came to the school in person. Not out of concern or to protect Song Yi-heon, but to warn him not to make a fuss and to settle the matter quietly. The chairman had concluded that Song Yi-heon was bullied because he was weak.

But Song Yi-heon, with his newly short hair, seemed to think differently.

“Ah, that. I’m not particularly ashamed of it. Not embarrassed either.”

His lips twisted and his smooth cheeks rose.

“Being bullied doesn’t decrease my value.”

This wasn’t said because his soul had changed. Nothing about Song Yi-heon changed because he was bullied. Violence could hurt, but it couldn’t damage one’s worth.

“Why should I give any meaning to the judgment of worthless individuals?”

He could speak so calmly because of Kim Deuk-pal’s soul, but whether expressed in words or not, a person’s value doesn’t change. Song Yi-heon didn’t need to submit to the chairman.

“If we’re talking about shameful things, isn’t it you, Chairman, who’s too greedy to manage two households?”

“Huh?”

At last, the chairman showed interest.

Song Yi-heon unfolded his index finger from around the teacup and pointed at Lee Mi-kyung standing behind the chairman. Lee Mi-kyung flinched but shook her head, trying to feign innocence as the chairman turned to look at her. To Song Yi-heon, who knew the secret she was hiding, it was just laughable.

“That woman doesn’t just give alcohol to mother, she even forges prescriptions. If you don’t know that, you’re not a chairman, you’re a scarecrow.”

“Chairman!”

Lee Mi-kyung shouted, trying to interrupt Song Yi-heon’s words, but a single cry couldn’t stop him. The chairman’s wrinkled face contorted at this new information.

“Mi-kyung, what is he talking about?”

“No, that’s not… Chairman…!”

Realizing excuses wouldn’t work, Lee Mi-kyung fell to her knees. Absolute submission was a tactic she often used with the chairman. While she might bare her claws at others, in front of the chairman, she threw away her pride like a dog showing its belly.

Song Yi-heon tapped the glass table as if knocking.

“Not there, over here. You should kneel facing this way. You’ve done more wrong to this side, after all.”

Lee Mi-kyung gritted her teeth in humiliation at being told to kneel towards Song Yi-heon. She looked up at the chairman, as if begging him to stop Yi-heon’s insolent behavior. Even if she were to be punished for deceiving the chairman, she believed he would take her side in recognition of her years of service.

However, blood is thicker than water, and the chairman hadn’t completely given up on Song Yi-heon. For the sake of a son who had finally become useful, sacrificing one employee was trivial. To the chairman, Lee Mi-kyung’s years of loyalty were expected and neither moving nor appreciated, so he didn’t hesitate to use this disposable pawn to test his own flesh and blood.

The chairman cleared his throat disapprovingly and reprimanded Lee Mi-kyung.

“What are you dawdling for? Kneel already.”

“…!”

Lee Mi-kyung was already kneeling in the square space between the chairman’s armchair and Song Yi-heon’s sofa, so she only needed to change the direction of her knees. It was that easy to crush the pride Lee Mi-kyung had devoted to the chairman.

Unable to believe the reality of being cast aside by the chairman, Lee Mi-kyung’s fists on her thighs turned white. But the chairman had ordered her to kneel before Song Yi-heon, and she had to obey. Her whole body trembled like an aspen leaf, wanting to deny this reality.

“…”

The chairman expected that at this point, Song Yi-heon would intervene and say that was enough. Even if he had grown some backbone, Yi-heon was originally a weak-hearted person who couldn’t bear to watch others suffer, so he would want to end it here.

However, the chairman’s assumption was completely off the mark. Song Yi-heon watched with cool, lowered eyes to see what Lee Mi-kyung would do. He showed no discomfort in making a woman twice his age kneel before him, and simply lifted his teacup. Instead, it was the secretary standing behind who fidgeted uncomfortably.

Song Yi-heon’s sharply opened eyes strictly observed Lee Mi-kyung. And the chairman’s lips began to curve as he watched Yi-heon. Sensing the chairman’s change, Lee Mi-kyung turned to look at Song Yi-heon. Ridiculously, in this desperate moment, she was hoping Yi-heon would intervene with the chairman. However, Song Yi-heon’s resolute attitude, like an iron wall, made her reflect on her own misdeeds.

Caught between father and son, Lee Mi-kyung felt lost with no escape.

“Mi-kyung.”

The chairman, unable to bear the boredom, urged her. It was also a warning that he would no longer tolerate any delay.

Slowly, very slowly, Lee Mi-kyung turned the direction of her trembling knees. As her knees, reddened from friction with the floor, faced Song Yi-heon, a teacup was overturned above her. Lukewarm green tea flowed down her crown, washing away her thick makeup. Song Yi-heon shook out every last drop onto Lee Mi-kyung’s head.

“…!”

“Thank you for the tea.”

A glint passed through the chairman’s eyes, now full of mirth. It was a welcome for a son who had finally become useful.

However, Kim Deuk-pal’s assessment of the chairman was the opposite. A worthless old man. It would be a waste of time to talk with such a pathetic person who didn’t cherish his own people. Hoping never to meet again, he put down the empty teacup.

“I trust you’ll handle the press on your own. It would be troublesome for both of us if it came out that I’m your son.”

Song Yi-heon stood up, offering a perfunctory greeting.

“It’s not like I’m proud of being your flesh and blood either.”

His back as he left the principal’s office was broader and straighter than ever before. Even though Song Yi-heon left while criticizing the chairman to the end, the chairman’s eyes, elated with joy, greedily traced his retreating figure.

* * *

For some whimsical reason, the chairman provided a lawyer. Once an expensive lawyer from a large firm, whom even Kim Deuk-pal couldn’t afford to hire, was assigned, the school violence case reported to the police was transferred to the prosecution.

Only then did the perpetrators’ parents grasp the seriousness of the situation. When they heard that a school violence committee was being held because their child had bullied a classmate, they weren’t surprised, already knowing their child was hopeless. They made half-hearted preparations with the attitude of “it was bound to happen.” Whether summoned to the school or the education office, they thought it would end with sincerely apologizing to the victim’s parents.

What could the victim do if they apologized? They planned to make a show of apologizing, and if the victim didn’t want to attend the same school, they’d transfer them. With half of the third year remaining, for a child who didn’t study anyway, avoiding expulsion was enough. They complacently made such plans and waited to be called.

They never imagined the other side would hire a lawyer. The perpetrators’ parents hurriedly tried to hire lawyers too, but with their limited means, they couldn’t dream of hiring lawyers comparable to the victim’s side. Even when they called everyone they knew for solutions, they couldn’t bring themselves to say their child had committed school violence when asked why.

With their stupid kid having handed over photos of the bullying scene, they were in an indefensible situation.

Song Yi-heon’s daily life remained undisturbed. He prepared for final exams while hanging out with friends who treated him as usual, and occasionally listened to the lawyer’s reports on the case progress. Among those denying the school violence, Hong Jae-min was the only one who admitted guilt.

The trial was held after some time had passed. The closed hearing went in favor of the prosecution. The nature of the crime was vicious. While other perpetrators denied it, Hong Jae-min confessed. He admitted to being the ringleader and named his accomplices. When the perpetrators lied to avoid punishment, Jae-min corrected them.

At 18 years old, they were old enough for adult criminal law to apply instead of juvenile law. Each perpetrator was sentenced to 1 year in prison.

After receiving their sentences, the perpetrators threatened secondary harm as they left. Although they claimed to have changed, Song Yi-heon, whom they had mainly targeted, was an easy victim who would whimper under their kicks. So as they moved to the prison transport, they swore revenge rather than showing remorse.

“Damn, I won’t let Song Yi-heon off. I’ll come for him in a year.”

“That little bastard, I’ll grind him up so he can never show his face again. Just wait and see.”

Hong Jae-min, his hair roots grown out black without being able to bleach them, turned to look at them. A murderous aura emanated from his haggard appearance, with dark stubble and sunken eyes.

“If you touch him, you’ll die first.”

“…”

Even at school, their relationship was closer to vertical than friendship. Though not as dominant as when Hong Jae-min reigned supreme, their ingrained obedience didn’t disappear overnight. Like dogs tucking their tails, the gang avoided eye contact.

Hong Jae-min, seated in the transport vehicle, leaned his head against the window. As the engine started, he felt the vibration through the window and stared out with unfocused eyes. The moment the car began to move, Jae-min startled as if electrocuted and pressed his palm against the window.

Song Yi-heon was standing on the sidewalk across the street. Blurred by the reflected light of the early summer sun, Yi-heon’s long bangs covered his face. He was skinny and his posture slouched. This fragile figure that looked like it might collapse at any moment was the Song Yi-heon that Jae-min had seen for the past two years.

Something felt off, but seeing Yi-heon, whom he thought he’d never see again, Jae-min was stunned before snapping back to his senses and pressing against the window. There was something he absolutely had to say. Suppressing his choked-up feelings, his eyes grew wet.

“I’m sorry.”

Although there was no way he could have heard, Yi-heon on the sidewalk nodded slightly as if he had.

***

It was the time of day when the after-school sunset lay thick. Se-kyung’s bangs swayed across his forehead, matching the curtains fluttering in the wind. His face, at the boundary between boy and young man, was delicate yet bold, with the finely drawn eyes and prominent nose bridge in harmony, overlaid by the red sunset.

Se-kyung sat perched on the counseling room table, looking down at the outside. The playground viewed from the fourth floor was empty, with only an abandoned soccer ball left behind. It was where he had fought and rolled around with Hong Jae-min on a rainy day.

‘That’s definitely Song Yi-heon!’

Jae-min had asserted breathlessly in that spot. It wasn’t a lie or deception. In the pouring rain stinging their skin, it was impossible to feign. If the person who had been closest to Song Yi-heon for the past two years was so certain, shouldn’t it be believed? Moreover, there was the mark left on his side…

A lukewarm breeze blew, tousling his hair. Se-kyung’s written reflection fluttered. As the counseling room door suddenly swung open without warning, Se-kyung, who had been gazing out the window, turned his head.