Chapter 10. Atonement and Solace Across the Atlantic

[Time: 11:00 PM KST, December 26 / 2:00 PM WET, December 26.]

Around the time Kim Jae-dong was rescued by his former homeroom teacher in Seomyeon, Busan, and was shedding tears of repentance, across the Atlantic Ocean in Lisbon, Portugal, the Kim Hyun-seok family was wrapping up their itinerary for the day after Christmas. Just like the day before, they consciously ignored Jae-dong's absence and focused on their sightseeing.

 

Mrs. Kim Hyun-joo, the aunt, had been worried about her nephew Jae-dong all day. The previous night, she had postponed contacting Korea due to the firm stance of Mr. Hyun-seok and his wife, but she felt uneasy thinking of Jae-dong enduring the cold alone. She wanted to buy him something special as an apology gift.

In the afternoon, the aunt led the families to one of Lisbon’s premier luxury department stores.

"Kids, today Auntie is going to buy you souvenirs. Especially our Jae-jun and Jae-yul! And Chan-ho and Min-jun, too! Is there anything you want?"

 

The aunt's true intention was to choose a gift for Jae-dong, but outwardly she made it seem as though she was taking care of everyone. Mrs. Lee Soon-sil, the mother, felt inwardly uneasy but could not refuse the aunt's goodwill. Mr. Kim Hyun-seok, the father, noticed that his sister was concerned about Jae-dong but deliberately pretended not to know.

 

At the sportswear store in the department store, Mrs. Hyun-joo, the aunt, deliberated among the various clothes hanging on the racks. "Jae-dong is a middle-schooler, so activewear would be good, right? Hyun-seok, what was Jae-dong's size again?" the aunt asked cautiously.

"Height 165cm, weight 55kg," her younger brother answered discreetly. He was thinking of the old sweatpants Jae-dong was wearing when he was abandoned.

"Hmm... Size 95 should be roomy enough, Noona. He's a bit tall." Mrs. Hyun-joo selected a black, brand-name tracksuit set (Size 95) with a warm fleece lining. Considering Jae-dong was likely shivering in the cold, it was the most necessary item.

Just then, Chan-ho approached his mother, Mrs. Hyun-joo, cautiously. "Mom, when Jae-dong comes home... why don't you get him a nice outfit instead of just hard pajamas or old clothes? Something he can wear to formal occasions, like a party." (Chan-ho has a robust physique, 180cm tall and weighing 77kg.) Chan-ho’s words immediately caught Mrs. Soon-sil's attention.

She felt that this moment of choosing a gift for Jae-dong was acting as a proxy atonement for their own guilt, but Chan-ho's suggestion seemed genuinely caring towards Jae-dong, and she couldn't refuse. "Chan-ho is right. Yes, let's buy Jae-dong a nice suit." Mrs. Hyun-joo headed to the formal wear section. There, Mrs. Soon-sil, after hesitating, accepted Chan-ho's help to purchase a stylish suit and a white shirt tailored to Jae-dong's frame. It was an ironic situation: the mother who ordered her son's 'exile' was now choosing a 'reunion' gift for him.

 

Meanwhile, Jae-dong’s cousin, Choi Min-jun, was looking around the electronics corner with his uncle, Mr. Choi Seo-joon. (Min-jun is slightly shorter than Jae-dong, 163cm tall and weighing 56kg.)

"Dad, look at this! Jae-dong always wanted this." Min-jun's eyes stopped on a home console, specifically an XBOX, rather than a handheld gaming device. Hearing Min-jun's words, Mr. Choi Seo-joon imagined how lonely Jae-dong must be. As a busy travel agent, he felt guilty for not having been particularly good to Jae-dong.

"Min-jun, how bored and cold must Jae-dong be right now, all alone? Let's buy him something fun that he can enjoy." Without telling his wife or Mr. Hyun-seok and Mrs. Soon-sil, Mr. Seo-joon bought an XBOX and five game CDs so Jae-dong could enjoy it with his family when he returned.

 

Kim Jae-jun stopped at the handheld gaming console corner but hesitated to choose anything.

'If only I hadn't eaten all the seasoned chicken... If only I hadn't teased my brother for being tactless...'

Jae-jun continued to regret the fight he had with his brother the night before. Instead of a gaming console, he ran to another store and picked out two small teddy bear keychains. One for himself, and one for Jae-dong.

The aunt approached Jae-jun and asked, "Jae-jun, you didn't buy a console, but only chose these small things?"

Jae-jun lowered his head and replied, "Yes, Auntie. It's okay. Instead... I'm definitely going to apologize to my brother when we get back."

The youngest, Jae-yul, had already chosen and was holding a small LEGO set. Mrs. Soon-sil was surprised by Jae-jun's words and looked at him. Jae-jun's eyes were full of apology for his brother. Jae-jun's honest confession briefly shook Mrs. Soon-sil's hardened resolve.

 

That evening, after returning to the mansion from shopping, Mrs. Hyun-joo could no longer stand it. After putting her husband and sons to bed, she secretly went out to the living room and called an old friend in Korea.

 

"Hello? It's Hyun-joo. I'm sorry to ask, but could you do me a favor? My nephew, Kim Jae-dong, lives in Haeundae-gu, Busan... his situation is a bit complicated right now. Could you check, perhaps through someone you know, to find out if he's doing alright, if he's safe? He's a middle-schooler, and he has run away from home."

 

The aunt cautiously tried to confirm Jae-dong's safety, keeping the call a secret from her husband and the rest of the family.

 

[Time: 2:00 AM KST, December 27 / 5:00 PM WET, December 26.]

After the aunt, Mrs. Kim Hyun-joo, secretly contacted her friend in Korea, the father, Mr. Kim Hyun-seok, also could not shake off his internal anxiety. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep in his room at his sister's mansion in Lisbon, and eventually got up. Secretly, without his wife or children knowing, he turned on his laptop.

 

It was the Christmas break of 2003, but he decided to send an email to Jae-dong's current homeroom teacher. Jae-dong was in the 8th grade, specifically in Class 2-7, which was often considered a lucky number.

Mr. Kim Hyun-seok cautiously found the teacher's email address on the school's website. Although his hands were trembling, he composed a respectful email.

 

{Subject: Inquiry regarding student Kim Jae-dong, 2nd Grade, Class 7}

To the Teacher,

I am Kim Jae-dong’s father, Kim Hyun-seok. I apologize for this sudden contact. Jae-dong is currently away from home due to some family issues. As our family is currently abroad, we are extremely worried about Jae-dong’s safety. I humbly ask if Jae-dong has contacted you or if you have heard any news concerning him through the school. Although I know you are currently on break, I would be grateful if you could contact me.

Sincerely, Kim Hyun-seok}

 

After sending the email, Mr. Hyun-seok closed his laptop. He did not have the courage to call his son directly, but this was at least the minimum effort of a father trying to confirm his son's safety through a third party. Judging that he needed time for the teacher to reply, he decided he would inform his family the next morning that they would extend their Lisbon itinerary by one day.

 

In the second-floor room of the mansion, Mr. Kim Hyun-seok glanced at the bag containing the black tracksuit set the aunt had bought, and the suit Mrs. Soon-sil had purchased today. Those clothes would soon be the last chance for Jae-dong to return.

Jae-jun placed the two teddy bear keychains he had chosen side-by-side on his bedside table. Before falling asleep, he quietly whispered,

"Jae-dong, come back soon. I'll buy the chicken."

 

Mrs. Lee Soon-sil still tried to maintain her strong facade, but as the night deepened, her maternal love consumed her reason. When she closed her eyes, she couldn't shake off the hallucination of her son shivering in the cold, wearing only his underwear.

 

It was already past midnight in Korea. Kim Jae-dong, clad in his new clothes and sobered by Mr. Park Seong-jin's scolding, was preparing to return home. Though the family was physically separated by the Atlantic Ocean, they remained tightly bound by the strings of anxiety and guilt surrounding Jae-dong.