"I looked into the Korea University judo team as you instructed last time."
As I nodded, Ma Seok-dae began to explain.
"There seemed to be quite a bit of noise regarding the national team selection. The same goes for your friend, Park Hyun-seong, and besides that, the director or coach instructed the first and second-year students to lose on purpose. Among them, the only person who did not follow the instructions was Park Hyun-seong."
Well, things like this were common in this era, so I was listening without thinking much about it.
"It seems there were continuous beatings and corporal punishment. It must have been quite severe on the day of the accident, as the accident happened on his way home after going to the hospital."
"Yes, I heard about that. Is there any connection between the two incidents?"
"That is not yet known. Should I look into it?"
Could they really have pushed a person with a car over the national team selection? ...It must be a coincidence, right? I organized my thoughts and stood up from my seat.
"Please look into it. Also find out the identity of that bastard Jo Chan-seong, or whoever it was that asked Hyeon-seong to lose the match. His background and such. And... just look into that for now."
I patted his shoulder as he bowed his head and went outside. I went down to the first floor and entered Grandfather's study.
"Have you been well?"
"Yes, did your trip to America go well?"
"Yes. I had to return to Korea suddenly, so I couldn't handle everything, but I did all the important things."
Grandfather nodded and stared intently at me.
"You have something to say?"
"I need your help, Grandfather."
"Help?"
"Well... I would like you to look into my friend's hit-and-run incident. I am still lacking, so I think it will take some time for me to find out."
Grandfather, who stared intently into my eyes without answering, did not speak for a long time. When Grandfather finally opened his mouth after a while, his tone seemed a bit disappointed.
"A child who has never once asked me for help is asking for help with this kind of incident of all things?"
"Yes, it is more important to me than anything else. One of my few people got into an accident. Even if it was a simple accident, I have to pay the other party back equally."
I did not avoid Grandfather's gaze. Eventually, Grandfather called for Manager Ha as if he had lost.
"Myeong-hun, come in."
At Grandfather's call, the door opened and Manager Ha came in. I gave a nod of greeting to Manager Ha, whom I was seeing for the first time in a few days.
"It seems Mu-hyeok has a favor to ask. Look into it as quickly as possible."
"I want to quickly find out the culprit of Hyeon-seong's hit-and-run incident. There's only one witness, and since this is an issue involving a police family, the police will likely pay attention to it, but still..."
"Yes, I understand what you mean."
Manager Ha nodded and looked at Grandfather. Grandfather gave a small nod. And when Manager Ha went outside, he looked at me again and said.
"Isn't it enough to stop playing friends now? It must be hard enough just to make friends with people who will be helpful to you."
"He is a friend, but he is also my person. A person who will follow me without complaint if I speak. You know it is hard to gain someone like that."
"Hoh, and have you won Section Chief Ma's heart?"
"Yes."
A slight smile appeared on Grandfather's face.
"You must always be cold-hearted. I have never put off what I had to do even when a family member was hurt. No matter how much they are your people, you must know how to prioritize things to become a leader. Do you understand what I am saying?"
"My era is different from yours, Grandfather. You might have done that, Grandfather, but I will always put my people and my family first. Family, friends, and the people I have given my heart to over work..."
Grandfather was listening to my story with an interested face.
"You are also among those people, Grandfather."
"Hahaha."
Grandfather laughed heartily, as if he liked what I added.
"Your era... That's right, it is time for me to step down."
"I didn't mean it like that..."
"Don't worry, I have no intention of becoming an old man in the back room right now. I'm still full of energy."
I could not help but smile too. Grandfather lightly patted my shoulder.
"Myeong-hun will quickly look into it on his own. Just wait and see."
"Thank you."
"What happened with the Myeon District bosses? Did they surrender?"
"For now. I plan to keep an eye on them."
"Use them if you can use them properly. If they rose to that position in that field, they are quick at calculating and are people whose connections cannot be ignored."
"Yes, that's why I gave them a chance. That Boss Shin seemed to have quite high loyalty to you, Chairman? He kicked his seat and left saying, 'I will follow when the Chairman tells me to follow.'"
"Seong-il did?"
Grandfather closed his eyes for a moment as if recalling the past.
"Was that guy a high school student? At that time, I sponsored him when he was in the wrestling ring. But he got involved in an assault incident and was forced to retire. Then he came to me. He's a guy who climbed up from the very bottom of the Myeon District to up there with his own strength since then. No matter how much help I gave him, that was his own ability."
I nodded.
Grandfather let out a small sigh.
"He is the guy whose inner thoughts are the hardest to know. He does what he's told well, though."
"Still, he has a steadfast side to him, so he looked fine to me. I'm going to try meeting him separately."
"Do as you see fit. Since they are the people I will hand over to you now. Whether you cast them out or embrace them, you handle that yourself too. Still, you can't easily find people like that, so try to make them your people."
"I understand."
After finishing the conversation with Grandfather, I just changed clothes and headed to the hospital. When I arrived, Hyeon-seong's parents were still sitting there.
"Mother, please go take a short rest."
"No. I have to stay."
"You will collapse at this rate, Mother. I got a room at a nearby hotel, so go wash up and get some sleep. I will contact the hotel right away when Hyeon-seong wakes up."
As I continued to persuade her, Hyun-seong's mother was led out by the hand of Hyeon-seong's father. I sent Section Chief Ma with them, telling him to take them to the hotel and come back, and sat in front of the intensive care unit with Myeong-soo. I talked with Myeong-soo while waiting for the designated visiting time.
"Myeong-soo, did you sleep a bit?"
"Yeah, I went to a nearby sauna and got some sleep. Why does that bastard Hyeon-seong keep sleeping and making people worry? He's not getting up quickly..."
Even though he spoke like that, Myeong-soo kept glancing at the intensive care unit, clearly worried.
"Phew... If it's like this, he won't be able to do the national team trials or whatever, right? Because of his promise with you, he practiced so damn hard. How could something like this happen?"
I remembered what I said to Hyeon-seong at Myeong-soo's house last time.
"Hyeon-seong, you should win a medal at either the Asian Games or the Olympics and get a military exemption. And then, let's work together with me." Hyeon-seong, who had been silently looking at me, nodded without even hesitating. I let out a chuckle without realizing it at that sight. "You aren't even asking for a reason. How do you know what I'll ask you to do, just nodding your head?" "You will take care of it." "...Crazy bastard."
Originally, I was planning to make him my shadow who goes around with me, like Section Chief Ma. It was because I thought I could trust him since he was taciturn and a guy who always did what he had to do.
"When will he wake up?"
"He will wake up. Hasn't he been a sturdy guy since we were young? I'm not worried."
Even though he said he came back after resting, I could feel the fatigue on Myeong-soo's face.
"You should rest for a bit too."
"Yeah. Wake me up when it's visiting time."
"Got it."
With those words, Myeong-soo closed his eyes for a moment while remaining seated. After about an hour passed, it was visiting time. I went into the intensive care unit with Myeong-soo, who woke up from his sleep.
My heart ached at the sight of Hyeon-seong in casts on his left arm and left leg. However, seeing him lying there peacefully as if he were sleeping without an oxygen respirator gave me some relief. Myeong-soo grabbed his right hand, which was not in a cast, and muttered to himself.
"You bastard. Wake up. I won't scold you for eating a lot anymore. You can do everything you want to do now. So wake up..."
Even though they bickered and fought every day, I could feel Myeong-soo and Hyeon-seong's hearts caring for each other on the inside. I quietly stared at Hyeon-seong's face from behind Myeong-soo.
"Hey! Hey!"
At that moment, Myeong-soo suddenly shouted.
"This bastard just moved his finger. Hey! Hyeon-seong! Can you hear my voice? Hyeon-seong! It's me, Myeong-soo! Hyeon-seong, Hyeon-seong!"
But Hyeon-seong did not react at all to Myeong-soo's shouts.
"Ah, he definitely moved... Ah, again! Look!"
This time, I confirmed it as well. Leaving Myeong-soo alone, I approached a nurse nearby.
"Excuse me, that patient just moved his finger. Please call a doctor."
At my words, the nurse who was looking at a chart nodded and picked up the intercom phone. A moment later, a doctor came running.
"You said he moved his finger?"
"Yes, he moved it twice. He's okay, right? Right?"
The doctor began examining Hyeon-seong, leaving Myeong-soo's badgering behind. At that moment, Hyeon-seong's eyebrow twitched.
"Doctor! Just now his eyebrow, his eyebrow!"
Despite Myeong-soo's fuss, the doctor calmly lifted Hyeon-seong's eyelids without answering to check his eyes. Then he looked at us and smiled as he said.
"He will wake up soon."
"Really? Are you for real? Wow..."
As if relieved by the doctor nodding, Myeong-soo collapsed right onto a chair. I calmly asked the doctor a question.
"Around when will he wake up?"
"That, I do not know well. Looking at his pupil reaction and things like this, it seems he will wake up soon. But I am not a god, so I cannot point it out exactly for you. The test results also showed no major problems with his brain, so let's wait."
"Yes, I understand."
I bowed my head to express my gratitude and looked at Hyeon-seong's face. Soon the visiting time ended. We came back out.
Myeong-soo, seemingly somewhat relieved only now, cursed continuously.
"Fuck, of course. That bastard Hyeon-seong isn't a guy who would keep lying down like this. Just let him wake up. I'm going to curse him out so much."
"Hahaha."
I was also able to smile genuinely only then. A few hours later, Hyeon-seong woke up. I immediately contacted the hotel and called Hyeon-seong's parents.
At the sight of Hyeon-seong with his eyes open and looking this way, Hyun-seong's mother shed tears.
"You rascal. Do you want to see your mother die?"
Even as she grumbled, tears kept flowing.
"Mo...ther."
"Do you recognize your mother?"
"Mother..."
Hyun-seong's mother tightly held Hyeon-seong's hand.
"Do you recognize me? Oh my, yes. Mom is right here."
A slight dampness could be seen in the eyes of Hyeon-seong's father, who was watching Hyeon-seong from behind his mother. I turned my head and pretended not to notice his father's tears. That evening, Hyeon-seong was moved up to a general ward.
I insisted to Hyeon-seong's parents and had him moved up to a private room.
"Please stay together comfortably."
"Oh my, why a private room when it's so expensive? It's fine."
"Mother, it's me, Mu-hyeok. Your son Mu-hyeok. You can accept my goodwill."
"But still..."
"It's fine, you can accept it from Mu-hyeok. Right, Mu-hyeok?"
Hyeon-seong's father took my side. I smiled and looked at his father.
"Of course. What I have received from you two is much greater than a hospital room like this. You came all the way from far away, so please stay comfortably with Hyeon-seong even if it's just for a few days."
I talked with his father outside about the incident, but it seemed they hadn't found the hit-and-run culprit yet. I had an uneasy premonition at the words that there was strangely no evidence. I returned home and received Section Chief Ma's report.
"Jo Chan-seong, the one they tried to push instead of Park Hyun-seong, is a fourth-year student this year. He is the son of Jo Hyeon-gu, the vice president of the Korea Judo Association. Jo Hyeon-gu is the president of Geukseong Construction. He is also a reliable sponsor of the judo association."
"Geukseong Construction?"
"Yes."
Geukseong Construction...
It was a company I had never even heard of.
"What is their contracting rank? It's a company I'm hearing of for the first time."
"They are known to be ranked 42nd. It's said to be quite a well-known construction company in Chungcheong Province. They say Jo Hyeon-gu was originally a famous gangster in Chungcheong Province."
As soon as I heard those words, I had a hunch. That my unlikely suspicion had hit the mark. 'It might really be connected to the hit-and-run incident.'
< My era is different from yours, Grandfather. > The End.