PHUW 140

“Did the world ever pick a fight with you?”

“Then do you think it didn’t?”

“Ah.”

The logic was strange, but it was convincing.

From the moment Haeri was born, his life was full of obstacles. His troubled home environment and upbringing were enough on their own, but after struggling to grow up healthy, he then went through a murder case, amnesia, kidnapping, and assault, major incidents most people might never experience even once in their lives. If that wasn’t the world picking a fight, then what was it?

Even so, it was admirable how he didn’t shrink back and insisted on standing against the world.

But did he really need to stage a commemorative performance of his glamorous revival from life’s hardships at the National Museum of all places? That too by launching an indiscriminate attack on the eyeballs of visitors who came seeking cultural heritage out of intellectual curiosity even on weekdays.

“Don’t you think responding to provocation with provocation isn’t the best? The museum is a public place. Instead of showing yourself against the world, wouldn’t it be better to blend into it? Know yourself and know your enemy, and you’ll win every battle. The whole purpose of a museum visit is to learn history, society, and the world.”

He wasn’t this desperate even in negotiations involving contracts worth hundreds of billions.

“A museum isn’t just any place, is it? It’s a space where the spirit of the Korean people lives. Going there draped in foreign logos is disrespectful to the ancestors. Respect for the place starts with attitude and attire.”

Not even when trying to argue for his thesis in front of his examiners – puffing it up with exaggeration and distortion – had he spoken so persuasively.

“So, since it’s the National Museum, I have to wear only domestic brands?”

“Well, yes.”

“Then that’s a problem. I’ll have to coordinate my underwear again, starting from my briefs.”

Haeri, taking Jeong Mok’s rambling seriously, started undoing his belt.

“No. Things that aren’t visible don’t need changing. The marble used to build the museum was probably imported from Italy anyway. Not to mention all the stuff from China. Just… not too blatant, and not too much.”

“Then I’ll leave the accessories and just keep the necklace. This is the point.”

That necklace was the real problem.

“It is… a very original design.”

“Right? I bet there’s nothing like this necklace anywhere else in the world.”

He hadn’t realized that having only one of something could be this humiliating. As Haeri insisted on wearing it out, Jeong Mok racked his brain on how to stop him, and then he suddenly had an idea.

“It’s an original design, but are you sure it’s okay to go out wearing it before it’s officially unveiled? Someone might steal the idea.”

“Huh?”

Haeri reacted. That was it.

“Wouldn’t it be better to do a photoshoot and then release it officially? These days design theft is everywhere.”

He coaxed Haeri by promising to hire a famous photographer and stylist for a personal photoshoot, adding that if a piece of performance art meant as a warning to modern society got ruined, it would be a tragedy.

“It’s not really a work of art.”

That was about a million light-years away from a compliment. But Haeri seemed to like the phrase “artwork,” rubbing his nose in embarrassment.

“Anything new is art. Until the photoshoot, it mustn’t get damaged, so let’s leave it at home.”

After Jeong Mok’s desperate persuasion, Haeri agreed to keep his “artwork” at home.

“I do have a photographer I like.”

“Really?”

“Well, I was kind of a model once, wasn’t I.”

Before he lost his memory, Haeri had worked part-time as a fitting model.

“That’s true. Tell me the photographer you want. I’ll put them at the top of the list. Just be aware the schedule might not work out.”

“Of course, hehe. I need to plan the concept too.”

Excited, Haeri quickly dropped his fixation on the necklace and immersed himself in thinking up photoshoot concepts. It was worrying, whatever came out of it would probably be incredibly embarrassing. If a famous photographer’s career got stained because of this, the compensation would have to be generous.

***

The museum was far larger than expected, and far, far more interesting than expected.

Artifacts Haeri had only seen in uniform-sized textbook photos turned out, in reality, to vary in size. Some were so trivial that he thought, “This is a treasure?” and felt disappointed, while others were so imposing that he stared with his mouth hanging open… or so it would’ve been, if it were true.

‘Do we really have to do it like this?’

Haeri couldn’t find the words as he looked at the ring of bodyguards surrounding him.

No Hollywood star would ever go this far. Yet a whole crowd of guards was circling him in formation, like a ganggangsullae¹ dance.

Haeri, standing beside him, poked Jeong Mok in the side as he scanned the surroundings with the eyes of an angry meerkat father.

“Earlier you said my necklace was embarrassing, didn’t you?”

“When did I ever say that. I just said an artwork shouldn’t be damaged… suspect at your four o’clock, male in his forties, black windbreaker, carrying a worn paper bag. Please confirm.”

Even while answering, Jeong Mok glared at an innocent visitor and, at the slightest suspicion, pressed the in-ear mic on his wrist to request confirmation from security. A bodyguard behind them closed in instantly. Was that even allowed when he wasn’t police? The museum staff were flustered.

“Tell them to stop. This is just disturbing people.”

“I already requested the museum’s cooperation.”

So that was why the staff weren’t stepping in. They were whispering about the Hyeonsan Vice Chairman’s museum visit. Even though it wasn’t an official event, somehow this was possible. The absurdity of it all made Haeri feel sick. It really was true that in Korea, having money was everything. His identity as an ordinary person couldn’t endure the weight of this kind of chaebol abuse of power.

Haeri’s embarrassment was one problem, but something else was worse. Visitors who had been stopped without any legal basis (he remembered this from social studies class) all glared at them with discomfort. Of course they would. If this had happened in a private business, they would have been swearing already, and here it was happening in a national museum, a public place with educational value. Within twelve hours this would be on social media under the headline “Chaebol’s insane abuse of power.”

“This is harassment. And who’s going to kidnap someone in a museum? There are national treasures here worth many times more than me, and they’re just lying around safely. Stop this, it’s humiliating.”

“No one is after the national treasures. But the mastermind behind your kidnapping still hasn’t been caught.”

Jeong Mok was serious. Haeri could understand his feelings, but this was going too far.

“I know that. But would a kidnapper attack in a museum? And you’re making us stand out so much it’s practically like we’re asking to be kidnapped.”

“I’m making sure that won’t happen.”

“Stop abusing your power in public places. I don’t want to be a social media star for that. If you keep this up, I’ll never go out with you again.”

At the threat of refusing to go out together, Jeong Mok flinched.

“Tell them all to wait outside. Otherwise I’ll go home by myself, and I’ll walk.”

“Stand by separately so as not to obstruct traffic.”

It wasn’t an order to disperse, but once the men in black suits spread out, they looked more like museum security, which was better.

“Haeri, this way.”

Haeri, excited at spotting a familiar artifact, moved closer, but Jeong Mok pulled him back. Other visitors were standing in front of it. Only after they left did Jeong Mok let Haeri see it. Then he blocked another visitor who followed Haeri’s side.

“Please view it later.”

“What, why are you doing this?”

“They’re standing too close.”

“Everyone does that in a museum.”

“You’re a kidnapping victim. You’ve been provoked and assaulted before too. It’s better to prevent trouble in advance.”

Haeri could understand, really, a hundred times over. But there had to be limits. Jeong Mok was picking fights with every visitor. He even blocked a preschooler approaching by dropping to his knees.

“Who are you?”

As soon as Jeong Mok lowered his voice, the child’s parents glared at him. Sensing danger, Haeri quickly grabbed Jeong Mok’s arm.

“Sorry. My hyung’s… not well. I’m very sorry.”

Haeri bowed his head in apology and hurriedly dragged Jeong Mok out of the exhibit room.

They crossed the slippery marble floor at a near run. As soon as they got outside the building, Haeri sank to the ground without realizing it. His leg cramped from the strain, not long after having his cast removed.

“Ow.”

“Haeri!”

Jeong Mok panicked and supported him.

“Emergency! Call 119 immediately…”

“Cancel it! If you call 119, I’m running away!”

Haeri shouted at the top of his lungs in the middle of Jeong Mok’s transmission. The bodyguards running over with him all froze at once. Fortunately, unlike their Vice Chairman who didn’t have the slightest sense of awareness, the bodyguards at least did. Thanks to that, the disaster of calling 119 was avoided.

But he couldn’t avoid being scooped up like an assassination target and carried straight into a car by the men in black suits. On top of that, visitors’ brand-new smartphone cameras were aimed at them.

Today he really had used up every last bit of face he had.

“I’m not going out again for a while.”

He swore he would never go out with Jeong Mok again. Haeri ground his teeth.

“I agree.”

What had he even done. Jeong Mok, exhausted like a national team captain who had played a full match and then extra time, nodded while holding Haeri’s hand tightly.

1. ganggangsullae dance ↩︎