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Chapter 30
The First Justice: The Ending
Today was unusually pleasant. From the morning, just looking at Jeongha’s face made my anger boil up, and I couldn’t calm it down, so I finally zipped my mouth shut.
I could sense Jeongha’s frustration the entire time, but Yeonwoo just responded by saying that her body wasn’t feeling well.
Taking advantage of the fact that Jeongha was on duty, Yeonwoo headed home alone. Still limping, she was walking toward the blue gate when she stopped at the sight of an unfamiliar car.
“…What’s this?”
It was a foreign car she hadn’t seen in the neighborhood. Yet it didn’t look like a particularly nice car—it seemed a bit run-down, almost like junk. Yeonwoo straightened her shoulders, wary that it might be gangsters showing up.
But there was no noisy sound coming from inside. Still suspicious, Yeonwoo climbed over the blue gate.
There, on the porch of the detached house, sat Park Jeongun, grinning mischievously.
“How….”
Park Jeongun had returned after a month. And at this timing, of all things.
Seeing Jeongun in clothes she had never seen him wear, Yeonwoo stiffened her neck. Jeongun noticed her and raised one eyebrow.
“Why are your feet like that again? You silly girl. Where’ve you been rolling around?”
“At school… we went to the mountain…”
“Let’s just stick ‘idiot’ on your forehead, Seoyeonwoo, okay?”
Yeonwoo cautiously glanced around and perched on the porch of the detached house. Her words tangled, her eyes blurred—Jeongun’s condition was clearly unusual.
Yeonwoo glanced around and asked, “There’s a car outside… Who came?”
She hoped to see at least one adult who could stop Jeongun, but apparently everyone had gone to the fields. Anxious, she clenched her fists in her lap.
Suddenly, as she mentioned the car, Jeongun’s mouth twisted into an oddly wide smile.
“Car?”
“Yeah, a white one…”
Ha ha ha… ha ha.
Jeongun’s laughing, gaping mouth made him look almost insane. He exaggeratedly extended his arms, snapped his fingers together with a click, and flashed a huge smile.
“That’s mine.”
“…What?”
Jeongun, who hadn’t been seen in the village for days, suddenly brought a car. Yeonwoo questioned in disbelief. Jeongun’s expression stiffened this time.
“It’s mine.”
“….”
She didn’t ask how he got it, how he dragged it here while drunk, or where he had been until now. She just had a strange and unsettling certainty:
Somehow, he must have stolen that car from somewhere.
Park Jeongun, who had recklessly gambled away even her aunt’s stolen goods, might have drunkenly started another reckless adventure.
Her stomach churned at the bizarre turn of events. Jeongun’s large hand suddenly grabbed Yeonwoo’s wrist.
“Nothing, really…”
Dragged inside the detached house by Jeongun, Yeonwoo muttered weakly.
“I know everything that’s there.”
It seemed he had returned while her aunt was out for a reason. Jeongun, finding no money where her aunt used to hide it, had targeted Yeonwoo instead.
The smell of alcohol lingering in the small house gave Yeonwoo a headache. Jeongun staggered, rising from his seat and rifling through the refrigerator once more.
“…Ah, damn. Nothing here.”
It seemed there was no alcohol left.
“Sh-should I… get some?”
She asked instinctively. Jeongun tended to fall asleep quickly after drinking, so she thought this might be a way to handle the situation. But Jeongun smirked and replied,
“You idiot with your messed-up feet. How long do you think that’ll take?”
“I-I’ll be quick.”
“Forget it. Damn girl, stop flaunting your idiot-ness.”
Jeongun’s senses were sharper than usual. Leaning against the kitchen, he lazily flicked on the gas, then naturally brought his face close and lit a cigarette. Yeonwoo gulped, imagining his face ablaze from the flame, her throat tightening with anxiety.
Puff. Smoke curled from Jeongun’s lips. The acrid smell of cheap cigarettes filled the room, making her cough.
“Ku, cough!”
Covering her mouth and nose, she couldn’t stop the small coughs. Jeongun stared at her pitifully and chuckled.
“By next year, you should know how to smoke properly. Otherwise, lighting guests’ cigarettes like that, damn, everyone would probably leave.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“The gangsters obviously have a place for Seoyeonwoo to end up.”
So, he implied she’d work in some kind of room salon.
The reality would likely be far worse, but Yeonwoo’s nineteen-year-old imagination stopped there. It was enough to chill her. Her legs felt like they were sinking, like she was falling.
Jeongun chuckled, watching despair spread across Yeonwoo’s face.
“Honestly, if I hadn’t raised you myself, it might’ve been better. Suddenly, you pop out, bringing debt with you. Damn, you should be grateful.”
Anger and injustice surged within her. She never wanted to inherit debts. She never wanted to live drifting from house to house.
“Who knows. Maybe if I hit one more gamble, I could even pay off your debt. So give me the money while I’m still being nice.”
Yeonwoo clenched her fists so tightly the veins on her hands stood out blue. It was the first time she had lost control over herself like this with Jeongun.
Through gritted teeth, she muttered,
“You’re insane.”
“W-what did you say, you damn girl?”
“I said you’re insane. Crazy about gambling. If you hadn’t ruined everything, Aunt wouldn’t have become this poor. Who’s begging whom!”
Slaaack—.
His huge hand slapped her cheek. Her head jerked violently, sharp pain spreading.
Then her hair was grabbed. Normally, she would have immediately apologized, but this time, she met Jeongun’s gaze squarely. His face contorted with rage as he saw her bright, defiant eyes.
“…Hah, look at this girl.”
“What, did I say something wrong?”
“You damn girl, no parents, not even a brother to see!”
The rough, aggressive grip tore at her hair. Yet Yeonwoo didn’t flinch.
Jeongun’s violence had become so predictable, it was almost boring.
She knew that if she pushed him while he staggered, he would just fall backward.
Had she ever tried to dodge his strikes before?
Never.
“Who’s your oppa anyway?”
Yeonwoo thought that quietly living in this household was the best for her aunt.
But she was fed up. The anger she had suppressed since last night finally exploded.
“You and I are both equally pathetic in Aunt’s eyes. Got it?”
“Because you’re cute, I let it slide…”
“You trash.”
As soon as the last words left her mouth, her scalp was yanked, and her head slammed against the wall.
