Chapter 34: The Media’s Attack and Counterattack (2)
Party Representative's Office.
After hearing everything I said, the Party Representative lowered his head and scratched his eyebrow.
“Can I trust you?”
“Those who lie will be dragged to hell.”
“Hahaha. I like your boldness. But remember, politics is about reducing enemies. That’s how one becomes a great politician.”
“I will keep that in mind. However, I won’t give up boldness just because I fear making enemies.”
The Party Representative nodded with a lifted corner of his lips.
“That’s why we need new blood. I like your boldness.”
“I’ll work hard so I have no regrets.”
“Was there no opposition from your family?”
“They always support what I do.”
“Most families strongly oppose when someone decides to enter politics. In that sense, Representative Kang, you are lucky.”
“I’m sorry for causing trouble.”
“For a politician, scrutiny is destiny. The dirtier the clothes, the more comfortable they become. Soon, you’ll need to change into new clothes.”
“Thank you for your kind words.”
The Party Representative looked at me intently.
“Representative Kang, you’re truly a strong person. You don’t waver at all.”
“I think I inherited my mother’s blood.”
“Your mother must be a strong woman.”
“Yes.”
Mom was a strong person.
While most mothers of that era probably had to be resilient to survive, my mom was special to me.
They say children grow up watching their father’s back, but the back I saw was Mom’s.
Her shoulders never stopped moving. Whether she was doing housework, side jobs, polishing shoes, or running to find my oldest brother.
Her shoulders could have collapsed at least once, but she endured and endured.
I grew up thinking my mother’s back was as mighty as a mountain.
“My mother inspired me in many ways.”
“What kind of inspiration?”
“Poverty is not a sin, but not trying to escape poverty is. She truly lived her life to the fullest.”
“She must be a remarkable woman.”
Just then, a knock sounded and Seong Chang-rae entered.
“Reporters are in a frenzy. It’s like a pack of hyenas.”
“Are they still pressing the Party for a statement?”
“Right. I said we’ll give a briefing tomorrow.”
“Things will change after tonight.”
Seong Chang-rae looked at me and asked,
“Are you going for a throw?”
“It will definitely turn out that way.”
“Seeing your face puts me at ease.”
The Party Representative furrowed his brows and spoke.
“What do you think, Representative Seong? Yeongdeungpo currently has a three-term member firmly rooted there.”
“I also think that area is risky. It’s not easy for a newcomer to defeat a heavyweight. Wonju would be even harder.”
“If I get the chance, I’d prefer Yeongdeungpo. I spent my school years there and know many people.”
I didn’t want proportional representation, and I thought Yeongdeungpo was the most feasible option.
But the Party Representative thought differently.
“How about number 20 on the proportional list? If we get just about 35% of the vote, you’ll be elected. We’re likely to hit that percentage.”
“I want to be chosen by the constituents.”
“Any particular reason?”
“Because I plan to stay in politics.”
“Haha. You must take after your strong mother. Let’s discuss it slowly.”
“There’s a reason I recommended him. Hahaha.”
My mind was firm.
Since I had set foot in politics, I would grow through victory.
And if I failed?
I’d think about that later.
When I arrived at the restaurant in Sillim-dong, it was around 3 p.m.
The place was relatively quiet.
Do Hyung-min, sitting at the counter, brightened the moment he saw me.
“Cheonmyeong!”
“It’s been twenty years. Good to see you.”
“I’ve heard about you through the news. Just as expected, you’ve succeeded.”
“Thanks for helping, even though it must’ve been hard.”
“What? It’s nothing compared to the help you gave me.”
We held hands for a long time, sharing our joy.
“Sit. You need to eat, right?”
“What’s good here?”
“It’s a Korean set meal place. Just eat what they serve.”
“Haha. Alright.”
I sat down at the table.
Do Hyung-min ordered a set meal toward the kitchen and sat down in front of me.
“I don’t know if it’ll suit your taste.”
“How long have you been running the place?”
“It’s been five years. I manage somehow.”
“You’ve worked hard.”
His forehead was full of fine lines above and below his brows, showing how much he had lived with a furrowed face.
“I did go through a lot. Because you helped me get into delivery work, I was able to open this restaurant.”
“You achieved this because of your own effort. The shop’s clean—looks like you take good care of it.”
“I’m doing my best.”
The gloomy and damp atmosphere of the shantytown still lingered on his face.
Still, it was a relief to hear that the business was running.
Soon, the ajumma working there placed a large tray filled with soup and side dishes on the table.
“Thank you.”
Mackerel, diced radish kimchi, fish cake, seasoned bean sprouts, seasoned tofu, pickled perilla leaf, braised eggplant, young radish kimchi. And soybean paste soup.
It all looked delicious.
“Thanks for the meal.”
“Rice refills are free, so you can have more.”
“You really packed the rice bowl full.”
It was mild and tasty.
With this level of flavor, he wouldn’t go out of business.
“It’s delicious. You must have lots of customers.”
“It’s all about small profit and quick turnover. The set meal is four thousand won.”
“That’s really cheap.”
“A lot of students live around here, so I can’t raise the price. Even now, it’s still burdensome for students.”
The soybean paste soup was good, too.
It had a lot of spinach, and the savory flavor lingered.
“Are you married?”
“I have two kids in elementary school. What about you?”
“Mine just turned one.”
“You married late, huh?”
“That too, and we had a kid a bit late.”
“I didn’t expect you to go into politics. I thought you’d become a businessman.”
“I’ll do well.”
“You will.”
I smiled at him.
Time flows differently for everyone, and because of that we face each other in different ways, but we were still friends.
“What’s Hyung-gyeong up to?”
“She got married and lives well in Daejeon.”
“I see.”
“She talks about Yeonhwa sometimes. I think she wants to reach out but is worried Yeonhwa might not remember.”
“Yeonhwa talks about Hyung-gyeong sometimes too. They were always inseparable.”
“So she remembers.”
Do Hyung-min looked touched.
“I’ll give you her number, so tell her to call.”
“Hyung-gyeong will be happy.”
I gave him Yeonhwa’s contact.
“Friends from childhood stay in your memory for a long time. Tell her to call without pressure.”
“Okay.”
“Thanks. Running a restaurant, showing your face isn’t always easy. It could interfere with business.”
“It’s nothing.”
“By the way, how’s your mom?”
“She passed away three years ago. She left after a life of hardship. How’s your mom?”
“My mom’s healthy. She’ll be sad to hear about your mom.”
It left a bitter taste.
I hadn’t been able to attend either Do Hyung-min’s father or mother’s funeral.
“Hyung-gyeong and I have to live well. That was Mom’s last wish.”
“I’ll visit now and then.”
When I tried to pay, Do Hyung-min stopped me.
“If you pay, I’ll only remember it as a four-thousand-won meal. Just think of it as my treat.”
I nodded.
“I’ll drop by sometimes for a meal. But I’ll pay next time. That way, we’ll both stay safe. They could say you treated a politician to a meal.”
“Let’s do that.”
“The meal was great. I’m heading out.”
Do Hyung-min followed me outside the shop.
“If you ever need help, just say the word. I’ll do anything I can.”
“Thanks.”
I waved my hand and walked away.
Before meeting Do Hyung-min, I had a nagging worry in my heart.
If the restaurant was small, if he was living alone, if business was bad—
Fortunately, those negative thoughts vanished.
What kind of news would air tonight?
My heart began to tense.
YNT News.
I was mentioned in the fifth segment.
"The second recruit of the People’s Union Party, NetinKorea’s Representative Kang Cheonmyeong, is facing allegations of school violence. However, after investigation, our findings tell a completely different story. Reporter Song Min-chae.”
“Yes.”
On screen, the anchor and Song Min-chae continued the conversation.
“What is the content?”
“The witnesses I spoke to are telling a very different story. Let’s hear them first.”
In front of a loudly running machine, Pyun Dalsik appeared.
“I was in the same class as Kang Cheonmyeong in the first year of high school, so I witnessed it all. The class president used to act violently toward classmates, and on that day, he made two students hold rags in their mouths because they were being noisy. A student protested against the unfairness, and when the class president tried to use violence, he was thrown over by Kang Cheonmyeong.”
“Reporter Song, so the class president was about to use violence at the time?”
“In fact, forcing someone to hold a rag in their mouth itself can be considered an act of violence.”
The anchor's expression turned grave.
“Did the class president actually use violence on students back then?”
“Yes. There were many testimonies saying he handed out beatings and punishments, supposedly with the homeroom teacher’s authority.”
“Due to time constraints, I assume we can’t show every interview?”
“Many people testified, but we will show just two more interviews.”
It was an excellent edit.
Pyun Dalsik, a laborer, was supporting my side, lending credibility.
The next interviewee was the Ddoli Stationery Owner.
“Cheonmyeong was a very exemplary kid in the neighborhood. He always helped friends and neighbors. What happened in the alley near the church was that he disciplined some kids who were beating up others and stealing money. He was like a neighborhood sheriff.”
“But the student victims were reportedly seriously injured?”
“That’s a lie. I saw those kids bullying others the next day, too. I run the stationery store, so I know exactly who they are.”
Then came the next interview, and I was completely taken aback.
A man wearing a straw hat.
[Jeon Seonghyeon. Then a History Teacher at Single High School]
I only recognized him as Jeon Seonghyeon who taught history after seeing the caption.
“This happened during my class. The boy who got hit insulted Cheonmyeong’s mother with demeaning remarks. I’m not saying using violence was right, but hearing such words as a son would have been unbearable. Cheonmyeong apologized first, and the other student did too, so it ended there.”
“Do you remember what was said?”
“That’s not something I can repeat. Just know it was something no son could endure.”
The teacher’s statement made the account even more trustworthy.
“Reporter Song, who else testified?”
“Several classmates and local residents. They all consistently stated that Kang Cheonmyeong was a kind and well-mannered person. One classmate even said Kang Cheonmyeong’s nickname was ‘a genius with a strong sense of justice.’”
“So, in the end, this incident relied only on one-sided claims.”
“That’s right. Also, those we interviewed today showed their identity and faces, so that should also be taken into account.”
It was even more perfect than I had hoped.
It was a relief that Do Hyung-min, who runs a restaurant, wasn’t shown.
Song Min-chae must have been considerate.
“Dear……”
Woo Ah-mi’s voice trembled. Given how moving the interview was, it made sense that she would tear up.
“It turned out to be a blessing in disguise.”
“But those reporters are amazing. Was it just two days? How did they find and convince so many people in that short time? Of course, it’s because you lived a good life, so they helped.”
“They’re kind people.”
“You went through a lot mentally too.”
“It worked out in the end. My public awareness skyrocketed.”
And it really did.
In the local opinion poll afterward, I closed the gap to just 5% behind Representative Kim Bu-seong, a three-term veteran lawmaker and known political powerhouse.