Inescapable Fate 1
“This partition is just a prefab, right? Let’s take it down and replace it with the one we brought.”
Oh Se-hyun had already arranged for workers and a new partition, slipping an envelope of cash to the owner of the Japanese restaurant.
“We’ll put it back the way it was once we’re done. Sound good?”
The owner, feeling the weight of the thick envelope, beamed.
“Of course, sir. Anything to make it easier for you.”
“But there’s a reservation for 8 PM today, right? It’s either room 3 or 5.”
“Ah, yes. Room 5 is booked. It’s a bit more spacious.”
“Perfect.”
In less than thirty minutes, the team of five or six workers had swapped out the partition, and the clinking of glasses could already be heard.
Room 4 was for Oh Se-hyun and the journalists, while I waited alone in Room 3 for their arrival.
“Mr. Oh, I don’t know what’s going on, but… isn’t this going to give us indigestion?”
The five journalists chuckled as they noticed the envelopes placed at each of their seats.
“Reporter Park, just keep it. It’s pocket money, a little gift from above. Who’s going to complain about that? Even the president hands out his wallet sometimes. Why make a fuss?”
Oh Se-hyun joked, and the journalists laughed, pocketing the envelopes as they took their seats.
“Just one favor. Let’s stop with the rumors about Dae-A Construction’s bleak future and how everyone responsible is still in power. Try to see it from my perspective. We need those guys to cut out the rot.”
“Ah, this is poison, isn’t it? Haha.”
“There you go again! That’s all I’m asking. Now, let’s have a drink.”
As a few rounds of soju went around, the journalists began to chat, ears open for any juicy tidbits.
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps outside grew louder, and the room next door became noisy.
“Come on, loosen your belts and drink up. Once the vote is over the day after tomorrow, our candidate Go Kyung-yeol will be the new mayor of Seoul. Haha.”
At the mention of Go Kyung-yeol’s name from the next room, the journalists fell silent.
Even though they were economic reporters, they knew Go Kyung-yeol was the frontrunner in the polls.
“Who are they? Supporters?”
“Maybe campaign workers?”
“Shh. That voice sounds familiar. Let’s listen quietly.”
The journalists began to whisper, barely audible, worried they might be overheard.
“Hey, why the long faces? Let’s just drink and ignore it.”
“Sir, quiet. Let’s just check it out for a moment.”
Oh Se-hyun passed around the drinks, but the journalists’ attention was already fixed on the next room.
Oh Se-hyun watched them with a sly smile as the voices next door grew louder.
“With just one day left, we’re having this dinner to squeeze out every last bit of effort. After the election, I won’t forget the price of your hard work.”
“You’re sure to become the deputy mayor, right, Director?”
At the mention of the deputy mayor, the journalists took a deep breath. They realized the people next door were key figures in the campaign.
One journalist even discreetly pulled out a small recorder.
“Hey! What do you take me for? Do you think I’m clinging to some petty position?”
At the mention of Kim Kwan-hyuk’s name, the journalists exchanged glances. This could be a major scoop.
“Of course not, Director. You’re the one who should inherit the mayor’s seat next.”
“Inherit? What do you mean, inherit?”
Kim Kwan-hyuk’s rough voice silenced the room next door.
“I made Go the candidate for mayor. What do you mean, inherit? Now, Go has to send me to Yeouido. I cleaned up all his messes.”
“Then is that rumor true?”
“What rumor?”
“The military exemption.”
“Are you naive or just stupid? Do you think someone of Go Kyung-yeol’s stature would send his kid to the military? The army is for commoners like us.”
The journalists looked like they were praying.
Go Kyung-yeol’s biggest vulnerability was his military exemption.
It was clear they were all hoping to hear the damning details from next door.
“What do you think I did to keep my three kids out of the army? I made dozens of fake medical certificates myself. But Go was unlucky. Even while working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he had all his kids in Korea. If he’d had them while stationed in the U.S., they wouldn’t have had to serve.”
“Actually, if they had U.S. citizenship, he might have had to enlist voluntarily when running for mayor.”
“Now that you mention it, you’re right. Anyway, he’s a lucky guy. Haha.”
The journalists were practically bouncing in their seats.
This was a scoop of a lifetime. Of course, it was up to the desk to decide, but if this hit the papers, the mayoral race would be turned upside down. The media wouldn’t miss such an opportunity.
“Then why wasn’t the third son exempt and only served as a reservist?”
“Because of his wife.”
“What? The candidate’s wife?”
“Yeah. He’s not her kid.”
Even Oh Se-hyun’s mouth dropped open. Was he talking about an illegitimate child?
“It must have been when Go was working alone in Japan. How could a man live abroad for years without a woman? He had an affair with a female employee from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
The journalists covered their mouths, afraid even their breathing might be heard.
“Go had no choice. He was grateful enough that his wife put the child on the family register. He just sent him to the army. Didn’t even try to pull strings to get him out. The kid’s eyesight was so bad he just went as a reservist.”
The journalists couldn’t contain their excitement over such a massive scoop. If one of them stood up, the rest would follow.
At this point, Oh Se-hyun, looking flustered, spoke up, lowering his voice to a whisper as if afraid of being overheard.
“Hold on. Reporter Choi, Reporter Park. Calm down.”
“Why? Is this something to calm down about?”
The journalists also whispered, their voices barely audible.
“Let’s not break this story. If it comes out tomorrow, it’ll definitely shake things up right before the election.”
“Of course. This touches on two things that are absolutely unacceptable in our country. Parents who sent their kids to the army will withdraw their support, and with an affair and an illegitimate child, half the female vote will turn away. It’s game over.”
“That’s why I’m saying. In terms of capability and competence, Go is much better than Choi, the candidate who’s a chaebol’s son-in-law. It’s a shame for him to fall over such trivial personal issues. Let’s just bury it.”
“How can a journalist ignore that and still call themselves a journalist? We should report what we know and let the voters decide.”
Oh Se-hyun took a sip of water to prepare for his final punch.
“Is it because you’re worried about the crumbs that might fall if Choi wins instead of Go?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
The journalists all frowned. Crumbs?
“Think about it. If this story breaks, the media outlet that first reports it will be the hero of Choi’s victory. Do you think Sunyang Group will just sit back? They’ll flood you with ads. You might get a year’s worth of ads in one go. Am I wrong?”
These naive guys. Do they need an explanation to realize the value of this story?
Oh Se-hyun had practically handed them the argument to convince their desks.
One quick-witted journalist slung his bag over his shoulder and stood up.
“Mr. Oh, I’ll treat you to a drink next time. I’m off.”
With that, the rest of the journalists quickly followed suit, leaving the room.
Left alone, Oh Se-hyun got up and moved to the room across the hall.
“Are the journalists gone?”
“Yeah. Just like you said, once I hinted at the ads, they ran out like mad.”
“They’re like salesmen, aren’t they? Haha.”
I poured him a drink, and Oh Se-hyun downed it in one go.
“You heard everything, right?”
“Yes. They were practically shouting it for everyone to hear.”
“But… do you think it’s true?”
“The illegitimate child?”
Oh Se-hyun nodded.
“Whether it’s true or not doesn’t matter. What’s important is that if it breaks tomorrow, there won’t be time to manage the fallout. After the election, no one will care about the truth.”
“It’s harsh. Being a close aide, I mean.”
“Even Caesar found Brutus’s knife the most painful. A close aide is the one who can strike the hardest.”
I took a drink to soothe my own bitter feelings.
“What do we do about that guy now?”
“Let’s watch and see. Whether he shakes off the traitor label and makes a grand comeback or disappears for good. If he comes back, we’ll make sure to support him.”
The expensive sashimi felt like a thorn in my throat, refusing to go down.
Even if a betrayal benefits me, watching it unfold is never easy.
“Where… where is Director Kim? Where’s Kim Kwan-hyuk?”
Candidate Go Kyung-yeol shouted at his aides and campaign staff, who stood with their heads bowed.
“His phone is off…”
“Is it true? Did this come out while you were drinking with him last night?”
“Well, it’s not certain. We just talked about how the military exemption issue was handled smoothly… that was about it…”
One of the aides who had been drinking with them the night before tried to explain, but his uncertain expression said it all. The story from the drinking session was the source of the article.
From the morning news to the daily papers, it was all about the military exemption and the illegitimate child. His moral integrity had taken a huge hit, making the fight seem pointless.
The emergency poll already showed him trailing by more than 10%.
But with the campaign director missing, everyone was in disarray, unable to come up with a plan.
As Go Kyung-yeol slumped into his chair, utterly dazed, the door burst open and Kim Kwan-hyuk stormed in.
The moment he entered, he began slapping the cheeks and kicking the shins of the staff who had their heads bowed, shouting furiously.
“Who did it? Who leaked it, you bastards?”
The sudden outburst left everyone groaning in shock.
“I’m sorry, sir. It’s all my fault. I said things I shouldn’t have after drinking too much. Please, punish me.”
Kim Kwan-hyuk dropped to his knees on the office floor, starting to sob.
He wasn’t a traitor. He had merely misspoken in a drunken state, and the real traitor was among those standing with their heads down.
Watching Kim Kwan-hyuk swiftly shift the blame, Go Kyung-yeol let out a groan.
“Is there still a chance? Any way to fix this?”
“I’ll arrange an emergency press conference. And I’ll request a retraction from the media today.”
Go Kyung-yeol sank deeper into his chair, waving his hand dismissively.
“Everyone out. If there’s anything to fix, get moving.”
As soon as Kim Kwan-hyuk left the candidate’s office, he shouted again.
“Who was it? Who leaked it?”
His piercing gaze made everyone glance at each other nervously. Wasn’t this enough to drive anyone mad?
All he did was come home drunk and pass out. He woke up to this disaster.
“Fine. Let’s deal with this after the election tomorrow. For today, let’s assume there’s no traitor. Don’t give up until the end. Got it?”
“Yes, sir!”
As the others dispersed, Kim Kwan-hyuk was left alone, letting out a long sigh.
He had spent the night pondering. There was no regret, only deliberation over what to do next.
If only there had been a single word, none of this would have happened.
He wasn’t just another subordinate.
Part of him wanted to see the candidate’s face when he finally spoke up.
But wasn’t the future still bright? Entering Yeouido branded as a traitor was too heavy a burden.
Kim Kwan-hyuk decided to keep up the act of loyalty until the end.