March Novel (Completed) - Chapter 90

“Hmm, my name is Sehwa, Lee Sehwa.”

Sehwa stirred and leaned his back against the wall. Calling himself “Dad” was still a bit difficult.

“In the past… I was sorry.”

When he had hit his belly wishing for the sprout to die, it was just an embryo with barely a heart, but still…

His hand patting his belly felt incredibly awkward. Now that he had even given it a prenatal name, he intended to talk to the baby properly, but once he started, nothing came to mind.

He wished he had diligently read the snippets of information in the prenatal handbook. He regretted now how he had deliberately acted stiffly, busy ignoring it, and how he had tried not to look at it at all.

“I’ll really be careful now. And stop saying bad things…”

Gi Taejeong used to chuckle, saying his speaking habits were strange. He said that, but he seemed to find it endearing in his own way. When Sehwa said he usually swore a lot and had a blunt way of speaking, Gi Taejeong had just stared at him blankly, taken aback, putting out his cigarette. But it was true. He swore a lot too. When he got angry, he’d yell “fuck” and call people “this bastard, that bastard.”

Thinking about it, he realized he hadn’t sworn once since meeting Gi Taejeong. Partly because he was conscious of him… but at some point, it was because he only wanted to show Gi Taejeong his good side. He unconsciously knew what words to choose and what actions to take to make him more lenient.

“…I guess I liked him much earlier than I thought.”

Sehwa’s hand, clumsily caressing his abdomen, slowly became gentler. At some point, Gi Taejeong also used to soothe him like this. On nights they slept without sex, when they held each other close like lost animals with only each other, he would gently caress and stroke him anywhere he pleased. In a hushed voice, he would ask if anything was uncomfortable, if he craved anything, what he wanted to do tomorrow, where he wanted to go together… asking such trivial things.

“…Ah.”

There was someone who had poured out such affectionate warmth to him, like singing a lullaby. Gi Taejeong had taken him away. And since it was he himself, no one else, who had taken him, Sehwa couldn’t even throw a tantrum and demand him back.

“Ah, ugh…”

Sehwa covered his mouth with his hand. The motel room’s soundproofing wasn’t great. It was time for people who had woken up late to go to work, so he shouldn’t make noise.

“I’m sorry, h-h-h, just for today…”

Suppressing the tears that poured out, Sehwa comforted the baby. It’s okay, Sae-ssak. I won’t cry anymore, really. Making a promise to no one in particular, Sehwa collapsed onto the old mattress. The sobs that had rattled his throat eventually turned into wails that filled the room.

It was the first time he had cried out loud, days after fleeing to Zone 2.

“I am well aware that the mistake my son committed is not small.”

The middle-aged man, the CEO of Kyung-han Pharmaceuticals and a retired soldier who still regularly appeared at the Ministry of National Defense as an elder, introducing himself outside as Lieutenant Colonel Kim, bowed respectfully in apology.

“However, the claim that my son, Lieutenant Kim Seokcheol, conducted illegal experiments because he habitually used drugs, well. I think that’s an excessive leap. Of course, Brigadier General Gi Taejeong presented several pieces of evidence, but…”

Gi Taejeong, with eyes as sharp as almonds, scoffed at Lieutenant Colonel Kim’s protest. An excessive leap? Damn it, argue what you can argue.

“The only thing supporting the connection between the new drug Lieutenant Kim attempted to develop and ‘Harvest’ is that Lee Sehwa, a drug dealer from Zone 4, had a change in his constitution… isn’t that all? Furthermore, I don’t think Lee Sehwa as a witness and his testimony can be considered legally effective.”

It was a typical way of speaking that obscured the main point. However, criticizing Lieutenant Colonel Kim outright now would only be to his disadvantage. The opponent was accustomed to this kind of public opinion manipulation and had many experiences of gaining the upper hand.

Gi Taejeong shrugged his shoulders with an indifferent expression, as if nothing was wrong. No need to get excited. Nonsense should be countered with nonsense.

“Moreover, isn’t it true that this Lee Sehwa person is carrying Brigadier General Gi Taejeong’s child? With the possibility of coercion involved in that process, I apologize to that lower-class person, but isn’t it severely lacking in fairness and impartiality?”

Lieutenant Colonel Kim slightly lowered his voice at that part, as if even calling Gi Taejeong “Brigadier General” was humiliating.

By principle, it was absurd for a retired lieutenant colonel to casually call a brigadier general “Brigadier General,” not “Brigadier General-nim.” But this was a courtroom centered on elders who disregarded all hierarchy. Even old men inferior to Lieutenant Colonel Kim would call out “Hey, Gi Taejeong,” so at least he was using his rank.

“That’s right. It’s not that Seokcheol didn’t do anything wrong, but it’s a bit much to blame him for unconfirmed things, isn’t it? Everyone knows what it means to lose your rank.”

“Damn it, if he’s not innocent, he should be punished. He admitted it himself, didn’t he? After burning down the warehouse, he even screamed at Gi Taejeong.”

As an elder close to Lieutenant Colonel Kim added to the conversation, another person sarcastically interrupted him. This person had no particular connection to Gi Taejeong or the Kim family, but had suffered considerable damage when Lieutenant Kim set fire to Zone 2.

“And that… who was it, the looters who raided the Zone 1 shelter, that was Kim’s hidden drugs, wasn’t it? Their bodies were also found in the burned Zone 2 warehouse. Everyone knows Kim Seokcheol was singing about ‘Harvest,’ ‘Harvest,’ so you’re saying it wasn’t his intention? Argue what you can argue, isn’t this a bit too much?”

“Ah, I don’t believe that video either. Did you see how those terrorists moved? One of them looked like a robot, not a human, honestly, that…”

The elder, who had been passionately arguing, glanced at Gi Taejeong and subtly trailed off.

“…Hmm, anyway, there’s a lot of unreliable evidence Gi Taejeong presented. Especially that video, let’s see the original again, not the edited one.”

“No, it’s definitely not a doctored video! Are you doubting our department?”

“That’s not what I meant…!”

It was a scene no different from what he had expected. The old guards, entangled in various interests, continued their childish arguments, which even children wouldn’t engage in, and key figures from each faction watched like snakes, eyes peeled to pick up anything casually said that could be used as a counter-argument. Kim Seokcheol merely sat in the middle, silent as a scarecrow.

“…So what I would like to propose to you all is.”

Lieutenant Colonel Kim, who had deliberately fueled this chaos, spoke in a gentle voice.

“Since it seems no conclusion will be reached today, how about summoning this person, Lee Sehwa, to a future trial?”

Gi Taejeong, who had been idly flicking his fingernails with a bored expression, stopped abruptly. Oh Seonran, who had been sitting far away with his arms crossed, did the same.

“Since there are discrepancies between Brigadier General Gi Taejeong’s complaint and Lieutenant Kim Seokcheol’s statement, it would be good to directly confirm that person’s constitution here.”

“Confirm? Now we’re bringing in commoners to sit here? Isn’t that unnecessary, Lieutenant Colonel Kim?”

“They say he has a constitution that nullifies the effects of any drug. Wouldn’t it be good to confirm if the drug can be manufactured exactly as in the document Lieutenant Kim referred to, and if there are truly no abnormalities even after taking it?”

Spoken calmly, it sounded plausible, but it was nonsense with no context whatsoever. It was obvious that they were trying to lead the conclusion not to prove Kim Seokcheol’s fault by bringing in Sehwa, but to determine whether his constitution was real or not. They would try to frame it as a crime orchestrated by a Zone 4 resident with a unique constitution who aimed to improve his status, deliberately approaching the drug-addicted Lieutenant Kim.

“Brigadier General Gi Taejeong, what do you think? About Lieutenant Colonel Kim’s proposal just now.”

The problem was… there were people who, though with different motives than Lieutenant Colonel Kim, wanted to hear directly from Lee Sehwa, the living evidence. And in this military trial, where the outcome was decided by majority vote, the neutral figures, whom he absolutely had to win over to win, generally expressed a positive sentiment.

“As Lee Sehwa’s legal guardian, I refuse his appearance as a witness. His physical condition does not allow it. Moreover, what kind of proper testimony can be expected by bringing the victim in front of the perpetrator, Lieutenant Kim Seokcheol?”

“Haha… No matter how much he dotes on him these days. Lee Sehwa, he’s a criminal too, isn’t he? You can’t call him a victim. He’s been selling drugs his whole life,”

“Bring evidence.”

Gi Taejeong leaned deep into the backrest with a sarcastic expression. Unable to support his long, crossed legs, the heavy wooden chair screeched and slid backward.

“Show me the crime scenes Lee Sehwa has committed so far, even if it’s a hologram. You’re accusing an innocent person of being a criminal without any evidence.”

“What? Are you calling that a statement?”

“What’s so absurd about it? Even Lieutenant Kim Seokcheol, with clear evidence against him, is claiming innocence.”

Even while defending Sehwa, saying he had done nothing wrong, his mouth felt rough as if he had swallowed sand. When he first found him, he himself had planned to use and discard him for the same purpose. The only difference between Lieutenant Colonel Kim and himself was the desired outcome.

Of course, even if Sehwa hadn’t secretly run away and was quietly staying in his quarters now… he would never make him do such things. He didn’t want to force Sehwa, who was carrying his child, to make dangerous drugs again, or to taunt him by saying his body was fine no matter what he ate as long as he didn’t wear a patch. He wouldn’t just sit Sehwa down in front of this pack of jackals and make him endure their sarcasm.

Gi Taejeong decided to admit that, in some ways, he could no longer defeat Sehwa.

“…As you know, during the process of tracking the incident, witness Lee Sehwa and I connected emotionally.”

Hiding his churning emotions, Gi Taejeong exaggeratedly took off and put on his formal hat.

“For this part, I am grateful to Lieutenant Kim Seokcheol.”

Kim Seokcheol’s shrunken eyes gleamed brightly. As he was about to open his mouth, Lieutenant Colonel Kim let out a loud cough. It was a warning to shut up. Startled by the sound, Kim Seokcheol trembled with indignation and lowered his head again. Some elders’ faces showed displeasure at his foolish behavior. Some even clicked their tongues in disdain.

Lieutenant Colonel Kim frowned in frustration. It was a trial where proper procedures were thrown to the dogs anyway. The swing voters, who held decisive power, were swayed by such trivial matters.

“However, putting aside personal feelings, I have no intention of putting Lee Se… no, my spouse, on trial. Not only is he not in a physical condition to do so, but there’s no reason to, is there?”

“What? Spouse? Did you even marry that lower-class person?”

“Not yet, but I plan to soon.”

This time, Kim Seokcheol couldn’t hold back and cursed loudly, and Lieutenant Colonel Kim kept coughing as if uncomfortable.

“You’ve always hated talk of marriage… and you chose someone like that?”

“Perhaps a lower-class person from Zone 4 was better than your children. Why ask?”

“What? Hey, Colonel Choi!”

Marriage.

He had thrown it out to upset those bastards, but now that he said it, it didn’t seem like a bad idea.

While records might remain somewhere on the military server, guardian registration for a pregnant woman is canceled simultaneously with the birth and birth registration of the child.

However, marriage registration is different. If Sehwa’s family register was issued, Gi Taejeong’s name would remain permanently. Even if he died. If he gained the legal right to fully own and control him…

It didn’t seem bad. Should he do that when he caught Sehwa this time? Gi Taejeong lightly stroked his chin with his thumb. He didn’t put much meaning into marriage anyway, so giving him a spot on the register wouldn’t be difficult. Of course, Sehwa would cry and hate it.

“But Lieutenant Colonel Kim’s words also have a point… I will consider inviting a trustworthy person as a reference witness and producing a hologram of my spouse giving various testimonies.”

“Reference witness?”

“Yes. For example…”

Gi Taejeong smiled broadly, looking at Oh Seonran, whose face had been sharply tense ever since Gi Taejeong referred to Sehwa as his spouse.

“I think someone like Commander Oh Seonran would be fine.”

Lieutenant Colonel Kim’s plump cheeks quivered at the unexpected turn of events.

“He was closer to Lieutenant Kim Seokcheol than I was, so he wouldn’t give a biased opinion towards me… and his rank is high. Isn’t this a fairly fair compromise?”

It was already widely rumored within the military that Commander Oh Seonran had spent a considerable amount of time talking with the lower-class person, Lee Sehwa, at the Ministry of National Defense building. It was even said that the person he had been searching for during his long stay overseas was actually his illegitimate child, and that was Lee Sehwa.

It was still unknown whether Oh Seonran had deliberately fueled the rumors or if his influence in the country had simply weakened.

Whatever it was, Gi Taejeong didn’t care. The important thing was that Oh Seonran now had no choice but to confide in him about Sehwa’s escape. If he didn’t want to see Sehwa, whom he treated like his own child, dragged into the courtroom, he would have to cooperate with Gi Taejeong. So that Sehwa could emerge from the hideout where he had hidden himself.

“It might be troublesome, but if Commander Oh Seonran agrees, I am willing to compromise to that extent.”

People’s gazes busily darted between Gi Taejeong and Oh Seonran, who stood opposite him. Everyone was calculating so diligently that it felt as if numbers were flying everywhere with each roll of their eyes.

“…Ah, yes. There’s nothing I can’t do.”

Oh Seonran, who had been looking at the young, arrogant officer with an unreadable expression, then let out a cold sneer and nodded briefly.

“…Haha, Commander Oh.”

Lieutenant Colonel Kim tried to smooth out his crumpled face and tried to stop Oh Seonran.

“What meaning does the testimony of a witness who isn’t even present have? No, where in the world is there even such a law? To give such special treatment just because someone is carrying the child of a mere officer, not even a general?”

“Is there a problem? The witness is currently unable to move. If the person vouching for them is a commander, wouldn’t the meaning appear where there was none?”

A clear hostility could be felt from Oh Seonran, who responded indifferently. Even Lieutenant Colonel Kim flinched, pulling his chin back and retreating. The glances exchanged by the jurors became even more significant. It was the first time Oh Seonran had so clearly voiced his opinion. In fact, his attitude just now felt as if he was completely drawing a line with the Kim family from now on.

“It seems we’re repeating the same discussion, so let’s conclude for today. I hope the next trial proceeds in a more productive direction.”

As Oh Seonran stood up as if he had nothing more to say, the others also awkwardly rose.

“Brigadier General Gi Taejeong, I need to see you for a moment.”