A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 126

126. It’s My Childhood Name

Pyoji Ae. 27 years old. Unemployed.

She once prepared for employment but gave up when things didn’t go as planned. Now, she dreams of becoming a content creator. Until she finds the right concept, she plans to work part-time, learn about life, and save money diligently.

Yena was a child she met during her part-time job.

“…She said she was making a video. She already talked to the child’s parents, and they would be watching together. They said we need to make sure if the child follows the kidnapper or strongly resists, so we shouldn’t act like it’s a joke and do it for real.”

Pyoji Ae didn’t insist anymore and confessed everything that happened that day.

“I also dream of being a video creator, so I thought it was a good topic. It’s content that makes people aware of how easily children follow strangers and how unsuspecting they are. I thought everyone should be alert, so I acted really realistically.”

“But in reality, the child’s parents didn’t know anything. They were in a panic because they lost their child in front of the academy. Didn’t you know?”

The police officer asked sharply.

“While I was leaving the filming location after parting with the girl, I heard a boy shout loudly, ‘Lee Yena!’ But I thought that was also part of the scenario.”

“Didn’t you think something was strange at all?”

“I didn’t know on the day. After a few days, I thought it was a bit strange after the director went out of contact. But I didn’t make an issue of it because I received the payment in cash.”

“Did you meet the director in person?”

“Of course. He was on site that day. He was filming us from a distance so the child wouldn’t notice.”

“Please give me the director’s contact information.”

“But, as I said, this number is gone…”

Pyoji Ae answered hesitantly and handed the police officer the contact information she searched on her phone. The name ‘Director’ was on Pyoji Ae’s phone screen.

“The name isn’t written.”

“Yes. I forgot the name, and I contacted him by email and phone.”

The police officer called the contact number Pyoji Ae handed over.

“[The number you have dialed is not in service. Please check the number and try again.]”

As Pyoji Ae said, a message came out saying it was a non-existent phone number. The police officer said.

“It says it’s a non-existent number. But there must be a record of the call, right?”

“I only exchanged messages through the messenger…”

“Then we can check the messenger records.”

“No, I changed my phone in the meantime…”

It was a statement that couldn’t prove anything at all.

“But the email that the director sent me at first is still there!”

Pyoji Ae pulled out her phone again and opened her email inbox. After searching her email inbox for a long time, she found an email and handed it over.

“This is the person’s email address.”

It was an email sent on May 12th.

The author who sent the email introduced himself as the CEO of a small content production company. He explained the purpose of the video production to be filmed on May 13th and asked if she was available.

“Who would refuse if they could earn 200,000 won [approximately $150 USD] for acting realistically for only 10 minutes? And the purpose is really good.”

The police officer read the email carefully twice and sighed deeply.

She was commissioned by someone and mistook the situation as a setup, staging a kidnapping…

“But why did you leave the Baduk [Go, a strategy board game] competition supervisor in the middle today? The child and the child’s father said it looked like Pyoji Ae was running away after finding the child.”

“I had a really bad stomachache that day. So I went home. I didn’t even know the child was there.”

Pyoji Ae’s face turned red as if she was very ashamed to bring up this story.

“Then why did you deny the crime in front of your house?”

“I don’t think it’s a crime, but the police seemed to think it was a crime! It’s unfair!”

“…”

“It’s really unfair. I was just acting for a good cause, it wasn’t intentional…”

The police officer also looked embarrassed at Pyoji Ae’s appeal.

* * * * * * *

Seunggyu, who had left work, rushed home after receiving a call from Jinseo.

“What’s going on!”

Seunggyu opened the front door and rushed to the living room, where he was greeted by Jinseo lying exhausted on the sofa, and Dobin and Doyoon sitting in front of her, quietly watching TV.

“Take a look at the kids.”

Jinseo answered weakly to her husband, who asked what was going on. At the same time, Doyoon got up from her seat and waddled over.

“Dad!”

Again, Seunggyu’s mouth widened at the sight of Doyoon.

Where did the pretty princess with the neat bangs like a doll go? Now, here comes Yeonggu [a comical, often mischievous, character].

“You, where did all your hair go?”

He felt like the sky was falling when he checked the rat-bitten bangs of his only pretty daughter.

“Oppa [older brother] cut it for me.”

Doyoon, who didn’t understand the situation, smiled brightly and confessed.

“Park Dobin, come here!”

Seunggyu’s voice rose. Dobin, who was sitting in front of the TV and watching, moved hesitantly at Seunggyu’s stern order.

“Park Dobin, why did you do that?”

“Doyoon looked hot with her hair.”

“So, you cut her hair so she wouldn’t be hot?”

“Yes. Doyoon said she liked it.”

“Park Doyoon, do you like your hair?”

The second child, who didn’t know anything, just answered brightly.

Jinseo lay facing the wall and said to Seunggyu in a dying voice.

“Keep listening to her. What does she say.”

“Keep listening to what?”

“Doyoon’s hair was practice.”

Seunggyu sighed at Jinseo’s story and asked Dobin again.

“You want to be a hairdresser, so you practiced with Doyoon’s hair?”

“I was going to practice well and cut Yena’s bangs too.”

That was the truth. Seunggyu shouted again.

“Hey!”

“I didn’t do it!”

Dobin also raised his voice as if arguing.

“Why are you getting angry when I didn’t even do it!”

“Anyway, you made your sister’s hair like this!”

Seunggyu was dizzy just imagining the situation where Dobin made Yena’s bangs a buzz cut. Maybe Jiheon could apply for a death match with him. He wondered if he should thank the heavens for only doing that to his sister.

“That kind of thinking is wrong, got it?”

Seunggyu told him sternly so that Dobin could understand.

“Don’t touch other people’s hair. Got it? Of course, not even your hair!”

Dobin pouted with a sulky expression and answered quietly.

“Yes.”

Only after Seunggyu scolded Dobin did Jinseo get up from her seat. But she already looked exhausted.

“Honey, should we take the kids out to eat?”

Seunggyu followed Jinseo and asked carefully. Jinseo turned around and called Seunggyu.

“Honey.”

“Yeah.”

“You cut Dobin’s umbilical cord when he was born, right?”

Seunggyu blinked at Jinseo’s sudden question and answered blankly.

“I did.”

“Remember well. Is that face the same as that face?”

“…I think so. Why?”

“Think carefully. I don’t even know where it changed.”

“…”

“Do you have a picture taken then?”

“…I think there’s one somewhere?”

“Find it. I need to check. Maybe he’s not my son.”

Seunggyu stared blankly at Jinseo’s receding figure. The content was like a joke, but there was no smile on her face at all, so he couldn’t tell if she was serious or not.

* * * * * * *

While Pyoji Ae was being investigated by the police as a suspect, Jiheon and Jeongo returned to the company and finished their work. When they returned to the police station after 7 p.m., Pyoji Ae had already left.

Baeil, who was out and returned in the evening, explained the case.

“According to the Criminal Act, it will be a crime of kidnapping and luring a minor. Since the victim moved due to the suspect’s inducement, it should be seen as a completed crime, not an attempted one. And although the suspect claimed to have been commissioned, there is a high possibility that the person who commissioned the crime will be punished as a joint principal [an individual who commits a crime alongside others].”

“If the crime of kidnapping and luring a minor is established, will she not be detained?”

“It was judged that there was no concern of escape, so she was sent back.”

“Isn’t it possible to escape? I heard she already packed her travel bag.”

Jeongo asked again based on the story she heard from Jiheon. Baeil answered flexibly to Jeongo’s question.

“It is said to be a light domestic trip. We have her contact information, and we have received a promise to continue cooperating with the investigation, so you don’t have to worry. Even if you look at the cases of the same crime, the investigation was conducted without detention when the damage was minimal, and this case is the weakest among the same crimes.”

Anyway, the child returned safely to her parents, and she was not injured, so it was implied that the victim’s side should calm down their anger.

Jeongo looked at Jiheon after hearing Baeil’s answer. His expression was not good even during the day, and it was the same now. She thought that maybe Jiheon was suppressing his boiling anger.

“If the suspect’s words are true, the top priority is to find the person who commissioned the crime. I don’t know how to catch him… but there will be a way. Please trust the police.”

“Yes. I will. Thank you.”

In the end, Jeongo nodded at Baeil’s explanation.

“Then goodbye.”

He was very businesslike, as if he was the person who gave the moving day gift, but he was also very polite.

Jeongo greeted Baeil and left the police station with Jiheon. Jiheon, who always matched her pace, was moving slower today, so Jeongo waited for a while and matched Jiheon’s pace.

After a while, Jiheon, who got in the car, tried to start the engine but called Jeongo in a low voice.

“Jeongo.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you remember the face of your friend in the second grade of elementary school?”

It was a sudden question. Jeongo tilted her head.

“I have a few friends from elementary school who went to middle school together. I remember those friends well.”

“No. A friend you haven’t met since the second grade of elementary school.”

“I don’t think I have such a friend? I don’t remember at all.”

Jiheon nodded silently and started the car. Jeongo also thought his attitude was strange.

After arriving at the apartment, Jiheon sent Jeongo home first, using the excuse that he had work to do.

He was frustrated. If he didn’t relieve this stuffy feeling, he would be caught up in strange thoughts for days.

Although he couldn’t be sure because it was a memory from 24 years ago, Detective Kwon Baeil resembled a friend he briefly hung out with in the second grade of elementary school.

And the signature on the Baduk board he saw as a child…

After much deliberation, Jiheon contacted the counselor who was in charge of the background check on Kim Jingu.

“[Yes. Customer.]”

“Can you find out the personal information of a police officer? I don’t need anything else, just find out if there is a record of his name change. How long will it take?”

“[It will take an hour or two at the earliest.]”

The counselor readily answered Jiheon’s request. Jiheon told the counselor Kwon Baeil’s name and affiliation and hung up the phone.

And, after an hour of waiting that was so anxious, an answer came.

* * * * * * *

Jiheon headed straight to Gwangjin Police Station.

He didn’t expect Baeil to be there because it was already late at night. He just went there without thinking, hoping that he would be there and that he could meet him today.

But Jiheon hesitated in front of the detective division. Is it right to dig up the past that the other person doesn’t want to talk about? Wouldn’t it be a nuisance?

While Jiheon was hesitating, the door of the detective division opened.

“Who are you looking for?”

A police officer who came out of the door saw Jiheon and asked.

“Yes. …I came to see Detective Kwon Baeil.”

He revealed his business in a voice that was uncharacteristically unsure of Jeong Jiheon.

“Just a moment.”

The police officer who went back inside called Baeil’s name loudly. It seemed that Baeil was in his seat.

After a while, Baeil was seen walking out.

From a few steps away, with the door in between, Baeil’s eyes widened as he looked outside the door. Baeil recognized Jiheon but moved slowly. Like someone wearing sandbags on their ankles.

Soon the door opened.

“Detective.”

“Yes, Yena’s father. What’s going on…”

“Do you happen to know Yoo Suil?”

Jiheon asked directly, as was his personality, to Baeil, who was treating him formally.

Baeil’s pupils trembled as if they had lost their balance. The reaction gave Jiheon confidence. He had already heard Baeil’s old name, so he didn’t need to check any further, but he wanted to hear it through his friend’s mouth.

He vowed that if his friend said he didn’t know, he wouldn’t say the name out loud anymore.

A long silence flowed. Baeil’s answer came back very late.

“It’s my childhood name.”

Jiheon’s expression, which had been stiff with tension, relaxed with a deep sigh. Jiheon, who had a thin film of tears in his eyes, spoke in a trembling voice.

“Suil.”

“…”

“Don’t you remember me? ○○ Elementary School Baduk Prodigy Class.”

Baeil didn’t feel the same emotional turmoil as Jiheon. But on the other hand, it seemed that more worries and thoughts were flowing somewhere.

Again, after a long time, the answer came back.

“I remember.”

“…”

“Hello, Jiheon. Long time no see.”

A very dry answer. But Jiheon could see Baeil’s faint smile.