The Meaning of Discipline 4: "Could I Have Stopped It?"
Unable to sleep properly the night before, I started the walk to school in a daze. Jong-hyuk walking beside me was lost in thought too, staying quiet. We walked at the same pace, each sunk in our own reflections.
We didn't exchange a single word until the school gate came into view and we reached the classroom.
At lunchtime, instead of Kyung-soo dragging me off to the class soccer match like usual, we sat on a bench in the schoolyard.
"There was something like that yesterday?"
"Yeah, it was the body of that guy from the Red Brick House."
"So that older sister did it to him?"
"No way, Eun-young noona's being held at the police station. She couldn't have..."
"I think it was that ajumma."
"What? You saw her face? They said the police caught her at the scene."
"No, her face was all covered up when she came out, but she was definitely an adult woman. And I can't get that ajumma's expression from yesterday out of my head."
"What?"
"It was empty, like she'd made some kind of resolve."
"Come to think of it, you've got a hunch, right? That's why you told that Heo Soon-kyung cop to run a DNA test?"
Jong-hyuk's question was answered by Kyung-soo.
"I think the police already knew Eunsu and that guy weren't related before we even reported it the first time."
Jong-hyuk and I were stunned by Kyung-soo's words, blurting out in unison.
"The police knew from the start?"
"You said the day we first saw Eunsu, you and the shop owner went to the station to report it? How could they know that day that she and the guy weren't blood-related?"
"It's because of what that Heo Soon-kyung cop said to us that day. He knew her name, right?"
"There were probably other reports too. But what's that got to do with it?"
"That day, Heo Soon-kyung called her Sim Eunsu."
"What? The Red Brick House guy's name is Choi Je-in."
"That's why when the shop owner suggested a DNA test, I realized from the police's reaction that they already knew they weren't related."
"There were a lot of reports about domestic violence at Eunsu's house, but she hardly ever went to the hospital?"
"How do you know that?"
"My mom's the neighborhood gossip hub... With all this chaos, she went around asking who went to the local clinic. I overheard and picked it up. Apparently, this was Eunsu's first time at the hospital... and it was after Eun-young noona got arrested..."
"So maybe Eunsu wasn't even the one getting beaten?"
Kyung-soo's words made my mind flash with clarity.
"What do you mean?"
"You said the shop owner yelled at Eunsu, asking how she could do that, while Eun-young noona was sobbing?"
"Yeah."
"So Eun-young noona at least believed that guy from the Red Brick House wouldn't hit Eunsu."
"What?"
"Think about it. The police investigated enough to find out Eunsu wasn't his kid, but they never arrested him. Their investigation must've been off-track."
"So the victim was Eun-young noona?"
"More precisely, Eun-young noona's mom and Eunsu's mom."
"What?"
"Eunsu probably only got hit shielding her mom when she was taking a beating from him. That's why she only went to the hospital this one time. Domestic violence is habitual—you don't just go once."
"You're sounding pretty expert."
"Studying criminal law and procedure lately, I checked some precedents. Some interesting rulings..."
"Hard to believe she's the same age as us middle schoolers."
Kyung-soo continued over Jong-hyuk's incredulous tone.
"Like you said, that ajumma acted weird. Even if Eunsu wasn't his blood, she's her real daughter, but she didn't seem fazed. Or maybe not unfazed—powerless."
"Powerless?"
"Long-term exposure to violence makes people go numb. Then something big happened to that ajumma."
"Something big? Like Eunsu getting assaulted and Eun-young noona getting arrested?"
"Sort of. When Eun-young noona showed up sobbing, the neighbors heard it straight from her—violence is wrong. The police investigated and even made an arrest. She finally realized the violence she'd endured was wrong... and got her revenge."
"What? You think so too, Joo-in?"
"Like Kyung-soo said, that ajumma might've killed him for that reason. But..."
"But what?"
"I don't think Eun-young noona's his blood either."
"What?"
"It doesn't feel like the ajumma just snapped from years of abuse. Maybe she killed him to survive."
"Why do you think that?"
Was it that the scenes I saw then overlapped not just with Eun-young noona, but the ajumma too? That's why it was more terrifying and fearful than what I saw from Eunsu?
"Jong-hyuk, did Eun-young noona's mom divorce?"
"Nah, I heard she passed away."
"Maybe it was from long-term abuse."
For me, who saw and heard that fear-filled scene and the chilling noises leaking out, it's certain... but...
"What?"
"That guy from the Red Brick House killed Eun-young noona's mom?"
"Not intentionally... but habitual violence escalated until it killed her. Eun-young noona saw it and ran away to escape the fear and guilt..."
"Fear makes sense, but guilt?"
"Just my theory... but maybe he used the kids as shields to beat their moms?"
"What?"
"Sometimes I think... if only Mom had married some rich guy and not struggled. But wouldn't a mom think the same?"
"So the Red Brick House guy only remarried women who needed money to raise kids?"
"I think he's a serial abuser."
As Jong-hyuk and Kyung-soo froze at my bombshell, the class rep from next door suddenly appeared and called me.
"Joo-in Nam, the teacher's looking for you."
I patted the still-dazed Jong-hyuk and Kyung-soo's shoulders.
"I'll swing by the office then head back to class."
Why's my homeroom teacher calling me? Grades maybe?
I barely registered entering the office, but the noisy schoolyard faded into the stiff quiet of the administrative space. Approaching Teacher Moon Soo-ok's neat desk—my homeroom teacher from third year middle school—she stood and moved us to the counseling room.
If it was quick, she'd have said it here. Counseling room? Really about grades?
"Joo-in, how's school life treating you?"
"Good."
"Must've been tough with that big incident lately."
"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't, but family and friends are keeping me going."
"You're so mature, Joo-in. But you know your mock exam scores dropped a lot this time?"
"Yeah... haven't had much time to study."
"Not here to scold you. You said you're aiming for humanities this time? Last counseling, you wanted vocational."
"Yes. After the incident, I'm following Mom's advice for humanities."
"Not a bad choice. Scores dipped with distractions, but you've always been above class average. I called you because a guest came to see you. That's why the counseling room. Waiting outside—if you don't want to, I'll send them away."
"Huh? Who?"
"Won't say details—incident-related. Police, here to confirm your report. Said parents should be present, but just quick fact-check. Asked for cooperation..."
"Ah..."
Maybe? Heo Soon-kyung?
"You know them?"
"On my way to pick up my brother, I reported a kid I thought was getting abused. Probably here for that. Let's check."
"I see."
Teacher Moon didn't show it, but she tensed at police visiting her student—her face relaxed at my answer.
Why come to school though?
"You're still a student, so I'll sit in..."
"It's fine."
She looked flustered at my firm reply but smiled, stepping aside. She sat in the corner as Heo Soon-kyung and the detective from Eun-young noona's arrest entered.
Heo Soon-kyung wore plain clothes, mindful of students' eyes.
"Hi, police ajusshi."
"Call me hyung."
"What brings you to school?"
"You reported at the station yesterday that Eun-young noona's mom was acting weird? Why?"
"That's why you came to school?"
I couldn't say it was from the land spirit's spell showing malicious thoughts.
"Her expression was off from the start. Anyway, Eun-young noona got taken for assaulting Eunsu, right? Normally a mom would worry or get mad, but she looked... resigned."
"Got it. Where exactly did you see her?"
"On the road near Baek-sin Elementary. School route, so the slow black sedan caught my eye."
"Saw her there? Which direction?"
"Her expression was so weird, I didn't notice."
"Why'd her expression seem weird?"
"Just my take. Normally, if your kid got hit, you'd be angry, upset, worried. But that day police came on the first report about Eunsu, her face was blank. And when you—hyung—said her real daughter Eunsu got hit? How could she look so dead inside? That's what struck me odd."
Heo Soon-kyung and the detective conferred via notepad. Teacher Moon approached from her spot.
"Think that's enough fact-check. More questions? Next time with his mom present?"
"No need. Thanks for cooperating."
My head throbbed. Enduring the dizzying headache and tinnitus I never got used to, I focused to catch every scene.
It felt like a blurry old photo coming alive, a strange floating sensation. Tinnitus-mixed hearing sharpened the voices.
The dizzy sense faded like stretched taffy, my awareness returning to the counseling room.
As Heo Soon-kyung and the detective left, Teacher Moon eyed my pale face worriedly.
Unsolved case victims' families as team members? My dad died in an accident? Why?