The Fall of the First Man
"W-w-w-what?"
For a split second, JD doubted his own ears. It was a refusal from JSD, something he had never heard even once in all these years. No, before that, he couldn't believe that JSD had dared to speak to him in casual, informal speech. Thinking he must have misheard, JD steadied his breathing and asked again.
"JSD, what did you just say?"
"I said no."
Another short, sharp reply. JD’s mouth hung open in utter disbelief.
"Hey, hey, hey... JSD, are you... are you really... s-speaking informally to me right now?"
JD’s voice dragged and stuttered, his composure crumbling until he looked suddenly pathetic. When he was backed by JSD, the second-in-command, JD had been overflowing with power, regardless of the reasons behind it. But now, having lost his three key pillars, his closest friend N, his final military force Choi Hee-doo, and his secret slush fund, the Manse Welfare Center, the fatal blow of JSD’s betrayal caused him to wither instantly.
He looked like a washed-up old man, or perhaps something even more wretched. Though he couldn't quite process it, JD’s instincts seemed to grasp his situation; he suddenly carried the air of a frail, late-fifties man who had lost all his vigor.
"Ha, you son of a bitch, you can't even understand what I'm saying?"
With JSD even resorting to profanity, JD felt tears welling up in his eyes before he could stop them.
"JSD, how could you... how could you do this to me..."
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting? You’re the one who started treating me like trash first."
JSD no longer treated JD as his master, his president, or even his senior. From JSD’s perspective, JD was now nothing more than "a son of a bitch who had treated him like garbage."
"Treating you like trash? What are you talking about!"
"You have to ask? How many times have you doubted my loyalty? I worked like a dog under you. I sat in the ANSP Director’s chair and did the dirty work you ordered, and I swallowed all the insults that should have been directed at you!"
Tears began to well up in JSD’s eyes, not JD’s.
"Damn it! I didn't have any complaints! Because you treated me as your top aide. That was the highest value to me! But you started doubting my loyalty. And you started treating me strangely. The moment you did that, you betrayed me."
"No, that's..."
JD tried to make an excuse, but realized he had nothing to say. It was true that he had started to doubt and mistreat JSD. Of course, it wasn't about material things. It was about human decency. At some point, JD had started constantly doubting JSD and snapping at him. It was a behavior one should never show to a man like JSD. But for the past few years, JD had forgotten that fact and began to ignore him. And so, this was the result.
Realizing it was impossible to persuade JSD, JD hurriedly picked up the receiver.
"Hey! Chief of Staff, bring the guards and get to my office right now!"
But no matter how much time passed, the Chief of Staff did not appear.
"W-what is this...!"
In a panic, JD dialed every number he could remember. Police, prosecutors, military—everyone! He even called the ruling party lawmakers, including N, but most didn't answer, and those who did hung up immediately.
"What on earth..."
JD slumped down onto the floor, not even bothering with his chair. JSD approached him, looking down from above, and sneered.
"You thought you were the eternal number one, so you cast aside all your aides, and now look at the state of you. Don't you think?"
An accurate analysis. The reason a number one can reign as number one is because there are multiple "number twos." The reason JSD, the crown prince of the new military regime, could act this way was because the three pillars had lost their power, N was effectively an ally, and Choi Hee-doo was N's ally. Of course, one of the three pillars was still working at the Blue House, but he was nothing more than a hollow shell. There was no other number two to act as a deterrent when one of them decided to stab him in the back.
If the three pillars had been intact, if he had firmly made N an ally, or even if he had just kept Choi Hee-doo by his side, JD might have been able to suppress JSD’s rebellion, however difficult it would have been. But now, everything was impossible. JD, who had mistakenly believed he was the eternal number one, was left with nowhere to go but down.
'T-that's it! There was still one person left!'
Remembering Choi Ki-hyun, whom he had momentarily forgotten because he was a businessman, JD grabbed the phone one last time.
"Ah, Chairman Choi! We have a big problem. I’ll give you permission, so can you bring your bodyguards and come to my office?"
Thinking JSD might snatch the phone, JD hurriedly stated the core of his request and hung up. However, JSD made no move to take the phone.
'Why? Why is he just standing there?'
The thing people do most when pushed to the brink: self-justification. JD, rationalizing that JSD was still actually afraid of him, shot a sneering look at JSD.
'That little bastard, he's still afraid of me.'
About 15 minutes later, when Choi Ki-hyun arrived at the office, JD acted like a child tattling to his parents, conveniently leaving out his own faults.
"Chairman Choi! You've come at the right time. This guy has started a rebellion against me. A rebellion! Please, help me suppress him! I will surely reward you!"
But there was something JD didn't know. Choi Ki-hyun had entered with a swarm of bodyguards. The Blue House was already completely under the control of JSD and N. So how had Choi Ki-hyun gotten in? JD’s brain was currently too fried to even consider that.
"What are you doing, Chairman Choi! I told you to suppress him!"
As JD screamed at the top of his lungs, he began to feel an increasing sense of unease at Choi Ki-hyun’s lack of movement. And finally...
"Thank you, Chief of the Presidential Security Service."
When Choi Ki-hyun bowed his head toward JSD, JD collapsed onto the floor of the office once again.
Thud!
"Ch-Chairman Choi. How could you do this to me..."
"Shut up, you piece of trash. Did you think I wouldn't know that you were calculating behind my back while promising to respect YK to my face? You absolute piece of trash."
Hearing insults from the man he thought was his "true loyal subject"—something he never imagined—JD’s eyes filled with tears.
"If you had just handled the Manse Welfare Center properly, I wouldn't have even cursed at you. You dog."
In truth, Yoon-gi hadn't ordered him to curse at JD. These insults were entirely Choi Ki-hyun’s own will. And this will was the final detonator that brought JD down.
"Uwaaaaaaah-!"
JD was crying. A man in his late fifties was crying. JD, who had established a military regime through a coup and filled the people of South Korea with fear, was crying. In the turbulent year of 1987, JD’s downfall, which was originally supposed to be triggered in June, happened in February. And... history accepted this alteration as a tributary.
* * *
JD was effectively confined to the Blue House, left in a state where he could perform no official duties. However, YS, DJ, and the citizens of South Korea, unaware of this, began nationwide protests against JD. This was merely the final stage of simmering the rice. In time, the ruling party, led by N, would begin reaching an agreement on constitutional amendment with YS and DJ. But that was a story for March at the earliest, or April at the latest. So, in this brief gap, a scene from about five or six years ago was being reenacted at Choi Ki-hyun’s mansion.
"Father... I'm sorry... And... thank you..."
Choi Cheol-min, finally discharged from the hospital, knelt before his father Choi Ki-hyun with genuine sincerity, apologizing for his past actions. He was even shedding tears. Beside him, Park Gyeong-ja was also kneeling, tears streaming down her face. Finally, their son, Choi Jung-gi, joined them. Choi Ki-hyun sat on a single-person sofa as the seat of honor, with the kneeling, weeping Cheol-min family before him, surrounded by the YK relatives, excluding the children. Yoon-gi, who had been standing there, quietly approached Jung-gi and helped him up.
"Br-brother...?"
Yoon-gi had never once had a personal meeting with Jung-gi until now. He hadn't even invited Jung-gi to the celebrations, including the MEV opening. But this was simply because he didn't want to be entangled with Choi Cheol-min and Park Gyeong-ja; it wasn't an intentional act of guilt by association. Thus, in this situation, Yoon-gi felt there was no need for Jung-gi to kneel. Of course, this action of Yoon-gi’s made Choi Ki-hyun breathe a sigh of relief inwardly.
'Yes... well done. Yoon-gi...'
However, Choi Ki-hyun could not reveal these inner thoughts.
"Are you fully recovered?"
Choi Cheol-min flinched at Choi Ki-hyun’s icy voice, but he nodded.
"Yes... Father... And thanks to Yoon... no, Chairman Choi, I have fully recovered."
Choi Cheol-min used the highest honorifics for Yoon-gi. He even turned his body while still kneeling to bow deeply toward Yoon-gi.
"I am truly... truly sorry. And I will live my whole life being grateful for this..."
Could a person change this much? But Choi Cheol-min was showing genuine change. The Samwoo family, who remembered Cheol-min’s past antics, were so shocked they forgot to breathe. But something even more surprising happened.
"I wanted to offer my apologies and gratitude today. I will go back to living quietly..."
This time, everyone was shocked. [He’s going to request a return to Samwoo, right?] But Choi Cheol-min didn't do that. He said he would return to working as a kitchen assistant at a humble eatery. He didn't even linger as he rose from his seat.
"Father, stay healthy... Chairman Choi, I will make sure I never appear before you again..."
As Choi Cheol-min turned his back and headed for the entrance, Park Gyeong-ja and Choi Jung-gi followed. They didn't look back until they reached the entrance, and they didn't hesitate even when walking to the bus stop. Just as they were about to board the bus, Choi Cheol-min heard someone calling him.
"Cheol-min."
A voice he hadn't heard in so long. It was none other than his older brother, Choi Cheol-ho.
"Br-brother...?"
Choi Cheol-ho felt tears welling up in his own eyes. He didn't know why. He just cried. And those tears flowed down, wetting the front of Choi Cheol-min’s clothes.
"Take this."
Choi Cheol-ho handed something to Choi Cheol-min with a bitter expression, filled with various shades of regret.
"Brother, th-this is..."
It was a bankbook and a seal.
"Open it."
Once Choi Cheol-ho gave his permission, Choi Cheol-min opened the bankbook.
"Gasp...!"
It wasn't a large amount of money by chaebol standards. But it was enough to open a decent shop and buy a normal house with money to spare.
"Yoon-gi told me to give it to you."
Yoon-gi had made one request to Choi Cheol-ho. If, just if Choi Cheol-min apologized sincerely today and intended to return quietly, he was to give this to him. And Choi Cheol-min’s sincerity had passed this final opportunity and test from Yoon-gi.
"Uwaaaaaaah!"
Choi Cheol-min burst into loud sobs. He regretted his past actions so deeply, and he felt so sorry to Yoon-gi. Here was a nephew who cared for his family, yet he had acted so pettily.
"He said... Jung-gi is innocent, after all."
"Thank you... thank you..."
"You should thank Yoon-gi, it's Yoon-gi’s money."
Choi Cheol-ho sighed, looking at his younger brother with complex eyes, before turning his gaze to Park Gyeong-ja.
"Yoon-gi has not forgiven you."
Choi Cheol-ho’s gaze toward Park Gyeong-ja was anything but kind. No, it was still filled with hostility.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
Park Gyeong-ja, like Choi Cheol-min, was truly repenting for her past. But...
"What Cheol-min did was something Yoon-gi could cover with his own ability. But what you did was impossible to cover, an unforgivable act."
"I'm truly... truly sorry... I committed an unforgivable sin..."
Yoon-gi had reset his evaluation of Choi Cheol-min after seeing his actions today. But he could never forgive Park Gyeong-ja. Every time he saw her, it brought back memories of when he lived as 'Kim Chanyeol,' making him suffer. No matter how happy his life was now, the existence of Park Gyeong-ja was a trigger that reminded him of those painful memories, making this an inevitable and expected outcome.
"Never, ever appear before Yoon-gi again. Even if something like today happens again."
"I will... I will..."
Choi Cheol-ho turned his gaze away from Park Gyeong-ja, who was bowing repeatedly, and looked at his brother again.
"Yoon-gi said, if you're struggling, come find him. Even if he can't give you opportunities like the other family members, he said he would at least treat you like an estranged uncle. Because Jung-gi is innocent."
"Ugh, ugh, ugh..."
Choi Cheol-min wept again, bowing his head and waist repeatedly.
"And, if you really want to be on good terms with Yoon-gi..."
Choi Cheol-ho started to say something but stopped. Instead, he placed his large, pot-lid-like hand on Choi Cheol-min’s shoulder, patted it once, and then patted his back.
"Well, brother is going now."
"Oh, oh, oh...! G-go well...! Th-thank you...!"
Long after Choi Cheol-ho had disappeared, Choi Cheol-min could not easily move.
"Honey... if you want..."
Park Gyeong-ja omitted the word 'divorce,' but Choi Cheol-min understood. If he divorced Park Gyeong-ja, Choi Cheol-min and Choi Jung-gi could truly and firmly return to the Samwoo Group. Because they had shown their sincerity today. But Choi Cheol-min shook his head.
"No, abandoning you for that reason would be repeating the same thing I did before..."
"Honey..."
Park Gyeong-ja had already become a frumpy middle-aged woman because she hadn't taken care of herself. Yet, even though he could have lived a decent life returning to Samwoo if he had been selfish, Choi Cheol-min did not abandon her.
"Let's just... apologize to Yoon-gi for the rest of our lives. That is the only way we... can reflect on the past..."
"Ugh, ugh... I'm sorry, honey..."
The two, sobbing, looked at their child, Jung-gi.
"Jung-gi, I'm sorry... If you want, instead of us, maybe Cheol-gyu's..."
Meaning, if possible, to become an adopted son of his younger brother Cheol-gyu. But Jung-gi shook his head.
"No, I don't want that. You're still my mom and dad... And Yoon-gi hyung said he would look at me without any bias. I'll study hard and get into YK."
"Jung-gi...!"
Finally, the three hugged each other tightly. A while later, their emotions settled, and they remembered they had to go home.
"Let's go home."
Choi Cheol-min put the bankbook in his pocket. Now, if they wanted, the Cheol-min family could easily afford a taxi instead of a bus. But Choi Cheol-min cherished the money Yoon-gi had given him and boarded the crowded bus with his family.
Vroom-!
The city bus disappeared in an instant. Watching that scene, Choi Deok-bae wiped away tears with his sleeve.
* * *
April 1987. The February Democratic Struggle, which began at Myeongdong Cathedral, spread across the country, and finally, N, the head of the ruling party, accepted the direct presidential election system. The longing for democratization that had started with the Gwangju Democratization Movement. The blood and efforts of the South Korean people had finally succeeded. However, one success always brings another storm. A fierce battle over who would become the president to succeed JD had begun.