Chapter Text
"Why don't you start with your name…"
Maybe just a few breaths ago, that might have been the simplest of requests, which is a lot more than can be said for right now.
Now, over a dozen pair of eager eyes stare expectantly. The main prompting going as far as to nod encouragingly, like somehow that softens the heaviness of those words.
Three days ago, he never would have felt weight behind such words.
He never even would have thought to blink long enough, let alone put stock into how just a mere ten minutes can change the trajectory of someone's entire existence.
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"Name."
"Go Chunghee!" He chirps proudly.
"We wanted to instill good, strong qualities in our only son, Chunghee-ah. Never forget that." Eomeoni said.
And he hadn't forgotten. In fact, he constantly tried his best to live up to his name. Just like eomeoni and abeoji said. Or at least he tried his best.
"I know what your teacher told you, Chunghee-ah, but sometimes teachers just exaggerate a bit because there are a lot of students in the classes these days and they need creative ways to make sure the students are listening. It's best to listen to what abeoji and eomeoni want first." She told him when he was really little, after he was punished for returning a wallet he found to the local police station.
He'd learned in class that it was important to always tell the truth and do what's right. But then he got punished, made to squat very uncomfortably with his hands out while holding a really heavy book.
Chunghee's train of thought leads him to these past memories because here he is about to do something that will certainly not live up to his parents' expectations… but he hopes his vision outweighs the emotional upheaval should they find out.
"And your identification please?" He hears, bringing him away from his reminiscing.
He knew this would be a question after painstakingly going over the details but still finds his breathing starting to quicken as his hands become clammy. He opens and closes them into fists before subtly steadying his breath. He rehearsed this so many times in preparation for this very moment.
"My eomeoni accidentally got it wet in the wash. They said they were sending us a new one. But I know my registration number!" He shares excitedly, with a bright and friendly smile, while also not fully making eye contact, of course.
"Is that what seonsaengnim said? Ah, he meant that those fingerprints are really for the students who don't get everything they need from their parents, Chunghee-ah. You don't have to worry because you get everything you need from us. That's the government's way of tracking those kids and the delinquents. But he can't fully say that out loud because they don't want to embarrass those poor children."
"Eomeoni already took care of your registration card and is keeping it safe."
"You know how you can be forgetful most times. We wouldn't want you to lose it so we'll just teach you your number."
"If anyone asks, just tell them eomeoni washed your card in the laundry or you lost it and you're getting another one so you have less to worry about."
"Kids your age shouldn't worry about these things. That's what we're here for."
"School? You don't need to take those exams, Chunghee-ah. That's for students who need a bit more help with their learning. That's why they go to those other schools after graduation. Because they need more time for learning. You've done so well learning everything you need to know. And when you start working on the boats with abeoji full-time, he'll teach you even more about the sea."
Ten minutes into sitting for Suneung, Chunghee feels a tap on his shoulder.
"Go Chunghee? Can you come with me, please?" A tiny woman with glasses asks in a gentle whisper.
There's much for him to think about as he sits, waiting in a cold, grey office. Has he been found out? Did abeoji or eomeoni or both show up to stop him? Are they asking him here because they found out he lied about not having his registration card? Or maybe his parents figured out that he borrowed it.
He doesn't want to think about the consequences waiting for him.
A stout man with a round, kind face enters with the short woman wearing glasses. They both smile warmly but Chunghee's leg bounces under the table where he's been asked to sit. He stands to bow and they do the same before the man quickly motions for him to sit.
He finds himself looking down at his feet, unable to utter any words.
"Never look directly into any adult's eyes, Chunghee. It is seen as a grave and utter disrespect and we haven't raised you to be disrespectful!"
"Everything is okay, Chunghee-ah." The man says, maybe picking up on Chunghee's silence. "We were able to take a look at your results thus far and you've already done exceptionally well. We didn't mean to interrupt you from your testing. We just have a few questions for follow up so we can make sure the test results go to the correct place."
Oh. He hadn't thought about that and narrowly avoids biting his bottom lip to suggest such.
"We need to confirm your registration number one more time." The tiny woman offers.
When they input the number into the system with Chunghee present, it comes up with an error message.
"Perhaps you might have mixed some numbers around?" The round faced man offers. "I'm afraid, however, without the actual card, we won't be able to have you continue with examinations at this time."
As nerve-wracking as all of this has been, Chunghee steels his resolve and remembers why he embarked on a journey so outside of his comfort zone in the first place.
He doesn't want to upset his parents by any means.
In fact, he has never ventured out or taken this kind of initiative before.
This is the most daring thing he's ever set out to do.
But abeoji tried explaining how to cast certain lines and the difference between fish hooks. For all of the years he'd been out to sea and learning, it still hasn't quite made sense. And when he asks questions, he's been admonished for not knowing the answers. So it isn't that he doesn't disagree with his parents by any means. But it's clear to Chunghee.
He's one of those kids who needs extra schooling.
He needs to take these exams so he can get more learning time in before fishing season resumes if he is going to take over for abeoji within the next year.
"Oh!" Chunghee gasps, convincingly. "I thought eomeoni didn't replace my card yet but here it is right here! W-will this help?" And he pulls the card out of a tiny compartment in his bag.
He's allowed to return and resume testing. If he is not complete with the hangguk exam, they'll allow him some extra time between breaks and/or lunch. He goes right back into it, thinking nothing of the time spent providing them with his registration card. His mind is so focused on everything, he doesn't even remember that he isn't given the card back.
He doesn't seem to need any extra time, however, and even though the day is long and grueling, he manages, hoping he'll do well.
When all is complete, he doesn't have too much space to think of the experience because he's beckoned immediately. With all of his chores, it won't come back up until three days later.
When sirens light up his quiet neighborhood. When a knock on the door changes everything.
He's peeling burdock in the kitchen with eomeoni when he hears the questions.
"Good afternoon. Is this the Go residence?"
"Who's asking?" He hears abeoji ask gruffly.
So much happened so fast. Chunghee scraped his thumb with the peeler from being so nervous. Eomeoni was too busy listening in to notice after first. Since he'd seen the way they tended to his wounds before, he tried for himself but the movement seemed to draw attention, making eomeoni shriek, which then had the officers pushing passed abeoji to assess the scene.
After the bleeding stopped, they were asked to sit down and provide Chunghee's documents as he was possibly being investigated for identity fraud.
Abeoji demanded a lawyer right away and asked for proof of a warrant. Chunghee clung closely as his mother insisted this was all some misunderstanding and they have the wrong person. Abeoji spoke to her sternly, reminding her to keep her mouth shut. The officers kept assuring that this could all be cleared up if they would be able to provide them with proof of Chunghee's fingerprint scan and registration number.
He remembers how they flashed some kind of paper before adding, "we'll need you and your family to come in for questioning…"
On their way to the precinct, he remembers eomeoni rubbing his arm with uncharacteristically shaky hands. "Don't fret, Chunghee-ah. They do these sorts of things from time to time. Remember what we taught you about strangers. Do what abeoji and eomeoni want. Make us proud."
Chunghee immediately thought he'd receive a harsh punishment for disobeying his parents and the police would be here to exact that punishment this time. He was afraid, shaking profusely, wondering if he should just come right out with the truth but whenever he'd move to open, eomeoni's eyes would cut in his direction sharply with an unspoken warning between her pursed lips.
Originally, they'd allowed for the family to remain together when officers started questioning them about a name he did not recognize. The officers said it was because of their inability to verify his true age on records and assumed him to be a minor.
They again asked for all of Chunghee's records but abeoji said this was a waste of their time and demanded to know if they were being placed under arrest. The questions technically stopped but a detective let it be known that they had evidence to support Chunghee being charged for identity fraud (the punishment being particularly steep… much steeper than Chunghee imagined).
His eyes widened and he looked down quickly, hearing eomeoni say, "you are truly mistaken and I think you have the wrong child. Our Chunghee does not even know how to leave the house without one of us. You saw how I had to aid his wound for him! He's always been a rather frightful child."
Typically, that would be the case. Chunghee never once left his parents' side save for school.
When he was much younger and would hear other children laughing outside of their home, he'd surely asked and wanted to join them. It sounded like they were having fun.
"No, no, Chunghee-ah. Those children frolic about because their parents don't love them. There are too many dangers out in the world to allow you to join them. These children become criminals eventually, my sweetling. We surely don't want that to happen to our precious boy. If anyone asks you to come with them, it means they've got the devil in them, my Chunghee. Stay far, far away. Come, let's finish playing with your jacks set."
There were invites to birthdays and play groups in the beginning. He'd become so horrified by the offers as it meant the kids' parents must have thought he also wasn't loved by his parents. One time, he even burst into tears in the middle of the classroom to which eomeoni rubbed his back later.
It was all so confusing but eomeoni was always right there to soothe him.
"It is okay to be kind to your classmates. They don't know any better. We must be sweet to them because they need your loving kindness. But if they invite you again, you just let them know you need to be here with eomeoni. And remembers eomeoni loves you greatly."
It was still scary but he was able to eventually find a balance and even talk with some of the kids, no longer being deemed too weird or unapproachable. His parents made a point to let the other children know he was shy and that seemed to help them understand. Eventually, though, the invitations stopped. And though he was terrified of the reality, overhearing some of their stories still made him curious.
Go Chunghee was a very obedient boy. He would not have even thought to take the exams, all things considered, had he not overheard abeoji mentioning to their neighbor ahjussi that his back gave out again from all of the bending he finds himself doing on the boat. He was grateful that Chunghee would begin taking over soon.
He was taking out the trash when he overheard the ahjussi mentioning how his own son chose to defer testing for the military, was now eligible to test with his service complete and would test on the next date available. The boy used to be in Chunghee's class.
Originally, he shied away from that idea being more than a point of curiosity when he realized he would need to go without his parents.
He'd never done something like that. It was dangerous, after all. He could always ask abeoji again if he could try for the exams but abeoji had been more stern lately about Chunghee joining him on the boats more regularly.
But then when ahjussi said his son was looking to help enhance his own fishing knowledge, Chunghee thought maybe it wasn't too dangerous.
Abeoji spoke with the neighbor ahjussi all the time and had nice things to say about him so it didn't seem like one of the stories his teachers always used to tell that his parents said were merely to keep the kids' attentions.
That still hadn't addressed the problem with him figuring out how to get himself to the exam.
He needn't have thought too long or far though, as there was an uncharacteristically heavy blizzard keeping his parents sidelined from doing trade a few towns over around the days Chunghee fretted about finding a way to the Suneung location.
Chunghee saw the elder neighbor loading his pick-up, explaining the situation about the blizzard when ahjussi saw him taking out the trash and asked. He almost didn't say anything beyond that. After all, he wasn't to speak too much or be out for too long.
But then the next thing he knows, his mouth is asking if he could have a ride to and from for his testing after ahjussi excitedly spoke of his son preparing for the exam date.
Still, he must have kept looking back to his home so many times, even when the home was no longer in sight. Really, the only thing that propelled him from the old pick up was ahjussi complaining about how the boy needed to make haste as he had errands to run.
When he stepped out and approached the big building, he froze for what felt like hours. Just before he was about to take off and run, wobbly legs and all, not truly knowing how to get himself back home, a testing proctor mistook his hesitation for jitters and thrust him forward into the building.
"You understand that until we can determine your true age and identity, according to these records here, you are above the age of minority without proof of any mental or physical ailments that would prevent you from being questioned without your parents present?"
Chunghee stares at the linoleum tiles on the floor, wide-eyed and gaping. He didn't exactly know what those words meant. His parents were always present. How were they now saying that he is supposed to be without them?
He just knows he isn't supposed to look adults in the eye. He doesn't want to be disrespectful plus everything about this experience is making him shake. He feels a funny rumbling in his stomach and thinks he might become sick.
Squirming to find some comfort, they have him seated in a cold, small room with two detectives seated across from him. Eomeoni told him not to speak to anybody. But that's how he found himself being informed of his right to a lawyer. From what he knows from his parents, lawyers are only for criminals. And Chunghee is no criminal. Criminals are bad people who hurt other people, take from them and don't apologize. Yes, Chunghee took his registration card but he really will apologize and accept his punishment later. That has to count for something.
Somewhere between the scary uncertainty of what's happening, his thoughts to creep to how he finds it rather odd how abeoji requested a lawyer but everything had gone so fast Chunghee wonders if he even heard that correctly.
"Can you confirm your date of birth?"
Chunghee can. But eomeoni told him to make sure he says nothing. He's terrified that if they find out he said anything, on top of leaving the house without them, abeoji will be the one to issue whatever big punishment is supposed to happen. He doesn't want that. He's already misbehaved enough and he'll never do it again.
One of the detectives sighs. "Look kid, the sooner you cooperate, the sooner you can go home. I'm sure that's what you want."
That is what he wants.
Another sigh rings out in the otherwise quiet, stale room.
"Kid, you're in really serious trouble if you don't talk. Do you understand?"
He's in really serious trouble if he does talk.
"We can help you now. But if you don't say anything while we're still in a helpful mood, there's not much else we can do."
"How do you know Yang Daesang?"
Who?
There are many questions like that. Questions that make no sense to Chunghee whatsoever about someone with this name, if he knows that person's whereabouts, what's his association to him.
Finally, one of the detectives sighs again.
"You're bleeding again. Here, let me get that for you." He offers before pressing down on a tissue. He motions for something and before Chunghee knows it, his scraped skin is being patched over with fresh gauze and tape.
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He looks around the room. The others have since introduced themselves. Some taking him completely by surprise.
"Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Kim Seokjin, who many of you know as The Butterfly Baby. I'm here because I got to have not one but two extended vacations away from my family!" The first man he found himself drawn to had said, followed by a wink in his direction plus a gun shape with his finger. He lowered his head, cheeks feeling flush from the display.
The man, Kim Seokjin, surprised him. But then again, who is he to say he is a good judge of character?
Either way, he originally did not take him to be part of the scene and had been more confused when others chuckled lightly at his introduction. He was immediately drawn to him as he seemed to carry a glow with a slightly sharp edge to his face.
Another he found himself drawn to, but equally confused by, was a dimpled man wearing glasses.
"Kim Namjoon. No known relation to Seokjin-hyung, at least that we know of…"
He surmised they all seem to have some kind of camaraderie, judging by the light chuckles of the others and the way Kim Seokjin playfully swats in this man's direction, despite sitting further away from him.
"It took me a while to get used to that name because my whole life, I've known myself as David Connor. I was born in a small village just outside of Ilsan…"
Chunghee had never spent more than those few hours testing away from his parents. But the night into the morning was so terrifying, he hadn't slept. The space where he was meant to sleep was cold and hard, the sounds and smells unfamiliar to his own cot where he's slept for his entire life. He was informed that he wouldn't be kept with others but that also meant not seeing his parents all night.
If he'd known all of this would be the result of one attempt to gain better understanding, he would not have taken it.
With no concept of time, he was brought into that cold room again, possibly some time the next morning. The detectives seemed to notice, so they offered him a cup of coffee.
"So here's the thing, we now have evidence indicating that the registration number you used for Suneung belongs to a deceased man. The fingerprints on file don't match his but I'd be willing to bet, they also don't match yours. We have your DNA too, son, and we're waiting for the results. You could be in big trouble for a long time. Do you understand?"
Though Chunghee does not speak, continuing to stare at his feet out of respect, he does nod in understanding. He should not have disobeyed his parents. He will have to atone for his actions because of that disrespect.
"Look, you look like a really good kid. We'd hate to see you take the fall for something you likely had no control over but we can't help you unless you help us. So come, why don't you start with your name…"
He looks meekly around the room. It's different now. So much still making his head heavy and groggy. So much makes him unsure of whether or not he's dreaming.
Don't look at people. Look at people. Everything contradicts.
But he can't help himself from briefly locking eyes with Kim Namjoon, the glasses-wearing Kim, whose words made the most sense but also no sense at all. The man smiles softly, dimples on display before nodding subtly.
"We find the defendants guilty of kidnapping and abduction for purpose of indecent acts..."
"I hereby decree, the once abducted child, now returned adult, will be referred to solely by his family name and no longer use the false name, Go Chunghee, given to him by the abductors…"
"M-my name is… m-my n-name is G— uh… P-Park. Park J-Jimin."