May the Congressman Bless Us

Cha Jaerim, who was silently gazing out the window, seemed uninteresting, so the mover turned on the radio.

—As the controversy over Representative Kim Shindoo’s illegitimate child spreads widely, the opposition party has intensified pressure, stating, ‘If Representative Kim is confident, why not conduct a DNA test?’ Meanwhile, the ruling party has sought to downplay the incident by dismissing Representative Kim from his spokesperson position and labeling the matter as ‘a personal transgression.’

The mover clicked his tongue as he listened to the news.

“Good grief! Not a single politician can be trusted, huh?”

“Pardon?”

“Ah, you youngsters need to watch the news more. Kim Shindoo, that guy… he acted all virtuous and perfect, but it turns out he had an illegitimate child! And he didn’t even properly pay child support.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“You young people these days don’t follow the news enough. It’s a societal issue.”

“Haha…”

Jaerim wanted to say something but held back. There was no point in discussing trivial matters just to vent a little frustration.

The mover then shifted his complaints from young people like Cha Jaerim to another target.

“Tsk, damn bastards. I wish all politicians would just drop dead. They’re all crooks, gangsters, and thieves.”

Jaerim didn’t respond, but Goo Young-jin, sitting next to him, turned bright red and became enraged.

[Ha! As if he’d be any better if he were in politics! It’s not just politicians who are all the same—it’s all people!]

Jaerim glanced at Goo Young-jin and chuckled.

Meanwhile, the truck continued heading south.

In the rattling vehicle, Jaerim let his body relax completely and stared blankly ahead, his eyes catching a sign.

[Welcome to Jeongju City.]

‘Even so, it feels oddly warm coming back to my hometown,’ Jaerim thought as he leaned back into his seat.

The one-ton truck, carrying a modest load of belongings, crossed the boundary into Jeongju City.

Jeongju was one of the few “cities” in Jeollabuk-do. Its downtown area had all the hallmarks of an urban space.

But the truck didn’t stop in Jeongju’s proper downtown.

Passing by apartment complexes and traditional markets, the truck entered the endless rice fields.

Jaerim had been assigned to a rural part of Jeongju, far removed from its center.

Even from Jeongju City Hall’s perspective, Jaerim’s presence was likely unwelcome.

Just because he was from the same hometown didn’t change the fact that he was a ticking time bomb.

And if he was going to explode anyway, it was better if he did it out in the sticks.

Thus, Jaerim’s workplace wasn’t at City Hall, a district office, or even a town office.

It was a township office.

Saneum Township.

Jaerim let out an awkward laugh.

“I may be from Jeongju, but this is my first time here.”

[Well, it is quite rural.]

“Doesn’t this make coming back to my hometown feel pointless?”

Goo Young-jin smirked at Jaerim’s question. Fixing his gaze on the vast rice fields, he replied:

[This isn’t your birthplace. But I was born here.]

“You were born in such a rural area?”

Young-jin slowly nodded.

[Still, it’s better than it used to be. Look, they even have a two-story commercial building now.]

“I always thought you grew up in a wealthy urban family. It’s surprising to hear you’re from the countryside. Were you a landlord’s son?”

[A landlord? Ridiculous. My family was dirt poor.]

Jaerim didn’t believe him.

“If you were dirt poor, how did you study abroad in the U.S. during that time?”

[Have you ever considered that I worked extremely hard? Maybe it’s hard for someone with average eyes like yours to comprehend.]

“Ah, yes, of course.”

Young-jin grinned and said to Jaerim:

[This place, Saneum, is the best result for you. You can use me to your full advantage.]

“Well, you do seem to know everything about this area.”

[I know how many spoons each household has and which unit a man served in during his military service. I know it all.]

Of course, this wasn’t because Young-jin was a kind-hearted elder who cared deeply about his neighbors. His political career had necessitated it.

Six terms in office don’t happen by chance.

The assumption that politicians laze around is a mistake. It’s a tremendously demanding job.

Although, more often than not, that effort doesn’t translate into better national or public welfare.

Managing local districts is a key part of a politician’s job. Perhaps the most important part.

Elementary school graduations, amateur soccer club meetings, retirement banquets for local figures, and mountain hiking trips.

While attendance wasn’t mandatory, the more events attended, the higher the chances of re-election.

Winning a term or two might happen with luck and minimal effort.

But Young-jin had secured victory six times.

The votes that achieved those six terms were cultivated through countless seemingly insignificant events.

One vote from an elementary school graduation. Another from a 60th birthday party.

Especially in his birthplace, he knew the details even if he didn’t want to.

And if Jaerim would still be treated like a troublemaker at City Hall, it was better to be stationed in a familiar place.

Rather than dealing with the overwhelming workload at City Hall, Saneum, with its mountains and clear waters, and presumably less strenuous work, was a smarter choice for planning his future.

Jaerim settled into the official residence.

He was grateful not to spend his meager savings on housing.

The residence, a three-story multiplex adjacent to the township office, housed four young public servants from other regions. With Jaerim joining, it became five households.

The building was slightly old but satisfactory.

Jaerim had braced himself for cramped shared accommodations, but thanks to the low property values, he had a spacious unit to himself.

Surrounded by fields with no tall buildings, the place got plenty of sunlight.

Jaerim was left to fend for himself in the empty residence.

After placing a small refrigerator inside, he stepped back to catch his breath at the door when someone approached him and spoke.

“Ah, so you’re the newcomer?”

Cha Jaerim glanced toward the voice. A man, seemingly in his forties, was smiling at him. He had a generous belly and a Buddha-like face.

From his demeanor, Jaerim quickly deduced that this man would be his superior at Saneum Township Office.

He didn’t particularly feel the need to get along well with people like this, but there was no reason to make enemies either. To avoid unnecessary trouble—or even to gain some advantages—he would have to build some sort of amicable relationship.

Jaerim gave a polite bow.

“Hello, I’m Cha Jaerim.”

“Ah, nice to meet you! I’m Eom Joo-sang, the head of the Civil Affairs department. Just call me Chief Eom.”

“Yes, Chief Eom.”

“You’ll probably be assigned to the civil affairs department too. But honestly, in a tiny office like this, we’re all basically one family.”

Chief Eom beamed warmly and extended a hand for a handshake.

Jaerim returned the gesture with a faint smile.

“Please take care of me.”

“I should be saying that! I’ve already heard about your history, Jaerim.”

‘Of course, word would’ve gotten around.’ Jaerim smiled bitterly.

“There was some commotion back when I worked in Seoul, but—”

“Commotion? More like an incident. You can’t downplay it like that.”

“Haha…”

Chief Eom chuckled, giving Jaerim a hearty pat on the hand.

“Well, at least I think you did the right thing. Seriously, who told them to be corrupt in the first place?”

“Thank you for saying so.”

“Don’t mention it. Don’t worry too much; everyone here in Saneum is clean as a whistle. You shouldn’t face any trouble.”

“Yes, Chief.”

“Come by my place one evening. Let’s have a beer together.”

With a casual wave, Chief Eom headed upstairs to his house. Jaerim bowed slightly again as he watched him go.

‘At least he doesn’t seem openly hostile.’

For now, the lack of antagonism on their first meeting was a relief.

***

“Hello, I’m Cha Jaerim. I look forward to working with you all.”

Cha Jaerim bowed politely.

The staff at the township office, including the township head and deputy head, numbered about a dozen.

The staff responded with polite applause.

As Cha Jaerim straightened up, he subtly scanned their faces.

At a glance, they appeared expressionless, but he could discern the emotions writhing beneath.

Anxiety and unease—fear that he might cause upheaval here just as he had at the Seoul office.

For the more extreme types, there was even a tinge of contempt, viewing him as a self-righteous pest bent on disrupting the organization.

And, in rare instances, a glimmer of anticipation—perhaps he might inject some vitality into the monotonous routine of their office.

The township head and deputy head, who seemed more like neighborhood elders, showed little interest in Cha Jaerim.

After all, isn’t it said that the most carefree officers in the military are colonels who’ve given up on being promoted to general?

The township head and deputy head were in a similar position.

While Cha Jaerim might be a ticking time bomb, they were nearing the end of their public careers. There was no room for further advancement.

Thus, they didn’t feel particularly threatened by him, nor did they see any need to cozy up to him.

They simply regarded him with dry, indifferent eyes.

However, those beneath them felt differently.

To them, Cha Jaerim was a serious wildcard.

Amidst the wary stares, Chief Eom approached Cha Jaerim with a Buddha-like smile.

Naturally, he placed a hand on Cha Jaerim’s shoulder.

“We here in Saneum Township already know all about your past, Jaerim. So let’s not bother awkwardly hiding it, alright? For both our sakes.”

Chief Eom gently patted his shoulder, much like one would pat a baby’s bottom, as he continued.

His touch was clearly meant to be kind, yet it carried an undercurrent of discomfort.

“Well, we’re not thrilled about what you’ve done, but what can we do? We’ll be sharing the same pot of rice from now on.”

Pat, pat.

“After all, you’re one of us—born and raised in Jeongju. You’re still young, so you must’ve acted out of inexperience. That’s why we need to support him. Let’s not turn our backs on him just because he’s a troublemaker, alright, everyone?”

Cha Jaerim glanced up at Chief Eom.

Beside him, Goo Young-jin stifled a laugh.

[Is he trying to help you or take a jab at you?]

If his intention had been to shield Cha Jaerim, he was going about it the wrong way.

With those words, Cha Jaerim went from being an unofficial troublemaker to an officially acknowledged one.

Perhaps Chief Eom’s intentions were good, but his lack of eloquence was painfully evident.

‘No.’

When they first met one-on-one, Eom hadn’t acted this way.

Even if it had been empty words, he’d praised Cha Jaerim. He’d said the real culprit was the person who committed the crime, not Cha Jaerim.

But now, his tone had completely changed.

Cha Jaerim furrowed his brows slightly.

‘This guy is a real piece of work, too.’

As Eom suggested, Cha Jaerim was assigned to the civil affairs department.

While Buddha-like Eom sat at the back sipping vending machine coffee, handling complaints fell entirely on Cha Jaerim.

Though there were three or four other employees dealing with complaints, they subtly redirected most of the workload to him.

Cha Jaerim accepted it without complaint.

That was just how things were done.

At 6 PM, the staff left for the day without holding a modest welcome party or even acknowledging Cha Jaerim’s presence.

Even though Chief Eom was heading in the same direction, he didn’t offer to walk with Cha Jaerim.

Not that Cha Jaerim particularly wanted to accompany him, but he couldn’t help feeling a bit slighted.

Goo Young-jin chuckled softly.

[You really have no luck with bosses.]

“I made my bed, so I’ll lie in it. Over time, things will change.”

[Going straight home on your first day?]

Cha Jaerim smiled wryly.

“Where else would I go? All around us are just fields.”

[There’s one place.]

“Where?”

Goo Young-jin pointed toward a faint glimmer of light in the distance, cutting through the rural darkness.

He grinned.

[Let’s go. Over there.]