My Japanese Childhood Friend Is Too Flirty - Chapter 158



Extra 2. “Mommy, what’s ‘Gwangbok’?”

August 15th.

A public holiday that no Korean could be unaware of, a day of such significance to Koreans── Gwangbokjeol, Liberation Day.

On this Gwangbokjeol, commemorating August 15th, the day the Japanese Empire declared unconditional surrender to the Allied forces, and also the day the Korean Peninsula was liberated from roughly 30 years of Imperial Japanese rule.

I (Korean), Aki (Japanese-French mixed), and our daughter Yura (Korean, Japanese, French mixed) were gathered in the living room, watching a Gwangbokjeol special film airing on OCN.

The movie’s title was *Assassination*.

The setting was 1933, when the Imperial Japanese occupation was at its peak. The storyline begins with the Korean Provisional Government, with Kim Gu at its helm, organizing and dispatching an assassination squad to the Korean Peninsula to eliminate the commander of the Japanese army stationed in Korea, along with pro-Japanese Koreans who were in league with him… or something like that.

The plot is practically the same for almost all movies related to the independence movement, so let’s just skip over it. Towards the film’s end, when the Korean Peninsula gains its independence and the characters in the story are sharing their joy, our daughter Yura turned abruptly to Aki and asked this question.

“Mommy, what’s ‘Gwangbok’?”

“Huh? Gwangbok?”

“People keep saying, ‘Gwangbok, Gwangbok~!’ I’m curious what Gwangbok is.”

“Ah, Gwangbok means the Korean Peninsula was liberated from Japanese rule… Yura, do you know what the Imperial Japanese occupation was, by any chance?”

“Imperial Japanese occupation…?”

Yura tilted her head, adorably. She looked utterly clueless about what the Imperial Japanese occupation meant.

Well, she’s still too young for kindergarten, so there’s no way she’d know. Explaining the background knowledge step-by-step would be the priority. Aki, seemingly thinking the same thing I was, cleared her throat loudly.

“Yura. Where is Japan?”

“The country Mommy was born in!”

“That’s right. The country Mommy was born in is Japan. A long time ago, around 100 years ago, Japan was called the Japanese Empire. That’s called ‘Ilje’ for short. Do you understand so far?”

“Yes! Japanese Empire, ‘Ilje’ for short!”

“Good. Then Yura, do you also know where Korea is?”

“Korea is, the country Daddy was born in!”

“Exactly. The country Daddy was born in is Korea. But, 100 years ago, Korea and Ilje were the same country?”

“Really? Why?”

“Because Ilje subjugated Korea by force. To put it simply, Ilje beat Korea up a lot, and after beating it up, it said, ‘Wanna be my friend after getting hit? Or just be my friend?’…!”

“Ah, I see…!”

“…….”

Ahem. This is about our country’s painful history, so I shouldn’t laugh. But why do I keep snickering? Is it because the analogy is so adorably put?

Anyway, this is just a history lesson. I repeated that to myself, desperately forcing the twitching corners of my mouth back into place. Thankfully, neither Aki nor Yura seemed to notice my little charade, as they continued their serious conversation, facing each other.

“Why did Japan bully Korea? Bullying is bad, isn’t it?”

“Mmm. Right? Bullying is bad. But Yura, things were different 100 years ago. It was common sense for powerful countries to bully and take from weaker ones. That’s called the Age of Imperialism in fancy terms…….”

“Mommy. Then. Is Japan a bad country?”

“……Huh?”

“……*Pfft*.”

I finally couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing. I never expected her to throw such a direct question like that. When I snickered, Yura looked at me, and Aki, fl*stered by her daughter’s (Korean, Japanese, and French mix) sudden question, also looked at me.

“You know, Yura?”

To think Yura would ask such a sophisticated question already. She’s grown up so much. So grown up. I thought to myself and gestured lightly towards Yura. Signalling her to come closer.

Soon, Yura approached, and I reached out and stroked her hair. How could I explain it so Yura would understand me?

“You have to think of Japan from 100 years ago and the Japan of today as different countries. Well, of course, that doesn’t mean Japan doesn’t have any responsibility at all. But separately from that, you shouldn’t say that the current Japan is unconditionally a bad country just because of the wrongdoings of Imperial Japan in the past! Does Daddy’s explanation make sense?”

“Nope. I don’t understand!”

“…….”

Ah. She doesn’t understand…….

I glanced to the side, and I could see Aki trying to hold back a laugh.

“……*Heh*.”

“……Why are you laughing?”

“Umm…. What?”

“You just laughed. Aki.”

“No, I didn’t, I didn’t laugh?”

Where did this girl learn to deny things like that…….

It might not be a big deal, but I felt a little embarrassed for failing to make her understand, so I quickly had to change the subject. So I looked at Aki and said:

“Yura. Do you happen to know Admiral Yi Sun-sin?”

“Ah. I know him. The Battle of Myeongnyang!”

“Oh. You know him? Our Yura, why are you so smart? Is it because you take after your Daddy?”

“*Hehe…!*”

“Yura. Then, do you also know which countries fought in the Battle of Myeongnyang?”

“Geez, Joseon and Japan…? Oh, but Papa!”

“Hm?”

“Joseon is old Korea, right? So, Korea and Japan fought and Japan lost?”

“Mmm. That’s right. Lost big time, didn’t they? That single battle had a tremendous impact on wars thereafter.”

“……”

Aki’s gaze on me becomes peculiar. How should I put it? It’s not wrong, so I can’t refute it, but it’s like she’s saying with just her eyes, ‘Why are you bringing that up now…?’

“Yura-ya. Do you happen to know what Admiral Yi Sun-sin looked like? Shall I show you?”

“Yes! I want to see!”

Yura answers brightly. For Yura, I take out my phone and search for ‘Admiral Yi Sun-sin’. As befits a naval admiral famous not only in our country but also worldwide, a countless number of related photos pour out.

“Look. This is a statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, okay? It’s in Gwanghwamun Square, and Yura must have passed by it a few times. And this is a painting of Admiral Yi Sun-sin when he was alive. He looks a little scary, doesn’t he?”

“Ack, yeess….”

Yura, after seeing the painting of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, subtly distances herself from me.

Then, she subtly clings to her mother beside her, grasping her sleeve tightly as if to act cute, and Aki quietly begins to stroke Yura’s hair.

‘Is it because she has Japanese blood mixed in her…?’

Showing her the picture of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, she gets so scared.

“Husband. You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you…?”

“Huh? What am I doing?”

“It seems like you’re doing it on purpose….”

Aki’s gaze at me deepens with suspicion. Looks like it showed.

Mmm. Enough with the games, I should get serious again. I quickly turn off my phone and nudge my b*tt over, sticking close to the look-alike mother and daughter.

“Anyway, Yura-ya. If Papa and Mama’s words are hard to understand, just remember this. Forgive, but don’t forget. So that such a thing never happens again.”

“Ah. I see….”

Yura, busily thinking about something.

Above that head, I met Aki’s gaze. And I asked only with my eyes.

‘……Was that alright?’

‘Eung, well. You did good….’

[Because I didn’t know. Because I didn’t know we’d be liberated…! If I had known, would I have done that?]

[Mission from 16 years ago. If Yeom Seok-jin is a spy, kill him. Commencing now.]

──Bang, bang!

“Oh, the movie’s over?”

The movie was ending soon, or so I thought, but we got sidetracked with other stories and before I knew it, the final scene was upon us. Well, I’d seen it a few times anyway, so I knew the plot, but still, a little bit of a shame. Even though it’s your typical tale of good triumphing over evil, the scene where Yeom Seok-jin, that pro-Japanese collaborator, falls is really the movie’s climax, you know?

“I’m hungry. Shall we get some lunch going?”

“Yes, let’s. Dear husband, Yura. What do you want to eat? Mommy will make something special.”

“I want soondubu jjigae!”

“Husband dear, is soondubu jjigae alright with you?”

“Alright with me. Let’s have soondubu jjigae. I’ll help you make it, too.”

“Ah, you really don’t have to go to the trouble…”

“It’ll be quicker with the two of us. Come on, let’s go make it.”

I took Aki’s hand and brought her into the kitchen. She said I didn’t have to, but she followed along obediently as I led the way. Looked like she was secretly happy to have the help.

For me, it’d just be the usual – washing the vegetables, prepping a little bit. We’ve been married for nearly five years now, so I’ve memorized the recipes for most of the dishes. I took the ingredients for the soondubu jjigae out of the refrigerator, one by one. Then, picking up a scallion, I rinsed it under the water and said, offhandedly,

“Yura seems quite smart for her age. She’s not even six yet, but she’s already asking us what ‘liberation’ is, you know?”

“You’re right. Honestly, I was a little surprised myself…”

“I wonder if she’ll amount to something big later. Oh, but Aki.”

“Hmm?”

“What country do you think Dokdo belongs to?”

“……?”

Aki, who was about to start preparing the ingredients, stopped her hands.

She stared at me, with an expression as if she doubted what she had just heard.

“What did you just say…?”

“I asked what country you think Dokdo belongs to.”

I chuckled and asked the question again.

Only then did she realize she was being teased, and Aki let out a sigh, as if she couldn’t believe it.

From noble mtl dot com

“Korean territory. Satisfied?”

“Oh. Just as expected from the wife of a Korean husband…”

“Tch, what are you saying… what kind of question is that, straight out of elementary school?”

“Huh? Now that you mention it, I remember. Didn’t kids always ask that when we were little? What country does Dokdo belong to. Right?”

“That’s right. They asked that almost every single day. You, you elementary schooler…!”

Aki came over next to me and playfully poked me in the ribs. I lifted my leg in defense, unable to suppress the chuckles that escaped.

“Ah, right. Speaking of which, let’s ask Yura, too.”

“Huh? Ask her what?”

“Yura-ya. Dokdo is whose country’s land~?”

“──Our country’s land, it is!”

“Oh my, that declaration might be a tad controversial, no?”

“……Seriously. Western husband-dear, *pffft!*”