In the Shadow of Gyeongseong: Part I

Chapter 1: Someone Like Me

Tokyo, Year 2006

The quiet of the house was interrupted only by the ticking of the antique wall clock.

Outside, autumn leaves fell gently against the large windows, dancing in the cold Tokyo air.

In the middle of the wide, elegant living room sat an old man-eighty years old, perhaps more-with a silver cane resting beside him. His eyes, slightly sunken, held decades of memories too heavy to forget.

Han Joon-seok adjusted his glasses and looked toward the hallway as footsteps approached.

A man entered, younger, wearing a dark suit. A private investigator-professional and calm, holding a folder in his hand.

He bowed lightly.

"안녕하세요, 사장님. 기다려 주셔서 감사합니다."
("Good afternoon, sir. Thank you for waiting.")

Joon-seok gave a slight nod and motioned toward the armchair across from him.

The investigator sat down, carefully placing the folder on the low glass table between them.

"무언가 찾으셨습니까?"
("Did you find anything?") Joon-seok asked, his voice hoarse and frail with age.

The investigator opened the folder slowly, hesitating before speaking.

"한국에는 서민재라는 이름이 아주 흔합니다. 여러 기록이 있습니다."
("There are many entries under the name Seo Min-jae in South Korea. It's a fairly common name.")

"대부분은 민간인이었고, 몇몇은 예비역 군인이었습니다. 하지만 거의 모두 사망한 상태입니다."
("Most of them were civilians. A few were former soldiers. But nearly all are deceased."

"그래서입니까?"
("And?")

"말씀하신 생년과 군 경력을 가진 서민재는 확인되지 않았습니다."
("We couldn't find a match for the Seo Min-jae you described. No one with that name, birth year, and military background matches your information.")

The investigator flipped a few more pages.

"우리는 여러 전장과 포로 수용소에서 발굴된 유해들을 조사했습니다. DNA 분석과 치아 기록을 포함한 감식이 이루어졌지만, 그 어떤 것도 해당 인물과 일치하지 않았습니다."
("We checked the remains recovered from various battlefields and prison camps. Forensic tests were done on several bones-DNA analysis, dental records... but none of them matched a man by that name.")

Joon-seok fell silent. His grip tightened slightly on the cane beside him.

"...그럼, 살아 있을 가능성도 있겠습니까?"
("So... there's a possibility he's still alive?")

The investigator took a quiet breath, then looked Joon-seok straight in the eye.

"많은 병사들이 전투 중 실종되었고, 시신을 수습하지 못한 경우도 많습니다. 일부는 전장에서 불타거나, 완전히 사라졌습니다."
("Many soldiers went missing in combat, and in many cases, their remains were never recovered. Some were burned on the battlefield... others simply vanished.")