The next day, Jihun woke up and went out to the living room. In the kitchen, his mother was preparing breakfast.
"Mom, I'm up."
"Oh, Jihun, did you go to bed early yesterday? Mom came home late, so I didn't wake you on purpose."
"I guess I was a little tired yesterday."
"All right, sit down and eat breakfast with Mom."
Jihun stared at his mother for a long moment. Finding him standing there looking somewhat awkward and impassive, his mother spoke to him.
"Hurry up and sit."
"Uh... okay."
Jihun and his mother ate together for some time. As soon as they finished, Jihun began to bring up what had been weighing on his mind.
"Mom, I'm planning to go to Dangyang County around next month."
"Dangyang? Where is Dangyang?"
"It's in South Chungcheong Province..."
"Why go all the way out there? Don't tell me it's because Mom talked to you about finding a job..."
"No, no, hear me out. A college classmate of mine said they're going to work at the office of someone running for the National Assembly in Dangyang. They said they're short of hands, so I thought I'd help out and earn some money too."
"Still, all the way there..."
"I'm not a child anymore. I'm twenty-six now. I can handle that much. Anyway, just keep that in mind. I'll tell you again once the exact date is set."
Jihun brushed her off with a half-baked lie.
A corner of his heart stung, but convincing his mother while going to Dangyang, where he had no connections, was no easy task.
Thus, the mother and son finished their meal, and the mother left the house. Jihun saw his mother off, then sat back down in front of his laptop and resumed the work he had started the day before.
**
One month later, at the Dangyang Intercity Bus Terminal. Befitting a county of 120,000 people, it was a rather small terminal.
Jihun got off the bus and took a taxi, asking to be taken to the address written in his memo.
The scenery outside heading from the terminal toward the town was truly nothing but desolate winter fields.
Jihun got out of the taxi and looked up at the four-story building in front of him. The entire facade was covered with banners of Jeong Hyunseok.
'Today, I'm taking the first step toward my goal. Don't be impatient. Take it slow and think long-term, Kim Jihun.'
With that resolve, Jihun pushed open the office door.
The scene inside the office was a mess, plain and simple.
Jihun had experienced several elections, but this was the first time he had seen a campaign office as chaotic as a marketplace.
'Is the organization still lacking because it's his first run...?'
As Jihun stood there thinking, someone seemed to sense his gaze and stopped what they were doing to approach him.
A woman with short hair falling to her shoulders, wearing red horn-rimmed glasses and a casual suit that looked out of place in a flea market of a campaign office.
"Excuse me... what brings you here?"
"Ah, I'm Kim Jihun. I called yesterday. I came to volunteer."
"Ah! Yes, I'm Park Jumi. I was the one who took your call."
Jihun shook hands with Park Jumi as she greeted him, then followed her guidance into a separate office.
"Candidate, the volunteer is here."
At Park Jumi's words, Jeong Hyunseok, who had been checking his campaign schedule, raised his head and looked at Jihun.
'Jeong Hyunseok. As expected, he has a likable face, but every piece of clothing he's wearing is a luxury brand. He looks short even while sitting—is that a flaw? It would be better if he changed his fashion to look a little more plain.'
While looking at Jeong Hyunseok, Jihun was conducting an external evaluation of the person he would have to assist from now on.
This was because voters preferred an appearance that seemed mild and approachable over one that looked handsome or competent.
Jeong Hyunseok, who clearly possessed a likable appearance, had a physical form advantageous for elections.
When Jihun had assisted Jo Jaeman, he had also tirelessly tried to change Jo Jaeman's suits—adorned with luxury brands—into mid-to-low-priced domestic brands.
"A younger friend than I expected has come."
Feeling the scrutinizing gaze of Jeong Hyunseok sweeping over him from head to toe,
Jihun bowed his head in greeting.
"Hello, sir. I am Kim Jihun. Please give me any task whatsoever!"
When Jihun bent his waist at ninety degrees and greeted him loudly, everyone in the room burst into laughter.
Jihun raised his head and checked everyone's faces.
'Ah... It's a habit from dealing with Jo Jaeman...'
"Haha, you've got spirit. Good. Can you drive?"
"Yes. I was a driver in the army. However, I don't know the geography of this area very well..."
Jihun looked at the face of the person who had asked him instead of Jeong Hyunseok.
He truly had a face like a Hahoe mask. Without any exaggeration, a Hahoe mask!
He was probably Jeong Hyunseok's aide. If an aide wore such a smile on his face, it would be a plus during campaigning.
"Ah, it's fine. I'll be sitting in the passenger seat. Nice to meet you. I'm Gang Seungtae."
"Yes, nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you."
Jihun clasped the hand Gang Seungtae extended and shook it while bowing.
Jeong Hyunseok, who had been watching Jihun as if appraising him the whole time, began to speak.
"Kid, you've got guts. Nice to meet you. Ah, I can speak casually, right? Let's work hard."
"Yes, Candidate! I look forward to working with you!"
"Whew, this kid's going to make me go deaf."
"The young friend seems to be buttering up already."
Jihun laid on a display of thorough flattery, as if taking advantage of Jeong Hyunseok's personality.
Jeong Hyunseok liked his first impression of Jihun, who treated him like a superior from their very first meeting.
Having thus completed his first face-to-face meeting with Jeong Hyunseok, Jihun came out of the office and followed Park Jumi's guidance up to the second floor of the building.
"You said you have no connections here, right?"
"Yes, I came from Gyeongbuk."
"How did you find out and come here?"
"I saw an internet article. I saw your declaration of candidacy. I was impressed and came here."
"Hmm, really? You liked that man's declaration of candidacy? That's funny."
Jihun was not unfamiliar with Jumi. They had frequently run into each other at the National Assembly.
"Just call me General Manager Park. I handle all the office management."
As Jihun shuffled along behind Jumi, who spoke like that, she gave him a room.
"This used to be an office, so it might be a little cold to stay in. Still, there's a radiator. Turn it on if it gets cold. Wash up at the public bath behind the office, and you can eat anywhere, but make sure to get a receipt and submit it to me."
Jumi said so and handed Jihun a card.
With the problem of room and board, which he had worried about the entire bus ride to Dangyang, now solved, Jihun felt much more at ease.
"Thank you, General Manager."
"Then unpack and come down within thirty minutes. The candidate's campaign schedule is starting. I'm leaving the schedule here too, so read it over."
Jihun bowed to Jumi as she spoke, and Jumi smiled and left the room.
As soon as Jumi left, Jihun picked up the schedule and began memorizing it.
It was the duty of an aide to answer smoothly whenever the candidate asked about the next schedule.
Having finished unpacking and memorizing the schedule, Jihun went back down to the candidate's office on the first floor.
Gang Seungtae saw Jihun come down and approached him, handing him a car key.
"Mr. Jihun, the car is in the basement. Go down first, start the engine, and wait. The candidate will be down within ten minutes."
Jihun took the car key and went down to the underground parking lot, pressing the remote attached to the keychain.
An eight-passenger minivan was parked nearby.
Jihun got in the car and habitually looked for the button.
'Right... it's 2008 now...'
Even now, high-end luxury sedans would be equipped with smart keys, but it was still too early for minivans.
Jihun inserted the key, started the engine, and turned on the heater.
While lost in thought listening to the radio, he saw Gang Seungtae and Jeong Hyunseok coming down.
Jihun quickly turned off the radio and straightened his posture.
Jeong Hyunseok got in the back seat,
and Gang Seungtae, who got in the passenger seat, operated the navigation.
"Now, Mr. Jihun, just go here. No speeding. No breaking regulations, and don't let them catch even the smallest fault, so let's drive safely."
"Yes, understood."
Jihun replied to Gang Seungtae and began driving.
The destination was Dangyang Market.
The navigation said it was eight minutes away, so if he drove slowly, it would take about ten minutes.
As Jihun smoothly drove out of the underground parking lot, Gang Seungtae spoke.
"They said you were a driver in the army, and you drive well. Did you drive a 2.5-ton truck?"
"No. I drove civilian vehicles, Grandeur, at Gyeryongdae."
"A general?"
"Yes. I served a Brigadier General."
"So that's why you drive well. And it's not like you had no connection to South Chungcheong at all."
'Who is this man? I've never seen him at the National Assembly.'
Jihun tilted his head and looked sidelong at Gang Seungtae, who was chewing over what he had said, and fell into thought.
'Is he a secretary stationed at the regional office?'
Sensing Jihun's sidelong gaze, Gang Seungtae opened his mouth.
"Do you have something you're curious about?"
"Ah... no."
"Come on, it's not nothing, is it? You have the eyes of someone wondering who this man is."
As Jihun faltered at Gang Seungtae's words, Jeong Hyunseok in the back seat smiled and stopped him.
"Haha, Councilman Gang, stop teasing the young friend. Jihun, was it? The person sitting next to you is a former county council member of this district. Treat him respectfully, as you would me. He's here to help me."
"That's right. I was a former Dangyang county council member and had Conservative Party affiliation, but the Elder called me to help the candidate here, so I threw away my party affiliation and came out. My life is on the line for the candidate's election, so please take good care of things, young friend."
"Yes... yes! Understood."
Jihun chewed over Gang Seungtae's words.
'If it's the Elder... he must be talking about Kim Mugil.'
Kim Mugil had originally been a senior member of the Conservative Party, but he had been pushed out in a factional struggle and created a conservative coalition, making the Chungcheong region known as his home turf his stage.
The candidates of the Conservative Coalition Election Action founded by Kim Mugil were all concentrated in the Chungcheong region, excluding proportional representatives.
It was also Kim Mugil who had recruited Jeong Hyunseok, the son of a Dangyang local notable. While they were talking and thinking like that, the car had already arrived at the destination, Dangyang Market.
Jihun watched the candidate and Gang Seungtae get out, and Gang Seungtae spoke to him while looking at him.
"If you circle around to the back here, there's a public parking lot. Park there, and if you look in the trunk, there should be a box. Put on a jacket in your size and come find me and the candidate."
"Yes, understood."
Jihun replied and drove to the parking lot. He parked in the lot, got out of the car, and opened the trunk.
When he opened the cardboard box, dark navy jackets were visible.
Jihun tore open the plastic bag with a sticker that said "100" and put on the jacket.
It was a thin jacket to block the January cold, but he couldn't wear clothes that made him stand out on his own.
'Jeong Hyunseok somehow managed to wear this too...'
Jihun quickly got ready, rummaged through his bag for an item, and set out to find Jeong Hyunseok.
Dangyang Traditional Market was small in scale, but as a permanent market, it was something of a local specialty.
After walking for some time from the opposite side, he spotted Jeong Hyunseok and Gang Seungtae campaigning among the citizens.
Jeong Hyunseok's campaigning appearance was unexpected.
Unlike a rich family's young master, he readily accepted what the market vendors offered him, and a smile never left his face.
'Good image... Is his affinity innate? Unexpected.'
Jihun immediately took out the digital camera he had prepared and began photographing those moments.
Gang Seungtae checked Jihun's appearance and approached to ask.
"What's with the camera?"
"I'm recording the campaign scenes to upload them to the internet."
"The internet?"
"Yes, young voters actually get a lot of their information from the internet."
"Really? Take pictures so the candidate looks good."
Gang Seungtae didn't pay much attention to Jihun's words and returned to Jeong Hyunseok's side.
While the campaigning continued, a Conservative Party candidate wearing a blue jacket approached from the opposite side.
Go Pilsung, the incumbent National Assemblyman and Conservative Party candidate, had a local commercial broadcasting station's camera following him.
Jihun caught a glimpse of the broadcast camera operator filming diligently.
Jihun inwardly cheered.
'Yes, even if he was called out by the incumbent National Assemblyman, this is the kind of shot you get.'
Jihun knew the habits of reporters very well.
Even if they had followed Go Pilsung all day, the roughly one-minute news footage would ultimately air a scene of Jeong Hyunseok and Go Pilsung shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries.
'Tonight, when he watches the news, that man Go Pilsung will be feeling pretty bitter.'
Jihun approached the reporter filming with the camera.
He slipped a warm canned coffee from his pocket into the reporter's pocket.
"I bought it earlier, so it might have cooled down a bit. Please take good care of Candidate Jeong Hyunseok."
"Oh my, yes. Why, you didn't have to."
This much was enough.
The reporter would have used the footage anyway, but thanks to this, he would likely do a report introducing Jeong Hyunseok rather than just showing the footage.
Jihun conveyed his greeting like that and turned his head to see Jeong Hyunseok looking at him.
Jihun showed a smile to Jeong Hyunseok, and Jeong Hyunseok looked at Jihun before turning his head and resuming his greetings to the voters.
< 003. Jeong Hyunseok's Camp (1) > End
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