The procedure was particularly hard today. 

I led an ascetic life to produce healthy sperms once every two weeks. Two eggs a day was a given and I must eat animal protein at least once a day. At least an hour of workout was mandatory and not a single drop of alcohol passed my lips except for the day of procedure and the next day.

The sperms produced by My Dad must meet strict criteria in order for them to be used in the My Family project. Infection and genetic tests conducted when the contract is renewed once every year are done separately. A healthy body doesn’t always produce healthy sperms. The sperm count, mobility, survival rate, and shapes are all inspected at the time of sperm harvest. Only when the sperms meet these state-designated criteria can they be approved as usable sperms. And money is deposited in my account only when the sperms are usable.

There still remains hope at a time when the government has the power to control human life. Small hope rises from the bond formed among human beings. The story’s main character unconsciously heads to the convenience store upon hearing that the part-time worker there resembled him. But they don’t actually look alike at all, because having an asymmetrical face or biting one’s nail can happen to anyone. Yet Jong-dae still rationalizes the idea that the part-timer could be his son and feels a bond with the young man. The main character’s behavior shows that even when a society is fraught with discrimination or violence, bonds between human beings and family members still exist.

Kim Kang (Born in Busan, 1972~ )

Debuted with short story “My Dad” in 2017