“Oh my god! Not me! I’m talking about your clients. Video calls with newlyweds. How about it? Doesn’t it look attractive? Then, I think you can look into the houses of a lot of newlyweds. They can send pictures of their houses to you, and you can coach them in the ways of geomancy through video calls.”
“I think that’s the most achievable way,” Hojoon agreed.
Jina resumed the meeting.
Arum explained to Jina and her colleagues the concept of her article.
“First of all, I’ll take note of the chief’s geomancy advice with the home appliances of Sola Electronics in mind. I’m talking about his general advice. And then let me have those newlyweds who purchase Sola Electronics products enjoy your free geomancy consultation on their houses by selecting them through lottery. I can’t include much of the chief’s advice in my article, but I think I can show lots of various houses in my article.”
“Lottery?” Jina asked with a worried expression.
“What about those newlyweds living in the provincial areas?”
“Video calls. I thought of the idea after I watched Chief doing a video call with his client.”
“Chief? Is it possible?”
“Of course. The best way is for me to visit and feel it, but video call is not bad as a second best option. I offer video call service when my clients are in provincial cities or abroad.”
“Actually, we receive lots of complaints from our customers all the time ovr how this kind of cultural event is concentrated only in Seoul. I think your video call service can solve the problem. The cultural event we have planned this time is your geomancy concert and geomancy cuisine class.”
“Cook? Do I have to cook?” Hojoon asked.
“No. If you select good geomancy food for newlyweds, we’re soliciting cook experts. You can just explain the geomancy energy force related to the given food or its effect, and so on.”
“That sounds good. Why don’t write an article about this, too?”
Today’s meeting went well smoothly.
That was the miracle created by Hojoon’s video call with the student.
“Jina, I’ve never heard about this ‘geomancy concert.’ That’s not what we agreed on in advance, isn’t it?” Hojoon asked, tiling his head to one side.
“This is not on our contract. Can you delete it?”
“Huh? I heard from Soran Cho, Chief of the strategic planning section, that she agreed with you on this. Let me double check. I think it’s already in the works.”
Though Jina said this cautiously, Hojoon already narrowed his eyes. It was only Jina and Arum who knew his relationship with Soran. As other staff could not figure out what’s going on, Hojoon could not reject the planned feng shui concert at the drop of a hat.
“Let me call her directly,” he said.
Consequently, a large geomancy project was created.
On her way back home, Arum got into Hojoon’s car and headed for her company. Whenever she passed by the headquarters of Sola Electronics, she habitually looked up at its tall building.
“I guess this building is the tallest in this area, right?”
“Maybe.”
“Let me give you an example. When the owner of a famous restaurant moves to another location, its existing customers decline or the taste of the food served there usually changes. But Sola Electronics has done better business even after its relocation. Why’s that? I heard that when they first moved here, Sola Electronics was on the brink of bankruptcy.”
“I guess several geomancy experts must have worked on it when a company as large as this one decided to move to another location.”
“I read its president’s interview story. The president is a devout Catholic believer. Does he believe in geomancy?”
“It has nothing to do with religion. Do you believe in autumn?”
“Well, autumn just comes whether we believe it or not. I’ve never thought about it.”
“That’s the same with geomancy. It’s not superstition. Geomancy itself means wind and water. It has nothing to do with religion. Some company presidents that I know are picky about geomancy. They say they don’t know it, but their intuitive power is excellent. I would say they have almost animal instincts.”
“Animal instincts? That’s funny.”
“I didn’t mention it to make you laugh at it. If you don’t know about geomancy or if you don’t know the exact location of the energy force of your house, you can notice it by looking at your pet dog, you cat, or how your baby plays. In particular, a dog is pretty good at finding a good spot of the energy force of your house. So, a dog’s place could be called myongdang.”
“A dog’s place is myongdang? Phaaaaaa!” Arum couldn’t help but make a hearty laugh.
“By the way, how did you handle the matter involving Konsu?” he asked unexpectedly.
“Well….”
She couldn’t tell him that Konsu came to her house, completely drunk. She also couldn’t tell him that they both were still in love with one another.
Instead, she just nodded.
Since she took care of that matter in her own way, it was settled at this point.
She didn’t have to tell Hojoon that she and Konsu had agreed to date again.
“Good job,” he said, tapping her on the shoulder, before adding, “Good for you!”
Arum flinched at his touch.
“Well, if both of us meet again and feel happy, we’re happy then. I guess Yuyoung will find it hard to accept that.”
Hojoon could clearly read her mind.
“That’s what Yuyoung has to endure, I think.”
Arum couldn’t reply.
“Well, I had a good time, though. I don’t think I can meet this type of woman in the future,” he said.
“This type of woman?”
“Yep. I mean a woman who couldn’t forget her ex-boyfriend and ended up in the police station. A woman who sobbed and was embraced in another man’s arms.”
“Oh my god! Just forget it now!”
“How can you forget this kind of impressive woman?”
“Why not? It’s easy. Just close your eyes and forget her!”
“Are you begging me now?”
“Yes, please.”
“Sure, but I’ve got a condition.”
“Okay, let me accept your condition. What is it?”
Arum almost gave herself up. She was ready to accept his condition humbly.
“Date me.”
She couldn’t believe her ears. What did he say?
“Good heavens! What if I say no?”
As the traffic light turned red, he turned around and looked at her.
“Or, you tell me you can date me.”
His eyes were glittering brightly.
That was an impossible question for her to answer.
She was put on the spot. On the other hand, she got excited.
Why?
Because she also wanted to date him.
The thing was how to save face.
She caused all kinds of disgraceful things to him, and laughed off his sincere confession several times.
She couldn’t say the very one word, “Sure.”
Her heart pounded loudly as if she was asking herself, “You also want Chief, don’t you?”
But she was asking another question clearly in her head, “What about Konsu?”
So, she couldn’t reply.
“You can reply anytime. I’ll wait.”
Obviously, he didn’t want an immediate reply from her. When the traffic light changed, he drove the car again.
Arum changed the topic.
“Soran Cho, did she really get divorced?”
“Maybe,maybe not.”
“If she really did get divorced, what would she do next?”
“What do you mean?”
“Wasn’t it that she got divorced because of you?”
“Oh, that’s why you couldn’t reply to my question, right? Are you nervous because I’ve met Soran again?”
“Nope. I’ve never thought about it. Just because of Konsu.”
“That sucks. I feel like I’m only your second option all the time.”
“Chief, don’t joke like that, please.”
“I can tell you that I don’t have any relationship with her now. She may have some lingering attachment to me, but I’m done with her.”
“Oh, I see. I think I may have to end my relationship with Konsu,” she said before her brain could catch up with her mouth, and then quickly added, “I think I’ve said something strange before you.”
“Don’t you know that your words reflect your thinking? Maybe you want to end your relationship with Konsu in your subconscious. That’s a good sign.”
“I feel like I’m meeting him against my will. When I meet Konsu, I first feel a sense of obligation. I mean, such feelings as ‘I have to date him well this time’ or ‘I shouldn’t make any mistakes this time,’ or ‘I’ve got to endure it on my end’, et cetera.”
As he had the same experience, Hojoon nodded.
“If you feel forced to make special efforts and plan something when you date somebody, it’s not love, isn’t it?” she said, curious about how he would respond.
“Have you ever made as much efforts to split with him?”
“Pardon?”
“What I mean is whether you have ever made as much effort for separation as you did for love?”
She had never given a thought to it. She just giggled at herself.
“Who is going to make any effort to split up? Separation comes naturally even if you don’t make any effort.”