The weather was getting warmer after the Lunar New Year’s Day in February. The spring was on its way.
Gun-Ho was checking his email at his desk in the office at GH Mobile when he found an email from Mori Aikko, which he had never expected to see.
[Oppa, it has been a while since we were together the last time. The cherry blossoms will be in full bloom within two months. There will be a cherry blossom festival at the Heian Shrine in Kyoto as they have held every year. Daigokuden of Heian Shrine in Tokyo City sent a special invitation to dancing geishas for a dance performance. They will set up a stage for us. Until then, I have spare time, so I’m going on a trip to South Korea around mid-March. I feel so excited already thinking of meeting you there soon.
– Love from Mori Aikko ]
Gun-Ho was terrified.
“Shoot. My wedding will be in mid-March. Why does she have to come then?”
Gun-Ho walked around in his office in a panic.
“What should I tell her?”
But people’s minds worked in a strange way sometimes. Gun-Ho actually missed Mori Aikko when he thought of her clear eyes and full lips.
“I want to see her. What should I do?”
Gun-Ho didn’t want to ruin his wedding. He invested too much in it, and he wouldn’t let anything disturb it.
Gun-Ho replied.
[Mori Aikko, it’s really good to hear from you. I’ve missed you a lot too, and I would be absolutely happy to meet you when you come to Korea if I could. The thing is that I won’t be in Korea in mid-March. I will be in China. I have some businesses going on there, and I need to take care of some joint venture contracts. I will go to Japan to see you during the cherry blossom festival.
– Love from your oppa]
After clicking the send button to reply to her, Gun-Ho felt sorry for her.
“Mori Aikko, I’m so sorry. I will go to Japan in the near future, and I will buy you nice food and expensive clothes. I promise. I’m sorry.”
Gun-Ho received Mori Aikko’s reply right away. Maybe she was at home.
[Oppa, no pressure. I know you are a busy man with your business. I’m going to Korea with my friends in mid-March anyway. I will be fine. I will see you at the cherry blossom festival then.
– Love from Mori Aikko ]
Gun-Ho would have hugged her if Mori Aikko was there with him.
Gun-Ho wanted to get some fresh air. He walked out of his office and walked around the factory yard. He then wanted to visit the production site. When he entered the production site, the manager in the production team ran toward Gun-Ho. He was giving an instruction to the workers.
“Hello, sir.”
“Oh, please don’t mind me. You can go back to your work.”
Gun-Ho always talked in a respectful way when he addressed the manager because the manager was either the same age as or older than Gun-Ho. At that moment, Director Jong-Suk Park ran toward Gun-Ho.
Gun-Ho started taking a round accompanied by Director Jong-Suk Park. The workers in the production site tried to work harder than usual.
“President Goo is here today.”
Gun-Ho was trying to get Mori Aikko out of his head by distracting himself. After taking a round at the production site, he came back to his office only to find out that there was an unexpected text message waiting for him. It was from Seol-Bing.
[I have a shooting in Japan for the soap opera that I’m in, on March 16th. I will meet you at the New Otani Hotel at 6 pm.]
“New Otani Hotel? What’s up with everyone? What’s up with her? I will be extremely busy on March 16th preparing for my wedding. What am I going to do?”
Even though Seol-Bing’s text message baffled Gun-Ho, he couldn’t help thinking about her. Seol-Bing had a gorgeous body. The feeling of kissing her was very sweet and fresh. He wanted to have a glass of wine with her at the New Otani Hotel again and took a walk on the street in Ginza, Tokyo.
Gun-Ho replied to her.
[Oh, my goodness! Ms. Seol-Bing! It’s really good to hear from you. I missed you, but I will be in China in mid-March. I have an important contract that I need to make there. I know it’s not an everyday opportunity to receive a text from you like this, but I’m afraid that I can’t be there. Instead, I will contact you immediately after my trip to China.]
Gun-Ho felt sorry for Seol-Bing as well. Gun-Ho suddenly felt hatred toward himself who had been acting so indecisively.
‘What am I doing? I will soon become someone’s husband. I’m supposed to clean up my relationships with other women before the wedding, but I’m still clinging to them. What’s wrong with me?’
Come to think of it, Gun-Ho felt sorry for his bride—Young-Eun—as well. For a second, he imagined how Young-Eun would react if she found out about Gun-Ho’s other women—Mori Aikko and Seol-Bing. It was not difficult to picture Young-Eun who was furious and turned her back to him.
‘I’m sure she won’t hesitate to turn her back on me, and then she will walk off elegantly.’
Gun-Ho let out a deep sigh while sitting on the sofa.
The program that Gun-Ho was taking at the Advanced Center for Administrative Development was not limited to politics or economy, but they sometimes invited the best artists to give a lecture to the students because the purpose of the course was to cultivate cultured leaders in the society. That day, the nationally famous painter—Mr. Young-San Hwang—came and gave a special lecture.
Special lectures were always interesting. It showed a new world to Gun-Ho. Artist Young-San Hwan came into the classroom.
“Oh, he is the Young-San Hwang. I have his painting at home.”
Gun-Ho heard someone saying it.
The professor introduced Artist Young-San Hwang to the class. Mr. Young-San Hwang looked like he was in his late 60s, and he was one of the elders in the national art community. He was once a dean at a famous art school in Seoul City, and he often participated in a national art competition as a judge. His outfit was peculiar.
The artist displayed several paintings on the screen and started explaining them. He spoke slowly, but his explanation and interpretation of the artworks were definitely interesting. Gun-Ho was intrigued by him. The lecture ended, and Artist Young-San Hwang was walking out of the class when Gun-Ho called him.
“Umm, sir.”
Artist Hwang turned around and looked at Gun-Ho.
“I really enjoyed your lecture, sir. I’m a businessman, but I have an art gallery. I’m honored to meet you in person, sir.”
Gun-Ho gave his business card to the painter, and he looked at Gun-Ho’s business card carefully.
“I own an art gallery.”
“Oh, really? Is it in Insa Town?”
“Not in Insa Town, but it’s in Sinsa Town in Gangnam District. We recently hosted an art exhibition with Chinese young artists’ avant-garde and also with the French master of color aesthetics—Marion Kinsky.”
“Oh, Marion Kinsky!”
Artist Hwang gave his business card to Gun-Ho. The word ‘Artist’ was written on the business card in English.
“I’d like to see your artworks someday, sir.”
“Actually, I’m currently having an art exhibition in Gawngju City. I live there.”
Artist Hwang offered his hand to Gun-Ho for a handshake and then turned around and walked off.
