Young-Eun stared at those two names on the paper for quite a while.
“By the way, who wrote these names? The names are written in an old way using a brush. Whoever wrote the names even wrote them vertically.”
“Pick one name, Young-Eun.”
“Well, I like Sang-Min better, but I will follow you and your father’s pick.”
“Actually, my father and I, we both picked Sang-Min as well. And you picked Sang-Min too.”
“Really? Haha. Our boy’s name is Sang-Min then.”
Gun-Ho now became Sang-Min’s father, and Young-Eun became Sang-Min’s mother. Gun-Ho registered the birth of his boy with the name— Sang-Min Goo.
It was mid-March. Artist Choi told Gun-Ho and Young-Eun that she would go back to her house in Yangpyeong District. It had been more than 21 days since the baby was born. Gun-Ho and Young-Eun followed Artist Choi to the condo parking lot to see her off. They walked her to her vehicle and thanked her. Gun-Ho truly appreciated her help.
“I don’t know what to say, aunt. You’ve been a great help. Thank you so much.”
“No problem. We are family, and we help each other, right? I might need Young-Eun’s help in the future when I get older and have to stay in a nursing home or something.”
Young-Eun replied to her aunt’s joke, “Aunt, don’t worry about it. I will be there for you.”
“I will miss the baby more than I would miss you, Young-Eun. I guess I’ve been overly attached to the baby boy. I don’t want to get separated from him. Even if you will have a helper at home, you shouldn’t fully rely on her in taking care of your baby, okay? You should be there for your baby all the time.”
“Okay, I will do that.”
“We have a holiday in early April. You probably want to visit your mom’s grave in Pocheon City then with your baby and your husband.”
“I know. I was planning to do that.”
“Well, I’d better go now. I will come to see the baby when he turns 100 days old.”
“Aunt, hold on.”
Gun-Ho gave an envelope to Artist Choi. There was money in it.
“What is it? Is it money?”
Artist Choi took the envelope first, and then when she realized that it was money, she gave it back to Gun-Ho.
“No! I have enough money.”
Gun-Ho was persistent. When Artist Choi sat in the driver’s seat, Gun-Ho gave the envelope again to her through the window. Artist Choi was persistent as well. She picked up the envelope and tossed it out of the car and rolled up the window blocking any access to her car from outside. She then said, “Well, I’m leaving. Good-bye. Take care.”
Artist Choi drove away, and Gun-Ho and Young-Eun gave a 90-degree bow to her.
The 21 days passed since the baby was born, and people started visiting Gun-Ho’s home to meet the baby boy. The very first visitor was Gun-Ho’s parents from Incheon City.
“Sang-Min, your grandpa and grandma are here to see you.”
“Oh my gosh, look at his eyes. They are sparkling.”
Gun-Ho’s mother had been complaining about the pain in her waist, but she seemed to have no problem carrying the baby around. Gun-Ho’s father was holding the baby and walked around the home as well.
“As you picked, dad, we decided to name him Sang-Min.”
“Really? That’s indeed a very nice name.”
Gun-Ho’s father was busy taking pictures of his grandson with his smartphone. Gun-Ho knew that his father wanted to show off his grandson to his friends.
The baby gained some weight already, and he started making eye contact as well.
Gun-Ho was having fruits with his parents and Young-Eun in the living room when his sister’s family came to see the baby. Jeong-Ah came along with them as well.
“Jeong-Ah, meet your cousin.”
Jeong-Ah’s eyes widened when she saw the baby.
Gun-Ho’s sister’s family spent about an hour in the condo in TowerPalace before getting ready to leave. According to Gun-Ho’s sister, they needed to take Jeong-Ah to have a piano lesson. Gun-Ho’s sister handed a large bag to Young-Eun. There were tons of baby stuff in it.
Gun-Ho’s parents stayed there till late at night and left around 9 pm. Gun-Ho’s mother cooked some dishes and Doenjang-jjigae (a Korean soybean paste stew) and saved them in the refrigerator.
The following day, Young-Eun’s father visited their home from Silim Town. Young-Eun looked happy to see her father. She went into the kitchen and cooked for her father including some meat dishes. She wanted to cook good food herself for her father.
While Young-Eun was in the kitchen cooking, Young-Eun’s father was holding the baby and walked around. Young-Eun pulled out an expensive liquor from the shelf and asked Gun-Ho, “Oppa, you don’t mind me opening this bottle of liquor today, right?” She didn’t even try that liquor when Gun-Ho’s parents were there.
“I don’t mind at all. Go ahead.”
That bottle of liquor was one of the liquors that Gun-Ho bought at the duty-free shop in the airport when he traveled back home from China or Japan.
Young-Eun set a table in the living room with liquor.
“Dad, have some liquor today. Sang-Min will company you.”
“Sounds great.”
Young-Eun’s father seemed to be in a good mood. He drank a lot. To Gun-Ho’s surprise, Young-Eun drank a glass of liquor as well.
“I deserve to have at least one glass of liquor since I now have a baby boy.”
“A little bit of liquor won’t hurt, I guess. But don’t let the baby smell the liquor.”
“Dad, I’m going to take the baby to mom in Pocheon City during the holiday in early April.”
“Hmm, I was going to ask you to visit mom with the baby. Thank you for being thoughtful. Gun-Ho, I thank you too. Let me fill up your glass with liquor, son.”
Since it was the weekend, and he didn’t have to go to work the next day, Gun-Ho enjoyed drinking with Young-Eun’s father.
“I love to have a son, Gun-Ho, so I can have a drink with you.”
“Dad, why don’t you spend the night here and go back home tomorrow morning?”
“Sounds good. Can you let the security officer know that I will have my car parked here overnight? Otherwise, he will place a nasty warning sticker on my windshield just like he did last time when I visited here and left my car in the parking lot overnight without telling him.”
It was Monday.
Gun-Ho went to work in GH Mobile, Jiksan Town. President Song and Dyeon Korea’s Director Kim were talking in the yard.
“Sir, you are here.”
President Song and Director Kim greeted Gun-Ho.
“What are you two doing in the yard?”
President Song smiled and replied, “Director Kim came all the way here to sell Dyeon Korea’s products. He is asking us to use Dyeon Korea’s raw materials in manufacturing H Group’s products.”
Gun-Ho said, “Why don’t you do a favor for him?”
“H Group has its own chemical company. I can’t just notify H Group that we will start using raw materials from another company in manufacturing their products. I don’t know how to justify that request.”
Director Kim was persistent.
“Brother, you can use half from H Chemical and a half from Dyeon Korea, and mix them together.”
“That’s not good. I’m not sure if that will work though.”
“No one will find out.”
“That doesn’t sound plausible. I will figure out what we can do about it. Give me some time to think about it. By the way, how do you find out what product order we received from H Group? It seems that you find out immediately once we receive a new order.”
“Of course I know. There is no secret in this industry, brother.”
“I smell something here. Our mid-level managers seem to be still in constant contact with you, Mr. Director Kim since you have known them for a while. Our company’s information is leaking somewhere.”
“I have other sources where I can get some information. I know some people in H Group’s purchasing department too.”
“Well, I will talk to you later. I have an appointment.”
When President Song tried to leave the scene, Director Kim grabbed his arm.
“Brother, we are family, right? Let’s have a puffer fish stew for lunch together. I will treat you.”
“Take your hand off my arm, Mr. Director. I can’t accept an obvious bribe from you.”
Gun-Ho laughed. It was fun to watch those two people. Gun-Ho then walked up to his office on the second floor.
