It was almost Christmas. Gun-Ho wanted to spend Christmas Day with Young-Eun this year. Gun-Ho sent a text message to her.
[I’d like to spend this Christmas Eve with you. I will be waiting for you at Starbucks in Daehakro at 6 pm.]
Young-Eun replied.
[I’m going to my father’s in Sillim Town on Christmas Eve. I think we should reschedule our next meeting.]
Gun-Ho immediately sent another text to Young-Eun.
[That’s even better. I will go to your father’s in Sillim Town then on Christmas Eve. I’d like to meet your father.]
Young-Eun didn’t reply to Gun-Ho’s last text message.
Gun-Ho reread his text that he sent to Young-Eun while wondering if he said anything inappropriate or if he sounded rude. He felt nervous again. He then remembered what the first sergeant in the military told him when he was in service.
“You should sleep with the girl first who you want to have. That’s the most efficient way to get a girlfriend. Girls are so calculating that they can move on to another man at any time when they think they found a better man. You, a naïve idiot, probably won’t be able to do it, will you?”
Gun-Ho wanted to abruptly hug and kiss Young-Eun Kim without asking her consent just like he did with Mori Aikko and Seol-Bing. But, it wouldn’t seem to be going well that way with Young-Eun. He didn’t want to ruin what he had with Young-Eun right now.
“She measured my ring finger the other day. That means she wants to marry me. How come she doesn’t move forward?”
Gun-Ho thought of Mori Aikko.
Whenever Gun-Ho sent a text message to Mori Aikko, she seemed to be extremely delighted to hear from him. She seemed to be always ready to come to Gun-Ho whenever he asked her to.
“Mori Aikko must be lonely. She probably doesn’t even have many friends since she didn’t properly go to school.”
Gun-Ho went to the Galleria Department Store in Apgujeong Town and purchased a women’s winter outfit. He then mailed it to Mori Aikko’s condo in Daikanyama.
After sending a gift to her, Gun-Ho felt better. But it didn’t last long. He saw the news on the Internet through his smartphone about Seol-Bing. It said that Seol-Bing was seeing a male singer, and her mother refused to approve their relationship.
“I already gave up on having a relationship with Seol-Bing, but how come I am feeling uneasy right now. I don’t really care whether she sees a singer or even marries him. But I don’t feel comfortable for some reason.”
Gun-Ho was in his bed and ready to sleep when he received a text message from Young-Eun.
[Please come to Dongbu Condo no. 2-xxx in Sillim Town on December 24, at 6 pm.]
Gun-Ho had a sweet dream that night. He felt a sense of relief.
The next morning, Gun-Ho gave a call to his mother.
“Mom, how have you been? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything is good here. How are you?”
“How are you feeling? How’s your spine?”
“It’s good. I’m wearing a back support belt all the time. I’m having a normal daily life without any problem.”
“That’s really good to hear, mom. How’s dad?”
“Your dad? He is good too except he eats too much.”
“Mom, I am seeing someone.”
“What? You are seeing a girl? I’m so happy to hear that, son. What is she doing for a living?”
“Actually, you have met her, mom.”
“Really? Who is it?”
“I will bring her home early next year.”
“Tell me more, son. Don’t torture me. What’s her occupation? How old is she?”
“She is six years younger than me. She goes to a hospital for work.”
“Hospital? Is she a nurse? It’s good that she is six years younger than you. I didn’t know you would be able to find someone on your own. Hahaha.”
“She is not a nurse.”
“Then what? Is she a staff in the administrative office in a hospital?”
“I will tell you later mom. Just know that I will bring her home soon.”
“I want to meet her as soon as possible.”
About an hour later, Gun-Ho received a call from his sister.
“Gun-Ho, mom told me that you are seeing someone? Is it true? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“I started seeing her very recently, sister.”
“I heard she goes to a hospital for work. Is she a nurse? Mom said she is probably an office worker in a hospital.”
“Our relationship hasn’t developed far enough for marriage yet. I will let you know once I’m sure that we are going in the marriage direction.”
“I actually had someone who I wanted to introduce to you. Well, if you found someone already, then that’s good. So, she is six years younger than you, huh? I’m sure you like that. Where is she from? Where did she grow up?”
“She is from Seoul City.”
“You should bring her home so mom and dad can meet her. I want to see her too.”
“Yeah. I will let you know.”
Young-Eun’s father actually wanted his daughter to marry another medical doctor. He hoped that his daughter would meet someone in the same field that she was in. He didn’t like a businessman for his daughter’s husband. He believed that running a business was not a stable job, and there should be too many ups and downs that he would bring into life. That’s why Artist Choi, who was his sister-in-law, had a hard time convincing Young-Eun’s father to accept Gun-Ho as his son-in-law.
“I want Young-Eun to meet someone in the same medical field. So, they can have a stable life together and understand each other better.”
“Young-Eun is the one who would marry him, not you. You can’t keep her on your side forever. She will soon turn 31 years old. 31, did you hear that? She’d better marry now when she had a decent man to marry.”
“I heard that guy is running a business. I don’t like it. A lot of businessmen end up filing for bankruptcy.”
“Many medical doctors file for bankruptcy too. He is not just a businessman. I heard that he has more than 100 billion won. It’s not easy to lose that much money.”
“But still…”
“Have you seen Hyundai or Samsung file for bankruptcy? A man should take some risk in vigorously leading his life; he can do business or he can even do politics. What’s the point seeking only for stability in life? You had a stable job as a teacher in an elementary school, and you did have a stable life. So what? You haven’t experienced a rich life, have you?”
“Well…, on the bright side, he is a self-made successful man. That’s good.”
“Right. The wealth that he has right now is not something that was easily passed on to him. He earned that wealth by himself. He won’t lose his wealth; he will rather grow it. If Young-Eun likes him, then you should let her go. I talked with Young-Eun, and I think she likes him too. Young-Eun is coming to see you on this Christmas Day, isn’t she? Why don’t you ask her to bring that man?”
“Okay. I can meet him. That’s not a problem at all. I don’t understand how a young man could possibly make 100 billion won. That’s a mystery.”
“Well, you can ask him when he comes to meet you.”
