“This is the painter who I’m talking about.”
“Oh, my goodness! It’s Artist Young-San Hwang.”
“He gave a special lecture at the Advanced Center for Administrative Development at Seoul National University.”
“He is one of the best, nationwide. I’ve heard that he is having his solo art exhibition in Gwangju City right now.”
“That’s right. He told me that.”
“Gwangju City is his hometown, and he usually stays there and works on his artworks. He is a very famous artist.”
“Hmm. I see.”
“I would love to meet him. When is he coming to Seoul again?”
“Why don’t you visit him in Gwangju City since he is hosting his art exhibition there?”
“Do you have time, sir? I think it would be better that I go there with you since you know him personally.”
“Okay. I can take a break from work and enjoy some artworks.”
“What about tomorrow? His art exhibition will go on until the end of this week. I think tomorrow is good.”
“Sounds good.”
Around 3 o’clock in the afternoon, Gun-Ho was reading a business management book in his office when Assistant Manager Ji-Young Jeong came to his office with some rice cake.
“Is it rice cake? What’s the occasion?”
“There is a very popular rice cake shop across the street. They sometimes distribute their advertisement flyers at our building, and this time they brought this rice cake for us.”
“It looks fancy. Even their wrapping box is unique. Their rice cake indeed stands out particularly, compared to other rice cakes.”
“The tastes are different too.”
“Oh, they added a healthy drink too, huh?”
“This one is from me. I prepared these drinks for visitors to our company.”
Around 3 pm, Gun-Ho usually felt a bit hungry. It was a good time for snacks. Gun-Ho ate the rice cake along with the healthy drink, and he truly enjoyed them.
When Assistant Manager Ji-Young Jeong was about to leave the office, Gun-Ho asked, “Ms. Assistant Manager, can you get me twenty boxes of this rice cake? Also twenty healthy drinks as well. I want to take them somewhere.”
“Okay, sir.”
Gun-Ho had a class that day at the Advanced Center for Administrative Development at Seoul National University.
Before the class started, the class president asked for Gun-Ho.
“Mr. Class Manager, did you bring your wedding invitation today?”
“It will be ready tomorrow.”
“We have class the day after tomorrow. Can you bring it then?”
“Sure, I will.”
“Did you meet your bride by an arrangement or by your own?”
“I would say half and half.”
“What does your bride do for a living? Is she working?”
“She is a medical doctor.”
“Really? Which hospital is she working at?”
“It’s Seoul National University Hospital.”
“I guess she graduated from Seoul National University, huh?”
They had to halt the conversation when the professor came into the classroom.
Two classes were offered in one day at the Advanced Center for Administrative Development. The first class ended at 8 pm, and they had a short break before the second class began. It was a brief break, not long enough to have dinner. The students usually felt hungry during the break.
That day, when the first class was over, Gun-Ho distributed the rice cakes and healthy drinks to his classmates.
“Is it a rice cake?”
“It looks luxurious.”
“Our class manager is very thoughtful.”
“Because of our class manager, we get this nice snack at this hour.”
Everyone seemed to be delighted with the snacks that Gun-Ho prepared for them.
Gun-Ho spoke while holding a large plastic bag, “Once you finish your snack, please put them in this plastic bag. I will clean it up.”
“We definitely chose the right person for our class manager.”
At that moment, the class president spoke in a loud voice, “Our class manager is getting married on March 18th.”
“Really? He is still single, huh?”
The class president continued to make the announcement.
“The wedding will be held at Hilton Hotel across Seoul Station. His bride is a medical doctor at Seoul National University Hospital.”
“Is that so?”
“And, I am the one who will preside over his wedding.”
“Oh, really? Let’s all go there and congratulate him on his wedding then.”
“Of course. We will pay for this rice cake anyway.”
“I guess this rice cake was a bribe after all.”
“Let’s give him a round of applause.”
The people in the class applauded altogether, and that made Gun-Ho blush.
The professor came into the classroom.
“What’s going on here? Why do I hear clapping?”
“Oh, we were just welcoming you with clapping because you are so popular, sir.”
The ministers teased the professor.
Gun-Ho didn’t go to his factory in Jiksan Town that day. Instead, he went to the building in Sinsa Town. It was the day when he was supposed to accompany President Shin in visiting the art exhibition in Gwangju City.
President Shin was already in the office waiting for Gun-Ho.
“You are here already.”
“We have to leave now. I gave a call to the gallery, and they said Artist Hwang comes to the exhibition only during lunchtime and he doesn’t stay long. If we leave now, I think we can get there by lunchtime.
“Okay, then let’s go.”
“Okay.”
Gun-Ho sat in the rear seat in his Bentley as usual while President Shin sat in the front passenger seat.
“This car is really nice. What is this?”
“It’s Bentley.”
“Bentley? How much is it?”
“I paid 300 million won.”
“Did you just say 300 million won? Wow. You can buy a house with it. It’s going to be an extravagant trip for me today. Haha.”
Gun-Ho and President Shin dozed off on the way to Gwangju City. They both probably were tired.
“Huh? Chan-Ho. Where are we now?”
“We are not there yet, sir. We are in Jeongeup City right now.”
“Whew. Gwangju City is indeed far from Seoul.”
“It would have taken more if it was not Bentley. I see the sign for Jangseong Tunnel over there.”
Gun-Ho had never been to Gwangju City before. President Shin said she had been there a few times.
“It is a big city.”
Gun-Ho looked around through the window.
“Where did you say the gallery is located?”
“It’s Hanbit Gallery next to Chonnam Girl’s High School in Gung Town.”
“Chan-Ho, why don’t you come with us and enjoy the paintings there?”
“Yes, sir.”
They arrived at the art gallery. Gun-Ho got off the car and looked around the area.
“Hmm. The area has some sort of artistic vibe.”
President Shin went inside the art gallery and spoke to a staff there, “I called earlier. We just came from Seoul City.”
“Oh, okay. Mr. Artist is on the way here.”
While waiting for Artist Young-San Hwang, Gun-Ho and President Shin looked around the gallery enjoying the paintings there. Most of them were abstract paintings with bold colors. President Shin often nodded her head while looking at the paintings. Gun-Ho was not very knowledgeable about paintings, but he could tell that they were very artistic. It seemed that Artist Young-San Hwang arrived.
“Sir, we have the guests from Seoul City.”
Gun-Ho went to Artist Hwang.
“Hello, sir.”
The artist slowly blinked his eyes while trying to figure out where he had seen Gun-Ho before.
“I took your special lecture at the Advanced Center for Administrative Development at Seoul National University.”
“Oh, I remember. You are the one who had an art gallery.”
Artist Hwang extended his hand to Gun-Ho for a handshake.
