Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Chapter 40

She was agonized over it. But the mattress alone on the bed stood out, looking artificial and ugly. Konsu could take it up as the main topic.

What if she stopped running the washer now?

That would make things messier. The function of the dryer had its limits.

What did she need to do right now?

She badly needed the covers right away.

She put

on sleepers and called a taxi that would take her to a big supermarket.

After she arrived there, she walked straight up to the blanket section.

Grey covers with a modern touch?

Or white covers in hotel rooms that could make her main bedroom neat?

But she couldn’t turn her steps before the covers in explicit Indian pink.

If there was a universal language ‘I love you’, that would be pink color.

She didn’t need to hesitate any longer. She purchased not only the bed covers and blanket but also pillow cove, all in pink, as one set. Though she didn’t plan to buy them originally, she didn’t begrudge it. Her spending was kind of investment in business terms.

‘Yeah, I need to invest as much as this for a cozy atmosphere of the bedroom.’

She felt the geomancy of love was working for her perfectly.

She even felt the whole universe was helping her.

Though she was skeptical about geomancy in the past, she wasn’t any more.

‘I was too complacent. Wake up! You’ve been waiting for this day, right? Even God is helping you now.’

She pushed the cart vigorously.

Finally Konsu walked back into her territory on his own.

‘What should I prepare more to make today’s opportunity a success? It will be about dinner time if I chat with him over coffee.’

She felt it would be unnatural to eat out once he came to her house.

‘Shall I order food? Do I look insincere if I do?’

She felt like she needed nice food for a perfect victory in her home turf.

‘Which food can I cook?’

Kimchi stew and rice.

Konsu could eat his fill, but the food was far from romantic.

What about chicken soup with ginseng?

Obviously it was good for stamina, which was something embarrassing.

‘What do I expect him to do about me with that stamina food?’

She wanted to make rice with roasted squid that Konsu liked.

But the sink would strongly smell fishy because of one squid.

At that moment she thought of calling Hojoon for a good idea.

“Hello?”

She called Hojoon and asked, “Hi, you remember citron tea I had in your office. Is there any good food, like citron tea, which I can share with someone I like?”

Hojoon brought up the main topic right away.

“Did you have a call from that guy when you changed the bed?”

She was so surprised by his extraordinary predictive power.

She was gooseflesh all over the moment he asked that.

But she thought she didn’t need to tell him all because Konsu didn’t yet come to her house. She didn’t want to give Hojoon a chance to act arrogantly.

“Nope. I’m just curious as I’m in the mart now.”

“There is something queer about you.”

“Oh, no, Hojoon. Just take it as a reporter’s curiosity,” she said with a hearty laugh.

Even she felt she was acting strange.

“Why do you think our ancestors had noodles on feast days? In particular, do you know why people asked, ‘When are you going to let me enjoy noodles?’ instead of ‘When are you going to get married?’ Have you ever given a thought to that question?”

“Because noodles taste good?”

Though Arum improvised an answer, she felt it was funny.

It occurred to her that a documentary TV program once featured the history of noodles, explaining about the mouthfeel, interesting shapes and taste of noodles.

Noodles are one of the favorite foods not only in Korea but also in other countries.

Because noodles taste delicious!

Hojoon teased her by asking, “Don’t you think only noodles taste delicious? Many other food also tastes delicious.”

Then he continued, “Noodles you have on birthdays have the implication that you can live long like the long slices of noodles. Noodles you have on wedding days mean tying the knot. That’s why spaghetti is popular among young lovers these days. Noodles are the food that connects people. As noodles have the energy force of wind, you can change the atmosphere.”

“Wow! Spaghetti. Isn’t it much better to put clams in spaghetti, which refuse to open after closing?”

“Sounds good!”

“Okay, let me choose Vongole spaghetti. Which dessert would you recommend?”

“The basic of geomancy is nature. So, anything that has the energy force of nature is good for your health. Try to have some fruits that have a strong energy force of earth. Fruits symbolize the successful result. I think your meeting will bear fruit.”

“Thanks so much.”

“Are you outside now? Walking around with pain in your legs?”

“Are you crazy? Nope.”

“I’m asking because I hear some noise out there.”

“Oh, it’s because I turned on the TV. Thanks for your counsel!”

She hung up the phone quickly.

“Oh, what a mind reader!’

She purchased various food ingredients before getting back home.

Ten minutes before Konsu’s arrival.

A little later he would press the bell and come here.

She should change the bedspread as soon as possible.

Opening the packing wrap of the bedspread, she walked up to the main bed.

At the same time she spread the mattress and put it on the bed. She had to push the bedspread into the four corners of the bed.

By damn!

The bedspread was smaller than the original one.

No matter how hard she tried, it didn’t fit the bed.

She couldn’t do anything about it.

Now, five minutes to go before he arrives.

She had to take a shower in five minutes.

She was covered with dust while cleaning her house early in the morning, which she didn’t for a long time.

Her back was soaked in sweat as she had to move around though her legs hurt so much.

Naturally she smelled strongly of sweat.

Usually she had to use warm water first as hot water didn’t come out right away. But even the boiler was turned on to heat water, she took an ‘all-in shower’ today.

All-in shower was the type of shower that one uses only one soap to wash from head to foot when one was in a hurry.

After she took an all-in shower, she took out an underwear box that she tucked deep inside the drawer.

‘This is the only one I have now…what should I do with this?’

It was a gift that her friends gave her to congratulate her wedding. It was a brand-designer underwear worn by a world-famous model.

‘What am I imagining now?’

Arum came to her senses.

As a reporter she once interviewed an underwear designer.

The designer said, “Do you want to know why I am so obsessed with underwear? Because my real confidence comes from my underwear. Even if I don’t show it to anybody, I feel confident in everything if I put on my underwear properly. Look at the Superman! How confident he is when he puts on underwear only!”

Arum recalled that she laughed out loud at that.

That designer was a man.

He said while living with three sisters, he realized ‘the impact of underwear on them’ and had a hunch that his business in underwear design would hit the jackpot.

‘Yeah, my underwear is my confidence.’

Of course, she was not going to show it to Konsu, but wear it for her own sake.

And then she took out chiffon dress because she felt awkward to put on a sweat suit even though she was at home.

Wasn’t chiffon dress too erotic? She felt she would feel uncomfortable when cooking.

Blue jeans? She felt she would feel stuffy in jeans.

So, she took out capris in hempen fabrics with her ankles exposed a bit. Natural and comfortable.

As for top, she chose a T-shirt decorated with heart spangles.

“Okay.”

And she began to put on makeup.

No matter how busy she was, she couldn’t show him her bare face. As she was sick for the past several days, her eye rims looked drab and dull.

Today of all days she penciled her eyebrows well. The moment she drew her eyebrows on the right and then began to draw on the left, the doorbell rang.

“Oh, no!”

The doorbell rang again.

“Wait a minute.”

She forgot the pain in her legs and quickly opened the door.

“I have kept you waiting long, right?” said Arum, catching her breath, and raised her head.

“What did you do, with us standing before the door? Why did you put on makeup?”

It was Jina who said that, to her surprise.

“Ugh? O my…”

Arum was startled and became impatient now.

To make matters worse, Hojoon was standing behind Jina.

“Why didn’t you answer the phone when you’re at home? He was so worried about you,” quipped Jina.

“Worried about me?”