Chapter 94

Chapter 94: Chapter 94

Soran sarcastically commented, “In that case, don’t you need a garden? Newlyweds should live in a house large enough to house a garden, right?”

“You made a good point. How much is this?” he asked, pointing to a new TV set.

Soran couldn’t answer. Apparently, she was embarrassed.

How come she doesn’t know its price?

Arum was also surprised.

To help her get out of the embarrassing moment, an executive member whispered into her ears.

“25 million won. Very cheap,” Soran said confidently.

“Have you just said this TV set is very cheap to newlyweds when many of them are starting their married life in a basement apartment paying 25 million won?”

“Well, what I mean is…”

“Are you now telling the newlyweds to buy houses with yards rather than worrying about additional rooms for their babies? They’re making a living without any financial help from their parents.”

Hojoon was now directing his aggressive questions and look at Soran.

Soran, who always had a chip on her shoulder, got enraged, “What the heck?”

The more Soran got upset, the more sharply Hojoon attacked her.

“Rich people may not know this, but this little flower pot can be a healing to them as well as the secret key of geomancy that creates myongdang for them. Did you say your new products are put in the shade by this pot? You should have changed the design in a way that ordinary newlyweds could feel comfortable. Don’t you think so, Executive Director Soran Cho?”

It was a total victory for Hojoon!

Soran’s face blushed with embarrassment.

Very proud of the wisdom of geomancy, Hojoon began to say what he couldn’t a moment ago.

“Did you say that bed over there was plain? In geomancy, we avoid anything too large or too strong in color because it takes away the energy of its owner. That’s why a colorful bed can reduce a couple’s fortune of love. Don’t you think the decrease in the luck of love is the worst possible thing for newlyweds? If you want to raise your partner’s stamina, one of the ways is to grow fresh foliage near your bed.”

Soran couldn’t reply at all.

How can he give me such advice when he knows I’m in the process of getting divorced?

She bit her lip in resentment.

One of the executive members who accompanied her came forward and said loudly, “That’s enough. Just fix the things she pointed out like a subcontractor should!”

That executive officer was pretty high-handed, but Hojoon was neither embarrassed nor uncomfortable.

He just stared at that executive officer and examined him from head to foot.

“I think you must have a lot of headaches,” Hojoon said.

He could sense that the executive officer was embarrassed.

“Do you see that on my face? You’re right. I’ve got a headache,” said that man.

Hojoon couldn’t believe this guy was the same executive member as he was no more high-handed when Hojoon pointed out his headache accurately.

“Your study is full of books. There is no more space for books in your study, and you didn’t keep them in order for very long. You have to discard old books on your bookshelf. Even though you got hired by Sola Electronics thanks to your hard work, your old books show your past. Just throw them away. If you keep piling them, they, along with other document files, are going to create lots of headaches for you. If you need my help, let me know anytime.”

While explaining to him, Hojoon even advertised his geomancy business.

Soran bit her lips and curtly said, “Thanks for your explanation.”

There was an icy atmosphere surrounding her when she was going back, but she stopped for a moment and turned, staring at Arum. Her staring was very brief.

Arum freaked out at that moment and felt strange.

She instinctively felt something ominous might come in the future.

Sadly enough, her forecast was correct.

***

It happened at a flower shop that Arum stopped by after finishing work in the evening. She went there with Hojoon, who was leaving work, too.

Though Hojoon wanted to go into the shop with her, she refused.

“Can I come with you?”

“Nope. I’m not going to give you a flower gift today. So, don’t expect it,” she said.

And then she went into the shop alone.

“Please come in. Which flower are you looking for?” The shop owner looked between Arum and Hojoon outside the shop. The owner felt they were a couple for whom sweet pink roses were a good fit. “It looks like you’re celebrating an anniversary.”

“Nope. I would like to send a wreath to my ex-boyfriend’s wedding ceremony. Do you have…”

At that moment, his face blushed with embarrassment.

In the meantime, she was looking for a certain flower among various flowers on display in the shop.

“Do you have any particular flower in mind?”

“Can you make a wreath of lotuses?”

“That might be expensive.”

It was the first time a customer asked for lotus, and it was also the first time a customer came to the shop with her boyfriend to send a wreath to her ex-boyfriend.

“I know it’s hard to obtain such a wreath. Can you still get it for me? I barely got out of the muddy water that he created for me. You can write words appropriate for his wedding.”

Arum paid for the balance, left a note on the delivery address and left the shop.

“Have I kept you waiting long? Let me treat you to dinner. Finally, it’s tomorrow! Sola House’s opening!”

“Why are you so excited?”

“Aren’t you excited?”

“Who did you send those flowers to?”

“To someone I know. Don’t try to find out more. What do you want to have for dinner?”

“I don’t feel up to it.”

“You know I’m an heiress. Let me treat you to dinner.”

“I’ve got something to tell you seriously,” he asked seriously. “Can I live with you just one month?”

“What?”

She stopped at the spot at his unexpected proposal.

“My older brother who went on a honeymoon came back suddenly.”

“Good heavens! Your older brother? Isn’t he the house owner?” Something ominous that flashed her mind quickly. “What happened?”

She guessed something bad happened.

That house was ominous from the beginning.

This guy, who never listened to me seriously, had a bad thing in his family.

Arum tried to guess on her own.

“His wife got pregnant.”

“What? Pregnant? Isn’t it something to celebrate?”

She was ashamed of herself because she just thought about something bad.

“I was contacted this morning. He’s going to arrive tomorrow.”

“Then, you have to get out of the house.”

Hojoon nodded.

“Why do you want to live with me then? You have friends and your parents.”

“My parents sold their house. My mother also left the operation of her restaurant to her sister.”

That was really unexpected.

“Really? Why?”

Is this guy’s family in financial difficulties right now?

She got worried.

They kept talking while heading for a restaurant.

“My father is going to Tibet for writing.”

“Your mother, too?”

“My mother can’t do anything without his help.”

“Then, why one month?”

“Because I’m going there, too, in one month.”

She stopped walking.

She felt he would always stay beside her, but he said he was going to Tibet.

“Are you traveling there?”

“Nope, I’m going there to learn more. I’m going to leave my company to a founding member. He’s also my father’s disciple. He’s going to run it during my absence.”

“Why are you suddenly going there?”

“You don’t have the right to ask me that question. You have told me you don’t want to get married, you don’t want to date. Do I have any reason to stay here in Korea?”

His rebuke made her heart clench, but she had to endure this kind of separation if she really wanted to break up with him.

“What a good chance to go to Tibet! By the way, why do you want to live with me?”

“Because you and I can’t get married.”

“Wow, you’re pretty open-minded and liberal, Chief. How selfish you are! If you leave after living with me for, what can I do?” It was nonsense to her. “I wonder if you proposed because I talked about breaking up to make me feel bad. Did you say that to me with that frame of mind?”

“Arum!”

“Do you feel so comfortable about me? Do I look like a fruit? If you ask me if I can live with you for a month, you expect me to agree, right? Do you think I’m such an easy girl?”

“Yes,” Hojoon said firmly.

“Oh my god!”

“Because I want to be with you. After I live with you for a month and like it, I won’t go to Tibet.”

“So, you want to try living with me like tasting food?”

“Well, if we live together for a month, who knows what we could be to each other?””That’s enough.” Their conversation was already off the mark.

Arum spoke calmly while trying to control her anger, “I’m going to split up with you at this point.