#88

The pastor’s worship was passionate. The villagers also seemed excited. The climax came when the pastor prayed for the prosperity of Dongjam-ri. Everyone raised their hands and began to clap loudly while praying. It was a prayer that bordered on a scream. “Amen” and “Hallelujah” erupted from various corners. Some were even in tears.

The man and the child looked around with bewildered expressions and just pretended to join in. As for Tae-heun, he was confident that if it were acting, he could hold his own anywhere, so he boldly raised his hands and clapped vigorously. He shouted “God” louder than anyone else. It all felt like a comedy, but nonetheless, the stress was released.

After the service, all the congregants moved to have lunch. The child was sent off to eat with friends, and Tae-heun and the man left the church. Everyone was expected to be too busy eating, but the village chief called out to Tae-heun, panting.

“Director Kim! Director Kim, where are you going?”

Tae-heun, who was opening the driver’s side door, turned around.

“Oh. I have some business to attend to.”

“Aren’t you eating?”

“Yes. I’m going to eat out.”

“Where are you going?”

The village chief asked persistently.

“To Namchon-ri.”

“Namchon-ri? Why there?”

The village chief’s tone was sharp.

It just so happened that the destination was a village where development was in the air, with talk of a Silver Town. The village chief narrowed his eyes to the size of a buttonhole. Doubt and anxiety were clearly reflected in his eyes.

“Is Ji-hye’s father going with you?”

The village chief glanced at the man standing beside him.

“Yes. Chief, I’m running late for an appointment, so I’ll be going now.”

Tae-heun made an excuse about a nonexistent appointment and got into the driver’s seat.

A moment too late, the village chief grabbed the man who was trying to get into the passenger seat.

“Ki-beom, hurry up and get in. We’re late!”

At Tae-heun’s shout, the man hesitated and awkwardly sat in the passenger seat.

“Ji-hye’s father, stop by my house later. I have something for you.”

The village chief’s words were met with the man’s innocent “Yes.”

As soon as the man closed the passenger door, Tae-heun started the car.

“The pastor came all the way out to greet us, what a big deal.”

The man in the back said this.

Glancing at the rearview mirror, Tae-heun saw the pastor, the village chief, the head of the agricultural cooperative, Choi Gi-cheol, and the Eagle Oh brothers gathered in a circle, watching the departing car.

Creepy.

Tae-heun regretted not bringing the child along.

The regret was brief. In less than five minutes, his mind was already on Namchon-ri and the movie theater.

“Shouldn’t we buy a gift or something?”

The man asked.

“I already bought it.”

At Tae-heun’s words, the man looked around the car.

“It’s in the trunk.”

“Oh.”

“It’s a bit bulky.”

“What is it?”

“Just something. You’ll know when you see it later.”

He had moved a box of beer and soju he bought yesterday in town to the trunk of the Benz. If the man saw it, he would surely be shocked, wondering why he bought so much alcohol instead of health food.

“Ki-beom, you look much better in white than in black.”

Tae-heun threw in a comment while stealing a glance at the man’s well-fitted chest. The man adjusted his shirt and turned to Tae-heun.

“You look great in a suit too, Tae-heun.”

For some reason, he was full of compliments.

“Oh, this isn’t even a proper suit. When I dress up properly, it’s even more stunning. A three-piece suit. I’ll show you later.”

“Oh… yes.”

The man smiled shyly.

Tae-heun imagined himself fully suited up in front of the man, then stripping one piece at a time like a stripper. The man would surely blush but wouldn’t be able to take his eyes off him. Just the thought made him giddy.

“Hey, watch the road.”

The man corrected him as he almost veered off the road while lost in thought.

Tae-heun took the man’s hand away from the steering wheel. The man flinched but didn’t pull his hand back.

“Doesn’t this feel like we’re a couple?”

Of course, there was no answer.

But it didn’t matter. In Tae-heun’s heart, they were already like a couple.

The man guided the way to Namchon-ri. Compared to Dongjam-ri, the road was well-paved, making it feel closer than Angol. They said this was the richest neighborhood in the area, and the atmosphere was distinctly different. Unlike Dongjam-ri, where more than half the roads were unpaved, most of the roads here were paved, and the houses were either newly built or renovated and tidy. The only similarity with Dongjam-ri was the presence of many elderly people in the fields.

As in any rural village, there was a supermarket at the entrance of the neighborhood. When they went to the supermarket to find the old man who drank, the elderly owner of the store looked at them with curiosity, asking, “Why is a young man looking for that old man?”

“I owe him a favor. Where can I find him?”

“Where to find him? Just keep going straight along this road, and you’ll find a tavern. He’ll be there.”

As he spoke, he scrutinized Tae-heun and the man’s faces one by one. Tae-heun bought a gift box containing red ginseng and honey drinks to give to the old man and left the supermarket.

Driving less than a kilometer, they soon saw a sign that read ‘Tavern.’ Unlike Dongjam-ri, which had no bars at all, around the tavern were several restaurants and a couple of simple pubs where one could have a drink. There was also a public parking lot operated by the village. Tae-heun parked the car and got out with the man.

The man, being a farmer, turned his gaze not to the store but to the fields.

“The rice has already grown that much. What kind of fertilizer are they using?”

The man muttered to himself.

“Why, is the rice taller than ours?”

Tae-heun asked, as he saw no significant difference.

“Yes. It’s definitely taller and looks good.”

“Is that so? Then let’s ask before we go home. If they’re using something good, we can switch to that right away.”

“Not this year, but next year.”

“Oh. Right. Next year.”

This year, it wasn’t the man’s field, so there was no need to use expensive fertilizer. It was only natural to say that since fertilizer wasn’t cheap.

Tae-heun was delighted that he could so naturally say “next year.” Words like “next year” or “our field” made his heart flutter with excitement. Honestly, it felt even better than when he hugged the man.

This shouldn’t be happening. Am I really trying to become a eunuch?

He chuckled inwardly.

“Let’s go in. We need to greet him quickly and head to the town.”

Tae-heun led the way into the tavern.

Even in broad daylight, the tavern was packed with customers. It seemed they not only sold alcohol but also served lunch, as everyone was enjoying makgeolli with their meals. Among the tables gathered in groups, there was an old man drinking alone without any side dishes. It had been almost three weeks, but Tae-heun recognized the old man immediately.

“Old man, do you remember me?”

Tae-heun approached and greeted him. The old man, not realizing he was talking to him, raised his glass, but when Tae-heun leaned in closer to ask, he finally looked at him intently.

“Who are you again?”

“Old man, it’s me. The young man who visited the farm three weeks ago. We had a drink together, remember? The crazy guy who hiked in flip-flops. I suddenly showed up in the morning, got treated, and had a drink.”

As Tae-heun explained in detail, the old man finally remembered, saying, “Oh, that young man!”

“How could I forget you? It’s a face that’s hard to forget after seeing it once.”

Sitting across from the old man, he said playfully.

“I looked like a beggar then, and now I look like a rich young master, so you didn’t recognize me.”

The old man laughed heartily.

“Ki-beom, sit down quickly.”

Tae-heun pulled out a chair for the man beside him. Once the man sat down, the four-person table felt full.

“Sir, this is red ginseng and honey water. I bought it at the supermarket up front. Drink it the day after you have alcohol.”

“Why are you giving me something like this?”

The old man received the gift box with a displeased expression. He seemed disappointed that it wasn’t alcohol.

“Have a drink.”

Tae-heun barely stopped the old man from immediately offering him makgeolli and poured alcohol into the old man’s empty glass. The customers in the tavern frequently glanced at the seat where the old man was sitting. The conversation was somewhat serious, and there were often raised voices.

The old man clicked his tongue and loudly exclaimed, “It’s because of that money ghost. Money ghost!” as if to be heard. Then, fierce glares came from the other side.

“It’s all because of that development. Farmers should farm, not sell their land for what! Tsk. They’ve really lost their minds. Damn them!”

The old man poured out his raw anger.

“Hey, old man, let’s watch our words. If you’ve lived long enough, you should speak nicely, not just blurt out whatever comes to your mind.”

A young voice retorted.

Tae-heun frowned and looked for the person who had just spoken. He seemed to be around twenty-five, a very young guy. He appeared to have come with an older man in a suit, but he was clearly not an ordinary office worker. The well-dressed old man sitting next to him also didn’t seem like an ordinary person. A scammer and his lackey. Of all places, a con artist had come to Namchon-ri. The residents, who looked like they would have a say in the village, were looking up at the suited man.

The old man was about to stand up, ready to fight, saying, “What?” but Tae-heun stopped him. Fighting with such people would only create noise. The old man wouldn’t win anyway.

“Old man, you told me before to repay you with alcohol. So I brought a bottle of soju and a bottle of beer. How about it, want to take a look?”

“Really?”

The old man sat back down as if the mention of alcohol had changed everything and licked his lips.

“You brought one of each?”

“Yes. One of each.”

“Oh my, so much.”

The old man’s mouth dropped open in delight.

“I also brought whiskey.”

“Really?”

Hehe. The old man laughed broadly.

“Since it’s heavy, I’ll put it in your house and then go. Is that okay?”

“Of course, that’s fine. I was just about to go home and rest, so this is perfect. Let’s go together.”

The old man immediately jumped up from his seat. However, he was so drunk that he couldn’t keep his balance and fell back down. The man barely managed to catch the old man, preventing him from falling.

Tae-heun and the man supported the old man on either side and left the tavern. At the entrance, they ran into another group of suited men.