Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

“Gayageum? I love to hear that again. I truly enjoy Asian melody. Hahaha. Since you are here, President Goo, we should go listening to Shamisen.”

“I actually want to see the dancing geisha.”

“Oh, that geisha who looked like a fairy.”

“I’ll treat you guys this time since I’m here for business.”

“Haha. Sounds good then.”

Gun-Ho came back to the hotel to take a short rest before his evening schedule started. He would meet Amiel again in the evening at 7 pm. They would go to the bar that they went to the last time Gun-Ho visited Japan. The interpreter followed Gun-Ho to New Otani Hotel where Gun-Ho was staying.

Gun-Ho asked for the interpreter.

“How long have you been living in Japan?”

“I’ve been here for about 7 years.”

“Are you a graduate student?”

“No, I am a college student.”

“You have been here for 7 years, but you are still in college?”

“Yes. I often took the time off from college to work part-time.”

“Hmm. I see.”

Gun-Ho took out a white envelope from the pocket of his jacket and handed it to the interpreter.

“Have some food or drink with this and spend some time somewhere and meet me at 6:30 pm here. I will need your interpretation during dinner time.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The interpreter gave a deep bow to Gun-Ho.

Gun-Ho sat at a café inside the hotel and had a cup of coffee, and he was thinking.

He was not sure if it was the right way to live a life to spend several years at another country to study like the interpreter, or to spend several years studying for the government job exam while living in a tiny OneRoom like himself or many other Korean young people.

When it was 6:30 pm, the chauffeur arrived at the hotel, who was sent by Amiel. The interpreter came to the hotel as well. Gun-Ho wore bright-colored shirts inside his jacket, that he purchased earlier at a store inside New Otani Hotel.

“Okay, let’s go.”

“Are we really going to a bar?”

“Yes. Since you have worked in a company for a long time, you must have been at a bar, right?”

“Actually, no. Not that kind of bar where girls accompany customers while drinking. I have heard that there are places like that.”

The sales director looked at Gun-Ho’s back as he walked behind Gun-Ho. Gun-Ho looked big like a giant that night. The sales director once thought that Gun-Ho—a young man— made money purely by luck by investing in real estate and acquired Mulpasaneop with the proceeds, and he was displeased with all that. However, that was not how Gun-Ho acquired the company. Moreover, he was 15 years older than Gun-Ho, and he grew up in a somewhat wealthy family where his father worked at an executive level in a big company. He didn’t have to work when he was in high school so he could only focus on studying. He graduated from a decent college—Hanyang University in Seoul—and had worked at several different companies before he finally joined Mulpasaneop.

“I have a 40 pyung large condo in newly developed Asan City, and I am a director in a mid-size company. I was so proud of what I have achieved so far. However, President Goo made me realize what I have is not much. I’ve never been to a bar like that before. President Goo is just on another level. Moreover, he is very knowledgeable about the work as well. The previous Mulpasaneop President Se-Young Oh’s son— Hak-Seon Oh—of course, cannot compete with President Goo.”

Gun-Ho who was walking in front of the sales director turned around, and gestured to the sales director to come quickly; he was smiling at him. The sales director suddenly got shivers up his spine.

“President Goo seemed to be generous and tender; however, he could be very cold and brutal if necessary. Even if he is smiling now, we never know what he is hiding behind that smile. I have to be very careful.”

The sales director pulled himself together and quickly walked towards Gun-Ho.

The bamboo trees at the bar’s yard looked greener than the last time Gun-Ho had seen them.

Gun-Ho told the sales director that,

“Even in Japan, you can’t just come to a bar like this because you want to. They accept our reservation because President Amiel made the reservation.”

“Oh, I see.”

The sales manager and the interpreter were looking around the bar in amazement.

Gun-Ho’s party sat on the floor that was covered with tatami. The room door was open and a middle-aged lady entered the room; she was wearing kimono. She kneeled on the floor and bowed.

“President Goo, it has been a long time since the last time you visited us. I am the hostess of this bar— Segawa Joonkko.”

“You are getting younger every day, Joonkko-san.”

Amiel made a joke to her.

“President Amiel is good at making jokes in Japanese style. Hahaha.”

The hostess laughed while covering her mouth with her hand. Gun-Ho thought that the way the lady laughed looked very Japanese, and that made him laugh.

“How have you been, Mama-san?”

“Your presence makes our bar shinier, President Goo. Your shirt inside your suit looks fabulous. Hahaha.”

The lady laughed with her hand covering her mouth again.

Amiel told the lady.

“Since President Goo is here, please bring the best dishes you could prepare tonight.”

“What about liquor? Would you like to have western liquor or Japanese sake?”

Gun-Ho responded for Amiel while taking off his jacket,

“Well, since we are in Japan, let’s have Japanese sake.”

“Yes, sir. I will prepare Kubota Manjyu (name of liquor).”

While she was saying it, she hastily stood up and took Gun-Ho’s jacket and hung it on the wall.

The dishes started coming out.

Gun-Ho and Amiel were having a good time while drinking and talking and enjoying each other’s company. The sales director couldn’t even think of chipping in.

“Have some food. I guess you’re too busy to even eat since you’re interpreting for me. Haha. Director Kim, have some food.”

“Yes, sir.”

Amiel called for the hostess.

“Let us hear Shamisen now.”

“Sure. I will be right back.”

Three young women who were wearing Yukata entered the room and started playing Shamisen. Amiel seemed to be fully enjoying Shamisen with his eyes closed. He seemed to truly like Asian melody. When the ladies played three music with Shamisen, Mama-san came in the room again.

“Is there anything else you need, sir?”

“We do need one more thing.”

“What is it?”

“We want to see Mori Aikko’s dance.”

“Hahaha. I knew you would say that.”

Mama-san clapped and a young lady who was wearing colorful Kimono entered the room.

It was Mori Aikko who was the most famous dancing geisha in Gion (Kyoto’s famous geisha district).

Mori Aikko kneeled on the floor and placed a hand fan that she carried with her, in front of her.

“I am Mori Aikko.”

Mori Aikko placed her head on the floor deep enough that her nose almost touched the floor.

“Good to see you again, Mori Aikko!”

When Gun-Ho said her name, Mori Aikko lifted her head and looked at Gun-Ho. She then smiled at Gun-Ho; it seemed that she recognized him.

The sales director’s and the interpreter’s jaws dropped.