Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

The next morning, Gun-Ho and Mori Aikko ate a Japanese Lo Mein for breakfast.

Mori Aikko couldn’t stay with Gun-Ho that day; she had to prepare for the performance. The event that Mori Aikko was participating in was a rather big event held in Tokyo Bunka Kaikan. According to Mori Aikko, it was a very important event for her to strengthen her position in the field.”

“I’m sorry that I can’t visit you more often. I’m just so busy with my business.”

“It’s okay, oppa. As long as your heart is with me, I’m fine.”

“Of course my heart is always with you. And this is my gift for you in congratulating on your performance. Take it.”

Mori Aikko took the envelope that Gun-Ho handed to her with a lonely smile and put it in her purse.

“I have to take off now. You said you are leaving today, right?”

“Yeah. I guess I will see you next time.”

Gun-Ho kissed Mori Aikko on the cheek.

“Oppa, stay healthy, okay?”

“I will try. You too!”

“When you leave, please make sure you turn off all the lights here.”

“No problem.”

Gun-Ho waved at Mori Aikko and she waved back at Gun-Ho.

After Mori Aikko left the condo, Gun-Ho felt too lazy to get up. His flight was scheduled to leave in the evening anyway. Gun-Ho continued to sleep in Mori Aikko’s bed.

He woke up around noon when he heard his phone ringing.

It was from the Korean restaurant owner in Akasaka—Ji-Yeon Choi.

“President Goo, I heard you are in Tokyo right now.”

“Yes, I’m here. I came to see Mori Aikko’s performance.”

“Did you watch it already?”

“Yes, I did.”

“She is very good, right? Mori Aikko is the youngest geisha there. Doing a performance at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan is everyone’s dream in the field.”

“Is that right?”

“Of course. If you tell any Japanese person that you had your performance at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, they will highly value your competency.”

“Haha, really?”

“And, I received a phone call from Segawa Joonkko the other day.”

“Segawa Joonkko? The hostess of the bar in Shinjuku City—Mama-san?”

“Yes. She wanted to say thank you. She could give you a call but since she can’t speak Korean and you can’t speak Japanese, she called me instead to let you know how grateful she is.”

“I haven’t done much.”

“Well, because of you, Mori Aikko has been able to focus on her dance without feeling the pressure to make money.”

“I feel like I haven’t been of much help to Mori Aikko even financially. Haha.”

“President Goo, you are not stopping by my restaurant anymore? I’ve read about art exhibitions at your GH Gallery, from newspapers. Are you not planning to host an art exhibition in Japan?”

“I don’t have any good connection for that business in Japan.”

“Sir, come on. Remember me? I am your connection in Japan. I guess you don’t know what I am capable of when it comes to social connections.”

“I know you have a wide range of social networks, Ms. Choi, but it’s about the fine arts.”

“Oh, you don’t know that I know people in that particular field. I will send someone to you.”

“Well, if you could do so, I would greatly appreciate it.”

“Are you going back to Korea today?”

“Yes, I’m taking a 5 o’clock flight.”

“Oh, you’d better head out to the airport now. Have a safe trip.”

“Thank you. I will see you next time.”

When Gun-Ho arrived at the Gimpo International Airport, he received a call from Chan-Ho Eom.

“Sir? Are you at the airport?”

“Yeah, I just arrived at Gimpo International Airport.”

“I’m in the airport parking lot right now. I am on my way to the arrival area to pick you up.”

“Did you bring the car?”

“Yes, sir. I’m on the way.”

It seemed that Chan-Ho figured that Gun-Ho reserved a two-way flight ticket to Japan, and he drove to the airport to pick up Gun-Ho.

“I didn’t even tell him to pick me up at the airport, but he is here. That’s nice.”

When Gun-Ho walked to the arrival area, a shiny Bentley was there waiting for him. Gun-Ho got into the car.

“It’s Sunday, Chan-Ho. You didn’t have to come to pick me up.”

“You came back from your business trip, sir. Of course, I should come to pick you up.”

Gun-Ho felt a little bit of guilt when Chan-Ho said business trip since he went to Japan to have fun with Mori Aikko and watch her dance performance.

“Where should I take you to, sir?”

“Let’s go to TowerPalace.”

It was very convenient to have a chauffeur. Gun-Ho felt exhausted after the trip and it was really nice to have someone who could drive him to his home. Gun-Ho’s home—TowerPalace was a bit far from Gimpo International Airport. Driving home could make him more tired and it took time too. If he chose to take Limousine Bus, he would have to wait for the bus for quite a while at the airport.

Gun-Ho went to work at his building in Sinsa Town. After he reviewed the reports, he went down to the art gallery. There was the art exhibition going on, of a Korean painter. Gun-Ho could see a lot of watercolor paintings being displayed there. There were several people standing while having a cup of tea. They were probably the artist and his relatives. Not many people were in the gallery since it was still morning time.

Those people didn’t recognize Gun-Ho.

“Hmm, nice paintings.”

Gun-Ho couldn’t understand the paintings of the French artist—Marion Kinsky, but this not-so-widely-known painter’s paintings seemed to be relatively easy to understand for him. However, the newspapers that wrote very favorable articles about the art exhibition of the French painter didn’t mention even a word about this Korean painter’s art exhibition in any newspaper.

Gun-Ho wanted to purchase one painting from this Korean artist. One painting drew his attention. It depicted the golden field where the rice was ripening at sundown.

“Is this painting already taken?”

A lady who was having a cup of tea quickly came to Gun-Ho.

“No, sir. It’s available.”

“I’d like to buy this painting. How much is it?”

“It’s a small-size painting. It’s 600,000 won.”

Gun-Ho filled out the purchase request form with the address where the painting should be sent to.

“The painting will be mailed to this address after the art exhibition is over.”

“I will actually send someone on the last day of this art exhibition. You can hand the painting to him.”

Since the size of the painting was small, it would fit into the car. Gun-Ho was going to send Chan-Ho Eom to pick up the painting.

Gun-Ho went up to his office. He was reading a newspaper when he received a call from his sister.

“Gun-Ho, mom is in a hospital.”

“Mom is sick? What’s wrong?”

“She fell on the floor. She can’t get up. I think she hurt her back.”

“Really?”

“She is in Seoul National University Hospital now.”

“Seoul National University Hospital? Not Gil Hospital in Incheon City?”

“There is a doctor who specializes in spinal fractures at Seoul National University Hospital.”

“Spinal fractures?”

“Yeah. Mom knows someone there who works as a chief nurse. The chief nurse helped her stay in a nice patient room at a reasonable price.”

“Hmm. Is that the hospital near Daehakro?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. Stop by the hospital on the way home.”

“I heard that spinal fractures take a long time to heal.”

“I was told that mom has severe osteoporosis.”

“Really?”

“Mom is aging, you know?”