KTC | Chapter 23

“Fine, I’ll play along until the ferry leaves. But brother, why do you only use informal speech these days?”

“It’s a sign of closeness.”

“But I’m eight years older and always speak to you formally. Shouldn’t you show some courtesy as well?”

“If it bothers you, feel free to speak informally too. I’m more comfortable this way.”

The conversation was getting nowhere. Choi Seonwoo was shaking his head in disapproval when suddenly,

“Ah, Michael Siju-nim!”

A cheerful voice rang out from behind, causing Choi Seonwoo to flinch.

Walking closely enough to nearly brush clothes, Seo Jihan clearly heard Choi Seonwoo mutter with a profoundly aggrieved expression, “Ah shoot, I’m late!”

However, Choi Seonwoo’s face quickly transformed into the gentle smile of a compassionate priest as he turned around. Curious about who could extract such a dual demeanor from Choi Seonwoo, Seo Jihan also turned to look.

“Hello, Brother Gwanghyeon?”

There stood a monk in gray robes, tapping a wooden fish. Seo Jihan blinked slowly.

A site of religious harmony, perhaps.

“Ha-ha! It’s been a while!”

The monk approached quickly, his shaved head gleaming in the sunlight.

“You still have such a radiant face! Our Angela here is also looking very sleek,”

Hisss! Swipe, swipe!

As Gwanghyeon bent down and reached out his hand in recognition, Angela responded with a hiss and a paw punch. She then swiftly moved behind Choi Seonwoo’s legs, peeking out at Gwanghyeon.

“Ha-ha, still a feisty lady.”

Gwanghyeon straightened up with a beaming smile, the embodiment of a kind-hearted Buddhist.

“You’re as dedicated to your evangelism as ever, Michael Siju. Any success today?”

“Same as always, really. Did you come down here for a blessing today, Brother Gwanghyeon?”

“Ah, come now. Would a monk only come to the village when seeking blessings? The locals here frequently request blessings, so it’s only right I come down to greet them now and then.”

“Right, of course.”

Seo Jihan quickly grasped the situation. This wasn’t a site of religious harmony, but rather one of potential discord.

It was evident from the way the two figures addressed each other as ‘Siju-nim’ and ‘Brother’—terms usually reserved for fellow adherents—that they were anything but ordinary.

“So, is this the son of a wealthy Seoul family who travels with an entourage of bodyguards?”

Gwanghyeon’s interest shifted to Seo Jihan after deciding he had won their little power struggle.

“Yes, this is Brother Seo Jihan.”

“Ah, nice to meet you!”

Gwanghyeon stepped forward with eyes as bright as his bald head.

“Does our Siju have a religion?”

“Brother Gwanghyeon, let’s not cross lines. He’s already mine.”

Choi Seonwoo snapped back sharply, which made both Gwanghyeon and Seo Jihan look at him intently. Yet Choi Seonwoo, either thick-skinned or oblivious to any misstep, casually placed his hands on his hips and looked at Seo Jihan.

“Tell him yourself, brother. Whose are you?”

Seo Jihan, like Angela earlier, moved to stand behind Choi Seonwoo and gave a short smile.

“Well, naturally, I belong to the priest.”

“Did you hear that? Huh? Brother Gwanghyeon, don’t you dare eye him.”

Gwanghyeon’s eyes narrowed.

“But isn’t Michael Siju also frequently evangelizing in our temple area? Isn’t this what the young folks call hypocrisy?”

“No, you should speak correctly. Not all the area around here is part of Yeongmyeong Temple. I respect boundaries. I never evangelize to someone who professes another faith.”

Gwanghyeon seemed to ponder this for a moment, then nodded. Choi Seonwoo’s charisma had led to whispers among the Buddhists about visiting the church, driven purely by his handsome face. Having discreetly shadowed Choi Seonwoo for a while, Gwanghyeon was well aware of his evangelical methods.

Choi Seonwoo befriended the locals, sharing their burdens, and introduced his faith through genuine friendship. Affection for the priest often translated into interest in the faith he represented.

Yet, the subtle rivalry they maintained whenever they met was partly in jest. Initially, Gwanghyeon had mockingly called Choi Seonwoo ‘Siju’ out of spite, but as Choi Seonwoo began responding with ‘Brother,’ their relationship solidified in this playful antagonism.

“Alright, let’s play fair.”

Gwanghyeon stretched his lips into a wide smile and patted Choi Seonwoo’s shoulder before looking back at Seo Jihan with a suddenly serious expression, putting away his joking demeanor.

“It seems you’ve suffered a lot, whatever the illness. Though we follow different paths, I pray to Buddha for your swift recovery and good health. Namu Amita Bul.”

Thump, thump, thump. Gwanghyeon tapped the wooden fish as he bowed, and Choi Seonwoo chuckled, making the sign of the cross and reciting a blessing. The two exchanged a cool farewell after their divergent prayers.

“Ah, Michael Siju! Did you know? The owner of Jangji Hardware Store visited Yeongmyeong Temple for the first time yesterday to offer incense! Ha-ha-ha!”

Choi Seonwoo clenched his fists and trembled with frustration as he heard Gwanghyeon’s parting shot. The hardware store had been one of his key evangelism projects.

“That can happen… it’s possible…”

Despite everything, his dedication to evangelism was undeniable, even if it often went against clerical expectations.

“What does God mean to you as a priest?”

Caught off guard, Seo Jihan blurted out the question sincerely.

“Well, I guess…”

Choi Seonwoo walked down the dirt road leading out of the village, looking up at the sky, which seemed on the verge of rain with clouds obscuring the sunset.

There had been a time when he desperately wished for some absolute entity to descend through even darker clouds, hoping against hope. Of course, that hope had been dashed, and nothing had changed since.

“To someone desperately seeking salvation, perhaps He is an entity they wish would dwell within them?”

Choi Seonwoo’s answer was vague, yet Seo Jihan felt he understood. He remained silent, his gaze lowered.

Choi Seonwoo must have recognized him from the beginning but pretended not to; bringing up past memories was likely as unwelcome for him as for Seo Jihan. Maybe, like Seo Jihan, Choi Seonwoo had clung to religion as a lifeline after surviving endless despair.

Seo Jihan wanted to ask who had comforted him in the past and to tell him that he had always worried and longed for him even in his subconscious. But he kept silent, for as long as Choi Seonwoo didn’t bring up that day, Seo Jihan had no right to seek answers about it.

“Why did you become a priest if you’re not even sure God exists?”

“Ultimately, I became a priest to seek that confirmation.”

“And have you found your answer?”

“No, not yet. But I don’t think it’s been a meaningless journey. I’ve seen many people who firmly believe in God and try to follow His teachings. Sometimes, that fragile faith serves as a crutch to help them shake off despair and stand up again. If religion helps people live rightly and sometimes gives them the strength to keep going, then it’s fulfilling its role. That’s enough for me now.”

The sunset deepened. The two walked silently down the hill, their path echoing the guards who, for the first time, seriously pondered the meaning of God.

While Choi Seonwoo might not have been a perfect priest, he was undoubtedly an effective evangelist. His honest revelations about the proximity to an unknown absolute made even atheists consider not the existence of God, but the necessity of such a belief.

When they reached the church, the sun had completely set. The living room of the rectory was brightly lit with open windows. Having informed them he’d eat dinner late, the aroma of food wafted through.

“Hey, Priest Choi!”

As they entered, a man who looked like the owner of the house sat on the living room sofa, dressed in a mouse-colored suit and white shirt, a man in his fifties. Choi Seonwoo approached him with a warm smile and bowed slightly.

“You’re here, Pastor Kim?”

…A pastor now?

It seemed that today was destined to witness religious discord in full. Seo Jihan chuckled dryly and glanced towards the kitchen. Lee Jeongae, busy preparing dinner, shook her head as their eyes met, though the meaning behind it was unclear.

“What brings you to the church?”

“I figured we’d have a drink before I get busy in October.”

Pastor Kim smiled as he pointed to a paper bag on the table. Choi Seonwoo sighed, almost like a smile.