CS Chapter 2

Eighty percent of the elderly who control the political and business circles of South Korea devoutly believe in shamanism. Cha Jinwoong, the head of the Daehan Group, was no exception.

 

Jinwoong’s son, Cha Jinsu, and daughter-in-law, Han Mirin, died in a car accident on the same day, at the same hour. Tragically, Minjun was only five years old at the time.

 

Perhaps due to the trauma of losing both parents at such a young age, Minjun had been frail since childhood and frequently suffered from illnesses. Deeply worried, Cha Jinwoong summoned the shaman, Cheonsin Bosal, to his mansion. Driven by the desire to protect his only remaining grandson after losing his son and daughter-in-law so suddenly, he sought her guidance.

 

Referred to as “Great Elder” or “Bosal-nim¹,” she had been instrumental in making crucial decisions for the Daehan Group for over 30 years.

 

Cheonsin Bosal had long ago foreseen the fate of Cha Minjun, Jinwoong’s grandson. The dreadful prophecy was that if Minjun didn’t marry by the age of thirty, he wouldn’t live past forty and would die young.

 

She claimed that due to a strong fire (화 – hwa) element² in his birth chart, he was destined to ultimately reduce himself to ashes. To escape this fate, she said, he needed to marry a woman with a strong wood (木 – mok) element. She spun a convincing tale, claiming that someone needed to constantly supply firewood beside him for Minjun to prolong his life.

 

“Am I wrong?”

 

In other words, what Minjun was saying right in front of Jinwoong – his complaint about being used as a human shield – wasn’t entirely incorrect.

 

“You impudent brat. You won’t be satisfied until you’ve outwitted your grandfather, will you?”

 

For years, Cha Jinwoong had been pushing women who fit the shaman’s criteria in front of Minjun. The women’s families would never refuse the eldest grandson of the Daehan Group. They were ready to have the wedding the very next morning.

 

However, for some reason, Minjun kept rejecting them, reciting a string of nonsensical excuses. Even when Jinwoong asked if he had another woman in mind, Minjun just kept his mouth shut, frustrating his grandfather to no end.

 

Minjun had now reached the age of thirty. He had only six months left. Within that timeframe, he had to marry a woman who would serve as a human shield. That’s why Jinwoong was resorting to using the management rights as leverage to control his grandson.

 

“Is it that hard to bring me one woman who matches the birth chart requirements?”

 

“So, if her birth chart matches, you wouldn’t mind if I brought you a prostitute?”

 

“You little bastard!”

 

Jinwoong erupted in another furious roar.

 

***

 

It was only the beginning of summer, but the temperature, exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (86°F), was cruel. Even the news was reporting on the unprecedented heatwave.

 

Seowoo was on her way home after her part-time job at a convenience store. A small English vocabulary book was in her hand, but she couldn’t focus.

 

She felt extremely hungry and her complexion was poor, probably due to having hastily eaten discarded food for her meal. Her light brown eyes lacked any spark of life, and her skin was pale and bloodless.

 

“Ha…”

 

Her steps towards home faltered. Sweat poured down her body like rain, as if all the moisture within her was evaporating.

 

Even if she hurried home, the situation wouldn’t be much better. Only a shabby fan, salvaged from the neighborhood’s recycling area, offered any relief, and even that was monopolized by Junseo.

 

“Aren’t you Sister Kim Hyunsook’s daughter?”

 

Just then, she felt someone’s palm brush against the back of her sweat-drenched neck. The chilling touch startled her, and she quickly turned around.

 

A man grinned, revealing his pearly white teeth. He looked to be in his early fifties, but his dyed white hair made him appear much older.

 

“Who are you?”

 

Seowoo’s voice sharpened involuntarily. She was already disgusted by the man’s presumptuous touch, but hearing him mention her mother’s name made her even more irritable.

 

“Oh dear. I didn’t mean to frighten you. Don’t misunderstand. I’m not a strange person. I’m Elder Jeong Daniel from the Sky Salvation Church.”

 

“Sky Salvation Church…”

 

Sky Salvation Church was the church her mother had started attending a year ago. After the shaman disappeared, her mother had been deeply distressed by the realization that she had been scammed, and she wandered aimlessly for a while. Seeing her suffering, a neighbor suggested that she try attending church.

 

Since she started going to church, her mother had stopped seeking out shamans. Whenever Junseo had a seizure, she would hold his hand tightly and sing hymns and pray. She attended dawn prayer services every day and socialized with the church members, gradually regaining her vitality.

 

Seowoo didn’t interfere, as her mother’s current state seemed much better than when she was obsessed with shamans. This was especially true since churches were commonplace, and she didn’t think having faith was a bad thing.

 

Then, one day, her mother returned from church with a flushed face and excitement.

 

“Our Elder Daniel has extraordinary spiritual power. If he touches you, even a cripple can jump up and walk. I saw it with my own eyes! How wonderful would it be if Elder Daniel could take a look at our Junseo? His illness would become nothing…”

 

“Is… is that even possible? Isn’t Sky Salvation Church a strange place?”

 

“If you really can’t believe it, let’s go together, okay? Seowoo, if you experience it firsthand, you’ll change your mind.”

 

Unable to refuse her mother’s insistence, Seowoo had reluctantly accompanied her once to church. It happened to be the day of the weekly spiritual testimony, and a man who claimed to have been crippled his whole life until the elder touched him began his testimony.

 

“I’ve started a new life after meeting the almighty Elder Daniel in our church. Hallelujah, Amen!”

 

“Amen!”

 

The way he kept shouting “Amen” with tears streaming down his face felt bizarre, but her mother seemed genuinely moved.

 

Of course, her mother continued to invite her to church afterward, but Seowoo consistently refused. She used caring for Junseo as an excuse, but in truth, her high school GED exam was approaching, and she had no time to spare.

 

“How… how do you know me?”

 

“Sister Hyunsook showed me a picture. She boasted so much about how her daughter was as beautiful as a flower… and she wasn’t exaggerating. You are a beautiful woman.”

 

The elder kept grinning and looking Seowoo up and down, as if greatly pleased. His sticky gaze made her stomach churn, but she reminded herself that this was the elder of the church her mother trusted and relied on, so she couldn’t be rude.

 

“I’ve heard a lot about you from my mother, too. About your remarkable spiritual power…”

 

“I just pray with all my heart. What’s our dear daughter’s name?”

 

“Ji Seowoo.”

 

“I see, Seowoo. Why don’t you come to church too, Seowoo?”

 

“I’m… busy. I have to take care of my brother.”

 

“Ah, I heard your brother is very ill. I heard you’re taking on all the caregiving responsibilities. That must be a heavy burden.”

 

At the mention of Junseo, Seowoo’s eyes suddenly turned mournful. Even though her brother made her life difficult, to the point where she sometimes wished he were dead to end his suffering and relieve her burden, he was still her sensitive spot, her reverse scale.

 

The elder slyly noticed the flicker of vulnerability in Seowoo’s eyes and reached out to gently caress her shoulder.

 

“Is your brother at home right now?”

 

“Yes. Why…?”

 

“If it’s alright, I’d like to pray for him.”

 

“…”

 

“What do you say? Will you take me to your home, Seowoo?”

 

The man grinned again, a cunning smile. Seeing his unusually white teeth, Seowoo suddenly snapped back to reality and abruptly pushed the elder’s arm away.

 

“No, my mother isn’t home, and the house is a mess right now.”

 

“That doesn’t matter.”

 

“…I’ll invite you over another time.”

 

She bowed her head and hurried away as if fleeing. The elder’s unpleasant gaze clinging to her back left her with a deeply uneasy feeling.