CS Chapter 26

After forcing down the lunch she had packed, the fifth period began. The seemingly endless tunnel of the exam finally seemed to be nearing its end.

 

She barely remembered taking the exam. Desperate to escape, she grabbed her bag and rushed out of the school gate as soon as the bell rang.

 

She wasn’t interested in the results. She just wanted to run away to a quiet place like heaven, a place without her mother, her brother, or Cha Minjun.

 

“….”

 

Seowoo stopped dead in her tracks. To her surprise, Cha Minjun was standing at the school gate.

 

He walked towards her without hesitation. Seowoo gulped nervously, afraid of what harsh words he might utter. But,

 

“You did well.”

 

That was all he said.

 

Barely holding back tears, Seowoo asked,

 

“What did my mother say?”

 

“She asked if was serious about you.”

 

“……!”

 

“I said we’re getting married.”

 

“Didn’t my mother say anything strange? About…about the… church…?”

 

“That’s all.”

 

“Really…?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Although her mother had rambled on about virginity and other nonsense, Cha Minjun had kept the truth to himself. It was an unusually selfless act for him. He couldn’t quite understand why he had done it.

 

Seowoo, who had been holding her breath, finally burst into tears at Cha Minjun’s words. Her quiet tears gradually turned into loud sobs. She hadn’t wanted to cry like a child, but the overwhelming surge of emotions made her tears flow uncontrollably.

 

The man watched her for a long moment, and gently wiped away her tears.

 

“Sob, sob… S-sorry. I was just so surprised…”

 

“I’ve always wanted to see you cry your heart out, but it’s uglier than I expected.”

 

Cha Minjun patted Seowoo’s back like a child and added playfully,

 

“You look better when you smile.”

 

***

 

Cha Jinwoong’s order that they must meet the Cheonsin Bosal before the wedding had resulted in Ji Seowoo and Minjun setting off for a remote mountain valley in Gangwon Province at the crack of dawn.

 

“Don’t take anything that shaman says to heart.”

 

“Don’t worry. It’ll go in one ear and out the other.”

 

Ji Seowoo, sitting in the passenger seat, replied confidently. Now that the exam was over, she seemed much more relaxed.

 

Although she still seemed troubled by her mother’s sudden appearance, she was clearly trying to hide it from Minjun.

 

Minjun told Seowoo that she could invite her family to the wedding if she wanted. She replied that she would think about it, and the conversation ended there.

 

“The old man has been avoiding me lately. I wonder what he’s up to.”

 

Minjun muttered to himself.

 

Thinking back, there were quite a few strange things. Even today, for instance. If they were going to meet the Cheonsin Bosal, his grandfather would have been the first to insist on coming along. Moreover, his grandfather’s voice on the phone sounded unusually weak, which made him even more suspicious.

 

Hearing Minjun’s murmur, Seowoo quietly turned her head to look out the window. Thinking of her grandfather made her heart ache.

 

She had debated countless times whether to tell Minjun that Jinwoong didn’t have much time left, but in the end, she decided to respect her grandfather’s wishes and keep silent.

 

Minjun’s car finally stopped after a long drive through the winding forest roads.

 

The first thing that caught her eye as she got out of the car was a tall, ancient tree reaching for the sky. And right beneath it, a woman in vibrant shamanic attire was performing a ritual dance (gut) to the lively beat of a kkwaenggwari (small gong).

 

“Sadabaya maha sadabaya maha garo nigaya om sarva bayesu.” 

 

It was a spectacular sight, instantly captivating.

 

In the early stages of Junseo’s illness, Hyunsook had been heavily reliant on shamans. As a result, Seowoo had seen many shamanic rituals, but she had never seen a shaman dance so gracefully as this woman.

 

She couldn’t help but think that this shaman must be truly powerful. The woman’s dance was so beautiful that Seowoo was now certain that all the shamans Hyunsook had brought home before were frauds.

 

“Namo Amitabul Kwanseumbosal.” ¹

 

After watching the ritual in silence for a while, the Cheonsin Bosal finally placed the ceremonial swords she held in both hands on the ground.

 

After taking a deep, ragged breath, she turned to Minjun and twitched the corners of her lips.

 

“Well, well, look who it is. I’m overwhelmed that such an esteemed guest has graced my humble abode with his presence.”

 

“If you knew that, you should have come to me yourself. I regret having to make this arduous journey.”

 

Seowoo, standing beside him, coughed awkwardly, embarrassed by Minjun’s attitude. It seemed that a lifetime of arrogance made it easy for him to consider himself so important.

 

“Ah, you must be Miss Ji Seowoo. Our Godmother has shown me your image beforehand.”

 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Ji Seowoo.”

 

As soon as Seowoo offered a polite greeting, Cha Minjun subtly stepped in front of her, blocking her from the shaman’s view.

 

“I’d like to speak with you privately for a moment. Is that possible?”

 

Although phrased as a request, Minjun’s tone was so imperious that it sounded like a command. A faint crack finally appeared in the Cheonsin Bosal’s composed facade.

 

But only for a moment. She readily nodded and called out to Taerim.

 

“Taerim.”

 

Taerim, who had been standing a step behind, put down his kkwaenggwari and approached them. He was as tall as Cha Minjun and seemed to be around Seowoo’s age.

 

“Taerim, please show Miss Seowoo around the flowers so she doesn’t get bored. You must treat her with the utmost care, as she is a precious guest.”

 

“Yes, Cheonsin Bosal.”

 

“Then please take your time and look around. The scenery here is truly breathtaking.”

 

Seowoo looked at Minjun with a troubled expression. He gave her a consenting nod, figuring that looking at flowers would be better than being alone in the car.

 

“Go ahead.”

 

Seowoo followed Taerim. Minjun watched Seowoo’s slender figure as she walked away, then entered the Shaman’s shrine.

 

The room where the Cheonsin Bosal prayed was bare except for a large Buddha statue. Minjun stared at the Buddha’s serene face, his own expression as if he were about to smash it to pieces, then spoke.

 

“You’re going to write us an amulet personally?”

 

“Haha, yes. The Chairman seems to be very worried. It’s an amulet for the well-being of both of your families, so if you keep it on you with a good heart—”

 

“I don’t need an amulet.”

 

“Excuse me…?”

 

“Once my grandfather passes away, your connection with the Daehan Group will also end. That’s what I came here to say.”

 

Minjun continued cynically,

 

“You look quite disappointed. Haven’t you benefited enough?”

 

“I-I don’t understand what you’re saying…”

 

“Your connections with the Blue House have long been severed, and the only string you have left is my grandfather.”

 

The Shaman’s face paled, as if struck by his words.

 

Years had passed since she received her divine calling, but unlike her past reputation, the Cheonsin Bosal’s powers were gradually fading. A shaman losing their footing was no different from losing their life.

 

Therefore, as Cha Minjun said, she had no choice and it was only natural for her to cling desperately to the Daehan Group, her last remaining connection.

 

“You’d better stop manipulating the old man. He’s not staying quiet because he’s stupid.”

 

Just then, the Cheonsin Bosal, who had been listening quietly to Minjun, suddenly began to tremble.

 

“You… you wretch!”

 

A thunderous roar erupted from the Cheonsin Bosal’s mouth.