Episode 43: Date
Jin Seon-ah, who had gotten out of the car, whispered softly.
“Choi Driver, you can get off early today.”
“No, Miss. If I do that, I’ll be in big trouble. How will you get back this late? Chairman Jin specifically asked me to take you home safely.”
“It’s okay. I’ll take care of myself, and I’ll make sure it’s not your responsibility, so don’t worry. You should go home early today and see your family. This is a rare secure area, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
At Jin Seon-ah’s words, Driver Choi glanced around. Samcheong Park, located near the Blue House, was a zone where no delinquents or suspicious people could approach.
Moreover, Driver Choi’s direct superior was Jin Seon-ah, not Jin Tae-chun.
Thinking it was better not to go against the young lady’s wishes, Driver Choi complied.
“Understood, Miss. I’ll trust your words and leave.”
Once the Cadillac driven by Driver Choi disappeared, Jin Seon-ah took out a hand mirror and adjusted her clothes.
After a while, pretending not to care, she walked towards Lee Chang-jin with clicking footsteps.
Lee Chang-jin, who was half-leaning against a streetlamp, waved his hand as if he was glad to see her.
“You’ve come, Seon-ah? The clothes look good on you.”
“Thank you. It’s the first time I’m seeing you in casual clothes after always seeing you in suits. Did you read some fashion magazine or something?”
He wore a matching shirt and pants, with a Parker pen as a point on his shirt pocket. The watch on his right hand and his slightly styled hair made him look sophisticated.
Lee Chang-jin smiled, showing his teeth, at Jin Seon-ah’s compliment.
“Meeting a lady, I had to put in some effort. You look great as well. But where’s your car? Didn’t you bring it?”
Looking around, Lee Chang-jin asked with a nonchalant tone.
“I was tired from a lot of work today, so I just took a taxi. But really, how could you contact me just an hour before? I’m a woman too, you know. I need time to prepare.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I was so eager to see you that I didn’t think that far.”
“Smooth talker. But what’s that in your hand?”
“Oh, I got this thinking of you. I hope you like it.”
What Lee Chang-jin was holding was an Hermes Kelly Bag made of box calf leather in brown color. The black and gold colored bag with metal accents was classic, sleek, and felt smooth to the touch. Trying it on her shoulder, she asked with a blush.
“Oh my, such good taste. How did you get this?”
“Oh, I have some connections. I gathered some information and did some legwork in advance. I was lucky. It suits you well.”
Jin Seon-ah looked at Lee Chang-jin anew. Such luxury items could only be custom-ordered in advance, not something you could simply buy with money. In fact, this item was something Lee Chang-jin had his eye on before going on a business trip and had requested through acquaintances at the Mannheim headquarters in Germany.
Fortunately, it was finished while he was staying in Germany, but the shipping and customs alone cost more than double. However, seeing Jin Seon-ah’s beaming smile made all the effort worthwhile.
Feeling good, Jin Seon-ah extended her hand. At Lee Chang-jin’s puzzled gaze, she spoke nonchalantly.
“Come on. If you call a lady out at night, you should escort her. Isn’t that right, Chang-jin?”
“Of course. Allow me to escort you.”
Kissing her hand, Lee Chang-jin naturally took her hand.
At the entrance to Samcheong Park, the name ‘三淸公園’ was beautifully engraved on a stone. As they entered the park, they were enveloped by fresh air. Stately pine trees grew here and there, and the subtle scent of pine wafted in the air. The mountain path was well-maintained with wooden steps.
The incline wasn’t steep, making it comfortable to walk even in high heels.
After walking for about 30 minutes, Jin Seon-ah seemed slightly out of breath. Seeing this, Lee Chang-jin spoke softly out of concern.
“Should I carry you if you’re tired, Seon-ah?”
“Hmph, no need for that. I haven’t given you that permission yet. Just hold my bag for a moment.”
Handing over her bag, she took off her shoes and changed the high heels to a lower heel.
After changing the heels to smaller ones, she looked much more comfortable.
“They can be used as flats. I should have worn them like this from the start.”
Her high heels had now become low-heeled flats. Feeling much lighter, she pulled his hand.
“Come on, hurry up! We’ll be out here all night.”
When they reached the top of the hill, it was quiet and peaceful. Couples were sitting on the stone walls along the dark paths, playing push and pull games.
In the serene park, the sound of insects and the glow of fireflies could be seen.
Seeing this, Jin Seon-ah exclaimed like a child.
“Wow, so pretty. I didn’t know we had such places in the middle of the city.”
“Haha, this is one of the few dating spots in Seoul. It’s great for walking and not being disturbed by others.”
She pouted her lips and teasingly asked.
“You talk like someone who’s been here often. Honestly, who did you come here with before?”
“Haha, I attended Korea High School just down there, so I know the area well. Residents sometimes come here to rest. Actually, this is my first time coming here with a lady.”
It wasn’t a lie. Even in his previous life, he hadn’t been here with anyone else. Looking up at the particularly clear sky and the sparkling Big Dipper, she lightly brushed back her disheveled hair.
“Fine, I’ll believe you. By the way, how was your business trip to Germany?”
“It was hectic. Preparing for the exhibition was no joke. It almost killed me.”
At Lee Chang-jin’s humorous comment, Jin Seon-ah’s eyes lit up as she playfully asked again.
“Oh, was it that bad? But didn’t you get to enjoy the sights? There must have been many visitors. Weren’t the German girls pretty?”
“Unfortunately, none were as beautiful as you, Seon-ah. Ah, there was an interesting exhibit. They had a submarine from the US set up. They even recreated the submarine sounds. You know, the ping ping sounds.”
“Oh really? That’s amazing. Do they do that at exhibitions?”
“Of course. They gave out souvenirs and had traditional performances during breaks. Oh, we also had a traditional Korean performance. The farmers’ dance and the spinning hat dance were very well received. It saved us.”
“Wow, that must have been really something. I thought a metal exhibition would be stiff and boring, but it wasn’t. Exhibitions seem fun. Don’t they do that in Korea?”
“Not yet. Preparing for an exhibition is no easy task. To do it properly, you need exhibition space, infrastructure, and publicity. Korea doesn’t have a dedicated organization for exhibitions yet. But things are gradually improving, so we have to wait and see.”
“That’s a shame. If there’s such an event next time, let’s go together. Don’t leave me out.”
“Alright. I’ll get the tickets in advance next time.”
The park path, with its picturesque atmosphere, made it easy to believe the legend that couples who walk in Samcheong Park at night end up getting married. The sound of water trickling from a nearby small valley could be heard.
As they walked slowly, they eventually exited the park and entered the path leading to the Board of Audit and Inspection.
Walking along the quaint stone wall path, they reached the end of the trail, and Gyeongbokgung Palace appeared right in front of them.
After touring the old pavilion, they walked another block, and there appeared a traditional tea house built in a hanok style next to a hand-made comb shop.
“My legs are tired. Shall we rest there?”
“Oh, a tea house?”
“Yes. It’s quite famous around here. I sometimes drop by when I visit a boutique nearby. It’s a pleasant place. They are known for their flower tea and Sipjeondaebotang.”
Climbing the stairs with the subtle scent of tea, they entered through the gate. Under the soft lighting, people were having conversations. Though there were no clear birdsongs like in a temple, the atmosphere exuded a cozy and warm old-world charm.
The well-used pillars and tables under the paper lamp shades were polished and shiny, and each room had its own elegant decor. The calm tones of the colors eased the mind.
Inside the tea room with its oriental decor, cushions were neatly arranged.
After taking a seat and waiting for a while, the hostess, dressed in a hanbok, brought out simple snacks of rice cakes and traditional sweets before taking their order.
“What would you like to drink?”
Jin Seon-ah asked.
“Do you have any recommendations?”
“I recommend the Persian Silk Tree flower tea. It’s newly dried and is great for calming the mind and aiding sleep. It clears your head when you feel stuffy.”
“Then I’ll have that.”
After ordering, a tea set with a hot water kettle was brought out.
As they waited leisurely for the flower tea to steep in the warm water, they both felt relaxed.
Holding the elegant teacup, she knelt and gently stirred to savor the aroma. Her graceful demeanor was captivating. As he joined her in savoring the tea, Lee Chang-jin couldn’t help but be drawn to her.
The tea had a soft, sweet taste, likely from being soaked in sugar or honey.
“By the way, Seon-ah, you seem to have lost some weight. Are you on a diet?”
“It’s not that. I’ve been under a lot of stress lately. Actually, there’s been a troublesome issue.”
“What’s the matter? Tell me about it.”
Curious, Lee Chang-jin asked, and after a moment of hesitation, she opened up.
“Actually, it’s because of the flower farm. There’s a large flower farm in Maljukgeori, but last winter’s heavy snow killed all the orchids and flowers. They couldn’t cover the fuel costs due to the oil shock. The greenhouse operator even fled in the night. So there’s now a 10,000-pyeong property up for auction, but it’s in a development-restricted area, making the auction difficult.”
Lee Chang-jin tilted his head.
“But an auction isn’t impossible, is it? The speculation restrictions are temporary, and over time, the restrictions might be lifted, causing the land prices to soar. That’s quite odd. Is there a specific problem?”
In reality, around 1969, the land in the Maljukgeori area had soared by over 80%. Having tasted profit once, people wouldn’t just pass it by.
Curious about the reason, Lee Chang-jin asked, and Jin Seon-ah sighed.
“Actually, there are about 10 households living collectively in that area. They were living there even before the flower farm went bankrupt, and after it went bankrupt, they moved into the greenhouses, converting them into homes. It’s causing a huge headache.”
“Hmm. That’s a tricky situation. Can’t they be persuaded to move?”
“Of course, we’ve tried. We even offered to help them register as basic livelihood recipients and provided relocation funds, but they refused to leave. They said they’d rather die than move. It’s a complete deadlock.”
“Have you inquired with the city or district office?”
“We’ve tried all possible means. We called the police, put up eviction notices, even used eviction services. But it’s all temporary. They sneak back in and take over again, so the city hall has given up. They said there’s no way to help because they have nowhere else to go. Whenever someone comes to see the property, they shake their heads and leave.”
Since the Jeon Tae-il incident, issues with workers and evictees had escalated from mere social phenomena to national concerns. Given the times, any threats of self-immolation would undoubtedly attract media attention, which was a big burden even for Jin Tae-chun.
“So, what’s the current auction price?”
“After three failed auctions, it’s down to about 40% of the market value. If it fails again, it’ll be around 20%. Just thinking about it makes me angry. Even with sufficient relocation funds, they refuse to leave. I can’t understand their mentality.”
Fanning herself in frustration, Jin Seon-ah gulped down her tea. After listening quietly, Lee Chang-jin asked again.
“If the residents are determined to stay, is there a way to gain their cooperation?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Actually, my cousin works in poultry farming. How about setting up a poultry farm there? I’m not interested in short-term profits from redevelopment, so giving up a couple of greenhouses shouldn’t be an issue. If housing is the fundamental problem, we could set up some containers.”
At his suggestion, Jin Seon-ah replied with concern.
“Is it that simple? I don’t mind as long as I recover my money, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It would be quite a burden for you, Chang-jin.”
“I’m not a philanthropist. If they make unreasonable demands, I can’t comply. However, we haven’t had a sincere conversation with them, have we? There seems to be room for negotiation.”
“Hmm… Do you think so? If things go smoothly, it could be a clean solution, but the residents are very stubborn…”
“Well, we’ll know once we try. Could you arrange a meeting with the residents? There’s no rush, so take your time.”
“Alright, I’ll look into it gradually. Talking with you, Chang-jin, makes me feel a bit relieved.”
Seeing her brighter expression, Lee Chang-jin smiled faintly. As they continued to enjoy their tea and snacks, a stranger approached them.
“Well, well, who do we have here? Seon-ah? Isn’t that you?”
“Teacher, what brings you here…?”
Startled, Jin Seon-ah looked back.
There stood a man in a white coat, smiling brightly.
“Oh, I came by a nearby boutique and decided to have a cup of tea. But what about you? I haven’t seen you around lately. The clothes you ordered last time are ready. How could you not come? I got tired of waiting.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’ve been busy lately.”
Lee Chang-jin eyed the man with a mix of curiosity and wariness.
Noticing the stranger, the man in the white coat asked Jin Seon-ah.
“Oh, you have company. Who’s this handsome gentleman? Your boyfriend?”
“Oh, let me introduce you. This is Lee Chang-jin. He’s a young entrepreneur running Daese Industries in Seodaemun-gu. He’s very promising.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Lee Chang-jin.”
“This is Mr. Kim Bong-soo, a famous fashion designer. He’s the first male fashion designer in Korea. Personally, he handles all my outfits.”
“Oh, don’t call me that. Just call me Kim Maestro.”
Winking, the man extended his hand for a handshake. Lee Chang-jin was surprised. Kim Maestro?
So this was the pioneer of Korean fashion and the patriarch of the fashion industry, Kim Maestro. Lee Chang-jin looked at him anew, and Kim Bong-soo smiled.
- To be continued in Episode 44 -
