Chapter 14 (1/2)

“So, tell me,”

“It’s the southern greenbelt area, sir,”

“And?”

“There are immense fields of cuc.u.mbers and oriental melons in the area, sir,”

“And?”

“Due to the poor condition of transportation infrastructure, and the difficulty of access, the area is unlikely to be developed in the near future, sir,”

“Hmmm… making a pasture shouldn’t be a problem,”

“A pasture for…?”

“Horses,”

“That’s possible, sir. Pastures are not taken by the greenbelt restrictions,”

The grandfather took a slug of water, then he tapped the map several times pensively.

“Identify whether this land is available for purchase,”

“How many acres are you thinking about, sir?”

“50 acres,”

“Yes, sir,”

Only 50? I expected more than 100 acres. d.a.m.n.

When his PA backed toward the door and pulled it shut behind him, the grandfather resumed smiling.

“Now, let’s see how the land you picked changes,”

“Does land change?” I asked innocently.

“Listen, kid. I’m going to tell you something that you may not understand right now, but I want you to remember that,”

Go on. I understand everything.

“Yes, grandfather,” I said, nodding.

“Land is a living thing,”

After a little pause, he continued,

“Land is sensitive to changes, and of course the changes are made by humans,”

He bored me already.

“The important thing is that you have to make the changes work to your own advantage. When land reacts to them, you have to provide a special kind of stimulus so that its soil can change into gold dust,”

“I wouldn’t have picked the land you picked, if I had to buy land,” he added.

“Why is that?” I asked.

“It takes so long. It takes many decades for land to change into gold dust. However...”

I tilted my head.

“You are so young right now,” he said.

He was wrong. It will not take many decades. The land I picked will change into gold dust, a new town in 2 years.

It was the best jajangmyeon I’d ever had.

The new sun rose, bringing 1988 when the Seoul Olympic Games marked a historic moment for South Korea, drawing international recognition.

The smash hit TV series ‘Reply 1988’ seems like another world to me now.

Its story tells about the lives of ordinary people, while I live in the story of affluent people’s lives.

“Do-jun? What are you doing here again?” Seo-yun asked.

Look who’s talking!

“How’s your mother doing?” she asked, then went away without reply.

Her husband who is getting ready to run for the National a.s.sembly shot a very quick smile at me and stroked my hair for the most fleeting moment, then strode into the grandfather’s study.

He always gives me an eerie feeling. In particular, whenever he looked at my mother, I’d seen the coa.r.s.e look in his eyes. Because of her fadeless beauty, my mother can still attract the attention of men, and the jealousy of other women in the family which is the implicit reason they don’t warm to her.

Anyway, as that SOB pa.s.sed by me, I had to resist my impulse to pluck out his eyes.