Chapter 21 - - The Lake and the Golden Ax, Part 1 (1/2)
Na AhJung
As I sat next to Lee Jihan in the fortune teller's room, I was entranced, not by the fortune teller woman in front of me, but by the altar behind her. It was filled with brightly colored statues and large candles.
Enchanted by the unfamiliar sights, the fortune teller finally caught my attention by snapping shut her previously open fan.
&“Young woman, if you marry this man, you will die.&“
This random death announcement made my heart drop with a thud.
&“Me?&“ I asked seriously, grasping tightly at my chest, fearful that my heart might actually fall out.
&“Yes. If you marry this man, you won't live to your potential,&“ said the fortune teller.
&“Why?&“ I asked.
&“Because you, my dear, are a water sign,&“ replied the fortune teller.
&“Oh! You're right. People do see me as a water sign. Oh, you are really amazing!&“ I said, surprised.
JiHan, who had been sitting next to me, laughed at my reaction but his laughter was not my concern. I gazed hopefully at the fortune teller with my hands folded in anticipation. She started to write swiftly on a piece of paper as she continued to explain.
&“The signs are largely separated into five elements. Water, fire, wood, earth, and gold. Among these you are water, and not ocean water but lake water. Your surroundings are completely blocked. Because you are standing water, you aren't able to break out of your rut.&“
&“Oh wow. Am I really like that?&“ I asked.
&“Now, what is water's complete opposite? It is the wood sign because trees drink the water. This man you want to marry is a wood sign, and he is surrounded by many others like him,&“ the fortune teller said, underlining JiKyung's name several times.
&“What do you mean there are a lot like him?&“ I asked.
&“The wood sign is usually associated with luck in business and men. This man's fortune includes either luck when it comes to work, or he has a lot of men…&“
This amazing woman can even deduce that?! My breath stopped as I feared that the word 'gay' wouldl come out of her mouth, but JiHan interrupted.
&“If a business man is destined to have good luck in work, then it makes sense that there will be a lot of men around him.&“
&“Well, yes that is true.&“ Fortunately, the fortune teller nodded at his comment, then reverted back to talking about me. &“Anyways, this man is a wood sign. He is water's complete opposite, a tree, and all around him, he is jam packed with other numerous trees. If you had been the Pacific Ocean, then it wouldn't matter if you were surrounded by a hundred trees, but what are you? You are the water from a lake. This is stagnant water, that can be stolen by the trees. If it is completely stolen, you will dry up and die.&“
I suddenly felt parched and swallowed dryly. &“It...it can't be.&“ I meekly tried to deny it, But Lee JiHan nodded his head.
&“Of course. I knew it!&“ he said with a pleased expression on his face.
The moment I saw this, I started getting suspicious. Is this...a scam? Did he bring me here to intentionally make me think that my compatibility with JiKyung is bad? I scanned JiHan up and down suspiciously, then turned back to the fortune teller.
&“Either way, I'm still going to go through with this marriage,&“ I said as carefree as I could. &“Because without this man, I will die anyway. If I'll die either way, I'll just have to accept that my life will be cut short.&“
Like a girl who had her heart set on taking a bullet for the man she loved, I fabricated an expression of love-filled determination and shot the look at JiHan in hopes of persuading him. Treating my expression as if it was cancerous, JiHan shot back a look of equal determination which vowed to get me away from his brother.
The fortune teller's fan interrupted our staring match. Reflexively, I looked at the fortune teller. As ours eyes met, the fortune teller began to scold me.
&“Young woman, why are you thinking of dying? You should live and meet a better man.&“
&“No. To me, this man is the best man in the world,&“ I insisted.
&“What are you talking about? This man is not for you. If you want to live a better life, you need to meet a man of gold. Gold.&“
&“Gold?&“ I asked.
&“With gold, isn't it possible to make a faucet or an ax? And you are in need of those two things. You need the faucet to control the flow of your stagnant water and an ax to cut down the trees that suck you dry. So if you want to live, you have to find a man like gold.&“
&“Seriously?&“ I asked. &“It's not like it's real gold. You want me to meet a man like gold? At least if it was actual gold, I could go to the jewelry shop and meet him. Where am I supposed to meet such a man? Even trying to figure out where to start will be a pain. What, am I supposed to meet a guy with gold hanging all over his neck?&“
&“He exists,&“ insisted the fortune teller. &“To others, he's sharp like an ax, but to his wife and his family, he is like a faucet that guides them. General SuYang was like that, you need to find a man like that.&“
General Suyang...you mean that guy that killed his nephew and became king? He started a blood bath!&“
A chill ran down my spine and my throat had become so dry from shock that I couldn't swallow.
&“Your future holds such a man. Just wait a little bit,&“ she advised me.
&“No, I'm not going to wait,&“ I said, and shook my head vigorously in fear.
* * *
After we left the fortune teller's place, I stared down at the talisman the fortune teller had forced into my hand, depressed. Supposedly, I didn't feel like a stranger to her. Supposedly, her heart went out to me, and so she gave this talisman to me for free. It was meant to bring me luck, but somehow it only made me feel anxious. Next to me, JiHan unlocked the door with his car remote.
&“You know if you carry that out in the open like that, its effects will be hindered. Hurry up and put it back in your bag,&“ he said.
At JiHan's nagging, I put the talisman into my bag as my lips quivered. He walked a couple of steps in front of me, and opened the passenger side car door so I could get in.
&“Get in,&“ he said.
Hesitantly, I sat down in the passenger seat as JiHan closed the door and walked to the driver's side. He soon opened the door on his side and sat down.
&“Are you sure this is fair play?&“ Getting the feeling that I was being played, I got up the courage to confront him.
&“What does that mean?&“
&“You were already familiar with that place. If you had gone before me and told them to tell me that our compatibility was bad, then that's not fair play.&“
&“If that was the case, it wouldn't be fair play,&“ he echoed.
&“Are you saying you didn't?&“
&“I didn't.&“