Chapter 23 - - The Golden Ax Falls Into the Lake, Part 1 (1/2)

Lee JiHan

The play had ended and the audience was gone. By the time Na AhJung arrived at her dressing room, she had returned to her normal self. With a cold soda can held to both cheeks, she was sitting crouched in the tiny dressing room. She propped her chin on top of her knees and closed her eyes. When she realized I had arrived in front of her, her eyes fluttered open.

&“Oh? I thought you went home,&“ she said in surprise.

&“I was in the audience. Did you not see me?&“

&“Ahh! You were? You were watching!&“

&“You're telling me you didn't see me in this tiny theater? Are you kidding me?&“

&“It's hard to see the audience when you're on stage…

Looking like she might be in trouble, AhJung glanced hesitantly over at me.

&“Yes, this is the Na AhJung I know,&“ I accidentally said out loud.

A few moments later, I crouched down in front of her. Sitting at eye level with her, I placed my hand on top of her head.

&“Not bad,&“ I said.

&“What?&“

&“Acting. I think you can continue doing it.&“ I patted her on the head while I said this. &“Of all the things my brother said to you, I think at least this one thing was the truth.&“

&“What things?&“ AhJung asked confused.

&“You can keep following this path. It's not too late. It will work out,&“ I repeated word for word what my brother had supposedly said to her.

The best of this girl is when she is on that stage. My brother and I agreed on that.

At my words, AhJung looked back at me as if she had been hit on the back of the head with a hammer.

&“Really?&“

&“You believe my brother but when I compliment you it's fake?&“

&“No, it's...the opposite.&“

&“Opposite?&“

&“Ah, no.&“ AhJung closed her eyes and shook her head to get back to her senses. Her mind must have gone numb.

She held the soda cans to her forehead. &“Pull yourself together, pull yourself together, pull yourself together,&“ she muttered under her breath almost too quietly for me to hear.

The time this girl is on stage may be the only time she is at her best, but this was cute in its own way. Overcome by a whim, I grabbed AhJung by the arm. Her eyes flew open in response to the action.

&“Stop sitting there and stand up.&“ I stood up and pulled Na AhJung up with me.

Now that I had her up, I realized that she still had not changed out of her costume.

&“Change and come out. I'll bring the car from the lot and pick you up in the front.&“

Because she still looked shocked by the situation, I took the cans and held them to her two cheeks. At this, AhJung jumped in surprise and her eyes became as big as plates.

&“Pull yourself together, and don't leave any pieces behind,&“ I said.

Even though the cold cans were resting on her face, it grew redder.

***

While exiting the theater and heading to the parking lot, I called the fortune-teller we had met earlier that day.

&“That girl, the lake, is her future that bleak?&“ I asked.

[Lake? No, that girl only holds the water in a plate. I was trying to be kind because she was sitting in front of me, but her future is worse than I originally predicted. What could she do with that water on a plate? There's nothing that will work out for her.]

&“It doesn't seem that way, can you try looking at her fortune a bit more carefully? This girl, don't you think that the plate could grow? Perhaps it could become an enormous plate.&“

[Do you think that looking it over again will create something out of nothing? Her fortune is that of a plate.]

&“Then please make me a new talisman.&“

[Talisman? I gave you one last time. Did you lose it?]

&“No. Not one that makes her feelings fade but one that makes things work out for her. Please.&“

[Really? Well, that's not difficult, but like I've said before if she meets her man of gold, everything will work out in her favor. That will have a far better effect than a talisman.]

&“That wasn't something you made up?&“

[What are you jabbering about? I may have tricked the girl into taking the talisman because you begged me so much but I never mess with my fortune reading. The compatibility and future I read were all real. I thought that was the deal?]

&“That's true, but the thing about the man of gold was a bit disturbing.&“

[Why? Because you thought I was talking about you? Because you are gold, you thought I was making fun of you?]

&“Yes, that is what I thought.&“

[Well, I'm not able to say whether that is you or someone else. All I did was read you the fortune I saw. The rest is up to you two.]

&“Well, if that's the case, I just have to find a guy that has the same fortune as me.&“

[Do as you please. I'll have another talisman ready so come over and pick it up. I have another customer. I'm hanging up.]

The phone went silent. What was this nagging feeling? I put the cellphone back in my pocket and shook my head. I had already reached the parking lot. I sped up to get to my car faster but stopped when I saw a flower shop across the street.

***

Na AhJung

After changing back into my regular clothes and passing by the ticket booth, I saw HeeKyung cleaning up her area. She hurried over and handed me an envelope.

&“Thank you so much for today, you did great! It's not a lot, but here's your pay.&“

&“Oh, don't worry about it,&“ I said. &“The play doesn't even make that much, just buy me a drink later.&“

&“Last time you did this play, it made no money so you didn't get a dime. I should be giving you more but it's not doing all that well now either. There's just enough here to buy a drink.&“ HeeKyung forced the envelope into my hands and winked.

I put the envelope sheepishly into my bag. &“Well, if it's just enough for a drink...what are you going to do about the play tomorrow?&“

&“We got a call back from the lead a few minutes ago. She said she'll come out tomorrow.&“

&“What is wrong with her?&“ I asked.

&“She has no desperation. She has a sponsor and got the lead with such ease. The play's reaction is not all that great so she is just getting too lazy to do it. From what I hear, she's already poking around other directors to get a part in a different play.&“

I pouted, feeling cheated hearing about the life of the younger actress who had pushed me out of the spotlight.

&“AhJung, that man you introduced to us last time as your future brother-in-law, he was here today. What's your relationship with him?&“

I was a bit taken aback by her suspicious tone. &“What do you mean relationship? What are you talking about?&“

Did she see something in the dressing room when he had made me blush? My face blushed red again as it had in front of JiHan earlier. At my reaction, HeeKyung raised her eyebrows.

&“When he came to the ticket booth and I greeted him, he claimed he was neither your friend, nor your future brother-in-law. What is he?&“ she asked doubtfully.