The Island Village Shaman Dad Is a Chaebol's Illegitimate Child... 10
He hadn’t come alone. He’d brought a familiar woman with him, and at a glance the pair had the unmistakable aura of celebrities. Unmarried, from a good family, well educated, tall, and handsome in a way that seemed almost unfair—Lee Hyung-wook had the kind of life that made it impossible to feel surprised by anything about him.
"Long time no see?"
He held out his hand with all the arrogance of someone used to getting his way. Kang-to wasn’t so petty as to refuse a handshake, so he took it.
"So you really did become a shaman after all?"
Lee Hyung-wook gave Kang-to a slow once-over. It was his clothes, of course. He looked different from the other shamans, but there was no hiding the shaman’s atmosphere clinging to him.
"Is there such a thing as low and high in a person’s line of work?"
Kang-to smiled.
"Well, some people think so."
"Did you come to see me?"
"Not particularly. I was thinking of touring the island while I was here. What kind of place is it, anyway, that caught the eye of our father and even Chairman Jo of Taebaek?"
"Chairman Jo? You know him?"
"We’re rather close, you could say."
"Then wouldn’t it have been proper to pay him a hospital visit?"
"That’s my own decision."
"Freedom comes with responsibility."
"What did you say?"
"I’m talking about your father. At the very least, he should have come to see our mother’s spirit by now, don’t you think?"
"Why? So you could ask him for your share?"
A sneer curled at the corner of Lee Hyung-wook’s mouth. And that was enough to stir the righteous pride in Kang-to’s chest.
"In any case, he did what he did, and he acknowledged it."
"That’s your father’s view."
"You’re worried your own share of the inheritance might shrink?"
"And who exactly do you think you are, trying to lay claim to our family’s assets?"
"‘Trying to lay claim’ is the phrase I should be using. From the perspective of the gods, even a conglomerate’s astronomical fortune is nothing more than dust in the universe."
"Looks like you still haven’t fully recovered from your illness."
"Thank you for your concern. Then by all means, enjoy the island."
He kept pushing the address in that direction. He had no intention whatsoever of calling him brother.
Lighthouse Shrine
"The sign by the lighthouse?"
Lee Hyung-wook’s gaze landed on the new placard.
"That’s right."
"That thing over there... are you saying this is a fortune-teller’s place, not a lighthouse?"
"Would that be a problem?"
"That’s unusual. You really do have the sort of mental world that’s hard to understand."
"The island’s walking trail is over there."
Kang-to pointed toward the road opposite the lighthouse.
"Oppa."
Then the woman who’d come with him cut in.
"Is this the person?"
"Yeah."
"A shaman at that age?"
"So they say."
"This’ll be fun. I want him to read my fortune."
"Hey, Yoo Jae-hee."
"What? What’s the big deal? A fortune told at a lighthouse... doesn’t that sound romantic? You can read my fortune, right? Your name was... Master Kang-to?"
Yoo Jae-hee beamed at Kang-to. At the same time, a strong scent of perfume drifted over.
"A shrine is a place open to all. So long as you don’t come with disrespect in your heart, I won’t turn you away."
"Then please read my fortune. I’ll pay you handsomely."
"Yoo Jae-hee, are you serious?"
"Come on, let’s go in and see whether you and I are compatible. I’d wanted to see for myself anyway."
"Then go to Seoul and have it done there. Why this guy?"
"My brother really doesn’t know anything. A shaman like him is supposed to be good at reading people with a deep story, you know?"
As Yoo Jae-hee’s charm struck like lightning, Lee Hyung-wook let out a defeated sigh.
"Manager Seo, please show our guest in."
Once they reached the lighthouse, he called out to Manager Seo.
"A real customer actually came."
Manager Seo murmured under his breath. He was astonished by Kang-to’s foresight. But only that far. He still didn’t know much about Kang-to’s biological father.
"What sort of fortune would you like to have read?" Manager Seo asked from the reception desk.
"Hmm... I’m wavering between two new dramas, and I need to decide which one to take? I live on an island, so maybe I don’t know much, but this is a very important matter."
"Understood."
"How much is the fee? Can I pay by card or phone pay?"
Yoo Jae-hee waved her phone.
"Take ten million won."
Kang-to’s voice came from inside the shrine.
"He says it’s ten million won."
Yoo Jae-hee turned to Lee Hyung-wook.
"That’s insane... let’s just go."
Lee Hyung-wook turned on his heel first.
"No. A shrine this isolated, this hidden away... somehow I think the spiritual force here must be strong."
Accepting Kang-to’s summons, Yoo Jae-hee followed Lee Hyung-wook into the shrine.
"Only the person getting the fortune read may come inside."
Kang-to stopped Lee Hyung-wook at the entrance.
"But we’re the kind of people who can see it together."
Yoo Jae-hee protested, but Kang-to cut her off.
"A fortune reading is like the operating room of fate. No matter how close you are, you can’t lie down on the table together."
"Wow."
With a cool snort, Lee Hyung-wook stepped back out of the shrine.
"You’re impressive."
Yoo Jae-hee smiled faintly.
"What do you mean?"
"Our Hyung-wook... no one dares talk down to him like that. But you don’t seem even a little intimidated."
"A shaman’s disciple doesn’t cower before anyone except the deity who has descended into his body."
"Oh, that attitude. Fake genes or not, you two really do have a lot in common."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing. I’m here for my fortune."
Yoo Jae-hee straightened her posture. She was quick on her feet, and her charm was dazzling.
It was because of the Hongyeom Sal. Hongyeom Sal is a subcategory of Do Hwa Sal. If Do Hwa Sal amplifies a person’s appeal to the masses, Hongyeom Sal works more powerfully on a specific target. But because it still belonged to the Do Hwa Sal family, her friendliness and likability inevitably spilled over onto others as well.
"You’re choosing between dramas?" Kang-to asked.
"Do you know me?"
"I think I’ve seen you in commercials."
"The film I released last time flopped hard. I expected it to hit ten million admissions easily—the story was solid, the cast had great chemistry, everything was there—but then political currents got in the way..."
"I see..."
"So this drama decision is important. To be honest, I even had someone in the broadcasting world who checks shamanic authenticity—Gwangju’s Great Bodhisattva, Cheonji Bodhisattva—read my fortune for me."
"Then I should probably verify it?"
"That’s how important this is. Besides, a lighthouse shaman sounds kind of romantic."
"Thank you."
"But the fee is a bit too steep. Cheonji Bodhisattva only charged three million won."
"Then shall we make it pay on results?"
"Pay on results?"
"If I’m right, you transfer the money. If I’m wrong, you can leave it at that."
"Oh my, you’re very cool about this."
"First, let’s take a look at your fate."
Kang-to narrowed his gaze. Then the deity descended, and a light dawned in his one eye. Through that eye, Yoo Jae-hee’s fate battery became vividly clear.
Health Luck ▮▮▮▮▮
Wealth Luck ▮▮▮▮▮
Career Luck ▮▮▮▮▮
People Luck ▮▮▮▮▯
Family Luck ▮▮▯▯▯
Merit Vault ▮▯/▮▯/▯▯
It was good.
Starting with health, wealth, the business luck tied to it, and even her career, everything shone as brightly as polished crystal. Her people luck was at least above average. As for family luck, her marriage luck was at rock bottom, but by the time she reached her later years, a partner would appear. An entertainer was everyone’s lover, after all, so her current single life wasn’t such a bad thing.
The Merit Vault was average too. On her grandfather’s side and her parents’ side, the score came out to an even middling level. She herself had not yet developed any connection to merit, but she still had plenty of life ahead of her, so that could change however it pleased.
Even so, Kang-to’s brow furrowed hard. It was because of her people luck. Up until now there had been no problem, but this year it had dropped sharply. The aftershock was already rushing in like a tsunami. The darkness gathering at the center of her forehead was a reflection of that.
Fortune reading complete.
"That’s enough. Now ask whatever you wanted to know."
"Just like I said at the desk. There are two new dramas starting up, and both are incredible. Each one has a top-tier producer attached, and the production companies are serious names. The writers are amazing too. If I had my way, I’d do both, but they’re both starting within a month or two, so I have to choose."
"Which path is better?"
"Exactly. I need to restore my reputation after laying an egg with my last film. But these days, even productions with huge investments sometimes crash and burn in the ratings, so which producer should I choose if I want the better result?"
"I don’t think I need to read your fortune for that."
"Pardon?"
"The answer is already there."
"What do you mean? I haven’t even signed a contract yet."
"There’s rice there, isn’t there?"
Kang-to pointed to the small tray beside Yoo Jae-hee.
"Take a pinch of it."
"Like this?"
"There’s probably someone who’s left a good impression on you recently. Say that person’s name and scatter the rice across the tray."
"Are you a rice-reading shaman?"
"Just do it."
Kang-to gave a slight nod.
Rice.
He had once considered what medium to use for the divine message. A fan would do. A spirit bell would do. Whatever he chose wouldn’t have been a problem. But today, rice had caught his heart. Rice is a storehouse of essence. At birth, the guardian spirits bring essence with them. It becomes spirit, and it becomes vitality. Since the human body and mind are made of essence, there could be no better symbol.
Rustle.
Yoo Jae-hee scattered the rice over the tray.
"Oh my."
She jerked back at once. It was because of the tray. The grains she had just scattered had spelled out a name.
Kang Soo-ha
It was a senior of hers in the entertainment world, a skilled actor known as a true social butterfly. She liked Yoo Jae-hee, and had strongly recommended her as the female lead for one of the two dramas. So Yoo Jae-hee had never forgotten that kindness.
"Wow, that’s amazing."
Her eyes never left the rice grains. It would have been hard to write a name even on purpose, yet the grains she had simply scattered had formed one. More than that, the process itself was impossible to ignore. Yoo Jae-hee had never spoken Kang Soo-ha’s name out loud beforehand. So it wasn’t fake either.
"Take another pinch," Kang-to said.
"I did."
"This time, say the name of one of the two drama producers and scatter it."
"Hwang Dae-woong."
Rustle.
"...?"
Yoo Jae-hee’s expression froze. This time, no name appeared.
"There’s another drama, right?"
"Kim Tae-woo."
Rustle.
"...?"
The same thing happened again. The rice scattered like ordinary grains of sand and nothing more.
"Your people luck has been touched by an inauspicious influence. The drama has already slipped away, so take this chance to rest a little and build some merit. If you don’t, I think you’ll run into something far worse."
"Kang Soo-ha."
Rustle.
"Ji-yeon-hee."
Rustle.
Without warning, Yoo Jae-hee went charging ahead, first with Kang Soo-ha’s name and then with her mother’s. The rice formed letters for both names. That left Yoo Jae-hee speechless.
My divine reading is complete.
"That’s it? That’s the whole reading? You scatter a few grains of rice and charge ten million won?"
"That’s the divine message my body deity gave me. You can’t go to both producers, so... if you force it and try to take both, you’ll suffer a great calamity."
"Hey. You should be more specific than that."
"I’ve already given you the result."
"Ugh."
Annoyed, Yoo Jae-hee stood up.
A good reading.
In other words, a solution.
The people who came to shamans carried troubles they couldn’t speak of. Some, like Yoo Jae-hee, came for fun or reassurance, but most came for the former. To put it in medical terms, it was an inquiry into the possibility of a cure.
There’s no treatment. There’s nothing we can do.
If that sort of diagnosis came back, even a celebrated doctor couldn’t possibly feel easy about it. Patients sought out the best precisely because they wanted a solution they couldn’t hear anywhere else.
Kang-to was no different.
She had been the first official guest to enter the Lighthouse Shrine. That was why he had wanted to give her a positive answer. But he couldn’t invent words that weren’t true. That would have gone against the will of the deity who had descended into him.
"What did he say?"
As Yoo Jae-hee came out, Lee Hyung-wook asked.
"I don’t know. He’s totally insane... and a con artist."
"Right?"
"He had me toss a few grains of rice around and then said both dramas were already lost."
"What would some country bumpkin on a remote island know about Jae-hee? He probably doesn’t even realize it’s an honor that she came here at all."
"I think so too. Ugh, my mood is ruined."
"Lighthouse shaman? Hah."
Lee Hyung-wook’s eyes drifted to the lighthouse. How could someone be so ignorant of the ways of the world? Still, perhaps that was better. If he ran out to Seoul and started pretending to be Chairman Lee Tae-seop’s son, or went around impersonating Lee Hyung-wook’s younger brother, there would be no greater headache.
"Mother, I came to the island, so you don’t need to worry. It looks like this guy plans to settle down here and live as a shaman. That works out well for us, doesn’t it?"
The call wasn’t long.
Lee Hyung-wook’s visit to the island had been prompted by his mother, Eun Jeong-mi’s, concern. What had hit her hardest when Kang-to appeared was the sheer stress of it. Born as the youngest daughter of a family of educators, she now ran a school foundation. It wasn’t just her husband’s affair that bothered her; she also couldn’t bear anything that would stain the honor of her own family of scholars. The reason she had accepted Lee Tae-seop’s apology and persuasion was simple: she disliked the thought of this disgrace becoming the talk of society.
Still, she had been uneasy.
After more than thirty years, Lee Tae-seop’s biological son had appeared out of nowhere, like a bolt from the blue. He said he’d gone to the island because of severe shinbyeong, but they couldn’t ignore his recent circumstances.
The situation also aligned neatly with the interests of Lee Hyung-wook and Lee Eun-seo. They were both planning to divide up their parents’ business between them in a friendly, tidy way. There had even been an unspoken understanding between the two of them.
And then.
Kang-to had appeared. A thunderbolt of an illegitimate son, Lee Kang-to. So they couldn’t simply leave him alone, either.
A shaman.
They hadn’t expected him to follow his mother’s path. And on top of that, he had remodeled a lighthouse into a shrine. That meant Lee Kang-to had no intention of leaving the island. And, although they didn’t really care about the reading, the fortune itself had been a total disaster. So there was no way they could feel anything but relieved.
"Daddy!"
Sol-bi, who had been playing in the tidal flats, ran toward the lighthouse. Kang-to came out to greet her. The sight caught Lee Hyung-wook’s eye.
"Whoa."
There it was again: whoa. That man was that child’s father?
Then he must have had the child in his early twenties. To Lee Hyung-wook, the whole family seemed completely dysfunctional, beyond normal limits.
"I’m hungry. Why don’t we have some sashimi at that sashimi restaurant over there, just to make do?" Lee Hyung-wook said, pointing toward Park Captain’s sashimi restaurant, now swollen with his own sense of superiority.
"Do you think they even have anything worth eating?"
"If not, should we head to Gyecheong Island?"
"Oh? It’s Brother Kang calling. That side doesn’t look like it has any good restaurants either, so just order something yourself."
Yoo Jae-hee, who had taken out her phone, turned toward the shore.
"Brother Kang? What’s up?"
Her tone had been warm and cheerful as she took the call, but then her smile snapped off like a cliff edge.
"W-what? Is that really true?"
"What’s wrong?"
As Yoo Jae-hee trembled, Lee Hyung-wook hurried over.
"I... I..."
Yoo Jae-hee’s gaze, shaking like a young birch in the wind, was fixed on the lighthouse. And then... just as she lost all strength, she forced out one word like a groan.
"A... a spot-on fortune reading..."