Forgiveness and Fortunes
"What does my face say about my fortune?"
"Shh."
Arang placed a finger over her lips.
The young girl's eyes shimmered a deep, watery blue.
"We don't talk about things like that. It can always change, you know?"
"She speaks the truth. While there is no harm in revealing what has already passed, foretelling what is yet to come may inadvertently twist the threads of fate."
As Asin agreed, Arang looked up at her with admiration.
Arang sidled up to Asin, shyly fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve.
"Sister, I want to talk to you more, but I have so much to tell Ran right now... Can we talk next time?"
At her bashful words, Asin gazed down at her warmly.
"Of course. Did Noel not promise to purchase a mobile phone for you?"
"Yeah! Buy me one in a pretty color."
Arang looked at Noel expectantly.
"I'll pick out a nice one," Noel replied.
"Noel."
"Yes?"
"Is the kitty coming too?"
"Of course. His name is Kkamangi."
Noel chuckled, spotting Kkamangi peeking out from behind a tree.
He had thought the cat spirit might find the water fascinating, but it turned out he still detested it.
Even at home, Kkamangi would follow him to the bathroom, chattering away, only to bolt the second the faucet was turned on.
I wonder if they'll ever get along.
It seemed highly unlikely.
"Well, see you next time too."
Arang waved with a bright, silly grin.
"Yes. I'll bring something nice when I visit next time."
"Then I shall prepare something pretty for you as well. Since you love material things so much."
After teasing Noel, Arang glided over the water and stopped in front of Tamrang.
Tamrang watched her with a somewhat sharp gaze, but Arang merely offered him a beaming smile.
"See you next time, too."
"...Are you bidding me farewell?"
"Of course. It's not like you're a bad person."
Arang nodded cheerfully.
"My thanks. I shall visit again."
Tamrang bowed his head slightly, then moved to follow Noel.
Arang waved vigorously, shouting, "Goodbye!"
Once they vanished from sight, Arang turned her gaze back to Ran.
"Ran."
"Yes, My Lady."
Ran smiled softly.
"You can cry now. I will listen to you for as long as you need."
Arang stood on her tiptoes to gently pat Ran's head.
"...May I really?"
"Of course. You did so well. You endured for so long."
Arang comforted Ran, who had spent such an agonizingly long time in solitude.
"So, Ran... did you dump him or not?"
When Arang asked, driven by her own personal curiosity, Ran's face flushed a bright, burning crimson.
"Noel."
Kkamangi walked alongside Noel, his fur puffed up.
"Yeah?"
"There's too much water. I don't want to come back here."
"But I saw fish over there."
"...Really?"
Kkamangi's fur smoothed down instantly, and his tail shot straight up.
"Really. Didn't you see them?"
"I didn't see them! I want to go look!"
"If you go back, that god from earlier will chase you. Still want to go?"
"Noel has to come too!"
Kkamangi immediately clung to Noel's leg. He hated being alone.
"I'm going home... actually, no, I'm going to see Uncle. I'll hang out at his office until he finishes, and then we can get meat."
"Meat?"
Kkamangi's ears perked up. He looked as if he were already drooling.
"Of course. I need to replenish my blood. We're having beef tartare and grilled beef."
"Me too!"
Kkamangi bounced up and down excitedly.
"Alright. We did a good job today, so let's eat a lot."
"Yay, yay!"
Kkamangi nodded vigorously.
As Noel stumbled mid-stride, Asin quickly caught him.
"Are you alright?"
"Of course."
"Your complexion is paler than usual. Did you not stumble earlier as well? Perhaps it would be best to return home straight away."
Asin's brow furrowed with deep concern.
"I did spill some blood. I wonder if Uncle will worry."
"Shin Hyeon won't know! Even I didn't know!"
As Kkamangi tilted his head, Noel chuckled, leaning down to stroke his back.
"What's wrong? Do you want some too?"
Noel noticed that someone had stopped walking behind him. Sensing no movement, he turned around.
"It is not that."
"Then what is it?"
"Nothing. I was merely reflecting on what just transpired. That human caused her to waste hundreds of years. How could she forgive him so easily?"
Ran had every right to harbor a deep, burning desire for vengeance against Chan-i. Yet, she had forgiven him.
"No, Tamrang. Forgiveness is never easy. There is no such thing as easy forgiveness in this world."
"Then how did she bring herself to do it?"
"Because she missed him for a very long time. I guess her longing was greater than her resentment. Besides, the ghost had to move on, while Ran had to stay behind, right? That forgiveness was for Ran's own sake."
"...Is that so? It seems she chose to let him remain as a memory."
"Are you seriously agonizing over this?"
"I am. My memories are unstable, but if I were to encounter the being who dragged me down from the heavens, I might remember everything. I... do not wish to become a specter of vengeance."
"Why?" Noel asked out of genuine curiosity.
"Because if I were to consume myself with revenge, it would be as if I were admitting that my choices were wrong. I believe I did the right thing."
"Then your belief is correct."
Noel lightly tapped Tamrang's arm.
Stepping out into the world forced them to see and think about many things. It was a positive change.
"Noel. What is it that you harbor anger toward?"
"...Huh?"
For a second, Noel flinched, feeling as though his innermost thoughts had been laid bare. Perhaps it was because Tamrang was a former Seven Star God, but he seemed to see right through him.
"I am not skilled in speaking, but I am a good listener. And my lips are sealed. If you ever wish to speak of it, you may come to me."
Tamrang offered a faint smile.
Whoa. Even Tamrang smiles?
Startled, Noel patted his chest in mock relief.
At that gesture, Tamrang's smile vanished instantly. Noel quickly pulled out his phone.
"Ah... right. There's somewhere I need to look up."
Noel naturally avoided Tamrang's gaze and began scrolling through his phone. He walked as he searched for a place that could melt down gold bars into necklaces or bracelets.
"Noel. Can you not look at that once we return home? You will trip."
Asin watched Noel's steps with anxiety.
"They said to make a necklace or a bracelet and have Uncle wear it. This needs to be handled urgently. And Asin, even if I trip, what's the worst that could happen? A scraped knee?"
Despite his words, Noel looked at Asin with a happy smile. He genuinely liked being cared for.
"Do not look so pleased."
Asin let out a long sigh.
"Ah, I found a suitable place. Let's head there first."
Noel had located a decent workshop. Lowering his phone, he walked on with a light, cheerful step.
Noel found his uncle's office empty.
He had messaged him beforehand, but his uncle seemed to be busy.
After giving a pointless knock, Noel walked in and immediately collapsed onto the sofa.
Since the workshop had enough material to make three necklaces, he had ordered one for Jang Yul as well. Naturally, each had a different design.
I hope the Buddhist prayer beads for Uncle are being made well, too.
Noel swung his legs lightly and closed his eyes.
With Kkamangi off exploring the office and Asin following to keep an eye on him, the room was remarkably quiet.
"Are you exhausted?"
At Tamrang's question, Noel opened his eyes, looked at the deity crouching in the corner, and laughed softly.
"Of course I am. I walked a massive distance today. Must have been over ten thousand steps."
"Exercise more."
"Asin said the exact same thing."
Noel yawned as he spoke.
"I knew you were a weakling, but losing blood today must have made it worse."
"Oh? Why are you being so kind today?"
"I was always of a gentle disposition. It is the world that made me this way."
Tamrang's voice was thick with grumbling resentment, making Noel chuckle.
"Is that so? Well, I'm not usually this nice. You saw right through me, Tamrang."
"I figured as much, but is that not a good thing?"
"I suppose. Oh, by the way, you asked earlier why I helped Ran, right?"
"Is that not water under the bridge?"
"I just remembered. I helped Ran because I believed that even after so much time, meeting each other is far better than never meeting at all. It's not like seeing each other's faces just once is a crime. That's why I did it."
Noel gently closed his eyes.
He did so out of fear that a deep, aching longing might show in his own eyes.
Knock, knock.
At the sound of the knock, Noel adjusted his posture.
"Yes, come in."
Noel's voice was bright.
An employee of the firm walked in carrying a cup of juice.
"Here, have a drink. The representative will be back shortly."
"Thank you."
Noel took the cup and took a sip.
The employee should have left by now, but she was lingering, hesitating.
"Is there something you'd like to say?"
"I... well, I happened to overhear. Are you a shaman?"
"That's right. Though I don't specialize in fortune-telling, so there are only a few things I can see."
Noel smiled casually and glanced at Tamrang.
Knowing exactly what Noel wanted, Tamrang spoke with a disgruntled look on his face.
"My sight is not what it once was, so keep that in mind."
I know, I know, Noel replied inwardly.
He was well aware that since Tamrang had been forcibly dragged down from his position as a Seven Star God, almost none of his divine power remained.
"I'll only tell you what I can see. I won't be taking any questions beyond that. Is that alright with you?"
"Yes... that's fine."
"That will be fifty thousand won. Bank transfer is fine too."
"Just a moment."
The employee fumbled around and pulled out some cash. Had she prepared this in advance?
"Here you go."
The moment Noel received the cash, a smile perfectly suited for a capitalist society bloomed on his face.
"Thank you. Let's begin right away."
Noel locked eyes with the employee and gestured for Tamrang to start.
The employee swallowed hard.
Even though he was just staring at her, she felt a strange, uncanny pressure. His expression grew cold and vacant, as if he had suddenly been possessed by a spirit.
"Tell her to break up with him. Immediately. He might raise his fists."
"Break up with him. Right now," Noel said, acting as Tamrang's mouthpiece.
"P-pardon?"
"He might raise his fists against you."
Noel clenched one of his hands into a tight fist for emphasis.
"There is a lump in her chest. She must get it examined."
"There's a lump in your chest. Go get it checked out."
"I see a path of changing jobs, but she must not take it. That workplace is not what it seems."
"You'll get a job offer soon, but don't take it. Do not change jobs."
"That is all."
"And we're done."
Noel closed his eyes, then slowly opened them. A gentle smile returned to his lips.
"H-how did you know? I didn't even give you my date of birth..."
"The deity I serve is incredibly powerful, so he tells me these things right away."
"Ha!"
Tamrang scoffed in disbelief.
Noel let the deity's scoff go in one ear and out the other. No matter how many times Tamrang expressed his exasperation, no one else could hear him anyway.
"Will he really... raise his fists? He doesn't seem like that kind of person at all."
When the employee asked hesitantly, Noel replied nonchalantly.
"You've felt that unsettling vibe before, haven't you? Why ignore your gut? Never ignore it. It's an instinctive sense humans are born with to protect themselves."
"..."
The employee fell silent. It seemed something had indeed crossed her mind.
"The job offer will look much better than your current position. It'll be tempting. But you must not go."
"...Why?"
"Despite its outward appearance, that company is currently on the verge of collapse. You won't even get paid. You might be shocked when you actually receive the offer."
"Is it really that bad?"
"Absolutely. I'm not saying this just because my uncle is the head of this firm. Do not let yourself be swayed. And make sure to visit the hospital."
"...I have a family history, so I got checked just last year. To think a lump has formed already..."
The employee spoke in near despair.
"But you found out now. It's still early enough. Don't worry too much."
Noel smiled, but a thought crossed his mind.
Was that... too short?
Did she need more?
He couldn't help but feel that fifty thousand won was a bit steep for such a brief reading.
"Noel!"
Kkamangi walked proudly through the closed door. He looked bright and cheerful, having thoroughly enjoyed his exploration.
Where is Asin?
Noel pressed his lips together. She was probably waiting just outside the door.
Kkamangi leaped onto Noel's lap, then tilted his head as he looked at the employee.
"Huh?"
Something had caught his attention. Kkamangi pointed a paw at her.
"Someone was totally swearing at that human earlier."
"Is the reason you're considering changing jobs because of workplace harassment?" Noel smoothly translated Kkamangi's words.
"......Yes."
"But Shin Hyeon saw everything!"
At Kkamangi's follow-up, Noel offered a gentle smile.
"Don't worry. It will be resolved soon."
"Soon...?"
The employee's eyes widened.
"Yes. Very soon."
Noel casually sipped his drink.
After a brief silence, the door opened.
"Yeong-hyeon."
Shin Hyeon stopped mid-sentence. He hadn't expected an employee to be in his office.
"...Oh, Ms. Min-ah."
"Representative. I was just about to leave. I'm sorry."
"No, it's fine. Yeong-hyeon, could you go wait in my car for a bit?"
Shin Hyeon tossed his car keys to Noel.
"Sure."
Noel stood up obediently like a well-behaved child.
As he brushed past his uncle, he caught a glimpse of Shin Hyeon's hardened expression.
Just as Kkamangi had said, it seemed his uncle had witnessed everything.
Before stepping out, Noel turned back, gave his uncle a silent cheer of encouragement, and left.
Surely, things would turn out well.
A knock on the car window woke Noel from a light doze.
As he unlocked the door, Shin Hyeon climbed in with an apologetic look.
"Did you wait long?"
"No, I'm fine."
Noel rubbed his eyes and looked at Shin Hyeon. It was hard to read his uncle's expression.
"Uncle. Did you resolve the workplace bullying?"
At Noel's casual question, Shin Hyeon gasped in surprise.
"H-how did you know?"
"Who do you think I am?"
Noel grinned.