Chapter 743 - Mori Aikko’s Audition (4) – Part 2
Ms. President Choi left Gun-Ho’s table when a group of new customers entered the restaurant. Mr. Yoshitaka Matsuda asked Gun-Ho, “It seems that you’ve known Ms. Mori Aikko for a long while, Mr. President Goo. If you don’t mind me asking… can I ask you how you know Ms. Mori Aikko, sir?”
“Umm, actually… I’m Mori Aikko’s sponsor.”
“Huh? Mori Aikko’s sponsor, sir? That’s surprising. I thought that Mori Aikko would have a Japanese sponsor with an enormous amount of money. I’ve never expected to see her having a foreigner as her sponsor.”
Director Woon-Hak Sim didn’t seem to understand the conversation between Gun-Ho and Mr. Yoshitaka Matsuda. He asked, “What is a sponsor for a geisha?”
Mr. Yoshitaka Matsuda didn’t answer Director Sim’s question, but instead, he asked another question to Gun-Ho, “I guess you put her hair up then, Mr. President Goo.”
“Yes, I did.”
“Of course, you are an Otoko (man).”
Mr. Yoshitaka Matsuda clapped in amazement.
Gun-Ho then explained to Director Woon-Hak Sim and Director Yan Wu about the “culture of a geisha’s sponsor.”
Director Yan Wu nodded his head first and said, “I watched the movie—Memories of a Geisha—and it showed the sponsor culture in the geishas’ world. In the movie, the actress—Ziyi Zhang—who played a geisha role, had a sponsor.”
Gun-Ho ordered one more bottle of soju and said, “What we talked about here must be kept between us. It shouldn’t go outside of the room, okay? Especially, you can’t talk about it to Ms. President Jeong-Sook Shin when we go back to Korea. President Shin is in a very close relationship with my wife. Once my wife finds out about Mori Aikko, I will be kicked out of my house.”
Mr. Yoshitaka Matsuda and Director Woon-Hak Sim laughed out loud. When Gun-Ho saw Director Yan Wu looking puzzled, he briefly explained the situation. Director Yan Wu joined the other two men in laughing out loud.
Mr. Yoshitaka Matsuda said as he was opening the new bottle of soju that they ordered additionally, “Sir, we have this proverb in Japan. In the world between men, we don’t talk about anything that happened below our belly button. If someone talks about another man’s story related to whatever below his belly button, that person is deemed not a man.”
“Thank you. By the way, I have a question for you, Mr. Yoshitaka Matsuda, if you don’t mind me asking. Since I’m drunk, I will be less careful hoping you understand. I’ve been wondering about your family. Where are they living?”
Mr. Yoshitaka Matsuda replied with a cynical smile, “You’ve been wondering about my family? I have a wife and a daughter too. She is a senior in high school.”
“Oh, is that right?”
The trip of two nights and three days in Japan was a romantic trip to Gun-Ho, and it was the time when he had to go back home. Before leaving Japan at the Haneda Airport, Gun-Ho stopped by the duty-free shop and bought some gifts for his family such as Shiseido skincare products, liquors, t-shirts for women, baby stuff, and toys. Gun-Ho wanted to butter up Young-Eun.
Gun-Ho came back home with lots of gifts that he purchased at the duty-free shop in the airport.
“Sang-Min, daddy is home.”
“How was your trip?” Young-Eun came out to the front door to greet Gun-Ho.
“Good. How are you?”
“What are all those?”
“These are for you and our baby boy. I bought some cosmetics for you and toys for Sang-Min.”
Young-Eun opened what Gun-Ho brought home.
“I have skincare products at home already. You didn’t have to buy all these.”
“Just save them somewhere, and use them after you finish the ones that you are using right now.”
“Did you pick these toys yourself? I don’t understand why you chose these.”
“What’s wrong?”
“These toys are for older boys like elementary schoolers. Our baby boy is not even one year old yet. He can’t possibly play with these now. Did you seriously pick a robot toy for Sang-Min?”
“Umm, well, we will save them until Sang-Min grows old enough to play with them then.”
“What are these for?”
“Oh, those are for your father in Silim Town. I bought two bottles of liquor for him. And, the t-shirts and pajamas over there are for you.”
“The t-shirts look okay. I like them. Well, I’m glad you are back home safely. Go and wash yourself. I will set the dinner table.”
Gun-Ho quickly went to the bathroom and took a deep shower. He meticulously washed himself as if he tried to wash off any trace that might be still on him from Mori Aikko.