Chapter 130
I have a high tolerance for alcohol.
Actually, it was something I hadn't known about myself.
At the orphanage, the only alcohol I ever had was some of the soju and beer my older brothers secretly drank.
I'd tried it once back then, but it didn't suit my taste, so I hadn't had any since.
That changed when I began drinking in earnest at the upscale bar I'd gone to with Hong Si-yeon.
When I tried it then, good heavens, soju was garbage.
High-end liquor was genuinely delicious.
Anyway, even though I drank quite a lot, I didn't get particularly drunk.
I suppose that meant my liver was that strong.
Why was I thinking about this?
"You really can hold your liquor."
"I'm pretty good with alcohol."
It was because even after we'd emptied four large bottles of wine, my mind was still perfectly clear.
"Don't you think that's awfully expensive wine?"
"No. It only costs 500,000 won a bottle."
Apparently, that wasn't a particularly large expense for a chaebol heiress.
Anyway, she gazed at the fourth wine bottle as it was cleared away, then nodded.
"Well, if you're satisfied, Mr. Noah, that's all that matters to me."
Then that's that.
The pizza here was decent enough, even if it wasn't the bulgogi pizza I'd been looking forward to.
The pasta was good, too.
"Next time, I'll buy you some delicious pizza."
"What kind of pizza could you be so confident about?"
"Fire Galbi Pizza."
"Uh, hmm. I've never tried it."
"What?!"
You haven't tried Fire Galbi Pizza?
You're missing out on half your life.
"There's a place in my neighborhood, and they specialize in delivery. I'll order some later, and we can eat it together."
"Uh... Where?"
"At my place?"
"....."
Han Yu-na hesitated.
She fiddled with her hair, took several deep breaths, and repeatedly clenched and unclenched her fists before giving a small nod.
...I'll go.
"Great. Then come over whenever you have time after the party."
"Yes! I definitely will!"
Seeing how much she enjoyed the pasta today made me want to treat her to pasta pizza as well.
.
.
.
Saturday.
When the day of the party arrived, Han Yu-na came by sometime in the afternoon.
After gathering the suit, shoes, and other accessories we'd bought last time and heading downstairs, I found her leaning against the car and looking at her phone.
"I'm here."
"Oh. You're here?"
"What are you looking at so intently?"
"Oh. It's something from work."
"Is there a problem?"
"No. There were just a few things I needed to check."
It wasn't something she personally needed to check, but she said matter-of-factly that, as the owner, it was only right to take care of whatever she could.
"You lead a difficult life."
"What can I do? I was raised this way... Anyway, you brought everything, right?"
"Yes."
"Good. Let's go."
We took her car to the Gangnam salon we'd visited last time.
When we went upstairs to the salon, the owner was waiting for us.
"Good heavens! Teacher Kang!!"
Her eyes lit up as she approached me.
Then she clasped my hand tightly.
"It would have been a disaster if not for you, Teacher!!"
Of course it would have.
In her original future, the swindler would fleece her of more than half her fortune and even take her salon from her.
But I had prevented that future.
"That bastard... That absolute bastard... Sob..."
"The world is a big place, and there are plenty of men. A woman like you can meet an even better man, Director."
...Could you introduce me to someone?
"Hmm. Would you like to turn over a card first?"
I watched the director turn over the card.
There is a man... at least.
"But, hmm. How should I put this?"
"Why?"
"He doesn't have a job."
"...Pardon?"
"But he's young."
"Even so..."
"He's handsome."
"......."
"And he has a good figure."
"...Uhhh..."
"On top of that, he's very domestic."
He's kind, wise, and good at housework.
And he doesn't cheat, either.
However, he has no ability to earn money, so he'll have to stay home and keep house.
The man and the director are supposed to meet three years from now.
Since the two of them were a perfect match in the future I saw for her, moving that meeting up by about three years shouldn't cause any problems.
Of course, if she didn't like him, perhaps I could find her another fate.
"How handsome is he...?"
"He's an aspiring actor. He's signed with Twin Entertainment, but..."
Unfortunately, he'll never make it big.
Still, he'll give up when he turns thirty and focus on supporting his wife, so he should be a help to the director as well.
"...Would it be all right if I met him?"
"Yes. I'll call Twin Entertainment. I should have that actor come here."
Of course, he has a salon under contract with the agency, but this one does a better job, and it's not as if he's switching agencies altogether, so it should be fine.
Besides, he's still an unknown actor.
He has no proper work to his name, so the salon shouldn't make much of a fuss either.
"Good heavens, to think I'd meet the man of my destiny this way..."
"Director. Today, Mr. Noah..."
"Ah! Don't worry, Ms. Yu-na! I'll make Teacher Kang look his absolute best today! And you, too, Ms. Yu-na!!"
It was reassuring that the director herself was going to take care of us.
Once I sat down, I could see several actors and idols sneaking glances at me through the mirror.
"When things calm down a little later, shall I read your future?"
"Yes! Yes!'
"Thank you!"
"Hyung!! Can I get your autograph and a picture later?"
So I had a fan here, too.
Under the director's care, I had my hair done and even got makeup applied.
During a suitable break, I read the fortunes of a few people as well, and the director went even further out of her way for me.
"Teacher Kang. How about signing a contract with our salon? Whenever you're going somewhere important, visit our salon, and I'll personally take care of you."
Apparently, the director personally handling someone was reserved for truly big-name actors or idols.
She usually charged a considerable fee for it, but she wouldn't even accept that from me.
That was how favorably disposed the director was toward me.
"Haha... I'll pass, since you're probably busy. Besides, I don't really have anywhere important to go."
"Don't you have to meet the governor of an American state, as well as important foreign officials, fairly often?"
I merely shrugged at Han Yu-na's words from beside me.
Did those really count as important occasions?
"They'd be important occasions for the people who need something from me."
"Ah... I suppose that's true, too."
Most people who wanted to meet me were the ones who needed something.
So there was no need for me to go out of my way to dress up.
"Wow... You really look amazing... I've styled countless people by now, but I've never met anyone as confident as you, Teacher Kang."
"I'm honored."
"Hmm! In that case, I'll think of this as my last chance and create a masterpiece!!"
And so the primping continued.
The result.
"Oh..."
Han Yu-na's expression brightened as she looked at me.
A faint smile lingered at the corners of her lips.
It was her way of saying she liked it.
"As expected of you, Mr. Noah. You look really dashing now that you've been all dressed up and polished."
"Do I?"
I looked in the mirror.
I couldn't really tell what had changed...
But if she said so, I suppose it must be true.
"Thank you, Director."
"No, no. I should be thanking you. Have a wonderful time! And, Ms. Yu-na! Good luck!"
After receiving the director's farewell, we left the salon.
The sun was already setting.
"Let's go."
We arrived by car at a five-star hotel operated by a Saseong Group affiliate.
Perhaps it was because the attendees this time included prominent public figures and big shots from various companies.
"There are a lot of bodyguards. That person is a bodyguard, and that person is one too."
"You can tell that sort of thing, too?"
"Don't they look like bodyguards at a glance?"
"I can't really tell..."
"I suppose it's because there are so many bodyguards like that around me."
As Han Yu-na said, they looked so ordinary that they absolutely didn't seem like bodyguards.
But there were definitely quite a few highly skilled undercover bodyguards here.
After passing them and reaching the party hall, we found security stationed at the entrance.
"You can't enter without an invitation."
"Here."
Han Yu-na took out two invitations.
Only after they checked them were we allowed inside.
"It's spacious."
"We're using half of an entire floor."
She said it confidently.
I suppose that showed how proud she was of this hotel.
"Don't you know anyone here?"
Quite a few people who'd arrived before us were there.
There were people from groups whose names everyone recognized, though they weren't quite as prominent as Saseong Group.
There were celebrities and National Assembly members as well.
But Han Yu-na didn't seem particularly concerned with them.
"They're not important people."
"They don't seem to agree."
Many people were sneaking glances this way.
I'd expected it, but there were far more of them than I thought.
In particular, the man over there had already stolen eight glances at me.
"Ms. Yu-na. Do you know that man?"
When I asked, pointing to the man who'd been sneaking glances at me, Han Yu-na furrowed her pretty brow.
"...He's annoying. He's my older brother's friend. He's from a collateral branch of the Rowen Group."
"Hahaha! Yu-na! Long time no see!!"
The man who'd been sneaking glances came over.
He approached us of his own accord with a broad grin, merely glanced at me, and then addressed Han Yu-na.
"Why haven't you been in touch lately?"
"Unlike my brother, I have no intention of associating with you."
"Come on, don't be like that. Ah, but who is this...?"
"My name is Kang Noah."
"...Oh. The fortune-teller?"
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
With a relaxed expression, he pointed to one side.
"One of my subordinates over there is good at fortune-telling too. Master Jeon Gwang, come over here."
At his beckoning, an old man in a suit approached with a smile.
Presenting him, the man confidently said,
"People say our Master Jeon Gwang is second to none in spiritual power. Teacher Kang Noah, how about we have a little contest?"
"You'll regret it."
I was serious.
In the future I saw for him, he regretted picking a needless fight with me.
But how could that man know such a thing?
He was merely ignorant, which was why he was so confident.
"Haha. Who goes through life without regrets? Master Jeon Gwang, what do you say?"
"Ahem. I'm not particularly inclined to... Ah, no. I'll do it. I will."
The old man called Master Jeon Gwang hesitated, looking genuinely unwilling.
He really looked like he didn't want to do it.
But since the man, who was practically his employer, was pressuring him, he had no choice but to step forward.
Perhaps that was why.
Even though he was visibly embarrassed, he said cautiously,
"We're in the same line of work. Couldn't you take it easy on me?"
Aw, how could I go easy on him?
You and that man have crimes to answer for.
Especially you.
"You killed two people, didn't you?