As Giju Wishes Chapter 6.1

“Are you nervous?”

“Would I be?”

Giju asked, studying Choi Geon’s expression. Today was finally the day they would hear the results from Shaman Cheon. Giju, who had been more concerned about this day than the person involved, even brought Choi Geon a glass of water to cheer him up.

“Hey, I told you to make the water temperature one degree.”

Choi Geon, who was lording it over him to his heart’s content, downed the water in one gulp and checked the time.

“Does this guy talk on the phone all day?”

Shaman Cheon had been in the middle of greeting them when he started bowing and scraping and went to take a phone call.

“He said that’s a five-million-won ritual.”

“Looks like he hooked a big sucker.”

Choi Geon, the biggest sucker of them all, clicked his tongue with a displeased look.

“Looks like Mr. Shaman Cheon has had a tough time. I think he lost weight.”

“Lost weight my ass, his face is all shiny.”

It wasn’t clear if he’d lost any weight, but his face was glistening as if he’d been eating and living well.

“Shiny?”

“Yeah, his face is fucking glowing, hey.”

“Ahem…! You weren’t talking about me, were you? Haha.”

Just as they were being thoroughly sarcastic, Shaman Cheon entered from behind them with an awkward cough.

“Geon said you’re handsome, Shaman.”

Choi Geon’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out, and he glared at Giju with a look that said, Are you crazy? He had a very serious expression.

“Do you want to die, for real…?”

“What, you said his face was glowing.”

“Hahaha, that doesn’t mean I can be you, you know~?”

Shaman Cheon added that they shouldn’t be envious.

“Mr. Shaman Cheon, you must have been popular.”

“I was quite something back in my day.”

“Shut your mouth before I seriously sew it shut.”

At their back-and-forth banter, Choi Geon spoke as if he were about to throw a punch.

“So harsh…”

“Did your phone call go well?”

At the word “phone call,” Shaman Cheon, who had been in high spirits, spoke with an offended look on his face.

“Don’t even get me started. He kept nagging for a discount, so I told him to forget it. He’s trying to skin a flea. How dare he ask for a discount from a poor citizen.”

Choi Geon, who was already in a bad mood, couldn’t stand it any longer and burst out.

“This old geezer is really out of his, mmph!”

“I know, right? To ask for a discount from a poor shaman… You did the right thing.”

Giju, who had covered Choi Geon’s mouth, played along, showing his full agreement.

“Shaman, we’ve waited a really long time, can we hear the story now…?”

As he said this, his eyes sparkled, appealing that he had been eagerly awaiting this moment.

“Hmm… Right, I should.”

“I looked into it a little myself, but I really couldn’t figure it out.”

At Giju’s words, Shaman Cheon made an unreadable expression, then snapped open a fan with a thwap and began to fan himself slowly.

“Right, it’s difficult.”

“It must have been difficult for you to find out too, Shaman.”

Shaman Cheon chuckled, “Haha,” slightly avoiding Giju’s burdensome gaze. Because he had received a lot of money, Shaman Cheon had been traveling all over the country, looking into it in every possible way. He went to shamans famous for performing the Samshin rite and even visited Buddhist monks.

But all he got back was the answer that they didn’t know. The idea of another soul being prepared within a soul, not even as a possession, simply didn’t make sense. Even Shaman Cheon, with all his years of experience, had never heard or seen of such a technique, so how could other shamans know?

“You couldn’t find it.”

Breaking the ambiguous atmosphere, the quick-witted Choi Geon blurted out. Stricken with guilt, the speed of Shaman Cheon’s fanning increased.

“Is that true, Shaman…?”

Giju, unable to hide his disappointment, asked as if denying reality.

“Ahem… Well, about that.”

Shaman Cheon, who had been thinking hard about something, stared alternately at Giju’s and Choi Geon’s faces. The golden goose Choi Geon, who might not seem serious now but was scheduled to become serious soon. The affectionate and special Giju, who had followed him well since he was young. It was impossible not to care about the two most peculiar people in South Korea.

After mulling it over and over, Shaman Cheon sighed as if giving up and opened his mouth.

“Giju.”

“Yes…”

“I’ve searched everywhere, but I can’t figure it out. The stories contradict each other, and since they’ve been passed down orally, there’s no way to confirm them… We need accurate information, but no one seems to know that much.”

Giju’s eyes, which had held a sliver of hope, wavered.

“Even the things I did hear, the information isn’t certain, so I can’t easily tell you. There were no problems with any part of the Samshin rite that Choi Geon underwent. The water in the jar varies too. Some people broke it, some lost it… But they were already born. Which means it doesn’t matter whether the water is there or not.”

“Then what do we do…”

“But you know… there’s one thing they all say.”

Shaman Cheon showed uncharacteristic sympathy instead of giving his prepared speech.

“They told me to go see the heavenly shaman, Park Shinja. They said she might know.”

At the mention of his grandmother’s name, Giju stared at Shaman Cheon with a blank expression. He showed no great surprise, as if he had already anticipated this as a last resort.

“Before that, if we were to consider another method, maybe meet your mother, Choi Geon, and…”

“Going to see my grandmother is the most certain way, isn’t it?”

Giju asked as if he had made up his mind, cutting Shaman Cheon off.

“That’s right. There’s no other way but to go and ask her. Your grandmother knows everything, from the past to the present.”

Giju didn’t know his grandmother’s whereabouts, but he answered without hesitation.

“Then I’ll do that, Shaman.”

That was how precious Choi Geon was to him.

“When you go, visit the place where the Samshin rite was performed, too. Someone like you, Giju, might be able to see something different. The heavenly shaman will probably tell you to go there anyway.”

“Grandmother…”

“You’ll be able to find her, Giju.”

It was a meaningful statement, as if he already knew the situation.

“I’ll contact you if I find out anything else.”

Giju, who was about to ask something, hesitated and then swallowed his question. He had a mountain of questions, but he would find out anyway once he met his grandmother.

“Thank you, Shaman… You’ve worked hard.”

Even though there were no results, Giju expressed his gratitude with sincerity. He knew that the shaman had gone out of his way to help despite being busy.

Thud.

“If you’re done, let’s go.”

Just then, Choi Geon poured cold water on the warm atmosphere, casually placing a card on the small dining table. For a moment, a benevolent smile spread across Shaman Cheon’s face.

“Give me the receipt.”

Choi Geon snatched the receipt that Shaman Cheon printed out and shoved it into his pocket, deliberately not looking at it. Having actually enjoyed omakase with his unlimited expense account, Shaman Cheon had spent quite a lot.

“Shaman, we’ll be going then.”

Shaman Cheon, who was cheerfully tidying up the area, briefly stared at the back of Choi Geon, who had already left.

“How much time do you think that guy has left, Giju?”

“…I’m not sure either.”

“The divine protection still seems to be going strong, though.”