Chapter eleven
If there was anything Ga Eul wore, that quite matched the sophisticated designs on the tea cups, which Madam So preferred to use, it was only a platinum ring in her hand. The rest of her clothing she dressed herself in were not as much as synchronising with any of the items in that bedroom than that piece of jewellery. The ring of course, had it's own origins connected to the lady herself whom Ga Eul was serving.
As well as her attire, the whole chamber depicted her special liking to the sophisticated. The portrayals on the walls, the detailed thick carpets covering the teak floor and the many little artefacts on the shelves , which Ga Eul later came to know, as souvenirs from the various expeditions she had been with her abeoujji. As far as Ga Eul came to know about Madam So in the past few months, her abeoujji was an artefact collector; one of the biggest collection holders in all Korea to be exact.
When talking about those ' expeditions ' - she called them, was one of the times Madam So' s eyes twinkled in excitement, as if she was going back to the ages she would accompany her appa, despite her omma's disapproval. Ga Eul was sometimes asked to sit down with her so she could reminisce those precious moments when she was just her appa's daughter. And when Ga Eul sat down on the carpet cuddling a cushion , listening to an adventure a young Korean girl had experienced in India or Jakarta or China or Japan, Ga Eul couldn't help herself wondering if this had been the same- the excitement, for Yi Jeong, back when he was little and Madam So was cheerful and healthy; before her marriage had drained that brightness still hidden under her cloudy sight. She was wondering, if Yi Jeong had got to experience that, at least for once.
Her suspicions were once confirmed when she kept staring at a peacock like ornament which decorated the wall, in front of the couch facing the entrance to the room; when Yi Jeong gave her the detailed description of how it once belonged to one of the Rajputs of India and what kind of jewels that was embed in the carvings of pure gold, adding colour to the illustration of the peacock. It was only from few words that Yi Jeong 's description was differed with his omma's and it made her smile as Ga Eul came to know, that it was Yi Jeong 's favourite as well as herself.
" Before I was taught pottery, when I was little, and when something I disliked happened, I was used to stare at these patterns, the multi coloured lights refracted from it made..." Yi Jeong added at the end.
Well, it seemed after all, at least like the sun beams filtered from the tree shades, fallen to a gloomy path, Yi Jeong might have shared some precious memories with Madam So.
Ga Eul placed the tray on the coffee table and served the older lady with her evening tea. Unlike most of the Koreans, she preferred her tea to be dark and steamy. It was more relatable to the European style than Asian which made Ga Eul, come to the conclusion that it might have been from hurabeujji that Yi Jeong had learned his tea serving skills.
The ring gave a sparkle, in the yellowish light spread across the room. It caught the older lady's attention as her tea was handed to her. Madam So smiled and took it . Before she took a sip from it, she gestured Ga Eul to sit down with her.
It was the same place once where Madam So had attempted to drown Ga Eul, misunderstanding her to be one of her husband's young mistresses. It was quite amazing how few months had changed everything. Or maybe it was just Ga Eulyang, who was the best when it comes to handling the lonely children and whose persuasion could tame the most stubborn. It was those said 'skills' that had given her space to be with Madam So, despite the Headmaster ' s hate. As if it is not for Ga Eul, there wasn't anyone who could at least make the lady take her medicine.
Apart from those expeditions, Ga Eul came to know a good deal about Madam So, Including her maiden name as Han Yeon Woo. And as for the Korean customs, the lady should have been addressed as 'Han Manim' ,though she preferred to be 'So Manim'.
" Manim, is there anything else I shall do for you?"
" Ani... " the lady smiled, " There's still ten more minutes for Ga Eul sshi to leave... is it okay if we would have a little chat before that?" she smiled again.
" Ahah... Arasso.. " Ga Eul returned the smile and took a seat.
" I was going to ask... " the lady took a sip from her tea, " Did you become engaged?"
" Eh?" the question was not something Ga Eul expected.
" I mean... " she gestured at the sparkling ring.
" Ae.. it is not that kind..." Ga Eul's blush made the woman smirk.
" But you do have a boyfriend don't you?"
It made Ga Eul blush more and chuckled while nodding slightly, " but... how did Manim_"
"_ I have passed that age long before..." she took another sip.
" Did Manim have a lover too?" Ga Eul asked with widened eyes.
" Hmm.." she nodded after another sip. A little silence followed while Ga Eul awaited expecting her to continue. " We even got married..." and Ga Eul understood she had asked the wrong question. The lady's eyes darkened again and blurred as tears formed, " but... at the end... it was only I.. who had being in love... the rest... was only a deceit ..."
Minutes passed filled by silence as she blankly stared at nothingness, while Ga Eul was unsure of what she should do.
"Manim.." She at last shook her back to senses. Madam So, shook her head and blinked at Ga Eul as if to recognize her. Ga Eul smiled and wiped a tear that rolled down her cheek. " Manim..." after another few minutes of awkward staring, the lady returned her smile, " Now... what were we talking?" She sniffed, holding back her tears.
" oh.. ye... Ga Eul sshi's boyfriend..." she forced a smile while Ga Eul cose to remain silent. " is it him... who gave you that ring?"
" Ye... " Ga Eul nodded, still regretting her stupid question. Madam So took her hand to further examine her ring.
" Strange..." The woman took another sip widening the still teary eyes. " one of Adals used to have a ring like this..."
" Eh?..ani.. ani.. Anniyo.. ..." Ga Eul smirked uncomfortable, " Yi J_ Ani... I mean Manim's Adal... its probably something expensive than this..." The lady's lips twisted in to the slightest of smiles while Ga Eul kept babbling and chuckling.
The subject was not brought to discussion in the other few minutes and it was one of the few days that Madam So went to sleep without sedate.
After her shift at the So Manor, as promised before Ga Eul went with Yi Jeong to his studio for a free pottery lesson. It was when after weeks, the ring was slid out from her finger, that Ga Eul recalled the conversation with Madam So. She went thoughtful and hesitant to remove it.
" Its omma's .."
" Eh?" Yi Jeong 's voice awaked her from her thoughts.
" she had brought it, back in one of her travels... before the marriage to abeoujji... presumably it is the only one of it's kind..."
"Boh?" Ga Eul was genuinely confused.
" What am I trying to say is..." Yi Jeong let out a sigh before gesturing her to wet her hands." That ring ... is not cheap..." he looked in to her eyes with firmness. And Ga Eul remained silent for a moment to comprehend the fact that Yi Jeong had heard the conversation between her and his omma.
He splashed some water onto the clay and switched on the wheel. His hands touched hers and softly guided them on the clay smoothing and curving its shape. Yi Jeong again dipped his hands in the water and let Ga Eul form the lower part of the vase while he tallened the walls and smoothed the perimeter. He guided her hands along the walls he made and shaped them further in to perfection. Making little adjustments in her wrist and occasionally whispering, " lighten yourself... Ga Eulyang ...don't stress it too much..."
It was when they straightened a bit to take a look at the vase they had formed, they returned back to that subject.
" Did Sunbae..."
" Hmm..." Yi Jeong nodded confirming her doubts. " Why didn't Ga Eulyang tell the truth?"
" I thought omma... " Ga Eul went silent for another moment, " Sunbae, what if she would dislike me as well as Hurabeujji?"
Yi Jeong took a while to answer, " Ani... I don't think so... She's Ga Eulyang's type..."
" ... sunbae... what do you mean?"
Yi Jeong simply smiled in answering and they continued on their work.
Ga Eul did not get to wait till the design were cut though. As her phone rang and her omma asked her to return home. The voice was calm yet had pretendence to sound normal, which Ga Eul did not much like. And when she reached their grocery her suspicions were confirmed as there awaited a surprise, not that kind she would love.
A/N:
So, what do you think about the character of Yi Jeong's mother?
As I said before I am trying to make hers a complex character which would have both good and bad sides.
Hope you had enjoyed the chapter.
About Jihoo and Woo Bin 's stories, I thought about writing chapters of them alone; a Jihoo and Hani alone chapter and a Woo Bin and Jaegyeong alone chapter...
It is really hard to combine the scenes with SoEul's... is it alright that way?
Any way, before that I have to bring up the SoEul story for some point... we are really going out of the topic aren't we... so the story must be what it is said in its summary:)
Till the next chapter!