Chapter 15: Dinner with a Friend

After Old Lady Quin had left, Ki Jung decided she’d practiced enough spellwork. There were still a couple of hours to go before she was to meet with Mrs. June Pak. With this in mind, she pulls out the manuscript for Blessed Qi and reads it to learn it. There are differences between Blessed Heart and Blessed Qi, but they are not so great as one might think. In a short time, she gains the necessary understanding to begin its practice. For the time being, she shuts down her continuous flow of Blessed Heart.

Nearly two hours have passed, when Ki Jung realizes that she needs to run and meet up with Mrs. June Pak. Making sure that she isn’t leaving anything behind, she gets up and trots over to where her friend the vendor sells her wares from. Mrs. June Pak gives her a slightly exasperated look. She’s been waiting for five minutes and thought Ki Jung had forgotten about her.

Ki June apologizes to Mrs. Pak, and they head off to the Pak family home. The home is small but nice and well kept. Mrs. Pak has Ki Jung go inside while she secures her vending cart in a shed on the side of her home. Inside, Ki Jung meets a young man, who introduces himself as Min Joon.

A moment later, Mrs. Pak joins them in the house. Min Joon brings out rice and fish stew for them to eat. Ki Jung helps by going with him and bringing the bowls and utensils. Once everyone is seated, Min Joon dishes out the stew and rice into bowls and passes them around. There is some polite conversation, but that is all, while they share this simple but tasty meal.

Once everyone has finished, Ki Jung and Min Joon clean up the dishes and return them to the kitchen, where they put away the leftovers and wash the dishes and put them away. Once that is done, they join Mrs. Pak back in the other room, where she takes on the role of teacher.

To begin, Mrs. Pak has her son retrieve an item to act as a prop. She then pretends to be a customer with him being the merchant. Mother and son get into their parts. Ki Jung watches and learns with great interest. Some of what she witnessed at the Five Elements is repeated in one way or another. There are variations on a theme as they continue the lesson. After about half an hour, Ki Jung believes she is ready to give it a try.

Okay, I’ll be the merchant, Mrs. Pak says, “And, you are going to buy this simple spoon from me.”

Ki Jung picks up the spoon, inspecting it as if it were something she is interested in purchasing. As she examines it, Mrs. Pak asks her if she’s interested in buying it. It’s game on from there. Ki Jung tells her that she is interested and asks the price. Mrs. Pak names a price that is absurdly inflated. Ki Jung acts as if she’s been stabbed in the gut and gives a response that goes with her act. They go back and forth until Ki Jung talks her down to less than half the original price.

“You learn fast, Ki Jung. I’m surprised. You say you’ve never haggled before today? Oh, and please, call me Auntie.”

Thank you, Auntie, she says. “I knew about it, but where I am from, everything has a set price. No one haggles, except small personal sales from one’s home, and not always then. I observed the haggling that was going on at Five Elements and picked up some there. Then, I watched and learned more from you and Min Joon. It seems it was enough.”

“I’ll say,” inserts Min Joon into the conversation. “You did really well, just now.”

The three of them talk for a while. Then Auntie Pak bids the two youngsters good night. They speak for a little while more before Min Joon goes to bed after showing her where she can sleep. Alone, Ki Jung begins her nightly practice of Blessed Heart and Blessed Qi. Two hours later, Ki Jung joins Auntie and little brother Pak in slumber.