Whenever Grandpa felt that his reading of a client's Saju was complete, he always ended with the same question. "So, what is it that you're curious about?"
Usually, the client's reaction was predictable. "You tell me. You're the one seeing my destiny."
When the butcher said that, I thought to myself, 'Mister, you're done for.'
If he had just been honest from the start, he would have escaped Grandpa's verbal thrashing. Now, he was about to be torn apart by Grandpa's sharp tongue. Grandpa leaned in and asked in a low, hushed voice.
"Do you suspect... that your wife is having an affair?"
Hearing that, I realized it was a matter the man found difficult to bring up himself. But as soon as the words left Grandpa's mouth, the butcher's expression turned terrifying.
At the entrance of the temple where the fake monk lived, there were massive statues of the Four Heavenly Kings guarding the gates. One of them, a wooden giant with bulging eyes holding a sword, was particularly frightening.
The butcher's eyes and expression at that moment were scarier than that statue.
However, Grandpa remained unfazed, as if he had expected this reaction. The butcher stammered.
"Y-yes... That's what I'm curious about."
Grandpa let out a small chuckle.
"Well, I need her birth information to know for sure. I can't tell just by looking at your chart alone. I'm a Saju reader, not a god."
The butcher immediately provided his wife's birth date. "It's Year XX, Month XX, Day XX."
"Hmm... Looking at just the Three Pillars (Sam-ju), it's a strong destiny, but still a bit ambiguous. Do you happen to know the time she was born?"
Sam-ju refers to the three pillars of birth—the year, month, and day. In such cases, the hour is missing. While a reading is possible with three pillars, it lacks the precision of a full Four Pillars (Saju) chart.
Following Grandpa's lead, the butcher called his wife right then and there. In this line of work, you realize that very few people actually know their exact birth hour. I've seen many clients call their parents from the office to ask.
How many people would actually memorize the birth hour of their spouse?
While the butcher turned away to make the call, Grandpa began scanning the interior of the butcher shop. After a brief conversation, the man hung up.
"She says she was born right around the time the dogs are fed in the morning."
"That would be the Hour of the Rabbit (Myo-si), then."
Grandpa looked grave as he spent a long time comparing the man's Saju with his wife's. Once he reached a conclusion, he looked at the butcher.
"So, may I ask why exactly you've grown suspicious?"
The butcher scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed.
"I've been running this shop for over a year now. Business has never been like this before, but lately, it's been booming."
"If business is good, why would your wife be having an affair?"
I suddenly got the feeling that the man was just trying to brag.
"Business is so good that I've been working late every day, earning money without even having time to eat or use the restroom. I haven't even had time to go to the bank. I've wanted to visit your office, Dosa-nim, but I just couldn't find the time."
'Sure, let's see how far this bragging goes,' I thought as I listened.
"So I've been calling my wife to come and deposit the cash at the bank. At first, she'd grumble and say she didn't want to come, but lately, she's the one coming to me first, asking if there's any money to deposit."
Finally, Grandpa spoke up.
"She's started wearing heavier makeup and flowing, elegant clothes, hasn't she? And she's been avoiding the bedroom lately. Am I right?"
The butcher's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "How on earth did you know that?"
Instead of answering, Grandpa pushed the paper with the Saju chart toward him. Then, he began explaining it to the man, drawing circles on the paper where the Saju characters were written.
"It's inevitable. Look closely. This woman was born with a destiny that is meant to be exceptionally glamorous."
The butcher hesitated. "I... I can't read Chinese characters. I didn't get much schooling."
"You don't need to know the characters. She was the top ace at the nightlife clubs back then, wasn't she? The most beautiful one there, the one every man wanted?"
"Yes, that's right! Dosa-nim, have you seen my wife before? How do you know her so well?"
Grandpa ignored the question and continued.
"Even in a glamorous world, she was the brightest flower. Now that she's living as a country housewife in a small town, she must have started feeling quite shabby lately."
"..."
"Then, she started walking back and forth to the bank at the busiest intersection in town. It's the most glamorous spot around here. It's not that she's trying to seduce men. It's just that she felt so small that she wanted to feel beautiful again."
"Ah...!"
The butcher let out a sigh of realization. Before he could even finish his breath, Grandpa threw another question at him.
"Hasn't she been asking for new makeup and clothes lately?"
"Yes, she has."
"And you didn't buy them for her, did you? Because you were too busy? You just gave her a bit of cash and told her to go buy something herself?"
"Yes! I didn't understand my wife's heart. It's my fault."
A faint smile appeared on Grandpa's face. He asked one more thing.
"She's supposed to go to the bank to make a deposit today, too, isn't she?"
"Yes! That's right."
At that, Grandpa snapped his Manse Calendar shut. [Snap!]
The answer was clear. Grandpa spoke firmly.
"Close the shop and go out together, the two of you."
"What? But what about the business..."
Grandpa looked at him as if he were being ridiculous.
"In Saju, for a man, Jae (Wealth) represents money, but it also represents his wife."
"What does that mean all of a sudden?"
"You've entered a period of great wealth luck, but why are you only using that luck to make money? Spend some of that luck on your wife, too."
"But I should earn as much as I can while I have the chance..."
Grandpa interrupted him.
"What is more important? Money? Or family?"
The butcher immediately lowered his head. "I earn money for my family, so of course, it's family."
I saw Grandpa smile slightly. Usually, when giving a remedy or a 'prescription,' he tried to maintain a serious face. But sometimes, even when the situation didn't seem funny at all, he would show that smile.
"First, go to the department store. Don't just buy clothes for your wife but buy some for yourself too. Get some cosmetics as well. Dress yourselves in the most dashing and expensive things you can find."
The butcher protested. "Oh, no. I only work here, so these clothes are more than enough for me."
He looked pained at the thought of the expense.
"Department store clothes are so expensive. It was fine when I was a gangster, but now, for a guy like me, it's like throwing pearls before swine. I just need something to wear and wash."
Grandpa just listened.
"If I have money for clothes, I'd rather buy another round of meat for my kids or get them a new outfit. That's my happiness!"
Grandpa looked the man in the eyes with a touch of pity.
"Does a glamorous flower want a housefly by her side? No, she wants a cool, strong honeybee."
"What?"
"Never mind. Just indulge yourself for today. After you're done shopping, hold hands and go to the bank together. To make that deposit."
The butcher blushed and let out a silly grin, clearly not hating the idea. Then Grandpa added one more thing.
"And don't be ashamed of those criminal tattoos covering your body. It's summer, so buy some short-sleeved shirts and wear them. So what if the neighbors talk? You're not a gangster anymore."
"But still..."
"Just trust me this once. If you do, all your suspicions will vanish, and you'll live happily."
Happiness.
What a sweet word. People who have reached a level of wealth they are satisfied with are incredibly vulnerable to that word.
"Oh, and one more thing. Send your wife to my house tomorrow at noon."
The butcher tilted his head in confusion. "Why?"
Grandpa didn't answer the question, only stating his terms.
"Bring your son's Saju then, too. If you do, the next ten years will be peaceful. Your business will thrive, and your son will get into a good school."
"My son? How did you know I only had one son?"
'Stupid.'
I felt so frustrated with the butcher.
I had seen Grandpa looking at the family photo on the wall inside the shop earlier. This man was being completely played by Grandpa's 'divine chatter.'
"Thank you, Dosa-nim! I've packed all the special cuts that only kings would eat, and the best brisket, too. If you ever run out of meat, just come by. I won't take a dime from you!!!"
He seemed like a genuinely good man.
Good personality, good heart, good meat.
Wait, maybe not the last one?
* * *
Grandpa walked leisurely out of the butcher shop, but as soon as we were a safe distance away, he hurriedly hailed a taxi.
"Taxi! Taxi!"
I thought he was just calling one because it was too hot to walk home. But once we got in, Grandpa gave a different destination.
"Take us to the bank at the main intersection!"
"Grandpa, that's the opposite direction from our house. Why are we going to the bank?"
Grandpa didn't answer. Soon, we arrived at the bank and got out. I asked again.
"Grandpa, why are we here? Do you need to withdraw money?"
Since he had no money to deposit, I assumed he was there to withdraw.
But Grandpa stepped into the bank without a word. After scanning the interior for a moment, he walked straight up to a young male teller and stood before him.
"Looking at your face, you're not long for this world. If you're going to cheat, you might as well be dead. And when you die, you'll die by a butcher's blade."
The entire bank fell silent. Every eye turned toward us. I was mortified.
"Grandpa... stop..."
I tried to pull him away, but Grandpa shouted even louder in front of the stunned crowd.
"I see a face where every joint is sliced by a blade, and every organ is spilled out from the belly, scattered everywhere. But I won't feel a bit of pity, because it's the price of your own sins!"
With that, he turned on his heel and walked out. I felt the sting of a thousand gazes on my back.
A moment later, I heard the bank teller, who had finally snapped out of his shock, shouting behind us.
"Who does that old man think he is?! Is he crazy?!"
The teller used a Seoul accent, sounding like he wasn't from around here. His colleague whispered to him.
"That's the famous diviner who appears on TV. He sees Saju and physiognomy with divine accuracy. Go ask him what's going on. He's famous for never interfering in other people's business, so if he spoke up, it means he saw something dangerous and was trying to warn you."
As Grandpa was about to get back into the taxi, the teller rushed out and grabbed us.
"Sir! Why did you just insult me out of nowhere the moment you saw me?"
Grandpa looked him up and down and said.
"Bring your month's salary and come to my house tomorrow at noon. Or just die. It's up to you."
The man scoffed.
"I tried to be respectful because you're an elder, but are you insane? I graduated from a top university. Do you think I'd believe in such superstitions?"
Grandpa replied.
"After you see that man and his wife a little later today, if you still feel that way, then live your life as you please. But if you feel a chill down your spine, come find me. I'll save your life. And don't forget! You must bring your entire month's salary, every cent of it, in its envelope."
Leaving him with those words, we took the taxi back home. Unlike his usual self, Grandpa couldn't suppress his anger and kept huffing and puffing throughout the ride.
Normally, he'd blow up for thirty seconds and then forget all about it, smiling again.
As we neared the house, he seemed to calm down a bit and muttered to himself.
"I got too angry and interfered. What can I do... I had to save a life first."