Chapter 1.
Marriage Life with Him !!~
Sun Hee grabbed a bottle of wine and thought about her dilemma. Her bookstore was mortgaged to the hilt. The cafe expansion would take careful planning and there wasn’t a dime to spare. She looked over the apartment and easily calculated there was nothing to sell. Not even on internet.
She was twenty-four and probably should live in a stylish condo, with designer clothes and a date every weekend. Instead, she took in homeless dogs from the local shelter and bought chic scarves to update her outfits. She believed in living in the sunlight, being open to every possibility, and following her heart. Unfortunately, none of those traits would save her mother’s house.
She took a sip of the ruby red wine and acknowledged there was nothing left to do. No one had enough money, and this time when the tax collector came, there wouldn’t be a happy ending. And Sun Hee didn’t think her last-ditch attempt to make a love spell to lure the perfect man to her door was going to help.
The doorbell rang.
fell open. My God, was it him? She looked at her grungy sweat pants and cropped shirt and wondered if she had time to change. She got up to rummage through the closet, but the bell rang again, so she walked over, took a deep breath, and reached for the knob.
“About time you answered the door.”
Her hopes plummeted. Sun Hee stared at her best friend, Horvejkul So Hyun and scowled. “You were supposed to be a man.”
SoHyun snorted and walked in. She waved a hand in the air, flashing cherry red nails, and flopped onto the sofa. “Yeah, keep dreaming. You scared your last date off so I won’t be setting you up again. What happened here?”
“What do you mean I scared him? I thought he was going to attack me.”
SoHyun raised a brow. “He leaned in to give you a good-night kiss. You stumbled and fell on your , and he felt like an idiot. People kiss after a date, Sunnie. It’s a ritual thing.”
Sun Hee tossed the remaining trash into a bag and scooped up the bucket. “He had tons of garlic at dinner and I didn’t want him near me.”
SoHyun grabbed the wine glass and took a healthy swig. She stretched out long legs clad in black leather, and hooked her high-heeled boots over the edge of the battered table. “Remind me again why you haven’t had in the last decade?”
“Witch.”
“Don't wait a spell from me.”
Sun Hee gave up and laughed. “Okay, you win. Why are you gracing me with your presence on a Saturday night? You look good.”
“Thanks. I’m meeting someone for drinks at eleven. Wanna come?”
“On your date?”
SoHyun made a face and drained the rest of the glass. “You’ll be better company. He’s a bore.”
“Why are you going out with him?”
“He looks good.”
Sun Hee dropped next to her on the couch and sighed. “I wish I could be like you, SoHyun. Why do I have so many hang-ups?”
“Why don’t I have any?” SoHyun’s lips twisted in self-deprecating humor, then she pointed to the bucket. “So, what’s the deal with the fire?”
Sun Hee sighed. “I was creating a love spell. To, uh…get a man.”
Her friend threw back her head and laughed. “Okay. What’s that have to do with the bucket?”
Sun Hee’s cheeks flamed. She’d never live this down. “I made a fire to honor the Earth Mother,” she whispered.
“Oh, my God.”
“Hear me out. I’m desperate. I still haven’t met Mr. Right and another small problem came up I need to solve, so I combined both my needs into one list.”
“What kind of list?”
“One of my customers told me she bought this book on love spells, and when she made a list of all the qualities she looked for in a man, he showed up.”
Now, SoHyun looked interested. “A man appeared in her life with all the things she wanted?”
“Yep. The list has to be specific. It can’t be too general, or supposedly the universe gets confused with your desires and sends nothing. She said if you follow the spell, the right man will appear.”
SoHyun’s green eyes gleamed. “Let me see the book.”
Nothing like another single female to make you feel better about the quest for a man. Sun Hee tossed her the little fabric-covered book, feeling less like an idiot.
“Hmmm. Show me your list.”
She waved toward the bucket. “Burned it.”
“I know you have another copy under your bed. Forget it, I’ll get it myself.” Her friend stalked off toward the canary yellow futon and stuck her hand under the cushions. Within seconds she held the list triumphantly between bright red fingernails, and her lips as if she was about to dive into a lusty romance novel. Sun Hee settled on the carpet and slumped over. Let the humiliation begin.
“Number one,” SoHyun recited. “A Korean music fan.”
Sun Hee braced herself for the explosion.
“Kpop?” SoHyun shrieked. She waved the paper back and forth in the air for dramatic effect. “Damn it, how can you make your number one priority kpop?
Sun Hee gritted her teeth. Why was she constantly barraged over her choice of kpop? ''Now that I'm thinking better is a nonsense. Don't blame me, I was hearing some korean song on the radio.''
“You’re hopeless. I give up,” SoHyun said. “Number two: loves books, art, and poetry.” She paused to think about it, then shrugged. “I accept. Number three: wants children.” She looked up. “How many?”
Sun Hee smiled at the thought. “I’d like three. But I’d settle for two. Should I have specified how many in the list?”
“No, Earth Mother will get it right.” SoHyun continued. “Number four: knows how to communicate with a woman. Good one. Number five: loves animals.” She groaned. “That’s as bad as the Kpop!”
Sun Hee scooted around on the carpet to face her. “If he hates dogs, how can I continue my volunteer program at the shelter? And what if he’s a hunter? I’d wake up in the middle of the night and find a dead deer staring at me from over the mantelpiece.”
“You’re so dramatic.” SoHyun turned back to the list. “Number six: has a moral code of ethics and believes in honesty. Should’ve been number one on the list, but what the hell, I’m not a Kpop fan. Number seven: a good lover.” She waggled her eyebrows. “That would be number two on my list. But I’m proud the item even shows up. Maybe you’re not as hopeless as I thought.”
SoHyun swallowed hard, dread curling her insides. “Keep going.”
“Number eight: has a strong sense of family.Okay number nine: at least knows how to cook” Jeez Sunnie. Why don't you add How to do laundry too?''
Okay number ten...
The clock ticked. Sun Hee watched SoHyun read the item again.
“Sun Hee, I think I’m reading number ten wrong.”
Sun Hee sighed. “Probably not.”
SoHyun recited the last request. “Needs 1.500,000won available cash.” She looked up. “I need more details.”
Sun Hee lifted her chin. “I need a man I can love, with an extra 1.500,000won thrown in. And I need him fast.”
SoHyun shook her head like she surfaced from underwater. “For what?”
“To save Tara.”
SoHyun blinked. “Tara?”
“Yeah, my mother’s home. Remember how my mom used to joke about needing more cotton to pay the bills? I haven’t told you how bad it’s got, SoHyun. Mom wants to sell and I can’t let her. They have no money, and nowhere else to go. I’ll do anything to help, even marry.''
SoHyun moaned and grabbed her purse. She ripped out her phone and punched in some numbers.
“What are you doing?” Sun Hee fought panic at the thought her best friend wouldn’t understand. After all, she’d never asked for a man to solve her problems before. Oh, how the mighty had fallen.
“Canceling my date. I think this new item needs to be discussed. Then I’m calling my therapist. She’s very good, discreet, and she takes midnight appointments.”
Sun Hee laughed. “You’re such a good friend, SoHyun.”
“Yeah, tell me about it.”
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