Empire of the Ring

No matter how far apart they lived now, something would never change. It was Youngho’s gut sense for his little sister Yunsuh. Throughout the trip, he felt that she was slowly changing her attitude. It was something that even Cho Sangchun, who lives with her now, did not see. On the last day in Stockholm, Yunsuh seemed reluctant to leave, so Youngho quietly went next to her and tapped her elbow.

“What’s up? You don’t want to leave? Should we stay a little longer?”

“Oh, my goodness. How did you know? You have sharp eyes.”

“You like it here, don’t you?”

“Yeah. Not only here, I like the stability of the whole Northern Europe.”

“It’s just how it seems, the living is the same as ours.”

She seemed very envious of the people’s lives in here.

“You’re kidding. People here seemed to have more peace and composure than people in Korea. Look, nobody walks so fast on the streets like in Korea where everyone walks like they’re always being chased by time. They can’t act like that if they don’t have peace in mind.”

It looked like Yunsuh would stir up the family soon. There was nobody in the whole world, who could stop her if she insisted to move overseas with a reason for her child’s education.

Because of Hyunsung, Yunsuh’s little son, the family could not visit many places. Anywhere they went, they only stayed there for at least two to three days. During the ten days of the trip, there were only three places they visited but no one was bothered by that fact. It was not only because everyone was understanding and patient but also because the cities and natures in the regions of Northern Europe were perfect for relaxing and healing minds.

It was a plus that Northern Europe was not hot although it was in the mid-summer. Moreover, any people they met on the trip were always kind. It almost felt like the gang came to the cities of angels. It was understandable that Yunsuh was attracted to the Northern European people’s lifestyle. It seemed that people’s personalities would be changed in a positive way when they have lived somewhere like here for only a year.

However, Youngho wondered if the kids who grew up in a privileged place like here could survive the harsh outside world. The place looked so peaceful that kids would not need to be ever selfish and compete with others because of limited resources. He talked about this loudly to Sangchun, to see if he could change Yunsuh’s mind.

“Sangchun, it looks like this place is good to live in but do you think kids here can survive the life competition in the world? I don’t think so.”

“You are right, this place can be good for adults but kids should be raised in tough environments in order to be strong.”

Listening to the two, Yunsuh interrupted their conversation.

“You’re making no sense! Any kid who has been raised in here would have an angel-like personality. Can’t you see? Everyone’s kind and nice here.”

“Well, that’s true…”

Youngho and Sangchun’s conversation did not seem to last so long because of Yunsuh’s strong argument.

“Yunsuh, nothing is as it seems. You know Korean people had to survive harsh environments and competitions but because they survived that, they can flourish even in overseas, can’t you see that?”

“I don’t want my kid to be such a successful or famous person. I just want him to have a secure and peaceful life in somewhere like this.”

All parents must feel the same way.

“Well, I think a little bit of competition strengthens children’s mind and body. If I stayed in Korea for the rest of my life and decided to settle for what I had, do you think we’d be strolling down the streets of Stockholm in Northern Europe?”

“…”

“I came outside and even grew stronger, I could even think better because of the hard life. If I was still in Korea, I would’ve been in the same place but I decided to give it a try to compete with the world. I didn’t tell you about this but I went through all kinds of hardships in here and I’ve won the competition.”

Hearing that Youngho went through such hardships, Yunsuh was tearing up. Imagining how hard it must have been for him to make it this far, she cried in Youngho’s arms.

***

After fifteen days of the trip, the gang returned to the intense heat of Baku’s mid-summer. The kids did not leave the reservoir of the farm ever since they were back. On the TV, it was broadcasting that Baku had hit the highest temperatures in a hundred years as well.

Wine factory technicians were the only ones who welcomed the scorching sun for the reason that this year’s grapes would have high sugar level. Scorching heat and huge daily temperature range were the key factors of the growth of sweet grapes. It looked like the farm would produce great-tasting wines this year as well if the farmers water the grapes appropriately.

The oak cask factory, which had been producing test products, now began to manufacture proper products. It was all possible because most of the production lines were automated. Since the factory bought oaks that were dried in advance, they could save the time for drying process. They even received orders from other farms around but for the time being, the number of manufactured casks were barely enough for the use of Zeynep Farm and the Charles farm. It would only be possible to sell the casks to other farms after a few years.

Among other oak cask factories, Zeynep Farm was the only factory that had an automated facility. There were some factories that produced more than 500 oak casks a year but they were not reliable since the number of products manufactured was not consistent all the time. If Youngho decided to produce more than 500 a year, other factories would go out of business. Although there was no need for him to care about their business, he did not feel comfortable to push them out of business since some of them had worked their whole life in the factories.

In a few years, he would be selling the casks in the market. To prevent other factories going out of business, he thought that he could combine small-scale factories under his factory. He needed to come up with a solution to save them since he did not trust them as well. Only if he had a solution, his factory could survive. What if an oak cask factory owner comes to burn his factory just like what Araz, the former Charles Wine Factory’s owner, tried to do to his farm. Business people here could not stand losing their profits.

To combine the small-scale factories, Insoo and Gerhardt now visited the factories and convinced them to agree on the factory integration plan, and dividing the factory’s share. It was a win-win plan to survive together.

***

Yunsuh and Sangchun returned to Korea since they could not leave the headquarters of Chunho Merchant for too long and Sangchun’s parents stayed in the farm. They said that they needed to rest long after the trip but they were actually staying a little longer because they liked the farm. The father was not bored since he and Insoo’s father got along well and he also liked farming.

Youngho welcomed their stay since he thought being with adults would be good for the siblings on the farm.

Although there was an empty house, which was built for Ilkwon’s family originally, the parents stayed with Youngho’s family in the management building. The siblings loved the mother’s hearty foods. Jongil was also exuberated for the Korean foods, so Jongil’s couple also joined them at every meal time.

Lately, the parents started to learn Azerbaijani from Zeynep. It seemed that they wanted to spend more time with her since she was just adorable. Although they did not know Azerbaijani, it was surprising to see them talking with farmworkers through body language. The father was an easygoing person, so he made friends easily. He had been a teacher for his entire life until he retired, so except for the fact that he lectured quite often, he was a great person to be with.

Being with the parents was especially comforting to Youngho. He had been making decisions by himself without someone to rely on or discuss life hardships, bits of advice from old people who gained wisdom throughout their lives were very reliable. Although they were Youngho’s sister’s parents-in-law, they were like godparents for him.

“Father, you’re going to wipe out all of the trout in the river. How’d you catch so many?”

“Youngho, it’s so easy to catch fish in here. They are even attracted to an empty hook. Do you think we can eat this raw?”

“I’m not sure. People here deep-fry them, not as raw. It might have a distoma, don’t eat them in raw.”

“What are you talking about? We even eat mandarin fishes raw from Hongchun River, you think trout from that clear water would have parasites?”

The father’s claim to eat raw fish meant that he would be drinking too. It was his silence request to comply.

“Well, we can eat them raw and take vermicide afterward. I’m going to call Jongil, he’s an expert of filleting raw fish.”

The table was soon set up for drinking. Even Gerhardt joined them and told them not to worry about the trout since they were clean here. Trying raw trout sashimi for the first time with Korean gochujang paste, he kept letting out ‘it’s so good’ in a row.

Zeynep who went crazy for raw meat also joined them, and soon the building was having a raw trout party. Because there were elders in the party, Youngho and Jongil could not drink as hard as before but they enjoyed the party. It was so fulfilling to have elders in the house.

“Father, if you like this place, should I convince Sangchun and Yunsuh to move here?”

“Don’t bother. Since I’m old now, I can visit here whenever I want but it’s always better to live in your own country. Don’t stir up useless hope into them. I’m worried about Yunsuh, She already looks like she wants to move.”

“Living outside Korea doesn’t mean we forget about our country. I’d be glad if they moved here if there is an opportunity.”

“Who’s going to protect Korea if everybody moved? No matter how much complaints you have, it’s still your own country.”

“Father, please don’t scold them if they want to live overseas at least for a few years. Don’t you like visiting foreign countries as if they’re your own home?”

“Of course, I do. I’m just worried about Hyunsung. He’s still young and I don’t want him to lose his roots.”

“Father, we won’t let that happen for you.”

“Well, it’s just an old man’s useless worry. You youngsters can do whatever you want, it’s not something I can stop.”

Father was not too inflexible. As long as people don’t lose the roots and sense of where they belong, he did not mind living overseas.

Youngho had mentioned this to the father to help Sangchun since he was interested in moving overseas. Youngho wanted to recommend a peaceful place in Europe for Yunsuh and Sangchun, not the tough regions of Caucasus.

He thought that experiencing different places would expand people’s perception and insights. They were now living in the era of globalization, and it was not good to insist to live in one region. The reason that Europeans could make this far was that they were adventurous, they did not fear to settle down in new places.

Youngho also was scared when he left Incheon International Airport in Korea. The only thing he had was the fact that he could speak a little bit of English, he only trusted himself and came to a foreign land. Struggling to survive, he could meet opportunities and make this far. It was of course not only done by his own strength, but because he was also lucky. However, if he stayed in Korea and rejected to be adventurous, he would have not been able to say that he was lucky because he would have never known.

He became a CIA agent which he never dreamed of and picked up magical relics that would only exist in fantasy novels. Through that destiny, he met the siblings and his fiancé, Fatima. Everything could be achieved because he took the chance to have an adventure.

This was why he was welcoming on Yunsuh and Sangchun trying to move overseas. There was so much potential hidden in adventures. Anything was possible.