38-53

Chapter 53: From Thought to Thought 

People were gathering around the bonfire, tending to the fire. Soo-hyuk and I figured it must be nearing dinnertime, so we also helped with the fire. Then I saw my wife and Ho-cheol, who hadn’t been visible before, helping prepare food off to one side. My wife was smiling brightly, chatting with the villagers in broken language, and Ho-cheol seemed to be occasionally interpreting for her. Seeing the two of them sitting so close together brought a wave of despair over me again. I tried not to look at them, but I couldn’t help but notice. 

As the fire grew and the sun began to lose its light, the sound of drums finally began, as always starting with a slow rhythm. Soo-hyuk and I sat down, and my wife and Ho-cheol, noticing us, came over and sat behind us, unlike yesterday. I started to say something, but stopped. Soo-hyuk turned around and started recounting the day’s hardships, and his story showed no sign of ending. 

People began to gather and the square grew lively. The smell of grilling meat began to fill the air, and my wretched stomach started to signal its hunger. I frowned and stared straight ahead. My wife poked my back and said, 

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?” 

I half-turned my face and replied, 

“No…” 

Seeing us, Soo-hyuk interjected, 

“He’s just tired. Cutting those trees… I told you, it was really tough. No matter how much you hammer those wedges, they only go in a millimeter at a time…” 

I didn’t want to talk to my wife right now, but in his own way, Soo-hyuk was helping me. His chatter went on for a while, and as the hot sun that had worn everyone out all day slowly set, dinner was served and that problematic alcohol was distributed. I had no intention of touching that drink tonight. As I ate, I glanced back and saw my wife and Ho-cheol smiling brightly and toasting each other. 

‘Yeah… it’s that alcohol. That’s what made my wife act that way. Anyone can have pent-up frustrations. That alcohol just brought out her latent dissatisfaction and desires. When we go back to our world, she’ll surely regret it and reflect. She’s rational enough for that. She’s fundamentally different from these monkey-like people who were born and raised here…’ 

Thinking that, I chewed my meat. Maybe because I’d done hard labor during the day, as soon as I took a bite, it went straight down my throat. I put my thoughts aside and focused on filling my belly. Just like me, Soo-hyuk seemed to have put his chatter on hold and was wolfing down food and drink. 

I planned to avoid drinking by filling my cup with water instead. I went over to the water and alcohol containers, poured out the alcohol, and filled my cup with water instead. By now, the sun had fully set and jungle darkness had descended. There were big bonfires and torches in the square, but it wasn’t as bright as the sun, and a cool breeze was blowing now and then. Standing behind the people, I drank water and watched the backs of my wife and Ho-cheol. Once my stomach was full, the thoughts I’d set aside started flooding back. Even if what happened at midnight was due to alcohol, what about what I saw between the two of them during the day? How was I supposed to explain my wife casually touching Ho-cheol’s penis and Ho-cheol licking her anus? I was starting to get fed up with life here. 

Sitting next to my wife, Ho-cheol nodded along as he listened to Soo-hyuk’s chatter. Whenever Soo-hyuk turned away, my wife’s hand would slyly stroke Ho-cheol’s thigh, and when he turned back, she’d quickly pull her hand away. Seeing this, I decided I couldn’t leave my wife here any longer. Tomorrow, I’d tell her everything and insist we go home. If she really preferred this gypsy-like life, I’d go back alone. Of course, that would mean the end of our marriage. No one could live with a wife like this, and that thought hardened my resolve. I finished my water and went back to my seat. 

As we were finishing our meal, someone quietly approached us. It was the shaman again, holding a very long staff. When we turned to look at her, she said something to us. Ho-cheol said, 

“She wants to talk with Professor Jung for a moment.” 

I looked up at the shaman and stood up. Ho-cheol started to stand as well, probably to interpret. But the shaman extended her hand and pointed to Soo-hyuk. When I looked at Ho-cheol, he said, 

“She wants Dr. Jeon to interpret.” 

Soo-hyuk smiled and said, 

“She’s finally recognizing my skills. Okay, I’ll do it.” 

When Soo-hyuk stood up, the shaman turned and walked off. I could see her firm buttocks as she walked. Away from the crowd, she turned and held something out in front of her. It had a bitter smell. Soo-hyuk and I leaned in to see what it was-a lump of black clay in her hand, giving off a bitter scent. I disliked the smell, but it seemed familiar. She said something, and Soo-hyuk, focusing on her hand, said, 

“She wants us to get closer and smell it. What is this? The smell is weird…” 

The shaman said something else. Soo-hyuk said, 

“She says to take a deep breath.” 

As we inhaled deeply, the shaman kneaded the clay. Suddenly, a harsh, acrid smell wafted up, making us recoil. It was so pungent it made my head spin, like herbal medicine concentrated a hundred times. Then she struck her staff on the ground, and the bell at the end rang out. 

And then- 

My body wouldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. Only my eyes seemed to move. I looked sideways. Soo-hyuk, too, looked at me with a startled face, his eyes darting around. He couldn’t speak either. The shaman stepped closer to Soo-hyuk, drew a circle in the air in front of his face, and muttered some incantation. I saw the focus disappear from Soo-hyuk’s eyes. The shaman whispered something in his ear, and Soo-hyuk turned and walked away. Ah… where are you going… His body was moving, but mine wasn’t. The shaman, after Soo-hyuk left my sight, came up to me. I thought she would do the same thing to me as she did to him. She pressed her forehead to mine. What was she doing? I tried to move, but still couldn’t. 

At that moment… something rang in my head. It wasn’t a voice, but a sound with meaning. That sound conveyed a message to me: 

‘Do not restrain that woman. Watch with your own eyes how free she becomes tonight. See her returning to nature and reconsider your thoughts.’ 

The shaman lifted her forehead. I was stunned. What was happening? I’d never heard of someone transmitting their thoughts to another without words. But just now, she had conveyed her thoughts directly to mine. I was so mystified by the experience that I couldn’t even process the meaning of what she’d told me. 

The drumming grew louder and faster. The shaman spun her hand in front of me. Without realizing it, my body turned to face the people. In front of the bonfire, two men were already dancing, shaking their genitals. Some people were getting up and dancing. I saw my wife and Ho-cheol. They talked for a moment, then stood up and started moving their bodies to the rhythm. 

Some people, maybe impatient or eager for sex, began to pair off and leave the group. But most people just stood up and danced. A woman walked up to a man shaking his genitals by the bonfire and danced with him. Then Ho-cheol, who had been standing next to my wife, moved in front of her and started dancing. My wife laughed with her mouth wide open and danced with him. 

More and more people paired off and left the group, and the woman who had gone up front also disappeared with her partner. Then, as they danced, Ho-cheol stopped. He looked straight at my wife. She stopped too and looked at him. Ho-cheol held out his hand. My wife smiled and took it. The two of them, hand in hand, left the group and began to walk away.