CHAPTER 26 – Gangneung (Part 1)

The path to Yeonwoo Mansion. 

Dojun habitually lowered the car window slightly. The early morning air flowed in through the crack. After a busy week with the opening of the Hanseong B&B Mapo Branch, Dojun realized it was the Lunar New Year when he came to his senses.

Although he had been busy without a moment’s rest for a week, whenever he lay down his weary body, he would think of Seoyeon once. Around Wednesday, he sent a message to Seoyeon, hoping to see her even briefly, but a reply came back saying she was as busy as a bee.

Since it seemed they couldn’t meet for long anyway, he didn’t contact her further. And as usual, on holidays, he spent a night at the hospital and was now heading to Pyeongchangdong early in the morning.

After parking the car in the parking lot, Dojun, who went up to the second floor, was guided by Butler Jung to the study.

“Grandfather, I’m here.”

Dojun said as he knocked on the door of the study. 

“Come in.” 

From inside, Chairman Hwang Ilhyun’s voice could be heard. When Dojun opened the door and went in, Chairman Hwang was counting money meticulously, with several red envelopes laid out on the desk.

“Are you putting the New Year’s money in the envelopes?”

“Yes. I have to put the New Year’s money in myself. You’re going to be the first to take it this year.”

Their annual Lunar New Year’s ritual was to visit early in the morning, pay their respects, and have a bowl of tteokguk together. Chairman Hwang had only allowed other family members and guests to visit after breakfast so that he could have a private meal together.

As Dojun watched the chairman putting 50,000 won, 10,000 won, 5,000 won, and 1,000 won bills into the envelopes one by one, he said,

“Put in a few more bills. You’re wealthy, after all.”

“Why, are you short of money these days?”

“Money is always in short supply.”

Dojun’s response made Chairman Hwang laugh heartily.

“How’s your father?”

“He’s fine.”

Although Dojun knew that Chairman Hwang had visited the hospital a few days ago, he simply answered without much thought.

“Breakfast?”

“Not yet. We have to eat tteokguk.”

At Dojun’s words, Chairman Hwang smiled and got up from his seat.

“Then let’s have me receive your New Year’s bows.”

Chairman Hwang received the bows and Dojun, the New Year’s money wrapped in red envelopes. He expressed his wishes for the chairman’s long health and received blessings for becoming an even greater person this year.

“Now, let’s go and have some tteokguk together.”

Chairman Hwang patted Dojun on the back as he stood up. The warm steam of tteokguk was rising from the neatly arranged table in the dining room. Suddenly, he wondered if Seoyeon had already eaten tteokguk by now.

***

“Grandmother.”

As Seoyeon opened the door, she called out to her grandmother. Her grandmother, who had been watching TV in the room, turned her head and smiled brightly.

“Is it you, my dear?”

Some days she would ask, “Who’s there?” and some days she would ask if it was Seoyeon. Today, the grandmother recognized her as her daughter-in-law.

Seoyeon nodded and sat next to her grandmother.

“Yes. It’s me.”

“What did they say at the hospital? Is everything alright?”

Her grandmother, who had a blanket over her knees, reached out and held Seoyeon’s hand tightly.

“Yes, they said I’m fine.”

Covering Seoyeon’s legs with the blanket, her grandmother smiled like a child and said,

“See? Didn’t I tell you you’d be fine? Why do you worry so much unnecessarily? Even if you worry, it’s only your heart that gets restless.”

Did my grandmother speak like this when my mother was sick? 

Seoyeon felt a tender feeling and gently stroked her grandmother’s back, but her grandmother turned back to the TV and said,

“Then make me some braised short ribs now.”

So cold. 

Seoyeon smiled and pulled out the shopping bag she had brought.

“Grandmother, I have this.”

“What’s this?”

“It’s chestnut bread. Eat it evenly, not just the chestnuts.”

The old woman looked at Seoyeon quizzically. Her gray, clouded eyes were unfocused, and it hurt whenever they met like this.

“It’s a secret.”

Her grandmother whispered.

“Yes.”

“The bread, it doesn’t taste…… good…….”

The whispering words made her ears tingle. Seoyeon smiled and got up from her seat.

“Grandmother, you should receive your New Year’s greetings.”

“Huh?”

“It’s New Year’s Day today. I came to greet you for the New Year.”

As Seoyeon spoke, her grandmother hesitated and leaned back.

“I wish you good health and no sickness.”

Come to think of it, it was the same thing she always said. Perhaps because that is all she wants from her grandmother. After finishing her bows, Seoyeon sat back down. Then, she took out an envelope from her handbag and handed it to her grandmother.

“This is pocket money.”

“Money?”

The grandmother opened the envelope and happily took out a few 50,000 won bills. Seoyeon quietly smiled as she watched the grandmother carefully fold the bills and tuck them into her vest pocket.

“Don’t let anyone beg you to give it to them. Buy yourself something good later.”

Her grandmother nodded.

When Seoyeon came out to the living room, Mi-seon, who had been sitting on the sofa, stood up awkwardly and said to Seoyeon,

“It seems your father’s in a bad mood. He hasn’t come out to see you.”

After she informed him of the breakup, Sang-cheol didn’t hide his uncomfortable feelings. Although she thought such a father was childish, Seoyeon also felt relieved in a way.

“I was very busy this week, so I just wanted to pay my respects and head back to Seoul to rest quietly.”

“At least have a bowl of tteoguk before you go.”

“I already had some for the new year. I came to give respects to Grandma and to you before leaving.”

At Seoyeon’s words, Miseon waived her hands.

“No, no. What bows could I receive when your father’s like this? Do it when he’s feeling better.”

Seoyeon nodded, though she doubted there would ever be a convenient time. She took out the gift and envelope she had prepared and handed it to Mi-seon.

“I couldn’t put much in.”

“No, you don’t have to do this every time.”

“You go through a lot, Mom”

Miseon smiled and accepted the gift.

“A scarf?”

“Yes. I thought it would look good on you Mom.”

“Thank you. I’ll wear it well.”

“This is for Haewon, please pass it on later. I don’t think I’ll be able to see her today.”

She had chosen a leather bracelet as a gift for Haewon. It was early in the morning, so Hae-won hadn’t gotten up yet. Not wanting to wake her up, Seoyeon handed over the gift and greetings only to Miseon before saying goodbye.

“I’m going.”

Receiving a farewell wishing her to be careful, Seoyeon opened the front door. As she crossed the yard, her phone rang in her purse. She pulled it out and it was Dojun.

“Yes.”

– Did you have breakfast?

It had been five days since she’d seen him at the concert, but somehow it felt like she hadn’t heard his voice for longer than that.

“Yes.”

— Did you also do the New Year’s greetings?

“Yes.”

— I hope you’ll say ‘yes’ to the next question too.

Guessing what he was trying to say, Seoyeon chuckled. Thinking that he was just going to ask her to come home, she wondered why he had to call her so formally, and said,

“Go ahead.”

— The weather’s nice. How about going for a drive?

At his words, Seoyeon looked up at the sky. It was an ordinary sky. Not particularly clear or blue.

But she felt a sense of relief, as if her breath had been freed. After a week of early morning arrivals and late-night departures for fashion show preparations, and her father’s childish stubbornness, this was enough to make her forget all that, if only for a moment. And…

Because it’s been a while.

“Yes.”

Dojun smiled at Seoyeon’s answer.