‘OH MY GOD!!!’ BanYeol screamed into her pillow as she rolled over to her side remembering the events of last night. Before he left, Sunggyu stayed over for what was meant to be a couple of hours to almost the whole night. Time just seemed to fly when they spent it together. Sunggyu opened up to BanYeol as did she, it felt as though they had known each other for years.

Sunggyu was going to come over again tonight after satisfying his thirst. BanYeol imagined spending the cold winter night together, snuggling up on the couch, watching a movie but she knew this wasn’t how it was going to be, at least for now. 

Finally managing to get out of bed, BanYeol got ready in time for Mr Ryu’s visit. He usually came on the weekend to make sure BanYeol had everything she needed.

‘Ahjusshi!’ She exclaimed excitedly as she ran over to him.

‘Oh BanYeol, you scared me.’ Mr Ryu laughed. 

‘Haha, sorry, I’m just really happy today.’

‘I can see.’ Mr Ryu replied with a grin.

‘Quickly come inside, it’s freezing out here.’

Mr Ryu followed BanYeol into the house. He was getting the same bad vibe he felt the last time he visited. ‘What is this girl playing at?’ he thought to himself. BanYeol offered him some tea and he politely nodded, looking at her with concern. 

‘What’s wrong?’ She asked worried. ‘Is it the children?’ 

Mr Ryu lost in his thoughts didn’t answer. He wasn’t sure if BanYeol knew she was purposely playing with fire, or maybe he got it all wrong? There was only one way to find out.

‘Ahjusshi?’ BanYeol said as she waved her hands in front of him.

Coming back to his senses Mr. Ryu smiled. ‘Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts,’ he chuckled.

‘It’s ok, we all do that.’ BanYeol replied like her carefree happy self.

Mr. Ryu watched BanYeol make tea. He knew he wasn’t able to ask, maybe she didn’t know what she was doing. This worried him even more. For her safety and his peace of mind, Mr. Ryu knew he would have to ask BanYeol.

‘Here you go.’ BanYeol said as she handed him over a cup of tea.

‘Ah, thank you.’ Mr. Ryu replied preoccupied. 

For the first 5 minutes they drank in silence. BanYeol knew there was something wrong; this wasn’t like Mr. Ryu.

‘BanYeol would you mind spending the afternoon with me today? My anniversary is coming up but I don’t know what to get my wife.’

‘Ahh, is this why you’re so quiet? Are you worried about what to get her?’ BanYeol teased.

‘Not really,’ Mr. Ryu replied. ‘My wife passed away many years ago but I still feel her with me, I still celebrate out special memories. You think I’m mad right?’

BanYeol felt guilty, she never expected Mr. Ryu to be a widower. ‘Of course I’ll come with you, it would be a pleasure. And I don’t think you’re mad, we all go out of our way for love.’

Mr. Ryu looked up; he hoped his definition to her words was wrong. 

Hours had passed since BanYeol and Mr. Ryu shopped around for a gift. It was already 3pm and BanYeol couldn’t wait to go home. As they walked down the cold winter streets Mr. Ryu froze in his steps. 

‘What is it Ahjusshi?’ BanYeol asked.

His eyes wear beginning to well up as he watched an elderly couple sitting on the bench laughing and joking with each other.

‘We used to do that,’ his voice beginning to break. ‘Me and my wife,’ Mr. Ryu coughed, clearing his throat. ‘When she got ill she refused to stay in doors, even in this cold weather. We would get something warm to eat from the food stand and I would feed her as watched everyone and their busy lives. After a while she’d fall asleep and I’d take her home…as she slept, I would cry. I hated everyone and everything…Why? Why did my precious lady have to get ill? We were meant to live together, forever.’ Mr. Ryu broke down in tears. 

‘Ahjusshi,’ BanYeol said as she hugged him. ‘I…I don’t know what to say.’

‘There’s nothing you can say, what’s happened has happened.’

‘How did you cope with it all?’

‘I didn’t. I…I turned to alcohol, I was a mess. One day Mrs. Eun-Seo found me passed out on the streets and took me back to the orphanage. I found myself spending more and more time there and eventually the kids gave me a new reason for life, they are my blessing.’

BanYeol smiled, ‘do you have and children?’ She asked.

‘No,’ Mr. Ryu sniffled. ‘Unfortunately my wife couldn’t have kids but that didn’t stop us from loving each other.’ 

‘Of course not.’ BanYeol replied as she rubbed his arm in comfort and wiped a tear away.

It was now almost 5pm; BanYeol knew Sunggyu would be hiding inside, waiting for sunset to ascend. 

‘BanYeol, I hate to be a pain but can you please do me a favor?’ Mr, Ryu asked, his eyes stinging red. 

‘Of course, what is it?’

‘Can you please come with me…to visit my wife?’

Felling obliged, BanYeol agreed. She didn’t want to leave Mr.Ryu alone in this sate; this was obviously a very painful time for him. However, this didn’t stop her from feeling awkward. Rocking up to someone’s grave out of the blue didn’t make BanYeol feel comfortable, nonetheless she agreed. 

After catching a taxi they finally reached a deserted land. There were many graves, small ones, big ones and then there was Mr.Ryu’s wife. Her segment was very clean and tidy. There was freshly laid flowers around the grave.

‘Looks like someone’s been here.’ BanYeol said, trying to diffuse the tension. 

‘She was a popular women.’ Mr, Ryu replied as he knelt down to begin the rituals. Paying her resects, BanYeol too joined in. 

Once they finished, Mr. Ryu insisted to take BanYeol out for a meal. She hesitated and refused but Mr. Ryu wasn’t having any of it. At the end they settled for a quite restaurant.

‘My wife used to love trying food from around the world. I told her Korean food was the best she’ll ever have but of course she disagreed. She was a very stubborn women.’ Mr. Ryu began to laugh, he was on his second bottle of Soju, BanYeol knew he was trying to get drunk. She took the bottle away and placed some more meat onto his plate. 

‘Eat up, your wife is watching.’ BanYeol responded with a firm voice. 

Mr. Ryu looked up to her and smiled, thankful for the reminder. BanYeol glanced at her watch. It was 7:13pm now, the sun had set and Sunggu had probably finished having his meal. She quickly gobbled down her food hoping this would be their last trip. 

The taxi came rather fast. BanYeol couldn’t hide her excitement. 

‘Quickly Ahjusshi,’ she said as she ran towards the car, half drunk he followed after. 

BanYeol could finally see her house in the