Shining Star Kindergarten booked for five days at Seaes Hotel and resort in Jeju, located in Jungmun-dong, where the famous Jungmun beach and Bear Museum are located.

Jinki and Myungsoo will share a room together with the husbands of other teachers, while Namjoo and Naeun Will share a room together with the principal.

After they finished unpacking their things, others decide to take a walk and tour around the hotel. Jinki asked Myungsoo to come with him and Namjoo since they decided to eat at lunch where they can view the ocean.

While walking, Myungsoo noticed that Naeun was not around. He patted Namjoo’s shoulder and asked her.

“Kim Sonsaengnim.” He said. Namjoo turned and blinked twice.

“Hm?”

“Where’s Naeun-sshi?”

“Naeun? She’s talking to her boyfriend on the phone. She said that she will follow us after.”

“Ahh..” He nodded and turned his head to look back in the hotel. Myungsoo sighed andhe turned back to follow Namjoo and Jinki.

>< 

Naeun was lying on the bed while talking to Taemin on the phone. Her things were still unorganized since Taemin called the moment she was organizing her things.

“How’s the weather there?” She asked.

“Nice and warm. I just finished talking to a possible client. Now I’m waiting here outside, praying and hoping that they can accept my proposal.”

“I will pray for that. Anyway… I forgot to tell you something.”

“What? What is it?”

“I’m….here in Jeju.”

“Jeju? Why?”

“Company outing. I was about to tell it to you last time but then I forgot.”

“Ok…Who’s with you?”

“My co-teachers, Namjoo, the principal….. Hayoung isn’t here ‘cause she’s spending time with her boyfriend.”

Taemin took a long silence after hearing it from her as he felt sorry for his girlfriend.

“………….I’m sorry.. maybe, if it didn’t happen--” He said.

“No, no.. don’t say that…. Just take care of yourself…. I know you’re working so hard to help your family. Don’t worry about me… I’m… glad you called….. simply hearing the sound of your voice brings a smile to my face.” She said and smiles.

“….don’t worry, I can call you three to four times a day since I’m not in our company. So you’ll be hearing my voice many times, every day….”

“That’s good to hear..”

“Once I get back in Seoul, I go straight in your apartment… hoping Jinri’s not there so we can have a private time.”

“Well….Jinri’s really busy since she’s getting married. She told me that they plan to get married on December.”

“Really? Anyway, I heard that she’s going back in Japan next month. Will you be ok by yourself?”

“I will, of course.”

“Why don’t you get a housemate? Honestly, I don’t want you to be alone there… so”

“Well.. I’ll think about it. Maybe I will ask some of my co-teachers.”

“That’s great. Don’t think about it. Ask them now since you’re with them today.”

“….Ok…”

“But sometimes.. I think it’s better if you’re alone… don’t asked them yet…”

“Oppa.”

“Hm?”

“……I miss you…. So much..”

“Me too.. I wish I were kissing you… instead of missing you..”

Naeun chuckled but after that she closes her eyes and deep breathes before talking to him again.

“Ammm… I want to tell you something… there are guys who got invited by my workmates…”

“Ok…. Who?”

“Their husbands… friends… and Jinki-sshi.”

“Really? Who invited him? Namjoo? They sure have a special relationship now huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Really? Send my regards to him.”

“Ok..”

“Actually… there is still someone---”

As she was about to tell about something, Taemin cut her.

“Naeun-ah, I’ll call you again. They’re now calling me. Wish me luck.”

“Ok. Bye.”

Naeun threw her phone on the bed and wiped her face. She deep breathed and rises up to fix her things.

>< 

When Naeun came out of the hotel to follow Namjoo, she found Myungsoo standing in front not far away from her. She walks and passes him.

But Myungsoo followed her and walks beside her.

“What’s with your face? Did you two fight?” He said since Naeun wasn’t smiling and looks so down.

“No.”

“This place is really--”

“Did you wait for me?” She suddenly said and stopped.

“…Well…You’ll get lost. This hotel is really big.”

“I’m not a child. Even if I get lost, I can ask some staff for directions.”

“Amm.. ok.”

Myungsoo walks and passes her, then Naeun called him from behind.

“Myungsoo-sshi.”

He turned around and she went in front of him.

“What is it?”

“We are neighbors….. and that’s our only relationship. I hope you know it.”

“….I know.”

“Good, then.”

>< 

“Naeun-ah! Over here!” Namjoo stood up and waved her hand side by side, signalling Naeun. She immediately walks and sat beside Namjoo.

“Eat this, and this, and this, this.. eat this ok?” Namjoo said while she’s giving Naeun her ordered food for her since she looks so skinny and stressed.

“I can’t eat all of that. It’s too many.”

“Don’t say that. Food is God’s gift.”

“You like eating gogi, right? In our restaurant, you always order six servings of meat and eat it in one seating.” Jinki said. He was sitting across Naeun.

“De… I like eating your restaurant’s meat.. it’s the best.” Naeun said and she smiled.

“You and Taemin are our best customers. Why don’t you two eat there again?”

“Maybe next time…”

“If you like meat Naeun, I’ll order for you, wait there, ok?” Namjoo stood up.

“But…” Naeun blinked.

“Jinki-sshi, look for her, ok? Don’t let her get out of your sight.” Namjoo said.

“Roger!” Jinki salutes.

“How is your relationship with her?”

“We’re fine. She’s really a funny lady and I find her cute and charming.”

“Yeah.. she is… I hope that you two can have a beautiful relationship..”

“Thank you..” Jinki gave her a wide smile.

Naeun suddenly turned her head to the side to watch the beautiful ocean of Jungmun. She wets her lips and looks down. Then, she sighs and looks at the ocean again.

Jinki noticed something about her and then asked her.

“Are you depressed?” He said. Naeun immediately turn her head to face him.

“Huh?”

“I heard from Namjoo that Taemin got back home and now he’s helping his family business.”

“..yeah.” she nodded.

“When was the last time you see each other?”

“Nine or ten days ago…. I think? That was the day he came back home.” She said.

“It’s kinda long…. When he started working there, how many times did he call you?”

“On first week, I only received one call and five texts.”

“Really? Wow… it must be hard for you.”

“Yeah.. kinda.. but I understand it.. maybe he was adjusting himself.. learning about their business at that time… but after that…on the following days… he’s now calling me and texting like before..”

“That’s nice to hear.” Jinki said and he gave her a quick smile.

“But now…he’s now in the other country… to please possible clients.”

“He’s really working hard.”

“Yeah.”

“Did you already tell him that you’re here?”

“Yeah. I did. And it’s ok for him.”

“What about Myungsoo?” Jinki suddenly asked.

Naeun paused for a second and she responded.

“Well…. I was about to tell it to him.. but the company suddenly called him so…”

“……telling him would be good ‘cause it only means that you’re not hiding something from him…. I mean it’s also like saying, there’s nothing to be worried about… but…. it’s Taemin that we’re talking here…. I know that his blood is still boiling for Myungsoo…. You know how he reacted about the incident between you and Myungsoo, right?”

“…yeah..”

“If he learns that you’re together with him on this kind of day, where he was supposed to be together with you.. he will go mad. As in really really mad…. Maybe he can never focus on his work overseas… or worst…he can think of going back here immediately just to take you away from him…..Do you understand me?”

“I just don’t want him to misunderstand…”

“I know… but you have to understand his situation. Will he easily let it pass once you told it to him? No, right? Will he be ok? Of course not.”

“What if he heard it from other people? That’s what I’m afraid…”

“You can tell it to him once he comes back. Telling it now is really a big no-no…”

Naeun closed her eyes and covers it with her hands and later wipes her face. She then held her forehead and rested her elbow on the table. Jinki sat beside her not really close and pats her back to comfort her.

“Naeun, listen….you’re not the only one who’s suffering… he’s suffering too… he’s also longing for you… because.. he loves you… so much… that’s why you have to be strong for him… don’t stress yourself… eat healthy foods… I’m sure Taemin will not like it if he sees his girlfriend like this… you look so skinny.. you have visible dark circles in your eyes… you look pale…”

“I’m sorry… I thought I can really handle it… but..” Naeun’s tears suddenly fell and Jinki wipes it with a tissue.

“Sssshhh…..Yeah… it’s ok.. I understand… But like I said… don’t stress yourself.. keep yourself healthy… he’ll be more mad if he sees you like this…”

“Yeah… thank you Jinki-sshi..”

“I said it because I really care about your relationship…and… you’re like a little sister to me..”

“Thank you…” Naeun gave Jinki a slight hug and Jinki patted her head.

They don’t know that Namjoo and Myungsoo were standing not so lose to them and even heard their conversation. Namjoo was teary eyed as she heard everything about Naeun.

“Why are you crying?” Myungsoo asked her..

“It’s because…I really feel her… she was so depressed… their relationship right now is—…oh my God..hik..” She said.

“….They love each other…. Distance is just a test to see how far love can travel…” Myungsoo said while looking at Naeun and Jinki.

“…right. You’re absolutely, right. I wish Taemin’s family business will go back to normal or more than normal so that they can never experience this.”

“..then you should pray harder…”

“Of course. But I will pray for my love life first…Anyway, come on, let’s eat with them.”

>< 

Two days have passed since they arrived in Jeju. All of them decided the famous Teddy Bear Museum, where a lot of Korean dramas filmed there. Namjoo lead the group.

“Let’s take a walk from here till the museum.” Namjoo said.

“What? Don’t you know that we have weak knees? We’re not like you and Miss Son, Miss Kim.” Said the other old teacher.

“Let’s just take a cab.” Said the other one.

“It’s a five-minute walk for God’s sake. It will reduce your fats, trust me.” Namjoo said.

“But.”

“Since you brought your husbands with you, why don’t you ask them to carry you from here to there? That will be romantic and cheesy, right? Ask them to piggy-backed you.” Namjoo suggested.

Jinki, Myungsoo and Naeun laughed silently when the saw the husbands faces when they heard Namjoo. The eyes of their wives brightened up and immediately ask their