Fei closed her eyes, subtly humming an old song, a lullaby her mother used to sing to her.

When she opened her eyes again, the train had started moving. Her eyes started to water the moment it did.

She sighed.

There was nothing wrong with her. She had a solid career and a fair employer. A car, nothing too fancy but a car nonetheless and recently, bought a small, new apartment. All seemed well but somehow, stress was getting its toll on her.

Maybe it was the increasing amount of workload, or maybe she was just lonely.

In her age, hanging out with her girlfriends had become less frequent, now that most of her friends were married and busy with their kids. That and paired with her hectic job. She even had lesser sleep these days. When things started to pile up, she became more sensitive. She found herself easy to cry and getting upset. She felt jealous looking at couples on the street, and felt empty whenever she got back home. Her boss recommended her to take a few days off and get some rest.

You need a break.

Fei thought so too, but she didn't know what to do with those three days. She wasn't in the mood to take long flights, all the way to China. Flights always make her more fatigued than anything. Add her mother’s constant nagging to that, telling her to settle down or setting up blind dates for her. In the end, she simply picked a random suburb area and booked a room at a local inn for herself. Well, she could always find something interesting to see in a new place.

Fei got off at a rather secluded train station. The station was very basic, with small counters operating and very few benches which were not occupied. There weren't much people getting off at the station anyway. The town she passed by afterwards were similar. Few people went around, each doing their own things but they all said ‘hi’ to each other. The taxi driver who took her to the inn looked like he was way past fifty years old. He was very friendly and had an adorable smile.

Fei said her thanks to the taxi driver ahjusshi and checked in into her room. She was tired from the traveling and so went to sleep right after the sky turned dark.

Unfortunately, a summer rainstrom hit the town in the middle of the night; and there was a leakage in her room.

“I’m really sorry! I didn't expect to have such damage in the room since it’s been a while since the room last occupied. It’ll take a while to wait for the repairman to come and fix it, so you can stay in my son’s room in the mean time,” the inn owner ahjumma. Mrs. Kim Heejin told her as she helped Fei to pack her stuffs and moved to her house which was next door.

“Your son?”

“He works in the city and he’s really busy. He rarely comes home anymore.”

Fei smiled warmly at Mrs. Kim.. Her mother must be like that too back in Hainan. She kept herself busy since her children were away most of the time.

“Thank you for letting me stay at your home.” Fei said politely.

“Oh, no! No! I should be apologising to you for all the troubles.”

Well, as long as she could stay in a warm room, Fei had nothing to complain. Besides, Mrs. Kim seemed warm and friendly. Mrs. Kim also told Fei that she made the best gochujang, Korean’s favorite chili paste, for the village. Fei guessed her first adventure would start with gochujang making tomorrow morning.

The next morning, Fei participated in the gochujang making right from the beginning. Coincidentally, Mrs. Kim was preparing a whole new batch of gochujang stock that would last for at least six months. She said the gochujang wasn’t just sold in the neighborhood, but also most provinces nearby.

Mrs. Kim refused to have Fei helping at first because she was a guest, but after some coaxing, the inn owner finally agreed. They also have a couple of ahjumma’s from next door coming to lend their manpower as a part-time job.

They finished everything as the day neared its end. The sun was setting when Mrs. Kim told Fei to wash up and rest for a bit as she prepared a casual dinner for everyone to enjoy. Mrs. Kim told her they usually enjoy dinner together with other villagers everytime she finished a large batch of gochujang stocks. She said sharing would make her business prosperous, and Fei agreed with her.

Fei returned to her room, took a bath and changed to fresh clothes. She had just clipped her bra and was about to put on a loose t-shirt when the door to her room was swung open. Behind the doorframe, revealed a young man, about her age, staring straight at her half- body with eyes wide open.

“Aaah!” Fei screamed her lungs out and grabbed the nearest things to her - in this case her facial cleanser bottle and whitening cream jar - and threw them into his direction. The young man scrambled away from the doorframe and exited the house, leaving his luggages behind.

“Holy sh- I swear I got the right house! Mom!” The guy just then screamed in panic.

“Junho! You’re here!” Mrs. Kim came running to greet her son who last visited her a couple of months ago. At the same time, Fei came out, looking traumatised.

Junho and Fei pointed to each other and,

“Ahjumma, this guy is a ert!”
“Mom, what is she doing in my room?”

It was awkward, meeting Park Junho, Mrs. Kim’s son that way. Honestly, Fei found him to be extremely attractive (she was told that he worked as a model in Seoul), but his first impression sort of ruined that. He apologized to her ‘for barging in at inappropriate time’, but he didn't seem sincere about it. If anything, to Fei, it felt like he wanted her to be out of his room that very instant. Well, Fei admitted that it was partly her fault for forgetting to lock the door, but his apology could use a little more sincerity.

They both joined the casual dinner anyway. Fei had fun chatting with the two ahjumma’s next door who came to help previously, now chopping on fresh vegetables together. Junho on the other hand helped out with the heavy stuffs. He brought a huge, round metal container in the middle of the courtyard and poured cooked rice in it. The ahjummas, including his mother, simply ordered him to add various ingredients that they prepared into the container; mostly fresh vegetables and the gochujang they made previously. Junho proceeded with mixing up all the ingredients to make bibimbap for everyone to enjoy.

Once Junho was finished, everyone began to enjoy the meal together. Not long after that, about three more ahjummas and ajusshis, including the taxi driver ahjusshi came to join the little feast. Turned out all these people were related to each other in one way or another. One of them was Mrs. Kim’s second cousin, the other was her sister-in-law, one of the ahjusshi was Mrs. Kim’s brother-in-law’s cousin. They were all really close.

“I came here because I heard Junho brought back his girlfriend!”

Junho choked on his food. Fei who sat across him felt sorry for him, but she couldn't help but laughed at his reaction anyway. A classic case of urbanites who visited their hometowns.

“You must have heard wrong,” Junho replied with hoarse voice, his coughing gradually died down. An elderly lady handed him a glass of water. Mrs. Kim on the other hand, didn’t even bother to correct anyone and simply enjoyed the scene.

“You must be her!I I can’t be mistaken!” Another ahjumma shouted, pointing at Fei. Junho threw his head back, giving up all attempt to correct the distorted truth. Fei on the other hand, looked a little alarmed. Her gaze timidly traveled from Junho and the ahjummas.

“Um, actually, I’m just a-”

“She’s so pretty! Is she a model too?”

Fei looked at Junho, frowning, begging him for help with her eyes. Junho sighed.

“Auntie, she’s not my girlfriend. She’s just a-”

“C’mon, don't be shy! What’s your name?” Now they all swarmed around Fei.

Junho returned Fei’s gaze with a dismissive shrug and then continued eating to his heart’s content as if nothing was happening. Seeing Junho being so relaxed, Fei guessed it didn't hurt to keep these ladies ‘entertained’ for the time being.

“I’m Fei. Wang Feifei.”

“Wang Feifei? That’s not a common name. Is that perhaps your commercial name? Junho’s friends from Seoul don't call him Junho either. What was it Junho? Saimong? Or something.”

Junho cleared his throat. “It’s Simon,” he explained, looking into Fei’s eyes as he did. He just remembered that they had not introduced themselves to each other.

“Well, my real name is Wang Feifei. I’m from China.”

“Oh, a foreigner!” They ooh-ed. One ahjumma elbowed Junho who was trying to stay away from their conversation by busying himself with food.

“Mixed babies are often gorgeous!”

Once again, Junho almost choked with his food.

“Junho doesn't come home often, let’s take a picture of him and his girlfriend together!”

The tiny old ladies all poked and urged Junho to change his position. Junho gave up and changed his place to sit next to Fei. Fei looked a little embarrassed, but she didn't exactly hated the situation seeing how genuinely happy those elders were. She felt bad about lying to them, but she was sure they would be happier when Junho actually told them he was getting married one day.

“Only one picture, get it?” Junho warned them strictly. They all brushed him off with careless ‘Yeah, yeah, we know that!’ and asked Junho to get closer to Fei as they held up their smartphones in their small hands.

“Come on guys, be a little more intimate!”

Junho put an arm around Fei’s shoulder and pulled her closer to him. He whispered to her without averting his gaze from the flashing phone cameras.

“Just,” he cleared his throat, “play along. These ahjummas love juicy stories more than anything. I’m asking a favor.”

“If it’s for the elders then, okay.”

Fei’s attention was directed to one of the ahjummas who kept calling her name and signaled her something with her body language. She kept patting her shoulder, and tilted her head so that her head touched her shoulder. Fei couldn't grasp her message at first, but soon, she caught what the ahjumma menat. Her cheeks slightly pinked from her request.

“Aunty, don't ask her to do weird things!” Junho warned her aunt.

“Oh, I know you guys do more stuffs behind us!”

All the elders laughed out loud. Fei simply stole the attention once again when she did as requested. She rested her cheek on Junho’s shoulder and smiled for the cameras.

Fei had finished washing up and was ready to hit the sack. The weather was a little chilly, it would probably rain tonight. Junho said he would sleep in the living room. She wondered if he would be uncomfortable? Fei wanted to check on him so she carefully stepped outside the room, so as to not make any noise. She looked around but didn't found anyone in the living room. She went to the main entrance and slowly slid the door open while trying to keep herself hidden. Junho was sitting outside on the timber decking, drinking beer on his own, his legs crossed. He looked at her weird.

Fei cleared and then proceeded to act normally. She stepped out of her hiding from behind the sliding door and smoothed her t-shirt. Junho simply pat the empty spot next to him, inviting her to sit with him. Fei accepted his invitation and joined him. Junho picked up another can of beer and opened it before handing it to her.

“Thanks,” Fei told him before she downed the refreshing, cold drink.

“Well, thanks for putting up with those crazy ahjummas,” Junho chuckled.

“They are adorable. They totally remind me of my aunts and uncles back home. They can be really noisy and annoying, but they would be the happiest person if I ever get married.”

“So why aren’t you married yet?”

Fei laughed at his question. “You sound totally like them just now.”

Junho laughed along with her. “No, I mean it. Why not?”

“Well… I haven’t find the right person. That’s all. The guys I dated in the past all seemed like they couldn't see me past the physical attraction. You know what I mean?”

“Yeah, I got that.” Junho nodded and sipped on his beer. “In my case, I believe I’m not that picky. I just want a girl who can accept me for who I really am, but it seemed like the girls I have dated couldn't accept the part of me who was born and raised in the suburb. They were fine with anything else but that. It bothered me that they can not meet my mother with warm, open heart and all. Too bad.” Junho shrugged.

“Maybe it’s just not the time. You know, for people like us.”

Junho shrugged. “Well, I don't mind no matter how long it would take until I found the right one. But, you know this, the elders. They can’t wait for long.”

“Yeah, definitely. And to think that settling down would make them happiest,” Fei laughed again, with subtle bitterness in them.

Junho sighed, but he was smiling. “To think that something I don't really give much thoughts about would trouble my mind like this.”

“I know, right?”

Their laughter gradually dispersed in the air, became one again with the silent, still air. Their eyes were locked on each other. For some reason, her heart slightly picked up its pace, and she strongly felt that he was feeling the same. Fei took a deep breath to calm herself down.

“Isn't it hard though? To live so faraway from your home and family, alone.” Junho broke the silence, his voice gentle, almost a whisper.

“Of course it is. But don’t you just put up with those stuffs?”

“Yeah, of course.” Junho nodded, chuckling.

Fei raised her beer can.

“For solos, searching for the one,” she said.

Junho nodded and smiled, “searching for the one.”

They clanked their beer cans together.

On the third day, Fei was ready to be back to the buzz of city life. Since the taxi ahjusshi was feeling unwell that day, Mrs. Kim asked Junho to send Fei to the train station instead. He even waited for the train with her since the station was rather deserted. Until the train arrived, Junho had been with her. He helped her to get her stuffs on the train, and then bid their last goodbye at the door.

“Thanks, Junho.”

“My pleasure.” Junho shrugged.

“I’d love to come again.”

“Oh, don't.” Junho closed his eyes and shook his head, warning her against such idea.

“What? It’s a nice place!” Fei laughed.

“Next time you come, they’ll be picking the date for our wedding.”

“Well… We’ll see about that.”

Junho smirked. “Don’t say I didn't warn you.”

Fei just smiled at him. Once again, silence swept over them, only their eyes spoke to each other. There was something deeper than mere words could express behind their hopeful, gleaming eyes.

Are you probably the one?

Junho put up his arm, his palm gently resting at the side of her head. Slowly, his fingers caressed her hair downwards until it reached her smooth cheek, brushing along her jawline.

“Let’s meet up again in Seoul,” Junho told her.

Fei nodded.