Sgt. Kwan Seok made his way over the housing office. Earlier today, he had spoken to Jung Hwa who had asked him for a favor.

“I’ve filed all the paperwork for the housing request. It's all signed and approved. The lady in the office just needed to get it filed. Can you follow up for me? There’s not much in my quarters; it’s all packed up. I thought I’d have time to do all this before my leave next weekend. Sorry, man.”

“No sweat, bro. I got your back. It will give me an excuse to chat up that sweet young thing they’ve got manning the counter.”

“Thanks, I’ll owe you one. I just don’t want to bring Mi Yeung to the men’s quarters,” Jung Hwa said.

“So she’s coming back with you, for sure?”

“Yeah. There’s not much else to settle over there.”

Kwan Seuk leaned over the counter of the housing office. He put on his best ingratiating smile and is trying to charm his way into the young lady’s favor. 

“They told me you are beautiful. They aren’t lying. Maybe I can take you out for a drink, hmm?”

The girl tittered and blushed. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and batted her eyes at him. “You’re such a tease. My eomma warned me about men like you.”

Kwan Seuk is indeed a ladies man. Tall and broad shouldered and handsome, he's easily a popular man with the ladies in the base. He's a heartbreaker of sorts but his charms lie on the fact that the ladies he wined and dined never felt like he abandoned them when he moved on. Rather they would all just sigh remembering him. He is very good at making each one of them feel like they are just too good for the likes of him. 

“I’m a good guy. Eommas love me!” he said, as he leaned further, arms on the counter. He propped his chin comfortably on his hand and whispered, “my friend knows the owner of this great bar across town. He can get us in easy. What do you say?”

“Maybe. You are cute. What do you need?” she said, twirling a strand of hair around her fingers.

Yes! he thought. He went to ask her about the status of Jung Hwa's new quarters.

"C'mon, sweetheart, my commander will be back with his wife. Everything's signed. Can you push the paperwork thru so I can get his place ready?"

"I don't know," she hedges,"that's been on Mun Shee's desk and she gets terribly bratty when other's try to work on her stuff. She's so weird about things. Last time, she yelled at me! Can you believe it, when all I was doing was help get the backlog of work moving. She was already in trouble for filing other paperwork late." She pouted.

"What? That was really rude when you were only helping. You're so sweet to help her even though you didn't have to," he reached out to tap her gently on the nose.

"Well, she can be ugly all right. She didn't get in trouble but did she even say thank you? No." She huffed. "Poor guys like your commander will probably wait forever. Don't worry. I'm tired of her attitude." She said, her fingers flying on the keyboard. After several clicks, she turned to him and said, "There, its submitted. I put a note that it's expedited. They should release the key to you this afternoon." 

"You are amazing!" He went to grab her hand and gave it a kiss, his eyes gazing at her admiringly. "I'll call you to plan our date, okay?"

He flirted with her for a few more minutes before leaving the housing office.

.

.

Jung Hwa came inside the cottage where Mi Yeung is finishing up with her packing. On the floor where she is kneeling were several piles sorted out: blankets and linens, her Appa's clothing, some towels. There were also cardboard boxes half filled with old personal items. Her own belongings were already packed in an open suitcase.

"Do you need help, Mi Yeung-ie?" as he sat down on the floor next to her. 

"Thank you. I'm done, really." she said, folding the last of the towel neatly. "Mrs Pung said leave whatever I don't need here and she'll sort them out. They already reassigned the cottage to an older couple, she told me."

"What about your Appa's clothes?" 

"Old man Tak says he can take them for me. I told him he can donate them or find someone who can use them. They're all mostly old and worn clothing, hardly worth anything to anybody else." Mi Yeung said as she placed these inside one of the box. She touched one shirt with longing, remembering her Appa, and smoothed it out gently in the box.

"Is this the only suitcase you'll be taking?" Jung Hwa noted the medium sized suitcase which is hardly even filled with her stuff.

"Yes. I don't have many clothes to pack." She had looked embarrassed which didn't escape his notice.

"It's ok, Mi Yeung, we can get whatever you need back in the base. They opened up a new shopping center 20 minutes away. We can get whatever you need there; we're going to need to get stuff for the house anyway."

"I don't need much, but..." she paused to look at him. "Jung Hwa, do you think I can teach there? Or do something?" 

"Oh I'm sure you'll get a teaching post. There's plenty of married officers with families living in designated housing; we can check it out. I know a few officers with young children who would be pleased to have a teacher for their younger kids," he said, tucking a wisp of hair behind her ears. "You can do anything you want; I'll help you. But you don't have to rush it. Get settled in first and be familiar with the people and place." He didn't want her to be overwhelmed being in a new place, new situation when she had never been outside this small village before. 

Mi Yeung smiled and nodded at him.

She is still feeling somewhat shy. Last night was their first night alone. It was late by the time they came back from the cemetery. She was emotionally drained and physically exhausted. They had lain next to each other on their sleeping pellets. It was unusually cold, even with the wood stove burning full blast. She was quiet, still feeling the residual emotions of the day and Jung Hwa did not intrude, did not try to cheer her up. He somehow knew she just needed this quiet moment, needed to wrap herself in the melancholy, to grieve and process everything that has taken place. So they had laid next to each other, only the quiet singing of the crickets breaking the silence and her occasional quiet sobs. Jung Hwa's heart felt heavy hearing her tears, knowing she was holding herself back from the way her breaths hitched, her shoulders trembled. Finally, without speaking, he reached out to her, bringing her in his arms. She willingly welcomed his hold, burying her face in his chest and let her tears flow unabated. He held her tenderly, kissed her temples and soothed her to sleep; offering her what she needed at this time-- his warm arms, where she can let go without questions, a haven from hurt, a shelter, a home...

.

.

Mi Yeung walked briskly in town, her purpose marking her hurried pace. She was rushing, for shortly she and Jung Hwa will head over to the small airport to catch their flight back to his base in Camp Hansoon, in Gangneung. The chiming of the door sounded as she entered the little pawn shop; the ahjussi sitting behind the counter looked up from reading his newspaper to give her a slight bow in greeting.

"Annyeong haseyo, seongsaengnim," Mi Yeung greeted him back.

"What can I do for you, young lady?"

"I don't know if you remember me, seongsaengnim. I brought over a small necklace several months ago. It is silver with a small round jade pendant. You were kind enough to set it aside for me for when I can buy it back."

"Ah yes, I remember. It is a beautiful piece. Small but dainty. Yes. Let me look. I know I put it the back here so it's not easily seen." He paused and pushed his glasses further up his nose. "Hmm, wait, we had rearranged things and it might have been placed somewhere else."

The ahjussi hunted around some more, even opening the small locked drawer from the corner. He then had a thought and rushed to search the little book where a record of all transactions were listed. He made a sound of annoyance and went in the back, calling out to someone.

Mi Yeung's heart thudded in anxiety. She tried not to expect the worse. It must have been just misplaced, she thought. She looked down hopefully at the display cases once more, eyes searching for a familiar necklace, one that she'd recognize anywhere, having been handed down from the women in their family. Fear sat in the pit of her stomach as she searched desperately.

She looked up when the old man came back. She read the look of pity in his face and her heart sank.

"I'm sorry, young lady. My granddaughter was helping out in the store and did not realize the necklace was being set aside. Someone came and bought it a long time ago...I'm really sorry."

"Is there a way for me to find the person? So I can buy it back?" her distress evident.

"I'm sorry we don't give out buyer information. Even if I could just this once, the girl was not mindful and did not put the information down in the ledger. I only have a bill of sale and receipt. It was all done in cash."

Mi Yeung left the pawn shop dejected. She was full of guilt to have been the one to have lost the heirloom. Her halmoni had been so happy to pass it along to her, saying she had received it from her own mother.

She recalled the day Halmoni took it off herself to put it on Mi Yeung. She just had her 18th birthday, and her halmoni wanted to give her something meaningful and precious.

"You're old enough to be responsible for this, Mi Yeung-ie. It's been handed down from the women in our family. It's not by all means expensive, but it is precious for the memories it held," she said as she fastened the clasp around Mi Yeung's neck. "This is a jade stone; it's been our family's talisman, symbolizing wisdom, balance, and peace. My eomma received it as a gift from my halmoni; she said it was the very first jewelry halmoni owned, bought by her very own money. She felt proud to have bought it herself, using her own money from selling crops from the field. She was a proud woman according to my eomma. She didn't let being a woman stop her from doing what needed to be done, even though she was sometimes ridiculed. She worked that field as hard as any man in her day, my eomma told me. She passed it along to my eomma, just before she married my appa. After I came of age, she then gave it to me. I didn't have any daughters, so I held onto it until we had you." She gave Mi Yeung's forehead a kiss affectionately. "I think it's time for you to have it, to be in your safekeeping until such time as when you pass it along to your daughter or granddaughter."

Mi Yeung remember holding onto the jade pendant, her face flushed with happiness at being entrusted with such a precious gift. 

.

Mi Yeung had her suitcase and Jung Hwa's duffle bag on the steps. She came home to wait on Jung Hwa, who had texted her that he was dropping off the keys to Mrs. Pung in the common house, saving her the task of being snubbed any further by the matron. She was thankful for that, since Mrs Pung is stil not above making under-handed remarks about her "running off" with another man. She saw Jung Hwa walking briskly, rounding the corner. She admired his tall form, how broad his shoulders were,  the way he carried himself so confidently. He is handsome, she thought, blushing, as she forced herself to look away.

He had set a quick pace, reaching her in less than a minute.

He stood leaning on the front stoop column next to where she sat.

"That's all done. Whew, I don't think she likes me much," he said. "That's what I get from stealing you away." He chuckled.

"Was she still being spiteful?" she shook her head. "I never promised them anything, Jung Hwa."

"I know you didn't," he said. Noticing her somberness, "don't let her worry you; people want to believe what they want."

"Oh, I know. No, it's not that...it's alright." she stood and smoothed her skirt. 

"Hey," he said, catching hold of her hand. "Did you get everything you needed done?"

"Yes.......I went to the pawnshop." She looked at him sadly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you where I was going. I...I was too late. My necklace was gone." her voice tinged with sadness. 

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was embarrassed, I think. More so now, that I lost it." She then told Jung Hwa about the necklace being in the family until now.

Jung Hwa reached into the pocket of his duffle bag and handed Mi Yeung a small velvet black pouch.

Mi Yeung looked at him in confusion. She undid the ties and spilled the contents on her hand. It was her necklace, the jade stone glinting in the sunlight on the palm of her hand.

"But..how... when...?" her eyes searched his questioningly.

"Last time I was here. I'm sorry but Mrs. Wen was quite chatty. That time before I picked you up from the school, I went to see if it was still there. I didn't want you to risk losing it."

"Oh..." she was quite speechless. So touched was she by his gesture. 

Jung Hwa took the necklace, "I was hoping to give this to you when we get our wedding bands," he paused, reaching over to fasten it around her neck. "but I can't stand to see you sad." His hands dropped to hold onto her shoulders.

Mi Yeung touched the pendant, overcome with emotions she could not express. She looked up at him tenderly. "Thank you."

Jung Hwa could not keep his eyes off of her. And he saw the change in her eyes, her brown eyes darkening as her emotions took on a deeper nature. He saw the nervous way she bit her lips.

"Mi Yeung...."

She bravely met his eyes, even as she nervously her lips. She didn't miss how his eyes dropped to to follow her motion, nor the way his throat worked as he stared at her so heatedly.

She felt breathless in his nearness. She thought he must hear her heart, so loud was it pounding in her own ears. She felt the warmth suffusing her cheeks as he bent down to touch her lips with his.

It was a light kiss, barely a brush. But oh, it held so much untold promise......

My One and Only You

 

Is it you
Are you the one
The love I've been searching for
I've been alone, I've been lost
Adrift, unmoored, on my own
Searching for my sanctuary,
My one and only, my home.

Is this love
Shining from your eyes
Is this love
Warming my nights
Is this love
Keeping my fears at bay.
Is it you
The love I've been waiting for
My forever, my always.

Is it you, is this love
My one the heaven sent from above
This is me, my love is true
Can I be your one and only too...

 

 

disclaimer: please note I have no military knowledge. I am making up situations. I don't know the rules regarding married officers and their families in ROK military.