He took a quick glance at the long, tiny handles on the simple mechanism mounted on the wall. It is surely slowly moving towards 12. His heart does little flutters as he contemplates if he should bring along a scarf. It took him some time before deciding he had better and got the navy blue knit his wife had given him on his 45th birthday. Upon closer examination, his heart sank to find one of his prized posessions with holes here and there - darn insects, and puts it away. Yoo Young Geun mentally tell himself to send it to Mrs Kim to be fixed and noted amusedly at his bare cupboard. She is right. He does need to do some shopping. Winter is coming.

Still, he tapped agitatedly on the pinewood dresser as he runs his eyes through his fashion choices before giving up completely. He had nothing nice to wear. He resigned to settling on the couch and attempt to watch whatever programmes on the TV.  He glanced again at the wall clock. It wasn't that she is late, he was simply too early. A habit that was hard to put away. In all his career as a military man, he was always taught to be ready and early.

Briefly, he wondered. What is the occasion? It wasn't her birthday, right? She was so excited then and tried to tell him their dinner. Some new fine dining in town that allegedly serves the most heavenly and tantalizing dishes. A Michelin 3 stars or something. He wasn't sure. He couldn't hear the lady over all the ruckus of the restaurant he was in when he was with his fishing mates. By the time he went out the sliding doors with the intention to request that she repeated whatever she was just saying, she had hung up.

Yoo Young Geun run a hand over his face. On and on he press the remote. There was nothing on the TV that interest him. Soap opera, soap opera, TV shopping, football match etc. His mind went off again to what sort of new stuff they will be engaging in today and the previous visits they had.

It has been a little more than 5 months now. At first, he was none too accommodating. It took him a short while, hesitating her goodwill and adapting to her visits. He doesn't mind their meals every now and then. But, certainly twice a month is a little bit too much? He isn't going to die of depression. Yoo Young Geun had assured her many times. He has his drinking buddies - in which made her brows raised so high up before a frown marred her face and he had to quickly explained he meant tea, retired friends from the platoon and even Si Jin's own Alpha team - who would drop by once awhile to greet. She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips.

He guessed his age-softened mind has finally undo him and his heart was moved. Her genuine smile and perserverance won him in the end. What was it that she said over that flaming hot pot of sundubu jjigae?

Ahjussi, we have established that we are friends, did we not? This (while gesturing to the sundubu jjigae) is what friends do.

And then there was also...

That is the problem right there, ahjussi! You don't have a pretty visitor like me! Think about it, you get a pretty friend for meal dates and free medical advice and check-up who by the way, your pretty friend can provide since she so happens to be a doctor!

Stunned momentarily, he remembered bursting into fits of laughter. And so begans her twice-a-month visits. She would come knocking on his door some days..... bearing fruits of the season, his favourite black bean noodles from the old couple-run eatery tucked in the tiny lanes of Seoul Si Jin used to get for him, packets of exotic tea that he absolutely is delighted with and often outings to a variety of eateries and restaurants.

Yoo Young Geun would listened to her bright chatter as she poured stories of hospital scandals, the mundane routines, the emergencies she had to deal with, that haughty fake professor; a thorn in her finger, the coming interviews. He welcomes them all and thoroughly enjoys them. She nags him like a daughter and a doctor and he regards her affectionately as Mo Yeon-ah.

Mo Yeon or Dr Kang Mo Yeon is a very interesting person. Insistent, head-strong, opinionated, intelligient and so very persuasive when she wants to. Her strength amazes him and her perserverance inspires him. Despite all that, she is a rather easy person to read, who wears her emotions on her sleeve. Adorable at times, coy with her words and witty with her jokes. Albeit her intelligience, she could be quite the opposite. Several times he caught her being gullible - which he finds it so hard to believe that such a person is a skillful surgeon and a famous broadcast doctor who seem to know it all and so but he supposes that adds to one of her many thousands other charms.

He knows this is what his son saw in her. Si Jin definitely hit jackpot. He has once thought that if he were to have a daughter, this is what she would be like. A total package. Over and over again, she never fails to surprise him. And many, many a times, Yoo Young Geun would reflect sorrowfully with enormous regret, that he would never be able to introduce her as a daughter-in-law.

He had once voiced his regrets to her, on a late summer day when Mo Yeon was in the middle of cutting perfect little slices of apples for her apple pie on his kitchen counter. Yoo Young Geun did not know what overcome him that he behaved quite emotionally that day. Perhaps the incident of a dear friend's son's death in accident refresh his mind of the many what-nots of his precious son. He told her tearfully that this is his fault. And that he should have insisted and encouraged Si Jin down another path. And here she is. Robbed of her future. They could have been married and have a family and grow old together and...and...Mo Yeon froze where she stood. Taken aback by his outbursts. She recovered rather quickly. Setting the cutlery on the counter gently, she padded over. His clenched fists were in hers. Her grip was gentle and yet,firm. The words she spoke to him still rung in his mind today.

Ahjussi..Before Si Jin and I got together, I rejected him many times. I was afraid. Not of the man himself but his job. I questioned myself many times if I would love him had he had another career path? And would I want to love a man with so much troubles? I tormented myself with such questions every other day because I was fearful. It was only when we went our ways did I see that the questions did not matter. I am in love with the man himself and his job is an important part of him because I realize that it was his job that shapes the man he is today. The man I love is a man the military has made him. Brave, independant, strong, kind, loving... I could go on and on. But I have decided that I want to live, I want to go on being the best I can be. As a human and as a doctor. This way, I honor his death and I honor my choice of loving him. And because this is what he would want too. So please ahjussi, don't blame yourself over it.

When she finished her little speech, he could only stared at her through tears-ridden eyes. In awe and jaw slacked at this incredible young lady.

In all his life, he has only regarded in highest esteem, two women. His mother and his wife. He now has three.

A light honk in the driveway brought him out of his mind trip and had him leapt to his feet. He peered at the window and saw the lady waving at him. Yoo Young Geun held a hand up in reply. In a jiffy, he went off and about, getting his things and switched off the TV when she appeared at his doorstep.

Greeting him with a quick hug, she rummaged around in a huge paper bag before producing a dark green scarf and a new sweater. He was dragged to his wife's old full-length mirror in his confusion.Mo Yeon looped the scarf over his neck and complimented herself for getting the right color. It brings his eyes out, she said and that he looks years younger. He scoffed and laughed at her incredulous remarks. Inside, however, he beamed. As he stood still while she dress him up, he admitted her good choices. For a moment, as both stare into the reflections in the mirror; she still admiring her good choices on him and he couldn't help but see a father and daughter moment.

It got Yoo Young Geun a little choked up but he did not want to ruin the day with his emotions. He covered it with a declaration that he is famished and dying to sample the fine dining she has been ravishing about. She clapped her hands and announced their departure immediately. Slinging her handbag on one arm and with another, she linked with his. Her laughter peels all the way to the door and mirth held in her face. Her hand was the only warmth he received in the turning of chill in the air. The same warmth he has so greatly appreciates and treasures over the many months.