"Do you remember, the sun that shone on us

The wide and blue ocean, just like yesterday

In those memories where time has stopped"

 

I woke up after hearing my phone. I set an alarm at 5 in the morning to prepare breakfast for everyone.

 

“Sungkyu-ssi, wake up.” I said as I went to the bathroom.

 

We decided to help each other in cooking for breakfast and wash the dishes later after dinner time.

 

When I got out from the bathroom, Sungkyu is still sleeping. I already let my phone keep on alarming but no effect.

 

I poke his back, trying to wake him up, “Wake up.”

 

“Uhmm.. 5 minutes.” He murmured and covered his self with his blanket.

 

“If you don’t get up right now I will cook by myself today and let you wash the dishes after dinner alone.” I threatened him.

 

He got up asap and walk to the bathroom without saying a word.

 

I can’t help but to smirk. “Aigoo.”

 

We head to the kitchen and start cooking.

 

“You do the ingredients, I cook.”

 

He just nod his head and do his part silently.

 

We are both serious in our work that the only words that come out to our... no, to my mouth is the ingredient’s name. He doesn’t talk, nor yes or okay. So to make this punishment an enjoyable one, I ask him questions.

 

“What’s your job, by the way?” I asked.

 

“None.”

 

“None?” I asked in shock. “Is it because you’re rich enough?”

 

“It’s not like that. I worked at my father’s company before but I resigned. I’m a year unemployed now.”

 

“Ah, I see. But why did you resign?”

 

He just shrugged his shoulders. “What about you?”

 

“I’m a music teacher.”

 

“Wooah, then you know how to sing.”

 

“Should I give you a sample?” I asked joking cos even if he said yes, I won’t.

 

“Oh... what’s that smell?”

 

“Shoot!” I stand up and run towards to range. I forgot the sunny side-up egg I am cooking. Mwoya, how did I forget about it.

 

----

“Sorry for some burnt eggs. Hehe. But don’t worry, the other dishes are good! You will forget about the egg.”

 

They all giggled.

 

“Okay, let’s eat.” The head ahjumma said and so we all eaaaat.

 

“Thank you for the delicious food.” The kids said and one by one they stand up and got out from the dining area, the volunteers followed.

 

“Eunji and Sungkyu, thank you for today’s breakfast.”

 

“It’s nothing, Ahjumma. Sorry again for the burnt eggs. Hehe.”

 

“No problem.”

 

After that, they also got out from the dining area. Sungkyu and I are both left. We still need to clean the table up but we don’t need to wash the plates anymore, the helpers will do it. But after dinner tonight, we will wash dishes.

 

“Can you give a sample now?” Suddenly, Sungkyu asked.

 

“Haha. I don’t have the guts right now.”

 

“Alright. What’s the event tonight?” Again, he asked.

 

“Nothing, but we have a meeting.”

 

“Meeting? About what?”

 

“About the next events to do together with the kids. As much as possible, we want to involve the kids more to every event for them to have a memorable winter and Christmas.”

 

“By the way, what do they do during daytime, each day?”

 

“In the morning, they have class. We have teachers who volunteered but only during morning.”

 

“What if the volunteered teachers don’t come or stopped volunteering?”

 

“Luckily, we haven’t encountered volunteer teachers who stopped coming, but sometimes they don’t come because of some personal reasons and if that happens, the ahjummas take the place.”

 

“You’re a teacher right? You don’t want to volunteer?”

 

“Music teacher. As much as I want, I am only expert at music. The kids must know other things or other field of studies for them to be intelligent and developed their knowledge.”

 

“You have a point. And you have to make some living too.”

 

“Haha. Yeah?”

 

“What about during after noon? What do the kids do?”

 

“After lunch, it’s story telling time. Then after that, we allow them to take a nap. After they woke up, snack time and playtime after.”

 

“Suddenly, I want to be a kid again.” Then he sighed.

 

“I know right? Me too! How nice would it be to enjoy life without worries?”

 

“Right.” He agreed lamely.

 

After we cleaned up the table, Sungkyu asked me to tour him. After we wander the orphanage’s house, we decided to tour outside. We asked permission to the head and she agreed. She said it would be nice for Sungkyu to be familiarized to the place because this might not be his first and last visit. She said with a laugh that makes Sungkyu feel uneasy.

 

“You don’t want to visit here again next time?” I asked Sungkyu because it makes me curious why he felt uneasy awhile ago.

 

“Yeah? I just got here because my father forced me to.”

 

“How did he force you?”

 

“He said he will freeze my card, sell my car and my condo.”

 

“Haha! He’s like the type of a father I watched in TV.”

 

“You’re right.”

 

“But I’m sure, after your forced volunteer here, you will surely want to come again.” I said confidently. It’s such a happy feeling you will have after you realized how much experience you had here. That’s why I keep on coming back, tho half of the happiness is about Howon, still it feels nice.

 

“Let’s see.”

 

“Sure.”

 

When we both feel hungry we stop by at the near eating place. When our food arrived and placed at the table, we are both in awe.

 

“Are we this hungry?” I asked in shook. We ordered a lot.

 

“Maybe?” He answered unsurely.

 

Then we just laughed it out and decided to take out if we don’t get to eat them all. But shockingly, we ate them all.

 

“I don’t think I can eat dinner anymore.”

 

“Me too!” I agreed giggling.

 

“By the way, does this town have a beach?”

 

“Yeah. Do you want to go there?”

 

“Can we? It’s kinda late now.”

 

“Of course. Don’t worry; the beach is near to the house.”

 

So even if it’s late, we went to the beach. But as soon as we got there, Sungkyu then become silent. He just stares at the beach. I wanted to talk and start a conversation but I can see his aura that says ‘let me be by myself for now.’

 

So I just stand next to him, enjoying the beautiful view of the beach but in time to time I glance at Sungkyu. I don’t know why but I just do.

 

Then all of a sudden, it snows!

 

“Waa! First snow fall!” I exclaimed with excitement. It is everyone’s been waiting for during winter and I can’t help but to smile as I try to catch some snow. “Yah Sungkyu, it’s snowing!” I said to him and when I glanced at him I saw tears fell down from his closed eyes.

 

 

Then he whispered, “First snow fall.”