When she skipped into the kitchen the next morning, with Oppa following closely behind whistling a jazzy tune, Omma gave her a knowing look.

You shacked up with my son? Omma lifted an eyebrow.

Please. You were the one who shoved me to his room! Ji Hyun narrowed her eyes.

Young people these days... Omma pursed her lips, shaking her head.

Don't pretend you had nothing to do with it! Ji Hyun gritted her teeth.

Their nonverbal exchange went on for a while before Oppa cleared his throat, "Am I missing something here?" His eyes darted between them uncertainly.

"No!" The women answered in unison as they turned to glare at him. He shrank back visibly and ducked his head into his bowl like a kicked puppy. He knew better than to get between the two important women in his life.

"Anyway, I'm heading home." Omma announced.

“What? Why? Are you feeling ok, Omma?” Oppa's head shot up, his eyes running over his mother’s form anxiously like he’s checking her for physical discomfort.

She waved away his concern. “I’m good. I just miss my friends in Seoul. I could be playing Go Stop now instead of hanging out with your noisy friends here,” she grouched. “Look how peaceful it is without their incessant gossiping.” The gang had skipped breakfast that morning, having stayed up all night long to make merry.

“I didn’t know you were uncomfortable with my friends. Why didn’t you say something? How about I spend more time with you?” He sounded troubled, like he thought he had failed her as a son. It was quite endearing.

Omma shook her head. “Don’t be silly. Your friends are fine. I love the boys. I just don't want to spend time with their girlfriends.” She exchanged a look with Ji Hyun, then muttered under her breath, “All s, no brains. They need to have better taste in women.”

Oppa scratched his head like he didn’t know how to react to her statement. Admittably, that’s the type he typically went for too. Insanely attractive women. Busty. Brains/heart optional. Meanwhile Ji Hyun bucked the trend by being none of those. Obviously his taste had become more sophisticated over time, she sniffed haughtily.

“And I’ve already booked my flight. I’ll be gone this afternoon.”

“That’s fast.” Oppa frowned. “Let me give you a ride to the airport.”

Omma waved away his offer again. “I’ve asked Chigu to arrange a car for me. I'm sure you guys have plans. Go enjoy yourselves. Don’t worry about me.”

“We have plans?” Ji Hyun looked at Oppa curiously. He nodded with a gleam in his eyes, a secretive smile playing on his lips. He clearly wasn't going to share with her just yet...or maybe it's inappropriate to share in front of his mother. Her mind automatically slid into the gutter. Him and her...alone...in the bedroom...clothes optional...

"Speaking of enjoying yourselves, did you sleep well last night?"

That not-so-innocent question from Omma had Ji Hyun choking on her orange juice. Oppa patted her back and handed a paper napkin to her, which she used to hide her blushing face. "I guess?” She squeaked, gulping down water to calm her racing heart. Their not-so-innocent activities the night before didn't involve much sleeping, but there's no way she's going to tell Omma. Not when she caught her smirking to herself behind her toast. That cheeky ahjumma had clearly asked that loaded question on purpose just to get a rise out of the youngsters.

Embarrassed as she was, Ji Hyun couldn't help but feel thankful at the same time. If Omma hadn't intervened, she might had flown back to Seoul already, all miserable and broken. But instead, she gave her the time and space to straighten things with Oppa. And now the three of them were seated around the table, like any ordinary family spending an ordinary day together. A family she knew she wouldn't mind having. She could only hope that she would be lucky enough to have a permanent place in their lives one day.

“We are almost there.” She had lost count of the number of times Oppa had said this. He first promised it an hour ago, but they seemed more lost than ever.

"Why don't I take a look at the map?" She offered, wiping sweat off her forehead.

He raised a finger in her direction, like he’s shushing her as he tried to read the map. His brows were knitted, as his eyes darted between the map and their surroundings, like he’s trying to match the two.

“You used to fail geography in school, didn’t you?” She remarked wryly, watching his nose flare with defiance.

“Please. It’s technology that’s failing us. We wouldn’t need the map if there’s cellular reception here. Where’s the GPS when you need it?” He ranted, crushing the map in his hands in frustration, then smoothing it out in the next second, like he thought better of it.

“May I have the map?” She held out her hand, but Oppa stubbornly clung on to it, until she raised her eyebrows, “Please?”

As he handed it over reluctantly, she asked, "How did you even know about this place?"

"Chigu knows a friend's friend who lives in Jeju. He said there are some nice, secluded spots that we can explore." He explained, planting his hands on his hips as he peered over her shoulders to look at the map. She turned away so he would stop breathing down her neck, figuratively and literally.

"He even brought me on the trail yesterday but it looks totally different today.