Day 04: December 17th

Seoul

Yujin walked aimlessly along the busy streets in Seoul. It was after work but she didn't want to go back home yet. Her apartment was lonely and quiet, and it made her missed Busan even more. Busan was home to her, even though her parents had already moved away from the city after she had left for Seoul.

Busan held many special memories for her. It was the place where she had made a lot of good friends. It was also where she had really explored her love for writing.

Most importantly, Minju was in Busan.

Yujin looked her watch and decided that she should eat dinner before returning to her apartment. She stopped in front of a ramen shop and decided to try it out. She walked into the small shop and was greeted by the shopkeeper. The middle-aged man led her to a seat on the counter, next to a beautiful young woman with long hair. She sat down and waited for her order of seafood ramen to come.

After a few minutes, the man placed a bowl of ramen in front her. Yujin thanked the man and began to eat her food. She kept her head down and ate her food without paying much attention to her surroundings. She was almost finished her ramen when she looked up and noticed the woman next to her was browsing through some pictures on her handheld tablet. There were many different kinds of pictures. There were pictures of people, pictures of animals and pictures of nature. The pictures were very pretty. The woman stopped at a picture of the sunset and Yujin couldn't help but feel mesmerized.

"That's beautiful."

Yujin didn't realize that she had said her thoughts out loud until the other woman looked up and stared at her.

"Ah, I'm really sorry." Yujin apologized with a bow. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay." The woman shook her head. "I just didn't realize you were looking at the pictures too."

"Are you a photographer? Your pictures are very pretty." Yujin asked as she pointed to the pictures on the tablet.

"Yes, I am." The other woman nodded. "I love taking pictures. I guess I see life through my lenses."

"I sort of feel the same way as you. I'm a writer."

"I see. Hey, where do you think is the most beautiful place?" The woman asked suddenly.

"Eh? The most beautiful place?" Yujin asked, confused by the sudden question.

The woman smiled. "The most beautiful place to me is here." She pointed to a picture on the tablet. "Home."

"Home?"

"Home is where the heart is. It is the anchor to your life."

Yujin remained silent as the woman continued.

"I used to travel around a lot for my job. I love it but it takes me away from home. So, I decided to start up an internet based e-magazine with my friends. We do features about interesting events or people all around the country. Once in awhile, I still have to travel around, but most of the time I would be home."

"That sounds wonderful." Yujin answered as she smiled.

"How about you? You said that you are a writer. Do you like your job?"

"I have loved writing since I was a small child. It gives me a chance to express my feelings. I was very fortunate to have this job that allows me to do what I love."

"I sense a but in there." The woman looked at Yujin knowingly.

Yujin was startled by the intuitiveness of the woman. "I love my job but it takes me away from home, away from a very important person."

"Everything can't be perfect in life. You win some, you lose some." The woman shrugged her shoulders.

"I actually have just been given a chance to work abroad. It's the chance I have been wanting since I have entered my company." Yujin did not know why, but it felt so easy to talk to this woman. 

"But you are torn because you will be even farther away from home."

"I know that if I take this opportunity, then I will have to..." Yujin paused and looked down at her lap. "I will have to let this person go."

"It sounds like you really love this person."

Yujin looked back up at the woman and nodding softly. "Yes, I do."

"So, I guess you have to decide which one is more important. Your dream or the person you love." The other woman winced. "Wow, that's tough."

Suddenly, a loud beep interrupted their conversation. The woman took out her cell phone and read the message that she had just received.

"Such an impatient person! Always rushing me!" The woman complained. "We are going to be having a major gaming session later but I told her I have to eat first. How can I beat her if I don’t have enough energy?"

Yujin was not sure what the woman was talking about so she just nodded politely.

"Anyway, it's been nice talking to you." The woman gathered her belongings and stood up. "I hope that everything will work out for you."

"Thank you."

"Oh yes!" The woman took out a business card and handed it to Yujin. "Here's my card. Give me a call some time. Maybe we will have a chance to work with each other in the future."

Yujin took the card and nodded. She watched as the other woman left the store. She looked down at the business card and thought about what the woman had said.

"Home is where the heart is..."