POHANG

A phone rings from the front porch when Ji Hyo is eating her breakfast with So Min.

“Eonnie, is that your phone?” So Min mumbles before swallowing the food in .

“No, my phone is here.” Ji Hyo shows her phone from her lap. “Are you sure it’s not yours?”

“No.” So Min sighs, looking at Ji Hyo ridiculously. “I’m playing with it. See?”

Ji Hyo chuckles, did she just ask the stupidest question? “Arasseo. I’ll go find it.”

Ji Hyo goes to the front porch and finds a phone on top of the shoe rack. It must be Jong Kook’s. The ringing stops for three seconds, before it’s ringing again. She looks at the caller ID and it shows Choi Mal Soon is calling. She knows it’s Jin Young’s mother. She locks the phone and puts it on silent and quickly goes back to the kitchen.

“Whose phone, Eonnie?” So Min asks once Ji Hyo is back sitting down in front of her.

“Jong Kook Oppa’s.”

So Min raises her eyebrow. “He was here?”

“Yes. Where do you think I Seul is?” Ji Hyo answers.

“Right.” So Min nods while chewing her food. “It’s ringing again, Eonnie.” She points it out.

Ji Hyo really doesn’t know what to do. “Just let it, I guess?”

“Check who it is.”

“It’s Jin Young’s Eomma.”

So Min gasps. “Pick it up! Let’s listen to what she has to say!”

“It’s not polite, So Min-ah.” Ji Hyo scolds her. So Min has always been the prankster and the childish one. She usually has to scold her to make her mindful.

“Aniya, Eonnie. We won’t say anything.” So Min grabs the phone from the table. “Choi Mal Soon?”

“Yes, it’s her.” Ji Hyo takes a deep breath. She wonders if they should just go with So Min's plan.

So Min swipes the green button and puts it on the loudspeaker without asking another question.

“Jong Kook-ah, what happened to Jin Young? Why is she not picking up my calls?” Choi Mal Soon’s voice is heard from across as soon as they're connected.

So Min stares at Ji Hyo with panicked eyes. “Do we answer her?” So Min mouths.

Ji Hyo bites her lip to stop herself from speaking and shakes her head. “Hang up!” She whispers rather loudly. 

So Min quickly hangs up. She laughs nervously. “Mianhae, Eonnie.”

Ji Hyo just rolls her eyes. “Just continue eating your breakfast.”

They eat in silence. Ji Hyo’s mind is full. She doesn’t know what to say to Jin Young’s mother, her favorite aunt. They used to be so close, until she’s gone missing. But wouldn’t it be weird that she’s back at the same time as her daughter’s gone missing? She doesn’t want her aunt to think she is the reason for the rift between Jong Kook and Jin Young.

Now that Jong Kook wants I Seul in his life, did he really reject Jin Young? And what did the kiss mean for him? Does he wish to claim his position back in her heart? All the questions in her mind and her heart.

Does she want to forgive him? Is she ready to forgive him? Ji Hyo shakes her head and pushes all the questions aside.

So Min looks at her questioningly, but doesn’t ask anything. She feels bad, but she wants Ji Hyo to be braver, to take anything in her life with pride. She shouldn’t keep hiding herself from the world.

After visiting the shop, Ji Hyo is back home but it seems that her children are not back yet. She looks around to see which part of the house she should clean because waiting is boring. She’s decided to go to the storage.

Ji Hyo is fixing up the storage when she finds a big box that shows a date from almost five years ago. It’s been a long time since the last time she saw and opened the box. Putting it down gently on the ground, she sits beside it. She finds some pictures of baby Ha Neul, baby Ha Neul and Jong Kook, the three of them, and her and Jin Young. She smiles at the bittersweet memories.

There’s a small box in the corner and she remembers vividly what box it is. She opens the lid and finds her wedding band. Playing with it briefly, she can see the ‘JK’ carving inside it. She puts it back quickly and closes the box as soon as she hears the bell.

She doesn’t have the time to put the box back and just runs straight to the front door. It must be Jong Kook, Hye Seon, and the children. She hasn’t taught I Seul the password of the front door yet.

Jong Kook has I Seul in his arms, and Hye Seon’s hand is holding Ha Neul’s.

“Hey, you’ve been gone for a long time. I thought you only went to the market?” Ji Hyo greets.

“We ate ice cream, Eomma!” I Seul informs excitedly.

“Ice cream? And Eomma didn’t get one?” Ji Hyo asks, making a sad face.

Ha Neul smiles. “We bought one for you too.” She shows a paper bag with a tub of ice cream inside.

“Gomawo.” Ji Hyo smiles, taking the box from Ha Neul.

“We went to the Riverwalk too.” Hye Seon chimes in, mentioning the street in Pohang downtown area that's filled with shops. “In case you’re wondering why we went for a long time.”

“Ah, Riverwalk.” Ji Hyo nods. “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m wondering, Eomeoni.”

“Have you been there, Ji Hyo-yah?” Hye Seon asks again.

Ji Hyo remembers the time when Dong Wook takes her there at night. It was a pretty night.

“I have.”

“It’s pretty.” Hye Seon admits. “Oh, do you have anything? Should I cook? We went to the market but didn’t really buy anything other than market food.”

“Not much, Eomeoni. Only some kimchi and eggs.” Ji Hyo walks to the fridge with Hye Seon trailing from behind. Jong Kook is already at I Seul’s