When they arrive at Macy’s the next day, Minjoo sees what Chaewon means by her eye for lack of design. The woman picks out weird prints for her bedsheets and even considers not complementary prints for the pillows that will sit in the living room. 

“You look disapproving of my choices.” Chaewon comments, lifting up the plastic packages that hold whatever she picked out. She can tell from Minjoo’s uncertain expression.

“Do you want the truth?” The younger woman is serious.

Chaewon nods.

“I am glad you had professionals to do up the design of your place but I am worried you are going to ruin their efforts.”

“Ouch.” Chaewon says dramatically. “We are just getting close enough for me to invite you to my place and you…” She feigns an even dramatic expression but she doesn’t hold the act for long because the actress is breaking out into laughter, covering at Chaewon’s acting attempt.

“How about you pick for me then?” Chaewon offers, leaning back to let Minjoo see the choices and the woman easily picks out a white lightly patterned bedsheets. The patterns are made by white threads as well so they look good but they are not too much to the eyes.

“White fits your warmth wood better and if you want to get cushion cases for the living room…” Minjoo reaches out to the other rack bringing out a brighter design with primary colors. “This will do.” 

Chaewon takes the packages from Minjoo, closely examining the options. She nods naturally, “Alright then, I’ll trust you.” She immediately moves towards the direction of the cashier and Minjoo follows.

“That is easy.” Minjoo comments as they wait for their turn.

“Well, I know my weaknesses very well and these look good to me too so why not.” Chaewon says coolly, taking out her credit card to pay.

As promised, their next stop is the pizza place that Chaewon swears by and Chaewon parks the car by the street in front of the store. While Chaewon doesn’t have a good taste in picking out designs, Minjoo is glad to see that doesn’t apply to her car choices. The red convertible suits the surgeon and even as the actress has taken her fair share of nice rides, this car still impresses her. 

This place sells by slices so they are able to freely order whichever flavours they like and as expected, Minjoo loves it. “I think I will be thinking about this pizza even when I am back in Korea.”

“I guarantee you that. I am the living breathing proof of that and I resort to sad breads from the convenience store when the craving comes.” They laugh at their casual conversation, going back to the car to head over to Chaewon’s place. Even though Chaewon said the trip is going to take one hour, it doesn’t feel like that with the radio in the background while they talk for the entire ride. The route is simple once they exit the city and go onto the freeway and soon, Minjoo notices Chaewon making an exit. When they stop at a traffic light not long after, Minjoo takes in the scenery around them. Indeed it starts to look like what she sees in Chaewon’s pictures, greenery all around them and they are the only car that makes this exit. Through her peripheral vision, Chaewon observes how intrigued the woman is and therefore suggesting, “do you want to pull the convertible top down? Your hair will get messy though.”

“Really? Can we?” Chaewon sees the childlike wonder in Minjoo’s eyes. “This seems like the perfect place to do it, who cares if my hair gets messy!” Chaewon presses the button and the top slowly moves itself back, revealing the bright blue sky above them. When the traffic light turns in their favour, Chaewon drives off and the natural breeze brushes through Minjoo’s long locks. Chaewon pushes her sunglasses up her head to use it as a headband for the freely moving short locks so she doesn’t get bothered while driving. It is clear to Minjoo that Chaewon is very familiar with the area, making turns accordingly without the need of a map and soon, they arrive at a two story landed property with nothing much surrounding it other than greenland.

“I totally see why you fell in love with this place!” Minjoo stares in wonder, magically letting her feet take her away as Chaewon stays behind to close the top of the convertible. She locks the car and catches the clouds that are coming to cover up the blue sky. Minjoo’s audible excitement takes her attention away.

“The view is amazing!” Minjoo stands on the little hill the house sits on and looks out at the nearby town. “How is it possible that we are only one hour away from one of the busiest cities in the world?” A smile naturally forms as Chaewon keeps her eyes on her excited companion who even in her off stage mode, radiates beauty that rivals their surroundings. This view is a blessing for Chaewon’s eyes.

“Exactly my thoughts when my friend brought me here five years ago.” She joins Minjoo in admiring the actual view she gets to wake up to every two weeks of the year. Soon, she is going to make that more frequent before everything ends for her once and for all. Chaewon pushes that depressing thought aside and turns to Minjoo. “Wanna have a look inside?” 

Of course, the woman readily agrees. Minjoo’s wonder continues to flow as she steps into the house. “It looks even better in person!” Minjoo automatically lets herself around the space, admiring all the different features of the living room to the kitchen and Chaewon stands by the kitchen counter, incredibly entertained by the actress. Only after a while when she wants to ask if she can check out the second storey, Minjoo looks at Chaewon and realises her forwardness. “I am sorry, am I being too much? Sorry, but this place is so beautiful and it’s like those dream houses one would see in magazines. For a city dweller like me, this is truly out of the box.” 

Chaewon shakes her head, “Please don’t worry about it. If anything, I am glad someone appreciates this place as much as I do. My sister thought I was crazy to buy another house across the other side of the world. Thankfully she got slightly convinced after seeing it. But seeing your reaction makes me feel a tad more assured.” Chaewon pushes herself off the kitchen counter and moves towards the stairs. “Want to check out the second level?”

After many more gasps and amazement later, Minjoo finally relents and lets herself go back down the first storey. “You are so lucky you get to wake up to this.”

“Indeed I am. I love my house in Seoul but this is different.” Chaewon offers Minjoo a glass of water as they settle around the kitchen counter. 

“Where do you stay in Korea if you don’t mind me asking?” Minjoo takes a sip, not realising how thirsty she is after all the spazzing.

“Cheondamdong.” Chaewon doesn’t even manage to ask because Minjoo excitedly jumps in.

“Me too! Are you living in ‘The Heights’ as well?” 

Chaewon shakes her head. “The one next to it.” 

“Wow I actually considered that too but when the group decided to move into our own independent activities, I realised it is finally time to get my own space so I wanted to move into something already made to be fast.”

They let silence enter and Minjoo uses this moment to calm down and take in the space she is in. Chaewon’s house is filled with floor to ceiling windows, letting natural light be the star of this place. Her eyes dance around the first floor and she pushes herself off the kitchen counter and walks towards the glass window closest to them. “Oh, it seems like dark clouds are appearing. I hope they don’t cover the setting sun though.” Minjoo fixes her eyes on the glowing orange circle, entranced by the one thing that occurs everyday but something she hasn’t stopped and stared at for a while. “I can sit here all day, drink some wine and watch the sun set.” She says to nothing in particular. 

Her words prompt Chaewon to come over, joining her in gazing at the faraway ball of light. “I have wine if you like but I can’t be of company because I need to drive.”

Minjoo draws her attention away from the sun and to Chaewon. “Drive? Do you have plans after?”

“I need to send you back.” Chaewon says matter-of-factly as if the information is obvious but clearly Minjoo doesn’t realise.

“No! I appreciate it but don’t worry about me, you would have to do another two hour trip. I can call a cab.”

“How can I not when I brought you all the way out here? Don’t worry I do this drive all the time-” 

Minjoo decides this will go nowhere and interrupts Chaewon. “How about this? It is only 4pm, the sun doesn’t set so early either since it is summer. We can drink and when I feel like going back, we decide then which is the best way? Otherwise, we will spend all the time debating in the corner of this nice house.” 

Minjoo’s certain expression convinces Chaewon and she resigns. The surgeon moves to one of the cabinets and pulls out a bottle of wine along with her wine glasses. Chaewon uncorks the bottle, slowly pouring wine out into each of the glasses. 

“How do you maintain this place if you are only here two weeks of the year? I can imagine a lot of cleaning the moment you land.” 

Chaewon slides a glass over to Minjoo. “When I bought the place, I met my neighbour while venturing around town. He is a farmer and owns an apple farm and he was very nice to invite me to his family dinner. I guess it was then, I felt very comfortable with the family because they were so open welcoming a stranger into their town. I asked if they were okay to keep watch of my place while I was gone and they readily agreed. I give them some monetary token yearly for all their help but honestly, through these five years though, they did more than just keep watch. I can tell it isn’t because of the money as the place is maintained to its prime condition thanks to the family’s care.” She takes a sip of the wine. “I am eternally grateful to them.” 

“You really got lucky.” Minjoo was listening intently to Chaewon’s story.

“That I am.” 

They move to the living room and settle by one of the long sofas that lines itself right next to a long glass window. The view is different here from the kitchen and they can only catch a glimpse of the sun as it moves to s