(Eun takes a deep breath as he stands at the dock, finally back on land. This harbour is the second largest in Tamra, the first being the capital’s of course, and it’s not difficult to tell that the entire town seems to be expecting them as many have gathered to look at all the splendid goods the merchant ship has brought back this time.)

 

‘Uh~ Finally! I’m home!!!! I’M HOME!!!!’

(Eun borrows a cart and a donkey from the dock and loads his things onto it. You can say that Eun really was fascinated by all the things he’s seen in the different countries he’s been to during this tip. Just like what Soondeok predicted, he did take the liberty to purchase all sorts of stuff he thought Soondeok would like, or rather, he would like Soondeok to see)

‘Hyun-ah!’

(The captain, also brother of the head of this particular merchant line, gave Eun a pat on the back as he runs up to him. Eun, who kind of have gotten used to his new nickname, smiles at the captain who’s been taking good care of him during the voyage.)

‘So, where’re you off to now, Hyun-ah?’

‘I’m going back home, captain.’

(Eun smiles shyly, his excitement cannot be kept hidden though he tempted to.)

‘To that wonderful wife of yours, huh?’

(The captain teases him, obviously Eun has mentioned a great deal about Soondeok before, throughout the entire span of their journey in fact.)

‘You guessed right! And what about you, captain?’

‘I’m going to get myself some makgeolli* at the inn first.’ (*Rice liquor)

‘Aren’t you eager to go home, captain? I heard you have kids.’

(The 40-year-old man gives a hearty laugh)

‘Ha! That’s exactly why I don’t want to go home just yet! Kids! They’re a bunch of monsters! I tell you, that’s the reason I like being out at the sea so often, it’s so that I wouldn’t have to deal with them at home all day long!’

‘Your wife must hate you so.’

(Eun half-teased his boss)

‘Well, my mother and mother-in-law helps her out, so I don’t think she has much to complain.’

‘Still, captain, I think your kids need their father around. You’re a great one too I can tell! Look how much you’ve pampered me during this training!’

(The captain laughs yet again then nods with approval)

‘You’re right, Hyun-ah, the next trip is several months from now, I’ll spend more time with my kids before that, or more like be tortured to death by them... Anyway, when will you be a dad yourself, hm? You’d be a nice one too I presume.’

(Eun shrugs his shoulders)

‘Maybe I should start looking for an orphanage here on Tamra.’

(Captain raises his eyebrows)

‘Hyun-ah, why do you say that?’

(Eun looks away)

‘Anyway, got to go now captain, see you around!’

‘Ah, right, sorry for asking about it…yes, you should go now, see you back in the shop 3 days later, remember to come collect your wages then, though I’m afraid there won’t be much left since you spent much of it…you know…on buying these.’

(The captain points at the load on the cart which made Eun blush hard)

‘Well, I hope my wife will like them.’

‘I sure do hope so, or she’d chase you out with a stick after knowing you’ve spent so much on buying these “necessities”!’

(After he left, Eun starts making his way back to the little cabin of his up on the mountain. On the way back, he bumped into Old Gu in the market. Today is the day of the week when Old Gu comes to town to sell eggs from his chicken farm.)

‘OLD GU!!!’

‘Do I know you?’

(The old man looks at Eun, confused. But when he realizes that the tanned, bearded, muscular man standing in front of him is Hyun, Old Gu’s eyes widens at once.)

‘My boy! Hyun-ah! You’re back! You’re finally back!!! Oh my dear boy! I could hardly recognize you!’

(Old Gu hops off his cart full of eggs and gives Eun a big firm embrace. Old Gu, despite his name, never did act like an old man one bit, he’s always so jolly and energetic you can hardly regard him as an elderly. Old Gu and his wife have been living alone after all their kids left to find a better life in Goryeo. But that was before Eun and Soondeok decided to settle in the cabin next to their’s, the house their son had abandoned a few years before.)

‘Oh dear oh dear! My boy! You smell of the sea! And look at you! More manly now that you’ve got a beard! HAHA! You had fun?’

(Old Gu chuckles as he gives Eun another strong hug)

‘Not as fun as selling eggs with you in the market, Old Gu!’

‘Oh don’t lie young fellow! I bet you had a marvellous time travelling the world! Anyway, how was it? So glad you’re back! Finally, there’ll be someone to keep your wife at rest!’

‘What…what’s wrong with my wife?’

(Eun quickly tenses up upon hearing Old Gu’s concern)

‘Oh you know…after she and my wife finished sewing clothes and such, she went out and got herself a job, that’s when it all started.’

(Old Gu starts packing things up as he got ready to return home with Eun)

‘Old Gu, what are you doing?’

‘I’d say that’s all for today, I’m packing my store up and go home with you now. Oh! Hyun-ah! Would you mind going to the butcher and tell him that you’re there to collect what I ordered earlier today? I’ve already paid, you just go and grab the meat while I get ready to leave. My wife has planned to make you something special tonight to welcome you home!’

(So Eun runs to the butcher to get what Old Gu ordered then runs back to him)

‘Good! Thanks Hyun-ah, now, let’s go home!’

‘About my wife…would you mind telling me what’s wrong? You said she got a job, is that job…you know…bad?’

(Eun asks with great concern as they both exit the town)

‘Oh man, if only it stopped at that one job! You see, my wife has a friend living down here in the town and she would often come down from the mountain and see her. One day your sweet wife Hyeran went with my wife to meet that friend of hers and she came back with a job! The poor old lady lost her son at the sea and is making a living by weaving baskets, but she’s getting old and slow, so your wife is helping her out by weaving baskets and selling them too.’

‘How kind of her.’

(Eun grins as he hear news about his wife, Old Gu chuckles as he pulls on his donkey)

‘Hyun-ah, you won’t like what I’m about to tell you. You see, after getting that job, she found herself another job at a restaurant! And that restaurant is famous here in this town, so you know what that means? Lots of customers! Meaning that your wife had to stay there pretty much all day – and all night! Mrs. Gu & I tried to talk her out of it, but she said working is helping her…not miss you so much apparently. She went through the entire harsh winter like that…poor child.’

‘Aww…how…how sad…I missed her too…she didn’t think I…left her did she? I mean I did it so I can have a regular job later on. This voyage was compulsory and I-’

‘We know my boy, and she knows too. She knows too well that you’re doing it for her, but you have to understand that women sometimes…well…say one thing and mean another. Oh, look! There’s our humble home! Welcome back!’

(Eun gazes far and saw – in a distance – their two houses)

‘Yes, finally, I’m home…finally…’

(Eun lets out a long relieving sigh)

‘Well boy! What are you waiting for? Run!’

‘But my cart-’

‘Oh boy, don’t worry about that, I have two hands for heaven’s sake! I’ll pull them through.’

‘Is my wife home now though?’

‘Of course not!’

‘Then why are you telling me to run?’

(Old Gu shoos Eun as if shooing away a flock of chicken)

‘Because you ought to give yourself a good and deep wash in the river before I let my wife know that you’re back. I swear, the moment I tell her you’re back she’d rush out of the house and try hug you and kiss you – now no hard feelings alright, but I don’t want my wife to smell your…uhh…manliness.’

(Eun sniffs his clothes and nods. The smell mixed with salt and sweat plus days of dirt really didn’t seem an appealing first sight.)

‘You’re right, Old Gu, I’ll give myself a wash now. Then I’ll decorate my house with the new things I bought so I’ll give my wife a surprise when she comes home from work!’

‘Great idea! I knew you’re a romantic guy - just like me!’

 

(Eun hands over the horse rein that he’s been holding onto and runs to the creek nearby to scrub his body through and through)

--------------------------------------

‘OH MY GOODNESS YOU ARE BACK! OLD GU WAS RIGHT!’

(Mrs. Gu exclaims when Eun appeared in front of the old couple’s doorsteps after giving himself a long wash in the river, his hair still damp. Like what Old Gu said, Mrs. Gu did give Eun a big hug and start kissing his rosy cheeks – the way Eun’s aunty used to kiss him)

Mrs. Gu: ‘My dear DEAR boy! Oh we’ve missed you! And your wife! Thank heavens you’re back! Talk to her, please!’

Eun: ‘I will, I’ll talk to her, I promise. Now that I’ve finished my training, I’ll be able to work in our shop in town and my wife won’t have to worry about money any more, I’m sure of it.’

Old. Gu: ‘Honey, Hyun wants to decorate his place and give his wife a surprise!’

Mrs. Gu: ‘Why of course! Oh and dinner tonight! It’ll be a feast, I should start preparing now! Husband, did you buy what I told you to buy?’

Old Gu: ‘Yes, all in the cart, I’ll bring it to you.’

Mrs. Gu: ‘Wait! Would you mind going to the restaurant and tell Hyeran to come home early this evening?’

Eun: ‘My wife works past dinner time?!’

Old Gu: ‘Most of the days, but she’ll come home early if we tell her to, she’s sweet and caring, she is. I’ll make my way down then, anything else you want me to buy honey?’

Mrs. Gu: ‘Hyun-ah, do you want some dessert afterwards? How about some rice cake, you like that?’

Eun: ‘Oh I love rice cakes!’

Mrs. Gu: ‘Old Gu, buy some rice cake on your way back for our charming boy, will you?’

Old Gu: ‘No problem, I’ll be on my way then.’

(Old Gu leaves)

Mrs. Gu: ‘Now Hyun-ah, you must be tired, you should have a nap before you start decorating your place, aww, look at you, you’re all tanned, poor thing. Oh and that beard of yours, you should shave before your wife sees you looking like a wild bear!’

(Eun giggles)

Eun: ‘I’m fine, Mrs. Gu, I’m not tired, the excitement in me is keeping my heart pumping hard and fast! And I wanna show her my beard~’

Mrs. Gu: ‘Very well, come over if you need any help from us, I should start cooking away myself. Ah! Right, do start warming the house when you get there, I’m afraid your wife is coming down with a cold or something.’

Eun: ‘What? And she still went to work today?’

Mrs. Gu: ‘She felt a bit unwell last night during dinner and went home early, I suppose she’s fine now because she didn’t come here and ask for some herbal remedy this morning…as she would previously. We did try to get her to live with us while you’re away but she never agreed to it, sweet baby, never wanting to be a burden to anyone…’

Eun: ‘Thanks for telling me. See you later, Mrs. Gu, and thanks for taking care of my wife while I’m away.’

--------------------------------------

(Eun unloads his cartful of things, starts a fire in the kitchen to warm the house up, bundles up all the curtains to let the light into the house and begins decorating his place with the many things he has brought back)

‘Well now, let’s see…this Persian carpet will look good upstairs, and these candle holders, I should put one on the table. Oh, Soondeok would love these! Uh huh, very nice~ And this vase…I should pick some flowers from the garden and put this on the windowsill…flowers…let’s see if I can find any pretty ones…Ah huh! This one! Perfect! I knew it’s a good idea for me to buy this vase!!!!’

(Being proud of himself, Eun continues to work hard on preparing his surprise upstairs when suddenly, he hears a scream, a painful scream, from one of the rooms.)

‘What was that?!’

(The noise did startle Eun, to a point that he stays frozen on the spot and dares not move a muscle for a long while. Silence. Eun looks around – silence still.)

‘Funny, I thought I heard someone scream just then…’

(Still, Eun begins tip-toeing down the stairs and looking into the rooms to check, one after another, and when he finally reached the last room – their bedroom which he left last to decorate – he’s struck by a scene he never expected at all.)

‘SOONDEOK AH!!!’

‘Oppa? Is that you?’

‘Yes it’s me!’

‘You’re back! Ow-’

(Eun flings the door wide open as Soondeok begins to cry)

‘Soondeok ah! What’s wrong? You’re here? You’ve been here all day? I thought you’ve gone to work! That’s what Mrs. Gu said!’

(Soondeok’s in bed – in quite a great deal of pain and Eun runs to her bedside instantly, wondering what’s wrong with his beloved wife.)

‘Deok ah! Oh dear, look at you! You’re sweating! Oh dear, what’s wrong honey?? Did you eat something bad yesterday? Stomach ache? A cold? Fever? You sick, honey? Oh please tell me what’s wrong? Talk to me baby.’

(Eun cannot hide his worried face, how can he? Soondeok opens her eyes only so slightly as she pants in pain, she barely has the strength to speak.)

‘It hurts…Oppa…it hurts…I’m dying…my stomach-’

‘Darling, don’t say that! You’re not dying!’

‘It hurts…Oppa…please…please make it stop…AHHHH!’

(Soondeok lets out another scream, so horrifying and loud it can shake the entire house.)

‘Oppa! It hurts! MAKE IT STOP, PLEASE!’

(Soondeok begged for mercy as she uses her last bit of strength telling Eun to save her)

‘Darling, I’ll go fetch a doctor now!’

(But Soondeok grabs onto Eun)

‘No, please…please don’t…it’ll cost a lot, just tell Mrs. Gu to give me some herbs-’

‘Oh Deok ah! Don’t worry about the cost! It’s your life we’re talking about!’

‘No…Oppa…because…I already know…what’s going on…and I’m dying…just like…your aunt.’

‘What?’

(In tears, Soondeok pulls the blanket away and shows Eun her bump – her belly.)

‘Oh dear…what happened Deok ah? You…’

(Eun was immediately reminded of how her aunt too had an enormous belly before she died, that horrific liver disease that even the royal physician of the palace could not treat.)

‘It started getting bigger after you left…I thought I’ll die before you’re back. I was afraid to show anyone…so I tried to save money…for you…in case I could not make it…’

‘Oh honey…it’s all my fault, I should’ve been here with you. You feeling better now? Has the pain stopped? You don’t seem to be in much pain now.’

‘Yes Oppa…I’m find now, but the pain WILL come back…it’s happening more and more frequent…and more and more painful…Oppa, if I die-’

‘You will not die! I’ll get Mrs. Gu! Wait here honey! I’ll get her! She’ll know what to do!’

(Eun gets to the old couple’s house as fast as he can, seems like Old Gu too have just returned from the village)

Mrs. Gu: ‘What do you mean Hyeran is not at work?’

Old Gu: ‘That’s exactly what I meant! I went all over the town and no one had seen her today!’

Mrs. Gu: ‘Dear me! Does that mean she’s still at home? Oh poor girl she must be very ill.’

Eun: ‘MRS. GU!!! OLD GU!!!! HELP!!’

Mrs. Gu: ‘Hyun-ah, what on earth is going on?’

(Sobbing, it’s rather hard to get words out of Eun’s mouth, but at last he begins to mutter)

Eun: ‘Please…help, my wife…she’s in pain…she thinks she’s dying.’

Old Gu: ‘Oh dear! I’ll get a doctor at once!’

Eun: ‘And…there’s a bump…she’s got a bump…a big one…’

Mrs. Gu: ‘A bump? I’ve never seen her having a bump.’

Old Gu: ‘Well to be frank, she did keep her furry coat on all through winter it would’ve been hard for us to have noticed if she had one.’

(Old Gu adds while they hurries to Eun’s cabin)

Mrs. Gu: ‘Hyun-ah, tell me, does her pain come and go? And does it get worse and worse?’

Eun: ‘YES! Oh please Mrs. Gu, if you know what’s wrong, please help her! Please tell us you know the right herb for her-’

Mrs. Gu: ‘Oh dear heavens I should’ve known.’

(Mrs. Gu runs even faster and hustles into the house, the two men follow after)

--------------------------------------

Mrs. Gu: ‘Oh dear, my dear girl, you must’ve felt so helpless. How could you have not told us? We would at least be prepared for this type of thing!’

(Mrs. Gu tears up while comforting Soondeok as she got to the room)

Soondeok: ‘What…are you talking about, Mrs. Gu? What type of thing?’

Eun: ‘Mrs. Gu, please, what’s wrong with my wife?’

(Eun asks as Mrs, Gu felt around Soondeok’s belly – Old Gu, reluctant to go into the room, stood outside the door)

Old Gu: ‘So honey, uhh…should I bring a doctor back?’

(Old Gu calls from outside to which his wife replied without hesitation)

Mrs. Gu: ‘No, bring instead the midwife! Hurry!’

‘THE WHAT?’

(Soondeok and Eun both blurts out in unison, and just then, Soondeok’s water breaks.)

.........to be continued