About an hour later, we found ourselves in the city of Incheon. The port town was bustling with activity, which was no surprise, it was the second largest port in South Korea after Busan. After cutting through the busy streets, Chang Joo finally pulled up to the seaside. The place was quiet with only a handful of shops lining the road. It overlooked the artificially created piece of land where Incheon Airport was located and we had a good view of the aeroplanes taking off and landing.

Getting out of the car, I stretched and watched wistfully as a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 took to the skies, proudly bearing the national carrier's insignia and felt a sudden strange nostalgic tug for the country I called home. “Home sick so soon?” A soft husky voice asked and I turned to face its owner.

I gave Ji Hyo a soft smile. “I'm not sure exactly. I just had this sudden feeling of nostalgia. Perhaps I am homesick for a place I am not even sure exists. One where my heart is full and my soul understands. To be honest, some days... I don't really know where I belong. When I was home in Singapore, all I could think of was Seoul and how a nice bowl of hot steaming tteokbokki would be good. I thought about you.”

.

“And Erin,” I added hastily. “I guess I've spent so much time here and made so many good friends that Seoul's become my second home. Maybe, home is whatever place you long to be? Perhaps there is truth in the saying that home is where the heart is. Strange, huh?” I said.

“No, not at all. Sometimes, I too dream of going out there and making another place my home. Exploring the world and all it has to offer. Korea will always be my home, but I don't mind a second home elsewhere?” She shrugged and I smiled gently in return at her.

“Are you ladies coming?” Chang Joo called. At the sound of his voice, we turned and headed in his direction.

When we were seated, Chang Joo placed the orders, calling for sashimi or hweh as it was called in Korea. While I was alright with raw fish and enjoyed the occasional sashimi, hweh isn’t really my favourite Korean food. The fish were pulled out of the tanks at the side of the restaurant, chopped and given to you. However, unlike Japanese sashimi, which is more melt in your mouth buttery scrumptiousness, Korean raw seafood is a bit more difficult to chew. The Koreans use totally different species of fish from the Japanese, which tended to have a more chewy texture from the Japanese sashimi we were used to and I could see that Yan was having a hard time adjusting to it.

On a side note, is it mean of me to say I took great glee in watching her try to swallow a chewy piece of fish? Didn't think so.

Essentially the raw fish was just the appetizer for the pièce de résistance, the Mae-un tang. A hot and spicy fish stew which was made from the leftover bones of the fish. The bones were boiled with gochujang, gochugaru and various vegetables such as onion, radishes, zucchini and chillies. Ground beef was also added for sweetening the broth. You could even throw in the raw pieces of fish if you wanted, which was what I usually did. I found that it improved the texture and taste of the fish greatly.

To my surprise, shellfish such as crabs and clams which weren't usually present in the soup were thrown in, adding to the flavour. They also helped in absoring the spiciness of the gochujang. As a result, the soup was sweet and filled with umami. It blew my mind. Ji Hyo saw the look of utter bliss on my face as I spooned another mouthful of the soup and she smiled at me. “It's good, isn't it?” She asked. I nodded dumbly. “It's the best mae-un tang in Seoul.” She declared. And she was right. Chang Joo's recommendation was spot on. Did I mention that I hate him?

“I am thankful that Chang Joo oppa brought me here.” She added. Chang Joo smiled before bending and placing a chaste kiss on her cheek, being careful to avoid her cut. Ji Hyo blushed slightly at the show of public affection while I gagged. Mentally, at least.

Urgh. Yuck. Barf. Quick! Someone pass me a sick bag. I think I'm about to throw up.

Yan cast a concerned glance at me, but all she found was a mask of detached disinterest as I casually spooned a clam into my bowl before out its delicious white flesh. The soup was one of Korea's most popular dishes while drinking soju, so Chang Joo ordered a couple of bottles for sharing. I was under the impression that was all we had ordered, when all of a sudden, a plate of crabs was placed in front of us. The blue swimmer crabs were submerged in soy sauce, and a mixture of ginger, garlic, chillies and sesame seeds swam in the sauce.

What manner of strange edibles is this? It looked good. Well, it is crabs and therefore must be good. Ji Hyo caught our curious expressions as we scrutinized the dish before us and smiled at us. “Have you guys tried this before? It's called gejang.” She explained. Reaching over, she took one of the crabs and placed it in my bowl. “Try it.” She encouraged.

I was only too happy to oblige. Taking the crab, I placed its shell to my mouth and at the meat. My face immediately twisting into a grimace. I wanted to spit but thought it would be rude. Forcing myself to swallow, I stared wide-eyed at Ji Hyo “It's raw?!”I whined.

Ji Hyo gave me a guilty grin and went on to explain that the dish was prepared by marinating fresh raw crabs in either soy sauce or chilli powder and left to ferment for a couple of days. While raw fish was ok, raw crabs were in a league of its own. Plus it wasn't just raw. It was fermented!

“What is with you people and fermented stuff?” I asked, quickly downing the soup to cleanse my palate. Unfortunately for me, I didn't think this through either. The soup was still hot so it scalded my mouth. I stared mournfully as the table erupted in laughter. “Well, I'm glad some people are having fun at my expense.” I muttered bitterly.

Between laughter, Ji Hyo apologised. She knew I had an aversion to fermented stuff and was having fun with me. Seeing how tickled she was, I just smiled wryly, letting her enjoy the moment. The soju that Chang Joo ordered arrived shortly after. As he reached over to pour me a glass – as is customary(one should never pour a drink for oneself in Korea), I declined politely.

A scowl painted his face. It seemed he didn't like being turned down. “Come on, Reg! Have a shot. It's considered impolite to reject a drink someone has poured you.” He said.

Although I knew this, drinking still went against everything I believed in. Ji Hyo was aware of this and stared apprehensively at me. Tugging at Chang Joo's sleeve, she pleaded with him on my behalf. “Oppa, Reg thinks she has an allergic reaction to alcohol. I think it's best not to let her drink.”

“Is that right? And why does she need you to tell me?” He asked. His tone sounded slightly scathing.

He didn't sound too happy and Yan looked over at me nervously. Not wanting to put Ji Hyo in a difficult position, I took the bottle in my hand. “Ok. Ok. Just one shot, alright?” I said, pouring Chang Joo a shot before holding up my glass. I clinked my glass with him, making sure that I lowered my glass to his, signifying that I saw him as a superior. It didn't bother me to do that and seemed to appease the man. “Gunbae!” I toasted before downing the clear liquid. I winced, tearing slightly as it burned a fiery trail down my throat. Glancing over at my buddy, I saw that she too was wearing a pained expression on her face. If even a seasoned drinker like Yan found it hard, what more about me?

At the pungent aftertaste, I choked and coughed. The soju had tasted exactly as I imagined rubbing alcohol would taste. Yan shook her head. “Woooooo! Man, that is some strong stuff!” She exclaimed. Chang Joo laughed heartily, the earlier tension only a memory. Things, it seemed, were back to normal. From the corner of my eye, I spotted Ji Hyo looking at me sympathetically. She reached under the table and placed a hand on my knee, silently checking if I was alright. I gave her a tiny half smile and a curt nod to show that I was ok. Her eyes filled with gratitude, an unspoken thank you for not making the situation worse. I patted her hand, trying to convey to the actress that it was nothing.

The alcohol seemed to imbue everyone with chattiness. Everyone but me. I sat quietly as the effects of the drink began to take effect. The room seemed extraordinarily warm and a sudden reckless mood filled me. I felt like I was flying. It was as though I was having an out of body experience, yet I heard everything that everyone was saying perfectly. Heck, the voices appeared louder, clearer.

I listened as Chang Joo told us stories of how, when he first met Ji Hyo, he thought he had seen an angel. That she was the perfect woman in this world. Facts I already knew, but was unable to give voice and watched as Ji Hyo blushed at his compliments.

He then went on to relate to us how he had romanced her. Bringing her out for nice dinners at fancy restaurants. But that none of that seemed to impress the actress. She was happy just to spend quality time with him, even if dinner was instant ramen cooked at home with an egg thrown in. That after a long day at work, her partner would take the effort to cook something for her. She was truly a simple girl at heart. Wealth and power did not move her, rather it was the simpler, thoughtful things one did for her that did. I found myself smiling wryly at the revelati