♥♥♥The Lake House ♥♥♥

♥ 8 February 2013 ♥

Jieun watch the calmness tide over the ocean. She never gets bored watching it. It has been a habit of her to just watch the sea in all sorts of weather. Be it as calm and peaceful like now. Or comes heavy rain with thunder and big waves rolling the sea. She knows the house by the lake is strong enough to withstand such weather even though there are times she could feel rattling within the house. Still Jieun feel safe and sound. She has been living in this house by the lake for the past 3 years or so, since her last break up with Woo Bin. At that time, both of them has decided to move in together but when he’s off the picture, Jieun grabbed the house and willing to pay all his share on the deposit. But now after her residency at the community hospice has ended and her application has been accepted at Seoul Hospital, she need to find some place nearer. The distant from this house to the city is not possible and it is quite costly for her to mainain 2 houses with her just average income.

Jack, her Mutt dog stand beside her. Jieun look down at the dog who also looks up to her at the same time. She asked, “You coming or not?” She did not expected the dog to reply her. She just quickly grabbed her car key and turns to leave the kitchen which will lead her out from the house. Jack just bark weakly as the dog follow her to the awaiting car. Jieun took the liberties to open the car door for Jack. “Come on, Jack.” She watch the dog every move and when she finally enter the car, Jieun then closed the car door.

She took another last look at the empty house by the lake. The house that stood on strong and sturdy wooden poles that has been punctuated inside the lake water. The exterior of the house and its surrounding has been built with glass panels, giving the house less privacy to the passer-by. Jieun did not really mind about it. She finds it fascinating yet peaceful with its own beauty behind it. She felt sad that she needs to let the house go. She really hope that the new tenant will love the house like she did.

Before she left the place for good, she took out a brown envelope from her coat pocket. The front of the envelope has written “New Tenant”. She slipped the brown enveloped at the nearby letterbox. Without a glance back to the empty house, she quickly get behind the wheel and drives away.

As she drives away along the road that will lead her to the highway which will then lead her to the city, a blue truck makes the last right turn to the road that will lead him to the lake house. He looks at the surrounding of the secluded area. There were trees and more trees that help to hide the beauty of the lake house. His moving in to the house has been delay due to much of his fault though. During the actual schedule time of moving in the lake house, he was still living at Birmingham and his lawyer could not get hold of him due to the time difference. But when he got back to his lawyer, he have them to reschedule to a new time slot where it was more convenience for both parties.

The house held a secret that he hold dear in his heart.

Once he reached his destination, and as he stood watching over the lake house, he is so captivated with the mere beauty of the house. There was another person which he know who share his love for the lake house. Kwon Jiyong walks breezily along the wooden plank that connected the land and the house. There were mist in his eyes and wide smile plastered on his face. No one can understand the glowing of happiness that he felt in his heart. It feels that he really belongs here. This is home that he has been looking forward to.

“I’m home, Eomma.”

♥♥♥

♥ 11 February 2013 ♥

Jieun reached Seoul Hospital. This is her first day at work and she was late. She did not expected the traffic could be that harsh. The distance from her new apartment and the hospital, as she calculated previously, it won’t took her more than 15 minutes top to reach her destination. But today it took her almost 1 hour to reach the hospital. Once she found her way up to the floor that she will be station at, quickly she went to the reception counter to ask for her shift supervisor Dr Goo Hara.

“Hi I’m looking for Dr Goo...” Jieun rush in to ask the reception lady who seems very busy as she tries to tame the flow of work over the counter.

“You have to wait. She is expecting another doctor...” The receptionist name tag show Minah. She scan through her planner for Dr Goo’s meeting. Jieun knows that she is the one that Dr Goo was supposed to meet half an hour ago. “Yes, that’s should be me. I am Dr Lee Jieun. She was expecting me half an hour ago.”

Dr Goo Hara finally came down the reception counter after Jieun had to wait for her another 15 minutes. Jieun did not mind the waiting as she herself was like as it is. After a formal greeting, Dr Goo surprised Jieun when she hands over her white coat and stethoscope. Jieun did not expected that she will need to start her round this early, not until after lunch perhaps. But Jieun just took it from Dr Goo without uttering her discomfort.

“I know you are surprised to be starting your round but as you can see, we are lacking of manpower here.” Dr Goo makes the point to wave her hands in grand gesture at the busy scene surrounding both of the doctors. Jieun could not disagreed more of how hectic the clinic is.

“Anyway moving forward, let me give you a brief show down. Every shift you will need to handle over 22 patients or so.” Dr Goo looked over to Jieun who looks  a lot paler than before. “Don’t worry. If you need help, you can buzz me in. But do not make it a habit. I’m expecting all my young doctors to be much independent than they are expected to be.”

Jieun nodded while muttering a weak reply. “I took note of that, m’am.”

“Oh there is not needed to be too formal, Dr Lee. You can call me Hara, please.”

“Then you need to call me Jieun too.” Dr Goo nodded amicably. She likes the new staff. There is no air of arrogance in her. She seems to be very humble and polite. But then again, it is too soon for Dr Goo to judge her this much. As they continue to make their rounds, with Dr Goo introducing Jieun to all the rest of the doctors that have been working under the same shift. When Dr Goo has turn to their last ward to introduce Jieun to the doctor in-charge Dr Kim, the shift supervisor has abruptly stopped and called out to the nearest nurse while pointing to the stranded patient who was lying on his bed by the hallway.

“Why is this patient still here? I thought I have given specific instruction to send him over for MRI scanning.”

“Yes, Dr Goo. But we will need to wait 4 hours for the clinic clerk to send him there. As you can see, we are lacking of staff over here.”

“Well he could be dead in 4 hours.” Dr Goo let go sigh of frustration. The nurse quickly scurried away. Dr Goo turns to Jieun and grabbed the 22 patient files that she was carrying. “Well I guess you need to transport the patient to the MRI for scanning.” Dr Goo continue without waiting for Jieun to state her protest. “The room will be on the 3^rd floor, turn on your left once you reach the level and just go straight before making a right turn. There will be the signage for MRI, you can’t miss it.” With that, Dr Goo turn away from Jieun and left her to her own vice.

Whether she like it or not, Jieun has to carry out Dr Goo instruction. There are live to be safe which is really the responsible of a doctor.

Jieun then proceed to push the patient bed to the direction of the lift elevator. “Are you taking me somewhere, doctor?” With a smile she replies to the elderly patient, “I’m sure I will get to the place on time to safe your life, sir.”

♥♥♥

♥ 11 February 2011 ♥

Minah could not believe of what she heard from Kwang Hee. Kwon Jiyong her handsome beast has bought a house without even telling her. She was disappointed to be the last person to know about this news. Here she thought that both of them has been progressing very smoothly ever since Jiyong has came home from his Europe trip. Well that’s what she wants to think of their supposedly relationship.

Minah could not count the years of how long she has been in love with the handsome rugged Architect who choose to work as a builder instead. Her brother Tablo has given the supervisor job to Jiyong who seems very happy to accept it even at a very low income. Minah simply could not understand what’s going on inside Jiyong head. But as long Jiyong is happy with his decision and how he wants to lead his life, Minah will be happy to follow him along.

However, there are limit to a woman patience. And this current issue does not goes well with her. How could Jiyong did not discuss with her over the dinner last night? Isn’t she not that important in his life?

When Jiyong has return from his Europe trip, who was the person that persuade Tablo to take in  Jiyong while he gets his own living place? It was me Kwon Jiyong!

And who has been the one that beg Tablo to offer job to Jiyong in their family construction company? It was me again Kwon jiyong!!

But why must she be the last person to know about Jiyong moving out from Tablo house and Jiyong new house. And where is this house that he has to keep it secret from me??

“Jiyong oppa! Jiyong oppa!” She ignored the stares from the workers. She couldn’t care less of the condition of the contruction site. The site was so muddy and dirty unlike most of the days. Maybe due to last night heavy rain.  And the coming weeks the weather forecast has predict that it will be raining for the whole week long. But Minah could not be bothered with all this trivials stuff. She just need to find her Jiyong oppa. She knows by heart Jiyong work schedule for that week. She knows that Jiyong will be station at the east of the construction site where most of the work that still need to be done. And like a cue, Jiyong head appears right behind the contruction truck that carries the loads of sand.

“What is it, Minah-shhi?” Another thing that Minah hates about Jiyong was the formality way he called her name. She has already told Jiyong that there was no need for them to be formal, since she has amicably calling him with the endearment of ‘oppa’. Maybe we are in public. That must be the reason why.

Minah did not beat around the bush. She goes straight to the core of the problem. “I heard you bought a new house.” Jiyong smiled. He knows he need to face such situation sooner or later with Minah. But he did not expected that it was this soon though. “Yes I did. The house by the lake.” And he did not elaborate much. He notice Minah high heels. It was already ruined by the mud. “Minah, you should put on some boots. There is a pair of women boots in my office.”

But Minah refused to hear him out. “Don’t change the topic, Jiyong. Why did you buy that house, Jiyong oppa? The house was made of glass and has no privacy. There must be other better house you can buy, oppa.” Jiyong choose to ignore Minah rant. There was more works that needs to be done before the dateline. He has promised Tablo that the East area will be done before Christmas this year and it was already September. He got another 4 months to go.

“Come on, let’s go for lunch, oppa. We can discuss this together.” Jiyong just shake his head before continue to say, “I can’t Minah. I have meeting with the welders later.” Jiyong quickly walk away. Leaving Minah stranded with her high heels ruined. But Jiyong turn back to her again. He pointed to Minah ruined high heels. “Get yourself some boots.”

♥♥♥

♥ 12 February 2011 ♥

neoui geu han madi maldo geu useumdo

naegen keodaran uimi

neoui geu jageun nunbichdo

sseulsseulhan geu dwismoseubdo naegen himgyeoun yagsog

neoui modeun geoseun naegero wa

pulliji anhneun susukkekkiga doene

~ The meaning of you by IU feat. Kim Chang Wan

Jiyong reach over the volume tuner and increase it. He really love this song that being sang by the Nation’s sweetheart IU. A simple melodious song to keeps him company at this lonely night. Although this song did not remind him of any particular person, he could not help it to imagine that one day he will be able to share IU’s lovely feeling for that someone special.

It has been a long time he was involved with anyone special even though there was nothing too serious. But it is still a good feeling to be having someone waiting for you when you drive home from work. Then the two of you will greet each other with a simple kiss. After that, maybe both of you will prepare dinner together in the kitchen that you have specially built for her and she really making used of all the space. Right after dinner, maybe both of you could take a walk by the lake or just simply enjoy the night at the patio. The picture looks superfine to Jiyong. And it was something that goes missing with his family.

Back to the reality, Jiyong will always comes home to a empty house. There is no one that will be waiting for him. No phone call that he need to get back to from his love one. Well, above all he need to do his own grocery and laundry. Don’t forget the housechore which he will schedule to get down with on every Saturday afternoon. Jiyong did not really minds it. He has been leading an independent life ever since he was 18 years old.

Finally he reached the lake house. A smile broke out on his handsome face. He still could not believe his luck of finding this house where his architecture father has built for his bride. Jiyong quickly get off the truck and goes at the back of the truck to grab his groceries before walking towards the empty house that was built of glass panels. Jiyong glance at the metal letter box that stood lonely a few distance away from the walkway that will lead to the house.

Thinking that they might be letters or bills for him, he make a detour to the letter box. The letter box bore the house number of the lake house, “No. 1808”. He open the metal lid. Bending down he saw a single brown envelope inside the metal box. Casually he pull it out and read the name on top of the envelope, “New Tenant”.

“New tenant? Who me?” asked Jiyong to himself as he walks towards his empty house. He wonder who might it from. And what does they mean with the new tenant?

Once he reached inside his house, he place the groceries on top of the kitchen counter. His hand quickly tear off the envelope and pull out the thin paper.

'8 February 2013                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Dear New Tenant,

Welcome to your new home. As the previous tenant let me said that I hope you will like living here as much as I did. I had filed the change of address with the post office but you know what the crab that can be. So if anything slip through would you please do me a favor and forward my mail. I appreciated it. My new address is below. Thanks in advance.

397-5, HAPJEONG-DONG, MAPO-GU, SEOUL

Ps: There is a mark of pawprint by the front door. It was there when I moved in. The same with the box up in the attic.

Lee Jieun'

Curiously, Jiyong walks out to the front door which according to the letter about a certain pawprint. But Jiyong could not see any pawprint. He then climbs up in the attic. Still he could not find any box mentioned in the letter. “What the hell is she talking about?” Jiyong re-read again the letter carefully. He scowled at the date of the letter finding it strange with the year lapsed. Then he decided to leave the letter in the attic and climbs down to sort out his groceries.

However the feeling of strangeness overwhelm him. He knows by heart that the lake house has no previous owner. Ever since the death of his mother, the house has been left abandon with no tenant until the day that he decided to comes home 3 days ago. “I better make a call to Mr Yoo tomorrow morning.” 

♥♥♥The Lake House ♥♥♥