"My soulmate is out there somewhere, pushing a pull door... I just know it."

Thursday, December 21st, 2023
Hongdae, Seoul
9:00am

"Ha ha ha." Lee An laughed as she read the quote aloud. She loved reading love quotes because they sounded like Dad jokes, which doesn't make any sense. Taryn always called her a weirdo because of this.

Taryn went to Hongdae to see Lee An's parents before leaving for their vacation. And also to book their flights.

"I mean, isn't it hilarious." Lee An said, showing the quote to Taryn. "No it's not, it's lame." She responded.

"내 짝은 어딘가에서 밀어야 할 문을 당기고 있을 거야... 그냥 그런 느낌이 들어. My soulmate is out there somewhere, pushing a pull door... I just know it." Lee An read the quote out loud again, this time in Korean. She looked at it over and over and kept on smiling. "좋아. 너무 너무 좋아. I love it. I really really love it." She said, rolling up and down the bed.

"Ugh." Taryn sighed. "알았어. 우리 지금 plane 예약할까? Alright. Can we book our flights now?" She pleaded, lying on her back.

"Sorry." Lee An said, sitting up on the bed. 지난주에 재수가 제대로 했으면 이런 일 없었을 텐데. All this wouldn't have happened if Jae Soo had done it right last week." She sighed.

"내 말이. My point exactly." Taryn nodded in agreement. "Now let's just hope we find available flights for tomorrow or Saturday." She continued. "걱정 마, 있을 거야. We will, don't worry." Lee An said, patting her shoulder.

"오, Saturday에 가능한 plane가 있어. Oh, there's an available flight on Saturday." Taryn said, sitting up abruptly. "진짜? 그럼 예약해. Really? Book it then." Lee An said, leaning in to Taryn.

"근데... But..." Taryn said, then paused. "왜? 뭐? 근데 뭐? Why? What? But what?" Lee An asked, curiosity and concern written all over her face.we'll have to board a connecting flight to SEA."

"어떤 항공사야? Which Airline?" Lee An inquired. "Korean Air." Taryn answered. "다른 option 은 없어? Any other options?" Lee An asked. "Nope." Taryn nodded. "다른 plane는 없어. No other available flights."

"Well, since we can book the entire journey as a single ticket, it shouldn't be a problem." Lee An responded. "Yeah. We don't have any other choice." Taryn said.

"어디서 경유하는 거야? Where are we boarding the connecting flight?" Lee An asked. "Narita International Airport, Tokyo, Japan." Taryn responded.

Lee An exclaimed, covering her mouth in surprise, "진짜? 그럼 좋네. 일본에 갈 기회잖아. Really? That's good then. Our chance to go to Japan." She said, hugging Taryn and exclaiming in surprise. "Right. 그럼 내가 예약할게. Right. I'll book our flight then." Taryn laughed.

"Wow. That was faster than I thought it would. Lee An laughed. 좋아. Good."

Taryn laughed. "Done. 우리 가는 거야! We're really going." Taryn said as she pulled Lee An up. They both held hands and started screaming, jumping around the room in excitement. "I can't wait." Lee An said. "Me too. I'll post the update on the group chat." Taryn said, picking up her phone.

Lee An laughed, walking up to her closet, "나도 이제 짐 싸야겠다. I'm going to start packing." She said, pulling out her bag.

Outside, Lee An's parents stood by the door, eavesdropping. "저 두 사람 왜 저렇게 소리 질러대는 거야? 뭐가 그렇게 신나는 거야? What's going on with those two? Why are they screaming?" Mrs. Chu whispered to her husband.

"여행 가는 게 너무 신나나 봐. They are excited about their trip." Mr. Lee said, pulling his wife away from the door. They took their seat on the couch and continued talking. "젊음의 아름다움이지. The beauty of youth." He smiled, looking up, as if reminiscing a good memory.

"어휴, 애들도 아니고 왜 여행 간다고 저렇게 좋아해? 리안이랑 내가 부산 친정 갔을 때는 저렇게 신나하지도 않더니. Are they kids? Why are they excited about going on a trip? Lee An wasn't this excited when we went to Busan to visit my parents." Mrs. Chu frowned.

Mr. Lee laughed out loud, "그건 당신이랑 같이 갔으니까 그렇지. 신날 리가 없지. That's because she went with you. There's no way she'd be excited." He said, laughing even more.

"뭐라고? 지금 뭐라고 했어? What? What did you just say?" Mrs. Chu frowned even more. Realizing his fault, Mr. Lee got up slowly, "아무것도 아니야. Nothing." He said, trying to calm her down, but to no avail.

"이리 와!" Mrs. Chu shouted, chasing her husband around the house. "애들이 버릇없이 큰 건 다 당신 때문이야. You're the reason our children are spoilt brats." She said, running after him, this time, with a pan in her hand.

"Your parents are at it again." Taryn laughed. "They're so in love. I'm grateful." Lee An laughed.

9:00pm

Lee Jun closed the door to his old bedroom, his arms full of clothes and essentials he'd gathered for the trip to Serendipity Springs. The house was quiet, with only the faint hum of the television coming from the living room. As he made his way downstairs, he found his father, Mr. Lee, sitting alone on the sofa, sipping tea.

"아, 아빠, 내가 들어왔을 때 없으셨잖아요. Oh, dad, you weren't here when I came in." Lee Jun said, dropping his bags near the sofa. "뭐 하셨어요? What's up?"

His father looked up, smiling warmly, "응, 오늘 아침에 엄마한테 한 대 맞아서 잠을 못 잤어. Yeah, your mom gave me a gave beating this morning, so I couldn't sleep." Mr. Lee patted the spot next to him on the sofa.

Lee Jun chuckled and sat down beside his father, stretching his arms, "또요? 이번엔 뭘 잘못하셨어요? Again? What did you do this time?"

"내가 뭘 안 했겠냐. What did I not do." Mr. Lee leaned back. "아무튼, 너도 이번 휴가 기대돼? Anyway, are you also excited for your vacation?" He asked, folding his arms.

Lee Jun smiling brightly, "네, 엄청요. 가끔은 쉬어야죠. 그리고 이안한테도 진짜 좋은 기회일 거예요. 요즘 힘든 일 많았잖아요. Yes, very. It's good to rest once in a while. And it'll be really good for Lee An. She's been through enough."

"맞아. 잘 챙겨줘, 알겠지? Right. Look after her okay?" Mr. Lee said."

Lee Jun nodded, a small smile tugging at his lip, "당연하죠. 또 이상한 놈 만나게 두진 않을 거예요, 지훈 같은 쓰레기랑. 솔직히 난 처음부터 걔 맘에 안 들었어요. Of course. I won't let her date another trash, like Ji Hoon. I never really liked him in the first place."

Mr. Lee laughed heartily. "그치? 나만 그런 줄 알았는데. 대체 뭘 보고 사귄 건지 모르겠더라. 생긴 것도 별로였고. Right? I thought it was just me. I don't know what she saw in him. He wasn't even that good looking."

"맞아요. 아빠가 걔보다 훨씬 잘생기셨죠. Right. You're even more good looking than him, dad." Lee Jun teased, earning a burst of laughter from his father. "그건 사실이지. Of course, that's fact." Mr. Lee said proudly.

"내가 이안 아니었으면 걔 혼쭐냈을 거예요. 내 동생 건들면 가만 안 두죠. 못생기고 짜증나도 내 동생이니까. I would have beaten the living hell out of him if it wasn't for Lee An. No one messes with my little sister, even though she's ugly and annoying." Lee Jun shrugged playfully.

Mr. Lee hit Lee Jun's arm, "야, 우리 딸이 못생긴 건 아니야, 하지만 짜증나는 건 인정이지. 내 딸 건드리면 안 돼. Hey, my lovely daughter is not ugly, but she sure is annoying, I agree. No one messes with my daughter." He sighed deeply. "리안은 엄마를 닮아서 고집이 세지. Lee An is just like her mom, stubborn."

"그치, 둘이 딱 맞아. Right? They're fit for each other." Lee Jun leaned back, shaking his head at the thought of his mother and sister's endless bickering.

Mr. Lee laughed, "그러니까 맨날 싸우죠. 그리고 결국 아빠가 맞잖아요. No wonder they fight a lot. And I end up taking the beating." He said.

"전 항상 잘 도망가죠. And I always find a way to escape." Lee Jun laughed out loud.

After a pause, his father spoke again, his voice thoughtful, "너는? 결혼할 생각 없냐? 이제 슬슬 때가 됐잖아. What about you? Aren't you going to get married? It's about time."

Lee Jun raised an eyebrow, a smirk forming on his lip, "뭐? 결혼이요? 아빠, 전 아직 연애도 안 하고 있는데 무슨 결혼이에요. 사랑은 복잡해. What? Marriage? Dad, I'm not even dating anyone yet, talk less about getting married. I don't know. Love is complicated." He said, taking a deep sigh.

"알지. 하지만 사랑이 달콤하다는 것도 알아야 돼. 강별은 어때, 너 친구잖아. 안 좋아해? I know, but love is also sweet. What about Kang Byeol, your friend, don't you like her?" Mr. Lee said, nudging him on the side.

"강별? 아빠, 절대 아니에요. 그냥 친구예요. 왜 갑자기 그 얘길 하세요? Kang Byeol? Dad, no way, we're just friends. Why would you bring her up." Lee Jun laughed.

Mr. Lee chuckled, his eyes twinkling with excitement, "야, 내가 보기엔 걔 너 좋아하는 게 눈에 보이더라. 분명히 너한테 반했어. Hey, I see the way she looks at you. It's obvious that she's in love with you." He said.

Lee Jun blinked, momentarily taken aback. "아니에요, 아빠. 진짜 그냥 친구예요. 강별이 어떤지 아시잖아요, 맨날 저한테 뭐라 해요. No dad. We're just friends. Don't you know Kang Byeol? She insults me all the time." Lee Jun laughed.

Mr. Lee shook his head, clearly unimpressed and disappointed, "아들, 실망이다. 그게 뭔 뜻인 줄 모르냐? 나도 그 정도는 알아. Son, I'm disappointed. Don't you know what that means? Even I know what it means."

"아빠, 그거 별 뜻 없어요. 아니, 진짜 그런 뜻일까요? Dad, it doesn't mean anything. Or does it?" But even as he said it, his thoughts drifted to Kang Byeol, and he found himself wondering.

Mr. Lee smiled knowingly, "맞아. 그게 걔가 너 좋아하는 건데 인정하기 싫은 거야. Yes it does. It means she's in love with you and she doesn't want to admit it."

"진짜요? 아니, 그럴 리가... Oh, really? No, that can't be true." Lee Jun bit his lip, suddenly feeling a little flustered.

"어쨌든, 내가 말 안 했다고는 하지 마라. 이제 뭘 해야 하는지 알겠지? Anyways, don't say I didn't tell you. You know what to do now." Mr. Lee said, leaving Lee Jun in suspense.

"아니요, 모르겠어요. No, I don't." Lee Jun sat up, curiosity written over his face. "이제 가라. 금요일에 보자. Go. See you on Friday." His father said, as he stood up to go to bed.
"아니 아빠. 진짜 진짜 몰았어. But dad, I really really don't." Lee Jun followed his father, pleading with him.

Mr. Lee waved him goodbye, forcing him to leave, "가. 잘가. Go. Take care." Lee Jun accepted his fate, "알겠어요, 아빠가 한 말 생각해 볼게요. 잘 가요. Alright. I'll think about what you said. Bye." He said.

With a final wave, Lee Jun grabbed his bags and headed out the door, his mind swirling with thoughts of the trip ahead, his sister, and maybe, just maybe, Kang Byeol.