Saeng as usual present at her singing center, teaching music to her students and observing their progress in music skill lessons. Her students have improved a lot in terms of playing a few tunes and they also practiced singing a few Korean songs.
Yeong along with a few students prepared a surprise for their teacher, which they will show her in the remaining last 10 minutes of the class. During the last 10 minutes, Yeong, a married woman, and an old couple, altogether stand and walks up to her desk.
She looks at them and asks," Yeong, A-reum ssi, Ajumeoni(old woman), and, Ajeossi ( old man), What happened? Why have you come here? Do you want to say something to me?". They nod 'yes' and Yeong requests her sweetly to sit along with other students and watch them.
She observed their faces and knew that they are going to do something for sure. Still, she agreed and lets them do whatever they want to do. She sat with one of her students and looks at them with a neutral expression.
They take out their instruments and play some tunes in synchrony along with singing the Korean song '4'o clock by V ssi and RM ssi of BTS. Yeong knew that it is her teacher's favorite song as she listens to this song many times. She listens and appreciates them for playing and singing this song so well. So, she gave them some cookies as appreciation, which are always there in her handbag.
During the afternoon time, she arrives at her clinic and prepares some files of her pet patients, she works on her laptop, writing some reports, and articles and reading some internet research papers, she then checks her work calendar, upon which important dates are encircled so that she prepares everything beforehand.
Two visitors came to her clinic with their pets, she did her duty, and then she waits for people to come with their pets, then after an hour, one comes, then another one, and she does her duty. After some minutes, a young lady and a gentleman enter her clinic.
The young gentleman holding a 10-year-old dog in his arms, speaks," Saeng-a, our adorable Wanjangnim (Dog's name) is feeling a little unwell, he has been sleeping all day. We are worried about his sleeping habit, which has been quite unpredictable. You know our Wanjangnim, he is active and enthusiastic all the time. But, for a few days, he has been sleeping a lot more than usual. Please examine and treat him, he needs you".
Then the young lady shuts his mouth by placing her hand against his mouth and speaks, " You are so annoying sometimes. Let her breathe. You are scaring me. Whenever our Wanja behaves a bit unusual, you worry a lot and stress out, which is not good at all. U-ram, you need to calm down. She knows her work".
The young lady then removes her hand from his mouth and rubs his arms softly and pats his arm, U-ram smiles and feels calm at her gesture.
Saeng examines Wanja and finds out the real issue, she speaks to them, " Mi-Ok and U-ram, he needs to be outside more and play and do some activities, due to your busy schedule, you might have not played with him or taken him outside, which made him lazy and feel lethargic. I advise you both to spend time with him more and then he will be back to his energetic self".
Mi-Ok speaks in a playful tone," What to do?, Wanja is fond of you, that's why he waits eagerly for his check-up day so that he can see you. Sadly, U-ram loves our Wanja a lot but Wanja loves Saeng more than U-ram. I feel sorry for my boyfriend".
U-ram playfully nudges her and hugs her tightly and tells her, " No, you are wrong. The one, I love the most is my beautiful and sweet girlfriend Mi-Ok-a.
Mi-Ok blushes and playfully hits him to release her. He releases Mi-Ok and asks Saeng about the fee, to which Saeng refuses, as according to her, she didn't move a finger, so she can't take the fee.
Mi-Ok insists she accepts the fee money, but they couldn't convince her.
Mi-Ok hugs her best friend and asks her to come to her home someday as she has visited her home only once when Mi-Ok shifted into a new apartment complex from the old apartment complex, then later her younger brother started staying with her.
Wanja jumps from U-ram's arms into Saeng's arms, Mi-Ok giggles as U-ram pouts sadly, looking at Wanja. Wanja makes puppy eyes at her and Saeng stares at his puppy eyes and caresses his fur softly and pats his head. Wanja makes happy woof sounds and licks her face, but she still had a neutral expression. she wipes her face with a handkerchief and gives Wanja back to Mi-Ok.
U-ram then holds Saeng's hand and thanks her for always being there for them and speaks in a soft tone," Saeng-sacho, you were always special, you led me to my love, and for that, I would be forever grateful to you. I will tell you a fact, which is, you are better off alone, and you are unique, and you don't need anyone, except your family and us. I hope, you never hurt or betray our trust".
After that U-ram walks out of the clinic, where Mi-Ok is waiting for him outside.
Around 7 pm, She reaches home due to less number of visitors in her clinic today, so she takes a long relaxing bath and packs her backpack and fills in necessary things and locks her flat and walks out of the building.
She walks some distance and finds Yeong near the grocery mart along with his mother, his mother requests her to hold him here for a few minutes as she needs to bring back another grocery bag, which she forgot in the mart, Saeng agrees as she has plenty of time today.
His mother thanks her and runs to the grocery mart.
Meanwhile, Yeong notices something peeking out of her backpack, he tries to observe, his eyes shining with curiosity, then her mother comes back and asks her," Saeng-a, Are you going somewhere?".
Saeng nods and tells her, " I am going to my usual spot, which I am habituated to visiting weekly once. That place is really beautiful and calm. Goodnight, eonni (elder woman) and Yeong-a.
His mother asks further no questions to her and just asks her to be careful and safe, and then she walks away with her child back to their flat house.
Saeng arrives at the railway station and asks at the booking counter to book a ticket for ' Upo Marshland', the receptionist then gives her a ticket after 10 minutes.
She takes the ticket with an unbothered expression and pays up the bill and waits there at the platform, imagining the place which makes her feel calm and fresh and is like an inspiration for her secret ambition, goals, and dream.
The train arrives at the right time, she enters the train, finds her seat number, and also observes that nearby seats are empty, which is good for her, she gets a phone call from Mi-Ok. They talk for a while and then both U-ram and Mi-Ok were curious about where she is traveling to.
So, Saeng informs them that she is going to her usual spot, which she visits once a week, to which they hummed and playfully ask her about the specialty of her so special spot and then tease her by assuming her meeting a boy there.
After the phone call ends, Mi-Ok playfully tells U-ram, " My younger brother is the opposite of Saeng. She is calm and neutral while he is mischievous and expressive. She loves to be around animals while he is not so fond of animals. It was quite a surprise for me that he is fond of Wanja. U-ram, they are so different from each other, like water and fire. I pray that my brother and my best friend Saeng get a deserving partner, who understands their unique personalities".
U-ram replies to her, " But, fire and water if combined, can be quite dangerous yet beautiful. My brother-in-law will sure get a beautiful and rare kind of girl, as he needs a girl like that in his life. And about Saeng, she might need to wait forever to get a match like her, still, she is beautiful, and she might find a boy for her. But, as I know her well, she doesn't need anyone except us and her family. She is perfect like this".
Mi-Ok then replies, " You are right, she is capable of handling herself and doesn't need anyone in her life, but maybe a gentleman needs a lady like her in his life. I hope they both find their partners".
U-ram hums in a little annoying voice, which doesn't go unnoticed by her, he then smiles warmly at her and hugs her from behind, and they have a sweet talk with each other.
After some time, Mi-Ok was scolding her brother on the phone," I told you so. You are sometimes just like a whining kid, who doesn't know anything except whining. I warned you to not go there as you are allergic to farm animals. But, you whined a lot, that's why I agreed to your friend group trip to the countryside. Now, you are sick and you sound terrible right now. Good for you. HAVE FUN".
Mi-Ok was going to end the call but she hears his brother's pleading voice, she hums to listen to him once, and her brother speaks with a dry tone," I know, I am careless sometimes, I knew that there would be farm animals, still, I wanted to go and have fun with my friends in the countryside, as it is a really beautiful place. I thought I could handle my allergy to some extent, but I was wrong. After all, my sweet elder sister knows the best for me. Please forgive me this time and tell me how to cure this allergy".
Mi-Ok replies in a satisfied tone, "Of course, I know the best for you. For that reason, I kept allergy medicine in the small pocket pouch inside your backpack. And one more thing, have fun with your friends and return home soon".
His younger brother excitedly says," Don't worry, Nuna ( elder sister called by boys in Korea), I will be back home soon. And, one more thing, you are the best".
Saeng looks through the window, stares at the trees passing by, and everything bypassing her, she feels nothing, just observes the night sky deepening into a more dark bluish hue, the moon floating behind the clouds, playing hide and seek with her like always. Saeng grabs a chocolate bar from her handbag and starts munching it.
Suddenly she hears some noises coming from the upper sleeper bench above her, she just shrugs off, lays upon the lower sleeper bench, and relaxes.
Still, the noise didn't stop instead it became louder, she stands and tries to look into the upper sleeper bench, and she notices a small boy sitting with knees up and hiding his face, hugging himself and mumbling out words in a scared voice, she decides to tell the boy to calm down and behave, she taps her hand on the bench, asks him to be quiet but gets no response, then she calls out that boy, then also no response. Then, she plugs in her earphones and lets him be like that and lay back in her seat to sleep for a while.
When she closed her eyes, she feels like someone is watching her, she immediately opens her eyes, her eyes lit with confusion upon the sight and a little bit shocked when she recognizes him.