Min Ju walked into the living room of the villa, phone pressed to her ear, a bright smile on her face. "Hye Rim, guess what? We're extending our stay!"
Her friend's voice squealed with excitement on the other end of the line. "What? That's amazing! I'm so jealous!"
Min Ju laughed, flopping down onto the couch beside So-yeon, who was engrossed in a book. "I know, right? We just can't bear to leave this place. It's like a little slice of heaven."
So-yeon looked up from her book, curiosity in her eyes. "Are we really staying longer, Mommy?"
Min Ju nodded, smiling. "Yes, sweetie, we are. We're going to stay for a few more days."
So-yeon squealed with delight, throwing her arms around Min Ju's neck. "Yay! I don't want to leave either!"
Hye Rim's voice turned sly. "And I'm sure Joon-ho has nothing to do with this."
As she spoke, Joon-ho walked into the room, a warm smile on his face. He mouthed "who's that?" and Min Ju mouthed back "Hye Rim".
Joon-ho nodded and sat down on the other side of So-yeon, ruffling her hair.
As Min Ju continued her conversation with Hye Rim, Joon-ho asked So-yeon, "So, what do you want to do today? We're going to make the most of our extra days here."
So-yeon thought for a moment, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Can we go to the O'Sulloc Tea Museum? I want to see the green tea fields!"
" I'll call you later, Hye Rim. We're going to go explore some more," Min Ju said, hanging up the phone. "That sounds like a great idea, sweetie." She smiled at her daughter. "Let's go."
As they arrived at the O'Sulloc Tea Museum, So-yeon's eyes widened with wonder. "Wow, look at all the green tea fields!" she exclaimed.
Min Ju and Joon-ho smiled at each other, happy to see their daughter so carefree. They spent the morning exploring the museum and tea fields, learning about the history of green tea and even getting to taste some of the freshly brewed tea.
After the museum, they decided to head to the Jeju Folk Village, a living museum showcasing traditional Jeju culture. Min Ju couldn't help but feel a sense of peace wash over her as they walked through the village. The thatched-roof houses and lush green gardens were like a step back in time.
They were admiring a traditional Jeju house when a man suddenly ran into Min Ju, knocking her bag out of her hands. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" he exclaimed, with a charming smile on his face.
Min Ju was taken aback, but the man quickly helped her pick up the items that had fallen out of her bag. "Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
Min Ju nodded, feeling a little flustered. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you."
The man smiled again and walked away, leaving Min Ju feeling a little puzzled. It had seemed like an intentional collision, but his apology had been so sincere.
Joon-ho noticed her expression and asked, "What's wrong?"
Min Ju shook her head. "Nothing, I just thought that was a little strange."
Joon-ho frowned, his protective instincts kicking in. "Do you want to go?"
Min Ju hesitated, but So-yeon was having the time of her life, running around and exploring the village. "No, let's stay. I'm sure it was just an accident."
They continued their visit to the Jeju Folk Village, Min Ju couldn't still shake off the feeling that the man's collision had been more than just an accident. She kept looking around, wondering if she would see him again, but he was nowhere to be found.
Joon-ho noticed her distraction and asked again, "Are you sure you're okay? You seem a little preoccupied."
Min Ju forced a smile. "I'm fine, really. Let's just enjoy the rest of our day."
But as they walked through the village, Min Ju couldn't help but feel like they were being watched. She kept looking over her shoulder, expecting to see the man again, but there was never anyone there.
It wasn't until they were leaving the village that Min Ju saw him again. He was standing by the entrance, smiling at her as she walked by. Min Ju felt a shiver run down her spine as their eyes met, but she quickly looked away, not wanting to make a scene.
Joon-ho noticed her reaction and asked, "What's wrong?"
Min Ju hesitated, not wanting to alarm him. "Nothing, I just thought I saw someone I knew."
Joon-ho frowned, his eyes scanning the area. "Who was it?"
Min Ju shook her head. "No one, really. Let's just go."
But even then, she still had the urge that something was off as they walked back to their car. She didn't know what the man wanted, but she knew she didn't want to find out.
"So, what's next?" Joon-ho asked as they left the Jeju Folk Village. " We were supposed to visit the Seopjikoji Cliffs and the Sangumburi Crater."
Min Ju hesitated, feeling a sense of unease wash over her. "I don't know, Joon-ho. I'm not really feeling up to it."
Joon-ho frowned, concern etched on his face. "What's wrong? Did something happen at the village?"
Min Ju shook her head, not wanting to alarm him. "No, nothing happened. I just feel a little...off. I think I'd like to go back to the villa."
Joon-ho looked at her in surprise. "But we had plans to visit other places. Are you sure you don't want to continue with our itinerary?"
Min Ju nodded, feeling a sense of unease growing inside her. "Yes, I'm sure. I just want to go back to the villa and rest."
Joon-ho looked at her skeptically, but eventually nodded. "Okay, let's head back to the villa. We can always visit the other places another day."
Min Ju couldn't shake off the feeling of unease as they drove back to the villa. She kept looking over her shoulder, expecting to see the man from the village again, but he was nowhere to be found.
When they arrived at the villa, Min Ju breathed a sigh of relief. She felt safe inside the villa's walls, away from the prying eyes of strangers.
Joon-ho noticed her relief and asked, "Are you sure you're okay? You're starting to worry me."
Min Ju forced a smile. "I'm fine, really. I just need to rest."
***********
As the day went on, Min Ju's unease slowly started to fade away. She spent the afternoon playing with So-yeon inside the villa, laughing and having a great time.
They built a fort with pillows and blankets, had a tea party with stuffed animals, and even had a dance party to So-yeon's favorite songs.
Min Ju couldn't help but smile as she watched her daughter twirl around the room, her eyes shining with joy.
As the sun began to set, Min Ju realized that she had forgotten all about the strange encounter at the village. She was too busy having fun with her daughter to worry about it.
Joon-ho joined in on the fun, playing a game of hide-and-seek with So-yeon and making Min Ju laugh with his silly antics.
.
.
.
The days slowly passed by, Min ju's worry and writer's block seem to fade away with the passage of time.
On the eve of the day before their last day, they just decided to have their family time and not going out on an adventure.
As the sun set over the horizon, Min-ju sat on the porch, watching So-yeon play with a stray cat she had befriended. Joon-ho joined her, handing her a cup of tea. "How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Better," Min ju replied, taking a sip of the warm tea. "This trip was a great idea. I feel more relaxed and inspired."
"I'm glad," Joon ho said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You deserve a break."
Min-ju leaned into him, savoring the moment. She felt a renewed sense of hope, a belief that she could overcome her writer's block and finish her novel.
As they sat together on the porch, watching the stars begin to twinkle in the night sky, Min Ju felt a sense of peace and contentment wash over her. She was grateful for this trip, for the time with her loved ones, and for the chance to recharge and refocus.
Joon Ho squeezed her shoulders, his arm still wrapped around her. "I'm so glad we did this," he said. "You were getting burned out, and I was worried about you."
Min Ju nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. "I was worried about myself too," she admitted. "But this trip has been exactly what I needed. I feel like myself again."
So Yeon, who had been quietly playing with the stray cat, suddenly looked up at them with a mischievous grin. "Can we have a picnic tomorrow?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Min Ju and Joon Ho exchanged a look, and then smiled at each other. "That sounds like a great idea," Min Ju said, scooping up So Yeon in a hug. "We'll pack a basket and head to the beach. Just the three of us."
In a hug, the corners of her lips instinctively pulled into a bright smile. Min Ju felt a sense of joy and gratitude wash over her. This trip had brought them closer together, and she knew that she would always treasure the memories they had made here.
They had settled back down on the porch when Joon Ho turned to Min Ju with a curious expression. "So, have you thought about your novel at all?" he asked. "Do you feel like you're ready to start writing again?"
Min Ju took a sip of her tea, considering the question. She had thought about her novel, of course, but she hadn't felt the pressure to write. Not yet, anyway.
"I think I'm getting there," she said finally. "I feel like I have a lot of ideas swirling around in my head, but I'm not quite ready to put them down on paper yet."
Joon Ho nodded understandingly. "That's okay," he said. "You'll get there when you're ready. Just enjoy the rest of our trip, and don't worry about it too much."