Episode 52
24 December 2025, Wednesday. Christmas Eve. Village Gotan-ri near Chuncheon, little hillside street off Chunhwa-ro, Jeong's family home.
The kitchen was warm and busy with movement. Mi-yeon and Bo-ra worked side by side, preparing holiday dishes—chopping, stirring, tasting, moving around each other with the quiet coordination of people who had cooked together for years.
In the living room, Jung-guk sat with the news playing softly in the background.
On the floor nearby, Den sat cross-legged next to Su-ha, who was lying on her stomach with her notebook open in front of her. She stared at the page with deep irritation.
"Math is so stupid," she complained, jabbing her pencil at the paper. "I don't understand why we even need this!"
Den glanced down at her work.
"What part?"
She shoved the notebook toward him.
"Look! What's the point of problems with empty boxes? What's the meaning of finding the value of something that isn't there?"
She pointed angrily.
(□×5)+12=47
"It's an empty space! Empty means zero! But this isn't zero. Nothing makes sense!"
Den smiled, his voice gentle.
"They're not empty spaces, Su-ha. They're… um, mathematical gacha."
She blinked.
"Gacha?"
"Exactly. It could be anything, but you can't open a capsule and know what toy is inside until you solve the equation."
He leaned closer.
"Think of the numbers beside the boxes as the amount of gacha eggs, and the numbers without boxes as coins. Then it'll make sense. Try again."
Su-ha hesitated, then read it aloud, frowning.
"Five gacha eggs plus twelve coins equals forty-seven coins… and then what?"
"Well," Den said calmly, "you can count coins, right? Move the twelve over to forty-seven."
She counted on her fingers.
"Then… five gacha eggs equal thirty-five coins."
"Right."
"So how much is one egg worth?"
Her eyes widened.
"Seven coins! I get it! I get it!"
From the kitchen, Bo-ra peeked out, eyebrows raised. Without stopping her chopping, she leaned toward Mi-yeon and whispered,
"Did he just explain variables by calling the unknown a gacha?"
Mi-yeon popped a slice of pepper into her mouth.
"Mhm. Don't be surprised. He once explained quantum physics to me with a box of socks."
Bo-ra snorted softly.
At that moment, Jung-guk finished a phone call and stood up, irritation clear in his voice.
"Unbelievable. Cheol-soo is seriously sick — and his cows are still out. We're getting a heavy snowstorm tonight. I have to bring them into the barn."
Bo-ra threw her hands up.
"Why you? Doesn't he have a brother? It's a holiday! Where are you going now?"
But Jung-guk was already pulling on his jacket.
"You know his brother. He can't tell a cow from a boar. It'll take an hour at most. I'll get them inside, give them water, and be back. You're still cooking anyway."
Den stood up immediately.
"Abeonim, may I come help you?"
Jung-guk answered firmly, but not harshly.
"No need. I'll be faster alone. The drive takes longer than the work itself.
Honestly, keeping cows in a place like that—what an idiot."
With that, he stepped outside, zipped up his jacket, climbed into his old Korean pickup truck, and started the engine, the sound fading as he drove off into the cold winter evening.
December 24, Wednesday. Late evening. Village Gotan-ri near Chuncheon, little hillside street off Chunhwa-ro, Jeong's family home.
A couple of hours passed.
Bo-ra was already starting to grumble about her "hopeless husband" when her phone buzzed.
She read the message, then lifted the phone so everyone could see.
I'll be late. Got stuck on the way back from the barn. Don't worry. I'll handle it.
Bo-ra threw her hands up.
"Of course he'll handle it! I knew this would happen. We need to find someone with a tractor right now. Otherwise he'll spend the whole night out there. And freeze his hands again, just like last time!"
Den raised an eyebrow.
"He's stuck? Then I should go and pull him out."
Mi-yeon protested instantly.
"Are you crazy? Where are you going? There are wild boars out there, the road is at the edge of the forest!"
Den shrugged calmly.
"Well, the boars aren't going to pull his truck out."
He held up his phone.
"Show me on the map where he is."
Mi-yeon jumped to her feet.
"No! I'm not letting you go anywhere. Mom, tell him! What if you get stuck too? What are we supposed to do then?!"
Bo-ra nodded, more out of politeness than conviction. Her worry was clearly for her husband.
Den stood up.
"Mi-yeon. I have a UAZ. The UAZ.
It doesn't even need a road—just a direction.
I've got a tow rope. I'll pull him out, no problem."
If I demand to go with him, it would stop him.
He wouldn't dare to take a defenseless girl out there!
Her voice rose, almost desperate.
"Then I'm coming with you!
You hear me? Are you gonna make me go into the mud with you?"
Den didn't see any issue with that at all. He pulled on his jacket.
"Sure, why not. If you want a ride through the mud, be my guest. It's actually kind of fun."
Mi-yeon froze, trying to process his reaction.
W-what?
She felt a light panic
What does he mean—'sure?'
You mean… I am coming too? At least… at least I'll take bear spray and a siren.
Den looked at her, pausing for a second.
"Sure, take it."
He looked at Mi-yeon, stunned by his response, then at Bo-ra, who was still anxious.
"Don't worry, Eomeonim," he added calmly. "Driving in mud is practically a national idea back home. We will be fine. Besides, Mi-yeon promises she won't get out of the car."
Mi-yeon snapped out of her shock, grabbed the spray and the siren from the entryway and tried to act tough.
"Hey! I didn't promise that!"
Den pulled on his hat and said from the doorway,
"Then the Mi-yeon who didn't promise stays home. Only the Mi-yeon who waits obediently in the cabin gets to come with me."
He started the UAZ, brushed snow off the windshield as Mi-yeon climbed into the passenger seat, got behind the wheel, and drove off.
Soon, they reached a gravel road barely visible in the dark and turned off the pavement.
The UAZ's engine roared in protest. The car jumped, squeaked, forced its way through dirt, snow mush, half-frozen puddles.
Mi-yeon stared into the wall of snow slamming against the windshield, gripping the handle, trying to see anything ahead.
Am I doing this?
Why am I doing this?
She glanced at him, unease flickering in her eyes.
"Are you sure your car is really that good?"
Den nodded without hesitation, completely at ease.
"Without a doubt. It drives worse on asphalt than it does off-road."
24 December 2025, Wednesday. Night. Edge of the Gotan-ri village near Chuncheon, dirt road of Jeokdun-gil.
Jung-guk tugged the old SsangYong back and forth once again—without success. He hit the steering wheel in frustration.
"Damn it…"
He got out of the truck, snapped a few branches from the bushes at the edge of the forest, and shoved them under the drive wheels. Again. With little hope this time.
Then he noticed headlights cutting through the darkness.
He straightened, squinting into the night—and as the vehicle drew closer, he recognized the unmistakable silhouette of a UAZ.
Annoyance and relief crossed his face at the same time.
"So the heavens sent me a savior," he muttered. "What's this kid doing out here?"
The UAZ stopped a few meters from the stuck pickup. Den opened the door and jumped down into the mud.
He walked over and bowed.
"Abeonim. Eomeonim sent me to check if you need any help."
Jung-guk snorted, irritated by the situation more than the words.
"Hm…! That woman.
Did you bring a tow rope at least? I'm not leaving my truck here."
Den smiled, clearly pleased that his help was being accepted.
"Yes. I have it."
He jogged back to the trunk and returned a minute later with the rope.
While they were fastening it, Jung-guk noticed Mi-yeon sitting inside the UAZ. He grumbled as he worked.
"What's Mi-yeon doing here? In the middle of nowhere?"
"She's being stubborn," Den replied with a grin.
"Said she wouldn't let me come alone. I think she was trying to guilt me into staying home."
Jung-guk snorted again and hooked the rope to the pickup.
"Welcome to my world, kid." Jung-guk straightened his back and added,
"Okay. Let's try to give it a tug."
But Den suggested one more thing.
"Let's put a couple of small logs under the pickup's wheels too. I grabbed some from the shed. It'll make it easier to pull out."
Jung-guk nodded.
"Right. Good idea."
They used Den's small shovel to clear some mud, wedged the pieces of wood under the wheels, and, satisfied, headed back to their vehicles.
Den climbed behind the wheel again.
Mi-yeon looked at him, question written all over her face.
He glanced at her and said calmly,
"Hold on to the handle."
She grabbed it. Den put the UAZ in reverse and pulled.
The engine roared. The wheels spun in the mud. The pickup shifted—but didn't come free.
Den eased forward, then reversed again.
On the second attempt, the pickup finally lurched loose.
Den turned the UAZ around, got out, and walked up to the pickup's window. Jung-guk rolled it down.
"You go first, Abeonim," Den said. "We'll follow you."
"All right."
Den nodded and turned back toward his car when Jung-guk added,
"Not bad… for a city boy."
He gave a short nod.
Den smiled, unfazed by the sharp-edged compliment, and nodded back.
13 February 2026. Friday. Early afternoon. Village Gotan-ri near Chuncheon, little hillside street off Chunhwa-ro, Jeong's family home.
Mi-yeon stood by the window, thoughtful, watching Den split firewood in the yard. His movements were steadier now—no hesitation, no awkward pauses.
Jung-guk came up beside her and watched in silence for a moment. Then he said,
"Better than before."
She didn't answer, only smiled.
After a pause, Jung-guk asked,
"Why is he leaving tomorrow? Why so soon? Winter break lasts until the end of February."
Mi-yeon shrugged slightly.
"Well… Seollal is coming soon. He probably wants to return to the dorm before the holiday. We're going to Grandfather and Grandmother's house, right? And Uncle Kang-dae will come with his family.
It would be awkward for him to stay alone in our house. That's probably why he's leaving."
Jung-guk frowned.
"So he'll spend Seollal completely alone? Who does that? We should invite him."
Mi-yeon hesitated, then spoke quietly.
"Dad… I feel uncomfortable too. But Grandfather would be very displeased. Everyone would feel awkward. He's not… a fiancé."
Jung-guk sighed.
"Then we'll at least have a holiday meal on the day he leaves."
He paused, then added more softly,
"And by next year… try to figure out how we're supposed to see him. The lad is… a good one."
Mi-yeon smiled despite herself, embarrassed.
"Dad… what are you even saying? We're just classmates."
He snorted.
"Oh, don't start with me. I may be old, but I'm not blind."
She slipped her arms around his back and pressed her cheek against him, hiding her face, flustered and warm.
13 February 2026, Friday. Evening. Village Gotan-ri near Chuncheon, little hillside street off Chunhwa-ro, Jeong's family home.
That evening, they all gathered in the living room around the low dining table. Traditional Seollal dishes filled the table—tteokguk, neatly arranged side dishes, and carefully prepared plates. Everyone was dressed more formally than usual.
Jung-guk lifted his small glass of soju.
"Do-nis."
The room quieted.
"You came to our house as a guest," he said slowly, choosing his words.
"You worked when there was work, you ate what was put in front of you, and you never acted lightly."
Den straightened without realizing it.
"You respected our home," Jung-guk continued. "That is not something small."
He raised his glass slightly higher.
"You are far from your own country and your own family. That is not easy.
So today, before you leave, eat well. Go on your way safely. And wherever you are… don't
forget that there is a house here where you were welcomed."
For a moment, no one spoke.
Bo-ra smiled softly and nodded. Su-ha looked from one face to another, sensing the importance of the moment. Mi-yeon kept her eyes lowered, her hands clenched lightly in her lap.
Den bowed deeply, more carefully than ever.
"Thank you, Abeonim," he said quietly. "I won't forget. I loved my time here."
Jung-guk grunted, satisfied.
"Good. For that I'll drink."
Mi-yeon smiled into her bowl of soup, her chest tight with something she couldn't quite name—but didn't want to lose.
Everyone began to eat.
Compared to the first dinner—the night Den had crossed the threshold of the Jeong's house for the very first time—the atmosphere now was noticeably warmer, almost intimate. Still respectful, still careful, but no longer stiff.
Den still called Mi-yeon's parents Abeonim and Eomeonim.
They still called him Do-nis.
Mi-yeon and Su-ha had long since switched to Den, and once—very gently—he had tried to offer the full Denis as an alternative. It hadn't stuck. Somehow, naturally, he had remained Seok Do-nis. And yet, despite that distance in names, something else had grown closer.
Mi-yeon watched quietly.
She watched her mother place extra meat into Den's bowl as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Watched her father tease him in that gruff, almost affectionate way that Jung-guk reserved only for people he had already accepted.
Watched Su-ha look at Den with open, childlike admiration, smiling at him as if he were part of the family already.
And suddenly the thought struck her, sharp and uninvited.
Why did I reject him?
If this isn't the man I could be happy with, then who is?
Maybe Han-bin was right.
I am just afraid.
Her chest tightened.
She forced herself back into the room, into the sound of voices and clinking dishes.
Jung-guk grumbled good-naturedly,
"Bo-ra, I really don't understand who the head of this house is anymore. Why does Do-nis have more meat in his bowl than I do?"
Bo-ra waved him off without even looking.
"Oh, stop it, Jung-guk. What do you need more meat for? To grow a bigger belly? Do-nis needs strength for his studies. You should be ashamed."
Everyone laughed.
And then Su-ha spoke up, her voice bright and earnest.
"I wanted to ask… will Oppa Den come visit us again?"
The table fell silent.
Both parents stopped chewing at the same time.
Their eyes shifted—not sharply, but attentively—to Mi-yeon and Den.
Answers came simultaneously.
"No… probably not," Den said.
"Yes, of course," Mi-yeon said.
They froze.
Then they looked at each other—too quickly—and just as quickly looked away, correcting themselves in unison.
"Yes…?" Den said awkwardly. "I mean—I'd really like to."
"No…?" Mi-yeon added hastily. "I mean—of course… it's just complicated. He has many things to do in Seoul."
Su-ha blinked, clearly confused, her gaze darting between them.
"So… is it yes or no?"
Den gently placed his hand over Mi-yeon's wrist.
Not possessive. Not dramatic.
Just enough to say: Let me.
He spoke softly, but with quiet sincerity.
"I really liked staying here, Su-ha. No one knows the future. But if it depends on me, I will definitely come again. And I'll bring you new manhwa books too. I promise."
Su-ha stood up and hugged him without hesitation, her arms wrapping around him for a few seconds.
"Oppa, you're the best."
The tension dissolved.
Laughter returned, conversation resumed, dishes were passed again.
But Mi-yeon felt her heart still pounding, slow and heavy.
Bo-ra noticed it too, though she said nothing.
Jung-guk poured himself another glass of soju, grumbling something about noisy tables, yet never once leaving the conversation.
And Mi-yeon, sitting there with her hands folded in her lap, wondered quietly—when something already felt like home, how much longer could she keep pretending it wasn't.
How do I fix what I broke?