"YAH, what happened to this damn car?!" Mun Yeung shouted. Gang Tae took over the wheels from Mun Yeong and stopped at a nearby village. He got out of the car and checked the back engine of the camping car and discovered that the car had broken down. They needed time to repair the camping car and let it rest for some time. Which means they can't hit the road right now and was forced to stay the night at this nearby village. They walked into the village with Gang Tae holding their luggage bag and stopped at the sign which says, "Asan Pear Blossom Field". They met the head of the village Mr. Baek who happily led them to his house after he heard about their situation.
Mun Yeong wondered in amazement at the countryside since she had always been a city girl and it was the first time she experienced stepping into a rather simple village. The people living here were warm-hearted and they were pleasantly surprised to see a young couple stepping into their village. They had a warm reception for the couple when the news spread like wildfire across the village that Ko Mun Yeong, the famous children book writer had stepped foot into their village. In addition, the villagers hardly see anybody dresses so fashionably except for Mr. Baek daughter-in-law who is a chaebol of a huge shopping mall in Seoul. The villagers whispered behind their back, “did you notice all the heiresses are always wearing such trendy and expensive clothes like Hae-In? They look so gorgeous.” The villagers crowded around Ko Mun Yeung and asked for an autograph and selfies with her.
Mr Baek introduced his family members to them and Mrs. Baek exclaimed excitedly, " Wow Gang Tae shi, you looked exactly like my second son!" Looking slightly embarrassed, Mr. Baek showed his family photo proudly and pointed at his son Baek Hyun Woo. "He is currently working as a lawyer in Queen's shopping mall, and he seldom come back, for the time being you and Author Ko may spend the night in his bedroom." Mr. Baek led them to the room and Gang Tae bowed in appreciation of their kindness.
"Mun Yeong ah, are you okay?" Gang Tae was concerned about Mun Yeong as he noticed that Mun Yeong had not been talking much ever since they stepped foot into the village. Mun Yeong smiled at Gang Tae, "I am fine, maybe I am still amazed by the villagers and their warm reception.” Gang Tae held Mun Yeong hand and said, "Mun Yeong ah, the sky is getting dark, we should spend a night here, I know that you feel uncomfortable. I promise you that we will leave as soon as we can start our camping car." Mun Yeong broke into a tiny smile, "I supposed this will be a totally new experience for me." Gang Tae stroked Moon Yeong hair lovingly as he looked into her eyes. "Knock", "Knock", Mr. Baek knocked on their door and warmly invite them to join them for dinner.
At the dining table, Mun Yeong felt awkward as this was the first time she shared a table with a group of strangers. The food was really nice and delicious and Mun Yeong sat at the corner picking up the food on the table quietly. The Baek family warmly welcomed them as they took turns to pour drinks in the cups. The dinner ended joyously, and everyone was in a good spirit. Mrs. Baek invited Mun Yeong to pick some pears with her in the farm while Gang Tae repair the camping car tomorrow morning. Mun Yeong gave an awkward smile to Mrs. Baek and agreed to repay their kindness by helping out at the pear farm.
While Gang Tae took a shower, Mun Yeong was alone in the room. Feeling bored, she took a walk at the outdoor balcony and explore the landscape of the village which she had never seen before. “There is another world outside the castle that I was caged in all my life. The people living here were warm-hearted and kind to strangers like us,” Mun Yeong thought to herself while smiling. Lost in her own thoughts, a little girl quietly stood beside Mun Yeung and pulled her dress gently. When Mun Yeong turned around, she saw a little girl around eight years old with a ponytail tail raised her head up and smiled at her. Mun Yeong lowered herself to her eye level and looked into her eyes. “What is a brat like you doing here?” The girl has a beam in her eyes as she showed a book hidden behind her and said excitedly, “Can you do an autograph for me? I am a big fan of yours!” Mun Yeong smiled at her and took the book from her hands. The girl exclaimed happily, “Finding the real face!” Mun Yeong took the pen gently from her hands. “What is your name?” “Mun Yeong unnie, my name is Lee So Hyun.” Mun Yeong wrote something on the book and returned it to So Hyun. She opened the book and read, “Soo Hyun ah, be happy always. Thank you for being my fan.” They smiled tenderly at each other while Gang Tae watched their interactions from a distance.
His hair was dripping wet with a white towel placed on his shoulders, while he smiled tenderly at the scene. So Hyun turned her head around and saw Gang Tae. She smiled shyly at Gang Tae and murmured to herself, “Handsome oppa.” Mun Yeong turned her head and saw Gang Tae who gave them a bright smile. Mun Yeong immediately turned back to So Hyun slightly annoyed and said, “This handsome oppa is taken by me.” She gave a hug to So Hyun before she stood up, turned around and hooked her arm with Gang Tae. “A mini fan meeting?” Gang Tae innocently asked with a smile on his face. “Stop flirting and smiling at girls like that!” Mun Yeong said in a jealous and possessive tone. Gang Tae broke out in laughter and shook his head, “I am smiling at you.” He said that while wrapping his arms around Mun Yeong. I came out to find you when I did not see you in the room. Let’s go to bed early after I dry my hair. Mun Yeong burst into laughter as they walked back to the room. This night, the couple wrapped their arms around each other on the bed. Mun Yeong placed her head on Gang Tae shoulder. “I must say my mini fan has great taste like me.” Gang Tae smiled knowingly and gave a goodnight kiss on Mun Yeong lips as this is their daily routine and fall asleep together.
“Mun Yeong ah wake up.” Gang Tae gently shook her shoulder. It had been a long time since Mun Yeong slept on a proper bed. She was still lazing around in the bed refusing to wake up. Although, it was fun hitting the road with Gang Tae in the camping car, but there is no proper mattress to sleep comfortably. Not that Mun Yeong is complaining as long as she has Gang Tae by her side, she will be happy anywhere. “You are supposed to help out at the pear farm with Mrs. Baek remember?” Mun Yeong suddenly opened her eyes wide in surprise. Oh yes, she remembered promising Mrs. Baek that she will be helping out at the pear farm. Mun Yeong jumped up from bed and get ready to greet the elderly who were already seated at the dining table. Mun Yeong and Gang Tae greeted the elderly couple at the table and had their breakfast together. Gang Tae followed Mr. Baek to the repair shop, while Mun Yeong changed into an ahjuma flowery outfit and followed Mrs. Baek to the farm. Along the way, Mun Yeong kept grumbling about her terrible outfit but still listened attentively to Mrs. Baek instructions on how to pick the pears from the trees. Mun Yeong cursed and swear softly as she picked the pears from the trees under the scotching hot sun.
When the sunset, Gang Tae returned home to see an exhausted Mun Yeong in an ahjuma outfit carrying a bag of pears in her hands. Gang Tae laughed hysterically at the sight of her ahjuma outfit. Mun Yeung pouted and pushed him away on the chest as she followed Mrs. Baek into the house. At night, after a long day of labor they freshen up and sat together at the dining table. Mrs. Baek had already cut the juicy pears and placed them on the plate. “Let’s enjoy our fruits of labor!” exclaimed Mrs. Baek merrily. They have a farewell dinner that night as the couple will set off tomorrow morning in their camping car.
After the splendid dinner, Gang Tae was invited to drink makgeolli with Mr. and Mrs. Baek while Mun Yeong took a shower in the bathroom. They clicked glasses at the outdoor balcony and enjoyed the night skies. “It had been such a long time since we have visitors in our village, your presence definitely stirred up some excitement in the village. Thanks to the camping car that broke down, we can have you and Mun Yeong as our honored guests.” Mr. Baek smiled fondly at Gang Tae. Mrs. Baek chipped in, “It was such a pity that Hyun Woo is not around, I am sure he will get along well with you and Mun Yeong.” Gang Tae smiled and thanked the elderly couple for their hospitality. “Sorry that I had Mun Yeong working at the pear orchard with me the whole day. I just wanted to spend time knowing more about her.” Mrs. Baek said candidly. Gang Tae smiled knowingly at her words. “Mun Yeong may look cold and distant but when I get to know her better, I discovered that she is actually a kindhearted girl. I like it that she is not pretentious at all. I guess I am used to her swearing and cursing and will miss her now.” Mrs. Baek laughed. Gang Tae bend his head in embarrassment and said, “Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Baek for being so kind to us and I apologize on her behalf for being rude.” Mrs. Baek held his hand like a mother to her son. “It’s ok Gang Tae, we love to have you and Mun Yeung around with us. Our life has been kind of boring ever since our children grown up. Please visit us whenever you are free.” Mrs. Baek smiled tenderly.
“Moon Gang Tae, what are you doing?” Mun Yeong walked to the balcony in her night gown, and she caught Gang Tae looking tenderly at his phone while smiling to himself. “Is that a picture of a woman you are hiding away from me?” Mun Yeong tried to snatch his phone away. Gang Tae teasingly avoided her and showed a picture of Mun Yeong in the flowery ahjuma outfit. “Where did you get that picture?!” Mun Yeong tried to snatch away the phone and delete that ugly picture. “It was a candid shot that Mrs. Baek took of you at the pear farm. You look skillful in picking the pears from the tree!” Gang Tae said teasingly. She chased Gang Tae around the balcony demanding to delete the ugly picture. “Sly fox! Delete the picture or I will kill you!” Mr. and Mrs. Baek looked fondly upon the couple with a smile on their faces. Mr. Baek held his wife hand and said, “Don’t they resembled us when we were a young couple?” Mrs. Baek slapped him on the chest and signaled him to go back to the house with their kettle and cups. “Let’s go, we should not disturb the young couple with our presence.”
The next morning Gang Tae and Mun Yeong bid farewell to the elderly couple family and some of the villagers came and send them off. Mrs. Baek packed a bag of pears for Mun Yeong to take with them for their trip. Mrs. Baek hugged Mun Yeong and said, “I wished I could spend more time with you. Do come back if you have the time and please stay longer this time and we can pick more pears.” Mun Yeong gave an awkward laugh which Mrs. Baek pretend not to see. They thanked the villagers for their hospitality before they got into the camping car. They waved goodbye to the villagers as Gang Tae drove the camping car out of the village.
In the camping car, Mun Yeong saw a message on her handphone and smiled. Gang Tae asked her, “why are you smiling?” She replied, “I had just sent my present to the villagers as she hummed a tune to herself.” Gang Tae was curious and stole a glance on her phone. “You are buying all the pears in Mr. and Mrs. Baek pear farm and give them to the villagers?!” “Mun Yeong ah, you are so amazing!” Gang Tae was pleasantly surprised. On the other hand, the elderly couple just received a ten million won cheque from Mun Yeong in an envelope. Seung Jae who drove all the way there to pass the cheque to the couple and express her gratitude on behalf of Moon Yeong. The elderly couple looked at each other in awe of the gesture.
“Don’t think for a moment I will forget about that picture of me in an ugly ahjuma clothes that is still sitting in your handphone.” Mun Yeung said in a sarcastic voice. Acting innocent, Gang Tae said with a teasing tone “You look beautiful in all type of clothes, beside this is the one and only picture that I will ever see you dressed like this.” Mun Yeong angrily exclaimed, “Sly fox!” Gang Tae said with a tinge of sadness, “looks like this summer holiday is ending soon.” He held Mun Yeong hand and gave a little sad smile. “I can always kidnap you again and this time round we will have more fun than what we are experiencing now.” Mun Yeong proudly declared with a wide smile. Gang Tae smiled sweetly at Mun Yeong, “I am sure we will continue to have lots of fun.”
At the workplace, Author Kim and Sang Tae were busy with their new book. “Sang Tae oppa, you helped Mun Yeong unnie with her international acclaimed children book, Finding the real face. How did she find the inspiration to write this book? Did she meet up with mentally unstable patients too? Sang Tae oppa, why aren’t you answering me? Sang Tae continued to draw his illustrations diligently without looking at her. “She is my little sister”, he said as a matter of fact. Author Kim put her pen aside and studied Sang Tae facial expressions. She raised an eyebrow and grin to herself. “If I could find any dirty scandal of the famous and successful Ko Mun Yeong, I will make sure to pull her down and top her chart in the children story book ranking category.” Author Kim thought to herself.
Next chapter: What will happen to Sang Tae and Author Kim partnership? Where is Gang Tae and Moon Yeong going? Are they going to return to Seong Jin city?
Drama Queen note to our lovely readers:
I am sure you will find some similarities with our Baek family and the countryside village in this chapter. You may probably know that I love both Queen Of tears and It’s Okay to not be Okay if you saw my previous post. I will post more story about Mun Yeung and the Moon brothers in this blog next week. Stay tune if you want to find out more about their adventure.
