Korean

An evening in the flat in early autumn: Su-a asks Eli to sit down a moment, nothing bad, they're having a baby, it's due in June and she's in her eighth week, eighth week and she said nothing, she wanted to be sure first, so they'll need more money and the studio comes this autumn.

Sunday lunch at the Kims' in Mangwon: Mrs. Park says the two of them look like they have something to say, Su-a says a baby is coming, Mr. Kim tells Eli he's going to be a father, Eli tells him he's going to be a grandfather, sixty-one and fine he'll take it, who minds the baby if both work, that's why Eli is opening the studio, and the studio can wait till after lunch.

Su-a's first check-up at the clinic in Mapo, Eli beside her: she's in her ninth week, the doctor says don't wait, register at the health centre, the folic acid comes from there too, don't lift heavy things, rest, three coffees a day become water instead, and husbands are welcome at the ultrasound.

The kitchen table, with numbers: Eli says let's count, half the pay goes out on the flat's rent as Su-a knows, a studio's rent would eat the rest, only at first and there's no science studio in Mangwon as she knows, he doesn't know Korean paperwork, Min-jun helps as she knows, give him till Seollal, and then they count again.

Coffee near the school with Vice-principal Oh: Eli has something to ask, he'd like to open a science studio on Saturdays, a teacher needs permission for a second job, he'll make sure it never touches his classes, evenings and Saturdays only, and a baby is coming so he needs it, congratulations and then he'll have to work twice as hard, and the form goes to the principal.

The side streets behind Mangwon market with Min-jun, following an advertisement: the ad says the street behind the market, this building has a to-let sign, ground floor, fifteen floor units and a big window, it's on the small side, ten children is enough, a rice-cake shop next door and an alterations shop upstairs, rather quiet, the market's close so mothers pass all day, and they call the number.

The viewing with Mr. Jang, the landlord, Min-jun along: fifteen floor units and the toilet inside, it was a stationery shop and has been empty since spring, the floor tiles are cracked, the floor is the tenant's work, and the damp in the corner has dried and a new window is in, and there's a sink, children need water.

Bargaining with Mr. Jang: deposit twenty million and rent one million five hundred thousand, couldn't it be one million two hundred, one million four and the deposit stays, one million three and Eli fixes the floor himself, there's no key money and that's certain, the maintenance fee is included, he bargains like a market woman, and he learned it at the kimchi stall.

The lease at the kitchen table, Su-a reading the small print: read article five, the rent must be paid by the fifth of each month, article seven, in case of late payment the penalty shall be one percent a day, cross that out, the landlord may raise the rent at any time, never sign that, once a year and in writing, and Eli says she should have been a lawyer.

Signing day, and Mrs. Choi from the alterations shop on the stairs: so Eli is the new one, a cram school, a science studio for children, it's not that she minds but the stationery shop was quiet, science is quiet too mostly, her shop is right above and it's fine it's fine, three to seven, her customers do come at six, then till six, and she didn't ask for anything.

Window three at the tax office in Mapo: what brings you here, I'd like to register a business, what kind of business, a science studio for children, what is your visa, a marriage visa and here is my card, then all you need to do is hand in the application and the lease, here is everything and when does it come out, take a number and wait.

Back at window three with the form filled in: could you check whether I've filled it in correctly, the name in Hangul as on the card, it is in Hangul, one letter is different from the card, the translator wrote it that way, the translator is wrong and write it again, may I correct it here, here and the clerk will see whether anything is missing, nothing and three working days.

Mr. Kim's day off, his tools in the taxi and the studio's floor to flatten: hold the level and keep holding, it slopes towards the window, every floor in Seoul slopes and pass me the hammer, the big one or the small one, the small one and hold this board a moment, is it flat now, flat and put the tiles there and leave them, how much do I owe you, money what money and have Su-a buy me dinner.

A hired truck at the kerb and Min-jun on the other end of the first table: where shall I put this, carry it in through the door to the far wall, it won't go in and the door's narrower, then take the door off, it's the landlord's door, it goes back on and lift, mind the corner, set it down slowly, it's in and the first table in the studio, now the cabinet and you're buying the chicken.

A mother from the next street stops at the open door with her daughter: what is this place, a science studio for children and we opened on Monday, how much is it, four times a month and eighty thousand won, the hagwon by the station is sixty, instead of worksheets she floats an egg, how much is the materials fee, included and she only needs an apron, Saturday at ten and the trial lesson is free.

Ha-jun's mother at the door after the lesson: our Ha-jun says you only play with water, that was density and we floated an egg, he has to take the gifted-centre exam I'm telling you, the exam asks why it floats, other studios give worksheets, I give an experiment and a question, my son needs results I'm telling you, next week ask him why it floated, and she will be watching the lesson.

Mrs. Choi from the alterations shop upstairs comes down with a plate: I made a lot of rice cakes and have some, thank you Mrs. Choi, lessons go till six, yes till six as we agreed, yes yes but yesterday there was a bang, the volcano with vinegar and baking soda, it would just be nice if it were quiet at fitting time, what time do your customers come, and she is not asking for anything.

The ultrasound at twenty weeks at the clinic in Mapo: lie down and relax and all fine, can you tell who it is, do you want to know, yes we want to know both of us, a girl and the heart and the spine are fine, a girl and she might become a scientist, or a translator who knows, she might become anything at all and the doctor has seen many, twenty weeks and everything on schedule.

Seollal at the family table in Mangwon, the bows done and the rice-cake soup eaten: the womb-name is what and Newton, it's only a womb-name Grandma, a real name is made at the naming house, we'd like to make it ourselves, how about Ha-eun taken from the word for grace, Ha-eun and the characters are good, Ha-eun works in both languages, then let's call her Ha-eun, and Newton goes back to England.

A phone call in March, the landlord: from April the rent is one million five hundred thousand won, according to the contract that is next year, everything has gone up and taxes too, but there's a contract, contracts are written by people, article nine and the right to raise it once a year, my wife read it twice and she's a translator, all right and next autumn then, in writing please.

A wet April afternoon in the studio: Mrs. Choi, water is leaking through the ceiling, water and she hadn't noticed, it's dripping on a microscope and it's the second time already, isn't it from the roof, the roof is hers too, perhaps it's the iron's water, Eli has no choice but to call Mr. Jang, she'll turn it off and pay for the microscope.

Ha-jun's mother is back in the studio: Ha-jun didn't get into the gifted centre, Eli is sorry and asks what they asked, she says he should have given him worksheets, what did Ha-jun write, that water is heavier than ice, then he learned something, she moved him from the hagwon needlessly and should have listened to her husband, and Eli says to ask Ha-jun whether he wants to come back.

Ha-jun's mother signs him up for the summer: Ha-jun says he's coming back and is there a summer course, ten sessions within the month of July, what's the price, two hundred and fifty thousand won with half in advance, half and now, there are only ten places and by the end of May, and if we cancel, a refund up to the day before each session, then she'll pay half now.

Ji-yeong rings about her school festival: how about a science booth, on Saturdays there are studio lessons, couldn't he close for one day, that day is ten children's fees, the school gives fifty thousand an hour, it has to be twice that and materials are extra, one and a half times and the school will buy the materials, all right then he'll do it.

The baby shop: this cot is used until seven, we only need a cot, the mattress is good for the back, together four hundred and fifty thousand won, too expensive and the basic one is enough, then two hundred and twenty thousand, no need to buy the mobile, delivery is free and assembly too.

Grandma at the kimchi stall, up from Jeonju: Eli heard Su-a mustn't eat chicken and is it true, who says such a thing, Su-a's mother on the phone, that's the old days but the baby hears so read to her, did he have the dream yet, fathers dream too and Grandma dreamed of a big persimmon, a persimmon dream means a girl they say, yes it's a girl and they heard at the hospital.

Mrs. Choi on the studio's doorstep, saying nothing: you're busy of course, not today and go ahead, her grandson lives with her and his parents are late, is he interested in science, he watches through the window and she isn't saying anything, so she means she'd like to send him, she doesn't want to be a bother, will she send Dong-hyeon yes or no, yes and she'll send him on Saturday.

Mr. Jang at the studio's table to renew the lease: a year more and then it's one million four, given that Eli fixed the floor one million three, he did that for his own use, all the more since he'll hang a sign too, the sign is the district office's business, in exchange for Mr. Jang speaking to them Eli will do a science show, one million three fifty and the sign, done.

The hospital bag on the bed, Ji-yeong helping and Eli's parents on the phone: put the maternity notebook on top, slippers a gown and chargers, Mum asks whether they should come next week, say the week after because babies don't read calendars, in case it might come early she says, if it's early there's Mrs. Park, the rice balls are for the husband, Dad asks whether he can find the hospital alone, Mr. Kim will go and just in case Su-a's number too.

Three in the morning in June: wake up and it's started, what time is it, three and the contractions come every seven minutes, is it time to go, it's time to go and call Mr. Kim, seven minutes and he's coming and don't let her walk, now every five minutes, get in and the riverside with no lights, we're there and breathe and Eli isn't going anywhere.