Korean

A Hongdae coffee shop on the first Saturday of September, back from the summer in Busan: two iced coffees, we've been together since Busan, shall we drop the polite speech, may I, of course just Su-a, what did you do this week, I translated forty pages, I went back to school, was the first week hard, it was hard, this is easy.

The staff room on the first day of the semester, Vice-principal Oh formal as ever: did you rest well, I was in Busan for two weeks, what did you do for two weeks, I studied Korean every day, he spoke only Korean all summer, during the vacation did you miss the school, I missed the students, good, now to work.

The Kims' kitchen in Mangwon, Chuseok two weeks away: at Chuseok we all go to Jeonju, I've been there in winter and never at Chuseok, Grandma is waiting, never not once, have you ever driven at Chuseok, I've never driven in Korea, the Chuseok road is five hours, I once waited five hours at an airport, at an airport you can walk.

Mr. Kim's taxi on the highway south on Chuseok morning, Min-jun in the back with Eli: we left at six and it's eleven, how long does it usually take, three hours today five, I fell asleep and woke up still in Seoul, you talked in your sleep, I was reading and got carsick, reading in a car of course, we were going and it stopped again, Grandma has waited sixty years, one hour is nothing.

Grandma's old house in Jeonju on Chuseok afternoon, the taxi at the gate at last: you came, was the road long, five hours Grandma, when I was young it took a whole day, when you were young Grandma, a whole day by train, yes when I married I walked, Grandma was nineteen then, when I first saw Seoul I cried, when I first saw it I got lost.

Grandma's kitchen the day before Chuseok, the half-moon rice cakes: every autumn we used to make them all night, all night Grandma, the whole village used to come, I used to eat a lot, me too, mine looks like a stone, make them pretty and your daughter will be pretty, he used to burn the rice look at him now, practice that's all there is.

The old streets of Jeonju on Chuseok afternoon in borrowed traditional dress, with Ji-yeong and Min-jun: how long since you came to Korea, a year and a half, it's been a year since I've lived in Mangwon, how long since you and Su-a, three months don't say it loudly, how long since you wore traditional dress, half a year at New Year's, ten years for me, and an hour since we ate.

Grandma's front room in Jeonju on Chuseok, her friend Mrs. Jeong from the market at the door: this is the American, before she married we sold rice cakes together, after I married I went to Seoul, before eating wash your hands, after that I sold alone forty years, before I came to Korea I couldn't even cook rice, and after you came, after a year I even make kimchi, before you leave make mine too.

A bibimbap house near the old streets of Jeonju, the restaurant owner, Mr. Kim, Min-jun and Eli: four bibimbap, four and bean-sprout soup, as soon as it comes mix it, as soon as it came I took a photo, I ate as soon as it came, as soon as the photo's done eat, after mixing do I add more chili paste, taste it first and after that add some, as soon as we've finished eating let's go, as soon as I get home I'll sleep.

The last evening in Jeonju, Grandma on the warm floor telling how Mr. Kim became a taxi driver: do you want to hear the story, yes I want to hear it, is it a long story, he went to Seoul at twenty, but he had no money, right so he drove a truck, and then, then one day he met Mrs. Park, so he bought a taxi, yes in the end and he's still driving.

A phone call in November: Su-a has heard from Ji-yeong that Eli is leading the school's camp on Jeju: Ji-yeong told me, I was going to tell you today, she knew before me, she's my colleague, is work more important than our winter, that's not it, let's talk later, I'm busier than you think.

A cafe in Hapjeong, the quarrel: what's the most important thing, that you decide things with me, the camp was the most important for the school, and for you, for me both, I'd planned the most beautiful week, you didn't tell me either, true and that's the worst part, then let's talk, not today, go home.

Min-jun walks Eli to the flower shop by Hapjeong station: I think you were wrong, I know I was wrong, I think flowers would be good, what kind of flowers are you looking for, I want to apologise, roses are like a confession, I think she likes yellow, it seems you know her better than I do, you ten years and me three months.

Making up on a bench by the river at Mangwon: I should have told you first, yes you should have, I should have asked, I should have told you about Gyeongju too, then let's go to Gyeongju after the camp, in February, the flowers are yours, I should have waited before getting angry, no be angry just tell me.

Jeju airport in January, the camp's first day, with Ji-yeong and the student Seo-yun: it's much warmer than Seoul, yes and much windier, less cold than Seoul wind, the sea is much bluer than Busan's, have you been to Busan, once and it was less beautiful than here, in English please, English is much harder than Korean, for me it's the other way round.

The camp classroom, where Jun-ho and Seo-yun measure themselves against each other: Seo-yun is as good as you, not as good as me, he sings like an American, I sing like a singer, sing as loudly as you talk, not as loudly as the vice-principal, nobody is as loud as the vice-principal, quiet as mice, like mice teacher.

Evening at the camp's lodge, Vice-principal Oh and Eli by the heater, formally: how are the students, in the morning they tend to be shy, and in the afternoon, they tend to be loud, Seo-yun tends to be quiet, Jun-ho tends to sing, I tended to sing too, you tend to be strict, on the outside only, don't tell them.

A harbour on Jeju, where a diver of seventy sells sea urchin: try one from this morning, I've never tried it, try it then you'll know, I tried it and it's sweeter than I thought, fifty years I've gone into the sea, isn't the water cold, I went in and it was warmer than yesterday, warmer than yesterday is still cold, go in and see here one more.

A hairtail-stew house in Seogwipo, where Eli and the two students choose: what'll it be, among Jeju's dishes which is the tastiest, among them the hairtail stew, among fish mackerel is the best, for me black pork, then one of each, among the three of us who eats the most, me teacher, the stew is Jun-ho's it's the biggest.

The last night of the camp on the beach at Hamdeok, Ji-yeong and Eli comparing this winter with last: last year you couldn't say a word, I was scared but now I'm cold, you ate noodles but now you cook, I lived with you but now it's rent, at first you were strict but now you laugh, I laughed at first too in English, you've changed a lot, Korea didn't change I did, Korea changed a little too.

The Seoul express bus terminal on a February Saturday, Su-a and Eli at the ticket window: two tickets to Gyeongju, which bus, the nine o'clock, yes and the Sunday night bus too, the last bus is at eleven thirty, we decided to take the last bus, we decided to see everything, four hours each way so sleep on the bus, I decided not to sleep.

On the express bus south to Gyeongju, Su-a asking Eli how it all came about: how did you end up in Korea, a friend lived here so I ended up coming, and Ji-yeong's house, my room was cold and her mother heard, and how did you come to like me, thanks to Ji-yeong we sat side by side, I came to like you the second time, me the first time but I was slow to say so.

Bulguksa temple in Gyeongju, the guide telling the story of the shadowless pagoda: long ago a king built this temple, how long ago, one thousand three hundred years ago, tell us the pagoda's story too, long ago a stonemason came from far away, one day his wife waited at the pond, the shadow never came so that's why it's the shadowless pagoda, long ago it was sad and today it's beautiful.

The royal tombs of Gyeongju, green hills in the middle of town, Su-a and Eli and a passer-by: can we climb that hill, no it's a tomb and you nearly did something terrible, I nearly climbed on a king, excuse me the photo spot is this way, thank you we nearly went the wrong way, it nearly rained this morning, you nearly forgot the umbrella, I nearly forgot you at the terminal, then I nearly went home too.

A Gyeongju bread shop on the old street, then a bench, Su-a, Eli and the shop assistant: Gyeongju bread, one box, two and one is a present, I ate the whole box, you ate the present, I ate it all without noticing, then let's go back and buy another, all sold out just now, now I've done it, you've eaten up the welcome too.

The palace pond in Gyeongju lit up at night, Su-a and Eli on a slow walk: let's walk while looking at the lights, I can't walk while looking at the water, then look standing still, long ago a prince played here, for a year I lived in a cafe while translating, don't talk about work while travelling, you talk about school while you sleep, then wake me, when you're not asleep it's worse.

A taxi up to the Seokguram grotto before dawn on Sunday, the driver, Su-a and Eli: the grotto at this hour, to see the sunrise, I went up yesterday and it was fog I found, then today, today's clear and I looked on the way, I went up and the sea was there I found, and the statue was smiling I found, I looked at you and you were crying I found, no it's the wind.

The Gyeongju bus terminal at eleven at night, Su-a, Eli and the bus driver: we meant to go to the museum but it was closed, we meant to eat fish but we ate bread, I meant to sleep but you woke me, sorry about that and I meant to say so, night bus to Seoul and tickets please, we meant to buy water, there's a rest stop so sleep till there, I meant to stay awake, me too but I'm sleepy.

A rest stop at one in the morning on the night bus to Seoul, then the dark road, Su-a and Eli: every time the bus stops I wake up, and every time you wake up you eat, every time I travel with you there's trouble but it's still good, every time you say that I forgive the bread, every time I see the sea I think of Busan, every time I think of Busan I think of you, now sleep and it's two hours, every time I sleep you take photos.

The Seoul express bus terminal at four thirty on Monday morning, Mr. Kim's taxi waiting for Su-a and Eli: the night bus from Gyeongju so get in, Mr. Kim at this hour, I drive nights so tell me from the start, first the temple then the tombs, then he ate up the bread, and last we saw the sunrise, in the end you came home and school is at eight, at eight and in the end I'm ready.