The early summer sun cast a golden haze all over Ganghwa Island. Waves whispered at a distance, cicadas humming softly in the trees, the fresh and salty scent of the sea floated through the air, blending with the earthy smell of drying seaweed and the sharp thread of smoke from a nearby hearth, while the barley fields shimmered in the air.
In the backyard behind a dilapidated house, Soo Young was in havoc.
"Min Jae! Not again!"
Her youngest sibling has emptied the precious can of rice grains into the chicken's cage. Hens clucked in joy, pecking impatiently at their surprising treat.
Soo Young groaned, rushed over with her shabby apron to save what she could. She fell on her knees, hitting the dirt while picking up a handful of rice, ignoring all the feathers and filth around her.
Min Jae stood next to the cage, naive and unapologetic. "Chickies hungry," he explained, his voice gentle and genuine.
Soo Young sighed, stuck between irritation and admiration. "If Eomma finds out, she will cry more than the chicks."
Min Jae chuckled and pointed out one of the fattest hens, toddling away with a mouth full of rice. Soo Young tried to keep a poker face but failed and laughed along. Just as she was about to scold him again, a familiar voice behind the fence called her.
"Need a hand, General Soo?"
She turned, surprised, and there he was.
Jun Ho.
Standing behind the gate, casually resting his hands on the latch. Wearing a faded blue shirt with loose pants, carrying a straw basket on his back. Holding the usual teasing smile
"You again," Soo Young said, wiping her hands on her apron.
"I thought to stop by before you start shouting at the neighbors, too," he replied, entering through the gate like it was his own home.
"You're so annoying," said Soo Young, rolling her eyes.
"And you're still bossy. Some things never change."
Min Jae holds on to Soo Young's skirt, observing Jun Ho suspiciously.
"Is this the famous Min Jae?" he crouched, took a strawberry from his basket. Min Jae's eyes grew large.
"Say thank you," said Soo Young.
"Dank you," Min Jae muttered, grabbing the strawberry like a treasure.
That evening, Soo Young and Jun Ho went to the village well to get water. The pathway was quiet except for the bamboo leaves rustling and the cuckoo calling in the distance.
"I missed this," Jun Ho said, kicking a store along the muddy path. "Even the smell of fish drying in the sun. Weird, huh?"
"You were always weird," Soo Young teased.
"You're welcome."
She smiled unwillingly. The silence between them was comfortable, like wrapping oneself in an old blanket. Upon reaching the well, an elderly woman was struggling to pull up her basket.
"Let me help," Jun Ho offered, walking faster. The woman smiled gratefully.
Soo Young stood there watching him pull the heavy rope with skilled hands. He was always like that, helpful and kind.
After filling water in their buckets, they turned to walk back home, and the surface beneath the narrow plank bridge was shaking. At one point, Jun Ho lost balance, tripped, and grabbed Soo Young's arm. They both disbalanced and fell into the shallow stream with a loud splash.
Absolute silence for a second, then laughter.
Soo Young's skirt was drenched and her hair dripping, but she couldn't stop laughing.
"That was graceful," she said between bursts of laughter.
"I was trying to save you!" Jun Ho defended, splashing water.
"You pulled me down with you!"
They climbed onto the edge, water rushing off them. The sun dried their soaked clothes, and their giggles slowly faded into a quiet calm.
Jun Ho looked at her for a moment. "You're doing well. With everything, I mean."
Soo Young's smile faded. She watched the babbling stream.
"Some days, I want to run away. But I can't. Eomma needs me. The kids do too."
He nodded, "That's what makes you stronger than anyone. You stay."
Wind fissled through the trees. Soo Young squinted against the sting in her eyes.
"I don't feel strong. Just tired."
Jun Ho stayed quiet for a moment. Then he took the last strawberry from his basket and handed it to her.
"You don't have to feel strong to be strong."
She looked at the strawberry, then at him.
Maybe it wasn't anything magical. It might be just moments like this, sweet, simple, and unforgettable.
Later that day, the sun went down as Soo Young placed the laundry on the line. The sea breeze carried the scent of salt and barley.
Soo Young cleaned the outdoor area and quickly finished her chores. As soon as she was done, a quick pull on her skirt made her turn. Da In, her sister, holding a ladle spoon like a treasure.
"Noona," she whispered. "Can we play for just a little bit? Just a little?"
Soo Young looked around the house, where everybody was asleep. Her mother's back and shoulders were aching again, and Min Jae cried himself to bed over a broken toy. It had been a long, tiring day.
Still, she gently agreed, "Just five minutes."
Da In screamed with joy and ran towards the edge of the backyard, where it was all quiet and the moonlight lit up the yard. Then both of them started drawing shapes into the ground with a twig, hearts, squares, circles, and drawing their house while smoke curls from the chimney.
Da In suddenly said, "I want to go to school like you did," while sitting beside her.
"You will." Soo Young blinked.
"But Omma says we don't have money for uniforms."
Soo Young took a breath, looked at her sister's tiny hands brushing off the dirt. "Uniforms come later. First, you need to learn your letters."
"I already know 'A' and 'B'!" Da In beamed.
Soo Young smiled and started making a braid in her messy hair. "Then we'll learn 'C' tomorrow."
They both sat quietly, looking up at the stars, the kind of bond that only sisters could share, life, soft, and full of unspoken things.
"Promise you won't go anywhere?" Da In asked in a small voice.
"I'm not going anywhere," Soo Young said quietly, more to herself than anyone else.
When Da In dozed off on her lap, Soo Young carried her to the room, laying her down beside Min Jae on a tatami (straw mat). She stood there for a while, watching her siblings sleep, while her heart ached.
She came outside, sat on a wooden takhat, humming softly while shelling the peas. In that moment, everything was still.
Jun Ho shouted from behind the fence. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
Soo Young waved. "Don't forget to bring more strawberries."
He nodded. "Yes, General."
She shook her head, smiling.
As she stared him walk away, she felt some kind of comfort in her chest.
Later that night, with the croak of frogs and breeze rustling through the branches, Soo Young thought of Jun Ho, not what he says, but how he shows up every time, carrying strawberries, offering her help, giving her a reason to smile, and just being there in silence when she needs it the most.
Maybe not everything was heavy. Maybe, there was sunlight even in the shade.