Suddenly surprised by Ha Yeon’s embrace, Hyun Woo was momentarily flustered, but knowing her feelings, he warmly hugged her back.

“I’m so happy being like this with you, elder brother.”

Ha Yeon smiled happily while tightly hugging Hyun Woo, then opened the cooler to show the food she had prepared.

“Elder brother, since it’s winter and the sun sets early, I prepared simple sandwiches for lunch. Instead, we’ll have a barbecue party with LA galbi for dinner.”

“I came empty-handed…”

“You yourself are a gift to me, elder brother.”

Ha Yeon’s words were truly beautiful.

She always spoke in a way that didn’t hurt Hyun Woo’s pride and was considerate of his situation.

After having a simple lunch of sandwiches, they went back to the ski resort and took the gondola up to near the summit.

The ski resort had gondolas at various points, designed so that one could descend from their desired course.

Ha Yeon, having come once last year, said she knew the course well and guided Hyun Woo to the beginner’s course near the summit, telling him not to worry.

Mount Washington, located in the vast White Mountains, had a wide base as extensive as its height.

Ha Yeon explained that although it was 30m lower than Hallasan, it appeared more majestic due to being surrounded by the White Mountains.

Hyun Woo was overwhelmed by Ha Yeon’s extensive knowledge.

The new life philosophy and knowledge she showed and told him approached Hyun Woo as her charm, and he was taking one step at a time into the new world she was showing.

Mount Washington, ascended by gondola, was covered in white snow, creating a spectacle difficult to express in words.

The thought naturally occurred that no matter how hard humans try to create beautiful works of art, nothing is as beautiful as magnificent nature.

The snow piled softly on tree branches, contrasting strangely with the blue sky and fluffy clouds, created a scene like a watercolor painting.

Hyun Woo marveled at the beautiful sight of nature spread out 360 degrees after getting off the gondola.

It was his first time climbing such a high mountain in his life, and the dazzling snow scene covering the whole world was the most beautiful artwork he had ever seen.

As Hyun Woo was at a loss for words in admiration, Ha Yeon approached and stood in front of him.

“Elder brother, isn’t nature so beautiful?”

Hyun Woo wanted to express his gratitude to Ha Yeon somehow.

He lifted his goggles up and removed Ha Yeon’s goggles as well.

Then he gave her a passionate kiss.

The strong sunlight reflected off the white snow hit my eyes more intensely when the goggles came off, and as I kissed Ha Yeon, I closed my eyes and felt her warm lips.

White breath rose over the cold air, and Hyun Woo, enjoying the feeling of her lips in the cold, didn’t let her go for a while.

Whether it was the dizziness from the thin air at high altitude or Hyun Woo’s emotions immersed in nature’s beauty, a dreamy feeling captivated him.

“Ha Yeon, thank you. My life is warm because of you.”

Hyun Woo sincerely expressed his feelings, and his lips sought hers to express that emotion.

Ha Yeon also smiled brightly, though shyly.

After a long breath, Ha Yeon suggested they go down, putting her goggles back on.

She said that if they descended to the end of this long beginner’s slope, which couldn’t be found in Korea, they could move beyond beginner status.

There were hardly any people on the beginner’s course, so Hyun Woo tried S-turns while maintaining an ‘A’ shape with his legs as Ha Yeon had taught him, putting pressure on one leg at a time.

Skiing was interestingly affected by body balance and leg posture, changing speed and direction.

Perhaps due to his knowledge of mathematics and anatomy, Hyun Woo quickly grasped the principles of skiing, and when they were about halfway down the beginner’s course, Ha Yeon told him to change his leg shape from ‘A’ to ’11’.

She advised him to be careful as it would be faster, and to use one edge of the ski well to turn.

She said if he got scared when his legs were in the ’11’ shape and it got too fast, he could switch back to the ‘A’ shape.

Whether it was thanks to Hyun Woo’s athletic ability or Ha Yeon’s excellent coaching, he was able to move up to the intermediate course after just one run on the beginner’s course.

The intermediate course had a much steeper gradient compared to the beginner’s course, and although Hyun Woo fell a few times, he was completely absorbed in the thrill of skiing and skied all afternoon.

The intermediate course gave a different sense of speed and achievement compared to the beginner’s course.

He thought the advanced course would give yet another level of speed and sense of achievement.

He thought life was like that too.

The higher you go, the more it shows you, gives you, and makes you feel a sense of achievement, just like life.

He thought that if he succeeded, what he could see in life would be different, just like the spectacular view of nature seen from near the summit of Mount Washington by gondola.

His desire to succeed academically grew, and he wanted to earn a lot of money and achieve everything he wanted to do.

The temptation of Lucifer sitting on one of Hyun Woo’s shoulders continued to entice him.

‘Ha Yeon loves you. Take the hand she’s extending. Tonight, definitely…’

*****

Han Byeol thought about So Hee, whom he had met at the neighborhood mart this afternoon.

He thought that if coincidences overlap three times, it becomes inevitable, becomes fate.

Now it was the second chance encounter.

He had brought a newborn with the same name to his hospital, and today they met by chance at the meat counter in the mart.

Even living in the same neighborhood, for them to meet, the vertices of space and time had to align.

He wondered how often a doctor and patient with the same name would meet, and it seemed no easier than winning the lottery.

Han Byeol promised himself that if he accidentally met her one more time, other than during regular infant check-ups, he would consider So Hee as fate.

He had some flirting relationships in college, and during his public health doctor days, he dated a woman for nearly 3 years, but that pharmacist woman chose a rich specialist doctor instead of him, who still had a long intern and resident process ahead.

He found out later that at some point she had been two-timing, considering various conditions before finally choosing that man.

He could understand the Seoul woman who chose the rich Seoul man with a specialist qualification while dating through introductions and having distance constraints while he was a public health doctor on Baengnyeong Island.

However, the sudden text message breakup at the end of his public health doctor days, after enduring 3 years looking forward to weekend dates with her, plunged Han Byeol into despair and even made him distrustful of women.

The war-like time of internship and residency that followed after being a public health doctor didn’t give him the peace of mind for blind dates, and he wasn’t inclined to meet based on conditions either.

Time passed like that.

Whenever he saw his friends getting married one by one and looking happy, he felt envious, and there was also mental pressure from his father and siblings urging him to marry.

Han Byeol was surprised at his own curiosity about the opposite sex, which came after 7 years since his only romance in life.

He was curious about her life story.

He was curious about the story of how she became responsible for a family by having a child alone in her 20s, when she should have been pursuing dreams of youth and love with a bright future ahead.

Han Byeol found it hard to distinguish whether his interest in her was because of the child named ‘Han Byeol’, because of her beauty, or because of sympathy for her situation.

The interest that had arisen from the first time he saw her at the hospital hadn’t diminished over time, and after seeing her again at the mart today, his desire to know more about her grew.

Every year on December 31st evening, Han Byeol’s family would listen to the New Year’s Eve bell together, share a drink, and each talk about their New Year’s wish.

Han Byeol’s father was sitting on the sofa listening to the chatter of Doo Byeol, Se Byeol, and Han Ul.

Han Byeol took out the pork belly he bought from the mart and placed it on the table, asking Doo Byeol to set it up.

“How come I’m the only one working in the kitchen in this house, while everyone else is just waiting with chopsticks like grasshoppers?”

“It’s because you’re so good at it, elder brother.”

Father had given strict orders not to let Han Ul, the only daughter born on the fourth try, touch water before getting married, as he was particularly fond of her.

Due to the great guilt over the mother who passed away early, father’s love and attachment to his youngest daughter was extraordinary.

After putting the pork belly and soju on the table, the Han Byeol family started eating their year-end feast.

“Chicken and beer would suit the year-end better, but because of dad who loves pork belly, it’s pork belly and soju every year.”

As Han Ul’s complaint burst out, the father who unusually loved his youngest daughter sighed and said,

“Your mom and I used to go on a lot of pork belly dates before we got married, so I eat it thinking of her.”

“Dad’s love for pork belly is so great, mom probably gave up and went along with it. Mom probably liked chicken and beer more.”

Han Ul’s criticism of her father might be right.

Father had an unusually great love for astronomy and pork belly.

Of course, his love for his children was also extraordinary. He was always proud of Doo Byeol working as a patent attorney, Se Byeol working at an IT company, and Han Ul working as a secretary in the chairman’s office of an airline company, all doing their part in society.

After his retirement, father had been contemplating about life, and said he would make a major announcement at today’s New Year’s wish-making gathering.

As midnight approached, the TV broadcast began the countdown to the New Year.

As the first second hand crossed the midnight hour, father started first, as was the family’s annual tradition, to state one wish they really wanted to fulfill in the New Year.

Father’s major announcement was somewhat surprising.

“Now that I’ve retired and you’ve all grown up, I’m going to move to an island. My wish is to go to an island where stars and sky are clearly visible, write some books, and spend the rest of my life.”

“…Father.”

“…Dad.”

The island father chose was also unexpected for Han Byeol.

Baengnyeong Island, where he had served as a public health doctor, was the island father had chosen.

It seemed that the children’s dissuasion wouldn’t change father’s already firm decision.

“Father, why did you choose Baengnyeong Island?”

“Han Byeol, I visited a few times when you were doing your public health service, remember? At that time, I fell in love with the charm of that island. The stars are visible, the island is beautiful, and the sky is blue.”

Han Byeol had been satisfied with the nature and life on Baengnyeong Island. Until that female pharmacist backstabbed him…

“Dad, what should I do when I miss you?”

“You can visit anytime, and we can video call. I’ll also come to Seoul once in a while.”

Despite Han Ul’s tearful voice, father’s decision seemed firm. After finishing his major announcement, father looked at Han Byeol and asked,

“Han Byeol, what’s your New Year’s wish?”

“Father, my wish is…”