JoongBo: 17

Hyun Joong and Hwang Bo walk together carrying pails and a net as they head off somewhere near the fields. Their mission? To catch mikkuraji (a kind of fish)!! They reach their destination, a field pond and start walking towards the water.

HB: Oh, I’m scared!

HJ: I’m scared too!

HB: I’ll go in first.

HJ: You can’t even tell how deep this is, oh this is scary!

The both of them wade into the pond, Hyun Joong still visibly scared of entering the water saying that it feels as though someone was covering his legs making her laugh. She asks him why he’s acting like that and he says that he just feels strange, before continuing to wade further inside the pond.

HJ: Okay, let’s catch. Let’s catch 100 fishes.

The both of them wade deeper and he puts the net down and lifts it up again, finding fish inside the net!

HJ: Oh! I caught one!

HB: Where? Where?

HJ: I really caught one! What is this? What is it?

HB: It’s a mikkuraji!

HJ: I caught one!

HJ: Oh, I really caught one?

They continue wading and she comments on them catching a fish so fast to which he replies that it was a coincidence. He puts the net in once more and lifts it up, finding nothing.

HJ: I guess coincidences don’t happen twice after all.

HB: That’s not it…

She starts teaching him how to fish for mikkuraji in the pond and the both of them catch more, as they laugh happily.

HB: Shall we catch all of them?

HJ: OKAY! Let’s catch them all!!

HB: I got another one! Catch it and put it in!

HJ: *hesitant*

HB: Put it in! Be confident! Be brave! Catch it!

HJ: Oh, just help me this once!

HB: *laugh*

HB: If you can’t catch this, you’re not a man.

HJ: *puts hand in* *hesitant* Ah, what’s wrong with this? So annoying…

HB: You are a man!

The both of them continue working hard to catch more fish, and Hyun Joong seems even more enthusiastic now, saying that he’ll go search for more while she waits for him.

HB: You caught more?

HJ: Yea, I’m going to make a mikkuraji monument!

HB: *laughs*

He wades for more of them as she watches him, laughing before he comes up to her and asks her to wait while he gets rid of water. He then climbs up to the ground and starts shaking the water out of his boots! After fishing a bit longer, he suggests that they stop.

HJ: Shall we stop now? We can’t wipe them all out.

HB: *laughs* I was just thinking of that too.

They leave back to the house, after having caught 30 fishes. They show the grandmother what they caught before telling her that they’ll prepare dinner for her while she rests. Hwang Bo begins grinding beans and Hyun Joong cleans the fish before preparing it with salt. They both jump up, startled, as the fish begin flopping around.

HJ: So it’s their last struggle!

HB: Yea.

He continues preparing the fish as she watches him, asking if he can manage. He says yes before the camera zooms in on him. His hair is clipped at the sides! The both of them start cooking dinner together before sitting down and eating with the Grandmother.

HB: *to Grandmother* Please eat well! Please judge the taste as well!

Grandmother: Oh this is really nice.

HB: This is your honest thought right? *laughs*

Grandmother: It’s really nice.

HJ: This is really her sincere thought.

They sit down and eat with the Grandmother as she talks to them.

Grandmother: Give birth to lots of children.

HB: *laughs*

HJ: Okay, Grandmother. If we have children, we’ll come back here.

HB: This feels like our wedding reception. Now it feels like we’re really married.

They finish dinner and the Grandmother walks back into the house to rest after she says that she’s had a good meal. Hyun Joong tells her to go in and rest and they’ll clean up. The both of them sit outside together, a bit silent before they start talking.

HB: Today was really fun.

HJ: Mmm.

HB: And it felt really meaningful as well.

HJ: Mmm.

HB: *silent*

HJ: *looking at Hwang Bo* After watching you today, I think that you can really cook very well.

HB: Really? *smile*

HB: I think you met a good wife.

HJ: Yes, I think I really did meet a good wife.

They decide to play a game of rock, paper, scissors to determine who washes the dishes. Hwang Bo loses and suggests another round to determine who drives back. She loses again and he asks her what does she want to bet on now.

HB: Who cleans the house up when we get home.

HJ: Okay.

*plays* *Hwang Bo loses again!*

HJ: What now?

HB: *thinking*

HJ: Shall we do ‘Who does an aegyo (cute act)?’

HB: What?

HJ: Lets do this! The loser does it!

HB: Aegyo? You’ll do it?

HJ: Yea.

HB: I can’t really do this! I really hope I win.

HJ: There are simple aegyos as well.

HJ: I think it would be really fun to do this with those who don't have cute acts.

HJ: I’ll be able to win this no matter what!

HB: *laughs*

HB: Oh I’m nervous!

HJ: Shall we do a set of three?

HB: Mmm.

They begin playing and Hyun Joong loses twice first before she loses once. They play it again, and he loses the third time, making him the loser!

HB: I won right? I won right?

HJ: *hands in hair*

HB: *excited* I can finally see you doing aegyo once? Even though you’re usually cute, but I’m finally getting to see it!

HJ: *SIGH*

HB: Oh, I’m looking forward to it, I’m looking forward to it! Oh, wait a while! I need to record you doing it! *switches sides in the cassette tape recorder*

HJ: You have to record the aegyo?

HB: Yes.

HJ: Oh, this is really funny.

HJ: I’ll do it standing.

HB: *laughs* *claps hands*

HJ: *stands* *prepares*

HJ: Ah, really! I should have won!!

HB: *smiles*

HJ: I’m going to do it!

HB: *nods* Mmm.

They both look at each other smiling as he appears very nervous. She starts laughing before saying that she won’t laugh and looks at him.

HJ: The moment I finish, you have to go straight in and do the dishes!

HB: Okay.

She stands as well and watches him as he looks at her straight in the eye and does the heart dance, saying ‘Hwang Bu In, saranghae!’. She bursts out laughing as the both of them run off in opposite directions, her happy laughter heard loud and clear.

Private interview:

HB: I was really shy so I kept looking around, therefore I didn’t really see the actions. I think he made a heart or something. And it’s been a long time since I heard that (I love you)… That’s why I felt butterflies in my stomach. If only someone who had captured that would show it to me… *smiles*

HJ: I didn’t really see (if she was happy about the aegyo). But I could hear her laughter 50 meters away.

She listens to the voice recording again and starts laughing once more when she hears him saying it and laughs even harder at the sound of her own laughter.

HB: I need to distribute this tape! *cleans up*

Hyun Joong bounds happily outside and heads towards the car where he takes out his guitar case and goes somewhere as Hwang Bo finishes doing the dishes. He goes to a secluded area under some trees and begins to set out the place. He takes out his guitar and begins strumming as he prepares for her.

Having finished doing the dishes, Hwang Bo lies down on the bench as she listens to the recording again, no idea where he is. He calls her and she immediately looks around saying. ‘He called. What do I do?’, before she answers.

HJ: Hello?

HB: Why aren’t you coming in?

HJ: I was going now..

HB: Home?

HJ: No, no.

HJ: You know the place where we were in the tractor just now?

HB: Oh, the one beside the pepper field? Yea.

HJ: If you keep going straight, I’m there so let’s go together.

HB: Ah, so you’re waiting there?

HJ: Mmm.

HB: Okay, I’ll go over.

Hwang Bo starts walking to the destination.

Private interview:

HJ: During my birthday, Hwang Bu In made me seaweed soup as well as clothes. This time, due to my work in Japan I was in Japan, so I felt really bad that all I could do was send her a message. I like events that come from the heart, so I did it like that. I did it with the thought that it would be great is she felt happy by it.

He waits for her patiently and starts strumming again when he swats the mosquitoes that fly around him. She keeps walking to the destination and finds him sitting there waiting for her. She smiles as she sees him and he reaches out his hand towards her, telling her to sit beside him.

HB: What are you doing under the moonlight?

HJ: Come here. We should play like this when we come out into the country!

HB: *laughs*

Private interview:

HB: He didn’t even play the piano, so I really never thought that he would have prepared that. I was happy that he did it for me. But… ah, I don’t really know how to answer this.

The both of them sit together on the mat as he starts to explain why he prepared this.

HJ: The reason why I called you is, it’s your birthday but I was sorry that I couldn’t do more than just send you a message.

HB: But I was really thankful for your message.

HJ: Oh, really?

HB: Yea.

HJ: Well, not the message, there was something else that I wanted to go for you. On the guitar.. Bogoshipda…

HB: On the guitar? You practiced?

HJ: No, that’s not it. It’s a song that I want to sing for you.

HB: Okay.

HJ: When I sing, you have to keep your eyes closed. You CAN’T open your eyes!

HB: Okay.

HJ: Just listen.

HB: Okay. Ah, this is funny.

HJ: Why?? If you can’t look at me then just look straight up front.

HB: Okay.

HJ: I’ll start singing.

HJ in the studio: I was even more nervous then compared to our concerts.

He starts playing ‘Falling Slowly’ on the guitar for her, singing as she listens to him, smiling. He gets to the chorus when he stops.

HJ: Okay, now, close your eyes!

HB: *closes eyes*

HJ: Listen carefully! *starts reading out the lyrics to Hwang Bo’s song, ‘Mature’*

HJ: Hwang Bu In! The words that I am going to say to you now may be a little embarrassing, Actually I thought that I was not yet qualified to love. When I first met you, I had no confidence, I had worries such as that. As time passes, the times we spent together, I’ve gotten used to these precious moments. You’re always by my side watching me. Your trust. I love you. I’ll be thankful.

HJ: *looks at her, pats her shoulder* Happy Birthday!

HB: *smiles* *claps*

She smiles happily, still unable to look him in the eye as they talk together. She starts tearing as she talks, touched by his event.

HJ: I was nervous.

HB: I was nervous too. The lyrics are good! *smiles*

HJ: They’re good right?

HB: Yea. They suit the moment.

HB: Really, I was thankful for your message. Thank you for taking care of me like this.

HJ: *smiles* I should have sang better, I was nervous.

HB: You sang really well!

HJ: No, I didn’t.

HJ: And, there’s something that Yeobo really hopes for.

HB: What? *looks around*

HJ: Open this. *points at guitar case* There’s a big present in there.

HB: It feels like there’s a live crane in there.

HJ: No.

HB: One that would fly out the moment I open it.

HJ: Open it!

HB: Really?

HJ: You have to open it from here. When you open it, you’d be surprised.

HB: *scared* Really?

HB: Oh, I’m nervous. I need to organize my expression…

HJ: I’m getting bitten by mosquitoes, so quickly open it!

HB: *laughs*

HB: Oh I’m nervous!

HJ: Be careful! Don’t be too surprised!

She finally opens it and jumps back, afraid of what’s inside it before she starts screaming and laughing and opens it again. The entire guitar case is filled with paper cranes!

Private interview:

HB: I don’t know how to express my feelings, just… *smiles*… you know how it is, and you keep asking. It’s that. It was what everyone would be able to feel. *smiles*. Honestly, when I first met him, I thought of him as a junior. But we started meeting more, and got more comfortable. And as we became more comfortable, I started seeing more as a man. That could be a problem. What should I do now?

HJ: I worked really hard to prepare, but I was a sad that I could only do half of what I prepared for her. But I was able to make her happy. When I was reading out the lyrics, I looked at her and saw her smiling, so I thought ‘Ah, so she does really like it’, so I was happy. And when she saw the cranes, I saw that I made her happy. And I was happy because of that.

PD: Will you be able to contact her more now?

HJ: Yes, I think so.

PD: Sincerely?

HJ: Yes, sincerely. I think that I would be able to contact her at least once.