Chapter 6: Back To Where We Started (Epilogue)

A year later found Ga Eul and Yi Jeong back where it all started – Busan's Gukje market. But it wasn't all a complete pilgrimage; they had yet to find the little corner music shop where they'd first met.

Yi Jeong shifted his black haversack on his back. "Are you sure it's here? I'm quite sure it was over on the other alley…"

"No! Jeong-ah, I'm positive that it's on this alley. See! 'Dog Eat Cat'! It's one of the landmarks I remembered from the time I was here!"

"Okay, okay. Whatever you say."

The couple strolled down the same alley they'd once separately walked, but now, his hand in hers, footsteps in tandem as they passed some familiar shops, and even some newer ones.

"What a difference a year makes," Ga Eul marveled, looking at the various shops, "Do you think the music shop will still be there?"

Yi Jeong held her hand tighter and gave her a reassuring smile. "Well, darling, we'll just have to listen and see, won't we?"

As they approached the end of the alley, Ga Eul's ears tingled upon hearing a familiar song in the distance.

"Jeong-ah, do you hear that?"

Yi Jeong strained his ears to listen to the faint melody. "Isn't it…?"

"Come on!" Ga Eul shrieked excitedly, pulling Yi Jeong along, "It's still here!"

Ga Eul and Yi Jeong dashed to the end of the alley, where they were met with the welcome sight of the little corner music shop that brought them together. The shop hadn't changed much, except that it was slightly busier today, with two other people browsing. The owner had put on the same song that was playing when they'd first met, 'My Paper Heart'.

Grinning at each other, they stepped in and strode to the counter towards the owner, who now sported shorter hair, and a moustache.

"Hi!" Ga Eul said brightly, tapping on the counter, "Do you remember us?"

The owner looked up from his calculator and squinted at them for a few moments, before his face lit up in recognition. He stood from his seat. "Yes, of course! How could I not remember? Paper Heart girl and boy! I see the both of you found each other!"

Yi Jeong put his arm around Ga Eul and laughed. "We did indeed, and it's all thanks to you, sir."

"Oh, not at all," the owner said jovially, waving his hand, "I really didn't do anything much."

Ga Eul smiled. "Don't be modest. You've done so much for us. Oh, cham, we don't even know your name. I'm Ga Eul, and he's Yi Jeong."

The owner bowed politely. "My name is Min Jae. It's nice to meet both of you."

The two pairs of eyes before him widened in surprise. (Yi Jeong knew about his 'other name' because Ga Eul had told him.) They nodded back politely at (the real) Min Jae and turned to look at each other.

"Are you having second thoughts now?" Yi Jeong teased, whispering into his girlfriend's ear, "His name in Min Jae, not mine."

Ga Eul gave him a playful shove. "Yah! Perish the thought. It's just a coincidence. And in any case," she whispered back, tiptoeing and leaning her face to his ear, "He's not the one I gave my heart to."

"Well," he countered, holding her firmly by the waist, "Technically, you did give your heart to him first… ouch! What was that for!" he winced, rubbing the spot on his chest that Ga Eul had just punched.

"That's for implying that you're second best. Which you never are…"

Ga Eul and Yi Jeong began to lean into each other when they heard Min Jae clear his throat. They sprung apart at the sound, and gave him a sheepish smile.

"So," Min Jae commented, "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that you're both together now… but," he said, addressing Yi Jeong, "You told me the day you came back that you were returning to Ulsan a few days later. Did you?"

Yi Jeong nodded, "Yes, I did go back to Ulsan… but it was only to decline the job offer. I didn't want to intern at an accounting firm, anyway."

Before a surprised Min Jae could continue, Yi Jeong briefly took him through the events that had unfolded in Seoul. "Ga Eul and I talked about where things between us were going, and we decided that we can't be so far apart if we wanted to try make us work. So, I moved back to Incheon. I shuttle between there and Seoul now, where I teach pottery at a local school."

"Wow, pottery," Min Jae mused, looking at Yi Jeong, "You don't seem the kind."

Ga Eul laughed and gave her boyfriend an 'I-told-you-so' look. "Speak for yourself, kindergarten teacher," he said with a grin, yet sounding a tad indignant.

"Then, if you don't mind me asking… are you both living together?" Min Jae asked, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

Both shook their heads no. "We're still living at our own places," Ga Eul said, "Last year was mostly spent getting to know each other better, and throwing ourselves into a live-in type relationship wasn't very ideal. Actually," she admitted, shyly taking Yi Jeong's hand, "We only became official on Christmas."

"Christmas? Wow. You two have great restraint."

Yi Jeong laughed. "We just wanted to take our time. The way we met was rushed enough. Oh, by the way…" he said, reaching into his haversack and pulled out a paper bag, from which he pulled out a bottle of champagne, "We wanted to share this with you, Min Jae ssi. Just as a thank you for playing a part in bringing us together."

"Oh, you shouldn't have," Min Jae said, a little embarrassed, as Ga Eul pulled out three plastic wine glasses from the haversack, "Like I said, I didn't do much."

Yi Jeong began to twist the cork open with a cork opener. "Trust me, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you and your shop. And even that song," he smiled, nodding his head towards the CD player as he popped the cork open, and poured the champagne into the glasses, "That's now our song."

The trio was just about to clink glasses when one of the customers in the shop, a young man in his late-teens, came up to the counter.

"Sorry to interrupt your celebrations," he said, directing his gaze to Min Jae, "But did you still have 'You Forgot It In People' by Broken Social Scene? I can't seem to find it over in the racks."

Before Min Jae could reply, a shy female voice behind Ga Eul and Yi Jeong piped up.

"Ah, excuse me," the voice said, belonging to a shy looking girl with a short bob, "I've got it here. I was going to buy it, but you can have it if you'd like…"

"Oh, umm, that's okay…" The young man looked over at the girl, before turning to talk to Min Jae again, "Thanks, I'll go talk to her." He passed Ga Eul and Yi Jeong with a nod, and approached the girl, who had a shy smile on her face.

Ga Eul took a sip of champagne and watched the young couple converse, a little awkwardly. Ah, that looks familiar, she thought, feeling slightly nostalgic. She turned to Yi Jeong and smiled. "There really is something about this shop, isn't there?"

"I guess there's something about music that brings people together," he said, clinking the top of his glass with her.

"That," he leaned in to whisper into her ear, "And everything happens for a reason."

Ga Eul turned her head, just as Yi Jeong was going to peck her on the cheek, and their lips met, in a sweet, champagne kiss, while their song played in the background:

My paper heart is Yours now

I have landed in Your hands

Come so far to find out

My life will never be the same

Since you wrote Your name

On my paper heart

- My Paper Heart, Francesca Battistelli

*Any similarities to the movie 'Serendipity' is completely coincidental! Take it as my tribute to my favourite actor, John Cusack ;)