In Search of Our Destiny - Chapter 205

In more remote areas, where people were more keen on preserving the traditional aspects of their lives, events such as festivals were very likely to be kept as original as possible. Thus, it made it easier for companies such as Kanji Tourism to create refreshing and entertaining packages for tourists.

The idea Su-Jin was betting on was that each area could be used for a certain type of event. Therefore, their touristic packages could also be personalized based on each area and event.

For example, she remembered that in Eunpyeong Hanok Village there used to be a guest house where the owners organized special events during Chilseok festival1.

The house itself wasn’t that big, only allowing for a few families to stay at the same time. But the owners of the guesthouse also had a large plot of land surrounding the main building and its annexes.

In that open space the husband built a man-made pond and a garden for his wife.

Wishing to give the garden an even greater impact, the man had a beautiful, traditional looking wooden bridge built over the pond. There were intricate carvings on the handrails and each end was marked by a stone lantern.

The wife loved the garden very much. She tended to the flowers and trees, making the place appear like it was taken out of a fairytale.

Every year on the 7th of July the couple would organize different festivities for the young people who came to visit the village.

Whether people stayed at their guesthouse or were simply passing by, everyone was welcomed to the ‘Summer Triangle1 Villa’ to take part in the Chilseok festival.

The main attraction was ‘crossing the magpie bridge’.

During this activity, groups of kids, teenagers and even adults of all ages were split in two, with boys waiting on one end of the bridge and the girls standing on the opposite end.

At a signal, one girl and one boy would start walking at the same time. They would stroll along the bridge until they reached the center. That’s where the two of them would meet each other and exchange a small knot made of red thread.

Meanwhile, the rest of the people who were waiting for their turn could light floating paper lanterns and release them across the pond. Those small, flickering lights floating beneath the bridge were meant to represent the vast Milky Way the two lovers had to cross in order to meet.

After the two people representing the two lovers finished the task and finally returned to their previous spots, the girl would then hang the knot on the lower branches of a tree nearby.

This reenactment of Jiknyeo and Gyeonwu meeting with the help of crows and magpies is what made the couple’s ‘Summer Triangle Villa’ renowned in the entire hanok village.

Coincidence or not, Su-Jin just so happened to have been to that place once with her parents. She was also lucky enough to have taken part in this bridge crossing event. Unfortunately, it had been quite too long ago, so she couldn’t remember everything that happened that day.

However, certain details were still clear in her memory.

Some of those who visited ‘Summer Triangle Villa’ during that Chilseok festival were either too young to have a partner or came there alone. That in itself made it impossible for them to undergo the ‘crossing the magpie bridge’ task and knot the red thread on each other’s fingers.

The owners wanted everyone to feel happy and welcomed, regardless of their age or status. So, in order to help every guest enjoy the festivity, they made it possible for those people to form an impromptu pairing with someone who was in the same situation as them.

Consequently, young girls were paired with young boys around the same age, while single youngsters and adults were allowed to choose their own partners out of the crowd.

That had been Su-Jin’s case. She was too young then, barely seven or eight years old, to have a male partner, so a random boy had been chosen for her.

At that time, having so many people’s eyes on her had made Su-Jin so nervous that she could barely look up from the ground. As such, even while walking towards the boy, she could barely get a proper look at his face.

Even to this day she couldn’t remember what he looked like. But what she did remember was the fact that he was definitely taller than her.

Thinking about all that, Su-Jin let out a chuckle, then whispered softly to herself.

“So many years have passed since then. I wonder how that boy is doing right now. Did he grow up well? Is he still taller than me?”

~~~

Since she had already finished the presentation, Su-Jin decided to call it a night and get some rest.

Despite feeling very tired, Su-Jin still forced herself to tidy up the room a little.

She was just about to place the photo album back into the cardboard box, when something suddenly caught her eye.

It was the corner of a photograph, which appeared to be stuck between the wall of the box and the rest of the things inside.

Using two fingers, Su-Jin pinched the corner and took the photograph out. Along with the pull, though, something else followed along. There was a flash of something white drifting in the air, before slowly floating down.

Su-Jin’s eyes followed the object as it landed on the edge of the bed. When she finally saw what it was, she suddenly became dumbstruck.

She stared at the white handkerchief in a daze.

The three initials sewn with a blue thread across the white fabric seemed to stare up at Su-Jin, reminding her of a dream she had.

Astonished, Su-Jin bent down and slowly dragged her fingertips along the letters.

“K. J. W.” she muttered. “It’s the same handkerchief I saw in my dream that time at the hospital. So this wasn’t just a product of my imagination. There actually was an object like this.”

Just then, a long forgotten memory flashed before her eyes.

Su-Jin’s vision instantly blurred and she saw herself being transported to a different time and place