episode_0063

“Grilled clams… Mom, it’s too much. I’m full.”

“Me too. Honestly, we already paid a lot for the raw fish at the tourist spot, so if you really want grilled clams, we could have gone to Wolmi Island.”

“Okay, let’s just ride the cable car then.”

And so, we entered the cable car building and bought tickets at the ticket booth.

A little while later…

“Wow, this is amazing.”

There are only six cable cars that cross the sea in Korea, and considering that three of them are located in Gyeongsangnam-do and Busan, it was a good idea to take a ride while we were here. Even though Jebudo was the closest to home, it was still quite a distance to travel.

“Mom, look far away, look far away.”

“Uh, okay.”

As the cable car started moving, my fear of heights started acting up. I was about to tell the kids to go on their own, but then I remembered they were minors, so I had no choice but to ride with them. As we thought about the fact that we had to travel 1.6km, I regretted getting on the cable car in the first place.

Taking deep breaths, I tried to focus on the distant view, hoping that it would help alleviate my fear.

“Phew, phew.”

Slowly but surely, the feeling of fear began to dissipate as we approached the end of the ride.

“Whoa!”

“Ahh!”

Dayoung playfully hit my shoulder hard, making me scream as the cable car started to depart.

“Ahh! Oh no!”

I started to panic so much that it felt like I was having a seizure, and the people around us turned their attention towards us.

“Ugh, ugh!”

I was so shocked that I started hyperventilating, but luckily, we were almost at the end of the ride, so I was able to receive a bag from the guide as soon as we got off the cable car for emergency treatment.

“Oh, sis! Seriously! There’s a time to joke around and a time not to.”

Dabin scolded Dayoung while patting my back, and Dayoung looked guilty and remorseful.

“Sob, sob! Sorry, Mom…”

As I finally calmed down, tears started streaming down my face. I never expected to cry like this in front of my children again, but my body continued to cry sorrowfully, despite my mind feeling embarrassed.

“Mom, why is that sister crying?”

A child who rode the cable car with us pointed at me and asked, and the woman who seemed to be the child’s mother covered the child’s eyes and explained.

“Shh, it looks like she’s afraid of heights. But remember how that sister scared her earlier? That’s why she’s crying.”

“Huh? She’s such a scaredy-cat, scaredy-cat! Hyungjin didn’t cry either.”

Feeling even more embarrassed, I cried even harder, and the child’s mother, looking apologetic, quickly took the child and left.

As time passed and I finally calmed down, I sniffled and wiped my tears.

“Sob, you, don’t do that again… Ugh!”

Dabin handed me a tissue, and I blew my nose, apologizing.

“Uh, sorry.”

It wasn’t as severe as it seemed. Even when I was a man, I had a bit of a fear of heights, but it wasn’t this serious. Maybe it’s that my ability to endure has weakened? Or maybe my courage has diminished. Anyway, I definitely felt that the emotional fluctuations of women were more intense than those of men.

“Phew, phew.”

After finally calming down, I looked around and saw that the next cable car had arrived, and people were getting off.

“Let’s go too.”

I put on the sunglasses I had brought to hide my swollen eyes.

“Wow, Mom, you look cool.”

“Th-thanks. Haha.”

The children seemed to be trying to accommodate me as much as possible, and as we left the building and entered the forest path of Amnam Park, my heart felt much calmer.

“Phew. It’s okay. Since Mom is feeling calmer, you guys don’t have to be so cautious.”

With that, the three of us strolled leisurely along the forest path. Interestingly, at the entrance, there were signposts explaining the four different courses we could take, and we chose one of them to walk all the way to the end. On the way, we were able to see the sea again from the observatory, and after circling back, we returned to the cable car boarding area, about an hour having passed.

“Um, should we just take a taxi, guys?”

Perhaps it was because I had cried too much earlier, but the staff at the boarding area seemed to recognize me and somehow found it amusing. Da-yeong cautiously suggested to me.

“No, we already bought round-trip tickets. It would be a waste of money.”

“Are you sure, Mom?”

To be honest, I wasn’t sure. But as long as no one freaked out, I thought we could manage, so I just said let’s go.

“Okay, then. But Mom, keep your eyes closed.”

“Uh, okay.”

And so, it was our turn to board the cable car, and as soon as I sat down, I closed my eyes tightly.

“Hey, kids. Can you hold Mom’s hand?”

And then, I felt the children holding my hands on both sides.

-Creak!

“Eek!”

As the cable car started moving, I got scared for no reason and squeezed my hands tightly. The children’s hands also tightened.

“Phew, phew.”

I took deep breaths to calm myself down. I could feel the inertia of the cable car moving forward, but I tried my best to clear my mind.

About 30 minutes or so passed, and after feeling another vibration, the inertia acting on my body completely stopped.

“D-did we arrive?”

“Yes, we arrived. Mom. You can open your eyes now.”

Upon hearing that, I quietly opened my eyes, and what I saw was…

“Mom, it looks like the big sister got scared again. Scaredy-cat. Scaredy-cat!”

“Hyung-jin! Shh! Oh, I’m sorry. Our child is so rude.”

“Oh, no. She’s right, well…”

They even witnessed me crying miserably. My face felt hot, and I felt like I couldn’t live.

“You! If you keep calling your sister and Mom scaredy-cats, your sister will do something to you!”

When Da-yeong tried to scold the child too much, I stopped her.

“Hey, stop it… That’s more embarrassing.”

I let go of the children’s hands and quickly got out of the cable car and went downstairs to the first floor.

And as I washed my face in the bathroom, I tried to calm down the swelling in my eyes.

“How are you feeling, better?”

“Phew, I will never ride a cable car again in my life.”

With that determination, I left the cable car boarding area.

“Phew! Ugh~ Now, do we just go back to the station?”

Da-yeong asked, stretching, and I nodded, while Da-bin said with a hint of regret.

“Vacation is really over now. It was fun.”

I smiled and patted Da-bin’s head.

“I think I’ve been too neglectful because I was too caught up in work. Let’s take a vacation like this every year from now on. It doesn’t have to be an expensive vacation. We can go see the snow in winter. And in spring, we can go see the flowers. Got it?”

“Hehe, I like that.”

Da-yeong hugged me and said.

“I like it too. Hehe.”

Da-bin also answered with a happy smile.

Leaving behind the feeling of regret, we got into a taxi and returned to Busan Station. Looking at the clock, it was already 5 o’clock. We thought about catching the train right away, but Da-bin suggested that it would be better to have our last meal in Busan before going back up. So we looked for a restaurant near Busan Station.

“Dabin, do you like pork rice soup?”

Suddenly, Dayoung asked Dabin.

“Yeah. It’s light and tasty, right? Taeseob said that pork rice soup is one of the safest options in Busan. It might be harder to find a bad place than a good one?”

It is a menu with a guaranteed taste. Pork rice soup.

“Dayoung, are you okay with it? Do you like rice soup? It might have a pork smell?”

To which Dayoung replied, “Oh, it’s fine. I heard that if the kids in our room go to Busan and don’t eat pork rice soup, it’s considered neglect of duty. Now that I think about it, it’s better to eat it before going.”

Well, it is one of the representative foods of Busan. Pork rice soup. A soul food loved by the people of Busan, they say.

Fortunately, we found a place called a pork rice soup restaurant near Busan Station and went there.

“Auntie, three pork rice soups, please!”

After saying that, about 5 minutes passed.

“Here, three pork rice soups for you.”

“What’s this? Why did it come out so fast?”

“Haha! Are you surprised, too, sister? I was also surprised when I first received it. Taeseob jokingly said that pork rice soup is fast food.”

Indeed, I could relate to that statement.

The steaming hot rice soup came out in just 5 minutes after ordering. When I first encountered pork rice soup in Busan, I must have had that expression.

Now, I’m used to it.

I picked up my spoon and took a sip of the broth.

*Slurp*

“Mmm, this place is good.”

There’s no pork smell, it’s light and delicious. Of course, adding shrimp paste would enhance the flavor and seasoning, but even as it is now, it’s good enough. Moreover, the rice came mixed with the soup instead of being served separately, making the broth a bit clearer when eaten without mixing.

“Mmm, it’s delicious, right? It’s good.”

Watching Dayoung eagerly dig in, Dabin started customizing her rice soup as if mocking her.

Adding some leeks, a bit of shrimp paste and kimchi soup, then mixing in the marinated beef.

Oh, she knows how to eat.

“Ew, what’s this? Why did you put so much? You’re wasting the clear broth.”

“Just try a spoonful.”

When Dabin pushed her bowl towards her, Dayoung furrowed her brows, but after tasting Dabin’s rice soup, she exclaimed, “Wow, this is amazing!”

Following Dabin’s combination, she customized her own rice soup.

“Mom, Mom, do it like this too…”

“Huh?”

Dabin, with her mouth wide open, looked at my already blushing rice soup and shook her head.

“Indeed, food development research is not for everyone.”

Dabin was marveling at a strange place.

After finishing our meal, we returned to Busan Station and boarded the train back home.

What happened after that?

I don’t know, I don’t remember. We were all exhausted on the train ride back, and even after getting off at the station and taking a taxi home, we were dozing off until we arrived.

Finally, when we arrived home, we all shouted in unison.

“Home! Home is the best!”

“Home! Home is the best!”

“Home! Home is the best!”

And so, our family’s long vacation came to an end.