After failing to jumpstart her acting career, Karina returns defeated to her hometown to figure out her next move. Things get complicated when she finds out that Y/N, her best friend from high school with whom she parted on awkward terms, is also ba...
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Daylight waned and dusk came sooner and sooner each day. Like the leaves that drifted from the limbs of trees and fell in scattered heaps around the stone base of the hanok, things seemed to just fall into place.
Opening night was a huge success. Aside from a few small hiccups and Glinda the Good Witch's minor wardrobe malfunction, the show went off without a hitch. Several parents expressed how pleased they were with the outcome and with their children's positive experience to Mrs. Yu, who redirected all the credit to Karina.
When word got around of how good Karina was with the children's program, the school district asked her if she'd like to take on a temporary-to-permanent position as an elementary after-school drama club coordinator. She figured she had nothing else to do, and the summer program had been such a fun experience. Karina took the job.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Yu heeded Boyoung's advice and spoke to the head doctor at the elderly care home. After about an hour or so of talking and negotiating, she came away with an agreement to let Harabeoji stay there for a discounted rate. She would still need to find new piano students quickly to make up the money, but with Karina now collecting paychecks from the school district, the Yus didn't worry too much about not being able to afford the care Harabeoji needed.
As for Y/N, he and Karina were like milk and cookies again.
Next up on Minjeong's reunion itinerary was an overnight camping trip. It had gone smoothly enough. Aside from Jisung almost drowning in the lake during a race (Mark rescued him, everything was fine). And Shotaro's pants caught fire (Jisung ended up dousing the flames with his shirt, which was still wet from nearly drowning). And Minjeong almost fell off a cliff (thankfully, Hanbin had fast reflexes.)
Y/N and Karina shared their nonsense song about Mr. Cactus Head with the group, and it turned into their fireside anthem.
Then, there was an after-hours evening of self-guided tours and themed cocktails at the Natural History Museum. Which turned out to be somewhat disastrous since a handful of their former classmates got smashed and destroyed a reconstructed Homo Erectus skeleton. Y/N and Karina were exploring the taxidermy hall when they heard the clamor. They ran around the museum looking for Minjeong to report the damage, but no one had a clue where she was.
The evening was practically over by the time they saw her emerge from the gemstones exhibit with Hanbin behind her. Y/N felt a wave of catharsis overwhelm him at the sight.
The activities kept on coming: a pirate-themed escape room activity that reunited Karina with her high school drama family. They lost the game, though, since none of them could solve the last math equation that would open the final door.
"You fucking useless Thespians," Sungchan joked, shaking his fist dramatically at the drama club when they came in last place.
Next came a build-your-own-burger night at the 50's diner. Y/N and Karina experimented with using waffles instead of brioche buns. At the first bite, they turned and looked at each other with wide eyes, wondering if they had just invented something new.
