FADE IN:
MUSIC CUE: BUBBLEGUM POP MUSIC
1. INT. MT. JUWANGSAN — RJH’S TENT — MORNING
RI JEONG HYEOK (Male, 35) opens his eyes as a dull beating fades into his consciousness, awakening him slowly. He winces, then sits up to figure out whether it was a dream or not.
In the end, he rises to a crouching position and pulls the zipper of the tent down.
CUT TO:
2. EXT. MT. JUWANGSAN — CAMPSITE — MORNING
RI JEONG HYEOK crawls out of the tent. He stands up and dusts off his knee before whipping his head to the right, forty-five degrees from where he is.
His sight lands on another tent, which turns out to be the source of the ruckus.
Begrudgingly, he approaches the tent.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Excuse me.
The music plays on and unsurprisingly, no one comes out.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(louder)
Excuse me.
Still nothing.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(clears his throat)
Excuse —
WOMAN
(voice only)
Not a fan of music?
RI JEONG HYEOK turns and sees a woman — YOON SE RI (Female, 35) — peeking out of her own tent a few feet beside his.
Shock colors his face for a second, which is immediately replaced by an intimidating frown.
His expression startles YOON SE RI.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Is this your first time camping here?
YOON SE RI
Yes.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(sighs)
It figures.
YOON SE RI narrows her eyes at him, scrutinizing.
YOON SE RI
Figures what?
RI JEONG HYEOK
The tolerance for such behavior.
YOON SE RI
Can you elaborate on that part? Are you a camp counselor?
RI JEONG HYEOK
(closes his eyes, annoyed)
Listen, miss —
RI JEONG HYEOK is interrupted by the crisp sound of the tent zipper opening. He looks over his shoulder and sees two young ladies emerge from the tent. The TEENAGERS are likewise taken aback by his scowl.
TEENAGER 1
Uhmmm… Is there something wrong, sir?
RI JEONG HYEOK
(turns to face them)
Could you tone down your music a little bit? Campers staying at the site usually observe silence.
TEENAGER 2
(gasps)
Oh! Sorry, sorry…
The two girls hurriedly go back inside their tent and turn the player off, then bow their heads in apology. RI JEONG HYEOK answers with a tiny nod, and the TEENAGERS exchange an awkward glance before zipping up the tent door.
YOON SE RI watches the scene with wry amusement. Her lips folding in to suppress a grin.
YOON SE RI
Well done, mister. I think you terrified their pants off. I didn’t know someone polices the grounds here.
With the issue about the noise resolved, RI JEONG HYEOK turns on his heel to face his new-found acquaintance. Then, he crosses his arms on his chest and sticks his nose up in the air.
RI JEONG HYEOK
I politely asked them to turn the music down a notch — a request which would surely be beneficial to everyone in the vicinity who is trying to find some peace of mind. I don’t think that counts as policing.
YOON SE RI rubs her chin then snaps her fingers.
YOON SE RI
I have JUST the solution for you. Maybe you’ve heard of this amazing invention. It’s absolutely revolutionary. They’re called noise-cancelling ear phones. It does wonders. Why don’t you try it?
RI JEONG HYEOK merely shakes his head as he traces his steps back to his tent. YOON SE RI waits for him to take the bait and make a reaction, but doesn’t expect he would refuse it and turn away. This vexes her.
YOON SE RI
Hey! Wait a moment…
RI JEONG HYEOK stops on his tracks, then slowly — very slowly — takes a step back and faces her.
YOON SE RI folds her arms, trying to look relaxed.
YOON SE RI
Are you a long-time camper here or something?
RI JEONG HYEOK
(shrugs)
I’m not. I only happened to be the kind of person who does his research so that he wouldn’t be a nuisance to anyone.
YOON SE RI
(mumbles)
Those kids probably thought you’re a nuisance.
(clears her throat)
So you’re a first timer, too?
RI JEONG HYEOK
Like I said…
YOON SE RI
The way you spoke back, you sounded like you’re a seasoned camper. What are you here up for then? Fresh mountain air?
RI JEONG HYEOK
For starters…
(darts his eyes elsewhere)
Anyhow.
RI JEONG HYEOK gives her a slight nod and continues to head back to his tent. But then, he remembers something that makes him step back.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(throws her a sidestare)
By the way, if you’re kindling a fire to cook your lunch, make sure to watch over it all the time. The wind here can get a bit unpredictable. The forest might have started burning before you even know it.
YOON SE RI stares at RI JEONG HYEOK in open-mouthed shock.
YOON SE RI
W-What was that?
(sputters)
Are you saying I could burn a forest? Excuse me, mister…
(she steps in front of the man)
I’m new here but I’m not stupid. Besides, I brought my own portable stove so I don’t have to waste my time rubbing sticks and stones, and whatnot. So don’t act like some Smokey Bear. I’ve come prepared too.
YOON SE RI only needs to tip her head to the side to wordlessly direct RI JEONG HYEOK’s attention to the stove she brought.
Unimpressed, he gives her a half-hearted smile.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Awesome. Now, remember not to hurt yourself in the process, miss. I’ll see you around.
YOON SE RI does not know what’s more insulting: to see this man lord over her or to treat her like those teenagers he reprimanded earlier. It’s at the tip of her tongue to say ‘I hope I don’t’ which was against everything her own trip stood for.
YOON SE RI
I hope you don’t hurt yourself, too, Mister. If you happen to splinter your fingers from kindling, I have band-aids in three colors so just give a shout.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(does not bother turning back)
Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.
RI JEONG HYEOK proceeds to enter his tent.
CUT TO:
3. INT. MT. JUWANGSAN — RJH’S TENT — MORNING
RI JEONG HYEOK crawls in and zips the door of the tent up, then lies down on the mat. He doesn’t take a nap, though. Instead, he retrieves his wireless earbuds and tinkers with his phone until he finds something to listen to. Only then does he close his eyes and crosses his arms on his chest, one leg bent at a 90-degree angle over the other.
CUT TO:
4. EXT. MT. JUWANGSAN — CAMPSITE — MORNING
YOON SE RI goes back to her tent in a huff, muttering to herself about some high and mighty people. He had to interrupt her while she was composing the “Inspirational Morning Thought of the Day” on her editing app.
CUT TO:
5. INT. MT. JUWANGSAN — YSR’S TENT — MORNING
YOON SE RI plops down herself on the matted floor.
YOON SE RI
(reads her phone screen out loud)
“Go someplace you’ve never been and meet new people.”
(looks up from her phone)
Yeah right.
(puffs her cheeks)
I better get breakfast.
YOON SE RI sets aside her phone and she decides to put the portable stove to test, first by going through her things where she packed the pots and utensils — only she couldn’t find them.
YOON SE RI
(covers her mouth)
I swear it’s in…
CUT TO:
6. EXT. MT. JUWANGSAN — CAMPSITE PARKING AREA — MORNING
YOON SE RI leaves her tent in a huff, going to her yellow beetle car, but there was nothing in the trunk anymore.
YOON SE RI
No way. Did I leave it at home? Really, Se Ri?
(closes her eyes, groans, and stomps)
But it’s okay. Everything happens with a reason. This is part of the journey. Take deep breaths.
CUT TO:
7. EXT. MT. JUWANGSAN — CAMPSITE PARKING AREA — MORNING
The next thing she knows she is knocking on her neighbor’s tent, the same one who advised her about not burning a whole forest.
YOON SE RI
Ahem! Excuse me Mister? Are you there?
She waits for a few seconds without getting an answer. She doesn’t even hear a shuffle. She has already shed off her shame, what’s a little more?
YOON SE RI
(inhales and exclaims)
MISTER?
The door of the tent opens abruptly, and the sound of it is a testament to how enthusiastic RI JEONG HYEOK is to be disrupted from his rest.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(deadpan)
Yes, miss?
YOON SE RI’s face reveals a wide, sunny smile.
YOON SE RI
Hi again! I was wondering if I can borrow a pot and maybe a bowl.
RI JEONG HYEOK
I’m afraid I have neither of the two. Sorry.
RI JEONG HYEOK motions to close the door again, but YOON SE RI grips his hand to stop him.
YOON SE RI
Anything I can borrow for cooking, at all?
RI JEONG HYEOK
(glowers at her)
Look. I…
Before he can speak, he notices the woman’s eyes zero in on the pile of lunchboxes he stored at the corner. She does not have to articulate what she wants to ask because her tummy rumbles out of the blue, speaking for itself.
CUT TO:
8. EXT. MT. JUWANGSAN — CAMPSITE BORDERS — MORNING
RI JEONG HYEOK sits on an upturned root of a cypress tree a few feet away from their tents. Across him is YOON SE RI, who is perched on a foldable navy blue chair with a leg crossed over the other.
They eat together — thanks to the dosirak that should have been his lunch. He watches her dig in on the japchae like a hungry wolf, slurping on the noodles before stuffing her mouth with another kimbap.
YOON SE RI catches him looking at her shortly after, and she slows down her chewing at once. RI JEONG HYEOK senses the discomfort and shifts his focus back to his own lunchbox, busying himself with stirring his japchae instead.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(avoids looking at her)
It’s tricky to have indigestion when you are outdoors, so I suggest you chew your food well.
YOON SE RI
I am.
(sets aside chopsticks to uncap her water bottle so she could wash down the food)
Thank you for this. Do you accept payment by ramyun and tteokbokki?
YOON SE RI continues to lift her noodles to her mouth.
YOON SE RI
This is really good. Where did you buy this from?
RI JEONG HYEOK
I cooked it myself.
YOON SE RI
(pulls down face in disbelief)
Woah, amazing! It’s the best japchae I’ve ever had and I’ve tried many from Michelin restaurants…
YOON SE RI watches him eat for a moment.
YOON SE RI
I guess you’re right all along. I’m new here and it shows. I left my pots at home, so much for having a portable stove…
(chuckles to herself)
I’m YOON SE RI by the way. What’s your name?
RI JEONG HYEOK eyes her suspiciously for a couple of seconds, hesitation flickering in his irises. The knot between his brows makes a reappearance, and it is not lost on YOON SE RI how his lips are pressed in a tight line as he deliberates on his next move.
YOON SE RI waits for a response that shall never come, leaving only a dead silence.
YOON SE RI
Oh… All right then.
(mumbles under her breath)
Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.
(speaks again in her normal tone)
I assumed that people opened up more easily at camping sites because it’s an outdoor activity where you sort of have to mingle with people. Tents aren’t walls. Otherwise you’d book a hotel or an airbnb right, Mister? But don’t get me wrong. I’m REALLY grateful for the food; I’m almost finishing it. It has a mother’s home-cooked charm. It’s really surprising.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(dryly chuckles)
What did you expect? Pork and beans in a pouch? Or barbecue and hotdogs on stick?
YOON SE RI
Mmm…
(eyes shifting)
Maybe. I definitely didn’t expect catering quality. Better than catering.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(smirks)
“Better than catering.”
They finish their food in silence. Once in a while, YOON SE RI would look up from her lunchbox and steal a glance at RI JEONG HYEOK to make sure he is eating, and he would do the same — although very stealthily and casually.
CUT TO:
9. EXT. MT. JUWANGSAN — CAMPSITE — MORNING
RI JEONG HYEOK is sitting on his respective folding chair in the gap between their tents, waiting for YOON SE RI to come back bearing the two bottles of coffee she got from her cooler.
She takes her place beside him, and he gestures for her to give him her bottle. She obliges.
He twists the cap and hands her the cold beverage. YOON SE RI accepts the bottle with a smile. Then, he does the same for his bottle.
YOON SE RI
Thanks. You’re from Seoul, Mister?
(tilts the bottle)
RI JEONG HYEOK
I am.
(takes a gulp)
I am guessing you aren’t.
YOON SE RI
What makes you think I’m not?
RI JEONG HYEOK
I recognized the accent. You’re from Daegu, am I right?
YOON SE RI
How do you know it so well?
RI JEONG HYEOK
(avoids her gaze)
My mother is originally from Nam-gu.
The name triggers in YOON SE RI a memory and a need to share it, but thinking she doesn’t even have the man’s name yet has made her tighten her lips. She says something generic instead.
YOON SE RI
I moved to Seoul for university.
(tilts her bottle up)
What do you do, Mister?
RI JEONG HYEOK
I work as a corporate manager. Nothing exciting, really. You?
YOON SE RI would say she has a calling card for every occasion, depending on the person she’s speaking to. For example, this corporate manager has a rather impressive title so she has to match hers to that.
YOON SE RI
(straightens up with an intent to impress)
I’m a Digital Media Content Creator. You’re a Corporate Manager for what?
RI JEONG HYEOK
Some company from overseas. Are you familiar with risk assessment?
YOON SE RI
Besides its literal meaning, no. Can you tell me more?
RI JEONG HYEOK shifts in his seat, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees while the half-empty bottle is cradled by both hands. The upper part of his body is facing her direction.
RI JEONG HYEOK
In a nutshell, we provide consultancy services for clients. We help them prepare for the worst-case scenarios.
YOON SE RI
Ooooh, like a business physician? Do you have a lot of clients?
RI JEONG HYEOK
More like a devil’s advocate for several local accounts and some stakeholders overseas.
YOON SE RI
Does that mean you’re often the bearer of bad news?
RI JEONG HYEOK
You can put it that way — although not every situation we come up with happens in real life. We basically put it out there with the premise that the crisis will fall upon the client tomorrow.
YOON SE RI
So you’re scaring people and you get paid for it? Funny, that’s the complete antithesis of what I do. I tell people to never give up, never surrender, and rise up against the odds even if they’re going through hell.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Oh, you encourage people — is that it? How do you do that? Are you a life counselor?
YOON SE RI appears to hesitate.
YOON SE RI
I’m… I provide motivational content through an inspirational social media page.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(surprised)
Are you a celebrity?
YOON SE RI
Well…
(her head tilts left and right)
I’m a brand influencer.
RI JEONG HYEOK looks at her as if he is hearing alien language coming out of her mouth. He opens his mouth to ask, but closes it right away.
YOON SE RI smiles. The man’s cluelessness is an encouragement for her to share a bit more, thinking that he would probably not make a judgment call for her choice of occupation, which she often gets.
YOON SE RI
Influencers are generally people who… cause others to make specific decisions. Some people use it to sell products or services. But with me, I promote positivity. I shift people’s mindsets onto happier things to help them get some peace of mind. I make inspiring projects. I engage and connect with my audience and bring them joy.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(conflicted, brows furrowing)
But isn’t the concept of joy subjective? What makes you happy may not always be the same as what makes me happy. How do you bring such emotion and be sure that it is what the person needs at the moment?
YOON SE RI
That’s the question I ask myself every day and try to answer each time. Happiness is an ambiguous concept, but I think it can be summed up with the pursuit of a pleasant and meaningful life. My page talks all about day-to-day pleasures that could add fun and excitement to our lives in bursts of about 5 to 10 posts a day. You’re right that I won’t know what everyone needs but I think I’m doing something right to be relatable ─ at least 5 million followers think so.
(pause)
But now you got me intrigued Mister.
(turns her hand over to the man)
What is your idea of happiness?
RI JEONG HYEOK squints as he thinks, a smile playing on his lips.
RI JEONG HYEOK
To be frank, I don’t have an answer for you yet.
(pauses, rocks in his seat)
When I was younger, I thought it was a state of mind. If I choose to be happy, I become happy. And then, as I grew older, I assumed that it was a consequence of my decisions. I mess up with my life, I deal with the repercussions. It’s that simple.
RI JEONG HYEOK reclines on his chair and stretches his legs.
RI JEONG HYEOK
In time, happiness became an abstract to me. It’s something I can’t quite give a definition to — something beyond words, or feelings — because perhaps there is nothing in the present I could aptly associate it with.
YOON SE RI has neglected her bottle which is left dangling by a hand-grip as she leans forward to listen to her neighbor.
YOON SE RI
Nothing at all?
(shaking her head in disbelief)
There has to be a favorite toy, a favorite movie, a hobby? A person?
RI JEONG HYEOK eludes her gaze again, eyes landing on YOON SE RI’s right. He quickly darts his focus towards the clearing before them, but not before she looks over her shoulder.
She then finds herself watching the new arrivals — a middle-aged COUPLE who are currently unloading their things from the bed of their pickup.
YOON SE RI
(smiles)
Aw cute. I always wonder what it’s like having someone to travel with like them. They look like they’ve been doing this for a while. Look at how they work together without saying a word. They communicate with body language only they can understand…
Something clicks in YOON SE RI’s head like a lightbulb.
YOON SE RI
Oh. It’s a person, I see.
RI JEONG HYEOK busies himself by downing the remaining coffee in his bottle. When he’s done, he rises to his feet and goes to the trash bin to dump the bottle on the “For Recycling” chute.
He turns, dusting his hands off the imaginary crumbs.
YOON SE RI watches him do his citizenly duty, pondering on his word as she rocks on her chair.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(takes his seat)
Was.
YOON SE RI
What happened?
RI JEONG HYEOK
(frowns)
I was no longer the person she could associate ‘happiness’ with.
An awkward stillness ensues. They both vaguely observe the other campers, although they are looking at opposite directions.
After a few seconds, RI JEONG HYEOK shifts in his seat and crosses a leg over the other, his fingers laced together and perched on top of his lap.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(smiles wryly)
It’s ironic how I have a knack for averting crises and still, I never saw the end of my relationship coming.
His self-deprecating honesty makes YOON SE RI relax a little, now she was just swaying left and right on her seat like listening to the music of her head.
YOON SE RI
Were you happy with her?
RI JEONG HYEOK
(pauses before answering)
If happiness meant butterflies and all that romantic stuff you see onscreen, then probably not. Sure, we went on dates, I gave her flowers, celebrated anniversaries — and that was that. We were never that couple who walks hand-in-hand in the park with pink bubbles all around and a rose-colored filter.
(shrugs)
We’re too old for those shenanigans anyway.
RI JEONG HYEOK pauses to chew on his cheek for a moment.
RI JEONG HYEOK
But if happiness meant comfortable silences, a sense of security, and a clear picture of a future together in my mind, then I guess I was.
YOON SE RI nods her head and ponders upon the cap of her bottle.
YOON SE RI
There’s something I posted on my page that goes: “Sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck”. I don’t even know who originated the quote, it’s accredited to different people including the Dalai Lama. But it was good engagement, 12 thousand likes and 550 comments and a thousand shares or something… I held onto that thought when my boyfriend of 7 years broke up with me but I’m still wondering what my stroke of luck is.
(smirks)
Maybe the fact that he’ll probably cheat on me because he married a high school sweetheart a year after he left. One year, versus our seven years. And this is after he told me he didn’t want a commitment. I guess it’s not just with me. Maybe that’s the same with you.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Ahhh… like a silver lining.
(cocks his head to the side)
Beats me. Like you, I have yet to find out what good will come out of our separation.
YOON SE RI
(nods)
Well for one. I get to do the things I like, such as going out on trips.
(stretching out her arms wide open)
My ex would have made up a billion excuses to last a whole year until it never comes true. The only difference is I’ve fully set my mind in planning a trip with someone, like them.
YOON SE RI’s head tips over to the couple.
YOON SE RI
Instead I’m on a solo trip.
A snort escapes RI JEONG HYEOK’s nose. YOON SE RI throws a curious glare at him, and he only shrugs in response.
YOON SE RI raises a brow at him to press for more details, forcing RI JEONG HYEOK to yield to her wordless demand.
RI JEONG HYEOK
I just can’t believe how we’re so different and so alike at the same time.
YOON SE RI uncaps her bottle again and smiles.
YOON SE RI
The part that we are first-time campers ditched by long-term partners who are afraid to commit?
(sips her drink a little)
That’s a funny coincidence I guess. After all you could have chosen a different mountain and I could have chosen to go during summer, yet here we are. So what are you looking forward to the most in this trip, Mister Risk Assessor?
RI JEONG HYEOK
A break from work. A whiff of fresh air. A chance to get lost.
YOON SE RI
Get lost and find yourself? It’s a good plan… Sounds like the necktie is a little tight around your neck…
YOON SE RI sucks in her breath and lets it out.
YOON SE RI
For myself… I’m actually looking for inspiration. The inspirer seeking inspiration.
(chuckles)
Nowadays I’m just…
(her hand slashes across her neck)
Empty. Dry as a well. Everything I post on the page seems deliberate and forced. Something is missing. Looking for that ‘magic’ again.
RI JEONG HYEOK
And — pray tell, YOON SE RI — where do you suppose you can stumble upon that so-called…
(gestures quotation marks with his fingers)
‘Magic’?
YOON SE RI
That’s the hard part, right? It’s like looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Maybe nature has an answer somewhere, or Juwangsan has a secret to tell.
(shrugging)
RI JEONG HYEOK
Hmmm… the search for the elusive. I suppose that’s another thing we have in common.
RI JEONG HYEOK shakes his head in disbelief, then stands up and extends his hand to YOON SE RI, palm up. The gesture surprises her.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(tips his head to the side once)
Come on. If we plan to look for whatever-that-is, then we should begin while the sun is still up. Not to scare you or anything, but I don’t see well in the dark.
YOON SE RI looks at the stretched out palm and places her hand upon it.
YOON SE RI
I brought a flashlight…
RI JEONG HYEOK
(scoffs)
I’ll believe it when I see it, YOON SE RI.
YOON SE RI
Pssh.
(stands up)
I still don’t have your name by the way. It’s going to help if one of us is going to get lost literally, unless you plan on staying being ‘Mister Risk.’
RI JEONG HYEOK
I think it’s best that I continue to be ‘Mister Risk’ for now, thank you.
CUT TO:
10. EXT. MT. JUWANGSAN — TRAIL — MORNING
They trudge the uphill road side-by-side, each carrying a backpack. They aren’t speaking; aside from the sound of their breathing, all that is heard is the chirping of the birds.
YOON SE RI has a backpack that seasoned hikers might deem as too small for hiking. She wears a cap that day to shield her face, even though she had applied sunscreen with a strong SPF. She makes an obvious, newbie observation.
YOON SE RI
I’ve never heard so many birds.
YOON SE RI would pause from time to time to take photos of the trees and their path. The sight of the river would excite her enough to take several photos as though it would be the most incredible site of the course. For the nth time, she asks her companion to hold the map-brochure of the park so she could capture the scenery.
RI JEONG HYEOK looks at the already worn-out piece of paper, and he could not help but notice the notes on the edge: various scribbles such as “Surprise”, “Spring 2020”, and “TP X PP”. He turns it over and sees the portion highlighting Daejeonsa Temple and Dalgi Waterfall crossed out, while Jusanji Lake was encircled using pink ink.
YOON SE RI
When I was viewing the cherry blossoms last spring, it was so hard because there were so many people photobombing my shots. Unlike today.
(focusing her camera on her hiking shoes on the ground)
But it’s nice out here, it feels like we’re the only people exploring this place. I wonder why.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(turns the pamphlet over)
It’s a Friday, that’s why. The campers begin to flock on Saturday mornings and afternoons.
YOON SE RI
(stops shooting with her camera and eyes him warily)
You say that like you’ve been here before… Come to think of it, you seem to know the trail very well without having to use a map often.
RI JEONG HYEOK
And I see that you have been toying with the idea of coming here for quite some time now.
(shows her the brochure)
What’s with these doodles anyway?
YOON SE RI
(peers at the document)
Oh I don’t know. Maybe I wrote those while drunk. I was trying to look them up but I can’t figure it out. Turning Point? Program Plan?
(shrugs)
RI JEONG HYEOK only smirks, then proceeds to walk the uphill road — slowly, mindful of his companion.
YOON SE RI watches how he carries his bag, how he wears his outfit for the trip and compares with herself — all brand-new, all store-bought, a skirt over her pants.
YOON SE RI
(falls into step with him, a bit short-winded)
I think you’re not new here, Mister Risk. Back there you told me to watch my step and you said that like it is the most normal thing. You’re making me look bad here.
(catches her breath)
Then you have the vagabond look.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Vagabond look?
YOON SE RI
You know… The rugged seasoned wanderer look. But without the beard because you actually clean up nicely.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(absent-mindedly touches his jaw and chin)
Oh. Uhmmm… Thanks.
(stops walking)
Yes, I’ve been here before; it’s my third time. Mt. Juwangsan is my go-to camping site — not that I am a pro or anything.
YOON SE RI pauses, then points at ‘Mister Risk’ accusingly.
YOON SE RI
See, see? I knew it! Why did you tell me you’re a first-timer?
RI JEONG HYEOK
I didn’t. I merely denied that I was a long-time camper.
YOON SE RI
That’s not what you said! You said…
YOON SE RI’s eyes roll up as she tries to recall their earlier conversation but realizes that he did not make such admission.
YOON SE RI
(mumbles)
You’re a sneaky one, Mister Risk. Do you mean you’ve been trying to ‘get lost’ on the same mountain for 3 times? You’d probably know the place like the back of your hand.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Not really. My…
(pauses, as if he almost said something he shouldn’t have)
…ex is the outdoorsy one. She always planned the itinerary during those two trips.
YOON SE RI
Was she the reason why you’ve started going camping?
RI JEONG HYEOK
She was my reason for a lot of things.
(hesitates)
You see, I am a grandpa. I’m the type who stays at home, reads a book, makes excuses not to attend parties and stuff. Over the course of our relationship, she took me out for camping, paragliding, mountain climbing. My mother used to chide me how she can’t convince me to attend those charity balls unless my ex drags me out of our apartment.
YOON SE RI turns her camera off, inserts it into her backpack side pocket.
YOON SE RI
When she did all those things with you, did it make you happy? To play Risk Assessor back at you, it doesn’t seem wise to keep going back to a place that reminds you of her, doing the same things as her.
RI JEONG HYEOK
It’s in my calendar, so might as well take the leave and come here for a break from those work emails.
(takes a deep breath)
Besides, it’s been — what — five months? Our condolence period is almost up.
YOON SE RI
Mister Risk, that’s not going to do. How are you going to find true happiness that way? You follow a routine, then you only change it for the sake of one person. Now you’re clinging onto this routine for half a year. It’s no wonder you’ll be miserable. Happiness needs…
(snapping her finger)
…risk.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Like how? Live life with that YOLO mantra?
RI JEONG HYEOK sees a bench and gestures to Se Ri for them to sit on it. She follows his lead.
YOON SE RI reaches for her backpack and gets her bottle of water, but she discovers that it is nearly empty. RI JEONG HYEOK notices it and offers his other flask.
A muted exchange happens between them, then she ultimately accepts it and opens the bottle to pour the water onto her container.
Once done, she hands it back to him.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(stashes the flask back to his backpack)
Acting impulsively does not necessarily equate to being happy — just like how playing it safe does not always keep one out of harm’s way.
RI JEONG HYEOK stretches his limbs out and reclines on the bench.
RI JEONG HYEOK
There’s bliss in constancy, in the same way that there’s joy in pleasant surprises. The notion might not be relatable to you now, but I actually find solace in this routine of ours. Without it, I’d probably be more disoriented than I was during the first three months without her.
They both let a couple of seconds pass without speaking, as if they are allowing the words to sink in.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(stares straight ahead)
It’s weird how you seem to echo her sentiments. She used to make the same subtle comments on how our relationship sometimes was in dire need of some adrenaline rush, and come to think of it, I don’t understand what she was trying to imply because I acquiesce to her whims all the time.
(cocks his head sideways as he demonstrates)
“Honey, let’s go paragliding.” “Okay.” “Honey, let’s travel out of the country.” “Okay.” “Honey, let’s…”
RI JEONG HYEOK almost chokes on his subsequent words, and his ears turn pink. YOON SE RI catches on what he was supposed to say, and covers her mouth with the back of her hand to stifle a chuckle.
Before YOON SE RI could make another remark, RI JEONG HYEOK resumes their conversation.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Are you the type who gets bored of the same thing, YOON SE RI?
The question effectively distracts YOON SE RI from prodding more. She ponders on it with a sip of her refilled water and by letting the breeze blow gently on her face.
YOON SE RI
To be honest? I just don’t know what I want. I started that positivity page as a way to talk to myself, to tell myself I’m on the right track and nurture a habit of gratitude and seek a purpose to this life. But in the end, I’m never satisfied…
YOON SE RI recaps her water vessel and tucks it in her bag.
YOON SE RI
I mean there was a time I didn’t mind doing the same things… My ex was my rock for a while, much as yours. I’ve given this guy 7 years of my life, that’s 7 birthdays, 7 anniversaries, 7 Chuseoks… I didn’t mind them, but now I regret them. So now I try not to live a life of regret… I want to do everything now while I’m young and beautiful.
(laughs to herself)
I’m going through a bucket list of which this is number 10.
YOON SE RI shifts in her seat to face his direction.
YOON SE RI
It sounds to me your girlfriend is not really after the adrenaline rush, she’s after some… passion I guess, and those things are not as easy as microwaving popcorn. It needs to come from within you.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Oh, believe me. I can be passionate if I wanted to, and we had our fair share of sparks — if that’s what you are pertaining to. It’s just that, our concept of relationship was something mutual.
(pauses)
We decided to become a couple with the notion that we’re two people attracted to each other who want to actually be with each other. We were completely opposites, though. She was this bubbly, goofball who decided to stick around a nojaem man like me.
(pauses)
Good thing, she always said that she loved my sense of direction, that I know where I want our relationship to end up in the long run. And she was my constant partner in everything, may it be in our career or in life.
(pauses)
Our love story was not the type of romance you see on TV or movies, yet the set-up worked for us — for the past ten years, at least.
RI JEONG HYEOK darts his eyes away from her and looks at the greenery beyond the cliff before them.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Until one day, she woke up and she suddenly wasn’t sure that it was I who she wanted all along.
YOON SE RI whistles and nearly stands up.
YOON SE RI
10 years?? I take back everything I said.
(her hands make criss-crossing wiping motions)
You have every right to be in mourning, I’d be completely devastated thinking I spent one-third of my life for a failed relationship… I might give up on love altogether.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Says someone who was with a man for seven years. Don’t tell me you’ve stopped dating after him?
YOON SE RI
Of course I didn’t… I went on a dating frenzy, especially when news of my ex’s marriage came about and when his wife got pregnant. There was a time I was desperate to prove to my ex that he was wrong, that I’m a girl worth keeping… I did a few stupid decisions but that’s how you learn life lessons.
(shrugs)
Did you?
RI JEONG HYEOK
I did. Like how I should not drink alcohol with an empty stomach, or keep cash in my pocket when I decide to get wasted. I went out night after night after the breakup, thinking the hangover can overpower the longing brought by an empty home. Unfortunately, the headache and vomiting spells only added to the problem than provide relief — regardless how temporary.
YOON SE RI concurs, nodding enthusiastically.
YOON SE RI
Love sucks, right? For myself I have a sleeping problem that got worse, so I did a cocktail of alcohol and pills. One time I drank at the bathtub and… yeah.
YOON SE RI shudders at the memory, and it evokes the same reaction — if not stronger — from RI JEONG HYEOK.
YOON SE RI
That’s when I decided to get away, book a trip to Europe and see the world with new eyes. I started running, I joined a sober challenge. Got better in the end.
(pauses)
Who or what made you snap out of it? Did you have a lifeline? To tell you the truth though, I’m having a hard time imagining you wasted…
RI JEONG HYEOK
(scrunches his nose in disgust)
It’s not a pretty sight, I am telling you. I’d rather you met me sober than at the club. Now, to answer your question…
(squints his eyes as he deliberates)
Work was my lifeline. I received a call from my current employer when I was literally throwing up at the toilet of our unit. The company was truly promising even though it was just a start-up, and the package was triple my salary — it was like stumbling upon that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow I never chased after.
(pauses to shake his head)
Thing is, the job responsibilities stretched me out too thin during the first three months. Then again, I guess it was a blessing in disguise that my workload was toxic because it took my attention away from her and partying.
YOON SE RI
All hail capitalism.
(laughs)
So that’s how you got to be Mister Risk.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Yes. My liver and my heart are both forever indebted to my bosses, frankly speaking.
(turns to her, a sad smile tugging at his lips)
How ironic that the people who get left behind are always the ones who have to bear the pain of moving on.
YOON SE RI does think it was unfair on their part, that they suffered while their former partners get to walk the aisle, build their families and move on. But as she slips into negative thoughts, a quote crosses her mind.
YOON SE RI
“The mark of a really admirable man” - or woman for that matter - “is steadfastness in the face of trouble.” I just know our iron hearts will be ready in the future… Do you think you’ll give love a chance again? In spite of all the heartache and pain?
RI JEONG HYEOK
The logical response here is not to shut down the idea of getting back into the dating circle. I’m not in the mood for that yet — and perhaps not in the near future — although I suppose I would have to meet someone in due course because in the third generation of Ri’s, I am the only son.
YOON SE RI
(rolls her eyes)
I hate family pressure, I have that too. That’s the worst way to… Wait a minute!
(her finger points to the man)
Your family name is Ri? Mister Risk is Mister Ri??
RI JEONG HYEOK
(chuckles)
You caught that.
(smirks, then looks at an obscure spot on the ground)
Yes, my last name is Ri. Our ancestors were originally from Kaesong, and when the Korean war broke out, they fled to Cheongju. Even after they settled here, they were firm in keeping the old surname — although sometimes, I go by the traditional Lee to avoid further questions.
(lifts his head to meet her eyes)
Where are the Yoon’s from, if I may ask? Did they also oblige you for a grandchild when you hit twenty-five?
YOON SE RI
Getting your name is like a game of strip poker… But I guess you have a valid reason for being secretive. Mine goes back to Paju… which is close enough to Kaesong come to think of it. But somewhere along the line my grandparents moved to Daeju. My family has been arranging blind dates to just about anyone with 4 billion won in assets. Lucky for me staying single is a growing trend. Have you heard of the 4Bs movement?
RI JEONG HYEOK
Enlighten me, please.
YOON SE RI
“No dating, no sex, no marriage, no child-rearing” But I’m not that radical yet… I still think about settling down, having a family, a baby girl maybe.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Ahhh…
(stares downwards to hide a smile)
And how do your parents feel about your preference to stay single?
YOON SE RI
Hmm let’s say…
(rubs her chin)
I assign an immovable appointment to family reunions as much as possible.
(winks)
Because every time I come home alone they age a year. I’m the only girl and both my older brothers are married. YOON SE RI, a breathing and living disappointment, at your service.
(salutes)
RI JEONG HYEOK
(narrows his eyes as he ponders, frowning)
It’s absurd how women are pressured into being mothers, or wives, or girlfriends. My sister used to get the same treatment from our aunts and uncles, and she would awkwardly laugh as a response. Good thing she chanced upon an opportunity overseas, or else, she would not have evaded the scrutiny of our relatives.
YOON SE RI
Oh good for her. I wonder about doing that sometimes… But at the same time, we shouldn’t have to escape persecution just because we want to do our own thing… Mister Ri the more I listen to you, the more I question why your girlfriend left you. You would be totally my type.
RI JEONG HYEOK lets out a carefree laugh, then stands up.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Alright, enough rest for now. We still have a long way to go before we reach the end of this trail.
CUT TO:
11. EXT. MT. JUWANGSAN — CAMPSITE — AFTERNOON
RI JEONG HYEOK is busy kindling a fire. It is only an hour before sunset, and they have to cook dinner the traditional way because none of them has a pan or a pot. Good thing YOON SE RI brought ready-to-grill barbecues.
YOON SE RI
Hold that pose for a moment.
YOON SE RI takes a few choice shots with her companion’s hand holding out a barbecue stick to the fire.
YOON SE RI
(inspects her shots)
Really nice! I have to say, the portable stove has nothing on raw fire on sticks. I’m convinced now. You made a believer out of me, Mister Ri.
(sits crossed legs on the ground next to him)
Do you need my help with anything?
RI JEONG HYEOK
(steals a sideway glance at her as he pokes at the driftwood with a long stick)
Would you like to entertain me with your musings again?
YOON SE RI
For a moment I thought you wanted me to sing. Hmmm…
YOON SE RI looks up to the sky, finding a question in the great big unknown.
YOON SE RI
When I was a kid… I wanted to be an actress. I dreamed of making it to Hollywood, to walk the red carpet with cameras flashing and wear all those gorgeous gowns. I practiced my award speeches in my room, and pretended to cry in front of the mirror. But I didn’t even make the cut in our drama club.
(laughs)
They said I was just a pretty face with no talent so I took that hard… But when I saw the plays the school put up, the kids they casted were just as terrible. I told myself I’ll try again… but I never did. I always found an excuse, tomorrow, next week, next year… I still wonder about that. What did you want to be as a child, Mister Ri?
RI JEONG HYEOK
(winces)
I’m one of the few kids who never really had anything in mind. I just went to school, took home good marks, finished college, then entered the workforce. I made plans and executed them.
(continues to nudge at the bundle of dried branches)
So I don’t have that what-if — unlike you.
RI JEONG HYEOK puts down the stick and dusts his hands off on his pants, then hugs his knees.
YOON SE RI mimics him.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(turns to her)
Aside from that dream, do you have other what-ifs that haunt you, Ms. Yoon?
YOON SE RI
I’m guessing your parents decided your major, did they?
RI JEONG HYEOK raises his brows as he smiles at her as a confirmation.
YOON SE RI
Any what-ifs oh tons…
(puffs her cheeks)
What if I auditioned differently in the drama club. What if I took a different major, what if I studied in a different country. Many times I wished I could rewrite our love story. The ex, I meant. Maybe I should have seen through him sooner or I said the right things so he would choose me over her. It depended on how much I drank… You?
RI JEONG HYEOK
Well…
(diverts his attention back to the fire)
I guess, what I have are not regrets; I live with guilt.
(perches his chin on his knuckles which are on top of his knees)
I should have surprised her more often, yet I didn’t. I should have kissed her everytime I had the chance, yet I didn’t. I should have forced myself to get up at five o’clock in the morning so I could drop her off to work, yet I didn’t.
(clenches his jaw)
It’s those things that you should have done and chose not to do. And those deliberate lapses, for me, are more painful than all the regrets I have in this lifetime combined.
YOON SE RI looks wistfully towards the man, touched by his words and his honesty. A bittersweet smile on her face.
YOON SE RI
You really loved her, huh. Do you think she’s happier where she is?
RI JEONG HYEOK
I can only hope so. But now, I know that she isn’t.
YOON SE RI
(sniffs)
Oooh Mister Risky. Feeling lofty, aren’t we?
RI JEONG HYEOK suddenly reaches over and brushes the corner of YOON SE RI’s eyes with the back of his finger.
It takes YOON SE RI by surprise, and yet she doesn’t flinch. She just lets him.
YOON SE RI
(blinks rapidly)
What was that? Something in my eye?
RI JEONG HYEOK only scoffs, then rises to his feet to turn the barbecues. When he’s done, he reclaims his seat beside her, sniffing.
CUT TO:
12. EXT. MT. JUWANGSAN — CAMPSITE — NIGHT
They just finished cleaning up after having dinner. After YOON SE RI throws the trash in the designated chutes, she goes back to her spot, waiting for RI JEONG HYEOK to return from retrieving blankets from his tent.
When RI JEONG HYEOK arrives, YOON SE RI’s face lights up and she gladly extends her hand to accept the quilt. He wraps it around her instead.
YOON SE RI
(hugs herself with the blanket)
You know I’m usually the friendly one, I didn’t take you the first one to go touchy.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(sits beside her)
I have some tricks up my sleeves, Ms. Yoon. When we were younger, my ex’s pet name for me was ‘Tsundere Prince’.
(nudges her with his elbow)
Any secret side you would be comfortable to share? Bizarre habits? Embarrassing fears?
YOON SE RI
Gosh, you haven’t had anything to drink did you?
(eyes him suspiciously and even sniffs)
Where’s the grumpy camp counselor? What did you do to him?
RI JEONG HYEOK
(pouts)
We are parting ways in the morning anyway, so might as well make the most of this conversation. It’s been a long time since I had the luxury of speaking my mind.
But YOON SE RI does not mind the proximity, she realizes. She settles in nicely next to the cozy fire and her company.
YOON SE RI
Okay, ‘Tsundere prince’. Bizarre… I need three pillows before I sleep. When I was around 5 or 6, I always woke up at 3 am and that always scared me.
(elbows back)
Your turn.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(narrows his eyes at her and pulls away a bit)
Three pillows for what? And what’s with the 3:00 a.m. habit?
YOON SE RI
I just don’t feel secure enough without 3 pillows.
(head shaking)
I need my bed to hug me. Even inside my tent, there are two extra throw pillows. The 3:00 a.m. habit is weird… but that’s kind of the witching hour right? That’s when the ghosts come out at night.
RI JEONG HYEOK does not bother to stifle his snicker.
YOON SE RI
(eyebrows waggle mysteriously)
You haven’t answered the questions by the way. No cheating, Mister Ri.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(scratches his chin)
I am afraid of midnight calls, those that wake you up with a start. The ringing of the phone during the ungodly hours before daybreak is eerily ominous, don’t you think so?
YOON SE RI
Those are usually bad news.
(nods)
Did you receive one such call?
RI JEONG HYEOK
(frowns)
Unfortunately. I’ve grown to hate them ever since that night.
YOON SE RI
(thinks aloud)
Why is it that they always come late? The news is bad enough as it is.
RI JEONG HYEOK notices YOON SE RI’s toes are not covered with the quilt, so he spreads his own blanket on her legs and tucks the hem underneath her ankles.
YOON SE RI smiles in spite of herself, then realizes that she must look weird if RI JEONG HYEOK catches her. She quickly fixes her expression and darts her eyes away from him.
When RI JEONG HYEOK is done securing that YOON SE RI is all bundled up, he sits up and leans back, propped on his elbows as he stargazes.
RI JEONG HYEOK
My ex is the most rational woman I’ve ever met. Yet for some reason, she believes that when one wishes upon a shooting star, it comes true.
YOON SE RI
Sure it does!
(nods insistently)
How often do you see a shooting star? Almost never, right? You’ll never know so just wish with all your heart. It’s the same thing as picking up a four-leaf clover. You don’t believe in any superstition at all? I’m sure there’s something.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Superstitions are created by men to have something to pin the blame on, or put their faith into. So the answer is ‘no’. If I allow myself to believe in such a thing, I would have a hard time accepting the misfortunes that come my way.
YOON SE RI
Ah there’s the grumpy camp counselor I know. True, they hardly have any scientific basis, but it’s harmless to wish, even just on a birthday cake. It gives you some hope for the future, the world is depressing enough as it is, Mister Ri.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Point taken.
(sits up)
Well, for now, let’s pretend that it’s your birthday today — oh, is it?
YOON SE RI
(looks at him expectantly)
If I say it’s today, do I get to have a gift?
RI JEONG HYEOK
It depends. What would you like to have as a present?
(puts up his index finger to caution her)
Mind you: I shall only consider the realistic options at the moment. Okay?
YOON SE RI
It’s soooo easy, you’ll be able to give it without paying a single won! I just want your name.
(beams)
RI JEONG HYEOK
(raises his eyebrow, then crosses his arms on his chest)
Sure thing. But I would need to ask for your ID in case you are trying to trick me, Ms. Yoon.
YOON SE RI
Okay, wait a moment.
YOON SE RI peels off her blanket momentarily to open her shoulder pouch and take out her wallet where she fishes for her driver’s license.
YOON SE RI
(hands it over to him)
It’s not today, but it’s tomorrow.
RI JEONG HYEOK scrutinizes the details in the flickering light of the campfire, then nods in acknowledgement.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(returns the ID to her)
Alright, alright. Tomorrow then.
RI JEONG HYEOK steers them back to the topic by pretending he was carrying something with upturned palms.
RI JEONG HYEOK
So…
(clears his throat)
Imagine that I am holding your birthday cake. What would an optimistic, walking-ray-of-sunshine person like you wish for, Ms. Yoon?
YOON SE RI
You mean apart from your name? So generous.
YOON SE RI closes her eyes with her hands pressed in a prayer.
YOON SE RI
I wish to fill the hole in my life and find the meaning of all this… existence.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(throws a confused glance at her)
What do you mean?
YOON SE RI
(hugs her knees)
I think… I will always have happy days as with unhappy days. I could live the extraordinary life I want when I go through my bucket list… But I can’t help but think I will always feel that void that can’t ever be filled. That something is always missing…
RI JEONG HYEOK frowns, then resumes his lounging position and looks skywards again.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Sometimes, it crosses my mind that humans exist to fill those black holes, as if our entire life is plotted out to continuously search for answers and piece them together like a puzzle. It’s possible that we are not meant to figure it out while we’re alive because if we do, then it takes away the flaw that makes us inferior from the higher beings.
YOON SE RI looks at him like a student would to a mentor, listening keenly to absorb his words.
YOON SE RI
So you mean… you believe soulmates exist… but you think we’re not meant to find them in our lifetime? That’s kind of depressing.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Oh…
(smirks at her)
So Ms. Yoon’s missing piece of the puzzle is her soulmate, huh?
(wriggles his eyebrows)
YOON SE RI
Don’t put words in my mouth. You were the one who started with humans filling black holes…
RI JEONG HYEOK
If you say so.
(sits up straight and clears his throat as he ponders on his reply)
Hmmm… I know that soulmates exist because I surely found mine regardless of what the powers that be say or think. But then again, my definition of a soulmate may differ from yours.
(steals a sideway stare her way)
I’m interested to hear your take on the matter.
YOON SE RI
It’s a flimsy alibi I use, but an alibi nonetheless. Something I tell myself to make me feel better about my ex. “He mustn’t be the one because the one is still out there.” I want to believe they exist, but only on the premise that I’ll find that person, eventually. It’s going to be so sad knowing you’ll never brush paths…
RI JEONG HYEOK
(stares at the campfire, thoughtful)
Maybe you did, but you might have missed him.
YOON SE RI
You mean one of the boys I swiped right?
(snorts and shakes her head)
I never really experienced having a deep, intense connection with a guy after my ex. And I’m convinced my own ex can’t be my soulmate because he can’t accept me for who I am…
YOON SE RI props her chin on her hands and knee.
YOON SE RI
Do you believe your ex is your soulmate? I thought the point of a condolence period is to wean out of a lost love. Why cling onto her?
RI JEONG HYEOK looks at her intently as he phrases his response in his head.
RI JEONG HYEOK
I made a promise to her that as long as she stays in my sight, I would protect her no matter what. And although she has already drifted away, I still try to keep my word even from afar.
YOON SE RI
(shakes her head and clicks her tongue)
Mister Ri, Mister Ri. I hate to say it, but you’re going to be a lost cause. You have to be ready for the right one to come. If you keep clinging onto your ex, you’ll never catch that bus.
RI JEONG HYEOK
I probably am.
RI JEONG HYEOK sighs, then rises to his feet and offers his hand to YOON SE RI.
RI JEONG HYEOK
And we’re also going to be lost campers tomorrow if we wake up late and fail to show up at the exact call time for the group hike we signed up for.
YOON SE RI
(takes his hand and stands up)
Mister Ri, I’m sure you’ve also told this to your clients but… don’t put all your eggs in one basket. You’re still young. Don’t give up. The right one is still out there.
CUT TO:
13. INT. YOON SE RI’S CAR — AFTERNOON
YOON SE RI drives the yellow beetle car to Jusanji Lake while turning to RI JEONG HYEOK for directions. Along the way she talks about their hike along Jubang Valley and how she liked two out of three waterfalls. Conversations all muted and are only conveyed by her gestures.
YOON SE RI
(looks sideways at him)
How do you normally celebrate your birthday? After the breakup, I used to go all-out, party at the club and all. Since I started my sober campaign, my celebrations have been withdrawn. I went from traveling abroad to just spending a quiet time at home with a small bottle of wine and cake. I was planning to go to Bali this year but when I was cleaning up my things, I saw this brochure of the national park so I thought… why not? It’s a completely new thing. So that’s how I got here.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(checks the GPS)
Were you trying to emulate Julia Roberts in “Eat, Pray, Love”?
YOON SE RI
Oh that’s right, that was filmed in Indonesia right?
(laughs)
How do you know that movie? I thought you’d be more on the… I don’t know, Godfather, lawyer, Scorsese type of movies.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Don’t get me wrong — I love those movies. It’s just that she drags me every Friday to watch chick flicks on the couch, only for her to fall asleep halfway.
YOON SE RI
I have a bad habit of sleeping in the movie house, too.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Ahhh…
(stops fidgeting with the app)
So… “Eat, Pray, Love”. Were you aiming to restart your life? Begin with a clean slate?
YOON SE RI
I’m always trying to restart my life, that’s the thing. It’s always starting and starting but never going. The positivity page that’s become my diary of sorts is the only thing constant… I guess because it always promotes new beginnings and a chance to change your life. Is it a right turn here?
RI JEONG HYEOK
Yes, hun.
YOON SE RI
Sorry what?
(turns the wheel to his intended direction)
RI JEONG HYEOK
(stares at her dumbfounded)
What?
YOON SE RI
Did you just call me… hun?
RI JEONG HYEOK
(deadpans)
No.
YOON SE RI
Don’t make this awkward between us.
RI JEONG HYEOK reaches over and puts his hand on her forehead, checking her temperature.
YOON SE RI swats it away, laughing.
YOON SE RI
Stop that… I have to say though, Mister Ri, this is exactly what I’m talking about clinging. Everything just reminds you about her.
(the side of her hand chops on the wheel)
You need to give yourself a chance to create new memories that have nothing to do with her. Are we close?
RI JEONG HYEOK
I think so. 500m.
(looks out the window, wary)
Well, at least I am part of the smaller percentage of men who don’t forget easily.
(pauses)
What about your ex-boyfriend? Was he able to at least complete the condolence period?
YOON SE RI
Him?
(scoffs and rolls her eyes)
He was around someone new in one month, like I was nothing but sport. Is your ex with someone new now?
RI JEONG HYEOK
(smirks)
She isn’t.
YOON SE RI’s mouth forms an o.
YOON SE RI
So that’s why you’re hanging on, because you think you still stand a chance. Do you guys still talk? Is she giving you any ‘feelers’ that she might want to reconcile?
RI JEONG HYEOK
(shrugs)
Sometimes. She’s quite… temperamental.
YOON SE RI
Temperamental in a sense that she’s indecisive about her feelings for you? She better make her mind - is that the parking?
(points ahead to a vacant lot)
CUT TO:
14. EXT. JUSANJI LAKE — AFTERNOON
RI JEONG HYEOK and YOON SE RI step out of the vehicle. For a while, they just stare at the scenery before them.
Eventually, they settle to stand at the back of the car, leaning on the trunk.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Not that she’s indecisive. She just…
(crosses his arms on his chest)
It’s complicated. Anyhow, doesn’t it feel good to know that someone’s affections for you linger even after years of being apart?
YOON SE RI takes several photos to capture the glassy lake surrounded by the mountains.
YOON SE RI
I don’t know…
(lowers the camera)
I would be chuffed to know that my ex is having a terrible marriage… but they have a kid so maybe not…
YOON SE RI turns to face her companion.
YOON SE RI
Have you seen “La La Land”? Maybe your girlfriend made you see this one Fridate night. It’s about these two people who are madly in love with each other but at the end of that movie, the couple decided to separate so the girl could pursue her acting career. Years later, the girl made it big and has a family of her own. She stumbles into the guy’s jazz bar which the both of them dreamed up when they were dating. She realizes that he still has feelings for her all the while and she probably still loves him, too. There’s this whole ‘what-if’ scenario that showed them being happy together… but that’s not their reality here. All they could do is to move on and live the paths they’ve chosen for themselves…
(stares off into the distance)
It was such a sad ending, a realistic ending… but I don’t think I can bear living like that.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Same here. Knowing what could have been can be a gift and a curse. It can either give you some peace of mind or haunt you for the rest of your life. And I’d rather own up to my choices than to sourgrape over the what-ifs.
YOON SE RI finds some pebbles down the ground and picks up a few, casting them into the lake. The pebbles create ripples of waves moving from the point of impact.
YOON SE RI
We can’t change the past… but we can always learn from it and create new opportunities that we can grab by the hand.
(offers the man some rocks)
RI JEONG HYEOK
(takes a few and encloses his fist around the stones)
Wouldn’t it be a lot easier to move forward and seize those chances if we never had traces of the past in our minds?
YOON SE RI
That was also a movie: “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”? Inducing memory loss to ‘erase’ the pain of heartbreak. It’s convenient I suppose, but grieving is another opportunity to grow… Through memories you can gather the strength to learn and do better. “Turn your wounds into wisdom.”
RI JEONG HYEOK
(throws her a sidestare)
Judging how you phrased your thoughts, I assume you have acquired quite a lot of wisdom from your memories. Care to share what is your most favorite takeaway?
YOON SE RI trails off trying to pin down a memory but she wounds up tossing a couple more pebbles into the surface of the lake.
YOON SE RI
I could say a lot of things… like the time I went to Paris, or my graduation party, or a random birthday celebration from my childhood or when I broke through my first one million followers… but I’ll be lying. It will still involve my ex, especially when he surprised me on our anniversary, rose petals in the hotel room and all. I don’t know what wisdom to glean from that other than I’m weak.
(smirks)
What’s yours?
RI JEONG HYEOK
Now you see how difficult it is to disassociate your reality from someone who was once the center of your universe.
YOON SE RI
But unlike you I’m really trying to do things differently. Is your fondest memory also of her?
RI JEONG HYEOK does not respond, and his silence makes YOON SE RI’s eyebrows rise in realization.
YOON SE RI
Is it… here?
RI JEONG HYEOK chooses not reply again. Instead, he throws a rock across the water surface.
RI JEONG HYEOK
In the span of five months, all I ever did was to do things differently because I had to — and look where it took me.
RI JEONG HYEOK prepares to do it again, but changes the angle. Somehow the stone sinks at the same spot.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Here. Always here.
YOON SE RI looks around her surroundings in new eyes and back at the man.
YOON SE RI
What happened here?
RI JEONG HYEOK
This is the place where I met her.
YOON SE RI
(rubs her arms as a chilly breeze sets in)
It’s a pretty place… but now that I’ve seen it in person, there are prettier lakes, Mister Ri.
RI JEONG HYEOK
You’re right.
YOON SE RI
Go to them, then. Make this the last time…
YOON SE RI’s face lights up as an idea strikes her.
YOON SE RI
Or do something like this. Watch.
YOON SE RI goes to the edge of the shore, flinging away all her remaining rocks, and shouts at the top of her lungs.
YOON SE RI
I HATE YOU, GU SEUNG JUN!! I HOPE YOU ROT IN HELL! I HOPE YOU NEVER FIND TRUE HAPPINESS FOR AS LONG AS YOU LIVE! GOOD LUCK FINDING SOMEONE WHO CAN DEAL WITH YOUR BULLSHIT!
RI JEONG HYEOK watches YOON SE RI with a pained expression on his face, as if he was tempering his emotions.
YOON SE RI dusts off her palms and goes back to her companion.
YOON SE RI
It feels good! Try it.
RI JEONG HYEOK gulps, then looks away before turning his back on YOON SE RI altogether.
YOON SE RI’s smiling face fades into a worried frown.
YOON SE RI
Why? Was it something I said?
YOON SE RI approaches RI JEONG HYEOK, one hand placed over his back.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(shakes his head)
Nothing.
YOON SE RI
Hey, if you need to let it out. Let it out. Don’t hold it in… No one’s here to listen. Pretend I’m not here. Or if you want me to cover my ears I will. Just tell —
RI JEONG HYEOK steps away from her and turns to face the shore.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(inhales deeply, then screams)
I HATE HOW YOU DID NOT INSIST THAT I TAKE YOU TO WORK THAT MORNING! HOW YOU LEFT THE HOUSE WITHOUT WAKING ME UP OR SAYING GOODBYE… HOW YOU DID NOT BOTHER TO CHECK YOUR TIRE! WHY MUST YOU BE SO STUBBORN, HUH? I TOLD YOU A MILLION TIMES TO ALWAYS DO THAT BEFORE SWITCHING THE GEAR TO DRIVE, RIGHT? WHAT THE HECK MAKES THAT TASK SO DIFFICULT, PICKY PRINCESS?
YOON SE RI is startled by RI JEONG HYEOK’s impassioned outburst that she is taken aback. Her hand recoils from him, her feet even take her further away the more he rages.
YOON SE RI
(utters to herself)
What…?
RI JEONG HYEOK
(pauses, voice cracking)
I HATE THAT… OUT OF ALL YOUR MEMORIES, YOU CHOSE TO FORGET ABOUT ME! YOU REMEMBERED YOUR GOOD-FOR-NOTHING EX AND ASKED FOR HIM AT THE HOSPITAL THE MOMENT YOU WOKE UP — AND YOU DIDN’T EVEN RECOGNIZE ME! ARE YOU FREAKING SERIOUS? I AM YOUR HUSBAND, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!
(chokes back on his tears)
I… I hate how I still hope that you would come back as if nothing happened, even if the doctor said that all I can do is wait, pray for that one day when I’m going to see you at the doorstep of our apartment telling me that it’s all an April Fools’ joke. That’s all I can do to live. If I give up on it, the pain of the loss will no doubt kill me.
(utters under his breath)
But it’s been five months, hun. Five months…
(pauses before he resumes speaking)
I stayed away from you, yet somehow, fate allowed our paths to cross again — and you still don’t know who I am.
(begins to tear up)
I miss you. I miss you so much. Please… please come back.
As RI JEONG HYEOK is reduced to tears, YOON SE RI is caught in a daze. Her hand goes to her head like she is suddenly feverish and dizzy. Her mind struggles to make sense of what is happening.
Arriving at no clear answer, YOON SE RI garners the courage to come forward and grab RI JEONG HYEOK by the shoulder so she could look at him, stare directly at his watery eyes.
YOON SE RI
Why did you bring me here?
RI JEONG HYEOK does not answer. He just stares downwards, crestfallen.
YOON SE RI
Is this some kind of sick joke?? It’s not funny…
RI JEONG HYEOK wipes the corners of his eyes with his thumb and tries to compose himself, then shakes his head and starts walking back to the passenger side.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Let’s go back.
YOON SE RI grabs him by his jacket and pulls him back to her.
YOON SE RI
You can’t make an outburst like that and just walk off like nothing happened! You brought me here for a reason!
(tugs at his sleeve)
How did you know about ‘Picky Princess’?? Why were you trying to get close to me??? Who the hell do you think you are??
RI JEONG HYEOK is stunned, eyes glaring at her, alarmed.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(stutters)
Y-you remember? You remember my pet name for you? What about that day? The… the accident?
RI JEONG HYEOK grabs her by the shoulders and draws her in, tears flowing in his eyes.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Can you recognize me, Yoon Se Ri?
YOON SE RI’s eyes widen in fear and agitation. She puts her palms on RI JEONG HYEOK’s chest to push him.
YOON SE RI
My ex gave me that name… I’ve never seen you in my life. You’re scaring me.
RI JEONG HYEOK loosens his hold on YOON SE RI, then steps back. Ultimately, he turns on his heel and walks away.
YOON SE RI watches RI JEONG HYEOK leave, but as he retreats farther away she runs after and shouts.
YOON SE RI
What accident?!
CUT TO:
15. EXT. ROAD LEADING TO JUSANJI LAKE — AFTERNOON
RI JEONG HYEOK keeps on walking. Behind him is YOON SE RI’s car.
YOON SE RI pulls over and steps out of the car, then chases after RI JEONG HYEOK.
YOON SE RI
Excuse me, Mister Ri.
(catches her breath)
But don’t you think I deserve an explanation for all this?
RI JEONG HYEOK
Believe me — what you don’t know won’t hurt you, Yoon Se Ri.
YOON SE RI
What, you think I’m doing just fine after that stunt you pulled off??
RI JEONG HYEOK stops walking and spins around to face her.
RI JEONG HYEOK
You don’t even know what you are talking about, so stop accusing me of pulling off a stunt!
YOON SE RI
THEN TELL ME for God’s sake because nothing is making any sense to me now!
RI JEONG HYEOK takes deep breaths, trying to calm himself down because he sees the panic in YOON SE RI’s face.
RI JEONG HYEOK
What do you remember after Gu Seung Jun? Where did you go the day after he got married?
YOON SE RI
Nothing, because I got miserably drunk. Is this a trick question?
RI JEONG HYEOK closes his eyes for a bit and shakes his head, then stares intently at her.
RI JEONG HYEOK
How old are you now, Yoon Se Ri?
YOON SE RI
35. What is this?
RI JEONG HYEOK
The missing pieces you were talking about… Have you found them? Have you put them back together? Do you even know what fragments you were searching for, Yoon Se Ri?
YOON SE RI becomes silent.
YOON SE RI
(stutters)
It’s the drinking, they said…
RI JEONG HYEOK hesitates, fists clenching as if there is a deep conflict brewing inside him. It takes him several seconds before he speaks again.
RI JEONG HYEOK
Yoon Se Ri, you never had a drinking problem. Yes, you partied a lot — but that was before you met me.
YOON SE RI is shocked, her eyes boring into his.
YOON SE RI
So according to you we met each other 10 years ago, how can that be? I hold no memento of you, no recollection of you. Hell, I don’t even know your name. For all I know you’re some stalker…
RI JEONG HYEOK
Se Ri, I…
(shakes his head)
I’m not a stalker, alright? You can check that old pamphlet you’re still carrying around. TP X PP… what do you think that means, huh? It’s not “Turning Point Program Plan”. It’s “Tsundere Prince and Picky Princess”. It’s you and me — and for god’s sake, Gu Seung Jun was not the one who gave that term of endearment to you!
YOON SE RI
(shakes her head)
But how can this be…? Seung-jun never gave me that name…?
RI JEONG HYEOK
I can’t believe how you could forget that, Se Ri! You…
(suppresses a sob)
You said you loved it whenever I called you that.
RI JEONG HYEOK runs a palm down his face, then puts the same hand on his waist as he deliberates on his next words.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(inhales deeply)
This… this argument will not do you any good. I’m sorry. I… Just forget about what I said.
RI JEONG HYEOK starts to walk away, but YOON SE RI stops him by grabbing his wrist.
YOON SE RI
(seething)
You promised me your name.
RI JEONG HYEOK avoids her glare.
YOON SE RI
Who are you, Mister Ri?
Unsure, RI JEONG HYEOK turns to face her.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(voice breaking)
Almost ten months ago, I woke up to a call from a man named Gu Seung Jun at 1:30 a.m., saying that someone from the hospital called him about a woman we both knew. It was my wife; she got into an accident the morning of the previous day. She didn’t have any IDs on her. That grandma — always forgetting her things.
(pauses)
When she woke up, she couldn’t remember anything about her life beyond the time she was twenty-five. Every record of the ten years in between was obliterated from her mind — and that included me, her husband.
YOON SE RI appears to be bewildered.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(gulps)
So to avoid making matters worse, I was asked to stay away from her until she recovers… something that, according to her doctors, would be some sort of a miracle in itself.
YOON SE RI’S grip loosens from his wrist and she looks away, lost, anxious and in denial.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(chuckles bitterly)
This might sound like a stranger’s story to you, but this is my reality, YOON SE RI. And for the past five months, I had been desperately wishing it was just one of the stupid pranks you saw on the internet and wanted to try on me.
YOON SE RI’s hand unconsciously goes to her head, appearing as though she was smoothening out her hair but is actually locating a scar she thought to be from childhood.
RI JEONG HYEOK takes another step closer to YOON SE RI. He reaches for both of her hands, and she is reluctant at first. But when he touches her, it baffles her how she doesn’t shy away like the last time.
RI JEONG HYEOK
(looks into her eyes, blinks away his tears)
Happy birthday, picky princess. I don’t know if you remember me — or if you ever will — but…
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
16. EXT. JUSANJI LAKE — 2010 — AFTERNOON
As they stand by the shore, RI JEONG HYEOK flashes a bedimpled smile at YOON SE RI and extends his hand.
RI JEONG HYEOK
…my name is Ri Jeong Hyeok.
END FLASHBACK:
17. EXT. ROAD LEADING TO JUSANJI LAKE — AFTERNOON
Upon hearing his name, YOON SE RI’s eyes land on his.
FADE OUT: