"Hello, Jeju Island."

I stepped out of the airport, taking a whiff of fresh air as the gentle breeze blew through my hair.

"Yoojin!" A voice shouted from the distance. I whipped around, a petite figure waving excitedly at me. She ran to me, pouncing on me with a huge hug.

"It's so good to see you again!" Aunt Youngshin exclaimed, the wrinkles around her eyes creasing upwards, "How have you been?"

"Fine, I guess." I gave her a small smile as she squeezed my shoulders in delight. I wouldn't say I'm not glad to see her, but she can be a little overwhelming at times.

"You must be tired, let's hurry to my place," she said quickly and grabbed my luggage, supporting my back as we headed to her car.

The ride to her place was incredulously long, or maybe it was because my aunt would never go a second without talking.

"I've already prepared a room for you, so just settle right in, alright?" She chattered, glancing towards me for half of the time.

"I see, thank you," I answered mindlessly, before gazing out of the window again.

The view before me was spectacular, the afternoon sun offering a glistening glow on the surface of the sea. The scarcity of housing added the much needed peaceful vibe to the picture, enough to drown both my thoughts and her words out.

"We're here," my aunt's voice broke the moment as she smoothly parked in front of a historically-looking cottage. She rushed to help me out of my seat, struggling with my belongings at the same time.

I took a long look at the building, examining the small cracks forming around the edges of her house. Of course, what did I expect?

"Let's go in," she grinned as both of us stepped into the house, my mouth falling wide open.

Despite the crummy exterior, the interior of her house was immaculately modern, her furniture looking well kept even after living here for 30 years. I couldn't help but feel jealous for my brother.

"Where's my room?" I chimed subconsciously, surprised at my perkiness. She pointed excitedly to a small corner, and a sudden wave of dejection fell over me.

I hobbled over to the dark brown door with little hope, before being met with the bright interior of my new bedroom.

I strolled in slowly, admiring the white, minimalistic theme that was surrounding me. It was definitely a change from my cluttered room, although I can't guarantee that this one will stay this way.

"Do you like it?" My aunt asked from the doorway, full of hope.

"Yes, a lot." I smiled, this time a lot bigger. She clapped her hands and jumped with joy, pure glee written all over her face.

"By the way," a question came to mind as my aunt looked at me with curiosity, "Can I take a look around the town?"

"Of course!" She exclaimed, "I'll be at my workplace, so drop by when you're done." I gave her a nod before she left me alone to unpack.

I sat on my bed, feeling the soft fabric slide under my palms as I gazed around my room once more. I didn't know my aunt was capable of doing all this with just a two-week notice. I can definitely get used to this.

---

I left the house in a struggle, dragging my injured foot with every step. I've been trying to do away with my crutches as much as possible, but it hasn't been easy.

Luckily, the road ahead of me was in my favour.

I strolled along the side of the empty road, the calm atmosphere causing me to forget about my ankle.

The wind blew through my hair as I took in the shops and houses that passed by me, stopping and peering into each one of them. The residents here range from small children to older folks, from couples to big families. One thing they have in common? Their friendliness.

"Hey, little girl!" A middle-aged woman called out to me, "You're Youngshin's niece, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am," I replied, flabbergasted. Apparently, my aunt knows a lot of people here too.

"I knew it! She was right about your beauty, you're so pretty!" I couldn't help but laugh at her sudden compliment.

"Thank you.." I stuttered, hastily leaving before I could feel any more embarrassed.

It wasn't long till I saw the end of the road, with a few trails leading off into directions. Right in the middle, a huge flat building stuck out like a sore thumb. Curious, I trudged up the small slope, coming face to face with the enormous yet familiar structure.

"Isn't this... a gym?" I wondered to myself, scrutinising the greyish walls that were surprisingly higher than they looked. The block letters on the signboard finally grew visible as I stepped closer.

"Club Yeoljeong?" I read it out, squinting at the words beneath it.

"Taekwondo training centre?"

How ill-fated could I get? But that was all the more the reason to check it out.

I entered with pure caution, inspecting the place with bitter feelings. My eyes met with the receptionist at the counter, and she greeted me with much politeness.

"May I help you?" Her Jeju accent was strong, but I understood it anyway.

"It's okay, I'm just checking it out. You see, I'm new here," I blurted, cursing at myself for the unnecessary information. Luckily, the woman in front of me was more than happy to hear that.

"Really? Are you interested in joining Taekwondo? Do you want to take a look at the training ground?" Her questions shot out like bullets, too fast for me to dodge them. Part of me wanted to reject her offer and run home, but I was too curious.

"I'll just take a look," I replied kindly as she eagerly showed me the entrance to the gymnasium. Another stroke of astonishment hit me as I entered, the area looking twice as big as the outside. Mats were aligned neatly on the ground, with a few targets and equipment placed along the edges. It was humongous compared to my previous training centre, but why am I even comparing?

"This is where our team trains, although classes usually start in the evening. Would you like to stay for a look?" The receptionist tried to bait me again, but this time I wasn't caught.

"No, it's okay," I denied, gazing around the immense hall once again. I still couldn't believe a training ground this big actually exists, almost convincing me to get back into the sport. In the midst of my thoughts, she seemed to have sensed my reluctance to leave.

"I'll let you roam around a while more, and if you have any queries, you can come and find me," she suggested one last time, slowly leaving me in the mouth of the gymnasium.

I hesitated a while, eventually taking off my shoes and entering the place. The soft mats could be felt through my socks as I advanced further in.

This place was really amazing, although lacking numerous amenities, but they have the essentials. I walked past the few body opponent bags they had, brushing my hands past each of them. Memories starting taking over me again as I was brought back to my former training ground, the lively atmosphere being the reason I go every day. Our classes were small, but that meant more specialised coaching, which was how our club rose and snatched all the gold medals in the past few years. Well, except recently.

The chattering sound of people jolted me back to reality as I quickly tiptoed back to the entrance. I'm not risking anyone recognising me here. I slipped on my shoes in a haste, colliding into someone as I exited the hall.

"Ah!" I stumbled backwards, hopping on my left leg for support. I glanced up immediately, waiting for an apology from the person.

However, he stared at me indifferently, before heading towards the male changing room beside the gym without a word.

"What the-" I scoffed in disbelief, furrowing my eyebrows at his rude act. Given the current state I'm in, he should be thankful I didn't go after him.

"Right, I shouldn't have any beef during my first day here," I mumbled to myself, scowling a last time at the closed changing room door before leaving.

I trudged the whole way back, my right foot numb from all the walking. Then again, it felt good to walk freely again, in fact, this could be part of my daily rehabilitation from now on. Maybe I could even start running in the next few days.

Don't force yourself if you can't.

A mysterious voice rang in my head.

You won't recover like this.

I shook the words out of my head. Gosh, even my subconscious is doubting me now.

"Yoojin!" Aunt Youngshin's voice sharp voice pierced into my left ear as I turned around. She came running out of a bakery, a flour-covered apron wrapped tightly around her.

"You're just in time, come in!" She pulled me into the shop, the air of freshly baked bread teasing my nose. She sat me down in one of the seats, placing a tray of golden brown french toast in front of me.

"What's this?" I perked up at the orange jam that was spread over it.

"It's our new menu, try it!" She chimed, her hands clasped tightly together as I took a careful bite of the bread. A sharp citrus flavour shot up my tongue as I winced, before it slowly turned sweet.

"It's nice." I licked my lips, digging in another bite. My aunt smiled, before turning a little more serious.

"By the way, I heard you went up to the gym on the hill," she half-whispered and I nearly choked. "Are you planning to go there?"

"Are you crazy?" I blabbered, "Who even told you that?" My mind immediately went back to that lady I met on the way.

"Just a friend," she laughed, sounding a little taken aback. She darted her eyes around the room, before continuing in a softer voice, "But still, are you planning to stop forever? You should have some fun while you're here."

I put down my half-eaten toast and sighed, "Aunt, I came here to relax, not to train. Besides, do you think I train for fun?"

For the first time, she kept quiet. I felt a little guilty for snapping at her like that, but I said what I had to say.

"Alright, I get it what you mean," she sighed, "I shouldn't force you to do something you don't want to do, but think about it alright? I need to get back in the kitchen."

She stood up and left, leaving me a smile before disappearing into the kitchen. I picked up my unfinished piece of bread, before putting it down again.

"Aish, she made me lose my appetite," I grumbled, her words echoing in my mind. Taekwondo for fun? Did I actually ever had fun? I really couldn't remember, or it wasn't significant enough to stay in my memory. I had been so caught up with preparations for multiple competitions, I actually forgot how it felt like to enjoy training.

I tapped my fingers on the table. As much as I hate to admit it, I have a strong urge to get back in.

Right, it wouldn't hurt to take a trial.