I restlessly pace around the observatory and run into a large sculpture at the center of the lookout point. The sculpture takes the shape of a mother holding a child in her arms, and you can trace the visitors’ touch by the hand marks. It’s hard to tell what kind of face the mother is making. It’s not sculpted delicately, so it’s not very detailed. Or perhaps the worms of time slowly ate away her pupils, nose, neck, and fingers. I feel an odd sensation of déjà vu. I feel like I’ve seen this mother-child sculpture before. I’m certain that I have. But this is my first time in Taejong Beach. Am I confusing that sculpture with Michelangelo’s Pieta, which I’m obsessed with? It can’t be. The woman doesn’t look anything like Mary, or the son like Jesus. Where did I see this sculpture before?

We follow the arrows pointing to the lighthouse coffee shop. The arrows guide us to climb down a spiral staircase leading to the basement. The place looks like an old tea shop. The lights are dim, and melodramatic Teuroteu music is playing. The miniskirt-clad clerk greets us.

“Do you have mango juice?” Eunyong asks.

“We only have orange juice.”

Eunyong orders juice anyway and the rest of us order hot cocoa.

“Sol, could you read the letter I gave you? Out loud so we all can read it together. The hospital director gave it to me.”

Sol unfolds the paper that I folded tight, and reads the letter sing-songily:

Dear Yeoul,

It was hard to be stuck in the hospital for a week, wasn’t it? You will be discharged tomorrow. I’m so glad you are recovering well. Even after you’re released, don’t forget to come every Wednesday to be tested and to get meds, okay? I told Dr. Yoon to take special care of you, so if you think you’ll need physical therapy or need to consult with anyone, go to him. You’ll be done with the cast in no time as long as you walk regularly.

I’m flying to Verona tomorrow. Jihyun’s father is feeling very ill. When he describes the symptoms to me, I suspect he might have stomach cancer, but he is a stubborn man and won’t go to see a doctor. Jihyun wants to spend a few more days in Korea before visiting him—I think he cares about you a lot. I wonder how you feel about him. I don’t mind if you decide to stay with him at our place for a while. I trust you two.