It was 2 p.m. by the time he returned home. He took out the maesil-cheong^[1] extract that he put in the corner of his dressing room and stripped the black vinyl cover and opened the lid. After blowing away the sour smell from the fermentation, he dipped a wooden chopstick into the contents and put it in his mouth. There was a strong sense of sweetness followed by a faint sourness. That was the taste he wanted. He took the bottle of muesli-cheong and honey-dipped ginger.

The car that moved around busily headed into Seoul. He turned his car into the familiar alley. As he was driving up the hill slowly with the window open, Maru heard a familiar sound. Woof woof, it was Dalgu, who had become old, barking. He took the maesil-cheong and the ginger and got out of the car. Behind Dalgu’s children, who were wagging their tails at the entrance, was Dalgu, who looked docile now.

“I see, you’re old huh.”

He opened the front gate. When the rusty iron door creaked open, the pups returned to their mother. Maru patted Dalgu, who yawned with her belly on the ground, on the head before standing in front of the main door.

“Elder, it’s me, Maru.”

He shouted while knocking on the door. A moment later, he heard a voice telling him to come in. He opened the door and went in. The smell of doenjang across the whole house as well...