A Spring Duet in Korea

"I did," Hye-jin explained, "but he was working that day. Are you angry with me?"

"No. Maybe. I don't know!" I threw my hands up in the air. "I just realized I am in a lesbian relationship with my boss's daughter and the implications are just starting to catch up with me!"

Hye-jin took my cheek into her hand. "I'm sorry, Ella. I just didn't think about it. I don't talk with him really that much."

I touched her hand with my own and curled into it. "I'm just more surprised than anything. I usually just avoided the boss at work, and now, well, I don't really have the luxury for the next few days."

Hye-jin gave me a quick peck on the lips. "Maybe you can get to know him better. You can ask him about being able to perform at Lotte Mart. Also, wanting to actually learn about Korean culture will make him like you more."

"Until he learns that I'm totally gay for his daughter," I mumbled.

Hye-jin giggled, and gave me one more long and warm kiss. At this point I had mostly forgiven her, but I was still pensive about the situation. We exited the washroom and headed back to the car, where Mr. Lee was waiting for us in the driver's seat. We loaded in, and began the three-hour drive to our destination. We seemed to have gotten ahead of the majority of the traffic leaving the city, but the roads were noticeably filling up as we drove.

The conversation in the car was muted. Mr. Lee made some idle work conversation, but it lasted all of fifteen minutes before we ran out of workplace topics to talk about. It got quiet for a while before Mr. Lee began lecturing me about Seollal traditions, which Hye-jin had already informed me about, but I simply let him talk to be diplomatic. At a certain point, I had to pull out my phone to distract myself as the Korean countryside passed me by.

Finally, after an hour of twisting and turning through the mountain roads, we arrived at the home of Hye-jin's grandparents. They lived in a traditional Korean home which Hye-jin called a hanok that was nestled in the forests of the Gangwon mountains. A hanok is a wide house situated on a stone foundation with wood frames and sloped, tiled roofs. The rooms were arrayed around an open courtyard, and everything about the property suggested it had been there since time immemorial.

Mr. Lee parked in front of the property, where two short, silver-haired figures stood waiting. Hye-jin's grandparents had wide smiles as they waved to our car, and as soon as Hye-jin exited the car she was embraced by her grandmother. Mr. Lee and his father greeted each other warmly, chattering away in Korean, while I hung back and attempted to not be awkward. Hye-jin told me that her grandparents didn't speak English, so when she brought her grandmother to me she acted as translator and introduced me to her. I bowed respectfully, and Hye-jin translated that her grandmother was happy to be a host to an American for Seollal.

Hye-jin's grandfather led us into the house, which I have to admit was gorgeous. You don't see many traditional houses in the cities - mostly just cheap concrete apartment buildings - but the Lee house was a work of art. There was an open air garden with a pleasant sitting area in the middle of the rooms, which felt immediately welcoming. Taking my shoes off to step from the courtyard to the raised wood walkway, Hye-jin's grandmother showed us to one of the guest rooms which Hye-jin and I would share. A large bed roll was set in the middle of the wooden floor, and I was thankful that at the very least we'd get to share a room.

Lunch had already been prepared, and I got to experience Hye-jin's grandmother's legendary cooking for the first time. There were over a dozen side dishes scattered around the table, and Hye-jin relayed questions from her grandparents to me while we ate. The usual questions: where are you from, do I like Korea, the usual fare. I eventually learned that her grandmother's name was Kyung, and her grandfather's name was Song-ho, and that they operated a jimjilbang, a Korean spa and hot spring, not far away.

After lunch, the Lee men sipped tea and had a somber conversation, while Hye-jin assisted Kyung in the kitchen. I happily offered to tag along, since I really wanted to see how an authentic Korean kitchen was run. Thankfully I was given the most menial tasks; Kyung and Hye-jin were far more skilled with food prep and I was just happy to get to watch. Even though she didn't understand a bit of English, Kyung was very sweet and friendly. I happily chopped vegetables while Kyung fawned over her beloved granddaughter.

We spent most of the afternoon in the kitchen, and just as we finished setting up for a rather large amount of food another carload of people arrived. This was Hye-jin's uncle Jung-min, his wife Ji-young, and their two children: a 10-year-old boy named Min-jun and a 7-year-old girl named Ji-eun. I was very impressed that Kyung managed to have dinner ready precisely when her second son arrived. While Jung-min and Ji-young spoke some English, Min and Ji-eun were thrilled to use every bit of English they were learning in school and were excited to have an fascinating and exotic guest for Seollal.

Dinner was served shortly after the family got settled into the big guest room, and it was even better than the lunch we had - the table was covered with little side dishes of vegetables and various foods I had no names for, and a large pot of pork stew with a pile of dumplings. The men set upon their first bottle of soju and conversed amongst each other while the kids bickered and played with each other. Hye-jin did her best to translate for me while us women chatted, and I had to admit; even though I was ostensibly just Hye-jin's foreign friend, I felt like part of the family.

As the evening wore down, Hye-jin and I helped Kyung clear the table while the rest of the family got settled into their rooms. Jung-min's family would all be sharing the bigger guest room, as it was common for Korean families to sleep together. Hye-jin mentioned that she and her father typically shared the smaller guest room, but since I was here they made up one of the side rooms for him to sleep in. Thank god for that, the last thing I wanted was for her father to sleep in the same room as us!

Kyung shooed Hye-jin and me into our room while she finished cleaning up. Our room was mostly unadorned, with a simple thin mattress called a shikibuton rolled up on the wooden floor, with a pile of pillows and blankets on top. I noticed that the mattress was rather large.

"Um, is there a particular reason that your grandmother put out a two-person futon?"

Hye-jin gave me an odd look. "Well, Appa has the only other futon in his room."

"You know what I mean," I squeaked. "I didn't expect to have your grandmother put me and you into the same bed!"

"It's pretty common in Korea, Ella," said Hye-jin, matter-of-factly. "Besides, we sleep together every night."

"In Iowa, my parents would never put us in the same bed...especially if they knew we were dating!"

"Maybe Iowa is strange," smiled Hye-jin. "Now, are you going to help me make the bed?"

We rolled out the futon and to my surprise it was quite spacious. Quite big enough for two people to not be bumping into each other all night, though Hye-jin and I were quite the cuddle bugs. After slipping on our pajamas, we quickly crawled under the blankets and laid on our backs next to each other. We turned our heads to each other at the same moment, and smiling we wrapped our arms around each other. It got warm quickly under the blanket. Very quietly, we softly nuzzled and kissed each other, our hands moving softly along our respective bodies.

"We have to be careful," I whispered between kisses, "I'm starting to get frisky over here, and I don't want you to make too much noise."

"You make more noise than I do," replied Hye-jin as she kissed the nape of my neck.

She was right of course, as I gasped loudly at her lips meeting my neck. I was starting to get excited, and my hand slipped under Hye-jin's t-shirt to stroke her lower back. I was definitely getting turned on, and the only thoughts I had involved the growing warmth between us and just how quiet I could be as I got us both naked.

It was then that I heard Mr. Lee shout something out in the courtyard, to which Hye-jin and I immediately froze. I was brought sharply back to the reality that her family was mere yards away, behind thin walls, and there was no way we could hope to fool around without a copious amount of noise. Wordlessly, and grudgingly, Hye-jin and I nodded to each other. With a final kiss, we detached from each other, and she rolled over with her back to me. I immediately spooned her from behind - after all, even though sex was off the table, there was no way I wasn't going to curl up with my girlfriend.

The next morning, after the family and I shared a Korean style breakfast, Hye-jin explained that that morning we would be going to the jimjilbang that her grandparents owned. Because of the holiday, it was closed for the general public. However, since Hye-jin's grandparents owned it, the family would have exclusive access for the day. I had never been to a Korean spa before, mostly because I was apprehensive about being nude in front of people, even if the men and women were segregated. But since Kyung and Ji-young were remaining at the house to decorate, it would pretty much be just me and Hye-jin.

The jimjilbang was just a quick drive down the road. It was a small, unassuming building which was clearly old and in a traditional style. Since there was no staff on duty today, Hye-jin's grandfather unlocked the front doors, and once inside the lobby the Lee men headed to the men's entrance while Hye-jin and I went to the women's entrance. There was a sort of locker room with several mirrors and stations along the wall set with stools. Immediately Hye-jin began to strip down, folding her clothes and setting them inside the locker.

"Do I need a towel to cover with or something?" I asked.

"It's just us in here, Ella," Hye-jin responded, amused and stepping out of her pants. "Besides, you don't wear a towel in a jimjilbang."

"If you say so," I replied as I pulled off my shirt. Soon the two of us were fully nude as we stowed our clothes into a locker.

Hye-jin was perfectly comfortable standing around naked, but for me uncomfortable memories of high school gym class bubbled in my head. Hye-jin took my hand and led me over to a low basin next to a short stool and had me sit facing a mirror. My knees were pulled in front of my chest as Hye-jin grabbed a nearby bucket and a cloth.

"Before we go into the hot spring, we have to wash ourselves," Hye-jin explained. "I'll wash your back first, then you can wash mine."

I was smirking as I sat and allowed Hye-jin to begin scrubbing my back. I pulled my hair over my shoulder while she lathered me up. I have to admit, it was incredibly intimate having her wash me like this, though I think for her it was nothing she hadn't done before. The bathrooms in our apartments were far too small for us to shower together, so this was a first for me. I did notice that she went fairly low with her washing; I can only assume that non-girlfriends kept their cloth above the hips. I most definitely didn't mind the attention she was giving my bottom.

Once I was soaped up, we switched places, and I took the cloth to give Hye-jin's back the same attention. She reached behind her head and gathered up her long black hair, as she sat sublimely on the stool. I started working her soft, smooth back as well as her bare shoulders. I reached around to soap her hips and the tops of her legs, to which she giggled. We rinsed each other off with a nearby nozzle, and though I tied back my hair in a simple ponytail, Hye-jin tied hers in an elegant, complicated knot. Hye-jin took my hand and led me to a doorway with sunlight bursting through the glass.

"We're going outside!?" I stammered.

"Of course, Ella. It's a hot spring."

I pressed my knees together in apprehension, but Hye-jin pulled me outside with her. I had never been naked outdoors, and I must have been blushing furiously. We were in a sort of garden area, with several plants and flowers among the various pools and tubs. It was very natural looking, with stone paths and a lot of flowing water. It was framed on all sides by tall brick walls, and despite the two of us being alone and sequestered I felt rather exposed. There were parts of my body that had never seen sunlight before.

The bigger pools were fully covered with a tarp, but the fancier spring near the back was open and waiting for us. It was circular shaped, with stone tiles circling it. Behind it was a gorgeous view of a distant mountain, peeking over the brick privacy wall. The pool bubbled and churned in blue and white foam, and Hye-jin dipped her toe into the water to test the temperature. She was so lovely standing there, with her bare skin glistening in the sun. She deftly stepped into the water, her naked legs followed by her torso submerging into the water as she settled in. She turned to me, resting her forearms on the edge of the bath. She flashed her brown eyes at me and smiled.

"Does it look nice, Ella?"

I quivered at the heavenly sight before me, and stepping in slowly I joined her in the bath. The water was quite warm, and it felt energizing. I sat next to Hye-jin, the water up to our shoulders as we beamed at each other. Our hands stroked each other's thighs underneath the water as we moved closer together.

"I haven't bathed with someone close to me like this," whispered Hye-jin as my hand went around her waist.

"I've never bathed like this period," I said breathlessly. "I take it you're not supposed to touch like this in the ladies' spa?"

"You're not. But I've always wanted to," grinned Hye-jin as she put her arm around my shoulder, pulling me close to her.

For several minutes I sat leaning against her, our wet bodies pressed against each other as our hands explored below the surface. Being out in the open sky like this was thrilling, and despite Hye-jin's insistence that we behave in the bath, I began kissing her collarbone while sliding my hand closer to her pussy. Hye-jin gasped as my fingers touched her inner lips, and with her free hand she raised my chin and we kissed.

We kept at it for some time, kissing and caressing each other, the heat of the water only encouraging us. We were careful to muffle our moans, just in case someone outside of the walls could hear, and for the better part of an hour we cycled through caressing, making out, and relaxing with our bodies pressed together. And of course, circling right back to caressing to behind again. At a certain point, I had crawled on top of Hye-jin's lap, straddling her as our wet breasts pressed against each other as we kissed frantically. Her hands massaged my ass as she moaned into my mouth.

It was then that we heard the playful yelling of a child, followed by the stomping of small, running feet.

I immediately flopped backwards off of Hye-jin's lap with a splash, as little Ji-eun came running into the pool area naked as a jaybird. She was followed by her mother Ji-young and Kyung, both equally nude and walking in our direction. Thankfully, they were engaged in conversation with each other and didn't see what Hye-jin and I had been doing only moments before. Apparently they had finished their house preparations and decided to join us at the jimjilbang.

The three of them were gabbing away in Korean as Hye-jin and I settled down and played innocent. They smiled at me, completely nonchalant about their nudity, and stepped into the bath with us. Ji-eun was boisterously splashing while the women settled and relaxed in the water. I sucked in my lips in awkwardness: half because I wasn't used to bathing with a group of other people, and half because I had been very close to another climax. The hot water wasn't helping my situation at all.

After about a half hour of awkwardly bathing while Hye-jin translated between the women and me, we eventually piled out of the bath. I was still awkward about being naked outside, and I practically darted back to the locker room to preserve what little remained of my modesty. We all showered once again, and I was the first person to put my clothing back on in the locker area. I think they were all amused by my bashfulness, which was probably typical of foreigners in a jimjilbang.

Once back into the lobby, we joined up with the male side of the family, and returned to the house. For the rest of the day, the family played some traditional Korean board games while Hye-jin and her grandmother worked in the kitchen. The kids were thrilled that in me they found an adult they could easily beat playing these games, and even Mr. Lee was noticeably enjoying himself. In fact, during dinner that evening he made it a point to share an expensive bottle of soju with me, referring to me as "his excellent teacher."

As Mr. Lee and I shared a shot, Hye-jin joined us and sat down next to her father. "You know, Appa, Ella and I had something we wanted to ask you," she said to him, pointedly in English. She winked at me.

"Ah, what is this," Mr. Lee asked, after wiping his lip.

Very clever of Hye-jin to approach him in the middle of drinks. "Well, Mr. Lee, Hye-jin had a meeting with the manager of Lotte Mart. We have an opportunity to perform there, just like at Christmas. We were hoping to receive your permission."

"It is a good opportunity, Appa," Hye-jin said smoothly, as she gently poured more soju into his glass.

"I'm thinking it is okay," Mr. Lee answered after a moment of consideration, "but it cannot making effects on Joy Academy."

"Of course not, sir," I responded. "In fact, I was thinking that it may be good for promoting the school."

Mr. Lee looked at me through his thick glasses. "Promoting?"

"Well, I could keep some business cards or pamphlets for Joy Academy on hand. If anyone was looking for a hogwan, I could totally recommend the school."

Mr. Lee was thoughtful for a moment, while Hye-jin poured soju into my glass. "Fine. Very fine," he said at last. "I will have some cards made for you. Yes, very fine. It is a good idea."

"Thank you, Appa," exclaimed Hye-jin. She then quickly poured a glass for herself, and with a clink of the glasses, Hye-jin and I were in business!.

The next day was quite solemn, as it was the primary day of remembrance. In the morning, after dressing in their traditional outfits, the entire family drove to the gravesite of the family. Hye-jin in particular wore an ornate, white and red hanbok, a sort of high waisted gown. She looked so regal that I felt a little out of place in my simple, light blue dress. The grave was a carved stone of dark gray with Korean characters on it, and the family members took turns bowing before it in respect. After placing various flowers and some food before the stone as an offering, we returned to the house.

Once we returned, the ceremony of honoring the elders began. Song-ho and Kyung took their place in the main room, in their full Korean garb, and Jung-Min's family began by prostrating themselves in respect. Thank you's were given, and Song-ho handed each of his grandchildren a packet of money. I joined Mr. Lee and Hye-jin for their turn; Hye-jin had explained what to do at the ceremony, and together we kneeled and bowed low in respect to Kyung and Song-ho. Sadly, I did not receive any cash, but I did get an appreciative smile from both grandparents. The rest of the day involved a lot more games and feasting; I couldn't believe just how much eating was involved with this holiday!

We planned on getting an early start back to Wonju the next morning, and I must say I was sad to leave. The family gathered to say goodbye; the kids happily hugged their new American friend, and their parents expressed their happiness in meeting me in their limited English. Even Hye-jin's grandfather managed to say something kindly in Korean. The last person I said goodbye to was Kyung, who gave me a warm hug while Hye-jin and her father started the car.