Chapter 16: To the UK

Life continued on in a routine manner. On Christmas Day, due to her schedule, Sunyeol did not return home in the evening to spend time with Lee Shin-hyoung, so for him, whether or not it was Christmas didn't matter much.

Today was another Saturday, another day for cooking lessons.

Today, they were teaching the dishes that Roh Jeong-eun had requested to learn: fried chicken and sausage pizza.

These dishes were quite simple and could be made at home. Now, Roh Jeong-eun's cooking skills had really improved; she could basically follow the recorded videos without needing to call Lee Shin-hyoung for help.

After teaching today's dishes, the two of them sat together as usual to drink coffee and chat.

"By the way, Jeong-eun, next week I'll be going to the UK with Sunyeol for a week, so I won't be able to teach you cooking next week," Lee Shin-hyoung said apologetically.

"It's fine. I can review what I've learned before, or try to learn a new dish on my own. I really envy you two going on a trip. Seoul is just too small, after all."

"Sunyeol and I are both very busy with work, so we rarely have time to go out. But this time, it's not just for fun; Sunyeol mainly wants to choose her wedding dress."

"Really?" Roh Jeong-eun exclaimed, realizing she had overreacted, and quickly covered her mouth to ask softly, "When? Why haven't I seen any news about it?"

"Sunyeol said she'll announce it on the wedding day. She's only inviting family and some friends, not the media. You and Jae-suk-ssi must come to the wedding!"

"Then I congratulate you both. Jae-suk-ssi and I will definitely attend. I really envy Sunyeol, even for choosing her wedding dress abroad."

"Mainly, we don't want the media to find out too early, and we also want to visit our grandparents in the UK. You don't need to envy us, Jeong-eun. Maybe it'll be your turn soon."

Roh Jeong-eun didn't respond to Lee Shin-hyoung's words, feeling a bit embarrassed and changing the subject.

After chatting for a while, Roh Jeong-eun and Lee Shin-hyoung parted ways. Lee Shin-hyoung's script was almost complete, but he still needed to make some revisions, so he didn't stay at the café and drove home.

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January 5, 2008

A new year had arrived, and the date of their wedding was drawing closer.

Sunyeol's previously requested leave from the company had been approved, but before the leave, she had been busy finishing the commercials she had taken on.

Early on the 5th, the two of them, dressed warmly, carried two suitcases and a backpack and hailed a taxi to Gimpo Airport.

After having breakfast at a café in the airport, the two of them boarded the flight to Manchester, UK.

Lee Shin-hyoung had booked business class tickets, and since the flight was about twelve hours long, comfort was important.

"Do you want to take a nap now, or watch a movie first?" Lee Shin-hyoung asked Sunyeol, who was sitting by the window.

"I'll sleep for a bit; I haven't had enough sleep these past few days." Sunyeol yawned and reclined her seat.

Lee Shin-hyoung asked the flight attendant for a blanket, covered Sunyeol, and then turned on the small screen in front of him, put on his headphones, and chose a 2004 film by Stephen Chow, "Kung Fu," to pass the time.

Lee Shin-hyoung enjoyed Stephen Chow's slapstick humor, but his favorite was the "Journey to the West" series: "A Chinese Odyssey" and "A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella."

Each time he watched, he gained new insights, probably because as he grew older, he could see things in the film that he hadn't noticed when he was younger.

After about twelve hours of flying, they finally arrived at Manchester Airport, around noon UK time. The two of them, wearing wool coats and hats, stepped out of the plane.

The UK has rainy weather for about half of the month, but today was quite nice, although the sky was overcast and it wasn't raining.

The weather in Manchester in January is very cold, with an average temperature between 2°C and 7°C. However, it's better than Seoul, where the temperature in January ranges from -5°C to 3°C.

"Ooh! It's so cold!" Sunyeol exhaled a puff of white breath as soon as they stepped outside.

"Let's get our luggage and go to the hotel to rest," Lee Shin-hyoung said, holding Sunyeol's hand.

Fortunately, there were no other flights at this time, so it took less than half an hour to complete the check-in and luggage retrieval procedures.

Lee Shin-hyoung obtained two 7-day transportation cards at the airport, which made travel more convenient and offered discounts, saving a considerable amount of money.

After getting their luggage, the two of them left the airport. There were convenient metro and bus options near the airport exit. Manchester has a well-developed and extensive transportation system, but it's also quite complex. They took a bus to the hotel they had booked in the city center.

Since they had just arrived, Lee Shin-hyoung didn't rush to take Sunyeol to their grandparents' home in Liverpool. They planned to stay in Manchester for a day to adjust before heading there the next day.

"Click" The hotel room door opened, and they led the way in with their luggage.

"Wow! Finally, I can lie down properly." After the attendant left, Sunyeol immediately flopped onto the bed.

"Let's order some food first. You didn't eat much on the plane. Why don't you take a hot shower while I order the food?" Lee Shin-hyoung pulled Sunyeol off the bed and picked up the phone to order room service.

By the time Sunyeol finished her shower, the food was already on the table.

They ordered two Chicken Kiev, one Cumberland Sausage. British sausages are a highlight of British cuisine, with varieties like Irish sausages and black pudding, all of which are worth trying.

They also ordered coleslaw and potato salad, two very popular cold dishes that can be served with hot dishes or eaten on their own.

After eating, they slept for about an hour before going downstairs and leaving the hotel.

Although Lee Shin-hyoung had been to Manchester many times, he hadn't really explored much, as he mostly stayed in Liverpool.

The two of them wandered the streets aimlessly, trying some of the popular street foods, such as fish and chips, mashed peas, baked potatoes, various flavors of sausages, and a very tasty sponge cake called "Wet Nelly," which is worth trying. If you're not used to the local food, you can go to Faulkner Street, which is the largest Chinatown in the UK, where you can find delicious Chinese food in the many restaurants and supermarkets.

Manchester's prosperity is due to its well-developed tourism and commercial systems, but this doesn't mean everything is expensive! In Manchester, you can find many 1-pound stores, where most items cost around 1 pound, making them very affordable. At the Arndale Centre in the city center, you can have a grand shopping spree, finding various European brands.

However, they still had to go to Liverpool, so they weren't in a hurry to buy clothes. Sunyeol, however, found a few interesting small accessories at a 1-pound store, saying she would buy them as a birthday gift for Bae Yun-ji.

They walked and explored, taking breaks at roadside cafes when they got tired, having something to drink or eat, and then continuing their exploration, experiencing the local culture.

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