Free Web NovelA few days later, Yeon Huijae rose from her seat and carefully, cautiously lifted her face above the wall.
And then her eyes met Gi Taeseok’s.
“Gi Taeseok!”
The boy—who might have been waiting there for who knew how long—was already there.
The moment he saw the girl beaming at him, Taeseok strode over with wide steps, his eyes flickering with unmistakable delight. freewёbnoνel.com
“What are you.”
“Huh?”
“Why’s it so hard to see your face.... I almost ate it all.”
“Ate... my whole face?”
“I almost forgot it. Forgot.”
“Lost it?”
Because her fever had not fully gone down yet, Joseon words tangled and twisted inside Huijae’s head.
Hearing that voice again after so long made Taeseok’s heart melt.
“Don’t lose me!”
“...Alright. I won’t.”
“Heehee.”
The girl laughed out loud, her cheeks still flushed. Without thinking, Taeseok almost reached out to brush her cheek—but he pulled his hand back.
Her skin looked soft and faintly fragrant. If his rough fingers touched it, it felt like it might hurt her.
“Were you sick? You caught a cold, right?”
“Mm. My whole body’s warm.”
“You better now?”
“You’re very brave.”
As the two exchanged the words they hadn’t been able to say before, time flowed cruelly fast.
Dang-. Dang-. Dang-.
The bell rang from the harbor. It was time for Taeseok to leave.
“That flower, you know....”
Huijae’s lips moved slightly. She wanted to proudly tell him what she had found out.
“Flower? The white flower?”
But if she told him now that she knew it, then she had already found the answer. He might not take her to that mountain again.
Thinking that, Huijae pressed her lips shut.
When the seasons passed and spring came, she would tell him then—while looking at the pear blossom together—that the flower she had been searching for was that one all along. He would surely be surprised. He would ask how she knew.
And that time, she would answer in much better Joseon words than now.
That a Joseon person had taught her.
Dang-. Dang-. Dang-.
The bell rang again, as if urging their parting.
Huijae shook her head firmly.
“Next time!”
The boy, who had been watching the girl’s soft smile, nodded.
“Yeah. Next time.”
With movements unusually slow, Taeseok stepped back from the wall and mounted his bicycle.
“Have a safe trip—.”
That single sentence alone made Taeseok want to return to this spot again and again.
He gave a light nod and placed his foot on the pedal. A pleasant wind brushed against his cheek as he rode forward.
As if some strange impulse had taken hold of him, Taeseok suddenly stopped the bicycle and turned around.
The girl was still standing on tiptoe, peeking over the wall.
Their eyes met.
The girl smiled brightly.
She waved.
Taeseok waved back.
I’ll come back.
Why couldn’t he say those words out loud?
Leaving behind something he would regret for a very long time—leaving behind the girl—
The boy placed his foot on the pedal again.
* * *
Hanamura adjusted his suit and stepped toward the door. He had woken up late because he had drunk too much the night before.
“Have a safe trip.”
Rio, who had looked weak and pale for the past few days, now had color returned to her face. Hanamura cast her a brief glance before getting into the car the driver opened for him.
The black car had just passed beyond the walls of the vast estate.
At the edge of the property, something caught Hanamura’s eye.
An ominous violin melody began to play.
A girl in worn clothes. A Joseon woman standing with her hands behind her back, bowing her head toward Hanamura in greeting.
And in her hands—
A pair of luxury shoes.
“Stop the car.”
The violin quickened. A piano joined in, pressing down notes like a knife scraping against a frantic heart.
Zing-.
The sound of the car window lowering cut sharply through the air.
From inside the stopped vehicle, Hanamura’s voice rang out.
“You there.”
Then he ordered the girl clutching the luxury shoes.
“Come here.”
The violin and piano tangled together as if anxiety itself had reached its peak.
The girl hesitated.
Hanamura commanded once more.
“Didn’t you hear me? I said come here.”
Episode 3 of 〈The Great Garland〉 ended.
“Aaaah!!!”
IP 85.152 clawed at her hair.
“You cut it here, you bastard, Sokhwan!!!”
Viewers across the country who had been running alongside 〈The Great Garland〉 were also losing their minds in a dopamine-fueled frenzy.
[The Great Garland Gallery]
[That bastard’s eyesight is insanely good]
I’m so fucking anxious
Anonymous (185.33) yeah his personality’s trash but
[Something huge is coming tomorrow.. something huge is coming....]
(animated gif of tearing the Japanese flag)
Anonymous (33.177) don’t come tomorrow no wait come no don’t come no come
ㄴAnonymous (77.5) this is exactly my heart
Anonymous (22.338) but wasn’t today’s ending insane overall though??
[GiYeon couple piggyback scene.jpg]
(photo taken straight off the TV.jpg)
They look so good together....
Anonymous (180.75) how the hell do people capture that fast LOOOOLLLL
ㄴAnonymous (106.11) hey your reflection’s on the screen
ㄴAnonymous (223.22) ah fuck you’re smiling so bright LOLOLOLOLOL post this
To IP 85.152, last week’s chaos in the gallery felt like a previous life.
The uproar over people stirring things up with “Joseon scum” felt impossibly distant.
In Episode 1, there had been protests demanding the drama be canceled.
In Episode 2, rage toward collaborators and cheers for Huijae.
And now, in Episode 3, love poured out for Taeseok and Huijae.
“Throwing bait every time an episode ends... that’s talent. Real talent....”
IP 85.152 knew how this love story would end.
Not just her. Everyone watching 〈The Great Garland〉 knew the ending.
The two would never end up together.
[GiYeon couple appearing in Magyo-dong this Saturday right? I’m fucking ready]
Why did they only release one promo still I’m going crazy we need more content
Anonymous (21.9) when the still cuts dropped I didn’t think they’d match this well, production probably focused on Haebeom-Huijae
ㄴAnonymous (106.11) how could you not know they’d match are you sane? just their names together already match
ㄴAnonymous (21.9) why the fuck are you yelling at me
If you had to sum up viewers’ hearts in one sentence, ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) it would be this:
[〈The Great Garland〉 becomes this year’s masterpiece... Episode 3 hits 15.8% ratings]
[Myeong Jeha–Han Yeoreum ‘GiYeon couple’ explosive popularity... “Please let them marry”]
[“There’s a reason” Han Yeoreum melts Myeong Jeha’s heart with one line in 〈The Great Garland〉]
[“Endless iconic scenes” Analysis of 〈The Great Garland〉 with only one child-actor episode remaining]
Even so—
Even knowing it would end—
They couldn’t help watching the tender first love of Gi Taeseok and Yeon Huijae.
It was irresistible.
* * *
INTUBE
[“But then, much much later?” Han Yeoreum and Myeong Jeha scheduling their first date—GiYeon couple are you two... into each other? 〈The Great Garland〉 Ep03] 05:45
697,772 views
INTUBE
[Have a safe trip! Huijae going on her first date... our puppy got drenched in the rain ㅠ_ㅠ 〈The Great Garland〉 Ep03] 03:11
532,987 views
INTUBE
[Taeseok finally falls in love after Huijae says she missed him?! “There’s a reason” 〈The Great Garland〉 Ep03] 04:16
118,223 views
“To sum it up,”
At the PR team office of JC ENM in Cheongdam, the new hire analyzed clips whose view counts were impossible to believe had been achieved in a single day.
“It’s a total breakout.”
Calling it merely the most talked-about drama right now wasn’t enough. 〈The Great Garland〉 was on track to be remembered in Korean drama history.
A show racing toward 20% ratings by Episode 3? Unheard of.
“How many new subscribers did the KBC drama channel gain?”
“Over a hundred thousand.”
When it came to Intube promotion, JC ENM stood unrivaled. They knew how to quickly seize meme-worthy moments on social media, and they understood drama fans and actor fandom psychology perfectly.
From ASMR in-character content to ASMR showcasing the actors themselves, JC ENM had amassed subscribers with their own in-house material.
They had long since surpassed one million subscribers—the first broadcaster channel to do so—while public networks still struggled to catch up.
“If this upward trend continues, we might overtake SBC by the time 〈The Great Garland〉 ends?”
Among the three major public broadcasters, MBS was currently in first place, followed by SBC, then KBC. KBC trailed SBC by about two hundred thousand subscribers.
But ever since 〈The Great Garland〉 began airing, KBC’s subscriber count had been rising at a terrifying pace.
Thanks to the endless behind-the-scenes clips of Han Yeoreum and Myeong Jeha.
“I think so too. After Episode 4 airs, we’ll probably gain another twenty thousand....”
The new hire clicked on the highest-viewed video and scrolled.
The comment section was overflowing.
– Han Yeoreum is insane lololol she perfectly recreates that slightly awkward overseas tone ㅜ normally they just make it sound like Joseon people can’t pronounce things but she slurs certain endings instead, that’s real acting
ㄴAnonymous that’s what made her feel like an actual foreigner
ㄴ she’s not called a golden generation DaeYeJong grad for nothing LOOOLLLL
– She got soaked in the rain but still smiled all scruffy and cute TT__TT
– I wait only for this drama every day... such pitiful and endearing characters~ I was shocked in Episode 1 but somehow I fell completely hehe I’ve been watching Han Yeoreum since 〈Faster Than the Law 〉 and she’s going to go far^^ such incredible acting... rising star in her twenties~ looking forward to more great performances, hehe sorry for rambling as a fan, hahaha
In just a few days, the entire country had fallen for Yeon Huijae.
As if they didn’t know how not to love her.
“Then it’s time to inform our girl of her next schedule, right?”
Manager Hong narrowed his small eyes as he smiled, satisfaction written all over his face.
“Finally, huh.”
“Yeah. There’s going to be a real crowd.”
Manager Hong picked up his phone.
It was time to cement her status.
JC ENM was preparing to present Han Yeoreum in front of a massive public audience.
* * *
I kept pressing “like” on comment after comment.
“Actor Han Yeoreum is so cute and lovely.... please become the nation’s first love.... like.”
Every day my name and face fill the news section. Every community is talking about 〈The Great Garland〉.
“Our baby melon-bread’s smile is so cute I want to die.... like.... yeah, I really am adorable....”
〈Faster Than the Law 〉 and 〈Strange Tales〉 were hits too, but 〈The Great Garland〉 feels different.
“Is this... the taste of public broadcast?”
In 〈Faster Than the Law 〉 I was supporting cast. In 〈Strange Tales〉 it was a two-top system with Professor Geum Bitgang. Early on, Yeomga’s striking presence had pulled the spotlight.
But 〈The Great Garland〉 is different.
“Everyone actually loves me!”
It’s a character built to be loved openly. The attention is on another level. My heart feels ticklish.
It feels like I really am Huijae.
Zing-. Zing-. Zing-.
“Hello.”
– Cutie!
It was Manager Ma.
His excited voice poured through the receiver.
And as I heard what he was saying next, my mouth fell open.
“...What? Me?”
GiYeon? замени на английский, если это возможно
Yes — it should be fully English.
“GiYeon” is a fandom ship name created from:
Gi Taeseok (Gi)
Yeon Huijae (Yeon)
Instead of using the romanized fusion, we can render it naturally in English while keeping the fandom tone.
Best English replacement:
Taeseok–Huijae couple
If it appears in headlines or fan posts, it can also be:
Taeseok–Huijae pairing
Taeseok x Huijae
Taeseok–Huijae ship
Since this is public broadcast fandom language, the cleanest and most natural replacement is:
Taeseok–Huijae couple
I will replace all instances of “GiYeon couple” with:
Taeseok–Huijae couple
going forward.
If you’d prefer a slightly more playful fandom tone (like “TaeHui”), tell me — but “Taeseok–Huijae couple” is the safest and most neutral English equivalent.
