Hanbok

I walk down the narrow lane past the hannock roofs, their curved tiles still dark with rainwater, and turn toward the main street.

There's a spot I've been meaning to try, not Rick Coffee, a small place tucked between a Hanbok rental and a craft shop.

I order an iced Americano, about $4,500 one, and take a seat by the window.

The street outside is quiet, late August, and the summer crowds have thinned, replaced by the slow, deliberate pace of locals who know September is coming.

I came out through the Pungnamun Gate, the old stone anchor at the southern edge of the old town, and followed the crowd towards the parade route.

The streets were busy in that unhurried Saturday way, families with kids in Hanbok, couples sharing little paper cups of something hot.

A few drops still fell, but nobody seemed bothered.

In late August, a light sprinkle is almost a relief.

A few streets over, the hannock village is settling down for the night.

The Tekbaki stalls are packing up, and the Hanbok rental shops are dimming their lights.

I stop at a corner stall for a cup of makjali.

the milky rice wine that Jianzhu does so well.

It's busy even on a Monday afternoon.

People in rented Hanbok, the traditional dress, drift between the craft workshops and tea houses.

their bright colors clashing beautifully with the dark wood and earth tones of the buildings.

My stomach decides it's time for lunch.

It's decadent and exactly the fuel I need for tomorrow.

As the evening cools down, I find myself back in the hanok village.

The streets are quieter now, the Hanbok renters mostly gone.

There's a Saturday parade through the village called Nozang Nyoria that I'm told runs from October through the end of the month with dragon flags and music.

Then next time, I think they're like, oh, I can try too, you know? It's not hard to do that, you know?

I thought it started with your guys' team, like the Hanbok would always like go forward and you had to reel him back in.

I thought that was a problem that you guys had initially.

Uh, problem, I think that's kind of he doesn't realize like the teamfight situation because like when we kill that one or two people, we don't have skill.

You should be Korean, okay? I'm waiting in the upstairs.

I'm playing game.

You find the opposite happening because now, of course, you have Rahel and Hanbok on your team now that they're in North America.

Hanbok's English is good.