Korean reading — TOPIK II

Minjae left home earlier than usual because he had an important appointment.

However, as soon as he arrived at the station, an announcement said that the train was departing.

Minjae hurried over, but in the end, he missed the train.

Fortunately, the next train was thirty minutes later, so he was able to arrive at the meeting place without being late.

Jisu was waiting for an item she had ordered online.

After receiving a notification that the package had arrived, she opened the door and found a different box than expected.

When she checked the address on the box, she realized it was supposed to be delivered to the next-door neighbor.

Jisu immediately took it to the neighbor, and a little later, her own package arrived too.

Seojun had to transfer buses twice because he was meeting a friend at a place he had never been to before.

There was no problem with the first bus, but he did not know where to take the second bus.

After asking a passerby, Seojun went to the bus stop he was directed to.

He almost arrived late, but he arrived five minutes before the meeting time.

Hyeonji was assigned an important presentation at work for the first time.

At first, she was nervous about speaking in front of people, but she practiced hard for several days.

On the day of the presentation, she calmly explained the prepared materials and received a good response from her colleagues.

Hyeonji thought that although she was nervous, practicing until the end had helped her.

I was supposed to meet my friend the next day, but something important suddenly came up.

I considered canceling the appointment, but since I had not seen my friend for a long time, I suggested another time.

My friend said it was okay, so we ended up postponing the meeting by one day.

I felt much more relieved because we understood each other's situation.

For several days, my phone screen kept turning off, so I took it to a repair shop.

The employee said there might be a problem with the battery and that they would check its condition first.

It took a little time to check, but fortunately they said only the battery needed to be replaced.

After the repair, the screen worked normally, so I could use the phone comfortably again.

After getting off the bus, Hyeonu realized that his wallet was missing.

He thought he had probably dropped it on the bus, so he immediately called the bus company.

The employee said they would contact him if the wallet was found on the bus.

A few hours later, he received a call, and fortunately, the wallet was found under a bus seat.

Sumin joined a language exchange group because she wanted to speak a foreign language more naturally.

At first, she was worried about making mistakes, but she felt more comfortable after realizing that the other participants were also there to learn from each other.

At the meeting, they talked about each other's countries and taught one another simple expressions.

Sumin enjoyed it more than expected, so she decided to attend the next meeting as well.

Before leaving for the trip, I received a sudden message from the hotel I had booked saying that the room could not be used.

I was confused at first, but the hotel said they would arrange another room at the same price.

The new room was a little smaller than the original one, but its location was more convenient.

As a result, I was able to start the trip without much inconvenience.

The book Yuna wanted to read was not at the library, so she requested it online.

A few days later, she was notified that the book was ready, so she went to the library.

However, when she tried to borrow it, she was told that the loan period was only one week.

Yuna decided to read a little every day so that she could finish it within that period.

Minseo was traveling to another region by train with a friend.

However, a problem occurred with the train, so it had to stop for a while at an unexpected station.

At first, both were worried, but they learned from an announcement that the train would depart again soon.

Eventually, the train started moving again, and they arrived at their destination a little later than planned.

Since I will be taking a new class next month, I checked in advance what materials I would need.

The class information said that I needed to prepare not only a textbook but also a laptop.

I was worried because I didn't have a laptop, but when I asked a friend, they said they could lend me one.

Thanks to that, I finished all the necessary preparations and am waiting for the first class with peace of mind.

When I received the shirt I ordered online, its color was slightly different from what I had seen in the picture.

After trying it on, I found that it was also larger than expected, so I decided to return it.

After requesting a return on the website, I packed the shirt according to the instructions.

A few days later, I received a notification that the refund had been completed, so I felt relieved.

A meeting was scheduled at the company, but someone who needed to attend arrived late.

So they could not start the meeting right away, and everyone had to wait for a while.

While waiting, the team members checked the necessary materials again and filled in missing parts.

Although the meeting started a little late, they were actually able to prepare more thoroughly.

I decided to visit several famous places with a friend from abroad to show them around the city.

At first, we could easily find our way using the map, but we ended up getting confused in an area with many alleys.

When we asked an employee at a nearby store, they explained in detail how to get to our destination.

Thanks to that, we found the way again and safely arrived at the meeting place.

Because she has an important exam next week, Mina made a study plan several days ago.

At first, she tried to study everything at once, but she thought she would not have enough time.

So she divided the subjects and studied a little each day, deciding to review difficult parts again the next day.

By studying according to her plan, she felt more relaxed than expected the day before the exam.

After hearing that a small event for local residents was being held, I decided to go with a friend.

At the event, local residents were introducing food and goods they had made themselves.

At first, I only planned to look around, but it was more interesting than expected, so I visited several booths.

I especially liked a small flowerpot made by one of the residents, so I bought one.

The apartment notice board said that starting this week, the way to dispose of recyclables would change slightly.

At first it looked complicated, but after reading the notice carefully, I learned that I only needed to separate them by type.

So I checked the recyclables at home again and put each one in the appropriate place.

After learning the new method, I realized it was not as difficult as I thought and I think I can follow it well from now on.

I signed up for a cooking class with a friend because I wanted to learn how to make a new dish.

In the class, we listened to the teacher's explanation and then prepared the ingredients ourselves.

At first, we got confused about the order, but we were able to finish the dish by helping each other.

When we tasted the food we had made ourselves, it was more delicious than expected, so I began looking forward to the next class.

At a friend's suggestion, I participated in a volunteer activity at a local park for the first time.

At first, I did not know what to do, but the person in charge divided up the tasks, so I could start easily.

We picked up litter in the park and also cleaned some old signs.

Although it was tiring, seeing the clean park made me feel that participating had been worthwhile.

I became interested in history, so I decided to visit a local museum with a friend.

Instead of simply passing by the exhibits, I read the explanations one by one and found many things more interesting than expected.

I especially enjoyed imagining how people in the past lived while looking at old photographs.

Time passed faster than expected, so I thought I should come earlier next time.

An important consultation was scheduled for next week, but another appointment suddenly came up.

Rather than canceling the consultation, I contacted the person in charge and asked if I could change the date.

Fortunately, they said they were available later the following week, so we chose a new date.

Thanks to contacting them in advance, I was able to adjust the schedule without canceling the consultation.

This weekend I want to go to Busan.

I want to see the ocean.

I also want to eat delicious raw fish (hoe).

If I go together with a friend, it will be more fun.

I work at a company.

I go to work at 9 every morning.

There's a lot of work, so I'm sometimes busy.

But my coworkers are kind, so I like it.

I want to buy new shoes.

I went to the department store and tried on several.

The shoes I liked were too expensive.

So I chose a slightly cheaper one.

My head has hurt since yesterday.

I also had a slight fever, so I went to the hospital.

The doctor said it's a cold.

I took medicine and rested well at home.

Last week I went on a trip to Jeju Island with my family.

The ocean was really beautiful.

We also climbed Hallasan mountain.

I want to go again next time.

Last month I traveled to Gyeongju alone.

I got off the train and transferred to a bus.

The view from the mountain summit was really beautiful.

There were a lot of stairs so it was a bit tiring, but it was fun.

When I arrived at the airport and was about to go through immigration, I couldn't find my passport.

Panicking, I turned my bag upside down and barely found my passport under a cafe chair.

I almost missed my flight, but luckily I was able to enter the boarding gate on time.

With this incident as a lesson, I made up my mind to check my important belongings more thoroughly in the future.

After getting a call for an interview from my dream company, I stayed up all night practicing for days.

On the day of the interview, I was so nervous that I felt disappointed for not being able to demonstrate my full ability.

However, perhaps because the interviewer appreciated my honest answers, I received the final acceptance notification.

The moment I heard the news, tears came to my eyes as I felt all my hard work had paid off.

I moved to a new house, leaving behind the neighborhood I had grown attached to for a long time.

The process of packing and organizing my belongings was much harder and more complicated than I expected.

Still, after finishing all the unpacking and looking out the window, I really liked the wide-open view.

Although my body was exhausted, I started looking forward to the new daily life beginning in this place.

Wanting to spend my weekend meaningfully, I went to do volunteer work at an abandoned dog shelter.

I spent time cleaning the dogs' kennels and going on walks with them.

I felt rewarded when the dogs, who were wary of people at first, gradually opened their hearts and wagged their tails.

I plan to visit regularly whenever I have time in the future to lend a helping hand.

Recently, feeling my stamina drop and getting tired easily, I started running every morning.

For the first week, I was out of breath and my whole body ached, so I desperately wanted to quit.

Without giving up, after running consistently for a month, my body felt lighter and my sleep quality improved.

I realized that a small change in habit could bring positive energy to my entire life.

Over the weekend, I experienced a one-day cup-making class at a pottery workshop.

Putting clay on the potter's wheel and shaping it was much more delicate work than I thought.

The shape kept changing depending on the delicate pressure of my fingertips, requiring high concentration.

It was crooked, but it was deeply meaningful because my very own unique cup was created.

To break free from smartphone addiction, I attempted a digital detox for one day.

For the first few hours I felt anxious and my hands felt empty, but soon the surrounding scenery caught my eye.

I read paper books I had put off and had long face-to-face conversations with my family.

Taking my eyes off the screen, I experienced feeling much more peaceful and relaxed.

I organized unused items piled up at home and participated in the local flea market.

I set up a sign I made myself, attached price tags, and welcomed customers.

Selling items cheaply to people who needed them and sharing warm conversations made the selling process itself enjoyable.

It was killing two birds with one stone, as I could recycle unused goods and earn a small income.

To shake off my frustrated feelings, I grabbed a flashlight and tried a night mountain hike.

Climbing the dark mountain trail was a bit scary, but I tied my shoelaces tight and walked slowly.

When I finally reached the summit, the sparkling night view of the city unfolded before my eyes.

Looking at the night view while feeling the cool mountain breeze, my stress melted away like snow.

Looking to find a moment of leisure amidst my busy routine, I visited a quiet teahouse.

I brewed delicately scented green tea in a teapot and drank it slowly.

As a warm cup of tea wrapped my body in warmth, my cluttered thoughts became organized.

I felt that quiet time like this to reflect on myself is definitely needed sometimes.

I loaded gear into the car with my friends and left for a campsite in the forest.

In the process of setting up the tent, the manual was confusing, so it took quite a long time.

At night, we built a campfire, chattered together, and admired the stars in the night sky.

Although there were inconveniences, that night spent in nature became an unforgettable memory.

While commuting on my bicycle, I suddenly got a flat tire.

Having no time to go to a repair shop, I decided to replace the inner tube myself while watching internet videos.

My hands got covered in grease and I was clumsy, but fixing it by myself in the end gave me a great sense of accomplishment.

Now I have gained confidence that I can handle simple bike maintenance on my own.

I decided to bake healthy bread at home using natural sourdough starter.

It required time and patience to knead the dough for a long time and ferment it overnight.

I felt a rush of delight when taking out the golden-baked bread emitting a savory aroma from the oven.

As much as it took effort and time, the taste of homemade bread was incomparable to store-bought ones.

After joining a community drama club and practicing for several months, I finally stood on stage.

As the curtain rose and the auditorium lights went out, my heart started pounding as if it would burst.

Exchanging lines while looking into my co-actor's eyes, I found myself immersed in acting before I knew it.

When the performance ended and applause erupted from the audience, I felt infinite emotion.

A special exhibition of a contemporary artist I was interested in was held, so I visited the art museum.

Listening to the docent's explanation of the meaning behind each artwork made it easy to understand.

Appreciating the paintings, I was able to reflect on thoughts I had missed in my busy daily life.

On my way out after finishing the exhibition, I felt my mind became much richer.

While reading a book he borrowed from the library, Minsu marked the important parts.

However, before returning the book, he realized that he had to erase the marks.

Minsu looked through the book again from the beginning and erased all the marks.

Sujin looked for her transportation card to take the subway, but it was not in her bag.

She thought she might have left it at home, but she had already arrived at the subway station.

Fortunately, she had another charged transportation card in her wallet, so she used it to take the subway.

Hyeonu reserved tickets in advance to watch a movie with his friend.

After arriving at the theater, he checked and found that the screening was an hour later.

The two spent time at a nearby bookstore and then returned to the theater.

Jihoon was waiting for an important call, but his phone battery was almost dead.

So he went into a nearby convenience store and asked whether he could borrow a charger.

The employee lent him a charger, and Jihoon charged his phone enough to receive the call.

Seoyeon went to a museum with her friend and checked at the entrance whether photography was allowed.

The employee explained that photos were not allowed in the special exhibition hall but were okay in other areas.

Seoyeon followed the rules and took photos only in places where photography was allowed.

After getting off the bus, Taehyeon noticed that his wallet was missing.

He thought he might have left it on the bus, so he immediately called the bus company.

Fortunately, a passenger found the wallet at the next stop and gave it to the driver.

Taehyeon went back to the bus company and got his wallet back.

The apartment management office announced that the way of disposing of recyclables would change starting this week.

The residents read the new notice and separated the items by type.

It was a little inconvenient at first, but after a few days most people got used to the new method.

Maria started talking with a Korean friend online to practice Korean.

At first, they could not understand each other well, but they gradually became comfortable by speaking slowly.

When an unfamiliar expression came up, Maria wrote it down and checked it again later.

While traveling by train to another city, Doyun realized that he had taken a train going in the opposite direction.

He got off at the next station, went to the information desk, and explained the situation to an employee.

The employee told him that he could take a train to his destination from the opposite platform.

Doyun thanked the employee and then went to the place he was directed to.

When Yuna returned home, she found a package in front of her door that was not hers.

After checking the address, she found that it belonged to her neighbor next door.

Yuna tried to take the package to the neighbor's house, but no one opened the door.

So Yuna kept the package in a safe place and left a message for her neighbor.

While waiting for the bus, Minji saw an elderly person who could not find the way.

The elderly person did not know which bus to take because it was their first time going there.

Minji checked the map on her phone and then told the person which bus number to take.

The elderly person thanked her, and Minji waited together with them until the bus arrived.

Sua was organizing important documents on her laptop at a café.

But suddenly the laptop shut down, and it seemed that the unsaved documents might disappear.

Sua was worried, but she turned it on again, and fortunately most of the documents were still there.

After that, she saved her work frequently so that the same thing would not happen again.

A small festival was held in the neighborhood, so the residents decorated the event area together.

The children drew pictures, while the adults prepared chairs and tables.

When the event started, people began gathering one by one, and music could also be heard.

The residents greeted each other and enjoyed a pleasant time together after a long while.

Emily went to the local library to borrow Korean books.

After choosing some books, she tried to get a library card but learned that she needed identification.

Emily went home, brought her identification, and then visited the library again.

This time she was able to get a library card, so she borrowed the books she wanted.

Minho entered his apartment building and tried to take the elevator, but he saw a notice saying it was under inspection.

So he started going up the stairs carrying his heavy bag.

After going up only a few floors, he met a neighbor who was also walking because the elevator could not be used.

The two climbed the stairs together while talking.

Yujin wanted to exchange an item she bought a few days ago because there was a problem with it.

However, when she tried to find the receipt at home, she could not remember where she had put it.

Yujin went to the store, explained the purchase date and item, and asked whether she could exchange it without the receipt.

After checking the purchase record, the employee told her that an exchange was possible.

Daniel recorded the time he was supposed to meet his friend on his phone.

However, he checked the time of another appointment incorrectly and arrived an hour earlier than the meeting time.

When he messaged his friend, the friend said they had not left home yet.

Daniel decided to wait nearby and meet again at the agreed time.

Sora went to the post office to send a gift to her friend.

Because there was a fragile item in the box, she asked the employee how to package it safely.

The employee explained that it would be good to add protective material and then helped her package it.

After finishing the package, Sora felt relieved because she thought her friend would receive it safely.

After class, Anna tried to do her assignment, but she had not properly understood what the teacher explained.

So she asked the classmate sitting next to her to explain it again.

The classmate explained slowly with examples, and only then did Anna understand how to do the assignment.

After getting off the train, Carlos discovered that his bag was missing.

Thinking that he had left the bag on the train, he immediately explained the situation to a station employee.

The station employee said they would call the next station to check whether the bag was there.

After receiving a message that the bag had been found, Carlos felt relieved and waited for the next train.

Seungmin has worked hard at the company for the past few years.

One day, the department head called Seungmin in and told him the news of his promotion.

He was so happy that Seungmin held a celebration party with his family that evening.

Since he would take on greater responsibility in his new position, he also felt a bit nervous.

Yujin was looking for a place to move closer to the company.

The real estate agency introduced several places, but none of them appealed to her.

Then, by chance, she found a place on the internet that matched her conditions perfectly.

When she went to see it in person, she liked it much more than expected, so she signed the contract right away.

Not long after arriving at the airport, an announcement came that the flight was delayed.

The passengers, with disappointed expressions, began waiting in the lounge.

Since I had extra time, I drank coffee and read a book at a nearby cafe.

After two hours, the boarding announcement finally came, and I was able to board the plane.

Younghee had a health checkup recently and went to the hospital today to hear the results.

Looking at the results, the doctor said her overall health condition was good.

However, the doctor advised her to exercise a bit more and drink more water.

Leaving the hospital, Younghee resolved to take better care of her health from now on.

Jaehyeon, who works from home, attended the team meeting via video conference.

Because the internet connection was unstable, Jaehyeon's voice kept cutting out.

So, the team members misunderstood Jaehyeon's opinion and continued the meeting in a different direction.

After the meeting, Jaehyeon explained his opinion clearly again through a message.

On the way to work, because the car in front suddenly stopped, Sanghyeon's car bumped it slightly.

Fortunately, no one was hurt, but both people had to calm their startled hearts.

The two drivers got out of their cars, checked the situation, and exchanged contact information.

After contacting the insurance company, Sanghyeon set off safely for the office again.

Late at night, a complaint about noise came through the intercom from the downstairs neighbor.

Flustered, Miyoung tried to figure out exactly what sound was causing it.

It turned out that the washing machine's vibration noise was being transmitted downstairs.

Miyoung turned off the washing machine right away and went to apologize to the downstairs neighbor in person the next day.

Wanting to learn a new skill, Eunji signed up for an online course.

At first, it was hard to find time, so she kept putting off the lectures.

Then she changed her plan to study for thirty minutes every morning at a set time.

After a few months, Eunji finished all the lectures and even received a new certificate.

Dongsu heard from a friend that investing in a certain company could make a lot of money.

At first he was tempted, but he decided to think it over carefully.

When he researched the company in detail online, he found there were many risk factors.

In the end, Dongsu decided not to invest, and later found out that his judgment had been right.

Hyunwoo decided to participate in a marathon for the first time this year.

Starting a few months ago, he practiced by gradually increasing his running distance each week.

On the day of the race, there was a moment when his legs hurt and he wanted to give up.

But he endured and kept running to the end, and when he finally crossed the finish line, he felt truly proud.

Sora quit her company and started working as a freelance designer.

At first, since she had no steady income, her anxiety was great.

But as time passed, she came to work steadily with several clients.

Now she lives a more free and satisfying life than when she was at the company.

An uncle who had lived abroad for a long time finally came to visit Korea.

The family all gathered together to meet the uncle at the airport.

The uncle, whom they hadn't seen in ten years, had changed a lot, but their joy at seeing him was the same as before.

That evening, the family ate together and talked about everything that had happened in the meantime.

When I turned on the washing machine to do laundry, it suddenly started making a strange noise.

Startled, I turned off the power right away and called the service center.

The employee said it seemed to be because a part was worn out, and said they would send a technician the next day.

Fortunately, thanks to the technician who came and replaced the part, the washing machine started working well again.

Taeyun got accepted at a company in another city, so he had to move there.

The fact that he had to leave a familiar place felt a bit scary at first.

But thinking of it as a new beginning, he packed his things and left for the new city.

After a few weeks, he got used to the new neighborhood and made new friends too.

Jiyeon was moved after watching a TV program about helping people in need.

She decided to donate a little each month and contacted an organization.

At first, since it wasn't a large amount, she also worried about how much it would really help.

But after hearing the stories of people who had been helped by the organization, she felt truly proud.

One evening, I suddenly got a call from a friend I had lost touch with for ten years.

She said she was nearby and asked if we could meet for a bit.

I thought it would feel awkward after so long, but we could talk comfortably like before.

Before parting, we promised not to lose touch again.

I went hiking with friends to a nearby mountain.

While walking and chatting, we missed a sign and took the wrong path.

After wandering for a while, we turned on a map app and finally found the right path again.

Since then, I've made sure to check the signs carefully every time I hike.

I ordered an iced Americano at the cafe, but the staff must have misheard, because a different drink came out.

I apologized and asked them to double-check the order.

The staff member apologized and made a new one right away.

While I waited, I even got a free cookie, which actually made me feel good.

A friend gave me a ride home on a rainy day and ended up soaked because she had no umbrella.

Feeling bad about it, I bought a pretty umbrella the next day and gave it to her as a gift.

My friend was surprised by the unexpected gift but was truly grateful.

Since then, whenever she sees that umbrella, she talks about that day.

At a used bookstore I happened to stop by, I found a book I loved as a child.

It was already out of print and hard to find, so I happily bought it right away.

I came home, smelled the old book's scent, and started reading it again.

It felt as though the emotion I had felt as a child came back to life exactly as it was.

This Friday, a retirement celebration party was held for the department head.

The employees prepared a letter expressing their gratitude over the years.

The department head's eyes welled up with tears while reading the letter.

Even after the party ended, everyone felt reluctant to leave.

While studying at a cafe, Eunsu left his phone behind when he went out.

He only realized his phone was missing after arriving home.

He rushed back to the cafe, and an employee had kept it safe.

Eunsu resolved to always check before leaving his seat from now on.

While assembling furniture, Seongmin realized he didn't have a drill.

After thinking it over, he asked the man next door if he could borrow one.

The man happily lent him the drill and also showed him how to use it.

Seongmin gave a small basket of fruit as a token of thanks.

When the new year began, Haneul decided to sign up for a gym.

During the consultation, she was recommended an exercise program suited to her.

For the first few days, her whole body ached so much it was hard to move.

After a month passed, Haneul felt her body had become much lighter.

On the way to work, the road was suddenly jammed, and Jihoon grew anxious.

He kept checking the clock, worried he would be late for an important meeting.

Luckily, the meeting started ten minutes late, so he was just barely able to arrive.

Jihoon resolved to leave early with plenty of time from now on.

One morning, Yuri discovered water leaking from the ceiling.

Startled, Yuri immediately contacted the management office and explained the situation.

A repair technician came, found the cause, and fixed the problem.

Yuri thought she should report right away if something like this happens again.

In a university class, a group project with four people began.

At first, meetings often ran long because opinions differed.

As time passed, once each person's role was decided, the work went smoothly.

On presentation day, the team got good results in proportion to what they had prepared.

About to graduate, Jeongwoo attended a job fair.

He walked around various companies' booths, gathering information.

He also got the chance to speak directly with a representative from a company he was interested in.

Through the fair, Jeongwoo gained confidence about his career path.

Sua, whose tooth had hurt for a few days, made a dentist appointment.

The examination confirmed that a cavity had formed.

The treatment took longer than expected, but the pain wasn't severe.

Sua resolved to brush her teeth more carefully from now on.

On this trip, Dohyun rented a car for the first time.

Since the roads were unfamiliar, he relied on the navigation to drive.

He took a wrong turn once along the way but quickly got back on track.

Dohyun felt the trip was much freer thanks to driving himself.

After quitting his job, Jaehyun signed up for a coding bootcamp.

His head felt overwhelmed from learning new concepts every day.

Still, as he solved problems together with classmates, his skills gradually improved.

A few months later, Jaehyun became able to build small programs on his own.

A small cafe newly opened in the neighborhood alley.

The owner personally selected the beans and brewed coffee with great care.

As word spread, customers began to increase one by one.

A few months later, that cafe became the most popular place in the neighborhood.

Jihun decided to help a friend who was moving.

They sweated a lot from morning on, carrying boxes together.

Even while carrying heavy boxes, the two kept joking with each other.

After the move was finished, his friend bought him dinner.

Sua was flustered when her newly bought microwave didn't work.

She took the receipt and went back to the store where she had bought it.

The staff confirmed the product had a defect and immediately exchanged it for a new one.

Sua left the store satisfied with the kind handling.

A small conflict arose with her roommate over cleaning.

They decided to talk honestly about their discomfort with each other.

After talking, they decided to set a cleaning schedule and take turns.

After that, the two of them actually got along even better.

Hyeonwoo, who used to get nervous every time he had to give a presentation, signed up for a speech class.

At first, his voice trembled so much that he couldn't get his words out properly.

As he practiced many times, he gradually gained confidence.

After a few months, Hyeonwoo became able to give presentations naturally in front of people.

After getting his health checkup results, Jaemin decided to change his diet.

Instead of greasy food, he started preparing meals centered on vegetables and protein.

The first few weeks were hard because he felt hungry, but he gradually got used to it.

Two months later, Jaemin felt that his body had become much lighter.

Ten years after graduation, a middle school reunion was held.

The friends, meeting after so long, couldn't recognize each other at a glance.

As they shared old stories, they lost track of time.

Everyone promised to meet more often from now on.

Jieun agonized over a gift for a friend who was getting married next month.

She went around several stores and found a dish set she liked.

She was satisfied because it fit her budget exactly and was also practical.

Her friend was deeply moved by the thoughtful gift.

Every evening, Eunsu helps her elementary-school daughter with math homework.

For parts her daughter doesn't understand, she explains by drawing pictures.

One day, she watched her daughter solve a difficult problem on her own.

Eunsu felt great pride seeing her daughter accomplish it by herself.

The landlord suddenly contacted him saying he would raise the rent a lot.

Seungmin got worried because the increase was bigger than expected.

He politely explained his situation and negotiated with the landlord again.

In the end, they agreed on a smaller amount than the landlord first suggested.

Past the age of forty, Jeongu started learning guitar for the first time.

His fingers hurt so much that he even rested from practice for a few days.

Still, he didn't give up and practiced a little every day.

After half a year, Jeongu was able to play through a song he liked from start to finish.

Her friends decided to prepare a surprise party for Soyoung's birthday.

They booked a venue and ordered a cake without her knowing.

The moment Soyoung opened the door, her friends congratulated her loudly.

Soyoung was so surprised that she couldn't say anything for a moment.

A junior colleague asked Taeho for a recommendation letter for a graduate school application.

Taeho recalled how diligent his junior had been and wrote it with great care.

Over several days, he revised it many times to polish the content.

The junior colleague shared the news of getting accepted and thanked Taeho sincerely.

Hyunseo and Mingyu decided to travel to Busan together.

But while planning the itinerary, the two of them disagreed.

Hyunseo wanted to relax at the beach, while Mingyu wanted to visit many tourist spots.

In the end, the two of them compromised: one day resting at the beach, one day sightseeing.

The company assigned Taeho to a branch office in the provinces.

The sudden news startled him at first, but Taeho soon collected himself.

He looked for a place to live in the new area and began preparing to move.

His friends held a farewell party and cheered him on.

Yeona had only driven automatic cars before, but decided to learn her father's manual car.

At first, coordinating the clutch and gears was so hard that the engine kept stalling.

Her father calmly taught her, telling her not to rush.

After practicing for a few weeks, Yeona became able to shift gears smoothly.

The local library decided to hold a bake sale to raise donations.

The volunteers each baked cookies and cakes at home and brought them.

More people than expected came, and the baked goods sold out quickly.

All the money collected was decided to be used to help neighbors in need.

Feeling bored reading alone, Yujin decided to start a book club.

When she posted on social media, more people than expected showed interest.

At the first meeting, the members decided by vote which book to read together.

They decided to meet once a month to share their thoughts about the book.

Donghyun found a car he liked online while trying to buy a used car.

After meeting the seller and inspecting the car closely, he asked for a lower price.

The seller hesitated at first but eventually agreed to lower it a bit.

Donghyun was pleased to buy the car at a satisfying price.

While hiking on the weekend, Jaemin sprained his ankle.

The hospital told him not to strain it for at least two weeks.

Jaemin felt frustrated, but he rested with his leg elevated, icing it.

When he went back to the hospital after two weeks, he was told it had healed a lot.

Subin, chosen to give the representative speech at graduation, agonized over the draft for several days.

She wrote sincerely, recalling the time she had spent with her friends.

The night before the speech, she was so nervous she couldn't sleep well.

But once she got on stage, she calmly finished the speech well.

Jihoon was assigned to be the mentor for the new employee who joined the team.

At first, the new employee felt unfamiliar with everything, so Jihoon slowly taught him the work.

Even during lunch, they ate together and Jihoon talked to him about life at the company.

After a month passed, the new employee had become much more accustomed to the work.

After returning from a trip to the US, Seojun had a hard time adjusting to the time difference for several days.

He couldn't sleep at night and kept feeling sleepy during the day, making work life difficult.

A friend advised him to get plenty of sunlight during the day and reduce caffeine.

After about a week, Seojun's body regained its normal rhythm.

Nayoung, who started working from home, decided to set up a small workspace at home.

First, she placed a desk and a comfortable chair by the window.

Since the lighting wasn't enough, she also bought a new desk lamp.

After finishing the setup, she could concentrate on work much better even at home.

Woojin, who had an interview the following week, was so nervous that he asked his friend Seyoung for help.

Seyoung made a list of expected questions and practiced with him.

Since Woojin's answers were too long, Seyoung also taught him how to speak concisely.

On the day of the interview, Woojin answered confidently and eventually received the good news that he passed.

Because of childcare, I wanted to adjust my working hours, so I requested a meeting with my team leader.

I asked if I could come to work after dropping my child off at daycare in the morning.

My team leader said they would allow flexible working as long as it didn't interfere with the work.

I promised to work with even more responsibility from now on.

Last week I had a big fight with a close friend over a small misunderstanding.

We didn't contact each other for several days, so I felt uncomfortable.

In the end, I gathered the courage first and sent a sincere apology text.

My friend also admitted their own fault, so we became close again like before.

While preparing to change jobs, I decided to take a certification exam.

I made a habit of studying two hours every day even after work.

By solving practice books multiple times, I organized the parts I often got wrong.

As the exam date approaches it feels more pressuring, but I'm trying to do my best.

Since my budget wasn't generous for this trip, I planned meticulously.

Instead of expensive restaurants, I decided to buy cheap food at the local market.

I also chose accommodation with modest facilities but a good location.

Thanks to that, I was able to have a fulfilling trip while saving money.

These days I've been having trouble sleeping at night because of the noise from upstairs.

At first I went there in person and quietly asked them.

Since it still didn't improve, I asked the management office for help.

Thanks to the management office mediating, the noise decreased a lot.

It's been a month since I started working from home, but it's still hard to adjust.

At home I keep getting distracted, so my focus on work has dropped.

So I made a rule to sit at my desk at a fixed time every day.

By keeping the rule, I'm gradually getting used to working from home.

I found a strange amount printed on last month's billing statement.

I called customer service and asked them to explain in detail.

The representative apologized politely, saying there had been a mistake, and corrected the amount.

Since the problem was resolved well, I felt relieved.

I was shocked to hear the news that my friend had suddenly been hospitalized.

I visited every day and stayed by my friend's side.

Whenever my friend struggled, I comforted them with warm words.

Seeing my friend regain their health, I was truly happy too.

I decided to quit the company I had worked at for a long time and change my career to a new field.

Leaving a stable job was frightening, but after long deliberation I made up my mind.

Every night I learned new skills by listening to online lectures.

It's not an easy challenge, but I want to try it without regrets.

While traveling abroad, I had difficulty finding my way because the language didn't work.

I opened a map app and asked for directions using hand gestures.

Luckily I met a local who could speak a little Korean and got help.

It was a day when I felt that even with different languages, hearts can connect.

I bought an old apartment and decided to renovate it myself.

It took several days to tear off the old wallpaper and replace it with new wallpaper.

Since the cost was higher than expected, I had to scale back the plan a bit.

Still, seeing the finished home made the hard work worthwhile.

Two coworkers on the same team clashed seriously over the direction of the project.

I calmly listened to each of the two people's stories separately.

I coordinated their opinions in the middle so they could understand each other's positions.

In the end, the two found a compromise and began cooperating again.