It was New Year's when Minjin, Tae-sung, his wife Kim Bon-hwa, and their 10-year-old daughter, Park Micha, traveled to Kyoto. 

As they stepped into the main hall of Seirai-in Temple, Kenninji, their eyes were immediately drawn upward, captivated by the breathtaking dragon painted across the ceiling.

The dragon’s flowing whiskers seemed to sway in an invisible breeze, and its coiled form radiated both power and tranquility. Though painted in monochrome, the varying shades of ink created a striking contrast, giving the creature an almost otherworldly glow as if it might break free from the ceiling and soar into the sky.

"Whoa… Minjin-ah, this was a great idea—to spend the New Year in Kyoto. It feels like we’re receiving the blessings of the Year of the Dragon for our family," Kim Bon-hwa said, gazing in awe at the white dragon above, while Park Micha, still holding her hand, marveled at the artwork.

Tae-sung let out a light chuckle and turned to his wife. "I agree. I thought it would be better to celebrate the New Year in Korea, especially since you’ve decided to stay with us for a while."

Minjin looked at her older brother. "Oppa, I’ve had such bad luck these past few years. I need a little good fortune."

Tae-sung laughed. "For a physicist, it's surprising that you believe in these things."

Minjin smiled and tilted her head back to look at the ceiling again. "John Archibald Wheeler once imagined quantum mechanics as a Great Smoky Dragon. The tail represents a system’s starting point, and its head is the final outcome after measurement. But its body is hidden in smoke, representing the unknown—the mystery of what happens in between."

She then turned her gaze back to Tae-sung. "Like the dragon’s unseen body, the path between a quantum system’s beginning and end is unknowable. The moment we try to observe it, the answer shifts, as if reality itself hasn’t decided until we look."

Tae-sung smiled warmly. "Letting you study at MIT was definitely the right choice."

Minjin forced a small smile, memories of Minjun surfacing. "Yeah… I guess so."

As the first dawn of the year arrived, they made their way to the Bishamontendo Shrine in Ryosokuin Temple. 

A large crowd had gathered, lining up at the shrine. Wrapped in thick coats, they inhaled the crisp winter air as the soft tendrils of incense smoke carried their prayers skyward.

At the entrance, two fierce tiger statues stood guard, their stone surfaces lightly dusted with snow. Minjin, along with her brother and his family, approached the shrine, grasped the rope to ring the bell, then pressed their hands together in silent prayer for the year ahead.

Once they finished, Minjin took Park Micha’s hand, leading her toward the omikuji stand to receive their fortunes for the year. The rhythmic clatter of wooden sticks echoed as visitors took turns shaking the cylindrical container, waiting for a stick to slide out through the narrow opening. Each stick bore a number in kanji, which determined their fortune.

Minjin retrieved her wallet and handed money to Park Micha, as well as some for herself. She gestured for Park Micha to place her offering in the box first before following suit. Behind them, Tae-sung and Kim Bon-hwa also pulled out their wallets for their own offerings.

Park Micha was the first to shake the container, carefully tilting it until a wooden stick finally slipped out. She examined the number before turning to the miko, a shrine maiden dressed in a white and red robe. With a warm smile, the miko took the number and retrieved a small folded paper from the corresponding drawer.

They both unfolded their omikuji papers, scanning the characters at the top. Park Micha had received "Chūkichi," meaning "middle blessing," while Minjin’s paper displayed "daikichi"—"great blessing"—the best fortune possible.

"Oh my gosh!" Minjin gasped, covering her mouth in shock.

"What is it, Imo?" Park Micha asked, stretching her neck to peek at Minjin’s paper.

Minjin turned to her with a grin. "I’m blessed for the upcoming year."

She then focused back on reading the detailed predictions. One line caught her attention: "It’s easy to lose faith in people. Ignore bad rumors and follow your own path."

She let out a small huff.

Moving on to the health section, she nodded as she read the advice: "Getting plenty of rest is the best treatment." When she reached the wealth prediction, it mentioned a "sudden movement," which left her puzzled. But it was the love fortune that made her eyes widen. She read it aloud: "There is a good chance of finding a partner, so wait patiently."

After a brief pause, she let out a soft chuckle and shook her head. "I think this is bad."

She then glanced further down and noted that her lucky color was pink, and her "good luck person" would be her favorite person.

Nearby, Kim Bon-hwa suddenly sighed. "Omo, yeobo. This isn’t good," she said, looking at Tae-sung’s paper with concern.

Minjin turned her attention to them. "What’s wrong, unnie?"

"It says Kyou—bad fortune," Kim Bon-hwa replied.

Tae-sung gently patted his wife’s shoulder. "Don’t worry, yeobo. It’s just a prediction—it’s not set in stone."

Minjin smiled reassuringly. "Unnie, oppa can tie the omikuji to the wooden frame at the shrine. That way, he’ll leave the misfortune behind." She pointed toward the designated rack where others were tying their papers.

Tae-sung smiled softly, took Kim Bon-hwa’s hand, and walked toward the rack.

Watching them from a distance, Minjin smiled. "I’m glad oppa finally has someone by his side."

Still holding Minjin’s hand, Park Micha looked up at her. "Imo, you will too. Your fortune just told you to wait patiently."

Minjin let out a gentle chuckle. "I have a feeling that coming back to Korea means that prediction won’t be a good one."

"Waeyo, imo?" Park Micha asked, tilting her head in confusion.

Minjin shook her head, a soft smile lingering on her lips. "Aniya, don’t think about it."

With that, she walked alongside Park Micha while Tae-sung finished tying his paper to the wooden frame.