Again this year, there was no one special for her to celebrate Christmas with. Actually, not only Christmas, she had no one special since .. since 2 years ago, when she and her ex-boyfriend had decided to part.  Her ex said there were no longer love in their relationship, just comfort, he needed to find love somewhere else.

She walked on the street taking photos of the Christmas decoration, the Christmas lightning were colourful and cheery, it lifted her spirit a bit. That was the first time she saw him, he was staring at the large Christmas tree, looking so peaceful. She took pictures of him, even some closed up. He look as if he was waiting for someone. She stared at him until he moved, that had broken her trance. She wondered who was he waiting for, she was never one that is interested in strangers but he caught her eye.

She went back to her office the next day and developed the pictures, the few photos of him still stunned her, she couldn’t answer why. Her colleague, Gary, walked past her while she was selecting the photos for this week article. He too picked up the pictures of the man, “You seldom took pictures of human, and this picture seemed to capture the intensity of the man. Mm this man look familiar.” She looked up,  startled, Gary knew this man?

“Jae Suk hyung, is this man your friend? I remember we had dinner once?” Gary walked to Jae Suk table and shown him the photo.

Jae Suk touched his spectaculars out of habit, “Oh my Gosh, It is Jong Kook, Ji Hyo, you made him look so handsome! You need to help me take such a good photo of me too” Jae Suk commented. She blushed, she didn’t know the effect would be so good, but she must acknowledge he really stood out in the photo. “Let me see the rest of the photos,” Jae Suk looked through all the photos and single out one long shot, “this photo captured the essence of the article I am writing. I must  give Jong Kook a call to get his permission to use the photo.” Jae Suk quickly sent a message to Jong Kook and ask him for lunch. He invited Ji Hyo too and Gary wanted to tag along, he wanted to see whether the man was as handsome as the photo Ji Hyo took.

The lunch was in a small eatery that Jae Suk loved, he said the food tasted best there. Jong Kook had arrived first and sat in a corner, Jae Suk and gang hurried to join him. Jong Kook was all smiled “Hyung what’s up? And these are?” he asked.

“This is Ji Hyo, photographer of the weekly magazine, and this is Gary, he in charge of pubs section” both of them greeted Jong Kook.

“That be informal, friends of Hyung are friends of mine” Jong Kook greeted back. They ordered their lunch.

“Jong Kook, look at this.” Jae Suk showed pictures of Jong Kook looking at the Christmas tree. “Ji Hyo saw you and took pictures of you. I think she did a good job don’t you.” Ji Hyo blushed, her face redden more when Jong Kook nodded his head. Thank goodness he was not angry that she took his photos without permission.

“Oh my, I did look good. I am going to paste this in my cubicles.” He chuckled.

“Well, that’s not an issue, but I wanted to ask for your permission for me to print this photo as part of the article” Jong Kook frowned at Jae Suk’s proposal.

“I don’t like to be in the highlight” Jong Kook wanted to decline the proposal.

“Well, we could do some effect to blur your face, look this is the one we could print” Jae Suk showed Jong Kook another photo, this time, Jong Kook face were less recognizable. Jong Kook looked at his hyung, he understood Jae Suk must felt it was apt, Jae Suk had put in so much effort to convince him and the photo did really make him unrecognizable.

“Ok, hyung, if you must.” Jong Kook agreed.

“You won’t regret it, I have also convinced the editorial to pay you a token sum, it not a lot but it my way to say thanks, my treat today.” Jae Suk was very happy Jong Kook agreed. That was their first official meeting. She found him to be a cheerful person and she wanted to ask who he was waiting for, but she didn’t.

Nightfall, she went out again to take pictures. Again, she saw him at the tree, she couldn’t help it but snapped his photos again. Suddenly, he turned and looked at her, she snapped that instance. She put down her camera and walked towards him. “Jong Kook shi, nice to meet you again.” She said sheepishly.

“Mm.. you must be taking pictures of me again” he asked.

“ee.. Yes, I couldn’t resist it. You just look so perfect here. Do you mind?” she asked.

“If only, you share the photo with me and don’t show the rest.”

“Ok, that’s good, give me your email address and phone no? I can send you when I get back” she quickly took out her phone to record the information. She also gave him a miss call, so he had her number. “I will need to take some more photos for the magazine” although she felt regretful that she needed to end the meeting, she needed to finish her work.

“Why don’t we go together? I was walking around too.” He suggested. The two of them roamed the streets looking at Christmas lightning. He was a funny man, she haven’t laughed so much this recently. With him around, her work were more enjoyable and time past quickly. “It’s late, I needed to go home, remember to send me those photos.” He said and they parted ways.

Ji Hyo quickly do a quick sort of the photos when she reached home, she typed in Jong Kook email address and sent him the photos. She also sent him a message to inform him. After 20 minutes, he returned the messages. “Wow, you really make me look good. I am going to show my colleagues tomorrow, I bet they thought I am some sort of model.”  She giggled. From their conversation, she knew he worked in a sportswear company where he designed the sportswear.

He sent her a message during lunch, “My colleagues were impressed, they said I never looked this good. They wanted me to model our sportswear for the next season, can you believe it!”

“My techniques are great, that why Jae Suk Oppa is keeping me as a photographer. Maybe i should be your photographere too” she replied.

Ji Hyo wanted to go somewhere else to take Christmas lightning, she wondered would him be interested to go as well. He said the Christmas lightning had often gave him inspirations but then she was not so sure he would want to go with her. So she didn’t ask.

They are really fated, he caught her eye almost immediately when she exited the subway. She knew it was a coincidence, no one in the company knew where she was going, she didn’t even know herself. He was buying a hot sandwich at the café. He looked and their eyes met, he waved at her cheerfully and she entered the café. “Hi Jong Kook shi” she said.

“Call me oppa?” he asked and she nodded. “ Sucha a coincident we chose the same place again. Lets go together?”

“Ok, oppa” she agreed,

“Let’s have something first, it cold out there.” She bought a hot sandwich and a cup of Americano. After their quick dinner, they stepped out, “It really cold today” he said, tightly his shawl around his neck. She felt the chill too but she didn’t bring her shawl and she felt the cold touching her warm neck. She pulled her collar higher, but that didn’t help much.

“Come, have this” he took of his shawl and put it on her. She can felt his warmth around her neck immediately.

“Thank you, aren’t you cold too?” she asked.

“Come on, with my muscles and I am a guy, what this cold. I had a turtleneck sweater, so its ok.” He pulled his turtleneck collar higher. They walked down the streets, admiring the different Christmas light. Her finger felt stiffed when she wanted to press the shutter, she had cut a tiny hole in her glove but that didn’t seem to help. He passed her his heatpack, she thanked him again. “You must dress more warmly, it not good to get sick so near to the festive season.” They had a nice outing together.

“Since we will meet evitable, that’s meet up tomorrow again?” he asked before they said good bye. She nodded and decided to meet the next day. She actually had finished her assignment, she had gotten enough photo shots but she liked to roam the Christmas lightning with him. After a week, they managed to finish all the lightning in the city. She thought it would be the end of their time together. She didn’t expect a message, a week later.

“Hi Ji Hyo, I wanted to meet up Jae Suk for Christmas dinner, do you want to come along?”  She wanted to, of course, she had missed him but she couldn’t find an excuse to meet up.

“Ok, where and when?” she replied. He sent her the date and address. She literally skip to Jae Suk's table, “Oppa, Can I join you and Jong Kook Oppa for your Christmas dinner?”

“Of course, Jong Kook asked you?” he looked a bit shocked.

“Yeah, Jong Kook oppa asked me. Why do you look so shocked?” she was curious.

“Nothing, we should go together after work” The day finally arrived and they had a nice dinner. Jae Suk needed to go home early to his family, and left both of them to their own devices.

‘Should we go for a walk? You are dressed for it.” He noted.

“Ok, Oppa. These days it’s too cold.” They walked down the street, looking at the various window display, they had fun discussing the various window designs. Time past quickly, the shops were closing one by one, they looked at the time and decided it time for them to go home. Ji Hyo was reluctant to end the day but she said good bye.

“Ji Hyo,” Jong Kook called out to her. He ran to her side. “Could I ask you out alone?”

“Yes, I would like that very much” She said.

He smiled, “Ok, I will message you” and he ran off in the opposite direction. They started their date the very next day, and the next and the next. When they didn’t go out together, they will be on the phone. In a month, they grew closer, she never felt this with her ex boyfriends. Both of them seemed to want to catch up their friendship and moving towards becoming best friends, then they moved past that, she didn't know where they are heading. She just knew he always warmed her heart.

He asked her out on Christmas' eve, he didn’t bring her to a fancy restaurant but one which served great food in a cozy atmosphere. After the enjoyable dinner, he took her on a bus tour, they saw the Christmas lights right in front of their eyes. The bus ended in Nansam, he took her up the nansam tower where they overlooked the city, it was vibrant with Christmas lights lightning. She was in awe, she never came to nansam at night before.

She felt him hugged her and she relaxed into his arms. He gave her a kiss on her forehead and she looked up, into his eyes. She saw herself in there and she also saw something she wanted. He whispered into her ears, “Ji Hyo, we knew each other for a month plus now, I never knew I could be like this, so anxiously wanting to know someone better. The better I know you, the more I like you, the more I like you, the more I wanted to know you. Please can you be my girlfriend.”

She smiled, she pulled his head down, and gently whispered into his ears, “Yes”

They smiled and held each other closer.