.September 2016

 

“Yeah, I’ve just done arranging my room and now I’m grabbing something to eat in the convenience store.”

Winter’s hand trailed along the ramyeon rack. She loves something very spicy, so her eyes stopped at the sight of fire ramyeon. Meanwhile, on the other side of the phone, her older sister Jieun was nagging over her unhealthy choice.

“It’s getting late and going out of the dorm area would be bothersome…” Winter whined in her cute voice–something she only does to people close to her. “I’ll get something very healthy tomorrow morning! Promise.”

When another sister-love rage came through the phone, she just chuckled silently as she brought her set of ramyeon, instant spicy sausage, and two onigiris she picked earlier to the register. What did Jieun expect, anyway? It’s already past 10PM and the restaurants inside the dorm complex were already closed. It would take Winter another five minutes to walk outside into the neighborhood where restaurants stay open until midnight. After all, she was alone and still knew no one other than the dorm security she talked to earlier this morning. She didn’t have the guts to wander around in a place she’s not familiar with all by herself.

“That would be 13,400 won,” the staff stated as she handed back the food to Winter. Winter reached to her pocket for the money and got startled when she found nothing there. “Oh? Where’s my money?” she asked rhetorically. “Eonnie, I’ll call you back later!”

“Where is it?” Winter still roamed around her pocket and still found nothing. “I’m sorry… I think I left my money upstairs. I’ll get back–“

“Just pay it with this.”

Winter turned around to see a tall man clothed in a simple blue hoodie offering his card to the staff. Startled, she took seconds before responding to the situation. “No, it’s okay–“

“Just use this first. The store is closing in 10 minutes. We sure don’t want you to skip dinner, right?” he said, offering a smile as he insisted for the staff to take his card. A bit hesitant, the register accepted the stranger’s card and paid for Winter’s bill. Everything happened so fast that Winter couldn’t even give another polite rejection to his kind offer.

“Th-thank you,” Winter hesitantly took her food and stepped away since there was still a queue behind him, some of them looked annoyed thus she hurriedly escape. The kind stranger just waved her off with a smile and proceeded to pay for his meal.

Not really knowing what to do, Winter decided to wait for him in the entrance. It was quite chilly that night since the autumn wind has started to breeze into the city. She thumped her tiny figure, hoping her body would warm up a bit, and stopped when she saw the previous tall guy walked toward the gate.

“Excuse me! Uhh…” Winter awkwardly stopped him from walking away. She hesitated first before continuing. Not that the guy gave her a thump, though she admitted he is quite handsome with his tall figure, broad shoulder, and cute smile on top of it. It’s because Winter is not too confident herself, so coming up with a conversation with a stranger didn’t sound too appealing for her. Though again, she’s still bubbly and friendly when talking. “Thank you for your help… I’m going to pay you back tonight. Are you staying in the dorm too?”

“Yup, I’m staying here,” he smiled, looking quite excited to see her stopping him first but still maintained to look chill. “But it’s already late. You can pay me back tomorrow.”

“No, that’s not polite of me to owe you overnight…”

“I can’t see what’s wrong with that,” he replied with a little chuckle. Gosh, she's adorable, he thought.

“It’s okay! I’ll just run back to get the money. Can you wait here? Or do you want me to go to the men’s dorm? I mean, I’ll wait outside and you– Oh wait, I think it would be bothersome for you to go back and forth.”

Winter’s cute encounter couldn’t help him from chuckling in adoration. She looked hesitant in a way that she didn’t want to burden him. “Let me just walk with you to your dorm. I'll wait outside. Besides, I was planning to stroll around anyway.”

That’s how they ended up walking together that night, even without knowing each other’s name. The walk to Winter’s dorm is not too long, so the whole steps were filled only with silence and sheepish smiled that the guy hid from her. How could he not smile? He had spotted Winter’s figure since the morning when all the freshmen were gathered in the dorm’s hall for administration. Not that she looks so extravagant that she managed to catch everyone’s attention, otherwise, she’s wearing a simple pair of summer blouse and jeans, looking simple but cute in his eyes. It was so lucky of him that he walked past the convenience store that night at the exact time Winter was inside. He was just going for a walk and the moment he spotted her, he quickly went inside, grabbed something randomly, and queued behind her right before another person does. At first, he was planning to greet her or make a little scene to stop her, like bumping into her or something, but God’s favor was in him when she said she had left her money upstairs.

“Is it okay for you to wait here? I’ll be quick, promise,” Winter said as she looked up to the tall guy. Considering her height that’s only about his shoulder–slightly below even–it’s impossible not to look up to him when talking. Somehow, he kind of looked like a giant to her.

“No need to rush. Take your time.”

Winter did otherwise. Instead of taking the elevator, she sprinted through the stairs to her room on the 5th floor and ran down in no time, thanks to her petite body that feels almost like a paper doll. She slowed down her steps nearing the entrance to make it look like she wasn’t rushing like hell. Combing her slightly tousled hair from running, she walked outside calmly towards him who was playing around with the ground–kicking and dragging his shoes playfully.

“There you go. Just take the change,” she said as she handed out 15,000 won to him.

His eyes widened. “No, no, no. I’ll give you the change tomorrow.”

“It’s okay. Just take it,” Winter insisted. “You’ve helped me anyway and I’m very grateful for that. I don’t want to bother you for having to meet me again the other day. I’m sorry for getting you into trouble…”

“Aye, no need to feel sorry at all. I’ll give you the change tomorrow. Can I meet you sometime in the afternoon? I have orientation meeting in the morning,” he replied.

“Oh? You’re already starting the orientation tomorrow?” she couldn’t help but drift the topic out of curiosity. “Isn’t everything supposed to start next week?”

“Not for the acting department. They’ll exploit you whenever and however they can,” he shrugged off with a little laugh of pity. “Besides, we’re starting earlier since the committee wants us to finish earlier than the other departments.”

“Wow, okay… What for?”

“It’s a long story. I bet it’ll pass the night roll call if I tell you everything now,” he chuckled, and Winter couldn’t deny that he looks cute when he chuckles. Oh, and she noticed that he has a dimple on his right cheek.

“Okay, way to end a conversation,” she replied. “But really though, you don’t have to give me back the change. It’s only 1,600 won anyway.”

“1,600 won is still money, right? You can get kimbab with that. Or two ice creams… but not the biscuit one, it’s expensive. You can also get a tteokbokki… but not even a portion, just a small cup,” he playfully lectured.

Winter couldn’t help but giggle at his joke. “I don’t even know why I’m laughing.”

Then they both filled the silence with laugh–a comfortable one this time. “I’m Nam Joohyuk. And you?” he offered his hand, waiting for her to welcome him.

“Winter. Kim Winter, freshman in Marketing Communication major.”

“Winter? Winter as in the season?” he blinked in confusion. Never he ever heard a Korean name as Kim Winter. Kim Gyeoul (winter in Korean language) would make more sense to him. “Why?”

“Why?” she chuckled as she repeated his question. “This is the first time I’ve ever heard someone asking why my parents named me Winter. Although I have to admit that most people find it weird.”

He blushed. “Aye~ Don’t take it wrong. Anyway, good thing that it's pronounced in Korean, not English. If it’s in English, I think it’ll be my first and last time to talk to you.”

Winter tried to hide her laugh, but looking so obvious at the same time. “Why?”

“Because I wouldn’t be able to call you out of embarrassment. I have the worst history with English.”

They both laughed again without realizing that their hands were still tangled onto each other in a handshake posture.

“Aigoo~ I’m sorry,” Joohyuk let his hand slipped off hers only to grab it with his other hand. “It must be hard to handshake someone that long. Let me wipe it off for you,” he jokingly brushed her palm gently and gave it a gentle blow. “There you go, clean and free.”

Winter just stood on her spot amazed and couldn’t stop chuckling over his silly manners.

“So, are you free in the afternoon to meet your 1,600 won?”

“Sure. What time should I meet you?”

Joohyuk didn’t reply immediately but reached for his phone instead. Trying too obviously to hide his smile, he dared himself to make a move. “Can I have your number? I’ll call you right after I’m done.

 

•••

 

.SEPTEMBER 2019

 

“YAAAH! KIM WINTER!!! SHIN YUNA!!! YAAAH!”

Sprinting like crazy, Joohyuk dashed towards Winter and Yuna with his hand waving in the air, holding his phone as if he was proudly holding the national flag. His handsome face unwillingly turned crazy and he looked somehow too excited in a dreadful summer afternoon. Meanwhile, Winter and Yuna who was sitting on one of the campus’s bench just stared at him, looking uninterested with a little bit of confusion.

“What is it this time?” Winter said, continuously munching the giant pizza she earlier bought with Yuna. Both of them might have a skinny figure, but they eat like a trucker yet luckily is saved by their crazy metabolism.

Yuna shrugged, munching on her piece of pizza. “Like I care.”

Joohyuk was barely able to catch his breath when he reached the bench. He couldn’t even utter a word but pointing excessively at his phone for no reason. Seeing his rather pitying condition, Winter casually handed her milk tea to help him breathe.

After a gulp or two, he finally got his sense back to speak. “Ahhh! So refreshing– Oh! Yah, daebak, daebak, daebak!”

Being used to Joohyuk’s antic attitude, Winter and Yuna expected nothing but something silly to come out of his mouth. As if he’s hurt by their reaction, he slapped the table to get their attention. “Yah! Pay attention when someone’s talking!”

“We are!!!” Yuna slapped the table back.

“Then stop munching!!!” Joohyuk pointed at the two of them.

This kind of bickering is already a daily routine between Nam Joo Hyuk and Shin Yuna. It’s not like they’re enemies, they’re best friends and have shared the sweetness and bitterness of college life in the past three years together with Winter, but they just can’t help but fight each other every day. Whereas Winter, being rather a calm one, naturally just sit in silence to watch them throwing words and funny gestures at each other. It’s fun to watch it so it’s not a problem at all for her.

“Yah! Kim Winter. Can you please stop munching?” this time, Joohyuk chose to target Winter.

Instead of getting mad at his random spat, she offered her last slice of giant pizza to Joohyuk. “Here. Eat.”

Without getting embarrassed even a bit, he stole the pizza from her and began gulping it down. “That’s what I’m talking about.”

Winter just chuckled and cleaned up the pizza box while Yuna and Joohyuk continue to bicker. “Stop it. Enough fighting you two. Joohyuk, what is it that you want to tell us?”

“Ah! Here, see! Guess who got accepted for an internship in SOOP Management?! MEEEE!!!” he jumped off the seat and marched towards the two who sat across him. Out of abundant excitement, he headlock Winter and Yuna from the back in a joking, excited manner. “I’m going to Seoul with you guys!!! Woohoo!!!!”

Winter and Yuna couldn’t hide their excitement as well to hear the good news. They keep chirping mumbles to each other out of joy, drawing attention from other students around. As third-year students, they’re obligated to do an internship on behalf of lecture credits for the whole semester. Winter originally planned to stay behind in Gwangju to find an internship program there. Seoul is her hometown, but she didn’t feel like going home for some reason. She’s been in love with Gwangju’s peaceful, undemanding environment without much of society’s expectation.

But then, Yuna the authentic Ulsan girl has always dreamed of living in Seoul. She thought it would be a perfect chance to sign up for an internship program and tried living there. She coaxed Winter to go to Seoul with her simply because they’re best friends, and just like in movies, she wants to move over to the dream town with her best friend. As a person who can barely say no to others, Winter started searching for opportunities in Seoul and luckily got into SBS, though she was aiming for GMarket or Coupang that she thought would be more suitable for her career plan as a marketing communication consultant.

About Yuna, she had her chance to do an internship in a local fashion store where she would be in charge as a fashion buyer intern. Yuna took Fashion Marketing as her major but deep down, she has a dream of becoming a professional model. Judging from her body alone, she would totally make the cut with her 170cm height and long legs. Being the optimist, Yuna believed that her career as a fashion buyer would help her find a way to become a professional model. Although, she’s started working as a freelance model for small photoshoot projects to start building her portfolios. In the big picture, she’s aiming for big brands to hire her as their ambassador and to actually do runways, in the hope she’ll make it to Fashion Week one day.

Joohyuk, on the other hand, struggled very much to even get a glimpse from acting agencies in Seoul. The bar is definitely higher than others, since Seoul is practically the heart of Korea's movie industry, but with a little help of his father who once was an actor, he finally got a chance to be an intern in an agency as big as SOOP, though they weren’t opening any vacancy at the moment.

“Daebak! Woah, I can’t believe we’re all going to Seoul!” Yuna cheered while shaking Joohyuk’s hair into a bowl of bird’s nest.

“I’m a proud Winter, Jooh