Playlist: Seventeen X Yoo Ara – a midsummer night’s sweetness remix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2mnPTJs3f8

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Essayist: Han Seolhee

Recipient of the letter: Kim Jongin

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           21th August 2019

We met each other in late summer of August. Overall, it was a humid summer. Nevertheless, till now, I would say that this day felt kind of different. It was hot at daytime, and as the day has passed, the sky turned purple, but still, the weather has kept its humid temperature even though nighttime has arrived.

Back then, he was 27 and I was 22. He was a popular K-pop idol of 10 years. In contrast, I was just admitted into Yonsei University in Seoul for my master’s degree with pharmaceutical science as my major.

We lived in two completely different worlds - he was athletic, glorious and preeminent. On the other hand, I was this dull nerdy girl watching physics documentaries at midnight, but in that one certain summer night when our paths first crossed, it seemed like we lived in the same realm. It felt substantial, sincere and authentic as if there was no disparities, differences, or inequalities between us. It was just him and me and our good damn naivety.

The 21st of August was a very special day. In that year, Kim Jungah celebrated her 32nd birthday. Kim Jungah was a hard-working lady. She was the owner of a café and worked day after day and night after night. Consequently, she barely had any free time. I always made sure to pay her a visit, to look after her and to bring her some snacks after an exhausting working day, to forget her stressful life, even if it was just for a second. That’s how the friendship between Kim Jungah and me, Han Seolhee, has worked.

Despite our , I would consider her as one of my best friends. In that summer, I just came to Seoul and got to know a few people. Among them, I became really close to some of them and as fate has brought us together, we were inseparable. I simply love her.

On that day, Jungah held a karaoke birthday party to which some close friends, co-workers and family members were invited. Some of her close friends were mine as well. Ok, to be honest, I only knew Lee Juhyun. I met Juhyun on my first day in Seoul. We naturally became close and as he introduced me to Jungah, we became a unseparable trio. Because Juhyun and I frequently went to Jungah’s café, we got to know some of her colleagues, but that was it.

On that one fine day, I was already invited to another party from some fellow students. Being me, I couldn’t reject their invitation, therefore I attended the college party first and went to Jungah’s party afterwards. Well, she was my best friend after all, so I couldn’t miss hers. If I had known from the beginning that this day would become memorable, I would have skipped the first party and went straight ahead to Jungah’s. Well, but that's not how life works, right?

I always has been a timid introverted girl, so I naturally sat a bit distant from everyone and had my little chit chat with Juhyun till he left early because of an overdue assignment. As I came late, some groups of friends have already gathered and I was left alone. Luckily, Jungah kept me entertained, when Juhyun left.

There was a group of friends back from her college days, another one consisted of her co-workers, another one was her childhood friend group and the one that just entered consisted of 4 boys. Thinking back to that situation again, I can still remember that I glanced at a certain someone. Fair enough, everyone couldn’t take their eyes off them, and everyone had the same thoughts. “How could they be so ethereally handsome?” was on everyone’s mind. Well, it’s because they had this extraordinary aura. I can’t blame thoug