Bang Yongguk was one grumpy dude in the morning. It wasn't even that early, and here he was, complaining like a big .

"Why did you make me get up so early on a Saturday?" he mumbled, trudging into his kitchen, dressed in only a pair of loose gray sweatpants and sliding into a seat with a small groan. His brown hair stood up in about ten different directions, and he rubbed his eyes furiously.  

"It's almost 10AM, Bang Yongguk," I told him, shoving the donuts that I had brought over for him. "You know what's already happened in this city while you were sleeping your life away? I got up, did the laundry, went and bought breakfast for me and my brother, and then I drove Niel to soccer and looky here...you're still on your fat ."

He begrudgingly took a chocolate-covered donut, and let out a crooked smile. "Shut up, Yoon Ara. You're being noisy. Besides, there is not a single ounce of fat on this godly body and you know it."

Okay, so Yongguk kept himself in great shape and I currently had a beautiful view of tanned abs and broad shoulders. That didn't mean he wasn't lazy as hell.

I just glared at him. "I want you prettied up and ready to go in 30 minutes," I told him, "no excuses."

"Why?" he asked, stubbornly.

"Because," I answered, "we're celebrating."




It was a beautiful day to be outside. The temperature was unseasonably warm for April, and the light blue expanse of sky was interrupted only by the occasional fluffy white cloud. The park was busy, and people of all ages were out to enjoy the sunshine.

"You should start getting used to being woken up by surprise," I told Yongguk as we strolled side by side into the park. "Starting next month, if there's a gang shooting or homicide, you'll have to be up no matter what time of the day it is. Look at you, Bang Yongguk," I grinned up at him, "the youngest prosecutor to join Seoul Metropolitan Police Departments' special tasks force."

"You're not doing so bad yourself," he replied, teasingly ruffling my hair. "Youngest investigative photojournalist hired by Seoul's most widely circulated newspaper, huh? What will your first story be, Miss Yoon Ara? An exposé on the SMPD's most attractive men? I'm available for interviews on weekdays by request."

"Your ego is killing me," I groaned, pushing his hands away. I took the camera that had been hanging around my neck and turned it on, adjusting for the bright lights outside.

"Why are we here anyway?" Yongguk asked, looking around and squinting his eyes against the light.

I took a few steps sideways, and raised my camera up to my face. "So I can take pictures of you," I replied with an easy smile.

"Wae?" Yongguk glanced in my direction, but kept walking.

I followed him several paces away, and starting taking snapshots. "Because," I explained, "when you spend your days photographing corruption, slums, and starving kids, you learn to appreciate beauty."

Being an investigative photojournalist was not all rainbows and unicorns. I had seen for myself the dark side of humanity, and knew how lucky I was.

Yongguk stopped walking and turned to face me with a dazzling smile. "Are you saying that you think I'm beautiful?" he countered.

"Duh," I grinned back, capturing the smile with a click of the shutter.