She sat in the bus to downtown. There was a Christmas market in Seoul and she still needed presents for her friends. Some kids played pranks on the other occupants and it was getting louder. She rested her head on her hand and looked outside. Snow was slowly falling from the sky and the otherwise busy city looked peacefully.
“Did you hear, that there’s a stall with two good looking boys?” a girl behind Minseul asked her friend.
“Yes, but they’re too old for us. I mean... we’re 15 and they’re about 20,”the other girl said and with that she killed all the hopes of her friend.
“Maybe you’re right...”
Minseul looked up. Not that she was interested in boys but in good looking persons. Her daily equipment was a camera. She loved the photography and studied Visual Arts at the KARTS (Korean National University of Arts).
The bus arrived in a busy mess of people running around with shopping bags. Was Minseul the only one who still was relaxed? She started to walk to one of the many stalls with clothing, accessories or food.
It became boring and so she just passed by the stalls with looking here and there, when she noticed two boys fighting. They had a bakery stall and it smelled so good. Minseul went closer to the boy’s stall so, that she could see them. She knew exactly who one of the boys was. Though she had never seen him. Kim Jongin, a boy from her University. Her friend told her about him.
“You know? You know WHAT?” Jongin shouted at the other boy.
“I know that I have to find her and now be quiet I don’t want the whole market to hear us!” the other boy yelled back.
“We’re here to work and not for looking for your great Love, Lee Taemin!”
Lee Taemin? Just when she heard his name, something in her brain began to connect her memories. Minseul knew this name. Taemin went into her parallel class in high school.
She knocked at the wooden stall to get the boys’ attention.
“Hi... I would like 2 bagels,” Minseul said, flipping her hair back with one hand. Jongin nodded and put the bagels into a little bag. Taemin stopped doing anything, he just stood there and looked at Minseul. She had long brown hair, shining eyes and a bright smile. She held a reflex camera in one hand carried a shoulder bag with her. Her hair was full with snow, but she didn’t care. And she seemed not to freeze. Taemin shook his head to stop staring at the beautiful girl in front of his bakery stall. She said goodbye and turned around to go away. A few steps later someone grabbed her arm and made her spin around. Taemin stood there, his hand still at Minseul’s arm.
“M-Minseul, right?” he stuttered and looked into her eyes.
“Right! You’re Taemin!”
“Looks like. I guess everybody knows that after Jongin screamed it out loud,” Taemin scratched the back of his head.
“You’re studying Arts, don’t you?”
Minseul nodded, “Photography to be specific.” She lifted her camera a little.
“Jongin told me. He once modeled and you were apprentice.”
A snowflake landed on Minseul’s nose and she wiped it away quickly.
“I have to go now, Taemin. I still need some presents for Christmas,” she waved and went away. Taemin watched her until she disappeared in the crowd.
Jongin tapped on Taemin’s shoulder.
“This coincidence is really ridiculous, isn’t it?” Jongin said, pointing in the direction where Minseul left.
“But it seems like she doesn’t know me...” Taemin sighed.
“Taemin, she still knows you. But don’t expect a reaction like ‘Oh my god, I know you from high school’.”
~
Minseul walked through the market. She made some random pictures from children and the stalls there.
She couldn’t concentrate on finding the right focus, because of this Lee Taemin spooking through her head. After a while of senseless standing in the way, Minseul decided to go back to the bakery stall and ask if she can photograph Taemin.
She arrived at the bakery and looked for the two boys. But only Jongin was there.
“Oh, you’re back. How were the bagels?” Jongin asked and smiled.
“Actually,” she made a little break, “I didn’t eat them yet, to be honest.”
“Minseul...” - “Did Taemin tell you my name?” she interrupted Jongin.
He nodded.
“I’m really not this kind of person to do this, but Taemin annoys me since ever with this. Would you go on a date with him?”
Minseul looked overrun. Why can’t Taemin just ask by himself?
She slowly nodded. She had a crush on Taemin. Since she saw him the first time in High school.
Seconds later Taemin came back with a bag full with flour and milk.
“Oh, Minseul, did you get all the presents?”
“Yes,” she lied.
“Great!”
“Eum... Taemin? What are you doing tomorrow?” Minseul asked and nervously touched her nose.
“It’s Christmas Eve... But I have nothing to do.”
“Do you want to go out with me?”
“This is the question the boy should ask...” Taemin said, but looked in her eyes and added, “Yes. 7pm at our old highschool?”
“Okay, I’ll be there!”
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