Beautiful Stranger - f(x)

Familiarity

Everything in Aerin's closet was still neatly stacked up and arranged according to their respective colours, just like she had left it, so it didn’t take much time and energy for her to add more without having to fix anything. Her closet didn’t consist of bright, rainbow-like colours like what other teenagers would wear every summer. Sure, there were a few yellows and blues, but it was mostly a profusion of whites and blacks. Aerin favored those two shades out of all the colors--not because she was an emotional, gothic chick, but because she liked the simplicity of them. The two colors weren’t lively compared to the others, but they weren’t as glum either. They were neutral, in Aerin’s opinion, and she preferred that. She liked minimalism.

Much like how her wardrobe was full of plain, neutral-colored clothing, her shoe rack held similar styled items. Girls nowadays really liked wearing heels and other fancy sandals, and a small part of Aerin had to admit that she took a bit of liking for both. Unlike her shoe collection back in California which included fancy and girly designs, her shoe collection here only offered dark-colored chucks and pastel-toned flip flops. However, she was satisfied with them. Most of her footwear was comfortable for the scorching summer heat and she was more than pleased with it—especially since she often tended to get sweaty. She opted to walk along the beach sand and drive along the rough roads of the neighbourhood with just simple chucks or slippers anyway. It didn't make sense to do those things while wearing 6-inched heels just for the sake of making her legs look longer. Only someone stupid like Dahee would do something like that.

With an exasperated sigh, Aerin shook her head. There was no use in trying to think about the female again. Dahee had already ruined her morning enough, and Aerin wouldn’t let her do more than what she had already done. She wouldn’t let herself be distracted with spoilt thoughts concerning the female. I don't want to waste my remaining afternoon on a worthless being like her.

Shrugging off the thoughts in her head, Aerin placed the last pair of shoes she brought on the last remaining space of her shoe rack. She didn’t bring that much this year, but the rack itself still managed to be full, leaving no room for any other shoes. It was the same for her closet too, and she noticed some clothes that she didn’t own before on top of her old ones. Dad must have bought some and placed them here before I arrived. Looking at it, the stacks of the folded clothes had grown a lot compared to how it was when she last lived here—to the point where it even threatened to fall and crumpled her other clothes that were hanging on the metal rod. Aerin didn't mind the sight of her slightly disarranged hung clothes—she could just straighten and move them into another closet outside since she barely used those anyway—but the prospect of her stacks of folded clothes falling bothered her. Aerin disliked having her things in a messy state. She liked her possessions to be in order, so the sight of her closet being in the messy state irked her.

This will have to do, Aerin thought, looking at the old but clean garbage bag she had acquired from one of her bathroom cabinets. Going back to her closet, Aerin opened the bag and settled it on the ground with its mouth wide open. Slowly but carefully, she then pulled the lower half of her folded clothes and gently placed them one by one inside the garbage bag, still keeping them in their color arrangements. She wasn’t sure, but as far as she could remember, she had gotten the clothes when she was just beginning her teenage years. Since then, she hadn’t visited the neighborhood center where she would often give away her unused clothes.

Being a pampered child, Aerin had always owned an abundance of clothes and shoes, but she knew that she didn’t need all of them. That was why whenever she got new things, she would always take out her old clothes and donate them to the neighborhood center, in hopes that someone less fortunate would make better use of her things. Most of the things that she gave away were ones that didn’t fit her anymore or were no longer to her liking, but at the very least, she still managed to give a helping hand to other people. Although each item was painstakenly hand-picked, she gave them away without a second thought—it was for a good cause anyway. A good and thoughtful cause.

After Aerin had finished sifting through her clothes, she gently closed her closet and hesitantly looked at the large garbage bag. Would they think I’m giving them garbage? She couldn’t find any other plastic bags other than the one in front of her, and it was the only one that would fit everything. She’ll just have to explain to the people there that it wasn't trash.

Simple as that. Now, I have to try my new baby Ford.

Grabbing her new car keys, Aerin wore one of her sunglasses and pulled the garbage bag outside her room with much effort before closing the door rather loudly—no one was at home other than her anyway. With heavy and excited footsteps, Aerin managed to reach the garage in half a minute. She wasn’t really all that giddy—much like how a five-year-old acts whenever her favorite cartoon was on—but she couldn't deny the fact that she was thrilled with the idea of having a new car. A wide smile suddenly crept up on her lips upon seeing the brand new, white, pick-up truck parked in the garage.

After placing the garbage bag at the back of her truck—an ordeal that made her sweat a bit—Aerin immediately unlocked the door and entered the automobile with a small grin, savoring the scent of the fresh leather seats and the lemon freshener stuck on the air conditioner vent. The vehicle roared to life as she ignited the engine, and unlike the pity she felt for the old Corolla whenever it made incoherent noises, she felt enthusiasm for her new Ranger—a feat to be considered since her foul mood upon arriving here.

And just as she expected, driving the truck was easier and much more pleasing. The tires were big so the ride was sure to be smooth, but Aerin wanted to think that it was also because she was a good driver. Although she had always truly been one, driving the Corolla didn’t justify her claims and thus led her mom to not trust her with a new car.

Mom. Thinking about it now, she hadn’t called her mom ever since that morning, but Aerin was sure that she would understand. Minae could be really quirky and nosy with her life which annoyed Aerin at times, but one thing that she liked about the woman was how understanding she was. Even if she didn’t show it the way Aerin wanted her to, she knew that her mother still cared and understood her deeply—more than anyone could ever possibly do.

Aerin reminded herself to video call her mom later and show her the new car. It would be even better if she could actually ship the truck to California and drive it around there. That way, she could also show off the vehicle to Amber who would always make fun of her Corolla. I hope that old junk won’t be jealous since I’d be using it again when I get back.

After travelling on the rough and skimpy roads of Bansong-dong, Aerin finally saw the South Korean flag raised on the flagpole--that was her landmark for the center. Entering the location, Aerin parked her truck and inwardly praised herself for still having a good grasp of the ways around the neighborhood. Even if she forgot, she could have asked the people around since all the local people in the place were friendly and hospitable.

“Aerin?” An old voice familiar called out to Aerin, making her quickly get out from her truck to see an old man wearing a maroon shirt and matching beige baggy pants complete with a fisherman’s hat. “Aerin, is that you?”

Another old woman followed behind him donning the same outfit. Except instead of a fisherman’s hat, she wore a plain sunhat. She beamed brightly at Aerin. “It really is you, Aerin!”

“Uncle Sangchul, Aunty Seulgi,” Aerin called back, raising her dark brown aviator sunglasses with a wistful smile. “I’m back—“

Without even letting Aerin finish her sentence, the old pair immediately grabbed her into a tight hug. A surge of warmth and recognition seeped through Aerin as she felt their arms encircling her. Sangchul and Seulgi were an elderly couple whom Aerin had met whe