July

The whole apartment is silent, with the only sound audible coming from the backspace key I’ve been pressing continuously.

“Aish. Maybe a walk would help.” I threw my hands up in exasperation and closed the laptop which is staring blankly at me with its white and blue screen and small blinking line telling me to type.

After a heavy sigh, I got up from my chair and grabbed my jacket, heading towards the door to grab some fresh air and some new ideas.

As I am walking on the streets, with the moon shining above me and the stars scattered all over the night sky, I saw a glimpse of someone with blonde hair, tall, wearing a simple black shirt and jeans rushing towards me and suddenly grabbed my hand and dragged me.

I had no time to react and all I could feel is his slender fingers wrapped around my hand tightly but it suddenly loosened and we came to a halt.

“, I’m sorry. I thought you were my brother.” He said before facing me with his head bent—preventing me from seeing his face.

My heart thumped and I in my breath. The suspense is killing me as I wait for him to raise his head and get a full view of his face.

I am really curious on what he looked like but before I knew it, he is already gone. He was gone in the sea of people waiting for the red light to turn green.

Suddenly, the inspiration I’ve been waiting for for weeks hit me like a speeding truck.

“I think I’ve got it.”

As soon as I got home, I opened my laptop and faced the blank screen, ready to write incredible things but once again, it isn’t enough.

I came back to square one, with me staring back at the white screen and the blinking line demanding me to type, type, type.

I sighed in defeat and turned it off.

“I should just sleep.” I muttered and went to bed, switching off all the lights.

The next day came and it is time for me to go to school. I put on my uniform and packed my notebooks in my bag. One final look in the mirror and off I went to a place I like to call hell.

It isn’t really bad though. It’s just that the teachers are annoying and the subjects that they teach are also annoy—

“Ow.” I stumbled on my feet and lost balance, causing me to fall on the ground. I was about to shout at the person who bumped me but when I looked up, the sun blinded me and hindered my view.

“I’m sorry.” He said and helped me get up, but after I finished shrugging off the dirt on my uniform, he is already walking away and all I could see is the back of his head.

“Huh. Everyone I see has blonde hair. I wonder if it’s a trend.” I thought to myself and continued walking.

“Class dismissed.”

“Finally.” I said in relief and got up from my seat with my bag on my hand when, “Kyungsoo! Do you want to go out? Eat some snacks on the way home?” A girl from my class whose name I forgot, asked me excitedly with her smile reaching her ears and her eyes filled with joy and enthusiasm.

“Uh...it’s ok. I’m still full.” I excused myself. With that, all the happiness on her face was drained and she casted her head down saying, “Okay.” Before turning her back and leaving the classroom.

The walk home is boring just like my classes. I think everything in my life is boring, including me.

The afternoon sun is setting and the view above is wonderful. When I looked at road in front of me, I saw someone strangely familiar. Wait. Blonde hair. Tall. The man from last night suddenly came into my mind.

“Is this him? The same person I saw last night and the same person who bumped me this morning?”

I wondered and my insides started tingling and I swallowed hard. I stopped in my tracks and thought, “Should I say hi? Nah.” I bit my lip as he got nearer and nearer, “That would be weird. Should I bump him intentionally?” I shook my head, “Nah. It’s embarrassing. Just act normal.”  I decided and straightened my posture, acting perfectly normal.

“Normal. Act normal.” I chanted to myself quietly.

Time seemed to stretch. Every second is like a minute, every step felt very heavy and every beat of my heart seemed to skip a beat. The moment we passed by each other felt like a very long time.

In the corner of my eye, I think I saw him look at me. “Should I talk to him?” I asked myself but when I turned my back to face him I tripped. I tripped on my own foot, face first with all my papers flying out of my bag.

Then, I think I heard a snort or a suppressed laugh coming from behind but when I looked back, thankfully he is already far away from me.

I just sat there, with all my papers scattered on the ground, looking at his back, memorizing every detail like the back of my hand.

“Damn.”

The sun already came up and the birds started chirping on my window. I stared blankly at the white ceiling above me with my eyes surrounded with dark circles. Every time I tried to close my eyes, I see him in the back of my eyelids like it’s been etched there.

“Weird, I can’t stop thinking of him.” I said, before rolling on my bed and finally getting up.

I opened my laptop with my hair still dripping wet and the towel hung loosely on my hips.

The words came flooding in me that I just had to quickly finish taking a shower and open my laptop.

“There. I’m finally able to write a paragraph or two.”

I was about to save my work when the door bell rang and the person behind it shouted, “Chicken delivery.” I stared at the clock that says 10 am and quickly attended to the door, still half .

The fact that I am only wearing a towel left my mind as I swung open the door that revealed a man wearing a hat and yellow and blue uniform.

“Do Kyungsoo?” The delivery man asked, confirming if it’s really me who ordered it.

“.” I muffled a curse before shutting the door in front of him and quickly grabbing the clothes I first saw scattered on the floor.

The moment he raised his head, I knew something was very odd. From the way he stood and the way his voice sounded, it felt like I’ve seen him somewhere before. And then it hit me. I was facing the same man I’ve been seeing walking on the same road I take.

 “Sorry. Didn’t know you’d get here that fast.” I said, holding tightly on the door knob, my hand turning paler by the minute.

I handed him the money with my other hand and I felt the tip of our fingers slightly brush.

“Here’s the change. Enjoy your chicken.” He said like he is restraining himself from laughing before handing me the change. He bit his lip and swallowed hard, making me hold harder on the knob of the door.

“Right.” I muttered but before I could fully close the door, he looked back at me with a smirk on his face and said, “You should probably wear some pants,” before winking at me and walking away chuckling to himself.

“Kill me now.” I said—mentally slapping myself for being stupid—before I quickly closed the door, not wanting anyone to see me in my underwear.

I spent the whole day sulking in my room with a fried chicken on my hand and the gravy on the other.

The whole incident came flashing in my head and I just couldn’t help but mentally punch myself for being so forgetful.

“Get over it, Kyungsoo. Besides, there is a less chance of meeting him again.”

I s